ZenKitchen Newsletter - September 3, 2008
ZenKitchen Dinners at the Chelsea Club:
September 27 - Featuring the best of the local harvest
October 18 - Special food and optional beer pairing dinner
November 29 - East meets west
December 20 - Special holiday celebration
To reserve, visit www.zenkitchen.ca or email dinners@zenkitchen.ca
ZenKitchen Classes:
LCBO Cooking Demonstrations www.lcbo.com/learn:
September 16 - Modern Vegetarian Cuisine (Rideau & King Edward, 613-789-5226)
November 5 - ZenKitchen in Japan (Nepean Crossroads, 613-224-4333)
Urban Element Cooking Classes www.theurbanelement.ca
October 21 - Fall Harvest Celebration
November 26 - Asian Tapas
Special Events:
September 17 - JustFood Sandor Katz Fermentation Workshop at the Bronson Centre
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Dear friends of ZenKitchen,
I have just returned from a wonderful and intensive trip to California, which included internships at two wonderful restaurants in San Francisco. First Millennium (www.millenniumrestaurant.com) with Chef Eric Tucker who continues to create incredibly innovative, beautiful and delicious gourmet food, using the best of the harvest from local farmers, and it happens to be vegan. I was also fortunate to spend some time at Greens Restaurant (www.greensrestaurant.com), a beautiful restaurant by the waterfront that was constructed and opened by the San Francisco Zen Centre in 1979, in co-ordination with well-known cookbook author Deborah Madison, and uses organic produce from the Zen Centre's Green Gulch Farm in Marin County. In addition, I took a course at the Living Light Institute in Fort Bragg in Mendocino County, which is the leading culinary school in the world for gourmet raw vegan cuisine. All this to say, that I return with many learnings and inspirations, which I am eager to share with ZenKitchen friends.
Dave joined me toward the end of my stay so that we could relax and soak in the healing waters of Harbin Hot Springs and tour the beautiful regions and wineries of Mendocino County, one of the greenest wine regions around, in addition to Sonoma and Napa. We realized that we just touched the tip of the iceberg or barrel in terms of the numerous wineries of these areas and will have to return, however during our tastings we did discover some wineries with great wines and sustainable practices (yes, you can have your wine and drink it too!) and each winery had their own unique story to be told. You can read more about my journey in my blog http://caroline-cooks.blogspot.com, where I provide a link to some photos on flickr, and Dave covers more of our liquid journey in his wine blog http://bignosed.blogspot.com
This trip has fortified us for our September schedule that is full of events and classes, ending with our monthly gourmet dinner on September 27. I visited the Lansdowne Farmers Market on Sunday and was delighted to see all the produce despite a challenging summer with the weather for the farmers. I create my menus depending on what produce I can obtain locally first and foremost and with so much wonderful harvest available I'll have to make some difficult choices before the September 27 dinner to decide what is the best produce I can obtain and what is best way to present it to guests. This is something that I do not take lightly and my mind is constantly churning with new and evolving ideas of how best to do this, which works well with the local harvest that is also changing moment by moment in terms of quantity, variety and quality. It's challenging to work with the forces of nature and numerous local suppliers to create a farm to table meal but I love it. And at the September dinner, due to popular demand, and understanding that for some there is never enough chocolate, the happy ending will be returning as a regular feature.
I also have a full line-up of classes this fall at the LCBO and at the Urban Element, which I am very excited about as it will expose ZenKitchen gourmet vegan food and cooking to new and loyal audiences. I also will be assisting with a class on September 17 that I'm thrilled about and hope that you can attend and tell your friends about. It's a unique opportunity to learn about fermentation from the leading expert on this topic, Sandor Katz, the author of Wild Fermentation, which is the most comprehensive recipe book about fermented and live-culture cuisine ever published. Not only are fermented products, like sauerkraut, kimchi , pickles and kefir, wonderful for health and healing, they are quite easy to make and a delicious addition to your meals, especially over the winter months. Sandor Katz's explorations in fermentation developed through his interests in cooking, nutrition and gardening. A long-term HIV/AIDs survivor, Katz considers fermented foods to be an important part of his healing. And the cost for the workshop is only $20, so hope to see you there! Here are more details:
September 17 Sandor Katz Fermentation Workshop
Come experience how simple it is to make your own kimchi, kefir, and other fermented delicacies. Learn about the healing qualities and nutritional importance of live-culture ferments, as well as their illustrious history and integral role in human cultural evolution. Empower yourself with simple techniques for fermenting these healthful foods in your home. Be part of the fermentation revival! This demo runs for 3 hours.
