Childhood Days in the Garden

When I was a very young girl I would venture to the garden come harvest time, sit down in the dirt and eat right off the plants.

My favourite was the tomatoes and cucumbers. I would wipe them clean with my t-shirt first. Sometimes I brought the salt shaker to enjoy the tomatoes.

This heaping plate at yesterday's garden party brought back those big, bright, succulent memories.

Do you have any fond eat-off-the-plant experiences from yesteryear?

I Am Going A Bit Nuts For Spicy Maple Pecans

Nuts are a popular treat at this time of year. They come in all shapes and sizes. It could be that collection of plain raw nuts we know so well - almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts - all still in the shell. It's a young child's dream to go at them with the fancy nutcracker in hand. Oh, do I ever remember that mess. Some prefer the assorted nuts that are already cleaned up, roasted and salted. And there are those that love to get fancy and dress them up with flavour. Lots of flavour.

My favourite nut is the pecan and I like them sweet and spicy. These Spicy Maple Pecans are adapted from a recipe by American chef Art Smith from his book, "Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family". I also found a similar recipe on the blog of fellow Canadian food blogger, Julie, who posts on Dinner with Julie.

The nuts are a great party snack. They also make a very smart gift for those who appreciate gourmet and handmade. They are perfect in salads.

I am thrilled to have found my party nut. Try them. I bet you can't stop at one.



Spicy Maple Pecans
adapted from Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith and Julie of Dinner with Julie

2 cups pecan halves
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, scant
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine the sugar, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

Spread pecans out on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes. Pour the maple syrup over the nuts and stir to cover. Return to oven and roast for another 5 minutes. Stir the nuts to turn them and re-coat them with the syrup on the bottom of the baking sheet. Return them to the oven again for another 5 minutes. The syrup should be bubbling on the pecans now.

When the pecans have finished roasting in the syrup, take them out of the oven and cover with the spice mixture. Stir well to fully cover the nuts. Then pour them onto a clean baking sheet to cool completely.

They can be stored in a sealed container for up to one week.

Tales from the 'Snack Lab' - Garlic Butter Crostinis with Melted Cheese, Shredded Apple and Chives

I am not sure why some days the lunch appetite seems to be all but vacant. Common sense tells me I should have something to eat anyway, even if it is just a 'little something'. I quickly consider a fast trip to Edgar in Hull, but get the bad news on Twitter that the brioche was all scooped up by one client! Not that Marysol's now famous bacon date brioche should have been my lunch - my 'little something', but it may have made a nice finish. The bad news tweet is probably an omen telling me I need to fend for myself.

The fridge is going through a food diet right now, which means I am refusing to buy groceries and I am slowly working my way through the selection of raw ingredients, trying to be as creative as possible with the combinations.

So today out came 14 McIntosh Osgoode Orchards apples, still left from my bushel that I had picked up at the Parkdale Market. I am thinking apple sauce. Lots of apple sauce. I am thinking pie. Probably two pies. Two award-winning apple pies. Neither really constitutes a 'little something' for lunch. I am stuck. Next, out comes a small brick of 'whenever did I buy this?', but still happy mozzarella cheese. Still not committed.

I expand my search and go down into the freezer. Here I find a small bag (well sealed!) of Ace Bakery baguette slices leftover from a recent dinner party. From the pantry I pull out the last vestiges of my locally grown garlic purchased from Jacobson's on Beechwood, of all places.

I am now feeling ready to play and experiment in the 'Snack Lab'. The bread slices get very lightly toasted, slathered with garlic butter and then covered with a small parcel of grated mozzarella cheese. Back under the broiler until they bubble up to a light golden brown.

Meanwhile I peel one of those still crunchy apples and shred it. When the garlicy, cheesed-up crostinis come out of the oven, I garnish them with a sprinkle of shredded apple and a few snips of chives for colour. I go in for the taste. Jackpot! I love the crunch of the bread, the nip of the garlic, the sweet and salty in the goo of the cheese, the bright freshness of the apple. I love the pretty of the chives. It is complex but complementary.

