August 16, 2012
When you do a lot of entertaining you learn to compose menus with items that do not require your attention at the last minute. Most people do not hire help in the kitchen so you have to be careful not to create menus that will keep you in the kitchen instead of on the patio with your company. When I have people over I try to make a few salads or vegetable dishes that can... View Article
August 15, 2012
Zucchini is another vegetable that is good served raw. The small, sweet summer zucchini can be sliced thinly lengthwise with a simple mandolin and tossed with a little olive oil, herbs and salt. In Italian cooking zucchini is often paired with mint and I am using this flavour combination here with a little lemon balm added as well. A sprinkling of chopped nuts and scattering of goat or feta cheese make a nice addition. If... View Article
August 11, 2012
It doesn’t always have to be tomato salsa. Here is a lovely mango salsa to add to your cooking repertoire that will brighten up the flavour of many foods. Salsa is generally associated with Mexican food (love it) but don’t limit its use to just tacos. Serve this as a condiment along with other foods, as a dip with endive spears or tortilla chips, spoon some over a salad or top a grilled baguette slice... 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
July 27, 2012
Quail eggs are not something I cook with often but I saw them at a store and bought them this time. They were sitting in the fridge for a couple of days before I got to them. The shells are so gorgeous, like work of art. I was considering poaching but ended up hard boiling them and adding to the potato salad I was making that day (we have had a few potato salads these... View Article
July 20, 2012
We have been eating pretty simply these last few days, you have seen the postings. A salad here, a chilled soup there, corn on the cob almost every day. Everything so fresh, so flavourful and so seasonal. That’s how I enjoy cooking the most. Today for lunch I put together this lovely potatoes and vegetables salad tossed with a store bought mayonnaise and flavoured with a bunch of fresh dill, chopped and mixed into the... View Article
July 18, 2012
We are settled in our Kelowna abode for a few weeks and I am going to the local markets each day searching for beautiful produce to prepare at home. These market forays are special and I venture with anticipation to see what’s new, what’s fabulous and what’s going to make it home with me to be prepared for lunch or dinner. Spring and summer vegetables are one of the most exciting things for a foodie... View Article
July 6, 2012
Not to be rude or anything but “stick it” in culinary terms is not so bad. I tend to “stick” foods on skewers for presentation, grilling, and ease of serving. Why not? I am fairly adventurous and like the unexpected. Don’t these fruits look more special on a stick then on a plate? I made them this morning, expecting a couple of friends to drop by our place at the end of their morning walk... View Article
June 27, 2012
Here is a simple to make salad that creates its own dressing and is delicious on its own or alongside other foods. It’s a typical salad in Israel and each family has its special way of cutting the vegetables and adding this or that to personalize the outcome. Many take pride in cutting the vegetables into very small cubes that blend together into a lovely fine salad that you could almost eat with a spoon.... 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 3, 2012
I am ignoring the not-spring-enough weather outside and pretending it’s nice and warm. It’s not too bad, at least it’s sunny outside. So I am making a cool-looking salad today. On my last trip to the market watermelons were looking pretty good, probably grown in a green house somewhere but yet sweet enough to enjoy them until the real sun-ripened crops arrive later in the season. I have always combined watermelon with feta, have you... View Article
June 2, 2012
Our place in Mexico has gorgeous coconut trees swaying right in front of our second floor covered patio. They provide shelter for birds perched on their branches and are heavy with large coconuts hanging in clusters, green and heavy with coconut juice. While on vacation there, I try to use coconut in my cooking and have developed a bit of repertoire incorporating it into dishes, both sweet and savoury. One of those creations is this... View Article
