Hallowe'en, Harvest and the Last Day of the Farmers' Market

It's a little scary, a little exciting and a little sad: the harvest is over and the fields are bare; the leaves are falling in bright windblown showers from the trees and the farmers' market tents and tables are being packed away for the winter. And oh yes – it's Hallowe'en.

At Withrow Park, the children who arrived to show off their costumes are almost all gone, to await the adventures of tonight's trick-or-treating, and the friendly pirate will gather her bright hoops from the grass and say goodbye.

Even the cheerful pussycat carving the jack-o-lanterns won't be here much longer. The summer's over and the darkness is falling. Tonight we'll light the fire and curl up in a blanket and wait for the spectres of this gusty autumn night to come a-knocking at the door. Winter is coming. HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!

St. Viateur Bagels and Chalet BBQ Rôtisserie in Montreal

So my brother and I were on our way to a funeral in Montreal, and to cheer ouselves up, we decided to go straight to the Chalet Bar-B-Q (5456 Sherbrooke West near Decarie, 514-489-7235), a beloved community fixture for west-end Montrealers and an icon of our own childhoods and adolescences.

As the man said, you can't go home again, but the Chalet BBQ is as close to unchanged as a restaurant could be after 55 years in the same location. Same overwhelming aroma of smoky chicken; same rooster mosaic in the terazzo floor; same wood-panelled takeout area; same paper menus-cum-placemats; same strong-armed, capable waitresses. Half a century of airborne chicken fat has permeated and seemingly petrified the structure.

Maybe we feel that we're being a little indulgent to the inner children, but it's a tough trip and we deserve a little coddling, right? So we walk in and what do we find? Ten of the other people going to the same funeral are already there. I guess you'd have to say it's an NDG thing.

Perhaps easier to explain to the Toronto crowd is the obligatory pilgrimage to buy some real bagels. Now you can get serviceable bagels all over the place in Montreal; there's no pressing need to go to Fairmont or St. Viateur, but if you've been jonesing for the real thing for five years, there's nothing like the slap of wood smoke that hits you as soon as you walk through the door of a genuine bagel bakery.

A Toronto bagel entrepreneur once told me that Montreal bylaws permit the eggy dough to stand long enough to begin to ferment just a little, something that Toronto Health won't allow here. Be that as it may, I know of no Toronto outlet that can match the springiness, chewiness and tangy flavour of a true Montreal bagel.

At St. Viateur Bagels (158 St. Viateur West near Park, 514-270-2972), the dough is sliced off, rolled out and twisted into shape by hand, the correct and traditional method (below).

There also has to be some important essence charred into the walls of the 50-year-old oven and the traditional plank paddles and the very air itself. Yes, you can buy St. Viateur bagels here in Toronto (at Hotel Le Germain and Metro stores, for example), but nothing beats lining up and getting them straight out of the fire.

Don't tell anyone, but of the three dozen we bought, only 32 actually made it back to the car, two blocks away.)

Coach House Books Launches The Edible City – Toronto's Food from Farm to Fork

On November 15, Coach House launches the latest edition of their uTOpia series of books about what Toronto is, was and could be with The Edible City – Toronto's Food from Farm to Fork.

The Edible City covers peaches and poverty, processing plants and public gardens, rats and bees and bad restaurant service, schnitzel and school lunches. It contains studies of food-security policy, a happy tale about a hardy fig tree, a guide to finding unusual groceries, a look at the city through the lens of a "roti-scope" and a brewer's history of the city.

The launch will be held at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen West) with This Is Not A Reading Series. Doors open at 2 p.m. There'll be lots of food-related fun – including a Toronto-themed cookie-decorating contest – and a panel of contributors moderated by CityBites editor Dick Snyder with horticulturalist and author Steven Biggs, Toronto Life food columnist Sasha Chapman, native plant guru Lorraine Johnson, chef Joshna Maharaj (formerly of The Stop Community Food Centre and currently of Food Studio at the ROM) and me (my essay is about local food history).

Admission is $5 admission (or free with a book purchase). You can RSVP on Facebook.

