In Two Food

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T10:37:00.005-05:00

'Tis the season to share good food, great stories and a lot of laughs. For all who have indulged in all of our lovely products, we thank you.

For your eating pleasure come to McEwan Foods, Bloor St. Market and Meat on The Beach for a chutney demonstration:

McEwan Foods

Date: December 24th and 29th

Time: 11:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Bloor St. Market: TBD

Meat on The Beach: TBD

All the Best, from all of us at On The Side Inc.

Chris

Metro Hall Trade Show

2011-12-03T10:49:00.002-05:00

For me anyway, the trade show went smoothly. Would have loved to have sold more than I did, but the hours really left much to be desired: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. I'm sure, a few more hours would have made a huge difference in sales; nothing like enticing homeward bound customers to buy lovely hand crafted goodies . In addition, the CBC trade show was happening across the street. Sheesh you'd think the organizers would have known this before our event. Needless to say, I did sell quite a lot of my stock.

Thanks go to my dear friend Misbah for her wonderfully cheery demeanor and unceasing assistance. Misbah you are truly the best!!!!!!!

You'll be seeing me at any one of the following places in the weeks following and after Christmas: McEwan Foods, Bloor St. Market and Meat on the Beach.

For anyone interested in my lovely products, I also offer private tastings for groups of 10 - 15, at $10.00 per person.

Please let me know ASAP.

Chris

Christmas Trade show

2011-11-04T17:08:00.018-04:00

Christmas is fast approaching and while 'tis the season for giving it's also the time for getting great stuff.

On November 30th, On The Side Inc. will be a vendor at a Christmas Trade show. When more details come my way I will share them with you.

Pencil or type this information into you calendar:

Where: YMCA Metro Hall
55 John St.

When: November 30th, 2011

Time: 10:00 - 6:00 p.m.

See you there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

McEwans

2011-10-04T14:39:00.007-04:00

Had a very successful chutney demo at McEwan Foods. Surprisingly, there weren't a great deal of people there; strange, given that Thanksgiving is fast approaching and any time spent preparing before the big rush is time well spent.

I happened to meet a very sweet man who made the time pass quite quickly. His hame is Nick; or Nickos if you're saying he's name in Greek. You got it right and what better product from Greece than lovely olives and olive oil. He has a large olive farm in Sparta, and has his casks shipped to Canada, where he fills smaller jars for the retail market. He has amazing business savvy and works like a damn; a 100+ work week. How's that for a work ethic. Despite the price of his olive oils; costing upwards from $26.00 per regular bottle, to $28.00 for organic. His Extra virgin olive oil is very light and leaves an almost floral after taste; lovely olive oil. I enquired into the possible purchase of a few bottles of his oil wholesale. With that thick Greek accent he quickly put up his hand and replied, "send me e-mail. Let's not talk business here."

Given the less than average number of clients, I was surprised how well I did; pretty much sold a case for each product. Except for the instance, when packing up and a walnut alergic youngster shoved a cracker with my cherry chutney into her mouth, it was an exceptional day. Could have been a disaster, but luckily the mother, I beleive, felt somewhat responsible as well.

Thank you McEwan, for another successful demo.

To everyone tuned in, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Chris

McEwan Foods

2011-09-29T08:32:00.004-04:00

Come for a chutney demonstration at McEwan Foods.

Where: McEwan Foods @:

38 Karl Fraser Rd.

Shops @ Don Mills Centre

(corner of D.M and Lawrence

When: September 29th, 2011

Time: 12:00 - 5:00

See you there!!!

Chris

Bloor St. Market

2011-09-17T13:33:00.005-04:00

Come and join me at Bloor St. Market tomorrow for a free sampling demonstration of all my products. All sampling will include various cheeses:

Date: Sunday, September 17th
time: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
where: Manulife Centre on the concourse level.

See you there!!
Chris

Brochure Blues

2011-09-02T10:49:00.003-04:00

I'm learning how to produce a brochure myself, using Adobe Illustrator. The learning curve is huge as I look to Dave (who knows more than I do, but it's kinds like "the blind leading the blind" scenario happening here) and a basic Adobe Illustrator manual for help. There is a lot to learn!!!

Needless to say, I did manage to get the file where I thought I wanted it until I brought it to a Scholar House Printers, where I met Allan the boss. The short and long of it is, we've been doing a lot of back and forth. I was hoping it would be out by Wednesday (two days ago), but that just didn't happen; like I said... a lot of back and forth. When it was finally done to my and the printers expectations I was sent home with a proof; this was late yesterday afternoon... before closing time. Before leaving I asked him when it would be done and he said, "around 12:30 p.m." He saw by the big sigh and the look on my face that that just couldn't happen. At which time and with some slight exasperation he said, "call me at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, I should be done by then.

I was happy... it was almost there... I could feel it. Once home I took the opportunity to fold it, just to see what it looked like and was horrified to observe that the gutters were too narrow. I phoned Allan, this morning, at which point he really let me have it. "I was just about to print the brochure and now I have to go to the file again..." I don't know how many "I'm sorries" I said to him but I believe, in the long run, I was right to do this. Turned out, an hour later he phoned back to confirm my own suspicions. "As a professional," he said, "I can't produce it the way it is." "We'll have to wait until Sue (their in-house Graphic Designer) comes in." So here I am now, it's 11:00 a.m., my brochure is still not final, I feel like I'd wasted my holiday; did nothing but this brochure, I was hoping to have it out a few days ago, so that Dave and would finally have what's left of my holiday time together; out of town or going to the spicy food festival at Harbor Front, but I'm stuck here waiting... trying to stay busy.

My advice to any of you who are planning on using valuable holiday time to work or worse yet, produce a brochure.... don't do it!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend.

Chris

Post Central Y Green Urban Living Show

2011-08-21T15:24:00.021-04:00

What a wonderful venue to hold a trade show; far and away from the direct exhaust of car fumes, a beautiful sunny day with blue skies, nestled in amongst the many condos, insurance buildings and financial institutions. There it was this oasis on a roof top.

While the space is typically used to hold Zumba classes, houses a running track and doubles as a yoga studio, last Saturday August 20th, the YMCA Metro Central rooftop accommodated, roughly 23 local, organic and 'green' vendors. Many of these vendors included: Bullfrog Power, At Home Organics, Livegreen Toronto, Down to Earth Solar Power, Green Earth Organics, The Vegetarian Association, Grasshopper Solar and who can't forget On The Side Inc. Not bad for a first time 'green' event at the Y!!!!!!!!!

If you missed it this year, I'll be sure to keep you up to date for 2012.

Thanks go to the organizers of the event, with hopes that the word will spread like wild fire. For all those who had a chance to sample and purchase my products my sincere gratitude.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world…” ~ Gandhi

See you next year!!!

Chris

Green Urban Living Trade Show

2011-08-19T15:55:00.003-04:00

This is one event you should not miss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For more information go to Google and type: ymcagta.org/central. Once in look for 'Summer' on the list and double click Green Roof Programme Schedule, it's on the second page.

I know this sounds complicated but...... it's FREE, it's on a very cool roof top and there's going to be a whole bunch of vendors there.

Just in case you can't access the flyer here's the information:

Central YMCA
20 Grosvenor ( 2 blocks north of College on Yonge St.)
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

My company and a free product sampling will be available. Hope to see you there as well!!!

Chris

Lemon Squares

2011-06-28T17:40:00.008-04:00

Yes, yes... I know... lemon squares have nothing to do with chutney, but I came upon this wonderful recipe for lemon squares and thought I'd share it.

The tangy lemon filling and buttery short bread crust is absolutely to die for.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup butter softened tangy you want it.
1/2 cup (~4 lemons) I used 5 for extra lemony flavour
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 eggs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

2. Mix 2 cups of flour and confectioners sugar together. Cut in the butter. Using a KitchenAid is faster. Either way mix well until the dough resembles pie dough consistency. Press the dough into a 9x13 inch baking pan.

3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Beat together eggs, sugar, 4 tbsp flour, lemon juice and lemon rind for at least 1 minutes. Pour the mixture over the based crust.

5. Bake the bars another 20 minutes, or until the lemon topping has set. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar when cooled.

Bon Appetit,
Chris

Food Demonstration - McEwan Foods

2011-06-09T15:34:00.008-04:00

For those of you who have not had a chance to taste On The Side Inc. products, I will be at McEwans Foods this coming June 25th.

