Pulled-pork parfait a fabulous find at Gourmet Expo

Giovanni Le Brasso shows a guest how easy it is to cut an 80-kilo wheel of Emmentaler at the Switzerland Cheese display at the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo in Toronto this week.

There are more wines to taste than is humanly possible in one evening and all kinds of fancy food to sample, but pulled pork was the clear winner in our hearts  and stomachs at the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo in Toronto this week. Not just any pulled pork but a perfect parfait served up at Hank Daddy’s Barbecue stand.

Pulled-Pork Parfait made by Hank Daddy's Barbecue, pictured with Hank's nephew Gordie.

Here are the ingredients: pulled pork, Hank Daddy’s Original Barbecue Sauce, mashed potatoes, more sauce, another layer of pork, sauce, potatoes, more pork and a topping of baked beans. Talk about an ultimate take on comfort food! No wonder Jennifer Bain raved about it in the Toronto Star after sampling the dish at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair last week.

For cheese lovers, there is a diverse selection of tastes to be had at the Gourmet Expo which runs till Sunday:

  • Cypress Grove Cheese from Northern California and Sobeys Ontario team up to present a divine plate of four goat cheeses made by Mary Keehn, one of the founders of the artisan-cheese movement in the U.S.
  • A delicious selection of classic and contemporary goat cheeses is available at the stand operated by Ontario Goat Cheese.
  • Devil’s Rock, a creamy blue cheese from Northern Ontario, and squeaky cheese curds are front and center at the Thornloe Cheese stand.
  • Major Craig’s Chutney is partering with two new artisan producers, Primeridge Pure and Seed to Sausage, to present a dynamite charcuterie platter.

Dairy Farmers of Canada is presenting winners of the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix in tasting seminars at the All You need Is Cheese stage.

Also participating in the Expo: Finica Food Specialties with Mariposa Dairy and other products,  Ivanhoe Cheese and Switzerland Cheese.

—Georgs Kolesnikovs

Georgs Kolesnikovs is Cheese-Head-in-Chief at CheeseLover.ca and founder of The Great Canadian Cheese Festival.

Major Craig’s Chutney: From India, via Ottawa, with love

Major Craig's great-great-grandson: Andrew Craig. Photo by Wayne Cuddington/Ottawa Citizen.

Have you ever had a favourite family recipe that your friends and family just couldn’t get enough of? That’s what happened to Andrew Craig of Ottawa with a chutney recipe that has a long family history.

For Christmas 2008, Andrew decided to gift his family and friends jars of the chutney they all loved and always asked for. He made three chutneys from the old family recipe called 1884 North India, Pomegranate Fig and a Date With Cranberry.

The gifts went over so well, he decided to put his 18 years in the food and beverage industry to good use. With the backing of his wife, and the urging from his father, Andrew named the chutneys after his great great-grandfather and put them on the market.

Major James Craig was a commissioned officer for the Indian Army in the late 1800s and worked for the East India Trading Company.  While in India, he created the family favorite recipe which was handed down over the next 125 years on an old recipe card.

Major Craig’s Chutney is made with locally grown produce. With an ingredient list that includes apples, onions, cranberries, squash and hot peppers all grown in Ontario, it is a tasty addition to the menu of those committed to the 100-mile diet.

Major Craig’s Chutney can be purchased online from OGourmet. They are also available from more than 30 stores in the Ottawa area as well as selected shops in Toronto and other Ontario locations. The Frazer Café in Ottawa features the chutneys on its menu.

Last month, the chutneys received the 2011 LIVERight Award, a distinction by the Canadian Liver Association to recognize food products that are healthy for the liver.

There are four chutneys made by Major Craig’s Chutney:

NORTH INDIA CHUTNEY

  • Discovered in 1884 by Major James Craig
  • A blend of sweet fruits, aromatic spices, onions and a hint of curry
  • A family favourite, served with grilled meats, chicken, burgers, mixed into stews and sauces, and even over top of fresh baked scones

A DATE WITH CRANBERRY

  • One of the original chutneys made as Christmas gifts
  • Made for special meals, it has become the new cranberry tradition for holiday meals
  • Especially good with roasted chicken, duck and pork chops

BIG PYTHON JERK CHUTNEY

  • A blend of sweet fruits and a mild Caribbean Jerk spice
  • Spread over meat before cooking, or toss it with some chicken wings
  • Fantastic with beef, with sour cream and nachos, burgers, and goat

WINTER BUTTERNUT AND BEER

  • Major Craig’s newest addition
  • Made with Beau’s all natural Lug Tread Laagered Ale, roasted butternut squash, red pepper, corn, apples and onions and spiced with fresh ginger and turmeric
  • Great for sandwiches, hotdogs, sausages, steaks, steamed veggies, rice and even on mashed potatoes

Major Craig’s Chutney will be a Featured Artisan Producer at The Great Canadian Cheese Festival taking place June 4-5 at Crystal Palace in Picton. The heart of Prince Edward County, Ontario’s hot new wine region and fastest-growing culinary destination.

—Gloria Fletcher

Gloria Fletcher has completed a post-grad Public Relations program at Loyalist College and currently is interning at Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation. She blogs about PR and other matters at Fletchgirl’s Blog.