The Union Station Holiday Market

By: Carly Spears

The  Toronto Market Company brought us the deliciously successful Front Street Foods this summer and they are at it again with the Union Station Holiday Market. Though much smaller than the summer version, this artisan market is the perfect stop for grabbing those unique and thoughtful holiday gifts. 

Just realized you forgot to pick up a gift for your great-uncle Joe while you're en route to grandma's house for Christmas? Not to worry because the USHM has you covered! From December 5 - 16, travellers can stop by the market to grab those last minute, one-of-a-kind gifts.

From cheese boards, to Foxy Originals jewelry and G Fox sunglasses to everything in between, there really is a little something for everyone. Be sure to grab a taste of my personal favourite  - Chocome! Made with assorted cocoa beans and toppings from 20 different countries, these handmade chocolates are absolutely delectable. 

Not into chocolate? Grab an adorable ornament full of natural, holiday-themed candies from Papabubble. 

Happy Holidays!

Location: UNION STATION (THE OAK ROOM), 65 FRONT STREET WEST

Dates and Times: December 5 - 16, 2016 - M-F: 730am - 7pm, S-S: 10am - 6pm

TPG Holiday Workshop: Gifts Galore!

By: Carly Spears

It’s still sunny and I am enjoying the summer while it’s here, but I am also getting ready for the holidays! I recently attended TPG’s Holiday Workshop, which highlighted some of the latest up and coming trends for holiday gifts this season. 

Here are a few of my favourites:

Cilque

I’ve never been one to spend a lot of money on my bedding. My motto is that as long as they’re remotely comfortable, I’ll probably have an okay sleep. With that said, while chatting with delightful founder and CEO about her products, I literally could not stop touching the eye masks. This was incredibly intriguing because the bright light pouring into my bedroom every morning really gives meaning to the phrase ‘rise and shine,’ and not in a positive way. With that said, I find most eye masks to be extremely uncomfortable, defeating the purpose of being able to go back to sleep once the sun is out! Made from premium 100% mulberry silk charmeuse, these machine-washable, hypoallergenic eye masks are definitely one that I would want in my gift box this season. 

Micro Pedi

Everyone knows that, while your manicure chips in one day, toenail polish tends to last forever, even through the worst of times. Sometimes, you just need a pedicure to shave off that rough skin on the bottom of your feet. This is especially true in the summer when pounding away on those hot flip flops or concrete by the pool. I’ve often had this debate: do I go and pay for a full pedicure or, do I just wait it out until I need new polish. Admittedly, I usually tend to wait it out and I seriously hate every minute of it. 

I recently got to try the new Micro Pedi and, I have to say, it’s a wonderful alternative. This battery-run easy-to-use system simply sands off any dead skin building up at the bottom of your feet. While it won’t fully remove any large calluses as the razor at the salon might do, it definitely smoothes out any extra unwanted skin on the surface, tying you over your next necessary polish change. 

Nadege

Strolling on through the workshop, it was impossible to miss the grand spread that Nadege had set up. Ranging from savoury eggplant and goat cheese-filled croissants to a wide variety of French macarons, p’tit choux and dessert tarts, Nadege’s ultra-buttery mini creations should be on everyone’s list for entertaining their guests this season. 

Cavinona

To wash down the Nadege pastries, I was offered a glass of Contadi Castaldi – a brand I had not been familiar with prior to the event, and rightfully so! Cavinona is a unique Ontario-based wine agency which imports unique Italian wines not otherwise available for purchase in the LCBO. While commonly serving restaurants exclusively, their online ordering system actually allows consumers to get a taste of Italy, too! 

A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero, the sparkling brut was subtle yet flavourful, without being overly sweet. At only $38.99 per bottle, this is a wonderful and affordable alternative to Champagne for the holiday season. 

Medium Watches

Finally, I get to take a peak at the brand new watch brand: Medium. While fairly simple in their general design, I absolutely love the look of these watches. As someone who does not own multiple watches, the simpler white and black variations really caught my eye. With that said, for someone who does own a watch for each outfit, interchangeable straps would certainly allow for a wide variety of colour combinations. I particularly love the turquoise paired with the black face and silver accents. Available in a variety of face and strap colours, these sophisticated yet elegant watches are the type of accessory that men, women, watch-wearers and non-watch-wearers can all appreciate as an addition to their wardrobe.  

