Henderson Brewing x The Depanneur presents
Picklefest Hands-On
A monthly workshop on all things pickled & fermented
This event takes place at Henderson Brewery, 128a Sterling Rd.
In 2016, when Newcomer Kitchen took root and grew out of The Depanneur, one of the most exciting aspects was the sudden, deep dive into the heart of traditional Syrian cuisine. Of the many delicious new things I was introduced to, one of my absolute favourites discoveries was makdous; rich, complex, pickled mini eggplants stuffed with garlic, spices and walnuts, eaten as a mezze, a side dish, or used as an ingredient in other dishes — I had never encountered them before in restaurants or middle eastern shops. The ones I tried were homemade by Rahaf Alakbani, the courageous young lady and talented cook who was leading the kitchen activities, so I imagine they were likely better than anything I was going to find anyhow.
They were just unbelievably tasty, and I always hoped we could find a way to share or teach how to make these unique, spicy little flavour bombs, but the traditional method involves an elaborate, multi-day process of hollowing, poaching, squeezing, drying, stuffing and curing scores of tiny individual eggplants. But subsequent conversations with Rahaf led to a simplified recipe that works with regular eggplants which are much more readily available and affordable. Now we had an approach that combined convenience with authenticity, allowing us to explore the art of making this traditional Syrian pickled dish much more quickly and easily, in a way that was feasible for a hands-on workshop.
Under Rahaf’s expert guidance, you’ll get to taste a variety of Syrian pickles, and learn how to create your own batch of flavorful makdous to take home, along with an unforgettable introduction to Syrian culture, food and music.
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$59 + HST
Tickets include a complimentary 1/2 pint of Henderson’s beer (including their NonAlc beer) or a seltzer!
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Rahaf Al Akabani hails from Sweida in southwestern Syria. She arrived in Canada in 2016 with her husband Esmaeel Aboufakher, and together they were instrumental in helping co-found Newcomer Kitchen, Nai Syrian Children’s Choir and Haneen Women’s Choir as part of their ongoing work to support their community. Rahaf continues to nurture her twin loves of Syrian cooking and culture in workshops, choirs and concerts across the GTA, sharing songs and recipes passed down from her mother and grandmother. Rahaf and Esmaeel have recently completed their Masters in Arts and Humanities at York while raising their two young children.
@the_rahaf_kitchen | @haneen_choir_ca
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Henderson Brewery was founded in 2013 to bring craft brewing values and techniques to beer that anyone would be happy to find in their fridge day after day. Since then we’ve brewed hundreds of different styles, hosted hundreds of thousands of people, packaged millions of litres of beer, and won dozens of brewing awards. Henderson is a thriving hub for local food & beer lovers with food pop-ups, workshops, and four exciting annual festivals: Winter Warmup, Under the Big H, Block Party and Picklefest.
@hendersonbrewing
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The Depanneur is Where Interesting Food Things Happen. For more than a decade The Dep has been showcasing Toronto’s remarkable culinary diversity through thousands of unique food events as well as the forthcoming Depanneur Cookbook. After more than 10 years at its iconic College Street location, The Dep is now bringing all new Interesting Food Things to exciting venues all across the GTA. @TheDepanneur
