Smoked Salmon Carpaccio Using Acme Smoked Fish - A Brooklyn Staple

It’s very rare these days to find a company with over 100 years of history and experience, especially ones that are still surviving and thriving. Frankly,. it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and any company that can even stay afloat for 10 years should be considered a huge success let alone any company with over 100! For Acme Smoked Fish, it’s a company that was founded all the way back in 1906 in Brooklyn, New York by Harry Brownstein and is now a fourth-generation, family-owned smokehouse that specializes in smoked salmon and other types of smoked fish that has literally been feeding its customers for over a century! A Century!!!!

Their smoked salmon and other specialty smoked fish can already be found in restaurants, retailers, and bagel shops alike from coast to coast in the United States, and just last year they also launched their e-commerce business where they are now able to deliver fish from their smokehouse directly to homes all around the U.S. From keeping up with their traditions that have marked their past, inspire their present, and shape their future, the fact that they are able to adapt with the changing times and modern technologies have allowed Acme Smoked Fish to continue to find success decade after decade after decade.

With their stellar reputation in the seafood industry in having some of the best smoked fish in the world, not only do our neighbours down south get to enjoy these great products, we can now enjoy them here in Toronto as Acme has just recently expanded their reach to the Great White North. You’ll now be able to find some of their signature smoked fish in several retailers here across the city!

In fact, I thought Smoked Salmon was really just of one variety. A rookie’s mistake. If you visit their website you will literally see an endless variety to choose from. Options for all kinds of taste buds. Some of which can now be obtained in Toronto which includes:

Smoked Atlantic Salmon

Lox or Nova or Smoked Salmon, whatever you call it, this is the gold standard of smoked fish. Each succulent ribbon of smoked salmon reveals the perfect balance of a rich yet delicate smoked fish flavor as it melts away in your mouth with its buttery smooth texture and light hint of hardwood smoke. This family smoked salmon recipe, perfected and passed down through generations, uses carefully selected salmon prepared with a traditional dry curing method and then cold smoked over blends of natural hardwoods. This renowned Acme Classic Smoked Salmon is a result of true Brooklyn smoked fish craftsmanship. Enjoy this classic smoked fish taste of New York all the way here in Toronto.

Smoked Atlantic Salmon with Gravlax Seasoning

The tantalizing aroma of a traditional Scandinavian specialty with a Brooklyn smoked fish twist, Acme’s Gravlax smoked salmon is a delectable contrast of rich color, flavor and texture to add to any smorgasbord. Lightly smoked salmon is enveloped in fresh dill and carefully sliced for a bright and delicate savory smoked fish bite.

Smoked Atlantic Salmon with Togarashi Seasoning

Inspired by the Japanese seasoning shichimi togarashi, meaning “seven-flavor chili pepper”, Acme Smoked Fish’s Smokehouse Exclusive Togarashi Smoked Salmon is a multifaceted flavor experience! Lightly spicy, with a tang of citrus and ginger, and rounded out with umami notes that hint of seaweed, this delightfully complex spice complements Acme’s delicate smoked salmon.

Smoked Atlantic Salmon with Pastrami Seasoning

Combining two iconic tastes of New York, traditional pastrami spices are added to the signature smoked salmon of Acme Smoked Fish. The result is a peppery, tangy, smoked fish flavor experience with just a hint of smoke. Enjoy this smoked salmon on a bagel, cracker, or classic rye bread for the full pastrami experience.

Smoked Whitefish (bone-in, fully cooked)

Acme’s hot smoked wild caught whitefish is bursting with rich flavors steeped in tradition. This golden, white-fleshed, fresh water fish from the Great Lakes provides a delectable smokey flavor that is perfect for any meal.

With all of these amazing smoked salmon varieties at my finger tips, you just know I had to create a recipe that would showcase Acme’s family tradition of quality. What better way to do that then making a Smoked Salmon Carpaccio! Normally a carpaccio just uses one type of fish, but because I have the luxury this time of having four different types, this smoked salmon carpaccio is elevated to another level where I have incorporated their classic Smoked Atlantic Salmon and with the other three Smoked Atlantic Salmon seasonings of Gravlax, Togarashi, and Pastrami. Literally something for everyone!

This recipe is then topped off with fried capers and herbs to make the ultimate appetizer to share with your friends and family. Not only does this recipe only take around 15 minutes to make, most of the ingredients you need for this are staple pantry items. Using the Acme Smoked Salmon as the star ingredient, it then gets lightly marinated in a lemony-shallot dressing which is then topped off with crispy pan-fried capers and fresh dill to truly make this dish a stand-out favourite.

