Foods from Mrs McGarrigle's
Comments
2010 Dec 24
Cherrylola -
With respect to the leftovers being served to staff - This is common in the food industry, I've been cooking professionally for almost 2 decades and every restaurant and hotel I've worked in feeds their staff with leftovers. The liability logistics involed in allowing clients/ guests to take food home makes it virtually impossible to do so. In fact, restaurants and hotels rarely allow their leftover food to be sent to missions for this same reason. Staff in the food business work hard and need to eat. LCBO and Loblaws both stand by the same policy to prevent illness to their clients.
Whether at a restaurant, hotel or cooking class, you are paying for the food on your plate; not the entire kitchen inventory. Portions at cooking classes are intended to be a sample tasting, not a meal.
Cooking classes in the Ottawa area are an incredible value for the most part. The classes at McGarrigles are no exception to this.
With respect to the leftovers being served to staff - This is common in the food industry, I've been cooking professionally for almost 2 decades and every restaurant and hotel I've worked in feeds their staff with leftovers. The liability logistics involed in allowing clients/ guests to take food home makes it virtually impossible to do so. In fact, restaurants and hotels rarely allow their leftover food to be sent to missions for this same reason. Staff in the food business work hard and need to eat. LCBO and Loblaws both stand by the same policy to prevent illness to their clients.
Whether at a restaurant, hotel or cooking class, you are paying for the food on your plate; not the entire kitchen inventory. Portions at cooking classes are intended to be a sample tasting, not a meal.
Cooking classes in the Ottawa area are an incredible value for the most part. The classes at McGarrigles are no exception to this.
2009 Nov 6
Made a recent Fall Pilgrimage to Merrickville… of course no visit is complete without a stop at Mrs. McGarrigle’s. Spent some time browsing, sniffing and tasting around the store. Ended up with the following items:
*Mrs. McGarrigle’s Apple Rum Chutney (Merrickville, Ontario)
*Stonewall Kitchen Vidalia Onion Fig Sauce (York, Maine)
and
*Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette (Perrysburg, Ohio)
The last purchase was one of those “surprise attacks”, there was a plate laid out near the front of the store with pieces of French Baguette and the aforementioned Vinaigrette for dipping… it is very very garlicy and highly addictive. “The Man” fell in love immediately. The bottle says the secret ingredient is “whole garlic cloves and cider vinegar”. It also says it can be used as a Salad Dressing or Marinade. So far we’ve used it primarily as a Salad Dressing, and love it.
*Mrs. McGarrigle’s Apple Rum Chutney (Merrickville, Ontario)
*Stonewall Kitchen Vidalia Onion Fig Sauce (York, Maine)
and
*Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette (Perrysburg, Ohio)
The last purchase was one of those “surprise attacks”, there was a plate laid out near the front of the store with pieces of French Baguette and the aforementioned Vinaigrette for dipping… it is very very garlicy and highly addictive. “The Man” fell in love immediately. The bottle says the secret ingredient is “whole garlic cloves and cider vinegar”. It also says it can be used as a Salad Dressing or Marinade. So far we’ve used it primarily as a Salad Dressing, and love it.
2009 Nov 3
Cherrylola - I read your Review with great interst, as I am always on the lookout for places that hold Cooking Lessons... but your Review left me wanting more info.
They hold classes with a lot of different themes, menus and guest Chefs... so I would like to know more about the class you took and what the theme or dishes prepared were.
And your comment:
"To top it off, I found the experience very expensive. I know how to cook and was hoping to learn something new - a new technique, a new recipe, something! Instead, I spent 15 minutes making a really simple dish I could make with one hand tied behind my back and then another 2 hours watching others cook. There was no opportunity to actually watch and learn, and because of the richness of the dishes, I would not make them again, at home. So, overall, a big waste of time and money."
Leaves me curious as to how you even chose this class... in that you exepected one experience and received something different. More info here would give the reader a better understanding of your experience (example you say expensive, but don't tell us the actual cost for the session, or how long the session was). I love cooking lessons, so I would like more info so I could make a decision on whether I might want to give Mrs McGarrigle's Cooking School a try or not. Without details it is hard to know whether your comments are infact a Review or a Rant.
They hold classes with a lot of different themes, menus and guest Chefs... so I would like to know more about the class you took and what the theme or dishes prepared were.
And your comment:
"To top it off, I found the experience very expensive. I know how to cook and was hoping to learn something new - a new technique, a new recipe, something! Instead, I spent 15 minutes making a really simple dish I could make with one hand tied behind my back and then another 2 hours watching others cook. There was no opportunity to actually watch and learn, and because of the richness of the dishes, I would not make them again, at home. So, overall, a big waste of time and money."
