Posts by The Culinary Chase

Polenta (cornmeal) is a traditional staple food throughout much of northern Italy and started out as peasant food. Today it is much sought after and can command high prices when ordering in a restaurant. The blue cheese in this dish adds a bit of bite to an otherwise bland dish. This recipe is adapted from…

Another easy dish to prepare when entertaining this festive season. The following recipe is adapted from ABC Delicious magazine. Zucchini contains large amounts of folate (one of the B vitamins) and potassium and the rind contains the nutrient beta-carotene. This will be my last posting for 2007 as I will be on vacation for the…

Growing up in New Brunswick (Canada’s only bilungual province), our Christmas eve dinners always included a tortiere. The tortiere is a French Canadian dish and Quebec is generally credited as the birthplace of the tourtière with it being mentioned as far back as the sixteenth century. It’s interesting to note that French Canadians have an…

What would Christmas be without edible decorations? Edible ornaments are a fun variation on the traditional Christmas ornaments plus they make a great gift for family and friends. I used to string popcorn around my tree as a garland when my kids were younger. I’ve come away from that but still decorate the tree with…

Unwrap this fragrant baked pumpkin and show it off at the Christmas table! Pumpkin is very low in calories (20 cal per 100g) and is rich in potassium. This recipe is adapted from ABC Delicious magazine which highlighted Jamie Oliver’s take on what he’ll be serving this Christmas. I have been a long time fan…

This recipe was given to me the other day by a friend of mine and I have to say it’s absolutely delicious! Eggnog (first recorded in the 17th century) was a trademark drink of the upper class in England. In those days the average Londoner rarely saw a glass of milk as farms belonged to…

This is indulgence at its finest! Of course, if you’re not a peanut butter fan this won’t appeal to you. For something so decadent it’s quite easy to assemble. This recipe is inspired from ABC Delicious magazine which features a few recipes from Nigella Lawson’s new book, Nigella Express. Nigella is one of my favorite…

Perfect little tidbits to pass around this festive season! This recipe is adapted from the New Zealand magazine, Dish. Shallots are very rich in chromium (a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin), plus vitamin C. For more health benefits of the shallot, click here. Pastry200g plain flourpinch of salt2 teaspoons chopped thyme100g butter,…

Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrated his 80th birthday today and Thais, showing their support for their king, lined the streets wearing yellow shirts. Millions of people across the country have worn yellow shirts every Monday since last year, when the king marked his 60th year on the throne as the world’s longest-serving monarch. Yellow is…

Salads were first enjoyed by ancient Romans and Greeks. Although they did not use the word “salad,” they enjoyed a variety of dishes with raw vegetables dressed with vinegar, oil, and herbs. Salads like this one are easy to prepare and come loaded with vitamins. A nice side dish to compliment the upcoming Christmas turkey…