Building Good Sandwiches The Organic Way - Avocado and Egg on Rye

I took the long way to lunch today. The really long way. What could I possibly eat? The fridge wasn't brimming, nor was it empty. But it gave off that vibe like "There's nothing to eat."

The crisp, fresh, sweet carrots first beckoned my munch. Then a large, succulent cucumber.  The scant leftover blue cheese dressing was almost too obvious.

I figure they deserved some civility, so instead of crunching down on them mindlessly, they were cleaned and cut and presented for sharing.

In my fridge foraging I found a nicely ripe avocado, a partly cut red onion, a small wedge of Jarlsberg cheese and a few herbs - cilantro, basil and chives. Oh some kind of sandwich I guess. Still pretty un-enthused.

The bread is kept in the freezer, pre-sliced at purchase or at home just before hitting the chiller.

Avocado said rye bread. I agreed. Lucky me, one slice left.

And so on with the building and piling. It was now seeming more hopeful.

I find building my open-faced sandwiches is much like art. You stand back and stare at the canvas and size up the look - and in this case the taste - then figure out where to put more colour, more texture, more flavour.

You know me well enough by now to know that my cheap trick is the egg - more often than not, soft-boiled. Partly it is my canned answer to 'What next?' when my lame response is apt to be 'I don't know'. I like that it is colour and it is protein too. Maybe that makes this cheap trick okay then.  I blame my Danish roots. We do love the egg.

So it was that my lunch organically unfolded. The carrots, the cucumber, the smørrebrød sandwich. And in the very last seconds, a quick splash of sriracha for the WOW and the POW.

* Happy to say that my carrots, cucumber and cilantro came in my latest CSA basket from Roots and Shoots Farm. The to-die-for sriracha is a new creation from michaelsdolce which I bought at the Ottawa Farmers' Market, Brewer Park.

Santa's Favourite Christmas Eve Treat Is The Ginger Crinkle Cookie

With the many snacks set out around the world for Santa each Christmas Eve, it's a wonder he can still fit down the chimney.  Although the treats aren't an everyday thing, this gig of running his one night toy courier company from the North Pole still means a year's supply of calories.

I don't know if you give much thought to what cookie you will put out for him in less than two weeks time but I can let you in on a little secret.

Santa's favourite treat on Christmas Eve is definitely the Ginger Crinkle Cookie. In our home we put out plenty for him to snack on and to also share some with the elves.

This year, the Ginger Crinkle Cookies are going to be extra special.  I have added a handsome portion of michaelsdolce's candied ginger, which I bought at the recent Locavore Artisan Food Fair.  The extra ginger kick will make them particularly peppery.  Like Santa, I like my ginger cookie to have a good bite.

This package contained 55 grams of candied ginger. It measured about 1/2 cup when chopped.

Here is another little secret you may not know about the jolly old soul.  Santa doesn't tend to favour milk with his cookies.  He actually prefers 35% heavy cream. Yes, there are people who really do that!

Truth be told, Santa really likes all kinds of cookies and feels quite chuffed that many would go to such lengths to make him something special.  Do you have a traditional treat that you will be leaving out for Santa this year?

Ginger Crinkle Cookies
Inspired by a recipe in the Canadian Living Magazine of October 2000

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
5 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup fancy molasses
1/4 cup cooking molasses
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup of chopped candied ginger - michaelsdolce's is preferred!

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until the batter is light and fluffy.

Beat in the two molasses and the vinegar. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions.  As the 3rd addition is almost incorporated, add the candied ginger.

Form into 1 1/4-inch (3 cm) balls; place, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. 

Bake in 325ºF oven for 12 to 15 minutes. If they bake too long they will not get the chewy centre that contrasts with the crispy crinkle outside. Try a pan at a time to determine the best baking time based on your oven.

Let the cookies cool on pan for 2 minutes to let them set before transferring them onto a rack to completely cool.

This recipe makes 55 to 60 cookies. They freeze very well.

Jam 'n Booze

Whenever I go to the Ottawa Farmers' Market, I make a point of swinging by Michaelsdolce to chat with Michael Sunderland and check out his latest jams.  On a visit in July, he was showcasing his new Yellow Plum & Star Anise - a hit with me, and then his Spiced Cherry Jam.

