Afternoon tea without a scone and a dollop of Devon Clotted Cream is an aberration. Wouldn’t you agree?
And we know that recently scones have come in assorted shapes and designer flavours – to whit: Bacon and maple syrup scones. Would Queen Victoria – the ‘it’ girl of afternoon tea – be amused? We think not.
Scone recipes are myriad but the classic scone – the Proper English Scone – can only follow one recipe to produce round, tallish scones with an interior that is like a bread-cake with a tender crumb and a toasted crust.
To consider also: the ingredients and the technique which produce this Very Proper English Scone. More on both in a later blog posting.
Ah …. never one to cast aspersions on anyone, let alone old wives, Her Ladyship (that would be me!) must take exception and debunk an old wives tale.
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas
Does anyone remember teapots lined with tannic – that brown coating inside the teapot? And the rule never to wash out the teapot because the tannin liner made good tea?
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas
The fact the layer of tannin rendered tea bitter doesn’t seem to have mattered.
This is one old wives’ tales that can be flushed.
If your teapot accumulates a light coating of tannin, fill the teapot with hot water, add up to four teaspoons of baking soda, stir to dissolve and let sit for a couple of hours. Rinse thoroughly. Avoid using soap or detergent on the side of your teapot as much as possible, as any lingering taste could spoil the tea.
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas: A. Mirabelli
On Tuesday November 18, in Toronto, every mind will be celebrated!
Our blog today is an invitation to our readers who live in the Greater Toronto Area to attend this celebratory breakfast.
Her Excellency Sharon Johnstonwill discuss the impact mental health has on our society. Her keynote address, titled Pathways to Resiliency, will draw on personal experience, the importance of speaking out and fighting the stigma associated with mental illness.
This celebration of every mind is a breakfast to support the Psychology Foundation of Canada’s programs to help children become confident and productive adults.
Why is Her Ladyship (that would be me!) promoting this event? Because …
In Canada, one out of every five children shows signs of an emotional or behavioural problem. One in four children enter adult life with significant emotional, behavioural, academic or social problems. Bullying from the school yard to the boardroom is an increasingly worrisome occurrence. And after accidents, suicide is the most frequent cause of death among young people in Canada. This is not as it should be.
To reserve your place:
10th Annual Breakfast in support of the Psychology Foundation of Canada
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Arcadian Court, 401 Bay Street
Info
Psychology Foundation of Canada
2 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto ON M4T 2T5
phone: 416.644.4944
info@psychologyfoundation.org
Oh my! What a taste adventure. Here is a not-to-be missed recipe for anyone with a palate craving heat and sweetness in one mouthful. The recipe comes from the new cookbook, Flex APPEAL authored by to of our favourite culinarists – Nettie Cronish and Pat Crocker.
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas
These cupcakes are very, very good. So good they are officially part of our afternoon tea menus. Her Ladyship (that would be me!) recommends an orange pekoe or a Darjeeling tea paired with these cupcakes.
Welcome to a regular feature of our blog, ‘Afternoon tea with …. people of note’
Today, we’re taking afternoon tea with Judith John, a serial optimist and a passionate patient care advocate. Despite curve balls here and there, Judith is always smiling. Always looking for the best in people. Always finding goodness. And that is why Her Ladyship (that would be me!) is delighted to introduce this amazing lady.
Organizations like the United Way of Toronto and major hospitals like Mount Sinai and the internationally renowned Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) and cultural organizations like Harbourfront and the Art Gallery of Ontario have benefitted from her passion and professionalism. Today, these two traits are in the service of the University Health Network and Sick Kids where Judith consults on patient care – from the patient’s perspective.
As a senior executive in the health care sector and, for the past 14 years, a serious consumer of health care, Judith has seen life from both sides. Diagnosed with a benign, but growing, inoperable brain tumour, Judith embarked on a new journey and plotted the map for looking ‘at life from both sides now’, (with appreciation to Joni Mitchell).
