Italian Spring

Kaarina

As our bitter winter dragged on into April, I frequently found myself thinking of our spring holiday to northern Italy a few years ago. What I wouldn’t give to be back at Corteforte Winery and B&B in Fumane, north of Verona, and the adjacent Enoteca Della Valpolicella where we dined three nights in a row. The food was that divine. Fresh peas and pasta. Beef braised in Amarone, served with creamy polenta. Zucchini blossoms bathed in pesto. Each dish matched to a regional wine.

The divine food of Enoteca Della Valpolicella

Revisiting those memories was the inspiration for our April Epitour: Italian Spring.

Italian food is deceptively simple — most recipes are limited to half dozen ingredients or even less. But it’s all about those ingredients: Fresh. Seasonal. Preferably local, which is what makes Italian cooking at its best regional.

I chose Artichokes alla Romana as my welcome-to-spring antipasto, which along with some salumi, marinated olives and pane rustica kept us content while Laura worked her magic with the primi - homemade mushroom tortellini. Next Caroline amazed us with a dandelion torta. We finished with a spring classic - fried lamb chops with puréed radicchio and a simple fennel salad.

Artichokes alla Romana

The recipe for Carciofi alla Romana is simple as is the method of cooking and marinating them. The challenge is finding fresh globe artichokes. Ours come from California and the season is short in the rare Ontario grocery stores that bother to carry them in the early spring. Just as challenging is getting the choke out before cooking the hearts. The first time is a nightmare but it gets easier. (Google or You Tube will show the way.) The taste is worth every minute of the prep.

Laura

I rarely take the time to make fresh pasta, but whenever I do, I find it such a satisfying thing. I especially love making filled pastas.

I chose to make tortellini. And of course I wanted to use my neighbour Kelly’s Gourmet Mushrooms in the filling. They grow shiitake, lion’s mane, and blue oyster varieties. I used a combination of all three.

I usually use Marcella Hazan’s recipe for fresh pasta. Her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is my bible for Italian cooking. The ingredients are simple: 1 cup of all-purpose flour and two eggs. And a little bit of milk added when making dough for a filled pasta. But this time I decided to try the pasta recipe that went along with the Serious Eats mushroom filling recipe I’d chosen. It uses a combination of whole eggs and egg yolks. The eggs came from my next-door neighbour and the yolks were so yellow, they turned the pasta a lovely deep hue. However, I think I will return to the tried-and-true Marcella recipe. I found the “Serious Eats” recipe quite stiff and hard to work at first. Luckily it softened up during it’s 30-minute rest and was ok to roll through the pasta roller.

I chose to serve the tortellini with a very simple browned butter, grated Parmesan, a splash of white truffle oil, and a few micro greens for a springtime touch.

Simply delightful mushroom tortellini!

Caroline

When lunch themes are announced, I’m certain that our foursome goes into a deep period of culinary reflection. Routines are broken. Daily chores are ignored. Partners are neglected. Once breakthrough is achieved, a grocery list is compiled and it’s a run to a “carefully selected purveyor of ingredients”. We then enter the testing phase which is most likely to occur over the course of two to three dinners with our significant others — who, at times, ogle our creations with a reluctant eye.

Dandelion greens came to mind when Kaarina launched her Italian Spring theme. I pass these lovely bunches in the produce section knowing that bitter greens are not enjoyed by all. I have acquired a liking for them over the years and have learned to disguise their taste to make them palatable for the more conservative palates.

I decided to modify a favourite recipe, a Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Torta from the northern Piemonte region. Layered crespelles — Italy’s version of crêpes — and besciamella sauce are delicious examples of the French culinary influence on this region. Of course the erbe would be dandelion greens and two fistfuls of rapini to give the tart more volume. The addition of a couple of uncased Italian sausages truly makes this a “one-pot-meal”. The layering begins and ends with buttered breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, grated fontina and parmesan cheese. Perhaps a little labour intensive but, this torta is deliciously worth it.

Delicious tart of dandelion greens

Kaarina

Artichokes are notoriously difficult to pair with a wine but it seems that the  northeastern corner of Italy — Friuli-Venezia-Giulia — produces whites that somehow defy the odds. Surprising even to me, I found a bottle in my own cellar that had been gifted to me years earlier. Marco Felluga Russiz Superiore Sauvignon Collio 2010 had the full body and the acidity to take on the artichokes.

