Foodie Adventure

Sugaring on the Weekend.

Sugaring on the Weekend.

Yes, it’s getting sweet and sappy here on unsweetened.ca because for the first time in my life I made maple syrup! All my years in the woods, all my stories of pruning, chopping, tending tress and I’d never tapped one. I’ve never made maple syrup before. I’ve never visited a Cabane au Sucre. I’ve never had maple taffy fresh from the snow. I felt I had failed as a Canadian to accomplish this basic of all basic rituals, this cultural rite of passage, this symbol of all that is woody, sappy and Canadian. Until this weekend! Sunday we were out…

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Blissdom Ultimate Foodie Excursion – Wander Through Kensington w/ Lex

Blissdom Ultimate Foodie Excursion – Wander Through Kensington w/ Lex

As part of the Blissdom Toronto 2012 Ultimate Foodie Excursion, I led a tour through Kensington Market Sunday Morning. We did the tour after a great breakfast at Caplansky's & before heading down to Longo's MLS for the the Cuisinart Soup Challenge. What an honour to be invited to do this.Thank you Emma, it was great fun!

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Introducing: Chefs #LoveCDNBeef on unsweetened.ca

Introducing: Chefs #LoveCDNBeef on unsweetened.ca

I wanted to do something a little special as a Canadian Beef Ambassador. Something unique to unsweetened.ca, something that showcases the interesting and tasty things being done with Canadian Beef by Chefs in Canada. So today I’m announcing the launch of Chefs #LoveCDNBeef on unsweetened.ca Each month I will introduce you to a new Chef and the next day I’ll share one of their recipes featuring Canadian Beef. I have a great line up of Chefs already on board and expect to be sharing recipes that will excite your palate and expand your repertoire.   The recipes will be ones you…

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Meet The Team–Canadian Beef Brand Ambassadors #LoveCdnBeef

Meet The Team–Canadian Beef Brand Ambassadors #LoveCdnBeef

So one of the cool things about working on new projects is the opportunity to work with new people.  Now in the case of a Brand Ambassadorship usually this is the brand and sometimes the agency who is connecting you, but one of the nice parts of the Canadian Beef Brand Ambassadorship is that we’ve been encouraged to get to know each other.  Right now it’s mostly just digitally, but I hope most of us will be meeting face to face in the early fall too. Here are the other people who will be talking Beef for the next 12…

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Foodie Adventure: I’m a Canadian Beef Brand Ambassador. #LoveCdnBeef

Foodie Adventure: I’m a Canadian Beef Brand Ambassador. #LoveCdnBeef

I’ve been teasing some of you with my “new sponsored foodie adventure” and finally the Ts are crossed and Is dotted, and I can finally reveal what is up! I have been selected to be a Brand Ambassador for Canadian Beef! I am one of 10 people from  Beechville, NS to Victoria, BC, who have been selected to represent this Canadian of all Canadian products and tasty of all tasty meats for the next 12 months. I’ll be working directly with Canada Beef Inc. – “an independent national organization representing the marketing and promotion of the Canadian cattle and beef…

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Lex in the Olives

Lex in the Olives

Lex in the Olives — Originally uploaded by LexnGer A little closer to the trees this time.

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Senior Pintxos is getting excited

Senior Pintxos is getting excited

Senior Pintxos is getting excited — Originally uploaded by LexnGer Lexwww.unsweetened.ca & www.alexaclark.com

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Encuentro Internacional de la cocina delaceite de oliva virgen extra

Encuentro Internacional de la cocina delaceite de oliva virgen extra

Encuentro Internacional de la cocina delaceite de oliva virgen extra — Originally uploaded by LexnGer And so it begins

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Have I Mentioned SPAIN!?!

Have I Mentioned SPAIN!?!

So, I’ll tell this in the short version and the long version.  And just this one time, I’ll tell a super-short version first. I am going to Spain on Saturday! [end of super-short version] I have been invited as a Canadian Delegate to the 10th Annual Cooking with Olive Oil Conference (el Encuentro Internacional de Cocina con Aceite de Oliva Virgen Extra)  at Consorcio Hacienda La Laguna.   Chef Matt Kantor, my friend and partner in the Secret Pickle Supper Club, is also a delegate and we’ve decided to extend our stay so we can also attend the Fórum Gastronómico in…

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Judging the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition

Judging the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition

Well that was a lot of fun!  Last night I judged the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition.  6 culinary students competing to win the Canadian Regionals and progress to the finals in California.   It was a nail biter!  There were leaders and early favourites in the kitchen, but it wasn’t until the last plate was served that I had a decision on who I thought did the best.

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Watching Matt in action at Longo’s in prep for tonight’s #TasteOntario Blogger Dinner

Watching Matt in action at Longo’s in prep for tonight’s #TasteOntario Blogger Dinner

We have 20 bloggers, influencers and folks-about town coming in for a cooking demo with Matt cooking 5 International dishes all from Longo’s shelves and each dish featuring an Ontario product. So amazing! This is Taste Ontario, Taste the World  

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Longo’s: Friday Wings

Longo’s: Friday Wings

As you may have noticed, all these dinner stories seem to start with some sort of life-event making dinner challenging. Isn’t that always the way?  I know I’m not alone. Friday night we were headed out of town. A quick train trip to visit family and I was really excited to snag wings at the Longo’s Maple Leaf Square store to eat on the train for dinner.  I hadn’t realized until Friday how close they were to each other and hadn’t tried out the new entrance from Bremner into Union Station.  It’s practically around the corner from the departure area.…

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