Fudz

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Grapefruit-Campari Granita with Vanilla Whipped Cream

Recipe from Bon Appétit


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 10 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Eggs in Purgatory with Artichoke Hearts, Potatoes and Capers

Recipe from Bon Appétit


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 9 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Broiled Oysters with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Recipe from Bon Appétit


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 8 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

British FlapJacks

Recipe from Bon Appétit


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 7 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Broiled Chicken, Romaine, and Tomato Bruschetta

Recipe from Gourmet


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 4 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Sweet Walnuts

Recipe from Epicurious


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 3 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Spicy Popcorn with Piment D'Espelette and Marcona Almonds

Recipe from Bon Appétit


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 2 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Cream Tart with Oranges, Honey, and Toasted-Almond Crust

Recipe from Bon Appétit


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 1 Mar 2010 | 10:01 pm

Meat Loaf, Baby Arugula, and Russian Dressing on Whole Grain Bread

Recipe from PARADE


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 28 Feb 2010 | 10:01 pm

Cardamom Vanilla Pound Cake

Recipe from Gourmet


Source: Epicurious.com: New Recipes | 25 Feb 2010 | 10:01 pm

Book Review: Kids in the Holiday Kitchen

Anybody who reads my Scotch Mommy blogs regularly is probably saying, "Scotch Mommy doesn't like to cook or make crafts, so wassup??" But the holidays are probably the only time of year where I will make an exception! Normally this will mean our usual round of Christmas-sugar-cookie decorating and chocolate-truffle making for the kids to give to their cousins, but this year I'm breaking out, thanks to a little gem of a book that landed on my desk not long ago.

As I browsed the pages of Jessica Strand and Tammy Massman-Johnson's book, Kids in the Holiday Kitchen, my little Grinch heart grew three sizes. The crafts and treats in these pages are so easy, so sweet, I was dog-earing page after page to make with my kids.

I think my favourites are the little snowmen made with three marshmallows, fruit leather for a scarf, and tiny chocolate chips for eyes and a Hershey's KISS for a hat (put him on some licorice and he's skiing!) and their little holiday lollipops of marshamallows dipped in melted chocolate covered in holiday sprinkles. Kids can make these themselves and give them as gifts.

What holiday treats or crafts do you make every year?

By Scotch Mommy from slice.ca (AKA Reni Walker).

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 8 Dec 2009 | 8:51 am

Banana Split

Ridiculous? Maybe but this banana hanger definitely caught my eye. (I feel like I should make a joke here but I won’t.)  It’s called a Banana Split and its sole purpose is to keep your bananas neat, bruise free and off your counter, which allows air to circulate, keeping your bananas yellow longer. 

If you insist on storing your bananas on the counter like a common pleb, store them curved side up so air can circulate. Also don’t store them in a bowl with other fruits because ethylene gas from the banana will quickly spoil them.

Back to the Banana Split, which folds flat for compact storage when you’ve run out of bananas.

Available at Umbra for $16.

Bazaar's Houseware Items posts are featured every Wednesday.

Related:
Fruit and Passion’s Eco-Conscious Household Products
Crank that Peanut Butter

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 25 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am

Book Review and Giveaway: The Conscious Cook

Full disclosure: As I write this, I’m wolfing down a grilled chicken salad with feta, so no, I’m not vegan but I do like good food. And that’s what celebrated vegan chef Tal Ronnen is all about – creating delicious meatless recipes that would satisfy even the most devoted meat-eater. (You may recognize him as the chef who prepared vegan meals for Oprah Winfrey’s 21-day vegan cleanse).

Ronnen scored points with me immediately with his own confession of being a former steak lover and how he struggled for years on a vegan diet that left him craving meat and dairy.

He’s unapologetic about using commercial meat and dairy substitutes like Vegenaise and Gardein, a meat-like protein invented by Canadian Yves Potvin, yes, the man behind the famous Yves Veggie Cuisine. (I love his spicy veggie dogs).

You'll find recipes for Gardein “chicken” scaloppini, paella with Field Roast “sausage” and Gardein “steak” sandwich. Because let’s face it, everyone, even vegans, crave the richness and texture of meat and dairy products and there’s nothing wrong with that. Whatever Ronnen can do to help people eat less meat, and he states his health and ethical reasons for veganism at the beginning of the book, he’s all for it.

