Hello McSteamy

The healthiest, quickest and easiest method of cooking just got even simpler with these Zip ’n Steam bags made for the microwave. No cooking oils or excess water needed. Just add some of your favourite mixed veggies, seafood, or even poultry to the bag, seal well and microwave according to instructions. We tested these wonder steamers ourselves on green beans and cauliflower, seasoned with salt and pepper, and were pleasantly surprised with the locked-in flavour and tenderness. Oh, and no pots to wash! Perk: Recipe ideas inside!
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Ziploc Zip ’n Steam bags, $3 (pack of 10), available at mass retailers and grocery stores.

Cookbook Creator

Homemade goodies definitely have that personal touch, but only last so long. Why not share your love of food by authoring your own cookbook? Maybe you have family recipes you’d like to share, or a friend that dreams of entertaining but doesn’t know where to start, or a loved one that struggles with weekday dinner ideas. The KitchenAid Cookbook Creator packages up to 20 of your favourite recipes in one attractive binder and organizes them by type. For $50 (plus shipping), the book includes colour photos and two complimentary Cook for the Cure “Pink” recipes. The cookbook takes four to six weeks to publish and deliver, so get started now! Check it out at kitchenaid.ca.
- Tory Healy, Senior Editor, Food

Apples Of My Eye

A captivating lecture, fantastic apple-inspired dishes and wonderfully informative experts made the Ontario Apple Celebration at Toronto’s Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar especially scrumptious this season! Real-fruit place settings adorned each table, where Ontario apple growers imparted wisdom on the versatility and variety of our own apples. The fruit carries the rep of being a healthy snack and an ingredient that can be thrown into virtually everything – from decadent dishes like sweet-potato pancakes with apple-compote salad, to spreads like apple butter (my personal favourite). But I was also reminded that apples can function as a gift for your teacher, a traditional game (bobbing for apples), and a very popular decor prop! The best apples are local ones, so this season, grab yourself a bushel – you will undoubtedly find a way to use them all!
To learn more about Ontario apples, go to onapples.com, or bite into one yourself!
- Amy Thrasher, Editorial Intern

Fun and Functional

When I first discovered these at the Crate and Barrel preview in August, I knew I’d be stocking up as soon as the retailer opened the doors of their new Toronto location. With more than 10 different shapes and sizes to choose from, these sleek, see-through containers will store everything from cereals to pastas, help your food stay fresh and keep your cabinets organized. Each one is stackable, freezer-safe and BPA-free. But the very best part that had me sold in a heartbeat: the clever, pop-up mechanism, which creates the airtight seal, doubles as a discreet handle on the lid! Trust me – you’re going to love playing with it.
Pick them up at the dazzling Crate and Barrel store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, or order by phone and have them shipped anywhere in Canada.
- Jasmine Li, Online Editorial Assistant

OXO Pop Containers, from $8, Crate and Barrel, 888-657-4108, crateandbarrel.ca.

Slow Food Nation

This year’s Slow Food picnic at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works was another success. The weather was glorious, the crowd animated and the smells – grilled meats and harvest-fresh produce – alluring. Each table showcased freshly picked ingredients and finished products in tasty, bite-size goodies, served up by top restaurant chefs (like Jamie Kennedy, seen here) and paired with quaffable, local beers and wines. I sampled goods grown, made and cooked here, in Prince Edward County, in the Niagara Region and everywhere in between. Highlights included Berkshire pork sausage, white fish brandade and red fife crostinis. Most impressive was the easy interaction between regular Joes (like me) and the chefs and producers. Experience it yourself – visit your farmers’ market before season’s end (talk to vendors about how best to cook their produce – they know!), eat at restaurants that proudly feature local ingredients and learn more about the Slow Food movement at slowfood.ca.
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Get Your Chocolate Fix

I can’t think of anything better than a good martini to beat the end-of-summer blues. Well, maybe chocolate. Or men. If you happen to be in Vancouver or Toronto this fall, there’s a way to get all three. Kinder Bueno has morphed their delicious Bueno bar (chocolate, wafer and creamy hazelnut) into two indulgent desserts and one over-the-top martini – all of which will be served up at chocolate lounges in choice hot spots. I loved the tiramisu-inspired Bueno-misu (Bueno bars, mascarpone, whipping cream – ‘nuff said), but the highlight was definitely the custom martini. Some at my tasting complained that the Bueno-tini was too rich (whipped cream, cream, Bueno bars), or too strong (Godiva liqueur, Frangelico). For me, the delicious concoction went down smoother than suds on a hot day and left me wanting another. And if the Bueno boys are as tall, dark and handsome as they were during my lounge session, you’ll really struggle with that age-old question: is chocolate really better?
- Julia LeConte, Assistant Editor, Copy & Research

Kinder Bueno Chocolate Lounges:
Toronto: Brant House, October 17 & 18
Vancouver: Opus Bar, October 25

5 Steps to Carefree Carving

This carving set – so simple and elegant – will look gorgeous on your Thanksgiving table, but better in your hands. Don’t pass on carving – it may seem difficult, but it’s easy, and will only get easier with practice. If you have stage fright, carve your turkey in the kitchen and bring it out on a serving platter.

The 5 main steps:

1. In order to evenly distribute juices, let turkey rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes.
2. Pull a leg gently down and away from body to locate joint. Firmly push knife down through joint until leg comes away.
3. Lay leg down on cutting board. Cut through joint connecting thigh and drumstick. Hold drumstick upright, slice down along the bone to remove meat. Slice thigh meat by holding thigh firmly on cutting board with fork.
4. Pull a wing gently away from body to locate joint. Cut through joint to remove wing.
5. To slice breast meat, use fork to secure turkey. At base of breast, make a horizontal cut in toward bone. Slice breast downward and at an angle (away from the breastbone) to the base cut (slices should fall off).

Chocoholics Rejoice!

If that mid-afternoon sugar craving won’t leave you alone, indulge in one of these gourmet chocolate bars. They come in eight yummy flavours (white chocolate raspberry truffle, dark chocolate mojito mint, and milk chocolate peanut butter praline, to name a few) and promise to help do great things like maintain strong bones and boost vitamin levels. A confessed – and skeptical – chocoholic, I tried the dark chocolate mixed berries (full of probiotics, which are great for intestinal health, among other things) and was amazed at how delicious it was. The creamy, smooth texture and subtle hint of berry satisfied my sweet tooth in seconds flat. Tip: Keep one in your purse or desk drawer in lieu of a trip to the vending machine.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Chocolate Plus, $2.50, Shoppers Drug Mart.

The New Wellness Test

As if you need to hear another reason to get your greens, but we’ve got one anyway: your body’s pH level. Never thought much about it? Well neither did we until a roll of litmus paper crossed our desks, courtesy of Genuine Health, the makers of Greens+. Turns out the more pH balanced our bodies are, the easier it is for us to avoid low energy and poor health. That means eating lots of alkalinizing foods like broccoli, spinach and kale and limited amounts of acidic foods like pastries, and certain meats and cheeses. Greens+ contains a balance of 23 recommended ingredients from both groups. Watch for our full story on body pH in the Winter issue of Wish. In the meantime, why not take Genuine Health’s 21-day challenge, and test your own pH level. For more information, visit genuinehealth.com.
- Laurie Jennings, Managing Editor

Greens+, $37 (283 g), available at health food stores and drugstores.

