As Good As It Gets?

The contrast between two food stories I've read recently is worth mentioning.

The first was Ottawa Magazine's Top 10 Restaurants list published in their annual food issue. Chris Knight, OM's resident food flogger, chose what he thought were the city's best restaurants. Unfortunately, a few of his picks (e.g., the one for Social) rely on claims about the chefs' potential, rather than the actual goods. They are no doubt all great chefs, but if they aren't delivering (whether that's the restaurant's fault or not), it's just plain weak to include them in a top ten list - especially at the expense of restaurants where the food is undeniably better (e.g., The Black Cat).

Even worse was the fact that the description of one restaurant Knight mentioned - Juniper - included the line "I've never had a bad meal at Juniper. I've never had an oh-my-gawd-that-totally-rocked dinner there either." I couldn't agree more with his assessment, but why include it in the top ten then? Surely there are other Ottawa restaurants that are doing it better. Makes me wonder what is really behind Knight's picks.

Needless to say, by the time I finished reading, I was thoroughly depressed.

Compare that to Toronto Life's 100 Tastes to Try Before You Die in their Food Lover's Guide issue. The story consisted of thirteen pages dripping with original, belly growling foods - all Toronto specialties or produced within or near the GTA. This article was a big-talking, swaggering, horn-blow, in which the author honored the establishment, celebrated the upstart, flirted with embellishment, and otherwise glorified the fancy, foxy, and one-of-a-kind.

It's time to quit extolling the expected and cut the moaning about everything else in Ottawa. And here's your chance to put up.

What foods, dishes, or local favorites should be included on Ottawa's 100 Tastes That Make Us Great list? I want to hear your suggestions - weird, cheap, chi chi, sweet, spicy, traditional, new school, whatever. Just lemme have them. And if you don't want to put up, you know what you can do.

Zoethout

Sweet Harlekijintjes

A new copper-coloured licorice from Holland. Fairly mild and quite delicious. A nice change from the old double-salted dogs, which I just can't seem to get used to. I'm totally hooked.

Available at Dutch Groceries on Clyde.

Bigger Bites

Clearly, we're getting too big for our britches.

So, Bite Hard is busting out!

Now, posts will be on a wider range of topics, such as thrift shopping, DIY, and wicked wares. Also up, guest editors with a penchant for ranting.

Still mostly Ottawa-based and still bringing you nearly-edible pictures and plenty of snappy text.

Straight Up

This ain't a rum toddy, baby.

After today, nothing would do but an ounce of Myer's cool dark rum. Dependable and "decent in the mug."

Must be the 40% proof that makes me imagine being Mexican, eighteen, and very warm. Of course, I downed it bobo style: in sips with a pumpkin spice cookie and a handful of bite-sized prunes.

Hors d'oeuvres for a cold night in Ottawa.

Bite there: New York and Quebec

Natural Foods Pantry in the market is carrying Lesser Evil kettle corn. It's air-popped, made without chemical crap, and tastes too wicked to be true. Lesser Evil is made in rural New York by some fine people who look like they snack mostly on apples. I bought some in Maine last Christmas, but couldn't find find it in Canada. Now I have. Hope you do too. Only $2.99 for a decent-sized box.

Closer to home, Plaisirs Gastronomique's Quiche Provençale. PG is a Quebec company that has managed to make flaky pastry without old-school shortening and they pack fresh ingredients into every product. This one was made with whole eggs, cream, milk, zucchini, tomatoes, black olives, and Swiss cheese. Now I want to try their duck pie in puff pastry, goose pot pie, and brown lentil salad with cranberries and almonds. Get it at Loeb, a grocery store that doesn't sell baby clothes, plastic chairs, gift wrap, or candle holders.

Apple Crisps

There's nothing greasy about these chips. Churned out in bagfuls by my father, they're made by dehydrating thinly sliced New Brunswick Cortlands. If you have a dehydrator of your own, you can make chips like this from any variety. Here in Ontario, I go for Galas and Lobos.

If you're thinking about your health these days, these little busters are full of vitamins and fiber. On occasion, Dad even dusts them with cinnamon, a spice that's been found to help balance blood sugar.

