Opinion # 1 By Stephanie Dickison
This depends on whether I was going to use it to splurge or not. Would I treat myself and get more extravagant, expensive things that I’m used to or would I try and get the most for my money?
Let’s go with extravagant, just for fun. Now the question is would I use it for a nice dinner out with my fella or for fantastic luxe grocery items to keep in the kitchen cupboard for little bursts of luxury?
I think I’d go with the dinner, because getting the stuff for at home is a wee bit more practical and this isn’t about being practical for once.
As for where we’d go and what we’d have, that’s a tough one as we’re both food hounds and other than reading, writing, walking and spending time together, going out to eat is one of very favourite things to do. Also, I’m a restaurant critic so there are certain restaurants that make not make the list over others.
I’d venture to say that we would probably either go for Ethiopian, Brazilian or Portuguese – the thinking being that we can get Italian, Japanese or Vietnamese any ol’ time, but these places are fewer and farther between.
Scott loves Ethiopian a little more than I do because he can’t get enough injera – the airy bread that you pull away with your fingers and acts as a utensil to scoop out other items. I find it too goopy, but I love the other dishes, so I do just fine with my fingers.
Brazilian is awfully sexy and I love the heartiness and spiciness of it all, but I’m in the mood for Portuguese these days, so that’s what I going with for this experiment.
There are three things that I think are superb standouts in Portuguese cooking – churassco chicken, piri piri sauce, and the way they prepare fish.
I love that somehow the food is infused with intense flavours, but never overpowers the meat, fish or vegetables. How do they do that?
I would go to a place on College Street that I’ve been only once, but the memories and flavours have remained ever since.
I would start with the Lobster, Octopus & Shrimp in a citrus, tarragon aioli ($20) and then move on to Grilled and Gently roasted Filet of Salted Cod with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Garlic ($38), while I’m sure Scott would get the Nova Scotia Lobster on risotto of saffron ($45).
I know I went over budget there a little, but I’d be happy to kick in the extra. When you have food this good, it’s worth it.
Of course, Scott and I don’t eat dinners like this often. Let’s face it – 2 freelance writers in one household does not an expense account make. On a regular weeknight, I’m making chicken and pasta and lots of veg, just like you
But it is nice to dream like this every once in awhile. Especially while I’m off to make soup and sandwiches for dinner.
Opinion # 2 By Chris Garbutt
Every time I go to the grocery store, I wonder where we get the idea that inflation is low. Food prices have been climbing for longer than I can remember now. A hundred bucks almost doesn’t cover a week’s groceries for the two of us.*
But I think I’ll take another approach here. If I had $100 for one meal for two, then I could have a little fun. And the truth is, what I write today could change tomorrow. So with that in mind, here’s what I would do with that money today.
Now that barbecue season has begun, I think I would get grilling. I’m thinking maybe I would get some large scallops from my local fish market – Avenue Seafood on Avenue Road north of Lawrence. Then I would pick up some produce from Organic Abundance on Yonge Street. Perhaps some asparagus, potatoes, onions. Something in season for a salad – spinach, radishes? I would then walk down the street to The Friendly Butcher to pick up some locally raised bacon.
I would keep it simple:
– Fry up some bacon for crumbling
– Make a potato pouch with garlic and onions, and put it on the grill
– Put some salt, pepper and olive oil on the asparagus, and grill that, too
– Make up the spinach salad, maybe make a dressing with orange juice, shallots and olive oil
– Sprinkle salt and pepper on the scallops, drizzle some olive oil and grill them
– Use some of the salad dressing to create an orange sauce for the scallops
– Crumble the bacon over both the salad and the scallops
– Put it all on a plate and serve it with my sweetie
Now, that’s how I feel right at this moment. Give me a few seconds and I’ll start again. I’m starting to think that a lobster on that grill might be nice…
I think I’ve come well under a hundred here, so with whatever’s left, I’d buy the best sauvignon blanc I can find. What would you do?
