Why I Cook

May 5, 2017Blog, local food, lynn ogryzloLeave a comment

The tradition of Italian cooking is all about the grandmother, about the matriarch of the kitchen and therefore the family. There is no memory on earth more symbolic of love than the sight of someone’s grandmother making a meal for the people she loves. My grandmother didn’t waste time thinking too much about the tomatoes or the sausages. She simply grew the best, bought the best and made the best meal. Her food became symbolic of love and all other words to describe what she did are inadequate. Michael Pollan said, “the shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical […]

Healthy Eating Survey

April 13, 2017BlogLeave a comment

Are you as jazzed as I am at the thought of a new growing season? As I put my crock of sweet potatoes, onions and hot Italian sausage in the oven my mind is already thinking of a crisp tomato and cucumber salad with soft, creamy feta cheese – my favourite summer salad. But if you’re like me and you eat local food it’s not just your taste buds that are leading your thoughts. It’s the fact that I haven’t seen the Pohorly’s or the McSween’s since last year and I feel like I’m long overdue for a visit. […]

Dutch Apple Pie

May 21, 2016BlogLeave a comment

I’m thinking that when new Canadians were forming our country, the Dutch were perfecting their apple pie. Yes, it’s that good. On a recent trip to Amsterdam Jon and I fell in love with Dutch Apple Pie, or Appeltaart, as the locals call it, or cake as I call it. Jon and I were sitting in Zoet & Hartig Bakery on Haarlemmerduk in the Jordaan neighbourhood when we saw the beautiful Dutch Apple Pie, it was highly recommended so we went for it. Dutch Apple Pie is nothing like the American apple pie that is made with thin layers […]

Perfecting Chili

February 25, 2016Blog, cuisine, culinary tourism, farm fresh food, food, local food, lynn ogryzlo, The Ontario TableLeave a comment

In honour of National Chili Day I’m making chili, and it’s the best chili ever! I have some leftover steak and a few links of delicious sausage – the perfect start to a luscious, hot meal. Chili con Carne sounds authentically Spanish. But it could hardly be, for the Spaniards had never seen a chili before they reached America. Often referred to as just ‘chili’, it is in fact, authentically Texan! The official dish of the state of Texas (declared in 1977) it is found on menus throughout the state, especially in the city of Terlingua, the Chili capital of […]

Better-For-You Banana Bread

February 23, 2016Blog, lynn ogryzlo, The Ontario TableLeave a comment

Everyone knows what to do when the bananas on the counter are neglected until they’re almost black. Of course, we make banana bread! Today is National Banana Bread Day so let’s all make a great banana bread – or in my case, banana muffins. Unfortunately most of the recipes on the internet call for way too much sugar. Ever made a loaf and it has a sugary crust? It’s almost encased in sugar! Sugar isn’t good for you so pick a banana bread recipe that calls for a quarter cup of sugar or less. You’ll love it and believe […]

Dangerously Delicious Sticky Buns

February 20, 2016Blog, culinary tourism, food, lynn ogryzlo, The Ontario TableLeave a comment

Tomorrow is National Sticky Bun Day and one of the exceptionally delicious days of the year. The first memory I have of my mother’s hot, sticky buns was when I was just a little girl. Hot bread from the oven was a regular treat in our house from raisin buns to braided bread. My favourite, the one I longed for the most, was her sticky buns. I remember standing at the counter on my tiptoes, fingers grasping the countertop waiting for permission to pull one from the tray. Just at the critical moment, my brothers would arrive and we’d […]

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