Foodism - 7 - Toronto, food and drink 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

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One of my favourite things to do in the summer and fall months is to take long drives through Ontario’s wine regions. Niagara is one hour away and Prince Edward County is just over two. Both regions continue to attract global attention for their cool-climate wines: Rieslings (my personal favourite), Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs. Now is the best time of year to go because harvest is well underway. You can experience the hustle and bustle, the excitement of the start of a new vintage, set to the backdrop of lush vineyards and a tease of fall colours. In this issue, Michael Di Caro speaks to local wineries about the back-breaking labour migrant workers do to help Ontario make award-winning wines (pg. 42). Toronto’s coffee scene has grown exponentially in the last decade. Today, you can’t go a few blocks without finding a great cup. Jon Sufrin looks at the coffee scene in Ontario, its journey so far and the principles crafting its future (pg. 36). We’ve also got more escapism coming your way in this issue. Jessica Huras eats her way through New Hampshire (pg. 74). We have a gorgeous visual ode to India’s Agra state from Sandro Pehar (pg. 66) and Caroline Aksich effuses about octopus hunting in the Adriatic Sea (pg. 56). We’ve packaged a great issue full of fall entertaining ideas, whether you’re seeking inspiration from autumn cookbooks or shopping for wines to go with your lamb roast. We hope you enjoy our seventh issue. Happy hosting! f

FRONT COVER: Photography by Ian Dingle Art direction by Matthew Hasteley, Abigail Robinson

GRAZE 012 THE FOODIST 016 DAYTRIPPER 019 THE RADAR 020 WEAPONS OF CHOICE 025 RECIPES 033 JOEL MACCHARLES

FEAST 036 SACRED GROUNDS 042 FIELD OF DREAMS 048 COCKTAIL HOUR

ESCAPISM 056 UNDER THE SEA 063 CHECKLIST 066 POINT OF VIEW 074 THE INSIDER 077 JUST LANDED

Suresh Doss

EXCESS 082 BOTTLE SERVICE

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091 THE NOSTALGIST 093 THE DIGEST

© Foodism Toronto 2017. 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.

094 THE SELECTOR 098 DECONSTRUCT

— PART 1 —

GRAZE “SOUR BEERS CAN BE JARRING WHEN UNEXPECTED.” THE FOODIST, 012

012 THE FOODIST | 016 DAYTRIPPER | 019 THE RADAR 020 WEAPONS OF CHOICE | 025 RECIPES | 033 JOEL MACCHARLES

THE FOODIST

Sour beers may be the latest craft brewing trend but Andrea Yu finds they’re hit and miss

LOCAL HEROES TOR ONTO’S TOP C OF F E E R OAST E RS

1 CHRIS NOSEWORTHY

CAN STILL REMEMBER my first sip of a sour beer. I was in the Garrison’s front room for a post-meal tipple and selected a tart, funk-filled wheat beer, undeterred by a polite warning from the bartender that it wasn’t like the average pint. Predictably, after just one unsavoury swill in my mouth, I was convinced that the beer had gone off. I brought it back to the bartender who had a sip and concluded, with a smirk that effectively combined standoffish hipster judgment with “I told you so,” that it was supposed to taste like that. With, quite literally, a sour taste in my mouth, I swore off these tart beverages. But about a year ago, I interviewed Tomas Morana about the opening of his sour beerfocused bar Birreria Volo and listened to his passionate rants of acidic infatuation. Soon after, I decided to tempt fate with sour beers for the second time. My memory fails me when it comes to exactly which beer turned the tide – either Bellwoods’ Jelly King or the latest instalment of Blood Brothers’ Paradise Lost series – but I can recall feeling disappointed that I hadn’t reconsidered sour beers sooner. After years of boring lagers and uber-bitter IPAs, sour beers were exactly the type of flavour-180 that my taste buds were looking for. They’re bright, zingy and refreshing with a white wine-like dryness while retaining the thirst-quenching drinkability of beer. Much like taking a chug of almond milk when you’re anticipating runof-the-mill dairy, sour beers can be jarring when unexpected. But once you know what you’re getting into, it’s easy to get hooked.

That addictive tart quality is attained by incorporating certain wild yeasts or bacterial strains into the brewing process, the by-products of which achieve a range of sour qualities from a vinegar-like acidity to a bright, citrusy tang. There are additional steps to making a sour beer compared to an average brew – especially those incorporating wild strains – so the results can vary widely and are sometimes unpredictable. “There’s more room for error and bad contaminants,” explains Christine Nagy, assistant brewer at Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Exchange Brewery, one of Ontario’s newest and most notable sour beer producers. “When you introduce souring bacteria to a beer you also risk introducing ‘bad bacteria’ as well. In order to brew a good, clean sour beer it requires more attention to detail.” Hearing this, it’s easy to understand why there are plenty of epic flops and lacklustre libations in the sour beer-brewing world. At a recent beer festival, I sampled a cask sour – challenging enough on their own with the lack of carbonation and chilling – that, frankly, tasted like garbage water. A few months ago, at a hip Queen West watering hole, I was excited to try a northern Ontario brewery’s latest sour but was disappointed by its mediocre flavour that would best be compared to watery vinegar garnished with a slice of lemon. Despite being so hit-and-miss, I’m still compelled to order a sour whenever it’s on a bar’s menu. Sure, it may just be another fleeting food fad, but until it passes you’ll likely find me with a sour beer in hand, slowly savouring each tart sip. f

Pilot Coffee Roasters After joining Pilot Coffee Roasters in 2008, Noseworthy became captivated by the variables involved in roasting. He brings out the best flavours of the beans by experimenting with the sequence of heat and airflow application.

JONATHAN COX Propeller Coffee Co.

A “coffee geek” like his father, Cox has led Propeller’s roastery since 2014. He samples dozens of beans before making a selection. He also obsesses over the roasting process, tasting and reviewing batches each week.

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LOCAL HEROES 3

JASON PRIOR Reunion Island Coffee Bar

It was a light-roasted Kenyan specialty coffee brewed in a Montreal hotel room’s Aeropress that first got Jason Prior hooked on coffee. After finding work at a local café, he progressed from novice barista to bar manager before joining Reunion Island as its head roaster. Not only does Prior pay attention to the roasting process, he also considers how the plant is harvested, achieving complex flavours by combining freshly picked berries with other fruit that is left to dry.

TOP LOCAL B IT TE RS

After more than 10 years immersed in the East Coast coffee and barista scene, Jane Arnett made the move to Ontario in 2015 to hone her roasting skills. She met Hale Coffee’s senior roaster and joined the company as a roaster apprentice. Arnett and the Hale team take their roasting seriously, mapping individual graphs for each bean to track the crop’s density and altitude, and how it reacts to the roasting process. It’s this “blind roasting” process that challenges but fascinates Arnett most.

KAELIN MCCOWAN Detour Coffee Roasters

In his hunt for the best coffee, Kaelin McCowan would spend hours poring through online home roasting forums, getting lost in the complex flavour descriptions that users would describe but that McCowan had yet to experience from a local Toronto roaster. Recognizing a gap in the city’s third-wave style coffee roasters at the time, McCowan started his own, Detour Coffee Roasters, in 2009. McCowan regularly tweaks each roast to ensure that the best flavours are brought out.

Spruce up your at-home cocktail game with these locally made bitters available at Cocktail Emporium DILLON’S SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS

FRAPE AND SONS BOUTIQUE

KINSIP HOUSE OF FINE SPIRITS

This Niagara-operated distillery’s bitters have quickly become the standard for bartenders and well-stocked home bars across the city. Dillon’s now offers more than a dozen types of bitters, including hot pepper and the hugely popular pear variety to jazz up French 75s. Each store carries a limited quantity, so if you see it, grab it. dillons.ca

Based out of Thunder Bay, Frape and Sons has a limited production of bitters (500 bottles per batch) with an intensity in flavour that is unmatched. A tiny drop goes a long way. Our favourite from the lineup is the rhubarb bitters with orange, a balance of tart and sweet with floral notes. Add a dash to your next glass of bubbly and enjoy. frapeandsons.com

This craft distillery in Prince Edward County started producing bitters not too long ago, but is quickly winning the hearts of mixologists for its balance of flavours. Kinsip stands out with interesting variations like hibiscus rosehip (perfect for gin drinks) and a rich coffee pecan. The maple walnut variety is aged in whisky barrels with maple syrup. kinsip.ca

Photograph by Ryan Faist

JANE ARNETT Hale Coffee Company

DAY TRIPPER

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Other must-try spots

Caledon has a lot more to offer than its popular hiking trails. Here are a few delicious hidden gems to discover

A CUPPA?

Heatherlea Farm Shoppe; 17049 Winston Churchill Blvd. Find fresh cheeses, eggs, marinades and rubs from local Caledon farmers. heatherlea.ca

Caledon’s rural character makes it an ideal location for cosy shops, inns and, of course, farms. Independent cafés also add to its charm. They’re excellent pit stops where you can grab a scone and coffee as you eat and drink your way through the town.

◆◆ Butter and Cup;

218 Dougall Ave. This rustic, local favourite has everything from cookies and raspberry white chocolate scones to fair trade organic coffee, soups and sandwiches. Get the Jacked Up Grilled Cheese. butterandcup.com

◆◆ Higher Ground

Coffee Co.; 17277 Old Main St. Easily one of the most relaxing coffee shops around. They’re known for their locally roasted coffee beans and convival atmosphere. @Belfountain HigherGround

FRUIT FORWARD

With plenty of fertile land, it only makes sense that Caledon is home to countryside wineries and cideries. Embark on a tour and tasting to sample tart cranberry wines, dessert wines and sweet ice ciders that suit both novice and discerning palates.

◆◆ Downey’s Estate

Winery; 13682 Heart Lake Rd. This family-run winery has a unique lineup of fruit wines; gooseberry, blackcurrant and elderberry, to name a few. Everything is farmed and made on site. downeysfarm.com

Gourmandissimo; 16023 Airport Rd. Veteran boutique owners Gilles and Adriana Roche present fine foods such as artisanal jams and meat pies made in-shop. gourmandissimo.com

◆◆ Spirit Tree Estate

Cidery; 1137 Boston Mills Rd. While known for hard ciders, there are also excellent eats available from Spirit Tree’s bistro. Visit Fridays or Saturdays for wood-fired pizza after a picturesque orchard tour. spirittreecider.com

Villa Caledon Inn Restaurant; 16626 Airport Rd. Overlook beautiful grounds while you dine on Italian cuisine at this quaint restaurant. Try the mussels or fish. villacaledoninn.com

BITE-SIZED

FOODISM.TO/ NEWSLETTER

Trending

SOUL C HOC O L AT E

Trending DRINKING GRAZING DINING TRENDING

THE RADAR We take you through the best bar and restaurant openings in Toronto this fall Dining

B LUEBLOOD ST EAKH OUSE

Liberty Entertainment Group (Cibo, Liberty Grand) has transformed Casa Loma’s former billiard room into an upscale steakhouse. The interior combines modern artwork with tufted leather seating while the menu highlights prime cuts of aged beef and a wide selection of seafood. @blueblood_steakhouse

C OOL N2 IC E C R E AM

The newest addition to the over-the-top ice cream craze is Cool N2, now with two locations in the GTA – the latest on Queen West. Hailing from Taiwan, Cool N2 uses liquid nitrogen to flash freeze its sweet treats. There’s a growing menu of ice cream flavours along with more unusual items such as frozen Cheetos. Scoops come with a syrup-filled syringe tucked into the core (with the option of a fluffy cotton candy cloud added on top) and are finished with a dramatic pour of liquid nitrogen. @cooln2canada

Trending

PL ANTA B U R G E R

After a successful summer pop-up, one of the city’s best plant-based eateries has launched a burger-centric spinoff. Its meatless menu includes a mushroom and black bean or lentil and beet patty and a heart of palm crab cake along with traditional fare like onion rings and Caesar salads. Planta Burger takes a more casual, diner-like approach with barstool seating and an emphasis on take-out orders, vegan root beer floats (using coconut or almond milk) on its menu, and affordable price points across the board. @plantarestaurants

Drinking

DE AT H & TAX E S F R E E HOU SE While this pub comes from the same group behind the bumpin’ Belfast Love, their second opening strives for a more laid-back vibe and a stronger food focus. Late night DJs will keep Queen West crowds enticed while a weekend brunch buffet, featuring baked goods from nearby Mabel’s Bakery, is a welcome offering for mornings after. @deathandtaxesto

