Mary Luz Mejia's Blog
Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
When former Toronto litigator and now B&B owner (of Casa Machaya in Oaxaca) Alvin Starkman contacted me months ago about helping him bring a bit of Oaxaca to Toronto, I never thought people here would heed the siren call of Oaxacan food- of Chef Pilar Cabrera's food to be exact. And it's not because Oaxacan food is less than fabulous- it's considered some of the best in country. My concern was that I'd A- overbooked her at 6 restaurants and 1 cooking school here in the city and that B- people here can be funny about Mexican food (sorry folks, but this ain't Chicago).
When I approached some friends and family about coming out- I heard more than once "What, pay $50 for Mexican food? No thanks!" That floored me- so I asked, "why not?" The response varied from "I've had Mexican food. Tacos and fajitas aren't new to me." Well, tacos maybe Mexican (soft shell, corn masa only), but fajitas amigos, falls squarely in the Tex-Mex cuisine camp and is far, far from the sophisticated food Pilar is known for making.
She regaled diners at Frida with a mole negro- the most complex of the bunch (it takes 30 ingredients, a deft hand and lots of practice to get it just right) while Chef Jose Hadad did the same with his lamb tamales. At FRANK restaurant, it was the Ontario corn soup with butternut squash prepared Oaxacan style that took our collective breath away and the mole coloradito that she made here at my home was simply outstanding. Oh and let's not forget that coffee flan at The Chefs' House- silken magic.
By my estimates, 500 plus people enjoyed Pilar's cooking here in Toronto- some coming from as far away as Hamilton to dine on her artisinal fare. I'd say that's several hundred new "converts" to what Mexican food should be- even here in Toronto. We'll miss you Chef Pilar- but we know you'll be back to share new dishes and flavours with us again. Hasta pronto!
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
The sun-drenched valley city of Oaxaca, in the Mexican state of the same name, is considered to be the country’s culinary capital. Apart from being the land of seven moles, Oaxaca also boasts an impressive gastronomic repertoire. Working within the state’s rich and proud culinary heritage is one of Oaxaca City’s brightest lights in the food world, Pilar Cabrera Arroyo. This September 10-30, 2009, Pilar will be visiting Toronto, ON to share those well-preserved traditions with food enthusiasts throughout the GTA.
Pilar grew up in Oaxaca City surrounded by the state’s vast food history and ingredients- including chile dusted fried grasshoppers (chapulines) and pre-Hispanic dishes that tell the tales of ancient, native peoples. After completing a food engineering and nutrition degree, she worked in research and development for the food giant Herdez-McCormick before returning to her true passion- cooking. In 1994, she opened her own restaurant, the award-winning “La Olla” (or the Pot), featuring the produce of regional (when possible, organic) farmers who help make her Oaxacan cuisine a living work of art.
Pilar has also found a growing fan-base of intrigued foodies around the globe through her “Casa de los Sabores” (House of Flavours) cooking school where banana leaf wrapped tamales, rose petal sorbet and Oaxacan yellow mole have become oft-requested recipes. Oaxacan cuisine is a labour of love that requires attention, a deft hand, fine-tuned taste buds and old-world knowledge. Pilar learned the basics and the cuisine’s subtleties from her mother and grandmother.
Here’s what celebrated Chef Rick Bayless (of Chicago’s Frontera Grill and Topolobampo) has to say about Pilar: “I would strongly urge anyone with an interest in Mexican food to take advantage of any opportunity to learn from and experience the Oaxacan cuisine of Pilar Cabrera. She is one of the greats!” The New York Times and Bon Appetit magazine have echoed similar sentiments.
