Cigar Review - Bolivar Royal Corona

Extremely well constructed with a perfectly even burn from initial light. Tons of smoke fills your mouth with earth, cocoa and subtle hints of warm vanilla. Flavours kept pretty consistent throughout.

Score: 94

Wine Review - 2006 Terre del Barolo Barbaresco

A light and easy drinking Barbaresco that is a bit darker ruby than one would expect from the nebbiolo-based wine.

Medium bodied with sharp tannins, this wine is still a little tight and can use a few more years in the cellar. After 2 hours in a decanter, subtle spice and floral notes dominate the palate with berrylike undertones which produce a tangy and medium finish.

A good wine for its value (approx. $25), but for a few dollars more, there are better options out there.

Score: 87

Wine Review - 2007 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Riserva Rocca Guicciarda

A dark ruby colored wine that opens up nicely in the glass with aromas of red berries, vanilla and earth.

On the palate, well-rounded with mouth loads of ripe red fruit, black pepper and subtle oak. Should open up nicely after a few hours in a decanter. Slightly acidic after taste.

Still a little tight, could use a year or two in the cellar.

Score: 89

Wine Review - Louis Roederer Champagne

A classic and very consistent champagne.

Beautifully balanced and crisp with enough acidity to bring out delicate notes of green apple and lemon. Tiny bubbles and a clean, polished finish.

Score: 93

Family Dinner Mario Batali Style

My wife and I had our families over for dinner and we wanted to serve a simple meal - pasta and some roasted chicken with root vegetables. Unfortunately, simple didn't mean quick. I decided to make Mario Batali's version of Ragu Bolognese, and let me tell you, it was worth the almost 3 hours cook time. This sauce is super rich and was an absolute hit. Folks loved the chicken too.

Good white wine and quality beef and pork are crucial.

Lipids - Olive Oil and Butter

Add Mirepoix (I used colored carrots)

A Pound Each of Ground Beef and Pork

Can of Tomato Paste

Add White Wine (I used Crush from Niagara)

After an Hour on Low Heat

Chicken About to Go Into the Oven

Wine Review - 2009 Milcampos Tempranillo

An absolute steal in Ontario at around $10 per bottle, this 100% Tempranillo wine opens up beautifully after about 2 hours in a decanter.

Deep and dark purple color with pleasant aromas of cherry, cedar and leather. On the palate, rich and well-rounded with concentrated red fruit, earthy notes and toasted oak. Firm tannins and a nice polished finish.

At this price, buy a case today and enjoy with steak, lamg and game meats.

Score: 90

Cigar Review - Jose L. Piedra Cazadores

Jose L. Piedra cigars are considered medium to full strength cigars  from the Vuelta Arriba region in Cuba. At under $10 per stick, the brand represents an excellent entry-level cigar to experience the unmistakable Cuban taste.

Medium bodied, this smoke was exactly as expected: strong notes of earth and tobacco, with a hint of black pepper and dried fruit. Even burn and simple finish.

Score: 88

Valentine's Day Dinner @ Home

For Valentine's Day 2012, I attempted to recreate the type of meal my wife and I could experience at most 'nice' Toronto restaurants. I used high quality ingredients, and spent most of the day prepping and cooking the meal, which turned out to be excellent.

Valentine's Day Table Setting

First Course - Momofuku Style Pork Buns

Momofuku Pork Belly - Slow Roasted

Second Course - Boston Lettuce Salad

Third Course - Seared Foie Gras
on Brioche with Roasted Fig

Fourth Course - Beef Wellington with
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Fifth Course - Dessert Plate
(Purchased These)

World's Best Espresso - Only in Rome

Rome - the Eternal City - is one of the world's oldest and greatest cities. History, glamour, architecture and more beautiful churches than anyone can possibly visit, span Rome's historic seven hills and beyond.

To me, what sets Rome apart from the rest of the world is the espresso. Ordering a "caffe" anywhere in Rome will certainly not disappoint. Whether it's their water, beans, espresso machines, or simply the sprezzatura way of life, an espresso in Rome makes you feel like you should be strolling the Via Veneto in a 1960s Fellini film.

Two places define espresso in Rome and present 2 distinct cups of coffee that exist in a class of their own.

Sant'Eustachio

The legendary coffee shop, just steps from the Pantheon, has become renowned for it's unique espresso. The baristas hide behind speacially made shields to guard the family secret to a pre-sweetened coffee with a frothy, sugary crema that covers a silky and balanced espresso that leaves a lingering cocoa and toasted marshmallow finish.

Sant'Eustachio Espresso        

Slightly pricier than other espresso bars in Rome, this could easily be the best coffee I have ever tasted.

