marckb's Profile
ONTARIO Beers worth trying
Presumably these temperature guidelines are quite different for different types of beer? For example, I enjoy Pilsner quite cold, but light ales much less cold. Speaking of Pilsner, does anyone in Ontario make a great one?
Thanksgiving in Picton: Anyone been to Blumen Garden Bistro?
I went to Blümen for the spring Picton restaurant event ( i forget what it's called). We ordered from the special menu, and it was divine. The gnocchi were super light and fluffy. and the home-cured salmon was so good that I almost ordered the whole meal a second time. I found the service fantastic, and the chef came around to the table during desert to say hello. So good in fact, that we're going back tonight.
Kimchi: Napa Cabbage Alternatives?
My wife and I are in the process of planning the food crops on our new homestead. My wife the farmer will be growing all heirloom vegetables, and i'll be going crazy with delight cooking it all.
Among other things, I'm looking forward to making my own kimchi, possibly even in a crock pot underground. However, we are unable to find any heirloom Napa cabbage seeds, so far.
Can anyone suggest any other varieties of cabbage that could be used? I refuse to give up on my Kimchi dream, and my wife won't budge on her all-heirloom dream.
Marc, the farmer's husband.
mid-day drinking and eating?
I thought of Queen Mother, but it's a tiny bit too casual. I'd love something similar in hangout-ability, but with more suits (to remind my lovely wife how happy she is going to be not to go to the office) and I was hoping for somewhere i've never been! I know, I forgot to put that last criteria in my list...
mid-day drinking and eating?
So, to celebrate my wife's first freelance day, i thought we should go out for a great, loung-ey lunch, with many drinks on Wednesday. Would love a suggestion for a lunch spot downtown, with good people-watching, great food, great drinks, and full of people who are going back to work after their lunch, so that my wife can sip her drink and enjoy NOT going back to work.
We're up for different types of food, from Indian to European to ?... Don't want an outrageously priced place, but we'll spend over $150 for 2.
best little coffee shop, cherry bomb
Tinto is still North (4 doors, used to be 7) of Cherry Bomb, and CB stopped making sandwiches not long after they started. The owners realized that coffee was enough of a draw, and dropped the sandwiches which were too much work.
It's 8:53 on Saturday morning, and there are already 3 people waiting in line. I'll be crossing the street and joining them any minute now!
Best food or food related gift you have given or received?
On my then girlfriend (now wife)'s first business trip to Miami, she was having a really hard time of it, and quite lonely in the hotel. A quick call to the concierge in her hotel had a pot of tea and slice of chocolate cake delivered. She lost it. So simple, but so powerful.
Also, individual pints of home-made ice-cream with individual labels have become a tradition for Christmas gifts. My huge family is wearing out my Kitchenaid Icecream maker!
what a great server!!!
Our Valentine's dinner at a great local restaurant included some beautiful, bright yellow, thinly sliced, home-pickled beats. I told our waiter how much I like them, and asked some question about them. Sure enough, with our bill came a tupperware container with some beats, and a note from the chef on how to add my own beats to the container to make even more.
McDonalds or Wendy's or Burger King??
McD's bacon and egg mcmuffin breakfast is my road trip ritual, and would be missed (though i'm considering switching to Tim Horton's new breakfast)...
Not Just Noodles...
OK. So my guilty pleasure is the General Tao at Not Just Noodles at Yonge and Wellesley. Any comparable General Tao places in the West End? Living on Roncesvalles, Not Just Noodles is a bit far...
where can i buy cookbooks?
I think 90% of my cookbooks were purchased at deep discount from the ever-present Cookbook Sale table at Indigo/Chapters... As much as 60% off sometimes, with the odd ripped cover, etc. Mostly, they are just books with a few copies left.
Also a great deal as it encourages me to purchase cookbooks that I might otherwise not deem "worth it".
Dining alone in Toronto
It won't be right for Kamibear, but I do love to sit at the bar at Terroni on Queen. Always have to stop, and appreciate that it is what I imagined sitting at a restaurant bar by myself would be like when I was a kid. Also, a nice place to sit and draw, write or read while you eat.
Picnic mains
thai noodle salads and thai beef salad travel pretty well, and are great at room temperature.
Kolbassa in TO
An update: Noticed today that Copernicus Deli is closing after 29 years in business. Am sad, and will miss them.
Hope that Cherry Bomb moves in there.
Kiwi Candy?
I know that most of the candy stores carry British candy, but I wonder if any carry Aussie or Kiwi candies, in particular, Jaffas and Pineapple Lumps.
I dream of making Jaffa ice cream...
Mmmm.
Special Hot Dog
Mmm. I crave Currywurst from german sausage stands. MIT pommels.
Pray tell, does anyone serve currywurst in Ontario?
Special Hot Dog
Dear Hungry Pangolin,
Buddha Dog is a new restaurant opening on Roncesvalles. Already exists in Prince Edward County:
http://www.tastetrail.ca/16.html
Special Hot Dog
Someone should forward this to Budha Dog, opening soon on Roncesvalles Ave. Gourmet dogs? Maybe they'd give it a try. Mmmmm.
Peppadews in Jars?
Discovered Peppadews a few years ago, but have only found them in bulk containers at Whole Foods. Whenever I go to the US, i stock up on jars of Peppadews. Has anyone found these in Toronto?
Can't make a pizza sans peppadews, and i'm down to 10 jars! ;-)
Worst/Best Tourist Trap Food in TO
Thought I'd nominate one for best, though I haven't been there yet: I hear the food at the new Toronto FC BMO Field is worldly and good. That has got to count as a tourist trap, no? Maybe it'll inspire the rest of the area.
Anyone eaten there?
Special Hot Dog
Wow. That sounds so good. For the record, where in Québec do I find that? Train ticket: $250. Hotdog on a hotpoker thingy with a baguette: $5.00. Hmmmm.
Toronto's Best Food Neighbourhoods?
DDD said: BWV has been covered, but...If you expand the BWV to its immediate neighbours, you have a fantastic choice/variety - Roncesvalles - Silver Spoon, Blue Bay Cafe, Freshwood Grill, Easy, Butler's Pantry, (...few others
To add to DDD's Roncesvalles list:
- Qi (great health food store with lots of the otherwise missing "world ingredients")
- Loblaws (always great for filler)
- Granowska's (for the best polish rose-hip jelly doughnuts)
- Polska and Chopin for Pierogies
- Thin Blue Line (a treasure of a cheese shop)
- Cherry Bomb Coffee (lineups when the doors open seven days a week)
- Coming soon? Bravo Gelato and Budha Dog (gourmet hot dogs! can't wait)
- I'm sure i'm forgetting something. Roncesvalles is a food-lovers delight.
Praise for Silver Spoon on Roncesvalles
I agree that Silver Spoon is great. My wife and I went for the first time for Valentine's this year, and everything was great. In fact, after asking the waiter to compliment the chefs on their beautiful, subtle, home-pickled yellow beats, I found a plastic container full of them was delivered with my bill, along with instructions to keep adding my own beats to the pickling juice. Yum.
