Summer

Last Monday, while I was putting my white slacks and matching loafers in storage, I started to reflect on this past summer. Did we even have one?? I can't recall a single stretch where it actually felt like summer. More like a long spring..... Case in point, I did not water the lawn once this summer and my grass is still green (no lie). I turned on the air conditioner twice in the car and once at home and even then it wasn't absolutely necessary. Again, no lie.

I did not once smell summer. And because of that, I am supremely bummed right now. Although I will likely get over the disappointment of a lost summer, I am nervous that without the recharge from the long hot months I may not make it through the wicked winter. The only saving grace is that I have a few memories from a short trip I took a few weeks back. I will likely have to rely on those 10 days to get me through whatever mother nature throws at us in the coming months.... I just hope it is enough.

On a totally unrelated topic, our apologies for not keeping up with our posts. As a group I think some of us have been a bit uninspired lately, I know I have been. Others (I won't name names) have been sidelined with injuries suffered while gathering material for a food review. Still. No excuses. We will make an effort in the coming days to start posting again.

Chicken Souvlaki Dinner for Breakfast??????

Yesterday morning I decided to change it up a bit and walked to work via the underground concourse in the financial district. It was a typical walk. Head slightly cocked down to express to all passers-by how tired I was and eyes up.. so I wouldn't bump into anything. Typical walk until I got to the BCE Place Foodcourt, that is.

For those of you that don't know, there's a Jimmy the Greek in that foodcourt. I didn't know that. Never been there.

It is your standard Jimmy the Greek.

But this one was open. At 7:45am!!!! What the? What is going on, I thought. They must just be getting ready for the day, right? Cutting lettuce, roasting potatoes, tending to the gyros (what kind of meat is that anyway??). Right?... It was at that moment that I noticed a white speck in my periphery. Could it be?? Holy %$#!@.. some guy was actually at the cash buying something! He had the standard Jimmy the Greek styrofoam container in his hand. What was he buying? Can you eat chicken souvlaki for breakfast??

My life hasn't been the same since.

Ugly Duckling Tomatoes

I got a request to make a post about tomatoes, which is timely, given that the first of the seasonal heirlooms are just appearing. An heirloom tomato, sometimes referred to as an "ugly tomato" by supermarkets that don't know any better, is a pure-bred variety. The standard tomatoes that you find in supermarkets are typically hybridized to look red, round and appealing. Eating these tomatoes is like listening to Britney Spears. They’ve been manufactured for the masses and lack any meaningful flavour or originality.

But not heirlooms. No, heirlooms are like listening to The Rolling Stones. Unplugged. Live. And in a tiny club that fits only 100 people. They have been passed down for generations, showing scars, bursting with flavour and reminding us of what tomatoes really are all about.And just like good music, they come in countless varieties.

Studying some of these, I find it impossible to understand how anyone can call these fruits “ugly”. Yes, some have very evident scars (which are a sign of high sugar content and thin skin). And some are strangely coloured. But that’s not because they’ve been dropped or have been on the losing end of a knife fight with some rogue potatoes. It’s because that’s the way they naturally are. You have your green zebras, black princes, yellow brandywine, roses, cherokee purples, and the list goes on longer than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Some are large, some are small. Some are round, some eggplant shaped and others looks like demented accordions. And just as you would think, each has its own vivid flavour and texture.

If you’re a fan of tomatoes, try comparing these high-octane varieties to a regular tomato on the same plate and you’ll never go back! The best place to get them is at a farmers market directly from a farmer. Some supermarkets carry them, but given their short shelf life (once they ripen, they need to be eaten within a day), it can be hard to find good ones there. I prefer to eat them raw with some salt, olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. Mmmm.

The lunch indecision

What's for lunch today? Every day presents the same dilemma. Having to decide what to eat with others with differing tastes makes the process even more frustrating. But at least the weather is finally starting to come around and that opens up many more possibilities for walking to get lunch.

There's the choice between close vs far. Healthy vs artery clogging. Light vs heavy. And of course, by the time the decision is made, it's too late to avoid the long lineups at all the good places. I hate the lunch indecision.