From the editor I’ve never met a person who doesn’t like maple FROM THE EDITOR syrup. Even non-deserters love the intense sweetness, the earthiness, the goo—it’s sensual, I’ve been lucky of late. I’ve had three meals this irresistible stuff. While maple syrup may not past month that put a smile on my face. The first be uniquely Canadian, we do seem to lay claim was the signature item at The Burger’s Priest in to the stuff as part of our identity. Certainly, Leslieville.chef The Martin second Picard was a Peking duckway. rein-His Montreal feels that vented at a pre-opening dinner at Lee Lounge, new book, Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack is Susur Lee’son new on theasold Madeline’s described histake website being “aboutspace. the The third was at Sneaky Dee’s, where a plate of encounter between a renown chef and a rare bar-style chicken wings plain made me happy. and natural sugar.â€? It’sjust a journey of discovery, Where there’s in food,beautiful there’s always with recipes and joy startlingly photographs and illustrations. more aboutinPicard and excellence. And it Read feels like a surge the food his book onnow, p. 24. And maple syrupand season scene right a lot of with energy and ideas, gearing up, it’s time to celebrate special great places to eat, shop, cook, etc.this CityBites is elixir at to festivals and dinners, at home or out pleased once again partner with the Salut and we need now is third a unique Wineabout. + Food(All Festival, now in its year maple celesyrup “cheers.â€? Any ideas?) brating excellence and bringing innovative food In this issue, we welcome two new columnists. Terroir, an incredible hospitality industry conKait Fowlie kicks off her Living on the Veg column ference that’s happening the day this magazine devoted to vegetarian and vegan topics (p. 16). goes to print, so we’ll have to tell you about it Look for her regular posts on our Tumblr feed. 2011, and just keeps growing. Dan Donovan, co-proprietor of Hooked, will Events like these bring the city’s food scene deliver the straight goods on the slippery issues its vital focus,seafood on quality, innovation, ideasout and surrounding sustainability; check his just pure joy. Which reminds me of my fourth Fishmongering column on p. 15. He’s taking your smile-inspiring meal—an east-meets-west feast questions too, so please send them to info@ at Senses in the SoHo Patrick Lin, citybites.ca. Watch forMetropolitan. our website, coming soon! the man’s sublime. Dick Snyder, Editor • dick@citybites.ca $ICK 3NYDER %DITOR s DICK CITYBITES CA @citybites
city bites magazine citybitestoronto
No. 41
Work in progress: pineapple upside-down cake (p. 25).
Features
contents
18 Raw Emotion As the debate over raw milk continues, Sarah Hood offers some perspective 22 Cookbook Cookoff A dinner party with Greg Bolton reveals insights into recent cookbooks, quality ingredients and just how much maple syrup is enough 24 Chef Q&A
Au Pied de Cochon’s Martin Picard talks sex and maple syrup
26 Fishing for Dinner Jacob Richler travels to Panama and discovers ex-pat Features >>the Sugar and Toronto chefs along way—and they haveSpice a secret! 16
Spice World Exotic avours abound at Toronto’s top spice shops.
17
Sweet Young Things Meet Toronto’s rising pastry chefs.
Bites 18Regular Stuff The coolest, funkiest, most beautiful salt and pepper vessels.
Editor Dick Snyder/dick@citybites.ca Art Director Craig Sinclair/craigdesign@hurontel.on.ca Editor Dick Snyder/dick@citybites.ca Associate Editor Signe Langford Art Director Craig Sinclair/craigdesign@hurontel.on.ca Wine Editor John Szabo Editorial Assistant Kait Fowlie Director of Vinous Affairs Zoltan Szabo Wine Editor John Szabo
Starters The Artisanal star alignsalt at Ursa. 13 Urban Farmer 205 The Joy of Salt invades Toronto.
