TASTE EDITION
aw, shucks! Seafood lovers of Niagara – this guide is for you
Niagara’s
SECRET DINING SOCIETY the Norton Underground
plus The magic of Choux pastry , bone broth as a HEALTH ELIXER, eating in THE BIG EASY, PEASANT FARE fit for a king & HAGGIS gets a new rap.
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contributors LYNN OGRYZLO Food Editor A plate of a dozen raw oysters was placed in front of me. The waiter, pleased with himself, smiled at me expecting a look of anticipation. I took one look at the plate and gasped, “they’re RAW!” Fast forward a few decades and I’m looking back on a pretty successful career as a food writer – who would have thought? I’ve learned an awful lot about food, about culinary traditions and destinations but my belief in eating only the best has never wavered. As food editor of this issue of Today Magazine, I am fortunate enough to be able to share what foods, traditions and destinations have caught my attention. From a day in the kitchen with Thierry Clement mastering the labour intensive Cassoulet – to exploring Choux, the ever-forgiving pastry that can be made into many impressive dishes from sweet to savoury. In my travels, my four days in New Orleans stood out as I was surprised by my discoveries in the least expected neighbourhoods. I wish I could bring the dishes back for you to taste but then you’d miss the immense pleasure of your own culinary discoveries. My last story, as a defender of foods that get a bad rap, I’m flying the flag for Haggis. I hope my rational will give you pause to reconsider this underrated dish. I still go to the farmers’ market on Saturday and farm markets almost daily. I still buy my foods from people I know and trust, eat seasonally and cook for family and friends. I now know that oysters can be consumed raw as well as cooked and throughout the years have travelled extensively for the pursuit of the best foods, particularly the best pastries and chocolate which I’ve tried every diet to combat the over enthusiasm of my work. With each step I’ve shared stories that now continue on in the pages of Today Magazine. If you and I have been social media food buddies throughout my writing career, thanks for sticking it out through the opinionated attitudes and delicious sharing, the books and - the typos. Do you remember the time I told everyone that peaches were a Chinese symbol of immorality? What a typo! The truth is that peaches are a Chinese symbol of immortality! At least peach sales went up the following week. Looking back, that’s probably the greatest positive impact I’ve had on local food in Niagara. Eat Well,
Lynn
JILL THAM Convinced she would have made a better teen in the 80s instead of the 90s, Jill’s passion for writing came after seeing the movie Stand by Me. She prefers listening to Niagara bands to practising her guitar and running the track better than shopping. When Jill is not moonlighting as a freelance writer, she is an Elementary teacher juggling her three children. Along with being a regular contributor to Today Magazine, Jill’s articles have been featured in Canadian Running, Pedal, Allergic Living and @OECTA. jilltham.wordpress.com @JillBT
KRISTINA INMAN Kristina is a certified sommelier and a graduate of the University of Toronto. After years of working in the wine industry, she arrived at the Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College where she is teaching and working on business development. Kristina lives in the Niagara Region with her husband, son and two cats. TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 5
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EDITOR’S
note
I don’t know if it’s normal to think about food as much as I do, all I know is, it’s always on my mind. What’s for breakfast? What’s for lunch? Dinner? Brunch if I’m feeling fancy? I love going to the grocery store, and walking up and down every aisle, pushing over seniors as I grab ingredients to try out a recipe I’ve found in the depths of Pinterest. I love cooking, and I love dining out. And when I travel, I especially love to try out local dishes. So when I went to Scotland last year, haggis was high on my list of “must try dishes”. Despite being skeptical due to years of listening to whisperings about what haggis is, I tried it, and low and behold, it’s delicious. I ate it at every opportunity. One particularly memorable meal was the “haggis tower” at a restaurant in Drumnadrochit, served by a surly bartender. The haggis overshadowed the horrible service thankfully, plus there were dogs everywhere. If there is one way to make me instantly happy, it’s to have good food and puppies surrounding me. Plus, one of the dogs was a smiley pitbull, which was the proverbial cherry on the haggis tower. But, luckily, I don’t always need to traverse across oceans to experience great food, for I live in Niagara, home to a landscape of restaurants offering fresh, local, farm to table, delicious food. Niagara is so full of innovative chefs and delicious restaurants, it’s hard to know where to even start sometimes. In this issue, we get a peak into the Norton Underground, Niagara’s unique take on a speakeasy (pg 15), and learn all about shellfish from the experts at the Tide and Vine (pg 40). Also, for this issue, Sommelier Kristina Inman has done some local wine and beer pairings for each food article, so keep an eye out for those. Here’s hoping this issue makes your mouth water, your taste buds tingle and your stomach growl. Eat up!
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 7
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NOW ON
BEHIND the scenes
ISSUU
If you can take the heat… Good sports and models Ryan, Ross and Erik gracefully endure the heat clad in their chef whites and aprons for this issue’s Sneak Peek. (page 66) (On location at Ravine Vineyard with photographer David Haskell and Megan Pasche).
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ownership experience,” says Andrew Marchand, General Manager of Performance BMW. This elevated level of service crosses all Performance luxury lines, including Performance Acura, a certified Concierge retailer. “When you choose Performance Acura, you choose a higher standard of luxury and a more personalized experience,” says Kem Chowbay, General Manager of Performance Acura. This also holds true for Performance Acura North Mississauga, the group’s brand new flagship dealership that opened its doors on August 2. Performance’s drive to exceed expectations has earned the group
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and drives its dealerships to outperform every single day.
TASTE EDITION
PUBLISHER PRESIDENT & CEO GENERAL MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER EDITOR
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TASTE EDITION
aw, shucks Seafood lovers of Niagara – this guide is for you
Niagara’s
SECRET DINING SOCIETY the Norton Underground
plus The magic of Choux pastry , bone broth as a HEALTH ELIXER, eating in THE BIG EASY, PEASANT FARE fit for a king & HAGGIS gets a new rap.
Today Magazine is published by Rev Publishing Inc. All opinions expressed in Today Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Rev Publishing, it’s employees or owners. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is as up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Today Magazine for any errors, omissions or comments made by writers or interviewees that are contained herein. Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of Today Magazine. All unsolicited manuscripts and/ or photographs submitted are assumed to be intended for publication or republication in whole or in part. The right to alter, edit or refuse photos and/or manuscripts intended for publication is assumed. All unsolicited material submitted to Today Magazine are submitted at the author’s risk. Manuscripts and or photographs intended to be returned must be accompanied by sufficient postage. Today Magazine does not assume any responsibility for any claims of our advertisers and reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 11
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HOME GROWN
A WORLD OF TASTE
MASTER CRAFT
HERE. SEE.DO.
15
25
40
ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS
CULTURE OF SEAFOOD
61
There are endless ways to cook, prepare and present seafood. Here’s a guide to tell you how.
Infographic on different cuts of beef and the merits of eating local and with a conscience.
If it were possible for lamb stew and oat porridge to have a love affair, they’d call their love child Haggis. It was the favourite dish of Alexander Graham Bell, actor Sean Connery and Scottish poet Robby Burns who wrote a poem about his beloved called Address To A Haggis.
23
32
CURB YOUR CRAVINGS
THE BIG EASY
Handy guide to help you understand and curb impulse cravings with healthy alternatives.
In between the classics are new restaurants lead by daring chefs and inspired culinary entrepreneurs who are creating a new and unrecognizable food scene in New Orleans.
THE NORTON UNDERGROUND Niagara’s most mysterious dining Experience.
20
RAISING THE STEAKS
45
CHOUX ON THIS The magic behind choux pastry is that when it’s baked or fried, it puffs up, just begging to be stuffed with whatever your mind can imagine.
TASTY LOCAL EVENTS They say nothing brings people together like good food. With this in mind, we compiled a few local culinary events happening in the Niagara Region for you to mark on your calendar.
64
TODAY’S PEOPLE Out and about at Niagara’s finest events.
50
PEASANT FARE FIT FOR A KING Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome.
54
BONE-A-FIED There’s a new kid on the what’snew-in-health block and it’s called bone broth.
