Great Sandwiches of the GTA #4: The Black Camel

Here it is - one of the top five sandwiches. This is one serious sandwich. It's the steak sandwich from the Black Camel.

I can hear the wails from every direction - how could I write about The Black Camel and not mention their brisket or pulled-pork sandwiches? Sorry - I almost have to send my resident sandwich-sharer to get any 'alternative' sandwiches here - because if I go there, it HAS to be the steak.

Funny thing - it really isn't a steak sandwich. It's cold, in the usual Camel soft bun and contains tons of thinly sliced rare roast beef. For me it also has to contain arugula and the charmoula mayonnaise, which is a spicy sharp sauce. If I'm really feeling like abandoning all reservations, I also have the fontina cheese.

The Black Camel doesn't really have a sign, just a black flag with a white outline of a camel on it. Nice grocery bags with this same drawing can be bought at the counter. The window signage announces the fact that it's a cafe and that sandwiches can be obtained. 

The inside may indeed have a few seats taken up with young ladies from Branksome Hall in their plaid kilts. One can overhear orders coming in on the phone for 50 sandwiches at a time - probably finding their way down to FilmPort. Wide eyed newbys gaze in amazement at the menu on the blackboard. You can look at a book of historical pictures of Rosedale while you wait in line.

Last summer when we were having our house painted I had many philosophical discussions on the merits of the various Camel sandwiches with the painting crew. If you can't find this little gem - stop and ask any painter or home renovator in Rosedale. It's right across from Rosedale Subway station just off Yonge Street.

Great Sandwiches of the GTA #3 : The Original California Sandwiches

Here's one of my top ten sandwiches. I don't eat one very often - I don't think my constitution could take it. I usually have to have a nap afterwards. I suppose if one were a construction worker or a firefighter this puppy would stoke your engine for an afternoon of heavy work; but for a ceramic restorer it's a little bit much.

That being said, this sandwich rates high on both categories of my secret rating system. First, food of any sort - and it doesn't have to be spicy or very warm - will make my nose run if I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it. I don't know what that means - perhaps I am weeping at the beauty of it all. Secondly, if a food really turns me on, I really BOLT it down - I can't help myself - I snuffle the thing down so fast I almost gag...I barely have time to breathe. Not many foods do both of these things but this sandwich is right up there with childhood guilty pleasures like perogies and good shrimp fried rice.

Of course, there's always getting it sliced in half and sharing it with a friend - but somehow I always want the whole thing. There are signs in the sandwich shop asking that you notify them in advance if you wish to have it cut - but I was told by an old Italian sandwich expert that keeping it in one piece is a guarantee that you can manage to eat it with less of a mess. As you can see from the picture, they assumed I wanted it cut. The three guys ahead of me in line asked for a cut, and when the lady at the counter took one look at the little female customer, I think the deal was sealed.

Now, I'm talking about the original California Sandwiches in downtown Toronto at the corner of Claremont and Treford Place, in a maze of one way residential streets between College and Dundas, Bathurst and Ossington. Even finding the door is difficult. In the picture above it's hidden behind the pickup truck.

There's a bit of seating in the front but the main action is at the counter where the sandwiches are ordered and dealt out - usually for take out.

Parking is usually easy on the streets around and you'll know you're close to the right place when the percentage of vehicles turns to panel vans and trucks. Yesterday, a front-end loader pulled up behind me - the guy was getting his lunch.

And, it's all about the veal here - tons of freshly breaded and fried up veal that really tastes like VEAL in a couple of layers in a huge kaiser roll. The sauce is perfect, goopy and excessive - and I can sometimes be spotted in my MINI looking like a lion at the kill. If you ask for hot peppers, they really tend to add them - but not in a crazy abundance. There used to be a time when one ordered in a sort of verbal 'code', but the lady there drew a blank when I asked for a hot veal with grinders (maybe she's new).

All I can say is - "YIKES! That's a sandwich!". I'm not sure what the connection is with the fancy California Sandwich shops in the suburbs. I've tried them various times - but it's never the same as the true original. May it never change!

Great Sandwiches of the GTA #2 : The Fish Store

On College Street there is a small, almost triangular spot. I'm not sure I can call it a 'shop' or 'restaurant' - it's almost more like a permanent 'stall' that makes up the most exquisite fish sandwiches. It's called The Fish Store. Follow this link to read even more - I'm not the first to sing it's praises. It's definitely on my top ten sandwiches list.