Although the Spiced Cherry Jam was delicious, the juicy cherries made this first batch just a bit too runny.  Michael said he was going to be changing his next batch up a bit to solve that.

Ever the optimist, I happily will look for a way to turn a food problem into a feature.Not ever thinking this good taste was ever lost, I suggested using the 'jam juice' as a cocktail starter.

Next thing I know, Michael has pressed his sample jar of Spiced Cherry Jam into my hand with the challenge to hit the cocktail lab.

We recently had visited Dillon's Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville and picked up a bottle of their vodka and gin.  Both start with local Niagara grapes as their base.

Our drink mix test was put to a panel of esteemed judges and Dillon's vodka proved to be the best match for Spiced Cherry Jam.

Michael isn't new to 'jamming' his cocktails.  He will be joining Ottawa bartender, Jeff Taylor to make non-alcohol cocktails for the Savour Ottawa's Harvest Table lunch coming up August 18 at Brewer Park beside the Ottawa Farmers' Market.  Read more about it from Laura Robin at The Ottawa Citizen. Recipes included!

Many of us prefer not to use thickeners when making our fruit jams.  If juicy fruit gets the better of your batch, just remember Jam 'n Booze.  It's the Year of the Cocktail, after all.

Belgian Waffles Mille-feuille For Mother's Day Brunch

My mother took great pleasure in showing her love for her family by serving well prepared homemade food.

Waffles were always on the menu when her grandchildren came for weekend visits.

I inherited her waffle machine some 8 years ago. Every time I use it I think of her.

BELGIAN WAFFLES MILLE-FEUILLE
Yields: 16 waffles 

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons melted butter 

Garnishes
Raspberries
Banana slices
Whipped cream
Pure Maple Syrup
michaelsdolce™ Raspberry Chocolate Jam

Method:
Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into bowl.

Separate eggs and whip egg whites until stiff.  Beat yolks in a separate bowl. Add the milk to the egg yolks and beat together.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, slowly beating until perfectly smooth. Add the melted butter and combine. Then fold in the egg whites.

Use the waffle maker as directed.

Notes:
My machine is the Philips Deluxe Wafflemaker HL5360. I cook my waffles for 5 to 6 minutes depending on if I am serving them right away or storing them in the freezer.

When I serve them right away, I like them to be a bit crispy. If I am freezing them, I want to allow for a bit of cooking when they are being warmed (and crisped) in the toaster.

Turkey Dinner and the Super Delicious Piping Hot Gravy

My turkey dinner menu is non-negotiable. I cater to the guests favourites. This is not the time for me to get creative with the dishes. So in that way it is an easy meal to prepare. It becomes a buffet of everyone's wants.

At best, I can play around with how I make the turkey. I usually brine it and this year I tried Martha Stewart's cheesecloth method. These two things are supposed to be about making the meat juicy and flavourful. Who could object to that?

But there must be mashed potatoes for the teenager and roast potatoes for the MIL. The mister wants the stuffing and the teenager insists it is the 'usual' recipe from my side of the family tree. The 10 cent braised red cabbage (rødkål) is something I insist on and would feel hollow without it. The basic steamed peas and carrots are also the request of the teenager. After all, Grandma always made them with any roast meal. The MIL has a soft spot for the roasted parsnips and carrots. So before you can get any kind of fancy, the plate is full.

Other visiting guests have wanted squashes. But not this time.

Typically there isn't a big interest in anything cranberry. This year I sprung for Michael Sunderland's michaelsdolce™ Cranberry and Apricot jam. We all loved it with the meat.

There is plenty of choice, it is simple, and the plate is full. In the end, in my opinion, it comes down to piping hot delicious gravy. My gravy recipe is timeless and something that has been done my way for some 20 plus years. It now is the family tradition.

Christmas is 76 days away. Tuck this recipe in a safe spot and give it a try with your December turkey.

* I used potatoes, carrots, celery, onions and red cabbage from Roots and Shoots Farm for our Thanksgiving dinner.

TURKEY GRAVY FOR 12

Giblet Stock
Turkey neck and giblets
1 1/2 cup white wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer)
4 1/2 turkey stock (or chicken)
1 big stick of celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 small cooking onions, chopped

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Make sure the turkey stock is cool to start and not hot. This is important for drawing out the flavours from the neck and giblets. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 3 hours. Strain out the juice from the giblets and vegetables. It should measure about 4 cups.