Smoked Salmon Carpaccio (Four Ways) With Crispy Capers and Dill

Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6 people

Ingredients

For The Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grainy dijon mustard
1 small shallot, thinly sliced

For The Crispy Capers:

2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For The Salmon:

100 gram Acme Smoked Atlantic Salmon
100 gram Acme Smoked Atlantic Salmon with Gravlax Seasoning
100 gram Acme Smoked Atlantic Salmon with Togarashi Seasoning
100 gram Acme Smoked Atlantic Salmon with Pastrami Seasoning
1 tablespoon loosely chopped fresh dill to garnish
Freshly cracked black pepper to garnish

Instructions:

For the Dressing:

• In a bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined. Set aside while you prepare the capers.

For the Crispy Capers:

• In a small bowl, toss the drained capers in the flour until evenly coated.

• Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat with olive oil. When the skillet is hot, add the capers to the skillet and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes, tossing half way through. Transfer the capers to a paper towel lined plate and let cool.

For the Smoked Salmon:

• Cut the four varieties of Acme Smoked Salmon into 2-inch pieces and arrange on a large plate in a single layer.

• Spoon the dressing over the salmon evenly. Next, top with crispy capers. Lastly, finish the dish with fresh dill and cracked pepper.

Bonus:

• Serve with a side of ready-to-eat Acme Smoked Whitefish! Enjoy!

List of Toronto Retailers Carrying Acme Smoked Fish Products

PRIMROSE BAGEL
SUE’S DONHEAD
KOSHER SOBEYS
VINCENZOS
NU BAGEL
MCEWANS
NEW YORK BAGEL
KIVAS BAGEL
NU AGE FISH
NORTOWN MEATS EGLINTON
NORTOWN MEATS PROMENADE
NORTOWN MEATS YORK MILLS
SAVOURS SOUTH
SAVOURS NORTH
THE KOSHER GOURMET
UNITED BAKERS
CONCORD FOOD CENTRE
HARBORD BAKERY
MENCHENS CATERING
YOSEF MOKIR
OCTAGON REST
ABAS BAGELS
SOUL BAGEL
CAFÉ SHELI
D-LITES
TORONTO KOSHER
NO FRILLS WILSON

Italpasta Introduces a New Artisan Pasta Line with Big Impact!

If you’re anything like me, craving a comforting bowl of pasta is always on my radar. Pasta is one of my favourite things to eat, and also one of my go-to dishes to make at home just because for the most part you can whip up a bowl of pasta quite quickly that would also leave you with leftovers for days! So as you can imagine I’m always walking up and down the grocery aisle grabbing more boxes of my pasta to restock my pantry.

Italpasta has always been a brand of pasta that I bought frequently. If this brand doesn’t sound familiar to you yet, just think of the blue pasta packaging with the cellophane window, and more than likely the image of this brand will come rushing back to you. Italpasta has been a staple in homes of Canadian families since 1989. I love that they are inspired by the age-old Italian way of making high-quality pasta, yet I’m still supporting a Canadian company that uses 100% Canadian wheat. This results into what I think to being a rougher texture that helps the pasta sauce cling to the pasta for a fuller and more delicious bite.

Italpasta has also recently launched a new Artisan pasta range, and surprisingly that’s actually not the most impactful change for their company. In an effort to be more conscious of food waste, they have made a commitment to encourage a zero food waste approach to cooking as part of the company’s sustainability commitment to fully transition their signature cellophane window boxes and bulk plastic bags to 100% recyclable packaging by 2030! So not only is this new Artisan pasta line made with 100% Canadian wheat, it also uses 100% recyclable packaging with the removal of the cellophane window. And honestly to me, the packaging looks even better now with a more modern and sleek look wrapped in this beautiful darker blue hue. This might be a small change, but it makes a huge impact as we all strive to become more environmentally conscious in protecting our mother Earth.

This Italpasta Artisan pasta range comes in six different varieties. There is the Artisan Fusilli, Artisan Maccheroni, Artisan Gemelli, Artisan Penne Rigate, Artisan Spaghetti, and the Artisan Spaghettini. There’s literally something to like for everyone! Every one of these pasta varieties are made in Canada, certified kosher, non-GMO, and vegan. Of course when it comes to new and shiny things, I obviously had to give one of these new artisan pastas a whirl and test a recipe out. You know…. for science.

