>My mom was an excellent baker; every Christmas she would put out a magnificent display of her culinary talents with impressive trays of holiday cookies. She always made her famous shortbread that everyone fought over, there were never enough of her mini pecan tarts or thumbprint cookies; her iced cut out cookies was sheer holiday decadence and everyone would wrestle for her mincemeat tarts. Sometimes she would make her luscious chocolate and mint squares, her festive dried fruit icebox cookies, Italian pitzel’s or anything else that caught her eye that season. She would even craft the most beautiful gingerbread […]
>Holiday Cookies
>Butter Tasting
>If you’ve heard of wine tastings and cheese tastings, then it won’t come as much of a surprise to learn that food tastings are now the rage. A few months ago I did a Parmesan tasting and yes, I included the grated, fluffy white stuff you find in the grocers deli counters all the way up to the real Italian stuff and locally made. Yes, we do have a locally made Parmesan cheese. Paron Cheese is on Highway #20 about a mile from the Centennial Parkway intersection (but way on top of the mountain). Anyway, Paron Cheese came out […]
>CHOP LIKE A CHEF
>Dancing in the kitchen means leading with the left. That and plenty more sharp advise is what Knife Master and Chef Greg Willis of Kitchen Made (www.kitchenmade.ca) taught a small group in my home today. We learned how to chop, slice and dice our way through vegetables. And yes, at the end we all enjoyed the salad we’d made. Ok, each of us had a cutting board and knives and we practised everything from how to hold the food and not chop off your fingers to preping techniques that included chiffonading, julienning and dicing. All we need now explained […]
>Dazzling Vegetables
> What a fantastic weekend in the Waterloo region. The colours are turning brilliant, the air is brisk and the farmers’ markets are filled with my favourite vegetables. I love fall root vegetables and so I was amazed to find Charbrie’s Restaurant in uptown Waterloo. Executive Chef Lance Edwards does a killer job with my favourite vegetables. I was touring around and met Trevor of Hurrle’s Country Farm Market. This is a great market that let’s you know where the food comes from with little signs. On the far east side of the market there’s a giant 100-Mile map […]
>DELICIOUS AND EXCITINGLY LOCAL
> Have you heard about it? Have you tasted their food? Have you gone to Ballygiblin’s? It’s a modern little restaurant with a boutique feel, casual attitude and some outstanding food. It’s in a beautiful little country village called Carleton Place just southwest of Ottawa and if you’re inclined to take in the country, there’s a charming stone inn on the main intersection with a cozy outdoor patio that’s perfect for people watching in the sleepy little village. It’s the quintessential country experience and Ballygiblin’s is located among the quaint shops on the main street decorated with pretty hanging flowers. Surrounded by farms and fields, […]
>EATING LOCAL IN WOODSTOCK
> Six Thirty Nine is an exciting new restaurant on 639 Peel Street in Woodstock, Ontario. Chef and Owner Eric Boyar is young and deliciously talented. I found Eric in the kitchen on his day off, so I sat at the Chef’s Table and he treated me to a new dish he’s putting on his menu. The Chef’s Table is a beautiful wooden bar much like a butchers block with 4 bar stools that face the kitchen and large window that brings in the beautiful outdoor gardens. I perched myself at the bar and watched as the chef made […]