… but y’all know that, right? Being ardent readers and followers, digesting everything danistrulytheman you know that, eh? Ok, so ya prolly don’t, lol. Found this Finnish at my Polish … talkin’ ’bout my local Starsky of course. Anyways … whatevs … 2pics!!
Halva licorice … sweet
my handful haul y’all
… guy in line ahead of me too apparently, wife quipped “it’ll do for the car ride home”, lol. First I’ve heard of Williams-Sonoma artisans’ market, and from what I’ve seen, seems like they have a winner on their hands. A few pics.
placard promoting local artisanal products (try saying that three times fast, lol)
Yorktown Pie picks
my Steak & Guinness … thing’s a heftyheifer
… all ready to reheat, and chowdownmofos …
… my favourite dish/way of utilizing leftover chili (especially on a cold, blustery, wintry day) … well, maybe not … LOVE chili dogs too … chili cheese fries, spaghetti chilignese (just made that shit up, so don’t be pilfering … at least give credit where it’s due if ya do) are motherfucking awesome as well … shit, now I’m confused/over-thinking it, lol. This was day five of the chili (still have enough for day six, AND I did freeze some, so I can enjoy those chili dogs for a quick meal). In my Le Creuset stoneware I layered basmati rice (leftover too, of course … be sure to add extra water/liquid as it tends to greedily sop up moisture) and an equal layer of the chili, with a generous layer of cheddar topping it all. Bake it hot and long to really get the cheese bubbling, and with blackened little crispy bits beginning to form around the edge … this means you’re done. A couple of pics y’all. Know it’s hard to visualize (individual) portion-wise, but trust me they’re perfect … served in my newly and proudly purchased terra-cotta chili/soup bowls handmade in Portugal. Sliced & spatula-ed, sour creamed & served … alongside a FROSTY (today at least, lol) tall cool one … lighten up baby I’m in love with you!!
A well deserved break, an opportunity to look back. Our Christmas tradition revolves around Christmas Eve, and includes a lot of food. Copious amounts of food, and not only this time of year. It’s in our culture to be overly generous with food. To give you an indication, Tiffany K and I haven’t left the house for groceries since … that’s almost a week. I’m finally reclaiming the fridge as my own, lol. Not to mention I froze leftovers knowing we couldn’t eat everything before spoiling. This year I even tackled baccala. Was very proud of my accomplishment, from sourcing this fish market in the city that carries the best baccala, a part of the city where parking is at a premium, never any spots available, to researching online various methods/rules of thumb preparing it. Generally soaking 1-3 days was the advice, two was better, and three if you had the time. Naturally I opted for the 72 hour soak, with 3-4 changes of water daily. I also researched baccala and potatoes in a tomato sauce recipes as I’ve had this years ago from this great little Italian bakery that used to make it (Fridays only) during the holidays. Alas, they moved, went out of business … not really sure, only know my baccala went along with them. In all my research, nobody bothered to mention the skinning of the fish and removing of the bones might prove challenging if attempting for the first time … thanks internet gurus, lol. Luckily when I bought the baccala I over bought … close to 3 lb, not the 2 lb I was planning to, so I did have some leeway with the wastage. I didn’t settle on any one particular recipe either. I read many to get ideas, that’s what I do, I know my way around a kitchen and felt comfortable enough combining/assembling the ingredients in a casserole dish and baking it without any difficulties. I eyeballed the potatoes I needed (was looking for a 50-50 ratio) and proceeded. And another thing you don’t see in these recipes is for parboiling the spuds before baking? I ALWAYS do to ensure them being cooked through … plus the oven temps they tell you to use are too low (350º – 375º) so I completely ignore that part of the recipe and crank it to 400º – 425º. One thing that did catch my eye, and I was so happy this person wrote this … not sure why others didn’t since it was so helpful? If I was making this recipe, but substituting the baccala with … let’s say tilapia, I’d be seasoning (salting) the you know what out of it. Everything. The fish, my home made tomato sauce … the potatoes … especially the potatoes. But this recipe writer … recipe advisor cautions on doing so due to the baccala’s inherent saltiness. Sure I soaked it, rehydrating it … changing water over and over, but it still retains plenty of salt to sufficiently season the whole dish. And for this tidbit you included, my baccala dish was sublime … and I thank you. It was the highlight of the dinner (but was so busy/preoccupied I didn’t snap any pics to share – sorry), and I was thrilled with my work, accomplishment … my success.
