4 the luv of Grandma’s Cooking

What’s great about most grandma’s who cook is that they actually use fresh, unprocessed ingredients and never skimp on the butter which is why it tastes so good.  We all know if you are looking to slim down before an event the last place you go is to grandma’s house for dinner HA. My grandma hokis (sweetheart in Armenian) lives just outside of gorgeous West Palm Beach, Florida. She and my grandpa really do live the life. Apparently, people who retire and live in warm, sunny climates live longer and I believe it. I spent Easter weekend in the lovely West Palm where I not only enjoyed the sun and sand but my grandma’s savoury Armenian cooking as well!

Armenian Inspired Meal

My favourite Armenian inspired meal grandma cooks is chicken breast on the bbq with rice pilaf, vegetable ratatouille and boerag – spinach and cheese wrapped in filo pastry. Yes, please!

Grilled Chicken, Boerag, Vegetable Ratatouille & Rice Pilaf

Weekend of Wine, Cheese and Chocolate

It’s been way too long since I have posted and I really have no excuse. There has definitely not been a shortage of delicious food affairs to share either.

On Friday night I discovered that my friend Vanessa also has a passion for food when she surprised a bunch of my friends with a very clever and mouth watering masterpiece.

Brie wrapped in pastry with melted chocolate and raspberry

It is simply a large round slab of brie wrapped in Pillsbury dough and baked in the oven for about 12 minutes. Then she sprinkled broken milk chocolate and raspberries on top. The combination of salty cheese, buttery pastry, sweet chocolate and raspberries was like a symphony of flavours on our taste buds. Aaaahhmazing!

Brie wrapped in pastry with melted chocolate and raspberry

 On Saturday me and 5 friends hit The Days of Wine and Chocolate in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL). This event is organized by Wineries of Niagara on the Lake and each of the 25 participating wineries is provided a different chocolate and are responsible for finding a suitable wine to pair it with.

The chocolates were provided Willow Cakes and Pastries  also located in NOTL. My favourite chocolate was a dark chocolate espresso at Inniskillin.

Dark Chocolate Espresso

 The milk chocolate caramel at Jackson-Triggs gets second place.

Milk Chocolate Caramel

 Now on to honourable mention wine picks: Chateau des Charmes Brut Sparkling Estate, Ice Wine Slushies at the Ice House Winery, 2007 Carline Gamay Rosé at Josephs Winery and Ravine Vineyards 2007 Gewürztraminer.

Brut Sparkling Estate Chateau des Charmes

Chateau des Charmes

Joseph's Winery

Guest Post: 4 the luv of the Double Down!

Like many high-functioning individuals throughout North America I started salivating from the moment that the fine folks at Kentucky Fried Chicken announced the greatest innovation in the world since the Earl of Sandwich first put meat between bread. Announced on April 1^st, I was immediately concerned that the KFC Double Down- bacon, two different kinds of melted cheese, and the Colonel’s secret sauce, lovingly sandwiched between two pieces of Original Recipe chicken fillets – was a darkly cruel April Fools Day joke, but deep down I knew that something this close to perfection had to be for genuine. Later that day the barrage of media reports confirmed it, the Double Down was real, and it looked spectacular.

Debuting in the states on April 12!

So imagine my great dismay when I learned that the Double Down would launch April 12^th across the United States, but wouldn’t be served north of the 49^th parallel, amounting to one of the greatest fast-food disappointments since McDonald’s discontinued McPizza. Depression followed.

This all changed when on October 7^th it was announced that KFC would be bringing their outstanding product to Canada, for a limited engagement beginning on October 18^th. Winter turned to Summer. Like one of those stupid Apple geeks who line-up overnight for a new iPhone, I knew that I needed to get my hands on this delicacy on day one. Moments after sending news to a friend of the impending arrival of the Double Down, I received a meeting request for DD-day: Lunch at KFC – my schedule was cleared.

The day arrived, and I had the same anticipation I did as a kid on that Christmas Day when I knew I’d be getting my Red Ryder BB gun. As I walked to the KFC at Scotia Plaza I received a text from my friend Jess, a closet fat chick and fellow fast-food enthusiast: “en route, butterflies in my tummy”.  We arrived to KFC to a line of over a hundred like-minded individuals, each eagerly awaiting their own taste of perfection. We got in line and our nervous anticipation soared to new heights, we eagerly scanned the food-court for those already fortunate enough to have their hands on the coveted sandwich, but it was like trying to spot a unicorn. Thirty minutes went by and we were still dozens of people away from realizing our dream but the large banner above the counter reminded us to keep our eyes on the prize. “Think you can take it down?”  Yes we can!

