Edible Garland Chrysanthemum Greens - A new favourite

I have fallen for these edible chrysanthemum greens called (小葉)茼蒿 'Chun Ho' (or 'Tung Ho'/Tong Ho or many other names) and love adding it to various meals.  The chrysanthemum greens are grown in East Asia and is quite nutritious, high in vitamin A and K and a source of numerous minerals.  I was reminded of this leafy green when we ate at Mama Bear and had the oyster omelette.  It's taste is on the herbaceous/herbal side with a little bit of mintiness to it.  Unfortunately I've only seen it at Chinese supermarkets as it hasn't made it's way to the mainstream market. This is not a vegetable that I grew up eating, but I decided to make a concerted effort to broaden the variety of vegetables my family and I eat after reading about Ikaria and all the greens that the locals forage for salads in this book.  Hopefully it'll be a vegetable my family continues to eat regularly.

I've added it to soups which make it sweet and flavourful and a barley and sweet potato mix.  But I'm sharing with you a favourite breakfast of mine.  So simple and really perks up the meal!
加在湯裡會給湯一點甜味, 同大賣和地瓜拌在一起也很好.  可是, 我今天告訴你們我很希歡的早餐.  很容易也鮮爽的感覺!


Avocado Toast with Chrysanthemum Greens
(Serves 2)

1 Avocado
Juice from 1/6 to 1/4 of a Lemon
2 generous pinches of salt
Bread of your choice 
Sprinkling of Shichimi Seasoning (Japanese 7 spice seasoning)
1 stalk chopped Chrysanthemum greens

Mash the avocado (I like to leave some chunks)
Squeeze in the lemon juice and sprinkle in the salt.
Mix.
Spread mixture on bread (I like to toast mine)
Sprinkle on shichimi seasoning (to your liking) and chopped chrysanthemum greens.  

Enjoy!

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Tsujiri in Toronto, A Matcha Tea Lover's Heaven

Ok, maybe not 'heaven' but pretty blissful if you're a fan of matcha tea, AND as long as you don't mind waiting in line for probably 30-60 minutes.  Tsujiri is a Japanese brand established in 1860 in Kyoto, Japan that opened their first North American store in Toronto, so it was no wonder that there were long lines!  Their menu is also quite diverse, offering Japanese tea beverages (you can get a variety of beverages that are not matcha), floats, soft serve ice cream, sundaes, shaved ice/kakigori, and pastries made using matcha tea.  

Last week I invited some friends to check it out as I get excited about matcha anything...

After a 30 minute wait, we ordered a few things to share...and after another 20 minutes got our orders.

A quick run-down:

Soft serve matcha ice cream...the matcha flavour is nice and strong and the aftertaste is slightly bitter but the kind of bitter that is expected and enjoyed...the best in Toronto.

抹茶冰期淋...抹茶味道夠濃和很好.  後味有點苦味可是這種苦是享受的種苦味.  我覺得是多倫多最棒的抹茶冰期淋.

Matcha chiffon cake sundae...chiffon cake was light but couldn't compare to the soft serve...there are corn flakes layered near the bottom.
Matcha cream puff...filled with whipped cream and matcha cream, enjoyed and at a good price point.
Matcha latte...good, but I would have preferred stronger matcha flavour....milk was nicely frothed.
Matcha shaved ice/kakigori...very good, the syrup drizzled on the ice was top notch...but quite expensive.
Mochi/shiratama with black sesame...chewy, but I thought it was just okay and something that can be made at home.

They offer a range of drinks that include houjicha and yuzu tea that I'm sure to try in the future, but most people were getting the ice cream, sundaes and shaved ice...they are fairly unique and are soooo instagramable that it's not a surprise people are willing to shell out $8 for a cup.  If you look at menus in other parts of the world (e.g. Taiwan), when you do the $ conversion, the prices are the same so it's not like they are overcharging North Americans, that is just what it is priced at.  And judging from the flavour of the matcha soft serve, you do get quality.

The staff were trying to be as efficient as they could and would tell people in line when something ran out so you'd have time to come up with a backup if that said item was what you wanted originally.

TSUJIRI

"Tsujiri assures you of the highest quality Japanese teas and sweets that create a more tasteful ambience and a moment of tranquility in your life"

- tagline on their takeout bag

I would like to think there is 'a moment of tranquility' when you sip or eat whatever tea product it is, but the experience could be less than tranquil when you have hoards of people crammed into the narrow space. Seating...almost non-existent.  Despite this, I would definitely come back!

