"Husband Hunt"
I'm Chinese, and because I grew up in Canada, the only stereotype I really adhere to is that I eat rice almost every night. When I was little, my mum trained me to finish every grain of rice in my bowl (also very Chinese) by telling me that if I didn't, I would marry a boy with as many acne scars on his face as grains of rice in my bowl. I didn't really care about boys then, but I did as she bade anyway because I was good. :P
Fast forward 15 or so years. I had this really deep cyst in my face that lasted for months, and when it finally surfaced and healed, it left this horrid scar on my face (refer to picture). I was really miffed because it's right in the middle of my cheek and it wasn't in a good place where I could pencil over it and disguise it as a cool beauty mark. My mom laughed and jokingly said that my future husband must have left a grain of rice in his bowl.
So now it's my mission to track him down and beat him with a stick for the scar on my pristine cheek, LOL! :D
Markham Ribfest 2006
Markham Ribfest (left) took place last weekend (July 7-9) and it was a raving success! It was so much bigger and more popular than when I first began attending three years or so ago, although it's still smaller than the Toronto Ribfest. Admission on Friday, when I went, was $5 (not applicable to youth 16 and under and seniors), $10 on Saturday and free on Sunday.
Apart from my good old Bibb's, I saw that there was a ribber we hadn't tried: Bone Daddy (right). So my mum and I got in line, waited absolutely forever (at least half an hour) and got ourselves some. It was fantastic! The sauce was good, smokier and slightly spicier than most, but what really took the cake was how tender the meat was. Very, very nice! In fact, it was so good that we both dug in before we remembered to take a picture. :P
Likewise, their pulled pork sandwich was marvelous. You'd especially appreciate their sauce if you're into the Texan style and flavours. It kind of leaves that pleasant, tasty flavour in your mouth, and it's so much fun to suck the sauce off of your fingers after!
Afterwards, we caught sight of a ribber we only had vague memories of, so we decided to give it another try. Apparently, Silver Bullet (right) was the grand winner last year, and we could see why upon first taste! We loved the sauce because it was just sweet enough, and the meat was practically falling off the bone. Heaven in a paper tray. This stuff had my eyes rolling to the back of my head.
Of course, when you taste ribs that are that good, you just have to get their pulled pork sandwich, which we had the good foresight to do (left). What really set their sandwich apart was their bun, which was much better quality than most ribbers use. I was a little miffed at first because the pile of meat seemed a little smaller than what I'm used to of, but the bun more than made up for it. Excellent stuff.
The dessert of choice for the evening was a funnel cake (right, $5). It was very good, just the way I like it, but I do wish that they'd made it bigger because it didn't quite hit the spot.
Kudos to the Town of Markham for being environtmentally conscious! There were recycle bins, bins just for styrofoam, and ones for organic waste in addition to regular garbage cans.
All in all, I'd say that I've never had better ribs at any ribfest, even though I've also never had to wait so long in line for them! The weather was perfect, the food was fantastic, and I can't wait until next year!
Cheers,
Chriscy Kwan
Toronto Ribfest 2006
The Toronto Ribfest took place during Canada Day weekend (June 30-July 2) at Downsview Park. Presented by the Rotary Club of Etobicoke, it has been around for a while now and is one of the bigger ribfests in the GTA. I went on the first day it opened, the 29th of June, and even then attendance was quite good. To the left is the shot of the food side of the event. There were 13 different rib companies at this event, and admission was free.
After having been to so many ribfests, my mum and I have concluded that we favour Floridian-style recipes because they typically include fruit juices, so they're slightly tangier and sweeter. One of our favourite brands is Bibb's (right), from Naples, Florida. We were a little disappointed this time, however, because the meat was only marginally cool. Maybe we were there too early?
Their pulled pork sandwich (left), however, was satisfactorily hot, and delicious, as usual. Pulled pork, essentially, is pork butt that has been smoked for many, many hours, shredded and mixed with sauce. The sensation of shoving a warm, tangy forkful of tender pork into my mouth is positively heavenly. Be careful not to wear anything you can't ruin, though!
Another favourite of ours is Gator's (right), also from Florida. Their sauce is on the sweet side too. Their ribs were piping hot, much to our delight, and yummy as expected. Highly recommended! This time, Gator's was better than Bibb's. I look forward to seeing them in the Scarborough Ribfest in the first weekend of August!
Bloomin' onions (left, $7) don't come by every ribfest, so we made sure to get one. This company also served sweet potato fries ($5) which was popular too. The onion was seasoned in black pepper and somce spices. It was dipped in a light batter and fried to a crisp, but it was still pleasantly juicy inside. It came with a dipping sauce similar to ranch sauce, although I preferred it without. Additional sauce could be purchased for 25 cents.
The main attraction in terms of dessert were "ears" (right, $5), a fried pastry of sorts reminiscent of beaver tails. They were available in both salty (pizza) and sweet (chocolate, fruit, chocolate, cinnamon) varieties. Our ear was passably tasty, but it was inexpertly made, so I felt like I was eating bread except when I got to the middle. It wasn't bad, but I probably won't be having this again.
And that's a wrap for this year's Toronto Ribfest! Unfortunately, I didn't go on Canada day so I didn't get to see the fireworks. Which I suppose is a trade-off, because it was bound to be very crowded. In case you were wondering, we only had ribs form the two companies because we'd had ribs from most (if not all) of the other ribbers before, so we just zeroed in on our favourites. The Toronto Ribfest went very well, and I look forward to it next summer!
