Turn Up the Heat: Lunch and Learn Fiesta at Los Colibris

Most of my experience and knowledge with Mexican food is through Taco Bell. Wait, is that really Mexican food? Probably not. I’ve never been to Mexico before, nor have I taken part in a fiesta with a live Mariachi band so when the opportunity came up to do most of that (I say most because unfortunately I was not flown to Mexico for this…hahh) I knew I had to be a part of this! 

This private event was being hosted by the The Mexican Beef Exporters Association at Toronto’s first fine dining Mexican restaurant, Los Colibris in downtown Toronto. Executive Chef Elia Herrera provided some live cooking demonstrations of her signature dishes using the star ingredient, all natural Mexican beef, and shortly after the “learning” part of the event, lunch soon followed. 

The Mexican Exporter’s Association literally flown here from Mexico to take part in this event and I had the privilege of sitting with two representatives from Mexico City at my table throughout the lunch. The learning part of this fiesta was not just about the cooking though. A quick power point presentation was done by a few individuals from the Association that shared a lot of insight of the beef industry in Mexico. 

A lot of people don’t know that Mexico is actually one of the leading exporters of the highest quality beef in the world. Mexican beef utilizes a feedlot system, based on diets monitored by nutritionists that specialize in animal feeding. The Mexican Beef Exporters Association uses grains that provide special flavour to the beef guaranteeing that great Mexican beef flavour.

The production process is guaranteed by the highest standards of quality in operation and hygiene. Veterinarians from each country they export to endorse the Mexican meat quality. According to the World Organization for Animal Health and Mexican Authority: Mexico has never had any cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or “Mad Cow Disease” and also has never had any cases of Foot and Mouth Disease. 

Spotted: Anthony Farnell - Weatherman of Global News at the table beside me

With the knowledge that came with this event, a 3 course meal was prepared, and as stated before a live Mariachi band was serenading all the guests while we ate. It was such a pleasant atmosphere to be in and the live music really created an incredible ambiance that transported your mind and taste buds to Mexico. 

No food event is complete without some alcohol. Am i right? To compliment the 3 course meal, we were all given the Los Colibri’s cocktail, “Rosa de Maria.” 

Cazadores blanco tequila, benedictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, lagavulin mist, rosemary sprig

First Course

House Guacamole with Beef Strip-loin and House Made Chips

Second Course

Carne Apache de Tenderloin con Ciruela pass y Chipotle (Thin Slices of Beef Tenderloin with Prunes and Chipotle)

Third Course

Ribeye with Basil and Jalepeno Oil and Papas Bravas

Food events where you eat is great. Food events where you eat and learn is even better. Whether it is for a summer BBQ or a traditional family dinner, Mexican beef is always now going to be on my radar at my local supermarket. I’ve had it first hand and now I’m a convert. #ilovemexicanbeef

Special Thanks

The Mexican Beef Exporters Association

Los Colibris

Chef Elia Herrera

Weber Grill Academy Blogger’s Party

I’ve been lucky enough to go to a fair share of food events over the past year as The Everyday Foodie, but never have I been to an event where it would be a complete hands on learning experience. In the past, the events I have been to had the meal already prepped for me to eat. All I had to do was show up, take pictures, and chow down. This time around I actually had to cook the food myself first and let me tell you, it was a blast doing it!

I was fortunate to be invited to the premiere Blogger’s Party of Weber Canada. If you are not familiar with the brand Weber, you just may have to look outside your patio right now to see that the grill you may already own is actually a Weber grill. Weber-Stephen Products LLC is one of the biggest and most popular grilling manufactures of charcoal, gas and electric outdoor grills originating from Chicago,Illinois. With an international presence now in more than 72 countries, Weber-Stephen Canada Co has built and opened its doors to Canada’s first Grilling Academy in Vaughan, Ontario. 

