September 9, 2014
Something to do with late summer stone fruits. Buttery crust envelopes a creamy custard and sweet and tangy ripe plums. What can be wrong about it? For interest sake I balanced the sweetness of the plums with a few herbs from the garden. Their presence is very subtle and add an interest to the layers of flavours. Enjoy. Ingredients: Tart Pastry: 1 3/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt... View Article
August 31, 2014
We have had some magnificent peaches here in the Okanagan Valley this year. Peach orchards are interspersed among the more than 200 vineyards and cherry orchards and we even have a community called Peachland nearby. Although I didn’t get to pick my own fruits off the trees (must put that on my list for next summer), I was able to purchase them throughout the season directly from the growers, usually picked that morning, still warm... View Article
August 9, 2014
I finally got around to take my Kelowna foodie “crew” for an evening sail on the beautiful Okanagan lake. On the short list were Val of More than Burnt Toast, Laura of The Culinary Travel Guide and Barbara (not Barb) of the good life anytime (really, not a blog). We piled onto Captain G’s beloved Isa Lei and headed south in search of a calm cove to drop anchor and go in for an evening... View Article
August 4, 2014
The Okanagan is prime location for growing many things, lavender included. There is lavender everywhere you look and it grows beautifully on our rooftop patio as well. It is a pretty, fragrant herb and I love getting a whiff of its scent as I reach over it to work in my garden. Lavender fields are a sight to behold. If you have ever seen them in France you know what I mean. I love the... View Article
July 16, 2014
I have had cherry compote on at least three occasions in the last week or so. One was at a picnic at Ancient Hills winery catered by Basket Case Picnics who served it over a melt-in-the-middle mini chocolate cakes. The next was served over ice cream and the third was spooned over a frozen cheesecake at Blackhills Estate Winery (their restaurant is operated by the top notch catering company Joy Road Catering). This last one... View Article
July 7, 2014
Oh so delicious and easy roulade to make and serve with seasonal berries. There were only four of us for dinner but I made two roulades because I knew where this was going. I had some leftover to share with our lovely neighbours and for my husband ( “is there some more of that cake left?”) for whom one piece is never enough. The recipe is adapted from Laura Calder’s Hazelnut Roll in her book... View Article
June 22, 2014
I came back from Spain quite excited about olive oils. I have never tasted such special oils before. I was dipping my bread into luscious green olive oil that came from 1000 year old olive trees. Just think of it, the history that makes up the experience of such oils. Yes we can get good oils here but you know what I mean. I want to have 1000 years old olive oil like that every... View Article
June 6, 2014
This is a classic French dessert that I try to never miss when I am in France. You find it anywhere, high end, casual, family restaurants, it’s part of the French culinary vocabulary. It looks complicated but in fact is quite easy to prepare and the nice thing is that you can prepare it in advance and assemble at serving time. This dessert is made with a meringue that you cook in barely simmering water... View Article
May 22, 2014
After the Seinfeld muffin top episode I believe an entire industry developed from this idea. Muffin top pans popped up in kitchen shops and bakeries begun to offer this muffin alternative to anticipating muffin aficionados. I jumped on the bandwagon and bought a muffin top baking sheet and I have been totally in on the muffin top “movement”. I love the tops of the muffins. The bottom part is always tangled in the muffin cup and is... View Article
May 21, 2014
Cooking mostly for two I find that I stay away from desserts that require a whole cake or a pan full of this or that. If I make a dessert I look for something that I can prepare with only 2 or 4 servings. No need for desserts lingering in my kitchen for too long and in any event I am sure I would want to make something new. This “deconstructed” or free form trifle... View Article
May 17, 2014
This is another gem from Laura Calder whom I have written about before. Her latest book, Paris Express is full of easy to make gorgeous foods and is a must have book in any cook’s library. I would love to take a class from her one of these days if she offers any. Lately I have enjoyed getting reacquainted with some of my cookbooks. I am rebuilding a cookbook library that counted more than a... View Article
May 6, 2014
I have been cooking my way through Laura Calder’s latest book Paris Express, Simple Food from the City of Style. I love Laura’s cooking and was very disappointed when her James Beard award winning cooking show French Food at Home ended on the Cooking Channel. It was informative, educational and fun to watch. Laura is beautiful, sophisticated, funny and an experienced and knowledgeable chef . She left a corporate career to pursue culinary education in Vancouver... View Article
