Foodism – 21 – The Great Indoors Issue by Twenty Two Media Group

T O R O N T O , O N E B I T E AT A T I M E

EDITORIAL PUBLISHER

Krista Faist ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Katie Bridges

STAFF WRITER

Taylor Newlands EDITORIAL ASSISSTANT

A WORD

FROM THE TEAM

Photography: Ian Dingle Art Direction: Emily Black, Brianne Collins

Meredith Hardie COPY EDITOR

David Ort

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Andrea Yu

CONTRIBUTORS

Jessica Wei

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR

Matthew Hasteley SENIOR DESIGNER

Brianne Collins

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

Emily Black

STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHER

Kailee Mandel PHOTOGRAPHY

Sandro Pehar Gabby Frank Sarah Pﬂug PRINTING

Solisco

CEO

Krista Faist ACCOUNT MANAGERS

David Horvatin Nick Valsamis ADVERTISING

Taylor McIndless Spencer Reynolds MARKETING & PARTNERSHIP COORDINATOR

Emily Buck

LEAD DEVELOPER

AJ Cerqueti CHAIRMAN

Tim Slee

sk us again in about a month’s time what we think of the notion of hygge (the Danish and Norwegian word for coziness) and you might be met with a frosty response. However, in the depths of winter, when the sheen of the holidays is long past and the promise of flip-flop weather too distant to bear thinking about, there’s something glorious about these frigid days and nights that require nothing more than a blanket and a streaming service to fill your hours. Since you’re hunkering down, you might as well get acquainted with your surroundings – and what better way to double down on your new recluse status than by getting familiar with the kitchen? There’s no better time than February to add new gadgets to your cooking arsenal (pg. 26) and become a glassware guru (pg. 72), so we show you the ropes in our Great Indoors Issue. In Gastro-homes (pg. 52), Andrea Yu gatecrashes the kitchen parties of Afrim Pristine, Pay Chen and Cory Vitiello to find out how their setups and cooking collections have made them interior icons. Jessica Wei goes below ground to explore the multi-million dollar collection of wine stored at one of Toronto’s most highsecurity cellars (pg. 64). Meanwhile, Taylor Newlands explores the city’s obsession with takeout and finds out how the industry is shifting to make room for our uber fast-food addictions (pg. 58). If your hibernation needs a hiatus, head out to our fiery favourites for the best curries, rotis and soups to spice up your life (pg. 46) and the coziest spots for date night dining (pg. 120). But, if staying indoors makes us stir-crazy, we don’t want to be sane.

GRAZE 014

THE FOODIST

016

THE RADAR

022

WHAT’S IN STORE

024

TIPPING THE SCALES

026

WEAPONS OF CHOICE

032

BACK TO BASICS

035

RECIPES

043

GUEST COLUMN

FEAST 046

GREAT BOWLS OF FIRE

052

GASTRO-HOMES

058

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

064

VINE VAULTS

QUENCH 072

THE NEXT ROUND

084

BOOZERS AND SHAKERS

086

COCKTAIL HOUR

092

BOTTLE SERVICE

099

COCKTAIL DECONSTRUCT

EXCESS

The Foodism Team foodismto

Made possible with the support of Ontario Media Development Corporation. omdc.on.ca

facebook.com/foodismto

@foodismto

© Twenty Two Media Group 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Foodism Toronto cannot accept responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Foodism Toronto a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine. All material is sent at your own risk and although every care is taken, neither Foodism Toronto nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be held liable resulting for loss or damage. Foodism Toronto endeavours to respect the intellectual property of the owners of copyrighted material reproduced herein. If you identify yourself as the copyright holder of material we have wrongly attributed, please contact the office.

SHAKE YOUR GLASS

080

106 111

INSIDER DAY TRIPPER

113

STAYCATION

116

FOODISM’S FINEST

118

THE SELECTOR

122

DECONSTRUCT

— PART 1 —

GRAZE “IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST WAY WINE WAS MADE, JUST CHUCKING GRAPES INTO A POT TO FERMENT.” BACK TO BASICS, 032

014 THE FOODIST | 016 THE RADAR | 022 WHAT’S IN STORE 026 WEAPONS OF CHOICE | 035 RECIPES | 043 GUEST COLUMN

1. PRIMROSE BAGEL CO.

THE FOODIST

Trends be damned – Katie Bridges goes traditional with a switch to homemade, no-knead bread.

T ALL STARTED when I found a loaf of store-bought bread in my cupboard three weeks after it was purchased. The scariest part about this discovery wasn’t its inedibility – quite the reverse. There were no signs of mould and the loaf's shape and appearance hadn't changed, but that didn’t keep it from swiftly landing in the garbage. Bread often gets a bad rap, especially around this time of year, when we’re eating well and looking for a food group to neatly blame all of our past transgressions on. But as we head into a new decade of dining, perhaps it’s time to re-investigate the real culprit. While mass-produced loaves are known for swapping whole grains for bleached flour and additives, baking fresh bread at home is a great way to covet the carb without foregoing your favourite food completely. A couple of months ago, I discovered a no-knead bread recipe that was so easy and

so satisfying, I’ve had limited contact with the bread aisle ever since. While countless recipes float around on the internet, my tried-and-true uses four simple ingredients that are probably already hiding in your cupboard waiting to be turned into delicious dough: all-purpose flour, water, salt and yeast. You can prep the night before and watch as your dough mountain grows into a delicious monster, then simply plonk your baby into a Dutch oven or deep pot and wait for 45 minutes as that incredible smell (and your hunger) fills the kitchen. Yes, it’s possible that my carb-addled brain is desperately seeking excuses for not kicking my floury friend out of bed (literally, my bed is full of toast crumbs). But in a world where guidebooks for juice diets, charcoal cleanses and dodgy weight-loss vitamins are runaway internet bestsellers, it’s unreasonable to make an enemy of the fibre-filled staff of life. f

We didn’t choose the bagel life, the bagel life chose us. What started as a series of pop-ups and backyard parties has grown into a “bagel lifestyle brand” with its very own store on St. Clair West. Primrose’s hand-rolled, maltboiled circles of doughy goodness are baked every day and served with their signature schmears like wasabi-tobiko cream cheese and beet-citrus salmon gravlax.

Photography: Pinkyone; Colin Faulkner (Drake Commissary)

LOAVES AROUND

Baking is both art and science and these creative geniuses stand out from Toronto's bread basket.

primrosebagel.com

2. DRAKE COMMISSARY At this busy corner in the Junction Triangle, chefs, bakers, patrons and artists come together over some darn good dough. The Commissary is more than a bakery, it’s an 8,000-square-foot community-and-culinary hub set in a refurbished condiment factory. Take a workshop, grab a made-fromscratch loaf togo or sit down and break bread in the art-filled eatery. thedrake.ca/ drakecommissary

3. BLACKBIRD BAKING CO. Blackbird Baking Co. is the Michael Jordan of Toronto bakers, the GOAT of gluten, the – it’s just really good, okay? Since opening in Kensington nearly a decade ago, Blackbird’s talented team has been working around the clock to ensure Torontonians have hand-crafted loaves and fresh pastries made with local ingredients. Their new Riverside location opened a few months ago. @bbirdco

FOODISMTO

THE RADAR Toronto joins the Eataly club and we get an option for upscale dining in a classic cinema. EATA LY If you’ve ever dreamt of strolling the aisles of a specialty grocery store, combing over the selection of fancy cheese with a glass of wine in hand, your fantasy is now a reality. Following successful openings in New York, Chicago and L.A., Italian purveyor Eataly opened a sprawling outpost in the Manulife Centre at Bay and Bloor. The Italian-themed mega complex encompasses grocery aisles, three different restaurants, almost a dozen different bars and counters for to-go food items and drinks (the whole place is licensed) and even a brewery complete with bottle shop and tasting room. At first glance it might seem like an over-glorified grocery store, but the quality fare is well worth the hype. The freshmade pasta, available to purchase and cook at home, will keep us coming back. eataly.ca

T HE G R EEN WOOD ON K IN G

BAR KOUK L A One of the latest additions to Ossington’s restaurant row, Bar Koukla offers small plates of Hellenic dishes like baked feta wrapped in crispy phyllo with pomegranates, eggplant salad and grilled lamb ribs with tzatziki. Koukla – a Greek term of endearment meaning ‘doll’ – is a very date friendly spot to share a few plates. Have a glass from their list of natural, organic, biodynamic Mediterranean wine. koukla.mamakas.ca

THE GRAND ELVIS When Rose and Sons closed, a collective cry for pastrami sandwiches was heard around the city. But comfort-food king Anthony Rose didn’t leave us hanging for too long before opening his newest endeavor: the Grand Elvis. Sink your teeth into the alreadyfamous “Brindle Room-style” banquet burger with pickle and fries on a potato roll – an homage to the famous New York City burger. Or cozy up with a plate of beef stew and you’ll forget all about pastramis gone past. thegrandelvis.com

The beloved Leslieville brunch spot has added a western outpost. With a focus on sustainably sourced ingredients, the Green Wood on King serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails all week. The menu has rustic Mediterranean bowls and sandwiches that require two hands. eatgreenwood.com

F R E E P L AY AR CAD E College and Spadina has a new spot to drive, shoot or wakawaka-waka your way through the arcade classics. There’s a $5 cover charge, but as the name suggests, all 50+ retro games are set to free play. For a side of grownup fun, there are 20 beers on tap and themed cocktails. Bar snacks include mini pogos and mac ‘n’ cheese wedges. freeplaytoronto.com

AB U R I HANA

BA R B ILT M O R E & OST ER I A R IALTO

Toronto’s newest Kyō-kaiseki (aka multicourse Japanese dinner) restaurant landed in Yorkville this winter. Aburi Restaurants (who also run Miku and TORA) are offering diners two 15-course meal options for $195 or $330. Courses might feature items like tuna belly sashimi, sea urchin or lobster sushi depending on the day, all served on Japanese Arita porcelain dishware. Cocktails aren’t on the menu, but with unique wine and sake pairings curated for your meal, you won’t miss them. aburihana.com

What happens when restaurant-industry veterans move into the renovated retro Paradise Theatre? A little bit of magic. Biltmore focuses on spritzers, sours and negronis alongside small sharing plates while Osteria Rialto plays the leading role for innovating classic Italian cuisine. paradiseonbloor.com

THE DIGEST

Toronto’s iconic market is staying open all weekend and your dog walk can now include a beer break. AU NAT UR E L-LY Canada has a plastics problem and packaging is the number one offender. Unhappy with the lack of alternatives, the folks at bare market began operating packagefree pop-ups across the city and opened their first permanent store at Danforth and Coxwell. bare market is a one-stop shop for refillable, local and sustainably sourced items. Fill your – ahem, reusable – bag with package-free goods, instead of the landfill.

SUNDAY F UNDAY For those who want warm bagels from St. Urbain, prosciutto from Scheffler’s or a sandwich from Mustachio, we have good news. You don’t have to be up at the crack of Saturday for a St. Lawrence Market run anymore. Starting this March, it will (finally) open its doors on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and four evenings a week. The one-year pilot project aims to make the market more accessible for all.

IK E A G OE S G R ETA When we think of Ikea two things come to mind: anxiety and meatballs. But, there’s more to this ready-to-assemble furniture giant than arguments with your partner over instruction manuals and those small circles of edible joy. Ikea Canada is on a mission to be more sustainable with their new food waste tracking program. Since its implementation in December 2018, Ikea Canada has achieved the goal of reducing food waste in its kitchens by over 30 per cent – that’s over 94,000 kilograms of food saved. f

Photography: Shane N. Cotee; Jake Graham and Megan Glover; NP27; Eskystudio

P U P S ON PAT I OS NOW PE RMIT TE D Yes, we’re thinking about patio season already – and it’s about to get even better. As of Jan. 1, restaurants now have the option to allow dogs on patios, instead of having them wait on nearby leash-friendly railings. This change also applies to certain indoor eating areas at places where alcohol is made on-site (such as breweries), and where only beverages and certain types of “low-risk” foods – think fresh fruit and pre-packaged snacks served with alcohol – are served.

FLAVOUR OF THE WEEK

At Lapinou, Andrea Yu samples neo-bistro cuisine featuring local ingredients.

ITH LUSH VELVET banquettes, low lighting and an abundance of exposed brick walls, you’ll feel Lapinou’s cozy, refined ambiance the moment you step in. Modern francophone music plays through the speakers as wine glasses clink around the très invitant, central oval bar. Located at King and Bathurst, Lapinou bills itself as a “neo-bistro” serving updated French recipes inspired by Ontario’s best ingredients. The head chef here is Jamie Ullrich (Nota Bene, Estia, Byblos North) and his dedication to sourcing the region’s best means going to lengths to find unusual

À-CÔT ÉS

ingredients, like Canadian fife wheat for his sourdough and homemade butter. The menu is printed on a single slip of paper but you might need a bit of help interpreting each item. Beef tenderloin was simply listed as “beef” with its accompaniments, for example, but the wait staff is happy to explain each dish in greater detail. If you’re in the mood for sharing, head to the bottom of the menu for items like whole chicken, trout and côte de bœuf. Dishes like gnocchi parisienne, made traditionally with choux pastry instead of potato, and duck breast offer classic French fare, but twists like tart sour cherry jus and sunchoke chips on the bird ensure some delicious surprises along the way.

BRUNCH The updated take on regional French bistro fare continues into Sunday brunch. Boost up your weekend with a glass of half-price wine or champagne (on select bottles) and order the $35 set menu, which comes with shared apps and your choice of main. Don't get too attached – their brunch offerings will rotate weekly, but that just means new favourites like the squash fritters or househam and truffle celery roulade are best friends you haven't met.

DAILY BREAD

Photography: Clayton Cooper

WINE General manager and sommelier Lauren Hall is constantly rotating the selection – all served in the same glass. When we visit, the wine list is exclusively French, including a drinkable cabernet sauvignonmerlot blend and a flavourful chardonnay with a subtle oakiness.

It may seem like a waste of stomach space to order bread as an appetizer but you’d be remiss not to make it part of your meal at Lapinou. The sourdough, made in-house, comes from a starter that has apparently been generating delicious loaves for over four years. It’s a moist and luxurious loaf made all the better by accompaniments like the Canadian canola oil and the house-churned butter from Jersey cow cream. f

TUTTO IL RESTO

Soup

WHAT’S IN STORE

Taylor Newlands finds out the secret sauce that has made Pasta Pantry the top meatball for 25 years.

buy out the store, bring it back up, make it profitable, sell it and move on,” says Ciarla. But after about a month, he decided to stay. He moved Pasta Pantry up the street to a larger location, with more room to cook all of the products that were once brought in. “But me? Cooking? I used to burn water,” says Ciarla. “My other worlds were expense accounts. This world was like ‘what?’ ” It was his eagerness to learn – and having a close relationship with one of the city’s best pasta makers at the time – that led him to succeed on his culinary journey. “The fun thing about cooking is always developing a feel,” he says. “It's when you take all those ingredients and you start cooking with them and start trying to understand what the flavours are, what the tastes are, what the smells are.” Six days a week you’ll find Ciarla behind the counter at Pasta Pantry, stirring sauce, cutting fresh pasta or preparing lasagna – or boisterously chatting with the stream of locals coming in and out. f

Pasta The pasta here comes in all shapes, sizes and colours. Long noodles are cut to order while ravioli, agnolotti and gnocchi are prepared ahead with fillings from lobster to braised beef or ricotta and spinach. Made-in-house lasagna (beef or vegetarian) is a great way to simplify weekday dinners.

Sauce No matter which pasta pleases you, there’s a sauce to suit. Choose one of the house-made flavours like rosa vodka, roasted red pepper, alfredo, creamy blue cheese or the well-loved hearty meat sauce. Use any of them as-is or take home and get creative by adding extra veggies, meat or cheese.

