I love gelato. I’ve been eating it for years but my consumption usually skyrockets while on vacation. I spent two weeks in Italy a few years back and had gelato AT LEAST once a day… sometimes twice. Of course it was amazing. There is just something so much more delicious about gelato vs. ice cream. I think it’s something about the density and the pure flavour of top ingredients.
Toronto has it’s fair share of gelato from La Paloma (on old favourite) to Hollywood Gelato (not my fave…too sweet but does the trick sometimes) but nothing compares to Il Gelatiere. It’s not a new spot, it has been around for at least 2 years but it remains my fave. Lucky for me it’s about a 15 minute walk from my place.
Normally when I have a sweetspot (aka a spot that I hit up for sweets) I usually have a standby thing that I get. Not at Il Gelatiere… I flavour hop ALL THE TIME. Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve sampled to date…
Hazelnut
Baci
White Chocolate
Tiramisu
Pistachio
Chocolate with Chile Peppers
Torrone
Peach
Mango
Lemon
Amaretto
Caffe
Coconut
Strawberry
(the flavour tags are in Italian but they are fairly easy to decipher. Ask the guys behind the counter if it gets confusing)
I’m sure I’m forgetting some flavours! In total they have about 32 flavours and they are all made on-site, which you’ve got to love. I’ve also heard that their cups, cones, spoons and syrups all come from Italy. That’s dedication.
The staff is friendly and willing to let you sample various flavours to make your pick. There are a few tables inside if you want to stay in and eat but I usually like to grab my cup (always a cup) and roam. Beware, on summer nights the line snakes out the door but it moves quickly so don’t fret. Oh, and for those that don’t love gelato (quelle horreur!) they also have fairly extensive coffee options.
P.S. My fave is the hazelnut… I often get it with white chocolate.
I fully admit that I have an obsession with Fried Chicken. It may come from living in Harlem for two years (Harlem stand up!) OR it could come from my past life of being a Southern grandmother… not sure. When I saw this recipe for The Ultimate Crisp Fried Chicken from Cook’s Illustrated I knew I had to make it. It has “ultimate” in the title.
This recipe does not lie! Honestly it’s the best fried chicken I’ve EVER made. Sure I’ve only made fried chicken three times but this version eclipsed all others. The only modification I made was using only legs and thighs…fried breast meat just doesn’t do it for me. Since the recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated it is rather involved. The chicken has to be brined. The chicken has to air dry. The chicken has to be breaded etc. etc. The results however are well worth it.
The chicken ends up moist and juicy but with a super crispy exterior. There is flavour throughout the chicken and in the exterior. Dare I say it was finger lickin’ good? It was. AND I didn’t even get freaked out by the idea of deep frying.
The Ultimate Crispy Fried Chicken
1/2 cup + 2tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
3 medium heads garlic, cloves separated
3 bay leaves, crumbled
2 quarts low fat buttermilk, divided
1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded, cut into 12 pieces
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups refined peanut oil or vegetable shortening
In large zipper-lock plastic bag, combine salt, sugar, paprika, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. With rubber mallet or flat meat pounder, smash garlic into salt and spice mixture thoroughly. Pour mixture into large plastic container or nonreactive stockpot. Add 7 cups buttermilk and stir until salt is completely dissolved. Immerse chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 2 to 3 hours. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and shake off excess; place in single layer on large wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours. (After 2 hours, chicken can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 6 hours longer)
Measure flour into large shallow dish. Beat egg, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup buttermilk (mixture will bubble and foam). Working in batches of 3, drop chicken pieces in flour and shake pan to coat. Shake excess flour from each piece, then, using tongs, dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing excess to drip off. Coat chicken pieces with flour again, shake off excess, and return to wire rack.
