#33: pizza (second edition) - April 2012

Our first-ever redo of a cookoff theme was held at Blühaus on the 21st of April. Apparently everyone was eager to heed the new rules, because we had a whopping 11 entries! Jeff made a 'house crust' for people who didn't feel comfortable making their own, and all crusts were wheat-free (most were spelt unless otherwise specified). It was a fairly warm day with a promising bit of sunlight, and everyone was quite happy to smoke outside and drink plentiful amounts of beer. We also decided to do portraits of competitors with their food, as with the pie-off (Yaara and Tim were the only odd ones out who did not make pan pizza).

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES

Yaara: "funny things with black sesame" calzone filled with caramelized onions, fried tofu, and pine nuts, topped with black sesame & mozza and served on a bed of spinach with a tomato-coconut dipping sauce

Steph: "Fernando" chili with kidney beans, mushrooms, and chipotle sausage, with cheddar on top and a garlic-chive sour cream dip

Amanda: "I fucked your mom last night" tomato-mango-cilantro sauce and chili-spiced mushrooms topped with a salsa of red onion, roma tomato, grape, radish, and cilantro

Dan: "I need a dope beat" avocado-banana-chile sauce with red peppers, caramelized onion, tomato, and cheddar

Laryssa: "sausage fest" smoky pineapple sauce topped with soy chorizo, pineapple, thai chili, basil, & caramelized onion; served with a creamy garlic dipping sauce

Jen: "the baconator" garlic mayo sauce topped with homemade coconut bacon, tomato, cracked pepper, and arugula

Jeff: "pizza names are for chumps" gala apple, homemade cheese, spicy maple-candied pecans, and arugula tossed with lemon oil

Tim: "big booty banana cake" panacón (deep-fried green plantain) crust with a white bean mushroom sauce, topped with mango, tomato, garlic, and red onion

Sarah: "korma chameleon" garlic buttered crust with korma sauce, green peppers, pineapple, spinach, and mozza

Jamie (aka Cat Stache): "cat kibble" rosemary-infused crust with tri-colour peppers, sun-dried tomato, fried onion, asparagus, portobello mushroom, and cheddar

Nina: "the moment of awakening" sorghum-tapioca flour crust with rosemary, topped with pesto, red pepper, artichoke, portobello mushroom, and homemade cheese

Steph and Jamie both competed for the first time. Also in attendance were Malloreigh, Amanda's friend from work, and a friend of Dan's whose name I can't remember.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Yaara
creativity: Tim
presentation: Yaara
best sauce: Sarah
best crust: Tim
overall favourite: Jen

overall winner: Jen

best name: (unscored category) Tim

just for good measure, a close up of the winning entry:

#32: tarts - March 2012

This cookoff was held at Amanda & Laryssa's on the 7th of March, just over two weeks after the February one, so that Jeff Downer could attend while he visited from Boston. We were a little disappointed to find that there were only four competitors (the same amount as the very first cookoff), yet three times as many people in attendance. As a result, instead of being too full to move, we actually ordered Indian food after the competition because we were all still hungry.
We also decided that newcomers MUST compete on their second attendance, and that regulars should not sit out more than one cookoff in a row if it can be at avoided — in order to keep things interesting and varied, not to make people feel unwelcome or intimidated. The idea is for all of us to be trying new things, challenging ourselves, and improving our cooking skills.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
Jen: "even artichokes have hearts" white bean, spinach and artichoke in a peppered spelt & coconut oil crust with a kalamata olive and gluten-free cracker garnish

Malloreigh: "flaming bag of dog poop" string-tied filo pockets filled with shiitake mushroom, red pepper, onion, and pepper leaves with a purée of red pepper, sunchoke & garlic

Amanda: "a caravan in Morocco" fig reduction & black tea-poached pears in a pastry crust with pumpkin seeds and garam masala

Nina: "full moon nut job" garlic, pistachio, & cashew* in a spelt filo pastry with a sauce of raspberry, cranberry, peach, lemon, & ginger

*Nina sacrificed votes here because she forgot about the nuts rule, and Amanda couldn't taste her entry.

