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News August 4, 2011
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Events
We are in the midst of planning an exciting lineup of author/chef visits and will announce them as soon as they are finalized.
Meantime.....
Sarah Hood - We Sure Can!
Sunday, August 6th, 9 am. -2 pm. at Leslieville Farmers Market
Join us at this new Toronto market at Jonathan Ashbridge Park (south side of Queen between Greenwood and Coxwell) as we help launch Sarah's wonderful new preserving book. Obviously lots to eat! Free event.
 Lidia Bastianich: Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy
Friday, August 26th 6:30 pm. to 8:30 pm.
at All the Best Fine Foods, 1101 Yonge St. Toronto
We join forces with All the Best and The Vine wine agency in hosting this rare visit from a culinary icon. The book signing will be at All the Best's new store at 1101 Yonge St. where Lidia's line of food and wines will be highlighted as well as her cookbooks. Her next book Lidia's Italy in America is due out this October. Free event, no ticket required. At All the Best Fine Foods, 1101 Yonge St. Toronto.
 Modernist Cuisine: The Art & Science of Cooking
A Demonstration
Thursday May 19th 6:30 pm - Off site event
We are celebrating the publication of one of the most important cookbooks in years. Whilst many have been following the birth of this six volume 2,500 page set, many others may be unsure of what all the fuss is about. Well this event plans to take you on a journey demonstrating the gadgets, equipment and ingredients used in the revolutionary Modernist Cuisine. This is a small intimate limited seating event so as to maximize the educational aspect of this engaging topic. Read the itinerary for the evening.
Our evening will be lead by Chef John Placko who has been at the forefront of the chemistry of cooking for many years. He is currently Culinary Director of Maple Leaf Foods innovation and culinary centre.
Tickets: Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance from The Cookbook Store. Ticket price can be put towards purchase of Modernist Cuisine.
Location: Event will be held at Nella Cucina at 876 Bathurst Street (just north of Bloor).
New books
 Frozen Desserts
Francisco J. Migoya
The busy folks at the Culinary Institute of America bring you this all-encompassing book that's sure to wow friends and family alike. Not just ice creams or granitas, recipes are geared towards composed desserts with such exotic and refreshing flavors as hibiscus and verbena. If you're tired of plain old vanilla in the frozen desserts department, pick this book up and rediscover frozen treats. Hardcover, 440 pp. $72.00.
 The Wild Blueberry Book
Virginia M. Wright
Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to Canada, and it's a shame that people seem to be content with the run-of-the-mill supermarket varieties. Wild blueberries are a completely different animal, and Virginia Wright's latest book is sure to guide you in the direction of using them to their juicy, sweet and rich potential. Hardcover, 82 pp. $14.95.
 Italian, My Way
Jonathan Waxman
Jonathan Waxman's Barbuto restaurant has long been a bustling eatery due to his simple, yet inspired takes on traditional Italian cuisine. Pick up the recipes to some of Barbuto's most storied dishes and re-create them at home for lucky friends and family! Hardcover, 286 pp. $37.00.
 Lucky Peach Issue 1
David Chang
It's finally here! Dave Chang's smashmouth food quarterly has hit newstands and bookstores like a huge wave, aromatic of roasted pork belly and ramen noodles. In the first issue, Chang brings together some of the most elite figures in the industry to discuss the virtues of ramen noodles. Also includes 7 signature egg recipes from some of the most prominent chefs in the field. Journal, 174 pp. $11.50. This issue is sold out. Watch for Issue 2 in the fall.
 The Ontario Table
Lynn Ogryzlo
Who knew Ontario had such a diverse culinary repertoire? Lynn Ogryzlo takes us on a tour of Ontario's regions in an attempt to promote the wonderful, delicious product available in this singular province. Explore the vineyards of Niagara or the expansive farmland in Perth County. You're sure to look at roadtrip scenery differently after giving this a read! Softcover, 311 pp. $29.95.
 Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams At Home
Jeni Britton Bauer
After building an ice cream empire in Columbus, Ohio, Jeni Britton Bauer is sharing her prowess with the rest of her world in her very first cookbook. More than just chocolate or vanilla, Jeni built her reputation upon building new and exciting flavor combinations such as Coriander-Raspberry and Kona-Stout. Hardcover, 217 pp. $28.95.
 We Sure Can!
Sarah B. Hood
It's a warm August afternoon and that peach tree in your backyard is heaving with sweet, ripe fruit but there's no way you can eat them all before they pass that point of peachy perfection. Torontonian Sarah B. Hood rescues us with her methods of pickling and preserving. Turn those peaches into Southern-style pickles, or cook them down into a rich, sticky jam for your morning toast. Softcover, 271 pp. $24.95.
