Happy New Year everyone, here is January's newsletter highlights:

Valentine's Day food theme
Chocolate anise fondu recipe
Monthly Vert Gastro Club
Vert Catering in the community

Romantic gastronomy
Here at Vert, we are always thinking about the future and our next endeavours. We are pleased to introduce a monthly Vert Gastro Club. We've discovered a wonderful new event space on Dundas and Beaconsfield to offer fully licensed dinners. Join us monthly for a new opportunity to experience our healthy and nurturing gourmet cuisine.

Valentine's Day is a perfect nite to launch, with a dinner and dance. All of our menus have vegetarian options and can be adjusted for any allergies. These menus will not only make love to your palette, they will give you a fresh new place to wine and dine your Valentine sweetheart.

And, 2% of ticket sales will go towards The Stop Community Food Centre.

- Pedro

Chocolate anise fondu
There are many ancient aphrodesiac ingredients such as anise seeds, chocolate, asparagus, passion fruit and oysters and that are meant to raise your romantic temperature. Here is a recipe containing plenty of romance to enjoy with the tiniest amount of effort.

Ingredients
3 cups good chocolate chips/medallions
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1 oz. of anise liqueur
1 tablespoon of sour cream
Diced Portuguese sweet bread
Skewers

Method
Bring a small pot of water to a boil and reduce to a rolling boil
Place metal bowl on top of pot
Add chocolate and stir while holding the bowl with a rag
Add the butter, anise liqueur and sour cream one at a time while slowly stirring
Take off heat and pour in something small with a lid (like a ceramic teapot)
Place in the middle of plate and add diced sweet bread around
Use one skewer, so you can share

Monthly Vert Gastro Club



Come out and enjoy Vert's rustic elegant cuisine on a monthly basis. We will transform a cozy new space into a unique culinary experience located on Dundas Street and Beaconsfield. The depARTment is a space for artists and an event space we have partnered with to bring you the Vert Gastro Club.

We will be launching the club to celebrate elegant and fun food to go along with a romantic evening of gastronomic pleasure on:

Valentine's Day
Motown dinner and dance
Saturday, February 14th, 2009
7:00 pm - 12:30 am

Menu

Amuse bouche
Mushroom poutine
Heavenly sauteed forest mushrooms, tossed in a beaujoulais beef jus and topped with nuggets of organic cheddar cheese and parsnip frites, all placed in a delicate pastry cup

Starter
Chayote and bitter greens
Lightly seasoned greens, layered between warm battered chayote and a tomato green onion salsa

Main
Chicken breast roast
Crispy golden brown chicken skin wrapped around a succulent polenta and chorizo stuffed roast, served with creamy celery root mash, sauteed escarole and peppers, all surrounded by a star anaise scented broth

or

Vegetarian cassoulet
Large grilled portobello mushroom smotherered with a baked white bean cassoulet, toppped with a tempura eggplant with a small drizzle of tamarind sauce

Dessert
Chocolate banana cream napolean with maple brittle

includes 1/2 litre red/white wine

$75 per person
$25 per person for open bar

Email Marilyn to reserve, or phone 416.535.2412--seating is limited, so book early!

Vert Catering in the community
This is what we've been up to in the community in November and December:

Donated a staff breakfast for 15 (breakfast burritos, fruit platter and yogurt parfaits) for Sketch's Staff Appreciation Christmas breakfast.

Donated 2% of our Christmas party caterings to The Stop Comunity Food Centre.


We look forward to seeing you in the store soon!

Marilyn, Conor and Pedro