Tastefully yours,
Chriscy Kwan
Wonders of the Summer - Ribfests
Toronto Ribfest 2006
Ah, summer! Glorious Toronto summers. Next to not having school, my favourite thing about the season here at home has to be the multitude of events that take place, among which the regional
rib festivals are my very favourites.
My mum and I are pro ribfest hoppers. We do our research early to create a ribfest schedule and we look forward to each one as they come. The two of us go to all the ones nearby and we always have a blast.
If you're not familiar with ribfests, they are these big family events that happen at huge, open venues where ribbers (that's what people who make ribs are called) get together and cook with their secret sauces and methods.
They're usually family-run businesses and they travel everywhere in North America with their enormous trucks and trailers. Each company/family has their very own special sauce recipe and cooking methods. Ribfest attendees are expected to vote for their favourite ribs, sauces, etc. and at the end of each event winners are annouced. Every company has their own impressive collection of trophies and signs that announce to the world which awards they've won.
Don't let the name fool you, because apart from ribs, there are a lot of other things that go on. Usually, ribfests are organized by
Rotary Clubs, and they're rib AND music fests rolled into one, so you can count on the fact that there will be wonderful live entertainment at all times. And, if it happens on a special weekend like Canada Day, there are fireworks and other special happenings.
Also, there's a lot more to eat than simply ribs, although admittedly, most people go just for the ribs alone. Most ribbers also make roast chicken and pulled pork sandwiches (mm...). Not only that, but there are always lots of other vendors: corn-on-the-cob, funnel cake, ice cream, bloomin' onions, fries, sweet potato fries...not to mention things like sunglasses, henna, and t-shirts.
$$$: Prices can get up there. I've seen one price increase since I first began going to these things a couple years ago. A quarter rack of ribs (4 sticks) is now typically $9, a half rack (6 sticks) is $13 and a full rack (12 sticks) is usually $20. Pulled pork sandwiches are normally $6, and most ribbers offer baked beans and coleslaw to be added to orders for an additional $2 only. Extras like fries and such run about $5 or so (I know, I know) and drinks go from $2-5, depending on whether you get something alcoholic.
Tips for first-timers: If it's your first time at a ribfest or if you aren't familiar with/married to any ribbers, bring five friends, and buy a full rack each at six different places. Distribute the ribs so that everyone gets two sticks each from each company. You should be full by then and have discovered a couple favourites. This way, you get the most bang for your buck and you know which companies to go straight to next time. And don't forget to bring lots of wet naps! Purchasing an extra rack to bring home from your favourite, optional.Ribfests happen everywhere, so check your local Rotary Club web site for dates! In Ontario alone, I know there are ribfests in Toronto (Etobicoke), Markham, Mississauga, Timmins, London, Burlington, St. Catharines, Brockville, Guelph, Ottawa, Niagara Falls...and perhaps even a couple I haven't heard of.
Will report on various ribfests in the GTA as I go to them.
Happy eating!
Chriscy Kwan
Where Credit's Due
Much love and thanks to my girl Jadie, who fixed my banner/CSS issues. Thank you, love you, owe you! ;}
My Taste Buds, Myself
Hello,
fellow Foodists!
I
LOVE food.
I love everything about it, particularly the smell, look and taste of it, but also the good energy it gives to people who are well-fed. I have been obsessed with the pleasure of tasting yummy flavours for as long as I can remember. In fact, my mother claims that my lifelong love affair with food began right from the get-go; she complained that I drank my bottles too quickly when I was a newborn at the hospital and she couldn't hold me longer because the nurses would shoo her away when I was done.
Food is wonderful because it provides instant gratification I am a firm believer that there is nothing in the world that food can't make better, even if just for the duration of its consumption. Eating something I like immediately makes me happier and any situation I'm in seem a little better. In fact, many people who now me use that fact becasue they know that food is the sure-fire way to make me be quiet. :P
Another reason why I love food so much is because, like my Grandaunt Susanna says, once I eat something, it is totally, irrevocably mine. It's one of the few things in the world that I can completely possess, which somehow satisfies a very base, natural, and almost savage itch in my nature. This is why food is one of my favourite things to spend my money on.
I adore the sensation of feeling full. When I'm full, I feel satisfied, fulfilled, at peace with the world, and extremely fortunate. Because when you think about it, the vast majority of the Earth's inhabitants never get to feel full, and I'm not just referring to people starving in third world countries. There are millions and millions of people in the world who can afford food but choose not to eat. They choose to put themselves through the misery of starvation just to support, in my opinion, wrong ideals. And I think that's terribly sad (and not smart at all) because I can't ever imagine being unhappy enough with myself and my situation to do something so drastic - and painful.
I must sound like a complete hedonistic glutton by now, who only has one sole care in the world. I promise I'm not! Because I'm equally passionate about high fashion and aesthetics! :D
Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you like what you see. The purpose of this blog is to chart and share with the world my culinary adventures, wherever I go, in my bold quests for the foodgasms this world has to offer.
¡Salud!
Chriscy Kwan
I'm Chinese, and because I grew up in Canada, the only stereotype I really adhere to is that I eat rice almost every night. When I was little, my mum trained me to finish every grain of rice in my bowl (also very Chinese) by telling me that if I didn't, I would marry a boy with as many acne scars on his face as grains of rice in my bowl. I didn't really care about boys then, but I did as she bade anyway because I was good. :P