* Well, I eat a lot of organic.
How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food, 2nd Edition by Mark Bittman & The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh: 1,100 Quick Dishes for Everynight Cooking by Barbara Fairchild
By Stephanie Dickison
They arrived at my doorstep with a big enough thud that the cat and I both jumped. A big box containing two looming cookbooks meant that I was going to have to rearrange the bookshelves -again. These were the mightiest cookbooks I’d ever seen outside of my lovely food and cooking encyclopedias that I cherish so deeply.
The one good thing about their size and weight is that really, if you are just starting out or are looking for big, basic cookbooks to cover a little bit of everything, these have got it. All of it.
And while I know a lot of you have your own go-to cookbook like The Joy of Cooking, I’m highly recommending these.
They are so vast in knowledge and so easy to use and follow that really, no kitchen should be without them.
Here are my thoughts on each one:
A little while ago, I told you how much I loved Mark Bittman’s Recipe Cards. Well, the book, How to Cook Everything, 2nd Edition, just knocked my socks off. Really. I mean, it’s got everything: illustrations that you can follow along with, like tying meat or preparing tomatoes. Easy-to-make recipes that are neither tired or repetitive (unlike my roster of dishes).
And here’s the best testimonial of all – On Saturday night, I stopped by the grocery store to get meat. I had been to 2 others, but hadn’t seen anything of excitement. However, at my third stop, I came across a fairly good sized beef tenderloin roast for $5.86. Now, I had only ever made 2 roasts before this, so it’s not something I usually get, but it was so inexpensive and beautiful that I couldn’t resist. However, I had no idea how to cook it.
That is, until I got home and turned to page 735, where the Roast Tenderloin with Herbs recipe awaited me. I marinated the meat for only an hour as my Mom had stopped by for a visit. It turns out neither Mom, me or my fella have roast beef outside of weddings and funerals, so I felt a little pressure for it to turn out well.
The recipe was an easy mixture of oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs and the only thing I had to do was check the meat with a thermometer after 20 minutes.
Folks, while it is not the best roast I’ve ever had, it was absolutely wonderful. And I truly couldn’t have possibly done it without this book. Later this week I’m going to tackle 22 Picnic-Perfect Salads and How to Season Simply Cooked Seafood.
This is my new cooking bible and yes, you can borrow it anytime…
The title, The Bon Appetit Cookbook: Fast Easy Fresh: 1,100 Quick Dishes for Everynight Cooking says it all, doesn’t it? It’s from Bon Appetit, so you know it’s trustworthy (and probably anything you make from this will be better than if you’d gone it alone) and it’s all about making quick and easy dinners, which let’s face it, at the end of the workday, can be one of the most challenging meals to make and make well.
I mean, I would never in a million years think to make Crabmeat, Corn and Cumin Salad in Endive Spears, but doesn’t that sound absolutely lovely? And what about Oaxacan Chicken Mole? That sounds much better than the usual roast chicken breasts that I make!
My favourite thing about this cookbook is the recipes never include more than a handful of ingredients and instructions, so I can actually make pretty fancy fare in a short amount of time, which is really what I strive for most every night I cook. And now thanks to this cookbook, I can actually rev up my own standbys. So instead of my usual steamed spinach, I’m going to make Pesto Creamed Spinach and instead of my usual orzo, I’m pumping it up to Carrot Orzo. Sure, they are simple changes, but I find that these suggestions and ideas really get me out of my usual cooking rut and go-to items. It helps keep things exciting in the kitchen and I remain excited about cooking and making dinner every night, which I’m sure you know can be a challenge at times!
I am so excited by all of the new possibilities that I’m off to get some ingredients for dinner tonight!
These are the best books and really, a must have for anyone who spends anytime at all at the stove. And hey, they’ll make the very best presents this holiday season. I mean, there are recipes in each of these to please everyone!
Pan Magazine 
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