Adelaide Eats 2017

The Adelaide Eats food market is BACK for it's third year in a row, and I'm here to give you the inside scoop on what you should be checking out! Located right in the downtown core, on the second floor Terrace of Adelaide Place, Adelaide Eats is the perfect destination for those working in the financial district to grab a quick bite on the go. With over fifteen restaurant options to choose from, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the delicious choices. Having visited the market last year, I knew to try and come up with a game-plan this time around, so that I could be sure to taste as much as possible, without getting too full! 

After trying (almost!) all of the tastes that Adelaide Eats had to offer, I of course had a few favourites. Momofuku was a welcome addition to the market this year, serving up their famous pork belly and chicken steamed buns. Though I've had Momofuku's steamed buns before, they were just as wonderful as always, and stood out as one of my favourite tastes of the night. 

Though I'm generally pretty skeptical when it comes to brisket sandwiches, I was curious to try Toben Food By Design's Brisket Sandwich. I'm so glad I did, because it turned out to be one of the best brisket sandwiches I've ever had! It was particularly lovely when paired alongside their refreshing Compressed Watermelon Salad with corn, black beans, and feta. This duo is definitely a must-try! 

After enjoying two fairly heavy options, I was ready for something lighter before going back for more gluttony. Though I had never heard of Cassia before (they do Thai pop-ups throughout Toronto), I really enjoyed their Thai Papaya Salad. Not only was it delicious, each dish was prepared to-order, with our chef taking out a pestle and mortar to grind the herbs and spices right before serving! I highly recommend checking them out, as it may be tricky to find them anywhere else! 

I was a little shocked at how much I enjoyed Wahlburgers burger. I'm pretty picky with my burgers, and have been talking a lot of smack about Marky Mark daring to bring his burgers to Toronto to rival our dear Burger's Priest, Stockyards, Holy Chuck, The Drake, and more. I gotta give Marky Mark some credit, he does make a good burger (though no, it ain't no Priest!), and what's more, he completely won me over with his crunchy on the outside, and soft and tender interior tater tots! Man, were those ever addictive! 

Of course, no market would be complete without some refreshing beverages! While I chose to sip on a little sangria (they were serving both red and white sangria), my sister Justine chose to enjoy a few brews from The Mervchant Tavern, trying both the Goose Island IPA and Mill St. Organic. Fear not, wine drinkers, The Merchant Tavern has you covered as well, serving Peller Estates Chardonnay and Cabernet-Merlot. 

I'm really glad to have had the chance to try out all of the delicious offerings at the market and am looking forward to coming back throughout the summer! Be sure to check out the market from now until July 28th located at 150 York St. 

Listening To:

Chanel - Frank Ocean

Fresh City Farms Ready-To-Eat Jars

Cooking is my thing. It's my stress reliever, my creative outlet, my pride, my joy, it's my world. While I love to cook as much as possible and share my creations with you all, it's not always a reality for me to get to cook every single meal. Short-cuts and quick-fixes are the only way I can get through a busy week without losing my mind sometimes. I'm often juggling a few different projects at once, which means a lot of running around, and bursting in the door well past dinner time, in a hangry stupor, searching for anything that can satiate me quickly! It's so easy to make poor choices when I'm caught in a hangry state like that, turning to my guilty pleasures (that always feel so good at first, and then inevitably leave me feeling disappointed) like a box of mac & cheese, a McDonalds meal, or just some good ol' peanut butter toast. Like I said, those options always seem like a good idea while I'm preparing them, but they always (and I mean always!) leave me feeling lousy and let down in the end. 

While I've been getting better at meal prep as of late, I still have those days where I need to have a meal on hand that's ready to go and will leave me feeling my best. With that in mind, an email from Fresh City Farms, inviting me to try out some of their new Ready-To-Eat meal jars came at the most opportune time!

Having visited Fresh City Farms two-acre Organic farm at Downsview Park (right in the city!) a few years ago, I knew first-hand the care and thought that they take in producing and sourcing some of the best produce you can find in Ontario. While they don't source all of their ingredients for their Ready-To-Eat jars from their own farm, they take great care to select almost exclusively certified organic ingredients, with exception of a few local producers who are not certified organic.

Beyond being impressed by the attention and importance that they place on having high-quality produce, I was also dazzled by the great selection of Ready-To-Eat jars that Fresh City Farms carries in their shop. With so many delicious sounding options (that fit a variety of different diets), the hardest part of the whole process was buckling down and getting decisive about my order. I wanted to try them all!! I ended up ordering the Butter Chicken Bowl (a total no-brainer!), Makhani Tofu Biryani, and Falafel Salad, with jars for Chris to try out as well for a second opinion. I also threw in some Tonica Kombucha, red beets, rutabaga, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups from Green Zebra Kitchen. What a haul!

With my order placed, I was a little concerned that I would run into problems with my delivery. Both myself and Chris were going to be out the day our order was to be delivered, and my condo clearly states that they will not accept any deliveries that include non-perishables. I left instructions for the delivery person to call our buzzer and leave the order outside of our unit door. Even still, I wasn't sure that either Chris or myself would even be available to answer the buzzer to let the delivery person in. I was stressed! Luckily my stress was completely unfounded, as the delivery process was as smooth as can be! I got a phone call from Fresh City Farms to confirm my order was being delivered, and they were able to get into my building without any issue. Chris came home to find a lovely Fresh City Farms cooler bag, expertly packed with temperature controlled lunch bags and ice packs. For someone who works in marketing, Chris was seriously impressed!

