Six months ago I went on a solo quest to find better butter. I had no actual evidence, but I was convinced there was something better out there than the same three brands I saw at every grocery store. Then one day at Fiesta Farms I stumbled on this brick by Stirling Creamery. Little did I know I had uncovered a whole new world of butter.

Fast forward half a year and I’m randomly invited to a butter media event (yep, such a thing does exist) for Stirling Creamery. I tried three types of butter I’d never even seen before: Goat Milk, European Style (with 84% butterfat) and Whey. I found the Goat Milk to be mild in taste, the European Style was extremely rich (and supposedly excellent for making croissants) and discovered my new favourite, Whey Butter, which is actually churned from cream that’s leftover from making cheese. It’s got a deep, nutty flavour with background notes of cheese. If you love butter and you also happen to love cheese (like I do), it’s definitely worth a try.

Stirling’s Master Butter Maker Chet Blair told me that 30 years ago there used to be equal amounts of whey butter and sweet cream butter on the market, but for some reason whey butter disappeared. I’m happy to lead the resurgence and now whey butter is what I’ll be using at home. (I spotted it at Whole Foods and it’s also available at Olliffe Butcher Shop and The Healthy Butcher).

Now what goes on at a butter event, you ask? Well first off there’s some hand-butter churning with the Master (which pretty much involves 35% whipping cream, a hand crank and lots of elbow grease).

Here’s the result after about seven minutes of steady churning by Chef Rossy Earle. Next is some light butter talk with Greg Nogler, Director of Sales and Marketing, who believes butter should be treated as a hot commodity, like chocolate, wine and cheese. I do agree that butter has little importance in Canada (read of Chris Nuttal-Smith’s excellent “In Search of Higher Fat Butter” from The Globe and Mail for the why). Then there’s the many tasty bites prepared by Chef Lora Kirk and her fellow chefs at Ruby Watchco. Their Whey Butter-Poached Shrimp with Corn Pudding was easily the most sought-after platter.

There were also many sweet treats including Chocolate and Beet Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream, Maple Butter Blondies with Brown Butter Caramel and finally Brown Butter Sugar Pie with Fried Raisins. I can’t really describe how I felt when I finally rolled myself out of the event.

If you’re looking to try a new butter and perhaps conduct your own butter taste test at home, here are some tips from Nogler and Blair. As you’ll notice, the man who’s been making butter for over 30 years has a very specific technique which you may or may not want to employ.

According to Greg Nogler, Director of Sales and Marketing:
1) Get a good quality baguette.
2) Serve butter chilled (take it out of the fridge just before you’ll need it).
3) Cut off an 1/8-inch pat of butter, it should be thick so you’ll really taste it.

According to Chet Blair, Master Butter Maker:
1) Swish it in your mouth and spit it out.

Gimme The Loot is a new recurring feature showcasing products and items I love. It is never sponsored or a paid advertisement, it’s simply created on the insistence of my belly.

I am a hater of jarred salsa. Sorry, I know it’s convenient and easy to buy, but the flavour and spice level cannot be compared to when it’s fresh. I’ve given the Garden Fresh Gourmet Salsas found in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores a try, but I find them overly sweet and way too mild. Making it at home requires a lot of tiny dicing and I can never get the right balance of acidity and spice. So I’m happy to report the one place in Toronto that serves my favourite fresh salsa also sells it to-go.

Head straight to Kensington Market’s Jumbo Empanada (245 Augusta Ave., near Nassau) for a container of their Fresh Salsa and I promise you’ll never go back to jarred. The mixture of tomato, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and whatever other secret ingredients they use results in a garlic-heavy tang with a significant kick. If you can’t handle your spice, just use a tiny bit, but if you can take the heat, pile it on. Best of all, it’s good with everything: tortilla chips, eggs for breakfast, pan-fried fish and of course, the Chilean cheese empanada I also can’t leave the restaurant without.

Jumbo Empanadas’ Fresh Salsa is $3.40 for a small container, $5.65 for medium and $8 for large (pictured at top).

