AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST

No.5 / October 2011 FOOD & BEVERAGE

NEW3 WAYS

REVAMP OLD FAVOURITES WITH SOME CULINARY CREATIVITY

A WHOLE NEW CLASS OF COMFORT FOOD Mackenzie Smith grills up some gourmet genius Foodies share their tips for taking the classics from simple to stunning—and always satisfying PHOTO: GRILLED CHEESE SOCIAL A sweet spot Observation Tools of the trade Tea transforms The food that Food bloggers spill from breakfast makes your on their must-have staple to dessert children smart gadgets 2 · OCTOBER 2011 AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST CHALLENGES

WE RECOMMEND Gear up for gastronomic greatness Food bloggers share their tools of the trade. PAGE 7 “A recent trend has been the proliferation of specialized tools once only found in high-end restaurant kitchens and now available to the home cook.”

The ooey gooey gourmet p. 4 Grilled Cheese Social takes this savoury classic to new levels. Recipe spotlight p. 6 Fill your evenings with scrumptious dinners and desserts. CREATING HARMONY Planning your pairings first is a great way to organize your holiday party menu. PHOTO: WINE COUNCIL OF With a bevvy of fresh ingredients and an adventurous culinary spirit, the opportunities to live in good taste are endless. Whether you’re preparing a holiday feast or just a feel-good bite, expand your horizons. Make holiday entertaining easy—and enjoy yourself! reating a fun and ville Island Brewing Winter Ale. You the menu and select two per festive gathering can try a practice round of all of these course. Start with a root vegetable where you have great drinks at the Gourmet Food & soup like butternut squash, which time to enjoy the Wine Expo. is perfect for a wintery night, and company of your During cocktail hour, unveil your pairs nicely with the Stoneleigh guests always selection of fi ne . or the Lailey Vine- FOOD & BEVERAGE seems to be an Explore your options at the Expo by yard . A second course 5TH EDITION, OCTOBER 2011 Cimpossible task. A few of these sug- attending a free seminar at the All could include a delectable duck gestions may help get you on track to You Need is Cheese Stage. Add in stel- confi t which pairs easily with many Responsible for this issue: create a holiday party that will leave lar chorizo, fi re roasted peppers, mar- wines including the D’Arenburg Publisher: Yana Eventov [email protected] guests in awe of your party-planning inated artichokes and freshly sliced Shiraz Grenache or the classic Masi Designer: Penelope Graham “je ne sais quoi.” baguette served with aged balsamic Chianti. Follow this up with a main [email protected] Production Coordinator: Jemima Over a decade of event planning, and Nova Oliva extra virgin olive oil. Jennifer Campbell course of seared tenderloin and sea- Codrington including the annual Gourmet Food This easy hors d’oeuvre will satiate Show Manager, Gourmet Food & Wine Expo sonal vegetables where you can go [email protected] Contributors: Jennifer Bartoli, Jennifer & Wine Expo coming this November your famished guests and leftovers A TASTY EVENT big with new Vintages release Clos Campbell, Kathy Cannon, Cornel Ceapa, 17 to 20th at the Metro Toronto Con- may come in handy later if your guests du Marquis Bordeaux or splurge on Anne Gibson, Kevin Lynch, Deeba Rajpal, Gourmet Food Mackenzie Smith, Jaime Verk- Perez, vention Centre, we’ve learned a few tend to stay until the wee hours. an aged Cabernet from the infamous Anthony Walkenhorst, Nienke Woodburn, things about gourmet food, fi ne wine & Wine Expo Cakebread Cellars. Matt Wright Get “sets” for success and planning one heck of a party! Photo Credit: All images are from O ering pre-set pairings with your ■ Metro Toronto Reconnect with iStock.com unless otherwise accredited. Warming up to refreshments Convention Centre your party people dinner is a surprisingly easy way to Managing Director: Gustav Aspegren The fi rst drink rule: The biggest rush plan your wine list. Guests will be ■ November 17 6-10pm Your chef can pack up or join the party [email protected] ■ November 18 2-10pm Business Developer: Darshan Thomas of the night is getting that fi rst drink wowed by your e orts and aside from while guests resume mingling. A selec- [email protected] in the hands of your guests. Make life a little pre-planning and a few extra ■ November 19 12-10pm tion of bite-sized pastries and petite ■ November 20 12-6pm a little easier by o ering a selection of glasses, it’s almost e ortless once the pies can sit pretty on a platter for your Distributed within: winter beers and sleek, ready-to-drink meal begins. Pour a sample for every- ■ Buy tickets now at and find guests to help themselves. Put the cof- National Post, October 2011 out more at This section was created by Mediaplanet and cocktails. The Vice Icewine Martini one and leave the bottle on the table so fee on and break out your best liqueurs did not involve the National Post or its and the Bassano Lemon Sanguinelli guests can fi ll up on their favourites. www.foodandwineexpo.ca like the St-Rémy Cream, Luxardo Editorial Departments. o er a light and refreshing start to While we adore gourmet cuisine, Amaretto and classic Grand Marnier the night. Add in a few winter beers it often requires skilled profession- Sample from over 1,500 wines, beer for the ideal indulgence to complete like the Samuel Adams Winter Ale, the als to execute the vision, so hire a and spirits and savour incredible the evening. When all is said and done, seasonal Creemore Springs UrBock; great sous chef and let the party gourmet cuisine from Toronto’s best send your guests home in a taxi and the Mill Street Co ee Porter, and Gran- begin. Work with your chef to plan chefs. call it a sensational night. Cheers!