I came home from work that evening completely starved and ready to dive into my Butter Chicken Bowl! A quick trip to the microwave was all my bowl needed to be ready to eat. It was such a perfect meal to come home to. I loved the big, bold, and comforting flavours of the butter chicken sauce, and the chicken was perfectly cooked and tender. With the jars being quite large, I even had some leftover as a snack the next day!

While the Butter Chicken jar was definitely my favourite, the other two jars were really tasty as well. Though I have to admit, I did end up adding some extra ingredients to the Falafel jar to bump up the flavour a little bit. I added chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of tahini, and a little hit of cayenne pepper for heat. I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I wanted a little bit more brightness, creaminess, and heat. I LOVED it after that! I have also been totally obsessed with kombucha since trying Tonica Kombucha from my order, and have been drinking it like a maniac ever since! My favourite flavour is their peach kombucha. I was also shocked by how delicious the Peanut Butter Cups were from Green Zebra Kitchen. My goodness, they were sooooo good! Not only were they tasty, they're also healthy and provide a quick energy boost thanks to the hit of protein in them. 

I am so happy with how my experience with Fresh City Farms went! It was easy, convenient, delicious, and at a fairly reasonable price-point considering the quality, organic certification, and delivery right to your door! I would highly recommend looking into their delivery service if you're anything like me and are looking for tasty and convenient options that will leave you feeling great in the midst of a busy week. Thank you so much to the lovely people at Fresh City Farms for reaching out to me and allowing me the opportunity to try their products!

This post was written in partnership with Fresh City Farms. All opinions and photographs are my own. 

Listening To:
Kendrick Lamar - XXX

What We Dig Checks Out Southern Accent

Tonight I'm off to shoot another episode of What We Dig, but before I get to try another type of cuisine, I wanted to share with you the last episode that I got to co-host, at the new location of Southern Accent. 

My sister has lived in the Annex area for years, so Southern Accent came to be one of our favourite go-to restaurants in the area. I was always a sucker for their fried calamari, brisket with grits and collards, and, of course, their famous bourbon sours, so it was really fantastic to get to visit their new location on College Street, and try a few dishes that were previously unfamiliar to me. 

I had such an amazing time filming this episode with the lovely Debbie Dear, and was completely blown away by the unbelievable southern hospitality that all of the staff welcomed us with. Big shoutout to Wendy from Southern Accent who went above and beyond to make our experience special. Wendy was a very familiar face from their previous location, and it was so nice to see her taking on that same role of "the host with the most" in their new home.

Have you ever eaten at Southern Accent before? What's your favourite dish? Tell me about it in the comments, or tweet me: @thisgingerrose. 

Listening To:

Passionfruit - Drake

Dîner en Blanc 2016

The guests wore all-white and danced under the light of the full moon. 

It sounds part of a fairytale, does it not? Fairytales are associated with beauty, mystery, romance, and happiness, all of which were present on the eve of August 18th, as myself and 2,600 guests made our way through chartered busses and organized public transportation, to arrive at our mystery destination to celebrate in the annual spectacle, Dîner en Blanc. 

Dîner en Blanc is a tradition that began in Paris in 1988 with only a handful of participants. It first began as simply an elegant dinner under the stars, amongst friends, with one rule - everyone must dress in all white. Over the past 28 years, Diner en Blanc has become a worldwide sensation, and is now celebrated in over 70 cities across the globe. 

As a leader in both the food and fashion industries, it's no surprise that Toronto has made Dîner en Blanc a celebrated summer ritual amongst foodies and fashionistas alike. Having always wanted to attend the coveted event, I was over-the-(full)-moon excited to be invited by Dîner en Blanc sponsor Metro Ontario to attend this years event as their guest. 

Dressed in our newly-purchased all-white outfits (no cream or off-white here!), my friend Amanda and I arrived at our pickup location to be transported to the top-secret destination (which was revealed to be the Canary District, formerly the Pan Am Games Athletes Village) with the rest of our table. The idea is to arrive "flash-mob style" to the freshly announced public venue, with white tables, chairs, and picnic baskets filled with gourmet delights in tow, to enjoy an elegant evening amongst friends new and old, and, come the nights end, leave without a trace left behind. 

As a Metro guest, I was lucky to be given the VIP treatment with our beautifully decorated table already set up. Each guest was given their own white picnic basket, filled to the brim with a selection of Metro goodies. True to the picnic theme, my basket featured an assortment of sandwiches; cheese, charcuterie, and crackers; quinoa and pasta salads; pizza; and sushi. Between the gorgeous floral arrangements were bottles of red, white, and sparkling wine that were constantly in flow. With a dessert tent presenting all-white cakes and cupcakes from Metro, it's needless to say, we were very well fed! 

Creativity played a large role in the success of the evening, as the all-white-everything theme inspired guests to think outside the colour wheel when selecting their outfits, table decor, and menus. It was truly a feast for the eyes getting to see all of the imaginative ways that the guests approached their wardrobe and table decor. Hats and headpieces were particularly striking, with lots of feathers, bows, and flowers present. As a creative myself, I almost got whiplash from constantly turning my head as each new stunning sight caught my eye. More than just the outfits, decor, and food, the venue itself is a challenge in resourcefulness. As the location changes every year to a new public space, Dîner en Blanc allows guests to experience some of Toronto's most stunning public spaces in a dazzling new way. 

Dîner en Blanc was such a fantastic way to bring like-minded individuals together to celebrate food, fashion, and our beautiful city in a unique, elegant, and classy way. I'd like to extend a big "thank you" to Metro Ontario for giving me the opportunity to experience this magical evening as their guest. It was a privilege to not only get to attend the event, but also get to engage with so many other creative industry leaders who I admire and respect. I can honestly say that I have never in my life experienced anything like Dîner en Blanc. Thank you for a night to remember!

