Toronto Bakes for Japan – April 10, 2011

Toronto Bakes for Japan – April 10, 2011

Why your favourite Chinese BBQ shop is busy today! It's Qing Ming Festival!

Which BBQ Items does my family buy for Qing Ming?
Find out along 2nd Chinatown Foodies Walk (April 3, 2011)
or Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & Grange Walk (April 5, 2011)
or Lost 1st Chinatown Foodies Walk (April 10, 2011)

Qing Ming literally means "pure and clean" in the Cantonese dialect.  Qing Ming Festival follows the traditional lunar calendar, so it falls exactly 106 days after the winter solstice. In 2011, it falls on Tuesday April 5th.  When it's a Leap Year, as is the case in 2012, it will fall on Wednesday April 4th.  Qing Ming Festival is considered to be a little-known Chinese ghost festival as Chinese families  hold memorial ceremonies for the dead relatives.   Tomb Sweeping Day is another name for this day.  Its name harkens to the time when Chinese families traditionally visit their ancestor's graves in the countryside or up in the mountainside, and actually perform spring cleaning or tomb sweeping. Food and other offerings for the departed are brought along to these visits. 

In China, by this time of the year,  the weather is mild and after the graves have been tidied and the proper respects paid, most families spoil themselves with a picnic of cold food prepared in advance. Only cold food is eaten out of respect for the dead. As a matter of fact, traditionally, no fires are lit in the homes for at least two days thanks to superstitions! 

In Canada however, the type of weather one experiences depends on where one lives.  The weather can be mild and pleasant for a picnic, as in the case of Vancouver, B.C. or frightfully cold and muddy as in the case of Toronto, despite the moderating effects of Lake Ontario! 

Both of my parents have several ancestors buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. My siblings and I are "technically fourth generation Canadian-Chineses" and my good old mom, who arrived in Toronto in early 1950s, is a very pragmatic person when it comes to the oft-not co-operative weather. We tend to not to be trekking around in the beautifully groomed Mount Pleasant Cemetery until school is out. Any time between late June until August, you'll find my family jumping into the family car, drive over to Toronto's second Chinatown to pick-up specific food items from our favourite Chinese BBQ shop, bakery and grocery store. Did you know there's a certain "code word" you need to say to get a certain cut from the BBQ shop? (find out on the ghost walk tonight while sampling the treats!) Then you'll see us head over to Mount Pleasant Cemetery with our bounties to pay respect for our ancestors. 

So if you notice some of the Chinese BBQ shops are a trifle bit busier than normal today, it could be the die-hard traditionalists still practising Qing Ming Festival on the actual day, instead of waiting for warmer days like my pragmatic  and perhaps, more "Canadianized" family!

Dying to find out the customs, rituals and changing traditions connected with Qing Ming? Well, you still have two chances left for 2011!  As a matter of fact, we'll be sampling some of my family's favourite BBQ items and pastries along the Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & The Grange Walk (Tuesday April 5th, 2011 6:30-9:00 PM) and along the Lost First Chinatown Foodies Walk (Sunday April 10th, 2011 10:00 AM-1:30 PM). Space is limited, so book sooner than later to avoid being disappointed! Call (416) 923-6813 or e-mail us at info@torontowalksbikes.com to book your spots!

White-Cut Chicken served with
Grated Ginger & Diced Green Onion

International Poetry Day: celebrate Canadian poet Dennis Lee

Did you know that March 21st has been declared as International Poetry Day? I found out while I was checking out Twitter and saw a tweet from Shorty Awards! The power of social media! 

After mulling it over, I thought it'd be fitting to share this wonderful poem, When I Went Up to Rosedale, written by Canadian poet, Dennis Lee who lives in Toronto.  His outstanding, works include Civil Elegies, Alligator Pie, and The Ice Cream Store. Notable awards would be the Governor General's Award, Order of Canada in 1993. In 2001 Lee became Toronto's first Poet Laureate, serving in that position until 2004.  


I love reciting this meditative poem just as we're leaving the tree-lined, old-moneyed Rosedale along my Foodies Gaslight Stroll: Rosedale & Yorkville Village, as we try to ensure that there's equal portion of food and food for thought!  Lets say it's my way of sharing a bit of Canadian culture with all of my guests. They can be passionate foodies from around the world or locals from Toronto; all love this little Canadian literary gem. 

When I Went Up to Rosedale

When I went up to Rosedale I thought of kingdom come...

and roads that winds their stately way to dead ends ...

When I came down from Rosedale

I could not school my mind to the manic streets before me nor the courtly ones behind.

 - Dennis Beynon Lee, OC, MA 

Opportunities to hear this lovely poem:

 Foodies Gaslight Stroll: Rosedale & Yorkville Village

Sat. March 26th, 2011

Sat. April 30th, 2011

Sat. May 28th, 2011

Sat. June 18th, 2011

Sat. July 9th, 2011 

Sat. July 23rd, 2011

Sat. August 27th, 2011

Sat. October 1st, 2011

Reserve your spots now to avoid being disappointed!  Space is limited! 

http://TorontoWalksBikes.com or info@TorontoWalksBikes.com

Happy Nowruz or Persian New Year whether you're Persian or not!