Weber’s Grill Academy is a custom-designed learning facility dedicated to the art and skill of grilling. It offers regularly scheduled public grilling classes as well as private parties and corporate events. In each grilling class, you will get 3 hours of instruction from the Grill Specialist and celebrity Chef Michael P. Clive. The classes range from beginner to intermediate and advanced where you will get a chance to eat your very own grilling creations! 

Here is my very own experience at the Weber’s Grill Academy. 

As mentioned earlier, the Grill Academy is located in Vaughan, Ontario (about a 25 minute drive from Toronto), so knowing that I was not close to its vicinity, Weber Canada offered to provide me car service and picked me up directly after I got off work in North York. I was expecting maybe a volunteer of the company to come drive their own car and pick me and all the others in maybe a mini van of sorts. Was I ever mistaken. I was provided full car concierge service! A long black Lincoln was actually waiting for me outside of my building with a sign that had my name on its window to let me know that yes, that decked out Lincoln was in fact for me. That man staring me down through the tinted windows? Yes, he was my very own personal chauffeur! The driver, in his fancy suit, stepped out to let me in the car and transported me down to the Grill Academy in Vaughan. Did I arrive in style or what! 

As soon as I entered the Grill Academy, I was immediately greeted by Theresa Stahl (Public Relations Director of Weber - Stephen Canada Co.), who was the one who was kind enough to extend me this invitation and handed me my very own custom apron with my name sewn into it. After chatting up with some of the other bloggers in attendance (which included a contestant from Master Chef Canada Season 2), the night was officially about to start and the 17 of us bloggers were split up into 4 groups each manning one of the designated grilling stations. 

With Chef Michael P. Clive now at the helm, we were going to start to grill our 5 course dinner for the night. With step by step instructions from the instructor himself and also a very handy iPad at every grilling station, the first course was on deck. 

1) Smoked Chicken Drumettes with Orange - Honey Glaze

2) Cedar - Planked Salmon with Honey - Lime Dressing

3) Asparagus and Potato Napoleons with Tarragon Vinaigrette

4) Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce

5) Grilled Pineapple Upside - Down Cake

Once all the food was cooked and plated, we all went to the dining area and ate our delicious grilled food we worked so ever hard to make. It was extremely impressive to know that we could actually bake a cake using a grill. When you come to think of it, it does make complete sense as you are essentially using the grill as your substitute for the oven, so yes even cupcakes are possible to be made in a Weber! My favourite dish of the night was hands down the Cedar Planked Salmon. The cedar plank does wonders for the seasoning, not to mention making the salmon incredibly moist, flaky, and tender infused with a delicate sweet and smoky aroma from the grill. 

Before the night ended, there was just one more big surprise for all of us. Not only did we walk away with a free grilling lesson from Chef Clive worth $125, under a large blanket near the entrance of the building it was unveiled that every single one of us were going to go home with a loot bag including a brand new Weber Q1200 grill in our favourite colours worth over $300! You can just imagine how excited and happy everyone was at that point and we were thrilled to know that we could actually practice our grilling techniques and recipes now at the comfort of our own home, or practically anywhere on the go as this Weber Q1200 is so portable to bring around. 

Just like how the night started with my own personal driver, Weber Canada’s hospitality knows no bounds and another black Lincoln and chauffeur was waiting outside of the Grill Academy to drive me all the way back home. I cannot thank enough to the wonderful people at Weber-Stephen Canada Co. who organized this event and their over whelming generosity they showed to myself and the other participants. This event has now become the new bench mark for future blogging events so I would strongly suggest anyone here who is even a little bit interested to learn more about grilling to take up on one of the classes offered at Weber’s Grill Academy. You can visit this link here for more information on the availability of the different classes. Three hours spent at the Grill Academy could mean knowledge and a skill that will last you a life time. That’s a pretty good deal, wouldn’t you agree?

