The last weekend in May the Secret Pickle Supper Club tookover Steeped and Infused – Jennifer Best’s fantastic tea shop in Leslieville.Long and thin, Steeped and Infused created one of the most intimate dining experiences we’ve ever had at a Secret Pickle, and as usual the Secret Picklers were lively and entertaining.
The menu was inspired by and incorporated a wide selection the fantastic teas avialable at Steeped and infused. Matt’s menu became an exploration of all that tea can bring as aningredient. And it brought it!
Jennifer Best, the founder of Steeped and Infused, educated us about each tea as it’s corresponding course was presented. She also presented each of the Secret Picklers with samples to take home.
We’re excited to announce that the next Secret Pickle Supper Club is being held at Steeped and Infused, a great new tea shop in Leslieville with our guest speaker Jennifer Best the founder of Steeped and Infused.
You can expect fantastic flavours, surprising combinations, and Matt’s signature quality on the plate. Matt has worked with Jennifer Best, the founder of Steeped and Infused, to hand pick teas and tisanes from her wide selection – Black, Green, Oolong, White, Roibos and Herbal – to explore the incorporation of tea into cooking.
The theme for the evening was Spring and each course was associated with a different Spring Festival from around the world. From Ostara to Korea’s Cold Food Festival, Carnivale de Ivrea to Holi, we ate our way through 7 courses of invocations and symbols of spring all presented through the playfulness of Chef Matt Kantor’s menu.
It was also Earth Hour, so at 8:30 we lit a second set of candles which were preset on the tables and Genna turned off all the lights at Loft404. Except in the kitchen, where it was safety-first. But one kitchen cooking for 33 people seems like a reasonable way to approach Earth Hour! We never bothered to turn back on the dining room lights. Which means some dark photos, but a great night! Read the rest of this entry »
As many of you know our first season of the Secret Pickle Supper Club was graciously hosted by Ryan Taylor at the Fair Trade Jewellery Company. (Thank you Ryan & Asaka, it was a fantastic ride!) But we’ve had to say goodbye, and we’ve been on the hunt for other venues to continue our group food adventure.
While we have been hunting, we’ve connected with some generous hosts who have invited us to join them in their space for a Secret Pickle. Never ones to turn down a great opportunity, we’ve decided to take them up on their offers, embrace the adventure and inspiration that each new venue brings, and announce the Season of the Traveling Pickle.
Each of the next Secret Pickle events will be touring Toronto’s open spaces. Some we’ll announce in advance, like February 12th’s event at Te Aro. Some we’ll be keeping quiet until tickets are purchased and we’ll share the venue only with the picklers joining us for that event. All will be fun food adventures into some cool spaces around Toronto. And you’ll still get the exciting food, great company and interesting conversation you’ve come to expect as part of the Secret Pickle.
Remember to sign up for the mailing list and watch your email for your invitations!
We’re excited about the themes and flavours that these new venues are inspiring and eager to see you all again. It has been way too long.
So put on your traveling shoes and let’s start the adventure.
Welcome back everyone! We’ve been on a long hiatus, rethinking what the future will look like and where we will be hosting future pickles.
Special thanks to Ryan Taylor for letting us crash for the first bunch of pickles. Fair Trade Jewelry Company is such an awesome space, and we were so happy to have held our events there. Ryan is a really awesome guy and remains a friend and collaborator on my future food-related happenings. But, as all things come to an end someday, Secret Pickle has set out to seek its’ fortune in the big city.
For the next pickle, we have a new home. We will be hosting our dinner at Te Aro, one of the best roasters and brewers of coffee in the GTA. And what a coincidence – its going to be a coffee theme. That right, each course has some wonderful stimulant in it, roasted by our hosts at Te Aro. Each course will have coffee rubbed, stuffed, infused, pureed, baked and dusted into various ingredients. This dinner will be February 12th, just in time for Valentines day!
Expect to see some meat, some mushrooms, and possibly some veggies of course. And wine – we will definitely have some wine. Oh and other alcohol. Oh and fish. Probably. Did I mention pastry?
Stay tuned for the official announcement. Don’t forget to join the mailing list, And Welcome Back!
Long and thin, Steeped and Infused created one of the most intimate dining experiences we’ve ever had at a Secret Pickle, and as usual the Secret Picklers were lively and entertaining.
For the next pickle, we have a new home. We will be hosting our dinner at