You can buy dried fruit snacks in grocery stores, but they are often exorbitantly-priced. Check natural food stores and bulk stores for cheaper chips.

More Fall posts in the pipe. See them soon!

Eat My City

Ottawa residents are used to hearing constant whinging about the food scene (or lack of it) in the nation’s capital. Our sushi isn’t Toronto-grade, our bistros and smoked meat not up to Montreal standards. We lack New York’s 24-hour pulse, and even Gatineau, our Francophone sister-across-the-river, outshines our atmosphere, charm, and that extra bit of je ne sais quoi.

But devoted fans of local food know that eating well in Ottawa doesn’t take a great deal of insider knowledge. You just have to leave the baditude at home. I just checked out Enroute Magazine’s most recent top ten list: best new resties across Canada. Reading about all those great spots inspired me to jot down a few of my most recent Ottawa food obsessions.

1. Hino – Tastes like Mom’s cooking, if your mother is Japanese. Big home style plates of teriyaki chicken, slippery noodles, rice, and salad. Butter-soft calamari in warm ginger dressing. Japanese curries, delicate pork chops, cold bottled beer, and an unpretentious dining room fill out a happy Hino meal.

2. Organic local spaghetti squash – Admittedly, these babies are from Quebec, but hey, we’ve got em here for the buying. At 99 cents a pound, no less. My technique: roast them till the skins brown for a smokier, richer flavour. Then douse them with butter and parmesan. Herb and Spice, 1273 Wellington W.

3. #418 – Although I was raised on meat and potatoes, noodle bowls have become comfort food for me during my time in Ottawa. Phnom Penh Noodle House does them fresh and fast for about eight bucks. #418 is topped with thinly-sliced fried tofu that tastes better than candy. Bonus: A jar of fire-engine house-made hot sauce sits on every table.

4. Gooney’s – I lived downtown for two years, moved to the West end, and then discovered this mad sandwich shop in my old neighborhood. Located right downtown where you need it most, Gooney’s serves warm sammies on the freshest buns this side of a teenager. 360 Laurier W.

5. Sconewitch – She brews one of Ottawa’s most perfect brunches. Eggs scrambled with what can only be mascarpone cream and topped with meaty mushroom ragout. Served alongside a thoughtful fruit salad of miniature grapes, ripe strawberries, and a slice of star fruit; a pile of greens with sweet Dijon dressing; and your choice of warm scone and jam. The ginger currant with a pot of lemon curd makes my hair curl every time.

There you have it. What Ottawa foods get your juices flowing? Send me a note and I'll give them space sometime this week. bitehardottawa@gmail.com

Bite Back!

It's true: we were in a jam. But now Bite Hard is back!

I've got a load of Fall vegetables, hot lunches, and homemade treats to tell you about, so let's get down to business.

Kirbies, I love

There was a time when my mother used kirby cucumbers for pickling. That's what most people still do with them. But as the phrase goes in New Brunswick: they're also 'good eatin' cucumbers. They're seedless like an English cuke, but nutty-tasting. I think the nuttiness comes from the 'burps' (or bumps), but maybe not. Too much burpiness though can make for a bitter taste.

If yours are bitter, just slice them up and soak in a bit of salted water. Cindy did that last week when I went over for lunch. We had a late summer feast in her backyard, eating roasted tomatoes; fennel seed bread; pretty peeled beets, spicy salmon leftovers; a Japanese salad of sliced kirbies, radishes and their tops, and sesame seeds; and a drop or two of sake.

Get them at any market while they last. Good-bye summer.

Thrift Kitchen

This ruby-red beauty is part of a pair of hand-embroidered potholders I picked up at SVDP last week. I think they were only a couple dollars or something like that.

Some of you might know about my passion for second-hand goodies. In fact, I love any kind of alternative exchange system (i.e., thrift shopping, yard sales, co-ops, potlucks, etc.). They provide more good stuff than I can believe: environmental-smartness, cheapness, acessibility, and fun. Here are two more used finds for the kitchen:


Fabric folk art coasters. $1.99 from SVDP on Wellington. (I still haven't had the heart to get coffee rings on these little sweeties).

