You don't need to find amarillo chili peppers for this recipe. Any long, red or orange chili pepper will work, but there are, conveniently, a few appropriate long, skinny spicy peppers in the Lufa Farms basket this week. Common substitutes for amarillos are serrano or habanero … [Read more...] about Peruvian Nordic Shrimp “Causa” with Aji Amarillo Chili Paste
Peruvian Dinner Party: Shrimp and Garlic Chive Causa, Vegetarian Tacu Tacu, Tamalitos with Onion Sauce, and Dairy-Free Maple-Lucuma Ice Cream
Two of my favourite things: 1. Relaxed dinner parties with appreciative friends 2. Chili Peppers Maybe not in that order... So when I came back from Lima, Peru, I brought dried aji amarillo (orange hot chili peppers), white corn maize flour for tamales, and powdered lucuma … [Read more...] about Peruvian Dinner Party: Shrimp and Garlic Chive Causa, Vegetarian Tacu Tacu, Tamalitos with Onion Sauce, and Dairy-Free Maple-Lucuma Ice Cream
How to be French: Quebecois Picnic Lunch of Local Cheeses, Charcuterie, and Homemade Jam
There's nothing quite like a leisurely lunch with friends and family whose company you enjoy, especially when there's a grand total of zero work involved. Putting out platters of bite-size assortments of flavours is the easiest way to entertain and make it look like you put a … [Read more...] about How to be French: Quebecois Picnic Lunch of Local Cheeses, Charcuterie, and Homemade Jam
White Wine Vinegar & Miso Dressing for Steamed Swiss Chard
This white wine vinaigrette dilutes the punch of vinegar with yogurt and sweetens it with honey, and because of the yogurt you don't need a lot of oil - just give it a splash. Actually you can be pretty loose with most of the ingredients as long as you taste it after and … [Read more...] about White Wine Vinegar & Miso Dressing for Steamed Swiss Chard
Amazing Slow-Cooked (or Quick) Tomato Sauce
I made the most amazing tomato sauce. I'm serious. If you were me and I was you I would marry you for this tomato sauce. Honestly the best tomato sauce I've ever made, including many attempts with San Marzanos, supposedly the best and naturally sweetest canned, imported … [Read more...] about Amazing Slow-Cooked (or Quick) Tomato Sauce
Organic Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
Every time I look in my preserves cupboard now I smile. My fridge is also happy since I had some extra jam and no sterilized jars and had to leave some un-canned in glass jars in the fridge. So whether or not you actually want to put this jam in jars and seal them for later this … [Read more...] about Organic Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
Preserving Life: Stories through canning
I got in a fight with a canning pot while making strawberry-rhubarb jam. The canning pot won, as shown by the giant burn on my right hand. The perfect balance of sweet and sour was what I was looking for - maple syrup, honey, brown sugar and a little lemon. It was all about the … [Read more...] about Preserving Life: Stories through canning
Vermiculture, Drowning, and Liking Babies
I liked three babies yesterday. Not 'liked' as in I wanted them for myself, but 'liked' as in they didn't get on my nerves, and when they were crying I made stupid faces to try to make them stop crying. I wanted them to be happy. I WANTED THEM TO BE HAPPY!!! It must have been an … [Read more...] about Vermiculture, Drowning, and Liking Babies
Award-Winning Sweet-and-Sour Pickles
You're supposed to can these, but if you don't feel like sterilizing and going through all the trouble just to make a small batch of sugary cucumber pickles, skip the sterilizing and boiling jars steps and store the pickles in your fridge in a glass jar for maybe up to 3 … [Read more...] about Award-Winning Sweet-and-Sour Pickles
“What do you do with 30 Lbs of Cucumbers?” Part 4: Award-Winning Sweet and Sour Pickles
You're supposed to can these, but if you don't feel like sterilizing and going through all the trouble just to make a small batch of sugary cucumber pickles, just skip the sterilizing and boiling jars steps and store the pickles in your fridge in a glass jar for maybe up to 3 … [Read more...] about “What do you do with 30 Lbs of Cucumbers?” Part 4: Award-Winning Sweet and Sour Pickles