Local Food for Thought

Vitamin Daily — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

The sap is rising and already we’re fantasizing about fiddleheads, rhubarb and wild leeks.

But until the crocuses pop we’ll keep stuffing our bags with gourmet delights from these fantastic year-round farmers’ markets:

• Dufferin Grove (Thursday 3 p.m.-7 p.m.)
Fresh breads, sheepmilk cheeses and lamb pies.

• St. Lawrence Market (every Saturday from 5 a.m.)
Ewenity Dairy cheeses, red fife pasta, seafood, spices and flowers.

• The Stop’s Green Barn Farmers’ Market (Saturday 8 a.m.–1 p.m.)  
Raw cocoa beans, honey, artisinal crackers, mushrooms and more.

• Regional 'n' Artisanal Food Market at CBC, (monthly until April)
Organic spelt flour, jams, baguettes and local artisan cheeses.

Mon Ami, Miami

Vitamin Daily — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Give winter the cold shoulder with a sojourn of sun, sand and shopping in South Beach.

stay
We’re not sure what we love most about The Betsy: the colonial, beach-style rooms (stocked with Frette linens, Dylan’s Candy and Malin + Goetz products), the location (slap bang on Ocean Drive), the restaurant (Laurent Tourondel's fabulous BLT), or simply the overall vibe (heightened by some great music styling). From $300/night, www.thebetsyhotel.com

eat
If you’re lusting after sushi try Bond St, where the fish is fabulously fresh and inventively prepared. You’ll find a wonderful plate of melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi at DeNiro’s Ago and for fantastic steak try Prime One Twelve.

drink
From the Setai to the Delano to the Shore Club, every SoBe hotel boasts a great people-gazing bar. We settled comfortably into the sofas at the W South Beach and sipped cocktails, flicked through fashion tomes and counted collagen implants.

shop
South Beach has The Webster, Barneys and Intermix – but savvy shoppers know to cab it to the design district. En Avance is worth a visit for a smattering of big name and on-the-up designers and if you’re shopping with your guy, be sure to check out the bespoke suits at Duncan Quinn. The Louboutin store is a real thrill and for mega splurge furnishings pop into Fendi Casa or Kartell.

Pillow Talk

Vitamin Daily — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

If your aesthetic is Hollace Cluny but your budget is Ikea, why not spruce up the Ektorp with some colourful hand-crafted cushions from Australian designer Megan Park?

The pillows (from $47) are made from silks, linen and cashmere and are embellished with embroidery, beading and fringing. Mix in as many prints as possible for a look that is playful, bold and entirely your own.

At Hollace Cluny, 1070 Yonge St., Toronto, 416-968-7894, www.hollacecluny.ca

Swap Bop

Vitamin Daily — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Some websites take invite-only shopping way too seriously. Since when did we need to apply (with a personal essay) to buy a blouse?

Sites like ReFashioner peak our interest a whole lot more. Branded as a ‘swap heaven’ this is the place to go to trade in your Margiela ankle booties for Balenciaga pumps that actually fit.

“Your mistakes and one-wear-wonders become valuable assets. Refresh your wardrobe without spending the earth.”

You’ll find all sorts of designer duds from Lanvin, Prada and Rick Owens, plus a smattering of vintage offerings.

Point, click and swap.

$5 fee is charged per swap; www.refashioner.com

Skin It

Vitamin Daily — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

If your skin is winter worn, try a homemade scrub before splurging on expensive salts and lousy loofahs:

1/2 cup brown sugar 
1/2 cup grapeseed or olive oil
A splash of vanilla extract (or your favourite essential oil)
Stir and slough away.

Kitchen Curves

Vitamin Daily — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Step aside Nigella, there’s a new goddess in the kitchen whipping up wholesome treats like cauliflower cheese, pear and ginger muffins and grilled bananas with Greek yogurt and agave.

