Save Your Fork… There’s Pie

This is a completely gratuitous post, the purpose of which is to make readers crave cupcakes with strawberry buttercream. I think this officially qualifies as sexy. And yes, with real berries added to the icing, it tastes even better than it looks.

Who says strawberry shortcake can’t be for breakfast?

With berry season upon us, I’ve been shoving juicy Ontario strawberries into my face whenever I can get them, and while I like the idea of shortcake, I’ve never come across a recipe that I really enjoy, finding many that I’ve tried too dry. And those odd yellow spongy things from the supermarket and just odd… and yellow.

Enter the oatmeal scone. Perfect consistency to replace a shortcake, plus you know, oatmeal, so we can pretend it’s healthy. Top it off with sliced berries and vanilla yogurt instead of whipped cream, and suddenly it’s breakfast!

Scottish Oatmeal Scones

1-1/2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425′F. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.

In another bowl, beat egg until frothy. Mix in melted butter and milk. Pour into well and stir to make a soft dough. Pat into two 6 to 7 inch circles, and transfer to a greased baking sheet. Score each top into 8 pie-shaped wedges, then sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes until risen and brown.

It could have been, truly, a clusterfuck, but the weather gods and organizing gods shined down on the One City One Table event today at the Distillery District. Part of the Luminato arts festival, this food fair took over a whole block with one long table down the centre, and local restaurants offering tastings and street food items for $5 a pop along one side.

While it was busy, it wasn’t stupid packed, and there was very little wait time at each booth to get the food. Most chefs had put some thought into their offerings so it was mostly hand-held stuff like sandwiches, tacos or things that didn’t need a fork and knife.

Enamoured of the food as I was, I completely missed getting a shot of the 500-seat table, although it was never all full at once as people kept getting up and moving around as they tried new things. I missed photographing a few things that we tried and really enjoyed like the baked perogies from Chef Nathan Isberg at Coca, and the braised hangar steak sandwich from Chef Ted Corrado at C5.

My only complaints – I’d have liked to have seen more vegetarian options, as there really weren’t many. And also, a plate of oysters on a sunny afternoon really deserves a beer to go with it. I’m sure getting a liquor license for such an event would have been a nightmare, but we actually sat and strategized at one point, trying to figure out if we could sneak a plate of oysters onto the patio at the Mill Street Brew Pub just so we could have beer with our bi-valves. Instead we just plunked down in front of the Starfish booth and enjoyed some Malpeques at a buck a shuck (photo above).

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It’s okay to eat chicken again. Or at least chicken from KFC. In Canada.

After years of protests and campaigns by animal rights groups PETA, KFC has bowed to pressure and has agreed to work only with suppliers that can ensure less crowding for the chickens it uses, as well as phasing out non-essential growth hormones and drugs. KFC will also source chicken only from suppliers who slaughter birds with gas, considered the most humane method of processing.

An added caveat will be that KFC will add vegan and vegetarian “unchicken” options to its menu, making the chain a consideration for a demographic of customers who might never have eaten there, and allowing those of us who love the magical 11 herbs and spices coating to get our fix without guilt.

Full story at the CBC website.