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER! www.facebook.com/MediaplanetCA Special occasions inspire www.twitter.com/MediaplanetCA Mediaplanet’s business is to create new cus- tomers for our advertisers by providing read- ers with high quality editorial content holiday spirits that motivates them to act. DON’T MISS! There’s no way around it— di erent wines and have put together planning an event over the “Socializing and several prepackaged gifts for consum- holiday season requires a lot having fun come to ers who are confused about what of preparation. to buy,” says Cannon. “We’ve boxed mind when people together great brands and products to By selecting the perfect alcoholic think about wines make things easier too.” beverage to set the tone and enhance Beverage trends that are big this Perfect pairings your social gathering, you will leave and spirits.” season are classic liquors including a lasting impression. Serving wine Cognac, Grand Marnier, Baileys, Pre- Enjoying these dishes this holiday season? Here are to your guests creates a calm atmos- Kathy Cannon mium Vodka, and American and Irish phere, brings people together and is a Director, Wines, LCBO Whisky. “People also tend to be drawn some tips for pairing your fa- great way to stimulate conversation. to red wine at this time of year, but vourite meals with delicious “Socializing and having fun come to able part of the wine tasting experi- and exciting route with good com- surprisingly the popularity of white beverages. mind when people think about wines ence and to get your guests involved, pany is always fun and entertaining,” wine is growing because it is crisp and and spirits. It also adds fl avour to your don’t be afraid to explore di erent fl a- states Cannon. fresh,” Cannon a rms. “Another huge ■ Caviar: Pair with Frozen Vodka meal and I often encourage people to vour profi les that are associated with trend that is highly recommended ■ Smoked Salmon: Pair with think of wine as one of the food groups the essence of various produce, such The ideal gift for any occasion for eggnog is Rum because it Highland Single Malt Scotch because it compliments absolutely as raspberry, grape, apples, pears and Gifting wine and spirits sends a enhances the fl avour,” she suggests. ■ Oysters:Pair with Chablis everything,” says Kathy Cannon, . In most cases, the bottle unique and personal message to its “These all make great gifts and aren’t ■ Veal: Pair with Oak Aged director of Wines at the LCBO. will tell you the story behind the wine intended recipient. It’s an opportunity just in style around the holiday sea- Chardonay and what’s in it. “There is something to give a luxurious, yet fl avourful bev- son, but all year around.” ■ Steak: Pair with Côtes-du- Tickle your taste buds out there for everyone. Choose some- erage to someone you care about and Rhône or Sémillon There’s no right or wrong answer to thing that no one has tried before. A lot will gladly be treasured because most selecting a brand of wine. Discovering of people tend to purchase what they people don’t take the opportunity to PAULEANNA REID COURTESY OF LCBO (LCBO.COM) your preference is the most pleasur- think is the safest, but taking a new spoil themselves. “We have over 1400 [email protected] AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST OCTOBER 2011 · 3

CHALLENGES INSPIRATION TIP NEW TRENDS IN BEVERAGE PAIRING 1

TRY AN UNEXPECTED FLAVOUR

INSPIRATION Brew up something beautiful

Forget your fancy latte—the latest way to mug it up brings about a new twist on a centuries-old beverage— gourmet teas. Tea boutiques, such as Montreal-based DAVIDsTEA, are springing up and o ering their fragrant wares country-wide. With these teas, the pairing options go way beyond breakfast—they’re becoming an increasingly popular accompainment to sweet and savoury desserts.

