November 20, 2018
In late summer I received a bag of heirloom carrots, small, delicate and so fresh that they lasted a while in my fridge. I wanted to do something special with them because they were given to me by a special family that grows produce with love and integrity (sunshine farm seeds) and I wanted to honour their work and extend it to my kitchen. I thought I’d follow the trend of cooking and... View Article
October 25, 2015
When you read this I will be in Milan beginning our 4 month adventure in Italy, but for now, yup, still clearing out the fridge before we leave and scheduling a few posts so you have something to look at while we are in transit. Always thinking of you:). I still have these beautiful heirloom rainbow carrots form Sunshine Farm Seeds, those that didn’t get roasted for Thanks Giving, so I am roasting them now... View Article
June 2, 2014
Roasting vegetables brings out the sweetness in them by caramelizing the natural sugars they contain. Roasting young and delicate spring vegetables is quick and with these little carrots it only takes minutes to prepare. I found the organic baby carrot in rainbow colours the other day, tops still attached indicating their freshness. I bought a bunch and roasted them simply with a little olive oil and a handful of thyme scattered on top. Spring vegetables... View Article
May 14, 2014
I am still under the influence of tapas. We have just returned from Spain were we enjoyed tapas, pinchos and montaditos in all forms for the last few months. Truth be told, most of the tapas we found in Spain focused on Iberian ham of one kind or another and seafood of every variety. Being of vegetarian persuasions I sometimes found it difficult to find a vegetarian item on the pages and pages of tapas... 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
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
September 5, 2013
Pomegranates in the stores means that fall is on its way. I am excited about the change of season and the new fruits and vegetables it brings to the markets but of course I am sad to see the summer coming to an end. Spring, summer and fall seem to be so short here in Canada and the winter sooo looong. Early fall is an interesting season, where summer merges into fall. We still get... View Article
August 23, 2012
I bought a large bag of grated carrots from the market the other day. It seemed easy and I immediately thought of making a carrot salad with them. Carrot salad is usually associated with Northern African cuisine and features middle east spices like cumin. There are a couple of good recipes for Moroccan carrot salad you can check out at Epicurious as well as in the fabulous cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi, the famed London chef... View Article
August 2, 2012
Whenever I serve appetizers I try to include crudités (raw vegetables) with dip. Vegetables are so beautiful and can serve as a centrepiece of an appetizer table. They are also nice on the table before dinner, allowing guests to munch on fresh vegetables while waiting for dinner. As a salad they can be very refreshing and make a beautiful salad plate for one or more. Try to use the unexpected. How about raw asparagus, sliced... View Article
June 9, 2012
Have you ever used harissa in your cooking? It’s a Northern African (Tunisia, Morocco) spicy condiment or spice blend that migrated to neighbouring middle east countries and has become an integral part of middle east cuisine. There are various ways of making it and the basic ingredients are chili peppers, garlic, coriander, cumin, carraway, sometimes cinnamon and maybe even fennel and lemon. You would need to add olive oil to make it into a paste.... View Article
April 13, 2012
A match in flavour, colour and texture, carrots and parsnips are a treat to cook together. I leave the carrots whole and then cut the parsnips to match. Try and match the shape and size of the vegetables so they cook at the same time. If you don’t have baby carrot use regular carrots and cut them in half lengthwise, keeping some of the green tops if possible. I especially like to roast them as... View Article