Warm, sunny regards, Caroline
Caroline Ishii
Chef and Owner
ZenKitchen
www.zenkitchen.ca .ca
September 27 - Featuring the best of the local harvest
October 18 - Special food and optional beer pairing dinner
November 29 - East meets west
December 20 - Special holiday celebration
To reserve, visit www.zenkitchen.ca or email dinners@zenkitchen.ca
ZenKitchen Classes:
LCBO Cooking Demonstrations www.lcbo.com/learn:
September 16 - Modern Vegetarian Cuisine (Rideau & King Edward, 613-789-5226)
November 5 - ZenKitchen in Japan (Nepean Crossroads, 613-224-4333)
Urban Element Cooking Classes www.theurbanelement.ca
October 21 - Fall Harvest Celebration
November 26 - Asian Tapas
Special Events:
September 17 - JustFood Sandor Katz Fermentation Workshop at the Bronson Centre
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends of ZenKitchen,
I have just returned from a wonderful and intensive trip to California, which included internships at two wonderful restaurants in San Francisco. First Millennium (www.millenniumrestaurant.com) with Chef Eric Tucker who continues to create incredibly innovative, beautiful and delicious gourmet food, using the best of the harvest from local farmers, and it happens to be vegan. I was also fortunate to spend some time at Greens Restaurant (www.greensrestaurant.com), a beautiful restaurant by the waterfront that was constructed and opened by the San Francisco Zen Centre in 1979, in co-ordination with well-known cookbook author Deborah Madison, and uses organic produce from the Zen Centre's Green Gulch Farm in Marin County. In addition, I took a course at the Living Light Institute in Fort Bragg in Mendocino County, which is the leading culinary school in the world for gourmet raw vegan cuisine. All this to say, that I return with many learnings and inspirations, which I am eager to share with ZenKitchen friends.
Dave joined me toward the end of my stay so that we could relax and soak in the healing waters of Harbin Hot Springs and tour the beautiful regions and wineries of Mendocino County, one of the greenest wine regions around, in addition to Sonoma and Napa. We realized that we just touched the tip of the iceberg or barrel in terms of the numerous wineries of these areas and will have to return, however during our tastings we did discover some wineries with great wines and sustainable practices (yes, you can have your wine and drink it too!) and each winery had their own unique story to be told. You can read more about my journey in my blog http://caroline-cooks.blogspot.com, where I provide a link to some photos on flickr, and Dave covers more of our liquid journey in his wine blog http://bignosed.blogspot.com
This trip has fortified us for our September schedule that is full of events and classes, ending with our monthly gourmet dinner on September 27. I visited the Lansdowne Farmers Market on Sunday and was delighted to see all the produce despite a challenging summer with the weather for the farmers. I create my menus depending on what produce I can obtain locally first and foremost and with so much wonderful harvest available I'll have to make some difficult choices before the September 27 dinner to decide what is the best produce I can obtain and what is best way to present it to guests. This is something that I do not take lightly and my mind is constantly churning with new and evolving ideas of how best to do this, which works well with the local harvest that is also changing moment by moment in terms of quantity, variety and quality. It's challenging to work with the forces of nature and numerous local suppliers to create a farm to table meal but I love it. And at the September dinner, due to popular demand, and understanding that for some there is never enough chocolate, the happy ending will be returning as a regular feature.
