It’s not often enough that you encounter the union of business and pleasure. For a lot of people, making ends meet means putting passion on the backburner. But this long weekend you can see passion on the front burner, blazing up a savoury storm for more than a dozen seasoned rib-masters at Toronto’s annual Ribfest. These aren’t just portable grills rented out for a public occasion, and they certainly aren’t whatever that is you call a BBQ moping about on your patio. These are entire trucks custom built for the purpose of barbequing. A convoy outfitted with smokers and slow roasters, smouldering thousands of pounds of rib meat in rich heat for hours upon days, awaiting the moment you nibble them off the bone.

Lemon-filled phyllo with blueberry compote and candied lemon, from Bernardin. Toronto food fanatics are always looking for a fine excuse for a feast. Lucky for us, non-profit FoodShare’s annual fundraiser, Recipe for Change, brings together local chefs and diners in an effort to promote the importance of food literacy for future generations. An organization focused [...]

Today’s menu: vegetable soup, scalloped potatoes, and a choice of ham or a vegetable medley of red kidney beans, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, and carrots. Bread and apples are optional, yet popular, snacks. And for an extra special treat: Black Forest cake with chocolate shavings and a cherry on top. It was a donation. “When you [...]

The second annual Picnic at the Brick Works was held this past Sunday, and it was a veritable extravaganza of foodie fun. From the simple (sliced and dressed heirloom tomatoes) to the avant-garde (chocolate beet cakes, anyone?), local ingredients and chefs showed off their stuff. The goal of the picnic is to highlight local and [...]

Ask a group of people who their favourite cook is, and many will choose their grandmother. Eschewing contemporary trends like pre-packaged mixes and powdered stock, many a Nonna, Bubbe, or Oma still warms the tummies of their families with a taste of the old country, which no restaurant can duplicate as accurately. Enter Swiss culture [...]

This week, the already-awesome Dufferin Grove Park is absolutely ablaze with awesomeness, with tendrils of wicked cool billowing through its leafy canopies and filling the lungs and hearts of theatre aficionados everywhere. The Cooking Fire Theatre Festival, which runs from June 20-24, is a presentation of five short plays, accompanied by a spectacular organic meal [...]

Another weekend of trade shows is upon us. The belle of the ball this year is the Green Living Show, but there are two other significant expos for which you should make room in your schedule: the Good Food Festival and the Yoga Show. This is the 15th year of the Good Food Festival at [...]

It’s old news now, but just in case you didn’t hear, Boing Boing editor and former Torontonian Cory Doctorow is one of three judges for the 2006 Blooker prize. The Lulu Blooker prize is awarded to the best non-fiction, fiction and comic books inspired by a blog (or blog turned into books). The most impressive [...]