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2/16/2009 Homemade Yogurt, Yogurt Cheese, Marinated Yogurt Cheese BallsHomemade Yogurt, Yogurt Cheese, and Marinated Yogurt Cheese Balls: YUMMERS! Do these not look DE-LUX-I-O-ISHES? I was inspired to create this recipe after tasting a cheese dip at one of the booths at the Old Strathcona Farmer's Market. I am pleased with this flavour combination, but this is the kind of dish that begs you to play with other flavour combinations. They are wonderful spread on a cracker or on toast - lucious, creamy, and bursting with flavour.
Homemade Yogurt
The first time I ate yogurt I was in 1969. I was 14, shortly after it was introduced to the western Canadian markets. It was a foreign food at that time. Can you imagine that? Now, we were all hooked! That is what I love about Canadian multiculturalism. I don't have to travel the world to learn how to cook an international dish. I just have to run next door!
Plain or natural yogurt didn't hit the mainstream marketplace until much later, but we eat nothing else due to the nutritional value of it.
Ingredients
*the ingredients on the side of the plain yogurt you choose to purchase must read only yogurt culture and milk solids; there must be no artificial ingredients, chemicals, or gelatine (of course, you can also purchase little starter packets)
Procedure
I used my Thermomix, but you could do this on a stove top, should you have a thermometer etc. I will provide the instructions for the homemade yogurt for use with a Thermomix, and you can adjust them, accordingly.
In the morning, the cold yogurt will be much thicker than it was when you put it into the fridge. Measure the milk into the Thermomix bowl, and turn it on: time temperature (in Celsius), and speed. Cool the "cooked" milk in the fridge with the lid off until 37 C, and then add the yogurt culture (plain yogurt). And, again: time, temperature, and speed. Done to foam perfection. Pour the yogurt into a thermal bowl, cover, and leave on the counter for 5 hours. Then refrigerate. You will find a creamy, glossy, thick white yogurt ready to mix into your homemade granola for a nutritious, delicious, and healthy breakfast! Take a closer look. I even love the little texture bumps that the fabric impressed into the cheese.
Isn't it beautiful?
And here it is turned out onto a plate. I am absolutely thrilled every time I make this. It is time consuming, but so simple, and there is so much that can be made with it! It is so delicious and healthy and the satisfaction I feel when turning it onto the plate is as if I actually raised the cow, and milked her myself. Yes, the depth of my satisfaction is palpable, and a true testament to the intimate connection I have with preparing food with my hands for my family and those I love. As most of us are no longer in the position to produce our own food on the farm, there is so much more we can do, similar to this, to be an intregal part of the food production process.
Marinated Yogurt Cheese Balls
Makes 13 balls
Ingredients
Procedure
Do this according to your own palate. I have made this twice now, both times differently, and neither time did I remember to write down what I did, exactly... but this is what I think I did. It was only yesterday, so it will be close!
These should keep at least a couple of weeks in a refridgerator. I find that my yogurt cheese keeps much longer than my homemade yogurt, so this should keep about three weeks, properly sealed. See these delectable little cheesy balls? They seemingly quiet, and unassuming, yet, they can be absolutely dynamic and pack a huge punch with properly seasoned.
I could not resist getting a close up of the texture of this yogurt cheese. Is it not absolutely gorgeous: dense and creamy?
And here we are again, back to the final product. Something to smile about in a quiet moment, in a quiet corner, savouring a bit spread on a small cracker... that little sideways grin starting to pull at the corner of my mouth. Does it get any better than this? 12/13/2008 Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!Girls just want to have fu-un!
Cathy, myself, Marie and Dalene coming home October 2007 from a weekend at Marie's Kelowna Paradise. I bought us the "specs" as a little group gift to remember together as we are all usually rearching for our reading glasses these days... and everyone of us remember the days of the "cat-eye" spectacles! I think I even owned a pair! Va-va-va vrooom! Here we are at the Edmonton International Airport in front of the WEM waterslide mural. We had a quiet blast that weekend, and have had the privilege of many years of friendship.
We didn't cook at all, but Marie will have her Okanagan wine list ready for me to share here, shortly!
Never ever to old to have a whole lot of good, clean (or even a bit of silly) FUN!!!! 12/8/2008 Celebrating the Bounty of Alberta: Slow Food Brunch at Mary Bailey'sCelebrating the Bounty of Alberta: The Annual Slow Food Brunch at Mary Bailey's
Merry! Merry! The Annual Slow Food Brunch was held at Mary's home Sunday, and each member of the organization that attended brought a dish that celebrates our fresh local prairie food. This was my first "annual brunch", as a new member of the Convivium. The talk was about the food, and the sourcing, and the bounty of this season. Above, left, are Peter, Sara, and Mary toasting the season. Jerry Kitt and his daughter, enjoy the feast while Brad Smoliak gently cuts into Mary's Beet and Leek Tart Tatin.
Jerry Kitt, the owner of FIrst Nature Farms, and the member representing our Edmonton Convivium who attended the biannual Terra Madre Conference in Italy this year, shared his experience and the nine Principles for Security in Times of Climate Change which is part of the organization's World Wide Campaign for Signatures. It was an emotional sharing and one that I plan to work at to participate actively in this critical movement toward change. Jennifer CK writes about Jerry's farming history here. Please take the time to consider the nine principles for security and at least think or comment about this campaign. Both Mary and Jerry brought back some Presidia labeled items for us to taste and to learn about.
The fresh and crispy greens are from Greens, Eggs, and Ham. The greens were unbelievably fresh and I found it amazing that they are still harvesting these from their outdoor garden at this time of year! Andreas and Mary Ellen also brought two plates laden with their turkey and duck charcuteries. Kirstin Kotelko from Spring Creek Ranch brought her Basil Tomato Sausages. These are my personal favourite of Spring Creek's specialty sausages, and I have tried them all! I am a fan.
