Anthony Bourdain describes the perfect bowl of pho as food porn. I’m still mad that my pho-monger won’t sell me just the broth.

BlogTO wrote a “Best Soups” article. They mentioned two favorites of mine, Ravisoups and Soup Nutsy. The other selections are below:

• Ravisoups
• United Bakers Dairy
• Soup Nutsy
• Esther’s Soup Kitchen
• Hibiscus Cafe
• One Love Vegetarian
• Urban Herbivore
• Coffee Mill
• Utopia Cafe
• Le Gourmand
• Kalendar
• Cafe Polonez

The full list with descriptions, and a google map is at their site.

Ceramic knives are known to be extremely sharp and hold their edge up to ten times longer than steel blades. Since ceramic is so tough, it takes diamond coated wheels to sharpen them during manufacturing.

Use ceramic knives only for vegetables and meats that do not have bone in them. While remarkably sharp they are very brittle. Side-to-side pressure can break the blade, and hitting a hard material like a meat bone can chip it.

Although normally made of a single basic color like white, this Kyocera Damascus Ceramic Knife shows a much more complicated design.

The LCBO highilghted the following wines from their latest release.

• Titus Zinfandel 2006, Napa Valley, California, USA $35.00
• Bodega Colomé Estate Malbec 2007, Calchaquí Valley, Salta, Argentina $22.00
• Rustenberg John X Merriman 2006, Stellenbosch, South Africa $25.00
• Domaine Pavelot Les Vergelesses Pernand-Vergelesses 1^er Cru 2006, Burgundy, France $45.00
• Altos De Luzón 2006, Jumilla, Spain $25.00
• Bodegas Ondarre Graciano 2004, Rioja, Spain $29.00

In the latest issue of LCBO’s magazine, they highlighted a number of wines that have received a rating of 90 or above. Half of the selections are under $25:

Argentina

• Alta Vista Atemporal Assemblage 2007 $19.95
• Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec 2006 $17.95
• Luigi Bosca Single Vineyard Malbec 2006 $18.95

Australia

• D’arenberg The Twentyeight Road Mourvedre 2006 $29.95
• Elderton Ode To Lorraine Cabernet Sauvigon/Shiraz/Merlot 2005 $42.95
• Langmeil Blacksmith Cabernet 2006 $22.95
• Paxton Jones Block Shiraz 2005 $26.95
• Small Gully Wines The Formula Robert’s Shiraz 2005 $16.95
• Wolf Blass Gold Label Shiraz/Viognier 2006 $27.95
• Wynns Coonwarra Estate Vintage Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $24.95

California

• Ghost Pine’s Winemaker’s Blend Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $19.95

Chile

• Concha Y Toro Trio Reserva Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio/Pinot Blanc 2008 $12.95
• Chocalan Gran Reserva Malbec 2006 $24.95
• Concha Y Toro Trio Reserva Merlot/Carmenere/Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $14.95

South Africa

• Thelema Sutherland Chardonnay 2007 $19.95
• Tokara White 2007 $24.95

France

• Jean-Marc Brocard Vau De Vey Chablis 1er Cru 2007 $29.95
• Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2006 $84.00
• Chateau Saint-Roch Chimeres 2007 $19.95
• Delas Freres Les Launes Crozes-Hermitage 2007 $19.95
• Delas Freres Saint-Espirit Cotes Du Rhone 2007 $14.95
• Domaine Grand Nicolet Veilles Vignes Cotes Du Rhone-Villages Rasteau 2007 $21.95
• Perrin & Fils Les Christins Vacqueyres 2007 $22.95

Germany

• Reinhold Haart Riesling Kabinett 2007 $19.95

Italy

• Terredora Loggia Della Serra Greco Di Tufo 2008 $19.95
• Fontanafredda Serralunga D’alba Barolo 2005 $38.95
• Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2005 $49.95
• Antinori Solaia 2006 $244.95
• Castello Di Monastero Chianti Classico 2006 $24.95
• Remo Farina Montecrona Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2005 $19.95

Spain

• Buil & Gine Gine Gine 2006 $17.95
• Juan Gil Tinto 2006 $21.95
• Mas Que Vinos Ercavio Tempranillo Roble 2007 $16.95

(this post is also titled, why I must justify purchasing this knife)

Butchering your own meat from a primal cut is not new. In fact it’s done in small towns with local butchers for quite some time. Toronto chef Ryan Donovan has started having demostrations of how to do it and this hopefully starts a trend. Already you can buy whole loins of beef from Costco to make your own steaks, this just allows even more freedom.

Squeemish? All meat has to come from animals…

The Internet is allowing home cooks to share their recipes, techniques and their love of food. I’ve been following Maangchi for quite some time. Her simple and authentic Korean recipes are great and the videos provide lots of great instructions. Maangchi, authored by ex-Torontoian Emily Kim, got an article written about her in the Globe and Mail, and now her popularity has exploded, with even interviews about her back in Korea. My pork bone soup in the picture is based on a recipe on Maangchi.

The LCBO highlighted the following wines from this weeks full release.

• Matua Valley Estate Series Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand $25.00
• Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner 2007, Wachau, Austria $29.00
• Hazyblur Shiraz 2006, Kangaroo Island, Australia $42.00
• Domaine du Meix-Foulot Les Veleys Mercurey 1er Cru 2005, Burgundy, France $35.00
• Ondarre Reserva 2002, Rioja, Spain $26.00

From this weekend’s LCBO Release, the Toronto Star highlighted the following budget pics:

• Stoney Ridge Dim Vineyard 2008 Riesling $14 (Ontario)
• D’Arenberg The Stump Jump Lightly Wooded 2008 Chardonnay $14.95 (Australia)
• Mitolo Jester 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $19.95 (Australia)
• Terre Del Barolo Valdisera 2007 Barbera D’Alba $16.95 (Italy)
• Chapel Hill 2007 Shiraz $22.95 (Australia)
• Cathedral Cellar 2008 Sauvignon Blanc $11.95 (South Africa)
• Jean Geiler Reserve 2008 Chasselas $12.95 (France)
• Santa Carolina 2006 Petit Verdot $14.95 (Chile)
• Château De Vaugelas Le Prieuré 2007 Corbières $12.95 (France)

The LCBO has highlighted the following selections as their Wines of the Month for January 2010:

• Grove Street  Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
• Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir 2007
• Fielding Estate Pinot Gris 2008