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TERRONI
MAGAZINE
Featured Region
EMILIA-ROMAGNA
TWO BROTHERS, AND
TERRONI VETERANS,
BRING A FRESH TAKE
ON NOURISHING FOOD
TO QUEEN ST. W.
What's eating
Albion Macleod?
Who cares:
he looks like
Johnny Depp
Two Terroni junior
executives take a meeting
with the Cake Boss.
Plus, belly buttons, Venus
and tortelloni. Oh my!
ISSUE Nº3
WINTER 2012
Publisher
Elena di Maria
Editor-in-Chief
Jessica Allen
Design
Small
Staff Photographer
Stephanie Palmer
CONTRIBUTORS
Assistant Editors
Tara Downs
Natalie Urquhart
Copy Editor
Elizabeth Pagliacolo
Columnists
Giovanna Alonzi
Max Stefanelli
Natalie Urquhart
Contributors
Quinn Danielis
Irene Dongas
Rick Kang
Sandra Kang
Per Kristiansen
Kio Reid
Gianna Sami
Mark Venturi
Admin. Managers
Patti Shaw
Karina Watsone
Many thanks to
Stephen Alexander,
Bella Alexander
Nic Carlino
Simon Gadke
Dale Heslip
Sol Korngold
Albion Macleod
Anna Mammoliti
Cosimo Mammoliti
Vince Mammoliti
Cosimo Pagliacolo
Jacob Sharkey Pearce
Lucas Sharkey Pearce
Carla Sorbara
T Magazine
Headquarters
720 Queen St. W.
Toronto, M6J 1E8
For inquiries and
comments please email:
[email protected]
Follow us on
Twitter (@terronito)
and Facebook
(Terroni and Terroni:
Los Angeles), and don’t
forget to click “like”.
Shawn Ayers
Shawn is a lifestyle journalist from Vancouver with a passion for pop
culture and fashion. He’s done on-camera reporting in Toronto, and dished
with celebrities for Life & Style magazine in New York. He can also be found
quipping to customers at Terroni Queen St. where he’s been a server since
2009. In his spare time, Shawn flexes his comedic muscle at Second City –
when he’s not at the gym, of course. Follow him on Twitter: @Shawn_Ayers
Rick and Sandra Kang
Rick Kang writes ads, draws album covers and makes comics. He’s also single—and desperate, apparently. Peep his stuff at kangski.tumblr.com. Sandra
Kang is the Art Director of V Magazine. She also draws comics and makes
great lunches (cuz how else you gonna compete with the lunch spots in
Manhattan?)
Per Kristiansen
Per Kristiansen is an advertising and fine arts photographer whose commercial work appears regularly in print media across North America.
A personal project on Lake Ontario's break wall in West Toronto showed
at last year's Contact Photography Festival, and enjoyed a formidable
reception. Per continues to expand on the break wall project in Toronto,
were he lives with his wife and daughter.
Gianna Sami
Gianna is one of Terroni's more recent imports from Los Angeles. Starting
as a manger at the now relocated Balmoral location, Gianna now works at
Cavinona, Terroni's exclusive wine supplier, where she gets to think about
wine all day—and get paid for it! When she's not thinking about wine, she's
probably thinking about food.
Printed in Canada
Paper : Rolland Enviro 100 Paper
2
THE TERRONI INDEX
COME AND
GET IT
Compiled by
Jessica Allen & Tara Downs
Percentage of wine vs. other alcoholic
beverages consumed by Italians:
73% vs 13%
§
Litres of wine Italians
consume in a year: 98
+
Litres of wine consumed at the
Terroni Halloween fundraiser: 38
‡
Number of grape varietals found in Italy:
800 +
×
Number that have been catalogued by
Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry:
nearly 400
~
Grape varietals represented on
Terroni wine lists: 60
‡
Countries represented on
Terroni wine lists: 1
+
Countries represented at this year’s
Toronto International Film Festival:
over 60
~
Number of films screened
at TIFF this year: over 300
×
Number of tortelloni handmade by Terroni
for the Pop-Up Grey Goose Soho House
during TIFF: 3,438
§
Lives changed after consuming said
lobster-stuffed tortelloni:
1 (Gossip maven Lainey Liu)
‡
Italy’s vs. Canada’s rank on the World Bank’s list
of “ease of doing banking with”: 87 vs. 13
+
Rank of Namibia: 78
×
Terroni’s rank in Now Magazine’s 2011 Best
Italian Restaurant list: 1
~
Winners of this year’s World Top Restaurant
awards that are located in Italy: 3
§
In Canada: 0
Years Berlusconi held political sway over
the Italian Republic: 17
×
Years Mussolini ruled Italy: 21
§
Year that an Italian company
designed a mattress for sex
rather than sleeping: 2009
~
Number of times a week Berlusconi’s
doctor said he’s physically and
intellectually fit for sex: 6
×
Number of non-confidence
votes Berlusconi has survived since
2008’s general election: 51
~
Number of times he’s been
interrogated (his own count): 577
+
Nickname of Macintosh’s LC series of desktop
computers first launched in 1992: Pizza Box
‡
Amount of RAM included in the first LC:
2 MB
~
Amount of RAM included in a 2011 iMac:
4096 MB
§
Metric tons of extra-virgin olive oil Italy
exports in a year: 80,000
×
Percentage of this that arrives at
Terroni annually: .035
§
Average number of olives that go into
making one liter of Terroni olive oil: 1,375
~
Number of Craig’s List Missed Connections
that have occurred this year at Terroni: 2
×
Year that Italy celebrated its
150th anniversary: 2011
‡
Year that Terroni will celebrate its
20th anniversary: 2012
+
Number of Terroni
employees in 1992: 3
~
Number today: 400
HOW WE MAKE
LASAGNA ALLA BOLOGNESE
by Shawn Ayers
photos by Stephanie Palmer
ON
an autumn afternoon, the prep
kitchen in the depths of Terroni
Adelaide, a former courthouse, feels more
like a venerable old Italian home than a
restaurant. Stone walls and low ceilings surround large stoves laden with simmering
pots where several cooks are preparing the
family meal for staff. One of them is actually
singing an Italian love song, seducing me
like a scene from a Fellini film. Meanwhile,
two chefs — Theva and Valentina — begin
preparing lasagna alla Bolognese. And like
most great recipes, this one is a labour of
love. Terroni has been baking the traditional dish from Emilia Romagna for years now.
They begin by making spinach pasta dough
specific to the authentic version that are
rolled into large, thin sheets and boiled with
great care, so they don’t fall apart. Next, they
prepare the Bolognese sauce: fresh ground
beef and various cuts of pork, including
prosciutto, are added to a sofritto of onions,
celery and carrots. The ragù is finished
off with tomatoes, red wine and a touch of
nutmeg and left to simmer for over five
hours. Then they make the béchamel sauce
and after it all cools, the layering begins: the
chefs work in tandem like a well-oiled machine, laying down the pasta sheets in large
baking trays and then delicately covering
them with a coating of the Bolognese and
then the béchamel, plus a dusting of freshly
grated Grana Padano cheese. Béchamel and
small jewels of the ragù top the fifth and
final layer. The trays are delivered to the
other Terroni locations where they’re baked
for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Preparing one tray would be a feat in itself,
but the team knocks out six to eight of these
at a time, using 12 sheets of pasta per tray, a
few times a week. It’s a gastronomic symphony to watch, and even more exciting to eat.
(I had a piece for lunch!) If it’s on the
specials menu next time you’re in, follow
my lead and sit down with a piece and a big
glass of red wine. Be warned though: you
could very well fall in love.
SOMEONE’S IN THE KIT C HEN WITH
THE SHARKEY PEARCE BROTHERS
On a recent Friday night, the boys, who cut
their restaurant chops at Terroni, cooked
up a four course feast for a dozen wise–
cracking eaters, including Cumbrae owner
Stephen Alexander and his wife, Bella. The
setting? Cosimo’s kitchen, of course.