Barb brought the most tender Moroccan lamb from a neighbouring farmer friend as well as her homemade choke cherry syrup. Talk about memories of my Grandma and childhood! Hello! I need some more of that syrup, Barb. Yum! Brad brought the egg dish which I just wanted to look at; it was so pillowy and caramelly and crunchy and perfect. I didn't see any one sharing recipes, but even if I had this one, I know I could not get mine to look like this!
I tried to get photos of everything, but it wasn't easy because as soon as the food came out, so did the crowd, so I missed so much, like Darlene and Vince's scalloped potatoes and Thea and Chad's special dish playfully titled: "Brawn" with Saskatoon and Juniper gelatin accompanied by Treestone Bakery Bread. Thea explained that "Brawn is a combination of turkey, pork, venison, bison, duck, and rabbit - all roasted, then slow-cooked in a turkey-duck-rabbit stock. It was developed from Chad's memory of what his dad would cook back in Newfoundland." I am glad I asked. I had no idea what love was worked into that dish, but I did appreciate it!
Below, Tara's delectable tarts. I tucked this one away and enjoyed it in the evening, as I savoured the memories of this busy day... mmm!
I brought my favourite recipe of oven roasted root vegetables, and even forgot to photograph them here. I will enter the entire recipe on a blog to follow. I also brought two Angel Food Cakes that I made the day before. One was made with organic chicken eggs from Sunworks Farms, and the other was made with duck eggs from Greens, Eggs, and Ham. The chicken egg cake was much more moist. A lesson learned. But, there are so many variables, and not so manypeople I know using duck eggs to learn how to maximize them in this recipe. I will say that this was my third attempt at this cake, and that I really spent some time trying to learn how to succeed with them in this recipe. However, I also made zabaglione in my Thermomix with the duck eggs and didn't even bring chicken eggs to compare them with. In this dish, the duck eggs out-perform the chicken eggs in all areas. The zabaglione didn't break down. It sat for over an hour (well, the scrapings of the bottom of the pitcher did), and was still not breaking down. I always try to have duck eggs when making this dish. I find it is outstanding when made with them. (You can buy them at Sobey's on 4th Street or make arrangements directly from GE&H.)
)
Though I took many photos, I also missed many happy faces, but caught some, too!
I can think of no better way to have spent this beautiful fall morning. Mary's home was warm with friendship, full of very interesting people, and I learned a great deal. Yeah! 12/4/2008 LefseA Visit with a Dear Neighbourhood Friend: LEFSE
Marg Kline and her older sister, Chris, grew up on their family farm close to my dad's childhood farm near Bengough, Saskatchewan. Interestingly, and completely by coincidence, years later, Chris lived down the street from us, and Marg moved to Red Deer, too! Both sisters and their husbands were close friends to my parents for the rest of their lives. Sadly, Marg died earlier this year, quite quickly.
In December of 2007, I drove mom down to Red Deer to have a good visit with a few old neighbourhood friends for the day. We called Marg and Don unexpectedly for them, but had planned to see them before we left from home. They were eager to see us and put the coffee on and we were there within 15 minutes after our call. Both were looking pretty spiffy. Marg said she was all dressed up as they were going out for dinner that night with friends. She never missed a bit and kept a very busy social calendar. After catching up on all of the children and grandchildren as well as enjoying Marg's colourful artwork hanging on her walls, mom asked if she had any extra Lefse to share. And, Marg had taken some out knowing it was Helen's favourite treat.
Here is Marg proudly holding her perfect Lefse. She offered to teach me how to make it this year. She and Don have done it together every year for as long as she can remember and I got a very detailed lesson on how they did it. But, it was still, very clearly, the kind of lesson that you could really only learn by doing it together. I feel so blessed to have had this experience, and to have been a part of this proud sharing by Marg and Don as they went through the motions of the making for me.
Below you can see how big they are and the board she rolls them out on. Don has the special stick he uses to turn them with and to move them with.
She divides the big ones into four. Of course, we all thought that was not a good idea, and ate four each to drive that point home!
The rolling pin and the pan have been in her family for years. I know Marg will be so missed this year at Christmas.
This is the year that someone else in her family needs to pull everyone together to make the lefse. That is why she has made it all of these years - to pull the family together, each generation, to their past.
This is the year that their will be tears worked into the lefse. Tears of remembering and of loving. This is the year to make sure that Marg's tradition lives on in the lives of her family. This is one reason that our traditional food is so personal and meaningful to us. This is one reason to celebrate our multicultural heritage as Canadians. We don't have to travel the world to know the world. We live inside of our multicultural communities and are so fortunate to share in the bounty of each traditional food.
It is each story like this one that provides another sheaf from which we weave the identity of our Canadian prairie cuisine.
Marg's Lefse Recipe
In her own hand...
 12/2/2008 Happy Birthday, May!The Cabbage Roll: An Alberta TraditionThe Cabbage Roll: An Alberta Tradition
Anyone from Central Alberta or the Edmonton area has eaten cabbage rolls and loves them. They, pyrogies, and other Ukrainian delights have become a fundamental part of our festive prairie cuisine. This happened through the influx of Ukrainian settlers in the late 1800's in the north-western prairie area now known as Alberta. You will almost never attend a casual prairie wedding, or a festive meal (like Christmas), without the addition of a large pan of cabbage rolls. This is, of course, accompanied with the most in-depth, and often heated discussions of how good they are, and which way to make them is best: with meat, or without; small, or big; tomato sauce or not. When the at-home-chef gets a compliment from an "outsider" that is truly a compliment! People do not hand out such compliments freely in the west. They must be earned through years of practice and with the sweat on one's brow that demonstrates evidence of passion for the family and for the food the family partakes of. The recipes that pass through the fingers of time lay at the table of each future generation as a testament to the love and devotion of those that came before.