When you arrive you are asked to pick a type of fish. The fish is out for you to see on the counter, like a fish store. It's hard to pick - it's FRESH! There is also some seafood. When I took the picture above, I had found a plastic seat up against the end wall - you are looking at the entire place. Don't expect to get a place inside to sit when the weather warms up - the lineup will be out the door! There's places to sit outside on picnic tables.

They also make great soups, apparently...but I can never get enough of their wonderful sandwiches. My grouper sandwich today had assorted vegetables and cilantro with a spicy sauce, Sriracha and tabasco were also available. Even the buns are great.

Eating Out of Hand: Great Sandwiches of the GTA

Part One : Pita Grill in Mississauga Falafel Wrap

Here's to the sandwich - when it's done well, it can be a thing of beauty. I've been meaning to start a sandwich series for a while, but when I get one of my favourite sandwiches and drag it back to my car, I never think of getting the camera out.

Well, now it's all going to change. Here's part one of this series and it's actually a wrap. This beauty is from a small place called Pita Grill (perhaps styled after the Manhattan Pita Grills - but not associated) and it's in a plaza in Mississauga that has a Starsky's supermarket and a Mandarin Restaurant on the north side of Dundas Street West (in the 3000s) at Winston Churchill Blvd.

This sandwich is perhaps a little large for me, just bursting with vegetables. This is made up with onions, pickled jalepenos, pink pickled turnip, a salad of cabbage and parsley, tons of tahini sauce and a little hot sauce.

It takes four people to make this packet of goodness -  they pass it along assembly-line style and refine it as it goes. Falafel balls don't get fried on demand during the lunch hours, but are fresh and properly smooshed down by hand - there isn't any air in this pouch of pulchritude.

Gosh, I feel full! - but healthy. ;)

While I'm out here in Mississauga, I also have to pass down one of Mississauga's best bets for lunch. There is a place called Bara's "Hut" Doubles and Roti at Dundas and Camilla (127 Dundas Street East, north side, (905) 281-9368.  If you've never had a 'double' - try one from here first. It will set a standard that will be hard to come up to anywhere else. Google their name and find tons of happy customers raving about them. 

The TinTin Chestnut Adventure

I saw chestnuts being sold at T&T Supermarket and decided to try them out. There was a large write up on them posted nearby which told of a Toronto guy who was importing these from China, aging them so that they turned largely to sugar and then roasted them fresh daily. The name of the company was Tin Tin.

Not knowing much about chestnuts, except when they came in a MontBlanc, I figured it was worth the experience for a few buck's investment.

Much to my surprise, when I got them home I found them to be quite leathery in the shell. If this shell was pierced (there was a description of a Japanese chestnut-shelling tool in the article, but unfortunately T&T didn't sell them) one could squeeze the shell and extract the nut. Most of the time it would also come free of the papery inner covering also.

It really didn't seem to be worth the fuss, however, as they were very bland and too sweet. Far too much of a carb hit! Sasha the cat found a use for them first, fishing them out of the bag and chasing them around until she fancied a new one...but I persevered and finally made something nice out of them.

Chestnut Chocolate Rum Patee

I shelled the ones the cat didn't get and boiled them up with a little milk, vanilla, a pinch of salt  and a glug of dark rum and a glug of honey. Then I turned off the heat, covered them and went to Pilates.

When I returned I threw them in a food processor with a few nubs of dark chocolate, more rum,  sour cream and pureed them until I found a flavour and consistency I liked. 

Nice.

Chino Locos Review

Great review of Chino Locos - from the Film Buff on Queen Street East in Toronto.

I read the above review of this new fusion burrito place in Ashbridge's Bay area of Toronto and it made me salivate at the very thought of trying them out. Chino Locos (see their menu at this website) is at 4 Greenwood Avenue, just around the corner from Queen Street East. 

If these guys are crazy - they're crazy like foxes. Three cooks in a hole-in-the-wall smaller than my home kitchen greet you, wave knives and tell you stories while a friendly young lass takes your order. The kids are fresh and the decor fresher - with Lucha Libre masks, local papers and people's business cards pinned to a corkboard.

Read the great review I mentioned for descriptions of the burrito in mouth-watering detail. I won't duplicate it here - but BOY - this is good eats! - fresh and healthy with complex taste combinations that go way beyond Mexican or Chinese. Woooooo!

In Search of Great Herring

We recently had a brunch with friends who like pickled herring and a 'herring tasting' was proposed for some time in the future. I admit my heart sank...I haven't been able to find prepared herring I've liked for a while and I've never prepared or pickled my own. 