Leaves me curious as to how you even chose this class... in that you exepected one experience and received something different. More info here would give the reader a better understanding of your experience (example you say expensive, but don't tell us the actual cost for the session, or how long the session was). I love cooking lessons, so I would like more info so I could make a decision on whether I might want to give Mrs McGarrigle's Cooking School a try or not. Without details it is hard to know whether your comments are infact a Review or a Rant.
2009 Nov 3
Cherrylola I'm sorry to hear about your cooking class experience at Mrs. McGarrigles. However I have also taken cooking classes (at other establishments) and they do no allow students to take the leftovers home for liability reasons. (If the student falls ill afterwards the cooking school does not want to be held accountable.) If the food was so rich you were ill for 48 hours after then why would you want to take leftovers home?...
2009 Nov 3
The shop itself is lovely and worth a good browse. I always pick up a specialty item or two whenever I'm in town.
However, I attended a cooking class and was sorely disappointed. It was badly organized, the food was so rich I was ill for the next 48 hours, and the chef was in over his head. To top it off, I found the experience very expensive. I know how to cook and was hoping to learn something new - a new technique, a new recipe, something! Instead, I spent 15 minutes making a really simple dish I could make with one hand tied behind my back and then another 2 hours watching others cook. There was no opportunity to actually watch and learn, and because of the richness of the dishes, I would not make them again, at home. So, overall, a big waste of time and money. And to add insult to injury, instead of offering the leftovers to the participants, who essentially paid for the ingredients and made it all, the chef and assistant announced loudly that the rest was to be saved for the staff working the front of the store. Really classless, in my opinion. I have attended other classes at other places, and the leftovers are always divided up and sent home with the people who made the class possible with their financial contribution, time and energy. Shame on whoever thought this formula up! Cheap, cheap, cheap.
However, I attended a cooking class and was sorely disappointed. It was badly organized, the food was so rich I was ill for the next 48 hours, and the chef was in over his head. To top it off, I found the experience very expensive. I know how to cook and was hoping to learn something new - a new technique, a new recipe, something! Instead, I spent 15 minutes making a really simple dish I could make with one hand tied behind my back and then another 2 hours watching others cook. There was no opportunity to actually watch and learn, and because of the richness of the dishes, I would not make them again, at home. So, overall, a big waste of time and money. And to add insult to injury, instead of offering the leftovers to the participants, who essentially paid for the ingredients and made it all, the chef and assistant announced loudly that the rest was to be saved for the staff working the front of the store. Really classless, in my opinion. I have attended other classes at other places, and the leftovers are always divided up and sent home with the people who made the class possible with their financial contribution, time and energy. Shame on whoever thought this formula up! Cheap, cheap, cheap.
2009 Aug 14
what a great little gourmet food shop. in addition the in-house mustards, chutneys, and preserves they have a pretty vast selection of other fancy sauces/condiments, chocolates, candies, cheeses, and imported Euro treats.
the best thing? lots of free samples! more fancy food shops should do this - it certainly makes it easier for me to justify buying a $10 bottle of BBQ sauce or a $7 jar of mustard if i get to taste it first.
any foodie could easily spend an hour looking around in here. highly recommended!
L-R: Stonewall Kitchen Maple Chipotle Grille Sauce, Stubb's BBQ, Mrs McGarrigle's Chipotle Lime Mustard, Mrs McGarrigle's Red Wine & Garlic Mustard
the best thing? lots of free samples! more fancy food shops should do this - it certainly makes it easier for me to justify buying a $10 bottle of BBQ sauce or a $7 jar of mustard if i get to taste it first.
any foodie could easily spend an hour looking around in here. highly recommended!
L-R: Stonewall Kitchen Maple Chipotle Grille Sauce, Stubb's BBQ, Mrs McGarrigle's Chipotle Lime Mustard, Mrs McGarrigle's Red Wine & Garlic Mustard
2008 Jul 5
A favourite foodie stop in Merrickville. Besides Mrs. McGarrigle's famous mustards this store offers countless other great food items... antipasto, olive oil, vinegars, jams, pickles, dips, chocolates, cheese and oh yes FREE SAMPLES.
Then of course there are the quality kitchen items, cookware, linens, books, and so much more. Chefs, Authors, kitchen demos, cooking classes, and just great opportunities to chat about food and quality ingredients.
Then of course there are the quality kitchen items, cookware, linens, books, and so much more. Chefs, Authors, kitchen demos, cooking classes, and just great opportunities to chat about food and quality ingredients.
2008 Jul 5
Fantastic Award Winning Mustards! Available in an assortment of flavours, and come in two sizes of jars as well as gift packs. Mrs. McGarrigle's also offers recipes on the website www.mustard.ca
zymurgist