In our home, it is called "Sarma" and made with sour cabbage and double smoked ribs and bacon from our local Hungarian grocer. Two or three times a year Vanja and I make a trip to the Hungarian Grocer on 118th Avenue. Just to step into the tiny little shop, hear the door bell gently tinkle our arrival and smell the smoky fragrance of the meats hanging on the back wall is reason enough to make the trip. Yum. Of course, Vanja knows his smoked meat. Being from the former Yugoslavia, he has slaughtered his own pigs, butchered the meat, prepared the brine, and made his own prosciutto and smoked prosciutto. There is nothing like Vanja's home-cured meat except maybe Vanja's dad's home-cured meat! As Slav Heller, a fellow Slow Food member wrote to me, "All the greatest foods haven't been invented in up-scale restaurant kitchens and certainly not in the big business food labs. They have evolved through people's effort to preserve foods or make them edible, and taste is secondary..." Yet, they are delicious, or we have acquired the palate that believes that is so. It is these very foods that resonate within my heart strings.
Vanja's father was the "Maker of the Sarma" back home. It was his special honor. Now it is mine,
Please see my slide show under A Prairie Christmas for pictoral instructions for making the Sarma. It is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic!
Sarma (Smokey Sour Cabbage Rolls)
Ingredients
Procedure
Lip-smacking and finger-licking home food prefection. Time For ChangeTime for Change
This year was it for me. With twenty six years of teaching reading and writing, then writing and reading and loving every nanosecond of it, I got sick. Literally. And had to slooooow way down. It's not that I did the same thing for twenty six years. Never. One of my daily mantras is "change is a rest". I am motivated and challenged by change. I am excited by it and driven by it.
First, an Early Childhood Specialist. The magic of teaching tender little ones how to read, write, and think was an empowering gift. Picture twenty seven little cuddles wrapped around your arms and legs purring peace and security while reading to them. Can you feel the gentle tickles? The enormity of my responsibility was consistently compelling. Understanding that sacred trust inspired each day. Yet, they grew, and I grew.
Next, the middle years. As tweens and teens struggle to understand their place in this world, "we" abandon them. The intensity of the struggle is so consuming that it sucks the oxygen from the air. As adults, we flail, gasping. We panic in search of an exit to find space to breath. Yet, they need us to stay put. They need us to learn to breath their air. And, they need the strength and firmness of our guiding hand every step of the way. And now, more than ever, they need to learn all over again how to feed themselves.
Oh, they are eating, and eating, and eating, and eating. But they must learn how to feed themselves. Most of them have no idea where their food comes from, or how it got into their hand. Most are two and three generations away from the farm, and most have never even been to one.
This is the "New Age". It is the age of instant gratification: "I am hungry; I will eat something." And, in minutes, or even seconds, something is being eaten. Why? Because it can be. Our youth are satiating themselves effortlessly.There is no sense of satisfaction gained through the quest for food. There is no quest. There is no satisfaction. There is: "I want more."
The notion of us as hunters and gathers is completely lost to the emerging culture of this generation. What is truly troubling is that meal planning, meal preparation, and the concept of working to meet one's nutritional needs is mute. Gone. Dead as the dinosaurs. Almost forgotten. So very few families actually engage in the activity of preparing an evening meal with their children, or even for their children, that kids actually find it fun! It is a novelty. It has become an elite after school activity, and everyone's favorite complementary course in middle school because most rarely get to do it at home. (If truth were to be told, they would find it fun at home if they did it everyday, as long as they were involved in the preparation process, and not just the clean up!)
Most know what salad dressing is. It comes in a bottle. Too, too few know how easy it is to make their own.
Most know how to open a can, rip open a bag, and use the microwave. Too, too few know how to peel a vegetable, to use the stove top, or to use an oven. Most know how to order take out, how to pick up fast food, and how to buy something processed out of a machine. Too, too few know what most vegetables taste like, or what any herbs taste like, let alone what they are called, or how to prepare them. Too, too few know how to handle a small knife, a peeler, or to even what constitutes a healthy well balanced snack, let alone how to make one.
So, this is my year. My year for a change. A change from the writing and reading and thinking to the shopping and cooking and thinking.
I am teaching FOODS! Back to work, and back to basics! My year to make a difference. I always try to do that in this profession, but this time it will be in a more fundamental aspect of my student's lives: their ability to be independent, self reliant, and knowledgable regarding their personal health.
I plan to develop a framework that each can hang some very basic knowledge upon: what real food is, where real food comes from and what impact eating real food has upon one's body and out local economy. The impact that purchasing real food has upon our local economy and the future of the world's ability to continue to produce real food compared to purchasing processed and manufactured food is critical knowledge to impart to our young. It is my hope this knowledge will be wrapped in the positive experiences created in our foods classroom this year.
Our Foods Lab is a happy, happy place, just as every kitchen should be. Just as every home would be, if the kitchen was warmed with the smells of the evening meal inviting the family to be together. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the see-saw generation. The one that will take us back to our roots. To our tables. To our farms and our fields. To the parts of our past that we have forsaken in such a very short time for the convenience of Time. Yet, that is exactly what we have lost. 12/1/2008 Of All Smells: BreadOf All Smells: Bread
There is nothing more characteristic of the prairie home than homemade bread. It is in my blood. I have always loved making it. I have always been interested in making it. I bought my first Magic Mill stone wheat grinder when I was 18. Working full time for the past 20 plus years has certainly curtailed my bread making as it is a bit time consuming for one not at home through the day. Now, with my Thermomix, I can effortlessly bake wholesome homemade bread, and grind the wheat with it, to boot, should I choose. (Yet, I still can't part with my Magic Mill.) Though, this is not a "commercial" for the Thermomix. Like a calculator, you have to know how to do the math before you can use it properly. There is nothing as gratifying as working the dough to get that pillowy soft consistency that you feel growing even as you place it in its proofing bowl. And, who did discover that these four basic and simple ingredients (salt, water, yeast and flour) could create such fragrant sustenance?