Director of Vinous Affairs Zoltan Greg Szabo Contributors Stephen Beaumont, Clow, Sara d’Amato,
7 Out&AboutBites Bar Neon lights up Regular Bloor and Lansdowne.
Tracey Edelist, Konrad Ejbich, Maia Filar, Arlene Hazzan Green, Contributors Stephen Beaumont, Greg Bolton, Andrew Brudz, Marc Green, Tracy Howard, Heather Li, Joy McCarthy, Mary Luz Pamela Cuthbert, Dan Donovan, Konrad Ejbich, Kait Fowlie, Mejia, Stephen Temkin, Julie C. Trubkin Arlene Hazzan Green, Sarah B. Hood, Kate More, Zoltan Szabo, Photography Jeff Coulson, Signe Langford, Julie C. Trubkin Stephen Temkin Publisher Paul Alsop/paulalsop@idmg.ca Photography and illustration Martin Beaulieu, George Fisher, Sr. Account Manager Wendy Lyall Gardner/wendy@citybites.ca Ann Gagno, John Gundy, Edward Pond, Dick Snyder Account Manager Alexander McCarthy/alecmccarthy@live.ca
Publisher Paul Alsop/paul@citybites.ca Subscriptions are $25 per year.
Sr. Account Manager Wendy Lyall Gardner/wendy@citybites.ca Email info@citybites.ca or visit www.citybites.ca Account Manager Alexander McCarthy/alecmccarthy@live.ca Advertising Inquiries sales@citybites.ca Account Manager John Walker/johnmwalker@rogers.com City Bites Media Inc., 24 Dalhousie St. Suite 200, photo:JEFF edward pond PHOTO: COULSON
contents Early Spring 2012
Toronto, ON, M5B 2A5, 647-827-1705. City Bites is published Email info@citybites.ca or visit www.citybites.ca six times a year by City Bites Media Inc., a division of IDMG Inc. Advertising Inquiries sales@citybites.ca City Bites Media Inc., 26 Dalhousie St. Suite 200, Toronto, ON, M5B 2A5, IDMG Management
647-827-1705. City Bites
Paul Alsop, Donald G. House
is published six times a year by City Bites
IDMG Partner
Media Inc.
Dick Snyder
Raise your bed.
216 Chicken Wings Rating Toronto’s joints (and Crumbs Restaurant openings top wing14 Head tosome Headnot-so-top). The original
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and closings.
Starters A new ďŹ sh shop; Susur
8abroad; Newsbites Amsterdam Spring Le Creuset goes green.
Bock; Cheese Boutique’s Chef Fest. Crumbs Hot spots, new spots, dead spots. 9 Purveyors The fresh benefits 7 Just of Opened Red Fife Eating flour. out tonight? Try one of these two new restaurants. 10 The Gourmudgeon Go Guinea 8 TheFowl Gourmudgeon or go home.For the love of schnitzel. 11 Buying Guide Chickens 9 Pantry A vision of ginger, with flavour. in ales and beers. 12 Dining Out Windows brings 10 Foreign Big JamieCorrespondence Kennedy to Niagara three countries. sandwiches (and Tonyfrom Aspler).
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11
The Urban Farmer Tricking nature into giving you salad.
12
natural wines.
15 Fishmongering New! Hooked’s Dan Fresh Sugaring off Donovan with our takes your sweet seafood questions. favourite viscous liquid.
16 Living on’em theand Veg New! 13 Books Read eat! 14 15 23
Kait Fowlie talks veg and vegan. Reality Check Wondering where the 31 goodness Szabo onwent. Wine Perspectives on taste with John Szabo. In store Superior olive oil and easy-make 32 The Ej risotto. Konrad Ejbich’s case for dismantling the KGBO. Libations Stephen Beaumont proff ers his porter picks. Beaumont on 33 Libations Stephen
hoppy craft brews. 24 The Ej Where’s the “O�, wonders Konrad Ejbich, in LCBO. 34 One Last Bite A new book explores eating the Antarctic. 25 Szabo on Wine JohninSzabo gets his sweet on.
26
One Last Bite A spoonful of sugar.
Cover: Martin Beaulieu/avidmonkeys.com Martin Picard at Sugar Shack Au Pied deCover Cochon. photo by Jeff Coulson Spring EarlyEarly Spring 2012 2012 3
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