I was immediately drawn to the Artisan Gemelli just by it’s beautiful shape and decided to make a cold pasta dish with it from one of the Italpasta recipes on their website. I love a good pesto as well, so making their “Gemelli & Asparagus With Watercress Pesto” recipe was a no-brainer for me. I did add my own twist to it as I couldn’t find watercress at my local grocery store, so I substituted that with Arugula which is very similar to the taste and texture of watercress. It came out absolutely delicious and a beautiful dish to look at with the pop of green that comes out from the pesto and asparagus. As it’s a cold pasta, it can be eaten as a quick appetizer or even a hearty lunch. It’s fresh, light, and healthy and if you squint your eyes just a bit you’ll be thinking you’re even eating a salad! I highly, highly recommend making this recipe as it’s so easy to make and only 20 minutes total to whip it up! A perfect dish to impress your family and friends with at your next gathering.

Gemelli & Asparagus with Arugula Pesto

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (450 g) Italpasta Artisan Gemelli

• 1/2 lb (250 g) asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) toasted walnuts, divided

• 2 cloves garlic, whole

• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) arugula, packed

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) packed fresh parsley, chopped and divided

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon zest

• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt

• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) Pecorino cheese, grated

• 2 tbsp (75 mL) Parmesan cheese, grated

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) Parmesan cheese, shaved

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding asparagus in the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and refresh under cold running water; drain well and set aside.

2. In food processor, pulse 1/4 cup (60 mL) walnuts and garlic until finely ground. Add arugula, half of the parsley, olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper; pulse until smooth. Stir in Pecorino and Parmesan until blended.

3. In bowl, toss together pasta, asparagus and watercress pesto. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to serve chilled.

4. Just before serving, garnish with shaved Parmesan, and remaining walnuts and parsley.

Shaken and Stirred - The Cocktail Kit We All Need In Our Life!

If there is one thing most of us can agree on, it’s that it was a rough 2020. With what seems to be the never-ending covid-19 pandemic, a lot of us had to face the harsh reality of losing their jobs while doing our best to keep sane in the various waves of social isolation. And with restaurants closed for indoor dining, we all had to pivot with how we interacted with food. Many of us (including me) started a baking frenzy at home and raided the grocery aisles by buying out all the flour. Others dived into the world of online grocery shopping and/or subscribed to meal-kit delivery services so we could do our part to socially distance at home.

One Toronto woman who had a roller-coaster type of year in 2020 because of the pandemic was Iksheeta Shah. She was one of the unlucky ones who lost their job due to covid, and for months wasn’t exactly sure what was going to happen next in her foreseeable future. With restaurants closed and spare time now on her hands, Iksheeta along with her partner found themselves creating gourmet restaurant-quality meals and experiences at home just to bring some form of normalcy back into their lives.

Making the meals wasn’t the hard part for Iksheeta and her partner, but like every memorable meal at your favourite restaurant having a cocktail to accompany your dinner is just as crucial to the food itself. And that was the restaurant magic Iksheeta was trying to re-create at home, but quickly realized that sourcing all the necessary cocktail ingredients was much harder than anticipated. Many hours were spent on Google to find the right suppliers as a lot of the ingredients were not found at grocery stores like bitters and syrups. However, even when you are able to find them, she quickly realized that you only need a few table spoons of it, and you just end up having a huge bottle tucked away in your kitchen cabinet that is never fully used.

Successful meal kit companies like Hello Fresh and GoodFood have flourished during the pandemic with their pre-portioned ingredients and recipes delivered to their subscriber’s doors on a weekly basis. Consumers just absolutely love the convenience these companies bring to us when it comes to meal time, and has changed the landscape of the food industry in a huge way. Iksheeta soon realized that there was an untapped market and a huge opportunity here for cocktail enthusiasts, because these large meal-kit delivery companies currently do not offer cocktails in their kits. And with that realization, Shaken and Stirred was born!

In October 2020, Iksheeta launched Shaken and Stirred which is a cocktail kit company that sources and delivers all the required ingredients to make 4 to 6 drinks per kit right to your door! Each kit comes with a carefully curated recipe card to make the process of creating your cocktails at home as easy and seamless as possible with ingredients like bitters, syrups, shrubs, mixes, garnishes, and fresh produce neatly packed inside the box.