Shucking at Shediac

Summer is definitely the time to experience the Fundy coastal region of New Brunswick – the highest tides in the world make hiking, sea kaying, beaching and horseback-riding excursions extra exciting. One of the highlights is Shediac – New Brunswick’s quaint Acadian town and lobster capital of the world. I boarded Shediac Bay Cruises for Lobster Tales, a “Frenglish” adventure at sea where passengers learn all about the world’s tastiest crustaceans – most importantly, the proper way to eat the delicacy. Our enthusiastic host demonstrated how to break down each and every appendage, and how to extract the most meat possible from each (think of the legs like almost-exhausted toothpaste tubes). He instructed us on which parts are best to eat, which are often neglected but actually quite delightful (yes, that greeny-brown sludge is edible), and which (very few) should be avoided. Even more impressive than the ease in which he disassembled his prey, was his ability to switch back and forth from French to English without boring the mixed crowd. With courage from Alpine beers at the boat’s bar, we dove into our plates and put our knowledge to the test with a traditional Acadian lobster meal. Errant lobster essence spewed this way and that, hands and thumbs were cut and bleeding, and David Suzuki would pale at the wasted rolls of paper-towel napkins. But in the end, as we wet-napped our hands, wiped our mouths on our sleeves and looked down at our ravaged plates into the eyes of that empty-shelled friend, we knew we’d served him well – by extracting every last morsel we could of his juicy, white flesh.
- Julia LeConte, Assistant Editor, Copy & Research

See lobstertales.ca for more information, and tourismnewbrunswick.ca for more Bay of Fundy highlights.

Functional Gum

We thought it was coming... and now chewing gum with antioxidants is here! We tried all three flavours of Bonus Gum, and liked them. Two pieces of Green Tea gum (minty) have the same benefits as two cups of green tea; Cranberry (fruity) is made with real fruit; and Energy Gum – containing guarana, a natural caffeine source – has kick. We just wish the flavour would last longer!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Bonus Function Gum, about $1.50 each, bonusgum.com.

Hotel Honeybees

Great service and high-thread-count sheets aren’t the only reasons to visit Fairmont luxury hotels across Canada. Queen bees and their swarms have taken up residence on the rooftop of The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto and on the front-lawn gardens of The Fairmont Algonquin in New Brunswick. Toronto’s beekeeping initiative is part of an effort to serve local honey to the hotel’s guests, and the bees’ urban presence will increase city biodiversity and help pollinate thousands of plants. At a recent media event organized by the Toronto Beekeepers Cooperative at the Royal York, executive chef David Garcelon guided us through a honey tasting (not unlike a wine tasting) and highlighted the importance of local honey (visit ontariohoney.ca) as a means of promoting our ecological commitments to bee culture and local farmers. The three hives in the hotel’s apiary will produce about 600 pounds of the sweet stuff this season. I sampled it right from the roof and it was a sugary delight with a hint of citrus – yum!
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Visit fairmont.com or call 800-441-1414.

Contest Alert!

Hey Daily Wish readers – here’s a scoop. We’re getting geared up for our 5th annual 20-Minute Supper Club Recipe Contest and giving you a head start. Each year readers across the country send in their best 20-minute recipes and the results have been stellar. This year we’ve upped the ante – we’re giving away 10 Cuisinart Brick Ovens. Valued at $280, this countertop appliance is a convection oven that bakes, broils and toasts (check it out at cuisinart.ca). Don't miss out on your chance to win - ENTER NOW! The contest closes November 15. Good luck!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Jubilant about Julienne

Sometimes the simplest things are the most impressive, and there is no better proof of this than the julienne peeler by Swissmar. I was in awe at how effortless it was to make fruits and veggies look stylish with virtually no pressure placed on the ergonomic handle. Food Director Andrea Stewart told me that in culinary school, learning to julienne by hand (one of the first skills you must master) is a difficult and laborious undertaking. Lucky for us non-professional cooks, we have this trusty tool. A whole new world of pretty, restaurant-worthy garnishes and salad possibilities await me and I am over the moon. New, trendy colours (spice, curry and turquoise) and a low price point are added bonuses.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Julienne Swissmar Classic Peeler, $6, Swissmar, swissmar.com.

Filter Me, Drink Me

I’m a tried and true tap-water drinker, but at a recent product preview I couldn’t help being tempted by this new water-filter system. It was at least 30 degrees outside, so maybe it was the thought of clean, cold lemon water, ready and waiting in the fridge, that hooked me. In any case, this filter comprises a recyclable, solid-block carbon filter (most water-jug filters use carbon flakes), and a hose system that makes filling up super fast. You simply (or in some cases, not so simply) fit the attachment to your faucet, hook up the hose that sits in the handle, and turn on the tap. In less than a minute, you have a pitcher full of purified water. Another handy feature is the indicator on the top that changes to red when it’s time for a new filter. I’m sure this isn’t recommended, but I’ve actually left the attachment on my faucet because it looks better than the old one I had, and means I don’t have to fuss with it every time I fill up.

Clear 2O filtration pitcher, $30, Canadian Tire, canadiantire.ca.

Swedish Coffee Fix

Next time you’re scooting down the aisles of Ikea, don’t overlook the Swedish food market. In our December issue we raved about its Swedish rye bread – you basically add water to the box, shake it up and bake! Now I’m all about their coffee line, which is entirely UTZ Certified. UTZ is an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for responsible coffee growing. It traces all coffee back to the source, ensuring plantation workers have access to reasonable housing, healthcare and education for their children. In addition, to gain UTZ certification, plantations must have a low impact on the environment. So while drinking Ikea’s Organic Medium Roast coffee – one of five blends – I get to breathe easier. And, of course, it tastes really good!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

UTZ Certified coffees, from $2.50 (250 g), utzcertified.org/IKEA.

Kernel Catcher

Stripping kernels off a hot cob of corn with a knife can be a dangerous activity - a little slip-up can mean a big cut. And traditional corn strippers can be cumbersome to use, and just as easy to nick your hands on. The OXO Corn Stripper is the new generation of kitchen gadgets, marrying both cool form and functionality. The ergonomic tool fits inside you palm, like a computer's mouse, and makes the task of removing corn nibblets much safer (and quicker). It even catches the kernels in a container with marked measurements that hold up to 1/2 cup.
-Tasia Rivero, Online Intern

Corn Stripper, $12, OXO, oxo.com.

For corn recipes and tips, check out our Market to Table column.
 Read more »

Cool News About Frozen Yogurt

A trip down the frozen-food section of your grocery store can cause brain freeze – there are just too many choices. But it’s still wise to plan ahead for when summer’s heat strikes and you need to chill STAT by having a cold (and healthy!) treat at the ready. I just found my new fave: YoPRO’s Ultimate French Vanilla.
This frozen yogurt is fragrant, buttery-smooth, very vanilla-y (but not overly sweet), and a little goes a long way – it’s rich and satisfying. The best bit: the label! A half-cup serving provides 12 grams of whey protein and 200 milligrams of potassium, plus calcium and just 2 grams of fat. The ingredients are kosher, peanut- and nut-free, and the yogurt is part of the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Health Check program. Now I have to try out the other flavour: Super Premium Chocolate. Yum!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

YoPRO Ultimate French Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, about $6 (500 ml), available at grocers across Ontario, yoprotreats.com.

Kitschy Pepper Casserole Dish

Showcase both your culinary skill and design sense with this cute and quirky casserole dish. The Petite Bell Pepper Casserole from Le Creuset is perfect for presenting dishes from oven-to-table.
-Tasia Rivero, Online Intern

Petite Bell Pepper Casserole, Le Creuset, $25, Amazon.com.

