Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Last Friday, two lovely little girls invited me over for tea. I brought them Lola Cupcakes from Eat My Words, the most delicious and beautiful cupcakes in Toronto, and in return, they gave me a full tour of their princess play house and pink doll collection – including their favourite, a doll also by the name of Lola. Together we set the table, put on our imaginary heels, and sat down for tea and cupcakes.

With all proceeds going towards the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Eat My Words not only treats those who enjoy a tasty tea-time indulgence, but it also treats those suffering from HIV and AIDS in Africa, too.

The cupcakes go for $33 a box (or $69 for the bigger version), cakes (between $79-$150) and pop-ets ($4.50 each). We’ve already had the grand opportunity to interview Sacha and Jeanne about their magnificent organization (read here), but see below for the pics from our Friday fun!

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

To order cupcakes or for more information about Eat My Words, click here.

– Emma Farquharson

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Every woman should know how to cook. Fact. Every man should know how to cook for said woman. Double Fact. But basic go-to meals like steak often turn out mediocre through over cooking, poor seasoning á la Mrs. Dash, or simply opting for a cheaper cut of meat (tenderloin isn’t always so tender on the wallet). So here is a fusion sauce that’s sure to beef up your date night and leave your significant other in awe of your culinary craft.

First, cut most of the fat off your steak. Raw gristle doesn’t turn into yummy gristle. Second, pour yourself a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon cause you’ll be here for the next ten minutes (See Drunk Kitchen for more info).

Now, cut up 6 oz of shiitake mushrooms into long, thin slices (roughly two handfuls. Stems removed.). In a pan, fry them up with some butter and ginger, then place aside. Next, heat up:

1/4 cup of butter
1 tbsp of minced ginger
1 cup of whipping cream
1/4 cup of sherry
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tsp of sesame oil
zest from 1 orange
1/2 tsp of chile sauce
diced coriander (optional).

Add in your mushrooms, and together, heat until sauce is at desired thickness (I usually do five minutes on high). Serve on top of your steak alongside a salad of your choice and voila. For the salad, make your own dressing by mixing together olive oil, Dijon, lemon juice and salt & pepper. It sounds like a drag when you can just buy a bottle of Kraft instead, but you’ll thank us later.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Looks pretty good, right? The thing with cooking is it’s all trial and error. Play around with the proportions (this recipe is for four steaks), add a few extra ingredients to make it your own – see what works. If all ends in disaster, just yell out “shiitake!” and make an omelette instead.

– Emma Farquharson

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Having British parents with refined tastes when it comes to pub grub, I feel I’ve been raised with a sense of appreciation for what’s good and what’s a little fishy. And after scouring the city for years, I’ve finally found a place that deserves the title “Best Fish ‘n’ Chips in Toronto”, The One That Got Away.

Located right at King and Portland, they’ve got a retro take-out vibe with very reasonably priced food (Haddock and chips is $7.99) and claim to only use sustainable, fresh fish. That should be a given, though. What really took me by surprise was the batter they used. It had the texture of a thin, toffee-like wafer with delicious sea salt and tangy lemon on top. Unique, light, flavourful, and comfortably settled in my stomach within five minutes. The chips were your average chips – thick-cut, skin on, classic British style chips. I’m more of a frites girl myself, but beggars can’t be choosers.

There was one crucial flaw, however. And perhaps that was the mistake my friend and I made in choosing The One That Got Away as our dinner destination – they don’t serve alcohol. To me, the experience of enjoying fish ‘n’ chips is all about having a flavourful British ale alongside it. And it certainly doesn’t help having the Bier Markt immediately across the street. Ah well.

Although open late (10pm-11pm depending on the day), our synopsis is to head here for quick and easy lunch fixes. It’s light, filling, almost healthy, and almost perfect. Their logo is sexy, their fish is sexy too, and the ambiance is fun and cheerful. A King West gem.

Courtesy of Daily Deal Tips

– Emma Farquharson.

How to grease up your cupcakes with a side of fries.

Courtesy of Google Images

We’re lovin’ it. If you’ve got a party coming up and you’re looking to wow your guests, try out this cheeseburger cupcake recipe and watch as they start drooling over these sensational sliders. Check out the surprisingly easy recipe below!

Ingredients:

Vanilla cupcake mix.
Chocolate brownie mix.
Sesame seeds.
Clear vanilla extract.
Yellow fondant.
2 cups of your favorite frosting (we like cream cheese frosting)
Red and green food coloring.

Directions:

Bake vanilla cupcakes per your favorite recipe, as well as chocolate brownies (filling only the bottom of the pan). Once cooled, cut each vanilla cupcake in half to make the “buns.” Brush the top of one vanilla half with clear vanilla extract (or honey) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Now, cut the chocolate brownies into patties (or if you used cupcake trays, remove delicately). Then roll out yellow fondant about 1/8″ thick for “cheese slice.” Cut a shape with 2.5×2.5” square cookie cutter.

Using red and green icing (of the tube variety) create lettuce and ketchup on your burger and serve with a side of fries.

– Emma Farquharson.