Clove Chocolates

A few weeks ago I was invited to an event that was catered by Justin Rogers, an Ottawa-based chocolatier. If you ever want to surprise someone with something special, he can definitely help you with that! He has the most delectable creations. Liquid blood orange mimosa truffle shots, salted caramel with whipped milk chocolate cream, spicy mexican hot chocolate, and if you're not feeling like eating a whole slice of lemon pie but want the taste in your mouth, he's got a chocolate for that too!

Check out Lynne's awesome post for a more in-depth play-by-play of the evening.

http://www.clovechocolatiers.com/

Not Hungry, Just Lazy

The past 6-8 months have not been the busiest for me in terms of posts. They've been few and very far between. I look at the wonderful bloggers out there who keep it up, day after day no matter the circumstance. Seriously, you all deserve an award. It's not always easy!

The other night I was invited to Petit Bill's to try a few dishes off their new spring menu (you must go and order the Jigg's Dinner - sooo good), they've recently renovated their kitchen. In conversation with Terry he said something I'd never thought about – I have a positive outlook on food. I don't waste my time complaining about something I didn't like, more that I make the time to shout-out the people and food that I do and that he enjoys reading my blog for that reason.

Then there's the dinners I look back on and regret not having the photos to remind me of it. I recently had a wonderful dinner at Oz's industry night and it reminded me of a dinner I had last summer that I, to this day, regret not blogging about. This is my food diary and that was probably one of he most unique experiences I had ever had. A 5 course dinner using parts of the animals that normally get discarded. It was amazing. Luckily I can still go back and reminisce through Lynne's blog. She, as always, recounted the night beautifully.

All that said, I'm going to pick up the pace a bit, even if it's a one-liner with a photo. All the mouth-watering dishes I indulge in deserve to be recounted and remembered.

Beautiful Handmade Gifts

I think this is officially the longest I've gone without doing a post. But it doesn't mean I haven't been eating well! Fortunately, my only excuse is that my blogging time had been eaten up by time spent with family, friends, and travelling. How beautiful is that!? 

And how beautiful are these!? Once again, our lovely friend Jane had us in awe with her delectable, intricate, handmade treats.


I mean seriously, look at the details on these labels and paper ornament. Everything cut and glued, piece by piece.


We've been telling her for a while she needs to start her own blog. I know a ton of people who would just love to have a helping hand at making cookies that look like they should be hung on the tree (but you can eat them!).


Preserves that you thought were only available in your dreams – plum Frangelico jam anyone? or how about blueberry vanilla bean? And mmmm, pickled tomato chutney.

Thank you so much Jane! You rid us of many hunger pangs during some long drives. And cheese will never be the same without jams like these.

Mmmmmm Sausage

As she does every year, one of my coworkers Jenn makes sausages with her family. They've been doing it for a very long time. And this year, for the first time without the help from her grandmother, actually spent a full 8 hours making these delectable, pork-and-garlic-filled tubes of goodness.

A special main ingredient deserves a special recipe, and my husband did not fail on that part! After barbecuing the sausage and slicing them, he mixed them with boiled red potatoes and celery root, mashed into and with green onion, flat leaf parsley and cornichons. For the dressing he mixed together dijon, brine from the cornichons and olive oil.

Best Poutine in the World

To say that we had an incredible weekend would be an understatement. As usual, our friends Marc and Zoya outdid themselves with their genuine hospitality. And Zoya even more so in the kitchen.

It all started out with this rich and comforting dish. Homemade poutine, in a healthier and more delicious format. First, potato, quartered and roasted to perfection. A layer of healthy greens made their way next, followed by slivers of red onion and large chunks of Quebec cheese curds. The topper (literally) - a heavenly gravy made solely of mushrooms (picked from their own backyard), grilled onions and red wine reduction blended until velvety. This is one dish that must be made again, very soon! Oh, and alongside was some roasted heirloom carrots.