This most basic of recipes for white bread also works well with finely ground whole wheat flour and for buns.
White Bread
Ingredients:
Procedure:
10/19/2008 An Autumn Picnic in the RockiesAn autumn picnic in the Rockies....
One of my favorite things about being a prairie girl is living so close to the mountains. The scent of the fragrant spruce needles and the freshness of the northern mountain wind triggers an energy within that I am completely unaware I own until I am there. Nature wields her power upon us in the forested underbrush and one cannot pass by without being touched by the comforting calm of her peace filled wildness. Just sitting in silence is enough.
Breathe. We found our little spot just out of Lake Louise on the way to the Columbia Ice Fields. There was no one there, yet there were tables, washrooms, and garbage cans. It was perfect. So, out came the table cloth, napkins, plates and then the leftovers from their welcoming party a couple of nights prior: the beef and the buns, roasted red peppers, garden tomatoes, bocconcini and oven dried tomato salad, ajvar, home made mayo, and coleslaw. All left overs, and all perfect for this day.
Here's mom's recipe for our traditional (and famous within small circles) chocolate cake.
Chocolate Cake with Brown Sugar Icing
The Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Sift together the following:
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
2 tsp BS
1 tsp BP
1/2 t salt
2 c sugar
Combine the following:
1 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 c strong coffee (I now use espresso), cooled
1/2 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
Remaining Procedure Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes on medium if using an electric beater, or until completely blended. The batter will be thin. Pour into prepared cake pan. This recipe makes one 9x11 inch cake or two 8 inch rounds.
Bake at 350 F for 35 -40 minutes.
The Brown Sugar Icing
Ingredients 3 c brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
Procedure
place ingredients into a heavy saucepan and melt together
boil to soft ball stage, 234 F if using a candy thermometer
Add vanilla
Sit until slightly warm, then whisk until creamy and spread on the cake
You can also use an electric beater, but the consistency of the icing changes, though it is just as delicious
And, VOILA! You have a very moist, dense, delicious, very basic, and very old prairie farm treat! This one comes from central Alberta(the Lacombe area) and has been passed through families for well over 200 years. 10/18/2008 Alberta BeefWhen in Alberta, eat the beef. It is the best in the world. It may not be as expensive or as rare as Kobe beef. I mean, let's face it, we have space to farm in Alberta, and farm we do. It is true, we eat far, far too much meat per capita throughout all of North America, in Canada, and particularly in Alberta. So, we do need to learn how to not eat so much meat, but definitely eat Alberta Beef.
Can you taste it? If you live here, you can look at it, and taste it. I guarantee you. It's something about my dad's mother's old enamel roaster: the tables it has sat on, the families it has fed. It is the magic to the most succulent, tender beef ever. Just clean 2 or 3 bulbs of garlic, and slice the cloves thinly, push them deep into the fibers of the meat until it is completely stuffed with little slivers of garlic. Place it in the pan, oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover completely with Montreal Steak Spice, and close the lid firmly. Roast with the lid on for 20 minutes a pound. Remove from the oven and take the lid off. The roast is blackened with an indescribable depth of caramelization. The sauce steeped with flavour. The meat so tender, it is difficult to resist. Let it rest. Let it rest.
Slice , oh, so thinly. Saving all of the drippings for the darkest and richest of gravies. On this day, we served our Alberta Beef on a bun to welcome my daughter's beau to Canada. An understated presentation of a top notch product. Subtle only until the first bite. This is the way to a man's heart. For me, there is absolutely no doubt about that.
Oven Roasting Vine-ripened TomatoesThere's nothing like a tomato fresh out of the garden. It tastes like a childhood memory: sun hot and bursting with the perfect balance of acidic sweetness. This summer, my tomatoes had a very slow start, then raptured into a lively tangled jungle. Each day I rose at the first light of morning when the air is filled with the silence of still. First out to renew my spirit as I nurture Mother Nature's unfolding bounty and celebrate the wonder and miracle of each tender vein. Yes, I talk to my plants. I pat, pet, prop and pander. Once all are welcomed, well and watered, it is time for gathering my garden candy. The sweet little golden orange "Sun Sugar" variety are always my plucking preference, but together with the "Sweet 100's", new varietal grape tomatoes, the cherry romas, and others, create a jewelled medley.
We eat our fill, give to whomever would enjoy, and then I clean and dry them in my convection oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit. You can see I sliced some of the larger ones.
It usually takes 12 hours for one dish and 24 hours if two are in the same oven. The aroma is so appealing that they do get ogled at more than necessary.
YUM! The intensity of this flavour combination is a winner. Commanding all umami taste buds to stand at attention, this little garden concoction has it all. Here are the before and after shots.
They are plopped into a sterile jar, topped with every last drop of the remaining nectar, and frozen for future use... ... and ladled over some fresh bocconcini is just one of the many ways I use this treat in my kitchen over the cold winter months. A new kind of comfort food. The kind grown in my own garden, created with the most basic ingredients, made with my own hands: definitely my labour with love. Nothing is more comforting than that to those in my little corner of the world, I hope. (Another sigh of satisfaction for the simplest of small pleasures.)
A Visit to Janice Beaton's Farm in CalgaryA visit to FARM, Janice Beaton's newest venture in Calgary was a weekend highlight! The Cookbook Company Cooks in Calgary is a must-stop-and-shop for any person who loves to cook, particularly any prairie person. Gail Norton most definitely has her finger on the pulse of what's happening in our kitchens and any hard-to-find item will be there, or she'll tell you where to find it. Last Saturday, I was in the store browsing through her shelves laden with exotic tidbits, my creative imagination on overload, when I learned of a place to stop for a bite to eat that had just opened three days earlier called "FARM", a tasting room. It was lunch time, we were hungry, so we headed out to find it.