Photography: Carlo Ciarla

OME OF MY oldest memories are from visiting Carlo Ciarla at Pasta Pantry. Always friendly and enthusiastic about customers’ curiosity, he would invite me behind the counter to peer at the pasta-maker in action, slicing big sheets into noodles. After more than 25 years in business, the shop at Yonge and Davisville is still turning out fresh pasta and sauces – along with new items that cater to the changing clientele. You wouldn’t know it from tasting the soups, sauces and lasagnas that Ciarla now makes from scratch, but Pasta Pantry came about almost by accident. After leaving a career in the high-tech corporate world, Ciarla invested in a small business and, through a series of unfortunate events, he found himself at the helm. Running the shop on his own, he did everything himself, right down to sweeping the floors. “I bought out the small little 300-squarefoot shop and the whole intention was

There’s nothing like a hot bowl of homemade soup on a cold day, especially in flavours like broccoli, leek and potato; tomato cream; pumpkin pear; and yellow split pea with smoked ham. Ciarla often makes soup in varieties with little or no salt to cater to customers watching their sodium.

Slow-cooked. Well-seasoned. A bluegrass original. Kentucky Burgoo: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than just a stew.

KentuckyTourism.com

TIPPING THE SCALES

More than most dishes, a burger is at home in a brown-paper sack or on a table set with white linen and silver. These three buns cover all budgets. RUDY ($)

TH E DRAK E ($$)

BY M A R K ($$$)

THE DRAK E HOT E L What’s the deal?

If you’ve yet to visit the iconic spot that started Queen West’s gentrification, consider it a must. The Drake combines the hipster vibe you would expect from a boutique hotel with the artsiness that the neighbourhood was previously known for. Grab a seat in the lounge and tuck into a menu made with seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients in the eclectic atmosphere.

What you get

RU DY What’s the deal?

There’s something incredibly comforting about the food at Rudy. It’s quick and easy, and just greasy enough to make your mouth water – without the food coma. The Queen and Duncan shop is essentially take-out only, offering just a couple stools, while the College location has more room to breathe – and scarf down burgers.

Traditionalists go with the Rudy – their classic cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato and “Rudy sauce”, all for a little over $6. It might seem slim compared to the meatball-on-a-bun burgers, but the smashburger style maximizes the beef patty’s flavour. For a few extra bucks, the ravenous can get a Rude Dude double cheeseburger.

What else

Rudy might be known for their burgers but the poutine could easily steal the show. Topped with squeaky, Quebec cheese curds and a saucy house-made gravy, this $6 addon is a lunch no-brainer.

What else

The beauty of dining at the Drake is that there’s always something on. Sip on $5 mixed drinks or $10 cocktails during their happy hour. Or stick around for trivia nights, live music or their weekend dance parties.

BY M AR K What’s the deal?

This financial district hot spot has the class and quality you'd expect from Mark McEwan’s namesake. You’ll find it full of suits grabbing lunch or winding down by the bar upstairs where the vibe is a little more lounge-y. Dark and cozy, the lower level room has that fine-dining feel.

What you get

Priced at $40, the famous Bymark burger might be one of the most expensive in the city, but we’d be lying if we said we couldn’t taste the difference. The eight-ounce patty is loaded with brie de meaux, shaved truffle and grilled porcini mushrooms. While it gets all the hype, there’s another one on the menu that’s worth the spend. Juicy and a little more funky, the dry-aged beef burger topped with caramelized onions and raclette cheese is well worth the $38 price tag.

What else

The menu is solid gold, but the crab cakes and the seared sea scallops are two of our appetizer go-tos. f

Photography: Kayla Rocca (Drake); Ryan Hinkson (Bymark)

What you get

Most burgers come with just the bare minimum of toppings and sides, but not at the Drake. For $22 the patty is piled with aged cheddar, Perth bacon, Russian dressing, topped with a pickle and served on a milk bun, with a side of fries. Upgrade to pecorino and truffle butter fries for just $4 or sub in a side of greens for $3.

WEAPONS OF CHOICE Revive your love of cooking with these tools that will make from-scratch seem easy. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAILEE MANDEL STYLING BY BRIANNE COLLINS

L E AR N TO L ING U INE LAGOSTINA PASTA MAKER

This stainless steel pasta maker, with a ravioli attachment and adjustable settings for thickness, promises pastaiolo status in just a few cranks of the handle.

$69.99 canadiantire.ca

C RU L L E R C R E ATOR BRENTWOOD MINI-DONUT MAKER

Rethink your baked goods addiction with this colourful kit, which makes bite-size doughnuts, cakes and brownies in a flash.

$38, amazon.ca

T HAT'S A W RAP NORPRO 1063 TORTILLA PRESS

Taco chance on this press and make tortillas from scratch. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve cracked the Mexican staple, move onto empanadas, arepas and more delicious doughs.

$20.97, amazon.ca

DA ILY GRIND LE CREUSET MORTAR AND PESTLE

Make pesto, guacamole or curry paste in this pretty bowl. The technique might be ancient, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt to jazz things up in this pretty shade of orange.

$60, lecreuset.ca

ABOVE: Jake Skakun pours a skin-contact wine, Weiss & Grau from Enderle & Moll, at Grey Gardens

BACK TO BASICS It might seem like a fad, but orange wine is one of the oldest winemaking processes. The Grape Witches help us unravel the skin-contact confusion. 32

IRST WE HAD rosé all day, then Aperol spritz took over the Internet, now orange wine is rising through the ranks of top drink trends. The hype is new, but the technique to create this insider-favourite is ancient. Before there were phones, cars (and most things because it was 5,000 years ago), people made orange wine. There’s history in each glass, and we’ve got your lesson covered.

What is orange wine? First things first, it’s not made from oranges. Orange is just the colour used to describe the vast range of wines that macerate (soak) with grape skins. Amber, orange, skin-contact, skin-fermented white wine, call it what you want, this wine has more names than a member of the Royal Family.

How is it made? Skin on. Orange wine is a white wine made like a red wine, so instead of separating the grape skins from the juice after they’ve been crushed, like you do for white wine, the “white” (usually yellow or green) grapes macerate and ferment with their skins and seeds. This process can last from a couple of days to over a year and gives the wine its texture and unique colour that ranges from a pale yellow to deep red-orange to rusty brown. The longer the fermentation is allowed to carry on for, the darker the finished wine.

What does it taste like? NICOLE CAMPBELL, CO-FOUNDER OF GRAPE WITCHES

“Some of the best orange wines are made from aromatic grapes, so you end up with this flush fruit aroma, almost like a tropical fruit, but it’s super savoury and nutty. When you first smell it you almost think it’s going to be a sweet wine.”

Is it sweet? Actually, no. What contributes to orange wine’s savoury notes, and all-round tricky to categorize nature, are its tannins, a characteristic that adds bitterness and astringency. Since the grapes are left in contact with their skins, grape tannins dissolve and create complex, intense flavours that balance well with the underlying acidic quality of white wine. “'Wow, wine can taste like this?' – We hear that a lot when people first have orange wine,” says Campbell.

Where is it from? “It was probably the first way wine was made, just chucking grapes into a pot to ferment,” says fellow Grape Witch, Krysta Oben, co-founder and the other half of the coven. This ancient practice can be traced back to 3000 BCE in what is modern-day Georgia (the country, not the state) where grapes fermented with their skins and seeds in large underground, clay vessels known as qvevri. Today, the process looks relatively similar – besides the addition

of technology and barrel or bottle ageing – sticking to its low-intervention, natural roots.

Why is it trendy now? Partly social media, but also “maker-culture” according to the Grape Witches. The ancient process of making orange wine was brought back to life in 2000 – during the current era – in Italy, and thanks to some ambitious wine makers, sommeliers and restaurateurs it’s now more widely available.

What does it pair with? KRYSTA OBEN, CO-FOUNDER OF GRAPE WITCHES

"Skin-contact wine is great for pairing with a variety of food, so anything that can be a challenge, pickled things, fermented things – something a white wine might get lost with and a red wine might overpower. Orange wine can bridge that gap of having the tannin and structure of a red, but the refreshing, higher-acid qualities of a white.”

How should it be served? The Grape Witches suggest serving it at a white wine appropriate temperature (7-13 C). Start with it slightly chilled, then let it warm up a bit in your glass to allow the wine to breathe and reveal its flavour and aroma.

Where can you buy it? Orange wine is hard to find at the LCBO because it's made in smaller quantities. However, in Ontario, you can go direct and get your fave skin-contact wine from the importer. Or go local at Rosewood Winery in Niagara or Trail Estate in P.E.C. f

W HERE TO G ET IT Photography: Jenna Marie Wakani (Grey Gardens)

G REY GARD ENS

MIDF IE L D W INE BAR

PAR IS PAR IS

199 Augusta Ave.

1434 Dundas St. W.

1161 Dundas St. W.

A restaurant that’s also a wine bar – and specializes in both – what more do you need? You could spend the whole night with the Grey Gardens wine list (expertly guided by sommelier Jake Skakun) without feeling intimidated or getting bored. They have two skin-contact wines by-the-glass and usually six to 10 more by-the-bottle – including their own which they make in collaboration with Tawse Winery. greygardens.ca

At Gladstone and Dundas, you’ll find this cozy vino bar where wine nerds pour themselves over the novel-sized bottle reserve list. But even if your wine lingo caps out at two basic colours, there’s lots here for you. They have around 10 skin-contact wines by-theglass, so you can try a whole bunch (no judgement) and see just how different each one varies in taste and colour. midfieldwine.com

Don’t let the name fool you, this all-day wine-and-snack bar features wine from all over the world. When she’s not educating us about wine, Krysta Oben is managing the floor here and curating the extensive wine list. The approach to wine at Paris Paris is unpretentious and meant to complement the colourful dishes and laid-back, airy atmosphere. Skin-contact wines are available by-the-glass or as a whole bottle. parisparis.ca

Recipes

SHE’LL BE COOKING ’ROUND THE MOUNTAIN After years at the peak of kitchens in the Rockies’ luxury lodges, Katie Mitzel has the recipes that will help you present the Canadian backcountry on a plate.

XPECTING SNOW – and shrinking in horror as it arrives – is fundamentally ingrained in the Canadian DNA. But in the right circumstances, in the snug setting of a wooden cabin with a fire softly crackling in the background (and plenty of plaid), even the most winter-fearing Canuck could be convinced that there’s something kind of magical about the backcountry. Katie Mitzel started her career as a lodge assistant, but realized that if she wanted to keep doing what she loved she would have to upgrade her skill set. So she put on her oven mitts and started work in the hectic world of backcountry kitchens. Over the years, Mitzel would go on to work as a lodge chef at some of Canada’s most prestigious outdoor

playgrounds, including Skoki Lodge, Battle Abbey, Mistaya, Assiniboine and Shadow Lake Lodge. She shares the catalogue of mouthwatering recipes she built, inspired by the rugged natural beauty outside her kitchen window, in her latest cookbook, Rocky Mountain Cooking: Recipes to Bring Canada's Backcountry Home ($29.70, amazon.ca). While Mitzel’s dishes – which range from hearty soups to ambitious desserts – often had to be adjusted for factors like altitude and lack of water or electricity, the recipes in her cookbook are just as accessible for less adventurous cooks. And if Rocky Mountain Cooking is the closest you get to outdoorsy this winter, we’re confident that the rustic flavours you rustle up for family and friends will indulge all your backcountry fantasies from the comfort of your kitchen. f

FOODISMTO

F O O DISM RE CIPE S, IN ASSOC IAT ION W IT H L OS CAR DOS Doña Paula has been making premium Argentinian wines from Mendoza's best wine growing regions since 1997. Across its 800 hectares of vineyards, the estate winery harvests high-quality grapes from its location 1,000 metres above sea level at the foot of the Andes. Its optimal growing conditions – the result of a winning combination of

soil and climate together with a certified sustainable vinegrowing – ensures the clearest expression of each terroir. The winery has scored 90+ points at the world's most prestigious wine awards. Their wines, from the super smooth Doña Paula Los Cardos Malbec to their zesty Sauvignon Blanc, are gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Katie Mitzel’s

BEET HUMMUS

Roasted beets give hummus, a perennial favourite with healthy snackers, an attractive pink hue that will make you feel like a chef in your own home.

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 375 F. 2 Place the beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with a bit of oil. Peel the outer layers of skin from the garlic bulb and cut ¼ inch off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Place the garlic bulb on the foil with the beets, drizzle with a bit more oil, and close up the foil package. 3 Place the foil package in a small baking dish and roast for 40 to 60 minutes, until the beets are fork-tender. 4 Once cool, discard the skin of the beets and chop the beets into bite-size pieces. Place the beets in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Squeeze out four to five cloves of the roasted garlic and add them to the food processor, along with the chickpeas and tahini. Turn the food processor on, and while it’s running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. 5 Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency. 6 Hummus will keep in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days. f

I N GREDI EN TS ◆ 2 small beets

◆ 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil,

plus extra for drizzling

◆ 1 bulb garlic

◆ 1 ½ cups canned chickpeas,

drained and rinsed

◆ 2 Tbsp tahini

◆ 3 Tbsp lemon juice

◆ 3–4 Tbsp cold water ◆ ½ tsp ground cumin

◆ ½ tsp ground coriander ◆ Kosher salt and ground

black pepper

PAIR THIS

Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc

Channel lodge life with a pre-dinner combo of hummus and wine. The zesty acidity takes the beets in its stride. LCBO #11943

Katie Mitzel’s

HASSELBACK POTATOES

This preparation elevates baked potatoes – both by heightening the flavour and by adding a "company's coming over" look.

PAIR THIS

Los Cardos Malbec The pepper and rich Gruyère cheese topping makes this well-balanced red wine the perfect accomplice for this hearty side. LCBO #11942

I NG REDI EN TS ◆ ½ cup salted butter

◆ 5 whole garlic cloves, peeled ◆ 4 Yukon gold potatoes

◆ 3– 4 rosemary sprigs, tied

together by the stems ◆ Kosher salt and ground

black pepper

◆ 4 thyme sprigs

◆ 1–1 ½ cups grated

Gruyère cheese

Method Photography: Shallon Cunningham

1 In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the garlic cloves in it. Let sit for 1 to 2 hours, warming the butter gently if it starts to solidify. 2 Preheat the oven to 375 F. 3 Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Pat dry. Using an extremely sharp paring knife, cut equal slits along the length of the potato, going about three-quarters of the way through and

keeping the potato intact. Your slices should be about ¼-inch apart, giving you 12 to 13 slits in each potato. 4 Place the potatoes in a 9 x 13-inch, lightly oiled baking dish. Dip the rosemary sprigs into the garlic butter and brush the potatoes generously. 5 Sprinkle the potatoes liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake, uncovered, for approximately half an hour.

6 Brush the potatoes with more butter and return them to the oven for 20 more minutes. Remove them from the oven again, place a thyme sprig on top of each potato, and sprinkle the cheese overtop. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is totally melted and bubbly. 7 Serve immediately with any remaining garlic butter in a small dish alongside the potatoes. f

Katie Mitzel’s

SEASONAL LAMB WITH MINT RELISH

Nothing says “waiting for spring” like lamb chops and making your own mint relish adds a dash of pizzazz. Method

1 To prepare the lamb, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, wine, soy sauce and dijon. Whisk in the fennel, caraway and mustard seeds, followed by the shallot, fresh and dried mint and rosemary. Add the sugar and garlic and whisk to combine. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag. 2 Trim any excess fat off the lamb chops and place them in the marinade, turning them over a few times to coat well. Refrigerate overnight. 3 The next day, remove the marinated lamb from the fridge at least 1 hour before you plan to cook it. 4 Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 5 To make the mint relish, place the parsley, mint, cilantro and chives in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the vinegar and sugar and pulse to blend. Grate the ginger right into the sauce and then add the garlic, miso, oregano, red pepper flakes, a pinch or two of salt and pepper to taste. Pulse a few times to combine, drizzling in

PAIR THIS

Los Cardos Malbec This deep violet, intensely spicy Argentinian red pairs perfectly with the savoury and rich notes in this seasonal lamb dish. LCBO #11942

the olive oil as you do so. Continue to pulse just until you have a chunky and wonderfully textured sauce. It should be almost pourable but not runny. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside. You can also prepare this relish ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. 6 Remove the lamb chops from the marinade, one at a time, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Place them on the prepared baking tray. Cook in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. For mediumrare, the internal temperature should read about 130 F on an instant-read

thermometer. It is best to remove them just shy of this temperature, because the chops will continue cooking after you remove them from the oven. 7 Plate the lamb and serve with a dollop of mint relish. 8 If you have any of this leftover relish, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for one week. You will need to remove it from the refrigerator about a half an hour before using to allow the oil to come back up to temperature after solidifying. Just give it a gentle stir before using. f

ING R E DIE NTS FOR THE LAMB ◆ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ◆ ¾ cup rice wine vinegar ◆ ¼ cup dry red wine ◆ ¼ cup soy sauce

◆ 1 Tbsp smooth dijon mustard ◆ ½ tsp fennel seeds

◆ ½ tsp caraway seeds

◆ ½ tsp mustard seeds

(yellow or black)

◆ 1 medium shallot, chopped ◆ 2 Tbsp chopped fresh

mint leaves

◆ 1 Tbsp dried mint

◆ 1 Tbsp chopped fresh

rosemary leaves

◆ 4 garlic cloves, minced ◆ ½ cup packed dark

brown sugar

◆ 8 –10 (each 3 oz) lamb chops,

about ¾-inch thick

FOR THE MINT RELISH ◆ ½ cup roughly chopped flat-

leaf parsley

◆ ½ cup roughly chopped

mint leaves

◆ ¼ cup roughly chopped

cilantro

◆ ¼ cup chopped chives

◆ ½ cup white wine vinegar ◆ 2 Tbsp granulated sugar Photography: Shallon Cunningham

◆ 1-inch piece ginger, peeled ◆ 3 garlic cloves, minced

◆ 2 Tbsp white miso paste ◆ 2 Tbsp oregano leaves

◆ 1 tsp red pepper flakes ◆ Kosher salt and ground

black pepper

◆ ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Katie Mitzel’s

POACHED BOSC PEARS

A spiced syrup gives a polished profile to the already quite elegant pear. This recipe turns a winter-fruit favourite into an impressive dessert.

