The premise of the event is simple: pay a $20 admission, then sample a variety of sweet things from around the world (there is no additional cost for the samples).  The list of countries includes France, Lebanon, China, some unspecified African countries (I’m for hoping Morocco), Italy, Israel, India, and more! My insulin levels are rising just thinking about it. The entertainment is rounded out by tunes spun by DJ Emily Jones, a live painting by Allan André, manicure by Westboro Spa, a speech by ribbon-cutter-in-Chief Mayor Watson and a silent auction.

The organizers are hoping to make this a mother’s day tradition, and not just by holding the event near Mother’s Day. The proceeds of the event will go to support St. Mary’s Home, a social service agency that provides support to young pregnant women, young moms and dads and young children, that is celebrating its 80 year anniversary in 2013.

We’re giving away two free tickets to the Desserts of the World Festival today on the blog! To enter the draw, just list your favourite dessert in the comments by 10pm tonight. Make sure to include your email.

Since I’m on Twitter almost all day, it’s not often I get the opportunity to talk about what I eat for breakfast, so you can imagine my delight when I was asked to write a few words about the breakfast offerings of Art Is In Bakery. “What if we sold people sandwiches in a warehouse?” is a question that was clearly asked during the planning stages of this not-so-hidden gem. You might notice it because it’s in a giant building with a big sign that says “Art Is In.” Someone thought this through.

Let me be absolutely clear—I love this place, but genuine praise isn’t nearly as entertaining as jovial criticism. So with that in mind:

1) There’s almost always a line in front of me. I want my food now, not later, so you can see how this is a problem. I’d like it if everyone reading this article would go to the bakery only when I’m not there. Thank you

2) I have to sell blood to buy croissants. “If you can’t afford to buy a croissant, then don’t eat one,” you say, proving to me that you’re an idiot who’s never had a croissant from Art Is In Bakery. Sure, hypothetical idiot, why don’t I just stop breathing? It’s not even my blood! Gimme a break. Anyway, their food is expensive.

3) Carbs can be bad for you! Come on guys, why can’t you make carb-free bread that still tastes as good for the same price? How hard can miracles be, really? Have you seen smartphones? Whoa! Those things are nuts!

With that nonsense out of the way and more nonsense to come, let’s talk breakfast: my go-to choice at the bakery is their bacon and egg on English muffin breakfast sandwich. The only problem with this is they don’t always have English muffins, so I have to pretend like I’m not crying for the rest of the day.

However, if I’m being honest for once, it doesn’t really matter if they’re sold out of English muffins. Any of Art Is In’s breakfast offerings are better than almost anything else you can find in this city. Maybe in the universe. I don’t go out a lot. Whether it’s an English muffin or a croissant or a piece of sourdough toast, you’re in for a mouth-treat. I like to follow up a delicious breakfast sandwich with a cup of strong coffee, then another cup of strong coffee, THEN THREE TO SEVEN MORE CUPS OF STRONG COFFEE.

My final verdict? I’ve spent hundreds of dollars at this bakery. What do you think my final verdict is? Please help me. Please.

Art Is In is located at City Centre, across from the dry cleaners. I wonder if they have some kind of deal there if you get your stains at the bakery? I’ll try this and find out for you. You can keep up to date with Art Is In Bakery’s various offerings @ArtisinBakery, where they post gorgeous pictures of food, because they’re terrible people who are trying to murder me with sugar.

Since @iscoff wrote this story, Art Is In has announced that they will no longer be providing bread for third parties. We’re currently chasing this story! Check back in a few days.

Anyways, this past weekend, the Hintonburg Public House invited us to judge their first annual Caesar contest. They assembled five cocktail enthusiasts and a whole bunch of Clamato juice for a Sunday evening of Caesars.

The winning drink for the night came from the HPH’s own bartender, Will Egan. And here, exclusively on Apartment613, is the winning recipe. Head over to the pub and order one of these from Will, or whip one up yourself.

The drink: Clamato, vodka, Sriracha and marmite syrup

Rim: crushed Doritos, dill, chili powder, horseradish

Garnish: Celery and strips of squash

It was an inspired creation, and the garnish looked great. Nice work to all the entries and thanks to the HPH for inviting us.