Location: Don Mills/Lawrence

Time: 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Our food demonstrations include: all four of our chutneys (Rhubarb Blush, Cherry Gem, Smiling Green Tomato and Oh so very Cranberry), a variety of cheeses, crackers and recipe give-aways.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Chris

Bloor St. Market sampling demonstration

2011-04-15T13:18:00.008-04:00

You are welcome to sample On The Side Inc. chutneys for free this Saturday:

Where: Bloor St. Market (basement of ManuLife Centre -what used to be ValuMart)

When: Saturday, April 16th Time: 12:00 - 4:00

All chutneys will be paired with appropriate cheeses and fresh bread.

See you there!!!

Chris

Brewer's Plate 2011

2011-04-08T11:51:00.014-04:00

What can I say... a good time was had by all!!! The 2011 Brewer's Plate was a truly incredible event. If you have never been, you should really consider going to the Brewer's Plate next year. This year it took place at the Wychwood Barns (what was once an old TTC barn) on April 6th. As a vendor this event was like no other I had partaken in; what with the barker on stills, intermingled with papier mache circus-like characters within a Marche format; a feast to behold, complete with jazz music, auctions and well ... lots of Southern Ontario micro brews.

Guests were very receptive to my display of all four chutneys and cheeses that I selected for each. Perhaps the most popular was the St. Andre cheese with our Cherry Gem chutney. In fact, I had one chef (a regular on the food network apparently) come to my table, sample and with eyes wide open proceeded to spoon more samples and hand them out to other chefs. He came back on several occasions during the evening. Needless to say, this was a high point for me as a chutney maker, but I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens in the future. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, with little expectation; I've been disappointed before. However I will remain positive to the potential.

What hasn't changed since the commencement of the Brewer's Plate is the event's focus on pairing food by renowned Toronto chefs with beer from great Ontario breweries. Attendees will be fed by culinary luminaries including Jamie Kennedy (Gilead Café and Bistro), Brad Long (Veritas), Lora Kirk (Ruby Watchco), Michael Steh (reds), Mark Cutrara (Marc Breton (Gladstone Hotel) and Tawfik Shehata (The Ballroom); and will have their thirst quenched with fine brews from Denison's, Beau's, Black Oak, Cameron's, Flying Monkeys, Great Lakes, Mill Street, Nickel Brook, , Steam Whistle, and Wellington.

The one dish that I thought worked was Michael Steh’s cheddar and broccoli soup. It was composed of barbecued or pulled pork on the bottom and pork crackling used as a garnish. I enjoyed it and while I am not really a pork person, soup is my mainstay. The flavour and colour reminded me of a Sri Lankan fish slothy dish that I make, so I suppose my reaction is a way of responding to the familiar in my palette.

I think the dish that I had the hardest time with was Lora Kirk’s Black Oak Nut Brown Ale braised pork belly. I confess, I had never actually tried pork belly before and when placing it in my mouth I couldn't get beyond the texture of the pork belly; not unlike eating a big wad of fat. Unfortunately, I just couldn't appreciate the crispin apple slaw, for the whole pork belly experience. I sort of chewed the belly a bit, but ended up leaving it on the plate as discard. The cheddar biscuit was lovely but how can you go wrong with a simple biscuit.

I sampled Brook Cavanagh’s buffalo ricotta stuffed morel, and I must say it was probably the most intricately plated dishes at the event and the highlight of the event as far as I'm concerned.. It seemed to have a large number of elements in play: shaved radish, shallot confit and preserved Brussel sprouts. Lovely... I went back for second helping.

Perhaps another dish that left me cold was Chef Tawfik Shehata’s battered fish taco. It was served with a smoked tomato salsa and what was apparently a candy cane beet slaw. Personally, I felt that the batter, was a little soggy and as a textural element it just didn't work in my opinion. I'm not partial to deep fried food anyway, so don't take my word for it, I'll leave that up to the other foodies at the event to decide. Although I must say the salsa was wonderfully fresh and light.

Also, there was chocolate in the form of tiny cupcakes. I confess I am a chocoholic, and these "to die for" miniature morsels were the end to a lovely evening.

Thanks for tuning in. Bye for now.

Chris

Niagara-on-the-Lake

2011-03-24T09:16:00.009-04:00

I was headed home to visit the the new Executive, Chef Robyn Little, at the Prince of Wales Hotel on the weekend. We'd made arrangements a few days before that and I was very excited to show him my new mini jar packages I'd spoken of over the phone. Unfortunately, it was just not meant to be. Turned out Robyn was ill and did not come in. While it was disappointing I did get a chance to visit with his Sous Chef Steven McCreadie. Steve and I go way back (hee, hee)...well as way back to the previous Executive Chef Andy Dymond anyway. As we were chatting about the renos. happening at the Prince of Wales he took a look at my mini jar packages and seemed genuinely WOW'd by them. Steven is a Brit., and not only knows chutney but has always commented on how "lovely" my products were, particularly the green tomato chutney. As we were touring he promised me, prior to my departure, that he'd pass the chutney collection to Robyn. Of course he inquired whether I'd been in touch with Andy, who is now Executive Chef at Taboo Resort and Spa in Gravenhurst. I told him that I tried but to no avail. There must have been something in the stars that day, because he also promised to get in touch with Andy, who has always been a fan of my chutneys as well, and Chef Jill St. Amour, former Sous Chef with Steven and now Executive Chef at the Mill Croft Resort and Spa in Caledon Hills.

In retrospect, I may have missed on the the intended target, but I managed to leave Niagara-on-the-Lake with a smile on my face and pocket full of potential.

Amazing what can happen when you take the time to chat!!!

chris

An exercise in true food tasting

2011-03-08T13:43:00.010-05:00

I must say, participating in a food and wine tasting at the Summerhill LCBO was nothing short of glorious!!! While I have done chutney and cheese demonstrations in the past, nothing compares to the joy I felt when doing one at the LCBO. To quote a happy sampler, "It's like being at a cocktail party."

I had the pleasure and honour of accompanying two Somaliers as they touted the beauty, fragrance and taste of two wines they would be promoting that day; one red and the other white, both from Argentina. Anthony Romantini and Alessandro Bonucci, while both very professional, to my surprise were hilarious men. The day flew bye, as it progressed from a fairly typical, to one wrought with comedic quips to the the art of doing"lounges." When I finally realized that Alessandro actually meant to say 'lunges,' on account of his Bolognia, Italian accent, I laughed so hard. Alessandro explained that during the later stages of any wine demonstration, he does these "lounges" to keep his leg muscles loose and his back pain free. I started doing it as well and before we knew it both of us were "lounging" and handing out wine and chutney samples. We were having such a laugh, some of our tasters were"lounging" and tasting as well.

Needless to say, the food and wine demonstration was such a success, the boys and I have consulted about doing this on a regular basis...not the lunges, but further demonstrations.

Amazing what can happen when you're eating, drinking great wine and "lounging."

Stay tuned for the next adventure another one of my wild chutney adventures.

Chris :)

Summerhill LCBO

2011-02-22T12:24:00.003-05:00

As promised I will be at Summerhill LCBO this March 4th for a chutney sampling demonstration. For your palette pleasure On The Side Inc. products will be sampled with cheese and paired with wines, perfectly selected for our products. The sampling exercise will start at 4:00 p.m. and end at 6:00. Bring your appetite and love of chutney, cheese and spirits.

Hope to see you all there.

Bon appetit.

Chris

LCBO Summerhill

2011-02-08T11:07:00.016-05:00

I had the opportunity to meet with some folks at the Summerhill LCBO. You know... it's the huge one that I'm sure many get lost in. Along with the Manager two Wine Consultants were made available to me to partake in a wine/spirit and product sampling exercise. I was so excited because, with the advice of these consultants, I now know and will have the opportunity to do some product sampling at the LCBO. As of this March On The Side Inc. will be doing sampling at the Summerhill LCBO, and depending on the success of this demonstration, I may be doing a cooking class or two. I will provide you with all the details (ie. time, date etc.) at a later time.

In case you are not aware, just south of the Summerhill LCBO is All the Best Fine Foods. This lovely gourmet shop has restored their original location and will be openning soon. So if get a chance to visit the LCBO during one of my demonstrations, you know where to buy my products.

Again, will provide details in March.

Hope to see you there,

Chris

News for the New Year

2011-01-13T11:48:00.005-05:00

Dave and I are ecstactic to share with you some great news about our products; they will now be sold at Williams-Sonoma. For any of you who are unaware of or have never visited any of the 5 Canadian stores, allow me to provide you with some information. W-S head office is in California, but boast over 200 stores throughout the United States. In Canada most of their stores are located in Toronto including: Bloor St. W (Bloor/Yonge), Sherway Gardens (Etobicoke), Toronto Eaton Centre (Dundas/Yonge) and Yorkdale Mall (Dufferin/Allen Expwy). They generally sell upscale kitchen equipment, appliances and small specialty items. In addition, W-S are also in the business of selling upscale condiments.