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas: A. Mirabelli
Judith’s favourite tea is English Breakfast with a little milk. Her Ladyship is happy to oblige and soon two cups of tea are poured (digitally!) and our conversation begins.
But first, here’s Judith!
How did you discover you had a brain tumour?
Well, it was a very incidental finding. 14 years ago I was treated for a basal cell cancer and at the end of the treatment my doctor ordered a CT scan to ensure we had eradicated it. We had! But what a shock to discover a tumour in my brain. The tumour was on the pituitary gland; it was benign but it was growing and impacting many sensitive areas. As you saw on the video, I am still on the journey to curb the tumour.
You are very careful to characterize this exercise as a journey.
Yes! It is journey I travel every day, one day at a time. And along the way, I remain very grateful for the excellent health care I continue to receive and for a health system that doesn’t bankrupt you!
What made you become such a passionate advocate for patient care?
I’ve seen health care from both sides – I was a hospital executive at the table working on key metrics to determine successful care and then I put on the blue gown. Those metrics narrow as a patient! The video shares the trigger points and my passion comes from ensuring hospital staff treat the patient as a person, not as a hospital number. I try to help hospitals establish humane pathways to care and recovery because it’s so easy for a patient to get lost in the system.
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas
Are you pleased with the results of your efforts?
Faculties of Medicine in Ontario are going to use the video in the curriculum and 12 Ontario hospitals have made the video mandatory viewing for residents. So yes, I am gratified with the results but there is more to do. All hospitals wrestle with this issue, and I’m pleased with the active commitment demonstrated by the University Health Network (Toronto General, Toronto Western, Princess Margaret and Toronto Rehab) on the issue of patients as partners.
Patients as partners – this is key on your pathway to care and recovery.
Absolutely! Patients must become partners in their healthcare. They must be prepared to have a dialogue with their healthcare providers. They must ask questions and be prepared to question the answers sometimes. Don’t be passive. Health care providers don’t always come forward – whether because of pressure, time, competing demands, or even to avert burnout – but they all go into healthcare because they want to help people, so you should feel comfortable asking for that help. Patients have the right to be heard, to understand what they’re hearing and the right to be involved in their choices.
You have much to be proud of – are you enjoying your role as a patient advocate?
The only way I can make sense of this disappointing detour in my life is to believe that my experience can help others. Along with many life lessons through all this, I do like being a patient advocate.
Another cup of tea, Judith?
Oh yes please, that would be lovely!
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas: photo Bake and Be Merry
How do define downtime?
Reading, watching a classic movie, petting the dogs, walks, time with family.
What is you favourite moment of the day?
I love mornings! It must be the optimist in me.
What is your go to method to cheer yourself up?
Dogs always cheer me up. And fresh flowers.
What skill would you like to learn?
I would like to become more tech savvy – I’m a notorious techno nerd; and I also want to learn to play the piano.
What never fails to make you laugh?
Laughing itself. I adore a good laugh, especially if it’s the result of sharing joke with my daughters. Also Tina Fey always makes me laugh.
How do you make your life less stressful?
I take a deep breath; take pleasure in the moment; and walk, walk, walk. I am annoyingly grateful for the small stuff!
If you can choose any person from history to teach you any topic you want, who would it be a, and what do s/he teach you?
Eleanor Roosevelt because she based her life on a genuine moral foundation and her lesson to me would be how to set goals based on your value system, and not be distracted.
Wikipedia photo credit
How do you celebrate big moments?
By taking note of the celebration, being with family and friends.
Toronto Symphony or Tegan and Sara?
Toronto Symphony, but truth be told, I prefer Tafelmusik.
Who is your favourite author?
TS Elliot.
What is your favourite work of art?
The Dance by Matisse.
Wikipedia photo credit
How would you love to spend a summer day? On a lake with people I love.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Easy: gelato, as often as possible.