v Wednesday, September 16: Frida Restaurant & Bar – dinner tasting menu with owner/Chef Jose Hadad - www.fridarestaurant.ca
v Monday, September 21st: Dinner at FRANK at the Art Gallery of Ontario with Executive Chef Anne Yarymowich - http://www.ago.net/frank
v Tuesday, September 22: Cooking class at Nella Cucina Cooking School - for public and Women's Culinary Network Members: http://www.nellacucina.ca/cucina/event.html?Year=2009&Month=9
v Wednesday, September 23: Dinner at Veritas Local Fare with Food Network Celebrity Chef Brad Long - http://www.localfare.ca/
v Monday, September 28: Torito Tapas Bar- Pilar prepares a menu of “Botanas”- Mexico’s version of tapas- http://www.toritorestaurant.com/
v Tuesday, September 29: Multi-course dinner menu at The Chefs’ House operated by students of George Brown's Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts- www.thechefshouse.com
NOTE: To reserve your seat at any of the above-noted venues, please contact the location of your choice to make arrangements. And those who attend one of Pilar’s events will be able to participate in a raffle for a complimentary week’s accommodations in Oaxaca, to be awarded to two lucky couples.
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
The sun-drenched valley city of Oaxaca, in the Mexican state of the same name, is considered by many to be the country’s culinary capital. Apart from being the land of seven moles (pron. moh-leh), Oaxaca also boasts an impressive gastronomic repertoire long admired by the rest of Mexico and gastronomes the world over. Working within the state’s rich and proud culinary heritage is one of Oaxaca City’s brightest lights in the food world, Pilar Cabrera Arroyo (in photo holding one of her luscious flans). This September 10-30, 2009, Pilar will be visiting Toronto, ON to share those well-preserved traditions with food enthusiasts throughout the GTA.
Pilar grew up in Oaxaca City surrounded by the state’s vast food history and ingredients- including chile dusted fried grasshoppers (chapulines) and pre-Hispanic dishes that tell the tales of ancient, native peoples. In 1994, she opened her restaurant, the award-winning “La Olla” (or the Pot), featuring the produce of regional (when possible, organic) farmers who help make her Oaxacan cuisine a living work of art.
Pilar has also found a growing fan-base of intrigued foodies around the globe through her “Casa de los Sabores” (House of Flavour) cooking school where banana leaf wrapped tamales, rose petal sorbet and Oaxacan yellow mole have become oft-requested recipes. Oaxacan cuisine is a labour of love that requires attention, a deft hand, fine-tuned taste buds and old-world knowledge. Pilar learned the basics and the cuisine’s subtleties from her mother and grandmother.
More to follow regarding her venues and classes here in Toronto. Food Trends is proud to have a hand in putting these together for Pilar in Toronto, with the help of Oaxaca City-based B & B owner, Alvin Starkman of Casa Machaya- a beautiful place to stay in Oaxaca!
Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
The French Pastry School of Chicago will be hosting two of Spain’s (and indeed the worlds) Master Pastry Chefs- Paco Torreblanca and Oriol Balaguer. The lucky attendees to this demo and workshop (for professionals and lucky food enthusiasts who either live in Chicago or can get there) will take place this June 26th and 27th, 2009. Once you see what these two men can do, you may agree that the French have nada on the Spanish!
The two day demo will see both chefs alternating over the course of the workshop, and they’ll be joined by Chicago’s own Rick Bayless (of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo) who will prepare multi-course lunches for participants, just so you can keep your energy up! Having eaten at both establishments, I can vouch that the meals will be fabulous, and Mexican-inspired, which is after all what Bayless is best known for.
I could list the glowing accolades of both Master Pastry Chefs here, but instead, I suggest you go to their websites to be awed and wowed. The kinds of pastries and confections these men create is some of the most luxurious, beautiful pieces of edible art you’ll ever see anywhere. They’re an inspiration to anyone who wants to practice the craft, or like me- admires those who can.
Click here to learn more about the event and for those who can, to register.
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
Toronto cured-meat aficionado Mario Stojanac writes, "Charcuterie has become an increasingly popular feature on many a restaurant menu over the past couple of years, so it was inevitable that we would finally get an establishment devoted completely to the art of all things cured, smoked or preserved. In
The word ‘charcuterie’ is derived from the French words for flesh (chair) and cooked (cuit), and is art of preparing primarily meat products such as hams, sausages, terrines and pâtés. Chef Grant van Gameren’s charcuterie plate is the jewel in this eatery’s crown around which the concise remainder of the menu jostles for attention.
