September 4, 2013
I like simple foods but the food needs to taste good and look pretty. Tartines lend themselves to all these requirements: they are simple to prepare, flavourful and look so beautiful. Tartine is a perfect lunch. You can add a bowl of soup or pair it with a salad for lunch or serve it by itself as a lunch, light dinner or even a snack. I love tartines so much that I have a special... 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
August 27, 2013
Earlier this season I planted a little flat leaf parsley seedling on the patio and somehow, in no time it grew into a huge plant with beautiful flat leaves packed with flavour. Who knew these herbs can grow like that? In Calgary I could barely make it survive. Now I have several herbs in the rooftop garden and can step outside at any time to pick fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, basil (green and purple, sorrel,... View Article
August 20, 2013
I was up at the Mission Hill Winery store a while ago and bought one of their chef’s heirloom tomato jam in a jar. I finally got around to opening the jar and liked the sweet and tangy, honeyed flavour. I can think of a few ways to use it but today it is going to top a quick pizza I am making on the grill in my outdoor kitchen. I didn’t make the dough... View Article
August 17, 2013
If you asked my family what dish is the essence of summer in Kelowna they are sure to say “Peaches and Cream”. Ripe, juicy Okanagan peaches peeled and sliced into wedges, simply drizzled with the incomparable Blackwell cream (don’t ask about the fat content of the cream, I won’t admit it) and maybe a light sprinkling of sugar and we are in summer culinary heaven. Right now I have a flat of peaches I purchased... View Article
August 15, 2013
Ever since we bought our rooftop abode in Kelowna a couple of years ago we have been talking about having an outdoor kitchen installed on the north side of the patio. I like to cook and thought it would be nice to have an additional kitchen outdoors that would be handy for entertaining, perhaps informal cooking classes for friends, food photography or just for us to have fun with it. Roasted corn with ancho-chili butter... View Article
August 5, 2013
During the summer I make many vegetarian salad dinners and because most people are so concerned about having a visible protein as part of every meal (I am not) I add a legume salad to appease the uninitiated (and also because I love legumes:). Lentils are wonderful legumes that pair well with many vegetables and dressings and are very easy to cook. For salads I prefer the smaller lentils, preferably the du Puy variety, because... View Article
July 29, 2013
My sister-in-law Tali is visiting from overseas and needless to say I put her to work in the kitchen preparing some of my favourite foods from Israel that she is an expert in making. Tali is a natural cook who knows instinctively what goes with what and how much of this or that to put in the dish. We have been having fun cooking in the kitchen for our group of 7 (vegetarian and non-vegetarians).... View Article
July 25, 2013
Rice pudding is one of those universal dishes you find in almost every cuisine. Flavours may vary but the idea is the same: rice cooked in milk with sugar and various flavourings added. I have made it with anything from vanilla and cinnamon to rose water, orange peel, nutmeg and raisins. I have topped it with fruit syrups, jams, caramelized nuts and coconut. I have cooked it with or without eggs, boiled it, baked it,... View Article
July 18, 2013
Farro is an ancient grain that came into vogue a few years ago and is now readily available in grocery and specialty stores. It is known by many names and there is some culinary controversy over this but who really cares? it is basically a nice nutty chewy grain that cooks quickly and beautifully and can be used in many dishes. Since it is a grain I cook it for breakfast occasionally and serve it... View Article
July 16, 2013
What? Potatoes and pizza? I am in. I have had a few potato pizzas here and there, the most memorable one at the exquisite Crazyweed in Canmore a while back. At Crazyweed they call theirs Bella Pizza and it has pesto, rosemary-crusted potatoes, mushrooms, charred onion and parmesan. It’s not the most common combination for pizza topping but a delicious and satisfying one just the same. If you are a foodie you look for new... View Article
July 11, 2013
Here is the recipe for the potato vegetable salad that I prepared for the Diner en Blanc the other day. As far as I am concerned it’s a full meal deal but also makes a nice substantial salad to serve alongside other foods. Make it with small new potatoes cut in half or quartered and add corn, green peas, green beans, radishes, green onion, shredded radicchio and whatever else strike your fancy. I like adding... View Article
