LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Autumn Issue 2012

I didn't get all giddy about the Summer issue of Food & Drink at the end of June but they sure made it up to me this time! It's been 2 days and I am still pouring over Autumn's offerings.

First, let me gush some hometown pride at seeing The Wellington Gastropub of Ottawa featured in Pub Bites by Nancy Won. We have been going to The Welly since it opened in 2006. For us it short lists as a place to go for special occasions as well. No dress code here. The special is all about the great food.

Second, it warmed me to read James Chatto calling out Kiln Haus Raisins, Canada's first native raisin, in the Trend Spotting feature. I first read about the Reif Estate Winery raisins in a Maclean's Magazine article last February. A competitor to the ubiquitous California raisin means I can now make a '100 mile butter tart' if I can get my hands on the naked ones. Am I wrong to think I may have seen them at McEwan Foods? Anyone spotted the wee gems in their neighbourhood yet? (I can't wait until they change their Facebook presence from a Group to a Page.)

Third, Toronto-based Andrea Damon Gibson of Fred's Bread is profiled by Cynthia David in Spotlight. Her wonderful bread products have made their way to Ottawa. I have enjoyed a loaf from Grace in the Kitchen in Kanata. In fact, right now I am snacking on a Red Fife Whole Wheat JoyStyx that I picked up at 42 Crichton Street Fine Foods. Andrea and her team are super busy as the website is a wee bit out of date. And no amount of scouring will turn them up on Facebook or Twitter. Yet. The bread is premium priced and it's popularity is growing.

Rarely do I mention a specific recipe from an issue beyond the Top Picks list but I was wooed by Gooey Maple Butter Tarts in Raisin the Bar by Nicole Young. Curiosity is running high. Are they as good as Marion Kane's famed recipe? Or that of Dana McCauley? Or mine?

If you are looking for the Playlist, it appears to be no more. Part of the changes for 'a new look' and 'a few tweaks' shared by Editor, Jody Dunn. I am going to miss the Shurman/Torno theming as they set us up for seasonal party times.

My top recipe picks:

• Lamb Tagine (From Raisin the Bar by Nicole Young)
• Brûléed Lemon Pie (From Sweetie Pies by Victoria Walsh)
• Onion Flowers (From Making The Cut by Lucy Waverman)
• Autumn Squash Chowder (From Pub Bites by Nancy Won)
• Tomato Balsamic Relish (From Preserving Nature by Tonia Wilson)
  
• Chewy Date and Seed Bars (From Seeds by Eshun Mott)
• Black Sesame Crackers with Black Garlic Fig Jam & Ash-Covered Goat Cheese (From Black Beauties by Christopher St. Onge) *** [Know that Major Craig's will have Canadian Black Garlic available for sale in December. I tried some at the Perth Garlic Festival. It's great. ***]
  

Plan ahead: The Holiday issue hits the stores in 9 weeks on Wednesday, November 7th.

LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Summer Issue 2012

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

If it wasn't for my bi-monthly habit, I am not sure I would have picked up the Summer issue of LCBO's Food & Drink this time around. The sand dollar cookies in a brown sugar 'sand setting' conjured up feelings of baking heat, beating sun and just plain sweaty. It seemed faded. Too beige. Too much like burnt July.

Maybe a tall, cool glass of something from the prop stylist could have grabbed me and drawn me in. I am someone who needs a big splash of vibrant colours to sell me 'summer'. So where was the colour? It was tucked inside. And, thankfully, lots of it.

Perhaps the heat is getting to me, but there were other things that seemed jarring with this issue of LCBO's Food and Drink.

In Grade Eh Wine & Cheese by James Chatto and Pat Crocker, Pat's beautiful recipes would go totally unnoticed if you didn't read every word of the article. There was no tag line with the picture, naming the recipe, to draw you in. I happen to be a big Pat Crocker fan, currently working my way through her book, Preserving. But tell me, when you were flipping through the pages, did you notice any of these?

• Chunky Fruit & Nut Biscotti
• Confit of Fennel & Sweet Onion
• Gooseberry-Melon Relish
• Dried Cherry Chutney

The cheeses chosen for the article are some of my favourite (including Lacey Grey from the now defunct Fifth Town Artisan Cheese dairy, as of early May. Darn those deadlines that are months ahead of the publication release date.) But I can't help but think that it would be more than the well-matched wine that would showcase their beautiful flavours. Pat is a true talent with preserves. Her flavour combinations can give a dish that special je ne sais quoi. Dig deep to find her recipes and do give them a try. Better yet, buy her book, Preserving.