Bite here: ICA

Photo from www.velocityartanddesign.com

The Boston waterfront has a new gallery - Institute of Contemporary Art. I stopped in their gift shop on my way back to my hotel tonight and furiously wrote down the names of nearly everything they had on hand.

I particularly liked the clear Japanese food stickers, brought to the US by grassroots import company, Kamibashi. Each doll-sized vegetable looks hand-drawn. I also became an instant fan of Miam Miam, a 'food-sharing' company that has come up with several irresistible ways to make food fun again including their edible Wasa dinnerware, which is actually made from crisp rye crackers. I also loved ICA's moving 'paper tricks' called karakuri ningyo. In keeping with the food theme, check out the 'Doomed' karakuri, a flopping fish hoping for a saviour on the sushi block.

ICA also had slightly more upscale items for sale. Danish design company, Eva Solo's rain-proof grill/patio table hybrid, for example. And Harry Allen's resin banana bowl cast from true blue fruit for $120.

Tomorrow, I will look at the art for real.

Bite here: Boston

So, I'm in Boston for two days. This morning, I was looking for somewhere to have breakfast or lunch (I believe the word might even be 'brunch'), and I came across Boloco in the Financial District (bo = Boston, lo = local, co = company).

Turns out, it's a small chain that specializes in 'inspired burritos.' I'm talking brown rice, whole wheat tortillas, and antibiotic-free meats. There are also wicked toppings like steamed broccoli, caramelized onions, peanut sauce, and Monterey Jack.

The braised pork and beef are free-range, but I chose 'Summer' (black beans, mango salsa, melted cheese, and rice on a flour tortilla) with organic tofu to avoid traveler's tummy. It was fresh-tasting, non-greasy, and packed pretty full. Even the small size was a fairly big dude - not a bad lunch for five bones.

Photo from www.wfrd.com

Deceptively Simple

Here are more notes from my brodeo who is still cooking his heart out in Northern Thailand. Turned out like most everything with food - an unplanned experience made the most sense in the end:

The eureka moment came as I was walking down a street after class yesterday and stopped and watched a street vendor cook Pad Thai. Pad Thai, as we all know, is a noodle dish with egg and bean sprouts and is very common at all Thai restos in Ottawa. This lady, cooking Pad Thai on a corner in a makeshift kitchen/cart that would never pass a health inspection in Canada, was serving up simple pad Thai for about 80 cents Canadian. She had bags of basil and other herbs taped to a pole with all of the other ingredients seemingly haphazardly placed. She took a little plate and placed all the ingredients on it, fired her wok, and threw it all in, grabbing from nowhere a bottle of fish sauce, and squeezed in a few squirts. Fresh herbs were pulled from the bags and an egg from a flat was cracked and stirred into the mix. Under a minute it was done.

After watching this street side display, I realized that Thai cuisine is deceptively easy to prepare. It can not be mastered with a cookbook or a week-long class, it can only be truly prepared where it originates. Anything less, is just a version.

JUST COOK IT!

When you go to an Ayurvedic cooking class with Radhana, it isn't only about the food. It's also about Radhana, an ebullient, even joyous, Earth mother-type. And she's sexy and incredibly smart to boot! The nutritionist in me is a little suspicious of some of Ayurveda's claims, but Radhana's common sense (e.g. big breakfasts aren't for everyone) and quirky stories more than make up for it. No topic is taboo - Radhana cracks jokes about marriage, children, bodies, sleeping, and eating.

From her Spices for Immunity class:

Turmeric is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory - mix it with an equal part of raw honey for a natural (and cheap) alternative to cough syrup, cold remedies, etc. (No wonder her business is called Fearless Cooking!)

To aid digestion: Sprinkle a dime-sized piece of fresh ginger with a few drops of fresh lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt. Put it down the hatch and then eat your meal as usual.

Suck on a bit of star anise instead of having a breath mint or to help quit smoking.

Learn more, smell spices frying for kitchari (a mild-tasting Ayurvedic soup that you'll likely get to try), and listen to Radhana's laid-back approach to living. Some of her classes are even free! Email radhana@fearlesscooking.ca for a complete schedule.