One thing to keep in mind is that alcohol is not included in these kits due to legal reasons. A recommended spirit will always be included in their recipe card, but you can always feel free to crack open a bottle you already have at home. Since everyone also has their own preferred brand of booze, not including alcohol and keeping the cost of the kit lower because of it is actually a good thing in my opinion.

Though most of us probably have a few bottles of alcohol lying around at home already, barware may be a different story. One of my favourite aspects of Shaken and Stirred is how you’re able to purchase any barware you may be missing at home directly off of their website, and they’ll ship it together with your cocktail ingredients. Barware you’re able to purchase includes items like a stainless steel jigger, cocktail pins, cocktail muddler, bar spoon, and a premium 3-piece cocktail shaker. Other optional items you can purchase in addition to your cocktail kit are bar snacks like chips, nuts, and popcorn, along with VISA and LCBO gift cards.

The customized cocktail kit I received was for the Screaming Bloody Orange, a perfect Winter cocktail bursting with rich citrus flavours from the blood orange juice, and then perfectly balanced with the earthy and floral notes of thyme. The recommended spirit for this cocktail was bourbon, and the recommended glassware is a lowball glass. Lucky for me I had both at home already so I had that covered, but I did have a few pieces of barware missing. As mentioned before, these barware items can easily be added inside any cocktail kit so my box also came with the premium 3-piece cocktail shaker, barspoon, and jigger to make my cocktail making experience at home complete.

After following the extremely simple instructions on the recipe card, the Screaming Bloody Orange cocktail turned out absolutely amazing. My experience with making restaurant quality cocktails is extremely limited, yet I felt like a seasoned professional after following its very simple instructions. Having all the ingredients at your finger tips is a game-changer, and literally within a few minutes I had a delicious cocktail in my hands. It’s safe to say I’m definitely going to keep the recipe card handy for when the time comes when I have guests come over to visit.

Another great thing about Shaken and Stirred is that they also offer white glove service meaning you can also ask them to fully customize their cocktail kits for a specific event or occasion such as Holiday related cocktails, 70s themed, or even having a specific cocktail named after someone for a goodbye party for instance. The possibilities are endless and you’ll be able to work directly with Iksheeta to craft your very own personalized cocktail experience.

If there’s one thing we can probably all agree on is that drinking by yourself is not as fun as compared to drinking with others. That’s why Shaken and Stirred also specializes in hosting fun and engaging parties and corporate events, where they partner with some of Canada’s most beloved bartenders to host classes and interactive group sessions. With the pandemic still in full swing, these interactive events are all done virtually where the cocktail kits are delivered to the participant’s home directly 2 to 3 days prior to the start of the event. The virtual event can be held virtually on platforms like Zoom or Google Meet where the bartender can demonstrate how to make that perfect cocktail, answer questions, and may even perform a trick or two. It’s quite the show!

With new cocktail recipes out each season, Shaken and Stirred is carving out its own path in the cocktail industry and pioneering a brand new way on how we can re-create our favourite alcoholic drinks at home. Some of the best and most creative ideas are born out of the most unexpected moments. Shaken and Stirred is truly a beautiful success story of turning a bad situation into something positive. When life gives you lemons, make a cocktail! And that is something I can drink to. Cheers everyone!

Farm To Table with Papa Earth - A Meat & Seafood Delivery Service You Must Try

If there’s two things I love the most in life, they are convenience and meat. I’m a carnivore at heart and no matter how hard I try to increase my intake of vegetables, I will undoubtedly always come back to a fine piece of steak. Nothing beats a steak dinner in my eyes (cooked medium rare of course). And when you also add in a convenience factor into it where you can get premium meats and seafood delivered straight to your door you are literally then just winning at life.

I was first introduced to Papa Earth a few months ago and it has made a world of a difference with the quality of food I’m eating at home, and also just the amount of time I save from having to go grocery shopping. At the time of writing this blog post, I’m sure we are all aware of that “C” word. Yes, there is indeed a global pandemic going on right now called Covid-19 which has made going out like grocery shopping a possible dangerous and life-threatening activity. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate businesses like Papa Earth who are still working tirelessly during these difficult times to get food to our tables, and literally placing food directly at our doorsteps without us needing to step outside.

