Washington takes on Toronto, the poutine craze goes south, Sutton Place caters to babies

Washington takes on Toronto, the poutine craze goes south, Sutton Place caters to babies

Oh yeah! Kool-Aid is put to use pickling cucumbers (Photo by Andre Torrez)

• Just as Smoke’s Poutinerie and Poutini are doing in Toronto, Québécois chefs in New York are adding twists to the cheese-and-gravy standard. T Poutine has such toppings as “Asian” (carrots, peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheddar, soy-ginger sauce) and “breakfast” (scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar sauce). New York, however, doesn’t sound too happy about the arrival of the Canuck delicacy, deploying that hackneyed headline “Blame Canada.” [New York]

• A Mississippi delicacy—extra-concentrated Kool-Aid used as pickle brine—is moving north, largely in the form of tartar sauce and waffle accompaniments. By the time it hits Toronto, we predict it will be used as a poutine topping. [New York Times]

• It’s time to play another round of “foreigners pay attention to Toronto.” The Washington Post published a mini-guide to Toronto, listing Frank, C5 and a St. Lawrence Market sandwich counter as its top dining picks. Efficiency (or perhaps laziness) is paramount, apparently, considering all three are inside other attractions. [Washington Post]

• Accents Restaurant at Toronto’s Sutton Place Hotel now has a menu for babies. Wee ones can enjoy a banana-avocado mix, as well as creamed chicken with yukon gold potatoes. We’re sure they’ll taste just as good to parents when the babies throw it at them. [The Examiner]

• The Star’s food critic gives a glowing review to a Japanese graphic novel series called Oishinibo, in which a father and son duke it out in culinary battles. The seven-volume collection, which also includes lessons on Japanese food culture, asks such questions as “Who knows sashimi better?” and “What’s the best way to cook rice?” [Toronto Star]