Model turned writer, Sophie Dahl brings a sweet, nostalgic voice to the subject of food in her first cookbook, Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights ($36.99). “A welcome dream was a cloud made of trifle, a slick spring bubbling with chocolate or a fountain bursting with forbidden Sprite or Cherry Coke, ” she writes in her intro.

Herewith, a recipe for Clover Dahl's (Sophie’s younger sister) Carnation milk jelly:

1 packet strawberry jelly
 125ml cup hot water 
1 can evaporated milk 
Slices of strawberry, swirls of cream and curls of chocolate to decorate (optional)

Dissolve the jelly in the hot water. When the mixture is cool, whisk in the evaporated milk until the mixture is thick and frothy. Leave it to set for at least two hours. Cover the jelly with strawberry slices, swirls of cream and curls of grated chocolate, if you wish - the camper the better, really.

At Good Egg, 267 Augusta Ave.,Toronto, 416-593-4663, www.goodegg.ca

Apple of Your Eye

Vitamin Daily — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0000

If an apple of day keeps the doctor away, we've got an MD in Triple Jim's Crispy Organic Apple Chips.

Grown and manufactured in B.C., these tasty apple chips are completely natural—and addictive. They make a perfect afternoon snack or post-dinner sweet treat.

Apples for dessert? Aren't you clever now.

Triple Jim's Crispy Organic Apple Chips, $3.99 (or 2 bags/$5 on sale now) at Whole Foods, www.wholefoods.com

Go, Go Mexico

Vitamin Daily — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

With its boho vibe and colourful baroque architecture, Mexico's San Miguel Allende is a tropical hotspot for artists, writers and expats.

stay
It was a last minute booking, but thank goodness we found a room at Casa Luna Quebrada. Cooking classes, communal breakfasts, a lush open courtyard and hippie-chic bedrooms, make this colonial villa the perfect place to stay. www.casaluna.com

shop
Ceramics, antiques and folk art are sold in abundance in this charming town. Artists' studios and galleries are mostly open to the public and the many flea markets sell anything from fresh food and flowers to woven rugs and traditional Talavera pottery.

eat
Street tacos are tasty, but if it’s haute Mexican you’re after, look no further than La Capilla. The setting (a renovated chapel) and view (Gothic-style church) are breathtaking. 10 Cuna de Allende, 52 415 152 0698.

do
Spend a day splashing in the hot springs at La Gruta, a private park on the road to Dolores Hidalgo (daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; US$5). If you get peckish, the lawns are covered in banana trees.

Dumplings, Darling

Vitamin Daily — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

We love nothing more than a plate full of homemade pierogies, but if the thought of rolling, stuffing and pinching dough all afternoon turns you off, head to Zagloba Deli for delicious dumplings like Babcia used to make.

Run by a family of Polish immigrants, the Deli (as long-time customers call it) is known for its Ruskie pierogi ($4.80/dozen)—delicate dough filled with the perfect amount of potato and cheese.

With row after row of fresh, homemade food, you’ll have a hard time choosing. We love to warm up with a bowl of delicious bean soup ($2.99) and follow up with a traditional cabbage roll dinner with mashed potatoes and kapusta ($6.99).

Polish off your meal with a pint of Zywiec.

Zagloba Deli, 2555 Dixie Rd., Mississauga, 905-279-9925.

Mad Hatters

Vitamin Daily — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Kate Middleton, Erin O’Connor, the Queen –British women pull of hats with such aplomb, don’t they?

After a two-year stint in London, Jillian Wood is back in Toronto making gorgeous fascinators (from $25) inspired by Britain’s hat heritage.

Some fabrics come from local stores (her mother owned a fabric store which is a great source for vintage remnants) while others, like her Liberty prints, come straight from the eponymous London store. She searches high and low for buttons and many are Czech vintage glass buttons. Feathers, tulle and lace make these headpieces ultra feminine.

Now all we need is the accent.

For a list of stockists visit www.loveheadmistress.com