• For pepper-influenced recipes to fill your casserole, check out the red pepper article in our Market to Table column. Read more »

Much More Than Yogurt

After a thorough read of Gary Hirshberg’s book (and an enthralling 30-minute phone interview), I was so inspired by the author’s message that I had to pay it forward. On a crusade for change, Gary, the CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm, lays it all on the table – from surprising misconceptions about reducing our eco footprint, to environmental principles and practices implemented in his own booming, organic yogurt business (complete with anecdotal trials and tribulations), to details on how you can make a difference, too. It’s a positive, approachable reference to sustainable growth that’s actually fun to read. For more information visit stonyfield.com/stirringitup.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Stirring It Up: How To Make Money and Save The World by Gary Hirshberg (Hyperion, 2008), $29, hyperionbooks.com.

Extra-Capacity Cooking

The generous size of the T-Fal Non-Stick Jumbo Cooker can accommodate voluminous veggies, like fresh sorrel and spinach without squishing the delicate leaves. This one is high in both capacity and quality.
-Tasia Rivero,Online Intern

Non-Stick Jumbo Cooker with Lid T-Fal, $50, thebay.com.

Learn more about sorrel and browse through sorrel recipes in this week's Market To Table column.
 Read more »

Painless Potato Prep

When you think summer side salad, what comes to mind? The warm or cold, crowd-pleasing potato, of course! Too bad peeling potatoes is tedious, and can be downright treacherous. I have a harrowing tale of thumb versus peeler that I’m sure (at least some of) you can relate to. I won’t share, but I will tell you that I was pretty pleased when I came across the Palm Peeler. It’s like an oversized ring that sits backwards, jewel – or in this case, blade – in palm, while your whole hand operates it (instead of two, less-steady fingers). With a potato in your other palm, just bring your hands together and peel. Now I’m eyeballing the Palm Brush, which I’m sure, makes one heck of a potato scrubber.
– Tory Healy, Food Associate

P.S. Now that you’re peeling with ease, try these – three of the best potato salad recipes, ever:

• Smoky Smashed Potato Salad
• Warm Potato Salad
• Colcannon Potatoes

Chef’n Palm Peeler, $6.50, chefn.com.

Breathable Bag

An eco-friendly – and attractive – option for storing fresh herbs (and salad greens) is to buy a cotton herb bag. It breathes, soaks up excess moisture and can be used over and over again.
-Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Organic cotton "salad saver" bag Grass Roots Store, $9, grassrootsstore.com.

Add some flavour to your meals. Check out this week's Market To Table column on all-star herb parsley.
 Read more »

Move Over, Mojito

The Basil 8 is so refreshing, you may have to start growing your own basil. (And making your own vodka!)

While sampling the culinary treats of Table 8 South Beach (little sister to L.A.’s hot Table 8), we came upon a hit. Kind of like a vodka version of Miami’s famous mojito, this new concoction is cool and light, perfect any time of the day. OK, maybe not with breakfast.

The Basil 8 | SERVES 1
4 large fresh basil leaves
4 green grapes
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 dash Angostura bitters
3/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz ginger ale

1. In a pint shaker glass, add basil and grapes, and crush with a muddler or wooden spoon. 2. Add vodka, bitters, simple syrup and lime juice, fill glass with ice, then shake for 6 seconds. 3. Strain over fresh ice into a tall glass, top with ginger ale, and garnish with a skewer of grapes and a large basil leaf.

Click here for our super-easy simple syrup recipe.

The restaurants are brainchildren of celebrity chef Govind Armstrong, an advocate for the increasingly popular fresh and local approach. Innovation is key; this is likely the only place in the world you can get a fried olive stuffed with minced lamb. No guff. Watch for a New York version of the place opening this fall. Visit table8southbeach.com.
-Doug Wallace, Deputy Editor
 Read more »

Silicone Valley

Ah, the colander. Essential but oh-so space consuming. For all your quick-rinse produce needs, choose this colander that collapses down for easy storage. And all the better that it’s dishwasher safe and comes in groovy colours.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

SleekStor Collapsible Silicone Scoop Colander by Chef’n, $23, chefn.com.

Sharpening Up

There’s nothing worse than a big, dull knife bruising the heck out of great produce. I love Kuhn Rikon’s new paring knife. Made of carbon steel with a non-stick coating, the blade slices vegetables with ease, and it’s available in six sharp shades. This way, the knife you need (which comes sheathed) is easy to spot in a drawer full of utensils.
-Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Kuhn Rikon Non-Stick Paring Knife, $12 (plus shipping), available through City Chef, citychef.ca.

Lovely Lavender

On a recent press trip to Kelowna, B.C., I had the pleasure of visiting the Okanagan Lavender Herb Farm. Owner, Andrea McFadden, gave me a warm welcome, seating me on her patio to take in the gorgeous view of the Okanagan Lake below and to enjoy some of her specialty treats, Lavender Lemonade and Lavender Lemon Cake. I must admit I had no idea you could eat this pretty flower and thought its only use was for aromatherapy purposes. As I sipped and nibbled, she explained there are more than 400 varieties of lavender (on her farm she grows more than 60) and that it can be used fresh, dried and distilled. Then Andrea took me on a tour of her fragrant, beautiful gardens and sent me on my way with a sampling of her Lavender Blueberry Ice Cream (incredible). It was the perfect way to end my afternoon.
- Sarah Rogers, Online Editor

Visit okanaganlavender.com to plan your own visit to the farm or to shop for organic lavender products.

Time to Vent

Keep fruit and veggies fresh and crunchy in a vented container, like this one. It has a vent to allow air to circulate and a tray to separate the produce from any moisture that collects at the bottom. The result is crisper, longer-lasting produce – excellent.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Rubbermaid Produce Saver, $5 (5 cup container), Wal-Mart; Loblaws; Canadian Tire; Zellers; Home Hardware, Rubbermaid.com.  Read more »

Celebrity King Crab

On a weekend trip to Seattle last summer, I ate the most gigantic king crab one night and lived to tell about it. This summer, the one pictured here at Miami’s The Oceanaire Seafood Room took the cake (at about $130 per kilo!). The restaurant is part of a smallish U.S. chain with an eye out for fresh, sustainable seafood. Their Alaskan king crab is caught from the waters of the Bering Sea and featured on Discovery Channel’s hit show Deadliest Catch. The amiable and accommodating Oceanaire executive chef Sean Bernal will be on the boat, Time Bandit this October at the invitation of the crew. There are more than a dozen kinds of fresh fish on the ever-changing menu everyday at this 1930s ocean liner-like resto – everything from snapper to wolffish. And there’s also a bartender who’s a dead ringer for Bluto from Popeye. Saw it myself! Visit theoceanaire.com.
- Doug Wallace, Deputy Editor

Coming Up Roses

It’s sweet, it’s pretty, and it’s pink! This organically produced rose nectar (there are 45 grams of real rose petals in a 250 ml bottle!) can be served on its own or mixed with gin, vodka, sake or champagne for a refined and sophisticated summer cocktail. For the mocktail version, just mix with soda water and serve with a twist of lemon. It’s so refreshing and loaded with vitamin C. Fun fact: One of Leonardo da Vinci’s favourite beverages was rosewater from Kazanlak, the capital city of the famous Rose Valley in Bulgaria – the same place the roses in this nectar are harvested.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Rare European Rose Nectar, about $7 (250 ml), Sence, sencenectar.com.

Bartending Beauty

Make life easier when backyard bartending. Serve a signature drink in one type of glass and have multi-purpose tools on hand. This jigger compresses the six most common liquid measurements into one nifty-looking gadget.
-Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Aluminum Cube Jigger, $30, Kikkerland, kikkerland.com. Read more »

Making the Cut

Chives are super-easy to prepare but this tool makes even quicker work of them. Wash, trim ends, and then snip a few at once. It’s also great to use on green onions and herbs, too.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

RSVP International Multi-Blade Herb Scissors, $15, through Danica Imports, 888-632-6422.