ING R E DIE NTS ◆ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar ◆ 1 cup dry white wine

◆ 4 whole star anise or ¾

teaspoon star anise seeds

◆ 1 cinnamon stick

◆ 1-inch piece ginger, peeled

and quartered lengthwise

◆ 4 whole cloves

◆ 2 Tbsp vanilla extract or

1 whole pod

◆ 1 orange, zested and juiced ◆ 4 Bosc pears

◆ 3 Tbsp Grand Marnier

(optional)

Method

PAIR THIS

Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc

A spiced syrup infused with Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc gives a polished profile to this elegant pear. LCBO #11943

Photography: Shallon Cunningham

1 In a large saucepan over mediumhigh heat, whisk the sugar with 3 cups of water and the white wine and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the heat down to medium and add the star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger slices, whole cloves, vanilla, orange zest and juice. Bring to a simmer. 2 Peel the pears with a very sharp peeler, making sure to keep the neck and stem intact. Slice a thin section off the bottom of each pear to create a flat surface. 3 Turn down the heat to mediumlow and place the pears, upright, in the liquid. They should be fully submerged. Poach the pears, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester can easily glide into the flesh without force. You do not want an undercooked pear. However, a mushy pear will not be a pleasant eating experience either. 4 Remove the pan from the heat and let the pears cool in the poaching liquid. When they are just cool enough to touch, using rubber tongs, remove the pears from the liquid, allowing any excess to drip back into the saucepan. Place on a serving plate and put in the fridge, uncovered. 5 Meanwhile, pour the poaching liquid through a sieve and into a clean saucepan. Discard the seasonings. Add the Grand Marnier (if using). Warm the liquid over medium heat, letting it reduce by half so that you have a gorgeous, pecan-colored syrup, about 20 to 30 minutes. 6 Remove the cold pears from the fridge. Plate together or individually. Pour some of the syrup overtop – this dish is equally good served warm or at room temperature. f

Please enjoy our wines responsibly.

FOLLOW THE AUDACIOUS HISTORY

THEAUDACITYWINE

I WANT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE NOT A DICE ROLL micro-dosed, five-course meals. We’re not selling cannabis, we’re selling the experience.

JOIN THE DANK SIDE Chef Ted Corrado explains his transition, after years at the Drake, to cannabis lifestyle brand byMINISTRY.

Photography: Sarjoun Faour

On moving into "cannabistronomy" If someone had told 17-year old Ted that this is what he would be doing – getting to marry culinary with cannabis – he wouldn’t have believed them. I’ve been cooking in Toronto for more than 20 years now and I take my moves very seriously. I was at the ROM for six years, then the Drake for over seven, so the timing just felt right because of the people who were involved. We don’t have it all figured out yet, but I’m always up for a challenge. As director of culinary at byMINISTRY, my personal mission statement is to create elevated experiences for people. Years ago, cannabis would have been smoked in a back alley. Now it’s legal and I don’t want to do that any more.

On secret supper clubs We’re looking to position byMINISTRY as a leader in the field. Our goal is to have trained staff in the same way you would have sommeliers, to really help curate your experience. People who have experienced cannabis, and edibles in particular, think they’re going to eat a brownie or cookie and “God knows what will happen to me.” That’s not the experience that I’m looking for. I’m looking to go to a nice restaurant and have a three- or four-course meal, like with alcohol, with pairings and flavours that work together. I want to feel that it was a positive experience rather than a roll of the dice. Right now, we’re launching our secret supper clubs (the Enlightened Dining Club), which are

On cannabis flavour profiles They’re very subtle flavours so I don’t know if it’s going to change our palates, but my goal is to make it feel more normal for people. We want cannabis to pair nicely with the food so it’s balanced and well-rounded in flavour, and if you’re having it with a mushroom dish you’re going to taste the notes of the mushroom. On top, there might be beurre noisette and a cured egg yolk, which just happens to have cannabis in it. It’s not about the cannabis being at the front of the flavour profile, it’s about having a really beautiful dish that happens to have 2 mg of THC in it. On the future of edibles and fine dining The idea of making infused pantry items – sugar, flour, salt – opens everything up because you can do anything when you have those foundational ingredients. You can create a very rustic meal or a ten-course tasting menu. We’re not there right now, but as the technology changes and these items become available, cannabis becomes another ingredient I can layer into my cooking. From a flavour, wellness and even a psychoactive perspective, it’s just another ingredient. On cannabis restaurants Bars became a thing because we’re allowed to sell alcohol, and now that we can sell cannabis, people want a space for it. Across different spaces, some might want a refined or casual experience and the restaurant will be able to provide that. Right now, cannabis and alcohol cannot be in the same space, but we’ll figure that out and there should be the option to opt in or out. I hope that’s where we get to. I want you to walk into a cannabis restaurant and get the exact same level of service, design and food quality. f

— PART 2 —

FEAST “UBER EATS HAS CREPT INTO OUR EVERYDAY LEXICON, BECOMING A NOUN, A VERB AND A WAY OF LIFE.” WHO YOU GONNA CALL?, 058

046 GREAT BOWLS OF FIRE | 052 GASTRO-HOMES 058 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? | 064 VINE VAULTS

BELOW: The housemade golden curry from Salad King is eligible for the 20-chili customization

GREAT BOWLS OF FIRE Well beyond wings, Toronto restaurants have a plethora of options for diners who seek the heat. From curry to roti, these are our must-try selections.

EW YEAR, SAME winter. Thankfully, we’ve come up with a way to heat things up and make you sweat that doesn’t involve going to the gym. Spicy food is an integral part of our winter-survival guide and we’re on a mission to clear your sinuses with a round-up of the city’s spiciest bites. We’ll take you on a trip to Southeast Asia, around the Caribbean, all over India, and hopefully not to the ER because your mouth is on fire. We’ve found tacos that’ll make you want to throw in the towel then mop yourself with it, and chicken specialties most are too chicken to try. Cry tears of spicy joy (or actual tears) and bring a buddy to pass the milk.

CURRY

Photography: Renée Suen

SALAD KING 340 Yonge St.

Since the 1990s, Torontonians have found some of the best (and reasonably priced) Thai food here. Any of their three homemade curries – green, golden and panang – are fiery on their own, but there’s a spicy scale so you can add one extra chili (“nice”), three, five, 10

(“are you sure?”), right up to the off-the-Richter-scale, phone a friend, blow your spicy mind 20 chilies. RICKSHAW BAR 685 Queen St. W. To eat at Rickshaw Bar is to travel through the streets of South and Southeast Asia without leaving the 6ix. Each dish reflects chef-owner Noureen Feerasta’s unique upbringing with influences from Lahore, Pakistan to Burma. The creamy shrimp makai curry has chili for heat and although the Ismaili beef short rib curry is easier on the spice, it’s definitely worth a try, with over 25 different ingredients and spices, and meat they sous vide for days. KHAO SAN ROAD 11 Charlotte St. This eatery is as lively as the infamous backpackers’ district it’s named after – specializing in custom-made, Thai dishes with fresh ingredients sourced locally and imported from Thailand. A hot, green pepper in their panang curry is perfectly balanced with a fresh makrut lime leaf, Thai basil and coconut milk. You can customize your spice level by adding house-made chili oil from a scale of one – mild to 11 – “chef Top spicy.” →

LEFT: Agni or “fire” roti at My Roti Place. BELOW: Ramen Isshin’s wok-fired spicy red miso ramen

ROTI

INDIAN ROTI HOUSE Various locations

What Indian Roti House lacks in space it makes up for in spice. This tiny go-to roti to-go spot has been making people spontaneously combust (okay, not quite) for the better part of a decade, with classics from butter chicken to face-melting Hakka chili roti cooked in a spicy Indo-Chinese sauce. Cool off with a cup of their refreshing mango lassi – you’re going to need it. SAFFRON SPICE KITCHEN 459 Queen St. W. This tiny restaurant on the busy corner of Spadina and Queen is a powerhouse of heat and flavours, serving Indian and Sri Lankan fare. Skip the curries and wraps and head straight for the kothu roti, a Sri Lankan dish made by chopping gothamba roti into little pieces before sautéing with spice (lots of spice) and your choice of protein, like butter chicken. Order it mild – not because it’s actually forgiving, but because medium or hot will take you to another dimension. ALI’S WEST INDIAN ROTI 1446 Queen St. W. This West Indian roti institution serves some of Toronto’s best Caribbean cuisine. It’s completely normal to start drooling the moment you walk through the doors and it won’t stop once you bite into any jampacked, giant roti. Add the “XHot” version of their homemade pepper sauce, made from Scotch bonnet peppers, if you really want to play with fire.

MY ROTI PLACE Various locations More like My Roti Places. With nine locations around the city, this casual, build-your-own roti joint is full of choice and, of course, spice. Hungry folks begin their journey at the counter where you can order from a selection of roti breads – classic, turmeric or seasonal. Next choose a protein, pick your curry (the Tangra Hakka Chilly and Robust Spice Vindaloo are the spiciest), then select your heat level from mild to extreme. Look out for the “Agni Challenge” (Agni means fire in Sanskrit) which tests only the bravest palates. The claim is that Agni sauce is 60 times hotter than a jalapeno.

SOUP

KOREA HOUSE 666 Bloor St. W.

Bloor West’s Koreatown wouldn’t be the same without this humble neighbourhood spot. Kitschy plastic grapes hang from the ceiling while K-pop videos play on a loop, offsetting the weathered dark wood interior. When we ask our server what’s the spiciest soup on the menu, she points to the Gam Ja Tang, a pork bone and potato soup with vegetables served in a hot stone bowl that’s still sizzling when it arrives. If you’re feeling brave, ask for it extra-spicy or just grab a mouthful of the punchy kimchi from the array of complimentary banchan.

SOOS 94 Ossington Ave. Soos brings modern interpretations of Malaysian street food to Ossington. Colourful sharing plates take up entire tables. Their laksa, however, is the kind of dish you’ll want all to yourself. Chicken, prawns, tofu balls, galangal, mee and vermicelli noodles, curry broth and daun kesum (laksa leaves) are the listed ingredients. But there’s also sneaky sambal and chili oil for added heat that’ll make your lips tingle all the way home. Better yet, take a jar of their house-made, spicy sambal chili to-go. RAMEN ISSHIN Various locations The moment you walk into Ramen Isshin, you are greeted with a welcome chorus of smiling staff followed by a wait because it’s always

so busy. But there’s good reason why people line up out the door. Their bowl of spicy red miso ramen begins in the flaming wok where veggies mix with their signature red miso blend, sake, house-made chili oil, fried pork and pork belly cha shu. Some searing hot tonkotsu broth is added, then the whole thing is poured over a fresh bed of noodles.

TACOS

WILBUR MEXICANA 552 King St. W.

Just like being south of the Rio Grande, most of the heat here comes from which salsa you add to your taco. They have their options – from pico de gallo to asada to ghost pepper – set out on a little illustrated scale, which is much like Wilbur Scoville’s (get it?) universal standard. →

BELOW: Chicken, prawns, tofu balls, curry broth and more goes into this spicy laksa from Soos

THEIR LAKSA IS THE KIND OF DISH YOU’LL WANT ALL TO YOURSELF 49

LAMB-LEG BARBACOA GETS ITS HEAT FROM JALAPENOS AND GUAJILLOS

The taco takes are equally wide-ranging, from the conventional carne asada straight through to the Korean-style beef bulgogi. Taps behind the bar for Burdock and Blood Brothers mean there’s more than commodity cerveza to calm the heat. CAMPECHANO 504 Adelaide St. W. Since late-2015, this has been the spot for traditional tacos in CDMX-style flavours. Go with the pollo al pastor for a proper four-alarm fireball and a touch of sweet pineapple. Lamb-leg barbacoa gets its heat from both fresh jalapeno and guajillo peppers – a great complement for the rich, slow-cooked meat. Note that they also run

Good Hombres (more seating, tortillas to-go) on Bathurst and a new spot, Buena Copa, in the works for College Street. BARRIO COREANO 642 Bloor St. W. As is (hopefully) obvious from the name, this member of the Playa Cabana chain mixes influences from Korea into the Mexican melting pot. The dual citizenship means the baja fish taco features spicy, fresh kimchi and the bulgogi shrimp option (on a crispy shell) comes doused with red sesame salsa macha. Pepper proponents also pick the pulpo al carbon for its chipotle salsa. The heat finds its way into the appetizers, too, like the popular grilled calamari with Asian pear kimchi.

CHICKEN

BELOW: Chica’s Chicken on Dundas West features a mix of hand-blended Carolina reapers and ghost peppers

CHICA’S CHICKEN 2853 Dundas St. W.

After experiencing a hot chicken awakening in Nashville, chef Matthew Pelechaty and his wife Carolyn opened Chica’s Chicken. Named after their yellow lab, the Nashvillestyle hot chicken spot offers their own take on the spicy dish. Their crispy on the outside, moist on the inside chicken is dry brined and left to rest for two days to allow the spices to seep right to the centre of each piece. They make all of their spice mixtures in-house and even blend their Carolina reapers and ghost peppers by hand. RASTA PASTA 61 Kensington Ave. The chicken here might not completely set your mouth ablaze, but there are plenty of people who would tout Rasta Pasta as the best jerk spot in the city. Plus they offer a side of homemade hot sauce that you can slather on your meat to crank up the heat. Specializing in the unique combination of Jamaican and Italian cuisine, the menu ranges from classics like jerk chicken, curry goat and oxtail to homemade pasta with spicy tomato sauce and jerk meatballs. CHAT BAR Various locations Fiery chuan’r is the name of the game at this izakaya-style spot. The Chinese cuisine involves skewers of meat, seafood and vegetables grilled in an “atmosphere of smoke and fire.” Chat Bar’s entire menu comes with a kick, but the kitchen will gladly tone it down if you can’t handle the heat. The chicken chaun’r options range from meat and wings to hearts, kidney, joints and skins. While you’re there be sure to get the grilled sausage, scallops, enoki mushrooms – and Chinese iced tea to wash it all down. f

BELOW: Barrio Coreano has a menu full of MexicanKorean tacos like the Cauliflower Kampungki

Photography: ###

GASTROHOMES

Andrea Yu drops in on Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top culinary talent to find out how they each designed their kitchen to be the centre of their home. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GABBY FRANK

Cory Vitiello, Martina Sorbara and Barlow

Restaurateur (Flock), singer (Dragonette) and their son

After Cory Vitiello left his swish neighbourhood restaurants (the Harbord Room and THR & Co.) for a group of fastcasual, daytime counters (Flock) in 2016, his work schedule gave him time to eat at home. “My cooking went from catering to restaurant clients six nights a week to cooking the food I love at home for my family,” he says. “I got very much into dinner parties, no surprise.” Two years after meeting his partner Martina Sorbara, their son Barlow was born. “We changed our dining habits based around what we know he would eat,” he says. “We’re not making ourselves steaks. He loves fish and pasta.” They also order Uber Eats twice a week when their schedules are busy. “Barlow is a huge fan of green fish curry from Sukhothai.” Late last year, the family moved into a renovated coach house near High Park with a large open kitchen designed by Sorbara’s sister, Ginger, an interior designer. When it comes to dining, Sorbara and Vitiello enjoy stand-up meals around their island. When he got old enough, Barlow ditched his high chair for a step stool so he can eat with his parents. “He’s very confident, standing on his little step stool. He likes being part of the real action, eating with us.” While the addition of Barlow has changed Vitiello and Sorbara’s routine, they still find the flexibility to entertain. “We invite people over a lot more than we’re going out now,” Vitiello explains. “We wait until he goes to bed at seven o’clock, and then as long as we’re being relatively quiet, we have friends over from eight o’clock onwards.”

