Taste Canada Awards 2013 Short List

August 1, 2013

Canadian Whisky on Taste Canada Book Awards Short List

Taste Canada―The Food Writing Awards drew 64 submissions this year, a brilliant snapshot of the vibrancy and diversity of Canadian culinary publishing.  The winners will be announced, together with the names of the jurors, at the Award Ceremony and Gala Reception on Monday, 4th November, at the Arcadian Court in Toronto.Taste Canada is delighted to announce that the CBC has joined the 2013 awards as a media sponsor.  Stefano Faita of CBC TV’s In the Kitchen will host the November 4th gala, and the CBC will offer exposure of the awards, on all of its platforms.  Details of an exciting new CBC prize that will be added to the Taste Canada line-up will follow shortly. CULINARY NARRATIVES:Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert. De Kergommeaux, Davin. McClelland & Stewart. Join whisky authority Davin de Kergommeaux on a pan-Canadian journey from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, on a journey through the first systematic presentation of Canadian whisky: how it's made, who makes it, why it tastes the way it does, its history, and the rich, centuries-old folklore surrounding it.“Fascinating to read;” “Very well researched and presented” - The juryFrench Kids Eat Everything (And Yours Can Too). Le Billon, Karen. HarperCollins Publishers. At once a memoir, a cookbook, a how-to handbook, and a delightful exploration of how the French manage to feed children without endless battles and struggles with pickiness, French Kids Eat Everything features recipes, practical tips, and ten easy-to-follow rules for raising happy and healthy young eaters—a sort of French Women Don’t Get Fat meets Food Rules.“The research is impressive.” “Timely and relevant for a whole new generation of parents;” “Delightful to read” – The juryMenu Confidential: Conquer the Calories, Sodium and Fat Hiding in the Foods You Love. Ogilvie, Megan. HarperCollins Publishers. Packed with information you won’t find anywhere else, Menu Confidential tells the nutritional truths about Canada’s most popular foods, from delicious sit-down dinners to quick meals from the grocery store to tasty treats from the drive-thru.“Information exceptionally well presented and easy to understand;” “Good job on research” “Easy-to-navigate format” – The juryGENERAL COOKBOOKS/LIVRES DE CUISINE GÉNÉRALELynn Crawford's Pitchin' In: 100 Great Recipes from Simple Ingredients.  Crawford, Lynn. Penguin Group Canada. Lynn Crawford’s Pitchin’ In chronicles Chef Lynn Crawford’s road trip across North America, describing the people she meets, the land, and of course, the food.”“Promoting the right way to shop, cook and eat now and for the future: locally, sustainably, and seasonally;” “Beautiful typography, gorgeous photography, and well-written recipes” – The jury Canada's Favourite Recipes.  Murray, Rose and Baird, Elizabeth. Whitecap Books.Canada’s Favourite Recipes is not only a treasury of classic Canadian recipes but a visual cornucopia of home-cooked food. Many of the recipes are complemented by personal anecdotes and recollections from the contributors about how the recipe came to be, the origins of the ingredients or the importance of the dish in their family traditions, culinary heritage or home regions. “Recipes cover a broad-enough range of topics to keep the home cook riveted for some time;” “It covers everything you might ever want to cook, bake, preserve or sip and it reads in places like a diary.” – The juryFast Flavours: 110 Simple Speedy Recipes. Smith, Michael. Penguin Group Canada.Fast Flavours is all about making great meals in minimal time. Full of flavour, these fast and simple recipes will get you cooking every day of the week without spending too much time in the kitchen. “Recipes are a lifesaver for busy weeknights and will inspire the home cook to get in the kitchen;” “The dishes are non-threatening and most of the ingredients are widely available or in the pantry already.” – The jurySoupsoupe à la maison.  Dumas, Caroline.   Flammarion Québec. Après le succès de son premier livre, Caroline Dumas nous ouvre grand la porte de chez elle avec ce deuxième ouvrage très personnel. Les soupes, qui font la réputation de ses restaurants à Montréal, y occupent une belle place : elles sont colorées, parfumées, parfois exotiques et toujours simples. Les salades rivalisent d’originalité et les sandwichs sont si généreusement garnis qu’ils en deviennent parfaitement santé. “C'est un livre que je voudrais acheter pour ma mère. Il est amical, réconfortant et jolie;”  “Livre sans prétention mais … extrêmement intéressant”- Le jury À la bonne franquette.  Fauber, Lynne, ed.  Les Éditions Transcontinental. Fort du succès de la première édition, récompensée au prestigieux concours de Cuisine Canada, À la bonne franquette met les bouchées doubles et vous présente un survol unique du Québec gourmand avec pas moins de 120 chefs provenant de tous les coins de la province. Du jamais vu! “C’est un grand livre très attrayant  à regarder, bien organisé et bien développé;” “ Une bible pour les cuisiniers de tous âges “ - Le jury. Toqué! Les artisans d’une gastronomie québécoise.  Laprise, Normand.  Les Éditions du passage. Enfin un livre sur et par le fameux chef Normand Laprise du Toqué! Avec Toqué! Les artisans d’une gastronomie québécoise, Normand Laprise revient sur sa philosophie et son désir de changer l’image de la cuisine québécoise. Le livre présente la carrière du chef, son enfance, sa formation, ses mentors, ses sources d’inspirations. C’est aussi l’occasion de présenter toutes les personnes qui l’ont aidé à faire de son restaurant un des meilleurs établissements d’Amérique du nord.”Je ne peux en dire assez sur ce livre! Une vraie beauté;” “Pour les recettes,  la dynamique inspirant, la progression des travaux fait qu’elles se réalisent sans anicroche” - Le juryREGIONAL/CULTURAL COOKBOOKS Burma: Rivers of Flavor. Duguid, Naomi.  