Dry Aging With Butchers of Distinction
The best steak that I ever had was over four years ago. My first bite was rewarded with an intense, mouth-coating umami flavour. Then, with each drawn-out chew, the flavour would subtly change like a fine wine. I felt as if I could sense what the animal was fed; think nutty, popcorn or hay-like flavours followed by a rich sweetness that lingered, waiting for the next inevitable bite.
And, though even the most avid foodie will be hard-pressed to find a 120-day aged steak without custom ordering, there are select butchers in Toronto that give a similar treatment to their prime cuts. Leslieville boutique butcher, Butchers of Distinction, is one of them.
This is exactly where we’re heading today to learn about how the dry aging process works. It bears mentioning that Butchers of Distinction - known simply as “Butchers” in my household - is my favourite meat shop in all of Toronto. While living in the east side, my visits to Butchers would be nearly daily. Now, despite living on the opposite side of the city, I still make a weekly trek for my protein fix.
Kimchi: The Beginner’s Guide to Fermenting
You may have noticed that we, The 3 Spoons, have developed an obsession with fermentation - the most ancient and natural practice of preserving food. By delving into the making of beer and sourdough bread, we’ve been indoctrinated with its health benefits, but even more fascinating is its crucial role in the history of human civilization. This issue, we are exploring the afterlife of food - the different methods of natural preservation - and thought it fitting to start with something our dinner table is rarely without.
In our household, there are a handful of things that you will always find: Keen’s mustard, freshly roasted coffee beans, cornichons...and kimchi. Our avid consumption of kimchi is arguably comparable to most Korean Canadians. Unusual, given that neither of us is Korean. Given the speed at which we can finish a 1.2 kg tub of kimchi, I’ve begun to make my own.
Recipe: Lemon Ice, Dill Shortbread, Tobiko
Here’s a recipe for the next time you’re bringing dessert to a seafood-themed dinner party. Inspired by one part morbid curiosity, two parts Iron Chef, we wanted to round out our trio of seafood recipes with something decidedly thematic. Seafood dessert. You read that right; and it couldn’t be more simple. Allez cuisine!
It started with a simple question: could we make a three-course seafood meal? Appetizers (like our salmon gravlax) and mains (may we suggest our clam chowder?) are easy. But dessert? There are few things more culinarily disconcerting than sweet seafood. Challenge accepted.
Recipe: Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl
On my annual visits to see Uncle Regis (link ) in San Francisco, I had developed a habitual 1-day walking tour, which I embarked upon every single trip. The route began with dim sum at Yank Sing in the Rincon Center, followed by a pilgrimage to the Ferry Building Marketplace, and then a leisurely stroll along The Embarcardero all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf.
It had been years since I’ve been back to San Francisco. Coincidentally, the city is also where I was introduced to my very first cookbook over a decade ago. At the time, Uncle Regis had an obsession with America’s Test Kitchen and after spending days flipping through The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, I got myself a copy as soon as I was back home.
Recipe: Vacuum Sealer Beet-Cured Gravlax
Gravlax is one of my favourite Nordic treats. With simple ingredients - and a just little time to smooth its flavours - gravlax is also the easiest luxury to make at home.
I’ve tried dozens of recipes over the years. The most traditionally accurate call for two fillets of fish - preferably from opposite sides of the same fish - liberally cured with salt and sugar and sandwiched skin-side out around a core of herbs and spices. It’s then tightly wrapped with cling film and popped into the fridge with a weighted object on top to help expel moisture.
De la Mer: All Men Are Equal Before Fish
Walk through the doors of De La Mer Fresh Fish Market, and you just might want to Instagram it.
You might be drawn to the shop’s name laid in black tile alongside whimsical representations of fish. Or the nautical-themed decor arrayed against the wall. There’s even a spot perfect for selfies; there, in the back, with the hand-lettered phrase “All men are equal before fish”. In some regards, it’s easy to forget that you’ve walked into a fish shop. That would be a mistake. You definitely want the fish here.
Oyster Boy: The Godfather of West Queen West
“Looking good, Adam!”
I’ve been cat-called before, even yelled obscenities at, but never have I been privy to a drive-by compliment. The source: a driver passing across the street from Oyster Boy’s West Queen West restaurant.
Homebrewing With Brew North
I remember my first experience with homebrewed beer.
It was during my university years, naturally. The concoction bore an insipid, pale yellow hue - the bare minimum needed to differentiate it from water. When nosed from the glass: the pungent aroma of wet bread.
Bandit Brewery: Crafted Beer
Like all good ideas, Bandit Brewery was conceived over a pint of beer. And, rather appropriately, so too was the friendship between owners Shehzad Hamza and Stephane Dubois; thematically, they also met at a brewery. You can say that the unlikely pair are the epitome of the Canadian Dream; immigrants who came, conquered, and quit their corporate jobs to establish a craft brew startup.
Sisterhood Is Brew-tiful
Beer is the third most popular beverage on the planet. But when it comes to food and drink pairing, wine reigns supreme. In fact, is there even such a thing as a beer sommelier?
As it turns out, there are. We met Tara and Crystal Luxmore, also known as the Beer Sisters, at Tequila Bookworm.
Beer: The Origin of Civilization?
Until recently, I never held beer in very high esteem. Growing up, I’ve always associated beer with frat boys, beer pong, and trailer parks. To me, beer culture was unrefined and encouraged gross over consumption, leading to boorish behaviour. I shared the Ancient Greeks’ preference for wine and low opinion of beer; it’s a barbarian’s beverage.
Bar Ape: What Summer Tastes Like
It was a Friday in June, on one of the hottest summer days I could remember. While it was already past 5:00 PM, the sun was still strong and no matter how many times I changed positions, I could feel the imprint of my sandals being burned onto the skin of my feet.