SNEAK PEEK 66
ON THE TABLE – It’s the next course for Today Magazine. TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 13
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HOMEGROWN
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NORTON G R R O E U D ND N U ysterious D Niagara’s Most M By Jill Tham ining Experience You take the short walk through the hotdog shoppe, careful to follow the directions with the utmost precision. You see the phone booth at the back of the room, just as described. You pick up the receiver. “How many?” asks the husky voice on the other line. You timidly reply, “four.” Moments later a secret door opens. It worked! You’re in. This was the memorable experience at a post-prohibition cocktail lounge in New York City that motivated proprietors, John Vetere and Tania Ganassini-Vetere, to move from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake with a business plan in hand to start a secret dinner society. Over 10 years ago, Vetere and Ganassini-Vetere
were both roughing it in kitchens across Toronto. Yet, neither one had any intention of becoming a chef. Ganassini-Vetere, who started cooking 10 years ago, was inspired by a journal her parents “forced her keep.” “I was lost career wise. I began reading my journal and I realized the ongoing narrative was food. I never considered it a career path. The journal saved me,” says Ganassini, Vetere was also uncertain of what he wanted his career path to be when at the age of 16 he began a co-op in a restaurant. “It was an eye-opening experience. It was my first time in a professional kitchen and I was hooked after the first night,” says Vetere. >>
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 15
It is new every night but that is what I love about it - Ganassini-Vetere
Source: Instagram @ the_norton_underground
When the two met in the Culinary Management Program at George Brown College it was a match made in heaven both personally and professionally, but the couple were placed in different parts of Italy. “We were thrown around the country, but most of us were lucky to be in a Michelin Restaurant,” says Vetere. GanassiniVetere, who was placed in “Nona’s” kitchen in Alma, near Parma, learned in traditional Italian cuisine. “Sounds like a cliché experience, but it really changed me,” says Ganassini-Vetere. Vetere, on the other hand, was placed in a less traditional environment reminiscent of Gordon Ramsay’s role on Hell’s Kitchen. “I had an intimidating chef and there was a language barrier. I did my best to fit in it, but it changed everything I knew about cooking,” says Vetere. The pair returned to Canada and continued to gain extensive culinary experiences. GanassiniVetere spent time working in establishments
that demanded high quality at every table turnover. “Canoe was the first really serious kitchen I worked at where I started at the very bottom and worked my way up,” says Ganassini-Vetere. “There was 150-200 people a night and I was putting the finishing touches on the plates with tweezers.” Once again Vetere had a different experience than Ganassini-Vetere. “I worked at Scarpetta for two years. The chef there was opening a restaurant called I’m Yours with a tasting menu that changed daily; I joined him as sous chef. After one month of being open, we won best new restaurant by Toronto Life. We went from seven to ninety people a night,” explains Vetere. “It was a new experience for me.” All the while the couple kept thinking about a business model built around their experience at Please Don’t Tell in New York. “We had heard about Charlie’s Burgers but we wanted to be different by taking the idea of a speakeasy, but instead of cocktails we created a way to bring it to food,” says Ganassini-Vetere. They found a house in Niagara-on-the-Lake and in December of 2014, Norton Underground hit the ground running. Although the couple admits their family and friends didn’t hold back when it came to giving their opinions about the quick move to Niagara, Vetere and Ganassini-Vetere describe the change as the best decision they have ever made. “We had no friends and no connections here,” says Vetere. “I think having no prospects and distractions is what forced us to focus and open as rapidly as we did.” They were immediately charmed by the town and the warm welcome they received by fellow restaurant owners in the industry. “Not to throw Toronto under the >>
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bus, but it is cut throat, while everyone here is willing to help,” says Vetere, who is also the sous chef at Ravine Vineyard. The instant your purchase your ticket online, the theme of mystery that embodies Norton Underground begins. “We send you a hand written letter in the mail that has a key sealed to the envelope with wax. You need to bring the key with you. The invitation also gives instructions on what time and where to meet,” says Ganassini-Vetere. “You will be greeted by a person with a lantern, but that is not the actual location it is the drop off and pick up spot,” she says. Next, participants are greeted with a cocktail or champagne at the meeting place and driven to the dinner location where the Norton staff greet them. The transportation is another aspect that makes Norton unique. “We wanted to provide transportation which no one was doing,” says Ganassini-Vetere, who uses a variety of preferred vendors and the type of vehicle depends on the theme of the dinner party. “The menu could be three or five courses, family style or plated dinner,” explains Ganassini. Guests are treated to a top notch meal prepared by Vetere and Ganassini-Vetere. A pairing of wine or beer accompanies the meal. Guests are then escorted back to the drop off point, but not before they are given their own special surprise. “Everyone gets a take home gift in vintage milk carton which is usually a sweet snack,” says GanassiniVetere. From monographed cookies to biscotti with tea, each gift is carefully thought out. “It is personalized,” explains Ganassini-Vetere. “We put a lot of thought into it and we feel strongly about detail.” With the evening already prepaid, guests can leave their wallet and worries at home. “There are no added costs,” says Gananissi-Vetere. The Niagara Region is full of unique locations for Norton Underground to set up for the night and the couple loves the challenges that this poses. “Our dinner parties can be anywhere,” explains Ganassini-Veter. They do have a set of criteria when selecting a location. It cannot be an existing restaurant, but an existing kitchen for them to cook in is preferred. “One location didn’t have a kitchen so we rented equipment, but the stove didn’t fit through the door,” explains Ganassini-Vetere. Although the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake was by far their most spectacular event, the couple had to adapt quickly to cook for a party of 20 outside on four burners. “Everyone loved it,” says Ganassini-Vetere. We measure doorways now,” laughs Vetere. Norton Underground planned and executed an unforgettable evening at a secret off-site location in a peach orchard serving up a special batch of Oast House X Momofuku Peach Ale at the end of August. “We dreamed up the concept of a dining room where there is no dining room among the vines,” says Ganassini. What makes the experience special is the idea that a restaurant is being created from scratch solely for you. “We start fresh every event. There is so
much that goes into planning one night and not being familiar with the set up and the kitchen. It stifles your efficiency a bit,” says Vetere. “It is new every night, but that is what I love about it,” says Ganassini-Vetere Despite the logistical challenges of a secret pop-up dinner, Vetere and Ganassini-Vetere are committed to driving forward with their idealistic business model. “It is the risk you take when you are trying to do something new, but when you do find it, it is special,” says Vetere. The couple now focuses on one or two private parties a month and hosts one open to the public event in October. “Do them less frequently and do them well,” he adds. In the roaring twenties there were thousands of speakeasies across Canada, and now, thanks to Norton Underground, Niagara has their own high quality spin on the concept.
Source: Instagram @ the_norton_underground
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RIB RIBEYE STEAK DELMONICO PRIME RIB RIBEYE ROAST RIB SATAY COWBOY STEAK BACK RIBS RIBEYE ROAST FILET OF RIBS SHORT RIBS RIB STEAK CHEF CUT RIBEYE
N
ow more than ever, we are becoming more conscious of where our food comes from, how it is raised and what that means for our health and symbiotic quality of life. Thus the ever-increasing popularity and impulse to shop at a butcheries who only carry drug free and free range meat; the impetus – a desire to consume with a conscious. No longer a society that hunts, and as carnivorous and affluent as ever, we have become accustomed to being selective. We have our easy go-to cuts such as prime rib and sirloin. We have forgotten how to prepare and appreciate other parts of the animal therefore denying ourselves the surprise and sensory pleasure that a great cut of chuck can be. Here we break down the different cuts of beef and have paired it up with some suggestions to help expand your palate all the while contributing to the waste-not, want-not culture.
