Table for Two

I mentioned in my last post that I would blog about my experience shooting for Smartbox Guidebooks last month. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet owners and chefs of some of Toronto's best restaurants - literally running in and out and in-between different locations one at a time around Downtown Toronto. Camera bag and 6kg tripod in hand. It was a hectic three days, but well worth it.


I am currently in the process of revamping my entire website, pheliaherrera.com, so please keep your eyes peeled for the next week or so. 


This project with Smartbox was my first project involving interior shots. I found this to be a lot easier than expected, and enjoyed it nearly as much as I enjoy shooting food!


Below are just some of the  many images shot on behalf of Smartbox Guidebooks.


Bodega
Bodega was my first visit where I was greeted by owner and chef, Paul Biggs. Bodega is one of Toronto's finest French cuisine restaurants. 

Loire

Loire Casual Gourmet restaurant, owned by Jean-Charles Dupoire and Sylvain Brissonnet. Chef Jean-Charles Dupoire was formerly the Chef de Cuisine at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto and I had the privalage of chatting to him during my very rushed photo shoot at Loire. I wish I had more time to chat with him, such a personable individual. Check out Dine TO's interview with him here.

Metropolitan Restaurant

The Metropolitan Restaurant is based in the heart of Toronto's financial district.

Table 17

Table 17 wine bar and bistro is a cute restaurant located on the East side of Toronto with a 'country-kitchen' feel interior. Or 'French country chic' as mentioned in this video by owner Erik Joyal, whom I also got to meet briefly. My husband and I dined here a couple of weeks ago for dinner and we loved it.

During my photo shoot for Smartbox, I was presented with their popular 'Hot Balls' appetizer to photograph. Each hot ball consists of a different filling with accompanying dipping sauce. There were two Arancino balls...one with spiced lamb stuffed risotto, which was served with a sweet mint sauce. The second consisted of mushroom & Fontina stuffed risotto, served with a "really cooked down tomato sauce". The third, was a goat cheese stuffed panko crusted ball served with Ontario Wildfire honey. 

When I returned to Table 17 with my husband, I HAD to try the 'Hot Balls'! (I was offered to take them home with me the day of my photo shoot, but due to having more locations lined up, I had to politely decline - biggest regret!). The goat cheese 'Hot Ball' was by far our favourite! Check out this video of Table 17's executive chef John Sinopoli preparing these awesome balls!

Also check out this video of Table 17's bartender Mikey Morrow. I had the privilege of meeting and chatting to Mikey during my photo shoot - what a fun guy :)

Cayo Coco

Next on the list - Cayo Coco! A Spanish Tapas Supper Club with a great range of cocktails. Owner, William Eng and staff prepared one of their specialty seafood Paella's for me to photograph. I was drooling behind the camera. I don't know how I refrained from eating all the food I shot. 

Bon Vivant

Bon Vivant offers international cuisine with a French flare. You can find them tucked away up north of Toronto, north on Avenue Road.

Segar

Segar Spice Route Cuisine is owned by Segar Kulasegarampillai from Sri Lanka. "Segar is the rich culmination of an intimate knowledge of spices grounded in the traditions of French technique. The result is Spice Route Cuisine."

Brownes Bistro

Browne's Bistro, an elegant European styled bistro, is located in the heart of Rosedale.

Forte Bistro

Forte Bistro and Sushi bar was one of my favourite places to work. Their establishment is beautiful and their dishes, a work of art. Executive Chef, Greg Argent prepared for me their stunning Dungeness Crab and Avocado Salad and Thick cut Heirloom Pork Chop 'Cordon Blue'.

Summer refreshments

Summer is upon us. Some of my summer favourites - white wine, patio dining, salads and ice cream! 
Here is a quick recipe from mum... a delicious and refreshing salad which incorporates vegetables and fruit. 

Easy Summer Salad

• Orange fleshed sweet potato
• Pumpkin or butternut squash
• Arugula
• Pears
• Maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Unsweetened yoghurt (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to bake on 180C degrees. Cut sweet potato and pumpkin into 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle with olive oil, coat and bake for 15-20mins or until softened.
2. Meanwhile, cut pears into cubes. Season with maple syrup, cover and microwave for 1.5 mins. Allow pears to cool. (You may also choose to leave the  pears marinating overnight the night before).
3. Toast pumpkin seeds until slightly browned.
4. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with olive oil, more maple syrup, seeds and arugula using hands.
5. Serve with unsweetened yoghurt.

The amount of each ingredient is pretty much up to you. I love pumpkin seeds. My brother, sister and I use to snack on them when we were kids and I had not had them since, so they brought back a lot of memories!

A couple of weeks ago, I did some work for Smartbox Guidebooks where I photographed various restaurant establishments around the Toronto Downtown core, met owners and head chefs and photographed beautiful dishes. Watch this space as I will be posting some of those photos up soon!

Almond with Pears Cake and Camping!

Over the last week, we were out of Toronto camping with some friends. We camped a couple of nights in Algonquin Provincial Park, drove to Ottawa where we continued to camp and experienced a white water rafting adventure. The trip ended in Montreal (more camping). By the end of the week, I guess you could say I was all 'camped out'. It would be the first of many more camping trips this summer. I must say I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.


Prior to going away, we stocked up on a lot of food, and returned with only a few left overs. One item - some canned pears. With this, I decided to bake an Almond cake with caramelized pears.

At our campsite in Ottawa, the grounds were full of pine cones which we had to try and clear off before setting up our tent. You wouldn't want to be sleeping on top of a bed of pine cones! I thought it would be a neat idea to collect a bag of pine cones to take home. I don't know why - perhaps they might come in good use some time. Decorative purposes I guess.

 

This recipe was adapted from two different cake recipes...

Almond Cake with Caramelized Pears

Caramelized Pears

• 3-4 firm pears, such as Comice (I just used canned pears)
• 80g butter
• 100g brown sugar

Almond Cake

• 300g butter, softened
• 250g castor sugar
• 4 eggs
• 150g standard flour
• 150g almond meal
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Milk chocolate chips (optional)
• Almond slices (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 170C
2. Line a 20cm springfoam cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
3. Peel, core and quarter the pears. Melt 80g butter in a small frying pan on high heat. Add brown sugar, mix well. Add in pears, stir them around and let them sit for 8-10mins or until they soften. They should be somewhat firm but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and castor sugar together until fluffy.
5. Gradually mix eggs into the butter mixture one egg at a time
6. Gradually beat in flour and almond meal. Add in cinnamon and vanilla essence. Incorporate mixture well until you get a thick batter.
7. Pour cake mixture into cake tin and flatten with a spatula.
8. If using chocolate chips and almond slices, sprinkle over surface of cake mixture.
9. Line the top of the cake with pear slices, pushing each one into the cake mixture a little as you go.
10. Bake in oven on middle rack for 55-60minutes or until the topping is a golden colour and a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.
11. Remove from oven and let the cake sit for 10mins before you remove it from the cake tin.

We had a lot of fun with food during our camping trip. Eating outdoors, the warm weather, making a fire...here ill share a few photos from our camping experience:

Its not camping without s'mores! The combination of graham crackers, toasted marshmallows and a slab of chocolate.

Grilled chicken, asparagus and corn. Yummo!

Grilled steak with Maple Syrup beans! 

I cannot wait to do it all again soon.