I have proposed Canteen to the group so we will see - the added bonus is maybe after the kids leave we can go catch a flick! Being able to make a reservation and have space is key.

That's what we've always done in the past - and I love those rooms - I'm not sure why now it's a no go. But that's what it is.

I share a birthday with my best friend and we've always celebrated our birthdays together. As we've aged life changes and they've now got two little ones (2 1/2 and a newborn) so we've stopped the fancy dinners and parties of yesterday in exchange for a low key lunch with a smaller group (6 plus the toddler and babe). Since he's got his hands full I've taken the job of planning this year.

I'm looking for something downtown (hopefully central) that can accommodate us for a Saturday lunch. All cuisines are welcome and we're an adventurous sort but we do need to make sure there are some vegetarian/gluten free options for one guest.

In the past we've had great success at Chinese restos, Middle Eastern and Indian places.

Normally since the introduction of the children to our group our go to is Asian Legend or someplace similar in Chinatown. There is something for everyone, it's loud and I find they are generally tolerable of kids and babies. But I just got this in response to that suggestion "Asian Legend may be too busy and distracting for (toddler) she's more focused when coralled into a booth."

I'm trying really hard to be a nice and understanding childless person but seriously?!

So now we need to add into the equation booths. Or places that aren't "distracting".

So Chowhounders you are my last resort - please help save me so I don't have to go to Marche again for my birthday.

(Suggesting they get a sitter is not an option unfortunately.)

I am also looking! In the past I've got them at the Harvest Wagon at Yonge and Summerhill but was there yesterday and they didn't have any (they said they might have some later in the season but were not sure) besides that they are very expensive there in the past and if you are needing a number for jelly making it's prohibitive,

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Harvest Wagon
1103 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W, CA

yes it is still open and a month or so ago even had a bit of a reno - new paint, tables and chairs, new flooring. It was our regular place for dim sum when we lived in the east end.

Thanks for that - it's worth a trip to Wychwood to find out - sadly they don't list their vendors online anywhere.

Yes the space is the same - not sure about parking as we take the shuttle from Broadview but it seems me me a lot of the vendors we liked and bought a lot from are gone - Withrow too has less vendors this year.

I've found a notice that Wychwood has between 25 and 35 vendors every week so that could explain it - just wish it was closer to the east end!

last summer at the Brickworks we were getting wild boar sausage (leek and black olive! yum!), bacon and even once prosciutto (tossed with grilled asparagus it was hands down a top 3 food moment of my life!).

He also sold elk and elk pepperettes for dog treats and was super friendly and nice.

He's not at the Brickworks this summer (indeed it seems smaller and less good with the construction going on) and I'm desperate to find him and his boar again.

Any leads appreciated!

This weekend we did an informal ice cream/gelato crawl in the hood.

I love Ed's (and keep going back for the Creme Brulee ice cream and both spicy and regular chocolate gelato) plus the fact that they are open until 10 means it's a perfect little walk in the evenings when you want a little sweet after dessert. We've been going more than I'd like to admit.

We also really liked Leonidas and it's great to be able to also buy a square of chocolate to add to the treat - that and more dangerous!

Cream the Urban Dairy was bland and awful! We had the cherry and almond which was terrible - the almonds weren't even toasted so had that raw taste and you could barely tell there was cherry in it. Then we had the pineapple dairy free one - which was also bland, too sweet, had no tartness at all and a terrible texture - it was full of fibres from the pineapple core. I was picking them out of my teeth for the rest of the day!

I think Cream is all style and no substance - I'd say avoid them.

BUT the absolute winner had to be the petite ice cream cafe that Natalie Roze and Company (the funky clothing/jewelry and gift store at Queen and Pape) operates in her side patio on summer weekends. She had 5 or 6 flavors - she said they are made by a pastry chef friend and they were lovely! We had the blood orange and passion fruit dairy free gelato and the ginger kiss ice cream. The blood orange and passion fruit blew us away! It was like a flavor explosion in your mouth - the orange and the passion fruit were both equal - neither over powered the other - I could have ate it all day. The Ginger Kiss was a creamy ginger based ice cream with fresh ginger and then had candied ginger mixed in. It was also amazing. I can't wait to go back this weekend and try the other flavors - they also had honey lavender!

