Maialino Media Tasting [VLOG]

Maialino Enoteca Italiana (Twitter: MaialinoTO, Facebook: MaialinoTO) is an Italian restaurant located on Queen street east of Roncesvalles (right next door to Keriwa Café). Maialino opened their doors in December 2011 to bring Sicilian cuisine with "traditional recipes, updated classics, and Old World flavours" to the city.

With owner Mike Rutigliano and chef Roberto Marotta's initial plan to open a small charcuterie bar, the name Maialino, which translates to "little pig", seemed to be a perfect fit. However, when the idea of a charcuterie bar was scrapped in favour of a traditional Sicilian restaurant, the name Maialino was stuck.

I was invited to Maialino's media dinner on Tuesday night where I had the opportunity to indulge in a five course tasting expertly prepared by chef Marotta and his team. 

Patrizia Rosati, who designed Rutigliano's other restaurant, Barista Espresso Bar, also took on the task in designing Maialino. I love this "graffiti" accent wall....

The Green Living Show Giveaway Winners are...

@kristalamb

@chrisunagi

@DarrenKachuba

@chefmdleary

@CindyLuChan

Congratulations! =D Each of you have just won a pair of tickets to the Green Living Show! I'll be DM'ing you on Twitter soon to give you the details on where to pick up your tickets. 

Congrats again and I hope you and your +1 will enjoy the Green Living Show!

I also want to say a big THANKS to the 20 contestants who participated in the contest. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #foodieyugls stream from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first ballot entered right after the contest went live. An entry ballot was given for each contestant that tweeted "I want to win a pair of tickets to the Green Living Show! http://bit.ly/I9sYY8 #foodieyugls #gls2012". I then checked to see whether or not each contestant follow me on Twitter (see contest rules here). 

I used the "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick five winners for me.

Stirling Creamery at Ruby Watchco

I fully anticipated overdosing on butter when I RSVP'd to Stirling Creamery's "Introduction to The Butter Collection" event held at  Ruby Watchco on March 19. But no, nothing could have prepared me for the buttery deliciousness that evening. I mean not only were Stirling Creamery's butter served with bread for everyone to enjoy, chef Lora Kirk from Ruby Watchco also prepared numerous savoury and sweet creations that featured a variety of Stirling Creamery butters. From hush puppies made with honey butter to brown butter sugar pie with brown butter fried raisins, I was fully butter'd out. Butter coma was in full effect!

Stirling Creamery has been cold barrel churning some of Canada's finest butter since 1925 in Stirling, Ontario. Globe and Mail's food reporter, Chris Nuttal-Smith (@cnutsmith) called their butter "exceedingly creamy and voluptuous tasting" and Saveur Magazine declared it "..one of the World's 30 Great Butters". Not surprised as Stirling Creamery butters are all-natural, artisanal crafted butter that eschews colourants or preservatives.

I had several of these Stirling Stirrup cocktails :) It was made with Sailor Jerry Rum, Ginger Syrup, Lime and Apple, Carrot Puree and Stirling Creamery Brown Butter Sugar Rim (yeh you read right, BROWN BUTTER RIMMED =D)

Master Butter Maker Chet Blair of Stirling Creamery with Rossy Earle (@PanCanCooks). By the way, Rossy makes the best hot sauce in the city! Check it out at SupiCucu (@SupiCucu). 

CHARCUT (Calgary)

Listed as one of Canada's Best New Restaurants in 2010 by enRoute Magazine, CHARCUT Roast House is a carnivore's dream come true (i.e. my dream come true). I'll begin this post by saying that my dinner at CHARCUT was spectacular and truly memorable. It rocked my world. Yes, it did.

Located in the swanky Hotel Le Germain in downtown Calgary, I had the unforeseen pleasure to dine at CHARCUT (Twitter: @CHARCUT, Facebook: CHARCUT Roast House) a couple of weeks ago. It was "unforeseen" because Air Canada decided to have a wildcat strike the morning of my Maui trip...how ridiculous! With our flight to Maui cancelled, my friend and I had to spend the night in Calgary (after waiting for 10 hours at Pearson) and was rescheduled to take a flight to Maui the next morning from Cowtown. I actually did not even think of going to CHARCUT until someone on Twitter reminded me of it (I was evidently tweeting my frustration about having to go to Calgary haha). Chef Connie DeSousa at CHARCUT tweeted me back right away and invited me to drop by CHARCUT. And so I did! I basically made my reservation on Twitter and found myself at CHARCUT several hours later. Never underestimate the power of Twitter, people.

Chef Connie was one of the three finalist on Season One's Top Chef Canada along with chef Rob Rossi (Bestellen) and chef Dale MacKay (Ensemble), with chef Dale ultimately winning the inaugural competition.