Ronnen is happy to share the spotlight with his fellow vegan chefs. Leaders in fine vegan cuisine have all contributed recipes and sample menus. Since vegan baking is notorious finicky -- you try baking without milk or eggs -- he’s happy to turn over the entire dessert chapter to guest chef Serafina Magnussen. Her recipes for oven-roasted banana rum cheesecake (she uses a butter substitute by Earth Balance) and chocolate chip peanut butter cake, made with flaxseeds, look good enough to eat.

There are over 70 recipes, with plenty of photos, and lots of tips, including Ronnen’s essential kitchen tools, as well as his favourite brands, ingredients and vegan restos. He includes interviews with leaders in the vegan world, a section on eating seasonally and seasonal dinner party menus.

Jammed-packed with information, I would recommend The Conscious Cook to anyone who’s interested in cutting meat and dairy out of their lives.

Giveaway: I have a copy of The Conscious Cook (have a peek inside at Harper Collins website) for the person who can tell me what country five of our Food Network Canada hosts recently spent the week. (Hint: Click here) Email me your answer at blog(@)foodtv(.)ca with The Conscious Cook in the subject line. I'll choose the winner at random. Please see contest rules.

Bazaar's Book posts are featured Tuesdays.

Related:

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 24 Nov 2009 | 7:49 am

Restaurant Review: Deluca's Wine Country Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake

An ideal day for me would be cycling around Niagara-on-the-Lake, visiting a couple of wineries including Stratus (for their amazing wines and award-winning design), checking out a Shaw Festival play in town followed by dinner at Tony de Luca’s new restaurant, DeLuca’s Wine Country Restaurant (located in The Village at Niagara-on-the-Lake, an award winning New Urbanism development designed by Andres Duany).

My recent meal at DeLuca’s Wine Country Restaurant was truly memorable, especially the Wild Boar Ravioli with Roasted Root Vegetables, Butternut Squash Sauce and Parmesan Cheese. This cookbook author and chef extraordinaire has really put Niagara-on-the-Lake on the culinary map. Plus he’s the nicest guys around, proving that not all chefs are crazy and scary. But since picture is worth a 1,000 words, I’ll just let the photos do the talking.

 

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Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 20 Nov 2009 | 10:21 am

The Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie

I recently tried the Nestlé Toll House original chocolate chip cookie recipe. Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels just became available in Canada this past fall but cookie lovers in the U.S. have been baking and eating these morsels since the recipe was first invented in the 1930s. So I had to find out why these cookies are so beloved.

I followed the recipe exactly, except for the amount of chopped nuts called for. Instead of 1 cup of chopped nuts, I only had ½ a cup on hand. It called for butter; I used butter - not shortening or margarine. When it came to the technique, fortunately I had just received a hand mixer as a gift and was able to whip this up as directed. Next, it was time to add the Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. The recipe says to use the whole 340g package, this was more than I would normally add, but in my diligence to follow the recipe precisely I added them all.

I dropped little balls of cookie dough onto an ungreased baking sheet (that I lined with foil), and watched my cookies bake. They came out looking perfect. Next was the taste test. I handed them out around the office at work and got quite the positive response. I heard a lot of "love the texture," "really chewy," "amazing!" "best cookies I've ever had." One person thought they left a bit of a salty aftertaste, another thought they could be more chocolaty. The overall consensus, however, was pretty much a 10/10.

Now, another co-worker of mine also tested out this recipe, following the directions exactly. However, she said hers came out a bit flattened. They spread out on the pan as they baked. I didn't experience this, mine held their shape. We discussed it and we were both stumped as to why it happened because she did everything as I did. She said her butter wasn’t as soft as it should have been, but neither was mine. In the end though she did say they tasted great!

This is a fail-proof recipe that I will definitely use again. My boyfriend, who doesn't care for sweets, ate three as soon as they came out of the oven!

For the recipe go to Nestlé's website here.

By Beach Babe from slice.ca (AKA Tina Taus).

Related:

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 19 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

Fruit and Passion’s Eco-Conscious Household Products

I have a glass dining table, purchased years B.C. (Before Child). I still love it but it gets dirty pretty quick especially when there’s a 15-month-old trying to feed himself. I used to wipe it with a sponge which would leave that old, damp, rotting garbage scent because I would inevitably forget to change the sponge.

Then I tried the glass cleaner in Coriander and Olive Tree scent from Fruits and Passion’s new eco-conscious Cucina household care products. I love, love, love it. Not only does it leave my glass table sparkling clean, it smells gorgeous! It also comes in Lime Zest and Cypress, Sanguinelli Orange (blood orange from Spain – I looked it up) and Fennel. Cucina fragrances have been specially designed with the sweet and savoury aromas of a busy kitchen in mind.