Score: 99

Tazza D'oro

Also in the Pantheon area of Rome, Tazza D'oro is often compared with Sant'Eustachio when arguing about Rome's best espresso.

A much more traditional shot of espresso, Tazza D'oro's coffee looks as good as it tastes. Perfectly mocha colored crema that opens up in the mouth with bold earthy and chocolatey taste. Perfectly balanced after taste.

Tazza D'oro Espresso

A different coffe than Sant'Eustachio, but one more easily compared with traditional espresso bars. Not much of a comparison.

Score: 99

If you will be visiting Rome, and want the best espresso you'll ever have, please visit either one of these places (or both). As for which one is the best, we score them both 99, but can't choose just one because they are two very different shots espresso.

Wine Review - 2007 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Volte

Tenuta dell’Ornellaia's third wine, the 2007 Le Volte is a blend of 51% Sangiovese, 34% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. A deep purple colour provides a lighter than expected bouquet of strawberry, raspberry and earthy notes. Starting off tight, this rich red opens up after a few hours in a decanter with hints of jam, red fruit and oak. Decent tannins and a long finish.

Overall, I was hoping for more from this wine, and if faced with a choice, would prefer Tenuta San Guido's third wine, Le Difese, which provides a more complex and full-bodied 2007.

Score: 89

Wine Review - 2008 Marchesi di Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva

Chianti has become a real go-to wine for many fans of the sangiovese grape not willing to shell out $40 or $50 for Brunello as their daily wine. The region is no longer typified by the straw-encased bottle filled with nonno's best plonk. Chianti has settled into its own, and producers are producing some excellent vintages.


The 2008 Marchesi di Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva is an excellent value at around $20. The deep ruby colour provides a bouquet of sour cherry, and ripe red fruit. On the palate, a chocolatey jam-like plum and prune taste supports well rounded tannins and a long, fine finish. Enjoy with typical Italian fare: tomato-based pasta, pizza and lamb.

Score: 90

Travel - Chicago (Coolest City in America)

The United States has its fair share of cool cities. From New York's famous skyline to the Las Vegas strip to the Hollywood sign, travellers can easily find a cool vacation spot that provides the scenery, style and dining options world-class cities require.


Chicago, however, pulls it all together with a confident swagger that makes it the coolest city in America. Whether you're shopping along N Michigan Ave or Oak St., dining in Fulton Market, watching the Cubs at Wrigley Field or enjoying a shot of espresso at Intelligentsia in the Loop, Chicago has the perfect balance of style and substance.  

Trump International Hotel & Tower

John Hancock Tower

Smurfit-Stone Building 

Street Scene from Millennium Park

Hard Rock Hotel

View from Roof Bar at Sixteen at the Trump

View from Roof Bar at Sixteen at the Trump  

Tribune Tower

Cigar Review - Casa Magna Colorodo Robusto

The 2008 Cigar Aficionado cigar of the year continues to provide excellent value, and a pleasurable smoke. Solid construction and an oily wrapper provide balanced and bold flavours of earth, leather and toasted coffee bean. Should continue to be a best seller for years to come.


Score: 90

Wine Review - 2003 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese

An easy drinking sweet white with a very soft aroma of lemon, apricot and green apple. Lacking some acidity on the palate, concentrated flavours of honey, pineapple and citrus complement a long, soft finish. Excellent with spicy food, shellfish and salty salumi.


Score: 89      

Home Made Salumi

We've all been told the 2 things you never want people to see you make are sausages and laws. Having watched both being made on a number of occasions, I feel very comfortable sharing how we make home made salumi; laws not so much.

Pork - Ground, Spiced and Ready for Stuffing

Capocollo - Pork Shoulder Prior to Stuffing

Soppressata Being Stuffed

Sausage - Stuffed and Ready for Hanging 

Hanging Sausage

Finished Product after Months of Hanging and Curing

Restaurant Review - Yours Truly

The latest hot spot in Toronto, Yours Truly occupies a walker-friendly space on Ossington, just south of Dundas. Chef Jeff Claudio has the pedigree to turn this prix fixe tasting menu locale into one of Toronto's best. Claudio has spent time in some of the world's greatest restaurants, including Per Se, Alinea, Charlie Trotter's and Noma (the current number one restaurant in the world).

At $45 for the meat menu and $35 for the vegetarian option, the whimsical yet refined menu provides a tremendous value, and a taste that never disappointed.