Genuine Health

Up for another quick snack, I approach Genuine Health – set up with shots of green supplements and a variety of fermented proteins+ bars. Skeptical of most vegan and meal-replacement protein bars, I was pleasantly surprised at the enjoyable flavour of these, especially since they’re gluten free, soy free and vegan! Obviously opting for the peanut butter chocolate version, my taste buds were almost (not quite, but almost) fooled into thinking it was a sinful chocolate bar-like snack. While these are probably not a holiday gift I would typically think to give to someone, I definitely wouldn’t mind snacking on the peanut butter chocolate bar stashed in my purse for when those banquet-style corporate holiday parties hit. 

Carly Spears is a marketing and communications professional who writes about and photographs food from Toronto and on various travels around the world. Follow her on Instagram @thechewreview. 

NAO: Summer Patio Launch Party

By: Carly Spears

The tables are out and the streets are lined with people buzzing over drinks and snacks – it must be summer in Toronto. 

This was definitely the case on Avenue Road last Thursday night at the official opening of NAO’s summer patio. Bustling with stylish young professionals sipping Moscow Mules and tossing back freshly-shucked oysters, it was clear that the “Summer of NAO” had officially started. 

Having eaten a decent but fairly unmemorable meal in the dining room following the launch of the steakhouse last year, I wasn’t sure what to expect by attending this event. Much to my surprise, each and every canapé I sampled was uniquely crafted and absolutely delicious. 

We started at the far right side of the patio, set up with a 10-foot-long oyster bar. Here, East Coast oysters shucked-to-serve were available to be topped with your choice of fresh horseradish, homemade cocktail sauce and a wide variety of fruit vinegar mignonettes. I opt for the cocktail sauce, blueberry and cucumber mignonettes – each of which was a refreshing and unique change for someone who typically steers clear of horseradish. 

Moving on, we find ourselves intrigued - running to grab the ceramic Chinese-style soup spoons filled with additional raw seafood options. First up was the ceviche spoon. Raw bay scallops accompanied by rock shrimp and a fresh jalapeno offered an explosion of perfectly balanced flavours fresh from the sea. The next spoon, however, was the winner for me. A meaty slice of hamachi, curled up with a jalapeno was swimming in a delicious pool of sweet and sour yuzu, providing bursting sensation for each and every section of my taste buds. 

On the deep fried front, panko-crusted, kimchi-topped crab cakes and delicately battered tempura shrimp were each served with their own unique house-mayo as garnish. While both were inventive and delicious plays on classics, these were probably two of the more underwhelming canapés of the night. 

As a contemporary steakhouse, we knew there had to be beef coming out soon. We were not wrong. Following the crab cakes and shrimp, we were finally greeted with dry aged beef in the form of both gyoza and sliders. Served with a light ponzu sauce and scallion wasabi, the pan-fried gyoza were a pleasant “upscale” play on the Japanese classic.

Nonetheless, the sliders were definitely the highlight here (and, maybe, of the night). Sitting on homemade truffle aioli and topped with caramelized onions, two succulent mini beef patties lay sandwiched between a freshly baked house slider bun. As the juice began to drip down the side of my wrist, all I could think about was how I needed to get another!

While searching for more sliders, we had no choice but to start digging into not one, not two, but four mini dessert options flowing our way. Because, what’s a summer launch party, or any dinner for that matter, without some delicious sweets? Featuring items from their daily “pie trolley” each mini version of dessert was better than the next. 

A fan of anything and everything Nutella, I was excited to see a group of mini whoopie pies featuring a chocolate hazelnut ganache sitting on a caramel-drizzled, rose-petal lined serving plate. 

Next, raspberry coconut cream pies and yuzu tarts, lined up on long white plates, started making their way from the kitchen. Each of which were built on a crispy, yet tender, buttery tart shell, and filled with deliciously sweet but balanced fillings.

Finally: the cheesecake tart. Simple, right? Wrong. Upon biting into the crackling chocolate-coated phyllo shell, we soon found out that it was actually a goat cheese filling! Offering a uniquely tangy twist on this classic dessert, this was a more than pleasant surprise to end the night with. 

I don’t know whether or not this is the Summer of NAO but, I can tell you this, I would host a patio party here any day!

Carly Spears is a marketing and communications professional who writes about and photographs food from Toronto and on various travels around the world. Follow her on Instagram @thechewreview.