Menus that followed were croque-monsieurs, complete with egg, avocado, arugula, tomato, a sprinkling of basil and sharp melted and crusty cheddar. We even added a dollop of Marc's family's Portuguese hot sauce. Amazing.

Dinner on day two was sesame crusted, seared tuna with a side asian salad of slivered beets and heirloom carrots.

And before leaving the next morning, savoury ploy pancakes in which we carefully wrapped warm candied apples and then topped with molasses and shredded sharp cheddar. Alongside, homemade beans that had been slow-cooking all night. Nothing could erase my smile after this.

To leave after a weekend of pampering like that is just, well, probably one of the most difficult things to do. Thanks so much you guys! Once again, you totally outdid yourselves!

Mushrooms

My husband and I just returned from a two-week vacation in the Laurentians. It's so nice to do nothing for a change.

Our friends Zoya and Marc helped us do nothing by showing up with 2 bag-fulls of groceries. Mostly from their garden.

And these beautiful chanterelles, freshly picked from the woods around their yard.

Zoya is obsessed with picking mushrooms. And I now understand why. Served with seared tuna steaks, they were delicious. Zoya even prepared a porcini and chanterelle powder beforehand by drying and blending the mushrooms. She then rehydrated the powder by adding it to a wine reduction and smearing it over the steaks. YUM!

We then set out to see if we could find more in our area. This is Zoya's mushroom-picking outfit.

After an hour in the woods and coming home empty-handed, I walked into the chalet to find these king boletes that Marc found in the driveway. What a fresh and meaty treat!

We too are now obsessed with mushroom-picking. Only I need to run them past Zoya for approval before eating.

Fromagerie Le Détour

On a recent trip out east I made a stop into a popular cheese store along the Transcanada Highway. Shortly after leaving New Brunswick and getting onto the least fun part of the drive (single-lane and construction hell), this little gem in Notre-Dame-du-Lac is just what you need to make the dreaded-drive more fun and exciting.

Besides deliciously salty cheese strings to snack on, they also have fresh sandwiches lined up in the fridge just waiting to fill hungry tummies. And of course, a number of heavenly cheeses. If time is on your side, all the accompaniments you'd need to make a cheese picnic are available on the shelves. Otherwise, make sure to bring an ice pack or cooler to get them home for savouring at a later date!

We left with as many options as we could keep cold with our tiny little ice pack. Most of what they offer are soft cheeses, but they do have one hard one – Le petit Émile - and it's only available at the factory. AND I DIDN'T GET THIS ONE! Oh well, something to look forward to next time.

What we did get: Grey Owl – a soft goat cheese covered in an ashy blanket – very yummy. La Magie de Madawaska – another soft cheese with washed rind made from cow's milk and my absolute favourite of the bunch. La Dame du Lac - made with skimmed cow milk. Marquis de Témiscouata – very soft and delicious. And Sentinelle – a soft washed goat cheese.

fromagerieledetour.ca

The Gift of Fresh Veggies

Nothing makes a more thoughtful gift, or a more complete meal, than fresh veggies from the garden! Our friend Glen brought these tasty beans, carrots and potatoes for us from his parent's one-acre garden outside Ottawa. Obviously their garden is growing much faster than ours. Potatoes already!?

Last night we paired them with steak sprinkled with smoked paprika and spot prawns. Tonight they're going alongside some maple, bbq salmon. What a treat!!

Oh, I forgot to mention that a full yogurt container of sweet raspberries were also included for dessert! Thanks Glen!

Surviving a Meatless Weekend

My very good friends Marc and Zoya just got back from 8 months in Vancouver. I'm always very excited to spend the weekend in Tremblant with them. Our time is always spent surrounded by delicious food and wine. Given the fact I hadn't seen them in so long, I was more excited than usual to get there. But with that excitement was also feelings of fear. Fear of the unknown. You see, during their stay in Vancouver, the two of them became vegans.

Now I have nothing against vegans. But Zoya has always been my best meat and cheese friend. Together we have indulged in so many amazing dishes, so many hearty meats paired with deep, luscious wines. And that's what we do when we spend time together. I did not know how this was going to go at all. And I was honestly scared.