It was a glorious sunny fall day with the scent of apples and autumn colours in the air. We spotted the unassuming awning and were drawn to the tiny rustic vestibule. The room beyond: long and narrow, somehow just pulls you into it. Immediately, I was excited. The large communal farm family table seating, sparkling chandeliers, and tasting boards were just too unique to not quiver over. And the warmth of the staff was downright homey.
We perched at the bar so I couldn't miss a bit of the action. The back wall is covered with a chalkboard listing the daily charcuterie and cheese tasting fare. The menu offers seasonal dishes, and a tasting menu was waiting at our seat with a pencil to circle what tastes we wanted to select. Just sitting in the stool, feet dangling, made me happy. Nostalgia. In front of me at the bar was a series of old milk bottles filled with ice water. Across the bar, an aged enamal pan.
I felt like I belonged, and that somehow, I had been here before. I chose the beet pesto and the olive tepenade to start, and added the Duck Rillette, a Salami and the Sylvan Star Gouda. Vanja ordered the Mac 'n cheese. We probably both missed out on one important part of the tasting experience - the wine or beer suggested to accompany each taste. Neither is my thing, nor his. Quite a shame, really. Also, too early in the day for my weak-kneed system.
The beet pesto and tepenade arrived. Fresh, light, earthy and full bodied. Lots of cheese, toasted pine nuts. I remembered making a beet pesto very similar to this and wondered why I forgot about it. The tepenade had a surprising and pleasing citrus note, I would guess a tad of orange oil. Also, tasty. I did not think that this pairing was a great fit, but individually, each was bright and lively in the mouth.
The tasting plate was when the real fun started. Each cheese or meat comes with an accompaniment that the chef sees as a compliment to the choice that together create the "Taste" experience. The Duck Rillette was accompanied with Chef Adam's mother's pickle recipe: an addictive match. The Sylvan Star Gouda was accompanied with organic dried apple slices: a classic paring and a delightful surprise as the texture combination of the crispy dried apple and the creamy, dense cheese was brilliant. The Salami was paired with a Dijon. I had so much fun nibbling and biting, crunching and munching, savouring and sipping. Yum!
Vanja's Mac 'n cheese was very bold. One bite, and you sit up straight in your chair, without question. Lip-smackingly delicious, yet not the baked mac 'n cheese dish that I prefer. The cheesy sauce generously draped the pasta, but hadn't been baked into it. It was just too soupy for my palate. The root vegetable slaw had a very simple, yet perfect dressing: mayo and dijon. And then (drum roll) the dessert menu arrived:
TA-DA
Is it just me that gets really, really excited when I see an idea used like this? It was actually a thrill for me to get this little "recipe" card as it just pushed too many of my "just-right" buttons. (completely satisfied "sigh" - I didn't even need the dessert once I received the card to read!) I really wanted to try a desset, but was far too content and know I had a glassy-eyed smile pasted sideways across my face when I headed for the door.
Janice Beaton's Fine Cheese extends beyond FARM, and faces east on 16th Avenue, while Farm opens to the west on 17th. Everything on the tasting menu can be purchased in her store to take home and enjoy.
So, of course, I did...
and there is no bigger compliment that one can give to a place one has been than to try to repeat it. Here is my first attempt that evening before going to dinner, in our hotel room, with a bottle of homemade ajvar brought from home and some of the meats and cheeses from Beaton's.
My second attempt was our Thanksgiving dinner "tastes" before "the meal". Here, I was very pleased with a couple of my pairings:
The close ups: duck confit (made by me) with the crispy skin crumbled on top ( no pairing); St. Andres cheese with a black currant dijon: a burst of pucker-power with a lucious buttery finish, heavenly; Canmore's smoked buffalo with pistachios, Caprese with caper berries, and my Duck Rillette with sugared dill pickle sticks.
Meat and cheese with condiments and pickles: how can such old basic foods be so new?
Because...
We seem to have lost sight of the simplicity of the tastes of basic ingredients.
We seem to have lost the time to savour our food.
We appreciate being brought back to our roots, to a reawakening of our senses and to once again understand the importance of the value that great local produce offers to the quality of one's life.
Hats off to Janice. This year, I am thankful for the "FARM". 9/14/2008 Making Sugared or Candied VioletSugared Violets: The Ultimate Garnish
One of Nature's Little Miracles: the Black Bowles Violet - SUGARED!
I love violets. I have always loved violets. They are Nature’s minute signature of perfection. I never laid my eyes on a blue or a purple flower when I was young, so I am crazy about them. The possibility of their existence seemed surreal. That’s probably why I grew to love irises, crocuses, purple sweet peas and the princess of them all: violets. They are so petite and delicate, velvety and sparkly. And of course, intensely purple.
I discovered the flavour of a violet at Glups, that little famous candy store tucked into a side mall on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. It was most definitely a “coming home” moment for me. It tasted exactly like I imagined a violet would taste. The elusive perfumed essence was my violet purple flavour. This was the flavour of my colour purple.
I became obsessed. I planted every kind of purple violet that I could find that grew in our Alberta zone 3 climate. I was the woman at Holes each spring, nose deep in the violets, madly sniffing, subtly, and not so subtly, sampling the tiny delicate buds trying to recapture that elusive perfumed essence.
I gave up. Kind of. I still have my ear to the ground, but I have settled on the most precious little beauty called “Bowles Black Violet”.
It is completely flavourless, which is such a pity, as it is delightfully delicious to spot peeking out from under a leaf in the spring garden. I taught myself how to preserve the fragile petals with a dusting of superfine sugar. They last a long time in a cool, dry place and I still get silly with excitement every single time I take one out of my little can with the tweezers and place it on a tart or a truffle. They are so much more special than the ones I bought in Nice at Confiseries Florian though I was tickled pink with those at the time.. I do long for the violet taste, but as the sugared violets are simply so stunning and my tribute to that elusive perfumed essence, I am satisfied. Revel in the spirit of my serious frivolity!