Moment of Note:
When my mom emailed me after the event saying she saw my photo on Flare Was There! Pretty cool moment! 

Listening To:

Frank Ocean - Nights

A Fresh Experience With FRESH Wines

I am a total sucker for beautiful design. This should come as no surprise considering my emphasis on aesthetics in my food photos, as well as my extensive and, what some may consider obsessive, pinning on Pinterest. I believe that good design can be an effective tool in helping brands deliver their message and tell their story, which was why I was so intrigued to attend A Fresh Experience, an event celebrating the launch of the FRESH Wines rebrand put together by my friends at the iYellow Wine Club. The event, which was held at CB2 on Queen West, showcased five new FRESH VQA wines, with each wine reflected in a corresponding food pairing installation. The installations, which were designed and executed by event and design agency Love By Lynzie, were thoughtfully created to reflect each of the wines with which they were paired. 

I was happy to have my friend Alex Orlando by my side to stroll through each of the installations with me and take in all of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the night. As we entered the buzzing CB2 space, we were immediately greeted by the smiling iYellow team and were handed a glass of FRESH Wines Sparkling Rosé, with notes of raspberry, cherry, apple, and pink grapefruit. What may have been the most striking of all the installations, the food pairing for the Sparkling Rosé featured a backdrop of vibrantly-coloured balloons, to reflect the bubbles in the sparkling wine, as well as freshly-spun cotton candy "clouds," and big, fluffy peonies. 

My favourite wine of the evening, the Sparkling Riesling, came next as we made our way to the white peg board, studded with citrus slices and paper bags of citrus and Granny Smith-flavoured candy corn. The peg board was created to allow the fragrance of the citrus to waft through the area, reflecting the notes of tangerine, green apple, mineral citrus, and lemon-lime zest that the Sparkling Riesling featured.

Before making our way up the grand staircase to the second level of the space, we took in the stunning fruit salad station, which illustrated the tasting notes of fruit salad, citrus, peach, floral, and pear in the FRESH Moscato that was being poured. Though I'm not normally a fan of moscato, finding it a little too sweet for my palate, I actually really enjoyed this one as it was more on the off-dry side. 

The feminine and vibrant theme from the first level of the food installations took on a more seductive and romantic vibe with the final two wines of the event. The FRESH Satin Red (with notes of red berries, mild oak, and light pepper) installation emulated the tone of evening passion, with a dramatic bed dressed in sequinned black sheets, and dangling, lip-stained wine glasses.

The final installation for the FRESH Crisp White, showcased the lively "adventure" quality that the wine embodied, with mouth-watering cheese boards resting atop vintage suitcases. The Crisp White exhibited bright notes of honeysuckle, green apple, and pear.

Both Alex and I had a great time at the event, and felt so inspired by all of the installations. You'll be glad to know that FRESH Wines is available at the LCBO, with each bottle sold at a very approachable price, particularly for VQA wines! I hope to grab a bottle of that delicious Sparkling Riesling to ring in this long weekend! Cheers to Ontario VQA wine!

To learn more about FRESH Wines and to check out each of the gorgeous new labels, be sure to visit the FRESH Wines website! 

Listening To:
Mike Will Made It - Nothing Is Promised (ft. Rihanna)

When Life Hands You Bagels, You Make Everything Bagel Butter

What do you do when life hands you an obscene amount of plain, grocery store bagels? You make Everything Bagel Butter! This past weekend I had the chance to escape the city and head to beautiful Minden Hills near Haliburton to celebrate my good friend Rommi's bachelorette. Though the prospect of spending the weekend on a dock with a bunch of like-minded and hilarious ladies is enough to get me pumped about going away, in typical Danielle fashion, the thought of getting permission to binge eat all weekend using the "calories don't count on vacations" excuse, was always in the back of my mind. 

Though I arrived at the cottage a day later than most of the group, I couldn't believe how much food and snacks were still decorating the cottage. Everywhere you looked you would find gummies of every shape and flavour, Kettle Chips in just about every seasoning, hard candies shaped like dicks (it was a bachelorette weekend after-all!), Oreos, brownies, bagels, fruit, vegetables, I could go on and on! I was in snack-attack heaven! Come Sunday, upon our time of departure, I was amazed at how much food ten small women had consumed in only a few days. It was downright impressive! But as is true with any girls getaway, our eyes were much larger than our stomaches and despite our impressive consumption, we ended up with quite the haul of leftovers by the end of the weekend. 

With so much leftover food about to hit the trash, along with my recent extreme budging and fear of food waste, I happily accepted any of the leftover food that no one else wanted to take. Though I was thrilled to go back to Toronto with a kitchen full of food, I somehow ended up with over a dozen bagels for just myself and my boyfriend. I'm not just talking about any kind of bagels here, I'm talking the plain, ol' grocery store kind, devoid of any flavour or appetizing texture. Sure, you can call me a food snob, but I've grown up eating some of the best bagels this city has to offer, and plain grocery store ones just do not do it for me. Despite my distaste for the brand of bagels, I was still grateful to have free food, and knew that I would be able to think up a creative way for making those sad excuse for bagels edible. 

