A Season's Worth of Good Food

Posted by Mary Luz Mejia Sep 9, 2008

From my trip to China to a flurry of local feasts, this summer has been a season of fine eating on many fronts.

I was introduced to the sometimes nuances of Chinese street foods, teas and other delights by my good friend Rudy Guo- who incidentally also introduced me to a fabulous local chef- Domenic Chiaromonte of Match Restaurant & Catering in Woodbrige. There, we devoured a seven (or was that eight)? course meal that could rival anything Bacchus could conjure. Oh- the delicious food coma (I swear, I'm not a glutton! Mostly.) From a tuna Bolognese on angel hair wasabi pasta to perfectly plated desserts that have won the chef numerous awards- it was a stunning meal all round!

Next up, I had the good fortune of meeting Chef Jeff Crump of theAncaster Old Mill near Hamilton, Ontario who has turned the Old Mill around in every way. I’ve written a feature-length piece about Chef Crump for the fall issue of Edible Toronto’s “Back of the House” section. Suffice it to say that I went back with some friends and family where we enjoyed an al fresco meal by the new, custom made hearth (it’s capable of roasting two pigs simultaneously) and sampling some of chef’s delectable dishes- that roasted cod with miso, maple syrup and a few Crump touches still knocks our collective socks off.

Finally, a BBQ at Chef Carlos Fuenmayor’s in-laws this summer took me to the heart of Italy in suburban Toronto where grapes, tomatoes and Sicilian zucchinis all patiently awaited ripening on the vine. The house made cured meat, bbq’ed sausages, pasta and wine-ripened cheeses still dance in my mind’s eye, as does the fancy foot work of Chef Fuenmayor- who knew he was such a Fred Astaire?