It's within the W-S Toronto stores that my products will be sold; reigning true to the objectives of my company - to remain local.

You will be happy to know that the Toronto stores will include my 190 mL. jars, but will also feature our seasonal chutney collections packages complete with 4 - 1oz mini jars of each of the seasons products including: rhubarb blush - spring, cherry gem - summer, smiling green tomato - fall and oh so very cranberry - winter.

We will let you know ASAP when our products will be availble.

Chris

Food Demonstration at McEwan's

2010-12-29T17:06:00.004-05:00

For those of you who have not had a chance to taste On The Side Inc. products, we are doing a food demonstration at McEwan Foods at Don Mills/Lawrence from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m., December 30th, 2010

We will be there complete with a variety of cheeses, crackers and recipe give-aways.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Chris

From all of us at On The Side Inc.

2010-12-24T17:14:00.006-05:00

Happy Holidays to all our dedicated clients, happy customers and supportive friends and family.

May the New Year bring you continued good health, lots of laughs and of course GREAT FOOD!!!!!!

Stay tuned for exciting a new product and our seasonal chutney collection gift box for the New Year.

Best Regards,

Chris & Dave

I've decided... Halloween is my favourite celebration

2010-11-03T20:05:00.012-04:00

I have always loved Halloween. Aside from being that time of year when one is allowed to be anyone or anything one chooses... it's my birthday. You gotta envy that. However, I do know people who hate dressing up, think it's stupid, pretentious, unhealthy and a waste of money to buy junk food for kids. This year I didn't plan to have a Halloween party but that certainly didn't stop others from scheming. My squeeze Dave, one of my dearest and bestest of friends Bonita and her organized sister Chantelle threw me, not a small dinner party, not even a casual cocktail party. This party came complete with an invitation list that included 40 of my friends, food to feed an army including: pork tenderloin, stuffed turkey breast, a potato tart, beet and feta salad, carrot and chick pea salad, chili, potato chowder, punch and that doesn't even include all the food and wine others brought. I was flabbergasted!!!! To my amazement, most everyone came. Since my house can only accommodate around 10 - 15 people at a time, it was decided that an all day house warming would do the trick. From 2:00 p.m. to around 1:00 a.m., people came and went. Some came and stayed right to the end. Some came early to go to party's afterward, one of my mom friends came even though she had a sick child at home. Now if that's not friendship... Some were dressed up in costumes, others were disappointed that nothing was specified on the e-vites. Despite the lack of attire consistency, the party was marvelous. I, myself always dress up for Halloween whether I'm told to or not. This year I managed to find a 1950's, purple chiffon dress with a big bow in the front and feathers around the neck line. I lucked out at a theatre sale in the studio district on Commissioner St. The dress actually came from a film called, "I need a Martini." It's the kinda dress you've seen before. Zsa Zsa Gabor in Green Acres seemed to be what most people agreed on. I was actually a Californian, Jewish Housewife from the 1950's, if you can picture it. Funny, pretty much the only people that dressed up for the party were my family members: that's my sister Rita on the far left; she was Betty Boop. The tall guy in the back is my little brother, ok, ok... younger brother Rich, he, of course dressed as superman. Lastly, the guy on the far right is my brother Ray, he came as an Arab. We're quite the family. Some things just never change.

I hope everyone had a great Halloween. Some word of advise for those of you who are never sure what to wear for a party on or near Halloween... be anything you want.

Later,
Chris

A Beautious Trip

2010-09-09T09:52:00.010-04:00

Dave and I are back from our Kingston/Prince Edward adventure. We started our trip by going straight to Kingston. Our first destination was The Glass House to see Lynda. Lynda, of course, was off that day but decided to stop in at the shop. In true Lynda form she ended up chatting with customers, answering questions from staff and showing us around. Half an hour later we left the shop with our first planned destination - Wolf Island. I'd heard all about Wolf Island and soooo wanted to see its wind turbines. So from her shop we drove to the city centre, parked and started walking toward the ferry docks, stopping all the while to chat with local art and craft store owners. We finally made it to the ferry docks where we met up with Creig (her husband), Aaron and Cody (her two sons). Apparently, from Kingston there are several ferries you can take to various islands. Bye-the-way, if you're interested in visiting the 1000 Islands, this is the way to travel. So, off we went to Wolf Island. What a spectular place it was indeed. If you ever get the chance this wind farm is something to behold; it stretches for miles and miles.

Returning to Kingston we had a bite to eat and spent the rest of the evening hanging with Lynda and Creig in their lovely home. Creig is such a craftsman, check out the shrine he made for the BBQ.

The next day Dave and I woke up relatively early and had a wonderful breakfast of local, artisanal cheeses, fruit, bread and coffee (yum,yum). Lynda is such a wonderful host... thanks Lynda!!!! Since Lynda had to work that day, Dave and I planned to explore PEC on our own.
Soooo, from Kingston we took the ferry to Picton and there started our journey. Once into Picton we parked the car and started walking up Main St. Perhaps the most memorable thing we did there was to visit a Cuban cigar, coffee and chocolate shop. Go figures.... coffee, chocolate and cigars; what a truly decident trio. Turns out the owner of the shop is from Toronto so we had much to yammer about. The coffee I had was perhaps the best I'd tasted in a very long time and of course, the one $2.50 chocolate I savoured was hand-made and well ....worth the cost. And what did my eyes behold from across the way... Buddha Dog. I had to visit just to see if the two Andrew's were about. They were no where to be seen, so left to continue on our next journey in search of a cheese shop. I was hoping to go to Fifth Town cheese, but we would have been diverted from our original route. fInstead we opted for Blackriver Cheese on the way. Must say... I was not impressed. Felt like I'd just walked into a small grocery store; instead of seeing and smelling aged cheese lined up on shelves with a smiling Cheese Monger awaiting customers for a chat and sampling demo., all products were stored in refrigerated units save for the small platter of a few varieties. Next time.... Fifth Town Cheese is where I'll be.

After purchasing some cheese we continued our adventure towards Bloomfield. On the way, I felt as though I'd been here before. The route we'd taken, which bye-the-way is part of the Taste Trail, are, as I figure it, a combination of two lovely areas in Ontario: Ottawa Valley and Niagara-on-the-Lake: Niagara due to the rolling hills and farms and Ottawa Valley because the houses were often made of field stone and had a very artisanal like feel to them.

Once into Bloomfield we were on a mission: Marshmellows. Marshmellows is a lovely bakery he
where we bought some blueberry/lemon scones, the best ever hermit cookies and honey, poppyseed, multigrain rye breat (yum,yum). We decided to break for lunch and found a large pond surrounded by weeping willows. For lunch Dave and I sat under one willow and proceeded to feast on our finds. The bread we would save for the end of our trip in Tweed.

After Bloomfield he arrived in Wellington. It was getting late, so decided that we'd explore Wellington at a later time. We were on our way to Tweed to visit our friends Pat and Bev, to spend the last of our trip hanging with them, indulging in great food and communing with nature.

That's it for the trip.

Stay tuned for the next installment of Chris's adventures in food.

Chris

Prince Edward County

2010-08-20T11:09:00.010-04:00

My long awaited holiday awaits. I have nine days holiday...ahhhhhhhhh what a relief!! Dave and I have decided to visit a friend of mine who lives in Kingston. As noted on a previous post, my friend Lynda owns perhaps the largest stained glass shop (The Glass House) in all of Kingston. While I'm looking forward to seeing her and visiting the shop, Dave and I also plan on take some time to visit Prince Edward County. I'd wanted to go to this region for a very long time; even before the hype.
Rather than spend lots of money going to different restos. and wineries, we've decided that our adventure would be spend partially by car and partially by bike. We just want to explore the area, visit some great bakeries, find great parks, antique shops, beaches to hang, chat with proprietors that we know and just relax with our friends. As much a foodie as I am and as much as it would be nice to glitz up and go to some fancy restaurant for dinner, I don't really need it. My world includes the Niagara and Toronto, I really don't feel the need to do this in PEC. However, if any of you can suggest a 'must try' foodie experiences, by all means please provide details.

I'll let you all know how it went!!

Have a great week.

Chris

Have a nice day!!!