For more information on the gourmet tea movement, check out Page 7!

PHOTOS: DAVIDSTEA Not a recipe to snub TOP IT OFF This recipe packs an extra hit of protein with a Pasta with Ricotta and a Fried egg, savoury egg addition. PHOTO: THE TOMATO SNOB courtesy of The Tomato Snob eing “The Tomato Jaime Verk-Perez Snob”, my love of Food Blogger, The Tomato Snob pasta and tomato RECEPIES sauce is a force to be reckoned with. This quick and Pasta with Ricotta and a Fried Egg delicious recipe Serves 4 Bpacks some much-needed protein Can of plum tomatoes—San Marzano are best into a carb-laden meal. whisk in ricotta and add parsley. 4 cloves garlic, minced In another pot, boil heavily 2 carrots, grated Get prepped salted water with a drizzle of olive 2 tbs olive oil A MEATLESS WONDER! You’ll need a large can of crushed oil for the pasta. While the pasta 4 fresh basil leaves—whole plum tomatoes, four cloves of is cooking, fry eggs in butter with 1 tsp dried oregano minced garlic, two tbs. of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. When 1 handful parsley— chopped four fresh basil leaves, one tsp. of all is ready, add the cooked pasta 1tsp red pepper fl akes dried oregano, some chopped pars- to the sauce to coat and serve with 1 cup of low fat ricotta ley, one tsp. of red pepper flakes, the fried egg, and parsley on top. Salt & pepper to taste two grated carrots, one cup of low Chow for now. 1 package spaghetti fat ricotta cheese, salt and pepper 4 eggs to taste, four eggs, and two tbs. of 2 tbs butter butter. In a large pot, heat olive oil to Read more 1.In a large pot, heat olive oil to medium, sautée the garlic and chili for a minute, then add oregano. medium, sautée the garlic and chili ! on the web: 2.Reduce temperature to medium before adding tomatoes. for a minute, then add oregano. www.thetomatosnob.com 3.Toss in basil and bring sauce to a low simmer for 30 minutes. Before serving, whisk in ricotta and add parsley. Reduce temperature to medium 4.In another pot, boil heavily salted water with a drizzle of olive oil for the pasta. before adding tomatoes. Toss in 5. While the pasta is cooking, fry eggs in butter with a pinch of salt and pepper. basil and bring sauce to a low sim- JAIME VERK-PEREZ 6. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce to coat and serve with the fried egg, and parsley on top. mer for 30 minutes. Before serving, [email protected] 4 · OCTOBER 2011 AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST INSPIRATION

1 Warm, toasty and always satisfying, the grilled cheese is the epitome of comfort food. Swap in some unique ingredients, however, and this pan-fried classic goes from simple to stunning.