Caroline met the double challenge of matching a wine to bitter greens and creamy richness of the torta. The ripe dark fruit and velvety tannins of Bogle Essential Red 2015, a California blend of Old Vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Syrah paired perfectly and went on to compliment our secondi — fried lamb chops.

Two stars!

Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking has been my everyday home cooking guide for many, many years, but for this Epitourist adventure I sought fresh inspiration from the Great Italian Chefs. What a fun website! Bios of chefs, links to their restaurants, features on regions and regional foods, and of course, recipes. Tons of recipes, from their restaurant menus and their family kitchens.

This is where I found Filippo Trapella’s grandmother’s fried lamb chops. It’s a family Easter favourite in Bologna.The radicchio purée is borrowed from a duck recipe created by a 30-something Michelin-starred chef Lorenzo Cogo of Vicenza, who infuses traditional with international influences for a fresh take on Italian cucina. The simple fennel salad is a long-standing favourite from my guru Marcella: Thinly sliced fennel tossed with the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil you can afford and salt to taste.

Fried lamb chops on radicchio purée

With no thought for dessert, we sipped on a little grappa — a barrel-aged Ducale Grappa Stravecchia Reserva — for a fine end to a fine afternoon.

Fine ending!

Epi T.O.: A Two Day Epitour

It was time for a road trip to shake off the lingering cabin fever plaguing us after a long brutal winter. Last spring we sampled the delights of Montréal. This year we decided on a two-day "epitour" of Toronto, which is quickly catching up to the City of Saints when it comes to all things food. 

We met at St. Lawrence Market, treating ourselves to the antipasti bar at Scheffler’s Deli, an institution at the market since 1955, before heading to Liberty Village for the first of two bakeries on our list.

In the following posts, Laura reports on the bakeries, Diane savours the cocktail choices at Drake Hotel, Kaarina reviews dinner at Laissez Faire, a new King St. W. restaurant, and Caroline takes us on a romp through the Assembly Chef's Hall, a Richmond St. “food court” with a difference.

From Grain to Loaf: A Tour of Three Toronto Bakeries

Laura

Rustic Brodflour loaves!

One half of the Epitourists are sourdough bread obsessed. Caroline and I have been nursing starters and practising our leaven, autolyse, proofing and baking skills for most of the winter. Stand-by for a blog post soon. On our recent Epitourist adventure in downtown Toronto, I put a few bakeries on the itinerary.

Brodflour

This recently-opened bakehouse is tucked into a back alley in Liberty Village. They mill their own flour on a huge stone mill that is prominently on display in the space. The mill is from New American Stone Mills in Vermont. They source rye, red fife, spelt and hard spring wheat from Ontario and Manitoba. Head miller and partner, Jesse Saldana, gave us a great tour and explained how the mill grinds the whole grain between two huge granite stones. The flour is then sifted to remove some of the bran and germ.

There is not a lot of seating in the bakery but we sat down on the couple of benches and tasted a sampling of slices of some of the breads they bake: Dark & Sweet is a heavy, oblong loaf of rye with dark molasses and caraway; Heritage Hearth, a traditional style sourdough batard made with red fife and spelt; and Whole Grain sourdough with rye and whole prairie hard red. Needless to say we all left with loaves to take home. They were also offering samples of sweet Cardamom Knots. Their consulting baker is Swedish, so much of their offerings along with the Hygge-style décor is Scandinavian inspired. Caroline and I also purchased some of their freshly-milled flour to test in our own sourdough loaves. 8 Pardee Avenue, Toronto

Brodflour... such a cool place!

Forno Cultura

This Italian bakery is located in a basement on King Street. It’s a narrow space jam-packed with breads, sweet and savoury baked goods and there’s even a fridge full of pasta sauces, soups and cured meats, and a wall of olive oils and preserves.

Cultured ovens!

The owner is a third-generation Italian baker who wanted to preserve artisanal baking methods. They make beautiful sourdough breads, but it was easy to get sidetracked by all the other goodies. A glass-fronted case runs along the length of the bakery, full of biscotti, croissants, cakes and other beautiful sweet treats. There’s also an assortment of deep-fried arancini and stuffed croquettes. Caroline purchased a few of these home for a quick dinner upon her return home from our gourmet adventure. I left with one of their beautiful biscuit-style cake made with ground almonds and filled with a lemony pastry cream.