 A Taste of the Unexpected
Mark Diacono
Why hoof it to the grocery store for products that you can grow in your backyard? Intimidation need not be a factor, as Mark Diacono fearlessly leads you towards a healthy and prolific harvest of all your favorite produce. Outlined guide-style, instructions and tips are easy to follow. Hardcover, 192 pp. $39.95.
 The Ginger Pig Meat Book
Possibly the best cookbook to ever integrate the farming lifestyle into the mind of the diner, recipes are divided into monthly chapters. Accompanying each chapter is a journal entry describing first-hand what is happening on the farm at that time of the year. Fantastic visual instructions precede the recipes, guiding the reader hand towards properly fabricating and butchering common meats. Hardcover, 335 pp. $49.95.
 Orient Express
Silvena Rowe
Following up on her acclaimed first book, Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume, Silvena Rowe focuses on the exotic spicing and methods of the markets in Istanbul and Damascus. New flavor experiences abound, as Rowe's recipes guide newbies through the in's and out's of Ottoman cuisine. Hardcover, 191 pp. $46.95.
2012 Calendars are arriving!
It's that time of year again! Stop by and pick up a calendar featuring different breeds of chickens and pigs. Perfect for the schedule-swamped foodie in your life! $16.99. Not animal inclined there are other culinary themes to chose from.
June Best Sellers
- Lucky Peach Issue 1 by David Chang et al
- Quinoa 365 by Greenway & Hemming (Canadian)
- The Ontario Table by Lynn Ogryzlo (Canadian)
- Desert Rose Cafe Cookbook by Resa Lent (Canadian)
- Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine by Rene Redzepi
- Great Food Fast by Everyday Food Magazine
- Ottolenghi by Yottam Ottolenghi
- Vegetables from an Italian Garden by Phaidon
- Recipes from an Italian Summer by Silver Spoon
- Plenty by Yottam Ottolenghi
Recipe: Crispy Prosciutto Salad with Arugula, Melon Jam and Ricotta
 Inspired by The Melon Jam recipe from The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders
We're trying something new this month, and unleashing the young guns on staff, letting Kevin supply an original dish based upon a recipe from The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook. Than you Kevin!
This is a super light salad perfect for eating outside in the sun. It's no coincidence that melons and tomatoes achieve ripeness at the same time so here I use them both for a burst of freshness.The crispy prosciutto and creamy ricotta round out this wonderfully textured and refreshing dish. You'll have leftover jam from this recipe, but I'd rather make extra jam from a fresh melon than make a half batch with a half melon that was cut goodness-knows-how-long-ago. If it's such an issue, buy more prosciutto and a baguette. Problem solved, deliciously.
The original melon jam recipe requires two days of preparation, so I've shortened it to achieve a faster result and a fresher flavor. However, as a consequence of my haste, this jam will not keep as long as conventional varieties.
Serves 4
For the Melon Jam:
1 lb Cantaloupe melon flesh (a day under ripe)
Sugar, to taste
Pinch of Salt
Melon Liqueur, to moisten (1 tsp ought to do)
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
4 Basil Leaves (optional)
1 tsp Gelatin
1 tbsp Cold Water
1) Dice the melon into 1/4-inch pieces. Combine the melon in a sauce pot with salt, liqueur and sugar (taste the melon and add sugar accordingly, remembering that flavors dull when they cool).
2) Simmer the melon mixture until the melon pieces soften. Add the lemon juice and basil leaves if using.
3) Mix the gelatin with the cold water and allow to bloom for 1 minute. Whisk the gelatin into the jam. Transfer the jam from the pot into a container and refrigerate until needed.
Yields about 2 cups.
To Complete:
8 slices prosciutto
A handful of arugula, washed
Olive Oil
1 cup Ricotta Cheese, drained
A Handful of Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
Salt and Black Pepper
1) Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper and place 4 prosciutto slices in a single layer. Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until crispy. Check these often; prosciutto likes to burn when you neglect it. Remove prosciutto from oven and allow to cool before moving to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
2) Lay a slice of the reserved fresh prosciutto down the middle of each serving plate. Spoon small dots of melon jam on top of the prosciutto, discard any basil leaves that make it out of the jar. Follow that with a sprinkling of the tomato slices and 2 healthy dollops of ricotta cheese. Scatter the arugula on top of the prosciutto and crackle the crispy prosciutto over top. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve outdoors.
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