USC Opinion Poll Shows Canadians Care About Food Sources

USC Canada, a not-for-profit organization that promotes family farms, rural communities, and healthy ecosystems around the world, has just released the results of a national opinion poll about food issues conducted by Nanos Research.

They asked 1,001 Canadians to rate their response to six statements about the sources of their own food and the availability of food in general. The responses show that Canadians are fairly passionate about the right for all people to have nourishing and sustainable food. They also show a preference to have the food supply managed by farmers rather than food companies. However, many still have faith in food companies to protect the welfare of consumers.

Here are the mean responses, where respondents were told that an answer of 1 meant "strongly disagree" and 5 meant "strongly agree".

• Every person in the world has the right to sufficient, healthy food: 4.60, with 80% indicating that they “strongly agree”.
• I would like the farmers who grow our food to have more influence on the food system: 4.02
• I'm concerned about the loss of diversity in plants and animals on our planet: 4.00
• I trust the experience and knowledge of farmers who grow food over the experience and knowledge of large agricultural corporations: 3.98
• I'm willing to pay more for foods that don't harm the environment: 3.88
• When purchasing food, it is important to think about the person who grew the food: 3.87
• I do not trust companies to have the best interests of consumers when it comes to food: 3.59 (19% of respondents said they disagreed or disagreed strongly with this statement.)

Photo by Niamh Malcolm.

Chef Morgan Wilson Cooks Sustainable Fish for Tastes of Tomorrow at George Brown Culinary School

People who care about what they eat are getting more urgently interested in learning how to choose and cook sustainable fish and seafood, so the year-opening event at George Brown's student-run culinary club, Tastes of Tomorrow, is particularly apropos.

On Wednesday, November 4 at 6.30 p.m., Executive Chef Morgan Wilson (Marriott Hotel) will demonstrate an ethical and delicious Citrus poached Queen Charlotte Halibut with lemon, olive and tomato risotto. Wilson has partnered with SeaChoice to bring more sustainable fish and seafood into the industry.

The event takes places in Room 112 in the Chef School (300 Adelaide East) The complete series is open to the public for a very affordable $35 membership fee, or $10 per event, payable at the door. RSVP via email.

The rest of the series includes the following sessions.

• November 24: Professor and Pastry Chef Laura Bryan discusses tea, with tastings.
• December 2: Chef Stefan (USA Rice) demonstrates rice types and cooking methods (he promises luxurious dishes incorporating rice with duck, lamb and scallops), and tastings.
• February 10: The Merchants of Green Coffee, with tastings.
• March 17: Pinch of Salt discusses world varieties of salts, with tastings.
• March 31: Executive Chef David Lee (Note Bene) will share some of his cooking wisdom.
• April 7: The irrepressible Pastry Chef Norbert Maushagen promises a secret event. (Could it possibly beat his sexy, Jessica Rabbit-style Easter bunny molded in sugar?)

Local Food and VQA Wine at the Royal Winter Fair

It's more than just big pumpkins and horse shows: the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (November 6 to 15) seems to be aligning itself with the growing interest in local food and especially local wine. For the first time, organizers are promising that all foods served at the event's five restaurants (except coffee and spices) will be sourced locally. VQA wines and Ontario beers will also be available.

The "Friends of the Greenbelt" Wine Competition returns for a second year, with VQA wines being assessed by Mark Cutura (Cowbell), Brad Long (Veritas), Tawfik Shehata (Vertical), John Maxwell (Allen’s), John Lee (Chippy’s); sommeliers Jonathan Gonsenhauser and Lorie O’Sullivan (ACC), Mark Moffat (Wine n’ Dine), Peter Boyd (Scaramouche), Taylor Thompson (Reds), Zoltan Szabo (Eight Wine Bar), April Kilpatrick, Anton Potvin (Niagara Street Café), Jamie Drummond and Bernard Stramwasser (Le Sommelier Agency), plus winemaker Norman Hardie and media types Matt Galloway (CBC), Malcolm Jolley (Good Food Media) and Dick Snyder (City Bites).

The Vintners' Terrace Restaurant will be offering complete local meals with local wines, under the direction of Resident Chef Robert Campbell. Also, top local guest chefs present their own menus for seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on certain dates (reservations are required: 416-263-3979).