CHUCK CHUCK ROAST PETITE CHUCK TENDER ROAST TOP BLADE STEAK SIERRA CUT MOCK TENDER STEAK CROSS RIB ENGLISH ROAST MOCK TENDER ROAST CHUCK SHORT RIBS SHOULDER CENTRE RANCH STEAK CHUCK ARM ROAST SHOULDER TENDER MEDALLIONS CHUCK EYE ROAST
CHECK OUT OUR “RAISING THE STEAKS” PINTEREST BOARD FOR RECIPES
COUNTRY STYLE CHUCK RIBS SHOULDER POT ROAST CHUCK EYE STEAK DENVER CUT, UNDERBLADE FLAT IRON
SHORT LOIN BONE IN STRIP STEAK
FILET MIGNON TENDERLOIN
STRIP ROAST
FILET OF STRIP
HANGER STEAK
T-BONE STEAK
TENDERLOIN ROAST
STRIP STEAK
PORTERHOUSE STEAK
SIRLOIN CENTRE CUT SIRLOIN STEAK
BOTTOM SIRLOIN FLAP MEAT
FILET OF SIRLOIN
COULOTTE STEAK
BALL TIP ROAST
TRI-TIP ROAST
TRI-TIP STEAK
SIRLOIN STEAK
BALL TIP STEAK
BRISKET & SHANK BEEF BRISKET BRISKET FLAT BRISKET POINT SHANK CROSS CUT
PLATE & FLANK
ROUND
SHORT RIBS
SIRLOIN TIP CENTRE STEAK
BOTTOM ROUND ROAST
BOTTOM ROUND LONDON BROIL
SKIRT STEAK
TOP ROUND STEAK
BOTTOM ROUND STEAK
SIRLOIN TIP ROAST
FLANK STEAK
EYE OF ROUND STEAK
EYE OF ROUND ROAST
TOP ROUND ROAST
FLAP
RUMP ROAST
SIRLOIN TIP CENTRE ROAST
ROUND PETITE TENDER STEAK
BUTTERFLY TOP ROUND STEAK
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WORLD of TASTE
Address to A Haggis
By Lynn Ogryzlo
A SC
OTTI
SH CULINARY FASCINATIO
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If it were possible for lamb stew and oat porridge to have a love affair, they’d call their love child Haggis. It was the favourite dish of Alexander Graham Bell, actor Sean Connery and Scottish poet Robby Burns who wrote a poem about his beloved called Address To A Haggis. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 25
Niagara College Strong Ale Lucky for beer lovers, this dish is very brew-friendly in terms of pairing. Two of its main ingredients are barley and oats, after all. Niagara College’s Beer 101 series has you covered. It’s perhaps obvious to go with their delicious oatmeal-based Stout, but I tend to lean towards their Strong Ale. This “Wee Heavy” as it’s known in Scotland, has the perfect balance of malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness, while a respectable high alcohol (7.5%) keeps the wild flavours of the haggis in check. { Wine pairing on page 58.}
Haggis is often served in Scottish fast-food restaurants, deep fried in batter and served with chips, but there are many more uses for haggis. Haggis Hurling is a game where a whole haggis is thrown as far as one can possibly throw an orb of food - who would have ever guessed that throwing food would become a popular sport? But right across Scotland, Haggis Hurling is just that. The record to be broken currently stands at 217 feet (66 m). Haggis is a Scottish delicacy and if you’re brave enough to read to this point (or at all), this is as far as I can flatter haggis. The national dish of Scotland is described by Wikipedia as, “a savoury pudding containing sheep’s pluck (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach.” Ouch! No wonder it’s a food most people love to hate and the butt of many food jokes. I don’t know of any other food in the world that has a sadder reputation than haggis. And the folks at Larousse Gastronomique knew this because in its 2001 English edition they say: “Although its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour.” And that’s as complimentary as our world’s food bible can be on the subject. But if there’s one man born to defend the honour of haggis, it’s chef professor John Higgins of George Brown College in Toronto. So enthusiastic about haggis was Higgins that he sent me a picture of his newly made haggis ice cream. “It’s not so much an acquired taste as it is something you were brought up on,” says the haggis-loving professor. The self-proclaimed “aficionado of haggis” was born in Scotland. “I remember when I was three years old my dad would take me to the butchers early in the morning. I remember the Beatles just released their hit song, She Loves You. I’d have a thick slice of haggis in a bun. It was so good, crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. It’s when I first fell in love with haggis and for some reason I’ve been connected to this dish ever since.” The Scotts argue that haggis is made from five ingredients, pluck (heart, lungs and liver), oatmeal, barley, lots of black pepper and thyme, but I say seven! The word Pluck doesn’t exist in Canada in that context, so you have to include the heart, lungs and liver as three separate ingredients. It’s a small but important detail for home cooks who want to try their hand at this dish. >>
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The pluck or some of the animals’ innards, are minced, sautéed with onions and possibly other vegetables and stuffed into the stomach of an animal. The traditional way of serving it is with taters and neeps (mashed potatoes and mashed turnips), and washed down with a glass of Scottish whisky. Higgins sits in his office recounting the number of significant haggis memories and claims he’s a man whose destiny is intertwined with haggis. “I remember a high school assembly. We were celebrating Robbie Burns Day, there were hundreds of students and I got to carry the traditional haggis through the assembly. I was so proud to have the honour especially because someone had given me a chefs jacket to wear. That’s when I knew I had to be a chef.” And it’s also when he knew haggis would be more to him than just a national dish. Higgins, apprenticed at Gleneagles Hotel in the Scottish Highlands, a 5-diamond hotel where he served the rich and famous like Sean Connery and Jackie Stewart. It was here that he got to carry the ceremonial haggis into the hotel on Robbie Burns Day. He was the youngest apprentice ever to be given the honour. Competitions for the best haggis take place across Scotland all the time from small village events to national heats and Higgins was bound to enter one eventually. Surrounded with more experienced chefs all concocting their more accomplished versions of haggis, Higgins kept his head down and focused on what he felt he could do well. Then, what John considered the unthinkable, “I won the gold for the best haggis,” he exclaimed to me with as much excitement as I imagine he had that day. “I stuffed it with veal and I think that’s what did it. I’ve done it different ways over the years like stuffing it with veal and wrapping it with leeks – yum”. From hero to zero, Higgins’ next career move meant he walked into a haggis void – he went to work at Buckingham Palace and cooked meals for the Queen, “they’d never eat Haggis…they don’t even eat garlic” says Higgins. But it makes sense when you consider that haggis was always and still is, a poor mans meal. Historically speaking, the Lords would
take the tenderest parts of an animal and the farmers would get the leftovers. So they made haggis. Haggis is enjoying a revival in the United Kingdom, especially in a small town called, Stoneaway. “They’ve perfected haggis in Stoneaway,” says John. “I think their secret is a little sheep’s blood in the Haggis”. Stoneaway is in Tweed, a region famous for Harris Tweed. “They’re also famous for their black pudding. It’s a most beautiful part of the world.” While Scotland is perfecting haggis, Higgins is playing with it. One Christmas he put a bit of haggis in the turkey stuffing, “There were about two-dozen family members sitting around the kitchen table that year and everyone raved about how good the stuffing was. Most of them wanted leftovers to take home. I finally told them it was because of the haggis. I like my Haggis on the peppery side.” Higgins says you can slice haggis and serve it with a fried egg, stuff it into spring rolls or put it on pizza. “My wife made haggis pizza long before Dominos came out with their haggis pizza.” One evening at a special dinner at the Chefs House (the restaurant at George Brown College) he met a woman who was telling him how obsessed Russians were with Robbie Burns and his poetry. “She asked why there were no desserts made from haggis and it got me thinking. What sweets can I make with haggis? Since then I’ve made brittle from haggis, ice cream, macaroons and many other haggis desserts.” “When working with haggis you must start with really good haggis and then make sure you maintain the integrity of its flavour. I’ve not reached the limits of what I can do with haggis and it’s easy to work with because it’s so inexpensive.” “I’m a lone wolf when it comes to promoting haggis,” says Higgins, “haggis gets a bum rap, many turn their nose up (at it) and I tell them – hey, do you know what’s in the hot dogs you eat?” Enthusiastically Higgins shares his hopes for a haggis world competition and I can’t help but think that haggis hasn’t quite reached the level of popularity for such status but, I wouldn’t tell Higgins that.
Carrie Lee
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THE BIG EASY
By Lynn Ogryzlo
DELICIOUSLY UNPREDICTABLE
“OH, YOU’VE GOT TO GO TO THIS RESTAURANT I ATE AT LAST NIGHT,” panted Joanne as she ran
Silversmith ‘Hill 145’ Golden Ale What’s nice about Creole cooking is that all the flavours take your palate on a journey. It’s wise to find a beer that will allow this trip to unfold with an encouraging arm. Silversmith’s Golden Ale will gently support all the flavours while not overpowering anything. It’s going to kindly refresh your palate from the more intense Louisiana flavours and its ripe tropical aromas will certainly not be a wallflower when standing up to the dish. { Wine pairing on page 58 }
to catch up to me. She rummaged around in her purse until she found the card she saved. It was SoBou on Chartres Street. Esquire magazine called SoBou (sobounola.com) the best new restaurant in 2012 and four years later, people are still raving about it, my friend included. Trusting the word of a like-minded foodie, off I went to the edge of the French Quarter in the exciting city of New Orleans. SoBou is warm and comfortable with a stunning, signature wall of layered clear glass bottles in colours of muted yellow and sultry green lit from behind with bright lighting. If it sounds too stark for you, it’s all warmed by the charm of exposed brick and dark wood on the other walls. Richard our waiter distinguishes SoBou from the smoky jazz clubs and drinking holes all around it by saying, “in this place the customers know that Pinot Noir isn’t a daiquiri flavour”. While SoBou is a distinctively different restaurant for New Orleans’s French Quarter, it shows its roots on Sunday when you can find New Orleans’s most famous burlesque dancer, Bella Blue performing during the Eggs and Legs Brunch. Richard recommended I try the Charred Lemon Geaux Fish with saffron and crawfish risotto so that’s the way I went. The dish came surrounded with local squash and heirloom carrots grown for them by Covey Rise Farm not far away. They were cooked perfectly al’ dente. The fish was seared in a lemon glaze they call Geaux for a crispy citrusy spike on the palate. It’s a magical opposing mix of citrusy light and roasted savoury, a dance of elegant fish and rich root vegetables. There once was a time when a food trip to New Orleans meant dinner at Mr. B’s for their jumbo lump crab cakes, Acme Oysters for a dozen Mississippi oysters or Café du Monde for a plate of hot, sugary beignets.