The most impressive herring experience I've had was having raw matjes on a slice of bread with onion in Leiden at the time of the Ontzet. I also used to like the herrings from the tubs at a store formerly at York Mills Plaza - but they're not there any more. I recently retried the Abba herring jars from Ikea (which will do in a pinch), and some "Solomon Gundy" from a Loblaws (which was too vinegar-y). The jarred rollmops of the world always seem too sweet. What does a herring-loving lady do?

A business jaunt took me to the wilds of Mississauga where I found an abundance of herring at Starsky's supermarket. There were many kinds and I should have bought a great many more varieties to try, but being conservative, I left with only one -  and BINGO! - it's become a new favourite.

It's the Lisner brand 'Bosmanskie herring' [bosun's style - labelled herring fillets in oil boatswian (sic) style on the translation sticker] from Poland. I wish I had bought the large size of this!

These seem lightly pickled then rolled up and placed on a bed of onion. They are speckled with spices which are very mild, but DO add a lot besides a strange look. The overall taste is quite a lot fresher than most pickled herring. They do not taste too sour or too sweet. I could eat these forever.

Second runner up is from a Sobey's supermarket (I believe I also saw it at Starsky's). Golden Herring fillets in wine marinade is a standard chopped squares of herring a sweet/sour vinegar  with onion - a Solomon Gundy sort of herring and a decent one. It's a product of Canada.

The Day After Boxing Day Pizza

Here's a little Tre Stagione pizza I made as an antidote to Christmas food. It was in honour of the black truffle olive oil we received as a present from our friends, John and Victoria Carley.

After years of making pizza dough in various ways, and getting too soft or too sweet a dough, I went back to my notes I made at the elbow of Sam Furgiuele - the father of my friend Cathy. There are no measurements - just technique. originally this would have been made on a table - volcano-style. I used a stand mixer, but kept true to the traditional way of combining things.

The right side has a bed of (leftover) braised leeks finished with heavy cream and tarragon. They got chopped up and topped with a wonderful Westfalian ham from Leslieville Cheese store. Little dots of Gaie Blue cheese from New Brunswick were scattered over.

The middle section was some nice cremini mushrooms I got at Harvest Wagon and roasted up in a hot pan. They went over passato and were finished with olive oil and mozzarella cheese.

The left side also had the passato, with oregano and Westfalian ham and mozzarella cheese punctuated with a few cherry tomato quarters.

A shaving of Reggiano parmesan, fleur de sel and olive oil went over it all. The famous truffled olive oil was kept off the pizza until it was served and drizzled on at the table.

The verdict on the crust? - the old ways are best!!!

Fun in a Can

You can throw that old jar of orangey salty cheese product out now - I have really found the perfect thing to satisfy those processed-cheese cravings.

Just how much fun and satisfaction can be obtained for under $4 anywhere else? This was found at Iqbal Supermarket on Toronto's self-proclaimed "Island" - meaning Thorncliffe Park. Besides being able to pick up your Doon basmati and the best pressed-yohgurt (labneh) in Toronto there, you can find lychee flavoured Jello and other wonders.

But back to the can...



This is a Kraft product made in Australia for the Pakistani (maybe ?) market and is labelled as processed cheddar cheese. Unlike a lot of cheese products one has known (and probably loved as a child, but learned to distain) the first listed item on it's ingredients list is actually cheddar cheese. I don't know Australia's standards for food labelling, but the rest of the list looks like purer, simpler reading to me also.

It's a lot firmer than a rennet cheese like Velveeta and a lot less artificially coloured and salted than Cheese Whiz; but it's a good melter and it really does have a good cheddary taste!

Mmmmmmmmmm! I think I see nachos in my future!

For Serious Snackers - Atelier Thuet

It just occurred to me that although I like a big meal at a great restaurant - I'd really rather have a small snack.

Today in my email this menu came from Atelier Thuet in Toronto - 171 East Liberty Street (across from the Brazen Head Pub). It's now open for 'dinner'... meaning the most mouth-watering set of snacks I've seen in a while.

I've snacked here before - usually in the car in the parking lot - snarfing down some of Thuet's lime & coconut shrimp right out of the bag.

Dinner here seems like it's too good to be true. I'm in love! - sigh!!!!



