Warmth in the Bayou

Thanks to this man, chef John Folse, I escaped Toronto's relentless winter for a few days. I met John on his radio show - we talked about fat, then he invited me back and we talked odd bits. We hit it off and he asked me to come to Louisiana to teach a class and lecture about odd bits at his culinary college at Nicholls State University. I said yes without a moment's hesitation.

Tripe Truck

I was excited when I learnt that the Tripe Truck would be in my Paris neighbourhood in November. It was scheduled to be at Montparnasse twice in the same week: Monday and Wednesday. Monday arrived and I jumped on the 58 bus and headed to the station. I walked around and around the square in front of the station - no tripe truck.

Odd Bits in Toronto

As you know I'm passionate about odd bits like this beautiful piece of caul fat and convincing people to try them, every chance I get. My excuse for not blogging recently is that I have been working on a TV pilot. 

Saint Valentine

In honour of Saint Valentine's day I'm posting a chocolate bar. Of course I know you'll all be eating heart either as tartare or Peruvian heart kebab, what better way to declare true love? However, as I've already posted heart it's chocolate for today, but not just any chocolate. 

This is blood chocolate, that's right chocolate with blood in it, a health bar. So you can see I'm not the only one who combines chocolate and blood in a pudding or ice cream, they do it in the Baltic countries and Russia.

Alas this chocolate bar is not made with the highest quality chocolate. So I am challenging all chocolate makers, how about a high quality blood chocolate bar or a truffle for next Valentines?

Group of 7 Odd Bits Dinner

I've been looking forward to this night, since Scott from Beast and Matty from Parts and Labour first suggested it. As members of the Group of 7 Chefs they thought an Odd Bits dinner would be fun and a way to help them raise money for their trip to New York to cook at the James Beard House later this year. Importantly it would be a way for offal lovers and neophytes to try a range of dishes not often found on restaurant menus. All seven chefs picked an odd bit and created a dish. The list was bone and tendon, lamb kidneys, lamb tripe, tongue and testicles, pork heart, veal brain and pork blood.

Odd Bits Dinner in Waterloo

Last night I was at Nick and Nat's Uptown 21 in Waterloo. I met Nick last year at Savour Stratford, when we were both judging the Best Chef competition. Nick asked if I would participate in a cookbook dinner at his restaurant sponsored by the local bookstore Wordsworth Books. I said yes,  Nick had told me he loved my Fat book, authors always fall for flattery. Also I love this type of event, the chef does all the work and I have time to meet people who like my books and I can continue my mission of convincing people to try odd bits. Nick made my food shine and alas my photography doesn't do it justice - I had a camera incident - my flash had a mind of its own deciding when it would and wouldn't work, but I've posted the snaps anyway.

Something to watch

I'm off to Kitchener/Waterloo for an interview with Daiene Vernile at CTV Provincewide and then on to the Odd Bits dinner at Nick & Nat's Uptown 21, tonight. The menu includes testicles and chocolate blood ice cream, a full report soon.

In the meantime you can watch my conversation with Alison Fryer at the Cookbook Store in Toronto.

Versatile Heart

My resolution this year is to convince everyone to try odd bits. One of the most approachable and easiest to begin with is heart. This is a beef heart. Now if you are adventurous, you can buy a whole heart and prepare it yourself. It's not hard, all you need is time and a sharp knife.