Husband and wife chocolate-makers Katie and Kyle Wilson have opened their first retail shop on Gerrard East. They use ethically sourced cacao direct from farmers for true beanto-bar production. The new space also features a small café serving coffee and baked goods, as well as whole coffee beans from Detour. @soulchocolate

Drinking

T HE A N N E B OL EY N

Parts & Labour duo Richard Lambert and Jesse Girard have expanded their list of eateries with this contemporary take on the traditional English pub. Chef Brent Pierssens puts his twist on pub favourites while staying true to classics like bangers and mash. With ample TV screens, we expect this to become a busy happy hour and game night go-to. @theanneboleynto

Dining

VIC TO R RESTAURANT

Le Germain Hotel’s restaurant has been redesigned and expanded to include a café and bar. The new café offers fresh pastries, takeout lunch options and a home pantry section that features an array of finishing salts, sauces and marmalade available for purchase. @victorrestaurant

WEAPONS OF CHOICE Showcase your finest beans with these items that grind, pull, brew or serve in style PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN FAIST

P UL L OF B E ANS DE’LONGHI DEDICA PUMP ESPRESSO MAKER, $379.99 Photograph by ###

Pull café-quality espresso and thick-foamed cappucino using this machine designed with minimal footprint in mind. delonghi.com

CHILL, INSTIL L E D

A F INE G R IND

KILNER COLD BREW KIT, $49.99

KILNER COFFEE GRINDER, $59.99

This cold brewing set allows you to extract the flavours from your favourite ground coffee by steeping in cold water. Coffee ready in as little as 12 hours. kilnerjar.co.uk

A no-fuss grinder featuring an adjustable mechanism for the perfect grind. With a bit of elbow grease, make enough for one cup or for the week ahead. kilnerjar.co.uk

1 2

PO UR-HO USE

DR IP F E E D

G L ASS AC TS

MELITTA POUR-OVER, $6.97

UMBRA COFFEE POUR-OVER SET, $30

ZWILLING SORRENTO DOUBLE WALL ESPRESSO GLASS SET, $23

Designed for those seeking a hand-crafted cup of coffee, Melittaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new line of pour-over coffeemakers achieve home gourmet brewing without bitterness or mess. melitta.ca

Get clean coffee in stylish form with this ceramic dripper and mug. Large enough for up to four cups. All three pieces nest for easy storage. umbra.com

Created by the renowned Italian designer Matteo Thun, each piece has perfect functionality for espressos and lattes. zwilling.ca

2 1

Recipes

AUTUMN IS UPON US

JUST IN TIME FOR FALL HOSTING, WE’VE SUMMED UP OUR FAVOURITE RECIPES FOR YOU TO START PLANNING THOSE GROUP DINNERS

ANY COOKS WILL argue that harvest time is the best time for cooking, with the season’s bounty providing endless inspiration. Remnants of late summer crops and a plethora of root vegetables create a shoulder season that’s best for cooking largeportion meals. Fall is also the audition time for holiday feasts, so we’ve picked two books to help you get started. Acclaimed Toronto food writer Amy Rosen is back with her second book, Toronto Eats ($27, chapters.indigo.ca), an ode to the diverse local chef and cook scene, with a

compendium of some of her favourite dishes from restaurants throughout the city. The latest from chef and New York Times columnist David Tanis, Market Cooking: Recipes and Revelations, Ingredient by Ingredient ($52, chapters.indigo.ca), is a great seasonal cookbook featuring a strong emphasis on fall dishes. Flip through this one and you’re guaranteed to start thinking about the next dinner party you want to host. The spirit of summer may still be lingering but it’s time to take a leap into the earthy, robust flavours of the fall. f

FOODISMTO

F O O DISM RE CIPE S, IN ASSOC IAT ION W IT H SE L E C T W INE S

Photograph by ###

For more than 30 years, Select Wines has specialized in bringing Canadians some of the finest wines from around the world. Their diverse wine portfolio ranges from German Rieslings and Italian Cabernets to Japanese plum wines and Chilean Carménères. The wines paired with the fall-focused recipes we feature in the following pages

come from California, a place synonymous with exceptional wine. The grapes for the Aquinas Pinot Noir are grown in beautiful Napa Valley, while the Sebastiani Cabernet comes from sun-drenched Sonoma County. You can enjoy these wonderful wine selections on their own, or alongside our picks for hearty, harvest flavour.

Nicki Laborie & Omar Ma’s

PUMPKIN LABNEH

PAIRING

Aquinas Pinot Noir Dry, earthy, red in colour with soft tannins and a long finish. Mediumbodied and fruity with a clean acidity. Features flavours of plum and cherry.

THIS THICK, YOGURT-STYLE SPREAD PAIRS PERFECTLY WITH THE FLAVOUR OF THE SEASON: PUMPKIN

LCBO #277657

I N GREDI EN TS Spiced Pumpkin Purée ◆◆ 1 pumpkin (21/4 lbs), peeled,

seeded, and cut into half-inch cubes (or 2 1-lb cans of store-bought pumpkin) ◆◆ 11/2 tsp smoked paprika ◆◆ 11/2 tsp ground cinnamon ◆◆ 1/2 tsp ground allspice ◆◆ 1/3 tsp nutmeg ◆◆ 1/3 tsp cayenne ◆◆ 1 tbsp honey

Spiced Pumpkin Purée Method

◆◆ 1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 Cook fresh pumpkin in salted water until very tender. Strain water into a bowl and return pumpkin to the pot. Set water aside for later use. 2 Purée pumpkin until smooth. Heat in a saucepan on low. Add pumpkin water until consistency is smooth. 3 Transfer to a large bowl, add spices and honey. Mix well. Season with salt to taste and refrigerate until cool.

◆◆ 11/2 tsp pumpkin seeds

Labneh Method

Labneh ◆◆ 4 cups plain Greek yogurt ◆◆ 1/2 tsp salt

◆◆ 2 cloves garlic, grated

◆◆ 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice ◆◆ 3 tbsp honey

◆◆ 1/4 cup Spiced Pumpkin Purée

Assembly ◆◆ 4 fresh sage leaves

◆◆ 11/2 tsp sunflower seeds ◆◆ 1 tsp pink peppercorns ◆◆ 4-6 pita breads, sliced

INFO

Serves

◆◆ 4-6 people

4 Combine yogurt and salt in a bowl and stir well. Pour into cheesecloth, bring edges together and tie securely with string. Hang the bundle for up to

36 hours until yogurt is thick and dry. Remove yogurt from cheesecloth and place into a clean bowl. 5 Add garlic, lemon juice, honey, and pumpkin purée. Mix well. Season with salt and refrigerate until cooled.

Assembly

6 Cook butter on medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add sage and cook for another 30 seconds until crispy, add seeds and peppercorns. Spread 2 tbsp of purée in serving dish and top with 1 tbsp of labneh, then spread with the back of a soup spoon. Finish with brown butter mixture. Serve with some pita. f

Roger Mooking’s

ROASTED LAMB LEG

A TENDER, EARTHY COMBINATION THAT WELCOMES THE GRAINY POLITENESS OF RICOTTA-INFUSED POLENTA

PAIRING

Aquinas Pinot Noir Dry, earthy, red in colour with soft tannins and a long finish. Mediumbodied and fruity with a clean acidity. Features flavours of plum and cherry. LCBO #277657

I NG REDI EN TS Roasted Lamb ◆◆ 1 boneless lamb leg (21/2 lbs) ◆◆ 1 tbsp olive oil

◆◆ 3 tbsp dried oregano ◆◆ 11/2 tbsp kosher salt

◆◆ 11/2 tbsp freshly ground

black pepper

◆◆ 5 sprigs fresh rosemary

Ricotta Polenta ◆◆ 21/2 cups water

◆◆ 2 cups whole milk

◆◆ 3 cloves garlic, minced ◆◆ 1 cup cornmeal ◆◆ 3 tbsp ricotta ◆◆ Kosher salt ◆◆ Freshly ground black pepper

Roasted Lamb Method

1 Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with some sheets of parchment paper. 2 Rub lamb with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Place rosemary on baking sheet, then place lamb on top and roast for 30 minutes. Flip over and baste with pan juices. Roast for another 20 minutes or until browned and tender. Remove the lamb from oven, loosely cover with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. 3 Transfer lamb to a platter and serve with ricotta polenta. Photography by Ryan Szulc

Ricotta Polenta Method

4 Bring water, milk and garlic to a simmer on medium heat. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat and cook for 8 minutes, whisking continuously. Remove from heat, add ricotta, season with salt and pepper. f

INFO

Serves

◆◆ 4-6 people

David Tanis’s

RABE LASAGNA

FIND THE SWEET SIDE OF A SOMETIMES BITTER GREEN WITH THIS TWIST ON FAMILIAR COMFORT FOOD

ROCCOLI RABE MAKES a stellar vegetarian lasagna. The leaves, tender stems and broccolilike buds have a distinctive pleasant bitterness and deep flavour. I like to pilfer some of the cooked greens from this recipe to make a garlicky pesto then chop the rest and add it to the layers. It’s worth making the pesto alone to use as sauce for spaghetti.

Method

1 To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute without browning. Gradually whisk in the cream, about half a cup at a time, to obtain a smooth, lightly thickened sauce. Turn the heat to low, add ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper, cayenne and nutmeg to taste. Cook, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes. Thin it with a little more cream if necessary for a pourable consistency. Place the saucepan in a hot water bath to help keep the sauce warm. 2 Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Lift the noodles from the water with a spider or tongs and rinse well in a bowl of cold water. Drain the noodles and lie them out flat on a kitchen towel. 3 Blanch the broccoli rabe in the same cooking water for 1 minute, or until just wilted. Drain in a colander, rinse with cool water and squeeze dry. Roughly chop the broccoli rabe. 4 Put 1 cup of the chopped greens with garlic and olive oil in a food processor or blender and purée. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a small bowl. 5 Mix the ricotta and lemon zest

ING R E DIE NTS Béchamel Sauce ◆◆ 4 tbsp butter

◆◆ 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ◆◆ 2 cups half-and-half

cream, heated ◆◆ Salt and pepper

◆◆ Pinch of cayenne ◆◆ Grated nutmeg

Lasagna ◆◆ 1 lb dried lasagna noodles ◆◆ Salt and pepper

◆◆ 2 bunches broccoli rabe

(about 2 lbs), tough stems should be trimmed ◆◆ 4 garlic cloves, grated or minced ◆◆ 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil ◆◆ 1 lb ricotta cheese ◆◆ 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest ◆◆ 4 tbsp butter, softened ◆◆ 4 oz Parmesan or a combination of Parmesan and pecorino, grated (which is about 11/2 cups)

together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. 6 Heat the oven to 375 F. Use 2 tablespoons of butter to grease an 8-by-10-inch baking dish. 7 To assemble the lasagna, put a layer of cooked noodles on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon a quarter of the béchamel over the noodles then dot with a third of the ricotta. Complete the layer with 1/3 of the chopped greens, a good drizzle of pesto, and about 1/4 of the grated cheese. Continue the

layering, finishing with a layer of pasta. Spread the last of the béchamel on top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. (You will have 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of filling.) Dot the top with the remaining butter. 8 Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more, or until nicely browned on top and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. (Or set aside for up to several hours and reheat in the oven before serving.) f

CLICK

F O O D I S M .T O

INFO

Serves

◆◆ 6-8 people

Photograph by Evan Sung

PAIRING

Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon

A full-bodied and smooth texture. Featuring subtle vanilla flavour with lingering herbal notes on the finish. LCBO VINTAGES #640573

David Tanis’s

APPLE TART

CLICK

F O O D I S M .T O

SLICED APPLE FANS OVER A FLAKY PASTRY DOUGH TO DELIVER AN EASY DESSERT THAT'S SIMPLY PLEASING I N GREDI EN TS ◆◆ 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus

more for dusting ◆◆ Pinch of salt

◆◆ 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted

butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces ◆◆ 1/4 cup ice water

◆◆ 2 lbs firm, tart apples (4 to

6 medium)