The basic format of the class has about 15 people creating a fantastic sit-down dinner, with all the tools, ingredients and resources provided. The chef plans out a series of dishes for the evening that consist of either stand-alone recipes, or several recipes that, once completed, will combine into one fantastic dish. Each recipe has its own assigned prep area that participants can choose to take on, though you are encouraged to walk around and see what everyone else is up to when you have a free moment. The best part of all this is that participants are guided and supported by the resident chef and staff who are on hand for the evening. So, even if some of the recipes look a bit daunting, there’s always someone there to make sure there aren’t any major snafus.

The evening began with a warm welcome from Barbara, one of the fabulous individuals who fielded a bevvy of questions from us “mini-chefs”.  Next, we were introduced to Tara, who used her skilled hands to keep the lot of us from burning down the kitchen. Tara also happens to be a chef at the Element (you can read about her upcoming World of Curries class here). Our chef for the evening was Anna March, who created the amazing menu we were about to indulge in. It consisted of a fabulous fish stew to start, followed by steak tartare, coq au vin and a beautiful tarte tatin with homemade vanilla ice cream and dulce de leche for dessert. Each dish was a combination of several smaller recipes that each participant had a hand in creating. I have to say, everyone in our group was a fantastic cook!

Apart from indulging in the final product, my favourite part of the evening was playing and creating in what I immediately recognized as my dream kitchen. Bright lights, acres of cooking and prep space, tons of excellent appliances and loads of fantastic ingredients, it was like walking into foodie heaven! We were essentially given the freedom to create some amazing things in a relaxed and supportive environment. It’s impossible to leave without learning a few things. I now know how to make steak tartare and how to properly mince things, be they vegetable or protein. The Urban Element’s classes are a must for any foodie or individual looking to pick up some skill in the kitchen while having a great time.

Spaces are limited for each class, so be sure to book early if you’re interested in checking one out. You can read about upcoming classes online, and if you have any intrepid youngsters looking to get cracking in the kitchen, the Urban Element has a kid’s camp scheduled for March Break.

Our first post  is particularly special: we got Juno-nominated musician Royal Wood to review the Back Lane Cafe, one of Ottawa’s most well-regarded new dining spots. And over the next year, we’ll be partnering with the National Arts Centre to bring you restaurant reviews by musicians who are part of the new all-Canadian NAC Presents concert series. Next up: a review by Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland of Whitehorse, who will be playing the NAC Theatre on March 23.

Where to begin? As a professional songwriter, performer and producer who’s dedicated his life to the arts, it might seem strange to be writing a restaurant review. But when you look at my background and current hobbies, it makes more sense than you might imagine.

I was raised on 100 acres of farmland outside of Peterborough that specialized in fruit trees, vegetables, and livestock. My parents loved cooking, and trained my siblings and I to cook from a very young age. I spent almost as many nights peeling garlic and chopping carrots as I did practicing piano. My folks believed in the power of fresh ingredients and hands-on cooking. Nothing was ever premade. Nothing came from a box. Our microwave was actually used to store cooking utensils instead of for heating popcorn.

I’ve also had a lifelong love affair with wine. I’m a budding sommelier, training at George Brown College in my spare time. (Being a touring musician, it’s a very stop-start process. But one day I’ll be able to wear the title of sommelier with pride!) My music career also means I’ve traveled extensively, and I’ve visited wineries throughout France’s Burgundy and Provence regions.

So let’s get underway. The ambiance at the Back Lane Café — which opened in Hintonburg in 2011 — was warm and inviting, full of people and full of life. The chatter and laughter in the room instantly made me feel at home — as did the fact it was nice and warm, especially considering the ice forming on the sidewalks outside. I was greeted with a smile and offered a glass of water to begin with, which I always appreciate.

The menu had plenty of options for even the most picky of foodie, so I excitedly planned my courses. To start, I ordered the green lentil soup, despite being worried that it would be beige and pureed to death. Instead, it turned out to be deliciously chunky, full of vegetables, lentils, and flavour.