<< Jess >> (to Lucas) I need to talk with. What
the hell’s going on? There’s a restaurant
opening up where Bar One used to be, and
you and your brother are behind it, correct?
<< Cosi >> And tonight we are deciding the
name of the place.
<< Jess >> (to Lucas) Are you comfortable
with that?
<< Lucas >> I’m fine with it. I like the name
Bear Cub. It’s actually not a great restaurant
name but it’s the nickname of the chef.
<< Cosi >> You have to tell everybody at the
table tonight as much as you can what the
place is about and then at the end of the
night we’re going to all write a name from
your shortlist on a piece of paper. And if we
don’t come up with something, I’m going to
call it Casa della Mamma.
<< Lucas >> I wanted to call it Mother Bear
or Bear Cub. Those are all “idea” names. But
the short list is partly historical — names
that have meaning for whatever reason, and
are connected to us or the place. And there
are names that are connected with the food
but I don’t want it to be something you have
to “get”. I just want it to be a word.
<< Cosi >> I like the sound of a one-syllable
name, like Ter–ron–i. Just one syllable. Nice
and simple.
<< Jess >> laughing
<< Lucas >> I like simple. You don’t have to
get what it means to say it and remember
it. We were going to put a constellation of
Ursa Minor on the front wall and not have
any name. You know Jacob’s nickname is
Bear Cub. But that image might be there regardless of the name. What we do know is
that what we’re putting on the plate is not
exactly normal, but it’s very classic.
<< Jess >> What is it that’s not exactly
normal?
<< Lucas >> We want to share what we’ve
learned over the last five years. We’ve been
working with professional athletes, patients
in hospitals, very poor people, very, very rich
people and mostly we found that they’re in
the same situation: that there are dietary
factors that you can’t control. We feed them
things that are right for their needs but
without stepping on their practical or emotional concerns. We don’t want to come up
with a diet plan for you. But technically in
the kitchen the methods are very reduced:
what’s the maximum temperature that we
4
5
CHEF JACOB SHARKEY PEARCE
HAS RISEN THROUGH THE RANKS
OF TORONTO KITCHENS AND
SINCE 2006 HE AND HIS
BROTHER, LUCAS, HAVE RUN
THEIR OWN FOOD CONSULTING
BUSINESS, TWO BROTHERS INC.
can take something to? How long can we
cook it? So we’re picking our techniques
and processes very carefully and then trying
to provide as much nutrient-dense foods as
possible.
<< Cosi >> All right. Is everybody in the
house?
<< Jacob >> I’ve already had five glasses of
wine. That was not a good idea. I would like
to welcome everybody to what should be
a delightful dinner. It’s a bit of an expression of what we’re going to be doing at the
restaurant in three to seven to nine weeks
from now (to laughter). Although we’re not
talking about it, unless people ask, part of
the philosophy of the restaurant is going to
have a really conscious focus on nutrition.
So we’ll have 10 to 14 items on the menu
that will change seasonally. But the tasting menu, which would otherwise be called
“your specials,” will be focused: something
green and probiotic, something live and
raw, some controlled protein portions. Everything is done with a lot of intention and
artistry. It’s going to be beautiful, but still a
little bit soulful, accessible. I think you will
enjoy it, once you sit down to eat it.
First Course: soup with five varieties
of wild mushrooms, kombucha (fermented tea), chestnut agnolotti del
plin and shavings of black truffle.
① “When you meet our
general manager, Kosta Ketsilis, you’ll be so happy with
him. He loves people. He’s
a real master of servants.
He’s been doing this for 16
years. He worked at Centro
with Jacob in 2003 and
he’s worked for Marc Thuet
for five years. Every time,
he gets promoted to head
waiter by default because
he takes care of everything.
He’s that guy. He loves everybody and knows everybody. And all the big owners
in the city have known this
guy since he was in grade 8.
He’s a natural.” LUCAS
② The shortlist of restaurant names included ones
with profound meaning
for from Jacob and Lucas,
including: Ursa, Ursa
Minora, Ursa Minor,
Stonebow, Tablelands, Carbon, Balsam, Balsam Fir,
Bear Cub, Little Bear and
Apis. But dinner guests
threw a few suggestions of
their own into the mix, including: Birkenstock, Oye,
Bros’ Hardware Store, and
this goldie: Sol’s Jewish
Deli and Knish Emporium.
<< Cosi >> First of all, thank you guys. Thanks
everybody to a great future together. Cheers!
<< Jess >> So Cosimo, what are your earliest
memories of Jacob and Lucas?
<< Cosi >> Well, Lucas started working for us
in 1997.
<< Lucas >> October 1997. I was just turning
18 years old. I was 17 actually and turned 18
there.
<< Cosi >> Now I remember. He was a poet,
okay? A po-et! That’s all he did. You know
what? He wrote me a poem once that was
really beautiful and I put it in a book and unfortunately I don’t look at books very often
and I don’t know where it is. It was for my
birthday.
<< Elena >> And when Matteo was born he
made a mobile out of Japanese papers and
every piece of paper had a poem about Matteo. The poems are so beautiful. It’s almost
like Lucas knew him before he was born.
<< Cosi >> And then he left us and when he
came back he’d started wearing a turban on
his head and cutting down trees for a living.
His brother Jacob was working for us then.
<< Ele >> But Lucas was the first one of the
kids to work for us.
Second course: a root vegetable salad
dressed two ways — in a walnut vinaigrette plus kefir dressing, with pickled walnuts
<< Jess >> How long has this restaurant been
in the works?
<< Cosi >> Every year, the boys call me up
and we have a meeting and I find out where
they’re at and they’ve got their hands in a
million little things and they’re trying to
develop themselves. And this year, finally — because I wasn’t doing much —
<< Ele >> Yeah! That’s right, he was looking
for something to occupy his time.
<< Cosi >> So I said to them, You know what
guys? Enough is enough. I always knew that
they needed to open up a restaurant but
they’re into this nutrition stuff and being
chefs for these athletes like, Chris Bosh, and
I was like whatever. So I said I would try to
help, but beware: If I open up another restaurant my wife will fucking cut my balls off.
<< Ele >> No, no: you can keep your balls. I
would just leave you. Go ahead and have fun
with your balls.
<< Cosi >> So a property came up and people
approached me about it but I couldn’t do it.
So I sat them down and said, Guys, I think
this is the perfect opportunity and the perfect
time to take over this space. It has a liquor license, you can do your renovations and you
can open up a lot easier than starting from
scratch. And they needed to be convinced a
little bit. They had all kinds of people pulling them to do different things and, you
know, I just wanted to quietly help them do
SOMEONE’S IN THE KIT C HEN WITH
THE SHARKEY PEARCE BROTHERS
this. You know what? This salad is great!
<< Bella >> You know what I think is crazy?
That this stuff is all so nutricious but it can
taste this good. It’s unbelievable. This candied beet? Unbelievable.
<< Stephen >> But I hope you guys have
some fat coming later.
<< Cosi >> Oh, it’s coming baby.
<< Stephen >> I mean, don’t get me wrong: I
love this stuff, and my wife is thrilled, but I
need a little fat. Still, this is the best salad
I’ve ever had, by far.
<< Cosi >> Bravo, guys.
<< Jacob >> It’s all just roots: celeriac, parsnip, carrot, candied beet, raw beet, radish,
burdock root. And some are dehydrated,
some are compressed and some of them are
raw. It’s all really simple.
<< Jess >> I love that everyone has finished
their salad course — look at everyone’s
plates. They’re spotless. So, Jacob, this has
been a long time coming, right?
<< Jacob >> You bet. It’s the right time. I’m
much happier, I’ve had a little time to mature. It’s an opportunity to bring together
my experiences, my techniques and all
I’ve learned. My two chefs [Jay Moore and
Robbie Hojilla] have just incredible credibility — two of the most talented chefs I’ve
ever witnessed and the fact that we’ve all
come together is just amazing. We all have
different strengths and weaknesses and we
6
wanted to really push the boundaries of
cuisine. Between us we’ve done molecular
gastronomy, traditional cuisines—
<< Jess >> Who did the molecular gastronomy?