Canada Day Instant Gourmet

If you’re entertaining, here’s a party food solution. When first-rate, Toronto-based caterer Lindsey Shaw recently introduced her new line of condiments, each of us in the food department took one home.
Hannah Bank tried the Slow Roasted Tomato and Caper Relish on a toasted baguette, declaring it a great spin on bruschetta. She also tried it alongside halibut, to flavourful success.
Andrea Stewart had her Caramelized Onion and Fig Compote on crackers but is looking forward to spreading it on her next homemade chicken sandwich, or pairing it with blue cheese.
Me, I served up the Roasted Garlic and Parsnip Mash with crackers and crudités for my – apparently ravenous – girlfriends and just barely got to try it myself. Check out Lindsey’s serving ideas online and you’ll have your party spread figured out in no time. And while only available at select shops in Toronto, don’t fret – the line will be making its way across Canada soon. Watch for it.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Lindsey Shaw Kitchens condiments, $8 each (5 oz), lindseyshaw.com; Pusateri’s, pusateris.com; Summerhill Market, summerhillmarket.com.

Shaken, Not Stirred

Hands down, this is the best cocktail shaker there is – you’ll know as soon as you pick it up. Fit for the most discerning professional bartender, the robust Rösle Boston shaker pairs a brushed stainless steel beaker with a 16-ounce glass tumbler. The moulded ridge at its base prevents slippage, while precise fitting creates a firm seal to deliver a leak-proof shake. Don’t let its price rattle you – this well-designed and well-built piece of barware is guaranteed to last through years of entertaining. The tumbler also has measurements conveniently marked in metric and imperial units, so feel free to really let your inner mixologist loose.
- Jasmine Li, Online Editorial Assistant

Rösle Boston shaker, $72, at Williams-Sonoma, williams-sonoma.ca.

Table Talk

Growing up, I spent most summers at the family cottage, and Saturday night dinner was always an event. My dad would grill one gigantic steak that would cover the barbecue’s entire surface, while the kids baked the potatoes, made the salad and set the table. The menu never changed; the games we played at the table never changed – this was tradition. The games were my dad’s way of entertaining his 20 or more guests. They kept everyone at the table and the conversation flowing. Now there’s a new game more than worthy of my dad’s Saturday night lineup. Start your own tradition with the Gourmet Edition of Table Topics. It just may bring out the foodie in everyone.
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Table Topics Gourmet Edition, $40, 800-263-3093.

Cherry Picked

To pit a cherry, score all the way around the fruit with a sharp paring knife. Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate, and remove the pit. Or, get yourself a pitter – it can be used to pit olives, too. My favourite is from William-Sonoma. It closes and locks, taking up less room in your utensil drawer.
-Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

OXO Cherry/Olive Pitter, $18.50, Williams-Sonoma, Williams-sonoma.com.

Espresso To Go

As a diehard Starbucks fan, how could I possibly resist this iced to-go cup look-alike? I’m notorious for waltzing into the Wish office with an iced grande latte in hand – yes, even in the dead of winter – and the waste from my daily fix piles up pretty quickly. Following on the eco-conscious heels of its logoed tumbler for hot drinks, Starbucks has created this new 16 oz. clear cup for summer sipping. Drippy condensation will be a thing of the past, thanks to double-walled insulation, which also keeps your beverage chilled longer. A screw-on lid prevents spills and even holds a reusable, signature green straw in place. It claims to be dishwasher safe, but with all the recent brouhaha surrounding plastics, I’d stick to mild dish detergent and a rinse under cool tap water. Bonus: Get 10 cents off your Starbucks order every time you bring your own mug!
- Jasmine Li, Online Editorial Assistant

Starbucks Iced To-Go Tumbler, $15, at select Starbucks retail stores nationwide.

Back to Basics

A cast iron skillet and sautéing go hand in hand. Skillets last a lifetime, are oven-proof and, because they also come in gorgeous colours, are great to serve dinner guests from, right at the table.
-Tory Healy, Food Associate

Le Creuset iron-handle skillet, $155 (1 3/4 quart), lecreuset.com.

A Cool Red

Lightly chilled Beaujolais is the perfect summer red – its lighthearted, fresh, fruity flavour makes it fun to drink. Our wine writers – Billy Munnelly and Kato Wake – tipped us off to this one. Mommessin’s new aluminum bottle sports a ‘cooldot’ – letting you know when it’s chilled enough to drink. Pop it in the fridge, wait for the signal, then sip away. How cool is that? It’s in stores now, along with their ‘cooldot’ Chardonnay.
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Mommessin 2006 Beaujolais Grande Reserve, France, $15 (750 ml), cooldotdot.com.

Brew & Barbecue

Make his summer with a fantastic gift – just in time for Father’s Day! Dad will be in heaven with a cold beer in one hand and a grill tool in the other. This insulated, waterproof cooler comes equipped with all the barbecue tools necessary to get fired up. If that’s not enough, it also includes a mini cutting board, knife, salt and pepper shakers, a wine opener and two side pouches for your favourite sauces, rubs and marinades. Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Portable beer cooler and BBQ tool set, $60, Home Wet Bar.  Read more »

Strawberry Scoop

Strawberries need little more than a quick rinse and hulling, but forget the knife and chopping board. The round, crown end of this tool gets rid of strawberry leaves cleanly, in one scoop. Use this end to seed tomatoes and stem mushrooms as well. The other, elongated end is great for seeding peppers and large fruit like melon and papaya. One tool, many uses, no nicking of fingers.
-Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Seed and Stem Remover, $6, Progressive International, progressiveintl.com.

Bring Your Own Bag

Hit the market with a reusable, fashionable foodie tote big enough to hold even the tallest veggies. I love this “Jonny” bag, designed by Jonathan Sabine for Vancouver-based Bring Your Own Bag. It’s part of BYOB’s Artists Series collection – a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
-Tory Healy, Food Associate

"Jonny" Bag, $40, bringyourownbag.ca.

Fashionable Food Shopping

It’s farmers’ market season and there’s no better time to buy local food. Instead of putting your groceries in naughty plastic bags, use these eco-friendly (and oh-so-stylish) gourmet totes to lug your food home. Handmade in Canada, the pretty carriers have built-in elastics so bottles stay upright, and are made of durable upholstery-grade cotton. Best of all, they hold up to three times more than the pesky, plastic alternative. To reduce packaging, the entrepreneurial twosome (women, I must add) at T Bag & Co. decided to wrap each set in a sweet-looking ribbon to forgo unnecessary packaging. Here in the office, we love all the trendy patterns (the Pretty in Pink collection was a smash hit) and even called dibs on our favourites.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Gourmet market totes, about $36 for set of three, T Bag & Co., tbagcompany.com.

NEW! Don't miss our weekly Market to Table column. Food associate, Tory Healy, reports on all things fresh in stores and farmers' markets now. Read this week's feature on rhubarb now!

Make Better Burgers

Award-winning chef and entertainer Ted Reader isn’t called the Crazy Canuck Barbecue Kingpin for nothing. And the proof is in his Orgasmic Onion Burger Seasoning Mix. I brought it home for a personal taste test and added a dash to my homemade burgers. It gave a great boost of oniony flavour and texture. Think of it as the gourmet version of onion soup mix with no MSG. Check out tedreader.com for more innovative recipes.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home & Food Editor

Ted Reader’s World Famous BBQ Orgasmic Onion Burger Seasoning Mix, $4.