What would you like to have invented? The rolling suitcase. Or the post it note. I guess I should say something lofty like penicillin.
What is most awe-inspiring country you’ve ever visited?
Italy.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
To pay attention. And stand by what you stood for.
What is your favourite season?
Spring.
What is your workout philosophy?
All things in moderation and keep moving.
What is your workout routine?
Walking, aquafit, Pilates, yoga.
What is the best surprise you’ve ever had?
My family came north (Judith is from the US) for my birthday – but the bigger surprise was that my daughters planned the surprise.
What is your favourite article of clothing?
A pashmina or a cardigan.
Which contemporary celebrity do you admire?
George Clooney – but, alas, he didn’t wait to meet me before getting married!
What are the principal aspects of your personality?
Optimism for sure, a good sense of humour and perspective, insatiable curiosity and open-mindedness, a passionate, commitment to issues and important causes, and an extrovert’s need for wonderful people in my life.
What you appreciate the most in your friends?
Loyalty, open-mindedness, curiosity and humour. And never, ever, apathy!
What would you consider to be your main fault?
I don’t know how to say no; I care too much about certain things, take them very personally, and am often on a soapbox trying to convince others that what I believe matters, matters!
What is your favourite food?
I’m known as the salad queen! Tomatoes and strawberries at the top of the list.
What are three little know facts about you?
I make the world’s best cheesecake. I was a cheerleader in school and that’s been my profession, too. I am a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society (oldest honour society in the US for academic achievement).
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas
What do you bring on a long light to make yourself comfortable?
Enough reading material and a soft pashmina.
When on vacation, do you focus on luxury, adventure or relaxation?
Never luxury! I like to pack a lot into a vacation – I want to see everything, walk through towns and villages, visit museums and stately homes. Not really a lounge on the beach person: I don’t want to miss anything.
What is the most amazing thing you have ever done?
Having two beautiful daughters.
What is your current hobby?
Getting through all this without a whine. Writing.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Keep things in perspective, pay attention to the moments, and don’t be so hard on yourself.
How do you indulge your inner kid?
Very simple – I spend time with non judgmental dogs and make friends with younger people.
Her Ladyship has poured (digitally!) the final cups of tea and she raises her cup in a toast to this very caring, wonderfully courageous and outrageously fun lady.
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas: A. Mirabelli
Dowtnon Abbey has spoiled us forever. We are clearly addicted. The clothes, the afternoon teas, the hired help. Need we say more?
We are grateful to mythical Lord and Lady Grantham for sharing their daily lives with us. Tradition! Progress! A bygone gentility!
This gave Her Ladyship (that would be me!) pause for thought. What’s a lady without servants to do? This thought triggered a little research and here is a gem gleaned from the 1932 American Cookery, courtesy of the website Food Timeline.
Herewith:
The hostess will choose a firm, steady table, not more than 28 inches high, for convenience in pouring, and her seat will be high enough to dominate this table. Cups, Saucers, Plates, Spoons, Cream jug, (Oh no! Surely not! Her Ladyship is aghast – cream is too heavy for tea – always milk), Sugar and covered Slop Bowls in such a way that the hostess can conveniently reach them. Saucers and plate may be stacked, the plates with napkins between them. Cups should never be stacked. Spoons may lie in a row, or be fitted ‘spoonwise’ into one another. Samovar or teapot towards front.
The victuals would consist of:
Bread, Sandwiches, and Cake may be placed on the farther side of the table, for guests to help themselves. The Tea Wagon, or Cart, or even a small table, may go at the left of the hostess, for extra china. This is better than overloading the table. The Curate, or three-tiered basket or stand, is often used for bread (on its top shelf), sandwiches (on its middle), cake (on its lower compartment), and in this way it may be informally carried round the room and its contents offered to guests. All this preparation should be completed before the guests arrive. (We should hope so!).