<< Jacob >> Robbie. And Jay has worked with
Kaji for quite a few years now. He’s the only
white person to have ever worked with him.
He’s super. His knife work is just incredible.
Our first menu meeting, we went out to the
farm where we’re growing a lot of our produce, out in Meaford, and we sat down over
two days and what came out was kind of
scary. Because we thought, Can we hold onto
this? Can we attain this? Our forth chef has
also been cooking everywhere. His name is
John Lucas… the Viking… Big John. He’s six
foot five. And now we’re trying to find some
female counterparts in the kitchen.
<< Jess >> Why’s that? To balance things out?
<< Jacob >> 100 per cent. They’re calmer under stress and they bring different sensibilities to the plate. We need to balance all that
testosterone.
Main course: wild boar four ways
(sous vide of shoulder, loin and belly, plus chicharrones: dehydrated
and fried skin) with sautéed kale,
bull berry mustard, cipollini onions,
Jerusalem artichokes, plus a polenta
of amaranth, quinoa and corn. 7
③ “I started in 1998 and
I remember one of my
earliest memories of Lucas
was of him leaning up
against the dish pit. Back
then, you washed the dishes
right beside the espresso
machine, and it was one
position: you washed dishes
and made the coffee. And
you were leaning up against
the dish pit and you were
reading Plato’s Republic. I
remember thinking, Who
the f—k is this asshole with
Plato’s Republic washing
dishes? And then, within
five minutes, I knew you
were the real deal. It wasn’t
just a show for the ladies or
anything. You were earnest
about it.” JESS
④ “Everything we do is
with purpose: from making
our own mustard from
bullberries, the last berries
of the season, that we’ve
foraged, to dehydrating the
kefir probiotic yogurt element of the root vegetable
salad to give different
textures.” JACOB
⑤ “It’s the right time and
the right place. And you
know what? It’s hard to
get an opportunity to do
something. When I started
off it was a different way.
And I’m not comparing the
two. They have a lot more
training than I had, technically. They’ve done their
homework.” COSI
⑥ Sarah Sharkey Pearce,
Jacob and Lucas’s older
sister, also put in her time
at Terroni as a coffee maker.
Now, she’s a filmmaker.
<< Stephen >> This belly is sick. It’s some of
the best I’ve ever had.
<< Jess >> Cosi, have you been blow away at
their level of maturity? These are not the
Jacob and Lucas of yesteryear.
<< Cosi >> Let me tell you something I love
these guys from years ago and I know some
of their techniques and stuff and I’ve heard
them talk but to be honest with you, I’m not
really that knowledgeable about what is going to go on their plates. I’m more going on
instinct: by how I feel about them and how
my relationship is with them. Tonight is the
first time I’ve tried their food, other than
them catering Terroni Christmas parties.
I’m very happy. And very excited.
<< Lucas >> It’s a relationship based on trust
and intuition. There’s nobody in the city we’d
rather work with. We turned down a lot of
lucrative opportunities because the level of
intuition wasn’t there. You can’t create a relationship. It has to be lived. There’s nobody
in the city who could have showed us an address and said ‘now is the time’. We were trying to dodge it for a long time. Restaurants
are expensive. Restaurants mean long days.
Intermezzo of nutraceutical
cranberry sorbet.
<< Bella >> Karla is going to leave Sol tomorrow for Jacob and I’m leaving Stephen.
[Carla and Sol, two of the wise-cracking
regulars around Cosimo and Elena’s dining
room table.]
Dessert: sweet whole milk ricotta
with Rosewood Estate honeycomb,
Leatherwood honey, quince, a wild
rice cracker, served with a shot of
warm lavender-scented whey. << Stephen >> Beautiful, so good. That honey
is crazy.
<< Sol >> I can say in all honesty that there’s
no place I’d rather be right now. Grazie.
<< Elena >> Stephen, what about you?
<< Stephen >> Ditto to Sol. You boys are off
to a flying start.
Visit Jacob and Lucas at Ursa,
924 Queen St. West.
by Jessica Allen
photos by Dale Heslip
8
TAS TIN G EMILIA -ROMAGNA
BUCKLE UP: OUR VERY OWN GIANNA SAMI
TAKES US ON A LAP AROUND THE REGION
THAT GAVE US ITALIAN CLASSICS; FROM
FOOD TO FELLINI TO FERRARIS.
9
MAX STEFANELLI RAISES A GLASS TO A VINEYARD
THAT NOT ONLY PRODUCES TOP NOTCH WINES
BUT ALSO MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE
LIVES OF THOSE WHO CRAFT THEM.
SAN
Emilia – Romagna: even the name draws
you in. And if it doesn’t, the wine, food and
Ferraris certainly will. The delicacies of this
north-eastern region is legendary: think
fresh lasagne, tagliatelle Bolognese, creamy
polenta, handmade tortelloni, prosciutto di
Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano and gnocco
fritto — a fried dough so light and billowy
that it could float out of your hand. Considered to be Italy’s centre of gastronomy, Bologna, the capital, is endearingly called La
Grassa, or the fat. And it boasts one of the
highest qualities of life in all of Italy.
The region begins at the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea and sweeps inland, covering a hefty belt of land. The area’s richness
wasn’t lost on the Etruscans, Gauls, Romans
or Byzantines, who all made this region a
base at some point in history. As the name
suggests, it’s comprised of two sub regions:
Emilia to the west of Bologna and Romagna
to the east. Although they like to flaunt their
differences, they share a cultish passion for
two things: wine and food.
The only thing that could possibly
eclipse Emilia-Romagna’s cuisine is its
wine. From bubbly to big bold reds, they’ve
got it all, but Lambrusco reigns supreme as
their sparkling contender. It can be either
slightly sweet or dry, though the locals prefer the latter. The light frizziness and dried
cherry notes go perfectly with a plate of
thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma. And, while
you may have put Lambrusco onto a “do not
imbibe” list after its sweet version exploded
in North America in the 70s, have no fear:
the new Lambrusco has come a long way
from that sticky sweet stuff you remember.
Trust me, it will be the wine you toast with
at your next holiday party.
Like everything else in the region, white
grape varieties flourish beautifully. Head
over to Romagna and you’ll get Italy’s first
white DOCG classification: albana di Romagna, a dry gem with almond undertones.
Emilia, on the other hand, has a more aromatic cast of characters, like malvasia bianca (look for Tasto di Seta on the Terroni list)
from Colli Piacentini; a hill known for its
production of pleasantly perfumed wines.
For those with a worldly wine cellar, you’ll be
happy to know that chardonnay and sauvignon blanc do well in Romagna, as we found
out with our producer, San Patrignano’s Aulente bianco, a lovely crisp blend of the two
varietals.
Now for that glorious red — the crowning jewel of the region — otherwise known
as sangiovese di Romagna. The varietal
sangiovese might have actually originated
in the Romagna region, where it’s known
for being plumper, softer and juicier than
its other incarnations, rather than in Tuscany, which lays claim to it. Regardless of
its origins, this is seriously good wine that
varies across the region: as you travel from
the lower lying marine plains you’ll find a
more fruit-forward style. But as you climb up
to the hillier northern sites, the sangiovese
grows bigger and more tannic. Look for the
Avi on the Terroni list, once again from producer San Patrignano. It’s a red so elegant
and memorable that you may be tempted to
book a flight to the motherland. But if that’s
not in the cards, visit us instead.
by Gianna Sami
TAS TIN G EMILIA -ROMAGNA
Patrignano is one of Italy’s largest rehabilitation centres for recovering addicts. It welcomes young men and women who have serious drug
abuse problems, regardless of ideology, social background, or religion, and puts them to work. The residents do everything from graphic design to carpentry to
winemaking. What’s more, it’s completely free of charge.