Pick the Bucket

Move over hibatchi! To the curb, kettle barbecue! There’s a new model in town, another super-smart alternative to the behemoth barbecue. All the rage, these little buckets are cropping up everywhere in bold colours and at great value. We like this flashy one best – its message is pretty clear on what summer cooking is all about. You can take it with you, it's easy to clean and easy to store. Flame on, dear friends, flame on.
- Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Fire Bucket, about $50. Suck UK, suck.uk.com.

Mix Master

If you’re like me and enjoy starting your day with a fruit smoothie, you’re going to love this crafty dual-use blender – especially if you’re mixing for two. Besides the massive 80 oz container pictured here, this handy helper also comes with two 16 oz single-serving containers so you can mix two different flavours at the same time. And forget about downing your drink before leaving the house – just unscrew the travel-ready mug and be on your way.
- Laurie Jennings, Managing Editor

Hamilton Beach Dual Wave Versatile Blender, $80 (black), $90 (silver) at major retailers, hamiltonbeach.ca.

Ode to Olives

“Olive oil is fresh juice,” says Claudia Pharand of Olive & Olives, a Montreal shop devoted almost exclusively to the gourmet kitchen staple. “The fresher the olive oil is, the more antioxidants it has,” she says. Everything in the shop is produced and bottled where the olives grow, and you can sample it all before you buy it. I taste-tested oils reminiscent of spicy, fresh-cut grass (not that I eat a lot of grass), peaches and pink grapefruit, and lemony figs. If you can’t be part of Claudia’s two-hour olive-oil workshops, here is an abridged version of her wisdom:

• “Always have two olive oils on hand – one for everyday use, and the other for salads and bread.”
• “Don’t buy olive oils that are sitting in a shop window sill or on top shelves near the lights.”
• “If there are no dates on the bottles, don’t touch them.”

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo In Style

Just back from Mayan Riviera, I have a new appreciation for tequila. Sorry, Scotch, but sipping tequilas has taken centre stage. A bit costlier than standard tequilas, aged tequila (“anejo” and “reserva”) is refined, 100% blue agave alcohol. In order to experience its complex flavour, aged tequila is to be sipped slowly at room temperature from a 2-oz glass (a caballito) or a snifter.

In honour of Cinco de Mayo, serve tequila as Mexicans traditionally do: in 2-oz glasses accompanied by sangrita – side drinks of tomato juice and citrus juice (orange or lime) with salt and chile.

Just the Facts

• Tequila vs. Mescal: Both are liquors produced from the agave plant. Only 100% blue agave plant liquor bottled in Mexico’s Tequila Region is true tequila.
• The Worm: Is for show and found only in mescal.
• Buying: Look for “100% agave.” Some bottles of “tequila” contain only 51% blue agave and are thus blended liquor.

  And Just for Fun
  

  • Haven’t got aged tequila? While in Mexico I tried a Submarino. Make your own: place a shot glass of tequila in a pint glass and slowly cover with Mexican beer, without producing foam. Salud!

    - Tory Healy, Food Associate

     Read more »

The Kettle's On

Most of us are guilty of boiling a whole kettle full of water for just one or two cups of tea. So if you’re feeling a bit blameworthy about your individual energy consumption (I know I do!) then you may want to consider making your next cup in the Aprecia Kettle. It holds just under a litre of water with 1500 watts of power, designed to boil in no time. And if you’re anything like me, the fact that this small-scale appliance can tuck away neatly in a drawer or cabinet is a serious bonus.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home Editor

T-fal Aprecia Kettle, $50, t-fal.ca

Modern Take on Terrine

Chef and restaurateur Stéphane Reynaud indulges in a French classic with a contemporary slant in this beautiful new book.

Dear Stéphane,
You have succeeded in delivering yet another inspiring cookbook. I instantly adored Pork and Sons and today Terrine landed on my desk and I haven’t been able to take my hands off it! You have made the terrine sexy with your delicious, easy and innovative recipes – not to mention beautiful images and vibrant orange silhouettes. I can’t wait to get into my kitchen and make something – the only problem is I am going to have a hard time deciding where to start! Merci Beaucoup!
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Terrine by Stéphane Reynaud, $30, Phaidon. Available from Chapters and Indigo stores nationally. Visit chapters.indigo.ca for locations.

Bread Winner

I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a bread snob. On every trip to Montreal I hit up my favourite Quebec artisan bakery – Première Moisson – and fill my car with loaves for my freezer. But I’ll no longer have to because they have arrived in the G.T.A., Hamilton and Ottawa! Don’t miss out on these breads. I am so excited I am telling everyone! Free of chemical additives or preservatives, they have truly authentic flavour. You can pick up 12 different kinds at select A&P and Dominion supermarkets and Ultra Food & Drug stores in the G.T.A., at The Barn Markets in Hamilton, and Loeb in Ottawa. Check their product line out at premieremoisson.com.
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Do you know of a great artisanal bakery in your city? Share your top pick with us in the comments section below!

Side of Smash

No more pounding the potatoes! This counter-worthy tool is an office favourite, and the funky design has a comfy handle for easy taters every time. Simply rotate in circles to create the perfect comfort food. Or whip up a mean guacamole dish – a delicious outdoor entertaining appetizer that’s easy to make and always a crowd pleaser.
P.S. Check out our recipe index for fabulous and surprising dinner ideas using potatoes.
- Hannah Bank, Assistant Home Editor

Simply mash potato masher, $15, Chef’s Planet, chefsplanet.com.

Eco Indulgence

Don’t get me started on how much I love good dark chocolate. And these Green & Black’s bars deliver in every way. Made from organic, fair-trade ingredients, each bar packs an intense flavour infusion. There are 10 fab flavours, including ginger, hazelnut and currant and the Wish office favourite, maya gold (a mix of orange and spices).
-Sarah Rogers, Online Editor

Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate Bars, $4, available at most major grocers.

Essential Canadian Drink

Go Nuts

Having been allergic to nuts since the ripe old age of 10, I’ve had to give up my favourite lunchtime meal – peanut butter and banana on toast. So you can imagine my excitement when a jar of Freenut Butter (made from soybeans) was sent to me for sampling. I couldn’t believe how much it smelled like the “real thing.” The similarity in taste and texture made me panic, so I double-checked the ingredients once again. If you are a regular peanut butter eater you may be able to differentiate between the two, but for me it was the answer to my sandwich prayers. Freenut butter is also loaded with Omega 3 and 6, is trans-fat and cholesterol free, packed full of protein and best of all – Canadian! Even if you don’t have an allergy, this stuff is good.
- Hannah Bank, Home Editorial Assistant

FreeNut Butter, $5, 888-729-1943, totallynutfree.com.

Taste of Iceland

New Month’s Resolution

Joie de Fromage

Duck paté for breakfast? Sign me up. I spent last weekend at the Montreal High Lights Festival and managed to eat my weight in bagels, rabbit, fèves au lards (baked beans), cretons, olive oil, smoked meat, ice cider, chocolate, and of course, rounds and rounds of fabulous cheese. The handmade Cap-Rond (shown here) from the award-winning Ferme Tourilli cheesemaker has subtle nutty, earthy flavours. And the heavenly hunk of creamy, raw-milk Vacherin from Fromages Chaput is not going to be in the fridge for too long, to be sure. (Can’t say the same for the gooseberry jam, which ended up with the lovely customs agents.) Lumière is a mix of outdoor fun, cultural events, light shows and culinary delights running in various spots throughout Montreal to March 2. Visit montrealenlumiere.com. - Doug Wallace, Deputy Editor

Best in Show

When a big box of baked goods was delivered to me at the office, I had no idea what I was in for. Each item (from rice-crispy treats to brownies – all hand-cut to a colossal 3 ½ inches in diameter) was more impressive than the next. I quickly attracted a crowd. Canadian Family’s art director, Jeff Hannaford, stopped and thanked me for his espresso brownie (“the most decadent breakfast treat ever,” he said), and it wasn’t long before Rani Sheen, Wish’s copy associate, snuck up on me and whispered “I hear you have yummy sweets.” I forked over the white chocolate chunk cookie. Naturally, I saved the Chocolate Chip Supreme cookie for myself – it did win best cookie at the New York Fancy Food Show award, after all. The giant Bavarian chocolate chunks and crunchy toffee were balanced to perfection, and it was soft and chewy. Warmed in the microwave, this cookie is irresistible. Just some friendly advice: Don’t eat these treats all in one go – they’re sinfully rich. Bonus: All products are now trans-fat free.
- Hannah Bank, Home Editorial Assistant

From about $13 for 6 treats, Selma’s. Order online at selmas.com. Read more »

Love Your Heart

Guardian cereal, $6, Kellogg’s, available at supermarkets.

