Delicious Food Show 2011

Macarons - I'm coming for youuuuuuuu!

A few weeks back I had the privilege of attending the Delicious Food Show in Toronto put on by the Food Network with my beloved friend Jen. I've been attending these shows more often not only because they feature ample amounts of deliciousness but also because it combines two of my loves: food and event planning (which I went to school for).

The show's goal was to showcase the "Best in Cooking, Food & Kitchens" and I truly felt that it delivered on that part. I quickly learned after having gone through the first aisle that us food bloggers were VERY easy to spot. We were the ones with ridiculous cameras around our necks, trying to balance multiple pamphlets while taking photos of everything that caught our eyes and still trying to play off that we weren't going to rush home and recount all of our thoughts to our audience. I had about 6 or 7 booths ask if I was a food blogger and at first I was shy about it but by the end, I was darn proud of it. I love blogging and it's become such a phenomenon that I can't deny it's a huge part of who I am.

Caramel Apple Pie & Skor Cupcakes from Cupcake Diner

I found it very interesting that the show had a few food trucks actually inside the show. Toronto still hasn't quite caught on to the food truck revolution the way other major cities have (especially in the US) but it's nice to see that they're slowly making their way north of the border. I sampled a cupcake from the Cupcake Diner (Skor, I believe) as well as a delicious soft serve ice cream cone that tasted like creamsicles (and had a very dreamy driver to boot! HA! Double delicious!). There were so many neat things to see that it was very hard to avoid going into sensory overload but I had a great time.

However, while we were there, we stopped at a booth that was fantastic on so many levels: Bobbette & Belle. Allyson & Sarah, who own the business, are the most lovely people ever! Not only do they have amazing looking artisan pastries and confections but after chatting with them for a few minutes, you really can't help but want to be best friends with them and take them home with you! Naturally, I had been holding out on buying macarons at the show but I caved with Bobbette & Belle's and I wasn't disappointed. I bought some pistachio ones (surprised are you?) as well as milk chocolate caramel ones and they were superb! Check out some of their creations:

 Here are some other photos from the show as well:

If this show happens again (which I'm sure it will), I highly recommend that you grab some comfy walking shoes and go! It was well worth it!

Happy Sunday!

t

Macarons : versions 1 and 2 and a book review too!

How long has it been that that I've been going on and on about my love of macarons? Weeks? Months? Regardless, I decided that this past week was really time to do it! I've been attending a few of food shows in Toronto over the last little while as well as having discovered a local bakery that makes macarons and frankly, I was getting tired of paying disgusting amounts of money for them.

Thus far, I am in LOVE with pistachio macarons - this is why you have all been subjected to photos of pistachio paste and the like. Well I am proud to say that it is finally happened... Macarons have been born in my very own kitchen from my very own hands... TWICE this week! Allow me to explain.

Earlier this week I decided that I was going to finally do it. So I whipped out the lovely book that I bought a few weeks ago entitled Macarons by Bérengère Abraham:

Photo Credit: Better World Books

I got this book at a great price and was glad that it had a recipe for pistachio macarons so I gave them a try. Keep in mind, this recipe calls for the egg whites to be refrigerated for 24 hours prior to being whipped, plus the macarons need to sit (once piped) for an hour and pretty much burped and swaddled while I'm at it! As my darling pastry chef on retainer, Sophie, claimed "this recipe has come from the ancient archives of Le Cordon Bleu...." - a place where recipes never come out ever again except in this book.  I followed the recipe to a T!!!! and this is what I ended up with:

 Yup... we ended up with lovely little green martian clouds. Granted DELICIOUS ones... but nonetheless, these look NOTHING like what is on the cover of the book (see above!). I was crushed...heartbroken and defeated. Poor Sophie was constantly being texted with updates and the messages of sadness... She vowed to give me her recipe on our next visit so that I could try again. While I accepted this gracious offer, I wasn't quite ready to give up just yet! That being said, I'm not even willing to show you process pictures of how these disasters were made! I feel that pathetic about them!