While San Patrignano may represent one of the
most unusual ventures in the Italian wine world, winemaking was among the organization’s earliest initiatives and has become this rehabilitative community’s
best-known and most successful endeavour.
Former residents Federico, Simona and Piero now run
the wine program at Sanpa’ (which is what the residents
of San Patrignano call their temporary home) and Cosimo and I meet with them once a year at Vinitaly and
we go to eat at l’Oste Scuro in Verona, one of the area’s
best fish restaurants. To us, they are like family: we talk
about everything, including life, love, business, food
and, of course, wine. They are not shy about sharing
their past experiences with us, especially now that it’s
over. These are passionate people and, not surprisingly,
they make passionate wines.
① Aulente, Bianco Rubicone, IGT
④ Avi, DOC, Superiore Riserva
(chardonnay, sauvignon blanc)
This white is pale, straw-yellow in the glass and the nose
opens with subtle, pleasurable hints, which change according to the vintage’s particular personality. Sometimes there are the nuances typical of sauvignon blanc
with its delicate grassy notes, or the vintage may be
distinguished by chardonnay’s rounded, flavourful perfumes and its overtones of green apple, grapefruit peel
and elderberry. It’s aged in steel for about four months.
It’s excellent with maltagliati and artichokes, gnocchi or
grilled fish.
② Aulente, Rosso Rubicone, IGT (sangiovese)
An intense ruby red colour gives way to fruity and floral notes in the Aulente Rosso. It’s approachable and
has character, but also demonstrates how delicate a
sangiovese can be. It’s pleasant and smooth, without a
trace of aggressiveness. The nose reveals hints of rose,
cherry and sweet spices. The palate is fresh, mediumbodied with rounded tannins and a remarkably long
finish. The wine ages for a short period of three months
in tonneau already used once or twice. Pair this one
with fresh egg pasta and meat sauces, eggplant parmigiana or grilled meat.
(sangiovese di Romagna)
The wine wishes to represent the highest expression
of the indigenous Romagna grape variety, sangiovese.
Its elegance and expressivity do not hinder, but rather
increase the appeal of this wine with its richness and
soft, pleasant taste and fruity bouquet. The name is a
nod to tradition, and more importantly to the community’s founder. Avi, in fact, means “A Vincenzo,” that
is “To Vincenzo,” the founder of San Patrignano. Long
months in the cellar, plus being bottled-aged for at least
18 months, enhance its qualities. It’s a powerful ruby red
with a garnet rim and the well-developed nose has overtones of violet, plum, clove, nutmeg and cedar wood.
The palate reveals the wine’s elegance, succulent extracts and a full structure of smooth tannins. A vibrant
richness of flavour leads to a finish with attractive hints
of wild berries and sweet spices. Perfect with T-bone
steaks or hare with truffles.
①
②
③ Ora, DOC, Superiore (sangiovese di Romagna)
The soft ruby hue of the Ora is typical of sangiovese.
The nose is ample and intense, with notes of red currant,
raspberry, plum and aromas of leather, liquorice and undergrowth. The palate reveals freshness and elegance,
and well-balanced tannins. The grapes are handpicked
at their perfect ripeness, usually in the middle of September, and are aged in large oak barrels for the right
time to its appropriate maturation. Further bottle ageing
before sale. Ora can be paired with various courses of
Romagna’s traditional cuisine, like tagliatelle with ragù,
sheep and goat cheeses, roasted and grilled meats.
by Max Stefanelli
③
④
TAS TIN G EMILIA -ROMAGNA
10
11
TERRONI CHEF GIOVANNA
ALONZI PROFILES TWO OF HER
KITCHEN COLLEAGUES.
DAVIDE
FROM
ROMAGNA
FABIO
FROM
EMILIA
TAS TIN G EMILIA -ROMAGNA
THEY’RE AN UNLIKELY DUO,
BUT WHEN THEY COOK
TOGETHER MAGIC HAPPENS.
① Many speculate as to
why the people of this
dual-region are so temperamentally different.
The sun in Romagna is
warm and ever-present,
thus Romagnoli are
considered warm and
extroverted. Also, many
earn their living working
in beach areas on the
coast, which makes them
passionate and forward.
Emiliani come from the
interior and have been
characterized as more
reserved. Sort of like
Fabio, the Emiliano and
Davide, the Romagnolo.
② Ever wonder how
Ravenna, a city in
Emilia-Romagna,
acquired arguably the
world’s finest collection
of early Christian mosaics? Easy. It was the seat
of the Western Roman
Empire from 402-476,
until the empire fell
leaving Constantinople
in the east the capital of
the Roman world. Even
though Charlemagne
looted the city for its
treasures three times
during the early 9th
century, you can still
find glorious mosaics
at the Basilica of San
Vitale, the mausoleum
of Galla Placidia and
the Arian baptistery,
to name but a few. he
wants.
ON
any given day, you are likely to
find in Bar Centrale’s tiny kitchen
its two chefs, Fabio Moro and Davide Della
Bella, hard at work creating dishes that reflect the rich flavours of their home, EmiliaRomagna. This, after all, is the land where
Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma,
mortadella, culatello and balsamic vinegar
come from. Fabio and Davide have worked
together for nearly a year but they move
with the security and ease of an old couple.
Out of their kitchen come delectable little
lasagne, tortelloni, passatelli, cappelletti,
succulent porchette, braised meats, tartars
and elegant fish compositions. Fabio is older, serious and concentrated. He has a passion for tradition and dedication to detail;
he has two children and (full disclaimer) is
my fiancé. While Davide, a single perennial
partier, is younger and gregarious, but also
imaginative and enthusiastic. They come
from different ends of the region, Fabio from
Emilia and Davide from Romagna.
I remember learning the difference between the two regions of Emilia Romagna
a few summers ago. I had heard the myth
that you could tell the border of Emilia and
Romagna by knocking at a stranger’s home
and asking for a glass of water. If you got
water you were in Emilia and if you got wine
you’d be in Romagna. I thought it was just
a folk tale but I can still remember the way
that glass of warm red wine tasted on that
disgustingly hot summer day in Romagna.
It was mid-August, just after noon, and I’d
been running for an hour and a half in 34
degree weather and was dying of thirst. I
was in Marina di Ravenna and had made my
way along the sunflower fields, grape vines
and fruit orchards that lined the journey
from the coast to the interior. I had left the
beach restaurant where Fabio, whom I’d
just started dating, worked, with just a bit
of money tucked in my socks and no water
bottle. My intention was to run a couple of
hours, stop at a piadina truck along the road,
fill up on a couple of piadine (see page 15
for recipe) and a beer and then return to the
beach resort to dive into the sea. I was forced
to take a break along a path leading to the
front of an old house sitting at the heart
of a peach orchard. There I found two old
farmers sitting down to lunch in the shade
of a gorgeous grape vine. Exhausted and
barely able to speak I managed to mumble
that I desperately needed a glass of water.
They looked at me as if I was crazy but were
quick to say, “Acqua? Ma scherzi? Prenditi
un bicchiere di vino!” I felt like I was dreaming. I was sweating profusely and could
barely stand so they did give me a glass
of water. Still, they insisted I have some
wine. I needed to regain my strength, they
said. I drenched myself with their garden
hose and after having sipped the wine, they
even offered to drive me back! I was baffled
by their kindness. When I returned to the
restaurant and told people my story I got
some interesting reactions: all the people
from Marina said, “You’re lucky you were
in Romagna. Probably in Emilia not even
water they would have given you.” The
couple of Emiliani that were there could
only say, “Yes, it’s true. Only in Romagna
someone would think of offering you wine
under those circumstances.” So I realized
that it was true: Emilia and Romagna are
two worlds, representing two very distinct
cultures within one beautiful region.