◆◆ 1 cup sugar, plus more

for sprinkling

◆◆ 1 cup water

Method

them like roof tiles, leaving a 1-inch border of dough all around. Fold the border over to enclose the apples. 6 Sprinkle sugar generously over the apples and bake until the apple slices are browned and the pastry is crisp and caramelized, about 45 minutes. Cool the pastries on a rack. 7 Reheat the glaze just before serving. Paint the apples with the warmed glaze then cut the finished pastry crosswise into rectangular slices or wedges before serving. f

PAIRING

Smoking Loon Pinot Grigio

INFO

Serves

◆◆ 6-8 people

Bright and lively with aromas of lemon zest and fresh cut grass. This versatile white has a dry finish along with a crisp acidity. LCBO #483289

Photograph by Evan Sung

1 Put flour and salt in a bowl and add half the butter. With your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks mealy. Add ice water and the remaining butter and stir the dough until it comes together. 2 Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle with a little flour, and pat into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour or even overnight. 3 When the dough is chilled, lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to a rectangle that is approximately 6 by 9 inches and about ⅛-inch thick. Trim the edges and transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Loosely cover the dough and set it aside in the refrigerator. 4 Peel the apples and cut into quarters. Remove the cores and use to make a glaze. Put cores in a saucepan with the sugar and water, set over medium heat and stir at first to dissolve the sugar then simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a thick syrup, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the glaze and reserve. 5 Preheat oven to 400 F. Thinly slice apples and arrange the apple slices over the pastry in rows, overlapping

Joel MacCharles

SUMMER, IT’S IN THE CAN

Homecook and co-author of Batch with Dana Harrison, Joel MacCharles says it’s time to give preserving a try

VER THE YEARS I’ve heard – and had – almost every excuse as to why people don’t preserve more food. People frequently cite a lack of time, fear of extreme work, a hot kitchen, childhood memories of culinary marathons or a reluctance to learn something that might be complicated. It’s ok. I’ve been there too. When you learn to preserve you will find that many of the reasons you’ve had to avoid preserving food are misguided. For example, I often preserve food when I don’t have time to cook. Many preserve recipes don’t require the use of a stove, and the “fancy equipment” you may think you need to use is often limited to a kitchen knife. Have you been avoiding preserving or waiting for a good time to start? I made the

following five recipes in one sitting. They took a total of 15 minutes and used one pan, a blender and some jars (you could use any container with a lid). Time to get past your excuses – you’ve got this!

Peach Hot Sauce Cut two peaches in half (if you cut along the natural crease that appears in a peach you’ll find this easy) and remove the pits. Place in a food processor with 2 tbsp of cider vinegar and 2 tbsp honey. Blitz until smooth (this should take about 30 seconds). Place in a jar and stir in 1 tbsp (or more) of dried chili flakes. The sauce will be sweet for the first few days and get spicier with time as the hot peppers infuse with the sauce. Store this in the fridge for up to a year.

Strawberry Bourbon Cut tops of strawberries (any amount will do) and chop them in half. Place them in a jar and cover with bourbon or dark rum. Stored out of direct sunlight, this mix will improve over a few months and can be kept indefinitely. Makes awesome bourbon sours (blend a few berries into it).

Strawberry Vinegar The next time you cut the tops off your berries don’t compost them. Toss them in a jar and cover them with cider vinegar. Within two days you’ll have an amazing vinegar. The fruit will turn brown in a month or two and you may wish to strain it. Store the vinegar out of direct sunlight and it should keep for a year or more. Fantastic for salad dressings or a shrub (which is a vinegar-based beverage that tastes similar to lemonade).

Chili Salt

Photography by Dana Harrison, Margaret Mulligan

Chop hot peppers into a small dice (keep the seeds and white pith). Place in a jar and cover them with three to four times their volume of coarse salt. Shake the jar a few times for the first few days. The salt will pull the spicy liquid from the peppers, which will leave you with a spicy salt to use for cooking. Can be stored for a year or more.

Blueberry Fridge Jam Mix 1 cup of blueberries, 3 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp of water in a wide saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. As the mixture heats up the blueberries will release their liquid and thicken (about 10-15 minutes). Stir often near the end to prevent burning. Transfer to a jar and place in the fridge where it will last for months, or freeze it for up to a year. f

— PART 2 —

FEAST “THE NUMBER OF VARIABLES AND PERMUTATIONS WITH COFFEE ARE INFINITE. SO YOU’VE GOT TO PLAY, AND YOU NEVER STOP.” SACRED GROUNDS, 036

036 SACRED GROUNDS | 042 FIELD OF DREAMS | 048 COCKTAIL HOUR

FOODISMTO

SACRED GROUNDS Jon Sufrin chronicles the past and present of craft coffee while exploring its future in Toronto PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY CHAN

ABOVE: A batch of beans at Monigram Coffee Roasters takes the slow journey to roasted readiness

SK GRAHAM BRAUN what did it for him, what got him obsessed, and he remembers instantly: it was a cup of Ethiopian pour-over from Detour Coffee Roasters. He’d tasted good coffee before, but not that good. Next thing he knew he was going all Breaking Bad in his basement at home, bags of coffee beans strewn about, playing around with flavour profiles on a small-batch Huky 500 roaster from Taiwan. It wasn’t long before he left his job in IT, opening Monigram Coffee Roasters in 2012 with his wife Monica in downtown Cambridge. There the obsession continues. Obsession with heirloom coffee varietals, with roasting them so their sugars fully develop but their bitterness doesn’t. With extraction durations, with coffee grind fineness, with pre-infusion times. Even with tap water, which he tweaks to a minerality content of 120 parts per million. “The number of variables and permutations with coffee are infinite,” says Braun, a mechanical engineer by trade. “So you’ve got to play. And you never stop.” His goal is a clear, if difficult, one to achieve. He wants to produce a memorable coffee – an espresso, say, with the texture of velvet, sweet and acidic, with just a touch of bitterness. Such perfectionism might be expected of a young, tattooed barista in some formerly sketchy Toronto neighbourhood – an acolyte of “third wave” coffee, as this reverential approach has come to be known. But this is Cambridge, the epitome of white-collar suburban Ontario. When craft coffee has permeated this deeply, you know it’s for real. It is quickly becoming the new standard for coffee everywhere. To piece together how exactly coffee got to this point in Toronto and beyond, we could go back a long way – hundreds of years maybe, to Ethiopia where according to legend a goat herder discovered that his animals seemed to frolic with added determination after consuming the fruit of a certain red-berried plant. Or we could go back to 16th century Malta when Turkish prisoners were thought to have introduced coffee to Europe. Or we could consult Coffee: A Companion to the Bean, the Beverage and the Industry to follow the origin of espresso in Italy perhaps looking to 1905, when entrepreneur Desiderio Pavoni began producing the Ideale (the first commercial espresso machine), which catered to busy Italians who wanted their coffee made with both speed and quality. →

RIGHT: Graham Braun remains obsessed with tweaking the variables of a perfect cup of coffee

→ We could take note of another key era, the 1940s, when Achille Gaggia, also from Italy, began manufacturing espresso machines that generated water pressure high enough to create crema, the thick, mousse-like substance widely believed to be the foremost sign of a good shot of espresso. Sure, it might be wise to begin here with the development of modern espresso because while there are many, many extraction methods for coffee (baristas love their pour-overs and French presses), nothing has inspired such widespread devotion, such caffeinated fanaticism, as espresso and its derivatives: Americanos, lattes, macchiatos and cappuccinos. A viable explanation for espresso’s dominance can be found in the groundbreaking book Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques, regarded by many to be the preeminent barista bible written by the singularly important David Schomer, who is the founder of Seattle’s Espresso Vivace.

“Espresso has the potential to be the pinnacle of all coffee-making methods,” Schomer writes, “because of its unique ability to extract the maximum flavour from coffee and leave behind excess acids and caffeine.” If third-wave coffee has a messiah, it is Schomer. To fully grasp his influence, one

SO-CALLED THIRD WAVE COFFEE IS NOW REACHING ITS PEAK

needs only to look at his black-and-white portrait on the back of his book. With his spectacles, moustache, bolo tie and haircut, Schomer in 1996 looked every bit a modernday hipster. He was a proto-hipster, and it could be said he is one of the main reasons why a huge number of North Americans have become religious about their coffee. We also owe a begrudging debt of gratitude to Starbucks, which brought espresso to the North American masses. As recounted in Taylor Clark’s Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture, it was largely due to the efforts of one man: marketing genius Howard Schultz. Now executive chairman of Starbucks, Schultz witnessed espresso culture in Italy in 1983 and brought it to Seattle three years later in the form of Il Giornale, an Italian-inspired espresso bar. Il Giornale eventually became the model for future Starbucks locations and inspired a slew of espresso carts and cafés

across Seattle. North American cafés catering to European immigrants have been around for decades, but Starbucks sold espresso to the philistines of America by using arabica beans that were roasted to a char, the French way, for a supremely bitter coffee capable of standing up to copious amounts of milk and sugar. As Starbucks went the quantity route, setting its sights on world domination, Schomer went the quality route. He took classic Italian methods and honed them, developing or popularizing techniques that have now become second nature to discerning baristas everywhere: artfully building a puck of coffee within a portafilter by applying 30 pounds of pressure with a tamper; continually adjusting fineness of grind so that pressurized water takes no less than 25 seconds to pass through the coffee; prioritizing moderately roasted arabica beans over darkly roasted, oily robusta beans commonly seen in Italy; and, perhaps

most importantly, ensuring a precise stable extraction temperature of 203.5 F. “He delved into the science of coffee and extraction in a way unlike anyone else was doing,” Kenneth Nye, owner of Manhattan’s Ninth Street Espresso, told the Seattle Times in 2015. “He was light-years ahead of the conversation at the time.” Many coffee producers in the U.S., including Chicago’s Intelligentsia and Portland’s Sumptown, owe Schomer at least a small debt of gratitude. His influence on Toronto, though, is pervasive. To understand why, we’ll go back to 2004 when a Torontonian named Stuart Ross made a leisure trip to Seattle. A burgeoning barista who had opened Bulldog Coffee near Church and Granby streets a year prior, Ross made his way to Schomer’s Espresso Vivace curious to see what the big deal was in Seattle. He ordered a coffee, took a sip and experienced somewhat of a revelation.

“I wasn’t going to drink anything else again,” Ross says. “It was unbelievable to me how amazing coffee could taste. I had to learn how to make it.” And that’s precisely what Ross did. He took one of Schomer’s coffee-making classes and learned, among other things, the mother lode of new school barista techniques: latte art. Because in addition to Schomer’s other pioneering methods, he was also known for steaming milk to such a consistency that he could create designs with it. Equipped with his newfound knowledge, Ross returned to Toronto and Bulldog became ground zero for craft coffee in the area. It was the first café in the city to do latte art, which changed everything. “When you have latte art, it means you have textured that milk properly. Also, you have a nearly perfect – or perfect – shot of espresso,” Ross says. While Jet Fuel, which opened in the 1990s, is widely cited as the city’s first truly indie café (even today it remains the sort of place where young revolutionaries might sit around discussing how they will take down the system one day), its approach to coffee has been more practical than reverential. In 2003, owner John Englar told the Globe and Mail that his secret was using “twice as much (coffee) as everybody else.” At Bulldog, baristas went beyond the realm of utilitarianism. They became craftspeople, steaming their milk with the adeptness required to create microfoam; tamping with precision and topping their lattes with hearts or rosettas, all while taking orders and engaging with the clientele. This is when the boom began. At least two Toronto baristas of significance cut their teeth at Bulldog: Matt Taylor, who in 2006 went on to open the highly influential Mercury Espresso Bar in the east end, and Ed Lynds, who now owns six locations of Dark Horse Espresso Bar with his wife Deanna Zunde. After Bulldog opened, other third-wave cafés began to spread across the city: Cherry Bomb in 2005; Manic in 2007; Lit in 2008; and Sam James Coffee Bar in 2009, all shops characterized by a continual effort toward coffee perfection. (Bulldog eventually spawned multiple locations that have since closed, although Ross says he has something new in the works.) Third wave had percolated from the West Coast to Toronto in full force. For Sam James, whose eponymous coffee bar now has five locations citywide, thirdwave coffee is reaching its peak. The way forward is about minutia. One day, he says, →

ABOVE: Pour-over coffee seeps into drippers for tasting flights at Boxcar

→ he’d like to figure out a way to extract 100 per cent of the soluble parts of a coffee bean to capture the full flavour spectrum it has to offer. But the next major phase of coffee might not be about the dogged pursuit of coffee quality, but exploring the realm of social justice, he says. We might see a full-integration approach, where a producer is involved in every step of the coffee-making process, from planting to roasting to selling. “The progress of third-wave coffee has been self-serving,” James says. “We should get more connected to the producer and eliminate exploitation at the farm level. That’s a huge area where exploitation still exists.” Still, he continues to seek out new methods and new technology to ratchet up the quality of his coffee one tick at a time. When he found laser-cut portafilters, which allow for more even extraction, he felt victorious; so too when he began using a refractometer, a device that measures total dissolved solids in a coffee allowing for even more precision. At Boxcar Social, co-owner and resident coffee guru Alex Castellani is looking to take cues from the wine world. He says there is vast territory to explore in origin expression, extracting coffee in such a way that its terroir

THERE IS A VAST TERRITORY TO EXPLORE IN COFFEE’S EXPRESSION OF ORIGIN is unveiled in the cup. “When people talk about coffee, they don’t often talk about regionality,” he says. “There are aspects of wine we can borrow or use to influence how we treat coffee.” Castellani has moved away from the Schomer-inspired method of set recipes and techniques, instead using a customized approach for each type of coffee he serves, continually adjusting variables such as water temperature and extraction time.

