unblended creamless wildmushroom soup with turkey meat balls, orzo, and organicgreens

INGREDIENTS
chicken stock
artichoke water/vinegar
garlic
one onion
salt
white pepper
turkey meat balls marinated in chives and onion powder
portabellos
dried wild mushrooms
orzo
chive
oregano
onion powder
basil
bay leaf
organic arugula or other bitter greens
parmagianno reggiano (optional)
truffle oil (optional)

put dried wildmushrooms in boiling water and let them soften

sautee onions, garlic, portabellos - add salt and white pepper and basil, oregano, and other italian seasonings

boil chicken stock add bay leaf...add artichoke water to the mix

add sauteed mixture (mushrooms onions) to pot once stock has boiled

add softened wild mushrooms and water used to soften it into the mixture

let boil for an hour

add orzo
role minced turkey into mini meat balls and drop in

let boil on medium for another half hour


add handful of organic greens when ready to serve - on top of soup
shave parmagianno reggianno on top (optional)
drizzed with tiny bit of truffle oil (optional)

artichoke jus

I usually save the vinegar that the artichokes are soaked in...

Today i used it with some chicken breast, garlic, and chives...delish!

I've also added it to my wildmushroom soup to make it less heavy for the summer.

Waste not want not.

all about FROMAGE (fave cheeses)

fal pi
balderston
truffle oka
almalattea
piave
grana padano
parmagianno reggiano

today's bbq menu

Veg:
asparagus
zucchini
red peppers
yams


Protein:
spareribs - bulgogi
drum sticks
tilapia
chicken (dark and white meat) = marinade tbd
*angus sliders if necessary

Gilead Café - MMMM

Being hidden within an alley like street has not stopped Jamie Kennedy’s latest venture from successful.  Make reservations as this place gets packed.Menu changes frequently as they continually source locally grown produce. 

Bread with egg plant spread.  Bread tasted really fresh.  MMMM

Beet Salad boy was it amazing! MMMM

Next dish the Green Onion Soup.  Usually I’m not a fan of cold soups, but this one definitely converted me.  You could literally taste how fresh the ingredients are.  MMMM

Shrimp and chorizo dish.  Again everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly.  Only minor hiccup were the chorizo (a bit to charred).  MMM

Whitefish with greens.  The paired sides (greens and potatoes) were very simple, maybe a bit too simple.  The fish however was cooked and seasoned perfectly.  MMM

Steak Frittes definitely the biggest disappointment.  Fries overly crispy and over salted.  Steak was a bit tough.  Only positive of this dish were the mushrooms.  MM

Overall great experience, definitely one of my new favs.  Next time will definitely test out their desserts.  MMMM

lobster

It’s a well known fact, that no self-respecting chinese person would go to Red Lobster.
It’s so much better at home or at a chinese resto for half the price.

But that’s not to say I don’t enjoy the simplicity of plain steamed lobster.

If you go to chinese grocery stores between May – June, you can catch some great deals on lobster ($4.99/lb-$5.99/lb). Loblaws even has these deals sometimes too.
My mom says that if you chose the lobsters with one claw, most of the weight should be in the tail which is what most people desire in a lobster. There is obviously more meat in the tail then the claw, so one claw may be a better option.

If you are going to go gusto and buy a big lobster (i.e. 10lb) it’s probably best to just steam it and eat it rather than putting it in a stirfry or cooking it with other strong flavours as the bigger lobsters are not as flavourful as smaller lobsters.

Steaming helps to keep the flavours in the lobster. If you boil, a lot of the lobster flavour will be left to the water. Unless that is your intention.

Lobster salad recipe:

Dressing -
Honey Dijon mustard
Garlic powder
Sugar
Black pepper
Mayo (optional)
Lime juice

Salad:
Toss in olive oil
Spring mix
Grape tomatoes
Apple (chopped into sticks)
Cucumbers
Steamed lobster

Petit Dejeuner - Brunch MMMM

As with every other fantastic brunch place in Toronto, Petit Dejeuner gets crowded early and lineups wrap around the store.

Get there and get there early.

Tables of 2 get seated more easily, 4 will take longer, anything over that...you better have had a snack and a lot of patience cause there is only one area in the resto that can seat larger parties.

My faves:
hungry gal breakfast
sausage terrine yum
fish cakes yum
Belgian waffles MMMMM chantilly creme....yummmm
apple pancakes
lemon mango fandango tea
French toast (eggy bread)

Burger Joints Toronto

FIVE GUYS BURGERS are the BOMB!! and their cajun fries rock!!! note: Regular ($6.99) burgers come with 2 patties, little burgers ($4.99) come with 1 patty. Toppings are free (including mushrooms, green peppers, and all the other usual suspects).

BQM: Ossington location great, Queen West location (service sucks)
Sweet potato fries are good (i mean typical you can't really screw them up). They have different pint specials (aka Sapporo for $5.99 on tuesdays) each weekday.

Johnny Burger (Scarborough): Tried and true charbroiled burgers - great for after clubbing. The decor hasn't changed in the past 30 years, but the burgers hit the spot. Flaky buns, non pretentious, classic burger - Great service

M burger: Nice restaurant, but burgers are expensive for the quality. Don't waste your money getting the $20 kobe burger. I don't think this restaurant will be around long. It's a burger joint trying to club/lounge.

Kraft Burger: classic burger deal (comes with fries/onion rings, soft drink, and burger) for $10 is pretty good. Burgers itself are ok. Pretty consistent burgers.

