This past Sunday La Petite Chef took part in a cooking competition and came in first! The name of the comeptition,  Not Your Baba’s Borscht. The Children’s of Chernobyl organized this fundraiser for their sub charity, Dishing for Dzherelo. Dzherelo is a rehabilitation center in Ukraine that works with children of special needs. Ukraine is seriously lacking in government run programs for people with special needs so organizations like this are extremely important. We jumped at the chance to get involved.

What were we going to compete for? The golden beet. By making the best borscht and passing the scrutiny of judges as well as all the audience the winner would take home this trophy and have ample bragging rights to boot.

Competitors were Chef Anthony Rose, Drake Hotel,  Chef Donna Dooher Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, Exec. Sous Chef Jeff Dueck Art Gallery of Ontario and Tatiana Shabotynsky of La Petite Chef.

Everyone had really interesting interpretations, Chef Anthony used smoked brisket, Donna Dooher and her crew used golden beets and Chef Dueck used candy cane beets.We decided on a traditional red borscht with wild mushroom dumplings called Ushka, dill and sour cream swirl and a side crostini topped with pork liver pate.

Lynn Crawford was an amazing host and I have never met anyone with so much energy. Anne Yaramovich and her crew also prepared a mouth watering lunch inspired by the menu at Veselka. Veselka is a Ukrainian restaurant in New York which is famous for it’s borscht. The owner, Tom Birchard was one of the judges. The remaining two judges were Malcolm Jolley of Good Food Revolution and Olga Stanko as the honorary “baba” representative.

The instructions we received were the following;

The Competition:

Each Chef will prepare and serve 253 small portions of their borshch entry.

Each guest, and each judge will receive a taster of your soup anonymously labelled for judging.

The Borshch should be your interpretation of best borshch ever!

The only criteria is that it should contain beets, and it should have some kind of souring agent. 

It need not be authentic, and it can express your preferred style of cuisine.

Judging Criteria:

Presentation   20%

 Taste    50%

Creativity   10%

Novel or impressive use of ingredients  10%

Authenticity   10%

 For a Total of  100 %

For some more info check out:

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/-1578624.htm

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/guide/general/

Highlights:

Friendly competition with Chef Anthony

Winning the Golden Beet

One of the judges, Malcom Jolley, Good Food Revolution

Chef Anne's Bigus Stew with Pork Belly

Chef Anene's Potato Varenyky with Truffle Oil

Letters from the children of Dzherelo

On October 18th there was a fundraiser at Roy Thompson Hall. It was thrown by Willow, which is a Canadian non for profit organization raising awareness and support for breast cancer. Eat to the Beat is their major fund raising campaign and this year 60 female Chef’s from all over the city prepared  appetizers from locally grown and sustainable food items according to the theme. It was a lot of fun and I got a lot of great inspirations. Willow has raised 3.1 million dollars which is unbelievable, I will definitely be going next year.

Check out some if the highlights:

Bite Catering

These grilled cheese were really delicious.  Grilled Pear, Smoked Gouda and Crispy Prosciutto.

Al the Best Fine Foods

Chicken + Swiss Chard Terrine. Loved how colourful these were. All the Best Fine Foods

Whole Foods Market

Another grilled cheese, with 6 yr aged Cheddar, Parmesan and Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard.

Jayne's Catering

Loved these! They were little mini submarines made from pata choux, with lemongrass chicken and  kimchi. I got a lot of ideas from this one.

Great Cooks on Eight

These were my favourite. Duck confit on an apple chip topped with Quince Jam.

Stratford Chef School

Smoked Duck Breast on Sesame Cripsy with Cramberries and Sea Buckthorn.

Mushroom Soup. Unfortunetly didn’t get the name down..

Fondue Skewers. Also missed the chef for this one.

