May 1, 2017
So does it seem I am cooking a lot of rice recently? It’s probably true and I am not apologizing. Rice goes well with so many dishes and is relatively easy to cook. I have also been on a Middle Eastern “kick” in the kitchen and rice is an important part of this cuisine. I find the flavours of the foods I have tried to be robust and generous, much like the people that make... View Article
April 25, 2017
The humble carrot plays center role in this colourful and fresh salad. I came across the recipe in Michel Richard’s book Happy in the Kitchen (foreword by Thomas Keller) and wanted to try it. Richard’s cuisine is remarkable in its sophistication and “simplicity”, using this word judiciously. Jaques Pepin calls his cuisine “wildly simple, always brilliant”. I have marked a few recipe to try and if they work I’ll post them here. For this salad Richard... View Article
April 14, 2017
The small Honey Belle pears are ideal for poaching and serving as a stylish little dessert that is easy to execute. I thought I’d use saffron threads in the poaching liquid to give them a pretty golden colour and a delicate saffron flavour and also add a warm tone to the sauce. You can poach the pears whole or cut in half. They cook quickly so be careful not to over cook them. Last time... View Article
March 27, 2017
The last couple of weeks have been busy with food events and other local activities. First was the International women’s Day dinner organized by local chef Aman Dosanj. You can read about here. Next, our “foodie crew” attended a cooking class at Mission Hill Winery, the Tuscan-like sprawling estate on top of the hill overlooking the Okanagan lake. Recently,Vancouver Magazine declared the winery “the anchor piece of architecture in the entire Valley”, and for good reason.... View Article
March 19, 2017
Cooking with beans in Mexico is a different experience than cooking beans at home. Even the dry beans you buy at the local Mexican supermarket are more fresh and cook in no time. I still soak them in water for a few hours but this is only because old habits die hard. We have had a few bowls of black bean soup throughout the Yucatan over the last few years and they are quite delicious.... View Article
January 31, 2017
Fennel is a perfect for winter salads and it pairs beautifully with citrus fruits that are also in season during the winter. Orange and fennel is a classic combination but I like the extra tang of a grapefruit with it as well, lightly sweetened with a drizzle of honey and the crunch of candied nuts. Slice the fennel thinly with a mandolin and chop up the fennel fronds to use in the salad as well.... View Article
January 18, 2017
Salads are always welcome as part of lunch or dinner, and sometimes they make lunch or dinner. This is a refreshing winter salad incorporating the segments and juice of a pink grapefruit into both the salad and the dressing. The salad itself is a blend of winter vegetables and greens, meaning it does not call for tender summer salad leaves but rather for sturdier vegetables like green and red cabbage, romaine, red peppers, celery, carrots... View Article
December 12, 2016
We landed at Cancun airport a week ago after a short and reasonably comfortable Westjet flight from Toronto. We stepped outside into the colourful vegetation and fragrant air of the Mexican Caribbean and felt immediately at home in the familiar surroundings. Even my limited Spanish held up for the brief conversations along the way. Next we had to endure the usual ordeal of car rental, having to do with mandatory insurance that can quadruple the... View Article
December 10, 2016
We are settled in our Mayan Riviera abode but I haven’t started cooking yet, not sure why. Maybe it’s working in a different kitchen not as well equipped as my own at home, or maybe it’s all the restaurants I want to try. In any event, I scheduled a few posts to be published until I get in the groove and begin to cook Mexican style here. One of the scheduled posts is this roasted... View Article
December 1, 2016
Making beet soup seems like a production but with a food processor it’s not that bad. Put on thin kitchen gloves to protect your hands from getting stained red and go for it. The results are worth it. I have some beet soup memories: a chilled beet soup with yogurt at the Dan hotel in Caesarea years ago, seated by the pool, my baby son in a stroller beside me; Beet soup with fried potatoes... View Article
November 27, 2016
Tagine, is a Moroccan stew named after the unique pot in which it is cooked. Traditional tagines were made of unglazed pottery and comprised of a shallow base bowl with raised edges and a cone shaped lid that tappers at the top (see image below) and fits tightly inside the bowl. The shape of the lid is designed to keep the condensation of steam as the food cooks and return it to the food below,... View Article
November 19, 2016
Of course I love potato chips, who doesn’t, but trying to get away from the salt and fat is sometimes a good idea. For those occasions, you may want to make apple chips, especially now that apples are in season. These are very easy to make, especially of you have a mandolin to slice the apples with. You are aiming for uniformly thin slices and it’s easiest with a mandolin. You can if you wish... View Article
