August 31, 2012
Plums are in season and there all kinds of types and colours available at the market. I like baking with prune plums and have been waiting their arrival with anticipation. Finally they were at the market on my last visit (everything is late here) so I bought a bunch and have been having fun with them in the kitchen. I made plum jam, plum butter, plum sauce, plum fruit soup, plum pizza, plum muffins and... View Article
August 24, 2012
Blueberries are plump and sweet right now and it’s hard not to buy them by the caseload. Some of them made it into a few jars of jam, some into simple desserts (Blueberry Buckle, to be posted) and a few get incorporated into breakfast foods, whether on top of cereal or, as in this recipe, inside and on top of pancakes. I make these lovely breakfast treats in regular size or in mini form. For... View Article
August 19, 2012
So, this week my countertop in the kitchen has baskets full of peaches and apricots finishing their ripening process over here. I tried to control myself when I went to the market because this week it is cooking for two but still, a whole bunch of “stuff” jumped into my basket and came home with me. What could I do but open my kitchen and let them stay. The apricots especially are beautiful this season.... View Article
August 12, 2012
The apricots are so gorgeous right now I have to use them as much as I can. I made apricot tarts with some, and the remaining ripe apricots on my counter made it into the lovely little jam you see in the picture. I don’t make large quantities of jam for long term storage. I make enough for only a few jars to keep in the fridge for immediate consumption or give away to friends.... View Article
August 11, 2012
It doesn’t always have to be tomato salsa. Here is a lovely mango salsa to add to your cooking repertoire that will brighten up the flavour of many foods. Salsa is generally associated with Mexican food (love it) but don’t limit its use to just tacos. Serve this as a condiment along with other foods, as a dip with endive spears or tortilla chips, spoon some over a salad or top a grilled baguette slice... View Article
August 10, 2012
Golden Cherries Calfoutis Here is a delicious dessert to make with the abundance of cherries in the market right now: cherry calfoutis. French in origin this simple dessert is traditionally baked with red cherries that still have the pits in them. The pits impart a nutty, slightly bitter flavour to this dessert that makes it quite special. However, I make it with pitted cherries and in this recipe used golden cherries rather than the traditional... View Article
August 9, 2012
There are so many gorgeous fruits in the market right now my head just spins when I go shopping. Cherries, apricots, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, melons of all kinds, nectarines, plum. Oh, I am dizzy with excitement. Often we just have them “straight” in a fruit salad or with a little bit of cream (see peaches and cream here) but I also like to bake desserts: tarts, pies, buckles, cakes, fruit crisps, even muffins with... View Article
August 8, 2012
It’s cherry season and needless to say cherries are important guests in my kitchen right now. Cherry tarts, cherry calfouti, cherry pie, cherry jam, cherry sauce, you name it, they have been here. Unfortunately, I don’t always have time to photograph them before serving so not all are on the blog quite yet, but it’s coming. Fruit soups are also in my repertoire and when my friend called to say that she had a fabulous... View Article
August 6, 2012
I love summer rituals and have established a few here at our summer home in Kelowna. An early morning walk through the sleepy neighbourhood, a soy latte on the patio at The Roasted Bean on Cooks Rd (best lattés) or “opening” and “closing” the patio morning and night. We have food rituals as well. A slow breakfast at home on the patio, or lakeside breakfast ritual at the one-of-a-kind Hotel Eldorado or on the patio at... View Article
July 22, 2012
When I cut up fruits and do not use them all I place the leftover portion in a freezer bag and freeze them for making smoothies later on. Last time I made fruits on a stick (see here) I had a few fruits left over that I froze so this morning I made them into a smoothie for breakfast to serve with cooked Irish steel cut oats. If you don’t have your own then use... View Article
July 20, 2012
I have a couple of rhubarb plants in our otherwise wild back yard in the country where we live. It’s the only plant that seems to survive here. It is impossible to have a garden or even landscaping as we have a large number of wildlife roaming the forest and meadows around us and they eat everything in sight. They even come up on the deck to lunch of my flower pots, when i have... View Article
July 11, 2012
Cherry pie and tart filling is usually made with sour cherries. Sour cherries are only available for a short time in the early spring. Honestly, I seldom find sour cherries in our markets up here so I am making these tarts with regular cherries. If you do have sour cherries maybe adjust the amount of sugar you are using, you may need a little more. Otherwise I think things should work the same. Making individual... View Article
