September 17, 2012
In spite of being a summer person, I do like the change of seasons. Right now, as summer turns into fall, the leaves on the trees outside my kitchen are turning yellow and I am pulling out my signature long shawls to wrap around myself when going out at night. Same thing is happening in the kitchen and I find myself returning to the warm and comforting foods of cooler weather. A soup is simmering... View Article
September 15, 2012
Appetizers (Hors d’Oeuvre in French, Antipasto in Italian) are some of the most fun things to make in the kitchen.This is where you can show your creative side, both in the preparation and presentation. When having company for dinner I tend to offer a selection of them, usually set out on a counter in the kitchen not far from the wine and let the guests help themselves to both while I put the finishing touches... View Article
September 14, 2012
Melt-in-your-mouth four ingredients cookies that everyone who likes to cook should have in their repertoire. They are quick to make and so sweetly delicious. I believe these cookies hail from the mediterranean and you see versions of them in many middle east cuisines. The dough has to be chilled first and then baked at low temperature (I use convection mode at 320℉. ) You can roll the dough into a log, refrigerate until cold and... View Article
September 13, 2012
Call them French fries, pommes frites, freedom fries, chips, patatas fritas or oven fries, who doesn’t like them one way or another. Granted, whether long or short, some like them matchstick-thin and crispy, other like them thick cut, crispy on the outside and soft inside. I like them any way they come and tend to make them at home every now and then. Today I was in the mood so I made some oven fries... View Article
September 12, 2012
I know that eggplant is not for everyone but I love it and maybe someone out there does as well so here it goes (why am I appologizing?). I have had these three Japanese (or are these chinese?) eggplants in my fridge for a few days now. They are the long skinny eggplants with purplish skin that are available every now and then in our markets. They have thin, edible skin and their flavour is... View Article
September 11, 2012
I made these potato cakes as part of a breakfast selection when I had non-vegetarian friends visiting, hence the smoked salmon. If I remember correctly I poached a few eggs and offered them along with this dish. The potato cakes can be made in advance and reheated at breakfast. I made them as little cakes but they can also be made thinner and larger, pancake-like (see image below). When grating potatoes I prefer to use... View Article
September 9, 2012
On my last evening in kelowna I invited two of Kelowna’s food bloggers Val and Laura (www.morethanburnttoast.com and www.anuneducatedpalate.com, respectively) for a glass of wine on the patio. It’s fun to be with foodies who can talk about food and blogging. There are a few food people I’d like to get to know better in Kelowna and I hope to have more of these evenings as time goes on. I was busy enjoying other company... View Article
September 7, 2012
Have you used haloumi cheese in your kitchen? It features prominently in middle east cuisine and used for frying or grilling thanks to its high melting point (it begins melting only at very high temperature). It originates in Cyprus and is made from goat, sheep or cow’s milk. I have been looking for haloumi cheese here for a while and not finding any. I tried the Italian stores, the Greek shop and our Janice Beaton... View Article
September 6, 2012
Although I cook pasta all year round I find that I tend to cook it more frequently in the fall and winter seasons. Not that I think of pasta as winter food but in the summer I like to take full advantage of the beautiful fresh vegetables that you find at the markets and finding myself cooking with a variety of summer potatoes for the starch component of dinner. We are now nearing the end... View Article
September 2, 2012
Summer beets are completely different from what we get here year round. Summer beets are soft and sweet and take hardly any time to cook, whether roasted in the oven or cooked on top of the stove. I make all kinds of things with beets (even pickled beets) and will post a few of them over the next while. I am trying to limit myself to a post a day for now so I have a... View Article
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 29, 2012
I know that many here in North America are not fans of eggplant. In mediterranean cuisine it is a popular vegetable and appears in many dishes. This recipe makes a delicious pasta dish and I hope to entice you to try it. You can develop a palate for eggplant. I made this pasta with the pink striped eggplant pictured below but you can make it with the regular type as well. When buying eggplants make... View Article