Once again, I find myself thanking the heavens for giving me the gift of Pinterest, as all I had to do was quickly scroll through my board of Recipes To Make to find an easy-as-can-be recipe for Everything Bagel Butter! Pure genius and just what I needed to give my plain bagels a much-needed flavour boost! This trick for making a compound butter, enhanced with the flavourings from an everything bagel, was the kind of idea that had me thinking "why didn't I think of that?" The Everything Bagel Butter took all of 5 minutes to make (maybe even less!), and only two hours in the fridge, and most definitely did the trick in making my bagels delicious! It's safe to say I've eaten at least one bagel per day since returning thanks to my new favourite butter! 

WARNING: Do not eat this butter before a date! It contains both dried onion and garlic and will leave you needing a very good tooth-brushing, flossing, and mouth-washing session. You have been warned! 

Check out the blog Spend With Pennies for the full recipe for making Everything Bagel Butter! 

Listening To:

A #createlounge podcast! 

Market Inspired: Shiitake Mushroom & Leek Risotto

It's gotta be one of the best feelings in the world, watching as something that was once just a concept, just a dream, come to fruition with such success! It's been only two weeks of having the sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market open for business, but already our little dream-come-to-life has been filling me with so much inspiration! Getting to work at the market each Thursday, interacting with the farmers, artisans, and chefs who work so hard to come into the city to proudly sell their wares and share their love for Ontario, has been such a fulfilling experience for me. I love getting to explore all the new produce, products, and dishes on display each week, with my imagination going wild at the possibilities for play in the kitchen. 

So incredibly overwhelmed by the spectacular selection on opening day, it took me a while to decide what exactly I would make from my market finds on day one. With my grocery bag already filled with 100-Acre Bakery Walnut Sourdough and Sundried Tomato Sourdough bread, Mad Gringo Hot Sauce BBQ Sauce, Albion Hills Farm Pepperettes, and Allison's At The Best Frozen Chicken Curry Pot Pies, and my belly full of a steak and grilled bell pepper sandwich from Localista food truck, I had to stop getting distracted by food I could begin devouring immediately, and start thinking about a special meal I could prepare for the weekend. 

After chatting with the lovely couple from Waymac Mushroom Farm about all of the incredible health benefits of mushrooms, particularly shiitake mushrooms, I couldn't get the idea of a savoury shiitake mushroom risotto out of my head. Anne from Waymac assured me that although I was more familiar with creminis for risotto, the shiitakes would leave me very pleased with my results. With a paper bag full of Waymacs gorgeous shiitakes, I made my way over the stunning presentation of vegetables at Highmark Farms tent, with my sights set on fresh leeks. Although the bright green asparagus would have been a delicious addition to the risotto, I wanted something that would compliment the shiitakes, but not overpower it. With their delicate yet distinct flavour that can be compared to a very subtle garlic and onion flavour, leeks were the perfect accompaniment to the shiitakes. 

Come Sunday night, after a busy weekend, I couldn't wait to attack my market finds in the kitchen by preparing a special market-inspired Shiitake Mushroom & Leek Risotto for my mom and my boyfriend Chris. With Chris being Italian, I was a little nervous that my risotto wouldn't be up to par, but thank goodness for those market finds, with their big fresh flavours, and wonderful textures, my risotto turned out pretty damn awesome...if I do say so myself! I was so proud of the results, and kept rejecting my lemon chicken, that was also served that evening, to go back for more servings of risotto. As if I wasn't amped up enough at the idea of cooking with my market finds each week, after finding such success with my market-inspired Shiitake Mushroom & Leek Risotto, I was downright giddy walking through the market this week, dreaming up what market meal I would create next! 

Be sure to come by the sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market at Avenue Road and Roe Avenue each Thursday from 3:00 - 7:00 pm! 

* You will likely not need all of the chicken stock, but it's good to have heated on hand just in case.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp cold butter, separated
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
1 Ib shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cups arborio rice
about 3/4 cup dry white wine
approximately 900 mL low-sodium chicken stock*
salt & white pepper to season
about 2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
a handful fresh parsley, finely chopped, to garnish

Directions:

1. Place chicken broth in a medium pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer.
2. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and melt. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Add the leeks and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook until liquid has been released and evaporated, and mushrooms are softened.
3. Add the arborio rice to the mushroom mixture and coat in vegetable and butter mixture and heat through, about 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add just enough wine to cover mixture and cook until reduced by half. 
5. Pour in 2 large ladles of chicken stock and cook, stirring constantly. You want your mixture to remain soupy at all times. As the rice soaks up the liquid, continue to add ladles of chicken stock in, seasoning with salt and white pepper at each new addition. Continue repeating this process, while tasting for seasoning often, until the rice has reached an "al dente" texture (about 20-minutes). Finish by stirring in 2 tbsp cold butter and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Garnish with parsley and additional Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately.

Listening To:

Coeur de Pirate - Wicked Games (The Weeknd Cover)

Introducing The sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market

For years I have been working for an annual event that I have always been very proud to say that I am apart of. In its ten years since launching, sip & Savour Ontario has grown to become one of the most well respected events in Toronto thanks to its commitment to bringing education, support, and accessibility of Ontario's local wine, culinary, and agricultural industries to the public. 

With this year marking sip & Savour Ontario's ten year anniversary, we wanted to do something a little different. In response to the publics growing interest in having regular access to locally farmed and produced, ethically sound products in Toronto, sip & Savour Ontario has launched its first urban farm and artisan market at Avenue Road and Roe Avenue in North York. Each Thursday commencing June 5th until October 30th, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, the sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market invites the community to sip and savour the best of Ontario's enviable bounty and show their support for local Ontario food growers and producers. 