Voila! Today from the 'Snack Lab' I bring you the Garlic Butter Crostini with Melted Cheese, Shredded Apple and Chives!

I am feeling quite pleased with my 'little something' lunch. A possible hors d'œuvre for the upcoming book club Christmas party? I think so!

Cozy Autumn Dinner Party

One of the most intimate gifts to give friends is the communion of food at your table. And last night was one of those occasions where we had the opportunity to host good friends to a feast of everything autumn. Our history goes back to university days but our visits are just too sporadic. Last night was a chance to catch up on all the news and relax like family.

For us, a cozy autumn meal showcases the beautiful late season colours of golden brown, earthy rust, deep red. The foods are of the harvest and the types that can be cellared, like beets and apples. The tastes are hearty and warm.

Do you have a favourite dish you like to serve when your are hosting in the fall?


Crab Cakes on a bed or Fennel Slaw topped with a Creamy Chili Chipotle Sauce and Baby Onion Shoots.



Roasted Beet Salad of Boston Lettuce and Arugula with Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts and Creamy Citrus Vinaigrette. [Inspired by Rachelle's roasted beet salad at Rachelle Eats Food and Karen's roasted beet salad at Tasty Trials found through FoodBuzz.]



Pappardelle Lamb Ragu. [Inspired by Marc Dorion and Steven Wall's pappardelle lamb ragu at Town on Elgin. I experienced it at a lunch back in August.]



Apple Custard Tarte. [Inspired by Henrik Lundsgaard, now at Palisades Retirement Residence but formerly the head chef at Stornoway.]

*** Happy to share any of the recipes on request. ***

When You Aren't Drinking Buttermilk, You Can Use It For Other Things!

Do I have any buttermilk drinking buddies out there in the foodie galaxy? Such kindred spirits seem to be few and far between. No one else in this house shares my fetish.

The website Good Health Tips shares the following health benefits from drinking buttermilk.

• Buttermilk is a good source of potassium, Vitamin B-12, calcium and phosphorous. It also contains probiotics; they help with digestion and strengthen your immune system.
• Buttermilk is easier to digest than regular milk because it contains even more lactic acid than can be found in skim milk.
• Buttermilk actually has less fat than regular milk; the fat has been removed to make butter.
• Healthy bacteria reside in everybody’s colon, and in return for food and a warm place to live these resident bacteria contribute to your health.
• Some healthy things these bacteria do to your body are manufacture vitamins, improve digestion, boost Immunity, manufacture nutrients, protect against cardiovascular diseases and protection against carcinogens.

Happily I do share my buttermilk for other purposes. In an effort to be teamy, this morning I made buttermilk pancakes for the mister. He much prefers his buttermilk on the plate and not in a glass. Maple syrup works well with it too.

Do you take your buttermilk in a glass or lovingly incorporated into a pancake batter?

Thanksgiving Dinner. In a Word. Yummy.

Much of our extended family on both sides lives out of town. So when one is hosting Thanksgiving dinner for just a small group, one might be tempted to eat out. Order in. Or at the very least, consider just a basic selection of dishes to accompany the traditional Thanksgiving bird. Somehow we never seem to execute on any of those suggestions.

This year, like always, magically the little tastes of the many dishes added up to a very full plate. Starting at the top and going clock-wise: Sweet and sour red cabbage, boiled potatoes, baked acorn squash, roasted potatoes, a mix of roasted heirloom carrots (white and orange) and roasted parsnips, baked delicata squash, steamed peas and carrots, grain-fed turkey, stuffing, dreamy gravy.

Roots and Shoots Farm's CSA food baskets helped us out on a number of dishes: Sweet and sour red cabbage, baked acorn squash, roasted potatoes, roasted heirloom carrots, baked delicata squash, and finally onions in the stuffing.
















This Thanksgiving we dedicated our meal to a special family that is dealing with a big crisis. For now, it is putting some of them on the other side of the world in New Zealand. Every day is one of big effort, both there on the scene, but also here at home for those left minding the fort. Divided by miles, they are together in love.