This morning I did some wonderful scoping of Youtube videos and came across a video tutorial from Fine Cooking Magazine on how to make the perfect French macaron. I watched the video featuring chef Joanne Chang and instantly knew I'd found the recipe that would bring me success. Watching her in the video helps IMMENSELY and I recommend that everyone watch it! Chef Joanne has saved my (macaron) life!

I didn't take process photos for fear that today's batch was failure round 2... thankfully it wasn't. Welcome to the world my wonderful little macarons!

Prior to baking - crusted over and ready for the oven

I LOVE YOU MACARONS!

I will admit that they could have had a little more strong colour and have been a little less cooked but I don't even care! There is absolutely no comparison to my previous martian clouds to these bits of heavenly goodness... I mean really!

See?

Now, back to my book review.... this book did provide me with one valuable recipe: the pistachio cream filling. HOWEVER while the filling is AMAZING and I would most likely make it again, it is tiresome and grueling to say the least. Watch the process here:

Step 1 - Boil Pistachios

Post-boiling... peeling of skin has begun

Mmmmm - pistachio skin

Pretty peeled pistachios

Then dry roast peeled pistachios

Then boil sugar and water

Then add pistachios and stir until awkward looking

Then pulse to oblivion in food processor until crumbs form. Add in 1 egg white...

Voila! Pistachio paste... which will be added to other ingredients to make pistachio cream (and you thought we were done!)

Add pistachio paste to 35% cream and cook until disgustingly hot

Add a couple of other things and voila! Now you're done... kinda. Put it in the fridge to cool.

This delightful filling is simply piped between two cookies and then they're sandwiched together. Without any further delay, here they are in all of their beautiful and artistic glory!

This is what happens when you peel the macarons off the parchment paper a little too early

 

I am in love... and on that note. Good night :)

Sleep sweet and eat sweet!

t

Foodie Find - Progressing towards Pistachio Macarons

I just came across this fantastically easy recipe for making pistachio cream which is the fundamental component of the pistachio cream in my new favourite macarons.

Photo Credit - Cooking-ez.com

 Check out their recipe at http://www.cooking-ez.com/recette.php?id=325.

Happy Baking!

t

Canada's Baking & Sweets Show

On October 1st, 2011, I attended the first ever Canada's Baking & Sweets Show! As per the show's website:

'Welcome to Canada’s Baking and Sweets Show – the first consumer show of its kind in North America dedicated to those who crave to experience everything that’s decadent and delicious.  It’s a one-of-a-kind event catering to baking enthusiasts and everybody with a “sweet tooth”.
Expect to see, smell, taste and savour the best offerings of Canada’s baking and sweets universe.'

This show was so much fun! The darling Jessica K (aka The Wedding Girl), her lovely sister, Olivia and I were there bright and early on the 1st just in time for the show's opening. We had a great time taking pictures and seeing not only the delicious things you could buy, but the cake competition as well as all of the different baking and cooking tools that you could buy!

This was the show's first time running, and I do think I speak for both myself and the Wedding Girl when I say that I hope that this show happens again next year and that it continues to grow in size and in the number of exhibitors. I think the show was especially exciting for Jess and I because it combined our absolute love of baking with our educational background in Special Events Planning.

The show really had quite a nice mix of vendors selling baked goods (especially for those with allergies and sensitivities), tools and services. I felt that there was a great balance and that the set-up of the show really allowed you to interact with the exhibitors without feeling too crowded.

I personally was drawn to the Golda's Kitchen booth as well as the Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts' booth! I have always loved going to Golda's and now I'm trying to find a way to save enough money to take a few classes at the Bonnie Gordon school!

Here are some photos of the delicious cakes that were found throughout the show.

 

Happy weekend! 

t

Foodie Find - Macarons

Photo Credit - These Peas are Hollow

This past weekend I had my very first pistachio macaron. Please note this is a macaron not a macaroon. Macarons have no coconut in them and are made with ground almonds and egg whites.

I'm warning you now. I just bought a book on making macarons... I'm a little obsessed. I think we may have a problem. Stay tuned to find out what happens!