Making Sugared or Candied Violets:
Ingredients and Equipment: violets, as many as you want to do 2 T extra fine sugar 1 t albumen water size 0 paint brush small scissors tweezers paper towel small containers for the water, sugar, and albumen a tray to dry the violets, covered with paper towel a tin to store dried violets in, preferably with parchment paper layers Instructions: Pick some violets Put them into water to keep while you do them one at a time Take 1 t albumen and mix it well with about 2 T water, until it is the consistency of a smooth egg white Holding the violet by the stem, paint the albumen onto the face of the violet Place the violet face down on paper towel Paint the back of the violet Liberally sprinkle the back of the violet with extra fine sugar Pick it up, and carefully sprinkle a miniscule amount of extra fine sugar over the face of the violet, covering the surface of each petal Place it face down on the paper towel again, and carefully snip off the stem Using tweezers, lift it to turn it over, and place it on a tray to dry for 12 hours or over night Store in a cool, dry place when dried until ready to use See the slide show titled " Violet Sugaring" in my Prairie Summers album. See the slide show titled Christmas Tarts in my A Prairie Christmas album to see these garnishing my lemon tarts. 9/9/2008 Baking With A Friend: Tiramisu with LyndaWhat is more Canadian than baking with a friend?
Lynda called and asked for my tiramisu recipe. It wasn't that she hadn't made tiramisu; it was that she wanted to make it with the biscuits standing up. Of course I offered to make it with her. It is so gratifying to share a passion with a friend. I packed up my little car with my ever-ready "Tiramisu Baking Kit" and headed off over the freeway to Lynda's lovely kitchen. We whipped, whisked and whirled our way through an hour of good old fashioned friendly fervour; she at her Thermomix, me at my Kitchen Aide. (I love my Thermomix, but have still not been able to whip beautiful egg whites with it.)
This light and creamy delicacy is layered between spongy liqueur and espresso laden biscuits. Getting the sides to stand up is only a bit tricky. The sides go in first, and then the bottom. See my slide show titled "Making Tiramisu" with the "Prairie Lessons" for more specific information. To serve it, I tie a wide wired ribbon around it with a big bow, add flowers to the bow, and sprinkle it with cocoa. It can be a real show stopper, or it can be quite rustic. It is always a decadent delicacy.
Vanja is my husband, and I make a tiramisu for his birthday every year and sometimes more than that. It has been our family's "special occasion" cake for several years now. He loves the luscious thick mascarpone cream oozing between the Grand Marnier and espresso soaked biscuits. I love that it is a new addition to my traditional Prairie Farm recipes, and a beautiful fit within our evolving culinary landscape.
I am all about tradition, but I am also all about change. I am always whipping up what I think is a delectable and delightful little tidbit for him to sample and savour. Yet, he is not eager to be my human guinea pig. How grateful is that? I really do believe that most of the creations I concoct are actually quite titillating, so I am not sympathetic to his resistance. However, I am motivated, or should I say "persuaded", when he starts shuffling from room to room with his hands in his pockets, or snivelling through the house opening and closing the fridge and cupboard doors with reckless abandon and a crazed: "Why isn't there anything good to eat around here?!" look electrifying his face. Time for Tiramisu! Tiramisu Recipe Ingredients and Equipment
2 x 500 ml Mascarpone Cheese
2 pkgs Lady Fingers (4 packets in each)
1 dozen extra large eggs
12 scant Tbsps white sugar
1 ½ cup strong espresso, OR
3T instant Espresso into 1 ½ c hot water
¾ cup Kahlúa or Grand Marnier
1 10” spring form pan
Instructions
Separate Eggs
Put yolks in a small bowl you will not need
Put whites in the largest mixing bowl (assuming you are using a Kitchen Aid, or something similar)
Whites: Largest Mixing Bowl
Make sure the eggs and mascarpone are at room temp
Beat the whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks are formed (and a wee bit longer)
Transfer whites to another bowl
Egg Yolks: Largest Mixing Bowl (that the whites were just in)
Place the yolks in the largest mixing bowl
Add the sugar to the yolks, and beat until dissolved, and thick, foamy, and creamy
Add the cheese to the yolk mixture, 500ml at a time
Beat until thick, light, and creamy
Biscuits: Spring Form Pan
While the mixture is beating, prepare the espresso
Pour it into a shallow dish with sides
Add the Kahlúa (or Grand Marnier) to the espresso, and dip each side of each Lady Finger into it, very quickly (These absorb a lot of liquid very quickly, so don’t take your eyes off of them!)
Line the sides, then the bottom of the spring form pan with the biscuits, sugar side in (depending upon the quality of the biscuit – the best side faces out)
Putting it Together:
Fold the whites carefully into the yolk mixture, retaining as much air as possible
Using a large scoop, or measuring cup, gently ladle the cream mixture over the bottom layer of biscuits. Each layer will take three very
generous (heaping) cupfuls of cream
Dip more biscuits into the espresso liquid, and place them on top of the cream to cover it. Repeat with a lush layer of the cream, and another layer of biscuits dipped in the espresso liquid
Finish the final layer with the remaining cream
Freeze immediately. After 6-8 hours, wrap the torte tightly with plastic wrap
This will keep beautifully for at least three months
(I will be posting a photo here of a Tiramisu that I have decorated for service - but I don't have one on file! So, soon to come!) 9/3/2008 Roasting Red Peppers and Making Ajvar: A New Fall TraditionAt the same time as I make Ajvar, I make roasted red peppers that I freeze for later use in my Roasted Red Pepper Salad. Here, I have made a Roasted Red Pepper Salad with sweet cherry peppers. Please also see the Roasted Red Pepper and Ajvar Making Slide Show under "Prairie Summers".
I charred them on the grill, then, on the second image below, you can see you easily the skin releases from the pepper flesh once it has been charred. I peeled them all, in this case, leaving the seeds and stem.
Roasted Red Pepper Salad Dressing
This will keep in the fridge for a good length of time, but needs to be taken out and warmed to room temperature for best flavour experience.