Take Heart

Here's an easy way to add a little romance to your eggs and pancakes. This bright red, heart-shaped mould is made of heat-resistant silicone, comes with a nifty fold-down handle (so there's no risk of burning your fingers), and is dishwasher-safe for a speedy cleanup. Go ahead and pour your heart out this Valentine's Day – or any other morning of the year! Available at the stylish boutique Take Me Home, located inside Royal Bank Plaza in downtown Toronto. While you're there, check out their lovely rose-tinted champagne and martini glasses as well! - Jasmine Li, Web Intern

Silicone Egg Ring, $6, Trudeau, trudeaucorp.com.
Take Me Home, Toronto, 416-304-0537.

Foodie Roadtrip: Part 3

Trip Log Day 3 – But I don't want to go!

I started my day in The Village of Sun Peaks with a latte and a "MC 40" (sausage, egg, and Guinness cheddar on a bagel) at local hotspot 5 Forty Café & Deli. I'd never seen or tasted anything like Cahill's Guinness cheddar: smoky, hard, complex and really cool-looking!
Next was a snowboarding lesson that got me back in my groove and I sailed around the slopes like a snow swan.
In the afternoon I went to the Ultimate Taste Experience with the Dairy Farmers of Canada. We sampled 13 different Canadian cheeses paired with the best of the region's wines. Some of the highlights for me included Moonstruck Cheeses' White Grace (an organic, raw cow's milk cheese) and Blossom's Blue (creamy and buttery, great with Gehringer Brothers' Cabernet Franc icewine); Agropur's five-year-old Canadian reserve cheddar (full of yummy salt crunchies, a dream with Raven Ridge's Braeburn apple iced cider); and Nk'Mip Cellars' Riesling icewine with Arla's Rosenburg (greeny-blue, pungent and sharp).
My last supper at Sun Peaks was another Winemaster's dinner at the Sun Peaks Lodge's Steakhouse, just downstairs from where I stayed. All of us "sip & snow" enthusiasts were treated to Chef Dennis Bond's five-course meal hosted by the winemakers of Hester Creek Estate Winery and Sumac Ridge Estate Winery. My favourite pairings included the beef tenderloin (with scallop, prawn and yams) with Sumac Ridge’s 2005 Black Sage Vineyard Meritage and the Okanagan crabapple parfait with Hester Creek’s 2004 late harvest pinot blanc. What a note to leave on! Farewell Sun Peaks.
Adding this destination to your must-hit list is a no-brainer. If not for the annual Icewine Festival and snow sports, then go for the mountain biking or golf in the warmer seasons and, obviously, the food and wine.
– Tory Healy, Food Associate

Foodie Roadtrip: Part 2

This morning I toured The Village of Sun Peaks, B.C., a close-knit community of shops, restaurants, hotels and residences situated at the base of Tod, Sundance and Morrisey mountains. As soon as your feet cross any threshold here, you're just a tiptoe from the hills.

At Macker's, I had breakfast with Canada's 1968 Olympic champion ski racer Nancy Greene. There Nancy introduced me to two local faves: Eggs Blackstone (eggs, cheese, bacon and tomato topped with hollandaise on a bagel with a side of home fries) and Mighty Leaf's fragrant green tropical tea. Apparently "mountain people" are big tea drinkers.

On the slopes, Nancy was a picture of graceful athleticism. Me on a snowboard: rusty. But the snow! Dry, powdery and abundant. Until then I'd only experienced Eastern snow: wet, sticky and barely blanketing the ice below. Instead of bruising my damp bones, I was able to bounce back up and keep going.

But not being Gumby, I needed a massage at Sun Peaks Lodge's spa before heading to the Magic of Dessert and Icewine event. This face-off between pairs of chefs and winemakers satisfied every sweet-tooth craving I've ever had. Later I was treated to a horse-drawn sleigh-ride before sitting down to the seven-course Winemaster's Dinner. Held at the Delta Sun Peaks Resort, Executive Chef Ian Riddick's team delivered plate after topnotch plate paired with wines from Peller Estates and Tinhorn Creek. The wines were stellar, but equally so were the stories told by the two female winemakers, Peller Estates' Stephanie Leinemann and Tinhorn's Sandra Oldfield – two of 12 in the Okanagan. Outstanding and inspiring!
- Tory Healy, Food Associate

Sun Peaks Photography by Adam Stein

Lunch To Go

Old shopping bags as lunch bags? I don’t think so. Goodbye brown paper bag stuffed in your handbag, hello to environmentally conscious accessorizing, and lunch totes. This staple has been reinvented by clever New York-based company Built NY, made from Neoprene, the material used in scuba suits. Not only do the totes look good, but they’re durable, stain-resistant, flexible and machine washable too! Lots of the staffers in the office are turning to this new lunch companion. Choose from timeless black or funky striped and dotted colour patterns. Also available with an ultra-sleek compartment for bottled water.
- Paul Aguirre, Editorial Intern

Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote, $30, Built NY. See builtny.com for Canadian retailers. Read more »

Foodie Roadtrip: Part 1

Trip log: Day 1 - Palate piqued at Sun Peaks, B.C.

After a fairly turbulent flight from Calgary to Kamloops airport, I joined journalists and “sip & ski” tourists at Sun Peaks for A Taste of Sun Peaks, the kick-off event of the 10th annual Icewine Festival.

In a ballroom I feasted on local cuisine and sampled boutique wines from the Okanagan. From table to table I went, each chef or vintner recommending a particular dish or wine be paired with an offering from their neighbour’s set-up. This comaradery between producers allowed me to truly experience the region’s terroir, or “taste of a place.”

Here are some of the standout pairings I tried:

- A trio of soups by Bagg’s paired with wines from Prospect Winery: The 2006 pinot grigio with the red Thai soup; the 2006 chardonnay with the truffle & wild mushroom soup; and the 2006 pinot noir with the lobster & crab bisque.

- The Maasdammer cheese (creamy with crackly, crunchy bits inside) by Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm with Sumac Ridge’s gewürztraminer: a bestseller for reasons apparent.

- The citrus duck confit with Okanagan goat cheese crostini by Mantles Restaurant & Bar sang paired with a barrel sample of Rollingdale Winery’s organic cabernet franc – set to roll out in about three weeks.

Everything was incredible. If you get a chance to come this way, stop at Sun Peaks and sample the fine fare at the many restaurants, and the standout wines that pair so well with it. I’m going to bed now, happy, stuffed and ready to burn calories on the slope tomorrow.

On tomorrow’s agenda: snowboarding alongside champion skier Nancy Greene, the Magic of Dessert & Icewine competition (a battle between chefs from Sun Peaks and the B.C. interior), and seven courses at the Winemaster’s Dinner. It’s a good thing it’s not necessary to claim personal-poundage before flying home!