I love New Year. In fact, I love celebrating New Year three times: New Year's Eve on December 31, January 1st, then Chinese Lunar New Year  Eve and Day (February 2nd & 3rd, 2011) and Persian New Year (March 20th, 2011). Yes, I celebrate Persian New Year even though I'm not Persian, but I'm an honourary Persian through my brother-in-law.

I love Toronto's rich tapestry of diverse cultures as we keep embracing new immigrants who bring with them unique their customs, traditions, and best of all, their delicious food and drinks.  I truly believe Toronto still lives up to its name given by one the First Nations tribes, the Hurons. Toronto refers to the  "Meeting Place" because of the land between present-day the Don River, the Humber River and Lake Ontario. It was about four hundred years ago that the various tribes met to trade. Over the centuries, we've seen influx of immigrants from around the world settle and make this beautiful metropolis their new home.

Born and raised in Toronto in early 1960s, as a CBC (Canadian Born Chinese) I've always savoured embracing another culture's holidays in general, and their foods and customs wholeheartedly! Spring time gives us so much to celebrate - re-birth of the Earth, March Break (do we hear all the kids cheering in the background?), St Patrick's Day, Persian New Year and more to come!

How many of us ended up as honourary Irish, cooking something "green", and maybe dropping by Irish pubs in Toronto? Mind you, I did kiss the famous Blarney Stone while cycling solo in Southern Ireland in 1988, so that very act makes me more Irish than your average folk! I feel very Irish, as I led my Kensington Foodies Roots Walk wearing a green sweater.  I even had guests sampling the beautiful and delicious Guinness Cheddar Cheese instead of the usual Maple Cheddar Cheese, all in the name of Saint Patrick! As a matter of fact, on St Patrick's Day I treated myself to homemade omelet with the remaining Guinness Cheddar and Persian Flatbread dribbled with Summer Blossom honey from Ontario! A beautiful way to meld several cultures.

On Sunday, exactly a week prior to Persian New Year I went up to Yonge/Finch area with hubby to soak up a bit of the excitement in preparing for the festivities. I was exhausted after my tour, but nevertheless, I instantly perked up upon arriving at one of my favourite Persian grocery stores. Hubby's always amazed how I go instantaneously from tuckered to alive like a firecracker, or Energizer Bunny Rabbit!

Outside of the store, we're greeted with the first New Year items for decoration: Sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in tray (transfer to dish when you get home) which symbolizes Re-Birth. If you carefully, you can see that inside, right by the window, they had an array of white, pink and purple Hyacinth plants.

Next item is the fish tank specially brought in for this holiday, as they sell a lot of gold fish and fish bowls! As I watch the elderly gentleman (hired just for this week) carefully scoop out required fish into the clear plastic bags, I couldn't help but think of a Jerry Seinfeld episode where Elaine and friends can't find their car in the mall after Elaine bought gold fish in a bag! I'm sure no one had problems finding their car, as this is a tiny strip mall within the Persian/Korean neighbourhood!

The special Nowruz cookies and other treats are in!

Nugets flavoured with Rosewater and walnut

I felt like Noah as I ordered the cookies and kept saying "Two" and pointing at everything on the cookies table. Yes, hubby and I went to the gym several times this week to make up for "tasting" each type of treats I ordered. Sigh!

So if you're invited to a Persian New Year's eve party tonight or New Year's Day party tomorrow, you now have an excellent excuse to pop into any Persian shop today (be forewarned: it will be like a mad house like Chinese New Year's eve in any Chinatowns in Toronto) and pick up as a "hostess gift" a plant (Hyacinths or Tulips)  and or a box of pastries.

 Happy Nowruz where ever you are and whether you're Persian or not! On that note, this little CBC is going to try another Persian New Year cookie from this box we picked up and then go visit my Persian family members! Happy Nowruz or Persian New Year!  So how are you celebrating and participating in  in the New Year festivities?

Love What You Do

TIFF Bell Lightbox on Family Day


As I stroll up the ramp by the BlackBerry Lounge bar for the special screening of the Buster Keaton's slapstick silent movie classic, Sherlock Jr. in concert (featuring iNSiDEaMiND performing a new score), something made me stop dead in my tracks.  At first sight, the quirky creatures in the mural caught my eyes.  Then, I slowed down to read this inspiring quote etched into the metal bar above the mural, just visible enough thanks to the illumination.  Next, I felt compelled to take a photograph of this mural with my BlackBerry, and e-mail it with this beautiful quote to share with my beloved husband. 

BlackBerry Lounge's quirky mural & inspiring quote 

Don't just like.  LIKE is watered-down love.  Like is mediocore.  Like is the wishy-washy emotion of the content.  Athletes don't do it for the like of a sport.  Artists don't suffer for the like of art.  There is no I like N.Y. T-shirt.  And Romeo didn't just like Juliet.  LOVE.  Now that's powerful stuff.  Love changes things.  Upsets things.  Conquers things.  Love is at the root of everything good that has ever happened and will ever happen.  LOVE what you do.


Ditto! 
- Shirley Lum, who LOVES what she does as Culinary Historian, Entrepreneur, Tour Guide, Speaker, Writer & Organic Gardener!