January 28, 2014
You have to cook peppers when in Spain. It seems like a national thing here and I didn’t want to miss out on the fun. The issue is, they all look the same, but you never know what you’re going to get. Most of the peppers are mild but once in a while you may get one that’s not. If you get a hot one, well, grin and bear it. Ask for a piece of... View Article
January 22, 2014
What can be more French than leeks in vinaigrette? We went on a wine bar tour with Paris by Mouth and tasted wines along with a few hors d’oeuvres in a couple of wine bars. The first stop was at Septime La Cave in the 11th arrendissement. It’s a small wine shop/bar opened by chef Bertrand Grebaut across the street from his restaurant Septime. You can stop by the wine bar and have a glass... View Article
December 5, 2013
While you are reading this post I will be on the plane traveling to Paris. I scheduled a few posts to be published while I am away from my kitchen and computer, en route to our destination in Paris. See? I appreciate your visit to the blog and do not want you coming here to an old post. I will post from Paris as soon as possible, sharing our adventures, culinary and otherwise through these... View Article
November 30, 2013
So, how do you get flavour into foods without adding oil? I am so used to cooking foods in a little olive oil to bring out the flavour that it seems impossible to get flavour without it. However, it is possible and this full flavour soup without any free oil or butter shows it can be done. I resisted the temptation to sauté the vegetables in oil and just steam-sautéed them in a little water... View Article
November 27, 2013
I am still in “travel” mode, getting ready for our upcoming trip to Europe, leaving next week. As I mentioned we will be in Paris first, then in Spain for a couple of months. I have never been to Spain and looking forward to explore this country’s culinary scene, history and culture. Through my blogger friend Val of More than Burnt Toast I connected with a Barcelona blogger Nuria Farregut of Spanish Recipes by Nuria who... View Article
November 25, 2013
The other day I took an Indian cooking class at Poppadoms Taste India in Kelowna. Poppadoms is a fabulous Indian restaurant offering traditional Indian foods with a modern twist using local and fresh ingredients flavoured with spices brought over from India. Poppadoms is named after the paper thin, crisp, cracker-like bread traditional in Indian cooking. The owners of the restaurant are the Dosanj family, each working in and contributing to this thriving family business. Mother... View Article
November 11, 2013
Most people love potatoes and for some, a meal is not a meal without them. This ubiquitous veggie is of global importance being the fourth most important food grown worldwide after corn, wheat and rice. Potatoes appear in every cuisine and sustained civilizations for thousands of years (Peru, Incas). Potatoes grow in a wide range of soils, climates and geographical conditions and to this day help enhance food security because they are easy to cultivate and calorie... View Article
November 7, 2013
Here is a fun little sweet bite to make when crab apples are in season. I had these crabapples left over in my fridge and they still looked good and tasted good. Instead of making a crabapple preserve of some kind, I thought I’d make them into little caramel apples. I love caramel and candied apples almost as much as I love cotton candy:) but find them too hard to eat when they are made... View Article
October 30, 2013
Sometimes I am in the mood for potato chips. It’s hard to avoid them altogether. If I happen to have a bag of good chips at home I am not beyond getting into it it once in a while. However, here is a better version of chips, using variety of vegetables to create a lovely melange of vegetable chips with or without oil. Commercial potato chips, after a few handfuls they lose the appeal and... View Article
October 20, 2013
People for some reason have a love-hate relations with brussels sprouts. They either love them or hate them. I was asked by a hostess recently to bring vegetables to a pot luck dinner and was told in no uncertain terms Not to bring brussels sprouts. Why is it I wonder that such a lovely veggie is so maligned. They are beautiful to look at, have significant health benefits, are easy to cook and at least... View Article
October 16, 2013
Fall desserts are usually more elaborate than summer desserts. I barely bake anything in the summer, relying more on fresh fruits and light sauces for dessert. Now I find myself in the mood for heartier desserts, pastries, cooked sauces and heartier foods. Baked apples, poached pears cooked figs are but few of the things I am making these days. But I am not quite ready for a lot of baking and like to use up... View Article
September 26, 2013
Inspired by dinner at Xocolat – Posh Mexican Cuisine in Calgary, Alberta We had dinner in Calgary the other day at a fabulous restaurant serving Mexican food. Don’t jump into conclusions too fast. This is not the place to go for a quick taco and refried beans under a sombrero with a Mariachi band playing Besame Mucho in the corner. As it’s name suggests Xocolat Posh Mexican Cuisine serves traditional Mexican foods but with a modern high end flare. The result is gorgeous... View Article