Tutti Matti

Wild Boar Stew

Cheese Cake Lollis

Macrons

The Cake Lady

These were just beatiful

Viva Tastings

Arctic Char on Radish

East + Main Bistro

Mushroom Ravioli with Tomato Cream Sauce

She Takes the Cake

Dolce De Leche Cakes

From the Farm Cooking School

Chicken Liver Pate with Apples, Tarragon and Calvados

AGO

Mini Smoked Meat Sandwiches

I like using blogs to research recipes because they are honest. Equipped with step by step photos and readers’ comments it is the safest way to find recipes off the internet. I found them the most useful in my quest for the perfect muffin recipe.

After reading a lot of blogs and  browsing through what felt like hundreds of different websites on the muffin topic I managed to put together a decent list of reliable sources that I thought were on to something. Their suggestions were more or less the same and their products looked good. I plan to use them as guides and will probably try out a few of the recipes. In my opinion, the best sites for muffin recipes are:

The List

http://www.simplebites.net/how-to-make-the-best-muffins/

http://bakingsheet.blogspot.com/2006/01/cooking-school-bakery-style-muffins.html

http://www.bakedperfection.com/2009/02/bakery-style-blueberry-muffins.html

http://www.slashfood.com/2006/01/08/tips-for-creating-a-bakery-style-muffin/

http://www.joyofbaking.com/muffins/muffinrecipes.html

http://bakingfix.com/thefix/?p=3343

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/quick-baking-tip-how-to-get-a-domed-muffin-top-143051

http://www.ilovemuffins.ca

The Conclusion

After completing my online research I concluded the flowing:

1. I need a recipe that uses either sour cream or yogurt

2. I need a recipe that uses a decent amount of baking powder as a leavening agent

3. I need the batter to be very thick

4. I need ingredients to be room temperature

5.  I need to not over mix

6. I need to bake at a higher temperature

7. I need to use butter

This will narrow down the recipe pool list a little I think.

Online research complete! Next, scour the city for the best muffin and stuff my face with as many candidates as possible.

I hate baking sometimes….

I find it incredibly heart breaking when you put a lot of prep work into a product that your certain is going to be amazing and it doesn’t turn out. I get really crushed and seriously second guess any talent I have as a chef.

With baking there is way more anticipation than I can handle, unlike with cooking where  results are usually  a lot faster.  You can see pretty quickly where there might be an error and there’s usually time to readjust, not so with baking. It’s a pretty strict science with a lot of variables from the equipment you use to the temperature of the room.

This is why I have struggled with muffins all my life and have been trying to bury this fact in a dark corner of my mind. Well no more I say, I am going to face my fears and  create the perfect muffin even if it takes me 200 tries, I vow to myself and to anyone else that cares I will figure out how to make the perfect muffin and share it with the world.

In order to do this I need to determine what makes a perfect muffin (thoughts here are appreciated so don’t be shy).

I have concluded that a perfect muffin for me is composed of the following.

Perfect Muffin Compostition

-More or less even colour of beautiful golden brown

- Well shaped top that  rises about 1 inch from the top of the muffin tin at it’s center

- Sides cascade down in a uniform slope to form a ”mushroom” like shape

- Top should be a little crispier with interesting toppping (oats, crumble, nuts)

- The body of the muffin and center of the top is light and soft

- Should stay soft all day long

- Not overly sweet

- More than one ingredient (eg. apple + pecan, banana + walnut)

Those are the conditions I am trying to meet, nay, going to meet. Positive thinking is half the battle.

The Plan

First and foremost my plan of attack is to do preliminary research i.e. eat a lot of muffins in the city and see if my perfect muffin is out there somewhere.  I can then use that as my golden standard and use it as a real life comparison.

Second, hit the books/internet. I will  do research on the web, read food magazines and cook books to find anything that is written about muffins. See what secrets I can uncover.

Third, start muffin trials documenting each version like a mad scientist

Fourth, create the perfect muffin and gloat a lot then go to the gym.

