Food trend: Pop up food events

Fidel Gastro sammies on the go

So I've been doing a lot of eating instead of cooking since Sean's mom got here. I've been meaning to tell you about a curious trend that has been keeping Toronto foodies busy the past couple months - pop-up food events. You pretty much have to be tuned to the Twitter and Facebook grapevine to get in on the action. Over the summer it was all about the food trucks, but now, it's nice to see other creative home cooks get their chance to shine. So here's a bit of a round-up of what we've been lucky to sample. 

Fidel Gastro - The Sandwich Maestro
I met Matthew Basile (a.k.a El Presidente/creator and founder) through mutual friend, Christine Cooper (a.k.a @coopspeak) at the Toronto Underground Market (TUM). When he invited us to the pop up Opposites Attract to sample some of his sandwiches (I was intrigued by the Cuban mac 'n' cheese) it was hard to refuse thanks to the passion he displayed talking about his journey from the corporate world to sandwich artist. What started as a quiet evening with Basile's sandwiches and vegan delicacies from The Feel Good Guru turned into a raucous party with Basile selling 250 sandwiches in just two hours. Of course, his Havana Club was excellent and the Cuban Mac spiked with chorizo did not disappoint.  Sean's fave was the Toronto Cheesteak. Basile has since sold sandwiches at TUM and 99 Sudbury.

Havana Club (left); Cuban Mac

Kale Salad and Falafel (left); Toronto Cheeseteak

La Carnita - Taco Specialists
If you ever see that skull graphic (a.k.a Meathead) around the city, there's a chance the La Carnita team are dishing out their tacos nearby. The brainchild of three creative gentlemen from OneMethod Digital and Design, the team has held a whole stack of pop up events across the city - including TUM and Food Truck Eats - often featuring a guest chef. Curious about a Twitter thread that was going, I joined the masses and stood in line one Thursday evening in the summer to get a taste of their crisp Voltron fish taco complete with a sprinkle of crunchy purple cabbage that had everyone salivating virtually. That evening they had paired up with Steve Gonzalez (contestant of Top Chef Canada) who served a delicious adobo spiced pork taco with corn salsa. The deal? You pay for limited edition art work and get a taco goody bag. Read more about the unique concept online in Toronto Life.

Hello Meathead; Steve Gonzalez at work

Order to go; Voltron taco (left) and pork loin taco

Toronto Underground Market - Eclectic Flavours
This little gathering is hard to get into, as it takes place just once every month and charges a $10 entry fee. Run by Hassel Aviles at the Evergreen Brickworks, it provides home and professional cooks a platform to sell their edible wares to the ever voracious public. Inspired by a similar event in San Francisco, this market has become a much anticipated gathering for food lovers in the GTA. We were lucky to get tickets through @coopspeak and we hung out with her and her hubby Dennis munching our way through samosas, arancini and ramen and mingling with fellow foodies. Make no mistake, the lines do get long but as long as you have some company and a glass of wine in hand it's all good.

Romanian meatball soup; arancini

Dennis, Christine and Sean; Shinaki-Co ramen

New Discovery: CakeStar

The CakeStar Girlz - Barbara (left) and Monja

The first thing that strikes you about Barbara Accogli and Monja Chiaravalloti is their smiles.

That’s something worth remembering because as you get them talking about their edible art business, CakeStar, those smiles get wider as they describe the gorgeous cakes and pastries they conjure up each day. Heavily influenced by their dad, master baker Nicola, who ran his own bakery for 26 years, the sisters get nostalgic as they recall the past. Listening to memories of their sweet childhood is like reading about the delicious midnight feasts in an Enid Blyton novel. But while I had to make do with fiction, Accogli and Chiaravalloti actually got to live the real version – in broad day light.

The girls and their dad

“We used to have sleepovers and then we used to have breakfast at the bakery with our friends the next morning,” explains Accogli. “My mom and dad would make us cappuccinos or hot chocolate and then place this big bowl of tiramisu on the table and give each of us a spoon. And we would all just dive in and start eating. Sometimes it would even be leftover pieces of cake and frosting. It was delicious!”

That love for all things sweet is what led Barbara and Monja to open CakeStar. From gravity defying wedding cakes to cake balls and some of the best cannoli in Toronto, the sisters channelled their passion into making dreamy (and artful) treats for others. While I’m at the store, a potential customer enters with a dress dripping diamantes, which she wants reflected on her birthday cake. Barbara and Monja spring into action throwing out ideas on different designs and cake heights. Within seconds the customer is caught up in their enthusiasm as well and is sharing her own vision for the cake.

Passion is a word you won’t just hear often, but you’ll experience when you meet Barbara and Monja. I met them for the first time at the media opening of their store a couple of weeks ago where they taught guests how to fill cannoli (a store speciality) and decorate cake balls. Ecstatic that their dream of a cake store had come to fruition, they happily chatted about being thankful for the chance to put a smile on their customer’s faces. “We have regulars who we have done the engagement cake for, then their wedding cake and now their baby shower cakes as well,” says Monja. “Many of them recognise the passion that we share for what we do and they tell us, ‘we’re not going anywhere else’.”

But breaking the Guinness world record for the 'most layered cake' and having their cupcakes featured on NBC's series Suits aside, do they eat a lot of cake? “A bit too much,” says Monja laughing. “We just like to have fun and enjoy what we do. When people come into the store we want them to feel welcome and relaxed.” And judging from the walls painted a funky green to the chirpy ‘hello’ you get when you enter the store, you'll immediately know that you’re in good hands. And guess what? That tempting array of treats in the store front is going to ensure you don't leave empty handed as well.

Cakestar is located at 3431 lakeshore Blvd W, Etobicoke, M8W 1N2.
Barbara and Monja also host cake decorating classes and have a wicked selection of naughty cakes, wedding cakes, cake balls, cupcakes, cannoli and baked treats. Check out the images on their website. You can also read their tips on throwing a dessert party.