1 These built-in cabinets were originally designed as a bar but Sorbara and Vitiello now use them as a pantry. 2 The family often dines casually standing around their kitchen island so Barlow uses this step stool to reach counter-height. 3 This panel hides appliances like a toaster and coffee maker. A sliding drawer is soon being delivered to make access easier. 4 Sorbara, an experienced ceramicist, handmade these bowls and platters at a studio in Chinatown. They use them every day instead of keeping them hidden away. 5 Vitiello is a fan of induction cooking for aesthetics, easy cleanup and accurate control over temperature and hotspots. “A big thing as well with kids is that there aren’t white hot burners so it’s cooler to the touch.” →

Pay Chen

TV host, producer and food personality

The first thing that Pay Chen did when she moved into her 800-square-foot condo near King and Bathurst in 2018 was install an 8-foot-by-2-foot island in the open kitchen. “It’s a really large island for this space, but it’s my most important piece of furniture,” Chen explains. She enlisted a designer friend to create a custom piece out of Ikea drawers and a Dekton, man-made countertop that mimics the look of marble. “They couldn’t fit it through the weird corners of my condo so it had to be cut in half and then glued back together,” says Chen of the large countertop. Chen still struggles to find homes for all her various kitchen tools. “Storage is a challenge in condos,” she says. “Every nook and cranny is packed. It is full.” Given her living space’s floor-to-ceiling windows, she can’t install shelving or hang art on the walls. So she uses side tables, carts and standalone shelving to add additional storage space, being purposeful about what items are on display. “My decor is my kitchen items,” Chen says. “I love seeing these pieces out. They remind me of finding them at a garage sale or saving enough money to buy them.” When hosting friends for meals at home, Chen thinks creatively about how to display and present food. “People are usually fine and casual about eating on their laps or having things spread out on the coffee table,” says Chen. When it comes to baking at home, she admits that it can get chaotic. “This place gets messy in an instant,” she says. Maybe thanks to her TV-set experience, she says that space doesn’t hold her back from baking whatever she wants. “Delicious and spectacular things can come from the tiniest spaces.”

“MY DECOR IS MY KITCHEN ITEMS. I LOVE SEEING THESE PIECES OUT” 54

2 3 Photography: ###

1 Chen used to live in a 500-square-foot condo with a tiny oven that could only handle a halfdozen cookies at a time. A full-sized oven and stove were a requirement for this condo. 2 “I’m obsessed with bowls,” says Chen. The ones here are from Anthropologie, the One of a Kind craft show, a new Pyrex from her brother and a vintage Pyrex bowl from a thrift shop in Winnipeg. 3 This 8-foot-by-2-foot island was custom-made by Chen’s designer friend out of Ikea cabinets and a Dekton marble-like top. “It is so key for me in terms of storage.” 4 Instead of a dedicated spot for cookbooks, Chen has hers scattered in stacks around her kitchen and living space. 5 The Joy of Cooking was Chen’s first cookbook which she purchased in the late 1990s. “I paid $30 plus tax for it, which would have felt like an incredible amount of money to me back then as a student.” 6 Many of Chen’s kitchen items are used as props for styling a shoot or TV appearances. These sprinkles might be used to decorate an item for an Instagram post (or just for personal consumption). →

2 1

1 Pristine loves entertaining and hosts private events, family and friends in his home a few times a month. The evening usually starts around Pristine’s kitchen island as he chats to guests while preparing a meal. 2 This $290 Shun bread knife is Pristine’s favourite and was acquired during an afterhours supply raid to the Cheese Boutique gift shop. “It just happened that I took a $300 knife,” he jokes. “But it’s worth every penny.” His $110 Wusthof chef’s knife is from the same place. 3 Pristine’s landlord, and the space’s former occupant, outfitted the kitchen with a host of premium, gourmet fixtures like a sixburner Wolf gas range. 4 The kitchen island is equipped with drawers of spices, ingredients and tools where Pristine has his “own little mini Cheese Boutique. I have four kinds of pepper and eight kinds of salt.” 5 This wine wall, complete with a rolling ladder, was already installed by the landlord when Pristine moved in. “It’s so cool. It looks straight out of a Harry Potter library.”

Afrim Pristine

Maître fromager, Cheese Boutique

Afrim Pristine might have the shortest commute of anyone in Toronto’s food industry – the big cheese of his family business, he lives 100 metres from work. In fact, the Cheese Boutique gift shop is just underneath him. “I like being close,” says Pristine, who is out of bed by 5:30 a.m. every working day. “I can go open the store, do a little bit of paperwork, come back, take a shower and have a coffee.” For better or worse, Pristine has the keys to a fully-stocked gourmet grocer at his disposal. “There have been many times where I’m entertaining and I don’t have something I need so I run over to Cheese Boutique for another bag of ice or a lime and I’m back in a minute.” He loves collecting cookware and accessories – much of his kitchen has been stocked by last-minute runs to the Cheese Boutique gift shop to pick up an item after hours. “I’ve taken a fondue pot, a tagine, a raclette machine… I’m just a food geek and I like to have everything.” Since his cooking space is also an important spot for entertaining, Pristine is purposeful about keeping a tidy kitchen. He recommends using an ice bucket to serve white or sparkling wine, so guests have easy access to it. His fiancée Courtney Bull also batch-prepares a few cocktails in glass jars with handwritten labels of ingredients. Naturally, he also has a meat and cheese board ready for guests to snack on while he puts the final touches on the evening’s meal. Cooking while entertaining can be hectic, but he says: “I’ve had to train myself to do three things at once because of the store’s business. It’s my strength.” f

“ I’VE TAKEN A FONDUE POT, A TAGINE – I’M A FOOD GEEK AND I LIKE TO HAVE EVERYTHING” 57

WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Ghost restaurants are answering the call that delivery apps have created; from virtual second outposts to condo-based dumpling factories. WORDS BY TAYLOR NEWLANDS PHOTOGRAPHY BY SANDRO PEHAR

T’S FRIDAY NIGHT. After a harrowing week of putting in overtime at the office, trying to keep a regular workout schedule and attempting to eat relatively healthy home-cooked meals, exhaustion and hunger have taken over. So I do what any other person in 2020 would do – I take out my phone, open up my favourite food-delivery app and start scrolling. The options seem endless – Italian, burgers, Thai, pho, ramen. On top of all that, apps like Foodora are branching out to deliver groceries, pet food, flowers and even alcohol straight to your door. We’ve quickly become acclimatized to using our phones to order food and track it every step of the way from preparation, to pick up, to which route the bicycle courier is taking to avoid the steep hill that I live on. But it wasn’t too long ago that it felt like the only option for straight-to-your-door dining was a charred cardboard-flavoured pizza. Uber Eats came into existence a mere

five years ago, and has already crept its way into our everyday lexicon, becoming a noun, a verb and a way of life. And as the demand for takeout and delivery increases, restaurants are drawn to the apps that make the process smoother and more convenient – which in turn lures in more customers, eager to avoid the crowds and enjoy their favourite meals from the comfort of their own home. At Pai Northern Thai Kitchen, husbandand-wife duo chef Nuit and Jeff Regular have had to make drastic changes to accommodate the growing demand. Walk past Pai any night of the week and you’ll find customers lined up out the door, with a steady stream of delivery drivers and takeout customers pushing their way in and out. “As the demand goes up, we don’t want to be the place that says ‘okay, we’re done, we can’t do any more.’ So we’re always trying to find a way to meet the demand and make sure that the efficiency is where it needs to be,” says Jeff Regular. →

ABOVE: Jill Chen operates her takeout-only restaurant Freestyle Farm Luncheonette out of her fifth-floor condo

ABOVE: Pai is popular enough – with both dine-in customers and app orders – that they need a second kitchen team to handle demand

Over the last few years, they’ve seen a huge spike in takeout and delivery. So much so, that these orders now account for nearly a third of their business. When restaurants first start fulfilling takeout and delivery orders for third-party apps, it’s only a matter of making a few extra dishes here and there. But as the demand grows, suddenly they have to allocate more of their time and resources to keep up with the influx of incoming orders – while also accounting for the apps taking up to 30 cents off each dollar of sales. “We actually opened up a second kitchen in Pai,” says Regular. “We expanded and we took over the space next door to us, mostly for kitchen space. This helps to meet the demand

of our delivery orders, but also to relieve our main kitchen so they can concentrate on our dine-in customers. On any given day, we literally have two separate kitchen teams.” But even with two kitchens, the restaurant is still expanding its capacity to fulfill takeout and delivery orders. Out in Etobicoke, Pai recently launched a satellite location inside of Kitchen Hub – a space described by owners Adam Armeland and Oren Borovitch as Canada’s first “virtual food hall.” Alongside Pai, Kitchen Hub houses outposts of the Carbon Bar, Kanga Aussie Meat Pies, Greenhouse Juice Co., Dessert by the Cheesecake Factory, Blondies Pizza and a convenience store. Find Kitchen Hub on the takeout and delivery apps and you can order from any of the concepts onsite – or a combination of them. But each restaurant operates behind the scenes at the virtual food hall. As a delivery driver or someone picking up takeout, all you’ll see is a small waiting

area with one service counter and a screen system to let you know when your order is up. “We’re kind of like a micro-fulfillment centre for food,” says Borovitch. “If you think about what Amazon actually does – they take a product in, somebody orders it, they get it out really quickly. We’re doing kind of the same thing, just using different pieces. Somebody places an order on Uber Eats, the restaurant cooks it, now you have a product ready. We are the fastest at getting that product out to the driver, to the customer.” Because of the lower population density in Etobicoke, the restaurants operating out of Kitchen Hub can reach a wider radius of takeout and delivery customers than their downtown locations. It also takes the burden off of restaurants trying to provide a pleasant atmosphere for dine-in clientele. “Picture the biker coming in with their big backpack and forgetting to turn off their headlamp in a nice restaurant

And the Food Dudes are getting in on the action with their new Middle Eastern ghost restaurant LafLaf. If you’re hankering for Vietnamese fare during your lunch hour you can order from North Saigon on Uber Eats, but head to the address listed and you won’t find any sign of the restaurant. That’s because chefowner Kim Vo operates her brand out of a commercial kitchen. Due to the high commission that delivery apps take, Vo only opens North Saigon during lunch hours, a couple of days a week to supplement the income she makes from the catering side of her business. The rest of the time, she can turn off the app, preventing customers from placing orders. “Maybe in the future, if things work out, I might do a brick-and-mortar location. But for now, I think this is really easy. And it allows me to have a little bit more flexibility with my schedule” says Vo. Google “North Saigon” and you’ll see Vo’s carefully laid-out website with information →

on a Saturday night and totally ruining the whole experience,” says Borovitch. Rather than expending money and resources to open a brand new location and attempting to replicate the atmosphere and service of their first spot, restaurants simply rent space within Kitchen Hub. They send their own cooks to work in the allocated kitchen space, and Kitchen Hub takes care of the upfront costs and the front-of-house side of the business. “We’re just a service and infrastructure that allows restaurants to do what they need to do in a new area,” says Armeland. “We have a playbook that teaches them how to do different things and switch from a brickand-mortar restaurant to an e-commerce restaurant and what that means.” But it’s not just the brands at Kitchen Hub that are taking advantage of the opportunity to earn new revenue without a new outpost. Whether you call them ghost restaurants, virtual restaurants or takeout- and deliveryonly eateries, these places are popping up all over the city. Over on Ossington, Bobbie Sue’s Mac and Cheese serves its namesake dish out of a takeout window with a roof overhead.

“ O N ANY GIVEN DAY WE LITERALLY HAVE TWO SEPARATE KITCHEN TEAMS AT PAI”

RIGHT: Oren Borovitch and Adam Armeland think their virtual restaurant food hall concept has enough appeal to work across Canada

J ILL CHEN USES RITUAL TO SELL DUMPLINGS OUT OF HER FIFTH-FLOOR DOWNTOWN CONDO

about her and her business, but try searching for some of the other ghost restaurants and outside of the apps you’ll draw a blank. These restaurants essentially don’t exist. They’re brands made up by restaurants as a bid to draw in more customers. “If you’re successful, Uber Eats will encourage you to launch a different operation, or brand. And it’s cheap. You’re using the ingredients that you normally would be using, but it’s under different brands. Say for example, you have a Vietnamese brand, then you can do a Thai brand, or a Filipino brand. But it’s all in the same kitchen. And maybe customers don’t know that it’s the same place but it actually is,” says Vo. There might be 10 different restaurants, all listed under one address, with one kitchen team running all of these various invented concepts. And as operating these virtual restaurants becomes easier, it gets more difficult for consumers to find out where their food is really coming from. At Richmond and Spadina, Jill Chen uses Ritual to sell dumplings, wontons and sauces out of her fifth-floor condo. Chen has done it the right way. She has the required food safety certifications and passed the DineSafe inspection – and she

LEFT: Jill Chen’s dumplings are all handmade. She only accepts takeout orders because her food is best when eaten within ten minutes

doesn’t live in the condo. The unit is a studio space used by herself and her husband Kevin Hewitt for their food styling and photography work. Chen received ample compliments when she cooked for Hewitt’s clients in the studio, so she began selling her dumplings, first from word of mouth and a sandwich board outside of the building, then on Ritual. Like Vo, Chen appreciates the ability to run her takeout spot Freestyle Farm Luncheonette on her schedule – turning the app on for a few hours a day and off whenever it suits her. “My whole thing going into this, was that I didn’t want to be stuck in a restaurant. I didn’t want to be a slave to the work. I just wanted to cook whatever I wanted to make,” says Chen. “I just like to do different things and just offer it and if people buy it, they buy it.” As home cooks with no experience in the restaurant industry, both Chen and Vo were able to use the takeout and delivery apps to boost their income, without the investment required to open up a restaurant. “My business now is going into year three and prior to this, I had no experience running a restaurant,” explains Vo. “It’s a good way for entrepreneurs like myself to gain a little bit of knowledge and experience before taking the plunge.” But while the order-in culture is helping homecooks transition into becoming professionals, the rest of us are cooking less and less. In downtown Toronto, there are condo towers being built – and lived in – without ovens in the units. As we become more connected to these convenient services, we're farther removed from the food we're eating and where it really comes from. We choose takeout and a TV screen over sitting down in a restaurant or with a homecooked meal, and connecting face-to-face with our friends and family. We’re in the age of ordering everything to our door and expecting it in no time flat, where restaurants, stores and human connections only exist on the little screens in our pockets. f

VINE VAULTS

Wine collectors are turning to businesses like Fine Wine Reserve and Iron Gate to store and manage their hoards of bottles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; worth thousands of dollars, and in some cases, millions. WORDS BY JESSICA WEI PHOTOGRAPHY BY HECTOR VASQUEZ

