Le Digestif #14: December 31st 2021!
Ten-ish Memorable Meals of 2021
Hi friends, and welcome to the final edition of 2021! I’m a sucker for end-of-year lists. I typically reflect on the books and meals that made my year and I’m so hyped to share the ten meals that moved, inspired, and changed me this year. On another note, I’m excited about the content in 2021! Expect more travel guides, long-form pieces, deep dives, and maybe IRL events (fingers & toesises crossed)!
Thanks for reading along this year, and if this sparks joy, please share!
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If 2021 were to have a catchphrase for me: it would be “we eating good”. 2020 was a year dedicated to falling in love with the culinary arts, and this year was a year of appreciating those who excel at it. After a month in NYC and trips to 6 countries, I fell in love with restaurants, took cooking classes with some incredible hosts, and even got an open invite to a fellow patron’s house should I find myself in Emilia Romagna again. It was amazing to experience food from a historical lens and appreciate its bounty through storytelling. So grab a glass and join me at the table cuz we’re about to dig into the meals that made my 2021!
Tartine’s Almond Croissants (homemade)
What is pandemic cooking if not spending copious hours bonding with laminated dough? While I’m a firm believer that some things should be left to the professionals, it’s nice to put myself in a simulation where I could own my own lil’ cafe. Making the croissants from my favourite SF bakery was no small task and involved 2 am laminating sessions, using my entire counter to shape croissants, and crying in front of my oven watching small pools of butter leak through the bake. The beauty of imperfect butter croissants is that they turn into absolutely perfect almond croissants. What’s the human equivalent of frangipane cream, almond paste, and patience because I will need that. Bakes like these are always awesome because they can give you a sense of confidence but also humble you like no one’s business.
No one ever gets croissants right on their first try but I’m really proud of how these turned out and will give them another rodeo in 2022.
Homemade Limoncello
Sometimes I wake up and choose “Can I make this thing from scratch?”. To celebrate the peak of citrus season, I purchased a Trader’s Joe Tote full of lemons and tried to figure out how many things I could make. After clocking in lemon curd, lemon pasta, and lemon bars, I decided to use the leftover rinds to whip up a batch of limoncello.
After 4 patient months of watching lemons sit in alcohol, I was left with the incredible fruits of my homemade distilling. I gave some away to friends, mixed it in a few cocktails, and reward myself with a little sip after a long day. This opened my eyes to the wonders of distilling and I’m excited to whip up a batch of orangecello for season 3 of the pandemic.
Dinner at Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
I don’t think I’ll ever win the lottery but I absolutely hit the jackpot when it comes to getting dinner reservations. The story of how I got this sweet seat is one I save for dinner parties but getting to experience the 9 best dishes from the famed Modena eatery was life-changing.
With the backdrop of Casa Maria Luigia, Massimo Bottura’s family estate, I got to hear Massimo’s childhood stories and kitchen fiascos that defined Osteria Francescana. It’s amazing how the five ages of parmesan could be considered Massimo’s love letter to the art of rebelling, the pasta al pesto in abstract began as a family mean gone horribly wrong, and the crunchy part of the lasagna was a beautiful expression of the Italian family meal.
Additionally, it was so special seeing Canadian chef Jessica Roval take centre stage. More power to women running the show at fine dining establishments. I think this meal was a wonderful way to kick off a week in Emilia Romagna, the Eden of Italian cuisine as it was an incredible way to be introduced to the facets of Italian hospitality.
Tortellini in Brodo, Castelfranco Emilia, Italy
The highest honour an Italian nonna can give is to invite you into their kitchen. Since I was 11, I’ve dreamed of making pasta and in a series of incredibly lucky events, my tour driver Alessandro arranged for me to make lunch with his mother, Nonna Christina, at their family restaurant. It was such a therapeutic afternoon getting to roll the dough, stuff each piece with a cheesy chicken medley, press, and roll. I thought college was hard but ensuring that my tortellini pieces met Nonna Christina’s exceptionally high bar was another ball game. Despite my very rudimentary Italian, we managed to bond over our love of food and the joy that comes with making it for our loved ones.
That day was also super iconic because I got to run in a parmesan factory after tasting fresh mozzarella, sipping 100-year-old balsamic vinaigrette, sampling a bevvy of gelato flavours, and eating breakfast at the cafe frequented by Ferrari employees. Just classic Italian things.