The urban market philosophy will reflect the same ideology behind the sip & Savour Ontario annual fair, while raising consumer awareness about how farmers markets support the local economy. The sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market will give the community an opportunity to put a face to their food through interaction with local farmers, as well as educational information on where their food comes from and the benefits of supporting local industries. 

The sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market

 The Roe Loop

Avenue Road & Roe Avenue

Thursdays 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

June 5 - October 30

 100-Acre Bakery

Albion Hills Farm

Allison's at the Best

Alzheimer Society of Toronto

Bizjak Farms

Carter Farms

Cookstown Greens Inc.

Harvest Goodies

 Highmark Farms

Localista Food Truck

Mad Gringo Hot Sauce

Millcreek Flower Farm

Monforte Dairy

Pablo the Dog

Pioneer Brand Honey

Skinlicious Soaps Ltd.

SoupHerb Soups

The Backyard Urban Farm Company (BUFCO)

Waymac Farms

I hope that my readers will have an opportunity to come out and support this very exciting endeavor! If you do, look for the little red-headed gal and come say "hi!" Cheers, to going local!

Listening To:

Max Frost - White Lies

Perfect Weekends Begin & End With Pisco Sours

It's that time Toronto! It's time for shorts and skirts, patios and pitchers, frolicking with friends, bikes and baseball games, and sweet, sweet spontaneity! The warm weather has finally arrived and with it comes those perfect fun and sun packed weekends that seem to go on forever, yet still end far too soon. To kick off what has officially been the first five-star weather weekend of Spring 2014 in Toronto, my boyfriend Chris was able to track down a bottle of Chilean Pisco, a boozy fruit liquor that is the main component to one of my favourite Summer cocktails, Pisco Sours. 

I had my first Pisco Sour experience less than two hours after landing in Chile for an adventure-filled vacation with my dad seven years ago (SEVEN YEARS AGO?! Where did the time go?). I was jet lagged but dying to hit the lounge chair by the pool of our hotel, desperate to feel the sun on my Vitamin D-deprived skin after escaping Toronto's cruel February chill. The moment my tush hit the chair I was presented with my very first Pisco Sour. So delighted to be in such a beautiful foreign country relaxing by the pool, I downed my drink, not realizing that the citrusy, easy-drinking cocktail actually contains a whopping three shots of the 41% spirit. I was a goner. I spent the remainder of the afternoon passed out and drooling in my lounge chair, while the sun burnt my fair, milk-coloured skin. That damn delicious cocktail took the wind right out of me, but that certainly didn't stop me from having at least one Pisco Sour every day for the remainder of my trip. 

It probably would have been a good idea to fill Chris in on that story, before we started drinking our Pisco Sours, as the poor guy didn't have a clue what he was getting himself into. He read "fruit liquor" and thought "oh like a Campari! Like an aperitivo!" It wasn't until we had drained our glasses and Chris went to pour more of what remained in the cocktail shaker, that he got a real whiff of the Pisco and realized how similar it smells to Tequila. A quick peek at the alcohol percentage on the bottle and it was back to chugging water! Just like after my first boozy Pisco experience, Chris had become hooked on the South American cocktail, declaring it to be our drink of the Summer! I sure didn't oppose! Recipes for Pisco Sours differ slightly, but here is one that my dad and I made a few years ago.

With the sun blazing and not a cloud in the sky on Saturday morning, Chris and I had our sights set on bikes! We headed over to Queen West to check out the selection at the Giant store. Thanks to my guy doing some initial bike research for me, we quickly found a reasonably-priced dream bike that had great value, was light and speedy, had good design features, and was cute and sporty looking. We took her out for a test ride and I fell in love! It had to be mine! I purchased my first good bike with a skip in my step and a smile plastered on my face. 

After all that excitement and test riding, we had worked up an appetite and decided to go around the corner to check out North Of Brooklyn Pizzeria, a gourmet pizza shop we have been meaning to try since opening. The small and dark largely-takeout shop features wood and metal accents with four tables for two and bar seating. We each picked up a slice of their Pepperoni and Margherita pizza and a can of, Howe Sound Lager and tucked in. The perfectly thin hand-stretched crust was very tasty and topped with an absolutely delicious hand-crushed tomato sauce, with wonderful concentrated tomato flavour and just enough Buffalo Mozzarella, pepperoni, and basil. I particularly liked the extra touch of sesame seeds that lined the crust of the pepperoni pizza, giving it a nutty bite. It's rare to find such great gourmet pizza sold by-the-slice in the Toronto, and with North Of Brooklyn taking such great care in producing a high-quality product, there's no doubt that their slices take the lead!

There's no better way to end one of those perfect Spring weekends than at a packed Jays game, with the dome open, beers, and good friends! To celebrate another Jays sweep we all headed back to Chris' condo to send the weekend off in the only way we knew how, more Pisco Sours! Cheers to a Spring and Summer filled with gorgeous weekends just like this!

