Shake 'Em On Down'...

Good evening lovely culinary adventurers. How was your Thursday? Hopefully it is slowly coming to an end with you pleasantly tucking into a fine flavoured feast. 

This week I had a birthday. It was lovely... I drank vino, ate cake, great food, enjoyed time with people I love by spending much time in the kitchen cooking with them.  While thinking of what to write about tonight I though I may share with you a few of my fun food favorites and why. Hoping that this may inspire you to leap into your kitchen over the weekend, into a new dish and shared favorite. 

  1) I love tomatoes, and I love garlic. At this time of year I particularly enjoy how they roast so beautifully in the oven to create a delicious soup.

Next time you are hungry, cold and have an hour, grab 6 tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, a sprig of rosemary, thyme, salt/pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil. Cut your tomatoes however you feel toss them in all that love and then roast them at 325F for a good 45minutes. Then Blend with 1tbsp sugar, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Blend together and then add either 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese or goat cheese (two more ingredients I love) until smooth and then enjoy =)

 I love farmers markets, and the bountiful flavourful goods that they offer.  Mmmmm Carrots, potatoes, onions, green peppers, beans broccoli. All good! Can be eaten raw, cooked steamed... tossed in butter with lemon, in pesto, pickled, roasted, grilled with a drizzling of herbs and olive oil.

On my right and left here are two super huge favorites. Beer braised sausages. Easy as pie... literally just cook  your sausages in beer. Let the beer cook down and form a tasty sauce around them.  I also love eggs. Poached egg on toast, arugula, proscuitto and arugula.

Fresh Pasta ...... tossed in sage brown butter.

                                                   

Fresh foccacia with olives, rock salt and rosemary dipped in olive oil, balsamic and chilies. 

I hope to hear of some of your favorites. Don't be shy to share as a little culinary inspiration goes a long way!

Eat, drink and enjoy... 

Thats Amore..... Pavia Gallery

Well my friends next week brings us into February. Tonight I think it is fair to say you can high five the people around you, wipe off your brow and cheers to managing through the first month of a New Year. I always hear that January can bring on the blues. I like to try and flip that thought. This is a month to kick start the new year, and set the positive pace for 11 more awesome months to come. With January gone keep in mind we are just a wee bit closer to spring, blossoms, crop rotations, planting and more seasonal food to come.

What else do I do in January to keep away the blues? Well this January I had a bit of fortune and was presented with the opportunity to work with Pavia Gallery an amazing local Italian inspired art Gallery and Cafe.  The owners Love Italy, Love Coffee, Love Food, appreciate the beauty of the culture and  inspired me with their idea to hold two traditional Italian dinners at their cafe. How could I say no? Writing this menu speaks to my heart and soul as it is a combination of flavours that I dream about cooking everyday of my life. Do not get me wrong, you know dear readers how I appreciate food and flavours from all regions of the world. However, in my heart I know in truth a great deal of my passions for the kitchen lies the traditions of Italian food. This weekend on Friday and Saturday at Pavia Gallery we had a six course tasting menu for 25 people with paired wines by Harvest Wines .

I could not stop smiling.

The people who came out to enjoy the dinners were absolutely lovely. I believe that a large part of how food is enjoyed reflects on the atmosphere created by the people enjoying it. This atmosphere was fun. The beautiful gallery was full of laughter, lively conversations and the clinking of glasses.

While reflecting on the two evenings it was easy to agree that we had, as a group created the most true to form Italian dinning experience possible.

How you may ask?

Well my food loving friends eating in Italy is an experience. It's not an hour lunch break or a quick fix in the evening. When you eat with your friends and family in Italy you don't rush. You sit, you appreciate your company, take in your surroundings, and embrace the food that is placed before you. Your body is allowed as much time as it needs to digest as you eat so that when the meal is finished you fell light and satisfied. The ingredients used are what some may think of as simple, but I would say not simple, but understood.They know how to use herbs, why some you pic, some you leave whole, and why you others chop. Restaurants are not looking to flip tables, but more so cultivate an environment in their dinning room that ignites passion and allows for a  multi-course dinner.