Jumbo Empanada / 245 Augusta Ave., Toronto
416 977 0056 / Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm

There’s been non-stop buzz since former Black Hoofers Colin Tooke and Ian McGrenaghan opened the doors of Grand Electric (1330 Queen St. West) in Parkdale. But you need only one bite of their full flavoured Mexican fare to realize you’re tasting something much better than hype. I’ve long been waiting for a place in Toronto that’s equivalent to La Superior in Brooklyn, NY and I’m happy to report I’ve found it. Great food, inexpensive prices, music I actually listen to and the infectious energy makes me want to stay all night long.

The light is turned way down (hence the crappy photos, my apologies) and a string of Ghostface tracks blare loudly through the speakers. If my own place was big enough for a house party, this is exactly what it’d feel like. The few cramped tables are full by 6:30pm. By 7pm, there is a long list of names on a clipboard, and a two-hour wait. (Thankfully they’ll take your cell number and call when your table’s ready.) Thing is, I imagine turnover is low. Once you nab one of the 35 seats, you’re never gonna wanna give it up. Grand Electric is the kind of place you want to start with a bourbon, order some food, laugh, get some beer, share crazy memories, bring on another round of food and repeat until you’ve accidentally stayed out way past your bedtime.

Two squeeze bottles of homemade salsa sit on each table, teasing the food that’s about to come. I start with Guacamole ($8), stabbed with a chili-powder dusted pork rind curl and surrounded by pico de gallo and freshly fried tortillas. There’s tiny pieces of radish and cilantro found in the mixture of avocado, and it tastes exactly as it should. The tangy lime is rightfully apparent. Amen.

I feel a wave of relief when the tacos arrive. No longer do I have to moan about how incredulous it is that good, cheap tacos don’t exist in Toronto (Pop-up events by La Carnita not withstanding). How can there be so many great Mexican restaurants in New York (and many other American cities, not to mention Ottawa and Vancouver) and not a single one in my city? Oh shoot, the rant accidentally took over. Well, now I can finally shut the hell up.

Tacos are $3 each or $10 for three. On this day there’s a choice of pork belly al pastor, baja fish, spicy arbol chicken and beef cheek. Served properly with a wedge of lime, they quickly put a messy smile on my face. I’m taken immediately back to the great meal at the aforementioned La Superior in Williamsburg and happy to have a place in Toronto to build my own taco memories.

The flavours will nearly knock you out (in a great way), and after trying all four varieties, the baja fish takes the crown. Warning: the spicy level may have you inhaling sharply so watch out for the little suckers below. Tiny but deadly after you’ve consumed a few of them.

Right now Grand Electric is still considered an it-spot, but I guarantee the food, prices and ambiance will keep it rammed way past the typical nothing-but-hype honeymoon phase.

Grand Electric / 1330 Queen St. West, Toronto
416 627 3459 / Hours: Wed-Mon 6pm-late

Starting a brand-new year means making a mental list of restaurants you really want to dine at in next 12 months. For residents of West Queen West, there’s a new pizza restaurant in town, an import from Treviso, Italy. Piola has spread its brand of pizzerias to Brazil, Argentina, Turkey and the U.S. and have just opened their first Canadian location at 1165 Queen St. West. The media launch event allowed me explore the space and try the menu, including the highlight, Polenta & Ragu ($9, shown above).

Layered with bolognese sauce and topped with parmesan cheese, the first spoonful of this hearty delight made me realize I should be eating more polenta on a regular basis. It’s the kind of soul food with enough warmth to radiate all the way to your bones. I’ll be pining for one of these piping hot ramekins whenever there’s an extreme cold alert.

Piola’s space is very neighbourhood appropriate: tons of vibrant colours, an exhibit space that will feature a different local artist’s work every six weeks (currently showcasing photographer Mathew Merrett) and an atmosphere that’s anticipating many lively get-togethers between friends and young families. Design details like the two-sided wall slats, illustration-covered tabletops, and chairs made out of tightly recycled t-shirts and jeans are sure to intrigue both pint-sized and fully grown diners.

The 24 types of thin-crust pizzas are made on a gas-powered rotating stone oven situated at the front of the restaurant.

From the basic Margherita ($13) to the pictured Sparta ($14, topped with mozzarella, goat cheese, black olives, arugula and cherry tomatoes), there are plenty of combinations to please the pickiest of eaters. I was partial to the Contadina ($16) pizza with its smoked mozzarella, Italian sausage and grilled Belgian endive.