And the Bill of Fare comprised of:
There are sometimes hot, buttered rolls, but the thin-slcied English bread-and-butter is preferred, provided there is a skilled cuttter. Assorted Sandwiches. These may be open or closed, toasted or plain, and the shapes and fillings as novel as possible. Examples are: Pimiento Butter and Brie Cheese, Lemon Butter and Fig Paste, Horse-radish and Tongue, Sifted Nectarines, (Her Ladyship must do additional research – sifted nectarines are a sandwich filling? Hmmm); Chicken Livers and Tomato, Maple Cream and Chopped Nuts. Cakes: The most convenient are cookies or very small cakes, richly frosted and in paper cases. Beverages, etc. Tea alone is served at such a simple and homey affair, and choice of weak or strong, with or without cream, etc., provides sufficient variety. Nuts and bonbons may or may not be provided.
And the protocol for guests dictated:
Guests at such an infomral affair enter unannounced and with their outdoor things on. (Her Ladyship wonders how guests are to dispense of their ‘outdoor things’? A maid perhaps lurks by or were guests meant to take tea with their ‘outdoor things’ on?). If the hostess is seated at the tea table (as she usually is), they will advance at once to be greeted by her, and she will at once inquire their preferences as to sugar, lemon, etc. (the spiced syrup is novel and delicious and goes well with lemon), and fill their cups. Guests help themselves to breads and cakes, and sit while enjoying them. There is no limit to the refilling of cups at tea, and a guest may take her ’empty’ to the source of supplies six or more times. Before each refill the hostess will empty the dregs into the covered slop bowl.
And so it was back in the mists of time. Today hip hostesses call on Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas to prepare and serve a proper English afternoon tea.
The controversy is alive and well. How to drink tea – with milk, or without?
That depends on how you like your tea.
If you add a little milk to your black tea, the tannins in the tea immediately bind to the milk. This has the effect of ‘toning’ down the taste of tea, making it less astringent on the palate.
Don’t event think of adding milk, or lemon for that matter, to green tea or to oolongs – it’s a sacrilege!
When to add the milk to your cup of tea is also subject of much controversy. If you add milk before pouring the tea, this allows the milk to blend more rapidly with the tea. If you add your milk after pouring your tea, well then, you have perfect control over the amount of milk in you tea, truly customizing the tea to your taste.
If you put milk first, then pour the tea, your habit dates back to the late 17th century. This was about the time the famous trading company, The East India Company, introduced fine porcelain teacups to England. Prior to this time, people drank their hot tea from pewter mugs. So not knowing the terrific heat-proof properties of porcelain, people were afraid to crack the porcelain with the tea, hence they poured milk first.
Credit: A. Mirabelli
A slice of lemon (no milk) with your tea is a Russian tradition and was introduced by Queen Victoria’s granddaughter who dated and married the local emperor.
Life has an interesting way of twisting and turning. And introducing you to new friends and new concepts.
I follow an Ottawa-based food blog titled Bake and Be Merry. It’s an eclectic site and every now and again I get an inspiration from visiting this blog – a new chef to follow, a foodie event in the Ottawa valley to visit, an interesting recipe – you get the picture.
A few weeks ago a posting on Bake and Be Merry introduced me to a new concept: A foodie pen pal programme. Her Ladyship (that would be me) was intrigued; she researched the programme and signed up!
Lindsay Livingstone of The Lean Green Bean blog runs the foodie pen pals programme.
Lindsay is a registered dietician living in Columbus, Ohio. Her blog’s main focus is nutrition tips, workouts and healthy living, delivered in an engaging manner. Lindsay says, “I believe that life is all about being balanced, simple and real….and I strive to show how I live this message in my everyday life via my blog and social media posts.”
She delivers.
Her Ladyship was teamed with Katie, of Toronto, and received the following very thoughtful gifts:
Organic cinnamon – this will certainly come in handy with Christmas baking. Pink peppercorns – to be enjoyed in winter salads!