November 6, 7 and 12: Corbin Tomaszeski (Holt’s Café & Food Network – pictured)

• Starters: Kabocha Squash Potage with seared scallop & shrimp, pumpkin seed oil and chives – Prosciutto, Rockett and Baby Spinach Salad with tomato, fresh pear, candied walnuts and aged Ontario cheese – Duck Confit Ravioli on parsnip and celery root puree with wild mushroom cream
• Mains: Fennel and Cumin Crusted Maple Lamb Rack with truffle potato mash, striped beetroot, au jus and pomegranate – Medallion of Ontario Beef with braised beef short ribs, brussel sprout & bacon hash and scented de puy lentils – Potato Crusted Salmon Filet with pearl vegetables, garlic shrimp and vanilla cognac bisque – Eight Vegetable Pot Pie with truffle potato chips, sea salt and chives
• Desserts: Orchard Fruit Cobbler with vanilla bean and almond ice cream – Classic Apple Fritters with warmed cinnamon rice pudding – Warm Gingerbread Cake with classic caramel sauce

November 10: Ryo Ozawa (EDO)
Salade Nihonçoise: seared red sashimi tuna with mustard miso sauce, balsamic vinegar red wine reduction spring mix, quail egg, green beans, cherry tomato, yuzu vinaigrette – Sushi Course with seasonal vegetables – Choice of Saikyo Yakimiso marinated black cod or Angus Striploin (Steak or Teriyaki style) or Kobe Washu-Gyu US Wagyu (Kobe beef) rib-eye – Chocolate Fondue: fresh fruit with luscious melted Belgian dark chocolate

November 11: Jamie Kennedy (Gilead)
Hot Smoked Whitefish with Pickled Succotash Salad – Braise and Roast of Venison with Cabbage Roll and Currant Glazes – Apple and Cheddar Strudel with Black Walnut and Maple Ice Cream – Coffee or tea

November 13: Steffan Howard (Palais Royale Ballroom)
Farm Fresh Soft Boiled Egg, Little Toast and House Flatbread Points – Grilled Celeriac in Mustard Sauce and Fresh Watercress Salad – Butter Seared Beef Tenderloin and Oxtail Decker, Spiced Parsnips and Potato, Parsley and Porcini Demi Glace – Vegetarian option: Butternut, Acorn and Spaghetti Squash Pave, White Bean and Rosemary Paste, Heirloom Tomato Fume – Sarah’s Ontario Apple, Cranberry and Pear Brown Betty, Vanilla Bean Chantilly

November 14: David Chrystian (Victor Restaurant, Hotel le Germain)
Dungeness Crab and Albacore Tuna Press with crispy bacon, semolina pudding, grape leaf and chard salad, cloudberry vinaigrette – Ontario Lamb and Mario Paz Merguez Sausage with confit potato, squash gratin, organic turnips, Ontario ver jus and pecan sauce – Ice Wine Poached Pear with white chocolate mousse, bay and lime sponge cake

Wine Tour of Prince Edward County #foodiemeet

Such a delightful and educational wine-tasting day! I've just returned from the fourth "#Foodiemeet" organized by Suresh Doss (@spotlightcity on Twitter) and Andrea Chiu (@TOfoodie), a day trip to lovely Prince Edward County to sample the very fine wines that are now being produced there.

The excursion party was made up of a great collection of curious, intelligent, unpretentious and good-humoured wine explorers (including Jenny, Bobby, Paul, Nina, Cathy, Ingrid, Tatiana, Bonnie, Edlynne, Steven, Nicole, Matt and others who will, I hope, forgive my faulty memory). Fueled by a deliciously welcome egg sandwich breakfast provided by Pantry, we managed to visit five wineries and to sample more than 15 of the region's very minerally, fresh and surprising wines. I myself came home with six bottles; some others bought boxes full.

In less than ten years, "The County", which is located south of Belleville (just over two hours east of Toronto), has gone from having no commercial wine industry at all to winning international acclaim, partly because of its soft and friable calcareous limestone soil, and partly due to assiduous care on the part of its winemakers, who have learned how to bury their vines each winter to protect the tender primary buds from killing cold.

