August 24, 2019
I mentioned on my Instagram feed (@oliveoilandlemons) that I became intrigued by activated charcoal as an ingredient to make breads black. The look of the black bread is so dramatic and would make a beautiful background to colourful toppings. In terms of what it is and whether it’s safe to consume I read a couple fo articles but do not claim any particular knowledge of the product so do your own research if you... View Article
July 28, 2019
This summer my rooftop garden has an abundance of herbs and flowers and I am incorporating them into my food every way I can. I have already pressed them into sheets of pasta and now a similar treatment with this special bread crisps. Carta di Musica means music sheets in Italian. It describes a Sardinian crisp bread rolled so transparent that you could read music sheets through it. I am sure they mean opera... View Article
August 28, 2013
I am still on a bit of a roll with pizza on the grill and this crisp bread is just another form of pizza shaped into a rectangle and cut crosswise to serve with a glass of vino. This crisp bread ended up on the boat and enjoyed on a sunset sail (minus the wine, we don’t drink and sail:) on the beautiful Okanagan lake. It was just the two of us on the boat... View Article
March 29, 2012
Fine restaurants often serve a lovely bread basket that includes crisp breadsticks and flatbreads. They are very easy to make and are a nice addition to your entertaining table at home. They can be prepared a day in advance. I make this dough in a Bosch bread mixer but you can try it with a large food processor or another mixer, or, of course, it can be done by hand. Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups... View Article
February 29, 2020
This is an easy if not quick bread recipe that you can make in a stand mixer with a dough hook. The secret to making this bread so flavourful is the long initial fermentation (12-18 hours) so it does require some planning. The crusty exterior is achieved by baking the bread in a covered enamelled cast iron pot (I use Le Creuset) because this keeps all the steam in and makes the outside so nice... View Article
February 23, 2020
Lately I have been fascinated with fermented garlic. I looked for it all summer at the market until I finally bought it online from an award winning garlic farm Forage and Farm in Alberta. I have since found out that Wise Earth Farm here in Kelowna are making and selling it at their Kelowna Farmers Market stand. Next summer. You can but a ciabatta or make your own. I am offering a recipe below if... View Article
November 2, 2019
My foodie friend Val and I traveled a couple of hours south a few weeks ago especially to get a sourdough bread from a chef who offers them at the local market. The bread was so outstandingly good that I made a few tartines with it, topping it with roasted peppers, figs and gorgonzola, beautiful ricotta and a couple of more toppings. The only one that got photographed was this breakfast tartine with scramble... View Article
July 16, 2019
Butternut squash makes a delicious filling for ravioli and is classically served with brown butter and fried sage leaves. I made some changes to the tradition and combined it here with goat cheese in the filling and walnut crumb as topping for a nice crunchy element. Making the pasta at home is part of the adventure in making this recipe so I encourage you to try. I made egg pasta with 2 1/3... View Article
September 19, 2017
So I never make (or buy) one of anything and when I made the previous pizza I also made this one. I bought beautiful firm pears at the market the other day (yes, it’s fall produce) and thought they would be beautiful on pizza. Usually pear and gorgonzola is the flavour combination I like but I didn’t have gorgonzola and blue cheese worked just fine. I sliced the pears paper thin on a mandolin and... View Article
June 24, 2017
Sometimes when I make gnocchi I leave them smooth and pillowy instead of pressing them against a gnocchi board or a fork to create ridges. I know that traditionally gnocchi have ridges where the sauce can cling and settle in the grooves, but it’s also okay to leave them smooth, like little pillows. I make gnocchi often, being the starch lover that I am, and I have a few different ways to serve them. One... View Article
May 13, 2017
Naples left a lasting impression on me. There is something about this place that speaks to you, or shall I say sings to you, belting out arias from every street corner with drama, tragedy and romance all intermingled in a timeless opera of real life. We didn’t stay there long but just long enough to know that I have to go back. Pizza in Naples (Napoli in Italian) is extraordinary: thick and chewy crust, sweet,... View Article
October 23, 2016
Roasting cauliflower is my favourite way of cooking it. Roasting brings out deep earthy flavours and natural sweetness that may otherwise not come forward. It’s not the only way to cook cauli, I like it pickled, steamed with a sauce, cauliflower rice, mashed and more. So many recipes, so little time. I made this bowl of cauli for lunch (we eat simply over here) and it was so good and easy, I wanted to share.... View Article