I am thankful that our family was able to be under one roof for this special weekend. Making almost a dozen dishes of everyone's favourites was a privilege and a way to honour tradition.

So how was Thanksgiving dinner after all that work? In a word. Yummy.

Will Two Pumpkin Pies Be Enough?

There are just five of us for turkey dinner tonight but will two pumpkin pies be enough?

Here are some clues to help you cast your vote. The pies are homemade. Of note, the pie crust is to die for, says some previous pie eaters. The pies are loaded with such addicting spices as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. One guest is over 80 years old. Another is a teenager who has been surviving on cafeteria food for the last 5 weeks.

So, will two pumpkin pies be enough?

Lunching at Pan Chancho Bakery & Café - Kingston, Ontario

Pan Chancho Bakery & Café is the perfect place to dine for lunch on a sunny day in Kingston. You have the choice of their main floor dining space, their patio or the quiet upstairs that can be used for your private dining functions.

Pan Chancho has been in this beautiful location now for 8 1/2 years. The owner also has the very popular Chez Piggy restaurant, tucked in close by at 62 Princess Street.

The place is full of architectural detail with the exposed limestone walls and the double hung windows with deep sills. Thankfully we had a reservation. At 1 pm on a Thursday afternoon, the place was still bustling.



A certain amount of that bustle comes from the clients filing in to grab their wares from the bakery. Whether it is actual bakery items, takeout specials from their freezer, a selection of gourmet dishes on display in their coolers, high end dried pastas, or some entertaining fineries, it is easy to put together a taste-sensational meal with the help of Pan Chancho. They share their culinary secrets in a cookbook that is also available for sale in the store.

We had the pleasure of having our lunch upstairs in their private dining area. Our spot was by one of those deep windows and the beautiful, warm sunlight was streaming in, brightening our little spot at the table. It is the kind of setting that brings out your cat-like qualities!





We barely glanced at the extensive menu as our eyes were drawn to the daily specials.



We were first given a bread basket with a sampling of their choice breads from the bakery. I snatched up the end piece from a loaf of white. I just love end pieces. Many don't see them as the coveted treasure that I do, so I was pleased that Pan Chancho also thinks they are gold.



I started with the Tomato Pesto Soup with Parmesan. It was full of fresh from the field flavour with the chunks of tomatoes and vegetables stewing in the herbs. The thick grates of Parmesan melted into each spoonful. And look! More bread. A focaccia perhaps? It made for excellent dipping.



The hubby picked the Potato and Double Smoked Bacon Soup with Scallions. He likes it better when the crisp is still on the bacon, which seems to work best when it is adding in just at the end. His dipping bread left the plate rather quickly as it missed being in the photo.



For my main, I had the Greek Salad with Chili Garlic Shrimp and Toasted Pita Points. While I was expecting a heap of tomatoes and cucumbers, this Greek salad was more loaded with green, yellow and red peppers. The shrimps were fresh, bright and garlicky, though not too bold. (I happen to love garlicky.)



The hubby had the Orange Fennel Chicken Salad on Multi-grain Bread. It came with Yam Frites and Cumin Ranch Dressing with Coriander Oil. The portions were substantial and he made his way through half the sandwich and half the frites. The rest came home for a late day snack. He had positive reviews all round for the fresh bread, the chicken salad, the frites and the dip. The picture does not appear to contradict him.



Overall, our experience at Pan Chancho's café made for a great closing to our wonderful but short getaway vacation to Kingston. The service was attentive and thoughtful. The food quality was in keeping with the same high standards they hold for their bakery goods. And the treat is, they appear to do it all with such ease. Our thanks to our Twitter friends for giving us this recommendation. Next time we are back, we look forward to doing some solid 'product research' in the bakery portion of Pan Chancho.

P.S. I am now particularly fond of the hostess, Rachel. As she confirmed our reservation upon our arrival, she asked if I was an author. She asked because she thought my name SOUNDS like I should be an author! "The kind of name", she said, "that you could see on the front of a book". What more motivation does one person need to get started on that great Canadian novel trapped inside of all of us?