Photography: ###

UST OVER 100,000 bottles of wine are stored in the cold, dark, misty cellar of the Fine Wine Reserve, below the street-level bustle of King and Spadina. Overhead, passersby may be toting a couple of bottles from the LCBO ready to crack them open when they get home, perfectly unaware of the multi-million dollar assets in the form of decades-old ferments in this 5,000-square-foot facility. Here’s how you get to the Fine Wine Reserve: Look for one of the more nondescript buildings at the corner of King and Spadina, an intersection that specializes in nondescript buildings. Descend the stairs to an unassuming door; the one that looks like it could be a custodian closet or a room full of dusty water tanks and pipes. Swipe a pass card and lay your index finger on a fingerprint sensor and then pass through the opening of the two-foot-thick cellar wall to a sparsely decorated anteroom. There’s a rack for coats, but keep yours handy. Another swipe of the key card, and then you may surrender to the darkness, where a labyrinthine passageway of wooden storage lockers awaits. It’s chilly down here. The cellar is kept at a consistent 13 C and routinely misted by foggers. It’s also closely watched: 18 infrared motion cameras keep track of exactly who is in the cellar and where they are, and a highend security system notes which doors are being approached and opened. Once inside, the effect of the darkness, the fog and the faint whiff of pine feel vaguely sauna-like, except here, it’s wine that enjoys a comfortable repose, not sore-bodied athletes. Storing and aging wine properly is a complicated process. Most people assume it takes a certain amount of darkness and cool temperatures, and it does, but those are only third and fifth on the list of the five most important considerations when it comes to optimal conditions for a cellar. “Any idiot can provide cold temperatures with refrigeration units,” says Marc Russell, founder of the Fine Wine Reserve. “The number one thing here is getting rid of fluctuations. Every time the bottle warms up, the air in the wine literally expands.” That expansion pushes tiny amounts of air out of the cork, and then when temperatures fall, the air contracts, letting tiny amounts of fresh oxygen back into the bottle. So the most important part of ensuring optimal wine storage conditions is getting rid of temperature fluctuations. Number two is keeping the bottle moist: hence the foggers,

which pump out filtered air anytime the humidity drops below 60 per cent, for up to 15 minutes per hour during the winter. “Even if the bottles are on their side, keeping the bottom of the cork moist, the top part is exposed to the air. In dry temperatures, it will dry out, it’ll shrink, it’ll crack, like any piece of wood. And then it lets in too much air and it ruins your wine,” says Russell. Number three: Cool temperatures. Number four: Keeping the bottles stabilized. Neither is a problem in subterranean downtown, far from the rumble of passing subway cars. On a tour, the affable proprietor and experienced tour guide (security orientation sessions for new members run three hours long), stops every few paces to explain in tangential detail all the gadgets and gizmos of this facility. That includes the conveyor belt that carries cases down from an alley off Spadina, to the complex rig of condensers and evaporators that stabilize the temperature in the cellar. Occasionally and repeatedly, he will punctuate each explanation with, “See? It’s a science application!” with a gleam in his eyes. The average wine consumer will forget that most wines just don’t get better with age. Mass-produced wines are designed for immediate consumption, including premium wines. Even wines that are made to be aged

ABOVE: There’s a room at Fine Wine Reserve for tastings. BELOW: Marc Russell, a former geologist, opened the wine storage facility on King Street in 2004

have no guarantee of tasting all that delicious without proper conditions. Aging affects wine in a number of different ways. The tannins in wine, a compound that occurs in the skin, seeds and stems of the grapes, will soften and combine, getting heavier over time, affecting the texture and flavour of the wine. Oxidation from the air left in the bottle will deepen the wine’s colour, while constant interaction of different acids and sugars will slowly mellow and bring out new flavours, depending on the variety. “When a wine is first made and it’s young, it tends to have what are called primary flavours, which are fruit flavours, so it tastes like cherries or plums, or all kinds of strong fruit flavours,” explains Russell. “But as the wine ages, secondary flavours start to become more pronounced. Other things in a higher quality wine will come to the forefront, more subtle aromas and flavours, like leather, chocolate and vanilla.” When Russell started this business, it wasn’t necessarily in pursuit of incubating the finest tasting Burgundies in all the land, it was in pursuit of the science application.

HE FOUND MUSICIANS, MOVIE INDUSTRY VETS AND EXECS TO PUT DOWN UP TO $18,885 A MONTH Not a lot of people feel all that comfortable working for long hours in tight, dark, cold spaces but Russell was: He had left a career behind as a geologist in the gold mining industry, where he had worked around the world, including five years out in the field in South America exploring centuries-old mines with bats whizzing by his head in Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. “I had 40 addresses in 18 years or something,” he says. “And when I was 40, I said, ‘that’s it. I’m done with this and I want to come back home.’ So I came back to Toronto, and I thought, ‘there’s not a lot a geologist can do in downtown Toronto.’ ”

In January 2004, after a three-year search for the perfect location and $600,000 sunk into construction, climate-control tech and security, he opened the doors of Fine Wine Reserve. He quickly found clients amongst the who’s who of Toronto: musicians and movie industry vets and C-level executives, putting down up to $18,885 a month to safeguard their collections, which can max out at 7,200 bottles in a walk-in locker. Around the same time, across the city, another wine storage facility popped up in an old fur coat vault in Leaside. (It turns out that wine and fur coats both thrive in the same cold, humid environment.) Warren Porter, →

ABOVE: Warren Porter opened Iron Gate Wine Management in an old fur coat vault in Leaside, Toronto

“ I WASN’T INTERESTED IN WINE AS MUCH AS I WAS BORED BY TELECOM” drink-by dates and notifications on when a certain wine exceeds a certain dollar value for collectors to sell – all accessible by iPad. The wine they store and sell tends to be the high-end collections: many of the buyers for the very top-end of wine Iron Gate sells are located in China and Hong Kong. Last November, they negotiated the sale of a sixlitre (or imperial) 1979 La Tache to a buyer in Macau for almost US$50,000. “I know guys who don’t drink wines that are, certainly, anything younger than 20 years old,” Porter says. “I have other friends who will drink almost nothing that’s not from the ’50s and ’60s.” He also has clients who are the opposite. “I get a lot of calls from people who go, ‘Warren, I just don’t want to drink a $1,500 bottle of wine,’ ” he says. Those are the bottles that go out of the private collection and into the asset management arm of the business. Now, 15 years on, those assets are growing at both Fine Wine Reserve and Iron Gate. According to Porter, wine storage needs keep growing and growing, with increased interest from what he calls “younger new money” – a trend that Russell has also seen.

As for Russell, he himself has casually, over time, amassed his own modest collection of around 400 bottles. The science application part is over; the self-storage facility basically runs itself, as self-storage facilities of any kind are designed to. In 2013, he opened a case storage facility in Rexdale to cater to larger collections. And there are always larger collections. Russell’s collection will grow to warrant the locker he has; and then probably onto a larger one. Collections grow, because that’s what they do, at least until the Four D’s come knocking. “People ask, ‘why do people have so much wine when logic dictates that they couldn’t drink all that in their entire life?’ ” muses Porter. “People collect because they collect. They start for many different reasons and they keep buying and collecting, and the next thing you know, they’ve got hundreds, if not thousands of bottles… but at some point, even if that’s coins or stamps, you’ve built up a million bucks worth of stuff over the course of your lifetime. So now what are you going to do and why?” Is getting out a corkscrew and a couple of glasses really too far-fetched an idea? f

Photography: Iron Gate Wine Management

the founder of Iron Gate Wine Management, had just left a career in the telecom industry and, like Russell, was looking for a second act. “I wasn’t interested in wine as much as I was bored by telecom,” says Porter dryly. Not long after opening the storage facility, Iron Gate expanded their horizons into wine management, which encompasses estate auctions, assisting the international sale of collections, and operating a retail outlet in New York State for Canadian collections. A lot of their clients are lifelong collectors impacted by various life events that lead them to sell parts of their collections. “I call it the Four D’s: death, divorce, debt and dry,” explains Porter. “‘I’ve separated with someone, or I’ve downsized, or it’s an estate, or my doctor says I can’t drink anymore. So I’ve got 5,000 bottles of wine. What do I do with them?’” Iron Gate now has three storage facilities, including one in Buffalo, New York. The largest single collection is around 17,000 bottles. Theirs is not the Bond-worthy hidden lair that private-key holders can waltz in and out of when they’re passing through like at Fine Wine Reserve. It’s the hands-off case storage you leave your enormous collection in when you can no longer fit it all in your basement in Rosedale, or if you have to move to Geneva for five years. Iron Gate recently spent over US$100,000 to implement a management system which will give clients even more targeted information on their assets, including historic pricing trends of each bottle of wine, peak

CRITICS USED TO TURN THEIR NOSE UP AT CANADIAN WINE. TODAY, THEY STICK IT RIGHT IN.

Please Enjoy Responsibly.

— PART 3 —

QUENCH “THE COUPE IS A CHAMPAGNE GLASS WITH A FOLKLORE ALL OF ITS OWN.” SHAKE THAT GLASS, 072

072 SHAKE THAT GLASS | 080 THE NEXT ROUND 084 BOOZERS AND SHAKERS | 086 COCKTAIL HOUR | 092 BOTTLE SERVICE

SHAKE THAT GLASS Do judge a cocktail by its container. We talk to the glassware gurus of Toronto about the history of our favourite tipple tumblers. WORDS BY KATIE BRIDGES PHOTOGRAPHY BY COCKTAIL EMPORIUM

Illustration: ColorMaker

ABOVE: Kristen Voisey created Potion House, a line of bar tools and glassware, including this take on the Nick and Nora glass

AMES BOND WOULDN’T be 007 without a cocktail in hand. Dreamily iconic duo, Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon are never without a manhattan in Some Like it Hot. Even the cosmopolitan – a lethal combination of vodka, Cointreau and cranberry that could remove tooth enamel – is still popular (albeit, with the “basic bitch” status) more than twenty years after Sex and the City first hit our screens. Some of the world’s best cocktails were made famous on the big screen and often, our favourite tipples have unbelievable origin stories. But before we’ve even taken our first sip, our glassware has already begun communicating the secret language of

cocktails with us. From stemware to tumblers and delicate crystal to ceramic mugs, there are umpteen vessels for a bartender to serve your drink in – and don’t think for a second that it’s an afterthought. “The glass is just as important as the liquid it contains,” writes Salvatore Calabrese, one of the world’s leading bartenders, in his bartender bible Classic Cocktails. “As well as looking good, the shape, style, material, weight and balance of a glass can affect the way we perceive a drink and the way its flavours travel on our palates.” Rus Yessenov, director of mixology at the Fairmont Royal York, and a man whose encyclopedic knowledge of cocktail culture makes Ernest Hemingway’s enthusiasm for

booze seem half-hearted, certainly agrees. Brought on in 2019 to help with the iconic hotel’s transformation and 90th birthday, Yessenov was tasked with crafting a brand new cocktail menu for their signature lounge Clockwork and restaurant Reign. It was here that his passion for all the extra features, like glassware, suddenly came into focus. “I think as you discover recipes, whether it’s your own or classic cocktails, you start paying more and more attention to some of the details,” Yessenov explains to me over a cockail. “You discover that the types of glassware go back through history and have such an interesting story. Some of that is related to trends, technology or availability, and just drinking habits in general.”

N I CK A ND NO RA Habits like day-drinking during Prohibition in the 1920s and ’30s had a marked effect on vintage glassware. These dainty vessels, built to hold three or four ounces, made it seem more acceptable to have three or four drinks with lunch. Nick and Nora glasses, a close relative of the coupe, have seen a huge rise in popularity in recent years. Though the name of the glass was only coined in 2005, by Audrey Sanders, founder of New York City’s Pegu Club, its origins stretch back to the first half of last century. Nick and Nora Charles, a mystery-solving married couple from Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Thin Man and its subsequent TV spinoffs, were known for knocking back cocktails at their fictional house parties in the 1930s. “It basically replaces the martini glass for us,” says Yessenov, who uses the sleek stemware for drinks like the manhattan and other spirit-forward cocktails. “The role that the stem plays is that the liquid is not warmed by the heat from your hands.”

C OUPE Nowadays, the coupe is often used in place of the martini glass. It’s a champagne glass with a folklore all of its own. Legend claims that the cocktail coupe was modelled on Marie Antoinette’s left breast. However, we know that the French monarch’s bosom could not have influenced the stemware, which was invented in England in 1663, more than a century before she was on the throne. Yet, when it comes to champagne myths, our cup runneth over. Helen of Troy and Madame de Pompadour have both been pegged as muses for the coupe, and more recently, supermodels

Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss have lent their breasts as models for the glassware. But while the rumours pervade, society has largely moved on with other vessels to enjoy their fizz.

W INE Flutes, a tall and slender stemmed glass created in the 1700s, have a smaller surface area for the exposed liquid than a coupe, so more carbonation stays put and bubbles continue rising to the top for longer. Though newer designs curved the lip of the glass inward, the general style remained popular throughout the 20th century. →

MA RTINI The martini glass – an almost-perfect triangle inverted on a stem, used to serve straight-up (i.e., shaken with ice, but served without it) cocktails – is another glass whose origin predates the invention of its eponymous cocktail. Though rumours suggest that the martini glass was invented during Prohibition to allow customers to dispose of their drinks during a speakeasy raid, its debut was actually at the 1925 Paris Exhibition, where the art deco twist on the champagne coupe was unveiled. Though the V-shaped silhouette has an unmatched recognizability in the canon of cocktails, today it’s fallen out of fashion and favour with discerning bartenders. Aesthetics (and room to balance olives on a fancy cocktail stick) notwithstanding, it acquired a type of novelty status thanks to the monstrosities served in martini glasses during the 1980s and ’90s. “Thankfully that’s over. It’s uncomfortable to hold and it spills,” says Yessenov, who doesn’t mince his words. “There’s nothing to concentrate the flavours, the stem is usually too long and it takes up too much space making it difficult to carry on trays.”

ABOVE: From a rumoured connection to royalty and popularity with bartenders, coupes have a varied history

BELOW: The thick base and sturdy side of a rocks glass help it hold up to muddling

But if you’ve ordered champagne at a wine bar recently, you’ll know that the flute is becoming an anomaly. “I don’t think in terms of really appreciating the nuances of a great champagne, that either a flute or coupe are particularly good glasses,” says Nathan Morell, sommelier and co-general manager at Queen West’s Bar Piquette. He prefers to serve sparkling wine out of a universal wine glass: “You can’t really swirl it in a flute to let the aromas come out.” Morell suspects that often, it’s a case of tradition suiting the moment, rather than a thoughtful rationale for using certain glasses. While Bar Piquette – named after a French wine term for a beverage made from grape pomace (grape skins, seeds, pulp and stems) – takes their collection seriously, they’re not about to reinvent the wheel with stemware. “For wines, we keep it simple,” says Morrell. “We use three different glasses.” That includes an all-purpose glass, that’s “not too big, not too small” for pouring their by-the-glass selection, as well as sherry and vermouth. They also use a burgundy-style glass, with a large bowl, for red wines like pinot noir and nebbiolo, or oaked white wines, where you want a lot of surface area and room to capture the aromas. “I think, historically, the idea was that white wines were less complex so they didn’t require the larger bowls,” says Morrell, who eschews the notion. “In actual fact, a lot of white wines need a bit more aeration.” While science may have us questioning preconceived glassware, Morrell can’t argue that there’s something festive about using a certain glass to channel that “old-school, 1920s flapper vibe” when raising a glass of bubbly. But that’s where he draws the line when it comes to stocking his cabinet. “Certain companies have a specific glass for every kind of wine you could think of, which I think is kind of dumb,” says Morrell. “Yes, you might notice subtle differences, but the main thing is that you feel better drinking out of certain glasses, a lot of it is just personal preference.”

ROCKS GLASS Ice cubes might be the last thing we remember as hosts, but ask the frostiest bartender what kind they use and watch them thaw. If you’re like me, you’ll rinse the tray to remove the frozen peas and freezer

“ WHEN WE OPENED, IT FELT LIKE COCKTAIL CULTURE IN TORONTO WAS JUST ON THE VERGE OF EXPLODING” debris if you’re feeling fancy. But considering that the blocks of water will eventually become a part of your cocktail, it makes sense to think of them as an ingredient. A rocks glass, which might hold anything from an old fashioned to a negroni, is a short vessel that’s designed so that you can build the cocktail in the glass. Two-inch square, clear ice cubes are the preferred size for such drinks at the Royal York. “Those cocktails should be slightly under diluted,” says Yessenov, who admits to using seven different kinds of ice for the hotel’s drink programme. “Actually, the first sip you take might be a little more harsh than the last sip, because you have to accommodate the ice but you don’t want it to be too watery.” The limited room needed for mix in these cocktails, plus the wide brim and thick base mean the contents warm gradually, so this tumbler is perfect for sophisticated sippers.