So how does this all work? It’s simple. You just need to start off by picking the size of the box and frequency of delivery. Unlike some other meal-delivery services, Papa Earth lets you customize your box completely with the types of meats and seafood you want delivered to you. You literally click on their heading “Build Your Box” on their website and choose from their Small Box ($125 and feeds about 1 person), their Medium Box ($249 and feeds about 2 - 3 people), or their Large Box ($498 and feeds a larger family). After that select the delivery frequency that ranges from 2 - 6 weeks and then the fun part begins! Time to spend some coin!

No, literally. You really do get to spend some coin. Each type of meat has an allocated Papa Earth coin value to it which allows you to fully customize your order. You’ll be able to put food in your box such as grass fed and grass finished beef, AAA marbled beef, grass fed bison, free run & pasture raised chicken, drug free vegetarian fed Ontario pork, Ontario lamb, and wild caught fish & seafood. All their products are sourced from the highest quality local farmers in Ontario with livestock that are free roaming, no use of added hormones, and are fed a proper natural diet. Once you are satisfied with your choices and maxed out your coins, your box is complete and you’re ready to check-out!

I’ll show you below what I ordered and how I spent my coins for the Small Box I received. You’re given 45 coins to spend. Spend wisely.

T-Bone Steak - 16 ounce - AAA (15 coins)

Prime Rib Steak - Grass Fed & Grass Finished (10 coins)

Pork Sausage - Hot - 1 lbs (5 coins)

Wild Caught Scallops - 1 lbs (15 coins)

As you can see from above, the four choices I made all added up to the 45 coin limit which means my selections are done. The meats and seafood are then vacuum sealed, portion controlled, and then frozen at the best temperature ready to be delivered to your home. Dry ice is put inside the recyclable paper box to ensure your food is kept ice cold and fresh even if you are not at home immediately to bring your order in. And if you live in Ontario or Quebec you also get free delivery!

Once you get your customized box delivered to you, feel the weight of trying to figure out what’s for dinner lifted right off your shoulders and dig right into your selection of premium meats and seafood you selected. Put them on the grill to cook immediately, or in the freezer to save for a rainy day. It’s all up to you at this point and you can now start looking forward to a really, really good meal ahead of you.

Football Month With Montana's Ready-To-Eat Ribs!

When I think of Montana’s, I immediately think of two things. Their giant moose antler hat you famously wear when celebrating your birthday, and then of course their RIBS! Their glorious, glorious ribs! It’s hard to count just how many times I’ve made my drive down to my local Montana’s just to satisfy those cravings of their fall-off-the-bone ribs, marinated and cooked perfectly in their Texas style BBQ signature sauce. If this is you as well I have some great news for you. You can now enjoy their ribs in the comfort of your own home as well!

For the first time in history, you’ll now be able to find those Montana’s pork back ribs in your local grocery store! From start to finish, these pork back ribs can be ready in a matter of minutes with two possible preparations: barbecue or conventional oven. The fact that these ribs can be ready-to-eat as quick as ten minutes makes them the perfect meal to serve your guests at your next get-together.

And with football season in high gear this month, these Montana’s Pork Back Ribs are a no-brainer to serve to my friends as we gather around the dinner table to watch the football game on TV. In preparation for the big game, I dropped by my local Loblaws to try out a few boxes of these refrigerated ready-to-eat ribs. Each box contains one full rack. As I didn’t have access to a barbecue that day, I chose to cook the ribs using a conventional oven. And it’s SO simple! There is literally no prep-work involved at all as the ribs are already marinating in its signature sauce inside the vacuum sealed bags. All you need to do is pre-heat your oven to 375°F, cover a baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and then just cut open the bag and pour the saucy ribs onto the baking pan. If using the conventional oven like me, bake for 22 to 26 minutes and voila! Restaurant quality ribs you would expect to find at Montana’s is cooked and ready-to-eat at home!

True to their claim these ribs literally fall-off-the-bone! The meat is super tender and their signature Texas style BBQ sauce provides a smoky flavour to it that will leave you coming back for more. I found myself literally licking the sauce off of my fingers countless times because it was just so incredibly delicious! I can’t wait for my friends to try them! Added some corn on the cob and popcorn to round out the meal to make this football game get-together one for the books!

I’m so thrilled that Montana’s has now made their signature ribs available in grocery stores, while still staying true to their signature taste and quality. This is a must-buy on your next grocery store run. If you would like to find out just which grocery chains are carrying this product, make sure you head on over HERE to see the full listing. Bravo Montana’s, Bravo! #MontanasRibsinSupermarket