2010-08-15T16:27:00.006-04:00

It's been a pretty relaxing weekend. Although, I had planned to do a sampling demo. at the Distillery District today (Sunday), we were side tracked by the Bay's stove department patiently waiting for a long over due pick-up. Let me tell you, what a pain the the ass they've been. Just so you all know, The Bay uses a company in India to do all their customer service. And when you're trying to get any sort of arrangements made, there's nothing worse than getting instructions and information from a source that isn't in the city... not in the country.... better still not even in the continent. For the last few weeks this is what we've experienced:

a) The stove guys came, dropped off the new stove but couldn't take the old one away because it hasn't been unhooked and of course they couldn't do it because they're not registered gas guys.

b) A few days later the stove guys come again thinking the gas guy has already been, but didn't so they left; I wonder how much they got paid that day? (wasted trip)

c) The gas guy comes to unhook the old stove, but the stove guys are no where to be seen, so now we have two stoves in our kitchen. We wait a week.

d) Finally the plan is for the stove guys to come today (Sunday) to pick up the old stove. They say they'll be here between 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. They don't come, we figure perhaps they really meant 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. It's now 4:37 a torrential is coming and we know they are not coming. We wait all day for these freaking guys and of course I waste a day I could have spent making money at the Distillery District selling my chutney.

I'm quite pissed off at the whole Bay delivery/pick-up procedure. Not only do they screw us around, they're whole system is so confusing it's a wonder anything is delivered. We will NEVER, EVER BUY, PLAN OR AGREE TO THE ARRANGEMENT OF ANOTHER ITEM FROM THE BAY THAT REQUIRES DELIVERY. That said.... be warned the next time you buy big items from The Bay that required delivery.

Otherwise, have a nice day!!
Chris :)

Visiting Friends

2010-08-03T18:10:00.011-04:00

Dave and I spent the long weekend visiting friends in Tweed. The purpose... to set ourselves down and take in a rodeo. This was our second year as participants for these traveling rodeos. The first year we drove all the way to Warkworth and I have to admit, I thought it was a blast. Go figure.. rodeo in Southern Ontario. This year it's Tweed.

As the years go on, however, I've become less enthused about attending these events; one because you're sitting, for long hours, on bleachers in the blazing sun. Two, I'm just not that interested in watching grown men grab the horns and twist the necks of small calves, so's they can show how strong they are and how quickly they can fell a baby bull. I say, "pick on something your own size!!!!" But when a scared calf managed to somehow evade the clutches of a dropping cowboy, I always rooted for the little one, as he strolled to the end of the arena. Third, by the time the rodeo was finished you're left with an inch of dust and dirt on your sweating and tired body.

Will I venture to a rodeo again????.... probably not. For me it's all about spending time with great friends, hanging back at their pad to relax, enjoy some great food, spirits and have a few laughs. Speaking of food I made a cherry pie and brought it with us. It was perhaps the best cherry pie I'd ever had, even better than my mom's, and that's saying a lot. Pat, Dave's best friend, is not normally a pastry eater, but even he said this pie was exceptional.

I was so impressed by this recipe I'm even willing to share it with y'all. All I have to say is...butter makes the whole difference. Make sure you use sour cherries.

Sour Cherry Pie With lattice Crust
Ingredients:
Crust:
21/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 - 5 tbsp. ice water

Filling:
1 cup sugar3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
5 cups whole pitted sour cherries (thanks go to my brother Vic for the cherries straight from his cherry tree.
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tbsp. milk (optional)
Vanilla ice cream - optional

Preparation:
For crust:Whisk flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until small pea-size clumps from. Add 3 - 5 tbsp ice water; mix lightly with fork until dough hold together when small pieces are pressed between fingertips, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 pieces. Form each piece into ball, then flatten into disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.

For Filling:
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cherries, lemon juice and vanilla, set aside.

Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim dough overhand to 1/2 inch. Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Using large knife or pastry wheel with fluted edge, cut ten 3/4-inch- wide, strips from dough round. Transfer filling to dough-lined dish, mounding slightly in center. Arrange dough strips atop filling, forming lattice trim dough strip overhand to 1/2 inch. Fold bottom crust up over ends of strips and crimp edges to seal. You can brush lattice crust (not edges) with milk.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce over temperature to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit. Bake pie until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown, covering edges with foil collar if browning too quickly, about 1 hour longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream. Yum Yum

What made this weekend magical were the people. Hope you all had a great long weekend.

McEwan Foods

2010-07-26T12:05:00.002-04:00

Once again, it was a joy doing a sampling demonstration at McEwan Foods!!!!!

I believe there is a new breed of buyers out there, particularly those who stop at nothing to procure really good, nutritious food. We seem to live in an age when those who buy food for themselves and their families want the best, which usually implies: premium local, organic and gourmet.

I partook in a sampling demo. this weekend at McEwan Foods. Let me tell you, it was such a pleasure to communicate with people who actually knew what English style chutney was, most notably indicated with expressions of heart felt oooooh and aaahhhs when providing food pairing information.

My Cherry Gem chutney was especially favoured. Not surprising given the descriptors I'd given for it's use; my cedar planked Brie recipe was what really hit the mark. I even met repeat On The Side Inc. buyers, from way back at a demo. I'd done at All The Best Fine Foods.

If there were ever a time that I questioned the idea of being in the food processing business, this was not one of them. This experience has reafirmed my belief that Ontarians do want the best food and price is never a factor.

Thank you patrons of McEwan Food... you really made my day!!!

Chris

A simply delicious method for Bruscetta

2010-07-20T09:00:00.006-04:00

I was hot and unhappy from a very long and taxing day at my office yesterday. By the time I got home I just wanted something fresh, cold and easy to make. I guarantee you will love... and I really mean LOVE this recipe for Bruscetta. This recipe, if using as a main with soup or salad will serve 4 to 5 people very nicely.

1. If you grow your own Romano tomatoes, bonus and good for you; the fresher the better. If not, just make sure they are ripe and red. Buy 4 - 5 large ones, deseed them and dice.

2. Same thing goes for your garlic; the fresher the better. I just bought mine in a local market and they were supposed to be planted but I couldn't resist using them. Take 5 - 6 cloves, smash and chop until fine.

3. Again, basil is essential for this recipe. If you have it in your garden pick at least 7 to 8 large leaves, otherwise try to find the freshest with the largest leaves you can find.

Mix everything together, add salt and pepper to taste and a tbsp or two of olive oil.

4. Buy a bagette and slice it on an angle about an inch thick; you want to make sure that when you're bbqing them they stay moist on the inside. Oh... did I mention that the last essential thing is a BBQ??? If you don't have one, that makes me want to cry, however, you can also roast your bread in the oven. Brush each slice with olive oil (both sides) and place on a hot bbq or in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. For added taste you can take a clove of fresh garlic and brush each slice after they've been toasted. How yummy is that!!!

Serve the tomato mixture in a bowl with a large spoon and the sliced and bbqed baguette. This recipe not only keeps the toasted baguette nice and crisp, but your guests can add as much of the mixture as they want. Have some fresh Parmesan cheese available if your guests wish to enhance the flavour of their bruscetta.

Enjoy.... and bon appetit,

Chris:)

Pictures at the Distillery

2010-07-14T19:03:00.008-04:00

Check out the pictures Dave took at the Distillery District. It's a great place to be a market vendor. If you are interested I'll gladly pass you all the details.

That's me getting the cheese ready for sampling.

I served a double cream Brie and a sharp Cheddar with sun dried tomatoes. Both went very well with each of my chutneys.

Here are some other pictures of the Distillery District, in case you've never seen it before.
I was surprised at how few vendors there were at this market. If you are a grower and are looking for a place to sell your produce, let this blog be your invite to be a vendor here. It's quite cheap to be a vendor there and the season starts in May and ends somewhere around the Thanksgiving weekend.

The Distillery has a very "Old Montreal" type of appeal to it; what with the massive brick buildings and cobble stone streets. Outside of that, there's really no comparison. However, the Distillery District is often teaming with activities (ie. a jazz festival, busker festival), not to mention brew pubs, ice cream parlors, chocolate shops and cafes.

Come by and taste some of my lovely chutneys, I'll be there this Sunday July 18th from 9:30 to 4:00 p.m.

See you there!!!

Chris

Farmers Market at Distillery

2010-07-05T08:34:00.002-04:00

I had a wonderful day yesterday selling my products at the Distillery District's Farmers Market. Haven't the time to provide details, but all I can say is, "if you want to hear more about my products, new things to come and taste some of the best chutneys you'll ever find, come to the Distillery District every other Sunday." I'll be there July the 10th.

Pictures to come.