Random House of Canada. With simple recipes for food that manages to be elegant and earthy at the same time, plus stories of a place and a people that inspired Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, and George Orwell,     . . . the book features photographs throughout—of the finished dishes, of people, of a hauntingly beautiful land—as well as travel tips, a history of Burma, extensive glossaries, and a bibliography. “A very in-depth cookbook that reflects a lot of research and time spent with locals;” “I have confidence in the authenticity of the information, recipes and ingredients.” – The jury Modern Flavors of Arabia: Recipes and Memories from My Middle Eastern Kitchen. Husseini, Suzanne.  Appetite by Random House. Modern Flavors of Arabia takes you on a culinary journey to the Middle East to explore a food culture that spans centuries. Suzanne's stories and ideas on how to serve each dish accompany the beautifully illustrated and easy-to-follow recipes. “I really came to feel as if I had travelled through this region, with the author as a seasoned and warm guide;” “I do love the look of this book and the colourful photos make me want to try the recipes.” – The jury East Meets West: Traditional and Contemporary Asian Dishes from Acclaimed Vancouver Restaurants. Yuen, Stephanie.  Douglas & McIntyre. The first book of its kind, East Meets West is a celebration of the city’s Asian food and a mouth-watering compilation of distinctive dishes from its most talented—but often unheralded—kitchens. Veteran food writer Stephanie Yuen brings together a collection of recipes showcasing both traditional Asian foods made with fresh ingredients from the Pacific Northwest Coast and modern classics inspired by Asian flavours and techniques.“The short stories and descriptions to the side of the recipes . . . offer a bit of insight and are a quick read.” “Beautifully photographed and exceptional writing” – The jurySINGLE-SUBJECT COOKBOOKS/ LIVRES DE CUISINE SUJET UNIQUE The Book of Kale: The Easy-to-Grow Superfood; 80+ Recipes. Hanna, Sharon.Harbour Publishing. Kale-evangelist Sharon Hanna provides more than eighty simple but superb recipes. This garden-to-kitchen guide gives readers all they need to know to grow this super-sustainable crop organically—as edible landscaping, on balconies and boulevards and even indoors.“It has real personality and charm and the overall results are delicious.” “The book has integrity, heart and pure deliciousness.” – The jury The Complete Preserving Book. Mine, Tina Anson, ed. Les Éditions Transcontinental. The  ultimate canning reference, packed with the best Tested-Till-Perfect preserves ever created by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. . . . You'll even find seasonings and liqueurs that preserve the fresh taste of summer's bounty. With step-by-step photos, up-to-date techniques and Canadian Living's cooking expertise.“The recipes are inventive and show a wide range of knowledge;” “A well-produced and designed book with reliable recipes” – The juryThe Vegetarian's Complete Quinoa Cookbook. Smith, Mairlyn, ed. and the Ontario Home Economics Association. Whitecap Books. This book  features over 125 recipes, contributed by professional home economists, for quinoa-based meals that can take you right through the day. Every recipe is complemented by a full nutritional profile and is less than 500 calories. Many of the recipes are gluten free.“A useful and inspiring book for the audience intended;” “Good quality information, well organized, thorough in content” – The juryLes desserts de Patrice. Demers, Patrice. Les Éditions de l’Homme. Le chef pâtissier Patrice Demers vous guide étape par étape dans la réalisation des grands classiques de la pâtisserie.“Pour les amateurs de pâtisseries et même les cuisiniers professionnels, le livre est très bien écrit”- Le jury La mijoteuse : de la lasagne à la crème brulée. Larrivée, Ricardo. Les Éditions La Presse. Ricardo est tombé en amour avec la mijoteuse en créant ce livre de cuisine, lui qui la boudait depuis longtemps! Il nous propose des recettes savoureuses, allant du chou farci étagé à la joue de veau braisée aux figues en passant par les côtes levées et la traditionnelle lasagne. Tout se veut simple à préparer, goûteux et économique. Et pour les dents sucrées, de belles surprises telles que les brownies, la crème caramel et le gâteau au fromage. De quoi sortir la mijoteuse de son rôle traditionnel!“Recettes recherchées, simples et efficaces;” “Très beau livre de référence pour tous les niveaux d’expérience culinaire”- Le jury Cabane à sucre Au pied de Cochon: Le sirop d'erable. Picard. Martin. Restaurant Au pied de cochon. Cabane à sucre Au Pied de Cochon est un livre qui porte sur un produit d'exception, sur la rencontre d'un grand chef avec un sucre naturel et rare. À mi-chemin entre le livre d'art et l'encyclopédie culinaire, cet ouvrage est aussi unique que la réputation internationale du restaurant Au Pied de cochon. “Brillant et original. Un thème qui est évidemment très proche du cœur des Canadiens;” “C'est un livre d'art”- Le jury Taste Canada―The Food Writing Awards is an evolution of the former Canadian Culinary Book Awards.  These newly branded Awards will annually continue to recognize and celebrate superior writing and publishing throughout Canada’s culinary world, both English and French, while acknowledging and respecting the authority and history of the original Awards.www.tastecanada.orgCanadian Whisky: The Portable Expert at Chapters/IndigoCanadian Whisky: The Portable Expert on Amazon.caCanadian Whisky: The Portable Expert on Amazon.com (worldwide)