One of the problems with a publication that comes out every 8 to 10 weeks, it is hard to know what recipes to pitch, to make sure they are relevant and timely. For produce that tends to yield on the cusp of two issues or a year that has unseasonal weather, recipes can end up in the 'wrong issue'. A real challenge for writers and editors. I was thrilled to see such coveted recipes as Stockyards Spareribs and Hardy's Pulled Pork, in Smoke Signals by Nancy Won & Lucy Waverman. I just wished that they had been in the Early Summer issue as our barbecue season has been well underway for months.

Another case of 'which issue' might also be the playlist. At the beginning of May we were prepping our playlists for the Olympics, set to begin the end of July - then months away. Meanwhile the hot weather came so early. I always look forward to what Rick Sherman and Earl Torno pull together. This time they rallied around the "sounds of summer". A hot weather classic favourite for me is (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. Check out the entire list on iTunes.

Enough of my quibbles and on to the fun stuff. Included in your cellophane is the Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide 2012. It includes a very handy Official Map of Ontario's Wine Route. Tuck it in your car now before it folds into your stacks of magazines, only to surface at the time of the great culling.

Doesn't Brenda Morrison have the best job, searching out 'must haves' for her column Inspired Ideas? With tattoos all the rage now, I wouldn't let her Signature Styles feature, a cattle style branding iron, anywhere near my 20-something-crowd on a party night! It is meant only to brand your dinner meats. The device does come with three letters. If that is your party gig, then might I suggest you consider an M and an O and an other M, when picking your letters!

Some additional recipes I will keep on my radar:

• Fresh Corn Cakes with Avocado Tartare and Triple Berry Summer Tiramisu (From On the Waterfront by Monda Rosenberg)
• Lamb Keema with Single Fry and Papas Rellena with Aji Picante (From Eats from the Street by Christopher St. Onge)

Plan ahead: The Autumn issue hits the stores in 10 weeks on Wednesday, September 5th.

LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Spring Issue 2012

Spring has sprung
The grass is riz;
I wonder where the birdies is.

Although many think that Ogden Nash penned this little ditty (or a variation of it), in fact its true authorship is unknown. Whoever created the cheerful rhyme may have done so on a day like today, where we have been liberated from a deep freeze and skyrocketed to a blistering 12ºC. Sunny and almost too bright, I might add.

What a perfect day to pick up the newly released Spring issue of the LCBO Food & Drink magazine.

I have my copy marked up already with my wishlist of dishes to try in the weeks and months ahead as produce comes into season:

• Rhubarb Punch and Lemonade Punch (From Bowled Over by Michelle P.E. Hunt & Laura Panter)
• Golden Beet & Fennel Soup with Fennel Horseradish Cream (From Signs of Spring by Christopher St. Onge)
• Fresh Rhubarb Chutney (From Hamming It Up! by Monda Rosenberg)
• Risotto with Braised Short Ribs and Porcini Mushrooms (From Risotto Rapture by Michael Fagan)
• Maple Pecan Squares and Salmon with Hoisin & Maple (From Sweet on Maple by Heather Trim)
• Warm Spring Slaw (From Cuts Above by Monda Rosenberg)
• Pot Stickers with Mango Sauce (From Mango by Marilyn Bentz-Crowley)

Trend Spotting by Nancy Won highlights the hottest foods and drinks for the coming year. My take on her list?

• I AGREE ABSOLUTELY: Bitters; Offal 2.0; Root to Leaf; Snack Food
• I'M A DOUBTING THOMAS: Bottle Aged Cocktails; Greek Wines
• NEEDS TO TAKE A BACK SEAT: Bacon
• MISSING: Artisan Doughnuts (the new cupcake); Slaw (any thing, any time, any way); Arancini Rice Balls; Artisan Meatballs; Preserving
  

It is a fun read. Of course I felt wooed by some of the delicious accompanying recipes (even if I have to wait until late June for those garlic scapes) -Sweetbread "Double Down"; Garlic Scape and Spinach Salsa with Chicken; Bacon Smoked Cheddar and Tomato Crostini with Asparagus; Fire Roasted Shrimp with Guacamole and Chili Honey.

Are there any trends you see coming that should be added to Nancy's list?

Lastly, I have to give a shout out to Sandra Van Aert, organic & free-run egg farmer from Watford, Ontario. (Approximately 60 kms west of London). She is a second generation farmer at that! Sandra is featured in Cynthia David's Spotlight segment called The Shell Game. I just can't imagine housing 24,000 hens. Back in my day, all our hens had names. Unfortunately you will not see 'Van Aert' on an egg carton. Something that I hope will change as more and more consumers are wanting to know their food source and who is being entrusted to deliver a superior product. Hey Sandra, I prefer my eggs soft-boiled too!

Plan ahead: The Early Summer issue hits the stores 8 weeks from today on Wednesday, May 2nd.