Tiki masala spice – Our fave Indian spice. Wasabi peas – perfect accompaniment for happy hour!
Quinoa cluster – perfect and wholesome snack on a long hike.
Buckwheat Raw Honey – totally awesome on top of Devon Clotted Cream on top of a Classic English scone.
Katie’s homemade pineapple jalepeno jelly – Delish! Her Ladyship has already obtained Katie’s recipe.
The foodie pen pal programme has a $15.00 limit, so thoughtfulness, rather than extravagance, is in order.
Today is Nobel Laureate Alice Munro’s 83rd birthday. Happy Birthday, Alice! We at Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas wish you a very special day.
Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young and CBC online
A literary giant from way back when, Alice Munro is the Canadian author known for her short stories and for creating a whole new architecture for the short story where time and space as well as character build the story. Her books are perennial nominees and winners of prestigious literary prizes, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Man Booker International Prize and the Scotiabank Giller Prize. In 2012, she announced that she was retiring from writing.
What would any self-respecting afternoon tea be without cakes and biscuits?
Her Ladyship (that would be me!) is at a loss to explain!
We’ve introduced our simply splendid lavender shortbreads sometime ago, so today we are pleased to introduce our Simply Splendid Signature Pound Cake.
Lore has it the pound cake originated in northern Europe and when you consider the ingredients, it is certainly a cake that would ‘stick to your ribs’ and keep you warm through a winter’s night. A pound cake is rich; very rich, as it contains a pound, or equal weights, of each chief ingredient, typically flour, butter, and sugar and of course eggs.
Over time, bakers started to experiment and added ‘adornments’. For example, Her Ladyship always grates the zest of a lemon into the batter; or adds a cup of fresh blueberries; or dices Australian crystallized ginger and pops about half a cup into the batter. Sometimes Her Ladyship tosses in the zest of an orange and toasted chopped almonds for the same textured cake but a totally different taste. And because Canadian tea drinkers prefer a more moist cake, Her Ladyship has been known to add a little buttermilk to the recipe.
So without further ado, here is Her Ladyship’s recipe for the basic pound cake (without adornments).
On a a medium-high setting on electric mixer, cream butter; add sugar slowly and incorporate with butter
Add eggs one at a time and beat well until totally incorporated before adding the next egg
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla
Gradually add flour into wet mixture and beat lightly to incorporate
Pour into two greased loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour – test at 50 minutes
Pair a slice of this most decadent cake with a rich citrus tea – the Grey family of teas spring to mind: Earl Grey, Baroness Grey and Lady Grey.
Earl Grey is a black tea containing oil of bergamot as a flavouring. The Grey family history states the tea was specially blended by a Chinese mandarin for Lord Grey to suit the water at Howick Hall, the family home in Northumberland, using bergamot to offset the lime in the local water. Lady Grey used Earl Grey tea to entertain and this tea proved so popular that Twinings began selling Earl Grey Tea as an international brand.
Lady Greytea is a variation on the famous Earl Grey tea. It is a black tea scented with oil of bergamot (though in lower concentrations in Lady Grey) and it contains lemon and orange peels. Lady Grey was the wife, of the Earl for whom Earl Grey tea is named.
Lady Grey tea is a modern invention, created by Twinings in the early 1990s to appeal to the Nordic market, who found Earl Grey tea too pungent. It first went on sale in Norway in 1994 and in Britain in 1996.
They say necessity is the mother of invention. Not so in my book. I think a sense of taste is what invention is all about.
A few years ago, a famous American chef unveiled his brand new (and now surely famous) apple – cranberry cobbler recipe on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah drooled. We drooled. The famous chef drooled and beamed.
We immediately set to work with the famous chef’s recipe, which Oprah posted to her website. And yet …. and yet we thought: why apples and not pears? Why just a little lemon juice? Why not zest a whole lemon? And why not add some toasted slivered almonds to the topping? Why not indeed!