L'as du Fallafel, Le Marais, Paris
I’m a sucker for a good “straight off the plane” meal. I feel like whizzing through customs to settle into a good meal is the best way to start off any trip. Pleased to announce that the shawarma from Marais mainstay, L’as Du Falafel, is a new post-flight fave. There’s no better spot to embrace the magical bustle of Paris, eavesdropping to see if your French is still in check and taking fashion tips from passers-by. Ok, where was I, the shawarma sandwich is a must topped with as many pickled goodies and hot sauce that you can possibly fit. Also convinced that it tastes better with an ice-cold Coke.
To cap it off, the 10-minute walk to the banks of the Seine was the perfect spot to savour your sando and soak up that Parisian sunlight!
Summer Tasting Menu at Actinolite, Toronto
“You know what they say, good things grow in Ontario!” Since I was a kid, this jingle has been ingrained in my head, reminding Canucks of the beautiful homegrown produce. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team at Actinolite sang this during prep time. This entire dinner was a beautiful tribute to fresh summer produce. Tucked away on a residential street in downtown Toronto, the outdoor dinner was full of beautiful surprises. There was no menu to look through beforehand, making every course even more special. The golden watermelon, heirloom tomato salad, corn sorbet topped with macerated blueberries were standouts from dinner.
Huge thanks to my friend Brandon for snagging the reservation. Catch me there this winter bundled in my parka.
Paella & Pavlova, Mexico City
Dinner parties are my love language. Nothing sparks more joy than whipping up goodies in the kitchen while friends sip on wine and munch on snacks waiting for the feast. A few weeks into my CDMX trip, I had amassed enough homies to throw a Sunday night shindig. New pal Adrian decided to whip up two fantastic paellas, allowing us to enjoy the bounty of Mexican seafood a la casa.
My favourite thing is to pair incredible meals with dessert, and what better way to pair a hearty paella with a light, airy pavlova. Pavlovas are already a finicky dessert, and accomplishing them at a high altitude is another challenge. However, it turned out beautifully; the passionfruit that my pal Jess acquired was the perfect topping. Now I can envision a dinner party if I ever move to Mexico City. Special thanks to my friend Zahir for hosting in his immaculate apartment.
Oaxacan Market Charcuterie, Oaxaca, Mexico
In the art of slowing down, you need some accoutrements to go with your rest time. With the help of my broken Spanish, I got caught in conversation with a shopkeeper who encouraged me to slow down. In true Oaxacan fashion, she set out a little spread of chapulinas (fried grasshoppers), ajo fritos (fried garlic), and quesillo (Oaxacan cheese, v similar to mozzarella.) Getting to try all three delicacies was this fantastic combination of sweet, salty, and creamy that was needed after a long day of shopping and eating. Once again, I got to experience the shared bond of loving food, which transcends languages.
Tamales con Mole Negro, Oaxaca, Mexico
Sometimes the best meals come from the most humble places. On a walking food tour of Oaxaca, my guide took a slight detour to her favourite breakfast spot in the city. But, see kids, that’s what you get when you’re an eager foodie. Tucked away in the corner of Mercardo Sanchez Pasquas, Minerva wheels out her little tea towel-covered gimmick and has been doing so since she was 15. Blink, and you will miss it. Her speciality, chicken tamales stuffed with black mole and steamed in wrapped banana leaves, are a hot commodity item and almost always sell out by 11 am.
I know that there is no way in san jose I can remake these, so that I will daydream about it until my next trip!
Choza, Roma, Mexico City
I still need to fact check, but I am convinced Mexico City has the most speakeasies per capita. It seems like all of the new popping spots are behind quaint taco spots or parking garages. After running the ship at Llama Inn, Tyler Henry packed up his knives and headed to Roma Norte, where he opened up Choza, a two-floor spot.
The low light bar, tastefully decorated with Murakami books and Tyler’s shirts, serves excellent cocktails and natural wines at night. In addition, there is an exceptional menu paying homage to Thai and Peruvian flavours on weekends. The menu changes depending on what Tyler and the team can find at the market, but standouts included the ceviche, wagyu Smashburger, and the chicken roti! I really enjoyed the vibe of this place because it is the perfect pairing of rustic decor and exceptional grub.
If you ever find yourself in Mexico City, mosey down to the corner of Monterrey & San Luis Potosí and peep the blue building.
There are far too many peeps to count but thank you to everyone with whom I shared a drink, meal, or snack this year- you made dining fun!
Thanks for reading along! If you have any recipes, restaurants, or recs that were memorable in 2021, please let mI’mnow. I’m excited to try them 🙂
Catch you in 2022!
Your friend in food,
Abena