Posts by The Culinary Chase
pasta with basil sauce
After three weeks overseas, I am happy to be back home. Mr. S and I love to travel almost as much as we enjoy being in our humble abode. When away, I encounter (stumble upon) new ways to dress up old dishes. Stumble upon; another word perhaps for getting lost. Not that we are frequently…
Read Moretuna noodle casserole
I don’t know why, but of late I am drawn to nostalgia and in particular food. This nostalgic feeling is all good and although I am not one to dwell in the past, there’s something so familiar about comfort food that pulls me back to my childhood. In the 1950s and well into the ’70s…
Read Morebruschetta with white anchovies
Bruschetta (pronounced bru-sketta) is a classic Italian appetizer consisting of toasted bread slices topped with fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil. There are oodles of variations and I’ve named a few here for you to consider: smashed avocado with chopped tomatoes; zucchini goat cheese bruschetta; smoked salmon with mascarpone cheese.
Read MoreEliot & Vine – new menu tasting
I received an invite to sample Eliot & Vine’s new menu and to show off their chef, Lachlan Culjak. I am always grateful when a request like this comes my way. The restaurant is tucked in a residential area of the north end of Halifax – a stone’s throw away from the Halifax Common. Johanna…
Read Morehomemade quince paste
Quince is a yellow fruit that looks like a cross between an apple and a pear. It is high in pectin and was typically used in jam and jelly making. It’s too tart and hard to eat on its own but cooked it turns sweet with a slight floral taste. My mom used to have…
Read Moreclam chowder
For generations, my family has made clam chowder and I continue the tradition. I recall my pleasure of crumbling saltine crackers atop the bowl of mom’s homemade clam chowder; not to thicken it up but, simply put, it was a tradition in my parents home. The maritime autumn weather can be lovely and sunny but…
Read Morepotato quiche (gluten-free)
This recipe takes the rösti, a classic Swiss comfort food, and turns it into a savoury, delicious pie. Nearly every cook I know has their own favourite version of quiche and my mom’s quiche Lorraine recipe, a family favourite, is so darn good but I have also made a few non-traditional ones, too. After tasting…
Read Morespätzle – a budget friendly meal
Spätzle, also known as spaetzle, is a soft egg noodle with Germanic roots. My great grandmother used to make something similar to this with what she called, her German dinner (dumplings with roast pork and hot purple slaw). Her dinners were the best! Three simple ingredients are all that’s required to make spätzle.
Read Morepan bagnat – a delicious French sandwich
Looking for new ideas to make interesting sandwiches your kids will eat? Pan bagnat, the street food of Nice, is the answer. Think of salade niçoise and you have the portable sandwich version. I have to admit my lunches were not that inspiring…sorry mom. To be fair, though, she had to make four lunches so…
Read Moremustard pickles
It’s canning season (the process of preserving cooked food by sealing in jars or cans). I come from a lineage of women who made their own preserves, jams, and jellies. It was the best way to enjoy the summertime produce over winter. Although in today’s world it might sound laborious and unnecessary with canned or…
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