ETHICAL GOURMET / Remind me to Tell You About the Time I Looked in the Heart of an Artichoke

 No to Food Trucks on City of London Streets London took a disappointing step back last night when city council decided, by an 8-6 vote, not to permit f ood trucks on City of London streets. The unanticipated decision came after months of contentious debate, five reports, and three trips to council, two of which resulted in recommendations back for more information. The proposal had earlier been significantly tightened by the community and protective services committee, mostly a result of the intervention of Mayor Joe Fontana. Several of the councillors who opposed food trucks did so because they believe them a threat to the financial health of existing restaurants in the downtown core. The amended proposal would have capped the number of trucks at eight, levied an annual license fee of $2,865, and required a 50-meter (about 150 feet) separation from any existing restaurant, double previous proposals. The amended proposal reduced the number of potential downtown sites...

London Food Truck Pilot Debate Becomes More Contentious The London Food Truck Pilot reignited debate and Community and Protective Services Committee voted 5-0 to refer the food truck pilot proposal back to a special meeting on May 5th and a final vote on May 6th.  The issue has been debated across the city since last spring. Among the more disappointing proposals was a recommended cap of 12 (now 8) trucks and a lottery for licenses. As of this writing Mayor Joe Fontana is calling the issue “Pandora’s box” and wants to ban food trucks on Richmond Row, Old East Village, Wortley Road and Byron.  The Mayor’s new amendments to the proposal: higher fees, larger buffer zones and earlier closings. Many councillors remained hesitant about the pilot program going forward and two councilors wanted the proposal stopped for this year. Last year, the Mayor spoke strongly in favour of making the pilot project more accessible. London City Council agre...

Ontario wines will be for sale at farmers' markets starting this weekend as part of a pilot program the province hopes will lead to a rise in the demand for VQA wines. Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) sets a framework by which standards for quality wine production made from Ontario grapes and appellations for wine regions are established. From quality standards for grape growing and winemaking, to comprehensive testing and truth in labeling and consumer safety standards, all stages of the regulation are stringent and intensive. To qualify for the VQA, wineries must use only grapes grown in the three designated viticulture areas. Non-grape wines or wines that do not meet this geographical criterion don’t qualify and in addition to giving up the majority of the revenue they generate outside their own vineyards, those who are not in a VQA-designated area for grapes; or fail to qualify for VQA status cannot put “Made in Ontario” on their labels. On May 1, homegrown wine...

  Fire Roasted, Locomotive, Las Chicas and Hasbeans A Thirst for the Small-Batch Coffee Roasters and Other Independents Hits Town Locomotive Espresso   The emergence of London, Ontario’s small-batch coffee roasters emphasizes the passion that exists for fairly traded, environmentally responsible, and ethically sourced coffee beans. The astounding growth of the burgeoning coffeehouse/café niche in the intensely competitive coffee market dominated by Starbucks and Tim Horton’s is nothing short of remarkable. Lately there has been an unprecedented increase of upmarket cafés that are part grab-and-go café, part bakery, and part casual dine-in restaurant, some of which are licensed. The quest of coffee drinkers for artisanal, small hand-batched roasts with diverse flavour profiles is unmatched. It has been recently suggested that in addition to its other well-documented effects, a cup of coffee will improve your memory. Hasbeans is operated by the hospitable ...

Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Soup Ingredients: 2 roasted garlic bulbs (recipe follows) 2 large eggplants, peeled and cubed 375 ml (1 ½  cups) chopped onion 25 L (5 cups) good quality vegetable stock 2 ml ( ½ ) salt 1 ml (¼) freshly ground pepper 175 ml (3/4 cup)   35% heavy cream 125 ml ( ½  cup) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese   Method:  In a large oven proof casserole, combine roasted garlic, eggplant, onion, stock, salt and pepper. Cover and bake in preheated 190 C (375 F) oven for 45 to 60 minutes until vegetables are soft. Uncover, stir and continue to bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes until liquid is slightly reduced and vegetables are roasted. In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth and creamy. Return to saucepan and whisk in cream; bring to serving temperature and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. If desired, place bowls under boil...