Dinner Selections

Start

Patrick’s selection of oysters - per piece - mkt $

Onion soup gratiné Les Halles - 9$

Raclette tasting - 3$

Smoked organic British Columbia salmon + Alaskan black cod en verrine - 14$

Steak tartare en verrine - 15$

House cured maple speck, fried duck egg, croutons, frisée - 10$

Steamed buns, cucumber, shitake mushrooms
with organic chicken - 10$
with Berkshire pork belly - 12$

Pôt-au-feu, buckwheat noodles, beef tendon, Berkshire pork belly, poached egg - 17$

Cole - the cheese monger’s – plate(100g individual servings) - mkt$
Please consult the blackboard for our selection


To be shared

Chef Thuet’s Terrine Tasting - 27$
Please consult the blackboard

The butcher’s platter - 30$
Please consult the blackboard

Charcuterie + Fromage - mkt$

Mill Street beer brined and roasted naturally fed Perth County capon, frites - 32$


and more

Daily mixed grill, french fries - mkt$

Crêpe au boudin noir maison, caramelized onions - 15$

Tripes ragoût, fried egg - 14$

Bangers ‘n mash Lyonnaise - 18$

Beer braised Berkshire porc schiffala, warm potato salad - 20$

Scottish pickled eggs, sauce gribiche - 17$

Finish

Gourmandise selection - mkt$
Please consult the blackboard


Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday between 5:30pm – 12am.


Bon Appétit!!!

---

ATELIER STORE HOURS:

Tuesday - Friday 8AM - 8PM
Saturday 9AM - 6PM
Sunday 10AM - 5PM


ATELIER RESTAURANT HOURS:

LUNCH: Tuesday - Friday 11AM - 2:30PM
DINNER: Tuesday - Sunday 5:30PM - 12AM

BRUNCH:Saturday 10:30AM - 3:30PM & Sunday 10:30AM - 3:30PM

Buster's Sea Cove's Clam Strips

I was partway through wolfing down one of my favourite little lunches before it occurred to me that I had to put this on my blog.

This is definitely one of my guilty pleasures - a little mound of fresh clam strips, the tiny ones crispy and the bigger ones plump and juicy - a hefty squeeze bottle of Frank's hot sauce to drizzle over them at the counter - a great creamy yet tart cole slaw on the side with a slice of lemon and a small cup of seafood sauce.



I don't know of another place in Toronto where I could get such a perfect snack; but it's here at the southern end of St. Lawrence Market.

Yuzu Cha - Best Marmalade

OK kids, gather around and I'll tell you all about yuzu cha. It's a good time to tell you about it, as I had to buy another jar - so I have two brands of it to show in the picture. It's difficult to keep this from disappearing in this house.

The yuzu is a citrus fruit that you might have heard of in a sushi bar. Yuzu kosho is a peel and salt relish that sometimes tops a sushi or two. A great article that tells you all about the yuzu and it's various uses is at - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu#Use_in_Japanese_cuisine

I think one of the funniest things that happened to me searching out a cooking ingredient was when I walked into Bill's Lobsters in Chinatown and asked if they had yuzu kosho (well, they had panko and Memmi...). The lady said "NO! No Jewish food here!".

The Koreans make this loose marmalade out of yuzu and honey and sell it in jars - sure LOOKS like marmalade; but, actually...it's a tea. So, if you can't find it at your local T&T or Korean store - you're looking in the wrong aisle!

A spoonful in hot water is a great cold remedy, and not harmful to you like many over-the-counter drugs. But seriously, folks - it's the best marmalade around. Try it.

Leopold Cafe Mumbai

Welcome to the Cafe Leopold in Mumbai. Despite the cool temperatures, the cafe had it's doors wide open and people were arriving (some having just run the Mumbai marathon) to chow down on some really good eats.



We had aloo parantha (on the left), murgh Kalamiri kebabs (middle) and the dish on the right wasn't ours - so it got whisked away before we could devour it.



Later our mutton kathi roll arrived and posed for it's portrait. All the food was freshly made and yummy - although it was probably too much for us.

The Cafe Leopold is on the Colaba Causway and has a website www.leopoldcafe.com

Camel Ice Cream

No - not caramel ice cream - camel. Just outside of Bikaner in Rajastan, India I recently had a truly great ice cream experience - a pistachio and saffron ice cream pop!

Yes, it was really made from camel milk and no cow milk added. How did it taste? - yummy, and very creamy.
The above picture was taken by either Mark or I minutes after the baby camel got up on it's legs for the first time. If you wish to see pictures of the whole progress go to Mark's Bikaner set on Flickr at - http://www.flickr.com/photos/13343668@N04/collections/72157603835644778/

Why they chose the cute little Chinese kids for this sign is a puzzlement.

Worth a trip to Bikaner.