I met Fabio almost six years ago at the
old Terroni on Queen St., after the first
expansion. He was brought over to help us
make the transition from pizzeria to restaurant a little easier. And he came armed with
worldly experience, Italian chef jackets and
scarves. I was still proudly wearing Terroni
t-shirts with phrases like, “We don’t do that
here.” Needless to say, we didn’t take a liking to each other at first. Fabio was actually
begging not to work with me. I was messy,
didn’t follow recipes and I had gone to
university — not culinary school. Somehow,
we actually hit it off — not only in the restaurant, but also as a couple. Authentic
tagliatelle alla Bolognese, tortellini and lasagne were just a few things I learned from
Fabio. Leading by example he taught me
how to be a chef; how to look at the whole
picture and consider every aspect of the
kitchen; how to really realize the execution
TAS TIN G EMILIA -ROMAGNA
of a plate from beginning to end; how to
focus my energy on the right things; how to
be strict when need be.
Fabio always knew that he wanted to
be a chef. At 13, he asked his parents if he
could go to culinary school. “I was raised in
my family’s restaurant. I remember going
with my mom to work and drying cutlery in
the kitchen. I liked the environment and it
seemed that I was good at everything I tried
in the kitchen.” After starting out in his family’s restaurant, he made his way throughout
Italy and France. At 23, he was working in
Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, then
Rome. Remembering what he calls his
most important experience at Bacco, a wellregarded restaurant in Barletta, he recalls:
“The chef there was Cosimo Cassano, who
was amazing and quite famous at that point.
It was particularly great because in the
kitchen there were just four young guys and
the chef. I worked 16 hour days. I tried really
hard to impress him and it worked because
he increasingly gave me more responsibility
and would even leave me in charge when he
traveled. That gave me great satisfaction.”
Fabio continued along his path making
his way through places like Dubai and
Kazakhstan before ending up at Terroni.
Similarly, Davide decided that he
wanted to be a chef at around the age of 13.
His best friend wanted to be a cook and his
parents were restaurateurs. “They had a restaurant on the port in Riccione that served
mainly fish. I remember hanging out with
12
fishermen and going out on the boat with
them.” I met him about three years ago during the opening of the Osteria Ciceri e Tria.
He was one of my line cooks and he was
this funny, crazy, young Italian kid who performed impressively at all the stations of my
kitchen. He was already fantastic at making
roasts and stuffing anything with pork, but I
knew him as the one who might spontaneously burst out in a verse of Romagna Mia
(a popular regional folk song and anthem.)
at any given time. I also remember Davide
for the way he appeared like a tiger in a cage
anytime a pretty girl sat anywhere in that
small restaurant. He returned to Terroni last
spring after working a year in a Michelinstarred restaurant in Venice. He now seems
a different person; older, more mature and
determined.
When I asked Fabio about him he said,
“It’s been great to find that Davide has
grown so much and has new ideas and new
experiences to draw from. He has great
integrity; we hardly ever disagree. In my history at Terroni I think he’s one of the guys
with whom I’ve worked best. With me, he’s
always calm, relaxed, and in a good mood.”
After chatting to the two of them individually I felt like I was speaking to two
contestants on Love Connection. Davide,
on Fabio: “Fabio and I work well together,
mostly because it’s fun. We got along from
the start. We found balance and the jobs divided themselves between us. For instance,
lasagna training is Fabio’s. I train people on
13
③ Emilia-Romagna’s
very name summons up
a boat load of history:
in the 2nd century B.C.,
Mark Emilio Facetious, a
Roman consul, had a road
named Aemilia built in
his honour that connected
Rimini to Piacenza. The
region ended up taking
on the same name. By
the 6th century A.D., the
Lombards and the Byzantines, who respectively
called their territories
Lombardia and Romania,
controlled the area. By
the time Italy unified, the
region went back to its
original name of Emilia.
Finally, in 1947, EmiliaRomagna was assigned.
④ Federico Fellini was
born and raised in Rimini,
Emilia-Romagna and not
surprisingly, many of the
director’s memories of
the seaside village seep
into a number of his films.
Today, Fellini, his wife,
Giulietta Masina, and
their son, Pierfederico, are
all buried in the Cemetery
of Rimini. The city even
named its airport after the
director.
⑤ Emilia-Romagna is not
just the culinary capital
of Italy; it’s also the automotive industrial hub,
too. We’re talking Ferrari,
Lamborghini, Maserati and
Ducati, people.
salads, stuffed meats are mine and braised
meats are his.” The camaraderie doesn’t
stop there: “We have very similar palates: we
love fatty, greasy things and we are very passionate. Plus, we are both in tune with new
trends and cooking methods, and we both
love learning and trying new things. We just
work well together.”
Perhaps it’s because Fabio and Davide
are so different and yet so alike that they
make such a harmonious pair. I dug deeper
and discovered more affinities: the first thing
they want to eat when they return to Italy
is piadina. It’s a street food from Romagna
whose tastiness is tied to the experience
of eating it. And it’s the first of the recipes
featured in this issue! “Piadina is the first
thing I want when I get home,” says Davide.
“I have tried to make it here but, honestly,
I get very upset when people call it tortilla.
I start with one stuffed with prosciutto,
squacquerone and arugola and I usually eat
two. Of course, that’s dinner for two people.” Similarly, Fabio melancholically says that,
“Being at home in Italy for me means being
off of work, going to the beach and leisure.
My passion was beach volleyball, so playing for 10 hours, having a piadina, drinking,
smoking and even sleeping on the beach.
Piadina is what I crave because it is the food
that you don’t make for yourself.”
The second dish reflects their childhoods, being at home and growing up
in such rich culinary tradition. “We have
the same memories of handmade pasta:
TAS TIN G EMILIA -ROMAGNA
cappelletti for me and tortellini for Fabio,”
says Davide. The passatelli featured in
this recipe, rich in parmigiano and bread
crumbs and served in a capon broth is a
classic Romagnolo dish. The second recipe
they chose is bollito parmigiano from the
Emilia region. It is a simple dish requiring
only time, patience and prime ingredients.
This is a formula that the two often apply
to their dishes. Fabio elaborates: “I am very
tied to my tradition. Here in Canada, we are
bearers of quality. We know the original
taste; we know what things in Italy taste
like, and we search for an alchemy to reach
the best results with primary ingredients
that are not like what we’re used to finding
in Italy. And of course in our minds they are
the flavours of childhood.” Davide agrees,
saying, “I don’t like making pairings that are
too extreme and that can become off-setting
after a while, like you can’t have more than
a bite of a particular dish. Those dishes are
not enjoyable. I want to create something
that after you have the first bite you also
want the second and third forkfull. You don’t
think of it just as a great experience; you
think, wow, it’s good and beautiful.”
For our dessert they chose something
that speaks to our heart, a fried tortellone
stuffed with Nutella and served on zabaglione. I hope you enjoy bringing a bit of the
richness of Emilia-Romagna home.
by Giovanna Alonzi
photos by Per Kristiansen
14
RECIPES
FABIO MORO
Salsa Verde
Ingredients:
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
100g parsley
1 boiled egg yolk
40ml vinegar
3 anchovies
1gr capers
1 garlic clove
70g bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Passatelli
Ingredients:
300g bread crumbs
300g Parmigiano
50g flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Zest of one lemon
Pinch of salt and pepper
Method:
In a mixer, purée all ingredients until it resembles a
cream.
DAVIDE DELLA BELLA
Bollito Parmigiano
Ingredients:
2 small carrots
2 celery stalks
2 white onions
20 pepper corns
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
1 hen
500g beef brisket
1 veal tongue
200g oxtail bones
Salt to taste
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
La Piadina Romagnola
Ingredients:
100g all-purpose flour
20g olive oil
80g warm water
Pinch of salt
Method:
Mix all ingredients until
you obtain a smooth dough.
Cover in plastic wrap
and allow to rest at room
temperature for one hour.
Re-knead the dough for
about 10 minutes and
allow to rest for another
15 minutes. To make the
passatelli, press the dough
through a handheld potato
Method:
Divide the carrots, celery,
onions, pepper corns, cloves,
bay leaves and olive oil into
two pots. Gently sauté the
vegetables until soft. Cover
the vegetables in each pot
with 5 litres of water each
and boil for 30 minutes. Add
the hen, brisket and oxtail
in one pot and the tongue in
the other. Reduce the heat to
simmer, cover and cook for
about four hours. Serve the
meat hot with salsa verdé on
the side.
