Month: January 2026

Begone, cursed month

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In addition to whatever new shows we’re trying to watch (currently: The Pitt, Abbott Elementary, Mr. In-Between, A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, Industry) we always have an older sitcom on the go too. The Office, say, or New Girl, or BoJack Horseman, or Community. Most recently it was Schitt’s Creek, which we wrapped up a few days ago. So, visions of Moira Rose were still fresh in our heads yesterday when we saw the news about Catherine O’Hara.

It was one more kick in the nuts delivered by this January. I can’t even talk about world news. I can barely talk about the weather — two huge snowstorms (well, huge for Toronto) in ten days, the last of which set a single-day record in the city, has felt like a blanket lightly pinning us down. At least we didn’t have to call in the army this time.

Usually my (self-diagnosed) season affective disorder doesn’t kick in until February, but this January has felt interminable. Yesterday I saw someone on Instagram* say that it’s only 49 days until Spring. That gave me some hope — seven weeks feels doable — in a month when I haven’t felt much.

* An app which I am hating more and more by the day.

Scotiabank Snowy Day in Toronto

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First trip to Moncton of 2026 in the books — a short visit this time, with none of the travel drama we experienced in December. Nothing fun in the off-hours though: it was too cold, and I was too busy, to try anything further than a stone’s throw from my hotel or office.

When I left they were setting up for Hockey Day in Canada, which probably would have been a lot more fun than what I experienced when we landed in Toronto: a massive snowstorm. Normally I’d have stayed home all cozy, but I had to drive to work on Thursday morning, when there was already a foot down and another foot coming. It was one of the hairier drives I’ve done. I’ve never before seen cars stuck in snowbanks on a major highway. Anyway, I made it there and back in once piece, so I’ll count myself lucky.

Now: to not leave the house for two days weeks.

What’s the opposite of dry January?

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After the holidays, most people pull back on how much they’re eating and drinking. This past week, I went the other way.

On Sunday we had dinner with Ricky & Olivia at DaiLo. Being out with friends who have their own Michelin-recognized restaurant changes the experience somewhat, as other chefs want to share their top stuff (and maybe show off a bit) with respected peers, so Lindsay and I benefitted from that. As a result, I can’t remember everything we ate — a lot of courses came out unbidden — but do remember these ones, and recall that everything was fantastic.

  • Hakka Brown Wontons (pork & shrimp) w/ toasted sesame oil, house xo sauce, almond crumble
  • Crispy Octopus Tacos w/ red braised pork belly, sambal aioli, jicama shell
  • Burmese Tofu w/ mushroom duxelle black bean sauce, wing bean, pear, pickled honey mushrooms, Sichuan mustard vinaigrette
  • Vietnamese Phaux Beef Carpaccio: 90 day aged ribeye cap, braised tendon, warm pho demi glace, crispy rice noodle, basil bean sprout
  • Sweet & Sour Pork Hock w/ Po Po’s original sauce, almond crumble, pickled daikon
  • Panang Fried Eggplant & Burrata w/ arugula herb salad, pistachio pesto, tamarind glaze, chili crunch
  • Truffle Hainanese Chicken w/ foie fat rice, scallion ginger oil, confit garlic sambal, crispy garlic & onion
  • Smoked Duck Bokkeum w/ kimchi pickled spring vegetables, gochugaru onion jam, miso blue potato salad, crispy wild rice
  • 90 Day Dry Aged Butcher Shoppe Rib Eye w/ Asian bordelaise sauce, braised shiitake, truffle pomme puree
  • Desserts
  • A bottle of Beaujolais (Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvée Tardive)

On Tuesday I had dinner booked with Shannon, which we’d been trying to set up for a while. I chose Wood Owl, and while it wasn’t quite as tasty as our first time there late last year, it was still pretty great.

  • apps
    • yellowfin tuna, aji amarillo & Cara Cara orange w/ cucumber, lime leaf oil, Thai basil, red chili
    • steak tartare & beef tallow toast w/ cornichon, caper, shallot, dijon, egg yolk
  • mains
    • braised short rib, celeriac & Gruyere puree w/ caramelized onion & red wine sauce, escarole, crunchy dijon vinaigrette (Shannon)
    • steak frites, Café de Paris butter, fries, aioli (me)

I had glasses of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc / Weissburgunder, and Sangiovese. Shannon was on dry January.

On Thursday I had a work dinner at DaNico. It was a more intimate affair than usual with just a handful of attendees. One of those was an old employee of mine, so that was an unexpected treat. Also a treat: these dinners don’t usually happen at Michelin-starred restaurants.

  • canapé selection (all five of which were exceptional)
  • seared Ontario venison w/ organic chestnut purée, red beets, port jus
  • Spaghettoni pasta from Gragnano boiled in an extraction of organic Ontario mushrooms w/ Parmigiano Reggiano aged 24 months, fresh Italian black truffle
  • Chilean sea bass steamed and deglazed with miso w/ radicchio tardivo all’ agro, Oscetra sturgeon caviar, white vermouth sauce
  • Itakuja chocolate, namelaka with soft caramel insert, fruity mokable crunch, tonka gelato

After opening a bottle of Bollinger (!) for the aperitivo, they let me pick the wine. I decided to champion Ontario wine, ordering bottles of Bachelder “Les Villages” Pinot Noir and Hidden Bench “Tête de Cuvée” Chardonnay. Even snuck in an Amaro at the end.