Day 53: Everything at the Lawson Lundell Celebrity Hors d’oeuvres Competition
I have far too many kinds of animals stuck between my teeth right now.
Tonight I was lucky enough to be one of the judges (along with Shelley Boettcher and dee Hobsbawn-Smith) at the Lawson Lundell Celebrity Hors d’oeuvres Competition, a fund raiser for ATP.
So, in all seriousness, without an iota of exaggeration, this is what I ate for dinner tonight:
Shelley and I met for a couple drinks at Escoba first. Some fantastic wine I can’t remember the name of (Shelley? are you reading this?) and a Carne Flatbread, which was enormous and cheesy, topped with chorizo, calabrese, capicolla, double smoked bacon, tomato sauce and peppered fresh baby grape tomatoes. Because we were both starving upon arrival, we decided to try the dessert tasting plate, just for research purposes: chocolate mousse, apple spring rolls, Saskatoon berry ice cream, and coffee chocolate truffles, along with a fantastic dessert wine that I wrote down the name of, but now can’t find in the depths of my purse.
At the competition:
From Tribune: Lobster and halibut corn dogs with tarragon Dijon, duck burgers topped with melting Cambozola on focaccia buns, and mini white truffle donuts.
From Thompsons: Seared tuna in a black and white sesame crust with shredded carrot and daikon over a cantaloupe reisling jelly.
From Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse: NY striploin done rare and topped with a crab cake and bernaise sauce.
From Wonton King: Fusion wraps with organic greens and ginseng, and “pearls on a nest” – small round pork stuffed wontons in a wonderfully dark and sweet soy sauce.
From Rouge (winner of most Beautiful Bite): Chinese soup spoons filled with smoked tomato bisque, then a tiny square of two temperature beef confit, topped with a dollop of horseradish-spiked Winnipeg cream cheese.
From the Metropolitan Grill: A beef slider – a giant meatball smothered in tomato sauce and topped with a curl of Parmesan cheese, in a small soft bun.
From Nicole Gourmet: Truffled potato ravioli over a lamb ragout (she did have a fancier name for this, but I can’t remember it!) and a dollop of bright green parsley puree.
From Raw Bar at the Hotel Arts: Lobster bisque and a crabcake.
From Julliard: Panko crusted salmon cakes with black sesame seeds, topped with mango salsa and blood oranges, and braised bourbon beef tenderloin (the beef soaked for 9 hours in bourbon) topped with blueberries simmered in sugar and honey.
From Elements in the Delta Hotel: Giant (and I do mean bigger than a golf ball) scallops, seared and served with double smoked bacon infused with orange (or some sort of citrus?)
From BLVD (winner of best overall food): Zatar crusted lamb sirloin with apricot preserves and a lemon tabuleh salad made with Israeli couscous and a touch of honey – unlike any I have ever had before, and caramelized prawns in fish sauce with brown sugar and whipping cream.
From Devour: Ancho chile empanadas, Cuban pork sliders and plantain chips with chipotle ketchup.
From Belvedere: Pan seared frogs’ legs with arbol chile and bell pepper coulis (OK, I admit I skipped this one. I could not stomach frogs’ legs at the end of this culinary tour), and braised Alberta oxtail stuffed in herbed French brie gourgeres.
From Traders (winning the Prettiest Plate award): test tubes filled with the following layers, from bottom to top: chocolate pots de creme, passionfruit mousse, kiwi pearls, chantilly cream and teeny sugar cherries.
I skipped the oysters from Catch, topped with cantaloupe caviar and plum wine mignonette, or tomato vodka sorbet, Caesar style. I’m sure they were fantastic, but I’m just not an oyster person.
Yes, I ate all this. They are now having an eclectic party in my stomach. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta…
Photos tomorrow. It’s officially after 1 am and I have an early morning call time to shoot season 2 of It’s Just Food (honestly, my life still sounds far more glamorous than it actually is… I got peed on today, if it makes you hate me a little less.)
February 23 2008 01:03 am | eating out
Shelley Boettcher on 24 Feb 2008 at 9:52 pm #
Hi Julie, of course I’m reading this! And — despite the massive amounts of meat on Friday and my obsession with Escoba’s 13,000-cork wall — I do actually remember what we drank.
I had a Rosenblum Zinfandel from California, and you had a Zolo Reserve Malbec (Argentina). We liked yours best…although mine was good, too.
Lana on 25 Feb 2008 at 9:32 am #
I want your job.
xo
Carolann on 01 May 2008 at 5:21 am #
Where do you purchase your Panko – have looked in both Asian Shops (T&T) and regular grocery shops to no avail. Help.
JulieVR on 01 May 2008 at 10:04 am #
I buy mine at Airang grocery beside Community on 10th Ave. SW, or at the Cookbook Company on 11th Ave. SW. (www.cookbookcooks.com)
Chocolate. — dinner with Juliedinner with Julie » Chocolate. on 20 Feb 2009 at 2:39 pm #
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