Van Gameren makes much of his charcuterie in house, and on one early spring eve, we were treated to meltingly tender pancetta, silky smooth foie gras, rabbit terrine and a pork liver sausage amongst another half dozen items, the most interesting of which was a horse bresaola (the lone item not made in house). The charcuterie plate was also adorned with home made pickles and preserves, including quince, ground macadamia nuts with passion fruit and a truffled honey (served with apples).
Once we had dispatched with the charcuterie plate, the table compelled to try the horse tartar, which was soft and rich but not too unlike beef. With society’s penchant for naming and petting horses, our server Catherine was quick to point out that the horsemeat was specifically ranched for this purpose in Quebec – I guess in a (ultimately successful) bid to encourage us to try it – and we’re glad we did. But boy is that dish rich- four of us split one serving and that was plenty for me!
Also on the menu was a chorizo and octopus salad – the vinaigrette’s citrusy notes playing perfectly off the smoky fattiness of the sausage. The Black Hoof may a little boho and it's the hip hangout for locals and chefs on their night off, but it is inviting, comfortable and unpretentious. They don’t take reservations, so early birds (before 7 p.m.) will avoid the long wait (up to 1 hour 45 minutes the night I was there but I gratefully missed that)…but it is well worth it and is the perfect place for a casual evening where plate sharing is definitely encouraged. And don't forget to order a glass of the Walnut Brown Sherry from Spain- it's absolutely wonderful!
The Black Hoof,
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
- Are you in your mid 20’s to mid 50’s and don’t know how to cook?
- Do your friends, family and coworkers make fun of you because of your complete inability to cook?
- Are you desperate to become more confident in the kitchen?
- Do you have a reason and desire to prove yourself in the kitchen?
- Do you have a kitchen that is big enough to shoot part of a television episode in?
- Must live in Toronto or GTA
Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
Sometimes, being a food writer has its perks. This month, I get to visit one of Canada’s most enchanting areas- Halifax, Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley for a little east coast dining and delighting. On February 26th, the month-long festival of all edible delights in Nova Scotia comes to a crescendo with the Savour Food & Wine Show. Area top toques will be on hand regaling show goers with every manner of locally sourced, produced or grown delight imaginable- all prepared with that Maritime pride!
Michael Howell's Tempest Restaurant and The Port Gastropub will both be represented along with a spate of other fine dining establishments including: 44 North, Armview Restaurant, Blomidon Inn, Brussels Restaurant & Brasserie, Chives Canadian Bistro, Cocoa Pesto, Crown Bistrot, CUT Steakhouse & Urban Grill, DaMaurizio, Des Barres Manor Inn, Durty Nellys, FID, Hamachi House, Hamachi Steakhouse, Il Mercato Spring Garden, Il Mercato Bedford, The Italian Gourmet-Casual Dining, Le Caveau, Mosiac Social Dining, Onyx, Rogi Orazio, Ryan Duffy's, Scanway Catering, Seage Bistro, Seasons Bistro & Wine Bar, Seven Wine Bar, Scanway Catering, Stone Street Cafe, Stories at The Haliburton, Taj Mahal, Thai Chin, The Kilted Grillhouse, The Press Gang, Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar and White Point Beach Resort.
The party and the tasting get underway at 6:30pm at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel with the Best of Show winners (for various categories) walking away with a year's worth of bragging rights! I can't wait to dig in!
To read about how it was- click here!
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
Yep- you don't have to go downtown to Chinatown to get some serious Dim Sum. For those out there like myself who love the snack-sized dumplings and the whole ritual of eating a meal shared with friends- dim sum was a once-in-a-while treat. Not anymore!