It’s funny after our Eve feast, a long time spent filling our bellies as you can imagine … a mere twelve hours later we’re back at the table for a HUGE breakfast blowout before the troops pack their booty and go on their merry (Christmas) way. Now that our dinner leftovers are done, felt like relieving that today, but on a lesser scale … and in a quieter moment. And now, found time to take a pic. 😆
sunny-side up eggs on toasted jalapeno salsa english muffins, pastizzi, potato pancakes w/ketchup
Went to my fave Hakka joint today, ordered lunch to go (as you can see from the styro container), but as I was leaving, Charles the owner corralled me and insisted I sit and dine in the restaurant … so I did. He, his family … all his employees (many, long time employees) are all of Chinese descent, but born in India (on a side note; funny to hear him speak English fluently … with a British accent, lol) … hence the hot/spicy influence … think of it (Indian Hakka cuisine) as Chinese food kicked up a notch. He also tones it done if you want, today I did … told him to surprise me. In nothing flat tossed this together in his smoking hot wok for me … chicken chow mein he said … yep, yum!!
… all the way to the bank. One of those group discount deal-of-the-day websites, my favourite one btw. Tiffany K has been keeping a keen eye on the goings-on lately … got in on this incredible Special K score … did you know they made Flatbread Morning Sandwiches? Well me neither, but I do now, AND I got mine for free … same for their Morning Shake Beverages as well … wasn’t aware of them, but yep … gratis. Before the Kellogg’s haul y’all bought into $20 worth of food for $10 from South Street Burger Co. … and here’s the kicker; when Tiff was signing up for the deal, sitting in her account was an unexplained $5 credit … so actually it only cost five bucks five bucks five bucks (sorry Pizza Hut, lol)!! I’m so excited, have never been, although I was close to going on a number of occasions. From what I heard/read, their burger is throughthemothereffingroof delicious, PLUS included (no extra charge) is a shitload of cool toppings available … who does that? Mango chutney, HELLO?! 😀
voucher printed …
… that’s what i’m takin’ ’bout, love me my leftovers … and overs and overs and … done good y’all if i boastfully back slap myself and say so. yep, yum-em-ef-oh!!
I am the KING … love eating on the cheap, waste not want not … I’ll drag out a meal for a week, no joke. Started this party with meatballs (BEST batch btw – sorry, no pics) and my home made marinara. Three days in, digging through my creative cupboards (metaphorically & literally) I found these … Magyar noodles doing their best drywall plug imitation, and half a bag of Gomiti. Well, you know the drill … sea salt al dente, then added to ma ma meatballs … NOW I have more food than when I started, lol. Served with frozen garlic toast found in the freezer *score*, and freshly grated Grana Padano from my fridge. Note: must snap pics sans grated cheese – can’t see the forest for the trees. 💡
In the kitchen early in the a.m. making/baking pastizzi – a Maltese delicacy … these are ricotta cheese filled, the most common variety. It’s an annual holiday thing I do for Tiffany K to take to her work for their annual holiday thing that they do … from what I know, and I don’t know much since I don’t ask too many questions (better that way, lol), is that all staff contribute some food for a potluck of sorts. Last year everyone was raving about them (after repeatedly asking, “what are they?” “how do you say the name?” since they didn’t have a clue as to what they were), and who wouldn’t be – it’s cheese stuffed phyllo pastry for Chrissakes!! Naturally she (I) have to out do everyone else, so I order pastizzi from my secret pastizzi place (best in the city by far), drive outta my way to pick them up, and as I previously mentioned, rise and shine extra early (I know, things I do, lol) to bake three baking sheets full, two dozen total. Eight at a time is pretty much the max, you don’t wanna overcrowd them or they won’t puff properly, and at 35-40 minutes per sheet … AND with them having to be done and out the door by 8:00 … well you do the math … did I mention things I do?! 😀
tray #1 of tres
tray #2
tray #3
the perfect pastizzi
my latest helping-my-sorry-old-ass-body kick that I’m on. loaded with lots of the good stuff. a quickie google search, and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ ’bout Willis!! today I made sammies on Italian rolls; leftover chicken, red onions, hothouse tomatoes, havarti … and my new superfood friend, the avocado. reheated rice and potatoes (more leftovers – waste not want not) served on the side and bob’s yerfuckin uncle. a coupla pics y’all. 