The ooey 2 gooey gourmet Reinventing savoury staples HOW I MADE IT quality-cheeses to her sandwiches a toddler, living on Captiva Island in MacKenzie calls it? “Get creative and If you think grilled cheese is simply and experiments with different South Florida. Allergic to seafood— use real butter!” The quality of the If you’ve ever bitten into a white toast and processed cheese types of breads to achieve a unique the island’s staple—she began a love ingredients is always a prime con- perfectly cooked grilled singles, think again. Grilled Cheese version of a grilled cheese that trans- affair with bread and cheese and cern—you do need good quality cheese cheese, chances are you Social has brought this North Amer- forms into a complete meal. She hasn’t looked back since. It’s this and bread to make the ultimate grilled understand what real comfort ican staple to the next level, and then gives each fi nal piece a quirky name shared emotional connection with cheese. Once the ingredients are food should taste like. some. MacKenzie that matches her larger-than-life grilled cheese that makes her blog there, don’t be afraid to experiment. adds grilled personality and then shows you such an original, quirky and fun read. MacKenzie has come up with some Little can go wrong with toasted veggies, sal- step-by-step pictures to help you “I just love the emotional tie that of her most successful sandwiches by bread and a slice of oozy, gooey melted sas, and make the same sandwiches people have to grilled cheese, and how drawing inspiration from her favour- cheese. MacKenzie Smith, a coun- high in your own kitchen. Her enthusiastic they get when they talk ite meals and transforming them into selling psychology major-turned favourite of the 70 she’s about the special way their family did grilled-cheese form. Another word blogger, turned full-time blogged about? “I guess it and how amazing it was. It’s bizarre of wisdom is never to use margarine foodie, understands that it’s a battle between how compelling a sandwich can be instead of butter: “You need the real concept better than the ‘East Villager’, and it inspires me.” full fat stu to create an amazing anyone. She’s dedi- which uses butter- crispy shell that locks in all the good- cated an entire nut squash, bacon, Skimping on the skinny ness. Sure, using the fake stu may be blog, Grilled gouda, and lard With current trends leaning towards healthier and save a few calories, but Cheese Social, to bread, and the ‘(F) more healthy and nutritious life- if you’re eating a grilled cheese in the the sandwich unemployment styles, Grilled Cheese Social is an fi rst place, then why try to make it she grew up Special’, which ultimate resource for indulgent eats. super healthy?” eating. Her site is made with “I actually only eat grilled cheese includes dozens pound cake, brie, about twice a week” MacKenzie con- Jennifer Bartoli is a Toronto-based upon dozens of fig preserves, fesses, but when she does she really writer, photographer and recipe developer high-end grilled and a rosemary- makes it count. Favourites include her who grew up in Paris, France. Her long- cheese concoc- infused butter. ‘Hodge Podge’ grilled cheese, which standing passion for food took her to New tions, all starting They’re both totally layers sautéed kale, wild mushrooms, York City, where she studied at the French with bread and some di erent but I love the roasted beets and goat cheese or her Culinary Institute. For delicious reci- kind of cheese and sweet-yet-savoury fl a- over-the-top, carb-filled pes and more, check out Jennifer’s blog, made in her bite-sized vour profi le that they grilled cheese—a sky-high arrange- Chocolate Shavings. kitchen in Williamsburg, both have.” ment of gravy, cheese curds and fries New York. She now works BE MINE tightly sandwiched by two thick at Saveur magazine and is Mackenzie created the La La Love You, A cheesy pieces of beer bread really elevate the at Saveur magazine and is which is loaded with strawberries, Nutella a cheesemonger-in-training and Mascarpone cheese, for her boyfriend beginning grilled cheese. at Depanneur, a specialty store in on Valentine’s Day. MacKenzie’s love for grilled What’s MacKenzie’s advice to make JENNIFER BARTOLI PHOTO: GRILLED CHEESE SOCIAL Brooklyn. cheese began when she was the best grilled cheese—or GC, as [email protected] AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST OCTOBER 2011 · 5 INSPIRATION 4 CELEBRATE TIPS INGREDIENT AND FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS Experience Ontario’s wine country Taste responsibly Have a designated driver who is not consuming alco- 1 hol, taste small samples, feel free to spit and use dumping bins, don’t taste on an empty stomach. Give your senses a chance Refrain from chewing gum or eating strong tasting 2 foods before you taste and avoid wearing heavily scented per- fumes. These things will change how the wine tastes and smells. Look, swirl & smell before you taste Start by noticing the color of the wine as it will give 3 you a hint on its age and style. Next swirl the wine in its glass as this aerates the wine and releases aromas for you to smell. Much of a wine’s charm comes through smell so smelling is really important (it’s polite to put your nose right over the rim of the glass). Ask lots of questions Wine people are always excited to share their stor- 4 ies and help people learn

1. Each of Mackenzie’s creations and discover new things about starts in her bite-sized kitchen in wine. Find a new favourite variety Williamsburg, NY. 2. The Little Devil on Horseback, like Chardonnay, , Pinot which features blauschimmel Noir or Cabernet . cheese and bacon-wrapped eggs. 3. Team Cream, a concoction assembled on an Everything bagel and filled with heirloom COURTESY OF WINE COUNTRY ONTARIO tomatos and organic cream cheese. [email protected] PHOTOS: GRILLED CHEESE SOCIAL 3

World Famous KIM CRAWFORD NEW ZEALAND

AVAILABLE AT VINTAGES STORES

www.kimcrawfordwines.co.nz

Please drink responsibly 6 · OCTOBER 2011 AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST RECIPE SPOTLIGHT