I also have a full line-up of classes this fall at the LCBO and at the Urban Element, which I am very excited about as it will expose ZenKitchen gourmet vegan food and cooking to new and loyal audiences. I also will be assisting with a class on September 17 that I'm thrilled about and hope that you can attend and tell your friends about. It's a unique opportunity to learn about fermentation from the leading expert on this topic, Sandor Katz, the author of Wild Fermentation, which is the most comprehensive recipe book about fermented and live-culture cuisine ever published. Not only are fermented products, like sauerkraut, kimchi , pickles and kefir, wonderful for health and healing, they are quite easy to make and a delicious addition to your meals, especially over the winter months. Sandor Katz's explorations in fermentation developed through his interests in cooking, nutrition and gardening. A long-term HIV/AIDs survivor, Katz considers fermented foods to be an important part of his healing. And the cost for the workshop is only $20, so hope to see you there! Here are more details:
September 17 Sandor Katz Fermentation Workshop
Come experience how simple it is to make your own kimchi, kefir, and other fermented delicacies. Learn about the healing qualities and nutritional importance of live-culture ferments, as well as their illustrious history and integral role in human cultural evolution. Empower yourself with simple techniques for fermenting these healthful foods in your home. Be part of the fermentation revival! This demo runs for 3 hours.
Date and Time: September 17th, 2008, 6 - 9 pmCooking Classes at the LCBO (To register, visit the Customer Service Desk at the LCBOs listed or call them to pay by credit card)
Place: Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Avenue (between Nepean and Lisgar Streets)
Cost: $20.00 per person (sliding scale)
Reservations: Contact Terri at info@justfood.ca or call 613-236-9300 x301. For workshops taking place in other cities, visit www.wildfermentation.com/events.php. For more info on Just Food and other workshops, visit www.justfood.ca
September 16 - Modern Vegetarian Cuisine - Rideau Street, 613-613-789-5226Cooking Classes at the Urban Element: (For more information and to register, visit www.theurbanelement.ca or call 613-722-0885)
This course features the exciting world of gourmet vegan, whole foods cuisine - beautiful, delicious and healthful. ZenKitchen's Caroline Ishii proves that a gourmet vegan meal is in hand with New Caesar salad with spiced croutons; Hand-cut ravioli filled with wild mushrooms and leeks with tomato-basil fresca; and Dark Chocolate ginger truffles. There will be LCBO product matches for the menu items.
November 5 - ZenKitchen in Japan - Nepean Crossroads ( 543 West Hunt Club Rd at Merivale), 613-224-4333
Take a trip with Chef Caroline Ishii to Japan where purity and elegance combine with ZenKitchen's vegan fare to create sumptuous dishes. Enjoy Land and Sea vegetable salad as well as a tasting plate of Gyoza dumplings, Mixed mushroom brown rice nigiri and Kinpira with gobo (burdock), carrots and arame. End with Sweet red bean paste wrapped in whole wheat phyllo. There will be LCBO product matches for the menu items.
October 22, Fall Harvest Celebration, 6-9 pm, hands-on cooking classWell, I told you it was a full and busy season! I look forward to seeing you, whether at a dinner to celebrate the local harvest, at a class to introduce you to gourmet whole foods vegan cuisine, or making kimchi together.What could be a better way to celebrate the late summer-early fall season, then in the company of interesting people and good food to nourish your body and soul.
Join Chef Caroline Ishii of ZenKitchen in a celebration of the best of the fall harvest from local farmers with a menu that is vibrant, delicious and healthful. Mohammara red pepper spread with baked Za'atar pita chips, Creamy squash-apple cider soup with spiced pepitas, Tuscan wholewheat phyllo roulade with exotic local mushrooms, baked root vegetables and white beans, and Spiced apple-cranberry compote with vanilla bean cream.
November 26, Asian Tapas, 6-9 pm, hands-on cooking class
Join Chef Caroline Ishii of ZenKitchen for a menu of Asian-inspired tapas for your next party that are interesting, beautiful, and flavourful, while being healthful and easy to make. Start the party with a refreshing ume (plum) cocktail and then serve raw wraps with spicy Thai sauce, Dengaku (sweet miso) glazed age tofu and roasted vegetable skewers, Gyoza dumplings with soy-chili dipping sauce, Curry tempeh wholewheat phyllo triangles, and Chocolate-ginger truffles.
Warm, sunny regards, Caroline
Caroline Ishii
Chef and Owner
ZenKitchen
www.zenkitchen.ca .ca
posted by Caroline at 10:51 AM
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