FoodShare Toronto (Twitter: @FoodShareTO, Facebook: FoodShare Toronto) is Canada’s largest community food security organization. Founded in 1985, FoodShare works with communities to improve access to healthy, affordable, sustainably-produced food through community-based programs and policy recommendations, with a vision of Good Healthy Food for everybody. FoodShare's programs, which reach over 155,000 children and adults per month in the City of Toronto, include fresh produce sourcing and sales, childhood nutrition, hands-on food education from junior kindergarten to grade 12, a healthy school cafeteria model, gardening, composting, cooking, and urban agriculture.
FoodShare’s annual Recipe for Change event, presented by GE Cafe Appliances, is a celebration of food as well as supporting FoodShare's work. This dining event raises funds to teach school aged children how to cook, grow food, compost and more. It also raises needed consciousness as to why teaching children these skills are important, in that they can become food conscious, competent and literate.
Thanks to Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, I was invited to Recipe for Change last night, which took place at the historic St. Lawrence market. The event consisted of 30 chefs, 30 VQA wines and 9 local beers. All the chefs created plates that showcased their own creative vision, combining foods and flavours to form a small meal.
Here is a recap of what I had last night.
Hooked: Cooke's Cove, PEI, and Leslie Hardy & Sons oysters - Served with house made horseradish, Ontario Riesling mignonette, Hooked hot sauce and fresh lemon
Hooked: Cooke's Cove, PEI, and Leslie Hardy & Sons oysters - Served with house made horseradish, Ontario Riesling mignonette, Hooked hot sauce and fresh lemon
Chococrepe: Savoury pulled pork mini crepes and vegetarian mini crepes.
Momofuku: Momofuku brisket on a steamed bun with mustard, cabbage, and horseradish
FRANK at the AGO: Vegan fava puree with sunchokes and winter vegetables
Palais Royale: Rosemary smoked duck breast served with a mousse of duck confit, and a blueberry and raw chocolate coulis
George Brown Chef School: Savoury bread pudding with seasonal root vegetables and house made pickles
Fidel Gastro: PeKing Elvis sandwich a butter grilled pita featuring spicy orange duck meat, green onion and the King's secret sauce
Pizzeria Libretto: Warm ribollita salad with beans, beets, carrot, kale, fennel and potato
LA's Italian + Bar: Si krong moo tod kratien - Fried Thai pork with fresh cucumber salad
Cruda Cafe: Raw truffle king oyster mushroom tartlets and love me forever vegan tarts
Frida Restaurant and Bar: "Pescado al Mojo de Ajo" - Roasted garlic with butter kissed grouper.
My Little Dumplings: Vegan squash and green curry dumplings
Keriwa Cafe: Venison kielbasa with cabbage and onions
Pimenton: Luscious beet root chocolate brownies drizzled with silky-smooth, premium Spanish olive oil
Barque Smokehouse: Smoked brisket parfait with barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes and crispy onions
Le Select Bistro: Seared rare albacore tuna with radicchio, black olives and walnuts
I also enjoyed wines from Rosewood Estates and Chateau des Charmes, as well as a tasty pale ale from Black Oak Brewing Co. I ended my night with a generous cup of Light House Lemonade - it was so light and refreshing. Oh yeh, I must admit, despite the fact that I am not a big fan of cupcakes, I actually really liked Bernardin's mini spiced cupcakes; topped with butter cream and a seville marmalade, they were delicious (I had two).
Towards the end of the night, I just didn't have any more room in my stomach! I was so stuffed, so I'm bummed that I missed out on Yakitori Bar's mini bibimbap bowls, Cafe Belong's faux pho, and last but not least, Table 17 / Ascari Enoteca's orrechiette with white pork shoulder ragu and brussel sprouts. They all looked amazing.
Fantastic turnout last night at Recipe for Change. I had a positively delicious evening.