Warm days have been great, I ain’t complainin’. Just that during these days my motivation/excitement level to bbq is through the proverbial roof. But, by the time I get home after stopping and shopping for groceries, and then firing up the grill (doing some prep work while I wait) … day suddenly disappears into night. Temps drop quickly too – maybe just appears that way as I’m special occasion/celebrating drinking my frosty Creemore, lol. Here’s a few pics; two strip steaks (rubbed liberally with garlic salt, cracked black pepper, and my secret – Barberian’s Steak Seasoning), and four Mexican style sausages courtesy my local Fortinos … enjoy y’all!!
fire in the hole
grill marks looking good
the PERFECT char
… a quickie post, a few pics y’all. Thinly sliced oven roasted turkey, havarti, Boston lettuce, hothouse tomatoes, low-fat mayo and my favourite Yukon Gold potato bread. Used my Mario Batali grill pan, and made a quickie cambozola dressing for the sweet potato fries – oh, and that’s Maldon sea salt flakes too. Enjoy!!
… was extremely unexpected, the phone call … the invite. And who am I to turn down 1/2 price anything, let alone 1/2 price wings. Ordered 20 wild … but due to a bit of a delay getting danistrulythethirstyman his 2nd Creemore, was surprisingly comped 5 wings. Everyone was extremely apologetic (manager walked over for a personal apology … with my fingers & face all red-hot sauced, and my mouth full – munching on wings … trying my best to say thanks for the gesture, but more importantly wanting to shoo him away … please, don’t ever approach me while I’m in that condition, lol) and honestly wasn’t even creating a fuss for that beer either … not like I normally can, lol … was them that created all the fuss ’bout me sitting there all empty-glassed. Some pics to share … wanted to include gracious waitress but she was so shy … coulda swore she was Polish (with her thick accent, and being in these neck of the woods), but turns out Agi is a sweet little paprikash from Budapest!!
15 wild + blue cheese dip
my other 5 – I mean 10 … WOOHOO
ahhhhh, my Creemore finally, lol
lawyer-boy havin’ at ‘er … as if he’s never seen a chicken wing before, lol
… and the bill
My best attempt avoiding the “O” word in my title, lol. Can’t help myself, on another omelette roll of late … damp, wet weather puts me in the mood for stick to my ribs food. This always hits the gut-filling spot … prolly be doubling (or tripling) down with that ragin’ bitch Sandy unleashing her fury … already felt that cold wind firsthand *shivers*. Now? I’m hunkered down!! A few pic y’all. 😉
havarti, ham, cremini, tomato, red onion omelette & hash browns w/toasted English muffin
some shrooms showing through the eggs – LOVE IT
almost done y’all
… not really in the mood to say much today, just a coupla pics. warmer temps means a chance to bbq, even this late in the year. love seeing the fallen maple leaves in the background as my wings grill away. and finished – tossed with my hot buffalo wing sauce. oh, and served with my homemade blue cheese sauce.
Yesterday’s sunny and unseasonably warm 19°C permitting a late October BBQ was just what the doctor ordered, the perfect cure for stopping the dizziness … getting off this spinning ride called life. Food truly is love, it soothes the soul … two Atlantic Salmon filets quickly marinated with olive oil, red onion, dill, parsley, sea salt & black pepper … skin side down on a water soaked (for a few hours) cedar plank and into my hot and ready Weber, shutting the lid and patiently allowing it to make magic. Squirted freshly squeezed grilled lemon juice after plating … a glistening finish. Almost gives the appearance of smoked salmon, but it’s VERY moist and tender … AND pink inside. Please folks, NEVER overcook it – it’s a sin against salmon. My planked salmon … kerplunked!!
folded newspaper protects the plate from the charred plank …
you can see that a little bit o’ that pink I’m talking ’bout …
saved the best for last … yep, def pink …
… passively too – maybe I was sedated, lol?! Truthfully – LOVED it!! Was nice (but strange for a change) not lifting a finger doing any work getting food on the table … ‘nstead giving the two runts full run – complete carte blanche of my kitchen … my domain. And I promise never to bring up the mess again, mentioning it for the last time (yeah, probably will , lol) you left for yours truly … and ain’t complainin’ (but it was REALLY REALLY messy, lol) … the meal was fantastic … and the break from the EXPECTED (just sayin’) dinner duties was greatly appreciated (and needed). You done good!! Should be a TV show ’bout you twos …
butternut squash, double smoked bacon & roasted red pepper soup …
smoked herring fritter (a la crab cake), arugula & toasted squash seeds (& curry sauce) salad …
pan seared whitefish, quinoa & roasted veggies, white wine & lemon, dill & cilantro reduction …
… AND the best part – dessert (no pic – sorry). Bread pudding with fresh blackberries & raspberries, drizzled with hot caramel & dollops of cool whipped cream. AND from start to finish – took 3 hours total 2 working as a team … kudos!!
