BOWLING FOR DOLLARS
By the Gadzookian
For 16 years, the Gardiner Museum has been host to one of Toronto’s best and least-known fundraisers, Empty Bowls. The event, a bevy of soups made by some of the city’s finest chefs, served up in artful dishware (that comes with the price of the $40 admission), is all done to raise funds for the Anishnawbe Health Toronto, is never advertised as it pretty much sells out as soon as the tickets are available.
The Gadzookian was lucky to have an inside scoop (or ladle?!) on ticket procuring, and, for the second year in a row, lined up with other hungry hipsters and octogenarians to see what Toronto’s chefs would do to impress the spoon wielding crowds.
People start lining up around 4PM to be first to select a handcrafted bowl donated by ceramic artists for the event. There are more than enough to choose from and it makes for an interesting study to see who selects what.
Nathan Isberg was near the entrance serving up his lovely and simple Pomodoro soup, with Tuscan bread and tomato.
Presentation is key as demonstrated in this bowl served up by David Chrystian of Chez Victor. A rapini soup with chorizo sausage and mussels – the bunch of diced rapini sautéed with the sausage and mussels made a colourful topping to one of the most inventive bowls of the evening.
It always helps when your outfit complements the dish too! Sandra Ferguson enjoys the rapini puree that looks lovely in her earth-tone glazed shallow bowl and sage vintage trench.
The 100-mile diet reigned supreme. Here is a close-up of Amuse Bouche’s zucchini gazpacho with Trillium Spring smoked trout and Monforte Ricotta Cheese. Local vegetables were popular. Beets were everwhere: Suzanne Baby at Hart House had an awesome spiced roasted beet soup, and Anne Yarymowich of the AGO had a hearty golden beet borsht.
The guy who started it all, main event supporter and organizer, Jamie Kennedy is flocked by soup groupies. Kennedy challenged fussy eaters this year with a Hillier Rhubarb Gelee topped with a Norman Hardie Riesling Sorbet.
No matter what, there was something for everyone.
If you want to hear more about the Gadzookian’s soup night, drop by the Victory Café on June 3 between 6 and 9 PM !