It retains a much more rural and remote character than Niagara, as well as a strong sense of connection with the past, which is everywhere in evidence (the graveyard above was far more tranquil and picturesque than spooky, with its well cared-for Victorian markers.)

The first stop was the acclaimed Norman Hardie Winery, where the winemaker himself (pictured) led a tour and tasting, while lazy, grape-fed wasps buzzed about contentedly. "We're not here to make easy-sipping wines; we're here to make wine with structure," he said, and indeed the bottles we sampled were complicated, dry and minerally: not sweet and easy tastes.

Remembering that I am no expert, and that I offer my impressions rather than any particular recommendations, here are my notes on the wines we tried. Incidentally, most of these wines are not available at the LCBO, but are served by some local Toronto restaurants. Most of the vineyards will deliver to this city free, or for a minimal shipping charge; the price per bottle of many of the wines we tried was in the $20-$25 range. Incidentally, 2007 was a good year for the County.

• Chardonnay San Barriques 2008: The name means "no barrels", so it's an unoaked Chardonnay. Like many of the wines we tried today, it was very pale, just a faint greenish yellow, with a slight petroleum nose. The taste was very unsweet, like unripe peaches, and very minerally.
• Pinot Gris 2008: A very pale yellow wine with a very subtle scent. It tasted of tart green apples, and offered a gentle fruit finish.
• Chardonnay 2008: Pale yellow, with a startling catnip scent and an unusual, almost nutty, flavour with a hint of rubber, if you can imagine it. It grew more like grapefruit as it opened up in the glass.

• Pinot Noir 2008: With a pale cherry colour and a smell of black cherries and roses, this was perhaps the most romantic wine we tried. It tasted of cinnamon and raspberry with maybe, said one of the group, an undertone of jasmine.
• Cuvée "L" 2007: The other wines were in the $25 to $35 price range; this is a $65 wine, quite pinkish red with a scent of raspberries and strawberries. Although Hardie uses his own grapes for many wines, it's made of 60% Niagara grapes and 40% from the County. The taste was very complicated: strong coffee and balsamic vinegar.

Pictured above right: The Norman Hardie wine press

Nearby Rosehall Run was the next stop. There, animated owner and winemaker Dan Sullivan (of whom this is not an especially flattering picture) led a tour through his premises, offered tastes of the very sweet juice of the Chardonnay grapes and passed out a tasty bag lunch from local kitchen Pinch.

"For me, terroir is about fruit – it's what the fruit wants to do," said Sullivan. Here are the Rosehall Run wines we tasted:

• Pinot Noir 2008: We tried this one straight from the barrel; it has not yet even been bottled! It was a pleasant peachy red colour and smelled of strawberries and rhubarb. The taste was very young, but smooth, with mingled notes of coffee, cocoa and cloves.
• Jamie Kennedy Chardonnay 2007: Extremely pale, with a minerally olive-oil nose. It tasted of peach and maple. Sullivan recommends it with salmon.
• Rosehall Run Estate Chardonnay 2007: A little yellower than the Jamie Kennedy Chardonnay, with a richer scent and flavours of cedar and pineapple.
• Rosehall Run Estate Pinot Noir 2007: A peachy red with a strawberry aroma and a rich, smoky taste that went very well with the pulled pork sandwiches in our bag lunch.
• Jamie Kennedy Pinot Noir 2007: Also a peachy pale red, with a fragrant scent of strawberries. Its taste was a young but rich combination of strawberries, chocolate and cinnamon.