My main course was the wood-fired New York steak with oatmeal stout jus, fries and aioli. Sadly, it turned out to be a slight disappointment. Though the array of vegetables on the plate was perfectly cooked (I like my veggies on the raw side, so these were right up my alley), the steak was closer to medium rather than medium rare, and slightly colder than a freshly cooked steak should be. Its flavour was wonderful, though, and had it been taken off the grill sooner, it would undoubtedly have deserved a gold star.

My wine choice was a perfectly big-bodied red blend of Syrah/Grenache to match the loud red meat. Hailing from Ventoux, the southeastern region of the Rhone, this wine had nice aromas of prune, undergrowth, chocolate and ripe black fruit. The producer was Vidal-Fleury, the Rhône Valley’s oldest continuously operating winery, grower and negociant.

But the end the meal turned out to be the highlight. The wine poached pear with pomegranate granita was something not of this earth. Consisting of shaved ice flavoured with fresh pomegranate juice and seeds, and topped with a red wine-poached pear, the dish left me refreshed and revived, wondering how something so seemingly simple could taste so transcendent.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Back Lane Café, and would with every confidence recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy a night out in Ottawa. Just be sure to order the granita!

Five years later, Eva Bee’s Jamboree was born as a web series featuring Eva in various kitchens with up-and-coming musical acts. Launched in September 2012, a new webisode goes up on the first Thursday of every month (there’s a new one on deck for today!)

Dishes prepared during each webisode offer a glimpse into the guest’s tastes while celebrating local, seasonal ingredients. The idea is to encourage people to find what’s local in their area; the environmental footprint is much lower while the quality of ingredients is much higher. Eva encourages people who are afraid to cook “because they tried it and sucked” to check out local farmers’ markets and grab what’s in season: “You don’t have to get fancy. The simpler, the better.”

This project comes to life at an opportune time. Foodie culture is flourishing, more and more of us are buying local and the internet is a wildly popular vehicle for independent productions like Eva’s.

So who is Eva Bee’s Jamboree for?

“I want to reach those who don’t really have exposure to or background in [food politics] so they can be inspired to cook locally and eat well.”

Even though the series films in Ottawa and showcases local ingredients and musicians, the show wants to emphasize that ‘local’ is wherever you are.

“It’s important to know where your food comes from. It’s not just fuel. It’s about being part of your community, a more holistic dimension to eating.”

Eva is also excited about motivating young people to get into the kitchen.

“[Youth] are old enough to pick up a knife, their minds are being broadened, they want to learn new things, but they don’t always want it to be from a preachy or educational point of view.”

Viewers of the Jamboree are also served a hearty helping of Eva’s signature quirkiness alongside each recipe. While whipping up the featured dish, Eva and her guests engage in an improv-y interview. Humour features large in the unscripted series: “I can see potential in comedic moments and I like to bring them out.”

In a sea of cooking shows, food porn and products geared toward foodies, Eva hopes to branch beyond people who love food. The Jamboree hits other notes so that fans of music, improv and even local tourism can get something from it.

Incorporating music into the show was a no-brainer for Eva. She studied classical piano and has been obsessed with pop culture for as long as she can remember. Parlaying those interests into her love of cooking just made sense: “Food sets the occasion for things. Music does too. Both are part of our every day life. Being in tune with both of those things can really enrich our lives.”

A self-taught cook, Ivana was taken under her aunt’s wing when she was found peering into the kitchen as a child. Her alter-ego, Eva Bee, was born when she launched her Ottawa catering business a few years ago.

These days, she’s the mastermind behind the popular sandwiches at Red Apron.

Eva Bee’s Jamboree is a collaboration with Luca Fiore, a freelance filmmaker (Valkaline Productions) with a forte in media tech. They are aiming to produce twelve webisodes of the Jamboree and from there, will “take a step back and see how we can grow this further”.

Don’t miss Amos the Transparent, featured on Apt613 last month, making parsnip poutine with Eva in the current episode of Eva Bee’s Jamboree, which should be live today. You can visit the Jamboree’s website, or contact her via Facebook and Twitter.

Donna Henhoeffer knows a thing or two about food. After running a catering company for ten years, she created Taboo Eats in order to “expose non-chefs, amateur cooks, and their best recipes”. This fall, she launched My Neighborhood Bites, to promote amateur cooks and their creative dishes. The event is “for anyone that is a cook, oven-lover, foodie, or someone who has great recipes,” says Donna. “I really want a mix of people from different backgrounds, and dishes that really reflect either old recipes or new creative ones.”