Enough said

Finally, after almost an hour’s excruciating wait, the bright lights shone upon us and angels sang- we had reached the front of the line. To get the full experience, I ordered the Double Down combo, with a Diet Pepsi (Regular pop makes you fat), and resisted the urge to upsize to a large order of fries.We got our sandwiches, found a table, and tore through the paper bag to get to our prize.

Just before the first bite of my first Double Down

We did a quick cheers with our sandwiches and got started with the gluttony. I’ll skip the warnings from nutritionists, since I assume that most readers of this blog are smart enough to know that two pieces of fried chicken with bacon, cheese, and special sauce isn’t good for you, and move on to the review. The first bite was, as expected, very greasy, but also, very cheesy. We paused for a moment to reflect, and we both agreed that there was too much cheese, not enough bacon, and that bread is probably a waste of time in sandwiches past, present, and future. As it turned out, the excess cheese proved to be quite complementary when paired with the delicious fries. Though my body was already starting to feel uncomfortable with the mess I was forcing it to digest, I continued on, savoring every tasty, greasy, and salty bite. About three-quarters of the way through my sandwich I became filled with sadness, knowing that our time together was almost over.

Half way through I started to take smaller bites to savour every moment

Looking at the wad of meat in my hand, I decided to focus on the present; I took smaller bites and chewed slowly in order to give us a few more moments together. Suddenly, it was over. Except for a few globs of cheese clinging to the sandwich’s wrapper, it was gone.

The reminents of my Double Down affair

Though I had no immediate negative repercussions from the sandwich, I did have a greater than usual thirst, due to the high salt content of the sandwich. But that won’t be enough to keep me from the sandwich. As I write this, one week removed from my own personal nirvana, my fondness for the Double Down has not subsided. The sandwich is available in Canada until November 14^th, and I will certainly be trying another before it goes the way of the McRib.

-Guest article by fast food enthusiast Lee Musser

4 the luv of Afternoon Tea

Myself and 3 dear friends embarked on a delightful Sunday afternoon tradition filled with tea, scones, mini sandwiches and tarts.

tea cup

Afternoon Tea is more than a pass time in Britain – “It is a solace, a mystique, an art, a way of life, almost a religion” (Cecil Porter of Gemini News Service).

According to the Joy of Baking online, afternoon tea was usually served  between 3-5 p.m.  and was seen as a light snack to hold one over until dinner in the evening. This tradition was said to begin in the 1830’s when the Duchess enjoyed her tea and began to invite her friends to join.  Afternoon tea became quite fashionable and a marker of ones status.

My elegant afternoon of tea took place at the Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel at King and Church in Toronto.  All 4 of us got dressed up and felt like the sex and the city ladies meeting up to talk about the latest gossip and trends but with a traditional British Toronto style twist – we tried to speak with an English accent for the afternoon but that only lasted ten minutes.

We all chose the original King’s Tea item off the menu for $28. This includes your choice of one loose leaf tea – a box of samples teas is distributed so you can see and smell them.

Assortment of sample teas

Also included was a 3 tier platter of mini sandwiches, scones and tarts with jam and whipped butter. The whipped butter was delicious it almost tasted like whipped cream I started putting it on everything – Not the healthiest choice but a tasty one.

3 tier platter of scones, sandwiches and tarts

 Amy and I had the organic green tea, Carolyn had the English Breakfast and Monica had Darjeeling Oolong, it was a lovely afternoon and the finger foods definitely filled me up. With tax and tip the total for our elegant afternoon was about 40 dollars each and yes it was worth it to experience the tradition but I will not be making it a Sunday habit ;).

4 the luv of Spain

4 the luv of Barcelona

It’s been a while since my last post but that’s because I was in Spain! But I am back and have many stories about my adventures with food to share with you! My two friends and I travelled to two cities in Spain: Barcelona and Marbella.  This is my second time in Barcelona and it didn’t have the same appeal as the first time but I think that’s how it is when visiting many places – it’s never as good as the first time. My favourite food from Barcelona is Patatas Brava: French fries cut in cubes with a delicious spicy sauce. It’s a very commercial Spanish tapa served at all the tourist restaurants – a great “after the bar” food. It’s like a poutine but Barcelona styles!

Patatas Bravas

My friend Tess really liked the Steak Tartare she ate at Attic Restaurant on Las Rambla – one of the most famous streets in Barcelona. Check out this video all about Steak Tartare.