Yours Truly - Interior

Tuna Tartare and Potato Leek Soup
Thuet Bread with Whipped Duck Fat

Pork Ssam in Bib Lettuce

Cauliflower and Sweetbreads 

Trout with Toasted Spelt

Seelbach - Bourbon, Cointreau, Bitters, Sparkling 

Overall, the meal, which also included a succulent chicken dish complemented by myriad seeds (including popcorn), and a slightly disappointing yogurt-muesli dessert, reminded me of a trendy meal in New York or Chicago; certainly not the same-old-same-old Torontonians have come to expect. The wine list is very limited, but each choice has been carefully selected to work with chef Claudio's ever-changing repertoire. Wine, beer and drink prices provide something for every budget. 

Yours Truly is a welcome addition to the Toronto food scene and a glimpse of what's in store for Canada's soon-to-be food capital. 

Score: 92






Yours Truly
229 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON M6J 2Z8
416.533.2243

How We Rate

The following is an overview of the criteria that goes into the 100-point scoring system for each of the categories:

Wine

Where the 100-point system we know today all began.

Robert Parker Jr. began his career reviewing wines using his 100-point system, soon thereafter adopted by Wine Spectator. The 100-point system has had a colossal impact on the world of wine, and specifically, the price of wine. Consumers, ourselves included, are always intrigued by a great valued 90+ wine. First growth Bordeaux, Napa Cabarnets and many other fine wines owe a great deal of gratitude to Parker’s scoring system, especially following the epic 1982 Bordeaux vintage.

Given the widespread use of the 100-point system, we will be rating wines on the following criteria:

Color – 10 points

Aroma/Bouquet – 25 points

Taste/Body/Finish – 30 points

Overall Impression/Personal Preference – 35 points

Cigars

Like wine, the 100-point scoring system dominates the world of cigar ratings. Cigar Aficionado is arguable the world leader in reviewing and rating cigars, Cubans and non-Cubans alike. Unlike wine, a 90+ cigar rating does not often cause spike in prices. A scoring cigar may become harder to find in local cigar shops, but prices don’t generally increase based on ratings.

We will be using the Cigar Aficionado system to rate cigars we taste, based on the following criteria:

Appearance and Construction - 15 points

Flavor - 25 points
Smoking Characteristics - 25 points
Overall Impression - 35 points

Espresso

We are excited to be reviewing espresso at Homme and Abroad. There is little to no resources that specifically review espresso on a 100-point scale. Note: by espresso, we are referring mainly to espresso at coffee shops/espresso bars. Based in Toronto, Homme and Abroad will mainly review Toronto area coffee shops/espresso bars.

Our 100-point espresso scoring system will be based on the following criteria:

Appearance – 30 points (initial impression, crema color, viscosity)

Aroma – 20 poionts (pleasant odor, does it smell burnt, foul, chemical?)

Taste – 50 points (chocolaty, cocoa, earthy, bitter, sour etc.)

Spirits

Since we will be reviewing a number of drinks, including scotch, beer, liquors etc, we decided to use very simple criteria to get to a 100-point scoring system that can be easily applied to a number of different drinks. Our system is based on the following:

Appearance/Colour – 25 points

Aroma – 25 points

Taste – 50 points

Restaurants

Everybody loves restaurant reviews. From the coveted 3 Michelin stars to a perfect Zagat score, we all read about what critics think about restaurants before we ever step foot in them. We have decided to rate restaurants, also on a 100-point scale, because we have been to a number of restaurants all over the world and often find ourselves disagreeing with critics. Our reviews will be scored based on the following:

Décor/Ambiance – 10 points

Service – 25 points

Food/Cuisine – 50 points

Value for money – 15 points

Now that you have a better understand of our criteria to rate and review a number of lifestyle choices, we’d like to welcome you once again to Homme and Abroad. 

Espresso Review - Thor

Thor Espresso Bar has been a popular topic in the Toronto coffee scene since they first unveiled the Slayer - the handmade, close to $20,000 espresso machine.

Interior of Thor

When you first enter the cosy corner unit in the King/Bathurst area, your eyes immediately focus on the giant art work behind the bar of Thor holding a giant espresso tamper.Then you're almost forced to stare down one of the coolest espresso machines you'll ever see. The place itself is ultra sleek and modern, evidenced by such things as the use of iPads instead of traditional cash registers.

The Slayer

As for the espresso, Thor does not disappoint. After pulling the shot, and giving the cup a few quick taps on the bar, the barista wipes the edges of the cup clean and hands me my coffee. Very solid color, and a good aroma of heavy cocoa and earth, the taste is strong and balanced, with a slight bitterness one comes to expect from North american Espresso.

Thor Espresso

Score: 92

Thor Espresso Bar

35 Bathurst Street #4, Toronto, ON M5V 2P2

416.451.8736