Onwards I go…

Rule Britannia 

Great Britain was next on my destination list. I made it my mission to try as many traditional British dishes as possible. Despite the terrible reputation that Britain has had for food I really enjoyed the cuisine there. I think that they have become conscious of the bad rap they’ve had but instead of totally changing their cuisine and trying to invent something completely different I think they (like so many of us now ) returned to basics and have focused on quality ingredients which has worked. Here are some of my favourite memories of British cuisine:

Pies + Pasties

Pies and pasties are probably the most quintecential British food and the Brits are obsessed with them. Pies were the ‘thang’  in medieval times are were even given props in songs and poems like “4 and 20 Black birds baked in a pie…”  There have been chronicles found recording giant meat pies that would sometimes be as large as 9 feet, needed two men to carry them and were placed on wheels so they could be wheeled around to the guests. Crazy.  In Victorian times, pie-men would be like hot dog vendors selling them at fairs and to construction workers.

Pies come in a variety of shapes and sizes and with a plethora of fillings such as steak and kidneys, mutton or game bird. Most are filled with the classic combo; meat + vegetables.

Different regions have different pies  that they are famous for;

Cambridge:   Huntingdon ‘fidget pie’- Apple, bacon, potato, onion. Yes please.

West Yorkshire: Denby Dale Pie- A squarely designed pie cooked with gravy strewn potatoes, stewing beef,  onions, and occasionally laced with Yorkshire beer. Serious comfort food.

The difference between a pie and a pasty is that a pasty is like a calzone but made with pie crust, they are great as “to-go”  meals. Cornish pasties are the original version and they are pretty gosh darn delicious with beef, potatos, onions and turnips. They really hit the spot on a dreary day.

British Bangers

 Bangers to the Brits are like cheeses to the french. If you go to a butcher shopped there are lists of bangers with different meats and spices from various regions all over Britain. The most famous banger is the Cumberland sausage.  It’s usually sold as a long coil and  has chopped meat, not ground. Cumberland sausages are also protected and can only be made in Cumbria. “Bangers + Mash” is the classic combo usually served with a side of peas but proper British breakfasts are also not complete with out a good banger or two.

I was particulary fond of the wild boar bangers I had with creamy mashed potatoes,  boiled savoy cabbage  and coved in veal jus (pictured on the far right). I was served this is in a gorgoues gastro pub in Oxford that reminded me of a hunting lodge. That’s the way to do British food.

La Petite Conclusion

There were a lots of other dishes I had that were fantastic but I would have to say that  Bangers and Pies like these can’t be replicated anywhere else except the U.K so they get first place. If you are ever across the pond I highly recommend that you seek out some gastro pubs and fill up on these national treasures. Overall, when its comes to British food, don’t knock it till you try it!

 Below are some other favourite culinary memories from the U.K just to make you hungry…

Loads of Turkish Delight

Coffee Plantation

Tico Food 

 My personal favorite, fried plantains. I love the caramelized version which was the most common way of serving them. Sweet, savory, succulent, and highly addictive. I couldn’t get enough, meals wouldn’t feel complete without them. I had them with grilled meat, with ice cream, with gallo pinto. I had them for breakfast or just on their own as salty plantain chips. Of all the dishes I tried, fried plantains are probably what I will miss the most since they are hard to come by in my neighborhood.

Caramleized Fried Plantains

Grilled Shrimp, Pineapple Salsa, Crispy Fried Plantain

Gallo Pinto + Pulled Pork

Fresh is the Best

Fresh salsa was a must with most meals and came in many different forms from the traditional tomato, onion, cilantro version, to pineapple, papaya, chilis and mango. Avocados made an appearance often as did potatoes, onions and squash. There were several varieties of squash that we don’t normally see here but are common in Mesoamerica like chayote and zapallo. The fruit was outstanding as it was simply picked and served. Fresh orange and guava juice were a morning ritual that I wish I could transport home with me.   