Chris

Now for Something Completely Different

2010-06-23T19:38:00.032-04:00

June 21st was indeed magical! One could ask for a more appropo venue for English style chutney: an English castle, knights, a bit of old Monty Python and a feast fit for kings.

The venue was held in the beautifully complete library of Casa Loma. I had a table to myself (see below) complete with all my lovely chutneys including rhubarb blush. As you can see from the photo my banner was something to behold and my brother Ray was right; it certainly provided an image of professionalism, as a seasoned entrepreneur.

I shared my side of the room with the likes of Fifth Town Cheese from Prince Edward County. I had the opportunity to taste and pair my lovely chutneys with the likes of Operetta: a lovely, dense goat cheese with the consistency of a soft brie. This cheese went beautifully with my oh so very cranberry chutney. Their Counting Sheep cheese is true to it's name and perhaps my favourite of the cheeses displayed. As a ripened sheep's milk cheese it had a nutty flavour which paired quite well with the delicately fruity flavour of my cherry gem chutney. Cape Vessey cheese was another washed rind cheese that won awards at the Royal Winter Fair is a firm cheese and paired very well with my Smiling Green Tomato chutney. Lastly, Wishing Tree, another hard rind cheese, had a slightly salty flavour and paired wonderfully with my Rhubarb Blush cheese.
I also had ample opportunity to meet and share my story with the likes of the owner of Oyster Boy, Good Food for Strong Kids Catering, Veritas Foods, Evelyns Crackers and the list goes on.

All in all I would say the evening went without a hitch and at $300.00 a plate guests were well fed, well entertained relishing in the fruits of their labours.

Another event, under our belt and a good time had by all.

Thanks goes to Francis Paradeau for arranging to have On The Side Inc. as a vendor at this fabulous event.

Bon appetit,

Chris

Awards Ceremony - Corporate Knights Inc.

2010-06-19T17:13:00.002-04:00

What luck, I was invited to attend another event, thanks to a contact I made through the Brewers Plate. This time I'll be providing my tasty products at an awards ceremony at Casa Loma for an organization known as Corporate Knights INC. Just in case you're not aware, as I was, Corporate Knights Inc. is actually a magazine for clean capitalism. Founded in 2002, Corporate Knights Inc. is an independent Canadian-based media company that publishes the world’s largest circulation magazine with an explicit focus on corporate responsibility. The mission of Corporate Knights Inc. is to humanize the marketplace. Corporate Knights also publishes the annual Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada as a Globe and Mail insert, and the annual Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, announced each year at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The mission of Corporate Knights is to humanize the marketplace: • By making it easier for people to know the environmental and social impacts of their marketplace decisions; • By showcasing the leaders and innovators, and • By bringing together key decision makers from all sectors to identify common sense solutions that make the market work better for the environment, society and economy. You're probably saying to yourself, "wow...did Chris just land herself in the middle of Mecca of media she could only dream of??" All I have to do now is turn on my chatty charm, inject the right amount of promotion and let my chutney do the walkin'. Don't touch that dial... same food blog... same company. ;)

Post Brewers Plate

2010-06-15T17:11:00.007-04:00

Well I must say... being an artisan at the Brewers Plate was not only an honour, but an eye opening experience in the local food business. I had a chance to speak with many interesting guests, not to mention some amazing chefs and sample great brew. I had the pleasure of pairing my cherry chutney with beautiful Brie from Harmony Organic Cheese Products. I'm sure On The Side Inc. will be working with this company again soon. Patrons at the Brewers Plate were entranced by the wonderful combination. I must also thank Buddha Dog for helping to launch our newest product - Rhubarb Blush for spring. If you're interested in trying some of our Rhubarb Blush take a visit to Buddha Dog; the best dogs you'll ever find anywhere. It's now part of their menu. Just ask for Wild Rhubarb Buddha Dog. All I can say is, "it's a match made in local food heaven."

I'm still in the process of developing a label for our 190 ml jars, and once that's done you will all have the opportunity to sample it where ever On The Side Inc. products are sold. Just in case you haven't been to our website: www.onthesideinc.ca

Stay tuned for the next adventure of On The Side Inc.

Ciao and Happy summer eating.

Chris

Only three days until the Brewer's Plate!!!

2010-05-23T10:22:00.004-04:00

I can feel the excitement already. I've already finished my four litre jars, but I still have a lot of loose ends to finish. I feel really good about this because I have everything pretty much done. I couldn't be happier with the arrangements of my chutneys and those who have chosen to use them. Marco Tucci, Executive Chef of Hart House will be using all of my chutneys including my rhubarb blush for the 'roving chef' part of the night, Buddha Dog will be featuring my rhubarb blush exclusively with their, best dogs in town, products and I will be serving my cherry chutney with some Brie cheese that has been donated to the event from a local cheese-maker. I'm getting really good coverage of all my products. I'm secretly hoping to gain some support and add a few more food venues under my belt; what with the likes of Jamie Kennedy (JK Kitchens), Karen Vaz (Rebel House), Mark Cutrara (Cowbell), Brad Long (Veritas), Marc Breton (Gladstone Hotel), Brook Kavanagh (La Palette) and Michael Steh (reds). With plenty of high end visuals, thanks to a great degree on my brother Ray and the beautiful PVC banner I had made, I think my products will be firmly placed on the Ontario food map. Stay tuned for more Brewer's Plate adventure.

Chris

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb...

2010-05-18T17:41:00.007-04:00

Just thought I'd share some pictures from my friend Sally. Sally has an indigenous plant garden and one of the plants she kept, from the lady who lived their previously, was rhubarb. My guess is, she was probably Eastern European; they love rhubarb!!!

This one's my favourite. The jar in the picture is one of the chutneys she'd tasted, so I gave it to her. Looks pretty fab. I might even use this
picture for the Brewer's Plate.

Her rhubarb plants are so beautiful. Check the size of this next one. I, fortunately, had the opportunity to unearth my mom's rhubarb, as she never wanted them in the first place (my dad was the one who planted them and I can't tell you how much effort he put into his rhubarb). Now that my dad is gone my mom thought it would be great for me to have them; given my new rhubarb chutney and all. As of Sunday Dave and I have been blessed with two large patches of rhubarb; all the better to make chutney with .. hee, hee. Check out this monster. Next to the purple Algonquin chair, looks almost prehistoric.

Stay tuned for more exciting rhubarb related information. Who knows, Dave and I might be on to something: rhubarb wine perhaps??

Later.

Chris

My rhubarb chutney experimentation is done!!!!

2010-05-14T17:58:00.007-04:00

After many weeks toil on finding the 'holy grail' of rhubarb chutneys, "by George, I think I got it." I think I stood for a total of 15 hours, bought approximately $300.00 worth of ingredients, testing 7 different recipes, with 24 jars of chutney to show for it... what an accomplishment!!! I'm amazed at the various flavours, but even more amazed at what some rhubarb chutney connoisseur's call 'the best.'

This Sunday when all my Toronto pals come over to sample and critique each of my chutney's, will be the moment On The Side Inc. will be waiting for - the creation of a new On The Side Inc. product - Rhubarb Blush.

I'm so excited!!! Please stay tuned for the next installment of Rhubarb chutney part 2. Same cooking blog, same topic.

Chris

2010-04-14T19:24:00.008-04:00

We are happy to share with you the third annual Brewer's Plate 2010 on Wednesday May 26th, presented by Green Enterprise Toronto. Sponsored by Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, this 'can't miss' event celebrates a local sustainable spring feast featuring many of Toronto's most celebrated chef's, brewer's, food artisan's and farmers.

For the first time ever, On The Side Inc. will be present as a food artisan. We welcome back Jamie Kennedy Kitchens, Cowbell, The Gladstone Hotel, other food artisans and some of Ontario's extraordinary craft beer Meisters.

This year our distinguished Patron, David Crombie, will help us celebrate the launch of this stellar event. Hope you can join us for this Spring feast. Please click the link below for details.

http://www.brewersplatetoronto.org

If you planning on attending the Green Living Show look for our products at the Green Enterprise table. In preparation for Brewers Plate 2010, we're raffling off a package of my lovely products.

See you there!!!
Chris :)

The Caveman lifestye trend

2010-03-24T18:04:00.010-04:00

I came upon this emerging trend that seems to appeal to a lot of men - The Paleo lifestyle.

I read the article in an early March Maclean's magazine and thought I would share it with you. It boils down to this: humans evolved over millions of years. Modern agriculture has been around for just 10,000, a mere blip on the evolutionary time line. Because of this, humans are healthiest when eating as they did before agriculture came along, not unlike the way cavemen lived (let me emphasis the word men here). You'll find out why.