Method:
Make a mound of flour on a
board and add oil and salt
in the middle. Add water a
bit at a time, all the while
whisking with a fork until
you have a smooth dough.
Divide the dough into 80g
balls, wrap them in plastic
and allow to rest for 20
minutes. Roll out balls
Tortellone di Nutella
Ingredients:
250g all-purpose flour
250g Nutella
1 egg
50g orange juice
10g icing sugar
10g melted butter
15g Grand Marnier
Pinch of salt
Method:
Mix all the ingredients,
except the Nutella, together
and knead for at least 8
minutes. Cover in plastic
wrap and rest the dough
in the fridge for half an
hour. Roll out the dough
and cut out 12 3 x 3 inch
squares. Place a tablespoon
of Nutella in the centre
of each square. Seal two
opposite ends of the square
to form a triangle and twist,
sealing the base of your
triangle around your finger
(if this is too complicated, a
ravioli shape works as well).
Deep-fry in vegetable oil for
three minutes and dust with
icing sugar. Serve on warm
zabaglione.
masher directly into boiling broth (you can use
the bollito broth from the
previous recipe!). When the
passatelli rise to the top,
serve with more hot broth
and Parmigiano.
Zabaglione
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
6 tbsp sugar
10 tbsp marsala
Pinch of salt
into circles about 20 cm in
diameter. Heat a non-stick
pan until very hot and cook
the piadina, flipping it only
once (they’re cooked when
dark, caramel-coloured
bubbles appear). Fill them
with whatever you please
but chef Davide suggests
stracchino cheese, arugola
and prosciutto.
Method:
Whisk all of the ingredients
over a bain-marie until you
reach a temperature of 65
degrees Celsius. Remove
from heat and continue
whisking for a couple of
minutes. Serve warm.
THE BERKSHIRE
“COLLECTION”
AVAILABLE
EXCLUSIVELY
AT TERRONI
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
16
17
Just a 19 yearold kid when
he first worked
at Terroni,
Albion has
been around
the block. His
old friend and
colleague
Jessica Allen
finds out just
how far he’s
come.
ALBION MACLEOD
“Have you seen that Facebook photo of
him? The one where he’s got no shirt on
in Jamaica?” Kari Watson, controller of all
things Terroni, is upstairs in the office of the
restaurant’s Queen Street location on a recent Friday night, and she’s blushing. “Once
in a while I just go and look at it because
he’s so f—king cute. It’s just such a pick-meup.” The shirtless wonder to whom Kari’s
referring is Albion Macleod, one of Terroni’s
managers, who started as a coffeemaker ten
years ago, was fired after missing two shifts
in a row on account of being drunk, was
hired back five years later, and worked his
way from location to location before finally
returning to Queen Street in 2010. He has
been sober for nearly three years.
Albion is behind the bar dealing with
a take-out order. His dirty blond hair is
pulled back into a sort of makeshift bun, he’s
sporting what looks to be a week’s worth of
facial stubble and his collared shirt is unbuttoned dangerously low. A former bartender,
Nathan Jesionka, coined a nickname many
years ago for his boss: “Chocolat” — as in
Johnny Depp. And just like his jeans, the
nickname fits.
As he makes his rounds throughout
the restaurant — scanning tables for empty
glasses, picking up stray napkins off the
floor and greeting regulars — the 29-yearold carries a set of keys behind his back. You
can hear him coming a mile away. He walks
with a real sense of purpose, stopping to talk
to a couple of regular customers, a busboy
and a host: in each instance he looks at them
square in the eyes while he speaks and gently rests a hand on either their shoulder or
the small of their back.
A server approaches him and says that
a customer upstairs has asked if they could
turn down the music in the back room.
“Yes, of course we can do that for him,” he
says. A San Giorgio pizza that’s en route to
a table momentarily distracts me. When
I turn back, Albion is gone. In his place is
Meagan Albrectson, a Queen Street server
who’s picking up a drink order from the bar.
“He’s always watching,” she tells me. “and always very calm. And then there’s the Albion
stare. Have you seen it?” I have, and it’s
intense. “And he’s so graceful walking with
his hands behind his back with those keys.
Oh, and he loves reggae.” And just then, like
it was scripted, the music changes to Bob
Marley and Albion makes his way from the
restaurant’s iPod dock back to the bar. Max, a
pizzaiolo-turned-bartender, tells Albion, who
keeps tabs on the restaurant’s alcohol inventory, that they’re down to one bottle of Arche,
a croatina from Piemonte. “Perfect,” he says
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
as he touches Max’s shoulder. He turns to me
and whispers, “Max tries real hard, and he’s
very fast — not like I used to be. I would have
been half-drunk back there.”
Albion started at Queen Street after
graduating from high school. “You were
probably the first person who ever talked to
me. You took my resume,” he tells me. I have
no recollection of this. “I was either going to
be a coffee guy or a deli guy. I just wanted
a job. I ended up getting the coffee position
and I just loved it. Do you remember how I
never wanted a day off? You made the schedule and I just wanted to work seven days a
week.” I ask if that was on account of the
money. “Yeah, sure, because I was partying
every single night. I’d just turned 19 and now
I had a good-paying job. I would get smashed.
But it was also a lot of fun. I enjoyed working
here. It was like a family. It was quite sweet.”
He pauses. “Do you remember cutting my
hair at the bar?” I wish I did, but again, I can’t
recall the moment. “Yeah, it must have been
four in the morning. And you cut my hair off.
I begged you to do it.”
He worked for a good year and a half
before being let go in August of 2002. “I
got fired because I got so drunk before a
shift that I just didn’t show up. I think it
was Vince’s birthday and he had to stay and
work,” he recalls. “Cosi Junior fired me. But
we have a great working relationship now.”
Cosi Junior, otherwise known as Cosimo
Pagliacolo — and the employee of the month
in the last issue — couldn’t agree more, sort
of. “He’s very stubborn,” he says, “but he’s a
fucking joy to work with. You can count on
him. You ask him to take care of something
and he does it.” Cosimo walks over to a shelf
in the upstairs office and grabs an old photo
of the Terroni crew circa 2001. They were
posed in front of the restaurant for some sort
of Toronto Life shoot. “That’s him,” he says,
pointing to a baby-faced boy with a crew cut.
“That’s the first guy I ever had to fire.” I tell
him how Albion recounted the story to me.
“Yeah,” Cosi says, “he hadn’t shown up for a
second shift in a row and I knew that if I took
a walk to the park I’d find him there sleeping. He had a habit of doing that. But before
I went, he showed up and told me what had
happened. It’s hard to remember the details.
It was tough. I do remember pouring him a
beer, and one for me, too, because I was so
nervous.”
Albion went on to work at other establishments over the next five years, managing his addiction along the way. Then, in
2005, Anna Mammoliti — GM of the former
Balmoral Terroni and just opened Price
Street — hired him back. “It was an easy
18
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
transition,” she says. “He could always do
the job — there was never any doubt about
that — and he was very honest about what
he was going through. He was reaching out
almost, wanting people to know and wanting to be held accountable.” Anna’s brother,
Terroni owner Cosimo Mammoliti remembers being apprehensive about rehiring him.
“But I also had a lot of faith in the people
that wanted to hire him back,” he explains.
“If they believed in him and wanted to give
him a second chance then I was behind it.”
From Balmoral, Albion moved on to the
old Victoria St. Terroni (now Osteria Ciceri
e Tria) and played an integral role with the
opening of Terroni on Adelaide in 2007,
where he soon became head bartender.
The irony of managing the alcohol inventory at Terroni Queen St. where he used
to be a bartender with a drinking problem,
is not lost on him. “It was challenging for
sure. When I hit rock bottom and was still
bartending, I knew it had to end.” He had his
last drink about three years ago at an airport
in Vancouver, after visiting his mother in
Victoria. It was also the trip where he met his
father, for the first — and only — time. “He
was less than an ideal father, sure. But I’m
happy we had that moment,” he says. Albion
looks down at his shoes before continuing.
