Last week my travels took me about 2 1/2 hours southwest of Toronto to Stratford, Ontario. Despite my urges to go seek out the old Justin Bieber haunts (he’s from Stratford), I resisted and went directly to The Old Prune restaurant to taste the creations of Chef Paolo Lopriore from Siena’s Il Canto in the medieval Hotel Certossa di Maggiano.
Chef Paolo was invited to be a part of the Stratford Chefs School program where esteemed chefs come to share and teach some of the students in the kitchen (International Chefs in Residence). The Stratford Chefs School began in 1983, producing highly skilled and in demand graduates and on this particular evening, we were also honoured with dining with Stratford’s Executive Director, Kimberley Payne.
Dinner commenced with some Prosecco and an Amuse Bouche of airy, buttery egg and cream in a shell topped with chives and caviar.
First course was a sweet and sour eggplant Caponata with shrimp. I love eggplant, especially with seafood and Chef Paolo appealed to my Mediterranean senses.
The next course firmly had me transported to the Mediterranean with this ebon risotto of squid that was fork-tender, smelled of the sea and a black reflecting pool of risotto fully absorbed with the colour and flavour of squid ink.
The main course spoke to the Canadian ingredients available to Chef, with a pan-roasted venison loin in a blueberry sauce. My pool of sauce even looked like the province of Ontario but the flavours in the dis were made in the spirit of the Italian kitchen (fresh, local, simple).
The dessert course was a Budino (pudding) of lemon and a coffee and then petits-fours with coffee & tea.
It was back to Toronto and I soon as I got home I reviewed the photos of this refined meal and look at the Stratford Chefs School’s web site. Have a look at the upcoming events and try to attend one of these meals…they may be prepared by one of Canada’s next top Chefs!
That all looks amazingly good,especially the venison loin. Love venison. Can’t believe you didn’t check out the Justin Bieber haunts! ;)
Julia
The Old Prune restaurant? Named after me I guess.
The food looks orgasmic! What a wonderful time you must have had.
No photos of you and Justin Bieber, I am disappointed Peter…wink. This does sound like an amazing experience and a chance to envelope yourself in delicious food.
Oh gosh, Mr Petah. I’ve got my eyes on that squid ink risotto. I’ve been wanting to make one for the longest time and I think it’s just a question of days now that you reignited the flame.
What a feast Peter! All of it looks amazing but I’m particularly interested in that venison with blueberry sauce…yum!
OMG – What an exquisitely delicious meal. That amuse bouche, the squid-ink risotto, the shrimp, eggplant, the venison, dessert – not a clunker in the entire works.