We dashed into Sandbanks Estate for an unscheduled stop and tasting; I sampled and bought a couple of bottles of their 2007 Baco Noir, which I described in my account of Foodiemeet #2. Next, it was on to the charmingly rustic By Chadsey's Cairns, which has a resident ghost, and where the tasting room is in a Victorian apple house. Former MPP and current proprietor Richard Johnston led the tour; he was quick to state that it is his wife Vida Zalnieriunas who is the winemaker. He discussed the properties of the sandier beachfront soil on his land, and the regional terroir in general, pointing out that "we did not expect to become an appellation within seven years." The wines available for tasting were numerous. Here's what I had:

• Chenin Blanc 2007: Pale, and smelling of Macintosh apples. A sharp, dry apple cider taste.
• Riesling 2007: As pale as water, with a scent of apples and orange peels. The taste: Granny Smith apples and pineapples.
• Gamay 2005: A deep red raspberry colour to match a raspberry/strawberry smell. The taste was juicy and berryish with perhaps a hint of vanilla, and a touch of balsamic vinegar in the finish.
• Gewurtztraminer 2008: Another very clear wine, with a flowery pear and melon nose. The taste started with a burst of sweetness and then mellowed into a bouquet of lychee, melon and vanilla.

It was at this point that Paul noticed that "estate" wines use grapes grown on the spot; "county" wines use grapes from somewhere in the County, but not necessarily that vineyard.

At Black Prince Winery, we enjoyed pairings of wine with local artisanal cheese: an old cheddar and a horseradish mozzarella from Black River. We tasted:

• Melon de Bourgogne 2008: Made from Muscadet grapes; pale, with a peachy nose. It tasted minerally, but also redolent of peach, apricot and pomegranate.
• Cabernet Franc 2008: An attractive dark purplish colour with a faint vanilla scent that delivered an amazingly vanilla-flavoured taste.

A trip to the Copper Kettle Chocolate Company, with its truffles, ice cream and chocolate barks, wound up the official tour. However, fellow passenger Steven Campbell of Lifford Wine Agency most graciously treated us to samples of two very remarkable bottles.

• Southbrook Pinot Noir 1998: A complex, dark-coloured wine that led with a smell of oil, then delivered a taste of black olives, tar and leather that gradually developed more fruitiness in the glass.
• 30 Bench Reserve Blend 1998: A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc and 14% Merlot, this amazing wine had a dark blackberry colour and a smoky scent. Its full strong flavour spectrum included blackberry and peppery, spicy tannin tastes.

To finish, a photo of the 2009 Pinot grapes
fresh from harvesting at Rosehall Run.

Andrea and Suresh intend to continue their diverse and captivating series of Foodiemeets. To find out more, follow them or the hashtag #foodiemeet on Twitter, or visit Foodiemeet.ca.

What's on the Table Fundraiser for the Stop

On Wednesday, November 4 at 6 p.m., the Stop Community Food Centre presents What's on the Table, their 5th annual fundraising event, at the Green Barn (601 Christie Street). It's an elegant and luxurious soirée featuring live and silent auctions for sensational items like Tiffany jewellery, accompanied by food samples prepared by the best local chefs and paired with drinks from Cave Spring, Coyote's Run Estate Winery, Flat Rock Cellars, Frogpond Farm, Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Merchants of Green Coffee, Steam Whistle Brewery, Stratus Vineyards and the Tea Emporium. Food will be supplied by:

• Amaya
• Amuse-Bouche
• Buddha Dog
• C5
• Canoe
• Cheese Boutique
• Chezvous Dining
• Chiado
• Cowbell
• Frangipane
• George
• Jamie Kennedy Kitchens
• Langdon Hall
• Mildred's Temple Kitchen
• Noce
• Scaramouche
• Stockyards
• The Stop
• XOCOCAVA

Tickets are $225 (with charitable receipt for $130; proceeds go to the Stop’s innovative anti-hunger programs. Reserve via email or call Danielle at 416-652-7867, extension 250.

Image by Rosavita, Morguefile

Cask Days at Volo – The Ontario Cask Ale Festival

Cask ales are small-batch beers that allow brewers to experiment with unusual ingredients and new techniques. Once the cask is open, it must be finished within a few days. Just once a year, Volo (587 Yonge, 416-928-0008) hosts Cask Days, a rare chance to sample the bounties of Ontario's breweries.

This year there will be 46 firkins on tap from 35 Ontario brewers and four guest breweries from Quebec and England, with flavours both expected and not, including strawberry, peanut butter & jam, pumpkin, vanilla, ginger and lime. This is a unique opportunity to get to know more about the wealth of Ontario's craft beer industry, and a must for beer aficionados.