Listening To:

Tove Lo - Stay High (Bad Habits Remix)

There's A New Burger In Town: The P&L Burger

The burger wars of Toronto continue with a new burger in town that everyone seems to be talking about, The P&L Burger, a burger and malt shop created by the team behind Parts & Labour. After winning first place at the Toronto edition of the Country Music Television (CMT) Burger Wars, chef Matty Matheson and Parts & Labour were overwhelmed by the positive attention their classic P&L burger started receiving. As more and more people began to frequent Parts & Labour purely for their award-winning burger, owners Jesse Girard and Richard Lambert, along with Matheson felt it was time to step up their burger game and open a shop solely dedicated to Matty's mouthwatering burgers. I had the opportunity to check out the new Queen West space before they officially opened their doors to the public, for a private media preview event and got to taste almost all fifteen menu items! 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

The P&L Burger menu board; The Deluxe; Chef Matty Matheson; The Castor

All of the burgers on the menu (minus their veggie burger) are made of seven ounces of Ontario chuck (ground in-house daily) and are cooked medium-rare with each burger varying in their toppings. The first burger served to us was the classic award-winning P&L topped with cheddar cheese, bacon-onion jam, iceberg lettuce, and dill pickle mayo. That first bite said it all! That tender, fall-apart-in-your-mouth (and your hands!) patty was extraordinary, with the savory, salty toppings complimenting yet not overpowering the star-of-the-show patty. I am always partial to a classic bacon cheeseburger, so the next burger served, The Deluxe, was right up my alley featuring bacon, American cheese, tomato, red onion, iceberg lettuce, and P&L sauce. Melt in your mouth perfection! The third burger served to us was the clear crowd favourite. The Castor (named after their designers Castor Design) features thinly sliced peameal bacon, cheddar cheese, crispy onions, iceberg lettuce, and BBQ sauce and had everyone in the room (minus the one vegetarian in attendance) swooning! This burger had it all, although would most definitely require a nap after consuming the whole thing. 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

The P&L team; The Italian; Kale Caesar; The Philly

It's at this point that I begin to regret not wearing bottoms with an elasticized waist (what was I thinking?!). Thank goodness they were only serving the burgers to us by the quarter, or else I would have had to be wheeled right out of the event! Although I truly enjoyed all of the burgers, my final standout of the day was chef Matty's favourite, The Italian. Although The Italian had many people in the room rushing to the bar for water to ease the spicy heat that tickled their tongues, I loved that kick of spice that The Italian served up thanks to the addition of roasted hot and sweet peppers. Doused in sweet and slightly acidic tomato sauce, this burger also featured mozzarella cheese and sautéed onions. You may be wondering about that lone vegetarian that I mentioned earlier was at the event, what in the hell was a vegetarian doing at a burger event? More than just chuck burgers, P&L also has a great veggie burger option, The Big Tempeh featuring classic toppings that included cheddar cheese, tomato, pickle, onions, iceberg lettuce, and P&L sauce. In addition to expected menu items like fries, onion rings, and poutine (with MONSTER cheese curds!), P&L also has a lighter side option their Kale Caesar Salad, with super garlicky house-made dressing, tender kale, lots of fresh grated parmesan cheese, and big crispy croutons, a side that any vegetarian and meat lover would go nuts over! 

Being a burger-lover and an indecisive Libra, it's hard for me to pick my favourite burger in the city with so many fantastic options to choose from, but I have to say that The P&L Burger officially makes my exclusive list as one of my favourite burgers in Toronto! Open to the public as of yesterday, definitely make the time to check out what is sure to be a new Toronto favourite! You won't be able to miss their striking, bright P&L sign out front! 

Listening To:

Queens of the Stoneage - 3's & 7's

Toronto Festival Of Beer 2013

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Goose Island's Sofie & Matilda beer in the Media Tent; Me (Danielle Rose) cheers-ing with new friends while hiding from the rain; Goose Island's Matila & Sofie chilling in an ice bath; a guitar-playing crooner at the Smirnoff Ice station

Right as July begins to wind down and you start to fear that your Summer may be nearing its end, The Toronto Festival Of Beer swoops into town to remind you that the summer is just beginning! An event that truly reflects the carefree and laid back attitude of summer in Toronto, our city's Beer Fest is really just a giant park party, which just so happens to be filled with over 60 brewers featuring more than 200 brands of beer from all over the world. I walked into the festival last year a novice, without a clue about what I was getting myself into, and very little knowledge of beer (despite what I may have said about my "mature" taste at the time). Ultimately, we did have a great time and did try some interesting beer, but, to be honest, the majority of our beer drinking was pretty tame, as we kept to a lot of brands we were already familiar with, just beginning to get our taste buds comfortable with the bitter flavours in hops, the sweet and often grainy flavours from malt, and so on. 

Now, one year later, we consider ourselves true "beer drinkers", having spent the last year tasting different beers from around the world, experimenting with trying various styles of beer, shades and colours, degrees of filtration, and percentages of alcohol, many of which from craft brewers playing around with natural ingredients, straddling the line between art and science. With a game plan, and my list of "The Do's Of Beer Fest" fresh in my brain, we were definitely ready to conquer the festival! 

Me (Danielle Rose) sipping on my first brew of the festival in the Media Tent

We started our beer drinking festivities off in the Media Tent, sectioned off with high tables, bar stools,  cozy couches, and lots of Neal Brothers chips so that all participating media could have a place to "kick up their feet and tweet!" thanks to free wifi. We eagerly checked out the mini bar secluded off in the tent, curious to see if they had stepped up their game this year and were pouring something other than Labatt 50 (as they were unfortunately doing last year). Sure enough, bobbing in a bath of ice were two of my favourite craft brews that I had tried this year, Goose Island's (Chicago) Matilda and Sofie. Goose Island's Matilda is my standout favourite of the two with fruity aromas and a slightly spicy flavour, this dry and quenching beer has been a great easy drinking beer all summer long for me! Goose Island's Sofie is more reminiscent of a tart and dry sparking wine, with flavours of spicy white pepper and a hint of citrus thanks to the addition of orange peel. Goose Island's Matilda and Sofie make great gifts as they are bottled in beautiful 765mL wine bottles.

