The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

40 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 23, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com D O W N T O W N A M B I A N C E Winter Edition Fabulous recipes from Jonathan's of Oakville Velouté of Roasted Cauliflower with Butter-Poached Lobster Tail, Pea Tendrils & Chive Oil 1 head cauliflower Extra virgin olive oil 2 L vegetable stock (homemade is best) 4 oz. blonde roux* 6 oz. 35% whipping cream 2 lbs. unsalted butter 2 6-oz. lobster tails Pea tendrils Chive oil *2 oz. melted butter mixed with 2 oz. flour, cooked on low heat for 7 minutes and chilled. Place whole head of cauliflower in pot of boiling, salted water; reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from water and drain, place on baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil until lightly coated. Place in preheated 350°F oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Meanwhile, add vegetable stock to a pot and bring to boil. Melt butter in small saucepan over very low heat, then add defrosted lobster tails, and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Remove from stove and set aside in butter while preparing the cauliflower soup. Remove cauliflower from oven; cut into manageable pieces. Using a food processor, add one-third of the cauliflower and one-third of the vegetable stock, and puree. Strain puree through a fine-mesh strainer into soup pot. Repeat with the rest of the cauliflower and stock. Place cauliflower soup on stove; slowly bring to boil. Whisk in roux and cream, lower heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed, then pass again through a fine-mesh strainer for a velvety finish. To serve, remove lobster from butter, then lift meat from shell; slice lobster tail on a bias. Ladle soup into warmed bowls, place sliced lobster meat in centre of soup, top with fresh pea tendril and drizzle with chive oil. Makes about six 8-ounce portions. Chilled Haricots Verts & Curly Endive Salad with House-Cured Duck Prosciutto, Golden Sultanas & Herbed Crème Fraiche Dressing 1/2 lb. haricots verts (green beans), trimmed, blanched and refreshed 1 head curly endive (frisée) 1 cured duck breast (if unavailable, substitute with prosciutto) 24 golden sultana raisins, rehydrated till plump in warm Calvados, then chilled Extra virgin olive oil Dressing 1 cup crème fraiche 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh chives 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon 1 tsp. Pommery mustard Juice and zest of 1 lemon Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Add freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste. To serve, slice cured duck breast paper thin and on a bias. Place around the outside on four chilled plates. Mix together haricots verts, curly endive and golden sultanas with the dressing; taste for seasoning, then mound gingerly on top of duck prosciutto. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve. Makes four appetizer portions. For more information on Downtown Oakville dining, shopping events and more visit www.oakvilledowntown.com Pinocchio's Pick of the Crop offers gifts that will ignite the imagination Discover this unique, quality toy store today! The timeless toys in Pinocchio's Pick of the Crop hit the silver screen in the newly released Dustin Hoffman film called Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Look closely at the inventory in the fictional toy store. It may look familiar. That's because owner Christine Pritchard supplied them to the film's director Zach Helm. The on-screen shop is billed as the strangest in the world, where everything and everyone who enters comes to life and wonder and imagination are ignited. The same can be said of the Lakeshore Road shop that has been a local gem for more than 25 years. Pritchard took ownership of the legacy built by founders Jane MacLennan and Lynne Scott. "I was only too happy to keep a toy store like this one in Oakville," said Pritchard who merged her wooden toy store Pinocchio's with Pick of the Crop when she bought it 2-1/2 years ago. To keep the shop stocked with the latest high-quality and most popular trinkets, games, playthings, crafts and books, she scours through large-scale trade shows held in Europe and New York twice each year. "Like fashion toy styles come back into vogue," said Pritchard. "All of the toys that we had fun with as children, our kids are now having fun with too." Now, as always, the shop is a magnet for people who love quality toys that last. And its pervasive charm and warmth are the reason students come to work in the store that their grandparents shopped in to buy toys for them. In fact, she said she owes the store's popularity and longtime success to its fun loving, attentive and dedicated staff. "They're amazing," added Pritchard. It is little wonder that schools and charities seeking sought-after donations regularly approach Pinocchio's Pick of the Crop. When the knock comes, Pritchard answers. Among the most noticeable are the newly painted walls, tables, toys and television put in the Children's Play Corner at OakvilleTrafalgar Memorial Hospital. Christmastime is especially festive at Pinocchio's Pick of the Crop when staff dons red aprons and elfin hats to help Santa fulfill that long list of gifts for the good boys and girls.