Real Sports Bar & Grill: New Menu Tasting I

In the heart of Toronto's sports and entertainment district and located right beside the Air Canada Centre, Real Sports Bar & Grill is impressive. Real impressive. Here's the kicker though: I don't even play sports. None at all. But I watch sports! That must count for something, right? But even then it's rare... I mean, I watch the Olympics and the World Cup but really, who doesn't? There's no way getting around it, I'm just not that into sports. But trust me once you step foot into Real Sports (Twitter: @RealSports, Facebook: Real Sports) all that goes out the window. The place has that "Wow" factor, you know I mean? With its 25,000 square foot space, 199 screens and 39-foot high-definition projector (the biggest one in any sports bar in the world) it's no wonder that ESPN voted Real Sports as the #1 sports bar in all of North America.

(Photo by Real Sports)

Having said all that, I found myself at Real Sports last week; not for a World Cup game but for a menu tasting (of course it's food-related.) I was one of the lucky ones chosen to taste some of their new menu items - a sneak peek of what will soon be available at Real Sports come Friday, August 1st (#RSBGSneakPeek). Recently joining the Real Sports' kitchen is chef Matthew Sullivan (formerly of Skin + Bones). He took the time in between courses to explain to us his new menu.

Here's a look at what you can expect starting August 1st at Real Sports:

COPPER KETTLE MUSSELS

I really enjoyed the spicy broth here. I've had my share of steamed mussels with bland and flavourless broth so this was very welcoming.

CHICAGO DOG

This massive Chicago dog is prepared just right (i.e. no ketchup).

Summer Sundays @ Malaparte Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away a PAIR of tickets to SUMMER SUNDAYS @ MALAPARTE worth $90!

Malaparte (Twitter: @OB_Events, Facebook: Oliver & Bonacini Events) is a spectacular event space on the 6th floor at TIFF Bell Lightbox, in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District. With floor to ceiling windows, it features a breathtaking cityscape view and was named the Best Rooftop Space for meetings and events in North America.

Hosted by Oliver & Bonacini Events, in partnership with Notable.ca, the terrace will be fully transformed into a city oasis; chill in the Perrier-Jouët champagne garden and enjoy brunch-style beats by DJ Emmanuel. Whether for a special occasion or simply for an outdoor brunch, join for one of the first SUMMER SUNDAYS on July 20th! #MalaparteSundays

SUMMER SUNDAYS @ MALAPARTE CONTEST

What: Winner gets two complimentary tickets

When: Sunday, July 20th @ 11:00am

Where: Malaparte, 330 King W, Toronto, ON.

What's included: Full-service brunch stations exclusively crafted by O&B’s expert chefs and two complimentary Perrier-Jouët champagne cocktails (there will also be a cash bar to keep the afternoon flowing)

HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu take me to "Summer Sundays" @OB_Events Malaparte for brunch & cocktails on the rooftop! http://bit.ly/1n4DnlM #fjcmalaparte

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #fjcmalaparte hashtag stream. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Tuesday, July 8 and ends on Tuesday, July 15 at 12PM. 

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner on Thursday, July 15. 

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

Easy & Delicious Jammin' Recipes

Have you ever thought of using jam as more than a condiment? More than just a spread on bread? Sure, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will forever be awesome but, for one reason or another, many people fail to realize that jam is also a fabulous ingredient in many recipes! I felt particularly inventive over the weekend and experimented with different flavours of jams, pairing them with foods to create some pretty tasty recipes. Take a look :)

PEACH, PROSCIUTTO AND BRIE GRILLED CHEESE

This super easy grilled cheese is hard to beat. It is simple and quick enough for weekday lunch yet can also pass for the dinner table. I love the addition of the peach jam since it serves as a "glue" between the sweet, creamy Brie and the savoury prosciutto. I made this tasty grilled cheese on Saturday for lunch.

Ingredients

2 slices of bread

1 tbsp of melted unsalted butter

2 oz Brie, thinly sliced

2 tbsp of peach jam

2 oz prosciutto

Heat a large pan over medium-heat. Brush half of the melted butter on one slice of the bread, and lay it down on your prep area, butter-side down. Spread 1 tbsp of jam onto both slices of bread, then layer on the cheese and the prosciutto. Place sandwich in the warm pan butter-side down, and press down every now and then while it cooks. Brush the rest of the butter on the top of slice first before flipping the sandwich. Grill on each side for about 3 minutes each, or until the bread has thoroughly crisped and the cheese has started to melt. Makes one sandwich.

