Melon Carpaccio with Burrata and Crispy Sage
Growing up, I was never much of a melon fan. Watermelon, absolutely, but the others I could happily leave behind. Somewhere along the way, that changed. These days, when summer is in full swing, I can’t get enough of a perfectly ripe melon.
holiday party food
Twelve days to Christmas! Yikes! Why is it with the best-laid plans things slip? I finally got around to making my first ever Christmas cracker snaps even though I had the materials 2-weeks ago. They were a cinch to make and took half an hour to assemble. I think the same goes with party food. …
chocolate fudge
I cannot recall the last time I made fudge. It was a family favourite growing up and around the Christmas holidays, there was always some to be had. My mom always had the pantry and freezer full of cooked goodies. The laundry room became the storage area for fruit cake, plum puddings, cookies, squares not…
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…
tuna 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…
bruschetta 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.
Eliot & 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…
homemade 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…
clam 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…
potato 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…
spätzle – 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.
pan 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…
mustard 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…