...Or maybe that's just me. The thing is, I love lemons, but if they were all life gave me, I'd be a well-fed, yet unhappy person. Until today I'd had four beautiful items sitting in my kitchen waiting to be cooked and no time in which to cook (or 'un-cook') them. So when life … [Read more...] about When Life Gives You Lemons You Roast Jerusalem Artichokes (Part 1)…
Lemon and Thyme Roasted Fennel: “How Did I Get So?”
Dear Fennel, I feel as though a beautiful song by Ingrid Gatin aptly reflects how I feel about our relationship. Please watch this video before reading the rest of my letter: "Time swelled the moment that we started"...I washed you and cored you carefully, then thinly sliced … [Read more...] about Lemon and Thyme Roasted Fennel: “How Did I Get So?”
One Love Fennel: Roasted Pasta Sauce or Ragout
I went to my fruit guy in Jean-Talon, Leopoldo. He doesn't do local. Neither did he have ataulfo mangoes (though he did the next week), and I knew the white peach and white nectarine seasons were over, so why did I go back to him? Because that's my Sunday. He makes my Sunday a … [Read more...] about One Love Fennel: Roasted Pasta Sauce or Ragout
The Most Important Part of Thanksgiving: Being Thankful for Chicken Stock?
I mean, friends and family are all well and good, but chicken stock... I shredded every morsel of flesh off that bird. Knives aren't good enough (or maybe I should say I'M not good enough with knives?). Then I threw the broken carcass in a big pot of water so that the body is … [Read more...] about The Most Important Part of Thanksgiving: Being Thankful for Chicken Stock?
Rooibos Chai Tea
This is my second Ochado tea. They're from the Marché Fermier that's currently closed, but you can order online. Chai is an easy thing to make since it's just a blend of whole spices, all of which I already have, but this is a rooibos chai, and I don't exactly have the right … [Read more...] about Rooibos Chai Tea
Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey With Chocolate Sourdough Dried Fig, Apricot, Date, Cranberry, an Apple Stuffing
Turkey is so easy. The bird had been sitting in wait overnight, being moisturized by the Sichuan peppercorn salt under its skin and in its belly. Next step was to stuff it with the Chocolate Sourdough dried fruit stuffing and sprinkle the top with more of the salt. Then a pastry … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey With Chocolate Sourdough Dried Fig, Apricot, Date, Cranberry, an Apple Stuffing
Thanksgiving: Roasted 12 lb Turkey With Chocolate Sourdough and Dried Fruit Bread Stuffing…Spiked with Sichuan Peppercorns. Enough fusion for you?
I'm going to tell you the secret of why my Thanksgiving was successful, and it has only a little to do with alcohol. It has a lot to do with the secret powers of certain foods...such as Sichuan peppercorns... My whole idea for Thanksgiving was to have 10 friends over and ask … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving: Roasted 12 lb Turkey With Chocolate Sourdough and Dried Fruit Bread Stuffing…Spiked with Sichuan Peppercorns. Enough fusion for you?
Sambar — Take 2 (No, Not Samba. Wrong Continent)
I'm convinced that in Mexico you have to dance salsa when they make salsa, but what if the country of the food and the dance don't match? I'm not so foolish to believe that South Indians dance samba when they make sambar. In fact I'm sure they dance bhangra instead. God, I hope … [Read more...] about Sambar — Take 2 (No, Not Samba. Wrong Continent)
Vanilla Bean Green Gauge Plum Jam
These plums, I believe, are also called "Reine Claude". Claude must have loved them more than the purple ones. I can understand that. See, I bought vanilla beans... I went to Épices de Cru in Jean-Talon market and asked to smell the 7 kinds of vanilla beans they keep in large … [Read more...] about Vanilla Bean Green Gauge Plum Jam
Oven-Dried Tomatoes
So I figured I'd missed the Montreal "sun-drying" opportunity. Fortunately I've been dehydrating like mad and feel very comfortable with my oven door slightly ajar. When I bought expensive tomatoes from my farmer John to make sauce he told me not to make. He said they're too … [Read more...] about Oven-Dried Tomatoes