Winterlicious Events January & February 2009

The City of Toronto's Winterlicious festival returns from January 30 to February 12, 2009, with prix-fixe menus ($15, $20 & $30 lunches and $25, $35 & $45 dinners) at 150 restaurants around town, plus a series of special events:

January 31: Favourite Foods Across Cultures, 1 to 3 p.m.
Artist Vivian Reiss and brain guru Ariel Garten present an afternoon of the art and psychology of favourite foods. The process of having a portrait painted is a personal psychological journey, and food is a part of it. Sample the dishes of Reiss’ subjects and learn what they reveal about the individuals. Reiss Gallery, 500 College. $65. 416-839-9943

January 30 & 31: Winterlicious Culinary Classes, 6 to 8 p.m.
Learn to prepare Dark Ale and Old Cheddar Soup, Salmon Filet en Croute and Mini Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce. Meet the chef, take home the recipes, and receive a special gift ($20 value) from Calphalon. Calphalon Culinary Center, 425 King W. $60. 416-847-2212

February 1: Thai Cooking for Teens, 1 to 4 p.m.
Chef Sasi ("Canada’s Most famous Thai Chef" – Maclean’s, July 2008) presents her cooking class for cooks aged 12 to 18. Participants prepare a meal, and take home a sauce and $30 restaurant gift certificate. Mengrai Thai, 82 Ontario. $85. 416-546-0331

February 1: Travel the Spice Route Brunch, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A culinary journey along the ancient Spice Route. Menu features cuisine from Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and India. Welcoming guests into the restaurant, a Rangoli installation uses spices to highlight the five countries of the Spice Route. Spice Route, 499 King W. $40. 416-849-1808

February 3: Dining in the Dark, 7 p.m.
Chef Jose Salgado guides blindfolded diners through a six-course menu featuring authentic regional fare from Spain, with paired wines from Torres, Spain’s largest winemaker. Embrujo Flamenco, 97 Danforth. $85 plus tax & tip. 416-778-0007

February 4 to 7: Winterlicious Culinary Classes (see above)

February 5: Defining Toronto Cuisine – An Evening of Culinary Excellence, 5 p.m. (dinner service from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.)
A winter feast prepared by well-known chefs to support the Dancing Classrooms Project, a character-building program for 9- and 10-year-old inner city kids who are taught to ballroom dance in their classrooms. Palais Royale, 1601 Lake Shore W. $150 plus tax & tip. 416-533-3553

February 5: Chocolicious, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Learn four chocolate dessert recipes including 70% chocolate bark, triple chocolate soufflé roll. Includes a light meal of savoury chocolate dishes and a take-home gift!. Bonnie Stern School of Cooking, 6 Erskine Avenue. $95. 416-484-4810

February 7: Guilty Pleasures V: Fashion+Food=Fabulous!, 9:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.
A brunch plus fashion show presented by the Drake and Toronto Fashion Incubator; a chance to shop for Canadian designer clothing and accessories plus a take-home goody bag. The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen W. $35 plus tax & tip. 416-531-5042 X113

February 7 (noon to 2:30 p.m.): Chocolicious (see above)

February 7: Artisanal Brewers at Todmorden, 7 to 10 p.m.
A celebration of Todmorden Mill’s artisanal beer making history from the 1820s. Choose from eight pairings of craft beer produced by Ontario brewers and cuisine created by local Toronto restaurants. Take home a souvenir tasting glass. Papermill Gallery at Todmorden Mills Museum, 67 Pottery Road. $50 plus tax. 416-396-2819. (I'm helping organize this one, so I can personally endorse it. Confirmed participants to date include Black Oak Brewery, Denison's Brewing Company, Granite Brewery, La Palette, Le Petit Dejeuner, Mill Street Brewery, Red Rocket Coffee, Starfish Oysterbed & Grill, Wellington Brewery and Woolwich Dairy.)

February 8: Five Senses Brunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m.
A spectacular buffet. Rosewater Supper Club, 19 Toronto Street $50 plus tax & gratuity)416-214-5888

February 8: Thai Cooking for Teens (see above)

February 9: Under a Winter Sky, 6 to 10 p.m.
Lorenzo Loseto, Executive Chef at George Restaurant, prepares a five-course menu with paired wines served at a candlelit harvest table under the glass roof of the greenhouse. The focus will be on sustainable, local, organic food. The Stop Community Food Centre’s Green Barn, 601 Christie. $200. 416-652-7867 X250

February 10 & 11: Winterlicious Culinary Classes (see above)

February 11: An Evening with Inniskillin Winemaker Bruce Nicholson, 6 to 10 p.m.
Splendido chef de cuisine David Lee designs a tasting menu paired with Inniskillin’s finest wines. Expert winemaker Bruce Nicholson leads the tastings including the new Winemaker Series. Splendido, 88 Harbord Street $200 plus tax & tip. 416-929-7788

February 12: An Evening with Inniskillin Winemaker Bruce Nicholson (see above)