Since it’s made with 90 per cent natural and plant-derived ingredients with no ammonia or harsh fumes, I don’t have to worry about my son eating off the table. What can I say, table manners are not his forte.

Fruit and Passion doesn’t test on animals or use animal-source ingredients. They also added a new concentrated dish detergent and a multi-purpose cleaner to their Cucina household care products line.

Available at Fruits & Passion Canada, $9 for 500ml.

Bazaar's Houseware Items posts are featured every Wednesday.

Related:
Crank that Peanut Butter
Chocolate Fridge Magnets 

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 18 Nov 2009 | 1:49 pm

Book Review and Giveaway: Vancouver Cooks 2


(Two recipes from Vancouver Cooks 2: Halibut with Morels and Brown Butter Sauce from Pied-à-Terre, Andrey Durbach; Pear Almond Tart from Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates and Pâtisserie, Thomas Haas and Esther Tso)

Five years ago, the Chefs’ Table Society of B.C. (aka leaders of the Vancouver food scene) came out with Vancouver Cooks, celebrating the best that city had to offer. Having sold more than 13,000 copies, they are back with a second helping, Vancouver Cooks 2, featuring 120 brand new recipes from 70 of the province's best chefs.

The contributors’ page reads like a who’s who of the B.C. food scene: Tojo Hidekazu (Tojo’s Restaurant), Vikram Vij of Vij’s, Edward Tuson of Sooke Harbour House, Rob Feenie (Cactus Club Cafes), I really could go on and on and on.

Vancouver Cooks 2 is divided into four sections: local food, international flavours, emerging talents and pioneering chefs. The recipes in the book are as varied as its contributors -- you'll find a double chocolate chip cookie recipe next to one for halibut cheek congee.

My only beef (no pun intended) is that I won’t be able to source some of the local ingredients called for in the book. Such is the familiar conundrum of cookbooks inspired by local ingredients of a particular region.

The press release that came with the book suggests it is written for the home cook but beyond a handful of recipes, I can’t see myself attempting some of the multi-syllabic dishes: Frog legs, sesame-crusted, with chili barbecue sauce and wakame salad anyone? Er… probably not.

But if people buy cookbooks not necessarily to cook from but for inspiration, then rest assured Vancouver Cooks 2 will do exactly that. With 60 gorgeous colour photos along with wine pairings, featuring many fine B.C. wines, this is a cookbook that pulls together the very best of that province – really, the very best of Canada. (Royalties from the sale of Vancouver Cooks 2 go to the Chefs’ Table Scholarship and Bursary Fund.)

Giveaway: I have a copy of Vancouver Cooks 2 (Douglas & McIntyre) for the person who can tell me the name of Chef Rob Feenie's show that aired on Food Network Canada. Email me your answer at blog(@)foodtv(.)ca with Vancouver Cooks 2 in the subject line. I'll choose the winner at random. Please see contest rules.

Bazaar's Book posts are featured Tuesdays.

Related:


Upcoming events: OK, all you lucky west coasters, here’s your chance to meet some of the chefs behind Vancouver Cooks 2.

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 17 Nov 2009 | 9:58 am

Photo Gallery: Tofino Public Market in BC

This week we received some stunning shots from our west-coast contributor, Michelle Mayne. She checked out Tofino Public Market in beautiful British Columbia and sent these gorgeous shots.

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Want to show off your local market? Email your pictures to blogATfoodtvDOTca (in .jpg format) with details of where the market is located and we'll feature some of your snaps in an upcoming blog post. Alternatively, you can post your photos to our flickr group.

See more Market posts on Bazaar. 

Related:

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 16 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pm

A Mouth-Watering Miami Meal (and Video!)

Four Seasons MiamiLast month I escaped the crisp fall weather and spent a hot weekend in Miami. I was not only lucky enough to spend two nights at the Four Seasons but I was treated to an amazing (and very filling) lunch at Acqua prepared by Canadian Executive Chef, Patrick Boucher. Boucher's first position with the Canadian luxury hotel chain (yep, Four Seasons is Canadian!) was as a cook in Toronto. He's since worked at Four Seasons hotels and resorts in Hawaii, Beverly Hills, Bali and Dubai.

And he cooks with an international flair to match, mixing Asian influences with Miami's Latin flavours. Watch the video below as Patrick talks me and my lunch date, the lovely Eviliny Bastos-Klein who handles publicity for the hotel, through the amazing meal he's prepared for us.


