There were many incredible taste experiences during the course of 2013. Here are few memorable moments in no particular order:
Sweet potato fries with Nutella at the Canadian National Exhibition: Hot, crisp sweet potato fries drizzled with Nutella and sprinkled with icing sugar. A highly memorable taste combination that kick started a new love for Nutella. I even tried dipping healthy dehydrated sweet potato chips in Nutella, an interesting snack.
Fig and walnut panforte from Volterra, Italy: Perhaps it was the hillside drive to Volterra, however, fig and walnut panforte from this small town in Tuscany was outstanding. Chef Melissa Saunders created a version in time for Christmas, the perfect accompaniment to cheese.
Holy Chuck burger and truffle fries: I like a good burger. At the urging of friends and colleagues in the neighbourhood, I finally tried a Holy Chuck burger this year. Truly one of the best burgers I have had. The fresh black truffle fries with cheese are also a taste sensation.
Ahi musubi at the Kahala: These are fried balls of rice with a center of ahi poke, the Hawaiian national dish. This dish served at the Kahala resort reminds me of arancini, the Italian fried rice ball with a Hawaiian slant in the poke centre and Japanese twist in the seasoning with furakake. Here is the recipe (I have not ventured to try it yet):
http://www.kahalaresort.com/blog/post.cfm/ahi-poke-musubi-with-king-crab-namasu
Growlers caramel icecream: Their caramel icecream is the best, with a delightfully rich taste and texture. Fogo Island is a bit of a journey, however, if you ever go there, Nicole’s Cafe and Growlers Icecream are a treat to be had.
Sauteed turnip greens with lemon: Turnip greens were an interesting discovery I made on Fogo Island. We picked up some items in what appeared to be a convenience store, and I noticed bags of turnip greens, so we bought some. Prince Charming sauteed the greens and seasoned them with lemon, very tasty and a new veggie discovery! Apparently turnip greens are usually boiled in Newfoundland, and we can certainly say sauteed can be tastier.
Gingerbread cupcake at DLish: This was a limited edition cupcake that I loved at first bite. Great texture with the right mix of cinnamon cream cheese icing. The DLish gingerbread cupcake is on par with a perennial favourite, the miette gingerbread cupcake in San Francisco
https://www.dlishcupcakes.com/