Well, I'll tell you now, those feelings didn't last long at all. She still managed to wow me from start to finish with her outstanding culinary skills, now specialized in meatless territory.

Unfortunately I only got one photo to post. But I'm sure the descriptions below will be enough to allow your mind to paint the image for you.

Friday night we arrived to rolls of fresh, blanched collard greens filled with cashew sesame garlic gew, tapenade and sprouts. A spicy ginger mango chutney was served alongside for dipping. Wow!

Next, veggie pizza. A crisp, paper-thin dough slathered in tomato sauce served as a platform to rosemary wine marinated and barbecued zucchini, eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, yellow peppers and fennel. Green onions, olives and artichokes were also tossed in. A delectable espelette chili oil was served alongside for drizzling.

The next morning, our egg-less breakfast was quickly forgotten with a millet and mushroom tourtière. This hearty pie was to-die-for. Earthy buckwheat crust filled with caramelized onions, millet and mushrooms. Parsley, rosemary, thyme and cinnamon were the culprits of the intense flavours coming out of this heavenly dish.

Dinner Saturday was my favourite food. Rice paper rolls and spicy, smooth peanut sauce and pad thai. Our protein coming from perfectly fried tofu. Zoya is a wing-it kind of cook and if I could have replicated her pad thai sauce, I'd make millions. Coriander, rice wine vinegar, chili, garlic, ginger, tamari and tamarind.

Before sending us off the next morning, she filled our bellies with a savoury breakfast. Homemade beans that she slow cooked in molasses all night (chunks of pork were replaced with slow cooked onions) and ploys. If you don't know what ploys are, they're like a pancake but not as sweet, much, much thinner, and cooked only on one side (it cooks through easily because they're so thin). They are quite popular in the Brayon communities of northern New Brunswick, which is how we got introduced to them. She wanted to serve them with molasses but was out so we went with maple syrup. The main ingredients in these are buckwheat flour and baking powder. So yummy!!

Thank you so much Zoya, once again you have totally outdone yourself! We've got some practicing to do for your visit to Ottawa.

Dragon’s Breath Blue

My friend Lara recently made a trip home to Nova Scotia. Lucky me, she decided to bring me back a souvenir!

This decadent surface ripened blue cheese is to-die-for. It comes wrapped in a wax cocoon – simply slice off the top to reveal the yumminess inside (best Kinder egg I've ever seen!). The texture goes from crumbly to creamy the second it hits your mouth. Although delicious on it's own or with baguette, I can also see it being the missing ingredient on a meaty bison burger.

That Dutchman's Cheese Farm really knows how to make a killer blue! Does anyone know if I can get this stuff in Ottawa??

Cake Heaven

Teresa does it again! Blowing us all away with her side talent as specialty cake maker. No party is complete without one of her jaw-dropping creations. Maybe it's because there were 3 birthdays tied into these cakes – whatever the reason, these ones seemed to raise the bar immensely.

After hours of laboring away, 8 separate cakes molds and detailed frosting like I've never seen before, Teresa proudly delivered the best cakes ever. Layers of either chocolate or white moist cake separated by velvety frosting. The crowd that piled into our dining room to break into these were, to say the least, trembling with excitement as they patiently waited for their slice of sweetness. Some on the other hand, couldn't contain themselves and dove in with two hands (you know who you are!)

Thanks so much Teresa! Birthdays would not be birthdays without you!

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Over the past two months I've been having a serious debate in my head about whether or not I should continue blogging. Not because I haven't been eating wonderfully, just that I honestly haven't been feeling quite as passionate about the writing part. My day job has been draining me, and no matter how wonderful dinner is when I get home, I just don't have the energy to finish it off with a post.

But the more I thought about it, the more I thought about the wonderful relationships I've made over the past couple of years, some of those blossoming into friendships that I'm sure will last a lifetime. This blog has brought me so much more than a place to go back and drool over past meals. Do I really want to close the door on something that has brought me so much joy? Not to mention the many culinary experiences that I would never have had the opportunity to be a part of otherwise. And well, the final answer was no, I'm not ready to close this chapter.