 Eating Local, no problem

Costa Rica is still an agricultural country, with more than one fourth of its population working in this sector. Consequently many items on the menu come from local farms, gardens, and plantations. The coastline provides and abundance of fish like Grouper and Red Snapper. Becoming a locavore is piece of cake here while in Toronto it requires far more of an active effort. I am jealous.

Coffee Culture

Home grown arabica beans, freshly roasted makes for a heavenly morning coffee.

One can not experience Costa Rican cuisine without experiencing the coffee. Coffee production is huge to Costa Rica. It is their number one export and they take it seriously. F.Y.I there are few things better than trying freshly roasted and brewed coffee straight from the plantation. Jealous again.

Green Coffee

It was really great to see that Costa Rica is really transforming they way they produce coffee. They are very conscious of the environmental factors incurred by coffee production on their land and are trying to ensure that coffee production is made in the most natural way possible.

Shade plantations have been gaining popularity despite the fact that critics believed farmers would never agree to losing some of their yields in exchange for a better environment.  They plant banana trees with the coffee plants to create natural shade as well as serving as habitats for diverse populations of tropical forest species. In addition, farmers are starting to use the excess pulp to fertilize their fields instead of dumping it in the rivers. We hope to see this continue so that we can keep drinking that amazing coffee.

Costa Rica I miss you…

These were the ones I chose

Just picked up some pumpkins!

I got them from a farm in the Tiny Township just outside of Perkinsfield.  I feel like its been ages since I have been in a real pumpkin patch picking out a pumpkin. I have to admit I felt like a kid in a  candy store with all the choices that this patch had. I am so happy that farmers are having fun with bringing back a large varieties of odd looking pumpkins. The classic jac o’lantern is fine but let’s face it, its been done. A nice warty one or a pale white Casper pumpkin would be original and even more spooky.

It was very hard to decide but I think I made a good selection. The varities I picked were; Casper (white), Cinderella (red), jumpin jack (orange), La Estrella (gray-green), crazy warty (that one is kind of  obvious).

There were a lot of tiny heirloom pumpkins which make beautiful centerpieces. They are only available at this time of year so if you are entertaining, take advantage! They are the perfect place setting if you tie a name tag on the stem, original and economical no less!

I love how during Halloween it is perfectly acceptable to play with your food. Carving pumpkins is a great tradition that allows you to be a kid again which we all could use from time to time. As a bonus,  after Halloween I will roast the seeds, they are great on salads and  a favourite snack of mine. I’ll post my go-to recipe next week. 

Happy Pumpkin Carving!

-Tatiana

Recently I had an impromptu road trip to our Nation’s Capital.  I think when most people think of Ottawa they picture mostly the parliament buildings or the Rideau Canal. As spectacular as those are the Byward Market deserves equal credit.

This open air market has been around since the 1840’s and the 19^th century stone building, Cobblestone Street and courtyards add a beautiful and historical ambiance.  Then there is the bustling market.

Farmers and craftsmen from the surrounding area set up shop and hock their wares to the passersby. Maple syrups, butter tarts, honey combs, beeswax candles and home-made fudge are among some of the items that I had a really hard time pulling away from. There also the home made soaps, scented oils and wild flowers that made me look for excuses of why I would need to buy them. However, even though I am a little biased I have to say that the fresh produce was the best part.  Colourful heirloom carrots, hanging bunches of garlic, Brussle sprout bushes and rows upon rows of glistening berries looked more decorative than edible.

After exhausting myself from the over stimulation of the market chaos it was time for a lunch.  Weaving through groups of street performers we finally stumbled upon an adorable courtyard that was tucked away from crowded main street.  Settling into our patio seats I was happy to see that the menu reflected the local market produce and that the wine list was also heavy on  Ontario wines. A crips reisling was just what the doctor ordered and it went well with one of the best chicken club sandwiches I ever had; grilled cranberry bread, house-made aioli, double smoked crispy bacon and roast chicken was simple and perfect. Just writing about it makes me want to go back to the Byward Market and order it again. Next year I  vow to do it again!