Bombay Sweets in New Delhi, India

Here's the scene in New Delhi at a 'snacks' place called Bombay Sweets - thought by many to be one of the best in Delhi. One big room was table service and a smaller one had take out. The 'snacks' turned out to be quite a huge meal



We had papri chaat, mixed chaat and dum ki aloo. Papri chat are crispy and hollow. You make a hole in the top and fill from one of the sauces in the metal bowls. Then you crunch it all in your mouth at one time (and try to avoid spilling or spraying). Everything was very freshly made and including the best jalebis I've ever eaten.



Everything was open air and the jalebi fryer was out on the sidewalk. The guy on the right is Ashish - our guide, who coincidentally decided to take us there when we asked for a snack place. We had heard about Bombay Snacks and it was on our list to try to find in Delhi.


Bengali Sweet House 27-37 Bengali Market New Delhi-11001

Phone 23311855, 2319224, 23353310

Google Maps Link

Live Carp Blowing Bubbles on Roncesvalles

I saw live carp being sold on Roncesvalles out of rubbermaid containers today.

I must admit, we went there to acquire herring in one of the Polish shops for Christmas Eve, and got taken up with all the Christmas excitement.

Just look at these guys blowing bubbles.

Buddah Dog - I'm In Love!

Today I had my first Buddha Dog hot dog - and it won't be the last!

I'm definitely falling in love again. I took pictures of the menu, because I was so enthralled by the place and the nifty little dogs they make, I was too busy looking around and snarfing up my tasty lunch.

These tiny little all-meat dogs show up in just the right amount of a good toasted bread with artisanal cheese - all from Prince Edward County, Ontario. Loads of freshly made sauces to choose from run from sweet to spicy - all of them from a creative kitchen.


I had old cheddar from Black River Cheese in Milford, Ontario with garlic aioli and spicy jerk sauce - WOW!!! Worth the calories, all good stuff! The point is to have a couple (or a few) and get creative with the toppings.

The restaurant is spare and roomy with a huge bar for the dogs. Markers are scattered about the massive/communal tables. It looks like people can drop in for a stay in this true public space. A map of Prince Edward County is high up on a wall so you can see where the dogs, cheese and ingredients come from.

So far, there's only one Buddha Dog in Toronto on Roncesvalles and one on Main Street in Picton Ontario. May there be many, many more.

Thanksgiving - What Worked 2

The best ever 'Cranberry' Sauce.

Summerhill Market was selling fresh partridge berries in little strawberry-box containers, so I picked one up to experiment with.

I dumped them into a little non-stick frypan after I got the following ingredients going -

- a couple handfuls of dried & sweetened cranberries (craisins?)
- a couple tablespoons of Korean Plum Tea (- actually a tart plum jam)
- a splash each of rosewater and Cherry (Grand)Marinier.

I didn't cook it too long - just so that the berries started to break down a bit. Letting it sit off heat let the craisins plump up even more.

Great stuff!

Thanksgiving - What Worked!

Almost everything was a success this Thanksgiving. Some things got raved about - this snack was one of them.

I'm usually not a fan of pretzels, but love these flattened-out pretzel crisps. They deliver that roasty exterior pretzel taste without the drywall-like interior.

I had three dips but the one that people scooped up first was this one-

Warning!: this is evil stuff, and probably shouldn't be allowed. Don't tell people what's in it and don't mention it to your doctor.

Take some soft-"I Can't Believe It's Not Butter"-style margarine and some honey. Mix it up briskly until it's combined and a little bit unrecognisable. Major yum!

A Gift From Friends - Curd Chillies

What happens when you steep green chillies in yoghurt or buttermilk and dry them in the sun? - a pale dry chillie (on the cutting board above) that travels and keeps well - and can become a great garnish or topping.

I spent some time getting acquainted with curd chillies yesterday. Friends gave me a package of them at a dinner on Friday (thanks, Sonja & Jarda!) and I followed their instructions to fry them to a crisp in very hot oil, where they become dark brown (see them in the bowl above) and become ready to use.

Fry up a few at a time and use immediately for the perfect chilli-flake taste to add to dishes, raitas & katchumbars, veggie dishes, toppings for meats and even tacos & pizzas. They're going into my Mario Battali- inspired cauliflower pasta.

It's worth the two minutes of fuss for this concentrated and complex, salty hit of flavour. It's definitely in the category of great kitchen secrets. "How did you get that flavour?" I'm going to throw out those plastic-chip flavoured chilli-flakes that come in a bottle.

Some research on the web helped reassure me about the process. Searching for 'curd chillies' got me into the world of Indian foodblogs which are absolutely delightful. Here's a great article on curd chillies.