Me (Danielle Rose) digging in to Fidel Gastro's Kingzilla Sandwich

All it took was one sampling glass of beer to work up my appetite and have me rushing over to Fidel Gastro's tent, and see what interesting creations he was cooking up this time around. The hardest part about going to Fidel Gastro's station at any event is deciding what to order, as every item sounds so mouth-wateringly delicious and unique. This issue is generally solved as you snake your way through the inevitably long line of hungry snackers, but it just so happened that we got lucky and had no line at all. Our growling stomachs forced a speedy decision, and two minutes later we were tucking into their Kingzilla Sandwich, rootbeer braised short rib and kimchi on a soft bun. How good was it? Just look at my satisfied face! As we were waiting for our sandwich, we got distracted by the sight of their grill, which was covered in bacon-wrapped something. We had to know what that something was. It turned out to be their Alabama Tailgaters, beef carpaccio, kimchi, and havarti cheese wrapped in bacon. Good lord! We knew we had to go back and try those later! 

 

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Me (Danielle Rose) drinking Waterloo Brewing's award winning Amber brew in front of their tent; The selection at Lake of Bays Brewing Company; Flying Monkeys Brewing pouring me my Diary of a Mango Madman beer; Posters at Beau's Brewing, including the Tom Green Beer poster

One of the next exhibitors we checked out was Lake of Bays Brewing Company from right here in Ontario. I had enjoyed their Rock Cut lager when I first tried it at the Stop's Night Market, with its gentle notes of fresh cut grass and a a hint of caramel, but Beer Fest is all about trying something new, so I went for their River Walker Summer Ale, which their representative informed us was getting mixed reviews all day. She said if you aren't a fan of ginger, you probably won't like this beer. Both my sister and I immediately gave her a knowing glance. Come on...you're talkin' to two proud gingers here. Of course we like ginger! That fresh grated ginger definitely gave the beer a bit of a punch, but a welcome one! The kick of ginger and citrus makes this seasonal ale the perfect beer for beating the heat, with its bright and refreshing flavours and crisp finish. 

Me (Danielle Rose) shielding myself from the rain at the Lake of Bays tent

After enjoying a few light brews, we were ready to take on the dark and headed over to Hop City (Brampton, ON) to try their 8th Sin Craft Lager, a pitch black lager brewed with eight different types of malt. This smooth, sweet beer was an absolute treat with  a medium body and flavours of chocolate and espresso. I also tried a very similar and perhaps even more delicious dark brew from Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, arguably my favourite Ontario craft brewer. Instantly, upon walking up to the Beau's station I noticed a silk-screened-looking image of Tom Green on the board. What the heck does Tom Green have to do with Beau's? I quickly learned that Tom Green and Beau's have partnered to create The Tom Green Beer, a milk stout displaying flavours of chocolate and coffee, while delivering a creamy, velvety texture, and finishing with a mild sweetness. Definitely another winner of the day! 

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The menu board at Fidel Gastro's; Fidel Gastro's Alabama Tailgaters; A non-edible mock up of the spread at Fidel Gastro's; Alabama Tailgaters on the grill

It was right around this time that we decided we just couldn't wait one second longer to finally try Fidel Gastro's Alabama Tailgaters, that hadn't left our brains since we first set our eyes on them. After excitedly proclaiming "We came back!" we were handed a plate of the most perfect bite of savory and smokey deliciousness. Piping hot from the grill, the grass-fed beef carpaccio took on a great flavour and texture from being cooked while wrapped in the seasoned smoked bacon, the havarti cheese sauce adding a comforting creaminess to cut the saltiness of the meat. These little babies were so damn delicious, we may have come back again to order another two orders, one to eat on the spot, one to take home. Oh man, I've gotta get myself over to Fidel Gastro's recently opened bricks and mortar, Lisa Marie, to try their full menu ASAP! 

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The buzzing crowd; Me (Danielle Rose) drinking Brooklyn Brewery's IPA; Buskerville at the Mill St. tent; Me in front of the Hop City station drinking their 8th Sin Craft Lager

With more food in our bellies, we were ready to fill up our mini steins once again! We headed over to Brooklyn Brewery from, you guessed it, Brooklyn! I was first introduced to Brooklyn Brewery by my boyfriend who considers Brooklyn Lager to be his "house beer". I absolutely love their amber-gold coloured lager which displays a firm malt centre supported by a refreshing bitterness and floral hop aroma. After drinking so much of Brooklyn Brewery's lager this summer, I was ready to try something else from the New York brewery. The only other option was their East India Pale Ale, inspired by the original East India Pale Ales brewed in England in the early 1800's for the troops in India, which featured extra malt and hops to give the brew the bitterness and strength to endure the long sea voyage. The bright aroma of hops, lemongrass, pine, and citrus fruit give this IPA its unique and delicious flavour. I hope to start seeing this in stores soon! 

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The giant Meatball sign at the Campagnolo and Dolce Lucano station; Me (Danielle Rose) ready to dig into my meatballs and beer; The menu board at Campagnolo and Dolce Lucano; The Meatballs with Italian Pretzels from Campagnolo

Beginning to feel all that beer kicking in, we stumbled over to the tent with a sign with the words 'ITALIAN MEATBALLS' scrawled in bright red, drawing us in like bulls to a matador. The tent was home to Campagnolo and Dolce Lucano, serving up meatballs with ragu and bread, as well as an antipasto platter with salami, olives, and Italian pretzels. After having so many wonderful experiences from Campagnolo in the past, including last years Grilling Tent cooking demo from Chef Craig Harding, I was excited to try their take on a classic Italian meatball. Although the dish was delicious, I was surprised to find cut sausages in my container as opposed to the promised meatballs. Perhaps this is how they do their meatballs? But they weren't balls...Delicious, but deceiving, the ragu-soaked bread actually tasted more like meatballs than the cut sausages did. 