HIG HBAL L OR C OL L INS But if you need a little tonic or juice to loosen up those stiff drinks, a taller highball or collins glass is what you can expect to receive. Drinks like a rum and Coke or a scotch and soda, with a base spirit and a non-alcoholic mixer, stay carbonated and cool for longer. Like so much cocktail mythology, its exact origins are cloudy, but most agree that the glass and cocktails were closely linked to the railroads. In the 19th century, before walkie talkies, railway engineers would raise a large red ball (the “high ball”) on a pole to give the signal that the route was clear. “If you go to Japan, they’re very passionate about the whiskey highball,” says Yessenov

of the seemingly simple whiskey and soda cocktail. “There’s a whole methodology to how many times you stir the soda, the level of carbonation, the texture of the bubbles, which has slowly but surely seeped into American bar culture.” THOUGH IT’S HARD to remember a time when bitters, jiggers and muddlers weren’t in our vocabulary, the cocktail landscape was pretty bleak before Cocktail Emporium arrived in 2011. “When we opened, it felt like cocktail culture in Toronto was just on the verge of exploding,” explains Kristen Voisey, who opened the first store on Queen West after falling in love with Bar Keeper in L.A. “It’s been really fun to watch the cocktail scene in Toronto adapt and mature, seeing bars start paying attention to quality ingredients, unique glassware, inventive garnishes and general presentation.” With Toronto enamoured with all things boozy, Voisey set about designing her own line of glassware last year. “While I love the Nick and Nora, it was getting a little boring when every bar we went to used this same glass,” says Voisey. “So I made two alternatives: the Potion House Classic Coupe and the Dream Deco Coupe, both inspired by cocktail glasses of the past.” With tiny apartments and a lack of storage to consider, where should the average home bartender start their glass collection? “I feel like a real martini tastes better in a traditional, V-shaped cocktail glass for instance but I wouldn’t use it for much else,” admits Voisey, who sells over 100 types of specialized glassware at her Queen West and Kensington Market locations. “We have simple rules and guidelines that we tell people based on our own personal preferences, but the right glass really does make a difference in the taste,” says Voisey. For those who don’t need a Moscow mule mug or a tiki-style shark to hold their cocktails, Yessenov suggests starting with a few staple pieces: a rocks glass, a collins glass and a stemmed glass. Morell suggests universal wine glasses from the Lehmann Excellence series, or for those with more money than sense, a Zalto, which goes for $80 per stem. “Really though, anything with a thin rim and a tapered shape should do the job.” Whether you find a bargain or splurge on your stemware, one thing is for certain – red Solo cups are not going to cut it at your next dinner party, no matter how casual. f

APPLETON OF MY EYE Appleton Estate has been crafting uncommonly good rum for more than 265 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the premium sugarcane spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relaunch is the perfect time to get acquainted.

CONTEST

HERE’S SOMETHING HAPPENING in Toronto, and the wider booze world, right now. Consult any cocktail menu or ask any bartender about their favourite spirit, and listen as they peer over the counter to let you in on a little secret. Rum, a dark Caribbean spirit with a diversity of styles and flavour profiles, has surpassed single malts as their drink of choice. Behold the rum-volution. Appleton Estate has been crafting exceptional rums in the heart of Jamaica for more than 265 years, but 2020 marks an exciting new chapter in the iconic producer’s story. The premium rum maker will unveil a brand new look this year, starting with Ontario in March, with a sleek and elevated bottle revamp. While it’s the same great rum – batchmade in pot stills – Appleton Estate has introduced new minimum aged rums. Unlike many others, the rums in Appleton Estate’s aged range collection indicate a number that represents the youngest rum in the bottle, meaning that every last drop in the bottle is at least the age listed. Joy Spence, Appleton Estate’s master blender, is one woman who knows a thing or two about good rum. The first woman to hold the position of

master blender in the spirits industry, she has been on a mission to increase the reputation of rum since she was appointed in 1997. In twenty years, Spence has pushed the envelope, successfully fighting for a geographic indication for Jamaican rum which banned additives and ensures the highest quality production standards every step of the way, from the sugarcane fields to bottling. Fermentation at Appleton Estate uses non-GMO molasses and yeast handed down through generations, plus the distillation exclusively uses Jamaican limestone-filtered water from a beautiful natural spring located on the estate. In addition to the numerous benefits of living in a glorious yearround climate, Appleton Estate’s commitment to tropical aging ensures that their rums mature three times faster than it would in cooler climes. Jamaican rum is not legally allowed to add sugar, so if you’ve been put off by the too-sweet brown spirit in the past, the spicy fruit, orange peel and vanilla notes in Appleton Estate will be a total gamechanger. You haven’t truly tried rum until you’ve sipped and savoured Appleton Estate’s amber rum – and you can forget the Coke mixer (sacrilege).

Their smooth 8 Year Old Reserve blend, aged for a minimum of 8 years, deserves to be enjoyed solo in all its spicy fruit and oak glory or in a wide mix of cocktails. Whether you’re transporting to the Caribbean with a dining room daiquiri or breaking out the Appleton Estate 21 Year Old that you’ve been saving for a special occasion, there’s a rum that’s right for you. ● To find out more, head to appletonestatecanada.com

WIN A VIP TRIP TO JAMAICA

WIN

We're hosting a Foodism Takeover to support the Appleton Estate launch at the Summerhill LCBO in March. To celebrate, we'll be giving away an all expenses paid trip to Jamaica for two during the evening. Plus, we'll be teaching guests about the rum's unique aging process and how to mix it with cocktails. For a list of terms and conditions and to enter visit: foodism.to/competition

THE NEXT ROUND The latest additions to our bar cart meet the newest soft stuff.

ESC UDO ROJO RE SE RVA CABERN ET SAUV IGNO N

J AC KSON-T R IG G S L IG HT PINOT G R IG I O

This wine’s journey begins at the foot of Chile’s Andes Mountains where grapes are hand-picked in the Maipo Valley. It’s matured in oak and is silky and refined on the palate, revealing notes of blackcurrant, cherry and fresh spice. $17.95, lcbo.com

From one of Canada’s most renowned winemakers comes a pinot grigio that’s full of flavour with less of the alcohol at only eight per cent ABV. Bursting with lime, apple and pear balanced with soft floral aromas, it’s a picnic in February. $10.95, lcbo.com

T H E FORAGE R BOTAN I CAL WHISKY

M AISON SE L BY NIAGARA VODK A

From Ontario’s own Forty Creek Distillery comes a new take on Canadian whisky. Reminiscent of gin, the Forager is infused with wild-sourced Canadian botanicals like juniper berries, spruce tips, mugwort and sweet fern for a flavour that’s complex, but lighter than usual. $34.95, lcbo.com

The partnership of Oliver & Bonacini and Dillon’s is the Oprah and Gayle of spirits collaborations. Their creation is made from Niagara grapes with the addition of peach and pear. This vodka is a celebration of local, quality ingredients with elevated fruity notes. $55, store.dillons.ca

DAYDREAM SPA RK LIN G WATER

STAT IO N CAS CA RA S PAR K L ING IC ED T EA

Each Daydream flavour – blackberry chai, peach ginger, and cucumber lime – comes in a bright, pastel can and serves as a bubbly afternoon pick-me-up. They’re full of hemp extracts and adaptogens said to help with clarity, stress reduction, focus and memory. $33.99 for a 6-pack sampler, drinkdaydream.com

We know Station for their cold brew coffee but now they’ve hit us with three variations of a sparkling cascara (a.k.a. coffee cherry) iced tea. Previously discarded by farmers, cascara (the skin of the coffee bean) is loaded with antioxidants and contains a sweet, floral flavour. $48 for 12, stationcoldbrew.com

G RAN PAT R ÓN SM O KY Investment pieces shouldn’t just be consigned to the wardrobe. Gran Patrón Smoky begins with the highest-quality Weber blue agave, roasting the piñas in small, underground stone pits for a week. The result is a super-smooth spirit – with peppery, citrus notes – that lends itself well to cocktails. $277.15, lcbo.com

PA RTA K E B R EWIN G His Crohn’s diagnosis meant that Ted Fleming had to give up alcohol, so he founded Partake Brewing to hold onto his beloved beer. They’ve created a comprehensive lineup of non-alcoholic craft brews that non-drinkers, designated drivers and the rest of us can enjoy. Partake brews an IPA, a pale, a stout, a red ale and a blonde. $2, lcbo.com

CONTEST

RECIPE Ingredients ◆ 2 cups chocolate chips

(dark, white, milk, semi sweet)

◆ 1 tsp vanilla extract

◆ ½ cup whipping cream ◆ ½ cup of Amarula

◆ Dippable treats: pretzels, apples,

strawberries, cookies etc.

CREAM OF THE CROP Embrace the great indoors this winter, with a decadent Amarula Cream Liqueur and chocolate fondue recipe worth hibernating for.

T Photography: Aboikis

HIS TIME OF year might have you googling flights out of Toronto – but there’s a more cost-effective way to transport yourself to warmer climes. Sidestep the packing woes and credit card bills by infusing your winter evenings with the warmth of South Africa in a bottle. Amarula Cream Liqueur is made with cream and the fruit from the wild Marula tree (or known locally as the Elephant tree), handpicked by local communities. The African fruit is naturally fermented and distilled in copper pot stills, before maturing

the spirit in oak barrels. The result is a coffee-coloured liqueur with wood-spice notes of vanilla and caramel that’s rich and velvety in taste and super versatile. The well-rounded, creamy tipple is perfect in just about every conceivable way – enjoy it on weeknights simply on the rocks or get creative when hosting by mixing Amarula up in a white Russian. One thing is for sure though – whether you’re sipping it over ice, in coffee, a cocktail or in our fondue recipe, Amarula Cream Liqueur just gave you plenty of excuses not to leave the house. ●

Method Pour the whipping cream and Amarula Cream Liqueur into a fondue pot. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture boils. Continue to stir while adding the chocolate chips. Reduce heat to low, and stir until the chocolate melts and blends completely with the cream mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Take care not to overheat the mixture. To serve, reduce heat to lowest setting and enjoy with your favourite fruits, cookies or treats.

WIN A FONDUE KIT

WIN

We’re giving you everything you need to host your own Amarula fondue evening. The package includes a fondue pot, an Amarula ice cube tray, Amarula glassware, plus cocktail recipe cards so you can rustle up some unique cocktails long after fondue night is over. For a list of terms and conditions and to enter visit: foodism.to/competition

To learn more head to amarula.com

THE DET-ALES

B O T T L E S HO P “The challenge in Ontario is convincing people that they can buy beer and take it home,” says Fisher. Their artful fridges are packed full of food-friendly and boundary-pushing beer waiting to leave the bottle shop in your bag.

BOOZERS AND SHAKERS

Katie Bridges discovers that Indie Alehouse’s new spot inside Eataly is as polished as the original is offbeat.

“I

THINK IT GETS a little exaggerated,” says Jason Fisher, founder of Indie Alehouse. He’s talking about the Birroteca backstory – but when he gets into specifics on how his unwavering persistence ultimately landed him the in-house brewery at Eataly, I can’t help but wonder if he might be downplaying it. “It was overwhelmingly amazing,” says Fisher of visiting Eataly in New York in 2012. A year later he started emailing (“I was stalking”) Eataly’s CEO, Nicola Farinetti and asking how he could become a partner. “You’re gonna be at the wine festival? I’m gonna be at the wine festival,” he jokes. Fisher’s hard work finally paid off when Eataly Toronto opened its doors at the end of 2019, with a beautiful downstairs brewery that connects to the Manulife Centre. Despite the all-out experience that Eataly can be, regulars are finding their way back

to the bar, which works well since they have new beers every couple of days. Birroteca isn’t limited by the small size of their operation – in fact, they are able to offer a wide variety of beer. However, volume is a little harder to predict, as some of their beers will sit and age for a couple of months while others will sell out quickly. “It’s almost not worth predicting,” says Fisher, who opened the original Indie outpost in the Junction in 2012. “It’s better to just make the beers that you want to make.” The plan is to make “crazier,” high-end beers six to eight times a year and collaborate with other brewers from Italy, the U.S. and Canada. Perhaps the biggest adventure though was making a dry-hopped Pilsner – their first deviation from ale in seven years – to pair with all that pizza and pasta, which will remain a staple for Birroteca. “Beer isn’t considered Italian, but their craft brew scene is world class,” he says. f

S P EC IA L B REWS The beers are a 50/50 split between existing and new SKUs, but Birroteca’s best-sellers have been the “crazier” introductions like the bourbon-barrel aged imperial stout and a two-year-aged sour raspberry beer.

S O L ID FA RE Just as the brewed flavours are inspired by Eataly market’s produce, brewery guests can stay a little longer and enjoy snacks with their snifter. Right now, you can nibble on an anchovy plate, nuts and olives or freshly made panini.

COCKTAIL HOUR Colourful cocktails with tropical accents are our favourite antidote to winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chill. Here are four creations from Reyna on King. WORDS BY TAYLOR NEWLANDS PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH PFLUG

QUEEN’S ABSOLUTION ING R EDIENTS

• 1 ½ oz Absolut Elyx vodka • 1 egg white • 1 oz Chambord • ¾ oz Strega • 2 dashes cardamom bitters

Add vodka, egg, Chambord and Strega to an empty shaker and dry-shake until frothy. Add ice and shake again. Double-strain into a coupe glass.

FTER BAR REYNA won a place in Yorkville’s heart, it only took Nicki Laborie a few years to open a second outpost of the Mediterranean cocktail and snack bar. And as the colder months stretch on, sister restaurant Reyna on King is exactly what the doctor ordered. Between the lush greenery cascading from the ceiling, the menu of eclectic dishes like lamb baklava and eggplant tostadas; and cocktails that manager Nerissa Quinn describes as a “vacation in a glass,” the bar oozes tropical vibes. Quinn spent two years slinging drinks at the original location, so she plays a major role in creating the bar’s complex cocktails. “I think it’s fun. It’s kind of like you get cooking in the kitchen,” says Quinn. “Think Bill Nye the Science Guy, where you have all of these crazy things in your head that you want to put into a glass. But some of them turn out just awful – I’m mad at myself for even thinking about that concoction. Then sometimes it just needs a little tweaking.” While the process might sound complicated, it’s often spontaneous. As a cocktail connoisseur and pro bartender, Quinn can think up a tipple in just a few hours. The Queen’s Absolution – our absolute favourite – came about in an afternoon. “Originally it was supposed to be like a Mediterranean lemonade,” Quinn says. “I was just picturing a hot day somewhere on a beautiful patio out by the Mediterranean Sea, and somebody sitting cross legged, very fancy, shoulders out, sipping this lemonade.” We might not be by the Med, but after the first drink, we were off to our happy place. f

Nerissa Quinn

BEARFACE TRUTH ING R EDIENTS

• 1 ¼ oz Bearface Canadian whisky • 1 ¼ oz Amaro Nonino • 1 oz fresh lemon juice • 1 oz honey-lavender syrup • 2 dashes lavender bitters • Lavender for garnish Add all of the ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake. Pour contents into a wine glass and garnish.

KING’S HEIR INGREDIEN TS

• ½ cup butterfly pea flowers • 2 ¼ oz gin • 1 egg white • ¾ oz fresh lemon juice • ¾ oz rosemary syrup • Prosecco Soak the butterfly pea flowers in the gin to dye the spirit purple. Strain.

Add the gin, egg white, lemon juice and rosemary syrup to a strainer (with no ice) and dry-shake until frothy. Add ice and shake again. Double-strain into a rocks glass and top with prosecco. Note: Rosemary simple syrup is made by boiling a cup of water with a cup of white sugar and steeping rosemary in the mixture as it cools.

WINTER IN MIAMI ING R EDIENTS

• 2 oz white rum • 1 oz Coco Lopez cream of coconut • ¼ oz fresh lime juice • 1 - 2 oz prosecco Add rum, coconut cream and lime juice to a strainer with ice. Shake. Doublestrain into a tulip glass and top with prosecco.