For diners looking to stretch their buck for the most sustenance possible, Piola’s monthly Lucky Gnocchi Day is a contender. On the 29th of every month, for $14 you can stuff yourself silly with all-you-can-eat gnocchi. Be warned, this isn’t the light and fluffy variety of the potato pillows. Their version slathered in tomato sauce or a four-cheese sauce are dense and very filling. Which might do you well if you’ve got a mighty appetite and a plan to hibernate on one of our bone-chilling winter nights.

Piola / 1165 Queen St. West, Toronto
416 477 4652 / Hours: Sun-Wed 11:30am-11pm, Thurs-Sat 11:30am-1am

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Patrick McMurray, champion oyster shucker and owner of Starfish and Ceili Cottage. (He hosted Oyster Week here on the blog earlier this year.). Tonight I watched as he spontaneously created a four-tiered seafood extravaganza, which he aptly named All That and a Bag of Chips. Notice the paper bags filled with potato chips in the background which were served alongside the vertical platter. “If you can see ice in a seafood platter, you haven’t done it right,” Patrick said, as he jammed more mussels into every available crevice. Sadly, this delicious tower piled high with lobsters, crab claws, mussels, brined salmon belly, shrimp, sauces and a myriad of oysters was not for me. But it still gave me great joy to watch Patrick assemble it and gently carry what I dubbed ‘The Stanley Cup of Seafood’ to a lucky table of eight dining at Starfish.

I couldn’t resist inquiring about the salmon belly soaked in brine and Patrick kindly recreated this treat for my brother and I. Served in a martini glass packed with ice, the Mersea oyster meat is served in its top shelf and a thin slice of salmon belly (fresh from a fish that arrived today) sits brining in the oyster’s juices. Leave it for five minutes or so, and the result is a delectably fatty piece of salmon that’s slightly cured and with a subtle, salty flavour profile. It’s a one-of-a-kind ShuckerPaddy creation that only further solidifies my opinion that Starfish is Toronto’s best seafood restaurant.

Previously on the blog we interviewed my pal Lindsay Zier-Vogel, originator of the popular Toronto Love Lettering project and fanatical brunch lover, about The Toronto Brunch Map she hand-drew for me exactly a year ago. Now there’s a revised version that’s so much better because everyone can get their own copy to post up on their fridge or kitchen wall.

Filled with over 20 of Lindsay’s favourite brunch spots in the city with notes about the best dishes and must-orders, The Toronto Brunch Map is essential for any brunch lover. It’s inspired me to visit Saving Grace, Lady Marmalade and Bonjour Brioche, some of the most memorable weekend morning meals I’ve had. The map also comes with a checklist of the featured restaurants and an “I love brunch” pin, so you can go about your quest of making that meal between breakfast and lunch the best you’ll ever have.

The Toronto Brunch Map is available for $12 on Lindsay’s etsy page.

After a delicious meal at Keriwa Cafe (1690 Queen St. West, east of Roncesvalles), my dining companions and I were each handed a stapled-shut brown paper bag. The waiter explained it was a gift, and told us to enjoy its contents tomorrow morning. The small but very thoughtful gesture easily extended our already great impression of the meal. Of course, none of us were patient enough to wait until the next day so as soon as the waiter was out of earshot my friend tore open his bag and we each had a peek. What we found inside had us grinning from ear to ear.

Inside the bag are two homemade miniature cinnamon buns. I must admit that only one made it through the night. Even though I was stuffed with our aboriginal-inspired meal of Bison Shortribs, Duck Breast, Rainbow Trout and Butternut Squash side, there was still room for a delightfully dense and sticky bun. And truth be told, I kinda want six more. Chef Aaron Joseph Bear Robe changes the menu monthly so that’s all the excuse I need to go back repeatedly and enjoy their take-home treat every 30 days.

Keriwa Cafe / 1690 Queen St. West, Toronto
416 533 2552

Last week I filleted my very first fish, this poor rainbow trout. My rookie fishmongering skills and tentative knife strokes did him no favours. But last week I also filleted my second fish, and that turned out to be, well I wouldn’t call it a success, but the results were much better and it filled me with pride…and a delicious meal. It’s all thanks to Hooked (888 Queen Street East), a fish store in Leslieville that offers a Fishmongering 101 Class.