NEW TWISTS ON OLD FAVOURITES Toasty and tasty Sass up some traditional warm weather staples Udon Noodles with Mini Pita, Haloumi and Zucchini Pizzas Vegetable Broth 6 mini whole wheat pitas 4 stalks of chopped green onion 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of olive oil 4 heads of baby bok choy 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan 5 oz. udon or soba noodles 1 clove of garlic, very fi nely minced 1 vegetable stock cube 1/4 tsp of dried oregano 1 litre of water 1 small green zucchini Freshly ground black pepper to 1 small yellow zucchini taste 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 good squirt of lemon juice 1.Add the water and vegetable Salt and freshly ground pepper stock to a pot and bring it to a boil. 1/4 cup of pitted Greek olives

2. Next, add the noodles (keeping 6 medium thick slices of Haloumi cheese PHOTO: JENNIFER BARTOLI them long), and cook for 8-10 minutes. 1.Preheat your oven to 400F. Carefully cut each pita in half lengthwise to get two round 3. Add the baby bok choy when bases. Lay out the pitas on a parchment-lined baking sheet, inside facing up. there is about about 2-3 minutes of 2.In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, Parmesan, garlic and oregano and cooking time left. generously brush the mixture on each pita half. Using a vegetable peeler, peel thin strips of 4. Serve in deep bowls and garnish PHOTO: NIENKE WOODBURN zucchini and place in a bowl. If the strips are too large, cut them in half lengthwise using a with fresh, chopped green onion. small paring knife. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes and olives. Add the 2 tablespoons 5. Grind fresh peppercorns on top for additional fl avour. of olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and gently toss to coat. Don’t add too much salt as the Haloumi and olives are both quite salty. 3. Evenly distribute the zucchini, tomatoes and olives on each piece of pita, leaving a small NIENKE WOODBURN border. Cut each slice of Haloumi cheese into 2 or 3 Revel Blog pieces and add them evenly to each pita. Cook for revelblog.com 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the JENNIFER BARTOLI [email protected] zucchini just starts to wilt. [email protected] Get delectable You’ll be tempted to skip your dinner with these desserts waiting in the wings Extravagantly Rich Chocolate Mousse with Merangues Poached Pears with Mousse: Chocolate Ganache 3 egg yolks 4 Bosc pears 1 cup of whipping cream 1 piece of fresh ginger, 1/4 inch thick, peeled 150 grams of dark chocolate 1 lemon 1.In a double bottom pan, melt the chocolate. 4 cups of water 2. In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks until stiff. 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream 3. Add the melted chocolate to the whipped egg 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate yolks and mix. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 4.In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff. 1. Add the water and sugar to a large saucepan on 5. Now add the whipped cream to the egg and choc- medium heat. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or until the olate mixture—mix until blended. sugar has dissolved into the water (you can swirl the 6. Keep the mousse in the fridge until it is time to pan to help it dissolve). Using a vegetable peeler, peel serve. a couple strips of lemon zest and add to the water. PHOTO: JENNIFER BARTOLI Merangues: Then, juice 1/2 lemon and add to the water. Add the 3 egg whites ginger. While the sugar is dissolving, peel the pears. Be careful to leave the stem intact and to 1/2 cup of sugar neatly peel the skin around it. 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract PHOTO: NIENKE WOODBURN 2.Add the pears to the water mixture and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until the pears are soft but 1 teaspoon of whiskey still hold their shape. 1.Preheat the oven to 200F 3.To make the ganache: fi nely chop the chocolate and add to a heat-proof bowl. Place the cream 2.Combine the egg whites, vanilla and whiskey in a large bowl and whip together. in a little pot and bring to a strong simmer. Right before the cream starts to boil, remove from the 3. Add the sugar bit by bit and whip until the mixture is stiff heat and pour over the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate and cream form a homogeneous and shiny. NIENKE WOODBURN mixture. Fold in the vanilla extract. To plate, add a couple 4.Line a baking tray with wax paper and use a piping bag to Revel Blog ladles of chocolate sauce to each serving plate and place a pipe dollops of the mixture onto the paper. revelblog.com well drained poached pear at the centre. JENNIFER BARTOLI 5. Place in the oven for 3 hours [email protected] [email protected] Looking for a fresh take Holiday feast? Spice it up! Want to impress your friends and family this Christmas? Why not try out some of the dishes that our winemaker will be cooking up on Christmas Day—enjoy!