Waiting in line to order...

Tsujiri

147 Dundas St. W. (West of Bay St.)

Toronto, ON M5G 1C5

Toronto FB Page

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Primary Taste Yunnan Rice Noodle

This post is long overdue!  I kinda debated writing this post as my experience here was just average.  But...I figured Yunnan Rice Noodles (過橋米線) is not as common as other Asian noodles and some people might be weary of whether to try it or not, so...here's a little bit of info about this place.

The main dishes here are rice noodle soups and there is a story behind the dish which you can read about here.  The noodles are round like spaghetti or Vietnamese vermicelli (thick) and differ from flat rice noodles used in Cantonese cooking or Vietnamese pho.  I looked up Yunnan noodles and Wiki tells us that the noodles are commonly fermented noodles. Fermented?  Sounds interesting so of course I had to read more...

I found a preview of the book "Asian Noodles: Science, Technology, and Processing" on Google and under the Noodle Processing chapter, they describe the different processing steps for rice noodles, including "fermented rice noodles".  Fermented rice noodles are noodles made from rice soaked for 2-6 days vs 3 hrs for regular rice noodles.  Not sure if the noodles at Primary Taste are actually fermented and I don't know what that would taste like but it was interesting to learn. Anyway, the noodles do have a certain bounce or 'stretchiness' to it; you'll know what I mean if you try to grab some with your chopsticks instead of just dumping the whole bowl into the soup, it will stretch kinda like an elastic band.

The meal comes out with soup in an earthenware bowl to retain the heat, a bowl of warm noodles and a tray of food and condiments.  The food items include several slices of pork (hot pot style), a quail egg, one chicken wing or drum, bean curd sheet, white fungus, black fungus, and corn.  I ordered the soup with meatballs in it which comes with a tomato based broth.  The broth was nothing special, but I thought the meatballs were quite good.  The different meat balls (beef and chicken) were all filled with a seasoned meat (I'm thinking pork) that was quite juicy, not the usual that you buy from the supermarket. They are like Fu Zhou fish balls 福州魚丸 where the fish balls contain minced pork filling.  

Unfortunately there isn't much English available to describe what everything is.

The other unfortunate thing is the tables are small for what you are getting.  A bowl of noodles, a bowl of soup, a tray of items to add to the noodles, your tea cup and utensils.  If you order a side dish or an additional drink there is no space for two people to dine.  They expect you to add the items into your broth pretty quickly and then they take the tray away leaving you with more space.  It's okay for most people, but if you're ordering a side dish, it doesn't work.  And, I wasn't able to take more than one picture as I was trying to juggle space and ensure my toddler didn't grab at anything on the table, especially the hot soup!

Prices are average, the meatball one was just under $10 while the basic is $7.99.  Aside from the small tables, I would say it's worth a try.  They do have a number of spicy broths that could be better than the ones we chose and a number of side dishes.

價錢還好, 我的肉丸米線不超過十塊.  而外桌子小一點, 我覺得可試試看.  他們也有幾個辣味的湯 (可能比我點的好一點) 和小菜.


Primary Taste Yunnan Rice Noodle
109A Ravel Rd
Toronto, ON M2H 1T2
416-499-3836

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Book Review: The Only Street in Paris

Comte and Etorki Cheese (sooo delicious!)...unfortunately I don't have any other pics that would go along with this book review.

The Only Street in Paris
Life on the Rue des Martyrs
Author: Elaine Sciolino

After reading Picnic in Provence, a couple of months ago I came across a new book out by Elaine Sciolino, a journalist who has been living in Paris for over a decade now. 

This book has a lot, I mean A LOT of historical info for what you think you are going to get.  (Bear in mind that I'm a person that doesn't know anything about French history.)  There are tidbits of info strewn into the book via stories of people she meets on the Rue des Martyrs and quite a bit of religious history given the number of churches on the street.  Essentially, she writes about her interactions with the different shopkeepers and residents living in or around the street to give us a picture or more appropriately, a feeling of what it is like to be living on this street.  