The diet consists of meat (lots of it), seafood and eggs. Fruit and vegetables are included but only if you forage for them in the wild bush (like mushrooms, root vegetables and so forth). Oh ya... and you wouldn't need to cook. All of which sounds pretty unoffensive, but the repertoire excludes so called super-foods: green beans (and other legumes (like lentils), tomatoes (and other nightshades),dairy products and whole grains. Most oils are also out: today's cavemen opt for lard. Which stands to reason why in cities across the globe men (mostly men) are abandoning Stairmasters in favour of sprinting and climbing - cavemen exercises.

Paleo-lifestylers donate blood to mimic the injury-induced blood loss our early ancestor endured and mirror the hunter/gatherer schedule: gorging on heaps of meat ( to approximate feasts that followed successful hunts and then following up with long fasts (to mimic stretches of scarcity). Some men who have gone radical with this diet have also claimed that it lowers cholesterol, helps lose weight, keeps you young into your senior years and has the potential of pumping your sex life 100 fold.

There's no proof that these claims have been scientifically proven, but if you're up for the challenge my suggestion is, be kind to your body ... you might want to consider lacto-paleo (cavemen may have received milk when eating nursing animals, or what about vegetarian-paleo, or better yet ovolaco-paleo... hee hee

Bye for now and bon appetit
Chris

A Simply Delicious Meal

2010-03-08T13:27:00.009-05:00

After an exhausting day at work, I was happy to indulge in one of Dave's (my partner) delicious, Asian meals. Dave likes simplicity in food preparation; anything more than 7 ingredients and his eyes go blurry, his interest wanes and the mere thought of meandering through a grocery store in search of unrecognizable ingredients, coupled with a long line of hungry and agitated purchasers, leaves him feeling luke-warm. I, on the other hand, am always up for the challenge. But on week days when you just want to appease that ever growling need for sustenance, a simple and nutritious meal does the trick. The only proteins in this meal are eggs, shrimp and tofu.

Chao Fan (Fried Rice)

Serves 4

2 - 3 eggs
2 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
100 -200 g (4 oz) peeled prawns or
100 g of any other meat or legume you choose
4 Tbs. fresh or frozen peas, cooked
1 Tbs. light soy sauce
350 - 450 g (12 oz - 1 lb) cold cooked rice

Lightly beat the eggs with about 1 teaspoonful of the finely chopped spring onions and a pinch of salt. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a not wok add the eggs and scramble until set, then remove and set aside in a bowl.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok, add the prawns, other protein and peas, stir a few times, then add th soy sauce. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then add the rice and scrambled eggs with the remaining green onions and salt. Stir to separate each grain of rice. Serve hot.

Sweet Hot Tofu

Coated in an assertive sauce, this tofu dish will win over even the pickiest eaters. Use bottled ginger and garlic to save time, then serve the flavorful concoction over steaming white rice.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup rice and about 1/2 cup tofu mixture)

2 tsp. canola oil
1 package firm tofu, cut into (1-inch) cubes
2/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbp. sherry
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
Dash of crushed red pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Prepare rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
Heat canola oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet.
Combine broth and the next 7 ingredients (through pepper), stirring well with a whisk.
Add ginger, garlic, and onions to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in broth mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add tofu to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring gently to coat. Divide rice evenly among each of 4 plates; top each serving with tofu mixture.

Note: This tofu recipe was found at My Recipes blog. Please find the link in the Interesting Links listing to the right of this page, for more great recipes.

Give it a try.

bon appetit from Chris

A New Chutney for Spring

2010-02-28T15:15:00.009-05:00

I'd been pondering the idea of developing a new chutney recipe. I've covered every season save for spring. I just couldn't find a fruit or vegetable that would be perfect for this season. What I didn't realize, and I'm pretty sure many would be surprised to hear this, there are very few fruit and vegetables that grow in the spring. Ya... I know!!!!!

At first I thought of tubers (ie. beets, sweet potato), but I wasn't impressed with the recipes I saw, one of which was a sweet potato jam, plus the cooking time would be outrageous.

Then I thought of stored (wintered) fruit (ie. pears and apples), but soon concluded that the final product would be too similar to my green tomato chutney. And as lovely as pears are when eaten fresh with Brie cheese or sliced in a flan, my attempt at a recipe with local Bosc pears, turned into something not unlike bottled lard. (I know the visual seems appalling) . Believe it or not it was really, really good. While some of my friends and family suggested I add the skins of say red, Japanese pears to the recipe, but I just couldn't compromise the integrity of my 'local' brand just for aesthetics.

Nonetheless, nothing short of miraculous occurred when I phoned my brother just to say hello. My sister-in-law Shirley; the guru of canning and baking, provided the answer to all my woes..."why not use rhubarb???" said she. "Why not, use rhubarb" I thought with a smile and a knock to the noggin'. "Why didn't I think of that?" Therein started my quest for a rhubarb chutney recipe to die for......and Hallelujah I believe the quest has ended!!!!!!!

While I won't share the recipe with you, what I will say is, if the final product proves successful, you will be the first to know.

Stay tuned for Chris's next adventure in chutney making.

If you have a rhubarb recipe that is "to die for" however, and don't mind sharing, please pass it along and I'll even give you credit on my website.

Ciao for now and bon appetit,

Chris

Food Trends

2010-02-19T15:50:00.016-05:00

I came across this interesting article about food trends that I thought I'd share with you all.

Food trends are like New Year's resolutions — they show up like clockwork at the start of a new year. From the trendy to the traditional, the austere to the outrageous (are we weary of fusion already?) food trends define our lifestyles in more ways than one.
This year, we've had enough with surviving the economic chaos and are going all quirky and fun, emulating our favourite TV chefs in the plating department and in baking up yet another crazy cake.
Organics continue to lead the charge, home cooking's bringing on younger and younger fans and even fast food has gone formal.
Treat Magazine said you should know your grocery aisles by heart to save you time and money and to look for the seven hidden treasures — artisan olive oils, chile garlic sauce, Greek yogurt (or Middle East yogurt which is thicker, creamier) roasted red peppers, high quality dark chocolate, cured meats and fresh ricotta cheese.
McCormick and Co., Inc., global leader in spices, herbs and seasonings, recently released its 10th anniversary flavour forecast and said this is the year in which big flavours and new definitions of "dinner party" bring the best of restaurant meals home.
"The year in flavour will be heavily influenced by bitter, warm and earth notes," says Kevan Vetter, executive chef at McCormick. "We see North America palates embracing stronger flavours — high-impact combinations that are anything but subtle — and year-round flavours that are always at the ready, quicker and more accessible than ever before."
So look for roasted ginger and rhubarb, Thai ba

sil and watermelon, caraway and bitter greens, almond and ale and pumpkin pie spice and coconut milk (yum!)
The new comfort cuisine, asks Vetter? "A renewed appreciation for the integrity of ingredients and cooking techniques."
It's all good and tasty and wonderful food for thought. Here's a few tasty tidbits to keep your appetite going:
Foodchannel.com announces top food trends of the decade
Foodchannel.com (comprised of food enthusiasts, culinary students and professionals) recently announced its top food tends of the decade, giving a perspective on the top flavors, biggest foods, food influences and top food stories.
“Our chefs and editorial staff have seen a lot of changes in the last ten years,” said Kay Logsdon, managing editor of The Food Channel. “Food has become a story like never before, and it’s interesting to look back at how its growth has impacted our society."
Plus — “food is a natural meeting place, regardless of your political, religious or personal preferences—you can always talk about food.”
According to foodchannel.com:

Cheese Secrets

2010-02-08T17:30:00.005-05:00

While making a delivery to Niagara-on-the-Lake, I also had the opportunity to see my mom. As horrible as it is to drive the QEW from Toronto to the Niagara, once in, I took a lovely drive that I recommend to anyone planning on going to the heritage city. From St. Catharies take Ontario St. west. Keep driving along Ontario St. and it will eventually change to Lakeshore Rd. It is on this road where true beauty can be experienced. After driving over the Welland Canal you'll hit farmland, and I guarantee it's beautiful in any season. You're getting close to your destination when you see small hotels, signs for B & B's and directions to the main strip. Once in look for Mary St., turn left, then right on King. You'll pass a golf course. This is the main strip into Niagara-on-the-Lake proper.

If you love cheese and have a hankering for a variety, stop in at Cheese Secrets at 38 Market St (right next to the Angel Inn). Colleen and Eugene Jonson would be more than happy to give you a sample of some of their local cheeses.