Adjust oven rack to middle position, set second wire rack over second rimmed baking sheet, and place on oven rack; heat oven to 200 degrees F. Line large plate with double layer paper towels. Meanwhile, heat oil (oil should have 2 1/2-inch depth in pan) to 375 degrees F over medium-high heat in large 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with a diameter of about 12 inches. Place half of chicken pieces skin-side down in oil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and fry until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes; after about 3 minutes, lift chicken pieces with tongs to check for even browning; rearrange if some pieces are browning faster than others. (Spot-check oil temperature; after first 6 minutes of frying, oil should be about 325 degrees F. Adjust burner if necessary.) Turn chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, until chicken pieces are deep golden brown on second side, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate; let stand 2 minutes to drain, then transfer to rack in warm oven. Replace paper towel lining on plate. Return oil to 375 degrees F and fry remaining pieces, transferring pieces to paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transferring to wire rack with other chicken pieces. Cool chicken pieces on wire rack about 5 minutes and serve.
(From Cook’s Illustrated)
Le Select Bistro is one of those places that has been on my “Must visit” list for ages. After doing study abroad in Paris I became a sucker for a French bistro. Seriously. Pass the steak frites please!
Le Select is just one of those places that you hear about. It’s been around for years and consistently gets decent reviews. I had a friend in town and figured it was the perfect place to go for dinner. It’s downtown, not too pretencious, not too pricey and has a great vibe.
When I walked in I felt like I was taken back to Paris. It had the features of a classic French bistro. AND it wasn’t in a cheesy way, it didn’t feel like faux-Paris at all. We were seated in one of the booths at the back which I loved because it was cozy. We had the most lovely French (maybe Quebecoise) waitress.
My friend and I both went for the faux-filet cafe de Paris which is an 8 oz steak served with herb butter and fries. SO GOOD. It’s a simple cut of meat and they did a good job of cooking it properly. The herb butter was a perfect accompaniant and the fries were great. I’m not a fan of mayo but I feel that it is absolutely necessary when eating steak frites because my fries NEED IT. Of course they had mayo and of course it was delicious.
My experience at Le Select was fantastic and it’s going on my list of recommendations to others.
I’ve ad a bag of lentils in my cupboard or MONTHS now. I’ve been meaning to make lentil soup since about… January and it never quite happened. I bought the ingredients so many times but I never got it together! I don’t remember what I was reading the other day but it involved a tagine which intrigued me. I had a vague memory of seeing this recipe for a lentil and mushroom tagine in the The Whole Foods Market Cookbook and figured I’d give it a go.
I fully admit that this isn’t such a summery recipe – something about mushrooms don’t scream summer to me. This recipe was just okay. It kind of lacked spice. There was too much tomato flavour and not enough meaty mushroom flavour. If I were to make this again I would probably add more cumin and maybe cayenne or paprika. I would also consider changing the mushroom ratios so that there are less white button mushrooms and more of the flavourful ones.
I served this over couscous which seemed like an appropriate pairing.
Lentil and Mushroom Tagine
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, mined (1 ½ tsp)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 cups chopped white button mushrooms
1 ½ cups chopped Portobello mushroom caps
1 cup chopped shiitake mushroom caps
1/8 cup tomato paste
1 ½ tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp cumin
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 cups lentils
1 ½ cups vegetable stock (more as needed)
2 cups canned diced tomatoes, with their juice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sliced assorted bell peppers
1 lb fresh spinach, washed and stemmed
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
Choose a large Dutch oven, non-stick pot or pan with a close fitting lid. Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium-high heat, and cook til they’re light golden brown, ~5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery, continue to sauté until the vegetables are tender. Add all the mushrooms and the tomato paste, vinegar, paprika, cumin, and fennel seeds. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, diced tomatoes, salt, ground pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer ~30 min until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. While simmering, add stock or water as needed. During the last 5 min, add the bell peppers. Add the greens and cook until wilted, about 1 min. Stir in the lemon zest.
With half a box of dates left from a recent food delivery I’d been looking for ways to use them up. I decided to check out the recipe section of Cooking Light magazine thinking I’d be able to find an easy and healthy way to use up my dates. I stumbled upon this recipe for banana-date flaxseed bread and was thrilled because I had some overripe bananas to use up and I love flaxseeds. Done and done.
This bread was truly a quick bread requiring very little effort to put it together. The results were also pretty darn good. I could have used a bit more texture and next time will add some chopped walnuts to the mix. The flaxseeds added a nice nuttiness to the batter and although the recipe calls for 1/2 cup sugar and bananas it wasn’t too sweet at all.
I had this for breakfast over a couple of days with a schmear of almond butter. A great way to start the morning!