The French quarter, rich in oysters, gumbo, pralines and beignets continues to be a culinary institution drenched in history and heat. But in between the classics are new restaurants lead by daring chefs and inspired culinary entrepreneurs who are creating a new and unrecognizable food scene that ranges from sushi grade Yellow Fin tuna topped with avocado ice cream to boudoir meat lockers. Voted best New Restaurant in 2013 by New Orleans Magazine and just a block away from SoBou is Doris Metropolitan (dorismetropolitan. com/new-orleans/en/index). Walk in and be amazed at the glassed in meat locker with a definite romantic decor. Not a surprising sight as this fourth restaurant in the Doris family empire began as a butcher shop in Israel. Giant slabs of beef lay dry aging on reproduction French antique, marble-topped tables. At Doris they have in-house butchers and Peter, a New Orleans’s resident dining at the next table tells me you can order a steak, have it aged to your specifications (30, 60 or 90 days) and then come to the restaurant and enjoy it cooked to your liking; or take it home and cook it up yourself. All of the meat is sourced from small, artisan farms. Walking in the hot and sticky New Orleans afternoon my appetite was longing for something lighter than a big steak so I had the sizzling minute steak with shoe-string fries. It was delicious even though I felt overwhelmed by the giant wooden boards overflowing with huge hunks of beef at every other table. To enjoy this restaurant fully requires more training than I have time for. On Peter’s table there was a giant wooden carving board covered with different cuts of meat cooked medium rare and surrounded with glistening red juices. It’s called a “family-style meat board” and you design it yourself, selecting the various steaks, the age and desired doneness. The kitchen cooks it up perfectly and then it’s styled. Some cuts are presliced and fanned out across the board, while others are stacked vertically - it’s a sexy sight for any veteran carnivore. If the French Quarter attracts the party crowd, I’ll tell you it’s the Warehouse District that attracts the serious foodies. In between the art galleries, up-scale grocers and exclusive furniture stores are eateries the locals are keeping to themselves. On the corner of Julia and Magazine streets you’ll find Pêche (pecherestaurant.com), a restaurant dedicated to fresh fish and their unique way of cooking it. In the back of the restaurant next to the fresh seafood bar is an open, wood-burning oven. But don’t mistake it for a wood burning pizza oven, this oven and its fiery embers are dedicated solely to fish. Fresh, whole fish go into the small inferno and come out smoky and delicious. I watched as no less than four waiters huddled around the oven flanked with heaps of dried wood, waited for their orders to be ready. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 33
BUT IN BETWEEN THE CLASSICS ARE NEW RESTAURANTS LEAD BY DARING CHEFS AND INSPIRED CULINARY ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE CREATING A NEW AND UNRECOGNIZABLE FOOD SCENE I immediately wanted a fish cooked so smoky you could taste the embers of the ash branches on the crisp skin. Shawn my waiter explained that the fish is all local and all seasonal. Since it was June and Redfish season, that’s what I went with. The large, whole Redfish complete with head and tail arrived at the table, skin glistening and a dark green chimmichurri sauce trailing from it’s head to its tail. There is no tableside deboning at Pêche, but doing the job was much easier than anticipated. The thick chunks of meaty, flaky flesh easily fell from the long, strong bones. It was served with a green salad that included a healthy dose of fresh Louisiana pecans. Pêche is a restaurant with an eclectic theme of industrial and modern aquatics in an ambience of loud, blustery excitement. Waiters walked briskly around diners carrying plates of raw oysters, platters of whole fish and bowls of fresh salads. It was a Wednesday evening and Pêche was packed with a growing crowd sipping drinks around the cocktail bar waiting for tables.
Photo Sources: willjean.com & Pêche Seafood Grill on Facebook
With a variety of eateries to round out an exciting New Orleans day, waking up to good food is just as important to New Orleanders. Willa Jean (willajean.com) is a destination bakery and café with a seductive display of tall muffins, squat scones, cookie towers and specialty breakfast cakes gloriously displayed under glass domes. Pastry chef and partner Kelly Fields is a talented baker crafting muffins in a very un-American-style with less sugar, more quality ingredients and an appeal of full flavour. I recommend the Avocado Toast. It begins with a thick slice of house made multi-grained dark bread with butter lettuce, a smear of guacamole, sliced of tomato, a heap of shaved chicken, slivers of ripe avocado and garnished with unprocessed, pieces of Louisiana pecans. Kelly’s breakfast recommendation is the pure simplicity and decadence of cookies and milk. “We mess with the milk,” says Fields referring to the addition of Tahitian vanilla in fresh whole milk and she’s proud of her chocolate chip cookie perfection. Kelly works directly with local farmers to secure the best quality grains for flour, fresh eggs, milk, seasonal fruit and even sugar. Yes, she has a small local sugar cane farmer who even boils it down into a sugar syrup that meets Kelly’s standards. Discovering what’s new in a city you think you know makes a traveller out of a tourist. Next time you’re in New Orleans wander into one of the lesser known neighbourhoods and discover how deliciously unpredictable New Orleans can be.
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taste A WORLD OF
Here we showcase a variety of some of Niagara’s most diverse restaurants. Whether you are in the mood for classic Canadiana or wish to relive your trip to the Mediterranean, these unique venues are true to their food culture and are sure to engage even the most timid of palettes.
KITCHEN 76 AT TWO SISTERS VINEYARDS
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE
THE TIDE & VINE OYSTER HOUSE
Savour the perfect pairing at Kitchen76 and delight your palate with dishes inspired around the Italian table. Our seasonal menus are created to compliment our full spectrum of our award winning wines, icewines and sparkling. Kitchen76 has now become a premiere dining destination in the Niagara region. Our table is yours, join us. *Reservations are highly recommended
Ruth’s Cris, an internationally recognized fine dining establishment that offers superb steak and chops, seafood and more. It’s world famous for being one of the largest luxury steakhouse companies. Located in the heart of Niagara Falls, be sure to join us for an experience you won’t forget.
More than just oysters & seafood, our newly expanded Oyster House on Portage Road offers a wide range of land lover menu items including new favourites like the Black Lager BBQ Braised Short Ribs (Dinner) and Rosedene Acres Beef Burger (Lunch). Find us on Instagram, Twitter & Trip Advisor.
TWOSISTERSVINEYARDS.COM 240 JOHN ST. EAST, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON
905.357.1199 | RUTHSCHRISNIAGARA.COM 6455 FALLSVIEW BOULEVARD, NIAGARA FALLS
905.356.5782 | TIDEANDVINE.COM 3491 PORTAGE RD., NIAGARA FALLS
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 37
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STRADA WEST EAT & SIP HOUSE
RAVINE VINEYARD ESTATE WINERY
THE KASBAH
Hosts, Tom & Anthony Roberto welcome you to Strada West, centrally located on Lundy’s Lane! Casual dining with menu selections freshly prepared in house, featuring fresh pasta, pizza, burgers, salads and daily specials. Great wine selection & 9 beers on tap! We have added exciting new menu items! On site parking, reservations are suggested.
Ravine is among the few wineries in Niagara with a self-standing restaurant that bakes our own bread and grows our own certified organic vegetables. It is a paradise within a fabric of tastes, experiences, scenes and sounds across 34 acres of beautiful rolling vineyard.
Featuring homemade farm to table Mediterranean delights. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily along with Chef ’s daily creations. All of the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus feature several items that will cater to everyone. There are several vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options available.
905.371.2272 | STRADAWEST.COM 7805 LUNDY’S LANE, NIAGARA FALLS
905.262.8463 | RAVINEVINEYARD.COM 1366 YORK ROAD, ST.DAVIDS
905.357.1000 | THEKASBAH.CA 6130 DUNN STREET, NIAGARA FALLS
N’ATA COSA
COCO’S STEAKHOUSE
COPACABANA
Specializing in Napoli style wood fired pizza and fresh pastas, N’ata Cosa is a must try and has quickly become the local hot spot for authentic Italian cuisine. This gem features seasonal menus with fresh local foods and produce from our local N’ata Cosa farms. Taste the flavours of Italy. Reservations recommended.
Coco’s is a very popular restaurant destination for tourists and locals alike. Our wood-fired pizza oven makes great gourmet pizzas that are simply irresistible. Guests rave about our popular steaks cooked over a flaming open-hearth grill. Come and experience what Coco’s is famous for in the Niagara Falls area.
Copacabana is a Brazilian Rodizio style Steakhouse with locations in the Toronto and Niagara. This restaurant serves the best selection in charcoal grilled meats, fresh pastas and salads. To elevate your senses sip on exotic cocktails and fine wines along while enjoying live entertainment on weekends. Copacabana is not just about the dining, it’s about the experience! 1.88.THECOPA.1
905-397-7494 | WWW.NATACOSA.CA 259 ST PAUL ST., ST. CATHARINES
COCOSNIAGARAFALLS.COM 5339 MURRAY STREET, NIAGARA FALLS
1.888.432.6721 | 905.354.8775 | THECOPA.CA 6671 FALLSVIEW BOULEVARD, NIAGARA FALLS
BENCHMARK RESTAURANT
PARAMOUNT FINE FOODS
CASA MIA
Seeking an education of the senses? Look no further than Benchmark Restaurant at Niagara College; a world-class dining destination. Our seasonal menu showcases fresh, local food, wine & beer created on-site by students from the programs at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. Please reserve ahead.
Embracing the fresh and healthy flavours of the Middle East, Paramount Fine Foods shares the most authentic and exotic recipes passed from generations. Serving baked pita straight from the wood burning ovens, charcoal BBQ Halal meats, chicken,and beef shawarma. Prepared fresh daily.
Casa Mia, owned and operated by the Mollica Family for the past 32 years, offers an outstanding dining experience, regardless of the occasion. Our diverse menu abounds with our chef ’s creations, each imbued with vibrant colour, life and flavour. For reservations and more info call us at: 905.356.5410.