Also in attendance were Jeff D, Jeff Z, Steph, Sarah, Kajin, Kevin, Katie (I think?), Kaylie (later), and perhaps someone else I'm forgetting.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Malloreigh
presentation: Malloreigh
creativity: Amanda/Nina
best crust: Jen/Amanda
overall favourite: Malloreigh

overall winner: Malloreigh

best name: (unscored category) Nina


Malloreigh's entry being plated

Amanda plating

#31: Mexican food - February 2012

Mexican-off was held at das Blühaus on the 22nd of February. We took care to make everything gluten-free after accidentally poisoning Yaara with seitan at the last cookoff, but alas, she was stuck at home with a migraine the day of. Nevertheless we all stuffed ourselves to the point of bursting and drank until the wine ran out.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
Jen: "gastronomical digest" tortilla soup featuring black bean, corn, zucchini, and red pepper; topped with pepperjack Daiya, lime juice, avocado, and homemade chili-garlic tortilla crisps

Dan: "carnitas" corn tortilla filled with spicy pulled pork-style dried rubbed jackfruit with caramelized onions and mushrooms, topped with mango black bean salsa

Nina: "¡hot tamale sunrise!" tamale pie: bean, corn, and tomato base with a polenta topping and cilantro garnish (I apologize for the brutally bad focus on this photo)

Laryssa: "molé, muthafucka!" spicy chocolate tempeh, nuts, & seeds in a cheesy corn quesadilla topped with mango salsa and cilantro-lime sour cream

Kaylie: "a la vergäs" fig, oyster mushroom & candied spicy almond in a mini taco with pickled onion, crispy fried potato, and garlic cream sauce

Malloreigh: "the ugly do-over" mango guacamole with fire-roasted tomato salsa and homemade tortilla chips

Amanda: "ribbed sugary cocks" churros rolled in chili-cinnamon sugar and dipped in dark chocolate sauce


also in attendance were Jesse, Steph, and Sarah.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Amanda
creativity: Kaylie
authenticity: Jen
presentation: Kaylie
overall favourite: Dan

overall winner: Kaylie

best name: (unscored category) Amanda

recipe: chipotle cider sausage & apple chili

Jen's chipotle cider chili with Southern Comfort cornbread

INGREDIENTS
-1/2 each red & white onions, diced
-6 garlic cloves, minced
-4 vegan chorizo sausages (I used Field Roast brand, if you're making your own you'll need about a pound)
-5 or 6 sliced white mushrooms
-1 large or 2 small apples, cored, peeled, and diced
-2 cans dry cider (you could also use pilsner or ale if you prefer)
-28oz can peeled tomatoes with their juices
-1/2 each 19oz can of kidney and black beans
-1 to 2 tablespoons chilies in adobo sauce, chopped roughly
-chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste

yield: one big-ass pot of chili, enough to feed at least six hungry people

1. Cook the onion and garlic in oil for about 6 minutes. Remove sausage from casings and add it to the pan, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon (it will break up easier once it's warmer, so don't worry if you're having trouble at the start). Cook 4-5 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, chili powder, and chipotles. Stir for 1 minute, then add 1.5 cans of the cider along with the apples. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half. While this is happening, you can drink the remaining half-can of cider.

3. Add the tomatoes, breaking them into smaller pieces. Add the beans, cover partially and simmer at least 1/2 hour. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream and serve with cornbread.

My Southern Comfort-infused cornbread was made using the Veganomicon skillet cornbread recipe, swapping out 1/3 cup of the milk for SoCo.

#30: cooking with booze - January 2012

Liquor-off was held on the 22nd of January in Nina's lovely Mt. Pleasant home. This was also the third anniversary of cookoff — hard to believe. Unfortunately not many people were able to come, we had only eight in attendance. But it was a Sunday, and it was incredibly rainy and windy.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES

Amanda: "whiskey winter" whiskey-soaked currants & apples baked in sweet bread, with a spiced whiskey butter glaze

Jen: "SoCo adobo" cider-infused chili with chipotle sausage & apples, served with a Southern Comfort-infused cornbread and topped with sour cream & cilantro
[I neglected to get a photo of Yaara's entry because I was helping her serve up & then I got distracted by eating because I am a failure. It looked a little like the love child of stroganoff and pad thai.]
Yaara: "Grandma's special sauce" thick rice noodles in a coconut-vodka sauce with crimini mushrooms, marinated tofu, and parsley

Märt: "venomous frost-spider's revenge" yam, potato and cranberry baked with Grand Marnier, orange, and lemon

Laryssa: "drunken Sunday" red wine dark chocolate ice cream with a raspberry-wine coulis, topped with basil & toasted almonds