I’ll leave everyone here with Weber’s 4 Grilling Tips:

1) Preheat the Grill

2) Keep the Grill Clean

3) Oil the Food, Not the Grate

4) Keep the Lid Down

If anyone is interested in learning any of the 5 recipes discussed in this post, shoot me an email and I will be happy to send it your way! 

Below are also some shots of the new Weber Q1200 that is available in 7 different colours and is also in stores now. Can’t wait until the weather gets warmer to get a chance to use this! Get your sizzle on! 

Special Thanks

Weber-Stephen Canada Co.

Theresa Stahl 

Chef Michael P. Clive

My 2 Chauffeurs :)

Han Ba Tang’s Blogger Media Preview

Just a few months ago I made my biggest expenditure yet by purchasing my very first townhouse at Yonge and Sheppard, and within this time I have been trying to explore my new neighbourhood looking into the local grub and restaurants I have easy access to now. When Han Ba Tang contacted me just a couple of months after I purchased my first home, I was not only excited that I was going to be able to try some Korean fusion tapas but also that it is literally a 10 minute walk away from my new home! The timing was perfect for this blogger media preview and it was a sign of great things to come.

In Korean, Han Ba Tang means “one full round.“ Whether it’s one full round of beer or one full round of laughter, Han Ba Tang is sure to provide the guest with one full round of fun and unique food. They pride themselves on serving modern tapas style food but using traditional Korean ingredients. For instance, have you ever ordered pizza before at a Korean restaurant? Or how about cheese fondue? No? How about squid ink pasta? If you are already intrigued by this please keep on reading because that is exactly what Han Ba Tang offers on their new menu. This is not your average Korean restaurant. 

With its concept of old meets new, the Han Ban Tang interior has preserved a bit of history by keeping the original interior design from before World War II. From the bare exposed brick walls to the chalk boards that change on a monthly basis and the worn tiled floors, the owner wanted to keep the rustic yet industrial feel of the restaurant from the old times yet still create a new warm and welcoming environment for the new generation. 

I could tell that a lot of time and work had gone to prepare for this event. My friend and I were immediately greeted at the door when we arrived and taken to our table that was reserved specifically for "The Everyday Foodie,” sign and all! The one thing I did not know what to expect was the food itself as we were not told beforehand the dishes we would be previewing. I fully expected to only preview a few samples of some of the dishes Han Ba Tang offered, but to my pleasant surprise a menu consisting of 10 full size dishes were being cooked in the kitchen for just our two hungry stomachs. Fortunately I came prepared by eating a small lunch beforehand.

Below begins the Korean feast from start to finish, 10 dishes in all!

Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet Potato Fries served with Wasabi Mayo

Chilli Shrimp

Lightly battered Shrimp, dipped in Sweet Chilli sauce

Kalbi Tacos & Spicy Pork Tacos

Grilled Kalbi or Spicy Pork on a bed of Shredded Cabbage with Red Onions and a light House Aoli

Kimchi Fries with Bulgogi

Extra Crispy Fries topped with Kimchi, Aioli Gravy, Sizzling Bulgogi & Green Onions

Lobster

Steamed Lobster with a House Sauce

Black Squid Ink Pasta

Squid Ink Pasta, Mussels with a house made Gochujang Cream Sauce topped with Korean Beef Cake, Ricotta Cheese

Spicy Chicken with Fondue

Grilled Chicken in a sizzling plate with a mix of Rice Cakes, Onions, Carrots, with a side of Creamy Cheese Fondue

Spoon Pizza

Mashed Sweet Potato Crust with Vegetables, Tomato Sauce topped with Cheese, and Bacon or Kimchi

Spicy Seafood Soup

Shrimp, Mussels, Crab with Korean Ramyun

Dried Korean Persimmon

Lightly battered and deep fried with a house made Cinnamon Whipped Cream

With so much food, Han Ba Tang was even nice enough to doggy bag anything that was left over for me to take back home. For anyone who will be coming to Han Ba Tang in the future, out of the 10 dishes I tried my favourites and the ones I would definitely recommend to get would be the Sweet Potato Chips, Kimchi Fries with Bulgogi, Black Squid Ink Pasta, and the Spoon Pizza (definitely get the Spoon Pizza). 