A little tweak here, a few more tweaks there and now we have our very own delicious invention: our Simply Splendid Pear – Cranberry Crisp. In winter, we offer a plate of this crisp warm, paired a cup of Darjeeling or Assam tea; in summer, we offer the crisp cold or at room temperature, paired with a pitcher of iced Baroness Grey tea. Vanilla ice cream is always optional in winter or summer. Or a dollop of real Devon Clotted Cream.
The only difference between the winter and summer versions is than in the summertime we go a little lighter on spreading the topping – this allows the fruit to really kick your taste buds!
This recipe has become a family favourite at Christmas and a go to recipe for afternoon teas in the winter months. For the BBQ circuit, we’ve introduced single portions and here’s the best tip of all: this is such a simple recipe to prepare that you can whip it up anytime and feel free to innovate yourself. We’d love to have your comments.
Simply Splendid Pear - Cranberry Crisp
Filling
Pears: 5 Bosc pears, cored, peeled and cut up into bite-size squares
Cranberries: 1 cup, fresh or frozen
Sugar: 1/3 cup
Corn starch: 2 tablespoons
Lemon: 1 for the zest; and 1/2 lemon for juice
Topping
Rolled oats: 1 cup
Flour: 1/2 cup; we have used white flour as well as whole wheat flour – both flours work very well
Butter: 2/3 cup; cold and cut up into small pieces
Brown sugar: 2/3 cup
Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
Cloves: a pinch
Almonds: 1/2 cup – slivers or a little sticks
Method
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a deep dish pie plate
Combine and blend all the filling ingredients in a large bowl then transfer to pie plate. Even out the filling across the plate.
In a food processor, combine the topping ingredients EXCEPT the almonds. Pulse several times until topping resembles coarse corn meal. Remove bowl from food processor and add the almonds. Using a wooden spoon mix the almonds into the topping mixture.
Mound topping over the filling and spread to cover filling thoroughly.
Bake 40-45 minutes until the filling is bubbly.
Fresh out of the oven
The Simply Splendid Pear and Cranberry Crisp ready for the outdoor BBQ circuit
Nettie Cronish, our fave vegetarian goddess and Pat Crocker, Canada’s culinary herbalist, have teamed up to write a new cookbook. And we’re the luckier for it.
The book, Flex Appeal, will please every home cook, especially the one with some family members who think fast food is good food.
The book contains favourites recipes from both households and is all about getting delicious and healthy meals on the table within 35 minutes.
“As a hockey mom of a 15 year old, time is often limited. Being able to prepare a tasty meal that isn’t eaten in the car can be a challenge,” says Nettie. The book has recipes that are easy to prepare, contain accessible ingredients and are crowd pleasers for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. For the conscientious and ethical shopper, the recipes use local, farmer’s market friendly, Fair Trade and organic ingredients. We say, ‘Yeah!’
The Toronto book launch takes place on Friday, June 13th, at All The Best Fine Foods at Yonge and Summerhill from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Pick up your signed copy and enjoy bites from recipes in Flex Appeal.
At the start of every month, we offer you a short list of pleasant activities to inspire you; some are focussed on afternoon tea, some not.
Herewith five suggestions for June 2014.
Nothing says summer like an outdoor festival
Coachella, Lollapalooza, the Calgary Stampede, Tanglewood, Ravinia, the Edinburgh Festival, the Galway Oyster Festival … We love them all, but our favourite is the kinder, gentler cousin to the blockbuster festivals – the humble street festival. The warmer weather seems to mobilize entire communities to frolic and show off in public. On 07 June, we will be attending the Milton Street Festival in Milton, Ontario, where we’ll enjoy local community groups, buskers, artisans, street vendors, the imaginative Kidz Zone and the live entertainment. Did we mention a special visit to the local tea rooms too?
Father’s Day is 15 June
Spend time with Dad. Talk. Reminisce. Take a walk. Treat dad to classic English scones. Lather scones with genuine, imported Devon Clotted Cream and preserves. Eat. Talk some more.
