Boursin & Prosciutto Pastry Bites
There’s something irresistible about an easy appetizer that looks impressive but asks very little of the cook. This Boursin cheese and prosciutto puff pastry is exactly that. Salty prosciutto and creamy Boursin are tucked beneath golden,
Fennel-Parmesan Shortbread
When we lived in New York, I would come into the city once or twice a week and began my outing by meeting Mr. S. for a cappuccino at Blue Bottle coffee in Rockefeller Center. We always shared a cookie as part of our java ritual. Fennel-Parmesan shortbread, a savory twist, quickly became a favorite…
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Slow-roasted tomatoes are about the closest I’m ever going to get to sun-dried. The ones available here are mass produced and to be honest, aren’t that appealing. According to TLC, the practice of drying tomatoes for use throughout the winter began in Italy, where tomatoes were placed on the tile roofs of houses until the…
Pear Clafoutis
Clafoutis (kla-foo-tee) is a cross between a flan and a soufflé with batter similar to that of crepes. Clafoutis is a rustic breakfast/brunch food that hails from France and the traditional recipe calls for fresh cherries but you can add whatever fruit you like. I bought Forelle pears last week and they were taking the…
Roasted Squash & Apple Soup with Goat’s Cheese & Bacon
Soup. It needs no explanation – everyone knows what it is and it’s been around for a millennia. There are so many variations. I love the combination of vegetables and fruit. There’s something so opposite about the two that you’d think there’s no way they belong together in the same pot…but trust me, the two…
Homemade Potato Chips
It always excites me to find something new. The other day I stumbled across Irvin Lin’s food blog and was drawn to his post on how to make potato chips using the cold oil method. I re-read the sentence again…cold oil method? This method uses less oil, less chance of oil splattering when the potato…
Steak Tartare
So you think you know your salt, do you? While there are mixed reviews about Salted: A Manifesto on the World’s Most Essential Mineral, I enjoyed reading it. Yes, there’s lengthy writing on the history, the many variations of artisanal salt available today, and it makes for a great reference manual, however I purchased it…
Halibut Ceviche with Watermelon
Ceviche (seh-BEE-chay), popular in Central and South America, is a seafood dish and consists of raw fish marinated in citrus juice and seasoned with chilies and chopped coriander. The citric acid in the juice cooks the fish making the flesh opaque and firm just as if it had been cooked over heat. The first time…
Honey-Crisp Oven-Fried Chicken
What is it with fast food that can send your stomach growling after a whiff of something deep-fried? When my sensory system is alerted to these aromas, it’s all I can do to stay away. According to The Urban Daily, Scottish immigrants to the United States are often credited with being the ones to introduce…
Carrot Soup with Feta and Quinoa
When it’s cold outside there’s nothing more comforting and warming than homemade soup. Soup, by the way, doesn’t need to be arduous nor does it need to take a long time to make to taste good. Carrot soup with feta and quinoa should make you take notice as this isn’t something ordinary but downright scrumptious!…
Halloumi with Oven Roasted Tomatoes and Couscous
If you haven’t heard or tried halloumi cheese, you’re in for a treat. Halloumi, the squeaky cheese, does not melt when heated. Instead it develops a delicious crust that surrounds a slightly springy, mild interior that squeaks between your teeth! Halloumi is the traditional white cheese of Cyprus and is made from ewes’ and goats’…
Salted Caramels (or so I thought)
New Year’s Day saw us taking a drive along the scenic route to Peggy’s Cove and stopping for a bite to eat at Rhubarb Restaurant – I love the name! It had been highly recommended by Dan from PosterBoy and he was spot on! My sister Kris was visiting from Toronto and she had never…
Vanilla Ice Cream
Hello 2014! I don’t know about you, but I’m really glad to see the back of 2013. It was an unsettling year for us and things can only get better. As I write this post it’s -18c (windchill lowering it to -26c)…bitterly cold! It would seem a bit odd that I am writing about homemade…