Chefs and owners John Jackson and Connie DeSousa.

At the pass *drools*

Old Lahaina Lu'au (Maui)

A lu'au is a Hawaiian meal / feast which features traditional Hawaiian food, music and hula, a dance accompanied by chant developed in the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians who originally settled there. I think going to a lu'au is a must if you're visiting Hawaii for the first time. Although it was quite pricey ($98 per person) it is a once in a life time experience.


We went to Old Lahaina Lu'au (@oldlahainaluau) which is supposedly the best luau in Maui. It has great reviews from TripAdvisor, The New York Times, Frommer's Maui, Zagat Survey, and has been featured in National Geographic Traveler and The Travel Channel. It is a sold-out show every night at Old Lahaina Lu'au.

Gorgeous evening for a lu'au.

So serene. Wish I was still there...

You must watch this video! I captured some of the most intense booty-shaking moments at the lu'au that night. Actually, it's the most intense booty-shaking I've EVER seen in my life so far. AMAZING!

Green Living Show Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away FIVE pairs of tickets to this year's Green Living Show.

A pair of tickets is worth $30!

The Green Living Show is Canada's largest green consumer show and will be coming to the Direct Energy Centre for three days starting Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 15.

For the first time ever, the Green Living Show introduces Farmers' Market, where you can meet and purchase from from local farmers, producers and artisans. As well, for its fourth year, you can sample more than 20 incredible gourmet dishes at Farm Fresh Fare where local talented chefs prepare dishes containing fresh, Ontario-grown ingredients. Click here for the list of chefs and vendors participating in Farm Fresh Fare.

HOW TO ENTER

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

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown: 

I want to win a pair of tickets to the Green Living Show! http://bit.ly/I9sYY8 #foodieyugls #gls2012

*Limit one entry per person*

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Monday, April 9th and ends on Wednesday, April 11th at 12PM.

The lucky winner will be chosen randomly from random.org and I will announce the winner on Thursday, April 12th. 

GOOD LUCK! ^_*

Le Dolci Giveaway - CLOSED

It is contest time again =D

I'm giving away one FREE "Introduction to Cake Pops" class at Le Dolci on

Sunday, April 15th, from 1-3pm. 

This class is worth $80!!!

Learn how to make Cake Pops from Lisa Sanguedolce, owner of Le Dolci.

 Photo credit: National Post

Cake Pops are fun to make AND eat. Great for any occasion

HOW TO ENTER

1) You must be following both me (@foodieyu) and Le Dolci (@LeDolci) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown: 

I want to win a free Cake Pops class from @LeDolci ! http://bit.ly/I5OgQ5 #LDcakepops

*Limit one entry per person*
**Contest is open to residents in Ontario only**

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Thursday, April 5th and ends on Thursday, April 12th at 12PM.

The lucky winner will be chosen randomly from random.org and I will announce the winner on Friday, April 13th. 

GOOD LUCK! ^_*

Le Dolci 

Website: www.ledolci.com

Facebook: Le Dolci Cupcakes and Cakes

Twitter: @LeDolci

Email: info@ledolci.com

Phone: 416.262.3400

GwaiLo's Sneak Preview Dinner

Has it been two months already? Two months since I had an 11-course dinner on chef Nick Liu's last night of service at Niagara Street Café? To answer my own rhetorical question: yes. Yes it has. Time flies *sigh* but lets move on...

After four years as Executive Chef at Niagara Street Café, chef Liu's (@Ninjachefnick) new project, GwaiLo (@GwaiLoToronto), is a soon-to-be Asian brasserie that will feature traditional Asian cuisine with the incorporation of modern techniques and adaptations from a wide range of Asian influences. Chef Liu's business partner Christina Kuypers (@deKuypers) (formerly The Black Hoof, Splendido and The Drake Hotel) will be running the front of house. Although with no location secured as yet, the GwaiLo team has already hosted two preview dinners and several pop-up events, all of which have created quite a buzz for the up-coming restaurant already.

I was invited to the first of two GwaiLo preview dinners a couple of weeks ago. With a six-course meal which was hosted on the second floor of Niagara Street Café (soon to be Edulis) I had a chance to taste what's to come at GwaiLo.