The class is $60 per person, which for a hands-on cooking class in Toronto is definitely on the reasonable end. They offer a variety of other seafood-related classes too, and after taking this one I’ve got my eye on Oysters 101, Shellfish & Mollusks, and Soupe a la Poisson (The class schedule can be found here). The lessons take place at the back of the store along the long wooden bar.

All gear and equipment is provided, and lucky for me that included a bowl of homemade fish chowder filled with oysters, clams, mussels, halibut and sablefish when the class starts. There’s also an apron to don, a fish knife and fish bone tweezers.

Our instructor Kristin was the former executive chef at Dish Cooking Studio and extremely knowledgeable, friendly and peppered the lesson with lots of humourous anecdotes, including the fact that she’s likely to pass out at the sight of blood. Thankfully there was no fainting, and she taught us how choose a fresh fish, store it and then demonstrated how to fillet two different types.

Then it was our turn to fillet two extremely fresh rainbow trout, harvested just the day before. It takes a lot of precision and strange hand co-ordination to cut into the fish, use the right amount of pressure while cutting along the bone, then use the tweezers to pull out the pin bones. Midway through filleting my first one I thought: “There is no way I’d ever do this again voluntarily” and said a special thanks to those fishmongers who fillet the fish I buy. But when I tackled the second trout, my technique had already improved and my internal voice was saying something like: “This ain’t so bad, I think I can do this.” Sure there was still lots of waste on the bone and I accidentally cut through some of the rib bones, but I was beaming like a proud parent at my finished fillets.

Then came the fun part of the night, it was time to consume the fillets of our labour. Kristin taught us the recipe for a Dill-Riesling Sauce and then we breaded and pan-fried our fish under her watchful eyes.

My trout was plated with a puree of parsley root, celery root and potato, then topped with micro greens and a drizzle sauce. It was the perfect end to the night since I could now appreciate how much work goes into each fillet.

The class was scheduled from 7-9 pm but ran about an hour late, which I truthfully didn’t even notice. The cost of the class also includes a discount of 15% off everything in the store that evening. We also left with a take-home bag of another fillet plus breading and sauce so we can replicate the meal at home.

Even if cooking classes aren’t your thing, I think Hooked is an awesome fish store and definitely worth a visit. Everyone that works there has a chef/restaurant background so they’ll happily help you choose the best seafood and have plenty of suggestions on how to cook it. They also focus on seafood that’s sustainable, ethical and fresh, and there’s plenty of other goodies like oysters, locally grown vegetables, homemade tartar sauce and chowders. And now if I’m ever stuck in the wilderness with only a fish knife, tweezers and an already cleaned and gutted trout, I know I’ll be all set to fillet my third fish.

Hooked / 888 Queen St. East, Toronto
416 828 1861 / Hours: Mon 12-7, Tues-Fri 11-7, Sat 9-6, Sun 12-5

We sang the praises of the roti from Gandhi Indian Cuisine (554 Queen St. West, at Bathurst) way back during our blog’s first year. That post was written the other Double P, Jaspal, who heeded a serious warning against ordering anything spiced medium or higher. In fact, her specific words were: “Don’t say I didn’t warn you to be prepared to hold onto your pants (if you know what I mean, and I think you do).”

Gross, yes. But it stuck with me. So when my co-workers Kailey and Angie suggested we pick-up Gandhi for lunch on Friday, the only thing I knew was my first roti shouldn’t be medium-spiced. Then on twitter, chef Roger Mooking dared me to try it hot, but he’s clearly confused my life with an episode of his popular Food Network show Heat Seekers. No, thank you.

There’s no good excuse for why it’s taken me so long to venture into Gandhi. It’s conveniently located in QB (Queen and Bathurst, not Queensbridge) and I’ve never heard anyone say it’s anything short of delicious (Spice City Toronto called it one of their personal favourites). The only thing working against it was a Toronto Star article that uncovered the Saag Paneer roti contained a whopping 1,482 calories, 73 grams of fat and 3,360 mg of sodium. Egad! I thought I’d steer clear of that one and settled on a Mixed Vegetable, ordering mild. The full menu of rotis can be found on Gandhi’s website.

It’s important to note that theirs is different from a West Indian roti, so don’t go in expecting it’ll taste like one from Island Foods. And while I’m not a regular yet, clearly many people are, so call-in your order ahead for take-out because the wait can be very long. They’ll give you an order number and the time it’ll be ready for pick-up.