Cliffside Hearth

A sourdough baguette is an art to shape

I made a little side-trip on my own to my favourite Scarborough bakery. It just happens to be up the road from Kaarina’s place and very close to our yacht club. It’s run by the husband-and-wife team of David and Camelia. David worked in bakeries for years before starting to bake sourdough bread in their backyard brick oven. After neighbours kept asking to buy his loaves, the couple decided to open up a bakery.

Handsome red...

Since my move to Wolfe Island and my own foray into sourdough baking, David has been a great resource, graciously emailing back and forth with me answering all my sourdough questions. So it was great to be able to spend an hour with him that morning to talk sourdough in person. It was 9:30 am and the end of David’s work day. He’s up and in the bakery in the wee hours of the morning to get the breads proofing and baking.  Unfortunately I was so caught up in my learning that I forgot to take any photos. But you can have a look at their website and Instagram for some drool-worthy pics.
I’ve been struggling with baker’s math and how to ramp up my bread production. David shared his excel spreadsheet with me. It makes it easy to figure out the ratios of starter, flour, water and salt. He also showed me his big bucket of starter that he keeps in the fridge and feeds once a day. He laughed about the “blogger bakers” who name their starters and baby them with twice-daily feedings at carefully monitored temperatures. David said he hasn’t got time for that and it’s impossible to control temperature in the bakery. He says he’s trained his starter, much like a flea circus, to live in the fridge and deal with hot water poured over it. I’m not going to question his methods. His bread is the best I’ve tasted. And don’t get me started on his croissants. I don’t know how Kaarina can live so close by and resist eating them every day.

Cocktails at the Drake Hotel

Diane

Cheers!

Late afternoon sunshine played through windows at the Drake Hotel as we eased ourselves into the banquette. The ambience was understated and not contrived, with lots of wood and burnished surfaces.  Music was playing at a level that respected comfortable conversation between friends.

The venue first opened in 1890 as Small's Hotel, near what was then one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the city. The bar has seen many changes over the last century and a half, and is enjoying a revival as a boutique hotel, concert venue, art space, and restaurant.

Gord Hannah is the head bartender and chief cocktail ambassador at the Drake. In a recent interview, he says "As a hotel bar, we have always had a strong affinity to the classic cocktails that form the basis of bar programs for 200 years. We are also a music venue, art gallery and restaurant, so our team always tries to stay current with global offerings and new cocktail trends. Stevie Wonder will always be on a playlist for a DJ, but to stay current, you also have to offer the newest underground artist. Our bar team does the same – a well made old fashioned will always be a crowd pleaser, but our new version of the Tequila Sunrise will open up your eyes to new things.

One of the nice things about going out with the Epitourists is that none of us mind sharing our drinks, so we were all able to sample some of the concoctions devised by Drake's own bartenders.

None of us mind sharing our drinks...

  

Caroline had a Martini huile d'olive, with three small drops of olive oil shimmering on the surface that floated together. The basil infusion ended up being good to the last drop. 

Laura's  brown-butter-maple Old Fashioned was a nice twist on a classic as well, mixing sour and sweet with a bit of a tang. 

I ordered a sour sipper dubbed la Bohème, which was a mix of tequila, Campari, absinthe, charred pineapple, sage, and lime. The pale grapefruit colour was a nice surprise when it arrived at the table.

Kaarina enjoyed a bubbly Cava, effervescent with tiny bubbles.

I'm marking my calendar now for the Toronto Cocktail Conference, which takes over The Drake Hotel from August 13 to 15 this coming summer.

The Drake Hotel, a great place for a cocktail!

Laid Back On King Street

Kaarina

Our Epitourist foursome was looking forward to dinner at Laissez Faire, a new King St. West restaurant, as the highlight of our two-day foodie tour of Toronto. We thought laissez faire an appealing concept for a restaurant and were quite excited, looking forward to expertly prepared, French-inspired cuisine served in a casual atmosphere. What we found was that the two - laissez faire and fine dining - don’t necessarily mix all that well. The problem is that by its definition - “let it be,” “leave it alone” - laissez faire is an attitude that spreads all too easily, and in a small open space it’s a short trip to the kitchen.

Is stylishly hip good enough?

We were there on a Tuesday, so likely the kitchen A Team had the night off. There was no sign of Michelin-trained owner/chef Zachary Barnes - not surprising since the place is open every night for dinner. His credentials (Barne’s CV includes Toronto’s top-rated Alo, UK’s Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and New York’s Daniel) had built up grand expectations for us. Those expectations were amply met by a finely-wrought menu, if not its actual execution that night. Cool, laid-back bartenders are at the centre of the operation. One meets you, seats you, pours cocktails, wine and beer from a long and well-stocked bar that runs a good third of the length of the stylish narrow room with an open kitchen at the far end. Brisk and efficient, he takes your order and jockeys the food from the kitchen to the table, where you are perched on less than comfy high stools.