The Beaver on Queen West

Good wine selection
Oyster selection was blah...not good
pubby like food
but alcohol is cheap
better for drinks then food

Drake sucks for clubbing

unless you like lining up outside to pay cover, only to lineup on the inside for another hour to get up to an underwhelming upstairs patio...M for MANURE

Nyood

awesome rack of lamb
awesome drinks

not so awesome: polenta, soft shell crab salad, and tuna tartare

go for saturday night partying...less for food

bbq stuff

pork chops marinated in jerk sauce, brown sugar, mixed with korean bbq bulgogi sauce

wicked sangria recipe

white wine (shitty white is ok since you'll be diluting it)...i.e. girls night out chardonnay

7up

mango(frozen ok)

raspberry

pears soaked in triple sec (holts)

orange juice

orange brandy or grand marnier

romantic date destinations

high park in the spring
alize restaurant - cozy small and candlelit

Live Kale Crackers - Sundried tomato and Chia seed

GROSS M = Manure. I paid $7 for these and still can't stomach it. DISGUSTING :S

Sushi District in Leslieville

Rating - MM Meh

Bars Clubs Entertainement - MMM approved

Le Vack
Comrads

things HELGA can not/should not eat

i'm assuming this list will grow...
- dairy :(
- wheat
- potatoes
- pineapple
- cantaloupe
- grapes

Tried and True Restos

fishbar
ici bistro
Mercatto
Cayo Coco
KiWe
Gio Rana
Guu
Nyood
Brasaii
Epicure Cafe
Kalendar
Fin Izakaya
Blowfish
Villa Verde
Pizza Libretto
Ma Va Mie
Asian Legend
Dumpling House
Terroni
Lakeview
gilead cafe


NYC
Morimoto
Olive's
Cuba
Birdbath
Blue Ribbon Sushi
Magnolia

Montreal
kabana
le local

Blacklisted Restos

Paese - Crap food - Octopus that tasted like over cooked boiled chicken. Food underwhelming

Restos to try - On the CHOPPING/CHOMPING BLOCK!

Adega
AME
barbarian - M overrated
Beer Bistro
Buca
campagnolo
Canoe
Celestin
cornbeef house - M - slow service, not as good as montreal
didier
entoca social
Frank's kitchen - MMMMM - best resto in toronto...scratch kitchen, great food, great staff AMAZING visited feb 28, 2012
Gilead cafe - MMM - love! fresh local
Globe
Harbord House
Hiro
ici bistro - MMM - love! intimate service, fresh food, great wine list - yum scallops and fish
Jacob and CO
Kenzo - MM - good broth - not msg`ee like ajisan...but lacking in variety
local
L'Unita
Malena
Noce
Note Bene
Pangea
Prime
queen margarita
Scaramouche
Scarpetta
Sotto Sotto
Sushi kaji
Table 17 - MM - brunch selection is lacking, but food is well thought out
The Black Skirt
The Counter
toca
chef`s school
la sociate
fishbar - MMM - delicious - small plates - amazing caeser salad and fish and chips
foxley - MM - pretty good for asian fusion - good wine list - truffle black cod and blue crab avacado yum.  Cheap munch gives foxley a MMM -  If you love Asian food with a slight twist, then definitely try out this place.
salt
brunch places
lady marmalade
mitzi's

Blog Ideas

• costco best rotisserie chicken
• mustard is awesome
• pinapple congee
• montreal  = foodie central
• truffle on everything
• mushroom truffle soup
• fig bomb
• chicken stock goes a long way
• lemon water
• me va mie restaurant
• dumpling house
• blowfish
• wabora sucks
• mercato - simple but yum
• think of all the restos we've been to and review
• mom's cooking
• salad salad salad
• bread dippers and multiple uses
• good cheeses - balderston, parmagianno reggiano, pecorino, oka
• wild cod stuffed fish
• thousand island dressing on egg sandwiches replacement for cheese

These are a few of my favourite things....

A few (ok more than a few) of my favourite ingredients...

truffle oil
pine nuts
mushrooms of all kinds except shitake
cheese of some sort (cream cheese, grana padana, pecorino, parmaggiano reggiano, oka, buffalo mozerella)
spinach
sun dried tomatoes
grape tomatoes
saffron
lobster
crab
scallops
proscuitto
asparagus
pilsbury croissants
garlic
onion
chicken
shrimp
avacado
artichokes

Blog Ideas

• costco best rotisserie chicken
• mustard is awesome
• pinapple congee
• montreal  = foodie central
• truffle on everything
• mushroom truffle soup
• fig bomb
• chicken stock goes a long way
• lemon water
• me va mie restaurant
• dumpling house
• blowfish
• wabora sucks
• mercato - simple but yum
• think of all the restos we've been to and review
• mom's cooking
• salad salad salad
• bread dippers and multiple uses
• good cheeses - balderston, parmagianno reggiano, pecorino, oka
• wild cod stuffed fish
• petit dejeuner - fave brekkie
• oysters
• panko fish so easy
• crostinis
• nyc restos
• montreal restos - cabana - atwater market
• congee
• favourite desserts - snickers cake at sobeys
• red velvet and why don't they ever do it right?
• best bakeries in toronto
• best restos
• wine
• paese - M = Manure - squid that tasted like over cooked chicken
• best roti place
• china town produce
• worthwhile groupons - worth it or waste of money
• the art of dimsum
• we heart tapas
• vesuvio bakery NYC
• 
  

Rating System

To share our love of food and things, we decided to create an fun/easy rating system.  Here's what we have so far.  We need your help for 3M's

MMMMMagnificent
MMMMarvelous

MMM -  need your help

MMediocre
Meh/Manure

MMMMMagical
MMMMarvelous

MMMunchees approved

MMediocre/MMeh
Manure