The Rue des Martyrs reminds me a little like Kensington Market in Toronto (although it is a combination of a number of streets vs one street in Paris).  Although I've never lived in that part of town and the area does not have the length of history as the Rue des Martyrs, it seems like it has the potential to be, but...that would probably be another discussion.  Kensington Market is slowly becoming more gentrified with eateries that are more modern but it still has many vendors that have been there for years (how many years I'm not sure of).   There are still cheese shops and produce vendors and shops selling little knick knacks (....don't know if the flag store is still there).  There are tons of coffee shops and the area was the place to go for second hand goods.  On St. Andrew street there was a poultry shop my mom liked to buy whole chickens from (with head and feet attached and a little bag of organs if you wanted them) but I think they have since moved, and on that street there is also an old Jewish Synagogue, Anshei Minsk.  I remember seeing it quite often and when I recently looked it up, they mention there used to be about 30 places of worship for the Jewish community in the Kensington Area. Anyway, if you live in Toronto, most have been to the area in pursuit of some of the newer eats that have been all over social media.

There are some interesting things tidbits about Paris that come out while she talks about the Rue des Martyrs.  In one chapter she mentions she met some people and asked what their profession was and there would be people that will say 'intellectual'...quite a different response that what we would hear in Canada, lol!  She points out that that is not what the people on the Rue des Martyrs are like.  However, there are many that are well read and love books and it was also interesting to note that there is a law that books can't be sold for more than 5% off the cover price...even Amazon!  This is to protect the independent book stores.  I think it's good for them, but at the same time I'm a person that buys from Amazon or Indigo/Chapters online.  

What I liked...

- Elaine's enthusiasm.  It really shows through that she really loves the street and is willing to make the first move to open up or to show a sign that she's interested in the people.
- Again, the personal stories were important to the overall appeal of the book.  I don't think it was one story but at times I felt like I was right there as someone in the audience watching a short play of certain conversations she's had.

Not your 'cup of tea' if you...

- If you have NO interest in the history of buildings and churches you might want to skip this, but it's still a manageable read. I have never been to Paris but appreciate the long history of some of the buildings.  I don't remember all the details but hopefully when one day I walk down the Rue des Martyrs I'll remember something.
- If you're looking for the side of Paris that we in North America always see/think about...the pastries (oh the pastries!), the baguettes, the cheese, the sitting at a cafe with a coffee or glass of wine, picnic by the Seine, the monuments, the shopping.  This book is not about describing all that in detail, well actually there is quite a bit about the Cheese monger there, but it won't give you a guide to the trendy shops (but does highlight second hand shops) or other things in Paris.  For example, Sebastien Gaudard, a famous pastry chef and chocolatier, has a shop on the Rue des Martyrs, there is not much about him and his creations.  He is regarded as another member of the 'family' on the street.

Overall...

An interesting read that either makes you want to go to the Rue des Martyrs and interact with the shopkeepers or at least consider it on your next trip to Paris.

Little Master - a little bit of a surprise

When the old Cha Me Cha on Yonge Street closed, I noticed the space was being renovated for some time and I was eager to see what it would be.  Finally, Little Master opened.  Little Master appeared to be a noodle place but it was hard to tell what was actually on their menu just by looking at the outside.  We decided to give them a try anyway.

We were surprised that almost all the dishes had a bit of spiciness to it which meant, none for our toddler who can't handle the heat.  However, we spotted some sides like the Chinese hamburger or in Taiwan the 'gua bao' 割 / 刈包 and fried tofu.  But, in the end, they were spicy too!  Not extremely, but had just a hint.

我們發現每個菜差不多有辣味的, 如是我們的孩子不可以吃.  我們想刈包和炸豆腐就沒辣所以點了, 到頭來也是辣的!  沒有太辣, 可是有.

The saute chicken spicy noodle I got was pretty good, the noodles had a good bite to it and the portion size was decent, not huge like you'll have leftovers but just enough.  Soup was spicy and the chicken was okay flavoured but does have bones.  There are potatoes in this dish and to me it seems like a very traditional (Northern Chinese) dish that is executed quite well.  I also liked the 'gua bao' and the fried tofu.  The gua bao here is filled with a spicy minced pork and was flavourful, the buns were decent.  The fried tofu was lightly seasoned with cumin and chili pepper, a nice side (but a little pricey).

I get excited when a new place opens in the Yonge-Finch/Sheppard area, but it usually ends up being just average.  This time, I liked the place and would have loved to come back regularly, but unfortunately their menu is a bit limited for our needs.