October 26 to 28 are Pre Cask Days, featuring traditional English ales (a half-pint for $4.50 or a full pint for $6.50). October 29 is the date of the Final Four Recap, featuring the final four beers from the Ontario Cask IPA Challenge.

Cask Days are October 30 to November 1, with all 46 brews available for tasting at $2 for a quarter-pint, $4 for a half and $8 for a full pint. Admission is $10-$15. Tickets are already on sale, and some sessions are already sold out.

On Monday, November 2, they'll sell off the remaining cask beer (if there is any left); admission is $5.

Chef Michael Smith, The Best of Chef at Home, and an Applesauce Recipe

You may remember Chef Michael Smith from such shows as Chef at Home, Chef at Large, The Inn Chef and his latest, Chef Abroad, on Food Network Canada. The tousle-haired, denim-and-cableknit-clad east coaster (a proud resident of PEI) has just published his fourth cookbook, The Best of Chef at Home, which lays out straightforward, useful recipes for everyday cooking in a big, beautiful paperback volume with an appetizing full-page photo for almost every dish.

The nicest and most authentic part of the book is the "Freestyle Variation" offered for every recipe: suggestions for fiddling with the basics, and tips for how to cover off the ingredients you may not have lying around the house. There's also an awesome chapter at the back called "Jars", with recipes for pesto, pickled onions and sauces (butterscotch! dark chocolate!) I caught up with Smith while he was here in Toronto this morning to ask him about himself.

• Food Style? Most styles – it's simple; it's easy; it's fun. It's as simple as can be, it's as local as can be, it's as sustainable as can be, it's as flavourful as can be.
• Oddest Moment Shooting the Shows? A blooper-esque answer: sometime when the cameras are rolling you get to an odd place where you do something you wouldn't normally do. Like pouring a hot soup in the blender and turning it on, and it explodes milk all over the place, and you have to shut down the set for two-and-a-half hours and clean everything up.
• Scariest Moment in the Kitchen? How about the time I roasted an eight-winged bat? I do this at Hallowe'en: I take a whole chicken and a whole package of chicken wings and stick them all in and I brush it with molasses and bake it... and it looks like a big spider!
• Greatest Achievement? You know, quite simply I would say, for me, it's becoming a voice of simple Canadian cooking. It's becoming a resource for Canadian families. It's becoming a guide to help people get comfortable in their own kitchen and discover how fun and stress-free cooking can be. That's professionally. Personally, of course, it's my family and my son, and that relationship.
• Advice for Other Chefs? I think as chefs we have the obligation to engage with the issues of sustainability and health and wellness and be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.
• What's Cooking? Applesauce. That's what I'm going to do tomorrow; I'm heading home, and I have probably five different varieties of apples we picked on the weekend. I'm going to do varietal applesauce this year, for our oatmeal all winter: Gravenstein, Jonagold, Macoun, Honeycrisp, and the last one is a new one, and I think it's called Golden Crisp. We have about 200 pounds of apples, and I'm not going to mix them. With one of them I'll do a variation: I like to isolate the sugar from the recipe and do a caramelization first, so I think I'll do a Caramel-Honeycrisp applesauce. And I think I'll make one of these applesauces with rosemary; those flavours are awesome together.

Cinnamon Applesauce
Reprinted with permission from The Best of Chef at Home, Whitecap Books, 2009

In the fall, when apples are in peak seaon, I always make a giant batch or two of applesauce and freeze it. It's one of my favourite things to do in the kitchen with my son, Gabe. MAKES 4 CUPS (1 L)

• a dozen or so of your favourite apples
• 1 cup (250 mL) of brown sugar
• 1 heaping teaspoon (15 mL) of ground cinnamon
• a dash of pure vanilla extract
• a dash of salt
• a splash of water

Remove the cores from the apples but leave the skins on. Cut them into large chunks.
Toss into a pot and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add a splash of water, just enough to cover the bottom of the pot, and place over a medium-high heat.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid. In a few minutes the water will begin to steam, and the heat will encourage the apples to release their own moisture.

There are many types of apples; each behaves differently when cooked. Some will soften and break down quickly, others will take longer. Any apple makes great applesauce, but my favourites are McIntosh and Golden Delicious.