Twirl and Swirl

Brace yourselves carb lovers! Now you can eat your spaghetti in these stylish ceramica ironstone plates with a centre spot to twist and twirl for a perfectly-sized mouthful every time. This fantastic design promises great dinner conversation, and it helps eliminate mess (and the need for fancy spoon skills). If you don’t feel like pasta, try making sweet-potato fries (baked, of course!) and use the centre for ketchup. It’s also perfect for dips or shrimp cocktail at your next dinner party.
P.S. It’s available in a plastic version for the patio and there’s one for kids, too.
- Hannah Bank, Home Editorial Assistant

A Spiced Hot Chocolate Fav

I met David Castellan at a Slow Food event and was immediately intrigued by his talent and what he has done and continues to do for the world of chocolate. He sources and roasts ethical cocoa beans and produces superior products. On a recent chilly day I made it over to his store, Soma Chocolatemaker, in Toronto’s Distillery District to finally try his Mayan Hot Chocolate that I had heard so much about. This full-bodied, sinfully chocolatey drink is, thanks to a secret blend of spice, what one could call soul-warming. Might I even say, pure luxury. With the snow falling as I type, I recommend a cup of hot cocoa on a day just like this. But truthfully, any day is a good day for a visit to Soma.
– Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Mayan Hot Chocolate, $12 for a 225 g dry mix, Soma Chocolate. 416-815-7662, somachocolate.com

Measure Up

Keeping Your Cool

Hangover Helper

Last Minute Nibbles and Bites

Where’s your cup? Who nose!

Divine Dim Sum

The Sunday afternoon Dim Sum experience has been competing with the traditional eggs, toast and bacon brunch for a while now. I love the carts of steaming, bite-sized delicacies that are wheeled to your table for you to choose the ones that look appealing, and it’s a great way to try a new cuisine with friends. So obviously I was thrilled when President’s Choice launched their own authentic line of Dim Sum to enjoy at home. I tried the pork shui mai, shrimp har gao (made with wild shrimp), and pretty seafood flower dumpling at the launch in November, and loved them all!
With the trend towards ‘nearly-scratch cooking’ (which means combining store-bought foods with fresh ingredients for an impressive meal in way less time) these appetizers are right on the mark. Just whip up a simple Asian-inspired entrée while you steam the dumplings and dinner is on the table in a flash!
Now the bad news: These hors d’oeuvre are limited edition. Get them while you can!
- Hannah Bank, Home Editorial Assistant

Chinese Dim Sum, $8, President’s Choice, presidentschoice.ca.

Food Tunes

Dear Santa,
Check out what I’ve added to my Wish List. This red-hot radio is rubber-cased (great for butterfingers), splash-proof, and iPod-compatible. Plus, it’s portable, produces high-fidelity sound, has an alarm clock (or built-in kitchen timer!) and can be hung up to save valuable counter-space. And it comes in a wide range of super-cute colours. In the summer I’ll take it outside while barbecuing, to picnics and even to the beach. If I can have this, Santa, I promise I’ll always whistle while I work!
– Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

SongBook, $200, Tivoli Audio. Visit Lenbrook Canada at lenbrook.com to find out where to buy.

Win a Trip to Naples

I’m so full right now, I’d love to be under my desk, napping George Costanza-style, but I’ve got good news to spread. I’ve just returned to the office from a “Taste of Napoli” lunch, held at Toronto’s renowned Italian restaurant, Sotto Sotto to promote all things Naples. I ate my way through the entire southwestern Italian province – including potato-stuffed gnocchi with simple tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella that melted in my mouth. I also found out about a fantastic online contest – three trips to Naples can be won! If you’d like a taste of the Neopolitan lifestyle, enter the contest at atasteofnapoli.com before Dec. 31. The prize includes roundtrip airfare for two and seven nights of luxury hotel accommodation in Naples and Sorrento, dining at superb restaurants and guided sightseeing day trips. Good luck and, if you win, bring an appetite!
– Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

NYC eats

New York is the mecca for foodies. And lucky me to have had the opportunity to work there - surrounded by so many talented people, who I learned so much from.

On a recent trip back, I made it a priority to check out a past co-worker’s, Heather Carlucci, success-story business. And I highly recommend you follow in my footsteps.

I have read so much about her take-out Indian restaurant Lassi (voted Best Take Out by New York Magazine - congrats Heather). With a menu that changes frequently, Heather stays true to flavours of North Indian cuisine. In fact, for such a small space I was truly impressed with the variety of offerings. She roasts her own spice mixes, which you can even buy to make your own tempting creations at home.

Her namesake lassi (an Indian milkshake-like yogurt drink) is hands down the best I’ve had. After finishing a vanilla lassi (in minutes I might add), I promptly ordered the mango lassi. I suspect if I had stayed longer I would have made my way through the entire flavour spectrum!
– Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Lassi, 28 Greenwich Ave., New York, 212-675-2688, lassinyc.com. Open Tuesday – Sunday, Noon – 10PM.

Contest Alert!

We’re springing ahead and giving you an edge. In the past we’ve published the winning recipes of our annual 20-Minute Supper Contest in our September issues. This year they’ll be featured in our May ’08 Solutions issue. The official “call for action” will appear in our Jan/ Feb issue but you’re getting first crack at it!

The prize – Le Creuset 10 3/4-inch Iron Handle skillet, valued at $155 (shown left). Food editor Andrea Stewart deems this skillet a kitchen essential. Why? Not only do they last forever but they can be used on the stovetop and in the oven (great for searing then roasting meats). And, because of its classic good looks and stellar reputation, it’s a great piece to show off.

Do you have a great family recipe? Enter our 4th annual 20-Minute Supper contest now. Contest closes Jan. 1.
– Tory Healy, Food Associate

For the Swill of It

With tasting parties all the rage in home entertaining, it’s time to get in on the action. If you’re new to this scene, get some help in the form of a starter kit. Complete with invitations, hosting instructions, wine-rating cards, a corkscrew and more, you’ll have your party started quickly. Plus, taking tasting notes prove you were drinking in the name of research...
– Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Wine tasting starter kit, about $26 (plus shipping), Swill Party. Order online at swillparty.com.

On the Rocks

Wish Food Director Andrea Stewart and I found ourselves on British soil the other evening after just a short cab ride. We were lucky enough to be invited to the Toronto home of the charming and amusing British Consul General, Nicholas Armour, who graciously played host to a media event to promote Whisky Live, an international touring whisky-tasting show.

We gabbed with distillers and spirit aficionados from home and abroad, and nosed about a dozen whiskies from Scotland and Canada. I confess to sipping a few times as well – OK, 12 times. A charming event, to be sure, co-hosted by Whisky magazine’s Damian Riley-Smith (now there’s a gig I wouldn’t mind one day). Visit whiskylive.com.
– Doug Wallace, deputy editor

A Tasty Launch

I recently attended the media launch of Canada’s own celebrity chef, Christine Cushing’s new cookbook, Pure Food. Held at The Cheese Boutique, one of Toronto’s most coveted specialty stores (exotic cheeses, oils and spices galore), I heard Christine speak, and did some shopping of my own while sampling dishes from her book – the Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Spicy Onion Relish and Zucchini and Olive Oil Biscuits were delicious! The book is bursting with recipes geared toward fast prep with fresh ingredients that are great for a weeknight meal or for entertaining a crowd. When I asked Christine what she recommended I cook up at home, she made me promise to try the seemingly intimidating Green Tea-Dusted Duck Breast recipe to see how easy, fun and impressive cooking can really be. I’m planning on making it the star entrée at my next dinner party.
- Hannah Bank, Home Editorial Assistant

Pure Food; How to Shop, Cook and Have Fun In Your Kitchen Every Day (Whitecap Books) $30. Available at bookstores across Canada.

