The top 25 things I ate this year

This is by no means a definitive list, but merely a tip of the hat to some of the great things that people cooked for me (or I cooked myself), all leading to my favourite food memories of the year. Here they are, in no particular order.

1. The 'za at Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria. And she just came out with a pizza cookbook.

2. I think this recipe helped score me the book deal for my culinary work of fiction (watch for it in spring 2011.) My editor loves kale. (Hi Jane!)

3. S’mores over a pit fire on an ancient beachhead as we watched polar bears snoozing along the shores of Hudson Bay. (Thought the locale probably had more to do with this winning taste sensation than the s'mores themselves.)

4. Jeff Crump’s Picasso-like composed salad at an event put on by the good people at the Good Food Revolution.

5. The Indian feast I made with the lovely Swaran and Rimple Sumer at their Vancouver home.

6. Sure, they’re all about grilled pickled elk tongue and fried headcheese, but the chocolate pudding at Murray Street restaurant was the best I’ve ever had. (The only thing missing was a delectable pudding scum.)

7. Can't forget the Dou Su cod, a Formosa Island specialty, at Vogue Chinese Cuisine in Richmond, B.C.: Steamed cod encased in a thick crust of soybeans that have been deep-fried and ground so that they resemble sand and taste like the delicious crap stuck to the bottom of a frying pan.

8. An oyster Po’ Boy at Grand Central Oyster Bar. Love the subterranean room. And the old school service. Loved the oysters. Love New York.

9. Eating champagne macarons at Luxemburgerli in Zurich made me feel like Marie Antoinette.

10. The delicious passed hors d’oeuvres at my al fresco birthday party at Ezra’s Pound – and the Dufflet Chocolate Banana Fudge birthday cake to complete the fete.

11. Crisp and flavourful duck fat frites at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak in Scottsdale are served with three dipping sauces. But the best part? They’re free.

12. I’m not usually a quiche fan, but I was meeting the gang for brunch at Coquine, didn’t want an omelet, so ordered what turned out to be the most ethereal example of mushroom quiche, ever.

13. The perfect example of poutine, in Quebec City

14. Crisp duck salad at Nota Bene.

15. I am addicted to Tom Thai’s cooking. That’s all there is to it. Case closed.

16. I want to live at the Oyster Bar at Shaw’s Crab House in Chicago.

17. My beginner’s luck foray into the mysterious world of smoked brisket.

18. Even better was the word on every deli lover’s lips this year: Caplansky’s. Sure, most go on about the smoked meat, but don’t forget about the chopped liver. (What is it, chopped liver? Heh.)

19. Ceci!

20. Union’s juicy, fatty, honest, earthy, cote de boeuf and Swiss chard.

21. From-the-water sweet king crab legs in Norway.

22. Our Lobsterlicous meal at Scaramouche was so good we’ll be going back for seconds in January.

23. Just about everything I ate in Mexico City, but especially here.

24. Sticky French Toast with Candied Rice Krispies.

25. And let’s not forget: A classic is always timely.

Happy continued cooking, and eating, and here’s to a great 2010 for one and all.

Lobsterrific!

When you've been friends for as long as Joanna and me (since we were 10), you get to know each others' food likes and dislikes while also sharing in common tastes. For instance, last month we went for Chinese on Spadina -- we can do this with two people because we like the same dishes. But when she was dropping me back home, Jo tried to pawn these candied almonds with lemon zest off on me. She said she wanted them out of her van because she was addicted, plus she thought I'd love them. I tried one: "Yuck."

She looked surprised by my reaction, mostly shocked really, then sighed: "A rare miss." 

Still, when I told her I was taking her out for her birthday Jo knew we'd likely hit Foxley, one of our favourites (we've nailed the perfect order.) But then she emailed me while I was away, asking if we should maybe try Scaramouche's Lobsterlicious menu before it was gone. The crazy thing is, I was going to suggest the exact same change of plan (eerie.)

Based on his support of Nova Scotia fisherfolk, chef/owner Keith Froggett struck a deal with the lobster people a couple of months ago, when lobster prices were at an historic low. And he's passing the "savings" on to Scaramouche diners, with a three course Lobsterlicous '09 meal, for $52 a head. 

Joanna and I went this week, were seated by a beautiful window on the pasta bar side of things, twinkling skyline as a backdrop and a thick fog socking in the city. And then we ate. Oh, how we ate. 

My first course was a gorgeous plate of fresh, poached shrimp (definitely not your Thai imports, these) blood oranges, persimmons and winter lettuces (watercress, frisee and the like) tossed together in a fantastic Meyer lemon and lobster vinaigrette. I could have got home happy right then. But then came my main of generous butter poached lobster perched like rubies and diamonds upon a silky cauliflower puree, with shaved fennel and a smoked bacon and butter sauce. Dinner was incredible. And so was the service. Same goes for the wine. In fact, we didn't think things could get any better, but then they did with the return of pastry chef Joanne Yolles and her famous coconut cream pie -- flaky butter crust, home-spun but high class coconut cream and whipped cream becoming one along with fresh coconut shavings. It was such a perfect capper that I almost didn't mind the white chocolate shavings on top. 

I wish I could describe what my pal Joanna had for her dinner, but I already did. Because even though there was lots of choice (three per course, plus the option of substituting with anything else you like from the main menu), we ordered the exact same meal. 

Like I said, we've been friends for a long, long time.

Scaramouche's Lobsterlicious 2009 runs Mondays to Thursdays until March 5th. Reservations a must. Knockout meal, a given.