905.641.2252 EXT.4619 | NCBENCHMARK.CA 135 TAYLOR RD, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE ON
905.358.1113 | PARAMOUNTFINEFOODS.COM FOOD COURT, FALLSVIEW CASINO RESORT
905.356.5410 | CASAMIARISTORANTE.COM 3516 PORTAGE ROAD, NIAGARA FALLS
GOLDEN LOTUS
GRAND BUFFET
KOUTOUKI GREEK CUISINE
The Golden Lotus delivers the triumphs of Asian cuisine to the contemporary restaurant through an all-you-can-eat buffet to a-la-carte menu boasting over 180 selections that span every preference, all with an outstanding view. Visit the Golden Lotus daily from 11 am – 2 am. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter the casino. playsmart.ca
The Grand Buffet offers numerous liveaction stations where your selections are sauteed, pan seared or carved right before your eyes, with over 130 food items. Open daily from 8 am – 11 pm with Sunday brunch from 8 am – 2 pm. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter the casino. playsmart.ca
Taste what’s sizzling at Koutouki! Enjoy our cozy atmosphere while savouring our rustic Greek cuisine. Start with the flaming Saganaki cheese. OPA! Memories of Greece are found in our carefully prepared dishes influenced by tradition. Select wines from Greece and Niagara are available. Our friendly and welcoming staff await! Reservations Recommended!
FALLSVIEWCASINORESORT.COM 6380 FALLSVIEW BOULEVARD, NIAGARA FALLS
FALLSVIEWCASINORESORT.COM 6380 FALLSVIEW BOULEVARD, NIAGARA FALLS
905.354.6776 | KOUTOUKINIAGARA.COM 5745 FERRY STREET, NIAGARA FALLS ON
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 39
Creekside Sauvignon Blanc 2015 There’s something about Sauvignon Blanc and shellfish that just works. Perhaps it’s the zippy acidity of the wine that acts like the mignonette sauce for your oysters. Perhaps it’s the grassy, lime and herbal aroma of the wine that accentuates the mineral notes in your scallops. Or maybe it’s just that when you put the two elements together, they create a whole new flavour experience that is heavenly. Whatever it is, I’m sold. { Beer pairing on page 58 }
MASTERCraft
THE CULTURE OF SEAFOOD A GUIDE TO EATING FROM THE OCEAN BY JILL THAM
Sitting around the Tide and Vine Oyster Bar is akin to gathering at a friend’s house: there is some debate, a little bit of knowledge sharing, and a great deal of laughter going on. One of the first things I learn here is that not everything we consider shellfish, is actually shellfish. “Oysters are not exactly shellfish, they are molluscs and lobster is a crustacean,” states Mike Langley, co-owner of the Tide and Vine Oyster House in Niagara Falls. “Shrimp are crustaceans, and scallops are shellfish,” adds Kat Steeves, the other half of the Tide and Vine. I get a chuckle out of the husband and wife team disputing the difference between crustacea and shellfish. Personally, the debate is irrelevant to me, much like the song, “I say tomato, you say tomato, let’s call the whole thing off.” I know all I need to know - I’m in good hands, as the people at the Tide and Vine are the leading experts in the Niagara Region on everything out of the ocean. Really, the only question on my mind is when are we eating? Langley and Steeves are constantly inspired by the endless ways to cook, prepare, and present seafood, keeping dishes new and exciting. “In the spirit of the seafood culture, what attracted me is the wide variety that comes out of the ocean. There is always stuff to learn,” says Langley, who is also intrigued by the history
behind every item on the raw bar. It is Langley’s passion for historical facts and the art of conversation that promotes a community atmosphere in the restaurant. “What really feeds the culture and cultivates discussion is when people are sitting at the raw bar and hearing the stories. It creates strong reactions in people. There is a lot of myth and mystery that people don’t know: because it is underwater it is a different world than we understand,” says Langley. Langley relates the difference in oysters to that of varieties of wine. “If it is grown in Italy or Niagara it is going to taste different because the soil for the grapes is different. Same thing happens with the water. You can take an oyster from the east coast but the water, algae, and salt content are different, then they are on say, the West Coast. The grape growers would call that terroir and with seafood we call that meroir,” says Langley. >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 41
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PURVEYORS OF PLEASURE
EATING THE OCEAN SCALLOPS
The scallop, one of the many species of salt water clam, come from a lot of different places, but are most accessible to Niagara from The Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia or Northern Quebec. “Scallops work wonderfully open fresh and eaten raw,” says Langley. “I love when people see scallops in the shell,” says Steeves. “Most people don’t know what it is,” adds Langley. The scallop has a religious history dating back to the middle ages, and has many religious legends associated with it. One of the legends says that Saint James once rescued a knight covered in scallop shells, another says it was the knights horse that fell into the water and reemerged covered in these shells, an event that coincided with the body of St. James being moved from Jerusalem to Galicia. “Served raw, scallops champagne-vinegar mignonette sauce or scallop ceviche make a great meal. They are easy to season with fresh herbs,” says Steeves. “Scallops cook well in or out of the shell. You can put them on the barbeque and glaze with a simple herb and garlic butter sauce.” Pan seared scallops with Niagara strawberries and grilled bacon remains Steeves favourite way to prepare and eat scallops.
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“It’s pretty crazy because I don’t know another animal that can have one of it’s limbs removed be put back in the water, and have the limb grow back,” says Langley. This is the case with stone crabs though. Considered a delicacy, when separated in the right spot, the stone crab is a sustainable must-try choice on the raw bar. The stone crab has a short season: blink and you might miss it. “It is cooked and then served cold, but it is delicious dipped in hot butter,” says Steeves. Although it is so sweet you don’t even need a sauce, Steeves serves up an aioli sauce that will give the claw a little kick. Harvested between October and May, the stone crab is a delectable and popular dish especially in the southern U.S.A. In Port Charlotte, they even have a baseball team named after the crustacean. LOBSTER
Prior to 1950, like the oyster, lobster was considered a poor man’s dish. Over the years, supply of the
crustacean became scarce and the lobster was raised to an elite category. The tail isn’t the only part of the lobster that is tasty and some consider the claw meat sweeter. Served cold, the claws are a mouth-watering spin on a classic dish. Dip the cold claws in Steeves’ tarragon and citrus sauce to entice your taste buds. Served hot or cold, lobster is a crowd favourite. SOFT SHELL CRAB
Available for six months of the year, the sweet and tender meat is typically pan or deep fried and made into po’boy sandwiches, a Tide and Vine signature lunch dish. “The blue crab molts and sheds its shell. Before the new shell grows it can’t move and it is picked up right off the rocks,” explains Langley. As Langley describes it, without a shell what remains is a leathery skin that allows easy access to the meat. Langley’s suggestion for the best way to eat soft shell crab is to “bread it in cornmeal and serve it on a waffle with chili maple syrup.” SPOT PRAWNS
An important member of the shrimp family, the spot prawn has a sweet flavour and firm texture. The spot prawn starts out as a male and within the first two years turns into a female. Caught off the coast of BC, the spot prawn is easily cooked or served raw. “You can steam them and they are wonderful in paella,” says Steeves. “You can eat the tails raw and still wiggling. Some people put a prawn in a glass of beer until it stops wiggling, shell the tail and eat it, but that is mostly for entertainment. If you steam them, they are nice with beer and mustard,” says Langley. CLAMS
According to the phrase finder, “As happy as a clam at high water,” is a once common expression that means extremely happy. The meaning originated from the fact that during high tide, clams are free from predators. Hard shelled clams, also called quahog, are mostly found on the east coast. “Quahogs are sweeter, chewier, and a lot less salty,” says Langley. The elusive razor clam grows everywhere and are about five to six inches long. They look like an old fashioned razor.” “All of them are edible raw or cooked,” adds Steeves. “If you are eating them raw, they go well with lemon and pepper or hot sauce.”
MUSSELS
There are a million different ways to prepare and serve mussels,” says Steeves. “Bacon, blue cheese, wine, tomato, or even curry: the possibilities are endless.” Although mussels can be eaten raw, Tide and Vine serves them pickled or cooked and chilled with a marinade, red wine vinegar, fresh herbs and olive oil. OYSTERS
Last, but not least, the oyster is the heart and soul of the raw bar. “Once food for the poor it is now a delicacy for high society,” says Langley. There are many species of oysters, each of them is distinct in their own right. Perhaps the most notable oyster is P.E.I’s Malpeque oyster. “They’re famous, not just because they are delicious, but at the 1900 Paris International Food Convention the Malpeque oysters were dubbed the tastiest oysters on earth. There are only a few farmers doing Malpeque oysters today,” says Langley. Oysters don’t just taste great, they also serve an important role in the ocean. “Oysters are restorative. They clean the water,” says Langley. Whether you are eating a crustacean, mollusc, or shellfish, at the raw bar variety is the spice of life in food and company. “The raw bar brings people to a time and place of nostalgia. You don’t often get that with other types of foods,” says Langley. There is nowhere else to see the ocean open up before your eyes. As always my time at the Tide and Vine leaves me with a satisfied stomach, a smile on my face, and a little more knowledge under my belt.
TIDE & VINE’S HOMEMADE SAUCES MIGNONETTE SAUCE A condiment made with minced shallots, cracked pepper, and onion. This rose coloured sauce is guaranteed to add flavour to your raw bar items.
KAT’S SCOTCH BONNET SAUCE This recipe packs a kick on the heat meter. It is made with peppers, tomatoes, lime juice, vinegar, water, and salt. The mixture is simmered on low heat until it has the perfect texture.