Not only does Han Ba Tang put all their love into making their Korean tapas, they also serve a wide variety of cocktails. The waitress recommended me their “Live to 1000” cocktail and my friend got the Sona Colada. Both were very refreshing and they both had a Korean twist with the added Soju in the mix.

Live to 1000 - Ginseng Soju, Honey, Hennessy

Sona Colada - Pineapple Soju, Rum, Coconut Liqueur, Pineapple Juice

As if this alcohol wasn’t enough during our tasting, Han Ba Tang also provided us with their “Flights” which are shots of their Infused Soju that comes in a variety of flavours. We got to try 4 of them pictured below (Strawberry, Apple Cinnamon, Pineapple, Citrus).

I was so impressed with the event that Han Ba Tang put together and as I said before you really could tell how much time and effort the team worked at this to make it run as smoothly as it did. We were introduced to the entire staff from the front of the house to the cooks in the kitchen who worked tirelessly throughout the night to feed us all. The owner and manager both spent some time during the event to explain their journey to open up this new restaurant just this past fall and as most people in Toronto know, competition for Korean restaurants is monstrous in this area of Yonge and Sheppard all the way up to Finch. If the food and service maintains at this high level from what I experienced through this preview though, I am confident that Han Ba Tang will stand out from the crowd. If you are ever in the mood for some Korean food or just in the area I strongly recommend you to come try this restaurant out! Did I mention the Spoon Pizza?

McEwan All Access 4.0

Having started this blog only less than a year ago, I would have never dreamed to have been invited to experience so many great foodie opportunities and events within that time. I’ve had the honour to have had full meals prepared by Top Chefs, had exclusive food perks before the general public, been given complimentary tickets to various events throughout the city, and even got some free clothing, but this one that I am about to blog about may just be the highlight of them all.

With being such a public figure among the culinary world in Canada and abroad, even the non foodies have probably heard the name Chef Mark McEwan before. For us foodies though, we know Chef Mark McEwan as a head judge on the hit TV show Top Chef Canada, the host of The Heat, authour to many top selling cookbooks, and of course known for his culinary empire across Toronto from his many fine dining restaurants including North 44, Bymark, Fabbrica, and One.

The back drop to the McEwan All Access 4.0 event took place at Mark McEwan’s One Restaurant located at the trendy, upscale Yorkville neighbourhood in Toronto. It’s an exclusive invite only event where 20 lucky guests this year had the opportunity to savour the gourmet food and beverages offered at One Restaurant, while given the opportunity to mingle and network among many other people in the food industry. Television personality Michelle Jobin from Global News hosted this event and of course the main star of the night, Chef Mark McEwan was present.

It was a night full of great conversation with fellow foodies and of course Mark McEwan himself as we all had the opportunity to pick that brain of his and go behind the scenes to find out more about his celebrated culinary enterprise. Throughout this first year of my blogging adventure, I also follow many other foodies on social media and at this event many of those people were invited as well. It was great to finally put a face to these Instagram and Twitter profiles as it humanizes this whole experience. It showed me that the food scene here in Toronto really has a tight knit food-loving community full of passionate people all striving to showcase its food and its restaurants in arguably one of the best foodie cities in the world.

Now lets get to the good stuff. Feast your eyes below on what was served that night.

