January 13, 2020
You know I like to play with my food and of late I have been interested in this charcoal idea. I made charcoal burger buns a while ago that I thought looked spectacular, but it’s not an everyday thing. I was in Toronto last week visiting our daughter and her husband who just had their first baby boy, our first grandchild. As you can imagine we are all head over heels in love with the... View Article
December 4, 2019
Two hummus recipes in a row but that’s how it goes. One was so good I had to make one more but this time I had roasted peppers and added them to the mix. I also made a different flatbread, a very simple one with no yeast so it does not require rising time. I added a teaspoon of baking powder to lighten it up. It’s not vegan though, as I use yogurt instead of... View Article
November 28, 2019
Homemade hummus is a wonderful thing. I cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker so they get nice and soft, and that makes the hummus so much more creamier than when using canned beans. Tahini paste adds a unique flavour and texture. Sometimes i make extra and drizzle it over the hummus, it’s delicious. For garnishes i drizzle olive oil over, sprinkle paprika, sesame seeds, dukkah, za’atar, whatever inspire me that day. Enjoy.
July 26, 2018
I have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen and lately also trying dishes I have never made before. We recently spent a week in the BC mountains hiking and biking (Sun Peaks, post to come) and our days consisted of all day hikes (or biking) and then dinner at night at one of the several restaurants in the small Austrian style village. Food mostly left some to be desired except for one... View Article
May 8, 2018
Always curious about unusual ingredients, I picked up black chickpeas on our travels and finally got around to using them. I think I brought these back from Italy, where they are known as ceci neri (black chickpeas) but I believe some variety also grows in India. When dried they look small, black and wrinkly but these littles legumes pack a lot of flavour, dare I say even stronger flavour than the regular chickpeas. I... View Article
January 21, 2018
For some reason I am not cooking this year on the Mayan Riviera. Other than a couple of simple pasta dishes and grilling a few vegetables I haven’t even messed up the kitchen once. This means, since we need to eat, that we are exploring the culinary treasures of Tulum and the Mayan coast with, happy to say, a great deal of success. I have gotten to know the Tulum hotels and their respective food... View Article
January 18, 2018
A cooler day is an invitation to stay at home and cook some good food. Although it’s not cold, it is a cooler day on the Mayan Riviera and even if I am not cooking, at least I am thinking about it, hence this post. I made this souffle at home before we left and just getting to post it now. Souffle is not an everyday dish. It is rich and doesn’t keep well. The... View Article
August 20, 2017
This is a very Italian dish and like most Italian food it is simple and delicious. “Simple” I mean in a sophisticated way. Viva Italia. I cook beans frequently and tend to have some on hand most of the time so it’s easy for me to make these crostini without having to cook them from scratch. The beans can be homemade, slow cooked with aromatics, or if you don’t cook beans from scratch then use good... View Article
June 5, 2017
The ricotta I picked at the market the other day from Bella Stella Cheese and used with the pappardelle was also good on crostini with garden herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, figs and balsamic crema. Ingredients: 6 slices bread of your choice Olive oil 2 cups ricotta Salt and pepper A handful of fresh summer herbs (chives, dill, parsley) Micro greens 3 ripe figs Balsamic crema (I used fig balsamic) Directions: Brush the bread... View Article
August 18, 2016
The larger zucchini that have grown to a considerable diameter can be used for many things, one being a base for mini “pizza” rounds. This is kind of fun as an appetizer and if you use prepared toppings, it’s not that much work to prepare. I had small jars of pizza sauce and artichoke pesto from William Sonoma that I needed to use and were perfect for this little recipe. You can get more creative... View Article
July 15, 2016
Here is something fun to make with sweet summer watermelons. Did you know that watermelon and feta is a delicious combination? something about the sweet and salty that makes your palate sing. Cut the watermelon into 1.5 inch slices, as even as you can, then punch out rounds or squares with a small cookie cutter. These should be a one bite thing so don’t use too large cookie cutters. With a melon ball cutter scoop... View Article
July 7, 2016
I haven’t made cheese fritters in a while. After trying them at a cooking class party a few years ago I made them a few times but then moved on to other things. Last night I needed a few appies for a group of 6 who was coming over for a glass of wine before dinner at a local winery. I was browsing my blog, found these long lost fritters and felt up to the... View Article
