My friend and partner in the “Italy meets India” classes at the Loblaw's PC Cooking Schools, Chef Maria, often speaks of her love of all things olive oil. From making her own pickled olives to using it as a flavoring ingredient in cookies and cakes, she loves olive oil. The other thing she loves(there are [...]
Yes Virginia, a savory and sweet cookie that is so flavorful, it will make you want to sing! In my usual hunt for different or unusual recipes I came across this one from the NY Times website. It has two of my favorite tastes in it - cumin and black pepper. In hindsight, and you [...]
Goan cooking is a delicate balance of spices that provide complex tastes when combined. Actually Indian cooking – in general, is like this. Until one really understands the nuances in combining spices i.e. the flavor of each spice, you truly cannot cook the food properly. Recipes are just guides, I say this all the time [...]
It’s cooler (there I said it) outside! It’s October and I should be expecting it but we’ve been spoiled - not too long ago, with some great t-shirt weather and I was hoping for a bit more. But it’s time for the season to show its true colors - literally! I was driving down one [...]
The first time I made duck, I made Duck a l'Orange. It must have been about 30 years ago and quite honestly, although I'd only ever tasted it once before, in a restaurant I could barely afford at the time, it turned out delicious. I'd seen it made on TV a dozen or so times [...]
Whenever my wife and I were in Paris, one of her favorite past times was sitting in a café (on any boulevard really) with a coffee or tea, and a sample of one of the local pastries. With every bite of a different pastry, she would challenge me - subtly of course, to recreate it at home. [...]
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! So much to be thankful for isn’t there. Not the big things you have around you, but the things you can’t put value on – parents, siblings, kids (no matter how old, they will always be our kids) and good friends! Health, so much to be thankful for here, no matter how [...]
Beautifully imperfect! That’s what I learned from my friend Chef Maria. The beauty of handmade pasta is in the imperfections. Oh don’t get me wrong, the rhythm and discipline of all those wonderful nonnas that use homemade gadgets to give us that perfect looking gnocchi, tortellini etc., is truly an art, a skill and something [...]
Chris, thank you so much for the superb dinner you prepared for us. The guests were delighted with the array of flavors and textures and the beautiful presentation. We are truly grateful for the care you put into preparing and donating this wonderful meal. You know how to create an atmosphere of community and an [...]
Is it a cake or a pie? Well it is cake batter that is baked in a pie tin - hence PiKe (I liked this name better than any other alternative combinations)! I bought some nectarines last week. I’m a sucker for that sweet juicy “makes me think of summer” flavor. I love them plain, [...]