Making Ajvar Ingredients Roasted, peeled sweet red peppers olive oil salt vinegar Procedure Grind each piece of roasted pepper in a meat grinder Take the ground tidbits, and drain the liquid off of them Cover the bottom of a wide bottomed pan with olive oil and heat to medium Add ground pepper bits and cook until the essence of the fleshy bits is distilled, and a path is left by a wooden spoon as it trails through the mixture. Then add enough salt to bring out the flavour of the Ajvar, and a tablespoon or two of vinegar, depending upon the amount of peppers used. I will provide a much more specific recipe when I make it again. This time, the camera wasn't available, and I didn't take good notes!
8/30/2008 Slowfood Fieldtrip: Greens, Eggs and Ham FarmThis was the highlight of my summer! Vanja and I escaped the summer city heat and drove through the prairie grasses, south of Edmonton, breathing in the country air, enjoying the landscape. As we turned into this 10 acre specialty farm, I started to vibrate. This was a "real" farm, and I hadn't set foot on one for too many years. The gravel path wound past the tiny tree shaded stucco home, the run-down sheds, and the beautiful big red barn to the more modern quansit structure at the end of the road. We parked and stepped out to Mr. Billygoat Gruff's haughty look of insult and invasion, and his counterpart's inquisitiveness.
Then wound back down the trail to meet Michael, the master chef of the day, roasting the most delectable Cornish game hens over the open fire. I AM IN! This is TOO exciting! Look at the caramelization on those birds... and then I see steam rising from a massive pot on a burner nearby.
VOILA! BABY CORN CHOWDER in fresh and lovingly rendered duck's broth! (Michael, I am your new best friend. You are too much, Really.)
Oh my GOD! Camera! Action! Nose! Smell that! Oh my GOD!
The smells, the feeling, the rustic reality of this moment was quite overwhelming. I felt grounded, yet off the ground. Memories of my childhood at family farms flooded through me. How have I become so out of touch with this farm life that frames the foundation of my youth and drives almost everything I do? I am home.
I am standing on a farm in the Canadian Prairies literally feeling my roots dive deep, deep, deep into the soil. ...and Michael is roasting chicken on the open fire, making soup in the open air "from scratch". I am truly in heaven!
The food was prepared by Michael and a couple of chefs from Jack's Grill. It was past spectacular. The produce was harvested, and prepared on the spot. it doesn't get any better than that. Mary Ellen and Andreas were the warmest of hosts. They show cased their farm goods in the best possible light. Under the prairie sun, on the grass, in their yard. Plastic table cloths. Massive enamel metal bowls. A gigantic shaggy dog sniffing your plate with giant amorous doe-eyes. This is casual Canadian at its very best. The Alberta Prairie experience. Sacred to those of us that don`t set foot on the land that sustains us often enough. Sharing food prepared by those with a fervour for the small farmer; with a commitment to sustain small farms; and within the spirit of the underlying whisper of this desperate necessity.
Please see the Greens, Eggs and Ham slide show under ``Prairie Summers`` to get a sense of the experience.
We visited, ate, and then toured the farm.
Visit Mary Ellen, Andreas, and their two daughters at the Downtown Farmer's market: City Market, every Saturday morning from 9 am to 3 pm. It is a trip well worth making. Their lettuce and spinach greens are phenomenal and the best in the city. They carry specialty carrots and beets as well as duck eggs and the best duck breast "prosciutto" that I have ever eaten. (But I have to have it fried. It is like candy!) They also have guinea fowl in the early summer, goose, Cornish game hen, and several other specialty items that are well worth making the trip downtown for.
Cathy's Pina Colada CheesecakeHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Am I not the luckiest person on the planet? Not only do I still get birthday parties, but I have the most amazing friends anyone could ever ask for.
Look at meeeee! I'm fifty-threeeeee! Wheeee! Clearly, the birthday celebration is not unique to our Canadian culture, but the evolution of the "over the top" celebration is. The time of the childhood hot dog party with a couple of games of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with a double layer frosted chocolate cake has truly passed. Children's birthday parties have become "events" that need venues, carefully planned activities, and to be different (and hopefully better) than everyone else’s. And, possibly, in response to our baby boomer childhood and our desire to participate in the indulgence of the "now" generation, my girlfriends and I started to get together for one another’s birthdays. Our small group of women friends that celebrate our lives with one another is not unique. However, the rituals that have evolved through time within our group are exclusive to our circle of friendship. We have lived through over twenty years of these festivities with one another (and some of us, our entire lives): through bouncing our tots on our knees; the trauma and dramas of our teens; marriage, divorce, and funerals, for some; and now, the marriages of our children. These woman are vibrant, valiant, and have become an essential element within the foundation of my life. The gift of friendship that each offers is the ultimate gift; however, the trinkets, treasures and treats are holders of the memories. Cathy first made this cake for us ten years ago. That memory is so vivid as the richly satisfying and delicious texture and flavours of this cake aroused a sense of intense pleasure within each of us, and the first bite of this took us back to that day, as only food can do. That IS the Canadian experience. The sharing of food made with loving hands for dear friends. The picture of this cake does NOT do it justice. It is deadly, delicious, divine and delectable: Cathy's "To Die For" Pina Colada Cheesecake!
Ingredients for the Crust:
1 1/2 c vanilla wafer crumbs
1 c flaked coconut
zest of one lemon
4 Tbsp melted butter
Combine, and spread into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spingform pan.
Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Cool.
Ingredients for the Cake:
3 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
1 c sugar
3 eggs
Cream together, then stir in remaining ingredients, and
pour into the crust.
1 c sour cream
1 19 oz can of Dole crushed pineapple, drained
3 Tbsp dark rum
2 tsp coconut extract
Bake at 350 F for 50 to 55 minutes, and top with glaze when cool.