Chinese Fried Bread 

Congee and XO dipping sauce

Double Happiness 

Jim Beam 6yr, Amaro Montenegro, pineapple shrub, ginger

Course One: Crispy Silken Tofu

Smokey miso broth, toasted nori

Death Row Meals - Olde Hunters Feast II

Woot!!! I attended my third Death Row Meals (#DeathRowMeals) event last Sunday at Beast Restaurant (@BeastRestaurant) .  The theme this time was "Hunters Feast II":


"A year ago a concept was created by two lovers of food and drink, and a meal was held to celebrate this passion. Death Row Meals has come a long way, and this meal tonight will bring us full circle back to February 28, 2011. The Olde Hunters Feast has produced a wild boar prosciutto that we will be enjoying tonight throughout our meal, and is a result of the nose-to-tail philosophy of Death Row Meals and the chefs we involve in our events. Made with love, and paired appropriately we present the second installment of the Olde Hunters Feast."


Since I missed "Hunters Feast I", I was determined not to miss this one! For this second installment, Death Row Meals has reunited chefs from last year's event as well as the addition of a couple of out-of-town chefs =)


Here's a recap of the event...


It still amazes me how all six chefs can fit in that tiny kitchen.

COURSE ONE: Nick Benninger, Nick and Nat's Uptown 21 (@NNUptown21) - Waterloo

THE DISH: "Hunting Trip Gone Wrong" - Slow poached duck egg, trail mix, boarsciutto, foie granola, crab apple verjus, forest edibles.

THE PAIRING: 2010 Riesling Reserve, Rosewood Estates (@Rosewoodwine)

Green Living Show

The Green Living Show (Facebook: Green Living, Twitter: @GreenLivingPage), Canada's largest green consumer show, will be coming to the Direct Energy Centre for three days starting on Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 15th. It will feature thousands of amazing eco products and services as well as a diverse selection of demonstrations, live presentations and activities.

From over 400 exhibits at the Green Living Show, the two attractions that really caught my eye are the Farmers Market and Farm Fresh Fare.


Farmers Market
Everyone loves their local Farmers' Market, yes? This year for the first time ever, the Green Living Show introduces a collection of Toronto Farmers’ Market managers and vendors coming together in one place to create a unique Farmers Market for the Green Living Show. Meet and purchase from local farmers, producers and artisans, and also learn how farmers' markets in your community are making local and sustainably grow food more accessible. 

Farm Fresh Fare
Sample more than 20 incredible gourmet dishes at Farm Fresh Fare, now in its fourth year, where local, talented restaurant chefs prepare dishes containing fresh, Ontario-grown ingredients. Part of the proceeds from Farm Fresh Fare ticket sales go to Evergreen's Children's Food program and Slow Food Toronto's Learning Garden Programs. Tickets are $2 each, dishes cost either 1 or 2 tickets.

Some of the new generation of young chefs participating in Farm Fresh Fare include:
- Chef Alexandra Feswick (@alexandfeswick) from Brockton General (@BROCKTONGENERAL)
- Chef Graham Pratt (@Grahamplatt) from The Gabardine (@TheGabardine)
- Chef Aaron Joseph Bear Robe from Keriwa Cafe (@KeriwaCafe)
- Chef Fabio Bondi from Local Kitchen and Wine Bar / Bar Salumi (@LocalKitchen)


Other vendors include:
- Chefs Luis Valenzuela (@chef_valenzuela) and Alan Vanti of Torito representing their own venture, Texturas 
- Splendido representing The County General (@CountyGeneral)
- Hey Meatball, with another location opening in Roncesvalles this summer
- New this year is Delight Ice-cream and Chocolate Shop in Parkdale (organic / artisanal)
- YU Ranch / Le Select Bistro serving Texas longhorn wild beef 
- Kernal Peanuts teams up with 100km Foods and Brockton General to produce peanut butter and toasted peanut and quinoa salad.
- Only out of town restaurant: Owen Sound’s Rocky Raccoon Cafe
- K2 Milling, the new flour miller on the scene is an old mill in Tottenham (organic / artisanal) 
- LPK’s Culinary Groove's vegan sweet potato donuts (vegan / gluten free) as well as a lot of other vegan show vendors
- Merchants of Green Coffee will roast coffee at the show.

Attendees to the Green Living Show receive FREE ENTRY when you bring electronic waste for recycling courtesy of Samsung Electronics Canada. In 2011, show visitors brought in over 40,000 lbs of e-waste! See list of accepted electronic waste here.

Ticket Prices
Adults: $15
Seniors (65+): $11
Students (with valid photo ID): $11
Chidren 12 and under: Free, must be accompanied by adult
Group Rate (15+ persons): $10 / person
School Group Rate (10+ students / teachers): $6 / person

Show Hours
Friday, April 13 – 10 AM – 9 PM
Saturday, April 14 - 10 AM – 9 PM
Sunday, April 15 – 10 AM – 6 PM


I'll be giving away FIVE pairs of Green Living Show tickets next week!!! Stay tuned for details =D