YUM! It's time for Sustainable Dim Sum

Sustainable Dim Sum Festival

Tuesday March 6^th, 2018
6:30pm-9:30pm

Rotunda - City Hall

Includes all dim sum items and all beverage

TICKETS ON SALE HERE:   DIM SUM Festival

Overfishing is the biggest issue our oceans face today. 

At this event, you can fill up and feel good doing it! 

Making this event possible are: Live Green Toronto, Yorkshire Valley Farms, Greenbelt Microgreens, Export Packers, C-fu Foods, Biosposables, Terus, Bullfrog Power, and Ocean Wise Conservation Association   

Restaurants are serving Ocean Wise recommended seafood at this event.

Guests will receive a passport to try each item from one of the restaurants!

Pair your Dim Sum items with local and independent wines, beers and ciders, all in support of Environmental Defence; defending clean water, a safe climate, and healthy communities. 

Vendors include:
Bar Reyna
Beau's All Natural Brewing
Bindia Indian Bistro
Brickworks Ciderhouse
Centennial College
Daniel et Daniel Catering & Events
Earls Court BBQ
Foodoes Fish & Chips 
Foreign Affair Winery
Globe Meats Fresh Market & Grill
Just Craft Soda
Kanpai Snack Bar
Kinsip House of Fine Spirits
Matty's Seafood
Mill St Brewing
Muskoka Brewery
Nickel 9 Distillery
Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill
The Combine Norfolk
Tung Hing Bakery
Walter Caesar
and more....

Don't miss the live art being created by Artist Mark Grice. 

Bid on the piece and you could go home with a one of a kind painting created that night!

www.markgricetheartist.weebly.com 

BRING YOUR OWN PLATE or use our compostable options! 

Each guest will receive a pair of reusable bamboo chopsticks as a take home.

THIS IS A BECK TAXI SPONSORED EVENT. BECK TAXIS WILL BE ON HAND TO GET YOU HOME SAFE. 
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

4th Annual Coconut Festival - Aug 26

COCONUT FESTIVAL

Toronto hosts Canada’s 4th Annual Coconut Festival and Marketplace on Saturday, August 26, 2017, at David Pecaut Square. Coconut Festival Canada produces the event to connect all communities to learn about the coconuts’ various health benefits & diverse addictive delicious culinary and lifestyle uses with the addition of a Book Drive for an orphanage partner in the Philippines.

It’s a Free General Admission event featuring 60+ vendors dealing with coconut in your food choices, wellness program, cleaning, cosmetics, fashion and more from Asia & Pan America. You can taste and shop for various coconut products including those from local artisans: vegan coconut cakes, spreads, oils, energy snacks, chips, dips drinks, organic baby food and more. And full meals from the Caribbean, Thailand & , Hawaii. 


Date: Sat, August 26 (10am to 8pm)

Venue: David Pecaut Square, downtown Toronto (55 John St., the beautiful square between King and Wellington)

Exhibitors: 70 specialty vendors, 20 community chefs and speakers

Parking: Lots of nearby street parking available, as well as underground parking in such lots as Roy Thomson Hall

Festival admission: FREE!

Special Activities: Talks and lectures,

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 Hawaiian dance, yoga, presentations and activities, fresh coconuts, delicious food, & health & wellness products 

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Pan American Food & Music Festival

Festival:     Pan American Food & Film Festival
Date:          August 11-13, 2017
Location:   Yonge & Dundas Square
Website:     http://panamfest.com/
Twitter/Instagram @PanamFestTO

It's Food Festival season in Toronto and there were at least 5 food festivals happening in Toronto on August 12th but I dropped by the Pan American Food & Music Festival.  Celebrating it's 4th year and moving to Yonge and Dundas from the former Daniels Spectrum venue.

I went to check out the Chef's Challenge and had a chance to chat with Chef Jagger Gordon.  Chef Gordon has an organization called Feed it Forward where he utilizes his skills as a Chef and an activist to feed people in need.  He has recently opened a Soup restaurant that feeds people in need using tokens paid for by other customers.  He is looking for a space to be able to set up cooking meals for more people and wants to open a grocery store to share donated food.   At the Pan American festival he set up a Chef's Challenge using some of the produce from his farm and other donations and had 3 local chef teams competing to create some great dishes using the food provided.  In 45 minutes they had to test their creative skills and feed the people in the audience for a $5 ticket.  Chef Gordon operates using skilled and non skilled volunteers and is always looking for more help to expand.  He would also like to get people to sign a petition to get the government to make it illegal for grocery stores to throw food out but have to donate it to charities and food banks.  
You can sign the Petition CLICK here:

The Chefs competing in the Chef's Challenge included local Chefs Devan Rajkumar, Doris Fin and Nick Vorlicek.   I don't even know who won because it was chaos afterward with the audience jumping to the front to get their food.  They got to try all 3 dishes for $5.   Chef Devan was the first to finish using his Ninja knife skills to make his version of a vegetarian Ceviche.  Chef Doris also made a salad and Chef Nick made a pasta dish.