London Food Truck Pilot Reignites Debate   The   London Food Truck Pilot reignited debate and Community and Protective Services Committee   voted 5-0 to refer the food truck pilot proposal back to a special meeting before council next week. The issue has been debated across the city since last spring. Among the more disappointing proposals was a recommended cap of 12 trucks and a lottery for licences. Many councilors remained hesitant about the pilot program going forward as written. The entrepreneurial spirit of food trucks and the importance of diversifying our street food culture seems totally lost on most of the Council.   Last year London City Council agreed to get public feedback on a proposed program to allow food trucks. The proposal worked its way between city departments for months and has been refined and revised along the way to avoid the bureaucratic red tape that plagued Toronto’s food truck initiative. T...

  "In the heart of Santarcangelo, at the foot of the steps leading to the Clock Tower in the old Palazzo Nadiani, we find the Restaurant-Osteria La Sangiovesa: a true place of Romagna culture and culinary traditions."   The Italian Language of Food and Strozzapreti The relationship between food and language is interesting. In Italy, where gastronomy developed along provincial lines, this pairing is culturally informative as well as entertaining. Until the unification of Italy in 1861, one could not speak of a national cuisine. The reality of Italian cookery is an amalgamation of distinct regional cuisines more diverse and idiomatically inspired than anywhere else in Europe. The home is still the safeguard of Italian indigenous cooking and culinary traditions, which may account for the colloquial Italian expressions used as the colourful names of various dishes. The ubiquitous tiramisu, for example, is a Venetian colloquialism meaning “pick me up.” This dess...

Is Tilapia a Sustainable Alternative? The ubiquitous tilapia is the broad name for nearly one hundred species of fish. Farmed tilapia, a lean white fish with a generic flavour, is the second-most popular farmed fish, after carp, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. China is the leading producer of tilapia, British Columbia and Nova Scotia also produce it commercially. Tilapia has earned a reputation in the food circles as “aquatic chicken” because it reproduces easily, matures early, tastes bland and is an inexpensive alternative. Tilapia is the model factory-farmed fish; it consumes pellets made largely of corn and soy, easily converting a diet that is similar to cheap chicken feed formulated to maximize growth and weight gain into into low-cost seafood. Tilapia appearing on a restaurant menu is generally my litmus test to determine whether or not the kitchen is sourcing generic products from a commercial distributor.   Sustainable Seafood I became a proponent ...

Dining with a Food Allergy Or Intolerance And Its Consequences  BRYAN LAVERY     Several years ago, we had a patron dining in my restaurant who suffers from severe food allergies. She wisely presented me with a card that listed all the ingredients and food types that she is allergic to. Not only could that move save her life, it makes it easier for any chef to ensure her safety, too. Unfortunately, I have encountered several people through the years who for some reason have abdicated responsibility for their allergies or food intolerances. I was impressed by this diner’s commitment to her own well-being and her consideration and respect for my kitchen. Perhaps if people who suffer with food allergies and in tolerances carried cards detailing the ingredients and food types they react to, it would encourage a firmer understanding and eliminate anxiety on both sides of the kitchen door. Many dining patrons have food allergies or intolerances. Among t...

Curb Your Appetite: Modern Food Trucks — the New Culinary Urbanism in London, Ontario   By BRYAN LAVERY Last year London City Council agreed to get public feedback on a proposed program to allow new-style food trucks. The current bylaw is outdated, because it was drafted to deal with catering trucks, hotdog carts and other vendors that have traditionally been confined to private parking lots and special events. The City revised their initial food truck plan, and proposed a much less restrictive version that balances the interests of stakeholders and encourages a vibrant street food experience for the public. However, there are restrictions. There is expected to be a 25-metre buffer zone separating food trucks from existing restaurants. And don’t expect to see food trucks around the Covent Garden Market, or on Dundas or King Streets downtown. They will also be required to stay clear of schools, which have healthful-food guidelines. There are additional concerns th...

Hunting for the Ultimate Pad Thai H unting for the ultimate pad Thai may be a continuing quest. Most Thai restaurants appeal to a largely Caucasian clientele, which influences many of them to compromise their cuisine by taming the long and gradual development and release of flavour that is a Thai culinary attribute. I am always looking for serious Asian restaurants that make no concessions to Western palates. Even in these enlightened times, they are few and far between. Contrary to common belief, not all Thai cooking vibrates the Scoville Scale (the empirical measurement of detectable heat) and every region in Thailand has its own temperament which is reflected in the cuisine. Despite the advent of the tourism industry in Thailand in the 1960’s, Thai cuisine had no real profile outside of Thailand until the late 1980’s. During 1940’s, as part of a campaign to promote democracy and nationalism in Thailand (formerly known as Siam), and seeking to reduce domestic rice c...