Cheese Secrets also carries our lovely chutney's.
Bye for now and Bon Appetit.
Chris

For the LOVE of chocolate

2010-01-31T16:33:00.008-05:00

I came across some fascinating information while reading a book about ferns of Oaxaca. Mention was made of the myths and legends associated with cocoa, and some misconceptions I thought might be of interest to those who don't already know these facts.

Legend asserts that Montezuma drank forty or fifty cups of the foaming chocolate daily, and that it was an aphrodisiac for him. Other legends claim that when Montezuma offered Cortes a cup of chocolate, Cortes was made dizzy by the bitter, chili-hot drink, but not so dizzy that he failed to notice that the cup was made of solid gold, and that Mexico must therefore be full of gold for the taking - or that the bitter drink, if sweetened, could enchant all of Europe, and constitute a profitable monopoly for Spain. The first cacao plantations, it is said, were planned by Cortes himself.

Today the cocoa we drink was developed by the Spanish in the Sixteenth century, once kept secret for fifty years. Once out, the chocolate drink was a special hit at the French court, where its aphrodisiac qualities were highly esteemed - Madame de Pompadour mixed it with ambergris, Madame du Barry gave it to he lovers, and Goethe would travel nowhere without his own chocolate pot.

The question many ask is, why should chocolate be so intensely and so universally desired? Why did it spread so rapidly over Europe, once the secret was out? Why is chocolate sold now on every street corner, included in army rations, taken to Antarctica and outer space? Why are there chocoholics in every culture? Is it the unique, special texture, the "mouth-feel" of chocolate, which melts at body temperature? Is it because of the mild stimulants, caffeine and theobrimine it contains? The cola nut and the guarana have more. Is it the phenylethylamine, mildly analeptic, euphoriant, supposedly aphrodisiac, which chocolate contains? Cheese and salami (believe it or not) contain more of this. Is it because chocolate, with its anandamide, stimulates the brain's cannabinoid receptors? Or is it perhaps something quite other, something as yet unknown, which could provide vital clues to new aspects of brain chemistry, to say nothing of the esthetics of taste?

Mouth-feel, which melts at body temperature works for me!!!

Chris

Life just can't get better than this!!!

2010-01-24T18:51:00.008-05:00

On The Side Inc. is now an official vendor at McEwan's Food. Yup... you read that right!! All three of our products will now be available starting this coming week...WWWWWOOOOO HHHHHHOOOOO.
For those who are unfamiliar with Mark McEwan, he is the caterer extraordinaire, from 'Heat;' one of the many shows on the food network.

Not unlike Dean and Deluca of New York, a multi-channel retailer of gourmet and specialty foods, premium wines and high-end kitchenware, McEwans gives us an exclusive tour of his eponymous grocery store at the Shops at Don Mills. His high end store is predominantly occupied by counters serving charcuterie, baked goods, seafood and cheese, as well as shelves of house-made (there’s a large kitchen upstairs) sauces, pickled vegetables, soups and prepared meals made from McEwan’s restaurant recipes. There will also be a counter selling chocolates stocked by the Belgian chocolatier Galler, which McEwan discovered while vacationing in Florida a year and a half ago. The store will also be selling the chef’s new line of kitchenware.

For all of those locavores, environmentally conscious and lovers of organic products stay tuned to Toronto's newest destination for Green and Healthier living products. Shelves are now getting stocked in a new retail shop called Greeninstead.

Green Instead is an "open-space" concept that enables eco-friendly businesses to market their goods and services in downtown Toronto's Fashion District. The intention is to create an educational and shopping destination for people and businesses who wish to have access to a variety of green and organic products and services.

Green Instead is the retail complement to the open work-space concept that is arising all over North America. Find it on the second floor of 200 Spadina, upstairs from Marilyn's a Toronto fashion landmark, near Kensington Market, nestled within China Town.

Stay tuned for On The Side Inc.'s future participation is this new venture.

Bye for now and bon appetit

Chris

Charcuterie

2010-01-19T17:35:00.012-05:00

Charcuterie...if you haven't heard it before, you're destined, by food media throughout Toronto and Southern Ontario. It's been the hottest trend of late, since the fall of 2009. For those of you who are uncertain of its meaning here's the quick and dirty: Charcuterie is a branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork.[1] Charcuterie is part of the garde manger chef's repertoire. Originally intended as a way to preserve meats before the advent of refrigeration, they are prepared today for their flavors derived from the preservation processes.[2] I know, I know.... sound like just a bunch hoo ha for, "a bunch of cold cuts on a plate and served at a restaurant for $30.00 a pop?"

There's a little more to it than that believe it or not. The beautiful terrines, galantines, pates ...are specially prepared by chefs and are generally served with lovely house made condiments. It's been of special interest in Southern Ontario due, in part, to the demand for local food. Thus, many chefs are working with livestock farmers to get the best, the healthiest and the most local. This is where On The Side Inc. fits in.

For 2010 I decided to take stock (hee, hee) in the charcuterie idea and peruse restaurants, hotels and deli's that specialize. Sure enough I hit a gold mine. In the not too distant future you may see our products at: the Drake Hotel, the Black Hoof and Cow Bell restaurants. If you have any other places in mind please share.

Ta ta and bon appetit,

Chris

A Festive Sweet

2009-12-10T18:38:00.009-05:00

If you're looking for a delicious festive sweet for a dinner party look no further. This recipe is easy to prepare, includes ingredients that are not only local and seasonal, but looks beautiful on a dinner table.

Ginger Flan

This dessert can be made in a pie dish but the flan ring makes a beautiful presentation.

Crust
1 1/2 cups (325 Ml) ginger snap cookies = 12 - 14 cookies
1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, melted
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar

Filling
1 465 to 500 g container mascarpojne cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) ginger marmalade
1 tsp (5 Ml) ground ginger
Garnish 1 tbsp (15 Ml) diced candied ginger
optional drizzle concentrated pomegranate puree

Poaching
2 cups white wine 4 cups water
1 vanilla bean (or 1 Tbsp. liquid vanilla)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus extra to prevent pears browning
3 pears, peeled and cored (Bosc, Bartlett)
2 1/4 cups sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius)

2.Mix together crust ingredients and press into 9 inch (23 cm) flan ring with removable base. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool completely. While baking prepare the poached pears.

3. Blend filling ingredients well then spoon into cold crust. Place in the refrigerator to keep cool.

4. In a saucepan, combine wine, water, vanilla bean and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add pears to poaching liquid and poach for 8 minutes. Remove pears from poaching liquid and continue to reduce sauce by one-third. Cool pears slightly and cut lengthwise. Assort pears on flan in a circular formation.

5. Cut individual portions and top with reduced sauce and a drizzle of pomegranate puree. The pomegranate puree adds a lovely colour and slight tangy flavour to the otherwise sweet pear sauce.

Serves 8 - 10
Bon Appetite, and Happy Holidays
Chris & Dave

Christmas is fast approaching

2009-11-29T10:48:00.006-05:00

It's been awhile since my last post, and for all of you who helped me by voting for my company in the Get Growing your Business contest...thank you!!!

Christmas is fast approaching and of course Dave and I are working our tails off to get product on shop shelves and festive tables, in preparation for the Christmas rush. I just went to the Culinary Tourism Summit in November and what a great event it was. I saw some of my very dear clients and met many who are close to joining the fold. I've also planned to do some demonstrations at shops that sell our products. Please see our home page for links to these venues where you are all welcome to sample and purchase any of our lovely chutneys.

Since our last blog entry, I am pleased to share the good fortune of some new clients:

The Glass House
991 Sydenham Rd.,
Kingston, ON. K7M 3L8,
613-384-5330

Lynda McRae, is not only the owner of this lovely stained glass shop, but a very dear friend of mine. If samples aren't out already, please don't hesitate to ask her for a taste of any of my products, she would be more than happy to tell you all about them.

The Old Cheese Factory
595 Moira St. (Hwy 37)
Tweed, ON
K0K 3J0
613-478-1114

If you live in Toronto and make the annual trek to Ottawa for the holidays, don't forget to stop in at the Old Cheese Factory along Hwy. 37 in Tweed. Heather Asrams is the owner of this lovely gift shop, selling everything from cards and housewards to local sausages and of course On The Side Inc. chutney. Again, if they're not already out for sampling please ask for a taste, Heather is such a delight, she'll probably end up selling you some sausages to boot!!