Keep an eye on the pot and stir frequently so they don't stick to the bottom. Cook until all the apples are softened and the mixture simmers, about 20 minutes in total.
For a rustic chunky consistency, pass the sauce through a food mill or force it through a colander with the back of a spoon. For a smoother version, purée in a food processor and then pass through a strainer. In either case the skins will be left behind and should be discarded.

Freestyle Variation

Many spices have an affinity for apples. Try nutmeg, allspice, cloves or cardamom. Some herbs are very tasty too. I enjoy rosemary, thyme and even bay leaf.

Also check out:

Craig Paulger, J. Dee's Market Grill (London)
John Sinopoli, Table 17 (Toronto)

Chris Mills, Joey Restaurant Group (Vancouver, Toronto and elsewhere)
Raymond Taylor, Ponte Vecchio (Niagara Falls)
Paul Vanderpool Jr., Elements (Thunder Bay)
Stephen Vardy, Black Cat Bistro (Ottawa)

Escoffier Society Celebrates International Chefs Day

Hey, I've just received the menus for the Escoffier Society of Toronto's sampling feast at Yonge-Dundas Square, their contribution to International Chefs Day celebrations. It takes place tomorrow, Saturday, October 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Many (though not all) the culinary samples will be based on local ingredients, and they sound great!

The Escoffier Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of professional chefs and cooks. Tomorrow, their members (pictured at the 2007 edition of the event) will be offering tasting portions for $2 or $3 each, with all proceeds to Second Harvest. Tomorrow's participants include:

• Chef Tim Belanger CCC, President of the Escoffier Society of Toronto (Pulled Pork Sandwiches featuring Ontario’s Willowgrove Hill Pork on Silverstein Bakery Bun)
• Chef Sara Harrel of The Veg Company and Vice President of the Escoffier Society (Ontario Red and White Potato Salad with Coloured Carrots, Celery, Red Onions and Fresh Herbs made with produce from the Holland Marsh Growers. The potatoes and onions were harvested Tuesday; the carrots were harvested Wednesday, and the celery was harvested yesterday, she reports.)
• Chef Leonhard Lechner CMC, Humber Canadian Centre of Culinary Arts & Science (Pulled Lamb Shank, Stewed Leeks and Parsnips, Black Beans, White and Red Cabbage Coleslaw with Smoked Tomato Dressing - Strawberry Treat)
• Chef Harold Ramos and Chef Susan Bonghee from the Faculty Club, University of Toronto (Ontario Fall Squash Soup with Crème Fraîche)
• Pit Master Earl White of Busting Loose BBQ (Slow Smoked Baby Back Ribs featuring Ontario’s Willowgrove Hill Pork, BBQ Beans with Ontario Smokey Bacon and Foodland Ontario Red and Green Peppers & Onions)
• Chef Lotte Andersson and Chef David Evans (Flourless Chocolate Cake topped with Spiced Ontario Poached Pears, Ontario Vanilla Ice Cream and Hot Chocolate Sauce)
• Pastry Chef Ruwan Jayakody of Ruwan’s Cake Art (Casual Pumpkin Dessert Squares with Ontario pumpkin, butter, cream and eggs)
• Chef John MacKinnon of Dr.F.J. Donevan C.I. High School in Durham (Ethnic Cheese Platter featuring Latin American Cheeses from Ontario: Queso Fresco, Duro Blando, Campesino, Panela, Kumis, Fruit Yogurt)
• Chef Michael Jensen CCC of the Sheraton Toronto Airport (Warm Noodle Salad, Ontario Vegetables with Curry and Highliner Newfoundland Ice Shrimp)
• Chef Bruno Elsier BCC RCC of Aramark and The Toronto French School (Half Red Ontario Peppers Stuffed with Couscous, Ontario Vegetables and Chicken - Spicy Pizza Slice with Ontario Vegetables, Alberta Ground Beef and Canadian Mozzarella Cheese - Grated Ontario Yukon Potatoes Filled with Ontario Vegetables, Canadian Bacon Bits and Asiago Cheese - Mini Quiche with in Quebec Maple Syrup, Glazed Ontario Onions and Canadian Cheddar Cheese)

International Chefs Day was established in 2004 by the World Association of Chefs Societies as a special occasion for culinarians to salute their profession. All the labour and ingredients have been donated. Suppliers include Bustin' Loose BBQ, Foodland Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Fresh Start Foods, Gordon Food Service, Highliner Foods, Holland Marsh Grower's Association, Humber College, Ruwan's Cake Art, Sheraton, Ste Anne's Spa, The Veg Company and Willogrove Hill Pork.

