appetizer
pickled radicchio wrapped breadsticks
Pickled radicchio is a perfect way to preserve and enjoy for weeks. Radicchio (ra-DEEK-ee-o) on its own has a bold and bitter taste but throw it in a hot bath of vinegar and that boldness subsides. It ends up with a sweet and sour taste. When the radicchio leaves hit the vinegar, they change a…
Read Moreparmesan tuiles
The other day I was all gung-ho to make parmesan tuiles. The recipe was from a trusted name in the cooking industry but as I was dishing out the ingredients, something inside me was saying the quantities, oven temperature and method seemed off. But, because it was from a trusted source, I shrugged off my…
Read Moreolive and anchovy bites
When we invite friends over for dinner, it’s always a new menu. And after many years of entertaining, this can seem as though there’s nothing new left in the tank! Which is what it felt like last Thursday. We had invited our good friends over for a bite to eat on Friday and the day…
Read Moretomato and mozzarella salad
I was trying to think of what to call this dish. It’s not a true Caprese salad as I did not include basil. Tomato and mozzarella salad sounds so blah but there’s an ingredient that most definitely does not make this any way shape or form, blah! The other day I posted Caesar granita atop…
Read Moreoysters with caesar granita
A Caesar, a classic Canadian cocktail, is as popular as its American counterpart the Bloody Mary. So what’s the difference, you ask? The ingredients include Clamato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt (and perhaps celery salt), black pepper and vodka. The addition of clam juice is what gives the Canadian Caesar its umami flavor. Canadian bartenders…
Read Moresteamed mussels with black bean garlic sauce
One of the first sauces we tried when we moved to Hong Kong was the black bean. The description alone made us wonder how much our senses were going to be assaulted. After all, how could fermented black soybeans taste anything but salty and smell stinky? That was the westernness coming out in me or…
Read MoreCiro’s stracchino cheese crostini
What makes a delicious crostini? Two words; fresh ingredients. And when my farmers’ market has an Italian vendor selling his own cheese, I am ONE happy camper! Ciro Comencini moved to Nova Scotia with his wife, Alessia and their six children (soon to be seven!) in 2013. His dairy experience started with his family’s farm, just…
Read Morepoached shrimp in olive oil
If there’s one staple I always have in my freezer, it’s a bag of frozen shrimp. They’re so versatile and many shrimp recipes out there are easy to prepare, economical and perfect for a mid-week meal. I recently poached shrimp in olive oil with a bit of butter as a last minute snack; I wasn’t…
Read Morefried Brussels sprouts
When thinking about what appetizer to serve, most cooks don’t consider using cabbage and even less think about Brussels sprouts! As a kid, you would NEVER hear me say, “oh yes please, may I have more!” I disliked them for years. It wasn’t until I was and at my great aunt’s home when she served…
Read Morebaked brie with onion jam – make it tonight!
I am not mathematically inclined, but I do like to figure out how things work and have always had an inquisitive mind. If a shortcut works, well, I’ll take that route. It stems from childhood. When a problem arose, I would try to sort it out on my own before approaching my parents. I would…
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