Back by popular demand – our sold out Mother’s Day Brunch Tradition of Classic Scones, Devon Clotted Cream and Preserves – is reprised for Father’s Day.
Avoid disappointment. Place your order Today for GTA delivery on Sunday 15 June. Twelve Scones, Devon Clotted Cream, Preserves, suitable for 6-8 Guests; $25.95 + taxes, delivery.
No one can influence a young mind to aspire and achieve as a good teacher. Show your appreciation with a truly great gift – a Tea and Cookie of the month subscription. A gift that truly says “Thank you” over and over.
And don’t forget to celebrate the grad with a personalized tea tray from Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas.
Tea in the garden
Linen-clad garden tables take a Downton Abbey allure. Ladies in hats nail the look. Sandwiches splendidly prepared, trimmed and quartered tease you into believing you’re at Downton Abbey. Tea cakes and classic scones conjure visions of Mrs. Patmore. Transport yourself and your guests to another era. No time machines required.
Photo credit: Toronto Zoo
Summer can be a good time to channel your inner child
Visit a local zoo and let the animals and their antics awe you … again, just like when you were a kid.
Modern zoos house animals in penned, natural environments so the animals live their lives with wild abandon and without inhibitions. Modern zoos are also great places to hike as most are laid out over vast acres of land. Some zoos we recommend: Toronto, Taronga, Berlin, Bronx, Washington, DC, Copenhagen, Singapore and the Durell Wildlife Park in Jersey, Channel Islands.
Welcome to a regular feature of our blog, ‘Afternoon tea with …. people of note’
Today, we’re taking afternoon tea, virtually, with Chris Klugman. Chris is a chef, a sommelier, a professional photographer, a professor, and as president of Paintbox Bistro and Catering, a social entrepreneur. And he’s a mentor to many and a community leader. After a stellar career as opening chef, chef, or executive chef at Toronto culinary landmarks such as Bistro 990, Oro, Winston’s and Summerhill Market, the opportunity to provide meaningful support to a community in rebirth led Chris to establish Paintbox Catering and Bistro.
The re-born community is Regent Park, a “Failed post-war social housing experiment that had outlived its theory,” said Christopher Hume, Canada’s pre-eminent urban renewal and architecture journalist, in the Toronto Star. Hume continues, “As Toronto’s most successful city-building effort in more than 30 years, the Regent Park remake is one of few projects in which we can all take pride. Not since … the 1970s has local officialdom managed to pull off such a bold and innovative scheme. When done, it will have improved the lives of thousands of low-income tenants and made the city a better place. The solution, simple but brilliant, … rebuild the neighbourhood on a mixed-income, mixed-use basis.”
Paintbox Bistro is a certified B Corporation – a new kind of social enterprise harnessing the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. It’s is a global movement to redefine success in business – success in its most fundamental meaning. These corporations meet higher standards of social and environmental performance and are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders, including the environment.
Chef Chris likes Earl Grey tea – black and on the stronger side. Her Ladyship (that would be me) pours the first cup for herself, as she prefers her tea on the weaker side. The tea leaves continue to steep for another minute, a second cup of tea is offered and the conversation begins.
You were a chef at some of Toronto’s most blue chip establishments; why did you transition to a B Corporation enterprise? I’ve been moving into the field for a while with Evergreen, an organization devoted to mobilizing action to green cities – in fact its motto is ‘green cities, healthy planet’. When conceiving Paintbox Bistro, I was researching charities and while doing this research, I came across B Corporations. It’s a good model and in keeping with the Regent Park redevelopment.
What are the steps to become a certified B Corporation? Fairly straightforward but not easy. We had to recognize all constituents in our articles of incorporation. Then we moved forward based on the social and environmental principles of B Corporations. We had to be open and operational for six months to walk the talk, then Paintbox Bistro and Catering got its B Corporation certification.
