Tasting Together

"I think more people die worrying about how safe our food is, then actually how safe the food is." - Dennis BulaniSaskatchewan farmer Dennis Bulani is on a mission to demystify everything that there is to do with farming in North America. Discussing where our food comes from is like opening a Pandora's box, where words like GMO, pesticides, monofarming, local, and organic fly out and about. But how much do we as consumers actually understand what all these terms mean? And do we realize how a humble commodity like canola oil could, in fact, humble us?André and Miroki had their minds blown with the complexities of growing and manufacturing canola oil, which is one of Denni's staple crops. In his newest book, Trust Your Plate, Dennis frankly shares all that he knows about large scale farming, giving people first hand access to the answers they have been seeking. This was a conversation that could have gone for hours!You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Miroki asked André what he did during his weekend Montreal trip, he said, "not much"...until he started jotting down some notes. Planning a family trip with a toddler means not everything can be wholly centered around food and drink, so a trip to the Biodome had to happen to see the penguins.And although André has been known to enjoy his fine plates, this trip focused on great bites that were not only wallet friendly, but also lived up to the hype. Bonus points when wife Anja is a pastry chef and knows where to get some killer baked goods. Finally, Miroki and André come to blows when discussing Montreal vs New York bagels. Which bagel reigns supreme?The recap list:Schwartz's DeliPâtisserie Au Kouing AmannRhubarbePub BreWskeyBistrot La FabriqueSt-Viateur BagelJean Talon MarketLa BanquiseYou can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 4 of Tasting Together launches with a wine episode! Rioja was one of Miroki's first glimpses into what terroir meant in winemaking. After speaking with Clément Gallois, the Canadian Rioja DOCa representative, both her and André learn that the meaning of terroir has taken on a whole new meaning in recent years as the DOCa gave permission to list specific villages. This has provided wine enthusiasts the opportunity to really explore Rioja's granularities. André was hoping to get a Rioja 101 and head out of the episode with newfound knowledge to grab some choice bottles - but it turns out the surface was barely scratched.This episode drills down everything that makes up the world of Rioja wines. Get extra nerdy as they explore Rioja's versatility as red wine (A Tempranillo blend vs 100% Graciano? So different!), understand how to read the labels when buying a Crianza or Reserva, and taste the full range of wines the region produces, including the beautiful and elusive whites that they wish were more readily available on the international market. The lineup of wines tasted were definitelly in the upper tier of quality from anywhere - but it has left both André and Miroki thirsty for more.Learn more about rioja wine - https://riojawine.com/en-us/You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of us have had some sort of adversial relationship with tequila, but both Miroki and André have discovered its magic over the years. Far from the bad stuff pounded back in university, tequila, like all fine spirits, can be the complex result of terroir, distillation, and small batch practices.They may be aficionados of the drink, but Katy O'Donnell, VP, Brand Development at Tequila Tromba, along with Grayce Yuen, VP, Finance, blow Miroki and André's minds through a tasting of Tromba's tequilas, from the terroir driven blancos and elegantly barrel aged reposados and añejos, to the all-Mexican Cafeto coffee liqueur. And just what is that green drink being paired with the blanco?Founded by a Canadian, with Master Distiller Lilia Quintero at the helm, they dig into Tromba's story to make pure, additive free tequila, paying respect to the people, heritage, land and quality distilling.You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miroki is away, so André is joined by guest host Guillaume Frénéhard — his business partner at 80x Wine Company, local foodie and snobby Frenchman. Guillaume recently made an annual pilgrimage to the CNE, and armed with blogTO’s rundown of the wildest new foods, made it his mission to eat his way through the Ex. From a foot-long butter chicken taquito to lobster on a stick has CNE food finally moved past “gross for the sake of gross” and back toward being genuinely creative — and delicious?Then, from carnival food to decidedly finer dining. André and Guillaume recently celebrated their birthdays at Barberian’s, the Toronto steakhouse institution that has been serving the city since 1959. With 80x’s Ruff Pinot Noir currently being poured by the glass, they headed in expecting great steak and ended up blown away by the service, the cavernous wine cellar and one of Toronto’s most formidable wine lists. A request for Côte de Nuits Burgundy also led André back to an old favourite: Domaine Pavelot’s Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Guettes — a wine that somehow keeps finding its way back into his glass.Has Guillaume managed to convince André that the CNE is worth another visit?You can follow Miroki on Instagram @9ouncespleaseYou can follow André on Instagram @andrewinereview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.