Chef Devon

Chef Doris

Chef Nick

           

 

Here is my quick interview with Chef Jagger Gordon on Feed it Forward and the Chef Challenge.




After the Chef Challenge there was also a butter tart challenge.  For $10 you could try 6 different versions of butter tarts.  The 2 people i knew put a creative spin on theirs.  Vanessa from Holy Cannoli made butter tart Cannoli's and Olivia Simpson from Hawthorne Food & Drink made Coconut charcoal activated crusted butter tarts.  Another competitor added beer and another one added peach bits and there was a pecan one and a gooey traditional one which was the winner the previous year.  I really like that one.

 

 There is also a few food trucks and vendors at the festival to sample things from BBQ'd meat to Corn on the Cob and more.

I was there for the food mostly but heard the music in the background and a lot of the chefs  were even dancing to the music.  I saw a little bit of one of the dance groups but I couldn't stay late to watch more.   But everyone had a great time and even when it rained nobody left and it didn't seem to bother anyone.

It was also nice to see my festival friend Pamela volunteering at the program table.  She volunteers at a lot of the festivals around town and I run into her at both film and food festivals all the time. I used to volunteer and now I write but it's always fun to be at a good festival.

Pizzaholics head to Vaughan's Pizza Fest

Pizza fans... Assemble! 

Vaughan Pizza Fest is bringing a living legend in the pizza making world to their 2017 event. Joseph Beddia, "Philadelphia's Pizza King," (Munchies) and the man who is credited for making the
"The Best Pizza In America" (Bon Appétit) will be serving up his delicious pies at the Woodbridge Fairgrounds (100 Porter Ave) in Vaughan, Ontario on July 15 and 16.

Beddia is famous for only serving 40 pizzas per day at his 300 square-foot shop in Philadelphia, Pizzeria Beddia. Fans line up for hours each day just to get a taste of his sacred pies. He will continue that tradition when he sets up at Vaughan Pizza Fest in just a few short weeks when 40 lucky ticket holders/day will have the chance to taste his handmade master-pieces on Sunday, July 16.

Prior to this though, fans will have a chance to purchase his new book: Pizza Camp: Recipes from Pizzeria Beddia; and meet the renowned pizzaiolo. This exclusive meet and greet and book signing will take place on Saturday, July 15.

Tickets for Beddia's pizza epiphany at Vaughan Pizza Fest, go on sale July 6th at 11:00am and are valued at $100.

These tickets include: One copy of Pizza Camp: Recipes from Pizzeria Beddia, One personal sized pizza prepared by Joe Beddias Pizzas (Chefs Choice) and two VIP tickets which offer front stage viewing of performances by David Usher,

About Vaughan Pizza Fest:

Vaughan Pizza Fest is a celebration of the great dish of pizza! It is also a festival of Craft Beer! The 2017 edition of the event takes place on July 14 to 16 at Woodbridge Fairgrounds in Vaughan, ON and features main-stage performances by David Usher, Stevie B, Men Without Hats, Spookey Ruben, Rusty, Mully Jackson, JOÉE, and Elissa.

For more information, please visit: www.vaughanpizzafest.com

Not just cheese - Great Canadian Cheese Festival 2017

I really love cheese and I really love going to Prince Edward County once a year to try all kinds of Cheese from mostly Ontario and Quebec along with all kinds of other Artisan products.  Picton is a small town that is becoming a Foodie paradise.  With so many wineries and cheese makers in the region it's a perfect place to visit.  This is my 3rd year going to the Great Canadian Cheese Festival and it's now quickly becoming a yearly tradition with some other stops made along the way.

It's held at the Crystal Palace Camp Ground which houses 2 buildings and exterior booths and food trucks and other stands.  Tickets are $50 per day or $75 for a weekend pass and that includes free parking and all the cheese samples you can stuff in your face.  There are a lot of wineries there as well sampling their wines. There are even a couple of goats and Water Buffalo to see and pet.