Thanks to my pal Chef Vanessa Yeung- I can assemble my own dim sum dumplings and pot stickers at home. At a recent Dim Sum Making class- I learned the fine art folding the wrapper of the shrimp pot sticker (thanks in part to her affable and patient mum Millie), and how to bundle an all-time favourite, Siu Mai. Not as hard as I thought and SO completely satisfying when we all saw the edible art we produced. True, some of the potstickers were a bit wonky and no, they didn't look as gorgeous as the art produced by Dim Sum maestros like Terrence Chan of the Metropolitan Hotel here in Toronto- but we were proud nonetheless. And we ate very well that class, I can assure you!
Another bonus of learning to make your own dumplings is that you can start to play around with the fillings once you get used to the flavours - like more ginger or garlic? OK- add some extra. Not so crazy about XO sauce? You can decrease that ingredient or cut it out if you're really not into it. Customization can be a fun, interactive way of spending a lazy Sunday with pals eager to taste their hand made treats. The more the merrier (and quicker) when making dumplings for a bunch.
And given the lack of really good Asian cooking classes in the GTA, I think Chef Yeung just hit the motherlode! I for one am grateful for the recipes and the insider tips!
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
It's that time of year when every magazine, blog and food site publishes the Top 2009 Trends as they foresee them. Bon Appetit published their top 50 "Ways to Eat Green" (or green eating trends) in their February '09 issue and in it, "Support Your Local Winemaker" was a noteworthy sidebar. They suggest, "With wineries in every state of the union, a local winemaker is never far away. You're already familiar with the major growing regions of Washington, California, and Oregeon but some of the wines produced in other parts of the country are worth checking out."
I couldn't agree more. And if you're in Canada, that list can extend to the Niagara Region in Ontario, along with the province's Prince Edward Country, the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, and the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia to name but a few. This past weekend, I had the good fortune of partaking in one full, wine-filled day in and around Niagara-on-the-Lake for the region's Niagara Icewine Festival. It's always amazing to me just how many small producers there are who are making hand-crafed wines with integrity, the old school way.
Along the way, I got to sample icewines from large and smaller producers and enjoy a five course Winemaker's Dinner where I discovered a few new hits in the wine list including the 2007 Viognier from Fielding Estate Winery and Palatine Hills 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine. If you haven't tried them- do. You will not be disappointed. For me and my cherished dinner companion, it was like unearthing a gem when you least expect it! So do your part and support your local winemaker- they'll thank you and so will the local economy! And that's good news for everyone! (finally!).
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Posted by Mary Luz Mejia
As a Colombian immigrant living in Canada, sometimes the foods of my Latin roots seemed out of reach. When I was a kid, my father and I would go out of the way to downtown Hamilton (a good 20 minutes from our little townhouse up the "mountain") to the Jamaican specialty food shop in town so he could get his hands on ripe and green plantains, yucca (or cassava) and mangoes. Today, it’s not as elusive to find the ingredients we know and love as Latinos- but it’s still not as easy as I'd like it to be. It makes me feel a bit disconnected to what I grew up eating, despite the fact that I’ve embraced the foods of the world as my own here in multi-cultural Toronto where you can get great Vietnamese pho as well as a good Portuguese piri piri marinated chicken.
You can imagine my delight then upon meeting one of the best and brightest in the Latin food (and intellectual) community- Maricel Presilla on a recent “At the Table With…” shoot with her and her family and friends in Miami. From the tropical mamey fruit juice that greeted the crew on our first day to the pan-Latin feast we filmed and later enjoyed on our last, spending time with Maricel was like finding an oasis, or a gustatory spa of sorts at the very least. A little dramatic perhpas- but for a Colombian kid who grew up eating the sometimes flavourless foods around her in Canada (what’s a hot dog next to a Colombian chorizo for goodness sakes??), reacquainting myself with the foods of the south through Maricel was a sensory feast! And even though we all (including the affable Maricel) worked between the holidays, there’s no better way to be on the road and exploring the delights of the Latin table than through one of her buttery Cuban tamales or Key Biscayne’s Boaters Grill’s lechon asado- roasted pigs. Now that’s living! Gracias Maricel!
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