WE would like to thank YOU for such a lovely evening. You went above and beyond with the food preparation. The menu worked so well. Everyone was buzzing with enthusiasm (and each had their own favourite dish) after you left and it was a truly memorable evening for all of us. The food was so [...]
I Chef'd a private party recently for some folks who really know their mushrooms. So much so, that they even supplied me with some. A whole bunch of mushrooms - fresh cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms as well as dried morels and porcinis - very generous of them, to feature in the evenings menu. Now I [...]
Once again, my wonderful wife surprised me with a lesson with an Italian Chef. Senora Adler Bonavera is the Chef, Patronne and Sommelier of Il Duca di Orvieto. She provides cooking lessons to professional Chef's and also to serious foodie tourists. The techniques she teaches (and stories she tells), you can’t learn in school. Only [...]
Got a special occasion coming up? Here's a complete meal for you to enjoy. To me a special occasion is any time you get together with good friends (yes this can be just you and your spouse/partner/significant other etc) to share a meal. Even better if it is a special meal with things you wouldn't eat [...]
Open to the Public Event's - Demonstration, Interactive or Hands-on - Full Dinner and "What's for Dinner" Cooking Classes - March! These are all my "Open to the Public" engagements I'm doing this month. You must register on-line (pccookingschool.ca, www.longos.com/Loft), via phone or at the location to attend! Hope to see you there! (Unless specified, all classes are [...]
Sometimes you just want a plain cake to eat. Nothing fancy, a comfort cake, the kind mum used to make. No icing, no filling, just plain old fashioned butter based cake. I found this recipe on the NY Times site. I love that site because they mix the classic with the nouveau style, rustic comfort [...]
Serradura is Portuguese for "sawdust cake". The recipe I'm giving you refers to it as Macanese (from Macau). It's called sawdust because the biscuits that make layers between the rich cream are ground up to a fine powder like consistency. I like recipes that come together easily and taste great and my philosophy on desserts [...]
As a tribute to my mum, and mum's everywhere, I'm re-posting this blog from December 2014. It's preceded by some very personal thoughts of my mum and I hope captures the love of a mother. Happy Mother's Day to all the mum's - here, afar and elsewhere! Forever etched in my memory, in my heart, [...]
Changes in diets (no not fad diets - never fad diets) are always a good thing. It forces you to be creative with the ingredients you have a surplus of as no one is eating them. Oatmeal has gone the way of the dodo in my house. This has left me with about 3 large [...]
There is a certain amount of joy you get when you travel. Whether it is for business or pleasure, alone or with company, I always enjoyed my time away from the city. I think some of the most memorable meals I've had have been in foreign countries. Not to say they were all good, just [...]