■ Entrée : Spicy BBQ Prawns (a family favorite) Marinate peeled king prawns with chili, oil and garlic overnight and cook on the BBQ. Serve with Kim Crawford

■ Main : Herb & Garlic BBQ Lamb with Roast Veg Marinate a butterfl ied leg of lamb with olive oil, garlic, wholegrain mus- tard, Kim Crawford Chardonnnay and rosemary over night. Wrap the lamb in foil and cook on BBQ until just cooked. Brush lamb with mint jelly and cook uncovered until a glaze forms, cover and rest the lamb. To and stir into ice cream. Freeze until make a gravy, take what is left of the required. Pour over hot buttered marinade, add some chicken stock rum caramel.Serve with and simmer for fi ve minutes. Sparkling . Serve with Kim Crawford Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone. Cheers! ■ Dessert: Mincepie Icecream Sundaes with Hot Buttered Rum Caramel ANTHONY WALKENHORST Soften some good quality vanilla bean Kim Crawford Winemaker ice cream, crush up some mince pies [email protected] AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MEDIAPLANET TO THE NATIONAL POST OCTOBER 2011 · 7

TIP RECIPE SPOTLIGHT NEWS 3

AVOID GIMMICKY GAD- GET TRENDS RECIPE Gear up for AND OPT FOR gastronomic greatnessHIGH QUALITY ■ Question: How can you update J.A. Henckels knives. Finding a good your kitchen arsenal in the most chef’s knife is similar to fi nding the effective way possible? perfect shoe—it really has to fi t and ■ Answer: Learn from food blog- feel right. gers’ tools of the trade–and avoid seemingly convenient gimmicks. What gets shelved When asked about their most useful Every season, especially dur- tools were in the kitchen, the bloggers Baked Baby ing the holidays, a multitude o ered a variety of responses from of new kitchen tools flood al- smaller essentials to higher-priced Potatoes with ready crowded kitchen-store equipment: Kevin most values his Acadian Caviar shelves. stainless steel pans and food proces- sor, while Deeba could not cook with- It can be di cult to distinguish gim- out her microplane grater—an ingen- Enjoy the following micky kitchen gadgets from the items ious tool used to fi nely grate citrus recipe with a glass that are worth the splurge—as well zest, chocolate, and cheese, as well as of Champagne— as the counter space. Should you buy her stainless steel mixing bowl. Matt experience with beloved into the latest craze? Or invest in the uses his tongs and cutting board the people near a real fire on essentials? Who better to ask than most—all inexpensive items that a cold winter night. three savvy food bloggers who spend make everyday cooking much easier. the better part of their free time in the The most useless tools for these blog- 1 pound baby potatoes kitchen concocting delicious feasts gers? A cherry pitter, a garlic press and 200 ml organic crème fraiche to share with their readers? Kevin a fi ve-hole citrus zester all made the 2 tbsp chives, fi nely chopped Lynch is the author of Toronto-based list as tools that end up collecting dust 100 ml olive oil food blog “Closet Cooking”, a reposi- in a kitchen drawer. 50 g unsalted butter tory for international recipes made in A recent trend has been the pro- 100 g Acadian Caviar a closet-sized kitchen. Deeba Rajpal liferation of specialized tools once freshly ground black pepper runs “Passionate about Baking” from only found in high-end restaurant just outside New Delhi, India, show- kitchens and now available to the casing hundreds of gorgeous pastry home cook. Matt, who often blogs and cake recipes. Matt Wright, from about his adventures making char- “Wrightfood”, cooks from Seattle and cuterie, owns a pH meter to check the shares many rustic seafood dishes as acidity of salami during fermenta- You’ll be tempted to skip your dinner with these well as ways to make cured meats at tion, and ultimately to help create a home. safe and delicious end-result. Kevin, desserts waiting in the wings who enjoys making many di erent Tools of the trade ethnic foods, has purchased a gnoc- Despite their widely diverse back- chi board to make these little potato grounds, all three bloggers agree dumplings the old-fashioned way. On that the one item universally worth the other hand, Deeba, a busy stay at spending money on is a good chef’s home mother, prizes the e ciency of 1.Wash the baby potatoes and knife. For everyday essential tasks her Thermomix, an almost futuristic boil them for 20 minutes. Drain, like slicing vegetables, dicing onions food processor that also chops, whips, let cool and cut in halves. or chopping fresh herbs, a good chef’s blends, steams and cooks. knife is a treasured tool. It will help These bloggers have best equipped 2.Preheat the oven to 200 Cel- hone your knife skills while mak- their kitchen by fi rst investing in sius (430 F). Set the butter in a ing you more e cient and confi dent good quality essentials for everyday pan and heat it for approx. 2 min. in the kitchen. Matt uses primarily use and then indulging in more spe- Wüsthof knives for chopping. “I like cialized items that tailor to the types 3.Coat one baking tray with heavy German knives for regular of dishes they enjoy making most. aluminum foil and oil it with melt-