Glaze:
1 19 oz. can Dole crushed pineapple, drained
1 Tbsp dark rum
1/2 c sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and becomes clear.
YUMMY!
8/21/2008 Grilled Pizza: A Midsummer Evening with FriendsAm I ever excited about discovering how easy these are to make in my own backyard!
My childhood girlfriend, Rae, stayed with us a few days last summer and she is such an inspiration to me in the kitchen! When we get together, it is always a magic notion and potion time, flour flying, and dishes everywhere. Last summer, I asked her, as I always do, "What shall we make for dinner tonight?" She thought for a moment (she is very good at thinking) and said, "Let's do pizzas on the grill!"
My immediate reaction was one of "fight or flight". Then I got hold of myself and immediately switched gears to breathing exercises. Concentrate. Slowly in, slowly out. ...in...out, and in, and out... "Valerie?"
I did have my eyes open the entire time, and knew I inevitably must say something. "Pizzas on the grill?" I squeezed out between my teeth and my carefully controlled breaths... "Are you crazy? I have no idea how to cook raw dough on a barbeque!"
And that's what I love about Rae, and always have loved about her. She just looked at me with that loving, but condescending look of hers and said, "Don't be ridiculous. It is easy. I will show you how." And she always could.
So, she walked me through making the dough. Easy. I make bread. Then she told me to work it and pinch it and pull it and stretch it and make it into a pizza round. She did not SHOW me. She never does. She coaches me, and I am a very good student. I listen, and try and try and try. "Is this what you mean?" "Am I doing it right?" And when I am blessed with her barely visible nod of approval, I get excited. That's what happened that night last summer.
I got excited.
She coached me through it, and simply, and oh, not so simply, gave me the confidence to "cook" my pizza dough on my barbeque grill. It changed my life. Forever.
I have gone nuts over grilling pizzas, and playing with flavours. I have my favourites. They will change. I will get new ones, and I made some the other night for good friends.
Vanja (pronounced like Tanya), my husband, and I love Tamara and Jelena. Their mom and dad are great, too, but we LOVE those gals, so I planned a dinner that they could participate in making with us: Grilled Pizza!
There is such a mystic about grilling dough. Everyone is amazed at the possibility and delighted by the result. But, it is soooo easy. Too easy. Sooo yummy and so nutritious that I do know I sometimes let this incredible ability go to my head. It is hard not to. Learning how to make them empowers everyone. Your attitude will change. You will sit straighter, stand taller, stride with greater purpose, and be completely confident. You will know, that should friends pop in unexpectedly, they will be "wowed", no, "blown away" with your newfound culinary prowess: the ability to grill a pizza. It is seriously "The Thrill of the Grill!" for me this summer!
So, first an appetite teaser:
The Blue Pear
The Blue Pear: Recipe Walnut Pesto Recipe in the blog with the pizza dough recipe Ingredients and Equipment for Blue Pear Pizza
400 g of Pizza Dough (recipe to follow all pizza recipes)
4 ounces of Walnut Pesto
1 red and 1 green pear, cored and sliced with a squeeze of fresh lemon
65 g of whole walnuts, toasted
3 - 4 medium bocconcini cheese balls, sliced
65 g of Gorgonzola Cheese
fresh baby arugula; enough to cover the pizza
1 sheet of parchment paper, or a silpat, cookie sheet, and tongs
Putting it all Together
But, briefly:
The Metropolitan Meat: Recipe
Meat Sauce Recipe in the blog with the pizza dough recipe
Tomato Sauce Recipe in the blog with the pizza dough recipe
Ingredients and Equipment for the Metropolitan Meat Pizza
125 g (1/2 cup) homemade tomato sauce
250 g (1 cup) meat sauce
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
65 g of crumbled bacon
a few sliced mushrooms
slices of salami i prosciutto, or shaved slices of ham, or prosciutto cotto, or jamón Serrano
300 g mozzarella cheese, shredded fresh oregano Putting it all Together
I bet you get the idea by now....
(See the slide show titled: Grilled Pizzas in the Prairie Summers Album.)
The Caprese Pizza! (my personal favourite)
The Caprese: Recipe Vine-Ripened Oven-Roasted Tomato Recipe in the blog with the pizza dough recipe Sundried Tomato Pesto Recipe in the blog with the pizza dough recipe Ingredients and Equipment for the Caprese Pizza 125 g (1/2 cup) homemade sundried tomato pesto 4 whole (8 halves) oven roasted tomatoes (in the blog with the pizza dough recipe) 4-5 medium bocconcini balls, sliced a handful of fresh basil leaves (or 10 large leaves) Putting it all Together
I know you get the idea by now....
Sprinkle on the fragrant shreds of basil after the pizza comes off of the grill....
See the slide show titled: Grilled Pizzas in the Prairie Summers Album.
8/9/2008 Thermomix TM31: The World's Smallest and Smartest KitchenI am a Thermomix TM31 consultant and welcome questions about this revolutionary kitchen machine. THERMOMIX TM31: The World's Smallest and Smartest Kitchen
My Thermomix has revolutionized my kitchen and my life. I am healthier, happier, and more creative. This multifunctional machine mills grains, rice, and legumes; it chops, minces, purees, blends, whips, kneads, and juices; it stirfries boils, sautees, and simmers. It can temper chocolate and make the most luxurious zabaglione ever in exactly 8 minutes. It can also steam, cook, and even bake foods as well as make the most delicious ice creams and sorbets!
I now make my own fresh delicious breads, mayonnaise, yogurt, and yogurt cheese, sorbets and ice creams, fresh fruit popscicles, and soups. It has changed what I buy, what I eat, and how I feel. I have complete control about what and how much of anything is put into the food I eat. I am so excited that I can do all of this and still live an active and healthy life not slaving in my kitchen - but, instead, creating in it! Slow Food EdmontonI finally made the time to find out how to join the convivium of Slow Food in Edmonton. It isn't hard. You just need your visa card and a sense of adventure!
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