Wishing you all the best for the holidays,

Chris & Dave

Vote for my business

2009-08-28T16:41:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,

Show your support for my local, Ontario business and vote for me. As many of you are aware, I am the owner of a condiment company called On The Side Inc. I have the opportunity to really boost my business through Scotia Banks “Get Growing Your Business,” programme by entering a contest to win $15,000.

Customers were asked to submit case studies, in various categories and I was recently informed that the two I submitted have been accepted and eligible to win.

Here’s where you can assist me. In order to win, people are required to vote for my case studies; the greater number of votes, the greater chances I have of winning the contest. It runs from June to Sept. 24th 2009 so times a wastin’.

If you have tried my products or wish to support the local brand I’ve developed, please vote.

Here’s how:

1) Go to: www.getgrowingforbusiness.com/mylibrary-business/case-studies.asp
2) Click the Goals tab (in the lower section) and my first entry is “Case Study 4”. Use the “vote for this case study” link and enter the security code. Then click the “Vote” button to complete your voting.
3) Now click the Marketing tab and my second entry is “Case Study 7”. Use the same process to vote for this case study.

You may also use the “send to a friend” link or just forward this email to assist my cause. Please send this link to anyone who is interested in agriculture, sustainable agriculture, local ... I think you get the picture. You may even send to friends and relatives.

The voting process can be repeated using a different web browser (ie: Firefox, Internet Explorer etc.) The more votes the better my odds.

If you choose to vote, thank you so much, and if you send this to a friend(s)…well .. you’re the best, and I am forever indebted to you and appreciate your support.

I you or any of your friends are interested in finding our more about my company please access my website below.

Thanks a lot,

Chris Lianga
On The Side Inc.
82 Concord Ave.
Toronto, ON M6H 2P1
416-588-5731
info@onthesideinc.ca
www.onthesideinc.ca

My and Dave's work is complete!!!

2009-07-23T09:27:00.026-04:00

After much toil, today is the day I deliver our product kit to Holt Renfrew for our media launch. This is an exciting time for us. Two very important things I'd learned from studying Communications/PR and how this applies to my business are: the importance of media to bolster your business, and maintaining regular and one-on-one relationship with your clients.

Media plus influence equals power. And where ever I can get it I'm thrilled. On my own I would literally be spending thoudands of dollars just to get a simple ad or article in a magazine. Just think of the number of people who may potentially read that article or see your spot on TV; the numbers are staggering.

I've been given a lot of business advice over the years. Such advice may include anything from the shape of jar to getting money. I suppose good advice all depends on who you talk to, as people share with you what they know and what they think works. As helpful as they think they are, unless they've "walked a mile... no two situations are ever the same. I recently sat down with a friend of a friend who, not only had a business degree, but had (and let me emphasis the word 'HAD" here) his own chutney business. To most, this may be seen as a golden opportunity to finely tweek business practices and strategies. While I was more than thankful for the advise, I could clearly see that his business was different from mine, his target groups were different from mine, his approach was propelled by a purely, empirical business like strategies: sell, sell, sell. While I think it's important to gain client numbers, if there is little interaction on a regular basis, you can just as easily lose those same clients if there is a lack of relationship dynamics.

My mantra is, if your business is part of your life, be respectful of your clients, and as much as your gains are important to you, stay aware and alert to their needs.

Catch you on the flip side of the Renfrew gig.

Chris

The Trials and Tribulations...

2009-07-08T11:03:00.015-04:00

Owning a business has it's benefits and its drawbacks. While many may assume that a big client like ... well... Whole Foods, for example, may guarantee an escalator ride into the big house; that perception is not necessarily reality. For those of you who are waiting for that big ticket to arrive some words of caution are in order.

1) Realize that bigger clients are just as cautious a buyer as you are a small time seller; if they like you, their clients love you, you may get further business from them, but there's no guarantee.

2) Before $ signs appear in your eyes, times Whole Foods by around 10 or more, and if you can secure these clients over an extended period of time say.... 3 - 5 years, only then can you start thinking about purchasing those solar collectors on your roof, or that hybrid you've been eyeing.

3) If you appear to be maxing on potential clients and decide to recruit interested investors to help fund your developing enterprise, realize there is no such thing as a free lunch. Investors want more than just their money plus interest. While they may appear to love your business exactly as it is, once in, a suggestion here, some stern advice there and pretty soon they're ideas start to cloud your company vision. Investors have every right to provide suggestions, but you have to know when and if it's right to make changes or stick to your guns. Many who take the investor route realize only too late that their own capabilities and resources bring great successes but may take a little longer. In the end it may not always be necessary to recruit investors.

4) Believe in yourself, your vision, capabilities and network. If your company, vision, goals and objectives are clear and doable it's just a matter of time before others see it to.

Time to get out there. The sun is shining and my two wheeled camel awaits!!!

Chris

Grabbing the Brass Ring

2009-06-15T18:08:00.005-04:00

It's official..... we've signed the contract. On The Side Inc. products will soon be sold at Holt Renfrew this coming fall and winter. I can hardly believe it myself. What I've come to realize as an entrepreneur is, there are few limits to what can be accomplished if one believe in and has a passion for what they do. The important thing... always set realistic objectives for yourself. However, had I written 'sign with Holt Renfrew,' in my business plan three years ago, I probably would have chuckled to myself with .... yeh ....

right ... in your dreams. With a lot of persistence, an education that provided the foresight to accurately predict local food potential, a little communications savvy, knowledge of my products' potential and target market segmentation, I knew I hit gold. Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly sailing through this economic down turn, but lack of funding can actually work to your benefit. I believe making smart business decisions takes time, weighing every possibility, and taking advantage of opportunities that cost little to no money. They're out there, you just have to look for them.

Look out Whole Foods... here we come.

Ciao for now, Chris

Salad Nicoise

2009-05-28T13:27:00.012-04:00

For any of you who like light meals for dinner, have I got a recipe for you!!

A Nicoise is a salad that consists of green beans, red potatoes... hey...why don't I show you. Recipe to follow.

This is a great warm weather recipe as it is normally eaten cold.

Most of the ingredients are fresh, the others are cooked and cooled before adding to the salad. A good tip for efficiency? Start boiling the potatoes because they take the longest to cook. After about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on your preference for doneness, add the eggs to the same pot. Once the eggs are in the pot, start another pot of boiling water, with a steamer, to cook the green beans. Start the beans when the water has boiled, time them to cook for 4 - 5 minutes. Have an ice water bath ready to dump each ingredient starting with the potatoes. Keep adding each ingredient once done. The cold water bath ensures the cooking process is complete and the colour remains intact.

There may be one set-back, but if you're organized this will not pose a problem. Make sure you reserve enough tuna...for your cats, otherwise they'll be on your counter top before you know it.

Dave my husband and a fabulous cook, I might add, put the salad dressing together. It is truly amazing with this salad.

Nicoise salads are French in origin. What better ingredients to add in a dressing than Dijon mustard, shallots, lemon juice and a smattering of fresh herbs and spices... yum!!

The beauty of this dish is not only it's ease in preparation, nutrition and freshness. It also makes a great lunch the next day.

Bon Appetit
From Chris
Salad Nicoise
Yields: 6

Ingredients:

6 eggs, hard boiled
6 tomatoes, quartered (I use green house, they're the juiciest)
1 large cucumber, peeled, and diced
2 cans White Chunk Albacore or Italian tuna in oil (very moist)
15 small red potatoes, cooked, cooled and quartered
10 oz green beans, cooked
4 oz. capers
4 oz Nicoise olives, pitted (use green olives if you can't find the Nicoise variety)
Dijon mustard vinegrette

Directions for Salad:

Combine the tuna, broken into large chunks, potatoes, capers, olives and Dijon vinaigrette in a large gowl. Peel and slice the hard boiled eggs into quarters, Arrange the eggs, tomatoes, cucumber and green beans around the tune mixture.

Directions for Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup lemon joice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
2 Tsp minced fresh oregano leaves
1 Tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

I'm here... let's talk

2009-05-26T17:54:00.008-04:00

I've finally redeveloped my blog. I'm sure there are pages and pages written about how people market themselves on these things. I choose to think of it as sharing ideas, getting to know what people think and eventually sift through this knowledge to be inspired and creative, if and when the need arises to change my tactics. I respect peoples opinions, especially those who seem to really know what I'm after.

It's also all about inspiring others to connect. We use words and/or pictures to set ourselves apart from the others looking for...well...something. We don't have the luxury of vocal intonation or facial expressions for clues. We only have what's on screen.

This makes me wonder what goes on in some people's heads. For the moment I'm game to and thrilled that I have a site. Let the comments begin!!!!!!

Cheers!
Chris