My Neighborhood Bites is a series of events running from December 15^th to May in neighborhoods around the city. Cooks – any cooks! – can apply, then will be chosen for the competition at a tasting event. Selected cooks will then be asked to prepare their dishes for the main neighbourhood event, where attendees will be asked to vote for their favorite dish. The winner of that neighborhood will then move on to participate in the final cook-off at the end of May. While the prizes for the winner or winners have not yet been finalized, Donna can confirm that the recipes included in the finale will be made into a cookbook available to all. “I’ve seen so many people come and go over the years, and there are so many great recipes out there,” she said. “I want to give an outlet to people to expose themselves and their dishes.”

The event also differs from traditional culinary experiences in the way that Donna distinctively reaches out to two markets: cooks and foodies. “The cooks have the opportunity to blend the action in the kitchen and the interaction with the public, which gives the diner the experience to meet the person who actually cooked the dish,” she explains. “People eat out all the time, so we wanted to make the event an interactive, entertaining dining experience.”

While the focus of the event certainly revolves around food, Donna is very enthusiastic about the community collective that these events will create for both cooks and attendees. “Every venue is going to reflect the neighborhood that we are in,” Donna explains. “For example, in Wellington West, we are going to be at Cube gallery; when we go to Centretown, we are going to be at Babylon nightclub. Every venue is going to reflect where we are situated.” The communal aspect of the events is also represented through the food donations made to the street mission at the end of each event. What’s more, local food banks will be present at each event, ready to receive monetary donations from the public. The proceeds for the cookbook produced at the end of the event will also all go towards the Ottawa Food Bank. “For me, it was really about including an exposure to the need to stop hunger locally,” says Donna. “People are more willing to give within their own community, that’s where it starts.”

My Neighborhood Bites has already generated a great amount of interest following its launch event back in September, where over 500 attendees were invited to sample 20 recipes ranging from over-the-top to traditional. In the end, a delicious blueberry and peach tart cooked by Justin Way was declared the winner, paving the way for many more outstanding dished to come. “I’d love to see a politician put out a dish,” says Donna, “We don’t want to discourage anyone from applying because you never know what you’ll taste!”

The forecast for the upcoming months is looking tasty for Donna, who continues to accept applications from cooks up to three weeks before the date of their desired event. With cook-offs lined up from Greely to Orleans, there will certainly be no shortage of flavor, or any reason not to brave the winter cold and help out the community by eating fantastic dishes. “The thing with cooking is that it can become really social and people can take their guards down while enjoying a meal,” explains Donna. “Food is a happy thing.”

My Neighbourhood Bites, Wellington edition, takes place this Saturday at Cube Gallery – get your tickets here! The deadline for cooks applying for the Centretown edition is December 12. 

This past Sunday we had the opportunity to experience The Pig Out, a truly unique and intimate outdoor dining experience right here in Ottawa. The event was the brainchild of Stephanie and Chantal Albert, along with Kelly Brisson of local gastronomy blog The Gouda Life. Initially we were excited to hear that the event was part of a new underground dining concept called Revelry House (more on that in a minute). But our excitement went through the roof when they announced that Chef Steve Mitton of Murray Street would be roasting up a pig for the event, the produce was being supplied by local farm Rideau Pines, and Kichesippi would be on hand to dole out the pints. As soon as we arrived at the backyard and were welcomed with warm cider, cool beer and some killer spicy corn bread, we knew we were in for a fantastic night! Check out the video below to see how things went.

Revelry House is a new food concept for Ottawa, billing itself as an underground restaurant.  Its owners envision it as a different kind of culinary experience, one that’s really focused on creating a comfortable, informal atmosphere where you can experience amazing local food and talent in the kitchen.  At the moment, Revelry House’s owners are being deliberately secretive about its whereabouts; it is, after all, a private home in a residential area. In the coming months though, it will begin holding small culinary functions while playing host to some of the best local chefs and produce the city has to offer.

After the last songs were performed by the likes of Steve St. Pierre and The Love Machine, we had the opportunity to sit down with Stephanie and Kelly to talk about their vision for Revelry House. You can listen to it here.

