We were initially split on attending a Social Media Smackdown or The World of Steak hosted by Mark Schatzker. The red meat won, but only by a little way. We wished we could have been at concurrent sessions, but the topper of the day was the keynote by Chef Fergus Henderson. The man responsible for re-introducing nose-to-tail, Fergus spoke in the way of a painter, but with food. Here are some choice quotes; "Capers are deadly, ferocious stuff", "Spleen, tripe, bone, cheek, giblets, it's all good, it's all delicious" and lastly, "With food, there is chaos, sadness, darkness, lightness."
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| Chef Fergus Henderson on the pleasure of dining. |
Just as I think there can't possibly be more delicious fare, my highlight of the day was a surprise out of nowhere. As I type these words, I am intent on snagging the first release of St Germain Liqueur, which will be out in the LCBO on March the 5th. That's right, we got to sample it before release. Distilled from wild elderflowers, the concoction is floral, fruity, yet not overly sweet and finished with a gentle mellow. It went down quickly and easily.
I left with both my belly and head full of the collective genius and insight of Canada's elite chefs, food writers, wine, food experts and business leaders. The Terroir Symposium is top of the line. It is no mere tasting reception, and I'll be back next year.
PS: As promised, here is our visual report on their "Secret Bagged Lunch". We snagged both a red and white wine option, and landed food prepared by Chef Alex Johnston of Provenance Cuisine and Scott and Rachelle Vivian of Beast. For more pictures of the day, click here: Terroir V Photos