To better showcase coffee’s versatility, Boxcar Social serves tasting flights in which a customer can experience one variety of bean prepared three ways: as espresso, macchiato and pour-over, for example. “Coffee origin isn’t just about soil,” Castellani says. “It’s about which variety was planted, it’s how the weather was that year, it’s the drying process. It’s all of these things. So being able to taste all of that is absolutely key.” Recently, new trailblazers have been experimenting with coffee fermentation, which is a universe on its own, and in Massachusetts, George Howell has been known to freeze green beans to create a library of coffee vintages. What we’re really looking at, though, when we put a scope on the past, present and future of Toronto’s coffee is a study of the fuel of humanity. Coffee is the most common psychoactive drug in the world; it should be treated with reverence and our dosages should be taken seriously. Coffee spawns conversation, ideas, debate. We drink it and we write articles and read books. We drink it and we get to know each other a little better. So get ready, Toronto. The future of coffee is looking very promising. f

FIELD OF DREAMS

Michael Di Caro considers pros and cons of programs for migrant workers labouring among the vines PHOTOGRAPHY BY SURESH DOSS

ABOVE: Many farmers and winemakers across the country, like Norman Hardie Winery, rely on seasonal workers to help them reap the bounty of their annual harvests

ABOVE: Winemaker J-L Groux created biochar, a form of charcoal, at Stratus Vineyards with help from a team of seasonal workers from Jamaica

FTER TWO BRUTALLY cold winters, in 2014 and 2015, nearly half of the 82,000 trunks on the 55-acre Stratus Vineyards in Niagara-on-theLake were damaged. Most wineries would be happy to remove any reminder of such devastation, but winemaker J-L Groux and vineyard manager Dean Stoyka had an idea to conjure a phoenix from this tangled vine graveyard by turning it into biochar, a form of charcoal. Spurred on by reading studies showing biochar had a positive impact on soil, the pair were convinced they should try it in the vineyard. But even with more than 40 years of winemaking experience between them and degrees in winemaking and viticulture, they didn’t know where to start. Luckily, they already had expertise on their team. Seasonal vineyard worker Devon Reid had some previous experience helping make biochar on a friend’s farm back home in Jamaica and offered to lead the first attempt last year. “I said, ‘We can try making biochar. Once you have dirt and grass you’re good to go,’” he recalls, adding with a laugh: “I think we did a pretty good job.” The biochar worked so well last year, Stratus produced more this year. The

technique aerated the soil and held onto nutrients and water (which was especially helpful in a wet growing season) to turn around a block of Syrah that’s been one of the vineyard’s perennial weakest. “People who came to this vineyard five years ago wouldn’t even recognize the block,” says Stoyka. “That’s how well it’s doing.” He has the hard work of Reid and the vineyard’s team of Jamaican workers to thank for much of the improvement. So do vineyard managers and fruit and vegetable growers all across Canada, who rely on tens of thousands of migrant workers like Reid from Jamaica, Mexico, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia.

WE HAVE TO SEE THESE GUYS AS HIGHLY SKILLED LABOUR

For each vintage, seasonal workers come over in the spring and stay until the autumn harvest. These workers come to Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program or the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. They stay for up to eight months tending to the grapes, fruits and vegetables that fill our plates and wine glasses. The pay is hourly and the rate is generally provincial minimum wage. Employers must also provide workers return plane fare, as well as boarding and health insurance. Depending on the province, some of these costs can be recovered through pay deductions. To the average Canadian, the work may not seem glamorous or desirable. There are notable shortcomings like having your visa tied to one employer with no overtime pay or weekly hourly limit (like there would be under Canadian legislation). But the hook for the workers, who come mostly from rural areas of their home countries, is that these programs offer the opportunity to earn more money than they would back home. As a seasonal worker, they can provide themselves and their loved ones with a better life. “We’re using the money to build my house and to support my mother. She’s old and sick,” says Reid, who has been returning to Stratus Vineyards yearly for a decade. “We’re the ones

who are the breadwinners so we come here to work to support our families.” He’s also acutely aware of how critical his work is to the winemaking process and he takes pride in his contribution. “We’ve got a lot of experience in the vineyard with all these professionals. We know everything. Without us on the farm there wouldn’t be good wine in the winery,” he says. Cave Spring Cellars’ vineyard manager Chris Andrewes appreciates the contribution of seasonal workers to his winery. “Just about every day they’re showing us things we didn’t know,” says Andrewes. “I’ve grown up around farms and these workers. A lot of times we’ll set up a job and we don’t dictate it. We say, ‘What do you think?’ It’s very back and forth. We trust them.” Other than co-founders Len Pennachetti and Angelo Pavan, Aurturo Sanchez-Blanchas is the longest-serving employee at Cave Spring Cellars. He has been coming to the winery for 26 years under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. Despite owning a family farm on the rural edges of Mexico City, what brought him to Canada was the pressures of free trade and the urbanizing economy back home. “It’s only 10 acres and not enough to support my family,” he says of his own farm. “The fertilizer is a high price and to sell the corn is a low price. It was difficult.” Over the years, the wages he’s earned have gone into buying new tractors for his farm, renovating his home and supporting his family. While he likes the work, he is caught in the dilemma of being away from his family for long periods of time. But it’s been a bit less lonely since the team at Cave Spring helped to bring up both his son and son-in-law. They're filling in for a colleague who didn’t return this spring after earning enough over the years to start a catering business in Mexico. One of the biggest shortcomings of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is that, aside from those who directly employ them, the efforts of the migrant workers remain largely anonymous. “We prize our athletes who can skate, or run, or throw fast or great distances, or have amazing endurance,” says Norman Hardie, of Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard in Prince Edward County. But there is far less recognition for those who labour among the vines. “I said to the

JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY THEY’RE SHOWING US THINGS WE DIDN’T KNOW government, ‘We have to see these guys as highly skilled labour, and with that give them the opportunity to stay, become citizens and bring their families. It’s only human.’” One of the biggest criticisms is that the programs do not offer a path to permanent residency or citizenship. Sanchez-Blanchas would love to become a citizen and has tried twice with the help of Cave Spring to no avail. “It’s no different than the immigrants of 50 years ago,” Pavan says. “My dad came over here in 1948 at 22 with nothing in his pocket.” It’s hard to argue with Hardie and Pavan’s assessments after witnessing the group of Thai workers Hardie employs, led by patriarch

Sirichai Soisongchan. When we visited the vineyard, Soisongchan was squatting down to swiftly and effortlessly pluck just the right leaves transforming a row of Pinot Noir from untamed to immaculate. They had the rest of the 6,000 vines in the same shape in under 48 hours. Hardie’s team, who come from a rural area about a four-hour trip from Bangkok, have experience farming crops like rice and lotus root, and adapted quickly to growing grapes. “They understand how plants grow,” says Hardie. “Even more importantly, they understand if you don’t do it today, it will likely take you twice as long tomorrow so there’s an innate sense of urgency.” Soisongchan is Hardie’s eyes, ears and mouth in the vineyard. “I trust him implicitly,” Hardie says, noting he relies on him to communicate instructions to junior members of the team, teach them the intricacies of the vineyard, and alert the winemaker of any potential problems. As one of the first Thai vineyard workers in Prince Edward County to come under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, Soisongchan’s many years of experience are invaluable to the process. For Hardie and Soisongchan it’s a symbiotic relationship. Soisongchan says he likes working for Hardie, which is noticeable →

RIGHT: Seasonal vineyard worker Devon Reid lead the biochar program at Stratus Vineyards to help enhance the quality of soil at the winery

GROWERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY RELY ON SEASONAL MIGRANT WORKERS → during our visit when he and some of

ABOVE: Winemaker Norm Hardie shares a communal meal of pad ka-prao (stir-fried pork and rice) with Sirichai Soisongchan and his vineyard team

the other workers take selfies and send excited video messages back home during a communal meal of stir-fried pork and rice. For their work and loyalty, Hardie also ensures his workers go home with a bonus at the end of the year as a token of his appreciation. But even in the heart of Ontario’s winegrowing communities there’s still a long way to go to build a greater appreciation of the workers outside the farms. Jane Andres, who owns a bed and breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake and organizes an annual welcome concert for Jamaican workers, has seen the physical impact of the programs on workers. But it’s often the psychological effects that have the worst unintended consequences, she suggests. Being away from family for up to three quarters of the year, putting in long, hard hours doing repetitive tasks with little down time, and not feeling like a full member of the community are pressures migrant workers face daily. “That’s the hardest thing. Nobody wants to know what they have to say. The feeling of powerlessness is really psychologically tough,” she says. She is encouraged by the work of the Southridge Community Church in Vineland whose leadership began an outreach program for Caribbean farm workers. They provide basic toiletry kits, work gloves and some nonperishable food to get them through the first few days after arrival. They’ve also established a free medical clinic at the church, and twice a month they host social visits. “It’s all about meeting their needs. It’s about food and fun and friendship,” Andres says, adding she’s starting to see a transformation in the community. “I’m seeing some really incredible relationships of interdependence and appreciation.” f

COCKTAIL HOUR We’ve scoured Toronto’s bar scene for the best autumn libations – here are some of our favourites

THE ABBOTT La Palma; 849 Dundas St. W. lapalma.ca

INGREDIENTS ◆◆ 1½ oz Bulleit bourbon ◆◆ ½ oz Grand Marnier ◆◆ ½ oz Cynar ◆◆ Light pinch of salt ◆◆ 3 dashes of Angostura bitters

Add ingredients to a mixing glass and stir. Pour over a King Cube and garnish with a grapefruit peel.

CLICK

F O O D I S M .T O

A WINK, A NOD, A SHIVER Chantecler; 1320 Queen St. W. restaurantchantecler.com

ING REDIENTS ◆◆ 1 oz Grand Marnier ◆◆ 1 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Blend ◆◆ 1 oz dry vermouth ◆◆ 1/10 oz Cynar ◆◆ 2 dashes of Angostura bitters ◆◆ 2 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Stir on ice for 20 seconds. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with a grapefruit zest.

SAZERAC ABRICOT Café Cancan; 89 Harbord St. cafecancan.com

IN G R ED IEN TS ◆◆ 1½ oz Rittenhouse Rye ◆◆ ½ oz Briottet Creme d’Abricot ◆◆ 3 dashes ras el hanout bitters ◆◆ Dillon’s absinthe to rinse ◆◆ Lemon oils

Photograph by Nikki Leigh McKean

To make the bitters, infuse Peychaud’s bitters with ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend. In a large mixing glass, add the rye, apricot liqueur and bitters. Stir over ice until sufficiently chilled and diluted, approximately 20 seconds. Rinse a small, chilled stemmed glass with absinthe prior to adding mixture. Express lemon oils on top of the cocktail and around the side of the glass for aroma.

HARVEST MOON Mulberry Bar; 828 Bloor St. W. mulberry.bar

INGREDIENTS ◆◆ 5 drops of Kinsip vanilla rye bitters ◆◆ 5 drops of Bitter Tears scarlet

strawberry chili bitters ◆◆ ¾ oz fresh lemon juice ◆◆ 1 oz Crown Royal Northern Harvest

Rye Whisky ◆◆ ½ oz rhubarb liqueur ◆◆ ½ oz strawberry liqueur

Add ingredients to a shaker. Fill it with ice and shake well. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist and a strawberry.