PONZU SAUCE A soy-based favourite that is traditionally made with fresh lemon and orange juice. The tangy soy-based sauce, is traditionally made with a citrus fruit and may have been inspired by visitors from Holland during the 17th century. Fresh lemon juice and orange juice give this sauce a citrus snap.
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 43
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Choux On T his The Secret to Great Pastry By Lynn Ogryzlo I was standing in front of a pastry counter in the centre of Paris. My mind went crazy; almost like it had already ingested all the sugar it was visually feasting upon. There were pastries I’d never seen before, plus stenciled cookies, iced fingers, powdered disks, sugar coated shortbread and brioche puffs. There were rows of macaroons and small lemon tarts, sour cherry Danish, chocolate éclairs, tiny tarts filled with cream and then, I saw it, France’s amazing Croquembouche. It was covered in spun sugar like a cloud over a mountain. Croquembouche is made from profiteroles or as we call them in Canada, cream puffs. Each cream puff is made with choux pastry and filled with whipped cream (Chantilly cream in France), custard or my favourite filling, ice cream. When you pile these stuffed little cream puffs or profiteroles high into a Christmas tree shape, it’s called a Croquembouche. Lastly, it’s covered with something seductively delicious like chocolate, caramel or in this case, spun sugar. Croquembouche is great for large parties or family affairs but when I’m standing in front of one of France’s seductive pastry counters, a single profiterole may be just what my taste buds needed. The profiteroles were lined up like macaroons, some with caps of pink icing other with gold, some were dusted with powdered sugar and others were hatted with a chocolate coin. I pointed to the line of sugar-dusted profiteroles and watched as the woman filled a tiny little, gold foil box with two – how decadent. >>
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Choux pastry is the lightest and airiest of all pastries. I could easily pop a profiterole into my mouth but I decide to take small bites instead. It’s like biting into a sweet cloud. With more air than dough, there is a moment of subtle sweet egginess, the custard spreads across my tongue in an elegant way and other times it’s simply sweet air, a hint of heaven with an illusive texture. I eat a profiterole with my eyes closed and my senses aware, ready for the gastronomical pleasure. Choux pastry, choux paste or pâte à choux as the French call it, not only makes profiteroles and cream puffs, but éclairs, French crullers, beignets, gougères and other fine pastries. The magic behind choux pastry is that when it’s baked or fried, it puffs up, just begging to be stuffed with whatever your mind can imagine. Choux is a mixture of four simple ingredients: flour, water, milk and eggs. Unlike other doughs, the pastry is pre-cooked on top of the stove before being enriched with eggs, and then baked in the oven. While it may sound complicated, it’s actually a lot less complicated than other pastries that require careful rolling or the judging of precise textures. To make a Croquembuche, use 2½ oz (60 g) of all-purpose flour. It has higher gluten content than the softer cake flour. Sift the flour onto a sheet of waxed paper along with a pinch of salt. Optional is a teaspoon of sugar but I prefer my filling sweet so I don’t add it to the dough. Set it aside. In a saucepan, melt 2 ounces (50 g) of butter (cubed) into 5 fluid ounces (150 mL) of hot water. As soon as the water begins to boil and the butter has completely melted, turn off the heat and add the flour all at once – just dump it all in and quickly begin to beat the flour into the liquid with a wooden spoon. Soon, you will have a smooth ball of paste that is pulling away from the sides of the saucepan. Smooth and glossy, if it is too wet, turn the heat back on, very low temperature and continue to stir the dough until the surface of the dough is dry. With all the French hype around choux pastry, the dough that becomes mostly air was actually invented by an Italian in 1540. Chef Panterelli invented a hot, dry paste to make a cake he called Pâte à Panterelli. Throughout the years, the dough evolved through the hands of various bakers, both Italian and French, until the 18th century when a French pâtissier by the name of Avice created Choux Buns. They looked so much like little cabbages, he called it Pâte à Choux (chou means cabbage in French).
When making choux pastry the thing to remember is that you’re creating conditions for a dough that will rise without the help of a leavening agent. Instead of yeast to make the dough rise, choux is dependent on both the amount of stirring at the stovetop stage (adding air) and the moisture content you end up with in the end. Now that you have a dry ball of dough in the pot, the next step is to enrich it with beaten eggs, (two large eggs are all you’ll need). Transfer the dough to a room temperature bowl and contrary to adding the flour all at once, the eggs should be added first by half, then a little more until the dough will hold no more. If you add the eggs all at once, the dough will be unable to incorporate it all and they’ll have trouble puffing and drying out in the oven. Add enough egg to make a creamy dough where the peaks are soft and fall easily. If the peaks are too firm, add a bit more egg. While traditionalists will fill a pastry bag and pipe the choux pastry onto parchment paper lined baking sheets, I like to spoon the dough, it’s easier and I like the finished look better. Bake in a 400F (200C) oven on a high shelf for about 10 minutes before increasing the heat to 425F (220C) for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the puffs are a golden colour and crispy on the outside. Remove them from the oven and pierce each one on the bottom to release the steam so they stay crispy. Choux pastry is easy to make a few days ahead and freeze in an airtight container. The pastry will keep for a month. When ready to use, defrost by heating in an oven (350F or 180C) for about 5 to 7 minutes. Now you can fill them. Once filled, they will keep for a few days in the refrigerator but they will become softer as the dough absorbs the filling. For most preparations choux pastry is baked, but if you are preparing beignets, the French donuts, the choux pastry is fried. The same with churros, they’re long strips of fried choux pastry. Do not consider choux pastry for only sweets; you can add a heavy grinding of black pepper while incorporating the eggs, then once the choux is on the baking sheet, top with cheese. Black pepper and cheese gougères are a lighter alternative to bread. Because choux pastry is eggy and not sweet, you can fill them with chicken salad or tuna for a light summer lunch. My favourite filling is a mixture of Gorgonzola and butter. This simple pastry allows even the most amateur baker to fulfill their desire to create an elegant pastry while also inspiring the more advanced to explore and realize their bravest concoctions in this unassuming vehicle.
“ The magic behind choux pastry is that when it’s baked or fried, it puffs up, just begging to be stuffed with whatever your mind can imagine.”
Peller Estates Ice Cuvée (N/V) Ah, bubbles and choux. I’m already imagining black ties and glittering clutch hand bags. As fancy as this seems to be, there is defendable logic to the pairing. Sparkling wine has the light body that won’t overpower the pastry, and the carbonation adds a textural element that choux [especially if deep fried] needs. Peller’s Ice Cuvée has just a touch of sweetness from a dosage of Icewine which allows you to go savoury or sweet here. The Classic is lovely, but go with Rosé if your pastry incorporates chocolate. { Beer pairing on page 58 }
TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 47
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Oast ‘Bière De Garde’ Much like the rustic history of the dish, this farmhouse ale has a long legacy with farming in rural France. It is not for the faint at heart - it’s a bit sour with an accompanying sweetness, and its flavours are all over the map - cherry, caramel, and that underlying funky yeast aroma. All of this, however, marries so well with the richness of the duck fat, the earth-driven texture of the beans and the saltiness of the meat. Rustic and rememberable. { Wine pairing on page 58 }
FIT FOR A KING BY LYNN OGRYZLO For those of you who don’t know much about the subject, you may say that cassoulet is a bean and duck stew. Others like Julia Child described cassoulet like this. “Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome, though its ideal consumer is a 300-pound blocking back who has been splitting firewood nonstop for the last twelve hours on a subzero day in Manitoba.” I happen to agree with Julia, cassoulet is definitely an over-the-top stew made with beans and duck. But to say that cassoulet is a bean and duck stew is like saying escargot are simply snails. One just doesn’t describe some of the best foods of the world in such unflattering terms. However, there is real truth in Childs description. Cassoulet is a super rich, fat saturated, one-dish meal built of strategy, flavour and overall strength. “It’s super rich,” says cassoulet master Thierry Clement. Thierry is chef and owner of Paris Crêpes Café (pariscrepescafe.com) in Niagara Falls. It just happens to be a stormy January day and my eyes pop as I watch him pull a tub of solid white duck fat out of the fridge. Every year Thierry holds a special cassoulet celebration for a large group of make-believe Manitoba lumberjacks. It’s not something Thierry can easily put on the restaurant’s regular menu simply because it takes two days to prepare. So he steals a few days during the coldest time of the year to make the king of all stews for those who will appreciate it. “You need to have the right ingredients,” says Thierry. He uses the thin skinned Lauragais beans that have been hand picked from the south west of France, the region near Toulouse that is known for the best foie gras. Thierry soaked them overnight in the same kitchen as bubbling water was transforming into a delicious stock from a whole chicken, two pork hocks, a bundle of herbs and plenty of vegetables. >>