Cook's Place and IQ Living on Danforth have them.

the butcher shop on Queen and Jones (Meating on Queen?) has them - they had 2 kinds of corn ones and corn flour for making them and/or arepas from scratch.

Hi there - we are planning a day trip down to the Niagara Region to do some hiking in the escarpment trails with a visiting guest and our two dogs - we will pack a picnic for our lunch but would love a place with a patio where we can hook up our dogs to the outside of the patio fence while we grab an early dinner/beer etc. This way they can be next to us without breaking any health code rules/irritating other diners/resto staff. There are a few pubs etc in the beaches area of Toronto that accommodate this and even put out dishes/have hook up spots on the outside of the patio. They are well behaved dogs and will likely snooze in the shade while we eat.

We like NOTL and last summer discovered Port Dalhousie which is just adorable and less busy than NOTL, and the little carnival in the park by the beach is a fun thing to show our guest as well so we are flexible.

Many thanks in advance!

I might be asking the impossible but the dance company I work with will be performing at the Joyce SoHo April 3 to 5. The theatre is located at 155 Mercer - we like to find a place to go after the opening night (a Friday) for a light bite/cocktails that will be able to accommodate a large group - 15 or so of us that is only a short walk away, isn't too expensive and would take a reservation at 9:45 or 10 pm.

Vegetarian options are needed as about half the group does not eat meat or seafood. Ethnic food is okay - we are a South Asian company by way of Canada and have traveled extensively through Asia/India/the UK etc so we are adventurous eaters. As you can imagine as a dance company no one is flush with cash but we all like good food.

Many thanks in advance for all the help you can offer!

they catered our wedding party (we got married at city hall so had a cocktail party at a gallery in the Distillery afterwards for friends and fam) and they just did a fantastic job we had many of the above items and there was so much food! The salmon and dips are quite bountiful and we also had a large rustic cheese display. I sadly do not have many pictures of the food.....sorry!

Hello Hounds!

I have enjoyed some great cheeks while dining out (Grano did some great ones as part of a wine tasting dinner I still dream about). I've been braising up a storm recently and wanted to graduate from short ribs - the recipes I was looking at suggesting ordering these from my butcher as they aren't often carried but easily ordered and I've never seen them at the meat counters.

I emailed my local place and this was the response I got back:

"No, we do not carry beef cheeks. That cut has a tendency to carry parasites and most plants do not process any more."

hmph. So I have posted over on the Ontario board about where to find beef cheeks in Toronto but I still wonder:

What are these parasites that are going to live through hours and hours of slow-cooking? Or is it simply as I suspect so some dolt doesn't think they can pan sear them and eat them medium rare?

Any help much appreciated - the dinner party where I want to cook them for isn't until the end of the month so I have some time to locate them - hopefully parasite free.

Many thanks!

Hello Hounds!

I have enjoyed some great cheeks while dining out (Grano did some great ones as part of a wine tasting dinner I still dream about). I've been braising up a storm recently and wanted to graduate from short ribs - the recipes I was looking at suggesting ordering these from my butcher as they aren't often carried but easily ordered and I've never seen them at the counter.

I emailed my local place and this was the response I got back:

"No, we do not carry beef cheeks. That cut has a tendency to carry parasites and most plants do not process any more."

hmph. So two questions and I will cross post this over to homecooking as well:

1. Where have you gotten or ordered cheeks from in Toronto for home cooking goodness?

2. What are these parasites that are going to live through hours and hours of slow-cooking? Or is it simply as I suspect so some dolt doesn't think they can pan sear them and eat them medium rare?