TINTO FINO Bar Raval; 505 College St. thisisbarraval.com

IN G R ED IEN TS Pineapple Sage Syrup ◆◆ 390 g pineapple flesh ◆◆ 5 g white sage ◆◆ 60 ml saline solution (1 part salt to

10 parts water) ◆◆ 1 L simple syrup

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until well integrated and strain through cheesecloth.

Cocktail

◆◆ 2 oz Tio Pepe Fino sherry ◆◆ 1 oz pineapple sage syrup ◆◆ 1 oz lime juice ◆◆ Soda ◆◆ Grapefruit zest for garnish

Add all ingredients to a chilled Collins glass. Top with soda and a grapefruit zest garnish.

CLICK

F O O D I S M .T O

SMOKED GIN SOUR Weslodge; 480 King St. W. weslodge.com

ING REDIENTS ◆◆ 2 oz Georgian Bay gin infused with

hickory, cherrywood and cedar ◆◆ 1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice ◆◆ ¾ oz pine-infused simple syrup ◆◆ 1 egg white ◆◆ Cherry for garnish

Combine infused Georgian Bay gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Shake again with ice for five to 10 seconds. Strain into a glass and garnish with a cherry.

Photograph by ###

THE GRASS-FED DIFFERENCE

Rolling Meadow Dairy feeds their cows grass year-round, which is better for the animals, the environment and milk consumers

ANY OF US have dairy cows to thank for our morning meals, whether it’s a splash of milk in our lattes, a bowl of fruit, yogurt and granola, or simply a fresh glass poured straight from the carton before running out the door. When we think about how dairy cows start their day, we might have visions of pastoral scenes with animals munching on grass in a field as the sun rises.

But the reality is that most modern farming operations predominantly use grain and corn to feed their cows. While this may be a cost-effective method to raising cows, there’s one Canadian dairy producer that is doing things differently. To deliver the best milk possible, Rolling Meadow Dairy works with local southwestern Ontario farmers who use traditional grass-feeding practices. These small, family farms focus on ▶

ROLLING MEADOW'S DAIRY COWS ARE FED FRESH SPROUTS IN THE WINTER

PROMOTION

▶ feeding their cows grass year-round, in addition to allowing the cows to graze on pasture during the warmer months. In the winter, Rolling Meadow Dairy cows eat not only a diet rich in grass, they are fed fresh sprouts that are produced in a local, state-of-the-art sprouting facility. Imagine what it feels like to enjoy a meal outside with the warmth of the summer sun shining on your face. While we can’t confirm that cows are happier eating grass outdoors, we’d like to think that Rolling Meadow Dairy cows enjoy

the sunshine and the taste of fresh food just like humans do. After all, cows are designed to eat grass, so letting dairy cows pasture outdoors means these creatures are dining as nature intended. Happy, healthy cows produce nutritious milk that tastes rich and delicious. By working with local farmers who are committed to traditional grass-fed practices, Rolling Meadow Dairy’s milk, yogurt, and butter benefit cows and consumers alike, resulting in quality food that you can feel good about. ●

ABOVE: Rolling Meadow Dairy works with local southwestern Ontario farmers who use traditional grass-feeding practices

I T ’S T I M E

BLOOM

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON GIN

CHAMOMILE

POMELO

HO NEYS UCKL E

www.bloomgin.com PRODUCT OF ENGLAND

E S CA P I S M

ESCAPISM

BELOW: The world’s third largest mosque, Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is constructed from over 100,000 tons of white marble. Find out about another remarkable building opening soon in Abu Dhabi (pg. 77)

56 UNDER THE SEA 63 CHECKLIST 66 POINT OF VIEW 74 THE INSIDER 77 JUST LANDED 79 REAR VIEW

Photograph by Azhar J

elcome to the second preview of escapism, a travel magazine for those who want to get much more out of their next vacation. This is a small taste of a new, free magazine that will be coming your way in early 2018. If you like what we’ve done with food, you’re going to love what happens when we take on travel. e

UNDER THE SEA

Caroline Aksich explores the ethics of octopus hunting and the growing impact of tourism on this Croatian tradition

E S CA P I S M

Photograph by JGA/Shutterstock.com

ABOVE: A freshly caught octopus is roasted in a metal pot along with potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic

he biggest octopus I ever caught with my bare hands weighed five pounds. I was 12, maybe 13. That underwater struggle felt like slaying a kraken. The nest was just deep enough that my lungs were nearly empty by the time I swam down. Every descent became more painful, my chest screaming for air, as I had at most 10 seconds at the bottom to struggle with the beast before returning to the surface, gasping, sputtering, panting. I still remember the bristle worm I accidentally touched during the fight. The burn seared for hours, like an unrelenting wasp sting. But the pride of showing off my catch to my grandpa, the octopus master, made it worth it. He first taught me how to catch an octopus four years earlier, on my first day back in Croatia after half a decade away. Maybe it’s that people don’t speak about the horrors of war with a third grader, but I remember jumping into island life mostly ignorant of the years of terror my friends and family had weathered. During the time my family stayed away from Croatia, the country I took my first steps in was shredded by war. While my cousins braved bombings, I went about being a regular Canadian kid. I forgot the language, and the island of Sipan became more of a myth than reality. Although it’s the largest island in the Elaphiti archipelago, Sipan’s a scant 9.1 kilometres from tip to tail, boasting two villages and 436 residents. Small it may be, but it’s dramatic. Lush, evergreenand olive-covered This collection of mountains that drop islands is located into the turquoise northwest of sea. Ragged Dubrovnik. Only three of the islands limestone cliffs that are inhabited, beg to be climbed. with a combined The harbour, though, population of fewer than 1,000. is calm. A fishing boat-dotted bay ringed with palm trees and gem-coloured fishing nets drying in the sun. On this tiny fishing island, locals are raised on the hyperboles of a good fishing tale: “It was this big, I swear.” After his stroke, my grandfather struggled with language. This was painful for a man who could previously jump between seven languages effortlessly. I’d only ever heard stories about my grandpa as the fearless Croatian sea captain but the man I knew was a soft-spoken garden putterer and animal whisperer.

That first day back on Sipan he jumped off the pier without warning, only to return with a wriggling octopus in his hands. That day, I met the part of my grandpa that had been lost to the stroke. He passed me the octopus he caught and I stroked its tofu-like skin, letting its tentacles wrap up my arm. After a few minutes, my grandpa decided the creature had suffocated on land long enough. He began slamming the still-pulsing body into the hard concrete. Once the ball of muscle and limbs stopped fighting, he then turned its head inside out, pulling out its organs, rendering the creature completely limp. Some families hike, others play games or go camping. My family's hobby is hunting octopus. Just as I learned how to hunt from

YOU DEVELOP RESPECT FOR YOUR DINNER ONCE YOU’VE LOOKED IT IN THE EYES

my grandpa, my father learned from his grandpa. When the three of us would return home with our catch, I’d settle into the toohot kitchen with my grandmother. Although my grandmother was a phenomenal entertainer, she was not a great chef. My grandmother would pound the creature soft and boil it for hours with a cork and a few bay leaves. According to her, the cork made it more tender. That was the next day’s lunch. It was served cold, chopped into a salad with plenty of onions pickled in a red wine vinegar. Even though the way my grandmother prepared octopus was chewy and unimaginative, I was inspired. Seeing the creature go from sea to plate made clear to me the relationship between death, food

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LOCAL FISHERMEN SAY THEIR HAULS ARE MORE MEAGRE EVERY YEAR

BELOW: Octopus hunting is a tradition in Caroline Aksich’s family. The skill was passed down to her from her grandfather

Photography by 607620926/Shutterstock.com

and nature. I decided then that if I couldn’t stomach killing my own dinner, I shouldn’t eat animals. For this reason, I spent a swath of my teenage years as a vegetarian. Even today, before I kill an octopus I mutter “sorry” under my breath before biting it between the eyes. (This is a more benevolent way of ending an octopus’s life as the biting method stops brain function in about five seconds rather than three minutes of brutal bashing.) While killing an octopus is easy, finding these masters of camouflage isn’t so simple. Octopi are funny because while they don’t want to be found they’re also décor fanatics. Some will have the most easily missed cave (a deep nook in a rocky surface or a burrow under some

already seen me. It will sink down farther into its nest, still watching, waiting. The first descent is key. I’ll swallow as much air as my lungs will hold and dive down, usually about five to eight metres. Before I wrestle the creature from its home, I decide if it’s big enough (the smallest I’ll go is a pound and a half). Then, it’s time to rumble. Reaching into its cave with a bare hand, I’ll wrap my fingers around the body in an effort to pull the octopus out. The sharp Adriatic rocks cut into my hands as I struggle. A second later, the cephalopod has contorted itself free, leaving me with a handful of ink and forcing me to push

algae-covered rocks), but then they’ll strew their favourite shells around their homes to create gardens. Some octopi are ostentatious with a love of shiny shells, others prefer a minimalist look: rocks only. Often the currents have gathered some Shell collections found around octopi shells together, dens are known as mimicking octopus “midden heaps.” decoration, and you’ll They are often spend 30 minutes used by divers to track these elusive seeking out nothing. tentacled creatures. Once I’ve spotted an octopus, typically a pair of eyes tucked into a crag or sometimes even inside some garbage (I once caught an octopus that had made a home out of a car door), the octopus has

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ABOVE: Ispod saca is a traditional way to prepare octopus that creates a smoky and tender dish

Many acknowledge the need for stronger regulation, but are concerned that the government will intervene in their traditions, imposing taxes on industries and people who are already struggling to make ends meet. “Almost all recreational fishermen go past the five kilos per day maximum now set by the EU,” says Matko Pojatina, a diver who has made Sipan his summer home. According to The cheery Croatia’s minister of 39-year-old turns tourism, a record 15 million visitors are sour when discussing estimated to have the current state of already visited the the Adriatic. He’s country in the first eight months of 2017. frustrated by the nation’s impotent conservation efforts, and thinks the evergrowing tourism industry is partly to blame.

IS IT EVEN SUSTAINABLE IF I ONLY EAT FISH I CATCH?

While walking home this summer with an impressive catch, I was asked if I was selling octopus to restaurants. Why else would I be putting that kind of effort into catching them, they asked. Apart from the obvious answer – they’re delicious – you develop a respect for your plate when you’ve looked your dinner in the eyes. Each octopus has a personality. Some are fighters who will bite you with their surprisingly powerful parrot-like beaks. Others are pacifists that will settle into your hands once caught, calmly acknowledging the end. These creatures are intelligent and special, but for most tourists they’re just an easily forgotten appetizer. Since tourism became Croatia’s top economic generator, the coast has become inundated with trashy restaurants peddling “traditional” food (i.e. cheap, easy, boring). That these restaurants turn an incredible creature into something so forgettable is insulting. If you’re going to eat octopus, honour it by seeking out its most traditional preparation: ispod saca. After 40 minutes under smoldering coals, cooking in olive oil with peppers, carrots, parsley, garlic and potatoes, the octopus turns smoky and tender. The seafood feast, which comes to the table in its still bubbling glory, is an appropriate Viking funeral and a fitting end for a worthy opponent. e

Photograph by JGA/Shutterstock.com

farther into the rocks. Houdini would be in awe of these escape artists. Finally, when my lungs are near bursting, it’s time to return to the surface, gulp down air and head back down, hoping that while I’m up top my prey doesn’t flee. Sometimes it will take more than a dozen dives for me to catch just a single octopus. If it’s a particularly large octopus in a particularly difficult cave I’ll use my hook, but it’s always more satisfying to win barehanded. It somehow seems fair to give it a chance to outmanoeuvre me. Every year, I catch fewer octopi. I still love the act, the challenge, seeking them out, but I’ve developed a deep guilt about my seafood consumption. As ocean populations dwindle, I ask myself: is it even sustainable if I only eat fish I catch? For me, these multi-hour adventures are part meditation, an opportunity to dig into some of these important questions. While snorkelling off the coast, I will see men indiscriminately grabbing octopi of any size, some smaller than your thumb. They’ll use hooks or copper sulfate, a blue powder that forces the creatures to flee their crannies so that they’re easily scooped up. I’m not the only one who has noticed that the Adriatic Sea is growing anemic. Local fishermen regularly comment about how the fish grow smaller every year and their hauls are becoming more meagre.