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Cassoulet started in the region of Languedoc as a humble peasant dish of dried beans cooked with various sausages and preserved meats and now there are three towns all claiming to be the originators of the one true cassoulet. Toulouse, Castelnaudary, and Carcassonne. The cassoulet from Toulouse uses tomatoes, in Carcassone they favour lamb and Thierry’s style, Castelnaudary uses pork and duck. “It’s the best,” says Thierry. Thierry begins pulling bowls of meat from the refrigerator. One has huge mounds of salted pork belly, another cubes of pork shoulder, there are glistening links of sausages in one and duck breasts piled high in another. He lines them up on the counter like soldiers ready for battle and heats as many skillets on his massive stove, flames lapping the sides of the skillets. He spoons heaps of duck fat into each and it turns transparent and puddles. Thierry laughs and answers the one question that no one dare ask, “I wouldn’t use anything else.” Carefully he puts chunks of cold meat in the hot skillets and they begin to scream, sizzle and spit. The beautiful sounds fill the kitchen and make my mouth water. I watch as the cold hard fat of the pork belly begins to turn opaque, glisten and before long, turn dark brown and crunchy around the edges. The pan is so hot it takes literally minutes to sear all sides of the cubed meats. Thierry is only adding flavour at this point; he’s not interested in cooking the meat thoroughly. Once he’s happy with the brown crispy edges on the meats, he begins to fill clean bowls with the hot meat. Once empty, he turns around, tips the empty skillets and the pan juices flow into the still simmering broth adding richness to flavour. Thierry is a master at building flavours in all of his dishes and he knows it’s a matter of knowing what to save and what to throw out. “When I was cooking in England, one day the chef walked into the kitchen and announced he’d prepared the lamb roast and then threw out all the pan juices. Like he was proud of it or something – I thought I was going to kill him!” Now that the meat-browning job is done, Thierry takes a break. He reaches high up on a shelf that only he can reach and pulls down a few brown, terra cotta bowls. “These are proper cassoulet bowls,” he says proudly. Thierry explains that the word cassoulet does not come from the word casserole as many believe. The name is derived from the special earthenware bowls used to cook cassoulet called a cassole. On a recent trip home to France, Thierry brought a dozen clay cassole back just for this special evening. He’s beaming. It’s mid afternoon and Thierry is inspecting his broth. He stands still, tastes slowly, closes his eyes and lets his senses consume him. He looks pretty happy. He begins removing the meats from the broth and talks more to himself than to me when he says, “this will be my lunch for the rest of the week. Pork hocks with mustard, carrots with duck fat and chicken with warm bechamel”. He strains the giant pot of broth through an equally large steel sieve. He puts the broth back on the stove and adds the beans. “I need to watch because I only want to cook them until they are still dense”, he explains because “we still have a long way to go.” What Thierry knows but doesn’t say is that when beans cook, they soak up the liquid they’re cooked in. Knowing this, Thierry doesn’t want to over saturate the beans with stock, he needs to make sure he reaches a halfway point of saturation so the beans are capable of soaking up the beautiful richness that is yet to come. When the time is right, the beans are drained. His cassole bowls line the centre workstation in the kitchen with the seared meats right behind them. Thierry starts with a slice of pork fat and places it on the bottom of each of the bowls. “This will melt away into delicious,” he predicts. Then
THE SEDUCTIVE TEXTURE SEEPS ACROSS THE PALATE LIKE VELVET, THE SOFT, TOOTHY BEANS YIELDING TO THE PRESSURE OF EVERY BITE AND IT BECOMES MORE SATISFYING, MORE RELAXING, MORE COMFORTING.
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he heaps spoonful’s of beans over the fat, pushes a cube of seared pork belly, pork shoulder, sausage and duck breast into the beans. He ladles broth and warm demi glass into the bowls, drizzles a bit of milky-white duck fat over top while justifying, “beans need fat”. More to the point, the beans need more flavour. Thierry reaches into the refrigerator for his secret ingredient. He smears a concoction of minced pork and garlic onto each bowl, “it will melt into the cassoulet and taste marvelous!” Thierry takes a step back and studies his dozen cassole bowls filled with beans and studded with seared meats as meticulously as a painter studies his paintings. Satisfied, he pops them all into the oven for a few hours of baking so the beans can soak up the new juices and fats around them. Thierry will check them and add more fatty juices each half hour of their time in the oven. Cassoulet is not a dish for the faint of heart. You need a hearty appetite, a finely tuned palette and complete awareness of all of your senses. As the dinner reaches near, one long harvest table gets dressed in the main dining room. It becomes a magical table, tall wine glasses catch the light of the only window not covered with burgundy velvet draperies and sultry Parisian jazz music plays low in the dimly lit room. It’s a room deserving of a special meal. As the guests settle around a table flush with wine, a first course of foie gras comes out of the kitchen. This is going to be a night of sinfully rich foods. Like the opening act in a night club, the main attraction finally arrives. Steaming, glistening, heaping bowls of thick, rich cassoulet. It acts more like risotto and tastes more like heaven than any stew ever could. The seductive texture seeps across the palate like velvet, the soft, toothy beans yielding to the pressure of every bite and it becomes more satisfying, more relaxing, more comforting. This is a rare meal that thankfully is no longer relegated to peasants and Manitoba lumberjacks. It seems the perfect meal to comfort the insides while the snow blows outside. It happens only once a year in Niagara and if you love good food, you must experience this at least once in your lifetime. As Pascal in the movie, The Big Night declared of the most glorious meal he’d ever eaten, “It was so f-ing good, I’ll have to kill myself!”
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BY LYNN OGRYZLO
The health benefits of bone broth
You’ve noticed them in the butchers’ meat counter. Parts of animals you don’t want to see and you wonder, “who buys this stuff and what do they do with it anyway?” Then you may see me walk in and ask for one split pigs foot, a few beef bones with lots of knuckle and half a dozen chicken necks and backs. As long as I have a slow cooker, I’ll work it overtime making broth and stock. It’s not new. Remember your grandmother simmering chicken bones on the stove? Well, she did it most likely to make soup but there are a whole lot of new things to make with that pot of stock or broth. But first, the difference between stock and broth. There’s a lot of confusion and most people use the words interchangeably. Rightly so, they’re both made on the same basic premise of simmering water, bones and/or meat, vegetables and seasonings. It’s that simple. So here is the difference. Broth is the simplest, lightest and quickest to make, sometimes in as little as an hour. Stock on the other hand, requires a little more of a time commitment to produce, anywhere from eight to twelve hours. Both are ultimately better tasting than anything you could buy from a store and both are better for you too. You can make broth or stock in many flavours like beef, chicken, fish and vegetable. But there’s a new kid on the what’s-new-in-health block and it’s called bone broth. Heralded as the elixir of life, the fountain of youth and often referred to as liquid gold, I’ve seen miraculous claims such as superfood, anti-aging, gut healing and energizing. Bone broth is made the same way you’d make traditional broth, the difference being bone broth is simmered for a very long period of time, often between 24 to 48 hours. That’s a long time! But, it’s necessary to produce gelatin from the collagen-rich bones and extract the bones rich resources of minerals. California health guru, Heather Dane, better known as the 21st Century Medicine Woman, uses a blend of science and ancient wisdom to help people resolve chronic health conditions. The premise of her recommendations is bone broth. It was Heather’s book, The Bone Broth Secret (Hay House) that inspired me to start simmering a pot of bones on the stove. Heather explains bone broth has bioavailable collagen that makes it a unique health food and bioavailable nutrients with easily digestible amino acids, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. I’m not an expert on any of that, but it sure tastes great! Throughout history, almost every country has had a tradition of boiling bones of meat-giving animals to make a nutritive broth. It was used to
make soups, sauces, gravies as well as providing the liquid for cooking vegetables, beans, rice and grains. But now, Heather wants you to do so much more with bone broth. For example, drink a cup of warm bone broth instead of coffee in the morning. While the idea may sound a little repulsive at first, I have to admit that sipping a cup of warm bone broth is overwhelmingly comforting versus the stimulating cup of coffee. I’ve come to really like it now and take it in a to-go cup when I’m on the road and can’t find a good, quick bite. For breakfast, Heather recommends cooking your oatmeal in bone broth. For a gluten-free version, try cream of buckwheat or quinoa flakes. Spice it up with cinnamon and nutmeg and sweeten it with maple syrup or honey. It is surprisingly delicious. There is no one-recipe for bone broth, instead you can use whatever you find at the market, the butchers and even in your own compost bin! Yes, the beauty of making bone broth, like any broth is that you can use vegetable scraps and leftover bones from previous meals. You can even mix up your bones. For example, you can use a base of simple beef bones and add a split pig’s foot for a gelatin-rich bone broth. Simmer for up to 48 hours and refrigerate. Remove the fat cap and you’ll most likely have a thick substance that resembles Jell-O more than broth. That’s ok, it melts when warmed and you can always add water if it’s too rich. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered the best bones are marrow bones, knuckle bones and split pigs feet. Ox tails with their high meat and fat ratio make an incredibly rich and delicious bone broth but because of their high price tag I’ve come to refer to it as the champagne of bone broths. The big secret to extracting nutrients from bones is the addition of apple cider vinegar. About half a cup will do. Add it to the water in your slow cooker before turning up the heat and the vinegar will draw out the deepest vitamins and nutrients from the bones. You don’t even taste the vinegar in the end. Don’t think you have to buy fresh vegetables for your broth. I put a bin in the freezer and every day I throw my vegetable scraps into it. When it’s full, I add bones and make beef broth or I make a pot of vegetable broth. You only need to simmer vegetable broth for one to two hours, it gives me plenty of flavourful liquid for cooking the rest of the week and supplies my vegan son with vegetable broth for his kitchen as well. Our mushroom risotto, root vegetable terrine and caramelized onions never tasted so good! >> TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 55
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Using bone broth my meatloaf tastes like a prime rib, mashed celery root tastes richer and somehow butterier. I use it to cook barley, quinoa and rice and have even experimented with pancakes, muffins and zucchini bread. Yes, they’re delicious, a little more elegant and obviously better for you. In our home, we inevitably have a crockpot of perpetually brewing broth bubbling away on the counter. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started.