STRAWBERRY BANANA YOGURT SMOOTHIE

If you love strawberries and bananas, you will be delighted with this smoothie. Not only does it taste like dessert it is also extremely healthy. Loaded with calcium, potassium and vitamin C, this perfect combination of fruit and dairy is a guarantee hit in the summer. This glass of cold, refreshing smoothie was exactly what I needed after spending an entire day of running errands.

Ingredients

2 tbsp of plain yogurt

2 tbsp of strawberry jam

1/2 ripe banana (peeled)

1 cup of milk

3 or 4 ice cubes

In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth and frothy. Makes one large smoothie.

ORANGE MARMALADE CRESCENT ROLLS

Whether you're hosting a casual get-together at home or preparing an after-school snack for the kids, everyone will love these delicious and fluffy orange marmalade crescent rolls. With only two ingredients there's really no excuse not to make them! Served warm, I had these light crescent rolls for breakfast Sunday morning with a bowl of cereal. 

Ingredients

1 tbsp of orange marmalade

1 (4 oz.) package of refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll crescent roll dough into 8 triangles and spread orange marmalade onto each triangle. Roll up each loosely, starting at shortest side of triangle, rolling to opposite point and curving each into crescent shape. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Makes 8 crescent rolls.

Smucker’s Pairings are a simple, easy way to create delicious food combinations with jam and other ingredients, designed help you discover how flavours mingle together for mouthwatering results. Each pairing has 5 ingredients or less, and is ready in less than 15 minutes. Because with a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good. For specific information on our jam flavours and varieties, please visit www.smuckers.ca 

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Smucker’s Foods of Canada via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Smucker’s Foods of Canada. 

Café Boulud Dinner Series with Tyler Shedden and Carl Heinrich

For Café Boulud's third Guest Chef dinner in its #CBDinnerSeries, chef Tyler Shedden (@tylershedden) teamed up with chef Carl Heinrich (@chefheinrich) of Richmond Station (@richmondstn). Together the two chefs presented a six-course Vancouver island inspired dinner.

(Photo by @cafebouludto)

Each course was paired with Café Boulud's Wine Director Drew Walker's selections.

Below is a recap of the collaboration dinner. Can you guess which chef prepared which course?

CHARCUTERIE

Duck Liver Pate, Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney, Pain Perdu

Capicolla

Veal Piedmontaise Salami

Pate en Croute, Sweetbreads & Morels

Saucisson Sec au Patis

Foie Gras Terrine, Huckleberries

Blue Moountain Brut NV, Okanagan

CHAR-GRILLED SPOT PRAWNS

Liquorice Root, Nori Cracker, Porcini Mushroom, Dashi

Momo Kawa Junmai Ginjo, Oregon

The Winner of "Caesars: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail" is...

@taylor40906

Congratulations @taylor40906! You have just won a signed copy of the ultimate food and drink bible CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore! Please email me you full name and mailing address at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com :)

Thanks to the 16 contestants who participated in my giveaway. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #CaesarYu hashtag from day one of the giveaway (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I wanna win a signed copy of "CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail"! http://bit.ly/1qsUQeD #CaesarYu". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the giveaway (duplicates were removed). Once the giveaway was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is a list of people who qualified for the contest:

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick the winner from the 33 entries.

Sunday Brunch at Langdon Hall

After spending most of Saturday afternoon strolling around the hotel's property, then treating ourselves to a fantastic Chef's Tasting Menu in the evening, you may wonder what we ended up doing Sunday at Langdon Hall (Twitter: @Langdon_Hall, Facebook: Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa). How about the same thing all over again?! Well not exactly, but close enough. 

Feeling rejuvenated after a great night's sleep (in our beautiful room nonetheless) we woke to marvelous weather; there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Taking full advantage of this and the few hours we have before checking-out, we took one last excursion on the estate's herb and water gardens, fields, and manicured lawns. 

We would rest on the benches between our walks every now and then just so we can take a mental picture of the gorgeousness surrounding us. Life could not be better at that moment.

. 

Oops, actually it can! Enter Sunday brunch, outside, underneath a big beautiful tree, with a view of the Langdon Hall gardens!

