June 15, 2012
I worked at baking cheesecakes for quite a while before I finally achieved the kind of cake that I like. A lot of cream cheese and eggs went in and out of my kitchen without leaving a mark. I finally came up with a method that works for me and hopefully for you as well. This cake is made with cream cheese and sour cream and produces a lovely cake that holds it shape and... View Article
June 13, 2012
Beluga lentils have middle east origin and have been an integral part of mediterranean cuisine for centuries. When cooked, the small black legumes become glossy and resemble the black caviar of the Beluga whales, hence their name. They cook perfectly, holding their shape and retaining a nice texture, not becoming a mush like their brown relatives. For this reason they work particularly well in salads, when you want to retain the texture. In terms of... View Article
June 10, 2012
Love goat cheese? Here is a simple and quick sauce to make with the subtle but distinct flavour of goat cheese. A few toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top add buttery flavour and a bit of texture. Thyme goes nicely with this flavour palette. Serve with a glass of white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Their crisp acidity will balance the creamy sauce. Ingredients 1/2 lb pasta (spaghetti, linguine, spaghettini etc.) 1 ... View Article
June 5, 2012
What can be more satisfying and comforting than a bowl of pasta? okay, maybe there are a couple of things but a bowl of pasta is certainly among them. Here is a simple pasta to make when you are low on ingredients or just feel like something good and quick. The herbed bread crumbs are one of the things I usually have in the freezer, ready to be incorporated into many different dishes. Of course... View Article
June 5, 2012
Acorn squash along with other squashes are fall and winter vegetables and I cook with them often as soon as summer is over. I do however like to use squash as a “container” and stuff it with various grains and vegetables and I can do that any time of the year. Being the starch lover that I am, I can never have too much starch (read The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall). Acorn squash... View Article
June 3, 2012
Oh-so-delicious rice pudding with tangy rhubarb compote at the bottom. I saw this offered for sale at the Okanagan Grocery Artisan Bakery in Kelowna over the long weekend in May and for the next few days went there every day and purchased a couple of jars of this delicious pudding to serve after dinner. I must admit that not all of them made it to dinner, as we enjoyed them just for fun while sitting... View Article
May 31, 2012
I have a few different ways of making corn cakes, some lighter, like this recipe, some more substantial that I will post later. Serve them for breakfast, lunch or dinner with creme fraiche, beans or on their own. In spite of the salty feta, they are also good with maple syrup. Makes about 8-10 pancakes. Ingredients: 2 cup white corn kernels 1 cup buttermilk 2 eggs 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 1 tablespoon corn oil... View Article
May 25, 2012
A light yet substantial salad to serve for lunch or take along on a picnic or a spring boat ride. Quinoa cooks very quickly so you can whip up this salad in no time (I like to have cooked quinoa in the fridge, it keeps for a couple of days and can be used for a salad). To roast the yellow cauliflower just separate into small florets, toss with some olive oil and roast on... View Article
May 23, 2012
Cauliflower, just like the name suggests, is a large flower belonging to the cruciferous vegetable family (think broccoli, cabbage etc). The standard cauliflower is white, resulting from the flower being hidden by the leaves wrapped around it, preventing sunlight from reaching it and making it green through photosynthesis (photosynthesis produces green chlorophyl pigment making veggies green) . It also comes in orange, purple and green colours, the result of mutation. I use it mostly during... View Article
May 17, 2012
Traditionally fennel is paired with orange and there are many salad recipes combining these two ingredients with various dressings. While tradition is important, so is innovation. Here is a salad combining fennel with another citrus, grapefruit this time, and a touch of exotic with a few slices of fresh mango I picked up at the Asian market the other day. I made different versions of this salad a few times while working on my salad... View Article
May 2, 2012
I am launching the site with a simple recipe that has been in my cooking “repertoire” for years. It is one in a “trilogy” of pasta with cherry tomatoes dishes that I make, using fresh, roasted or sautéed cherry tomatoes. I will post the rest of the trilogy recipes soon. Instead of the traditional parmesan I use aged Mizithra, a Greek cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. Aged Mizithra comes in a white hard... View Article
May 2, 2012
Tartine is a French way of saying open face sandwiches. “shall I make you a tartine” is so much more alluring than “shall I make you an open face sandwich”, is it not? Don’t they understand romance? Tartines look so beautiful and are flavourful and satisfying. When making tartines I prefer to use Poilane bread if possible, imported from France, or another good quality country loaf, home made or from a good bakery. Poilane is... View Article