From the menu, we started with a winner: A smooth and creamy burrata, oozing with buttery satisfaction, served on a bed of bitter greens and poached fruit along with triangles of toast to smear it on.

Smooth and creamy burrata

Although the porcini truffle arancini trio should be easy enough to share four ways, the very, tiny risotto balls had us beg for a fourth so that we could each enjoy. The wait staff graciously obliged!

Arancini trio

The crispy pork belly with a sherry gastrique and pomegranate seed and parsley garnish was perfection and shared between four, a guilt-free indulgence.

Pork belly, a guilt-free indulgence

The roasted cauliflower visuals were fantastic: the romenesco sauce an artful swirl of carmine beside the cauliflower. That we could agree on. The taste, not so much. The unfamiliar herb flavours delighted some and alienated others, as did the char on top of the overcooked cauliflower.

The roasted cauliflower visuals were fantastic

The whole grilled sea bream, although slightly overcooked, had a lovely crisp skin and the grilling imparted a smoky flavour to the mild fish served with classic lemon and dill garnish.

Grilled sea bream

A shared brioche panna cotta with a pretty apricot compote made for a light sweet finish.

Nicely presented panna cotta

A creative menu, easily shared plates, good value, crisp service, hip decor all should add up to a return visit when chef Barnes is in house, perhaps even a splurge at the chef’s rail overlooking the open kitchen, where a tasting menu is offered Thursday to Sunday. But we will not be giving Laissez Faire a second chance. And that’s because the music is played at a mind-numbing, ear-splitting volume better suited to a night club than the dinner hour, making any effort at normal conversation impossible. When we asked for the volume to be turned down, the response was not surprisingly laissez faire - they left it alone. And so will we.

 Laissez Faire, 589 King St. West

Assembly Chef's Hall Epi T.O.

Caroline

A place where talent assembles

The doors flew opened and he invited all in. "Welcome to the Assembly! Is this your first time here!" And he proceeded to give us the spiel about the Hall. Located in the financial district of Toronto, in the building where Google T.O. lives, the Assembly Chef's Hall is a sprawling, multi-tiered eatery showcasing 17 local chefs, restauranteurs and baristas. Our ACH greeter took us from one venue to the next highlighting their best. From a barista champion to a Cinnamon Bomb king and finally to the gnocchi guru, Ivana Raca.

And food lovers gather

I had read about Raca in Edible Toronto: Going All-In which talks about her involvement in the movement to change "the near absence of female chefs from Toronto restaurant kitchens." Feisty lady. I thought I'd look her up if ever at the Assembly. Looked her up we did and found a modest, vibrant and friendly gal. A sign at the restobooth boasts the fact that she beat Bobby Flay in a gnocchi competition. Well, that settled that. We had to have the champion gnocchi. Gnocchi two ways please: 1. the Mushroom Truffle Cream, and 2. the Boho Gnoc in a chorizo red sauce. Raca's gnocchi is 90% ricotta. How about that! In a heart beat I would go back for the gnocchi... the question is, could my heart take it? Deliciously rich, to be enjoyed in moderation. Sharing them made it less of a guilty pleasure.

Gnocchi two ways at Chef's Table by Resto Boemo

We ran into our ACH greeter and let him talk us into trying a Cinnamon Bomb from the Short and Sweet Bakeshop: "Only one left! You gotta try it!" Take all the cinnamony goodness of a cinnamon bun and a few other decadent ingredients (sweetened crème fraîche comes to mind) and wrap it in an ever-so-light ball of dough and deep fry it. Oozy cinnamon delight washed down with a Cortado from Bulldog Coffee.

The bomb and his cortados!

I would definitely recommend the Assembly Chef's Hall for a fun time. It offers something for every taste. I cringe at the reviews that compare it to a food court but, if truth be told, ACH is a glorified food court, a very good one at that. Everyone can grab the bite that they like and enjoy it at a common table. If I had my druthers though, I'd do away with the bumping soundtrack...

