Taste Ontario, Taste the World with Alexa Clark & Chef Matt Kantor

I love Longo’s, especially the York street location. So much so that after my first visit there with my Mom last year, I sent out an email to friends, family and colleagues telling them about it!

So when the lovely Alexa Clark invited me to a  Taste Ontario, Taste the Worltd event that would be taking place at Longo’s Loft kitchen, I was thrilled. Add to that, Chef Matt Kantor would be cooking for us. He had just done an El Bulli tribute dinner that got rave reviews so I was excited for the opportunity to try his food.

My fellow writers and I were treated to a sumptuous 5-course dinner, pictured below. Matt created authentic dishes from around the world – Sweden, Thailand Morocco, Italy, Iran and Catalan, Spain – all using ingredients found in the store and featuring one Taste Ontario ingredient. What a great concept – just imaging trying to cook with stuff you could only get from one place! Each course was paired with a carefully selected beer or wine.

Taste Ontario, Taste the World Menu

Lightly Cured Trout with Pickled Beet and Apple Salad (Featured Taste Ontario Ingredient – Ontario Trout) Matt plates the trout over thin slices of beet and apple.

Thai Red Curry Squash (Featured Taste Ontario Ingredient – Ontario Squash)

Chicken Tajine with Couscous (Featured Taste Ontario Ingredient – Ontario Chicken)

Run-e Bareh (Spice Roasted Lamb) (Featured Taste Ontario Ingredient – Ontario Lamb)

Creme Catalana (Featured Taste Ontario Ingredient – Ontario Eggs & Milk)

The meal was fantastic with perfectly cooked fish (hard to do) and the best Red Thai Curry I’ve ever had.

I got to see familiar faces -  Alexa, Sarah, David, Vicky, Joallore, Jess and Shawn – and meet new folks – Emma, Joey, Matt - which always makes for a memorable night. But even more memorable was Joey pulling out his accordion and playing Britney Spears. Music and entertainment, oh what a night!

And now when I’m shopping the aisles of Longo’s (my go-tos here are duck, jicama, anything from the kitchen supply section… ) or getting an Ontario beer and wood-oven pizza at Cork’s in the corner, I’ll always think of that magical evening. And that @#%&*! curry.

p.s. And you thought the Milk Calendar was good – the Longo’s 2012 Calendar, found in with Holiday 2011 Issue of Experience Magazine includes recipes for Coca-Cola Float Cupcakes, Classic Chicken Pot Pie and many other great recipes!