Gravy
8 tablespoons fat from the drippings of the roasted turkey
12 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Giblet stock
Pan drippings from roasted turkey, fat skimmed off
Turkey stock (chicken stock or white wine or vegetable water from boiled potatoes or peas and carrots), as required

Scrap the pan drippings into a bowl. The fat will rise to the top. Skim off all the fat and leave the flavourful, dark pan drippings for later. If you don't have enough fat from the roast, use butter as well.

Pour the giblet stock into the roasting pan and bring to a boil in order to de-glaze the pan. There will still be a lot of flavour stuck to the bottoms and sides.

Heat turkey fat in a saucepan. But make sure it doesn't get too hot or it will start to burn and also burn the flour. Whisk in the flour. Cook it for at least a minute to remove the raw flour flavour. It is important that the flour is totally covered in the fat to avoid lumps. This is called a roux.

Add 1 1/2 cup of the giblet stock and whisk. When adding liquids to a roux, it is important that they are not chilled since the roux is hot and you will cause the roux to 'cease'. Adding the liquid in stages means that the liquid will incorporate into the roux more easily. Continue to add in batches until all the giblet stock is used. Add the pan drippings that have been separated from the fat.

Bring your gravy to a boil to thicken. The thickness of a gravy is a personal thing. I will now add turkey stock (or chicken) to bring the gravy to the consistency our family enjoys. Sometimes I add a bit more wine. The water from the boiled potatoes or peas and carrots are also great liquids to use for finishing your gravy to get it to your desired consistency.

I don't typically do this with gravy but I like to for turkey gravy. I put the gravy through fine sieve into another pot, working the sieve with a whisk to push all the goodness through. This is mainly due to the 'chunks' of drippings from the roasting pan. I like a very silky turkey gravy. On the off chance you had problems with lumps, this will catch those too.



I roast my turkey the day before I serve it. I also make the gravy the day before. This allows me the time to fuss as much as I want with the gravy as I am not under a time crunch. I think that extra day really does wonderful things for the flavour of the gravy. Much like a stew or chili or soup that sits for a day.

I use turkey stock from the Glebe Meat Market in my giblet stock recipe. They sell 500 mL bags. Sometimes fresh, sometimes frozen. Because I make the turkey the day before serving, I also make turkey stock that day once I have the meat off the carcass. If I need to thin out my gravy for the meal, I will use the turkey stock that I made the day before with the roast and the gravy starter.



Serve your gravy piping hot.

Art-is-in Boulangerie Rolls

Some food journeys are a perpetual quest for the 'best'. The best butter tart. The best baguette. The best croissant. Perhaps you have your own addictions.

I sense that dinner rolls also rank up there with that Holy Grail style, forever searching, never satisfied, food foraging agony that we food lovers seem to put ourselves through.

If you are possibly people of this kind, you may find yourself making your way to the new location of Art-is-in Boulangerie at the City Center here in Ottawa. Their retail storefront at their new larger bakery allows you to try a much broader selection of bakery treats than just the wonderful baguettes that they have become so well-known for over the past few years. (Our favourite being the Dynamite Cheddar, Chive and Jalapeño.)

On our exploratory visit this past Saturday, I picked up 3 rolls - white with poppy seed, white full of olives with sesame seeds, and a muesli style. We enjoyed them with Jarlsberg cheese and the Raspberry & Orange michaelsdolce jam.



Sunday I was back and the selection had changed. This day there was just one choice in rolls. Potato buttermilk! These were eventually converted into chewy sandwiches of rosemary ham, Jarlsberg cheese and Dijon mustard. The perfect little lunch snack.



Plan ahead though and enter at your own risk. I suspect when you go, you will also be tempted by the breads, baguettes, croissants, tarts, morning pastries, cakes, cookies, brioche, macarons, lunch time soups and sandwiches.....

Art-is-in Boulangerie
250 City Center Avenue, unit 112
Ottawa, Ontario
613.695.1226
Website: www.artisinbakery.com
Facebook: Art-is-in Bakery
Twitter: ArtisinBakery

Mon: Closed
Tues to Fri: 7 am - 6 pm
Sat: 8 am - 4 pm
Sun: 10 am - 3 pm

Æbleskivers filled with michaelsdolce™ Raspberry & Orange Jam

The Danish pancakes balls called æbleskivers can be served as a breakfast treat or dressed up as a dessert. My post back in May details the construction process and shares my favourite batter recipe.