STAR FRUIT MARGARITA ($18)

Star Fruit Syrup combined with Cointreau and Sauza Gold

MOCKTAIL ($6.50)

Cucumber and Beet Syrup Soda

Chef's Tasting Menu at Langdon Hall

I spent a weekend at Langdon Hall (Twitter: @langdon_hall, Facebook: Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa) for my birthday earlier this month and had a phenomenal time. As a matter of fact the word "phenomenal" doesn't begin to describe the weekend escape; to put it into perspective I questioned whether or not I really had to check-out Sunday morning (and when the inevitable came I was really sad). This two-days-one-night mini vacay away from the city was, hands down, the best weekend getaway I've ever had. I don't know about you but my days of getting hammered at a club for my birthday has long gone (just the thought of that makes me nauseous). Now that I'm older all I want is to spend quality time somewhere quiet and serene, at a place where I can relax and get away from all the traffic, construction, noise pollution and all that wonderful stuff associated with the city. Only an hour and a half drive from Toronto, this renowned estate in Cambridge was just what I wanted my birthday. 

Langdon Hall is gorgeous, inside and out, with incredibly stunning gardens. I think the hotel alone deserves a post of its own. Yup, I need to get on that.

So more on the gorgeous mansion later, for this post I'll share with you my dining experience at Langdon Hall, specifically their Tasting Menu by chef Jason Bangerter (formerly Auberge du Pommier, Luma). Bangerter replaced Jonathan Gushue, who ran the restaurant for eight years, as executive chef in September of last year. 

Proudly hung in the dining room, these two very prestigious plaques confirms why Langdon Hall is one of the best in Canada. Langdon Hall has held the CAA/AAA Five Diamond Restaurant Award for nine consecutive years and the CAA/AAA Four Diamond Accommodation Award for 18 consecutive years. 

*More information on CAA/AAA ratings can be found here

Accommodations and restaurants throughout the United States and Canada are assigned a rating of one to five AAA/CAA Diamonds, ranging from simple to luxurious. Below are the rating descriptions for Langdon Hall:

Restaurant Diamond Ratings: Five Diamond

These establishments are renowned and consistently provide a world-class experience. This is “haute cuisine” at its best. Menus are cutting edge, using only the finest ingredients available. Food is prepared in a manner that is highly imaginative and unique. The combination of technique and ingredients is extraordinary, reflecting the impeccable artistry and awareness of highly-acclaimed chefs. A maître d' leads an expert service staff that exceeds guest expectations by attending to every detail in an effortless and unobtrusive manner

Hotel Diamond Ratings: Four Diamond

These establishments are upscale in all areas. Accommodations are progressively more refined and stylish. The physical attributes reflect an obvious enhanced level of quality throughout. The fundamental hallmarks at this level include an extensive array of amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service, and attention to detail.

My view looking into the restaurant. My table was situated at the corner with my back against the windows.

Giveaway: Caesars - The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail - CLOSED

I'm giving away ONE SIGNED copy of the ultimate food and drink bible...
CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore

On June 17, the ultimate food and drink bible CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore, Caesar Mixing Officer for Mott’s Clamato, hit bookshelves across Canada. The gorgeous full-colour cookbook is a celebration of Canada’s official cocktail and is filled with over 50 unique thirst-quenching recipes for Caesar variations.

Here's a look at the book. This is my copy so obviously your signed copy will be different :) There's Clint Pattemore (@CaesarClint) on the right.

Over 50 unique thirst-quenching recipes for Caesar variations, all with beautiful photos.

There are also 20 delicious food recipes to pair with the Caesars by Top Chef Alumni Connie DeSousa and Charcut Roast House co-owner Chef John Jackson. To make selecting which Caesar to prepare when, the recipes in CAESARS are divided by seasons. Enjoy Spring’s vibrant Blackberry Lemon Caesar, Summer’s refreshing Strawberry Daiquiri Caesar, Fall’s savoury Whiskey and Sage Caesar, and Winter’s satisfying Bacon-ato. 

CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail is available at most major bookstores, online (Amazon.ca) or at a select number of grocery stores and major retailers.

 HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter:

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I wanna win a signed copy of "CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail"! http://bit.ly/1qsUQeD #CaesarYu

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #CaesarYu hashtag stream. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up
4. The contest is open to Canadian residents only.