Lynn’s Favourite Bone Broth
2 pounds of raw beef bones, preferably with lots of knuckles
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6 black peppercorns ½ cup apple cider vinegar Roast the beef and marrow bones in a preheated 450F oven for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the pigs foot for 10 minutes to remove any impurities. Put the roasted bones, boiled pigs foot, vegetable scraps and seasonings into a slow cooker, cover with water and add apple cider vinegar. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to low. Simmer for two days, starting the time when it begins to simmer. If the water evaporates and the bones are sticking out of the water, add more water. Once done, remove the bones, strain and refrigerate. The next day, remove the fat cap, season and enjoy. Makes 6 to 8 litres of rich bone broth that will last about 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Broth | Simply speaking broth is made with meat and some bones.
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So don’t throw out that chicken carcass, instead, simmer it for a short period of time, say anywhere from one to two hours with some vegetables and seasonings. You’ll have a broth that is light in flavour and texture and incredibly rich in protein.
Stock | Stock is typically made mostly with bones, although there HAND CRAFTED BY OUR CERTIFIED ITALIAN PIZZAIOLO CHEF... “DANIELE” 905.358.0004 905.680.9300
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may still be a small amount of meat robust flavour. The liquid is simmered for a longer period of time, about three to four hours and besides a great source of protein, also becomes a wonderful source of gelatin (great for hair, nails and bones).
Bone Broth | Made with bones (with or without knuckle) that
are roasted first and simmered anywhere from 24 to 36 hours. This time is needed to produce gelatin from the collagen-rich joints and also extract minerals from within the bones. At the end of cooking, the bones should crumble when pressed lightly between your thumb and forefinger.
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BEER THE CULTURE OF SEAFOOD Kame & Kettle ‘Minivan’ Kölsch-style Kölsch, a name reserved for a clean, crisp style of beer that is made in Cologne, Germany, is perfectly suited for fresh shellfish. It’s certainly light enough to allow the very delicate nuances of the seafood sing, and the refreshing carbonation creates an ocean-like experience. In Niagara, we don’t have to travel all the way to Germany to enjoy this. Fonthill’s Kame & Kettle makes a version that is both refreshing and flavourful - a perfect match to any variety of crustaceans and shellfish. CHOUX ON THIS Exchange Brewery ‘Foreign Exchange Stout’
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I can’t help but try to mentally escape to the south of France when I eat Cassoulet, and this takes me directly to the wines of the area. Marsanne, a grape from the Rhône Valley, is a rare grape to find in Niagara. Lucky for us, the team at KEW Vineyards have knocked this one out of the park. They have created a wine with hedonistic aromatics and enough acidity and body (thanks to 6 months aging in French oak) to balance out the richness and sumptuous flavours of the dish.
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They say nothing brings people together like good food. With this in mind, we compiled a few local culinary events happening in the Niagara Region for you to mark on your calendar. >>
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RESTAURANT WEEK OCTOBER 13-27, 2016
Over 15 internationally inspired restaurants on Lundy’s Lane will feature special lunch & dinner menus at an incredible price. Take advantage of this special opportunity to sample some of the best restaurants in Niagara Falls.
OKTOBERFEST OCTOBER 14, 2016 NIAGARA BREWING COMPANY
Oktoberfest is one of the world’s most famous and lively festivals, drawing millions of people to Munich, Germany every year in celebration of traditional Bavarian beer, food, and entertainment. Celebrate this beloved festival at Niagara Brewing Company with an exciting evening featuring premium brews and traditional Oktoberfest cuisine. We’re bringing the spirit of Oktoberfest to Niagara Falls and honouring this joyous tradition with some of the best beer and food the city has to offer. More info at niagarabrewingcompany.com
SAVOUR THE SIGHTS - FRIGHT NIGHT OCTOBER 15TH AT 6:30 JACKSON TRIGGS NIAGARA ESTATE WINERY
This Halloween themed culinary experience is sure to treat your taste buds! There will be a five-course meal, each served in a different area of the winery. More info at jacksontriggswinery.com
AU REVOIR SUMMER DINNER OCTOBER 15TH FROM 6:30PM TO 11PM PELLER ESTATES WINERY
Join CityLine personality and Winery Chef, Jason Parsons, as he and Peller Estates’ very own French Sous Chef, Helene Belanger, create a delectable, French-inspired four course-tasting menu. Chef and Helene will tease your taste buds with a dining experience straight out of Provence, complemented by our stunning aromatic whites and favourite reds. Enjoy our irresistible lure of French cuisine paired with our award winning VQA wines. $125 per person, plus taxes and gratuities. $115 per person plus taxes and gratuities for Wine Club Members. More info at andrewpeller.com
FALL COOKING CLUB OCTOBER 30, 1PM TO 3:30PM INNISKILLIN ESTATE WINERY
Come enjoy a fun filled afternoon with our Executive Chef Tim Mackiddie where he’ll share his passion for local Niagara ingredients and the culinary arts. This 2.5 hour culinary experience includes a delectable cheese and charcuterie board upon arrival and some of Inniskillin world-renowned wines. Tim will guide you through some basic training in the kitchen and more advanced techniques for the pros! When your afternoon of delight comes to an end you’ll be leaving with your sublime creations for later. Tickets are $79.65
NOTHING BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER LIKE good food. TASTE THE SEASON WEEKENDS IN NOVEMBER, 11AM TO 5PM
Taste the Season is Niagara-on-the-Lake’s must-do event in November! Celebrate the season’s bounty with locally inspired VQA wine and food pairings at each of our member wineries. Visit wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com
NIAGARA ON THE LAKE ULTIMATE FOODIE TOUR RUNNING UNTIL NOVEMBER 27TH THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS AT 1:30PM
The tiny town of NOTL is filled with tons of old world charm and new world cuisine. This 3.5-hour walk along the streets of Old Town NOTL focuses on both history and culture, while introducing you to fantastic local foods. This tour visits several local restaurants, where you will get to taste the food, meet the chefs and more. Vegetarian options are available if requested in advance. Tickets are $65 per person. More info at niagaraculinarytours.com
FABULICIOUS RUNNING FROM NOVEMBER 10TH TO NOVEMBER 17TH
Experience the culinary artists of the Signature Kitchen collection at this event fit for connoisseurs of all things culinary. There will be 3 courses, fixed price menus, which consist of an appetizer, main course and dessert. 14 restaurants will be participating. Lunch is $25, dinner is $39. For more information, visit signaturekitchensofniagaraonthelake.com
FRIENDS OF FORT GEORGE BEEFSTEAK SOCIETY DINNER NOVEMBER 19TH FROM 6PM TO 11PM
The Friends of Fort George are putting on a special fundraising dinner, which will be fashioned after the Sublime Beefsteak Society of England. The evening will include a steak dinner, live music, an auction and great entertainment. The money raised goes towards supporting student employment opportunities at Fort George and Brock Monument. For more information, visit friendsoffortgeorge.ca
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“COOL” decor created with hundreds of corks and screw caps, and lots of volunteer hours! Behind, the tarmac of the Niagara District Airport. (FC)
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As the sun set, the venue lit up, highlighting decor elements created by a team of dedicated volunteers in the months preceding i4C. (WT)
i4C – i4C has been busy this summer: Cool Chardonnay
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59 producers pouring Chardonnay. Marche-style food options from five of Niagara’s favourite restaurants. (FC)
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World Tour Tasting & Dinner, July 23, 2016 at Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario. (WT) Flights of Chardonnay, July 22, 2016. Niagara District Airport, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. (FC) The Moveable Feast, July 24, 2016. Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. (MF)
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Mary Del an Bachelder ey & Violette Delan ey of Bachel der Wines . (MF)
Kevin Adam (and son) winner of the Smoke’s Poutinerie Poutine Eating Contest, and business owners Cheryl Howlett and Bill Howlett.
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Guest Malcolm Lamont (also a i4C volunteer); Vineyard Manager Dean Stoyka, representing Stratus Vineyards; Suzanne Janke, Chair of the i4C Board (also from Stratus Vineyards). (MF)
Grand Opening – Niagara Falls Chamber staff,
Mayor Jim Diodati and MPP Wayne Gates were on hand to celebrate the Grand Opening of Casa Das Natas on Lewis Avenue in Niagara Falls. Guests enjoyed Portuguese delicacies of and authentic coffee.
Winemaker Shauna White from Adamo Estate Winery in Ontario’s Hockley Valley. (WT)
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ON THE TABLE
As a way to celebrate Niagara’s fast growing food culture we decided to launch a new feature On The Table, where we will profile prominent Niagara chefs who are helping put Niagara on the map as a food destination. This feature will debut in the November/ December issue of the newly reformatted Today Magazine – Niagara Edition. This new format will focus on local content and tourism in the Niagara Region.