O L D-WORLD WINES 1 SEPP MOSER ZWEIGELT HEDWIGHOF BURGENLAND: Biodynamically grown grapes from Zweigelt give this classic Austrian import a mix of ripe, supple notes with a sour cherry finish. $26.80, lcbo.com 2 BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS BOURGOGNE: This French pinot noir is light-bodied with aromas of ripe cherry and earthy notes on the palate. $21.95, lcbo.com 3 RUFFINO MODUS: Sangiovese, merlot and cab sauv juice are aged separately for a year before this approachable Tuscan red is blended and bottled. Silky and structured texture here. $29.95, lcbo.com 4 OGIER HERITAGES: Medium-bodied with scents of spices, herbs and bright fruits, this red from France’s Rhône Valley has a crisp finish. $15.10, lcbo.com 5 MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS GRAN RESERVA: Aged for five years before release, this medium-bodied Spanish red has layers of ripe, sweet fruit. The perfect accompaniment to steak. $17.95, lcbo.com 6 ROSCATO DARK BLEND: Full-bodied and smooth with decadent flavours of chocolate, blackberries and plums. Great with roasts and aged cheese. $15.95, lcbo.com

2 5

BOTTLE SERVICE

The groundhog has prognosticated, but we’re not ready to give up our winter warmers, just yet. Stay in with a bottle of old-world wine, Canadian whisky or dark beer.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAILEE MANDEL STYLING BY BRIANNE COLLINS

Photograph by ###

CA NA DIA N WHIS KY 1 FORTY CREEK VICTORY: This hefty dram is a fitting tribute to the June, 1813 battle that took place close to Forty Creek’s distillery in Grimsby. Look out for honey, vanilla bean and cocoa flavours. $79.95, lcbo.com 2 HOWITZER CANADIAN WHISKY: This Ontariomade spirit, aged for five years and finished in American oak barrels, is the perfect example of how Canadian whisky is making a name for itself. Its title nods to hockey’s slapshot; Howitzer is unmistakably homegrown. $34.95, lcbo.com 3 WAYNE GRETZKY ICE CASK: Channelling the region’s love of frozen grapes, this Niagara winery has made a whisky that’s rested in icewine casks. Don’t let the name fool you – this cozy spirit, with chocolate and spice notes, is anything but frosty. $59.95, lcbo.com 4 CENTENNIAL 10-YEAROLD LIMITED EDITION RYE: Aged in charred oak barrels and made from the finest Canadian winter wheat and rye grain, this subtly spicy tipple is rich in character. $28.95, lcbo.com

2 4

Sunday Brunch A Niagara institution. A delectable tradition. Awe-inspiring views of the winding Niagara River and local vineyards are matched only by delicious, locally sourced culinary creations at this Feast On certified restaurant, boasting a full VQA wine and Ontario craft beer list. Queenston Heights Restaurant is an award-winning Niagara institution, and our sunday brunches are a Niagara tradition that, starting this year, will once more be served year-round. Make your reservation today.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT NIAGARAPARKS.COM/CULINARY OR CALL 905.262.4274 TO RESERVE

L ATE-W INTER B EERS 1 BANDIT CAKE MONSTER: Mexican hot chocolate is a latewinter favourite with a recognizable profile. Cake Monster achieves those flavours with cacao from ChocoSol and a subtle touch of pureed habaneros. $6, banditbrewery.ca 2 PARSON’S GRANDPA MIGUEL’S COFFEE STOUT: A lighter, wellbalanced option with a well-stamped passport. The coffee is grown by the co-founder’s dad in Guatemala, the dark malt hails from Patagonia and hops are imported from the U.S. $7.20, parsonsbrewing.com 3 NORTHERN MAVERICK CAPTAIN’S KEEP: The wax-dipped cap and bright-yellow label announce that this is a special occasion ale. Look for sharp hits of tart lemon and apple peel. $16, northernmaverick.ca 4 BIRROTECA BY INDIE ALEHOUSE DOLCE: Serving a beer that aims to taste like tiramisu is a gutsy move with one of the city’s best upstairs at Eataly. Sweet, chocolate-y and not a hint of the 10 per cent alcohol. $10, indiealehouse.com

1 2 3 4

IN GREDIE N TS • 2 oz Lot 40 rye • 1 oz sweet vermouth • 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until well chilled and diluted. Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupette.

Garnish with a brandied cherry. Maraschino cherries became readily available in the U.S. in the early 1900s and stuck as the premier garnish for the manhattan. Rinse the cherry of excess sugar to avoid adding unnecessary sweetness to your cocktail and avoid those radioactively red, synthetic ones at all cost.

Pro tip: Stock the smallest bottles of vermouth you can find and keep refrigerated to reduce oxidation.

Photography: Fairmont Royal York

COCKTAIL DECONSTRUCT

Rus Yessenov, director of mixology at the Fairmont Royal York walks us through the iconic manhattan cocktail.

The bolder characteristics of a 100 per cent rye whisky will help to balance the heavy dose of sweet vermouth. However, it can be made with Canadian Club whisky, an alternative used during Prohibition when rye was unavailable. Some recipes call for ¾ oz sweet vermouth and make for a dryer cocktail.

Reign, 100 Front St. W.

MANHATTAN Popularized during the second half of the 19th century, the manhattan cocktail’s origin is unclear despite many fantastic tales. Legend has it that the drink was created in 1874 for Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston, to honour presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden. Whether it was first served at the Manhattan Club in New York City or not, one thing is for certain: the cocktail’s significance was such that its predecessor became “old fashioned.” Proportions have changed many times, but the three key ingredients (whiskey, vermouth and bitters) have stood the test of time. With that in mind, there’s something idyllic about nestling oneself in the comfort of a historic hotel lobby and ordering a well-crafted manhattan. If only the walls could speak. fairmont.com/royalyork

BASKET CASE Elevate your weeknight dinner with a gourmet grocery basket from McEwan Fine Foods at Yonge and Bloor, a downtown one-stop-shopping experience.

HE LOCAL CONVENIENCE store has saved our butts on countless occasions, but we would be lying if we said it was our favourite spot to pick up groceries. No matter how middle-of-the-week we’re feeling, hand selecting our favourite brands and having traceability on exactly where our shopping basket comes from is a huge deal for us. McEwan Fine Foods at Yonge & Bloor answered our produce prayers when the 17,000 square foot food hall opened back in 2019, the latest in a roster of gourmet

100

groceries (TD Centre, Don Mills) named after chef Mark McEwan. Located at 1 Bloor East, McEwan's brings fresh, quality produce plus restaurant quality grab-and-go options to the work desks and dinner tables of downtown dwellers. The boutique grocery store boasts a bakery selling fresh pastries and bread from local purveyors like their droolworthy focaccia, a carvery and rotisserie slicing up P.E.I grass-fed prime rib, slow roasted porchetta and free range chicken, plus an all-day café serving up Lavazza coffee, made-to-order smoothies

and fresh-pressed juices by Refuel – meaning that there is literally no bad time of day to visit. The full shopping experience allows visitors to grab a square of Roman-style pizza, a bowl of housemade pasta at the Fabbrica station or fill up at the Sushi Bar or Salad Bar and Sandwich Station before grabbing a basket and picking up some specialty ingredients and all your favourite grocery items. From a robust vegan section, expert cheese monger, dry aged meat locker and a full antipasti

CONTEST

WIN A McEWAN GIFT BASKET

WIN

To make your weeknights a breeze, we’re giving away a gift basket full of yummy McEwan treats like pasta, jam, nuts, tea and balsamic vinegar. Plus, we’ll chuck in a $150 gift card, so your next trip to the gourmet grocery store is on us. (Gift basket items may vary due to availability of products). For a list of terms and conditions and to enter visit: foodism.to/competition

bar, there are endless options to help elevate your pantry or deli-decisions. Plus, McEwan’s Fine Foods at Yonge & Bloor has 1-hour free parking available so you can even order ready-made meals online and collect on your way home. Foodism and McEwan Fine Foods will be partnering on some mouth watering events soon, so make sure you’re following them on social @mcewanfoods for a chance to attend a future gourmet gathering. ● Until then, head to mcewangroup.ca/grocery to start planning your next weeknight wonder.

101

TORONTO, ONE BITE AT A TIME SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND YOU’LL BE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT THE LATEST TRENDS AND OPENINGS ON THE TORONTO RESTAURANT SCENE. DON’T MISS OUT. SIGN UP AT FOODISM.TO/NEWSLETTER

@FOODISMTO

FOODISMTO

@FOODISMTO

PROMOTION

SPACE CASE Downtown restaurant Ricarda's offers a spacious and refined atmosphere to accompany their thoughtful menu of Southern European dishes.

MONGST ALL OF the tiny, tightlypacked restaurants in downtown Toronto, it can be tricky to find a place where we can feel comfortable enough to enjoy a meal. Not to mention how difficult it is to get into those overcrowded spots in the first place. But at spacious downtown restaurant and bar Ricarda's, there's enough room to breathe, relax and luxuriate over their thoughtfully created dishes. Located in a beautiful heritage building right at Richmond and Peter, Ricarda's offers a world-class menu of seasonal fare in a refined, modern atmosphere with warm European charm and impeccable service. Tuck into executive chef Julien Laffaurge's menu of dishes that are

inspired by the tastes of Southern Europe, but made with locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. Chef Julien comes with a storied history in the industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he was the personal chef to former French President Jacques Chirac, and he cooked aboard the Orient Express. He brings decades of experience to the table when it comes to crafting Ricarda's exceptional food programme. As an innovative and forwardthinking restaurant, Ricarda's is always working to improve the experience for guests. This spring will see the space revamped and we'll be awaiting a brand new bar and cocktail programme. â&#x2014;? To find out more, visit ricardas.com or visit us @ricardas.to

103

— PART 4 —

EXCESS “BONUS POINTS IF YOU GET THROUGH A MEAL WITHOUT SPRAYING YOUR NEIGHBOUR – THESE DUMPLINGS ARE JUICY.” SELECTOR, 118

106 INSIDER | 111 DAY TRIPPER | 113 STAYCATION 116 FOODISM’S FINEST | 118 THE SELECTOR | 122 DECONSTRUCT

THE INSIDER

Tucson was the first U.S. entry on UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy list. Katie Bridges navigates the interconnected web of artisans to find out why.

T A TIME when most of us are cursing our Canadian weather, the sunshine-filled American Southwest looks pretty darned appealing. While Arizona tourism is hotter than, ahem, the desert right now, Tucson had managed to keep a low profile. In 2015, the Old Pueblo emerged from its cocoon as the first North American city with a UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation. Sure, Tucson, has great food, but the distinction goes way beyond best bites, honouring the destination’s culinary history and Mexican and Native American traditions. While its agricultural heritage stretches back more than 4,000 years, in many ways, Tucson’s food story is only just beginning. The designation has triggered a gourmet boom, with breweries like Crooked Tooth Brewing Co. serving up sours in a 1950s-style body shop. From carne asadas cooked over

106

mesquite flames to El Guero Canelo’s James Beard award-winning Sonoran hot dogs – a pimped-out sausage loaded with pinto beans, tomatoes and jalapeno sauce – the city’s past and future are intertwined in a myriad of delicious and surprising ways. As you go from restaurant to bar, you’ll notice that Tucson’s community ties are closely linked – taste Monsoon Chocolate’s coffee truﬄes, made with Exo Roast Co.’s blend, or order a sandwich inside the iconic Hotel Congress and bite into Barrio Bread. When you finally decide to throw the napkin in, you’ll find plenty of ways to burn those cultural calories against a mesmerizing backdrop of succulents. The southern Sonoran Desert has enough cacti to fill every hipster café in Toronto, but that’s as prickly as things will get during any hospitable southern sojourn here. f For more great travel content, check out our sister magazine, escapism Toronto. escapism.to

GETTING THERE

There is no direct route to Tucson, but flights with a short layover in Denver (United Airlines) or Dallas (American Airlines) mean that you can do the full stretch in under seven hours. Find flights for under $300 if you book in the “winter,” a.k.a. t-shirt weather for us snowbirds.

TITO AND PEP

A fifteen minute cab ride out of the downtown core might seem unnecessary, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll thank us the moment you step inside this bright little bistro on Speedway Blvd. Chef and owner John Martinez whips up a menu that draws influence from the multicultural history of Tucson and from his travels around North America and the Caribbean. The mesquite-wood-fired grill plays a hand in most of the food here and is constantly surprising the palate with dishes like the roasted carrots, served cold and with labneh, and the grilled pear and radicchio salad, both of which make a strong case for adopting a plant-forward diet.

ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

Forget audio-tours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this living museum is a 98-acre zoo, aquarium and botanical garden rolled into one, with more than 230 animal species and 1,200 varieties of plants, including lots and lots of the prickly persuasion. Take a stroll among the succulents in the cactus garden, feed stingrays and catch a glimpse of coyotes and bighorn sheep. Our favourite part of the trip was the drive from downtown. Stop at one of the lookout points en route and take a cactus selfie with a stunning view of the gorge in the background.

BARRIO BREAD

Photography: Adrienne McLeod; Pete Gregoire; Katie Bridges

After teaching K-12 students for seven years, Don Guerra decided it was time to educate the masses about artisanal baking. What started off as a converted garage-bakery at his home has grown into a brickand-mortar location where Guerra bakes 100 artisanal Tucson loaves at a time in his oven. Join the lineup of carboholics who wind their way around the block to secure some of his Sonoran heritage wheat bread. Or get your fix at a handful of downtown restaurants like the Exo Roast Co., the Cup Cafe inside the Hotel Congress and La Mesa Tortillas.

107

MONSOON CHOCOLATE

Located inside a former tortilla factory, sits this award-winning purveyor of craft chocolate bars, desserts and beverages. It’s not just the aesthetic of this bean-to-bar café, with its tiled floors, that looks like the inside of a Style at Home magazine. The stunning chocolates made by owner Adam Krantz could be mistaken for precious jewels. Order the Mexican hot chocolate that uses a blend of local chiltepin chilies.

TUCSON BIKE TOURS If you’re looking to explore more than just the inside of a taco, a bike tour is a great way see the city. Jimmy, the company’s sole tour guide, escorts cyclists to attractions like Rattlesnake Bridge, with pit stops for murals and mango empanadas. A nine- to 11-mile tour, might seem like an endeavour, but Tucson’s flatness and the cooler winter climate meant that even us fit fam rejects were never out of breath.

HAMILTON DISTILLERS

108

Photography: Katie Bridges

DOWNTOWN CLIFTON HOTEL

Live out your Wes Anderson dreams at the Downtown Clifton, a former motel that has been transformed into stylish lodgings on the edge of Barrio Viejo. The 1948 hotel holds onto its vintage charms dearly, with retro drapes and saddle blanket bedspreads, but the chic furnishings and local artwork round out the contemporary desert vibes. Stop by for ‘Sonoran Modern’ bites and craft cocktails at the Red Light Lounge.

There are career pivots and then there’s Stephen Paul, who made the switch from crafting authentic, handmade furniture to producing whiskey. While drinking scotch and barbecuing with mesquite (a plant native to the area), he masterminded a plan to make a singlemalt whiskey with the distinct terroir of the American Southwest. Hamilton Distillers makes a selection of American single malt spirits called Whiskey Del Bac, malting their own barley then mashing, fermenting, distilling, barrelling and bottling in-house. Take a tour of the distillery and sip on samples in the tasting room – or try a Whiskey Del Bac-spiked ‘eegee’ (a frozen slushie Tucson staple) at bars like Owl’s Club, a converted funeral home.

DAY TRIPPER

Taylor Newlands sets sail for Port in Pickering where Jesse Vallins has created a menu that ranges from wood-fired pizza to inventive pasta and fresh seafood. I N A NUTSHELL Port had been open for over a decade when a fire badly damaged the property. They closed down for a year of renovations and in August 2019 reopened with a brand new look and feel. Navy blue walls, high ceilings and a design that’s reminiscent of a boathouse carry a nautical theme throughout the spacious restaurant. Right on Frenchman’s Bay with large windows overlooking the water, Port definitely earns its name. Cushy banquettes and attentive service coupled with TVs for watching the game give the place an elevated but casual atmosphere.

1289 Wharf St. Bay Ridges, Pickering

W H AT’S ON T H E ME NU Jesse Vallins, executive chef at both Port and its sister restaurant Maple Leaf Tavern, has created a menu that leans Mediterranean with plenty of Italian options in the mix. Almost everything is made from scratch, right down to the sauces and condiments, some of the pasta and even the pizza dough. And Port is the only restaurant in the area with a wood-burning pizza oven. Go for their take on a Hawaiian, topped with smoked pork shoulder, hot peppers and grilled pineapple. The clam chowder gnocchi, featuring the pillowy dumplings drenched in a white wine cream sauce with clams and bacon, was a total knockout. Sweet-and-spicy Brussels sprouts were also memorable.

