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After forty-seven excruciating mosquito bites and an hour of back-breaking labor, I was the proud owner of half a Ziplock bag full of freshly picked wild blueberries. Most people wouldn’t understand my dedication, but I was on a mission: To remove all fresh blueberries from the premises so I could hoard every last juicy berry. And I would have succeeded if it hadn’t had been for those pesky mosquitoes which sent me screaming like a schoolgirl out of the bushes, arms flailing.
We’ve hit the 100th mark, which means if we were a TV show, we’d be getting syndicated and rich. Instead, we’re getting poor and fat.
It’s been six months since we launched Plato Putas. Sparked by the self-indulgent idea to document exciting meals from our travels, it turned into a regular showcase of the best (and sometimes worst) food we eat on a daily basis. We’re excited to have evolved with video demos and interviews with musicians and celebrity chefs. We’re going to continue to grow, but we’d like to take a moment to thank everyone who’s gotten us here.
First off, thanks to all our loyal readers and their comments. Your words, restaurant suggestions, dining invitations and hilarious quips keep us going every day.
Thanks to the superstars who’ve granted us interviews — Mark McEwan, The Clipse, Drake, Roger Mooking, Robert Moreno, Ryan Fisher and award-winning food photographer Dominic Davies.
A big interwebs shout out (is that what the kids are saying?) to everyone who’s linked to our blog:
Taste T.O.
1 LOVE T.O.
Offshoot Communications
The Real Frequency
Roger Mooking
Rodrigo Bascunan
Q30 Design
And finally, to everyone who makes the morsels we eat. We savour and enjoy every bite and experience. Your creations are what make food worth documenting.
We ♥ food and food ♥’s you!
Jaspal & Celine
Plato Putas
There is only one place on earth where you can create a heart-stopping Frankenstein sandwich with a Philly Cheesesteak and German Schnitzel, then follow it up with some Indian Chana Batura. All hail the CNE! This year it runs between Aug. 21 and Sept. 7. There’s the requisite rickety rides, carni folk and a casino, but let’s be honest; a visit to the Canadian National Exhibition (aka The Ex) is really about how much crap you can cram down your throat. Last year we headed straight to the Food Building and basically ate our way around the world.
There’s plenty of food-related events going on at the Ex this year, including cooking demonstrations, food sampling and a mini ribfest on the weekends. The best thing to do is start faking a stomach ache now, leave work and head straight over, because admission is only $1.75 on opening day (Aug. 21) in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the City of Toronto. All other days are $15 for general admission ($5 after 5 pm on certain weeknights) and $48 for the Fun Pass which includes unlimited Midway rides. Speaking of the Midway, be sure to enjoy the outdoor concessions, especially the Tiny Tom Donuts and Ice Cream Waffles.
Word to the wise, if you’re gonna eat your way through The Ex, avoid a whirl on the Polar Express to prevent an upchuck or two. Best to stick the less intestine-jiggly activities. May we suggest a rousing game of Whack-a-mole!
Before my visit this year, I’ll be brushing up on my whacking skills with the training game here.
I’m making my annual pilgrimage to The Ex soon, so stay tuned for this year’s food round-up!
It’s hard to believe a road trip can include healthy food stops along the way. While en route to New York City from a whirlwind girls weekend in Montreal, my friends and I were mentally prepared to dine at McDonalds. Normally I’d rather starve or eat my own fingers than hit a Mickey D’s, but with a car full of four hungry girls we needed food fast. (Not to be confused with fast food.) As we grudgingly approached the exit for a greasy mega-chain, we came across a nondescript sign for Conroy’s Organics. Not sure what we were getting ourselves into, we put the pedal to the metal, veered off the highway and were excited to see what was around the bend.
There it lay, sparkling in a grassy field amidst a sea of strange marble animal sculptures—ranging from roaring lions to arched dolphins—the life saving nutritious pit stop we’d been asking for, Conroy’s Organics! (8173 State Route 9, West Chazy, NY).
The four of us quickly got to ordering and picked up an Organic Hot Dog dripping with condiments in a soft pliable bun, warm Potato Knishes, hearty bowls of Vegetarian Chili and Spinach Spanakopita. You’ll have to forgive me, I was so busy plotting my next meal that I forgot to see what else was on the menu! But I do remember there being organic fair-trade coffee and teas, baked goods, soups and sandwiches. Not to mention fresh produce (we stocked up on corn) and a store full of organic natural products from skincare to crackers!
I guess the moral of the story kids is don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path to find that hidden culinary gem. Go on, be a risk taker, that next unexpected exit may prove to be fruitful and if it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, pull a u-turn and find the closest McDonalds.
Tags: organic, road trip, vegetarian
We’ve celebrated the traditional Dosa before, and now it’s time to introduce a unique take on this Indian dish. Madras Pantry (877 Queen St. West) has updated the Dosa to make it enticing, palatable and hand-held for the Queen West crowd. Think of it as an Indian burrito or stuffed crêpe, with savoury contemporary fillings like Butter Chicken, Szechuan Beef, Tandori Shrimp, Spinach & Paneer or Jerk Chicken (all $7 including tax).
Ryan Fisher, one of the restaurant’s owners, took the time out to describe a traditional Dosa and reveal how it’s been remixed to become their own.
Madras Pantry just opened their doors at the beginning of August and already the Dosa’s popularity has exceeded expectations. Co-owner and chef Roger Mooking says they hoped to sell 70 Dosas per day. Last Friday they made over 160 and had to close early when they ran out of ingredients.
The space itself is completely eye popping. Designed by Commute Home, the interior installations feature wrestling chimeras, a magnificent sword-swallower and Siamese twin pigs. Enjoy your Dosa at the long communal table or borrow one of three picnic baskets (complete with placemats) and enjoy the scenary at Trinity Bellwoods Park across the street. Before you head home, pick up a few items from their pantry, such as chutneys, spices, rice, pickles and masala chai tea.
I decided to take Ryan’s advice and order the popular Butter Chicken Dosa. The batter contains rice flour and ground lentils, and each “crêpe” is made-to-order. The filling includes butter chicken, delicious curried potatoes with onions, lettuce, tomato and scallions, all topped with a generous dose of coriander mint sauce. It’s a surprising mix of east meets west, and the butter chicken is moist and flavourful with a bit of kick. Swig it down with a Mango, Strawberry Mint or Lime Lychee Lassi (yogurt drink), or a soda imported from India; Thums Up, Limca or mmmm, Orange Fanta.
Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to waver from the traditional, but Madras Pantry makes it easy to make the jump.
Tags: Indian, roger mooking