JOIN LOCAL CHEFS, CRAFT BREWERIES AND WINERIES FOR COMPLIMENTARY NIBBLES, DRINKS AND FUN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25 FROM 8:30PM ‘TIL LATE, FEATURING DJ PHILLIPPE GEORGE BROWN CENTRE FOR HOSPITALITY & CULINARY ARTS 300 ADELAIDE ST. EAST TICKETS: $50 • BUY NOW: FOOD4ACTION.EVENTBRITE.CA MORE INFO AT ACTIONAGAINSTHUNGER.CA

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CHECKLIST Stay connected and document your trip like a pro with this techie travel gear set

ELECTRIC SLIDE AWAY THE CARRY-ON, $345 This handsome carry-on piece has a built-in lithium-ion battery with two USB ports for charging your devices on the road. Its tough, textured exterior resists scratches, while the interior nylon laundry bag keeps your clean and dirty clothes separate. awaytravel.com

Photography by Ryan Faist

1 LACIE RUGGED PORTABLE EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE, $170: Back up important files with this portable external hard drive, which features a waterresistant hard shell casing that protects

against inevitable on-the-go mishaps. bestbuy.ca

2 BOSE QUIETCOMFORT 35, $430: Eliminate distracting background noise on long journeys with these wireless headphones, which

use active noise cancellation to block out external sounds. True to their name, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re super soft and come with enough battery life for 20 hours of music. staples.ca

3 MICROSOFT UNIVERSAL FOLDABLE WIRELESS KEYBOARD, $99: Get work done on the road without bringing along your bulky laptop. This light, foldable keyboard wirelessly pairs with

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PRETTY FLY DJI SPARK, $700 With an easy start-up, automated flight modes and the ability to take sharp 12MP images using simple hand gestures, this mini drone is an excellent beginner quadcopter for newbies. bestbuy.ca; staples.ca

Photography by Ryan Faist

your smartphone or tablet for faster typing. bestbuy.ca

4 LG 360 CAM, $200: A pair of dual wide-angle, 13-million-pixel lenses allow this compact cam to capture high-quality 360° photos. It also

records 360° video. lg.com

5 ULTIMATE EARS WONDERBOOM, $130: Shockproof and waterproof (it even floats), this colourful Bluetooth speaker is remarkably durable.

The battery lasts for up to 10 hours and its big, crisp sound belies its tiny size. ultimateears.com

6 GOOGLE PIXEL, $400: Google’s first phone features all-day battery life and one of the best

smartphone cameras on the market. Builtin Google Assistant efficiently manages your travel itinerary and translates words and phrases in more than 100 languages. bestbuy.ca

POINT OF VIEW Toronto photographer Sandro Pehar captures the raw beauty of Agra and the iconic Taj Mahal

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n the dead of night, we arrived in Agra after a four-hour journey from Delhi. The roads, devoid of the daytime bustle of heavy trucks, made way for the creaks of rickshaws, the scratching of broom bristles cleaning night dust from driveways, and the shuffle of merchants setting up food stands. As Agra slowly awoke, we watched city life gradually coalesce around the scramble of tourists that the morning light brings. A deep blue sky cradled the impressive outline of the Taj Mahal in the distance. Standing in line at the Taj with almost exclusively locals and nationals, we felt the dewy air wrap around us as the doors to the complex opened. Suddenly, there it was, illuminated in glorious morning sunlight, surrounded by an incredible complex of mosques and Mughal architecture. As we stood there in Mughal architecture genuine awe, it was is the characteristic impossible to take building style of the Mughal empire, a photo for many which ruled large moments because, parts of South Asia really, no photo can during the 16th and the 17th centuries. do it justice. e

GETTING THERE Most visitors make the journey to the Taj from Delhi, the closest major city to Agra. Agra is well connected to Delhi by several trains. The Gatimaan Express is the fastest and most reliable, getting you from Delhi to Agra in just under two hours. Alternatively, various tour operators offer bus trips to the Taj from Delhi, or you can hire a private driver if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re prepared to shell out some extra cash for the convenience.

GETTING AROUND Auto rickshaws are the cheapest and most adventurous way to get around, or taxis are also readily available. Prepaid auto rickshaw and taxi booths are found outside the Agra rail station. Remember to negotiate a rate before your ride when flagging down rickshaws and taxis on the street. Photograph by ###

ABOVE: The Taj Mahal is illuminated by the pink glow of the morning sunrise

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planning to do a lot of exploring in the area, it may be worth it to hire a car and a driver for either a half or a full day.

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ABOVE: Scores of tourists are reflected in the pristine marble pools leading to the foot of the Taj Mahal

BELOW: The brilliant colours of the sunrise stream above the walls enclosing the Taj, greeting morning visitors

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Photograph by ###

ABOVE: A man recites morning prayers outside the Taj Mahal complex just before dawn breaks

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Photograph by ###

THE INSIDER

New Hampshire’s rich history and diverse landscapes make for an exciting food scene, writes Jessica Huras

ith a proud heritage and striking natural landscapes, New Hampshire may be among the smallest American states, but it has a big presence. One of the country’s 13 original colonies, New Hampshire played a significant role in the Revolutionary War with Great Britain, a past that’s reflected in its colonial-era buildings and its independent spirit. Between the remote expanses of wilderness for which the state is best known, you’ll find pretty little towns and civilized cities where the culinary scenes are as varied as the surrounding landscapes. The harbour town of Portsmouth is among the best places to experience the state’s 29 kilometres of Atlantic coastline. It’s a postcard-perfect New England seaside town, complete with clapboard houses, brick sidewalks lined with art

galleries and, of course, tons of amazing seafood. One of the oldest cities in the U.S., Portsmouth offers ample opportunity for a deep dive into American history or just browsing a few 18th century residences between sampling bowls of chowder. Stately coastal residences give way to handsome red brick buildings in Manchester, the state’s largest city. This area’s sizeable student population and long history of immigration help fuel a restaurant scene that’s surprisingly good and remarkably affordable. No town embodies New Hampshire’s official motto, “Live Free or Die,” quite like Manchester. Start with a visit to the Millyard Museum for an intro to the city’s textile industry roots that’ll show you Manchester’s scrappy charm. e

GETTING THERE There are no regular direct flights from Toronto to New Hampshire, but Porter Airlines offers frequent daily flights to Boston and it’s only about an hour’s drive from there to New Hampshire. flyporter.com

DANCING LION Originally a physicist, master chocolatier Richard Tango-Lowy’s approach to chocolate mixes scientific precision and artistic flare. He sources high-quality, and often rare, chocolate from farms and chocolate makers around the world to produce the shop’s hand-crafted truffles, bonbons and bars. Decorated with delicate, colourful patterns, Dancing Lion’s chocolates look like artwork and are treated as such, displayed for customers in a wooden jewelry case. dancinglion.us/cacao

manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum

NEW HAMPSHIRE ◆◆ Population: 1.33 million ◆◆ Area: 24,217 sq. km ◆◆ Also known for: granite

KEEN TO VISIT MORE FOODIE DESTINATIONS? VISIT FOODISM.TO

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CROWN TAVERN While its name may conjure images of a generic local watering hole, the Crown Tavern is anything but. The restaurant takes its name from a grand movie theatre that previously occupied the space. The newest restaurant from the team behind one of Manchester’s top fine dining destinations, the Crown Tavern is generating buzz for offering fine dining quality at approachable prices. The menu is casual but exceptionally well executed. thecrownonhanover.com

RIVER HOUSE While there’s more to New Hampshire than seafood, it would just be plain wrong to leave without sampling some fresh-off-theboat flavour. Winner of numerous chowder competitions, River House’s seafood chowder features hunks of tender lobster, shrimp and scallops in a creamy clam stock. Adding to the experience is the restaurant’s two-storey outdoor deck, which offers views of the Piscataqua River. riverhouse53bow.com

STARK BREWING

Photography by David J. Murray, Jessica Huras

New Hampshire is as infatuated with craft beer as the rest of North America. With new breweries opening their doors every day few can claim to have been on the scene as long as Stark Brewing Company, which was established in 1994. Rotating seasonal beers and nine core beers, which include the velvety Milly’s Oatmeal Stout and the refreshing Mt. Uncanoonuc Cream Ale, are brewed by hand in their downtown brewpub, set in a historic mill building overlooking the Merrimac River. The brewery recently began dipping its toes into distilling as well, producing small batches of a high-proof bourbon and an easy-drinking vodka. starkbrewingcompany.com

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JUST LANDED

Before hitting the road this fall, take a minute to check out what’s new in travel

ART START After numerous delays, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is finally set to open on Nov. 11. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the domed structure is located in the cultural district of Saadiyat Island. Within its walls, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will focus on collections from Central Asia. Outside, there are site-specific engraved stone walls from U.S. artist Jenny Holzer. One of its inaugural exhibitions, “From One Louvre to Another,” covers the history of the original Louvre in significant works.

Photography by Anibal Trejo/Shutterstock.com, Paulina Holmgren

SECOND CHANCES

DEEP FREEZE

Earlier this year, the Azure Window, a famous limestone formation on the island of Gozo in Malta, collapsed into the sea during a strong storm. Happily, the attraction is still drawing visitors, with divers now flocking to explore its underwater ruins. Experts say the former arch’s rugged edges will erode over time, eventually making it unrecognizable, so now is a good time to visit.

Sweden’s seasonal Icehotel is back for its 28th year. Situated in the northern village of Jukkasjärvi, the Icehotel is constructed annually out of 1,000 tonnes of “snice,” a dense snow and ice combination. The hotel’s 60-plus suites and snow rooms feature one-off designs from 40 artists around the globe, including ice leaf motifs from Swedish designers Nina and Johan Kauppi.

“Try a better gin” -Esquire

Characterful pioneers of London’s gin revival In 2009 three friends launched the first copper Distillery in London for nearly 200 years, on a mission to bring the art of beautifully hand crafted gin back to the city where gin first earned its name. We hand craft our gin in small batches with skill, care and love. Only ever taking the heart of the spirit, and never made from concentrate, this is gin made the way it used to be, the way it should be. The result is a stunningly smooth gin, full of character and exploding with flavour.

SIPSMITH.COM | @SIPSMITH

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REAR VIEW

UP AND AWAY

Photograph by OctoberSonota/Shutterstock.com

Photograph by ###

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever thought about visiting Thailand, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably seen an image like this one: A swarm of ethereal floating lanterns lighting up the night sky. This lantern launch is part of Yi Peng (also known as Yee Peng), an annual northern Thai festival associated with the nationwide Loy Krathong festival. Celebrated on the full moon of the 12th lunar month, the date for Yi Peng changes each year but typically falls around mid November. The largest and most famous festivities take place around Chiang Mai, where thousands of paper lanterns called khom loy are simultaneously released up into the air to symbolically let go of bad luck.

PROMOTION

FOOD DELIVERY REDEFINED

Three Toronto chefs tell us how UberEATS is changing the way they think about meal delivery and share their favourite UberEATS orders

ROCCO AGOSTINO, PIZZERIA LIBRETTO What was the inspiration behind Pizzeria Libretto? It was really and simply a true love for pizza – Neapolitan pizza to be exact.

Has UberEATS made you think differently about delivery? Yes. You don’t have to settle for not-sogreat food just because you might not feel like going out.

NUIT REGULAR, KIIN What was the inspiration behind Kiin? There is so much amazing food in Thailand that rarely gets represented outside of the country. The inspiration behind Kiin is the lost art of Royal Thai cuisine.

How has UberEATS impacted your business? UberEATS has largely broadened our delivery capacity and helped us reach more customers who aren't always able to come to the restaurant in person.

What would you recommend from your UberEATS menu?? We have a great lunch menu. Try the Tom Yum noodle soup with Sen Buk and poached beef.

What would you recommend from your UberEATS menu? If you’ve never had the traditional Margherita DOP before, that’s where you have to start. Other delivery favourites are our Nduja and Pepperoni pizzas.

ELIA HERRERA, LOS COLIBRIS What was the inspiration behind Los Colibris? My grandmother and mother were chefs in Veracruz, Mexico. I learned how to cook from both of them.

How do you ensure that UberEATS meals meet the same quality as those for customers dining in?

Use the promotion code FOODISMTO10 to receive $10 off your first UberEATS order. Valid in Toronto and the GTA through Dec. 31, 2017.

