:: The Zen Gourmand ::

Mark your calendar because November 15 – November 18 its the “Gourmet Food & Wine Expo” in Toronto, Canada and it’s touted to be Toronto’s best party. Well, not sure about that one, but this is a great show and if you can make it, it is a must.

A perennial event that has been going on for about 10 years now, you will have an opportunity to attend the casually sophisticated “Premier VIP Evening” allowing you to peruse the shows most exclusive offerings in products and services and includes $20 of sampling credits.

Tutored tasings is your chance to taste some of the world’s finest wines which otherwise you might never get a chance to tast or just plain couldn’t afford to :)
Plus, you get to mingle with media personalities and wine experts. Many of the wines will be first-time offerings and on-site purchasing is available. You can get a Tutored Tasting brochure here.

Then there is the “Sommelier’s Wine Tour” as part of the “Connoisseur’s Corner”. I don’t have to tell you that you will find me attending some of the seminars sponsored by the IWEG (The Independent Wine Education Guild).
PS. You get extra brownie points if you can spot my own tag line in their write up :(

Then there is “The Fine Wine Tasting Lounge” presented by “Vines Magazine”. Here you get to sample over fifty premium consignment and private order wines and spirits like the 2002 Chateau Des Charmes ‘Equuleus’ VQA, the 2002 Opus One, the 2004 Ch. Beaucastel Chateauneuf-Du-Pape and many more.

For all the info on this event go: http://www.foodandwineshow.ca/
See you at the show!

There are as many ways to do ribs on the grill as there are grills, I’m sure. Maybe you don’t need yet another recipe because yours is the all-time award winning recipe handed down from generation to rib eating generation.

Well, I’ve tried dozens of them and ended up cooking up my own secret recipe. Needless to say, the secret changes every time I make ribs on the BBQ, but the main theme stays the same.

Here goes…

Get yourself some ribs. Back, side, baby back, beef, frozen or not; whatever turns your crank. The recipe does 2 racks approximately, so adjust quantities to suit. Make sure the ribs are at room temperature when you start.

Preheat your stove or BBQ to 180 C (350 F).

While it’s heating up make up this fabulous marinade:

6 cloves garlick, smashed
2 small onions, minced and sauteed in butter
2 bay leaves, whole or crumbled
45 ml (1.5 oz) maple syrup
45 ml (1.5 oz) Ketchup
2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lime, juice only
3 tblsp red wine vinegar
150 ml (2/3 cup) Chipotle/Beer BBQ sauce
150 ml (2/3 cup) Beer, preferably dark
3 tblsp brown sugar
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, more if you like your ribs on fire
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Mix the whole thing up and baste your ribs with it on both sides.
Place the ribs bone up in a roasting pan or other fire proof dish just big enough to hold them.
Pour remaining marinade over ribs and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 – 1.5 hrs. in the preheated oven or on the grill.

Once cooked, cool and remove from the marinade, retaining the marinade.

Now grill the ribs over medium heat or even indirect heat depending on the kind of grill you own, turning and basting the ribs a couple of times until done, about 20 minutes max. If you have a smoke box, by all means put it to good use as well.
While the ribs are on the BBQ make the dipping sauce by reducing the marinade in a small saucepan until it sticks to the back of a spoon.
Serve ribs and sauce with your favorite sides and enjoy with a decent glass of red or your favorite brew.

Mmmmmm….