I may not post as often as I used to, but rest assured that when something is worth telling you about, you will know. Which brings me to the final straw on what helped in my decision-making – something that reminded me about how excited food gets me – something that brought the passion back and that could not go unshared. I screamed out loud when they were revealed – COOKIE MONSTER CUPCAKES!

Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?? Not only do I adore Cookie Monster, I can also relate to him as I have an obsession with chocolate chip cookies. Bring that all together into a cupcake and, well, let's just say I still get tears of joy when I look at these photos.

Look at him! Look at the details of his sweet blue fur, his googly eyes so giddy with excitement because of the homemade chocolate chip cookie jammed in his mouth! I know exactly how he feels because my eyes did the same thing when I ate him. Teresa, thank you so much for making my day with these! They were THE BEST!

And thank you to all the other foodies and bloggers who have become such a huge part of my life. This whole experience would not be the same without you.

Pickled Goodness

Back in November we had a little dinner party in honour of a visiting friend. Carolyn, a woman I met through my friend Gina, is a wonderful and super fun person. But I think where we really hit it off was through our similar interest in food. Knowing how much my husband and I enjoy food-related gifts, when she took it upon herself to send us a thank you for the dinner, she put a lot of thought into surprising us with something both local and homemade.

After considering all her options, she picked out the best of the best pickled goodies made by friends and family. And all of it coming out of their backyard gardens!

• Her mother's corn relish, beets and cucumber relish

• Her sister-in-law's bread & butter pickles

• Her good friend Loretta's giardiniera

Although a thank you gift was definitely not necessary, now that I've dipped into these delectable gems, I can say how excited I am that she took the time to do this for us. Yum-ola!!

Thank you so much Carolyn, and please thank all the wonderful people who poured their hearts into these yummy treats.

Holiday Traditions and Saying Farewell to What Was a Fantastic 2010

It's going to be difficult to write this post without saying the word comfort in every sentence. December was a tough month work-wise, lots of late nights at the office. But that hard work is what makes all the comfort foods so special and so appreciated.

This year, we didn't fall short on any of those holiday traditions.

Teresa still served up a wicked pre-Christmas brunch, complete with spinach salad, both chicken and pork bacon, delicious egg stratas, homemade shortbread cookies festively decorated, pineapple and watermelon with a whipped chocolaty dip, and a new addition this year, her mother's delectable cinnamon rolls! They happened to be in town for the brunch – yay lucky me! Oh, and her to-die-for Breton brittle and bottomless mimosas.

Next, Christmas eve, where after serving dinner/enjoying dinner with the guests at Jack Purcell's Operation Big Turkey, my husband and I returned home to serve more guests. My mother-in-law's mouthwatering tourtière (I can never stop eating this thing) and my husband's heavenly clam chowder.

On Christmas day, another turkey dinner is served, this time at my brother and sister-in-law's. This was her best turkey yet - cooked to perfection! And complete with all the fixings. I admire her so much for her patience, especially with my whole family invading her home for days on end. One of the best parts to this meal? Her father's gâteau-à-sandwich. I cannot go without it.

As the days go by, so do the leftovers, more get-togethers, and lots of great wine and chocolate. All this rich food is enough to send anyone over-the-edge. My husband and I decided that this week will be a much healthier, more reduced form of eating. Lots of juicing!!

But before we jumped into it, we finished off the last night with a bang. Donairs!! Unless you're from the East Coast, you probably won't understand how important this is, but if you are, run, run fast to Giant Tiger and get these. They're Donair Kits from Bonté Foods that beat out any Donair any Ottawa restaurant has ever attempted to make. It's the real thing. And it's made in Dieppe, New Brunswick. Urgh, I want another one right now!!