What would you recommend from your UberEATS menu? I would recommend the Chiles en Nogada, Torta de Elote or Rajas Poblanas.

Photography by Arienne Parzei

We control the timing with delivery and only offer dishes that can travel without affecting the quality of the food.

— PART 3 —

EXCESS “A WISE RULE WHEN VENTURING INTO CHEAP RESTAURANTS WITH WIDE-RANGING MENUS IS TO STICK TO THEIR SPECIALITIES” THE NOSTALGIST, 091

082 BOTTLE SERVICE | 091 THE NOSTALGIST | 093 DIGEST 094 THE SELECTOR | 098 DECONSTRUCT

DRINK

BOTTLE SERVICE Our favourite locally roasted beans, along with wines and beers for the fall season PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN FAIST

3 2 4 1

1 DETOUR SAN SEBASTIAN. Detour’s selection of beans is vast and fits any coffee drinker’s profile. Our pick is fresh and clean, flaunting a lot of fruit notes. $17, detourcoffee.com 2 SUPREME 100% COLOMBIAN. Try this pure Colombian roast for something bold with a rich, creamy taste. $16.50, hotblackcoffee.com 3 PROPELLER COFFEE KENYA. Handpicked in Kenya’s Rift Valley, bursting with dark

chocolate and stone fruit notes. $21, propellercoffee.com 4 MONIGRAM. Our favourite bags of beans from this roaster based in Cambridge, Ont., have well-rounded flavours with hazelnut undertones. $18, monigram.ca 5 CUT COFFEE. You can’t buy a mediocre bag of beans from Cut Coffee, which produces some of the city's best beans. Our preferred pick is the mixed Ethiopian/ Colombian beans. $17, cutcoffee.ca

6 HATCH COLOMBIA. Immediately you’ll taste caramel and nutty notes with this winner from a local north Toronto roaster. $16, hatchcrafted.com 7 BAROCCO COSTA RICA SPECIAL EDITION. A true journey in a cup, from plum and stone fruit notes to chocolate cake. $22.99, baroccocoffee. com

6 5

CLICK

F O O D I S M .T O

1 COLLECTIVE ARTS PROPHETS & NOMADS GOSE. If you want to hold onto memories of warm summer nights gone by, try this light and fruity sud. $3.25, lcbo.com 2 OAST HOUSE BARNRAISER COUNTRY ALE. Niagara’s best in a can. Oast House’s hoppy, mediumbodied country ale is something we’ll be sipping as the chilly fall season sets in. $3.30, lcbo.com

3 MACKINNON CROSSCUT CANADIAN ALE. Malt and more malt. An easy sipper that boasts plenty of nutty notes. $2.95, lcbo.com 4 DANFORTH VIADUCT IPA. For those who like their hops with a tinge of tang. Pairs well with anything spicy. $3.15, lcbo.com 5 PARSONS CRUSHABLE PILSNER. An easy-to-drink pilsner from a brewery making waves in Prince Edward County. A crisp interpretation of Czech style. $4, parsonsbrewing.com

1 2 Photograph by ###

3 4

1 HUFF ESTATES SOUTH BAY CHARDONNAY 2015. A stellar Chardonnay from a remote Ontario winemaking plot. Beautifully lush and buttery with corn and

creaminess on the palate. $35, huffestates.com 2 REDSTONE CHARDONNAY 2013. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something crisp with fruit-forward notes, this is it.

Sips well with seafood. $19.95, lcbo.com 3 FIELDING RED CONCEPTION 2015. A great nofuss wine for the campfire or a cosy night in. $19.95, lcbo.com

4 THE OLD THIRD CABERNET FRANC 2015. A refreshing sipper with an abundance of cherry and chewy tannins. Buy two, cellar one. $55, theoldthird.com

4 1

Photograph by ###

A THIRST FOR ADVENTURE

With passion, skill and a little luck, two entrepreneurs founded world-class wineries on either side of the Andes Mountains

T WAS A fateful accident that brought Mijndert Pon to the little developed region of Uco Valley in Argentina. In the middle of a worldwide boat tour, the adventurous entrepreneur’s sailboat met its end in the Panama Canal. So Pon ventured south and, following the advice of locals, visited parcels of land east of the Andes. At the time, Pon might not have realized that Uco would be one of the best regions in the country for growing Malbec grapes. But trusting his gut, Pon purchased 2,000 hectares of land, 700 of which were planted with grapes in 1992.

IN TODAY'S WINE SCENE, COOL IS VERY HOT. HIGH ALTITUDES ARE ONE OF MANY FORMS OF COOLING INFLUENCES

This marked the birth of his winery: Bodegas Salentein. Mijndert Pon passed away in 2014, but his legacy continues through talented Argentinean winemaker Jose Gallante. “The Uco Valley is a very exciting area to work due to the diversity it offers,” he says. “We are just discovering the full potential of new micro regions like Altamira and San Pablo and the wines are exceptional.” Just west of Uco Valley, through the mountain passes of the Andes, lies the coastal wine region of Casablanca, Chile. Here, retail magnate and son of ▶

CONTEST

WIN DINNER AT MIRA

WIN

Opening this holiday season, Mira Restaurant is chef Stuart Cameron's (Patria, Byblos) latest venture. Celebrating Peruvian cuisine, Mira will be an ideal destination to sample the finest wines of the Andes Mountains.

WIN

One lucky foodism reader and a guest will win a dinner at Mira on opening night. Visit foodism.to/competition to enter.

WINE AND DINE Mira Restaurant's Stuart Cameron shares his best food pairings for wines of the Andes Casas del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, $14.95, Vintages #974717 This wine’s intense notes of citrus, rich salinity and subtle white pepper pair beautifully with Mira’s corvina ceviche with tempura, Andean corn, sweet potato and pisco leche de tiger.

Salentein Reserva Malbec, $17, Vintages #640854

▶ Genoese immigrants, Juan Cúneo Solari, was fulfilling his father’s dream by starting a farm on the family estate. Among his first crops of artichokes and lettuce, he also planted grapes that would eventually become the first vineyards of Casas del Bosque. “We were in the right place at the right time,” says Giorganna Cúneo, who currently sits on the winery's board of directors. “My father originally built his home close to his business interests in Santiago. When the grapes took to this micro-climate, he simply took advantage of that fact.”

Both vineyards benefit from the favourable climate of the Andes Mountains. Warm days allow grapes to develop their fruit essence while cool nights help to balance acidity. At Bodegas Salentein, cooling influences come from high-altitude vineyards, while at Casas del Bosque, daytime heat is moderated by cool morning fog and steady breezes from the Pacific Ocean. There you have it. With equal parts skill, dedication and good fortune, two men who followed their instincts have flourished in the hyper-competitive world of winemaking. ●

Mira’s wagyu short rib anticuchos with criolla onions and rocoto chilli sauce marry beautifully with the graceful intensity of this malbec's fruit and lively floral notes.

Casas del Bosque Reserva Carmenere, $15.95, Vintages #205872 Black cherry, tobacco and cedar notes in this wine make an exceptional pairing with Mira's arroz con pato featuring duck, native Peruvian ingredients, cilantro and dark beer.

COMPETITION COMPETITION CONTEST

RAISE A GLASS TO AUTUMN

Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz will beautifully complement fall’s forthcoming harvest dinners

S THE EVENINGS cool, the changing colours invite cosy gatherings around the dinner table. It’s time for delicious meals using autumn’s bounty of fresh harvest vegetables, lovingly tended to by local growers and farmers, made complete with wine selections that are produced just as thoughtfully. Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz is a smooth and rich red wine crafted from superior quality Shiraz grapes, which are grown in South Australia’s renowned Barossa Valley. To develop the wine’s flavour, Jacob’s Creek uses their signature Double

Barrel technique, which sees grapes matured in traditional wine barrels before finishing in aged whisky barrels to add layers of complexity. The resulting wine pours a lovely shade of crimson. You’ll be delighted by its blackberry and vanilla aromas on the nose while plum and cherry flavours develop on the first sip. It also boasts a soft and incredibly smooth finish. Discover how Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel complements autumn’s harvest by joining us for an exclusive dinner at the iYellow Loft in November. Sample this complex red wine along with a thoughtfully crafted meal that reflects the flavours of the season. ●

WIN WIN AN EXCLUSIVE DINNER AT THE IYELLOW LOFT Six foodism readers will win a pair of seats for themselves and a guest at a gourmet dinner held at the brand new iYellow Loft on Nov. 14. Australian-born chef Adam HynamSmith will use local, seasonal ingredients to create a memorable meal paired with Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz. To enter visit: foodism.to/competition.

WIN

AUTUMN WINES

A Provence rosé reminiscent of summer and two rich international reds that are ready to be savoured

THE NOSTALGIST

Consistently low prices and no-fuss fare make Java a cheap-eats institution, writes Jessica Huras

Photography by Jessica Huras, Ryan Faist

HERE WAS A time when building a list of Toronto’s best bang-for-your-buck eats was practically a hobby of mine. These restaurants are not and were never among the city’s brightest culinary gems. Instead, they were a collection of personally vetted restaurants that I considered to be the cream of the city’s cheap-eats crop. When I moved back to Toronto after living abroad for a few years, I was eager to discover what was new in the city’s restaurant scene, sure, but I was guiltily, secretly even more excited to sink into the familiar comforts of my old favourite spots. Most places were, sadly but also not surprisingly, disappointing to return to. The dive bars were even grungier than I remembered and many of them had raised their prices significantly. Then there was Java, where I was handed what I’m sure was one of the same menus I had regularly flipped through four years before, slightly stained somehow despite being encased in plastic. More importantly, most of the dishes were still priced at well under $9 each. The food certainly isn’t impressive, but it’s remarkably satisfying for the price and the portions are ample. A wise general rule when venturing into cheap restaurants with wide-ranging menus is to stick to their specialties. Java’s menu offers everything from perogies to schnitzel sandwiches, but the Asian-inspired dishes are their best by far. Entrées like the crispy chow mein check all the boxes you could want from Asian comfort food: simple, fresh-out-of-the-frying-pan and packed with enough veggies that you can

convince yourself it’s kind of, sort of, healthy. Service can be a confusing experience because you rarely have just one server. It seems to be and probably is the result of disorganization, but the unexpectedly pleasant result is quite attentive service that happens to be delivered by the whole team. Then there’s the first time you need to use the washroom. Someone waves you towards the rear of the restaurant and the directions take you straight into the kitchen. Shocked and embarrassed, you start to back away but then one of the cooks points out the staircase leading down to the washrooms. Yes, the washrooms are correctly accessed via the kitchen. How does having diners regularly walking through the kitchen not violate some sort of health code? It’s baffling. Java’s daily specials continue to be almost too cheap to believe. I’ve often told people about the Friday and Saturday specials: Two entrées and a pitcher (premium beer on Fridays and either sangria or imported beer on Saturdays) for roughly $27. “Wow,” they say, “an entrée and a pitcher for $27? That’s a good deal.” “No,” I correct them, smiling at their innocence, “two entrées and a pitcher.” Dining out in Toronto can be an expensive endeavour and places where you can get half decent food for next to nothing are becoming increasingly tough to find. Every time I go back to Java I expect the portion sizes to have gotten smaller or the inconceivable daily special prices to have disappeared but, thankfully, Java has been defying the odds for over 20 years and counting. f

1. GASSIE R SABL ES D’AZ U R R OSÉ 2016 Refusing to let go of summer? Relive it with a medium-bodied but dry rosé made from a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. Provence is the rosé capital of the world, producing wines with a pleasing note of florality and a citrus undertone. Perfect as an appetizer wine before your dinner party is set to start. $16.95, lcbo.com

2. SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2015 Sourced from high-altitude plots in Mendoza, Argentina’s Uco Valley, this craft wine sings with plump red fruits like plum and blackberry. It has a cooling mouthfeel that fits perfectly into post-dinner wine sessions on the porch, revealing more and more with each sip. $17, lcbo.com

3. CASTAÑO SO L A N ERA VIÑAS VIE J AS 2013 As bold as they come, a blend of Monastrel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache. Aged for almost a year in American and French oak, the Solanera has a bursting effect on your palate. A wave of ripe dark fruit coats a subtle layer of wood and chalky characteristics with a lush mouthfeel that lingers. $17.95, lcbo.com

