I missed making cupcakes that I used to pass out in droves. My old cupcake recipe used buttermilk so I do not make them anymore. Living in China without an oven at my place has made my heart grow fond of baking again. I started tested out a couple cupcake recipes since I got back and I found one that I like so far.
Some of the recipes were a little too dry probably because I left them in too long because I was watching a CSI marathon on Spike while I was baking. The recipe I liked the most was a Carrot Cake Cupcake recipe from the Tiny Vegan Kitchen. Vegan carrot cake always tastes great. The icing is yummy too but I can only take icing in small quantities, it gets too sweet for me. The recipe calls for crushed pineapples and grated carrots, it’s not wonder why it is so moist. It’s a really yummy recipe. You should give it a try.
In Japan, they were getting ready for Valentine’s Day. The Japanese tradition is to have the ladies give men chocolate or other goodies. Some buy brand-name chocolates and others make their own. There were a bunch of stores selling silicone molds for chocolates and cakes. I bought a whole bunch because they were so adorable. They also had pre-made mixes for things miniature cheesecakes, miniature chocolate cakes, biscuits, and sugar cookies. I wanted to buy them all.
It’s not all about Summerlicious in the summer. There’s lots to do in Toronto during the summer months that involve yummy food. A Bread & Honey Festival this weekend, Toronto Drinks Show the following weekend (June 12-13), Toronto Taste (June 14), The Cooking Fire Theatre Festival (June 17-21), Taste of Little Italty (June 19-21), Father’s Day Brunch Cruise (June 21), Toronto Ribfest (June 26 – July 1), Strawberry Festival (June 28)
Fresh Wednesdays
Date: Every Wednesday (July 15 to August 26)
Time: 8 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Location: Nathan Phillips Square
Starting on July 15 until the last Wednesday of August, you can shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at the Farmers’ Market at Nathan Phillips Square and enjoy some live music. The Farmers’ Market at Nathan Phillips square will run until October 14–there’s just no live music.
Tasty Thursdays
Date: Every Thursday (July 16 to August 27)
Time: 11 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Location: Nathan Phillips Square
Starting on July 16 until the last Thursday of August, you can taste foods from some Toronto restaurants. Samosas, mango salads, vegetable spring rolls, and vegetarian sushi. All for $5 or less! This year they are starting to serve their food in eco-friendly containers.
Mariposa Cruises’ Fireworks Dinner Cruise
Date: Sat, June 27; Wed, July 1; Sat July 4
Time: 7:00 P.M. to 11:30 P.M.
Location: Toronto Harbour
Cruise around the Toronto Harbour on Captain Matthew Flinders for four hours while you enjoy the fireworks and a buffet-style dinner.
The 43rd Annual CHIN International Picnic
Date: July 1, 4, 5
Time: Noon to 11 P.M.
Location: Canadian National Exhibition
A music festival, picnic, sporting events, Mr. and Mrs. CHIN International Bikini Contests, petting zoo, K-9 Dog Challenge, and a 100,000 square foot bazaar at the C.N.E.It’s a great excuse for the family to go out and enjoy the sun.
Taste of Lawrence
Date: July 3-5
Time: 8 A.M. to 11 P.M. (Fri), 11 A.M. to 11 P.M. (Sat), 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. (Sun)
Location: Lawrence Avenue East (Warden Avenue to Pharmacy)
Enjoy Lawrence Avenue East without the smelly traffic and replace it with great food and lots of things for the kids to do.
Mariposa Cruises’ Fiesta Friday Dinner
Date: July 10
Time: 6:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Location: Toronto Harbour
Sail around the Toronto Harbour on the Mariposa Belle for three hours. Enjoy a Mexican buffet-style dinner with DJ, dancing and a cash bar.
Live Green Toronto Festival
Date: July 25-26
Time: Unknown
Location: Yonge Street (Dundas to Queen)
This festival will showcase hundreds of green products for work, home and play. Browse around and taste some local foods and listen to some live music. You can even get information on how to organize a project that will turn your neighbourhood green.
Irie Music Festival
Date: July 30 to August 3
Time: See Schedule
Location: Nathan Phillips Square and Queen’s Park
There are a whole list of events for the festival. The main events of the festival are reggae and world music performances but you’ll find lots of other things to do as well, including art vendors, Caribbean dance showcase and food.
Toronto Festival of Beer
Date: August 6-8
Time: 4 P.M. to 10 P.M. (Thu, Fri), 1 P.M. to 7 P.M. (Sat)
Location: Exhibition Place
Beer, BBQ, beer, live performances, beer, grilling demos, and more beer.
KRINOS Taste of the Danforth
Date: August 7-9, 2009
Time: 6 P.M. to 11 P.M. (Fri), Noon to 11 P.M. (Sat), Noon to 8 P.M. (Sun)
Location: Greektown; Danforth Avenue (Broadview Subway Station to Jones Avenue)
The ever populaire Taste of the Danforth takes place in the heart of Greektown. Enjoy music and food in the world’s largest Greek festival outside of Greece!
This year, Summerlicious runs from July 3 to July 19. Reservations will be taken for Summerlicious starting June 18, 2009. I’m told the “good” restaurants fill up quickly. By your standards, I’m guessing those are the restaurants that offer steaks and seafood, so I’m pretty safe.
I always say I’m going to go to Summerlicious, but I never end up going. The restaurant listing still lists which restaurants have vegetarian courses. This year, they’ve even included which courses are vegetarian in the menu. It might have been my wave of emails to every vegetarian-friendly restaurant to ask what was in each dish that didn’t look like it had meat, egg or cheese in it.
Summerlicious 2009 Restaurant Listing
Who knows? Maybe I’ll go this year. Has anyone seen a vegan list somewhere online for Summerlicious?