Comfort Food

For the most part I consider slow cooked meaty dishes to be the ultimate comfort food. But my mom's seafood casserole could very well make the top of the list. It's decadently rich and creamy and filled with giant chunks of yummy shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops and cod. It's heaven-in-a-bowl for any seafood lover.

I haven't been feeling much in the Christmas spirit this year. But a trip to New Brunswick and this dish specifically, reminded me that we are here. I may actually make some Christmas cards this weekend!

Seafood casserole recipe here.

Do You Love Chicken?

Photo courtesy of the Chicken Farmers of Canada.

I know chicken often finds it's way on our plates. Luckily new tasty ways to cook and prepare it make it exciting each time. My husband is great at doing that, from chicken skewers, to chicken and pork burgers, chicken Marsala, goat cheese stuffed chicken, smoked beer-up-the-butt chicken, and the list goes on.

Another fun spot to get ideas and recipes is the Chicken Farmers of Canada Web site. With tons of mouthwatering recipes, easy tips and tricks – like buying local and how to brine a chicken, videos, and even personal interviews with local farmers, the site is pretty much your one-stop-shop for anything chicken. And right now they just launched a new site that's much more user-friendly and with even more info. Check it out!

A Few of my Favourite Things

The things that keep me going in life are the simplest, most pleasurable things many people would just overlook. And it's so important to remember these little things, they're what keep us going every day. If you're just waiting for the next big thing, you're not living life to the fullest.

This past month has brought on many simple pleasures. Here are some of my favourite.

Marysol's (chez Edgar) warming sweet potato and coconut milk soup. So comforting.

Relaxing tea from Cha Yi teahouse, also available at Edgar.

And decadent buttermilk pie made by Lynne (the twisted chef) is all you need to put a smile on anyone's face!

Have you ever seen a happier Marysol!? (thanks for the photo Lynne!)

Mmmmmm Fudge

We can always count on Jane to give us some goodies at special occasions. Last week we were treated with some of her delicious fudge for Halloween. And it's never just the treat that's homemade and special, it's what comes with it too. In this case, a very cute card with all the extra little details.

I always wonder where she finds the time to be so creative for all the people she cares about. But this recipe, I found out later, is not a time-eater at all! 5-minute fudge – perfect. It's classic Carnation milk fudge, although for this particular batch she used milk chocolate chips since that's all she had on hand. With the semi-sweet chips you get a darker, and not quite as sweet result. This tasty recipe can be found here. Thanks Jane!

Ontario Apples

Nothing screams fall more than apples. Our ride home from Picton left our mouths watering as we drove past apple stands and orchards.

We finally gave into the temptation and picked up some Empires and Jona Golds. It's insane how many apples come out of these places!

Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co.

I often buy Fifth Town's cheeses here in Ottawa. Being lactose intolerant, having goat and sheep's cheese options that are so delectable is a real treat. So of course, I was pretty excited to visit their home.

The building itself is quite a bit smaller than what you would expect, given what they pump out of there. Each day is dedicated to one kind of cheese. They don't have the space, or the equipment to do more than that. We got to watch them in action from inside the store, which has a huge window framing the magic in progress.

At the far end of the counter, there they were, samples upon samples of yummy cheese. I tried to listen to the woman behind the counter explaining things, talking about what they do and how they do it. But I kept fading out, concentrating only on the flavours in my mouth.

We ended up leaving with a huge handful of goodies, a county maple bagel chèvre – a wonderful and healthier alternative to cream cheese, a cold smoked with Waupoos applewood goat cheddar, rich and creamy soft-ripened Lost Lake, hand rolled Lacey Grey and Vicki's Spring Splendour chèvre logs, Nettles Gone Wild, cave aged brushed rind Quint Crest, and the limited edition Lemon Fetish, perfect for sprinkling over a salad.

I'm looking forward to devouring all of these cheeses. They even gave me a list with the perfect wine pairing for each one. No better way to reminisce our time in Prince Edward County than sipping the wines we brought home and eating the cheeses that go beautifully with them.

Fifth Town

4309 County Rd #8

Picton, Ontario

613-476-5755