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Wednesday, June 18 and ends on Thursday, June 26 at 12PM. 

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner on Thursday, June 26. 

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre: Speakeasy!

Not all date nights have to begin with dinner and end in a movie. Of course there's nothing wrong with that 'cause I do it - quite often actually - but I confess it gets a bit dry and boring after awhile. Depending on how late it is, how tired I am or where I'm at (the list gets longer the older I get) there might be a chance we'll still hit up a cocktail lounge after the movie. If I'm not in the mood for alcohol then perhaps some place for dessert or bubble tea (Chatime #FTW). Long story short it's still the "same ol', same ol'" when it comes to date nights for most couples out there.

Well, just stop. Stop being lazy and plan a night out that's different and fun. Why not think outside the box and surprise your significant other (or first date or blind date) by taking them to a dinner theatre? Case in point: Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre (Twitter: @WhodunitTO, Facebook: Mysteriously Yours Mystery Dinner Theatre) is where you want to be. 

Celebrating 27 years of hilarious, interactive murder mysteries, Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre is an ideal venue for a fun evening out. I know I made it sound like Mysteriously Yours is just for couples earlier but it's really not - I've seen families there, I've seen friends celebrating birthdays there, I've seen bachelorette parties there. At the end of the day Mysteriously Yours is suitable for any occasion and for anybody looking for an entertaining night out.

We went to see Mysteriously Yours' newest production "Speakeasy!" a couple of weeks ago. We arrived to the fabulous, tiered-level venue at 2026 Yonge Street around 6:30pm (the mystery begins at 8:00pm and continues to about 10:30pm).

How it works: the Mysteriously Yours cast with the help of the diners, act out a play, during which there is a murder and a detective leads the investigation. The audience is then challenged to determine the method, the motivation and the perpetrator of the crime.

Being a Roving Twitter Reporter for Toronto Taste 2014

On Sunday, June 8th, Toronto Taste brought together the city's top chefs and beverage purveyors for an evening of delicious food and refreshing drinks in support of Second Harvest's food rescue program. Presented by The Daniels Corporation, Sunday's Toronto Taste celebrated its 24th year as one of Toronto's premier culinary events where guests were able to give back to Second Harvest (Twitter: @2ndHarvestTO, Facebook: Second Harvest) while indulging in dishes prepared by top chefs. At a cost of $250 per ticket with a $125 tax receipt, every ticket purchased allows Second Harvest to rescue and deliver enough food to provide 500 meals for adults and children in Toronto.

*$1 FEEDS 2 PEOPLE IN NEED*

Second Harvest finds good, surplus food that would otherwise end up in landfills & delivers it to those in need. A large number of these folks are people who simply can’t afford groceries after paying their bills. Second Harvest serves 200 agencies and is the largest food rescue program in Canada and one of the most efficient and impactful - including gas, storage and all the good people at Second Harvest who help make it all happen, a healthy meal costs a mere 50 cents to find and deliver. 20,000 meals a day to people in need.

As a member of Toronto Taste's Social Media team, I made my way to Corus Quay several hours before doors open to familiarize myself with the site (for the past three years that I've been involved with Toronto Taste it was held at the Royal Ontario Museum). When I arrived at 2:30pm some chefs had already begun setting up their stations. By the way, Corus Quay is a gorgeous venue! Just look at that beautiful lakeside backdrop (this photos doesn't do it justice).

Here's a shot of some the wines in Toronto Taste's Fine Wine Auction, which includes a global selection of wines sourced from private collections. There's also a Live Auction with various big-ticket prizes, such as culinary-themed trips, as well as a Silent Auction. 

This is the main stage where the Live Auction and the Chef Challenge will take place later on. And in case you're wondering, yes that is a slide.

From station to station, my job was to tweet about what each chef is going to serve - a preview of "what's to come" so to speak. With 70 food and beverage purveyors this was no easy task, and of course I couldn't have done it alone. A big thanks to Andrea (@TOfoodie) and Mark & Stacey (@TastingToronto), my trusty social media team colleagues, as well as Anna (@flozer) and Amanda (@amandalaird) for leading the entire "operation" :) Anyway, time flew by and before long, guests started arriving and the event was well underway.

You know how this goes, right? This post basically chronicles my eating and drinking whirlwind at Toronto Taste. I'm confident that I have been by, and ate at all (if not 95%) of the food stations at the event. No judging, k?