Service  was pretty laid back, no complaints.

Little Master

5369 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M2N 5R6

T: 647-640-5369

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Artisanal, What Does it Mean?

I'm reading a book called Small Batch Pickles, Cheese, Chocolate, Spirits, and the return of Artisanal Foods by Suzanne Cope and the start of the book questions, what does the word 'artisanal' mean?

Personally, I never really thought about how I would define artisanal, but my first thoughts on whether something is artisanal or not is that it is made by hand, with ingredients that are unique in some way from the norm.

Cope goes into the history of small batch artisanal foods, mentions how the term is not regulated, and even large corporations are using the term.  It didn't really occur to me until I read this, but I did buy some crackers made by Dare that had the word Artisanal on it.  When I bought it, the sweet potatoes and ancient grains (that term is also used frequently now) was what appealed to me.  But I now wonder how much of an influence the word 'Artisanal' on the package has on the choice made by consumers.  I would still buy the crackers as they were okay tasting, but I question the use of the word on their packaging.

The word also had come up in a recent web article I read on soy milk by a food writer I started following.  Wei "hesitates to call soymilk-making an artisanal, small-batch practice, even though inherently, that is what it is in China and Taiwan."  Again, what does 'artisanal' mean?  I think not all small-batches are artisanal but are all artisanal products small batch?  Cope starts to go into the discussion of whether a product that is artisanal and once was small batch can move to a larger scale of operation and still be artisanal.

As I read through this book, I'm sure there is much more to say about the term 'artisanal' and whether there could be a clearly defined term especially as the food world is changing so rapidly these days.  Would love to hear your definitions or thoughts on the term 'artisanal'!



----------------------

Normally, I'd try to translate a sentence or paragraph but instead finding the proper word in Chinese that would represent 'artisanal', there were various terms I found.  Here are a couple:

手工藝工人 is craftsman or artisan...手工 is literally hand and work together while 藝 is skill or trade.

能工巧匠 ...巧 (qiao3) is defined as skillful, ingenious, clever (but also has some negative connotations)  ..匠 (jiang4) is an older term for craftsman, artisan it seems.  I'll have to see if some of my design magazines use a specific term, please let me know if there are any terms more commonly used :)

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

DT Bistro - Afternoon Tea

Beautiful pastry/dessert counter

DT Bistro is a wonderful little patisserie and lunch/dinner spot on Harbord Street in the Annex.  Simple yet elegant decor, it's a lovely spot for catching up with friends, a leisure meal, or just dessert and tea.  I had gone to an event here many years ago and had always wanted to come back.   A couple of weekends ago, I finally did for afternoon tea and my friends and I had a wonderful time!

幾個周末前, 我終於拜訪 DT Bistro, 喝下午茶.  大家都吃得非常暢快!

Ordered the Crown Ceylon tea.  Light astringency so I didn't need any sugar or milk.

Started with the savory items at the bottom tier and the mushroom soup was recommended first since it was warm...rich and full of flavour, loved it.  

$30 per person, minimum 2 persons for afternoon tea

The spring rolls and mango salsa was balanced and the smoked salmon croissant was so flaky and good.

The braised short rib, tender and with a spicy kick to it.

Scones were light and buttery...and ohhh the devonshire cream, heavenly!  Lemon curd and house made jams were also enjoyable.

Goat cheese onion confit crostini, good strong flavours.



Top layer was a variety of desserts we shared.  Enjoyed the raspberry macaron and the tiramisu in chocolate cup; nice and light.

We all were completely stuffed!

Service was so patient as we had several questions, took a while to decide, and some of my friends ended up ordering other items besides afternoon tea like desserts from the display case or brunch items. (They raved about the Veal Curry and the Ahi Tuna Sandwich.) I thought it was also good that they also do a half-tea option where you only get the desserts if you're not a big eater, but I would really recommend the whole afternoon tea as the savory items were all flavourful and well made.  When we also left, there was another table that forgot their leftover dessert and the server ran outside after them!

Quite the enjoyable afternoon!

Ceiling decor, stunning!

First floor seating area

There were also these fruit shaped marzipan creations.  So cute!  I bought one for a friend's party we were going to that night.  Contains walnut and sugar, unfortunately I don't know how it tasted.  