“Then I got to the airport and my flight was
held up so I got smashed. And that was that.”
His father died not too long after Albion
met him. He pauses, and looks up towards
the ceiling as he considers the date. “A year
ago tomorrow, actually.” I’ve known Albion
for nearly a decade and while I’ve spoken
with him before about some of these times
in his life, I’m floored over his recounting of
how these momentous events unfolded, in
succession. Before I can open my mouth, he
moves on.
“If you want to hear my life story though,
you should really come to a meeting.” Albion
started attending Alcoholics Anonymous
meetings on January 18, 2009. After a year,
he worked up the courage to speak. Now,
he often speaks at treatment facilities and
has talked in front of large groups where he
shares his story and spreads a hopeful word
about this affliction. “It’s a beautiful thing,”
he explains. “AA teaches us to make peace
with the past, however difficult, and grow
into our future.” I ask him if he still feels the
need to attend regularly. “Oh yeah. I'll always
attend. It’s a place of love, of kindness.”
Another pause. “The essence of the program
is to teach you to be a better person.”
Despite starting work at eight in the
morning, Albion shows no sign of slowing
down at the 12-hour mark in his shift. “This
is my long day of the week,” he says. “But I
don’t mind. That way I can take my weekends off and be a family man.” He grins, and
I notice that although his face is now chiseled, he hasn’t lost his dimples. Family is
his partner of four years, Lesa LaPointe — a
former Terroni sommelier who’s gone on
to build the wine lists at Libretto, Enoteca
Sociale and Parts & Labour — and the baby
girl growing in her belly. “You know, she’s 23
weeks today,” he says. “It’s pretty crazy, huh?”
Albion pauses, and then proceeds to tell me
about a little heart-to-heart he’d had recently
with Vince Mammoliti, head of Terroni on
Queen, who recently became a father. “He
said to me, ‘You know what, Albion? It’s so
nice to be thinking about this, rather than
all the bullshit you wasted time on before.’ I
really liked that. All that nonsense that’s so
easy to get caught up in. I’m so happy to be
thinking about this.”
At 10:30 pm there’s still a line-up but
things are under control, which means that
Albion can go upstairs to the office to do
some administrative work. Laid out in a neat
grid in front of a computer are a series of
neon green and pink sticky notes covered
in handwriting. “It’s very old-fashioned,”
Albion says when he sees me chuckling.
“Some people might need a computer but I
need to write everything down because I’ve
learned that the most important thing in this
business is accountability, because if someone asks you to do something a couple times
and you forget, then they lose trust in you.”
I’m certain that he’s not just referring to his
Terroni responsibilities. There’s also a black
leather Moleskin on the desk, with “Big Al”
printed out from a digital label maker stuck
on top. It’s busting at the seams with wine
lists, grocery lists, business cards, a list of
restaurants to eat at, ideas for an upcoming
staff meeting and a list of people to call. His
mom is at the top of that one. “You can count
on me if you need something done,” he says.
As we get up to go back downstairs, I
ask him about the tattoos that run up his left
arm. But first he opens up his shirt to show
me Lesa’s name inked over his heart. Around
his wrist are the middle names of his three
brothers. And just above that is a pair of sparrows. “Prisoners used to get them tattooed
when they were freed. So I got them when I
gave up booze.” Higher still, on the side of
his bicep, are elephants. “Because there are
some things I never want to forget.” And beside them is the head of a lion, “just because
they’re strong.” He looks me square in the
eyes. “And I’m starting to feel that way.”
by Jessica Allen
“Albion is a
fantastic story.
I’m very proud
of that guy.”
Cosimo
Mammoliti
What:
Terroni Yonge St.
Where:
1095 Yonge St.
When:
Sunday to Wednesday
11:30 to 22:00
Thursday to Saturday
11:30 to 23:00
Who (who made it look so good, that is):
Giannone Petricone Associates,
Small /Andrew Di Rosa & Bartosz
Gawdzik, Commute.
Why:
Because uptown Toronto needs
a little Terroni. (Sorry for the
long wait, Balmoral regulars. We
missed you.)
SAPEVI C HE
by Rick & Sandra Kang
20
21
DISH IT OUT
EXTRA, EXTRA!
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, FOLKS.
OUR CUSTOMERS DISH ON WHAT
THEY’RE MOST EAGER TO EAT
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
Tortelloni,
eh? You
know, they’re
modeled after
Venus’s belly
button…
Don’ ask me why,
but somewhere between
Modena an’ Bologna,
she check in at some
malfamata* inn...
A comic by rick & sandra Kang
*seedy
Then he run to the kitchen,
full of inspiration an’ make
the first tortellone…
…An’ the maiale** innkeeper, he spies on her-but
all he see is her navel…
**pig
No, no, no.
They’re actually
based on the
turtle-shaped
architecture of
17th century
Modena-which
reminds
me, I’ll have
the squash
tortellini…
Yeah?
I heard it was
actually this small
town in Castelfranco
Emilia, and the broad
was Lucrezia
Borgia...
Actually, tortellini you
stuff with veal, prosciutto crudo,
mortadella, parmigiano and a touch
of nutmeg, served with broth
or cream.
But tortelloni?
You stuff how
you like-asparagus,
cod, squash... Simple
sauces-butter,
a li’l parmigiano
an’ sage…
Greatso can I
eat now
or what
here?
Alexander Seuuecke, a German businessman of few veggie offerings for his vegan relatives. The Christmas
words, has rarely missed a lunch at the Adelaide bar. dinner is a traditional roast with all the mouth-watering
He is the first to arrive and leaves to start his workday accompaniments.
before the majority of paTed Pearce is a mellow
trons ask for butter on their
man with serious love for
bread. He swears we have
history and languages. And
the best cappuccino in
just as soon as he’s asked
the city. So naturally when
about his family’s holiday
asked what dish he most
food traditions, he starts
looks forward to during the
talking about a traditional
holidays, his answer was
Dickensian dinner of goose
short, savoury and to the
and other fowl. The family
point: ox tail, a slow-cooked
got sick of bird after a while
hearty dish, similar in style
and has moved on to beef,
to an osso buco.
which is roasted and served
with the classic sides courLocal market commentator
tesy of the dinner’s host,
and robust personality
Pearce’s daughter.
Wolfgang Klein has a
veritable
stockpile
of
Stephen Kitt, a client
obser-vations and opinions,
services lead for Aveda
which he is always bursting
and one of Toronto’s best
to share with eager
dressed gents, has patronlisteners. Yet, upon arrival
ized the Terroni Queen St.
for lunch, he’s the one
bar nearly every Saturday
doing the inquiring about
for the last decade. Dependwhat food-wine pairing
ing on his mood, he either
he will most enjoy (99 per
orders the Smendozzata
cent of the time he settles
pizza or the San Nicola di
on spaghetti canna a mare
Bari. What’s he looking forand a couple of 3oz glasses
ward to eating this holiday
of nero d’Avola.) There
season? “Plum pudding. Eswas no shortage of answers when asked which dish he pecially when you burn it and bring it to the table flammost anticipates during the holidays. But his mother's ing. It’s like fireworks.”
Christmas sugar cookies top the list.
Our two special guest reporters, Olivia Mammoliti
Dennis Jun is a humble young professional whose life and Lilah Heslip, are also our youngest. And this pair
is tethered to computers. He joins us every morning as of eight year olds got up close and personal not with a
soon as the doors open, for a cappuccino and a side of Terroni regular, but with the Cake Boss himself, Buddy
tech-talk. Asked for his fave holiday dishes, he takes Valastro, who was in town recently to promote his
a moment, then admits, "I'm not really a holiday guy. new book, Baking with the Cake Boss. What’s he most
Soup?" Dennis represents those disinterested about the excited about eating this holiday season? Turns out he
frantic season: those who take simple solace in a warm likes his turkey at Thanksgiving and, “for Christmas,”
bowl of homemade soup. And on Christmas Eve, when he tell the youngsters, “my wife makes frittelle — these
our doors are open, he will arrive for exactly that.
fried calzones, which are really wonderful.”
