The launch of our 2019 Canada’s 100 Best Cooking issue was a blast!
Our big night at Cirillo’s Culinary Academy served as a preview of our best cooking issue ever. It’s jam-packed with stories on culinary travel to Mexico, Italy, Germany and Napa, Fed Ex’ing Poilâne, a look at what’s happening on Canada’s lit hotel scene, chefs’ favourite restaurants, and recipes that mean the most to them from Fogo Island Inn‘s Jonathan Gushue, Guilietta‘s Rob Rossi and 7 more star chefs.
The evening got rolling with Elit Vodka‘s Twilight, a fresh mix of Elit, dry vermouth, orange flower water, an orange twist and edible flowers. Herradura‘s Spiced Old Fashioned took on a warm hue thanks to the spiced agave nectar and star anise, while Woodford Reserve‘s Manhattan was the classic, perfected.
Lucky guests got a real taste of the issue via Riviera’s chef Jordan Holley, whose Nordic Shrimp Roll is showcased in the magazine. Other culinary highlights: chef Marc Thuet‘s Torchon de Foie Gras made with Rougie Fois Gras, chef John Cirillo‘s braised Canadian beef cheeks on a pretzel dumpling with blueberry compote, chefs Kshitiz Sethi (just back from Barilla’s pasta world championship in Paris), Tony Loschiavo, and Wladimir Santana and heir delicious take on Sicily’s famous Spaghetti con le Sarde, as well as a vegan pasta made with a chickpea Bolognese. Top marks to our own Editor-in-Chief Jacob Richler for taking the flavours of everyone’s favourite duck dish and reconfiguring it as the Peking Duck Burger using duck from King Cole Ducks. All dishes included ingredients from Longo’s.
Accompanying wines from Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits included Mionetto Prestige Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso,Cavaliere d’Oro Pinot Grigio IGT, and Cavaliere d’Oro Chianti Classico DOCG, while beer aficionados were delighted to sample Amsterdam Brewing Co’s 3 Speed Lager, Blonde Lager Space Invader and IPA Boneshaker IPA.
Chocolatier Daniel Stubbe of Stubbe Chocolates created two dreamy chocolate desserts with top-notch Cacao Barry chocolate: a Tanzania origin ganache with slivers of Ontario dried cherries and a very pretty Ruby RB1 shell filled with pistachio white chocolate ganache.
As always, a big warm shout out to our sponsors: Jenn Air, King Cole Ducks, Herradura Tequila, Woodford Reserve, Cacao Barry, Canada Beef, Barilla, Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits, Elit Vodka, Rougie, Longo’s, Amsterdam Brewing Co., S. Pellegrino, Cirillo’s Culinary Academy, Petit Thuet, La Paese, L-Eats and Riviera.
Special thank you to our partner American Express Canada.
The Canada’s 100 Best Cooking issue is on newsstands across the country December 2.