I recently tried Michael Sunderland's michaelsdolce™ Raspberry & Orange Jam to fill the centers of my æbleskivers. (Because of this, I skipped putting vanilla extract in the batter.)

After the batter was in the pan for a minute, I dropped a half teaspoon of this bright, vibrant jam into the middle. Raspberry and orange are two of my favourite flavours.

When I served them up, I couldn't resist drizzling a wee bit more jam onto the warm morsels. Orange zest, chocolate shavings and a dusting of icing sugar prettied up the plate.



If you are considering buying an æbleskiver pan, I recommend going to CA Paradis in Old Ottawa South or Hendrix near the Ikea plaza. They both carry the cast-iron Lodge Pro Logic æbleskiver pan.

If you are looking to try the many michaelsdolce™ jams, you can find them at close to a dozen stores in Ottawa and also now at Pusateri's Avenue Road store in Toronto. Check out his gorgeous website.

Going A Little Local Under the Christmas Tree

My recent crazy jam craving has had me finding out more about the upcoming Locavore Artisan Food Fair on December 12 in New Edinburgh.

In a discussion with Michael Sunderland of michaelsdolce, I asked when the next jam tasting may take place in town. I have a few friends I think could become easy converts to that bright, fresh, full fruit flavour he captures in every jar. And Michael's response was that he would be out in full force at the LAFF (Locavore Artisan Food Fare).

I took a look at their line-up and noticed a number of my new loves were going to be there too.

Art-Is-In Bakery: I pick up their breads from time to time at the Ottawa Bagelshop. The teenager's favourite is the cheddar jalapeno and the mister likes the fennel. I have been delighted with Art-Is-In panini sandwiches at favourite places like Edgar and Morning Owl Coffee House.

Chamomile Desjardins Hot Sauces: I have tried these hot sauces when dining at Jak's Kitchen. The sauces were were out on the table for us to doctor up our brunch as we saw fit! The teenager goes a little mad for hot sauces.

Happy Goat Coffee Company: I recently picked up their espresso beans. They call this signature blend Babae's Espresso Blend. If I was in charge of Pierre Richard's marketing department, I would be calling this blend CRAZY CREMA! I just love seeing the shot being drawn and watching the big crema float. When I was at the shop to do my pickup, I got a great tip. Cochrane Dairy's egg nog is to die for when making an egg nog latte. Who knew that egg nog could froth? And why not?

Isobel's Cupcakes & Cookies: The only cupcake place I have tried in town so far is Isobel's. Cupcakes aren't my go-to sin but I did have to give it a try since cupcakes seem to be all the rage now. I went for one that was lemony. No surprise. Everything I was expecting in fresh and curdy of the lemon kind. I have yet to master the eat and run as a snack thing. The icing is stacked SO high. So for now, my Isobel cupcakes will have to be enjoyed on a pretty china plate with a nice silver cake fork and a wonderful cup of tea. And somehow that has a way of making it prettier too.

Rochef Chocolatier: On a food crawl down St-Joseph in Gatineau this summer, we found this wonderful chocolate at La Brûlerie. So many great flavour choices. But you will find me always reaching for Dark.

Serious Cheese: Tucked away in Old Ottawa South near my hairdresser, a piece of Fifth Town cheese can seem like a nice way to top off a great hair day. Don't even get me started on their ginger molasses cookies.

Siren Bakery: I have tried all of Loreli's granola flavours. I do like how liberal she is with the cinnamon. I have a soft spot for handmade gourmet granola. For me it works perfectly on fresh fruit and plain yogurt. We are lucky to have a number of great choices in the city. One of my favourites is for sure Siren Bakery's Cranberry and Almond.

I am going Christmas shopping: I have become familiar with the products of 8 of the participants. By my way of thinking, the other 13 must be on par with them to be included in this Food Fair. I look forward to finding out more about them in this collective setting. I like the idea of moving gift giving to top quality consumables. I like that I can get some of that good shopping done on December 12th at the Crichton Cultural Community Centre. 10 am until 3 pm and admission is Free.

The Ottawa LAFF is also partnering with the Ottawa Good Food Box for this event.