Simon Chong is a warm, super friendly half-Chinese by Quinn Danielis, Irene Dongas, Kio Reid
Brit businessman who arrives at Bar Centrale just as our and two special guest reporters
doors open at 8:00am and sits solo with a coffee and a frittata. He looks forward to two meals during the holidays:
Christmas Eve, his family traditionally does Indian fare,
which includes chicken vindaloo, bindhi bhaji, and two
22
PAS T TENSE / FUTURE TENSE
WHERE WE’VE BEEN
23
①
PAS T TENSE / FUTURE TENSE
⑥
May 19 Terroni was in good culinary
company when we participated in the annual Empty Bowls charity at The Gardiner
Museum, which helped raise over $15,000
for Anishnawbe Health. Ladling homemade soups into beautiful potted bowls
were some of our favourite chefs, including Suzanne Baby from the Gallery Grill,
Jamie Kennedy from Gilead café and Keith
Froggett from Scaramouche.
①
November 4 Is that Max Stefanelli
checking out a new space in downtown Los
Angeles? It sure is. Stay tuned!
⑤
November 8 Two Terroni representatives, 13-year-old Alessia MammolitiMorin and 10-year-old Matteo Mammoliti,
received the award for the city’s best Italian
restaurant from Now Magazine for 2011.
⑥
⑤
June 30 When the Fellini Exhibition
opened this summer at the TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre, Terroni was on hand to help
cater the gala reception at the Consulate
General of Italy.
②
②
③
× September 9 – 11 Terroni teamed up
with the folks at the pop-up Grey Goose
Soho House, to help feed, well, basically
every celebrity alive during TIFF.
» October One of our wine producers,
Beppe di Maria of Carvinea (along with
superstar oenologist Riccardo Cotarella)
won the coveted tre bicchieri from Gambero Rosso for his “Frauma,” a blend of
aglianico and petit verdot. You can try it,
along with other wines from Carvinea,
exclusively at Terroni. And did we mention
that Beppe happens to the be father of this
magazine’s publisher?
October 30 Terroni staff helped raise
close to $14,000 at a Halloween-themed
fundraiser for one of their own: Vladimir
Fialio Fernandez (October 2, 1965 to
December 12, 2011.)
③
④
WHERE WE’RE GOING
former office sweetheart, Tara
Downs, is one of the founders and operators
of Tomorrow, a west-end gallery dedicated
to bringing international contemporary
art to Toronto. They’ve got works from the
young Swiss artist Tobias Madison coming
in February 2012 and Anna de Vries from the
Netherlands in March. 163 Sterling Road
⑦ Our
extraordinaire Hanna Puley
from Terroni Queen is the production designer for the sketch comedy troupe Tony
Ho (visit tonyho.ca, for links to their videos
and upcoming shows.) She’s also handcrafted all the incredible props, including
this amazing paper gannet, for Heligoland
Follies, a free show at U of T’s Hart House
held on the first Thursday of every month,
until March.
⑧ Server
⑨
November All-star Terroni bartender
Ian McGrenaghan, who left us for meatier
pastures at The Black Hoof, has opened his
own spot, along with fellow Hoof alumnus,
Colin Tooke. We’ll be drinking bourbon
and downing tacos at Grand Electric seven
nights a week! 1330 Queen St. W.
photo by: James Di Donato
④
③
⑧
Carlino, a Terroni employee
since 2003 (not to mention a cellist, sculptor, cyclist, barrista and restaurant manager) has co-hosted a monthly hip hop night
with Jeremy McRoberts (a former Terroni
deli master) on the second Sunday of every
month since 2009. Sweaty Betty’s, 13 Ossington Ave, from 10pm until 2am.
⑨ Nicholas
⑦
‡ Choir!
Choir!
Choir!
Meagan
Albrechtson and Caitlin McConkey-Pirie,
both servers at Queen St., are members of
this Toronto-based singing sensation that
started in February 2011 and boasts over a
thousand Facebook members. Every Tuesday night, the group gathers to sing their
guts out. Visit choirchoirchoir.com for
videos and more info.
THE MAILBAG
24
by Natalie Urquhart
photos by Stephanie Palmer
Dear Terroni,
I'm a little annoyed. I came up from the
States on business. IMPORTANT business. I took my clients to Terroni because I
had heard rave reviews, but when I ordered
my meal I was told you do not have Caesar
salads with chicken. I am on the Atkins diet
and it is my go-to food at an Italian restaurant. Why don't you have Caesar salads?
CAESARLY pissed off,
Todd Chambers
Sales Rep for D.P. Pharmaceuticals
Dear Terroni,
How is anyone who doesn't speak Italian
supposed to understand your menu? As
soon as I saw all of those Italian words I
panicked! I just pointed at something and
nodded when my server came over! What
is a non-Italian speaker supposed to do?
Heather Smith
Yonge and Lawrence
Dear Terroni,
Ok. So I know your menu says no substitutions, BUT I really, really hate mushrooms
cuz they are GROSS, so if you could take
them off the San Giorgio and hook me up
with some pineapple action that would be
sweet. What happened to the customer is
always right? Cuz Pizza Pizza agreed with
me on that one. Stuffed crust, yo!,
Justin LeDrew
Ryerson Student, 1st Year, Media Studies
P.S. That hostess is hotter than
Adriana Lima.
Hot Hostess Oh I can't have Caesars. I drank too many once and
threw up in my hair. Have you ever tried washing Clamato out of
extensions? Disaster. Wait...what? It's a salad? Hold on, because you
are blowing my mind. With bacon and anchovies?
Sommelier Please, the Caesar is so 80's. The only time I want to
see a Caesar salad is at the airport in a wrap when there is nothing
else to consume, and even then you might want to think twice. The
Caesar salad is named after Caesar Cardini, who owned a restaurant in Tijuana in the 1920's. He created the salad out of left-over ingredients in his kitchen when he needed to feed his hungry guests.
Years later, the salad is still mistaken as a classic Italian recipe. Although the man who created the dish may have been born in Italy, it
is not traditional Italian fare. You will find that our menu stays true
to the authentic Italian experience.
Mamma What? You want the anchovies? Okay. I make you the
pasta with the anchovies. What? You don't eat the carbs? Okay, is
no problem. I make you the pizza instead.
Hot Hostess Oh, I never read menus. I just let my dates order
for me.
Sommelier Just like a wine list, a menu can sometimes be a bit
intimidating. For wine, you can always rely on your sommelier to
help you find exactly what you’re looking for, and food should be
no different. Ask your servers what something is and how it should
be pronounced. That is what they are there for. And don't let their
tattoos and weird haircuts scare you! I promise that under those
shaggy bangs they are friendly, helpful and they know the menu
backwards and forwards. Don’t be shy. Your server certainly isn't—
just look at that outfit!
Mamma Madonna, ma stiamo scherzando? Volete che vi imbocchi pure? Minchia! Gli ingredienti dopo tutto sono scritti in inglese,
usate un po' d' intuito invece di starvi a lamentare. E che cazzo!
Hot Hostess What are you doing here? I told you that you have
to stay at least 10 feet away from me in public. Text me later, though.
Sommelier Sigh. I don't even know where to begin. Wait, yes I
do. Turn your hat around. Actually just take it off. Okay. Here it
goes. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here. In fact, we don’t
want to reinvent or interpret classic dishes. We simply want our
customers to have the experience of eating those dishes in the
same way that they’ve been enjoyed for generations. That is why
there are no substitutions or modifications. So why not trust us for
one evening?
Mamma What? You don't like what I make you? But I make it with
my whole heart. So you are breaking my heart. Is that what you want
to do? Take off that hat.
Classico
®