Pan Chancho Bakery & Café
44 Princess Street
Kingston, Ontario
613.544.7790

Café:
Daily: 7 am - 4 pm

Store:
Mon to Sat: 7 am - 6 pm
Sun: 7 am - 5 pm

Roots and Shoots Farm - 15th week of CSA Food

This is week 15 of the Roots and Shoots Farm's CSA food baskets. For us, as half share investors, this is our 8th and final basket. Robin told us that this basket would be a bit smaller than the others considering we are nearing the end of the season. But I thought it still looked like a nice helping of goodness to carry us into the Thanksgiving weekend.

This was probably the only week where I wasn't the first to do pickup. As a result, the bins were only half full at picture taking time.

Will you get a chance to have local, organically grown, seasonal produce for your Thanksgiving feast this weekend? I would love to hear what you plan to do with it.

Bin # 1: Lacinato Kale






Bin #2: Beets






Bin # 3: Heirloom carrots






Bin #4: Onions and Potatoes








Bin # 5: Acorn Squash






Bin # 6: Radishes






Bin #7: Lettuce





If you want to learn more about the farm, the contact information for Roots and Shoots is:
ROBIN TURNER
robin@rootsandshootsfarm.com
www.rootsandshootsfarm.com
613.897.8975

The Secret to My Day-Old Ace Bakery Demi-Baguette

Today's lunch for the mister was simple and delicious, yet filling.

The sandwich was half of an Ace Bakery demi-baguette* with black forest ham, Emmental cheese, purple lettuce, slices of tomato and red onion, a few strips of bacon, then finished with a swipe of mayonnaise.

The salad is organic mixed baby greens with a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.



* I bought the Ace demi-baguette last night near closing time. It had already been marked down to 50% off. I put it in the oven today at 375ºF for 12 minutes to freshen it up and it was like it had just been baked. A worthy technique to get full value from half-price day-old bread.

Shourabit Adas (Lentil Soup)

Yesterday I made an impromptu visit to the home of my walking buddy and I was lucky enough to have the added pleasure of meeting up with another old friend. This quick visit had me at the kitchen table chatting, sharing and eating for well over 6 hours. The male specimens in the home wondered through every now and again, picking up 'supplies' or just in transition to another room, leaving the chairs full of estrogen to themselves.

I happened upon a day of cooking, with most burners on the stove in full swing. As the time pushed on, I was eventually served up a bowl of the goodness from pot number 1. It was one of her tried and true soups from the cookbook A Taste of Lebanon: Cooking Today the Lebanese Way by Mary Salloum called Shourabit Adas (Lentil Soup). She shared her modifications. (I ended up adding some more of my own.)

I couldn't wait to go home and make it for myself. A big motivator was the very fresh bundle of swiss chard from my latest Roots and Shoots Farm CSA food basket. Not to mention my CSA potatoes and onions.







Today I made a special trip to Brian's Butchery & Deli at 1117 Cobden Road, off of Iris Street, between Woodroffe Avenue and Greenbank Road. For this soup I wanted some reliable lean ground beef. Their main supply of beef is from Alberta. Ultimately I was pleased with its flavour and also the freshness. Pink meat through and through.

Shourabit Adas (Lentil Soup)
Inspired by Mary Salloum's A Taste of Lebanon: Cooking Today The Lebanese Way and by my special walking buddy

1 pound lean ground beef
5 onions, evenly chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups lentils
3 tablespoons ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
10 cups water
1 bundle Swiss chard, chopped
12 small potatoes (cherry tomato size), halved or quartered, leaving the skin on
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
lemon juice

Heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven. Season the meat. Sauté the beef until fully browned. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are softened.

Add the ground cumin and cook for 1 or 2 minutes to bring out the fragrance of the spice.

Add lentils, broth, water, Swiss chard, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer with the lid on until the lentils are tender, say 1 hour.  I will let the soup stay on the stove on a low simmer for 3 or 4 hours to let the flavours incorporate.  Add water or broth if it needs thinning.

When you serve it up, sprinkle a few drops of lemon the top of the soup.

Great accompanied with freshly baked bread.