Sprout Awards 2009

SPROUT AWARDS 2009


The 2009 Sprout Cookbook Awards took place last night at Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks, with the honours going to Jennifer McLagan's book "Fat".

Last year's winning recipient, John Bishop, passed over what looked at first to be an avocado pit, but later revealed itself to be a boxed silver Brussels sprout, to Jennifer and offered his congratulations. Upon which McLagan read the "Ode to the Sprout" and the transfer of the award was official.

Meanwhile, guests endorsed the cookbook's creed with lard-laced cookies and crisply thin Belgian fries cooked up by Chef Robert Belcham using an authentic Belgian ingredient, horse fat.

"Yes, the horse fat was a bit difficult to find", said Belcham, "but we persevered and finally tracked down a supplier in Quebec."

Rob Belcham and his partner Tom Doughty from restaurants Fuel and Campagnolo also shared samples of their homemade salumi, the cured meats line from their new charcuterie The Cure.  It was no surprise that the selection included "lardo" -- curls of creamy white, pure pork fat ... Italian style.