My first roti from Gandhi was beautifully blistered with burn markings and the wrap is delightfully chewy, taking a bit of elbow grease to cut through it with a knife. The filling is crazy rich with flavour and spices, and the texture of the peas and cauliflower balance the softness of the well-cooked potatoes. Its amazing aroma filled up my office and some co-workers looked over with envy while one crinkled his nose and found it a tad overbearing. His loss. The massive roti came to $9 and honestly lasted four mini-meals. I ate a quarter for lunch, then shaved off a little more because I couldn’t resist seconds. That afternoon I had a tad more for a snack, then the last half became part of a late dinner and lunch the next day.

The only thing missing? Heat. Believe it or not, I found this completely mild. I’m wondering which of their rotis should I try next? And, is there anything between mild and medium or do I bite the bullet and go for medium? I think I’m going to take the plunge next time. And hold on tightly to my pants.

Gandhi Indian Cuisine / 554 Queen St. West, Toronto
416 504 8155

I’m one of those people who’s constantly proclaiming: “I should eat more fruits and vegetables.” So when I saw some of my co-workers bring in piles of apples and pears, creating a makeshift fruit bowl on their desk, I got inspired. They made it even easier by telling me that their produce pusher was actually the Good Food Box program run by FoodShare Toronto. I’m now a proud participant and pictured above is my first bounty, the contents of a Small Good Food Box, a great deal for $13.

I obviously still have to supplement this with other produce, so it’s not like it saves me a trip to the grocery store. But I’m absolutely 100% convinced this is way more than what $13 would get me at Longo’s or Loblaws. Now, only two boxes in, I’m definitely eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, trying new recipes with the items I wouldn’t normally purchase and finding all sorts of creative ways to cook up apples and pears (I’m allergic when they’re fresh, so during the first week I whipped up some homemade applesauce).

The process of getting my food box was as simple as calling their main number 416-363-6441 x234 to ask about my nearest neighbourhood drop-off (3 blocks away), placing my order, dropping off the payment then picking it up on the designated day. Boxes range from $13 to $34 depending on size and organic contents and because of the low price, there’s no substitutions.

In addition to how eating more fresh food benefits me personally, I’m also really digging the idea that FoodShare Toronto isn’t some ‘hoighty-toighty’ all-organic company targetting only the upper middle class. They’re actually a non-profit community organization that believes access to good, healthy food is a basic human right. The Good Food Box distributes to all different types of neighbourhoods, regardless of income, and I really appreciate that the $13 small box feels like an affordable option.

Here’s a run-down of exactly what I received in the Small Box (week of Oct 18, 2011):
1 Head Red Leaf Lettuce
2 Plum Tomatoes
1 Bunch Bananas
1 Bag Carrots
1 Head Cauliflower
1 English Cucumber
1 Half Bag Apples
1 Half Bag Pears
1 Green Pepper
2 Jumbo Sweet Potatos
4 Oranges

Some neighbourhood drop-off spots operate on a weekly basis, but the one closest to me is only bi-weekly, which actually works out better. The lovely woman I order from usually has a stack of boxes waiting to be picked up when I arrive, and I simply transfer my box’s contents into two reusable bags to carry home. The contents rotate based on what’s in season and priced reasonably at the time, and they chose Ontario-grown produce whenever possible and support local farmers. You can find out more about the program and their different box sizes and pricing on their website.

For my second box, I decided to try out the Small Organic Box ($24) and was pleased to see a variety of different items.

Small Organic Box (week of Nov 1, 2011):
1 lb Organic Apples
1 Bunch Organic Bananas
1 Bunch Organic Broccoli
1 Organic Golden Rod Chard
1 Organic Red Leaf Lettuce
8 oz Organic Mushrooms
2 Organic Shallots
4 Organic Bosc Pears
1 Organic Butternut Squash
1 Organic Hot House Tomato
3 Organic Turnips
2 lb Organic Potatoes

Awhile ago I tried the organic delivery service Wanigan, but I have to say for price, quantity and the feeling of supporting a great community organization, FoodShare’s got them beat by a mile. I’ve decided I’ll be alternating my bi-weekly orders between the small regular and small organic box (yep, you can switch which version of the box you want whenever you’d like). Now all I’ve got to do is find a great recipe for turnips…