W H Y I T’S WORTH THE TRIP There are plenty of things that Toronto has an abundance of, but waterfront restaurants just aren’t one of them. The trek to Pickering is worth it for Port’s lakeside dining ambience alone – birds diving for fish are surprisingly entertaining – plus there’s a prime patio for warmer months. Another draw (especially when the weather warms up) is their frozen slushy cocktail feature. During our visit it was a booze-forward amaretto sour that we could sip on all year long. The Stealth Margarita is a refreshing take on the fan favourite. On top of all that, the menu of rich and flavourful fare is worth the visit in its own right. f

111

WE’RE HIRING FOR OUR ADVERTISING SALES TEAM WORK WITH THE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS. SELL TO THE COOLEST BRANDS IN THE INDUSTRY. WORK FOR TORONTO’S BIGGEST FOOD MAGAZINE. SEND YOUR RESUME TO HELLO@FOODISM.TO

THE STAYCATION

With panoramic views, retro-styled rooms and a sophisticated dining programme, the Broadview Hotel convinces Taylor Newlands it’s the beast of the east. Address: 106 Broadview Ave. Rooms: 58 Restaurants: 3

W H AT’S T HE DRAW

WHAT TO E AT

W HAT E L SE

The east end often gets a bad rap, but there’s plenty to love on this side of the city – with some spots even cooler than their counterparts in the west. At the Broadview Hotel you’ll find the combination of modern luxury and eclectic charm that Torontonians are all about, minus that cooler-than-thou attitude we’re tired of in the west. Built in the 1890’s, this historic building has been a local haunt for decades, evolving and changing with the neighbourhood. Now nestled between watering holes like Prohibition, the Comrade and Brickworks Ciderhouse, and beloved eateries like White Lily Diner, the boutique hotel is the ideal home base for exploring the Riverside and Leslieville area.

Right in the hotel, guests have three distinct dining options to choose from. Expect classic breakfast hits in the bright and airy Broadview Bistro and Bar, followed by a concise menu of snacks, sips and French fare later in the day. Offering fine-dining flavour in an elegant space outfitted with flirty floral prints and exposed brick, dinner at chef Richard Singh’s the Civic is the main attraction. Start with gin-cured arctic char or scallops, lightly seared in brown butter and served in a creamy sauce with leeks, lardo and dill. Then tuck into one of their mouth-watering mains like honey-andlavender-glazed duck or grass-fed ribeye with beef-cheek-and-marrow jus.

Just until April, the Rooftop bar is decked out in full chalet decor with rustic wooden chairs, fur throws, plush pillows and split firewood for ambiance. But all year it’s home to unobstructed views of the city’s skyline and Don River, and in the summer the glass façade opens up onto a sprawling terrace. Head here for sippable cocktails, elevated bar snacks and DJ beats. The music theme continues with a record player in each of the 58 boutique rooms and vinyl on hand. Rooms also feature king-size, pillow-top beds that will give you a dreamy sleep, while blackout curtains and reading lights will motivate you to maximize your time in bed. Rooms from $247, thebroadviewhotel.ca

113

REC-ING THE HALLS For our annual holiday party, we ate, drank and made (very) merry at The Rec Room.

114

PROMOTION

SEASONS EATINGS For the second annual Twenty Two Media holiday party, we ‘rec’ed the halls at food and entertainment mecca, the Rec Room. The Dress to Empress, a bubbly mixture of Empress 1908 Gin and FIOL Prosecco, was the drink of the day, along with an Ocean Organic Vodka Collins. Brew enthusiasts sipped on Goose Island IPA, while Viña Casablanca Reserva Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon rounded out the offerings. A festive take on the classic drink, dubbed a Noel’d Fashioned, was stirred up with Black Bottle Scotch Whisky. Meanwhile, a cozy tasting lounge with Deanston Scotch doubled the whisky fun. At the Amarula sensory station, the fruit liqueur was served in an edible chocolate shot glass – talk about a sweet treat. Photography: Sandro Pehar

After all the eating and imbibing we could muster, it was time for a photo shoot with 6ix Photobooths and a dance-off to DJ Lucie Tic’s beats. All in all, we’d call it a wild success.

115

FOODISM’S FINEST

We endeavour to sample tasty, new products and attend events for noteworthy restaurants. Here are the bites and sips we can’t stop thinking about.

HIGH SOCIETY

Katie Bridges, Associate Editor

On a gloomy night, I trudged through the slush to attend an ‘Englightened Dinner’ unlike any other. With Ted Corrado at the helm as newly appointed director of culinary for cannabis lifestyle brand byMinistry, me and 40 other ”canna-curious” dining companions sat down to a micro-dosed, five-course feast that included dishes like wild mushrooms with confit duck egg, and stracciatella with squash and persimmon. I wish I could report back on the matcha dessert finale, but after the sensory overload of trippy artwork by Dahae Song that decorated the moving (no, really) walls around us, I decided to abstain from dessert. Go home Katie, you’re high.

DANFORTH AND BANGKOK

David Ort, Copy Editor

When you find a restaurant that’s good enough to be busy on a cold Monday night in January it is tempting to keep the intel to yourself. But Sala is too good for secrets (that is, except for the “secret” menu they bring to your table). The seasonal pomelo salad with plenty of spicy bits and crunchy peanuts has converted me to the cult of savouryfruit salad. Get the roti (a crispy, fried, Thai pancake) with your just-spicy-enough panang curry. Don’t sleep on the laap salad or chef Mo’s tom yum pad Thai – packed with vibrant ingredients imported from Thailand.

SEARCHING FOR SERGE

Meredith Hardie, Editorial Assistant

It’s unlikely I’ll be getting a drink with Serge Ibaka anytime soon – he’s busy, I get it, whatever – so a drink named after him is the next best thing. Every year, Thai restaurant Pai releases their own starting five cocktails: Steady Freddy (Fred VanVleet), Spicy P (Pascal Siakam), the Lowry (Kyle Lowry), Big Daddy Spain (Marc Gasol), and the Serge Protector (Serge Ibaka). Each drink’s components represent their namesake player – fresh-cut Thai chilis for Spicy P, smooth Creyente Mezcal for the always suave Serge and a sherry and vermouth concoction that tastes way better than the lukewarm bottle of wine Gasol chugged at the championship parade.

ALL ABOUT THAT TASTE, NO GLUTEN

Emily Buck, Marketing Coordinator

For the holidays, we took a company excursion to the Parlour restaurant with one mission: eat our way through their menu of ”tricked out” pizzas. They make their own gluten-free pizza dough in-house daily. And toppings are sustainably and locally sourced wherever possible. The owners are clear that they aren’t an Italian restaurant, they just make really good pizza – we couldn’t agree more. The favourites of the night were the Five-O and Yaletown, all washed down with their infamous punch bowls.

KITCHEN-STRAVAGANZA

Krista Faist, Publisher and CEO

We all know that the best parties end up happening in the kitchen so on a frigid January evening, I headed to Ricarda’s for the first installment in their Kitchen Party series. For $55, guests toured an array of stations for Southern European bites including baked oysters, ceviche and pistachio-crusted lamb chops. Inventive cocktails and live entertainment – a DJ blasting tunes from inside the open kitchen – rounded out the night. This was the perfect showcase for the culinary talent that makes up the team at Ricarda’s, and at a real bang-for-your-buck price. The event is shaping up to be a regular Wednesday night fixture, with upcoming dates available to book on eventbrite.ca.

117

THE SELECTOR

This is the time for setting new habits into motion – from breaking out of your brunch rut to going abroad via a bowl of dumplings or finding a different date spot.

INTER IN THE city has its share of challenges. For starters, it’s cold and then everything else feels more arduous because it’s… well, cold. Snow days don’t exist for adults, which is, quite frankly, unfair. But just before you start to question why you live here, we have a few reasons, 15 in fact, to remind you. You’ll have to leave your house to get to them,

118

but we promise it’ll be worth it. Mix up the basic brunch scene with twists on this classic weekend activity (yes, it’s an activity!) in our round-up of the best spots for not-your-average brunch. Press snooze on your morning routine and try something a little out of the ordinary by ordering your avocado toast with a side of razzle dazzle. If you still need some convincing to venture outside, do it for the dumplings. These toasty bundles with influences from all

over the world can warm even the chilliest hands. Whether you’re packing in pierogies or snacking on soup dumplings, these tasty pockets were made for winter. If you want to heat things up in more ways than one – or perhaps your motivation to cook has dropped lower than the temperature – check out our favourite cozy places for a hot date-night. Hibernation is for the bears, but we’ve got places to go and delicious carbs to consume. f

1. ROSALI NDA There’s nothing like a little Cuervo in your coffee to get the day going – or not going, who cares, it’s the weekend. Amidst the steel-and-glass towers you’ll find this feel-good vegan, Mexican oasis. It’s no wonder lush plants cover the

entire space given how central they are to each dish. Vegan twists on brunch classics like french toast are served alongside Mexican faves like enchiladas made with banana mole and cashew crema. Also, two words: breakfast tacos. rosalindarestaurant.com

3. F R IDAY R OOTS North Carolina-born chef Joe Friday brings Southern American classics to Dundas West. Beans baked with Jack Daniels, chicken and waffles and a sweet apple pie steal the show, because breakfast should have dessert too. Forget slow mornings, from now on, we want soul mornings. fridayroots.com

2. PARALLEL Production space, art gallery, restaurant and café all in one, Parallel gives a whole new meaning to open-kitchen. Located in a refurbished warehouse on Geary Ave, the weekend brunch scene at this culinary hub is as beloved as

their sesame butter: ground on-site and milled in an 150-year-old lava stone mill. Greet the day with a menu full of Middle Eastern-inspired dishes like house-made labneh – creamy sheep yogurt with olive oil, za’atar, garlic and grated tomato. parallelbrothers.com

4. G L ADSTONE H O T EL This drag show may have an earlier call time than most (11 a.m.), but you won’t miss the sleep-in once Miss Moço wakes you up. Chase away those “Sunday scaries” with a menu as vibrant as the resident queen who lip-syncs for her life every Sunday in the Melody Bar. gladstonehotel.com

Photography: Rick O’Brien (Rosalinda)

OFF-BEAT BRUNCH

If you’re getting up early, you might as well get out of your routine with one of these maverick meals.

5. HONE ST W E IG H T A seafood brunch that’ll make you feel like you actually live close to the sea. Part fish retailer, part restaurant, this quaint Junction favourite offers a wide range of the freshest catches like fish cake benny and the highly acclaimed okonomiyaki, which is a Japanese-style savoury pancake. honestweight.ca

119

PLEASANT PARCELS

These must-try five are Toronto’s ambassadors to the diverse and delicious world of dumplings. 1. CH UBBY’S JAM A ICAN K ITCHE N Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s national dish and Chubby’s does it justice, tenfold. Served on fried, yet fluffy dumplings with sweet pepper, onion and tomato, you’ll want to pop these scrumptious bites into your mouth

all day long. Inspired by home-style Caribbean cooking and all the warmth, flavours and hospitality of Jamaican culture, Chubby’s dumplings are a celebration of island food and those who love to cook it. chubbysjamaican.com

3. DAIL O Can’t decide to get DaiLo’s Hakka brown wontons or smoked potato dumplings? Get both, seriously, no judgment. And no judgment, either, if you sip the house-made sauce from the bowl. DaiLo’s menu combines chef Nick Liu’s childhood food memories with locally sourced ingredients. dailoto.com

4. T E NNE SSE E TAV ER N

2. BY BLOS Byblos’s take on traditional Turkish manti is the ultimate comfort food that’ll warm you up from the inside when the outside air hurts. This dish pays homage to its regionally specific, time-honoured roots with hand-formed delicate squares

of dough filled with smoky eggplant. It’s then baked in a yogurt sauce and drizzled with sweet molasses for that perfect blend of tangy and sweet. All that’s missing is the Mediterranean sunshine and a warm, sea breeze. byblosdowntown.com

All you can eat pierogies? Challenge accepted. Every Sunday after 6 p.m. at this Parkdale joint, you’ll find plates piled high with steamy pierogies nestled next to dollops of thick sour cream and sprinkled with bacon. It’s only AYCE on Sundays, but pierogies stay on the menu all week long. tennesseetavern.ca

5. J U ICY DU M PL IN G The best spot in Chinatown for fresh, quick and cheap Shanghai-style dumplings. Be sure to try the pan-fried juicy pork buns and the mini soup dumplings. Bonus points if you get through a meal without spraying your neighbour or the windows – these bundles are really juicy. juicydumpling.ca

120

1. C OFFEE OYSTE RS CHA MPA GNE This swanky, King Street lounge prides itself on doing its three namesake things really well. There’s plenty of room for indulgence with fresh oysters selected daily and enough bubbly – the largest collection in the city – to cover

a multitude of sins. But if you do find yourself wanting more, ask your server to see the champagne room. We won’t give much more away, because secrets don’t make friends but they sure make things more fun. sipshucksip.com

3. C RY BABY GA L L ERY From the street, this looks like the latest Dundas West art gallery, but, as with art, there’s more than meets the eye. Behind the gallery is a moody cocktail bar with better lighting than most Hollywood films and an original, witty drinks menu you’ll want to take home and frame. crybabygallery.ca

Photography: Eighty Eight Films (Chubby’s); AJ Fernando (Tennessee Tavern); Meredith Hardie (Juicy Dumpling); Ben Ehrensperger (Cry Baby Gallery)

2. TANTO When the fireplace channel just isn’t cutting it, Tanto’s brick interior and crackling wood-burning grill should satisfy all your creature-comfort needs. From grass-fed steaks (dry-aged for 40 days) to fresh, 3house-baked bread,

every dish has been obsessed over and perfected at this Argentinian restaurant on Ossington near Queen West. Whether celebrating a special occasion or grabbing a school-night bite, Tanto is as reliable and captivating as any good relationship. tantorestaurant.com

4. BAR VE NDET TA Open from Sunday to Thursday, this retro, ‘70s-inspired pasta and wine bar is a cheeky, weeknight treat. With a full-page, single-spaced wine list and mouthwatering pastas that’ll make you melt faster than grated parmesan, we might have found you a new reason for calling in late for work. barvendetta.com

RELAXED ROMANCE

Equipped with this list of the top date-night spots in Toronto, there’s no need to hibernate alone.

5. C HAB R OL Getting close is the default at this tiny gem. Walk down a narrow alley off Yorkville Avenue and suddenly you’re in southern France – only smaller. The flavours are bold in the tartine of braised duck leg and rich in the roasted apple tarte. Plus, the big windows offer prime snowfall watching. chabrolrestaurant.com

121

FRUIT: Compressed strawberries, raspberries and fresh gooseberries from Bondi Produce, plus agave syrup, top the dessert.

122

ROMPOPE ICE CREAM: Mexico’s version of eggnog is made in-house. While traditional rompope uses rum, El Rey uses mezcal, which is cooked with cinnamon and brown sugar into a crème anglaise.

BUÑUELO CRISPS: This fried dough, similar to a flour tortilla, is deep-fried, then tossed in cardomom and cinnamon sugar.

BRIOCHE: El Rey’s Caballero Pobre uses brioche bread from Golden Patty in Kensington Market, soaked in condensed and evaporated milk, plus heavy cream, before being pan-fried.

El Rey, 2a Kensington Ave.

Photography: Rick O’Brien

Caballero Pobre (the Poor Gentleman), a popular Yucatán dessert, has been given the all-star treatment on El Rey’s brunch menu. We uncover what makes the colourful treat so delicious.

TOPPINGS: Roasted coconut shavings and cocoa nibs are sprinkled over the Caballero Pobre to finish.

Foodism – 21 – The Great Indoors Issue

Articles inside

DECONSTRUCT

THE SELECTOR

STAYCATION

FOODISM’S FINEST

DAY TRIPPER

INSIDER

COCKTAIL DECONSTRUCT

SHAKE YOUR GLASS

COCKTAIL HOUR

THE NEXT ROUND

VINE VAULTS

BOOZERS AND SHAKERS

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

GREAT BOWLS OF FIRE

WHAT’S IN STORE

GUEST COLUMN

THE FOODIST

RECIPES

THE RADAR

WEAPONS OF CHOICE

TIPPING THE SCALES

BACK TO BASICS