But of course the Star is the Cheese.  Almost a whole building full of cheese.   I picked up 2 cheeses this year.  This semi soft Artisan Cheese and Bothwell's Horseradish Cheese.  I just need to pick up some Roast Beef to create a fantastic sandwich.

There are hard cheeses, flavoured cheese, soft cheese and these spiced cheese curds.  A cheese for everyone.

I sampled lots of other things besides Cheese.  I tried preserves, special beverages, shortbread, Oils, sausages, nuts and a lot more.

I fell in love with these bottles of Gut Shots.  It's fermented Cabbage and vegetable juice.  I didn't pick up one at the Festival because I picked up the Vegan Kimchi but couldn't stop thinking about it so I picked up a bottle at Whole foods a few days later.  I got the Kimchi flavour Gut shot.  You only need to drink a tablespoonful a day to fix your gut bacteria.  It even tastes good and you could even use it in a dressing or marinade.

It was great to have some of Jamie Kennedy's JK fries while chilling on a park bench chatting with new friends.  A bit of Toronto in the country.

We went on the most perfect spring day.  The weather was hot but not unbearable.  It was great to bounce in and out of the buildings and sit outside and take a break while my friend petted this little Water Buffalo.

I kind of did a bit of grocery shopping while I was there with a mixed bag of stuff including the Kimchi and the Artisan Cheese I picked up some Red Pepper Jelly,  Lemon Olive oil and some Jewels Under the Kilt Chipotle Maple Pecans.  I would say a nice variety for sure.

We got very lucky because it rained the next day but we were blessed with a perfect day and even the traffic there was good.  The festival ends about 4pm so I now have a new tradition of going to Slickers Ice Cream and getting some of their fantastic Ice Cream.  I got the Roasted Marshmallow flavour.  Yes it was more dairy but it's so easy to eat on a warm day.  The next stop was Giant Tiger,  there isn't one in Toronto so it's always fun to see what they have on sale.  I picked up some water and some coconut chocolate sticks. The other stop was a chilling stop at the Drake Devonshire Inn right on the lake.  It was a bit chilly next to the water by that time but we sat on the patio and ordered some fantastic veggie appetizers while they provided some nice yellow fleece blankets to keep us cosy.  I really love that place.   We ended with a little ping pong and then we headed back to Toronto.  Such a fun day.  I hope we can have a repeat of it again next year.   Thanks Great Canadian Cheese Festival for organizing a great event.

Kultura brings the Philipines to TO

For the second year in a row I attended the Kultura Filipino Arts Festival on Sunday August 7, 2016 at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto.  

It is in it's 11th year though and has grown from a small BBQ in Kensington Market.


This year it moved from Yonge and Dundas Square to more space at Nathan Phillips Square.  It’s a festival of Filipino foods, arts, crafts and music with a marketplace of local vendors.

There are a lot of stereotypes about Filipino food and the Filipino community, I know because I have heard them from a few people.  I have been to a couple of Filipino restaurants for Blogger dinners and both were very different experiences.  One was traditional and one was modern. Both were incredibly hospitable and the food was very distinct.

Although there was a lot more room I think there were a few less food vendors.  It was a very hot day with a high UV sun rate and I was wearing black so I only sampled the 4 dishes that were up for an award in the Chef Challenge because I was too hot to stay longer.  They are all $3 dishes that each vendor creates to make an affordable bite of food for the attendees.  With a passport you receive when you purchase food tickets you are then able to choose which Chefs dish you preferred.

The list of participating vendors and their dishes were:

KANTO by Tita Flips (Reigning Champ): Cabcab (Cassava Wafers) (bottom left)
LAMESA Filipino Kitchen: Pork Neck Inasal (top left)
MERIENDA: Pandesal with Ube Cream Glaze and Coconut Jam (bottom right)
TITO RON’S: Filipino Spaghetti Hotdog (top right)

I had to wait a really long time for the Cabcab because they couldn’t get their fryer to work but in the end that was my favourite bite.  The flavours were great and worked very well together.

There are a lot more Filipino restaurants in the city but the participants were some of the most popular and well known around the Filipino community and experienced in the street festival world too.  One of the longest lines was at Kanto for the popular rice, egg and meat dish.  I guess the only full meal available but they had a hard time keeping up with orders.  They also make the tasty Turon which is plantain wrapped in wonton wrappers and fried and coated in a caramel sauce. I have had these before and they are really yummy.

 It's over for this year but I hope it returns with more vendors next year and you have a chance to try the food but you don't have to wait a whole year because Lamesa has a restaurant on Queen Street West, Tito Ron's has a spot in Kensington Market, Marienda is located in the quickly growing Filipino community at Bathurst and Wilson and Kanto is located on Dundas St. West.