How do you put into practice the principles of a B Corporation? We provide employment, training, and career development to residents of Regent Park and other close-by marginalized communities. Almost all our charming staff is from the neighbourhood or close by, and have been offered the opportunity to study in the Chefs programme at George Brown, one of North America’s top 10 culinary schools.
How would you describe the Paintbox Bistro? A restaurant that strives to sustain a community’s hopes! A playful celebration of local abundance, full of inspiration from the community. It’s a balance of culinary technique and whimsy. Paintbox prides itself in being innovative, offering food and service that is unfamiliar to Toronto, and truly thinking outside of the box! Paintbox doesn’t aspire to be trendy; we are a high volume restaurant producing beautiful dishes and maintaining a strong social mandate. Paintbox is an expression of what is going on in Regent Park – we empower those who have become isolated.
Where did the name “Paintbox” come from? The name relates to the organization we are; the name connotes creativity, fun and a large amount of playfulness. It’s really the nature of our enterprise. It’s also the name of the condo building we’re in.
When did you decide to become a chef?
It came about in my 20’s – I was living in the country and growing food and raising meat and by the by, I became a freelance chef.
How do you make the life of a restaurateur less stressful?
Haven’t figured out that just yet!
What is your go to method to cheer yourself up? At this time year, it’s got to be gardening.
What skill would you like to learn? My music ability – the Paintbox is also a live music venue with vibrant music offerings in the evenings; it also has a reputation for live jazz, so I gained a lot of affinity and respect for musician.
What never fails to make you laugh? Puns!
The best criticism you received? Feedback from my staff.
Toronto Symphony or Tegan and Sara? I love the symphony but I tend to opera.
How do you celebrate big moments? With champagne!
If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be? Dr Who.
What is your fondest childhood memory? I have many memories, but I guess one of the best would be cooking an orange meringue pie from the Joy of Cooking at age 10.
What is your best adventure ever? Three years ago I went on a trip to Scandinavia and Russia – awesome.
What is your guilty pleasure? I’m a Clamato juice junkie.
What is the best surprise you’ve ever had? An incident that changed my life. I was working in a restaurant in the early 80’s and a new cook was hired to assist me. She kissed me at end of the shift – she’s now my wife Mimi.
Who would play you in the movie of your life? Mitchell Cohen.
What is your favourite virtue? Patience.
What is the principal aspect of your personality? Patience!
What do you appreciate the most in your friends? Loyalty.
What is your idea of misery?
A tragedy that could be avoided.
What is your idea of happiness? Making difference in some else’s life.
While sipping a second cup of Earl Grey, Her Ladyship wishes Chris well and promises to dine, and catch a show, at the Paintbox Bistro very soon.
Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas developed the chocolate-cayenne shortbread because the owner and chief baker, (that would be Her Ladyship), fell in love with chocolate chili ice cream … while touring Toronto’s historic Distillery District, one hot, muggy summer night.
Surely such a seductive ice cream could be translated into a shortbread, thought Her Ladyship.
And it was!
And now comes the icing on the biscuit, as it were: We have been invited to participate in a demonstration at the 2014 Hot and Spicy Food Festival at Harbourfront, Toronto’s famed waterfront complex.
This hot and fiery food festival has set Toronto palates on fire for a weekend every summer for the past 15 years. Held at Harbourfront Centre, the Festival celebrates hot, hot, hot culture – music, food, dance and crafts. On Saturday August 16 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Lakeside Terrace venue at Harbourfront, we will be demonstrating our Simply Splendid chocolate-cayenne shortbread. This demonstration is part of the For the Love of Spice series, which asks chefs to prepare their spiciest dish for the audience to taste.
So, to our dear readers within the GTA – and beyond if you are visiting Toronto this summer – sharpen your taste buds, find out the back story to these seductive shortbreads, sample the shortbread, get the recipe and prepare to fire up your taste buds!