Related:

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 13 Nov 2009 | 3:40 am

The World’s First Tea Espresso

Truth be told, if I hadn’t tried it, I would have dismissed it as a gimmick – espresso made with Rooibos tea as opposed to coffee beans? Hmmm… no thanks. But having tasted it, I'm a believer!

It's really good, giving you that full rich coffee experience, complete with crema, in your favourite style – cappuccino, latte, Americano -- without the caffeine overload. Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free and loaded with five times the antioxidants (the good stuff that makes your skin glow among other things) than green tea.

The whole tea espresso invention is the brainchild of Carl Pretorious, a South African ex-coffee junkie, who needed a healthier alternative for his caffeine addicted nerves but didn’t want to be denied the coffee experience.

You can use red espresso in a fancy shmancy espresso machine or a single serving stove top espresso maker (as I did to make my red cappuccino in the video below). I wish I had known about this during my pregnancy.


You can find red espresso at Café Supreme, Good Earth Café or Wired Monks stores across Canada or visit their website for more information.

Related:

Bazaar's Food Products appear Thursdays.

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 12 Nov 2009 | 6:52 am

Crank that Peanut Butter

Say good bye to unsightly oil puddle that can plague your gourmet peanut butter. With a few cranks of this handy Peanut Butter Mixer you can stir the oil back into your peanut butter. No more gooey un-stirrable mess!

The contraption screws on to any standard 16 oz jar. It comes with a gizmo that wipes the rod as you remove it for easy cleaning. Why stop at peanut butter I say? Use it for almond butter, tahini and other nut butter mixtures.

Available at realgoods.com, $10 US each.

Bazaar's Houseware Items posts are featured every Wednesday.

Related: Chocolate Fridge Magnets 

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 11 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am

Book Review and Giveaway: Bite Me Cookbook

Bite Me by sisters Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat is no ordinary self-published cookbook. First off it looks very professional, thanks to Bruce Mau Design, with lots of glossy gorgeous photos.

And it’s very funny – the self-described “not-so-sweet, tiny-bit-salty" sisters are hilarious and saucy and not necessarily in that order. I only had to read to page nine to find out Lisa’s “freebie” is Gordon Ramsay. Julie's is Dennis Leary if you were wondering.

It also offers 175 dependable recipes that are sure to satisfy. With recipes such as TGTBT (To good to be true) Salad Rolls and Dyn-o-Mite! Asian Meatballs, comparison to those other sisters -- who also self-published their cookbooks and are known for their sense of fun (I’m talking about the Podleski sisters if you haven’t guessed already) -- are inevitable.

And like the Podleski sisters who have found fame with their irreverent style, landing their own show on Food Network Canada, I foresee success for Julie and Lisa. It’s not surprising that Heather Reisman decided take these newbie cookbook authors under her wing.

It’s obvious the two sisters have poured their hearts into this book. Beyond recipes, it’s full of fun food quotes, tips on everything from how to salvage your dinner from brink of disaster to top 10 kitchen tools the sisters can't live without. There's even a musical playlist. Full of attitude and sass, Bite Me is not your grandma’s cookbook, but if you’re looking for entertainment along with some good solid recipes look no further.

Giveaway: I have a copy of Bite Me: A Stomach-Satisfying, Visually-Gratifying, Fresh-Mouthed Cookbook for the person who can tell me the name of Podleski sisters' show. Email me your answer at blog(@)foodtv(.)ca with Bite Me in the subject line. I'll choose the winner at random. Please see contest rules. Contest is now closed. Congrats to Melanie B. from Winnipeg.
Bazaar's Book posts are featured Tuesdays.

Related: INTERVIEW: Podleski Sisters on Eat, Shrink and Be Merry

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 10 Nov 2009 | 11:16 am

Chelsea Market in NYC: Wondrous Wonders Under One Roof

Indoor markets are where it’s at!  Just because the ugly cold is coming, doesn’t mean you have to stop going to markets.  I’m sure many of you weren’t thinking it anyway, but I’m a big suck, and indoors is where I like to be when the leaves have fallen.  

Winter-hating aside, I love an indoor market anytime of the year.  Decidedly an urban phenomenon, indoor markets are always more than just a food destination, but the civic and cultural heart of the city.  The sprawling Byward Market in Ottawa, the Public Markets of Montreal,  Granville Island’s Public Market (a favourite of Anthony Sedlak’s), Winnipeg’s market at The Forks and Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market are all great examples. Whenever I visit a new city, I make a point of hitting the main indoor market for a little snapshot of what the city has to offer.    

And so I did on my recent trip to New York City.  I asked some of my chef friends in Toronto to recommend a market, and unanimously, I was advised that the Chelsea Market in West Chelsea was not to be missed.