I'm sorry I can't write about the rest of the vendors and the entertainment at the festival.  I was pretty focused on the thing I know best....the Food.

If you haven't tried Filipino food then take the opportunity to go out to one of these restaurants and sample a few things and decide for yourself what Filipino food is.

UPDATE:   LAMESA wins the Street Food Chef Challenge with their Pork Neck Inasal and they also win a trip to the Phillipines.  Congratulations Lamesa team.

The Great Canadian Cheese Festival - Prince Edward County

OH CHEEZE!!!

 The Great Canadian Cheese Festival takes over the Crystal Palace Fair grounds in Picton in the Prince Edward Country region once a year and pretty much everyone who is in town becomes a cheese head.  You can't help but not too with all the great cheeses at the Festival and at other surrounding Wineries, cheese producers, restaurants and other off shoots.  The event is just wrapping up as I write this blog post.  It was held June 4-5, 2016 this year.  I was able to go and spend the day in Picton on the Saturday with a couple of friends. It's about a 2 hour drive from Toronto and in between Kingston and Belleville. If you want to stay in a hotel then you have to stay in Kingston or Belleville because Picton isn't big enough for a hotel.

 I certainly picked the right day to go because it was the most perfect weather, although a wee bit hot in the afternoon and not great for melting cheese but a great day to attend a festival.  This was my second year going to the festival.  Last year we got distracted by the big apple on the way but this year I was determined to see more vendors.  Some were returning, a few not there and a few new ones so you never know what you will see.

It is a massive event that brings together cheese producers and other vendors from across Canada and many of them from the area and from Quebec.  We have some of the finest cheese producers in Canada and we don't support our own enough.

You either have to go the 2 days of the festival to try all the cheese samples or you have to have a competition size appetite.  Sadly I don't even think I tried half of the samples at the festival but we gave it a good try anyway.  It's really hard to pick favourites when you try so many great cheeses.

 I would say that about 75% of the festival is cheese so those of you with dairy issues you have to hunt for those lactose free items and there are a few.
Other vendors included Ottawa's Seed to Sausage who had a very popular booth.

 

Some interesting vendors were these spicy sauces using all kinds of peppers blended with other things like fruits and other flavourings and cute little cat labels with funny names.  They ranged from mild to Ghost pepper hot.

I can't name all of the cheeses I tried and you have to trust me when I tell you there were a lot of all kinds of cheese,  soft brie's, cheddars, smoked cheeses, beer washed rinds, aged, goat cheese, one was torched, some were mixed with things like jalapeno and salsa and a whole lot of other things like cheese curds and I am sure a bunch I missed.

There were a few preserves and pickles and this new product THE SPREAD which is a savoury spread with Sesame seeds and other things in it that would pair well with cheese and probably add flavour to a grilled cheese sandwich.

We shared a wood oven pizza from Via Pizzeria which happens to be one of my friends names who was there with me.  We also had cheese that was grilled with garlic powder and plain.  I liked the garlic one.

It's hard not to bring home all kinds of cheese and other goodies that you can't find at your local market.  I had to have some restraint and picked these among some of my favourite things.  The cheeses were prices pretty reasonably too.  I think all of my cheese choices are from the Ottawa/Quebec area and the nuts are from Ontario.

Even after all that cheese and diary we stopped into an Ice cream shop called Slickers Ice Cream, one of the Cheese Festival volunteers recommended.  She warned us that there would be a lineup since it's a tiny place.  When we got there the lineup had about 8 people in it and to us folks from Toronto who stand in lines for everything and waste most of our lives in line, this was a small price to pay for some amazing ice cream.  I got the Jack Daniels Chocolate and the Campfire flavours in a waffle cone.  It was delicious and really hit the spot on a hot June day after wondering around a festival all afternoon.

I would go back for that ice cream even if there was no festival happening in Picton but it was all a bonus to a great day.

We did things a little backwards though and had the ice cream and then decided to head over to the Drake Devonshire Inn and were able to get a table without a reservation for dinner.  That's something I desperately wanted to do last year but wasn't able to so this time we had my friends unlimited data plan and her Google GPS ready to get efficiently from one destination to the next in quick time so that we could do as much as we could while we were there.  We really didn't want to leave the Drakes amazing waterfront space but we had to head back to Toronto begrudgingly but we will be back and hopefully before next year's festival.

If you want to plan a visit for next year's festival check out there website to get more information:
http://cheesefestival.ca/
Hashtag #tgccf