Yes indeed, this weekend was special and I came the closest to Italy than I have been in years. I invite you all have your own Italian adventure.  Visit Pavia Gallery, bevuto una cafe, mangiare una panino, and transport yourself to the Tuscan hillside.

Eat, drink and enjoy!! 

Get happy...

Good evening, and happy almost middle of the week to you. Now my food loving friends there is something I have to share with you this evening. I am currently working on opening a local butchery shop and produce store here in good ol' Halifax (hurrah) Now, with owning your own business and opening a shop sometimes the day can seem a little longer than most 24hours. When days are busy and obstacles arise I work through them by finding inspiration in my day to day activities. Here tonight I will share with you an event that feeds my positive spirit and food loving soul. 

No matter what every two weeks I know that I will be re-inspired and ready to take on the world. This is because every two weeks I have the absolute pleasure of cooking with Canada's Next Great Chef. Now Canada's Next Great Chef is 12 years old and wonderfully passionate about food. I cannot fully explain to you just how much zest cooking with him add to my life. Our cooking lesson will keep me smiling for days. Here are the reasons why:

a) I love teaching cooking, and he is the most studious of all. Always asking questions (usually stumping me)

b) He is a wonderful reminder of why I love this industry so much. It is always inviting new innovative, food loving people into it no matter what age they are.

c) He reminds me of a much littler me as when I was his age I too wished to read cookbooks, asked questions, create recipes and adventure in the kitchen. 

Not to mention we cook GREAT food. He pushes the boundaries with recipes, and continues to approach each lesson with new ideas. With this young chef I have eaten some of the most amazing meals in my lifetime. As much as I teach him I can honestly say that I probably learn more from these Sunday afternoon cooking lessons then he takes from me. I remind myself of the proper way to make sauces, why as cooks we should reference and understand the five mother sauces of french cuisine, and ensure that I am working on proper cooking techniques. 

In my world which is filled with amazing talented chefs, pastry chefs, sommeliers, restauranteurs, food writers and critiques it is Sunday afternoon lovely readers where I find true inspiration. 

Take a look the pictures of our food should as the dishes speak for themselves. I hope each and everyone of you has a young mentor to find such culinary teachings from and remind yourself: Get back to the heart of the kitchen, remember the basics, adventure to the fullest, and please please please keep smiling and have fun.

Eat, drink, and enjoy!!!

Strangers in the night...

It is Thursday! Hurrah. A question to you lovely readers: What great food related items have you tried out this week? Hopefully something palate pleasing and tummy satisfying.

This week has been fun and challenging. A dual: I was asked to cook a traditional Italian tasting menu for new Italy loving clients. Now for those of you who have heard me write of tasting menus before but are not quite sure what they are let me explain. A tasting menu is small portions of several 3-5 bite dishes that make up an entire meal. Usually during a tasting menu you would take your time in between courses and enjoy a few different palate cleansers to both open your taste buds up for the next menu item and help with digestion.

 Last nights menu was:

-Pane-

 Freshly Baked Ciabatta

- Antipasti -

Proscuitto and Fig

Salumi

Shaved Fennel

Caprese

- Primo -

 Tortelli Di Zucca Tradizionale

Pumpkin Ravioli, Sage Brown Butter, Shaved Parmigiano

 - Pesce -

 Cappesante Con Funghi

Scallops, Mushrooms, Fresh Herbs, Olive Oil

- Insalata -  

Market Fresh Salad

- Carne -

 Filletto Di Maiale

Roast Pork Tenderloin, Sun Blushed Tomatoes, Crisp Pancetta

-       Palate Cleanser –

Plum Liquor Fresh Orange Chill

- Formaggi -

A selection of Italian Cheese

 - Dolce -

Tiramisu

The evening was splendid. Between the scents, alive and vibrant conversation, and beautiful atmosphere the culture and influence of Italy was in the air.  I am very much looking forward to recreating this dinner and others for such wonderful company again.

As a recipe portion to this evenings blog I would like to share with you a very simple but lovely flavourful marinade you can work into a dish the next time you are cooking with meat. I used this for my pork tenderloin last night. Simply allow yourself a bit of time. A few hours before you cook your meat allow it to sit and flavour in fresh rosemary, thyme, garlic and apple. When you cook the meat the fresh bountiful flavours of these lovely ingredients will play through right into the very last bite. Buonissimo.