Sunday Bagel Goodness

This morning's breakfast for the mister looked simple enough but when you get to know the ingredients, they are a few stories worthy of being told. I started with his most favourite bagel - sesame. This treat came from the Ottawa Bagelshop on Wellington Avenue, east of Island Park. I toasted it and then covered it with cheese from Serious Cheese on Bank Street in Old Ottawa South. On the left is Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co.'s Petal Luna goat cheese and on the right is Beemster's Graskaas, a Dutch cheese with a gouda-like flavour. I topped the cheese with gourmet jams from a local food artisan, Michael Sunderland. The two jams I chose from michaelsdolce were: Blueberries and Lavender and then Strawberry and Balsamic. I also picked up the jams from Serious Cheese.

And now for a little background on the breakfast creation.

The Ottawa Bagelshop is well-known for their Montreal style bagels. They say their bagels are "rolled by hand, boiled in honey water, then baked in an old-fashioned, wood-burning oven. They have no preservatives, no dairy products or by-products, and no salt." Their varieties include the two classics, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. They also have such specialty bagels as cinnamon raisin, oatmeal raisin, whole wheat, lemon cranberry, seven grain, flax seed, and lastly spelt. The Ottawa Bagelshop has been serving Ottawa since 1984. In addition to their retail store front, they have a sit down area to enjoy their coffee and foods. They also do catering.

Serious Cheese is a new addition to Old Ottawa South. In addition to their many cheeses, they also sell breads from local bakeries True Loaf Bread Company and Art-Is-In Bakery, baked goods from their own in-house bakery, gourmet food products and kitchen wares. I have to do a shout out for their in-store baked ginger molasses cookie. It is the best I have ever tasted. And I make a pretty fantastic ginger cookie myself. And only 99 cents. If that kind of pricing is meant to lure me back, that technique will work!

Beemster Graskaas cheese is a true delicacy. It is a Dutch cheese made from the first milk of spring when the cows are released onto the fields following their winter in the barn. The cows graze on pesticide-free pastures, 20 feet below sea level in North Holland. These canal-lined pastures are the most famous Dutch ‘Polder’ and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. The milk from this early spring grazing is considered the creamiest milk of the year. They collect enough milk from this short grazing period to be able to make only 2,000 cheese wheels. The history of the production of Graskaas goes back to 1901. The cheese is aged for a month.

The Petal Luna hard goat cheese is from Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co. in Prince Edward County. This cheese took gold at the Royal Winter Fair in 2008 in the Goat Hard category and it took bronze at the Royal Winter Fair in 2009 in the Surface Ripened category. The milk has been infused with locally grown calendula petals! Fifth Town suggests that it is a good match with medium bodied fruity wines such as Cabernet Franc, so I was fine touching up their cheese with these delicious jams.

Michael Sunderland is behind michaelsdolce gourmet jams, new to Ottawa this year. The 125 ml pots of pure goodness come in 11 varieties and are being sold throughout specialty stores, as well as being used at some restaurants. Michael Sunderland uses local fruit for his product when available. In addition to his talents in the kitchen, Michael also has a love for photography.

As for pricing, the bagels are typical ($6.95/doz), the jams are 'treats' ($4.25 for a 125 ml jar) and the cheese is in the 'super treat' range ($63.75/kg for Petal Luna and $49.99/kg for Graskaas).

The mister had only good things to say about his Sunday breakfast. I suppose partly because it was made for him and delivered. But more than that, he just loved the taste of his toasted sesame seed bagel and both of the delectable cheeses. He was particularly fond of the Strawberry and Balsamic jam. No funny names in any of the ingredient lists helps to keep the tastes real. "It was all good."

Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli, Inc.
1321 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
613.722.8753
www.bagelshop.ca

Mon to Thurs: 6:30 am - 7 pm
Fri: 6:30 am - 8 pm
Sat: 6:30 am - 7 pm
Sun: 6:30 am - 6 pm



Serious Cheese
1189 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario
613-422-6090
www.seriouscheese.com

Mon to Sat: 10 am - 6 pm
Sun: 11 am - 5



Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co.
4309 County Road #8
Picton, Ontario
613.476.5755
www.fifthtown.ca

michaelsdolce
Ottawa, Ontario
www.michaelsdolce.com