Any help much appreciated - the dinner party where I want to cook them for isn't until the end of the month so I have some time.

Many thanks!

Deep Blue has a gluten free batter and it is delicious!!!

I am making roasted potatoes for Christmas dinner and the recipe calls for 2 - 320 ml jars of goose fat to fry the parboiled potatoes in so they are extra crispy.

Short of rendering down my own goose where would I find such a thing in Toronto?

many thanks for any tips!

my inlaws all live in Burlington and every time we go out there for a meal choosing a restaurant turns into a fiasco. My hubbie and I are hounds but the inlaws think Milestones is too "ethnic and spicy". If we have to eat at Mother Tuckers one more time I will scream. Can anyone suggest good food that isn't a chain? It doesn't have to be expensive, a good pub where everything isn't frozen and deepfried would do. We go out there for lunches and the odd dinner.

Many thanks!

Daniel et Daniel catered our wedding in the Distillery (they are on the preferred list there) and many work events and they are REALLY great - we were so pleased with our wedding. They also made us a croquenbouche (sp?) as a wedding cake and it was so yummy and had lovely gum paste flowers on it that looked real.

south indian food - like Udupi Palace on Gerrard street (just west of Coxwell on the north side) http://www.udupipalace.ca/ uses a lot of chickpea, rice and lentil flours in their dosas, and appies so we've had good luck there with some GF friends.

Moonbeam cafe in kensington has GF desserts - cookies and squares etc.

Also this is not toronto based but www.glutenfreegirl.com is a FANTASTIC website with lots of great recipes for baked goods - and the writing is lovely - I happened upon it when researching recipes for a GF friend and I've been hooked ever since on her stories and we eat gluten - she even got a book deal out of it.

Hi there - I want to try my hand at canning tomatoes. I bought all the jars but then got busy and haven't gotten around to it.

Does anyone know where I can get a bushel of roma tomatoes in Toronto? Preferably east of Yonge, Danforth and south and not east of the Beach.

Am I too late?

Sun Valley at Danforth and Carlaw carries them frozen. My husband adores them.

http://www.hgic.ca/

I took one of their classes at the LCBO at summerhill and it was great - I've been wanting to sign up for one of their other classes - great primer and they have more advanced classes if you wish. They spent a lot of time talking about ingredients/spices/where and how to buy etc. Very helpful!

their pralines and cream is just about the best thing in the world and also DELISH with some sliced Ontario peaches.

we really like Daniel Lenko - plus you get to sit in their kitchen and have cheese/crackers/cold meats and/or anything else that Daniel's mom is making that day - once there was warm pie - and great conversation. Nicest people/place I've been and the Viognier is great!

I loved both the fries and that steak and stilton salad! I always used to tell myself the salad was a healthier choice ;)

the club was forgettable - so what are they offering instead?

Hi everyone - just an update we went berry picking at Organics at 7550 19th Avenue in Markham.

It was very good - the staff helpful and the berries delicious!

They have a website:
http://www.organicsfarm.ca/

We received a gift certificate to the Vintage Hotel chain in Niagara on the Lake - it's good for any of the restaurants or accommodation at the Prince of Wales, Pillar and Post or Queen's Landing.

We are going next weekend - which of the restos at the three hotels would people recommend for dinner on Saturday night to use up the gift certificate?

Many thanks!

for a steak or something that only has a quick cook I don't bother - instead I make a flavoured butter to serve ontop of the steak - blue cheese and butter or sundried tomato pureed with butter are favourites.

However my favourite prime rib recipe from Fine Cooking requires basting with butter during the cooking process - that and the fact that the roast to covered with rosemary, thyme and crushes garlic cloves makes a fabulous flavour. Very buttery.

I think I want to try and make jam - scary - where are pick your own berry places in the GTA? I'm looking for something close enough for an afternoon outing with a Zipcar.

Also this might be a really stupid question but are the berries ready yet? If not any idea when they will be?