Steak Tartare with Potatoes and Slices of Bread

That night, Monica also ate seafood paella which is another very popular dish in Spain. Of course the sangria was wonderful everywhere we went and Monica managed to find some amazing chocolate cookie gelato.

Seafood Paella

Chocolate Cookie Gelato

Here is a great website for Spanish inspired recipes like paella

 4 the luv of Marbella

While this blog is about my love of food, I also have a love for travelling! Marbella is in the south of Spain and is a destination I would travel to again, the best part is the beach clubs. There are two beach clubs that I went to in Marbella: Ocean Club and Nikki Beach. Ocean Club is on the beach and inside you find a huge outdoor pool with day beds, a bar and a live dj/entertainment. Loved it!

Ocean Club, Marbella, Spain

Nikki Beach is pretty much the same minus the pool and way more dancing!

In Marbella I ate delicious Indian food – Chicken Tikka Misala and Tess had the freshest avocado salad. We also strolled into this fruit juice bar that looked like an old pirate ship: the drinks were filled with fresh fruit and your choice of alcohol. C’est bon!

Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken

Avocado Salad

Fruit Juice Smoothie

4 the luv of Cottage Cuisine

Over the weekend I went to the Muskoka region to relax in the beauty of the calm 3 Mile Lake at my friend Carolyn’s cottage. I am not sure if it was the fresh lake air or endless amount of trees but something about being at a cottage makes me work up an appetite. I must say Carolyn’s mom – Lianne was a wicked host and all of the below cottage cuisine creations were inspired by her.

 Cottage Caesar

• Motts original Clamato juice
• Smirnoff vodka
• Ice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce

Lime juice around the rim of the glass and then dip in the seasoning salt.

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Daiquiri and Caesar

Cottage Strawberry Daiquiri

• Frozen strawberries
• Ice
• Rum

To keep this daiquiri low calorie, no sugar was added.  If you like your daiquiri sweeter, add a little sugar or grenadine.

 S’mores

 S’mores are a staple item at any cottage/camping trip. My friend Rachel was in charge of getting the graham crackers, chocolate and marsh mallows to make s’mores. For the chocolate she brought aero bars. I had never thought to use an aero bar before but because of all the bubbles in the chocolate it melts faster. Good call Rachel!

S'mores

 

 

 

 

 

 

S'mores

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheese Burgers

 I love cheese! A hamburger without cheese is not worth eating. I suggest jalapeno havarti, marble and the original cheddar cheese. Lianne made the most delicious hamburgers from scratch! If you want the recipe, shoot us a line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheese Burgers on the BBQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Octopus Wiener

Now this is Carolyn’s cottage specialty – the octopus wiener. She cuts the wiener at both ends and then the fire makes it expand and separate to look like an octopus – see photo. Good times!

Octopus Weiners

Chillin with the Octopus Weiner

4 the luv of Birthday Cake

A Birthday celebration is not complete without cake! I love being entitled to indulge in my very own Birthday cake once a year! If I were to choose any type of cake it would have to be chocolate fudge cake with vanilla butter cream icing. My mom used to make the best Birthday cakes with Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix and a simple vanilla butter cream icing. Back in March my roommate celebrated her 24^th Birthday and I surprised her with my mom’s best Birthday cake recipe. It was a HIT! Everyone kept saying how it reminded them of cakes their mom used to make, so good! I commend bakers for their patience and attention to detail  as you can see below, my cake artistry could use some improvement.

Roommate's Birthday Cake

Happy Brithday Carolyn

As my Birthday gift to you, I have provided the easiest and tastiest vanilla butter cream frosting recipe below

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting Recipe:

• 1 cup of butter/margarine (margarine will make the icing appear whiter and butter more yellow)
• 2 cups of icing sugar
• 3 Tbs of milk
• 1 Tbs of vanilla

Beat butter/margarine until it is light and fluffly then add vanilla, icing sugar and milk. ***The key to the above recipe is to gradually add the icing sugar and milk until you reach a desired thickness and texture.

Double Decker Chocolate Fudge Cake

I just celebrated my 25^th Birthday and unfortunately my mom was not available to bake her famous cake. So instead, I opted for a delicious double decker chocolate fudge cake from Dufflet Pastries on Queen St. West. This bakery offers sour cream cakes, as stated in a previous post adding sour cream to a cake recipe makes it so much better. Therefore, of course I requested a sour cream fudge cake with layers of chocolate fudge and instead of vanilla butter cream I tried a light chocolate frosting. It was very rich and decadent perfect for a true chocolate lover. I would like to thank my colleagues on Team 3 for this delicious cake.