Nina: "randy brandy brownies" flourless chocolate brownies with a brandy caramel sauce and soy whip

Märt was competing for the first time. Also in attendance were Jen's friend and neighbour Steph, as well as Laryssa's friend Gabi, who had intended to make a stout cake but ran short on time, so she just brought the bottles of stout instead. Malloreigh's entry fell on the floor at the last minute and she decided to stay home out of sadness.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Jen
presentation: Amanda
creativity: Yaara
booziness: Yaara/Märt
overall favourite: Jen

overall winner: Jen

best name: (unscored category) Yaara


Amanda's spiced whiskey

testing out the soy whip

#29: red & green - December 2011

Our holiday themed red & green cookoff was held on the 14th of December at Flatland. The sad part of this cookoff was that it was the last one that Jeff Downer would be able to attend for at least a year, as he is in Boston for photography as of the 23rd. Thus, he wanted to host and of course compete before leaving town. Also notable that Iain was finally in town and not busy on cookoff night, and was thrilled to be able to attend. The wine was flowing and everyone was in good holiday spirits.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
Nina: "please your beans with beets" bean & mushroom sauté with beet-cashew butter and spinach-oregano tofu cream, topped with sesame seeds & parsley

Laryssa: "Christmas in Japan" red rice (beet-dyed) sushi with asparagus, yam & beet served on a bed of wasabi avocado

Jen: "pesto change-o" campari tomato halves topped with pesto, mozza, and onions & mushrooms fried in port

Tim: "that's my rich substance!" cilantro polenta with red bean tomato sauce, fried green onion, and cilantro lime zest

Malloreigh: "gnocchi di rosso e verde della inverno" beet and basil gnocchi with roasted tomato sauce, button mushrooms, and basil chiffonade garnish

Jeff D: "Pacman piroshki" beet buns stuffed with potato, carrot, sage & leek, served with a dill-lemon mayo dipping sauce

Justine: "stoplight pudding" chocolate pudding with cherries and mint

Amanda: "triangle tiredness" chocolate cranberry tarts with basil, almond, and sea salt in a gluten-free pastry


Justine competed for the first time. Also in attendance were Iain, Dave, two friends of Amanda's & Laryssa's whose names I forget, and Kaylie towards the end of things.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Jeff
presentation: Jen
colour: Laryssa
creativity: Jeff
overall favourite: Malloreigh/Jeff

overall winner: Jeff D

best name: (unscored category) Amanda


candles taken from a set that said 'MERRY CHRISTMAS'

Jeff's piroshki on the cooling rack, with a compass for some reason

#28: cooking with tea - November 2011

Tea cookoff was held on the 22nd of November at Veronica's lovely Kitsilano apartment. Definitely one of the nicer kitchens most of us have had the chance to use for cookoff purposes. Her husband Frederic was quite hospitable as well, gathering dishes, pouring wine for everyone, making sure we could find things we needed. We had a fair number of people in the house, too, 17 or 18 I think, and more than enough wine to make sure everyone was very happy.

COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
Amanda: "Chinese garden in spring" oolong-smoked tofu and steeped dandelion greens in a sweet broth with candied tea leaves and orange rind

Jen: "AHH! CHAMOMILE!" creamy potato leek chamomile soup with nutmeg sour cream

Kate: "green stuff" kale, pear, nettles and cilantro blended with green tea and lemon

Malloreigh: "miso teabagged" green tea miso broth with shiitake mushrooms, green beans, bok choy, and rooibos-poached tofu

Laryssa: "teapots de crème" coconut-pumpkin chai custard topped with chai apricots & cranberries and citrus-candied almonds

Sarah: "cuppa cake" earl grey spelt cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting

Dan: "apple mountain pie" coconut chai apple pie with gingerbread black tea ice cream, garnished with star anise

Veronica: "banana blue-tea" banana rooibos raw ice cream with blueberry rooibos compote


Both Sarah and Kate were competing for the first time. Also in attendance were Jeff Downer, Justine, Frederic, Yaara, Marina, Dan's roommate Brandy, and three other friends of Dan's whose names I can't recall.

CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Jen
presentation: Amanda
creativity: Amanda/Kate/Dan
tea-nacity: Dan
overall: Jen

overall winner: Jen

we also forgot to vote for the best name category, so maybe leave your favourite dish name in the comments!