Doubling as a fundraiser for University of Ottawa campus radio station CHUO, the first annual Taste of CHUO brought together almost a dozen restaurants that offered everything from Ethiopian cuisine to Salvadoran dishes to Caribbean flavours.

Local brewer Kichesippi Beer also poured some of their tasty creations for those looking to wash down all of the tasty treats.

“The name ‘A Taste of CHUO’ is an invitation to the station,” explains Karen McHarg, sales and marketing director for the radio station and the event organizer. “I wanted it to be a bit eclectic because CHUO is eclectic…. It changes every hour.”

With the wide range of dishes on offer, McHarg definitely met her objective of providing a venue in which local eateries could advertise their distinct menus.

Wanting to try as many edibles as possible, I went to several tables to see what they had.

Habesha, located at 574 Rideau Street, served up an impressive set of samples. I tried two different portions: the first made with spicy lentils; the second a nice combination of cabbage, potatoes and carrots. Both servings were accompanied by injera, a flatbread with a spongy texture that is used to pick up the food.

A few tables away, El Tucan from 85 Montreal Road offered pupusas, a traditional dish from El Salvador made with maize flour that can be filled with pork, beans and/or cheese. Cabbage and hot sauce accompanied the meal. As someone who has eaten Central American food for years, I was impressed with the flavour and texture of the pupusas, which were delightful.

The Imperial Gastro Diner, meanwhile, had a wonderful plate made of double-smoked bacon, chorizo sausage and homemade manicotti. With a reasonable amount of spice this pasta plate was quite good.

All of this tasty food called out for a beer, so I ordered a dark lager, with the tongue-and-check name “Logger,” from the friendly folks at the Kichesippi Beer Co. The rich flavour was the perfect beverage for a very delicious meal.

“This is the first annual [event],” promises McHarg, who tells Apartment 613 that she would also like future food exhibits take place in the fall. “Our year always starts in the fall because of the school year.”

Among the other great venues represented at the food fair was the ever-popular TacoLot in Hintonburg, whose wonderful tacos are well known.

From across the bridge in Gatineau there was Le P’tit Grecque, located 264 Saint-Rédempteur, who served up Greek food, while back in Ottawa lovers of Caribbean cuisine could taste samples from Bananas Caribbean Grill and Take-Out in Orleans, Island Flava at 409 Dalhousie and Island Spiced, a local company that specializes in making Caribbean-flavoured hot sauces.

Completing this delightful collection of eateries was the vegetarian friendly Simply Raw Express, gourmet sandwich specialists Pressed from Centretown, and Fresco Bistro Italiano on Elgin Street.

For all of those who indulged in the food – and you can count me in this category – the friendly folks at Sage Wellness were offering up massages to relax.

On this week’s Apartment 613 Live, Ryan is our lonely host for an hour full of local happenings.

Last month’s Nuit Blanche was reportedly attended by something close to 30,000 people, and next year’s nuit can only get bigger. The art-filled night’s organizers are already in the planning stages, securing sponsorship and debating layouts. Nuit Blanche 2013 is planned for September 21^st. Visual Arts Editor Diane Bond joins Ryan by phone to offer her perspective on these early planning stages.

Next, Amie Beausoleil of Unshaven Mavens discusses the benefits of growing underarm hair for charity. Every October, Ottawa women sign up with Unshaven Mavens, vowing not to shave in support of Rethink Breast Cancer. Tonight, the Mavens are throwing a Red CarPIT bash to honour their supporters. Awards will be presented, including the “Jolie Pit” for the nicest armpit and the “Brad Pit” for the fullest hair growth.

The restaurant Union Local 613 recently ran into some difficulty when Service Ontario told them their name needed to change. The reason? The name might confuse people into thinking the diner was an actual union. Now that the province is allowing the restaurant to keep its name, co-owner Matt Stanton joins Ryan to tell the whole story.

This episode features music from Evening Hymns, Nero, Kalle Mattson, Diamond Rings, Hannah Georgas and Hollerado.

To catch this radio show live, tune in to CHUO 89.1 fm Wednesday nights at 9pm. And be sure to check out Taste of CHUO at city hall this Sunday.