One for the Loot Bag

So we’re too old to go door-to-door, big deal. We’ll be satisfying our need for devilish indulgence this Halloween with a fiendish treat.

Inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead – a day devoted to the souls of the deceased, celebrated by exchanging sugar skulls with friends and family – these 3-inch tall, solid chocolate skulls by Vosges are the height of spooky cool. There are three flavours; the Blanca is creamy and velvety smooth, made of Venezuelan white chocolate. The Barcelona’s rich cacao is enhanced by hickory smoked almonds and grey sea salt. And for those that like a little heat on Halloween there’s the Red Fire skull – its dark chocolate is spiked with ancho and chipotle chillies, and cinnamon.

The catch is, they’ll cost about $100 to ship to Canada for the next few weeks (until the temperature drops, when the cost will too – shipping chocolate is an extremely tricky business). But if you’re in the States, pick up a box. (And one for us.)

Have yourself a ghoulishly gourmet Halloween!
– Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Solid chocolate skulls, Vosges Haut Chocolat.

Farmers' Market Wrap Up

On Tuesday evenings, you can find me volunteering at the Trinity Bellwoods Farmer’s Market in Toronto. It’s so much fun and I love the community interaction. I join my neighbours in sampling Monforte’s artisanal cheeses and green-gage plums from Angelina’s Orchard. With an Alternative Grounds fair-trade coffee in hand, or a loose-leaf tea from Tealish, we stroll around, filling our canvas bags. We ogle Twin Creeks Farm & Garden’s heirloom tomatoes and the chalkboard list of grass-fed meats on offer. We taste edible flowers grown by Matchbox Garden & Seed Co., and eavesdrop on how to prepare chicory at Greenfields Organic Farm’s table. After marvelling at Plan B Organic Farm’s freshly picked oyster mushrooms, we admire the most fragrant garlic ever at the Quinte Organic Farmers Co-op booth and stand by as prices are explained.

It’s during wrap-up, when the customers have left, that I learn the most, during one-on-one chitchats with the vendors. Yes, my time at the market was well spent and I’ll miss it when it shuts down for the season (Oct. 30). But I’ll visit my new friends at indoor markets, and I’ve heard through the market grapevine that a grocer has recently dedicated an aisle to locally produced foods. Visit your local farmers’ market before it too wraps up.
– Tory Healy, Associate Food Editor

Photo by Carolyn Wong

Popcorn Pick

While researching the important (and tasty) topic of packaged popcorn for an upcoming Downtime story, we felt it important that we sample as many flavours and varieties as possible, in the service of our readers. The kind folks at Neal Brothers sent us a large box bursting with flavours and styles of popcorn and other snacks, all organic and gluten-free (to the delight of our wheat-allergic deputy editor, Doug Wallace). The bounty included their Original Popcorn, and White Cheddar Popcorn, as well as Cheese Pops, Cheese Puffs and Cheese Twists. The sounds of popping packets and crunching snacks soon filled the air, and Wish staffers from all over the office came to sample and critique – sometimes large handfuls at a time. All were found to be very good, but the debate was intense – check out our Jan/Feb 2008 issue to read about the snacks that we deemed most delicious!
-Rani Sheen, Copy Associate

Neal Brothers organic popcorn and cheese snacks, $3, grocery stores across Canada.

Tips from a Pro

The guests have been invited, the menu’s planned – now for the libations. These top 3 tips from wine expert Natalie MacLean will round out your Thanksgiving dinner.

1. From beginning to end. Sparkling wine is a great aperitif to sip while waiting for the turkey to finish. It adds a celebratory note to the meal and goes well with starters like soup and salad. After the meal, if anyone has room for pumpkin or pecan pie, offer a late harvest wine or icewine. If you’re a chocolate fan, serve a liqueur with a complementary flavour, such as raspberry or blackcurrant.

2. Consider the turkey. Pair your bird with a mouth-watering, crisp white wine such as Riesling or Pinot Grigio. Or go with a red – yes, you can drink red wine with white meat! The juicy, berry-ripe flavours of Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or Zinfandel go well with turkey.

3. Beyond the bird. Since Thanksgiving dinner is often banquet-style, with everyone choosing trimmings and sides, why not do the same with your wines? Offer both red and white. A big, buttery Chardonnay from California or Chile works well with the roasted, smoky flavours of squash, chestnuts and pecan stuffing. To contrast the richness of gravy and dressings, try a crisp New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Check out Natalie's free online wine and food matching tool at nataliemaclean.com. Click on "turkey holiday dinner" for specifics.

Tasty Toasts

Wish staffers recently celebrated the last few days of summer at a potluck-style barbecue. We all got a chance to try Ace Bakery’s new gourmet-flavoured crisps alongside a cheese platter and a homemade tomato jam that Food Director Andrea Stewart whipped up. We love the crisps’ unique flavour combinations, like Rosemary & Sea Salt and Cranberry & Raisin, and the Multigrain flavour is virtually guilt-free! Keep them on hand for canapés at a dinner soiree, or just some casual dipping at the kitchen counter.
- Hannah Bank, Home Editorial Assistant

Artisan Crisps, $5-6, Ace Bakery, 800-443-7929, acebakery.com. Available at fine food retailers.

Soma like it a lot

Who doesn't love chocolate? Well now, there’s a reason to love it more. At a recent Slow Food event I met David Castellan – the master behind Soma chocolates. His story is a good one – not to mention tasty (I loved those milk chocolate corn nuts!). David creates small batch chocolate from ethically-sound beans that he sources. He roasts the beans at his store in the historic Distillery District in Toronto, and then masterfully turns the chocolate into exotic and delicious creations. Once you have tried them, and I highly recommend you do, it will become evident very quickly that there is nothing like small batch, handmade chocolate. Sorry Cadbury.
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Toasted corn, $5 (100 g) and $10 (250 g). Soma Chocolatemaker, Toronto, 416-815-7662, somachocolate.com (ships anywhere in Canada).

Pocket Cookbooks

I love all the books by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers (the two famed female chefs from London’s River Café) and now they have just put the icing on the cake with their new River Café Pocket Books. Fish and Shellfish and Pasta and Ravioli just landed on my desk. I couldn’t help but get inspired by the easy-to-read recipes, great images and cute size. These would make a perfect stocking stuffer for any foodie.
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director

River Café Pocket Books (Ebury Press, 2007), $24 each, chapters.indigo.ca.

Amaya The Indian Room

I have been spreading the word on a new restaurant in Toronto – because the food tastes like no other Indian restaurant in town. In fact, I love this place so much I ate here twice in one week – that's is how good I think it is! My pal Peter Neal of Neal Brothers Foods tipped me off on this one (in fact he treated on our first visit – lucky me!). Amaya’s food is rich in Indian tradition and flavour but at the same time has its own modern, grown-up personality. Rumour has it that owner Derek Valleau is working on a line of ready-to-eat dishes for takeout. Yum!
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director

Amaya The Indian Room, 1701 Bayview Ave., Toronto. 416-322-3270, amayarestaurant.com.

Field Fresh Tomatoes

Finally local tomatoes have arrived in farmers' markets! I couldn't help myself – I bought up the whole lot of tomatoes from one farmer. On my drive home, I started to dream of all the delicious things I’d make with them. The fire-roasted tomato gazpacho with corn sure hit the spot the next day for lunch – and the tomato jam is going to be superb on my grilled cheese this weekend! For some more great ideas for cooking with tomatoes check out our Tasty Tomato Treats feature.
- Andrea Stewart, Food Director