Watched the show last night – 1st time ever – certainly not willingly, but with no necessary arm-twisting. Know very little about it to be honest with you. But I do know that yesterday’s televised winner was to have his or her product available in stores this morning – in ALL Loblaws stores … and let me tell you folks – that’s a shitload of stores!! And I didn’t go shopping this morning, I went this afternoon and as you can see from the picture below, the set aside area and ready to go bunker was empty. The store manager took time to investigate and respond to my query. He was very kind, polite and understanding of my frustration (unlike the many indifferent employees of this company – pretty sure I blogged about their clock in – clock out & pick-up a paycheque lackadaisical work ethic before), hell … I could tell he was none too happy as well. And I was one step ahead of him when he mentioned that if their shipment hadn’t arrived, chances are all stores were in the same (sinking) boat. Poor Galen – you must feel like you’ve been kicked in the gonads with this public relations gaffe!! Oh, and since I have your ear … your decision to discontinue PC Memories of Lyon still has me scratching my head … you pissed off MANY 4 peppercorn sauce loving customers. I’m sure it was one of the top selling Memories brand items you’ve ever sold?! Take some advice from a guy who knows a thing or two about more than just one or two things … and bring it back pronto – no questions asked … don’t let Dave Nichol have the last laugh, ’cause trust me I know he’s rolling in the (your empty) aisles and howling now!! 😆
can’t say I didn’t try Tiffany K …
gone but not forgotten – you’re in steak heaven now ole friend … RIP …
Portuguese sausage – Linguiça … to be more precise – this ain’t no run o’ the mill Italian sausage (which are great btw) that I’m accustomed to. Once you bite into these, you’ll never forget its distinctiveness. I often see my good friend John with take-out styrofoam containers (so often – I bust his balls ’cause of it, lol), with soup (everyday they offer something different, not that I have to tell you – but just to make it perfectly clear – I AM, lol) from this place (I’ve never been, although I’ve been to many, many Portuguese bakeries) – Courense Bakery on Bloor … and ALWAYS raving about how great it is … and he swears by its health benefits (and he was right, felt stuffed all day afterwards). Today, because of circumstances – and because I was hungry as a motherfucking horse at the time, John and I ventured for a sit down soup brunch – got there at 10:45. John said this was the optimum time, come on noon’s other side and you’re taking a big risk … chances are you’ll be shit out of luck and a sorry sold out soup sob story is what you’ll be hearing … and then, you wouldn’t even be able to cry in it, LOL!! When we entered, the young woman working behind the counter asks me if I like kale and sausage? Uh, HELLS YEAH, lol!! And I know I’m not a soup guy, but after today’s experience, promise to try being MORE of a soup guy …
my bowl and bun (LOVE Portuguese breads) …
look at that creaminess – and all the sausage …
street view …
… and properly fancied it up, tired of always mangiacaking it down … oh what the hell – Meatballs with pasta, lol!! This creation came courtesy leftovers (once again), a coupla days back I made a batch of my famous meatballs and homemade sauce. And later looking to vary and extend it further, came up with this … it’s a baked pasta dish (my favourite way of cooking it btw), and that sliced tomato (I’ve NEVER done that before, but I had a very ripe one – and remember; waste not, want not) inspiration was something I’ve seen … I think it was from Lidia (Bastianich), maybe it was Giada (De Laurentis) though?! Cooked the pasta in my stock pot full of boiling water and with a ladle full of sea salt – should taste like the ocean, until very al dente, then drained (but with a bit of the pasta water reserved) and finally combined with the meatballs and sauce … oh, I did layer Auricchio before finishing with the tomato (and that’s Grana Padano grated on top when I pulled it out of the oven) … some pics, enjoy – mangia mangia!! 😀
my balls are simmering …
outta the oven …
drizzled with Acropolis, lotsa Grana Padano too …
the money shot – YUMM …
scooped out with a spoon shot – love this …
onto my plate …
and served with toasted garlic bread …
danistrulytheman 