Layers of sour cream fudge cake

4 the Luv of Chicago Eats

The Drake Hotel

We just returned from a lovely weekend in the beautiful city of Chicago where we spent Canada Day weekend dancing, eating and even meeting Vince Vaughn on the street! We stayed at the gorgeous Beach front Drake Hotel located right in the shopping district. The hotel was built in the 1920’s and the design and décor definitely reflected this decade. There were stunning high ceilings with crown moulding and majestic coloured carpets with intricate details in the designs.

The Drake Hotel Lobby

We also had the opportunity to attend the Taste of Chicago where restaurants set up vendors in Grant Park downtown. We purchased tickets and each vendor offered sample size dishes for a certain number of tickets. My favourite taste was the chocolate chunk cheese cake ice cream bar – enough said! Monica’s favourite was the hot roast beef sandwich, she loves the beef!

Hot Roast Beef Sandwich

 

Chocolate Chunk Cheese Cake Ice Cream Bar

Chicago style deep dish pizza was another hit that satisfied my taste buds with thick layers of mozzarella cheese covered in tomatoe sauce. The cheese just oozes out of the middle of the pizza and you can add as many toppings as you like. We chose the traditional pepperoni and cheese. The crust was considerably light and crispy unlike the Pizza Hut deep dish pizza we are accustomed to that can be very greasy. I found the pizza even better in the morning after the cheese had cooled.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

4 days was definitely not enough time to enjoy all that Chicago has to offer, we just got a little taste of the gorgeous city and can not wait to go back. I hear the hot dogs are out of this world, we added them to the long list of tastes for our next trip!

Wine bar at The Park Hyatt Hotel

View from Soldier Field

4 the luv of Hottie Sauce

Monica, myself and our good friend Carolyn just returned from a week in Daytona Beach, Florida – ha, enough said. The sand was very soft and the ocean water was the perfect temperature. However, the parked cars all over the beach were a little disturbing at first but by the end of the week we became accustomed. Apparently the privilege to park on the beach is what makes Daytona Beach “one of the most famous beaches in the world.” I will keep this post short and spicy: on our adventures around Daytona we came across a beach club called Ocean Deck. We spent a few dinners at this restaurant for one main reason: the Hottie Sauce.

Hottie Sauce: Make it Hot

Monica and I managed to smuggle a few bottles back with us. This hot sauce was delicious and with a name like Hottie Sauce it’s hard not to want to pour it all over your food, even Carolyn who hates hot sauce couldn’t resist. Mmmm

Spicy food has been proven to increase one’s metabolism therefore indirectly contributing to one’s hotness! Which is one reason Monica and I love the hot sauce.

 What’s your favourite kind of hot sauce?

 

4 the Luv of Finding your Passion

I luv food. Luv to eat it, see it, smell it and then load up my plate with seconds. But when it comes to preparing meals for myself I am straight up lazy and simple.

As this is my first post of for 4theluvoffood I feel it is important to tell you that delicious food and home cooking has always been in my life because I come from a home where you could not step in the front door without smelling something that would make your mouth salivate instantly. My mom’s perogies, cabbage rolls, soups and chicken schnitzel will wipe the floor with yours and my dad’s salmon, steaks and apple pancakes will run through your dreams non-stop. Stay tuned for photos and recipes!

And now my Lil Bro, Paul Wejman, has finally found his passion. After years of schooling in fields that couldn’t keep him interested he has found his passion and is working it out! He’s studying at George Brown and heading to Italy in September to specialize in Italian cooking.

 

Paul Wejman (my bro) - Chef in Training at George Brown

Living with a soon to be big time chef is why my booty will never be small…

Check out this meal:

Risotto & Ossobuco alla Milanese – a signature dish from the region of Lombardia, Italy.

Risotto & Ossobuco alla Milanese

The main ingredient in the Risotto is Saffron. It comes from dried stigmas of the flower known as the Saffron Crocus and it’s the most expensive spice on the planet ($10/gram) and braised meat is so succulent and soft because it is cooked in its own juices for hours. Every single fork full of food literally melted in my mouth.

AKA: Saffron Rissotto with Braised Veal

Want the recipe? 4 the luv of food can hook it up. Just shoot us a note and it’s all yours!

Till next time…get your eat on.