PHOTO: JENNIFER BARTOLI chopping—the weight feels good and ed butter. Arrange the baby po- the handle fi ts my hands well,” he Read more tatoes with the cut part down, says. “For more delicate work I like ! on the web: and bake in the oven for 15 min- Japanese knives, however their han- closetcooking.com/ utes or until golden. dles are often too small for my hands passionateaboutbaking.com/ STAYING SHARP for long periods of chopping.” mattikaarts.com/blog/ Deeba Rajpal, author of food blog 4.Mix the crème fraiche, chives “Passionate about Baking” Deeba likes Ergo chef knives, which includes high quality knives among and ground pepper. Place the she prizes for their sturdiness and JENNIFER BARTOLI in her prized kitchen tool box. mixture in the fridge. PHOTO: PRIVATE design, while Kevin prefers Zwilling [email protected] 5.On a serving plate, arrange the baby potatoes with their cut JENNIFER BARTOLI sides facing up. Add a teaspoon [email protected] Tea’s company: A new of the crème fraiche mixture add a generous dollop of caviar on take on a classic beverage top. 6.Serve with vintage Everyone seems to be experi- Champagne or vodka, chilled buzzing about tea these ence the in the freezer for 2 hours before days, and it turns out, world’s love serving. it’s warranted—the a air with traditional brewed tea right beverage has come here in a long way over the North last few years. Amer- ica with While many Canadians a unique, might be accustomed to modern twist. breakfast tea, a new—and 2 DAVIDsTEA’s resi- NO CRUMPET NEEDED sweeter—craze is becoming popu- dent tea guru, Richard Dessert teas bring bold new plar. Brands such as DavidsTEA are Guzauskas, explains this traditional flavours to your cup. 1: Buttered Rum now serving dessert tea. With over drink’s new-found appeal. “We strive 2: Creme Caramel Rooibos. 150 varieties of tea, from traditional to make tea fun and accessible to 3: Wild Black Yunnan straight teas to exclusive blends and everyone,” he says of the brand’s mod- PHOTOS: DAVIDSTEA fl avours, DAVIDsTEA defi nitely has ern take on tea. something for everyone. “Some people try to stay away from and anxiety. The same amino acid, Richardson’s favourite tea and dessert ca eine after dinner, but our vast L-theanine, helps aid the immune sys- pairings include dark chocolate truf- A new-found favourite selection of ca eine-free herbal teas tem battle virus and infection, making fl es with a Pu’erh tea, which is great It might just seem like the latest food o ers a perfect solution for evening tea a perfect drink for the upcoming for digestion as well as taste. “Milk trend, but tea has been popular around tea drinkers,” the tea guru explains. winter season. Tea also contains vita- chocolate cake with an Earl Grey—the the globe for thousands of years. Dessert teas are a no-brainer after mins such as B12, B6, E, and minerals bergamot citrus in the tea pairs nicely Every culture has its own traditional a meal, but traditional teas are also including potassium and calcium. with milk chocolate”, she adds. infusion, from Chinese green tea to a great addition to a dessert course. South African rooibos to Argentinean “Our Wild Black Yunnan tea is deli- Perfectly paired maté. Now Can- adians can cious with chocolate, white tea is the Author of the award-winning book perfect palate cleanser, and green tea “Tea with a Twist: Entertaining and goes extremely well with fruits and Cooking with Tea”, Lisa Boalt Richard- cheeses,” says Guzauskas. son knows how to enjoy the perfect cup. “Teas are wonderful to serve with A healthy choice desserts,” she says, noting the move In addition to being great tasting, away from serving traditional co ee many Canadians simply sip to enjoy and dessert. “The best teas to serve the many health benefi ts of tea. with desserts that are high in fat are According to Mighty Leaf, studies those that are high in astringency have shown that the free amino acids which cuts through it and gives your 3 ANTHONY WALKENHORST in tea leaves have helped improve palate a resting place. An example of CORNEL CEAPA Kim Crawford Winemaker 1 mental wellness by reducing stress those teas would be Japanese Sencha ANNE GIBSON [email protected] [email protected] or an Indian Darjeeling.” Some of [email protected] TIME to CELEBRATE Go effortlessly from plan to party with our great values on all the essentials.

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