The Chelsea Market is roughly 20 years old, but its historical buildings tell a tale of a century-old baking empire, and modern, visionary investment (more here, if you’re so inclined.)  It is also the home of our beloved cousin, Food Network US, which I uncharacteristically left alone during my visit…(should have barged in demanding to see Guy Fieri, to once and for all clear up the pronunciation of his name.  Hindsight is always 20/20.)

In any case I had little time, so I grabbed my Flip camera and went on a tear to take in all I could.  Here is my 3 1/2 minute romp through New York City's Chelsea Market – enjoy!

What’s your favourite indoor market?  

Related:

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 9 Nov 2009 | 6:55 am

Restaurant Review: Hot Spot Alert! Union Resto on Toronto's Ossington Street

BIG hoopla for nearly a year before this place finally opened on Toronto's hottest strip, Ossington Street (if I had a dollar for every time I said that -- going for the big bucks).  When I wrote the Ossington Spotlight this past June, Union still had brown craft paper up in its windows, and Jason MacIsaac of Ministry of the Interior, a few doors down, was telling me that as a food gal, I should be keeping my eye on this place. 

Didn't really have to try, actually, as Teo Paul, the popular-with-the-ladies chef-treprenuer behind Union, wrote an "Opening Soon" blog hosted on Toronto Life's website. While it kind of fell off by the end, no doubt due to permit hassles and Ossington street drama at the time, the anticipation rose in droves. 

Finally in July, Union opened itself up to Toronto's voracious 'newest-and-best' dining hunters, and they've been packing the impeccably designed resto ever since. Last week, a little late to the game, I finally went. 

Open all day -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- Union is a French-contemporary, locavore concept, sourcing all they can from Ontario growers and producers.  Listed on a blackboard beside the open kitchen are the chef's preferred suppliers of meats, produce and baked goods.   The Chef, Teo Paul, rematerialized on the Toronto scene after years of cooking in Europe (most notably Paris and the Piedmonte, Italy), and instantly got people (among them many ladies) talking, with his fashionable eye and culinary promise.  (I'll resist commenting on his looks because I don't know the man, and I want to go back there.  If you're curious, follow the Union link above, and gawk away.)

We went with a rowdy, hungry group of 8, stuck with the 9(ish)pm seating (the place is ALWAYS packed, it's the only thing we could get.)  We heard the food is good, French-based, with a definite headliner: the Cote de Boeuf.   All of us being carnivores, we entertained the other mains as one might the previews before a film.  We came for the ginormous hunk of Scotch Mountain (Meaford, Ontario) Meats prime rib, on the bone, and that's exactly what we got...at around 10:30 at night...which, despite it's perfect succulence, was not the best thing for a stomach.

Overall...

 

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Union Restaurant
72 Ossington Ave
Toronto, ON
(416) 850-0093



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Have you been yet?  What did you think?

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Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 6 Nov 2009 | 6:32 am

Yoplait Asana Yogurt

My husband’s idea of the perfect dessert is plain yogurt with fruit and a bit of maple syrup. Oddly enough when he offers it to guests, they usually decline teasing him that they’ve already eaten breakfast.

All to say we eat a lot of yogurt in my house or so I thought. Imagine my surprise when a bone density test showed I wasn’t getting enough calcium and my bones were suffering for it!

I’m not alone. It turns out 70 per cent of women in Canada don't get enough calcium which is why 1 in 4 of Canadian women over 50 have osteoporosis. According to Canada’s Food Guide women between the ages of 19 to 50 should be getting two daily servings of milk or milk alternatives. That goes up to three daily servings if you’re 51 and up.

That’s where Yoplait Asana Yogurt comes in. It’s a new product, with twice the calcium as regular yogurt, specifically aimed at women.

Normally I don’t like my food to be tempered with but I’m willing to make an exception for this product especially for someone like my mother, who did not grow up with milk or cheese and eats less and less as she gets older.

I realize all this is moot if it doesn’t taste good but I can assure you that it tastes like regular yogurt, even creamier. And the doctors working with this yogurt assured me it’s practically impossible to OD on this product.

Yoplait Asana (yes, it’s from the yogic term “posture”) is available across Canada just in time for Osteoporosis Month. You can find out if you’re getting enough calcium by using the calculator on the Yoplait Asana website.

Related:


Bazaar's Food Products appear Thursdays.

Source: Bazaar - A collection of food and kitchen-related finds… - a Foodtv.ca blog | 5 Nov 2009 | 11:17 am

This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. This is only a test… beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!