Summer Evening Tasting Series
“Isn’t that the pottery place?” I hear you say...
Well yes, sort of. The Gardiner Museum is devoted to ceramics, which may not be your thing, but the architecture is also one of the city’s best examples of the modernist aesthetic. You don’t have to pay for the museum to reach the third floor where you find the Gardiner Cafe, with a fantastic terrace overlooking the ROM and downtown Toronto. Starting tonight and running Friday evenings throughout the summer, Jamie Kennedy will be offering an afterwork experience of small plates combining local ingredients seamlessly paired with The Balvenie range of single malt whisky.
- Spot Prawn Bisque with Tangle of Prawn and Greens.
- Grilled Oysters with Sweet and Sour Chive Mignonette.
- Crispy pain d'epices with seared duck liver and candied apple in cider.
Prawns, oysters, goose liver, and whisky! Three days later and there is still a smile on my face.
Each of the plates was paired with a different expression of The Balvenie, but I have to admit that my favourite whisky right now is TheBalvenie Signature 12; so I drank that with each course. This is yet another example of where you can learn about whisky, taste a range of expressions, and have one of Toronto’s great culinary minds talk you through why the flavours work together. A great point about the pairings is that Jamie himself admits that the idea of whisky and food is all new to him. Wine is more in his comfort zone, but he’s a pro...
This pairing of Jamie with Balvenie, is a bit deeper than just food and whisky. Everyone was talking about commitment to quality and craftsmanship, something that is lacking in so much of our hyperfast consumer society. In the end what do you need to know? The food is great, the whisky brings out the flavours, the view is terrific, and it’s an incredible way to end the week.
See you there!
For more info:
The Gardiner Museum.
Jamie Kennedy Kitchens.
Our own video series of interviews about The Balvenie.
Eat Local
Yesterday was the launch of that change; the day to day operation will become a simple cafe offering sandwiches and salads. But don’t despair... The main space will now feature a ‘Weekly Lunch with Jamie Kennedy’, a taste of which we were treated to during the launch. Every Wednesday Jamie and his team will serve a prix fixe lunch of 3 courses featuring local sourced and seasonal produce - cost $25. The space will be set-up communal style with one seating and an eye on the clock to ensure everyone makes it back to the office. Each week they will focus on a specific product from a specific producer, and Jamie will be on hand to talk about the menu and his choices.
The press lunch featured Steamed Asparagus with Kozlick Mustard Sabayon and Crisply Shallots to start, followed by Braised Dingo Farms Beef with Lovage Broad Noodles and Pickled Wild Leek Herb Paste. I understand that during regular operation there will be a choice of two mains.
The meal was great, and Jamie spent some time explaining his reasons for changing the Gardiner Cafe and his overall focus on not only local food, but how we could deal directly with the producer of that food.
Keep watching this space, as we hope to get the cameras into the kitchen with Jamie at some point in the near future.
Also announced was the kick-off of ‘Cocktails on The Terrace’ which will be a Friday after work event throughout the summer featuring a range of small plates and cocktails featuring The Balvenie Whisky. The terrace at the Gardiner is a great place to sit back and watch below as the city goes by.
Finally... After lunch we were treated to Butter Tarts and a wee dram of The Balvenie. Now butter tarts are a tough one, ‘cause everyone’s grandma makes the best and you are either in the runny or firm camp; apparently Jamie is in the firm camp. Which is fine by me, and it was made even more pleasurable when paired with the whisky.
So look out on our Chef interviews and cooking pages, for upcoming segments with Jamie Kennedy.
Interested in the weekly lunch? Visit Jamie Kennedy online, or call for reservations: 416.362.1957 ext 2
Pupusas and the elusive taste.
Sometimes (most times, all the time?) it’s all about location and the experience of the day. Battered and deep fried maple leaves will never be as good as that day in Mino Japan, Chai! Chai! Chai! you need to be on a train in India or Pakistan otherwise it just doesn’t work. Everything else pales in comparison.So here is my dilemma... I live in Toronto, not exactly a bustling hot bed of Central America cooking, but in Kensington Market there are a bunch of stores that cater to a growing population from that region. There was a Pupusa stand at the back of the Perola supermarket, where every Saturday and Sunday you could get Pupusas made to order. There were a couple chairs that sat in the aisles among all the groceries, and while this could never be mistaken for haute cuisine... it was incredible. There was a charm, that you couldn’t replicate and the Pupusas were great.
Or were they? I don’t know. For years this was the only place I knew to get them, and when other places opened I had built a relationship with the people behind the counter.
All good things must end, and the cook retired to be replaced by someone who makes tacos...
So this started my search for another Pupusaria. I was at another place this weekend, don’t remember the name, it was in Kensignton but somehow didn’t live up to my memory. Will I ever find what I’m searching for? Maybe I need to take a trip to El Salvador.
To that end, here is a recipe that I “made up” after eating a similar dish in a restaurant somewhere in Kentucky. The food wasn’t so great, but this recipe rocked. Citrus pickled red onions recipe.