1/2 cup flaxseeds
2/3 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup flaxseeds
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole pitted dates, chopped
Cooking spray
Place 1/2 cup flaxseeds in a blender, and process until ground to measure 3/4 cup flaxseed meal. Set flaxseed meal aside.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat the banana, sugar, oil, and eggs at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, flaxseed meal, 1/4 cup flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until well-blended. Stir in chopped dates. Spoon the batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake bread at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
As I’ve posted about before, I’m really into books about food issues. Everything from food marketing to organic to how messed up the food supply is… bring it on. I read this stuff to make me more aware, I don’t necessarily change my ways but I like to be informed about what I’m consuming and what it’s doing to my body.
When I heard about Food, Inc. I put that on my list of must sees. Food Inc., is a documentary that explores various issues with today’s food supply. We’re talking everything from the crazy cramped conditions under which animals are raised, to how chickens have been engineered to grow bigger faster, the higher incidences of E.coli, reasons as to why corn is in EVERYTHING etc. Really happy stuff.
The movie features interview with some interesting experts in the field include Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) whose books I’ve all loved. For me, the issue was I felt like I’d heard it all before. Chickens with ginormous breasts? Check. Cows standing knee deep in manure? Check. HFCS in about everything in the supermarket? Check. So for me it was a bit like preaching to the converted.
If you haven’t read a lot of books about the food industry I would definitely recommend that you check Food Inc. out. It summarizes and in a way humanizes what I’ve been reading in these books for years. It’s one thing to read about the conditions under which chickens are raised but it’s entirely different to actually WATCH it. Sure, in the books you can read the interviews with the farmers who have contracts with these large food companies but to actually see the pained looks on their faces? It’s pretty intense.
The movie as a whole felt like a series of mini-documentaries that only give you a taste of the larger issues. Sort of a Cliff Notes version of the issues. There are some sections that I would have loved to know more about like the section on Monsanto and the responsible pig farmer but at least it but the two on my radar for further research.
Overall, go see Food Inc. whether or not you are familiar with the issues. Spread the word.
The film is in limited release (playing at The Cumerbland in Toronto) so visit the website for more details and check out the trailer below…
Doesn’t the title of this recipe sound delicious? That’s what got me. It’s so descriptive. I was searching through my beloved Epicurious a few weeks ago and stumbled upon this recipe and knew I had to make it. For some reason I had it in my head that Black-Eyed Peas were hard to find in Toronto. I checked No Frills first and couldn’t find them but was shocked SHOCKED to find them at Metro! Metro of all places! They rarely get their act together to have regular things in stock.
For some reason I’ve been kind of lackluster in life as of late. I’m not that hungry, I’m tired, I don’t feel like cooking… I’ve generally just been kind of a punk. So I came home and made this but was too lazy to make rice to go with it. Perhaps it’s my stank attitude but I didn’t love it. I can’t put my finger on why. It had all the fixins to make it delicious but it just didn’t work for me. My roommate aka mother enjoyed it though.
Okay, this isn’t a ringing endorsement for this recipe at all. It wasn’t terrible but I didn’t love it. I may have loved it more if I went all out and made some WHITE rice (yes, white rice) to go with it. The liquidy goodness soaking into the rice would have probably been delish.
For black-eyed peas:
4 bacon slices
4 scallions, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
2 (15-ounces) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
For shrimp:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
Make black-eyed peas:
Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate, then tear into small pieces.
Cook scallions, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, red-pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in fat in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add black-eyed peas and broth and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Make shrimp:
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook shrimp with garlic, stirring occasionally, until just opaque (shrimp will not be fully cooked), about 3 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil, then briskly simmer 2 minutes. Add bacon and black-eyed-pea mixture and simmer until just heated through (mixture will be juicy). Discard bay leaves.
So this is what I made with my cherries! I cracked open my Martha Stewart Baking Handbook and flipped through for various cherry recipes. I liked the idea of the Frangipane Galette. First of all, it has the best name! It just sounds magical. Secondly, it didn’t seem that complicated. And thirdly (can you say thirdly?) it’s a Martha recipe and I’ve always had a spot in my heart for her…
I pretty much loved this recipe. I loved it even more since it was made with cherries from one of my besties’ cherry trees. It’s like love in every bite.