Me (Danielle Rose) sad, confused, and happy all at once about the rain invading the festival

It was by this time that I was beginning to feel very beer'd out, and still had a pocket full of tokens needing to be used up. I pushed myself through two more beers (rounding out an approximate total of a whopping 14 samples that day!) and had to call it a day. One of my last samples came from Double Trouble Brewing Company (Ontario), trying their Hops & Robbers IPA. I have picked up their tall cans of their Prison Break Pilsner a few times before, but was eager to try something a little heavier from the quirky brewery. Their Hops & Robbers IPA hit the spot with its fruity aromas of lemon with hints of pineapple and toasty caramel. I had to end things off on a super light note, wanting nothing but a refreshing glass of juice to wash away all that beer. Flying Monkeys Brewery had exactly what I was looking for in their Diary of a Mango Madman beer. Incredibly light, this fruity beer was almost like sparkling mango juice, but with the added complexity of a light brew. Really refreshing and interesting, I enjoyed Flying Monkeys mango beer, but it is definitely a super girlie beer! 

Tired, thirsty for juice, and wet from the rain I was ready to hop into a cab and crash on my couch, with happy memories of another successful beer fest dancing in my mind. Is it too soon to start counting the days until next years Toronto Festival of Beer? I can't wait!! Until then, get excited for the Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival coming up August 10 and 11! 

All photography by Justine Rose.

Listening To:
Klingande-Jubel-Original-mix

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The Do's Of Beer Fest

Last year I walked into the Toronto Festival of Beer a first timer. Donning bright orange pants and a silk tank, with little research beforehand, I thought by simply having my camera and my festival map on hand I was good to go and ready to conquer the festival. From the moment I walked up to Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place, I knew I was out of my element. Already using my map as a fan to attempt to beat the heat, I was kicking myself for not finding comfort in the jean cutoffs that seemed to be the official festival uniform for women. Already parched from our TTC journey, my sister and I headed straight to the first tap we could set our sights on and began our beer drinking debauchery. Completely overwhelmed by the enormous size of the festival and huge selection of exhibitors, we abandoned all previous thoughts of having a game plan, and stumbled into a manic beer drinking mess. Despite our silly, unorganized, and at times messy first experience, we had the time of our lives bouncing around the festival, trying out some new beers, wasting our drink tickets on ones we had already tried in the past, and making lots of new friends! Now, going on my second year of what I now consider to be one of my favourite festivals in the city, I feel full of beer festival wisdom that I feel is my blogger duty to pass on. So before you stumble into the Toronto Festival of Beer this weekend a naive beer fest goer, make sure to know Tho Do's Of Beer Fest to make sure you have the absolute best beer drinking experience. 

• DO - Download the APP! This year the Beer Fest is going paperless, which is not only good for the environment but also for clumsy or careless festival goers who may accidently leave their festival map at one of the pouring stations. Make sure to download your TFOB 2013 APP before hitting the fest here! Not an Android or iPhone user? No worries, here is a map of the fest for you to print out before this weekend!

• DO - Try new beer! Go out of your comfort zone and try a new style or brand of beer you're not familiar with or haven't liked the past, you might learn something new about your taste buds! This is all about having a new experience and trying beers that may be tricky to get ahold of, and don't forget to ask others about what beers you should be trying...if they say Molson Canadian, don't trust their advice! 
• DO - Wear light clothes. Don't make the same mistake that I made last year by wearing pants! I spent the whole day shvitzing up a storm! 
• DO - Wear comfortable shoes. Honey, put those heels away! This ain't the place! This is an all-day outdoor event with lots of beer and walking on grass. Trust me, you will thank me later.

• DO - Eat lots of food! There are some awesome food exhibitors at the event that you are definitely going to want to try! Not to mention food will certainly help with soaking up all that alcohol. Check out who's exhibiting this year here. 
• DO - Drink lots of water! I know you want to get your drunk on, but you don't want to be that person who passes out from all the beer and heat and ruins your friends day...you also don't want to be the person getting sick and getting kicked out. Make sure you locate the water stations immediately upon arriving at the festival. Trust me, they will be your savior!

• Do - Make friends. You're not a kid anymore, so have fun making friends with strangers! Ask them what their favourite beers of the fest have been, you might learn something new!
• DO - Wear and bring sunscreen...especially it you're a redhead! You are going to be outside in mostly uncovered areas all day long in the blazing hot sun. Do yourself a favour and slather on the highest number you can get your hands on. 

• DO - Find shelter from the sun in the Grilling Tent. Cool down while you learn about pairing beer with food from some of Toronto's hottest chefs! Check out the schedule here to be sure to catch your favourite chef in action.
• DO - Have a game plan. This is a very large event, so having a general idea of what stands you want to hit will help you to not get overwhelmed. Check out the list of exhibitors to see which breweries sound the most interesting to you.

• DO - Stay up to date on Twitter! Make sure to have a peek at Twitter every now and then and see what beers other guests are tweeting about. Search the hashtag #BeerMe and make sure to tweet your own faves from the event! 
• DO - Plan a safe way to get home. This is the absolutely the number one most important tip of the festival. Either take a taxi, the TTC, or have a designated driver pick you up. Don't be an idiot. Don't drink and drive. 
• DO - Have fun!....obviously! 

Read all about my experience at the festival last year here! 

Listening To:

Timber Timbre - Bad Ritual

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