Assembly Chef's Hall, 111 Richmond Street West, Toronto

Yotam Ottolenghi

Photograph Richard Burbridge

"No one who has grown up in the Mediterranean Middle East can really live without the colors and textures and tastes of home. The food that Ottolenghi serves and writes about often includes them all, but it isn’t ethnic cooking, grounded in one tradition, and it certainly isn’t fusion cooking..."

— The Philosopher Chef, New Yorker Magazine

Caroline

I don't think it would be wrong to say that we Epitourists are fans of Ottolenghi and his bold use of spices, fresh herbs and "unusual to us" ingredients. I thought it would be fun to really explore his recipes and cook some for our February Epitourist lunch. As I was hosting, I offered up the main. Laura chose a "have-cake-will-travel" dessert recipe as she was coming on the train from Wolfe Island. And our Queen of Salads happily put on her thinking cap to come up with a salad plus a Ottoyummy appetizer.

Menu du jour

Fried Olives with Spicy Yogurt - Plenty More

 ☙ 

Peas, Za'atar and Feta Fritters - Simple

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Beet, Avocado and Pea Salad - Plenty More

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Lamb Siniyah + Roasted Eggplant
with Anchovies and Oregano - Simple

☙

Pistachio and Rosewater Semolina Cake - Sweet

His cookbooks are a delight to the taste buds as well as the eye!

At first I chose to do fritters two ways with a side of eggplant for my main. Having access to daily fresh eggs from our hens, this was a perfect idea for a light lunch main with variety to boot. When I tested my recipes, I did a 180 and headed the other way. Because they were simply delicious, I kept the Peas, Za'atar and Feta Fritters on the menu and offered them as appetizers. The odd combination of mashed peas, fresh mint and feta really works. These little bundles are elegant and will wow any taste buds!

Peas, za'atar and feta fritters

And for the main, a rich lamb Siniyah, a middle eastern equivalent to shepherd's pie. The richness of the stewed lamb and tahini crust makes this dish go a long way. Très riche. The pine nuts add an exotic dimension to the look and texture. A side of roasted eggplant with anchovies and oregano nicely completed the siniyah. This main was paired with a Tessellae Vieilles Vignes Carignan 2015. Delicious.

An attempt at an homage to the Y.O. style

Kaarina

Strange how after decades in the kitchen, cooking can still be humbling. Not by being eclipsed by the creative genius of someone like Ottolenghi but by neglecting something as basic as the importance of measuring all ingredients. Instinctive cooks often tend towards the more-or-less school of weights and measures. In this case, the consequences of my laissez-faire attitude became obvious the second time I made Ottolenghi’s gorgeous Beet Avocado and Pea salad. First time it was a work of art - literally a Monet without the pond - when I made it for our February Epitourist lunch.

A Monet without the pond...

I followed the recipe to the letter. From Ottolenghi’s cookbook Plenty More, it also appeared in his Guardian column. The second time I made it, I realized just before assembling all the ingredients that I had made the dressing for two instead of four servings. So I added a glug of EVOO, a splash of vinegar - and voilà! just like that, the subtle balance was off and the salad lost its magic. As I regretted the haste, the Introduction to his first cookbook, Ottolenghi, came to mind. He talks about the difference between cooking and testing recipes in order to communicate them precisely enough for others to replicate them. Already an international sensation at that time, Ottolenghi recalls how hard it was to force himself to measure and weigh until THAT discipline became instinctive.

Also from Plenty More, Coated Olives in Spicy Yogurt were tasty enough, but not worth the time and effort. The quick spicy yogurt dip benefited from being prepared the day before and using preserved lemons made it irresistible. Paired with Château Val Joanis Tradition Rosé 2016.

Preserved lemons make this sauce irresistible!

Laura

I was tasked with dessert this time. I pulled out my copy of Sweet, by Ottolenghi and his pastry chef Helen Goh. It’s full of beautiful photos of luscious-looking desserts. Because I would be having to transport my dessert by train to Toronto, I needed something that would travel well. I chose the Pistachio and Rosewater Semolina Cake. There is an optional garnish of candied rose petals but unless you can source pesticide-free petals, they suggest it’s best to stick with just the chopped pistachios. That’s what I did.

I had never used semolina flour in a cake before and I was pleased with the texture along with the ground almonds. It’s a very simple cake to put together and it keeps well for a few days. It’s a good thing Ottolenghi mentions in the recipe not to be afraid of pouring the large amount of glaze over the cake. It definitely is a lot of liquid but as Ottolenghi says, “the cake can take it.”
 

Delightful pistachio and rosewater semolina cake