Pick-up Sticks

The past two weekends, I've slow-roasted a huge pan of summer tomatoes with oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, cane sugar, sliced garlic, and S&P. Mostly, we've been smushing them on bread with cheese for breakfast.

Another thing I used them for was pasta: namely, linguine by Divella. The one I used was basil and garlic, but according to Adam, it tasted more like green tea. I thought it was a bit too peppery, but in any case, it stood up to the strong flavours of the roasted tomates, which I stirred into the cooked pasta along with some navy beans that I had boiled and then pan-fried with onions.

Divella is available at Italian shops all over the city. I picked mine up at DiRienzo (1121 Meadowlands) for $2.99.

Bite of Toast

Burnt toast Fall 2007

My good friend Cindy publishes this quirky food magazine. And she's surely the one to do it! Cindy always sends me little email greeblies, detailing the fresh shrimp she brought to an an impromptu picnic or the little piece of pork she's barbequed for lunch. Her food philosophies are simple: eat whatever you think tastes good, try out new foods and recipes, and fear no failure.

Just this morning, she did it again, sending me just the thing to use up some concord grapes wilting on my counter.

This fall, I’ve been experimenting with a sour cream coffee cake, the kind that’s leavened with baking powder and soda rather than yeast. My favourite is made with concord grapes, those small deep purple ones that aren’t in season for very long. Some of them have such small seeds, you needn’t bother removing them. I put butter in the pan and melt it in the oven as it’s warming up. Then I add brown sugar and the fruit. I reduce the cream in the recipe (actually I use milk, soured with vinegar, or buttermilk if it’s on hand) and halve the amount of sugar too. The batter, of course, is spread over the fruit. I make the coffee cake first thing in the morning so I can have it warm with my coffee for breakfast. Only takes but half an hour to bake.

Pick up a copy of Cindy's magazine if you want to find out what other things she has to tell.

Don't Bite The Animals!

Went to another community vegan potluck last night. Forgot my camera again.

- I took: oven-roasted tomatoes smushed on rye crackers and topped with basil from the garden ourside our condo building.
- Adam brought: Two-bean (navy and string) salad with sesame oil and black sesame seeds.
- Ali made: vegan Rice Krispie squares. Two kinds: Date Almond and Cranberry Orange.

Among the other dishes were: fire-roasted baba ganouche; baked spring rolls with chili sauce; rice paper wraps; sundried tomato pate with coconut, walnuts and chives; chickpea masala; chunky potato salad; raw pie; melt-in-your-mouth blondies (made by the same person who baked this); and chocolate swirl cupcakes.

Research shows that women are much less likely to eat in the presence of strangers than the opposite sex than are men, but there were strange ladies and dudes of all kinds last night, so perhaps vegetarians break the mould in more ways than one.

Bite there: Chiang Mai

Photo from www.oregontrailsoaps.com

Starting tomorrow, my brother is taking a week-long cooking class in Thailand. Here are some excerpts from his trip reports thus far:

All is well, I am just waiting to board my flight to Chiang Mai. I am in the Royal Silk first-class lounge enjoying a roselle drink. It is sweet and fruity but that is all I know about it...I took a cab to the hotel, then went and ate a yellow curry chicken dish with a crazy ass good coconut shake for about 4 dollars on the road...In the lobby of the hotel, there was a coffee shop that served up lattes for $1.50. Starbucks, take notes.

Tonight I went to the Sunday market...they make a quiche-like pancake out of egg in this large pan, then stuff it with Pad Thai. Sort of looks like a burrito. They only cost 20 Baht (60 cents).

Watch this space for updates on his classes.

Spot Bite Hard Online

I submitted a recent Bite Hard post to Tastespotting.
I don't know how long it will stay on the first page.
If you can't find it, just search for Francois Doucet.

Click it, share it, bite your friends!

Vegan Again

This cake
does not contain
milk, eggs, or butter.

But it tastes...delicious!



Vanessa Holm, vegan baker and Master's of Arts student, showcased this beauty at Ottawa's first vegan community potluck. The next one is on September 15. I hope, I hope (fingers crossed) that Vanessa outdoes herself again. Everybody else - pony up and I'll see you there!

Check this pdf for more details.