Tasting Together

"I think more people die worrying about how safe our food is, then actually how safe the food is." - Dennis Bulani Saskatchewan 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 an...

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 bite...

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...

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, a...

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 mo...

She didn't necessarily traverse many galaxies to smuggle in goods, but when Miroki spotted a bottle of one of André's beloved bourbons during a trip in the states, she agreed to cart it back for him. But perhaps her efforts mean little, as rumours are circulating that US alcohol may find their way back on Canadian shelves soon. Is this the move we want though? A recent Nanos survey says otherwise....

André and Miroki are joined by André’s younger brother Gilbert - and his two young sons Tristan and Kylin - to talk about the challenges and surprises of travelling through Europe with a self-described picky eater. Gilbert explains how his family balances adventurous eating with food aversions, texture sensitivities and the reality that sometimes not everyone wants to eat at the same restaurant. T...

André joins Miroki diving into his recent trip to Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where he put Canada's 100 Best Bars list to the test. He visited two spots on the list - The Narrows Public House (#12) and Dear Friend (#15) - and while The Narrows delivered a great, cozy meal, it was Dear Friend that truly blew him away. They take a look at what it takes to get on these lists - and how it feel...

Happy Canada Day from Tasting Together! We’re reaching into the way-back machine for one of our favourite episodes from our radio days: a Canada Day special that unpacks a hard to define question — What is Canadian food? André and Miroki dig into a deeper conversation about Canadian identity, multiculturalism, reconciliation, and the way food carries history, culture, and politics whether we like...

This episode is a litteral roller coaster - starting on a high note as Miroki got the opportunity to check out Playa Bowls a new restaurant that opens in Toronto on June 18. They then reflect on nomad culture - and proper etiquette when camping out in a coffee shop - especially given that so many restaurants are in a tough financial spot these days. And move to entertaining - André has been itchin...

André joins Miroki fresh from a short trip to the east coast. He had a chance to visit two wineries in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. He had a chance to visit Benjamin Bridge, and Lightfoot and Wolfville. There were many surprising moments he experienced while visiting the wineries - but none were more surprising than when he tasted a sparkling Rosé from Benjamin Bridge that gave him goosebu...

The cocktail scene has come a long way since Strawberry Daiquiris and Sex on the Beaches. Toronto has become especially rich with innovative cocktail spots, a number of which recently made it into's Canada's Best 100. Miroki was particularly thrilled to learn that Suite 115 , the place that currently makes her favourite cocktail (what is it?), is among the other prestigious locations on the list....

As wine aficionados, Miroki and André are always asked what is their favourite wine? If you don't know André's, you may have been sleeping on previous Tasting Together episodes. Miroki, however, has often said her favourite depends on her mood...until you see how her eyes light up when Syrah is mentioned. When folks talk about Rhône wines, it's often in reference to Southern Rhône, with its very w...

Argentinian Malbec is, without a doubt, a cornerstone for Canadian wine drinkers...Canada is Argentina's 4th largest global export market! With Malbec World Day having recently passed on April 17th, Miroki and André are reminded about the quality that Argentine wines present for the dollar. But there is so much more to the story of Argentine Malbec. It has a rich history from when the grapes first...

If you look at all of André's favourite dishes, you would think that chili would naturally be a part of his regular menu. Surprisingly, it's not! Not for the combination of ingredients, but from a lingering, unpleasant childhood memory. Meanwhile, why did Miroki polish off every, single grain of rice from all her plates as a child, while her sister would stubbornly sit at the table with half-eaten...

Trigger and content warning: In this episode, we discuss violence, which includes sexual assault. Hot kitchens. Sharp Knives. Loud voices. Cuss words. Those are the hallmarks of the back of house in a restaurant. And while there has been a level of glorification to being able to survive being toughened up the kitchens, the lines have too often crossed into abuse. A major shortcuming in the hospita...

Do you think you shop and eat local? What if we told you that to eat food sourced solely in Canada, that you would be giving up staples like olive oil, lemons, vanilla, and even black pepper? That's exactly the mission that Chef Hunter Guindon of The Table Culinary Studio has undertaken. Nestled in rural PEI, his restaurant stimulates the senses with an intimate 7 course dinner featuring not only...

As comedian Ronny Chieng says, "Gong Hay Fat Choy" isn't "Happy New Year"...it's "Hope you get rich!" Whether it's Miroki's Cantonese Lunar New Year celebrations, Vietnamese Tết, or Korean Seollal, festivities are in full swing during this period. As a first generation Chinese-Canadian, it's wonderful that Baker Joe of Wai Tack Kee is keeping Miroki's shelves full of delicious traditional Cantones...

Temperatures are frigid, but the month is hot with events and activities galore. Miroki and André give you a rundown of what’s exciting in February in Toronto and the surrounding region. Winterlicious will be just wrapping up, so now is the time to enjoy a great prix fixe in Toronto. André has found a new appreciation for spending a night out with Anja for Valentine’s Day, though he isn’t dining a...

January is generally a pretty blue kind of month, especially when the bombshell is dropped that 4000 restaurants will close by the end of the year. Emotions run high as customers and industry workers alike debate the reasons, trying to find one major factor to point the finger at. But sometimes the reasons lie in places we never consider. This is why we wanted to ask the best expert in the field....

André is not participating in Dry January this year. Miroki has never done it. Both discuss their relationship with alcohol as industry workers, and why going cold turkey for a month may not (or might?) be a sustainable decision to recalibrate drinking habits. Meanwhile, a sandwich has traveled all the way from Italian Star Deli in Regina, Saskatchewan to Toronto just so Miroki could see what the...

As you tune into this episode on New Year’s Eve, you suddenly realize, “Sacré bleu! I didn’t get any sparkling wine to toast in the New Year!” Well, don’t you worry, Miroki and Andre have gotchu. From baller Champagnes tasted this year, the last great secret deal hidden in Ontario *cough* sparkling wine *cough*, fun and fancy free Prosecco, they will keep you well stocked for the celebration wheth...

The holidays can be both a wonderful and chaotic time of year. What is Miroki and André doing to make Christmas and Hanukkah with their families a time of joy? Maybe it’s using the right kitchen tools to make cooking turkey a breeze (pssst André tells you what it is). Maybe it’s planning out the perfect white elephant so no one ends up with a strange reject mug. The two reflect on what is the most...

The cider scene may be on fire right now, but if we said apple wine vs cider, I think a few of us would suddenly don our snob caps. Either thought of as too sugary, or poorly made, fruit wine has had a bit of a bad rap. But Miroki has frequented Kawartha Country Wines up in Ontario’s cottage country since 2012, and has enjoyed a delicious array of wines made of everything from blueberries, rhubarb...

Andre has never liked caviar. Miroki has wanted to like it, but didn’t understand the hype from the ones that she’s tasted. That was before Grégoire Doulain of Axyon showed up and bewitched them both. A purveyor of truffles, caviar, cured meats, oysters and pantry, Grégoire is no stranger to the finer foods in life, and convincing you that it’s worth lightening up your wallet for these goodies. He...