Earth to Table Authors Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann at the Cookbook Store

On Saturday, November 28, Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann will be making an appearance at the Cookbook Store (850 Yonge, just north of Bloor, 416-920-2665) from to 2 to 3 p.m. Schormann is the pastry chef at the Ancaster Old Mill, where Crump is the executive chef. He apprenticed at Berkeley's Chez Panisse, and later worked at Lumière and The Fat Duck. Together, they've created a cookbook that's getting a lot of attention among local-food aficionados.

Earth to Table is a how-to and inspiration for people who are interested in Slow Food, seasonal fare, organic food and local ingredients. It's illustrated with photos by Edward Pond, and will be available at the event ($45).

That's all for now; it's been a busy week and I'll be heading out of town tomorrow for an annual Canadian Thanksgiving gathering at a lakeside cottage in the US of both American and Canadian relatives, with dinner for at least 20 people (it's been known to be 40) and no web access at all – unless you count tweeting from my phone.

Among the pressing questions:

• Will the deep fryer arrive in time to cook the second turkey?
• How will the Americans like the novelty of imported mini Coffee Crisps and Smarties?
• Will we Canucks succumb to the exotic lure of a biscuit-and-sausage-gravy breakfast?
• ..and will I manage to bring back any interesting Hudson Valley or Finger Lakes wines?

Time will tell...

McEwan at The Shops at Don Mills

I had been curious for some time about McEwan, the eponymous gourmet grocery opened in June of this year at The Shops at Don Mills by Toronto chef Mark McEwan (ONE, Bymark, North 44 and The Food Network's "The Heat"). Not long ago I had a chance to check it out and came away with mixed feelings.

By the way, although I have heard some inveterate downtowners say otherwise, I found it easy to get to via public transit. I took the #25 bus from Pape. You could also get there via the #54 or #152 Lawrence.

The shop layout, label design and display at McEwan are unquestionably gorgeous. It's bright and spacious and filled with luxurious layouts like the cheese table above, fit for a still-life painting. However, much as I found myself seduced by the lavish elegance of the whole thing, I also had the feeling that McEwan may be – to use an appropriate metaphor – neither fish nor fowl.

Unquestionably, McEwan carries lots of rare and delightful items. One of my favourite parts of the store was the oil and vinegar section (pictured left), where certain choice bottles of aged balsamic with imposing three-digit price tags reside behind locked glass panels.

But – unless it's closed and no one's told me – I suspect I could find similar products at The Olive Pit (805 Queen West, 647-430-7085), a much more intimate and specialized shop downtown that does tastings on the spot, while St. Lawrence Market supplies a good range of McEwan's other standout wares, like unusual salt, artisanal mustards and so on.

As for the fresh produce, although there was an interesting array of exotic fruit and vegetables, and some Ontario items, I also noticed cases full of the same mass-market imported berries I get at my local Price Chopper. Meanwhile, although there were some lovely kits of tools for the home cook, I didn't have the feeling the shop was really catering to the would-be serious cooking aficionado.

This is not to say I didn't think McEwan was lovely. I'd have a great time there picking out a basket of delights as a wedding present, for instance, or shopping for a really special meal, or picking up treats for the holidays. But I'm used to fancy food shops that are tiny, crowded and intimate, like the ones on Monkland Avenue in Montreal, or Pantry (974 College), Cumbrae's (481 Church) or All the Best (1101 Yonge) here, and I think it must be easier to be small and focused rather than big and all-embracing, if you want to be excellent too.

And I suppose there is a purpose in having a one-stop gourmet shop. I look forward to seeing how McEwan evolves as it gets to know its customers, and its customers get to know it.