DT Bistro
154 Harbord St.
Toronto, ON M5S 1H2
T: 416-916-8155
www.dtbistro.com

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

March: I'm Dreaming of...

Stewed buttercup squash and lima beans

Hello March.
哈囉三月.

It's been a couple of months since I did a post like this.  I've go so much on my mind that it's hard focusing on what 'I'm Dreaming of' for March.
有幾個月沒寫這種文章了.  我有太多事在腦裡,難以集中我的精神.

The sun is rising earlier and the days are getting longer.  I feel spring is just around the corner (even with the snow storm the other night, lol!).  Part of what preoccupies my thoughts right now are recipes.  Recipes for vegetarian meals, recipes for healthier meals, recipes for using leftovers and being mindful of waste and as always, recipes for tea and tea sweets.

March is also Nutrition Month - lots of great tips for those looking to improve their eating habits. There are a number of Toronto registered dietitians (RDs) that have their own websites/blogs that provide good nutrition info; here are some RDs gaining notoriety, Words to Eat By and Abbey's Kitchen to name a couple.

So, in March, I'm Dreaming of...

creamy vegetable soups like this one at 101cookbooks

homemade cashew milk for milk tea at home

rye cookies to go with my tea

making this easy and tasty lentil dish by ottolenghi again

baking bread or olive oil loaf cake...

...and then using leftovers to make french toast or bread pudding

Have a healthy and happy March!

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Moji Japanese Eatery

Karaage chicken udon

Food was a mixture of Japanese udon or donburi dishes and some desserts.  Small selection of drinks like fruit green tea or matcha milk teas for $2.  Spacious and feels like IKEA mixed with a bit of Japanese charm.  Lots of seating and bright lighting, different from other restaurants in the area which are packed tight with tables.

I had gotten the chicken karaage udon which tasted pretty good.  Udon was chewy and the karaage was well seasoned and tender.  Only difference is the batter used is similar to tempura and the mayo is mildly spicy.  We also got the pork curry udon and an order of takoyaki which were piping hot and very good!

They definitely tried to add a different look to their bowls, e.g. cantaloupe in the udon soup which I liked but others may find odd or not appropriate.  For me, the little bit of edamame, tofu and marinated egg that was added to the udon noodles were nice additions.  The food didn't wow but it didn't disappoint either.  Portions for the udon may be a bit on the smaller side for the price, but sometimes I like to think of it as saving room for dessert, lol!

Matcha and taro soft serve ice creams were average, would have liked more matcha flavour though.  Mochis were not that soft so I'd stick with the soft serve only.
抹茶和芋頭冰淇淋還ok, 多一點抹茶味就比較好.  麻糬硬一點所以我建議只點冰淇淋.

Servers were polite and were available when needed.  I'd come back to Moji, especially for a relaxed lunch.


Moji Japanese Eatery
8362 Kennedy Rd Suite U A6 (Peach Tree Plaza facing Kennedy Rd.)
Markham, ON L3R 9W5
T: (905) 479-6654

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!

Mabu Station 麻布小館

Large portion of grass jelly!  那份燒仙草超大啊!!

Mabu Station is a bright and cute space with comfortable seating.  A huge menu of food, desserts and drinks is available. When deciding on a place to meet up with some friends, both the menu and space made it a good choice.  Meeting up with girl friends for a late night bubble tea or dessert has been something I have missed and I'm glad a few Fridays ago (yes, it's been a while!) we headed to Mabu Station.

Shared the grass jelly dessert - one huge dish!  And I also had a milk tea.  Milk tea was average, but I quite enjoyed the toppings and grass jelly.  The bowl costs $9.99 now (used to be $6.99), but it can easily be shared by 2 or 3 people.  Another friend got a sago, purple glutinous rice and mango dessert and I would say it was really lacking in the mango department, needless to say she was pretty disappointed.

Service was also quite nice and quick when needed. We also weren't rushed, I think we were there for 3 hours!  Maybe during regular meal hours it may be a little more chaotic, but if you go after 9 pm, it's pretty laid back.

Mabu Station 麻布小館
5457 Yonge St (there are 2 sections)
Toronto ON M2N 5S1
http://mabustation.com/

Why the occasional duplicate sentence written in Chinese?  

One of my goals starting in 2016 is to improve my Chinese language skills so this is one way I'm going about it.  
Please comment if you noticed I've totally messed up!  Thanks!