September 11, 2014
Roasted garlic deserves it own post. This easy to make and versatile item is often ignored but I am putting it back in the limelight. Roasted garlic is a different experience than fresh garlic. Roasting caramelizes the sugars in the garlic and the result is soft and buttery texture and sweet, mild garlicky flavour that goes with so many dishes. Think a whole head of garlic roasted to golden perfection, fragrant and ready to be... View Article
September 2, 2014
Pizza and flatbreads are nice to make any time of the year. With summer entertaining and perhaps casual foods on the menu, here is a flatbread recipe that can be used to serve as an appetizers with a glass of wine when friends come over. I make the dough in a food processor and bake it in very hot oven. It makes a chewy and crisp crust that is a nice base for many toppings.... View Article
September 1, 2014
I am not one for canning and freezing foods in a serious way. I like the idea, it sounds romantic, but for me it doesn’t work. I have no room to store the foods and in any event I prefer to eat seasonally. If peaches and green beans season is over I move on to the next fruits and vegetables whose time has come. I do however like to make a few jars of pickled... View Article
August 31, 2014
Traveling is an education. It’s more than visiting historical sites and driving through beautiful new landscapes. It challenges our assumptions and provides context for our education. When we engage with the world around us we broaden our horizon, become culturally competent. If we are receptive, we may shed preconceived ideas about cultures and people and open our minds to other perspectives. Visiting foreign lands used to be an integral part of a person’s education and... View Article
August 27, 2014
The tomatoes came in late this year, it was well into August before we saw the first ripe local red beauties. Since they showed up though I have been serving them practically every day in some form or another. I have made gazpacho, salmorejo, bruschetta, tomato salads, tomato sandwiches, pizza, tomato soups, fresh tomato sauce for pasta as well as sliced them into anything else I cook, from green beans to zucchini to fresh beans... View Article
August 5, 2014
Potato cakes, latkes, potato pancakes, all describe the same thing: potatoes mixed with onion, eggs and flour, formed into cakes and fried in a little oil. I am kind of addicted to these things. When I go to the market in Calgary there is no way I am not going to stop at Margarita’s for their fabulous latkes with sour cream as well as take some home for “later” which often ends up much sooner than... View Article
July 20, 2014
Every now and then I make pastry dough, both sweet (with sugar) and savoury (without sugar) and keep them in the fridge for a few days so when I get in the mood to bake tarts I have the dough all ready to go. I make a full recipe but cut the ball of dough in half and wrap each individually before refrigerating. This way I can make only 4 tarts at a time if... View Article
July 13, 2014
I consider gougères the ideal appetizer to serve with drinks. Gougères (or cheese puffs) are light and flavourful (it’s the cheese) and lend themselves to various flavours using herbs, spices and different cheeses (caveat: only dry cheese type). They are made from the same pastry as eclairs but you make it savoury instead. They are easy to make and even if something goes wrong you can still serve them. What can go wrong? the most common mistake is... View Article
July 8, 2014
My daughter who dines at all the trendy places told me about a whole roasted cauliflower they had at a middle eastern resto in Toronto, Fat Pasha. I have steamed a whole head of cauli before but never roasted it, so of course I had to try it. It was kind of fun to make and serve. I roasted it on the outdoor grill and it didn’t really take as long as I thought it... View Article
June 29, 2014
This salad is to go with the previous post of Thai Coconut Curry. It adds fresh and crisp texture and flavour to the cooked vegetables and rice. Adding more chopped lettuce would make it a little more substantial. I prefer to cut the cucumbers into diagonal wedges instead of slicing them into thin rounds. You can add other crisp vegetables, such a radishes or even a couple of cherry tomatoes for colour and another layer... View Article
June 20, 2014
If I see figs at the store I have to get them, provided they are ripe of course. Figs are one of the fruits that do not continue to ripen once it has been picked. If it is not ripe when you buy it it will not ripen in your kitchen. The figs should be soft to the touch but not mushy and should not ooze the syrupy juices. Here is a simple but so... View Article
June 3, 2014
I have posted a similar item before but made a couple of changes so here it is again. We had a group of friends over and I usually like to offer some appies with a glass of wine before dinner. It’s an ice breaker for people who may be new to each other, providing an informal opportunity to chat and get to know one another before we sit down at the table for dinner. It... View Article