If you’ve ever come across an advertisement for a food and wine festival in your city I highly recommend that you go. My father and I were lucky enough to attend the “Salut Wine and Food Festival” in Toronto yesterday evening. Tickets were $50 for all you can eat and drink. Some may think this is too steep for a Wednesday night outing but this event boasted representatives from some of the best restaurants this city has to offer, great wine coupled with some great company, it’s a really nice way to break up the monotony of the week and get you to sit back and remind you to enjoy life. That to me is priceless.

The Salut festival is three days and has different themes.  Last night the chefs were asked to create a dish using the showcased wine, Fetzer Pino Grigio somewhere in their dish. It was fun to see how differently they used them.

The restaurants showcased were:

Splendidos

17 Noir

Langdon Hall

Brassaii

Crush Wine Bar

Four

Sen5es

They were all great. Some ofcourse better than others but I’m not a food critic. I will say my favourites though. The Fois Gras from Crush was awesome.  17 Noir’s ravioli that had the Pino Grigio and  honey  inside was great and was the most visually attractive plate but for overall taste and presentation, I have to give it to Four. They had a very Canadian plate. Fresh mackerel that was topped with shredded ham hock , a wild rice vinaigrette and potato chips.  Everything worked really well together. It was simple but oh so delicious!

Here are some of the highlights.

Thank you to my Dad (Tato)! We’ll be coming back next year!

A few days ago  I received a call from my uncle that he had been up to his cottage and managed to pick fresh morels and wild leeks in the surrounding forest. He asked if I wanted some. I nearly lost it. Morels are in season from April to June and if can get your hands on some fresh ones do it! These honey-comb like mushrooms love to grow in forests where there where previous forest fires. They are prized by cooks all over the world, especially France. They look so beautiful and unique, I think they are nature at it’s best.

Wild leeks can also be found abundantly in Ontario forests after the first signs of spring. They are often called ramps and can be found at local farmers markets at this time of year.  They have beautiful tender leaves that are great when wilted with a bit of butter. They have a mild garlicky taste and they compliment morels perfectly.

Treat the leeks as you would spinach but cut off the onion like bulbs. These bulbs are great for pickling but that’s another post.

Tonight I finally had a moment to enjoy these earthly pleasures and  had the best midnight snack,  it was better than I could have imagined.

Although they may look intimidating, morels are really easy to work with and really should be experienced at least once in your life.

My midnight meal consisted of;

Pan-fried morels, wilted leeks, shaved parmesan and balsamic reduction

Here’s how I prepared the morels

Cleaning the morels:

Soak Morels briefly in cold water with a tbs of salt, about 1 min

 Fresh morels will have dirt that hides in the crevices and even though I usually recommend just brushing mushrooms, these you need to wash.

Strain them and let them sit in a paper towel. Don’t squish them but let them dry off as much as you can.

Pan Fried Morels

• Heat a frying pan to high
• Prepare egg wash with 1 egg and 2 tbs water, whisk till smooth
• Dip the cleaned morels into the egg wash
• In a small bowl add a 1/3 cup flour or as need to coat the morels
• Roll the morels in the flour to coat them evenly
• Add a tbs of vegetable oil to the frying pan, once the oil is shimmering add the mushrooms
• Fry mushrooms till golden brown and then sprinkle them with salt
• Turn down the heat to low and add 1 tsp of butter
• Toss in the wild leeks  beside the mushrooms
• Stir them till they are wilted and then season them with salt and pepper.
• Finish with another teaspoon of butter
• Plate leeks, top with morels and shaved parmesan, drizzle with balsamic reduction

So delicious! You can taste the the fresh sweet earth in this meal and nothing can ever taste better than local food handpicked with love.

Thank you uncle Mike!