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TASTE OF TRADITION

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ENTIMANS IS SHAKING up any assumptions you might have about generic-tasting sodas with its line of botanical drinks. Fentimans handcrafted beverages feature the kind of nuanced flavours you’d probably expect from a craft beer or wine, but perhaps not from a typical soft drink. Their traditional botanical brewing method has changed little since it was first perfected by Thomas Fentiman more than a century ago. An iron puddler by trade from Cleckheaton, England, Fentiman came into possession of the recipe for a botanically brewed ginger beer as part of a deal in exchange for an unpaid loan from an acquaintance. He began brewing and bottling the beverage, delivering it doorto-door via horse and cart. Unlike run-of-the-mill carbonated drinks, which only take a few hours to produce, Fentimans drinks are made in small batches over the course of seven days. It all starts with natural herbs,

botanicals and ginger roots, which are sourced from specialist suppliers. For example, rose oil for the delightful Rose Lemonade is imported from Kazanlak, Bulgaria, an area known locally as the Valley of the Roses. The Mediterranean oranges used to make the citrusy Mandarin & Seville Orange Jigger are chosen for their bold, tangy flavour. These ingredients continue through a multi-stage process of mashing, infusion, fermentation, chilling and centrifugation, before being blended with additional natural flavours, some sugars and botanical mixtures. Back in Fentiman’s day, the resulting liquid was decanted into stone jars, which were stamped with an image of his pet dog named Fearless. Although these stone jars have since been replaced by glass bottles, they still feature a version of the same familiar photo of Fearless the dog. Today, Fentimans drinks are also pasteurized to allow the flavour to

CITRUS ROSE SPRITZ Ingredients ◆◆ 2 oz gin or vodka ◆◆ 4 oz Fentimans Rose Lemonade

Method Pour over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with lemon wheels. Feeling fancy? Add a sprig of rosemary or lavender.

develop and provide a longer shelf life for consumers. Fentimans craft sodas can be enjoyed on their own or try mixing them with your favourite spirits. No matter how you choose to enjoy Fentimans, you’re sure to notice the superior taste that comes from the finest ingredients and time-honoured brewing methods. ●

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F O O D I S M .T O

THE DIGEST CCBO In anticipation of nationwide marijuana legalization set for July 1, 2018, Premier Kathleen Wynne has announced that the LCBO will run Ontario’s cannabis sales. Operating out of separate standalone outlets and an online service, the government cannabis stores will restrict sales to those aged 19 and

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older to match the legal drinking age. This announcement means the end of independent cannabis dispensaries, which the Ontario government has pledged to close over the next 12 months. Forty government-run weed stores are expected to open on July 1, with 80 open by 2019 and 150 stores by 2020. Branding for the new government cannabis chain has yet to be decided.

BOUTIQUE BEDS The latest in a slew of hot boutique hospitality openings to hit the city is Bisha Hotel. It’s the first hotel property from fine dining and nightlife heavyweights INK Entertainment. Bisha features both condo suites and swish hotel rooms along with a notable food and drink program. The 44th floor features the Baja-inspired restaurant KOST, while celeb chef Akira Back will run an eponymous restaurant serving his signature Japanese-Korean cuisine. The hotel will also have a Parisian café.

Photography by deviat_ed/Flickr.com, Jessilynn Wong, Suresh Doss

WINE AND DINE iYellow Wine Cave, a wine education and appreciation hub, has launched a supper club spinoff. The space features a full kitchen and dining space for up to 12 guests. Expect wine and food tastings, sommelier meet-and-greets as well as visits from winemakers. The supper club's industrial space and location off King Street West will appeal to fans of the Wine Cave. The iYellow Supper Club is currently open for booking private dinners, as well as trade and media events.

NEW BREW(HOUSE) Amsterdam Brewing is expanding its footprint on Toronto’s waterfront. In addition to its buzzing Queens Quay brewhouse, the craft brewer is set to open a new production and dining facility in Leaside this fall. Taking over the former space occupied by Against The Grain Urban Tavern, the Amsterdam Barrel House encompasses a 300-seat restaurant across two levels, with a patio and wood-fired grill. As the name implies, there will be a focus on barrel-aged beers along with farmhouse ales and the use of experimental yeasts.

COUNTRY STATE OF MIND

Get outside and take in the best of autumn in Ontario with these farm-focused experiences

THE SELECTOR

As the weather cools, welcome autumn's harvest by visiting a nearby farm or tucking into a pie made from local ingredients. Once it gets too chilly to be outside, escape to the best of the city's bevy of wine bars

1 Chudleigh’s Farm 9528 Regional Rd. 25, Milton

Opened in 1967, Chudleigh’s has been a long-standing staple for families. It was one of the first pick-your-own apple orchards in the province, offering jam-packed rows of apples ranging from russets to granny smiths. Their signature creation, the Chudleigh’s Apple Blossom, is a must-try. Also make sure to taste the freshly made butter toffee sticky cake and apple crumble if you’re in the mood for something sweet. Adventurous activities for kids run the gamut, including a long list of cute farm animals to pet, a huge (and tricky) hay maze to get lost in and pony rides that are sure to inspire any child’s inner cowboy.

chudleighs.com

BEST OF THE REST

Photograph by Suresh Doss

2 Oxford County Cheese Trail

4 Springridge Farm

Multiple locations, Oxford County

7256 Bell School Ln., Milton

On this self-guided trail, stops into dairycentric delights include cheese factory tours and tastings at Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese and Mountainoak Cheese, to name a few. Enjoy some fresh country air and learn about the rich history of handmade cheeses, Swiss producing techniques, and the types of milk used to make different cheeses. The trail also includes stops at local cheesefocused eateries, as well as a cheese-themed playground where children can spin on a wheel of blue cheese and climb up large slices of swiss.

The Hughes family has been growing fruit on this Milton farm for over six generations. Find an assortment of freshly picked strawberries, raspberries, pumpkins and gourds, along with other fruits and vegetables for sale at their barn market. Here, you can also purchase cherry pies and tarts inspired by the season’s harvest. Visit the observation beehive and learn how honey is harvested from more than one million bees. Until Oct. 29, catch their annual Harvest Festival for activities such as barbecues, wagon rides through a giant corn trail and puppet shows.

oxfordcountycheesetrail.ca

springridgefarm.com

3 Riverdale Farm

5 Andrew’s Scenic Acres

201 Winchester St., Toronto

9365 10th Sdrd., Halton Hills

One of Toronto’s only city farms, Riverdale spans seven acres over the heart of Cabbagetown. You can pop by to check out its scenic wooded pathways and gardens; or have a chat with the farmer while he does his daily chores collecting eggs, feeding the energetic animals and milking the goats. For Halloween, expect an on-site pumpkincarving station and a Halloween Boo Barn complete with face painting and crafts for kids. The farm is open year-round, giving us urbanites a chance to experience a bit of the country right here in the city.

Just 38 years in operation, Andrew’s is a fairly young farm but has already become a leading producer in the GTA’s berry market and the community’s go-to farm for seasonal berry picking. Sweet corn, squash and elderberries are among the farm-grown goodness available here. Guests can also gather fresh field flowers such as dahlias and sunflowers. For the little ones there's Straw Mountain, where kids can jump from stacked bales of hay or trek through a haunted forest. For the adults in the group, an in-house winery offers tastings of fruit wines.

toronto.ca/parks

andrewsscenicacres.com

1 Brothers 1240 Bay St.

Blink and you’ll miss this tucked-away wine bar sitting on top of Bay Station. The menu is a vibrant mix of Mediterranean influences and the food changes almost daily, pulling from what is seasonally available. It’s all matched by one of the best by-the-glass wine lists in the city. There’s plenty of attention paid to local wineries and a carefully picked list of natural wines, great for those new to the world of unadulterated juice. brotherstoronto.com

THE SELECTOR

GRAPE ESCAPE

At the city’s best wine bars, you’ll discover some impressive collections of hard-to-find bottles BEST OF THE REST 2 Midfield

4 Chez Nous

1434 Dundas St. W.

798 Queen St. E.

Midfield offers more than 60 wines by the glass and bottle as well as a reserve list of highend wines. The impressive selection earns the praise of seasoned wine experts, yet the atmosphere remains approachable enough for newbies looking to sample something not found on LCBO shelves.

Head here for a crash course in Ontario wine that doesn't break the bank. Seasoned wine traveller Laura Carr’s ethos is simple: present some of the best local (and international) wines at reasonable prices. Impressively, at any given time, you’ll find nearly two dozen local wines available to order by the glass.

midfieldwine.com

cheznouswinebar.ca

3 Archive

5 Skin and Bones

909 Dundas St. W.

980 Queen St. E.

When it first opened five years ago, Archive paved the way for creating a social, democratized environment for wine lovers who wanted to enjoy vino without all the pretentious fuss. It remains one of the city’s best bars for international wine while local Ontario gems and special limited-production wines can also be spotted popping up on the menu regularly from time to time.

This east end restaurant has built a cult-like following for its detailed and broad wine list. It's a perfect place for enjoying a multi-course meal while travelling the world’s diverse wine regions with each glass. Skin and Bones is also known for hosting “wine league” events, where varietals of wine are served with a food pairing. Guests vote for their favourite, which ends up on the wine list for a short time.

archive909.com

skinandbonesto.com

BEST OF THE REST 2 Wanda’s Pie in the Sky

4 The Pie Plate

287 Augusta Ave.

1516 Niagara Stone Rd.

With its cheerful pastel exterior, Wanda's has long been a beacon of comfort in Kensington Market for pies by the slice or whole. Her pies have a buttery crust and many have latticed tops that enhance their homemade aesthetic. The extensive menu includes a range of apple and other fruit pies along with cream and nut varieties.

This Niagara-on-the-Lake favourite is known for creating seasonal pies with ingredients from surrounding regions. Attracting guests from across the border, pies here are so popular that the owners recommend you reserve them in advance, with their strawberry and peach pies (get the custard versions) being part of the main attraction.

wandaspieinthesky.com

thepieplate.com

3 Mabel’s Bakery

5 Rolling Pin

Multiple locations

1970 Avenue Rd.

Known for its use of organic, local ingredients, Mabel's pies feature light, flaky crusts made with butter and other natural ingredients. The classic fillings found here include blueberry, key lime, pecan and lemon meringue. The seasonally available apple pie is made with fresh Ontario apples.

While this hip Avenue Road bakery is known for its indulgent doughnuts, Rolling Pin brings the same creative approach to their pies. The decadent Candy Bar Pie features a crust made from crushed-up pretzels and a filling with salted caramel, whipped peanut butter and chocolate ganache.

mabelsbakery.ca

therollingpin.ca

5 THE SELECTOR

A SLICE OR A SLIVER

Find comfort in freshly baked pieces from the area's best pie purveyors

1 Dough Bakeshop 173 Danforth Ave.

Photography by Suresh Doss, Ryan Faist

A wide gluten-free and vegan baked goods selection makes this a favourite of eastenders with special diets. This family-run bakery takes pride in doing their baking on-site, in front of their customers, with Dough’s cosy dine-in area offering a view of their kitchen. The bakery also uses local, organic ingredients whenever possible. Pies come with a range of fillings like strawberry rhubarb and coconut cream, complementing their homestyle look and taste. It’s a small operation, so call ahead to see what they have available or order your pie in advance. doughbakeshop.ca

AYAM PEDAS: Roasted chicken coated in a thick sweet and spicy chili sauce. GADO GADO: An assortment of blanched vegetables, topped with some emping (chips) and a peanut sauce.

IKAN BAKAR BELADO: Fillet of sea bream grilled and served with a tomato sambal lime leaf kecap sauce.

RENDANG: Sumatra-style spicy coconut slow-braised beef. SAYUR LODEH KAR: A mixed vegetable and coconut curry.

SATAY AYAM: Marinated grilled chicken skewers served with a peanut sauce.

ACAR KETIMUN: Turmeric and chili sweet pickled cucumber.

BABI KECAP: Pork slow-braised with star anise and ginger.

ACAR TAUGE: Chili-pickled bean sprouts.

SAMBAL GORENG KETANG KERING: Sweet and spicy matchstick potato. Noorden, 2110 Yonge St., 416-488-2110

Photograph by ###

This DutchSumatran feast consists of up to 20 dishes. Toronto’s Noorden is the only restaurant offering rijsttafel (meaning “rice table”). It’s best enjoyed with a group.