You can’t tell from the picture but the cherries are sitting atop a delightful custard type filling. It’s not too sweet but just sweet enough to balance out the tartness of the cherries.
The recipe makes a huge tart or two smaller ones. I went for one big one. If I were making this again I would figure out a way to freeze one of the tarts… it was just too much and I was sad to have to throw some away. I’m thinking this recipe would work equally well with a mixed berry situation… just saying.
Cherry Frangipane Galette (adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook)
2/3 cup almond meal (or grind your own blanched almonds)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 – 18 ounce package of store bought puff pastry (has 2 sheets)
2 pounds fresh sweet cherries (weigh then remove stems and pits)
Egg wash:
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
To sprinkle over the top:
1 tbsp granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 425F. Combine almond meal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in the butter then the egg until mixture is smooth.
On a sheet of parchment paper, roll out each sheet of puff pastry to about 1/8-inch thick keeping a squareish shape. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and heavy cream and brush over the surface. Fold up the edges to create a 1-inch edge (you can just fold it or crimp it). Prick dough all over with a fork (but don’t prick the edges). Transfer parchment and pastry to a large baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Spread half the almond filling in an even layer on each piece of chilled pastry. Arrange the cherries in a single layer over the almond filling. Freeze for another 15 minutes.
Bake the galettes for 15 minutes at 425F. Sprinkle the 1 tbsp granulated sugar over the galettes and continue to bake until the edges are golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Transfer the galettes (with the parchment) to cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The other day I was visiting with some friends from the beginning of time when I was offered a ton of cherries fresh from their tree. I’m all for local produce and I couldn’t help but think how much more local could I get than St. Clair and Oakwood? I figured I would make some sort of baked treat because eating that many cherries on their own seemed kind of obscene. Then it hit me, I would have to pit all of the cherries.
I.Freaked.Out.
I knew there had to be a better way so I started searching. There were some makeshift tips involving paperclips, skewers etc. but they all sounded like there could be a potential for disaster and not a guaranteed outcome. Not what I was looking for. I decided to check out my fave Toronto home/gadget store, Kitchen Stuff Plus and lo and behold I discovered a tool for pitting cherries.
It’s by OXO and costs $12. I usually have a rule about NOT buying kitchen tools that only have one use. The package for the cherry pitter says that you can use it for olives too…problem solved!
Let me just say ths product is great! I plowed through a whole bowl of cherries in minutes. It’s really easy to use… as easy as a stapler and the results are fantastic. The pit comes out cleanly and there is minimal waste so you get maximum cherry goodness.
My post about what I made with said cherries to come in a few days…
I’m normally so on top of my Barefoot Bloggers posts. I’ve had this made for a few days but have been kind of lazy with doing a write-up. Oops!
This week’s pick comes courtesy of Cat of Delta Whiskey. I enjoy the pasta so was not opposed to giving this recipe a go. This recipe gets bonus points for being super easy to throw together. Perfect for summer because the only cooking required is making the pasta. Who doesn’t love that?
The key to success here since nothing is being cooked is to buy really high-quality ingredients. I ended up going to my fave Italian grocery store, Grande Cheese. I wish they had a website but they don’t. I go to the Orfus Road location in Toronto. I picked up some great olives and sun-dried tomatoes from their antipasto bar and also bought my mozzarella there.
The dressing is super flavourful but not overpowering. It could likely work in other applications so it’s worth keeping the dressing portion of the recipe on-hand. This dish was great and would be a lovely addition to your summer BBQ or potluck.
* 1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
* Kosher salt
* Olive oil
* 1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
* 3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
* 1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
* 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
For the dressing:
* 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 6 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 garlic clove, diced
* 1 teaspoon capers, drained
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.
Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.
(Copyright, 2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All Rights Reserved )
Il Gelatiere
Le Select Bistro
I’ve ad a bag of lentils in my cupboard or MONTHS now. I’ve been meaning to make lentil soup since about… January and it never quite happened. I bought the ingredients so many times but I never got it together! I don’t remember what I was reading the other day but it involved a tagine which intrigued me. I had a vague memory of seeing this recipe for a lentil and mushroom tagine in the 