Steak Tartare - Quail Egg, Arugula and Pickled Shallot, Black Truffle, and Buttered Crostini

Blue Crab and Avocado Spoons - Red Onion Marmalade, Sesame Seeds, Celery

Truffled Arancini - Buffalo Mozzarella, Romesco, Basil, 15 yr. Balsamic

Pork Belly Steamed Buns - Pickled Carrot Slaw, Yuzu Aioli, Coriander

Mushroom Risotto Spoons - Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Truffle Shavings, Truffle Oil

Assorted Mini Donuts - Chocolate, Apple Cinnamon, Powdered Sugar

Not pictured here that were also on the menu were the Lobster Spoons, Crispy Shrimp Tacos, Deviled Quail Eggs, Mini Cheese Cakes

It was an unforgettable night full of amazing food and cocktails courtesy of One Restaurant and wine from Stoneleigh Marlborough. Not only did the 20 of us get to be part of this amazing experience, we also walked away with a gift bag worth over $60 including a personalized copy of Chef Mark McEwan’s cookbook, Great Food at Home. Mark was also kind of enough to sit down to get to know us one by one and sign our copy of his cookbook. My last year’s new year resolution was to start this blog. With 2014 almost over and 2015 just around the corner, I think I’ll make my next year’s resolution to become a better home cook and what better way to guide me with that than through the words of Chef Mark McEwan.

Photo credit by Jeffrey Chan courtesy of The McEwan Group

Special Thanks

Chef Mark McEwan

The McEwan Group

Michelle Jobin

One Restaurant

Branding and Buzzing

Stoneleigh Marlborough

HAPPY PLANET SOUP REVEAL

A few months ago I was greeted with a mysterious package at my door from Happy Planet, Canada’s leading all natural food and juice company hailing from the coastal city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Unzipping the portable cooler bag they gave me, I found myself immersed in a slew of fresh, organic ingredients inside from mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots, Thai basil, lemon grass, and water chestnuts. I didn’t know at the time if these ingredients were of any significance or what it all meant, but I did find inside as well an invitation to a 3 course meal and cooking demo with Chef Brianne Nash (Chopped champion on Food Network Canada). Free food, a cooking demo, and a Chopped champion all at once? I’m in!

The event that Happy Planet was hosting was held at Nella Cucina in downtown Toronto. The unique thing about Nella Cucina is that not only is it a retail shop for the trendiest and most practical kitchenware for commercial and residential kitchens, it also runs a cooking school inside. 

As the night unfolded and a group of around 10 bloggers and media personalities assembled, we learned that the ingredients inside the cooler were not selected at random, but very specifically in fact for this event. They are all ingredients used in one of Happy Planet’s newest soup flavour they were unveiling, their new globally inspired Thai Chicken Soup.

Chef Brianne Nash would be preparing the 3 course soup-centric meal for all of us and this is how it all went down.

First Course

Roasted Beet & Grilled Fennel Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing and Happy Planet’s Organic Pomegranate Blueberry Juice

Second Course

Happy Planet’s All Natural Thai Chicken Soup with Green Curry, Thai Basil, and Lemongrass

Third Course

Honey, Peanut, and Fig Pannacotta

With a flourishing trend of people striving to be more health conscious and being more mindful in what they put in their bodies, organic food is increasingly growing in demand. Happy Planet proves that just because you want to eat more healthy, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice those taste buds of yours. Happy Planet’s Thai Chicken soup stayed true to its ethnic roots with its rich and bold flavours, but also practical to the everyday foodies on the go as its convenient packaging allows you to prepare this hearty soup in a matter of minutes over the stove or just by simply heating it up in the microwave. Simply put, it tastes like a restaurant quality soup but locked up inside a resealable bag. The preparation for this soup is literally dummy proof. It is also the first retail soup in Canada made with 100% organic chicken, a claim that no one else can make except for Happy Planet.

All of Happy Planet’s soups, smoothies, juices, and lemonades can be found in grocery stores across Toronto including Wholefoods, Metro, Loblaws, and Longos. Be sure to keep an eye out on them the next time you’re there by picking up some of these feel good foods!

Special Thanks

Happy Planet

Nella Cucina

Chef Brianne Nash

Talk Shop Media