Eat, drink and enjoy!!

Alla en el rancho grande...

Happy middle of the road my dears. We are officially past the Holiday season and into the big wind up to New Years. I am sure that you have by this time come up a grande menu for tomorrow eve's adventures and are looking forward to ringing in the upcoming year in culinary style. 

As December has a large focus on food, family, fun times and a frenzy of beverages I want to share with you a few special meals created for those that I care deeply about. This year my mother decided that the only way to spend real time with her family was to take us out of the city for two days. Being in the cold season, this time together as a family turned quickly into an eating retreat and I happily turned to kitchen to relax. 

 

When stuck in the woods among mass amounts of food I think it is very important to pace yourself. Our afternoon snacking concentrated on some great meats, cheese, and wine. 

 

As the skies grew dark and evening came my flavours became richer and more rustic. I love being out in the middle of nowhere in a kitchen where I can just cook from the heart. I braised a local rabbit in a wonderful one pot stop kind of meal. The flavours of this dish are robust, rich, intense and earthy.

 This rabbit turned beautiful and tender, and it felt good to be cooking close to home as it was naturally raised, and from a wonderful local farm here in good ol' N.S.

 

The next day our eating retreat took a turn backwords as I cooked a second Christmas dinner for my family. I was so busy leading up to December 25 that I was not able to cook this meal so for my sister who craved my home cooked turkey we recreated the traditional menu as a family. Right down to the apple pie

I have to say that this eating retreat was the best possible vacation I could have asked for. As time spent with family brought together by great food and fun is a beautiful reminder of just how lucky I am. 

Happy New Years! Be safe, Eat well, Drink heartily, Dance soulfully, Sing joyfully and check back soon for some new recipes and culinary adventures in the New Year. Cheers to you.

Mardi gras in New Orleans....

Hello hello hello! My it feels like it has been forever since I have sat down to write a blog. I apologize for my lack of blog posting last week my friends. It is currently the season for catering and so no longer am I at my computer but running around a prep kitchen between functions. For chefs I do believe this may be the most love/hated time of the year. Love, because we truly do get to do what we enjoy most everyday and are constantly on the go. Hate, because it's the season where we do not have the time to enjoy any of the great food that is being eaten this time of year; we are just too darn busy. I have eaten more cereal in the past two weeks than I care to say and am not very proud of it.  So my friends what do chefs do with the small bit of time that we have free?

We COOK, we EAT, we DRINK, and we PLAY with flavours in the kitchen like there is no tomorrow!

Yesterday this is exactly what I did. The morning started off with sugar cookie Christmas baking with a great friend and her lovely little girl. 

 This was the most wonderful way to spend a morning. I could honestly bake with those two lovelies and decorate for hours. When baking cookies it is important to have a wee person around because you can become inspired by their amazing imagination. It also provides the best excuse too follow their lead, eat way too much icing, sprinkles and candy. 

 After the great cookie bake,  I met up with two very good chef friends of mine knowing full well that the rest of my day was to be dedicated to sausage making and eating. I like to think of us as The Three Musketeers (Chef Styles)  If there was ever an award for most cheese, meat, and beverages bought, and consumed by three people guaranteed we would take home the gold. We had to make up for our sad cereal diet over the last month. The three of us now seldom have the time to spend with eachother so when we do we adventure as we all LOVE food and cooking.  This time our adventure had us making homemade sausages, eating a loaf of foie gras and indulging in many different brews!! Fun, educational, tasty, and hilarious.

 We made two different kinds of sausages, and our grocery list consisted of: A loaf of Foie Gras,  7 types of cheese, a tasting of many different wines and beer to wet our whiskers, rabbit terrine, baguette, duck confit, duck proscuitto, grainy and traditional dijon mustard, and of course much meat for the grinding!

 This eve was a surefire way to wash away any cereal blues and invite much cheer for the holiday season and New Year to come. So friends no matter what you have indulged in over the last few days I dare you to grab some buddies, choose your favorite ingredients, get into the kitchen, kick up your heals, strap on a apron and have some fun!!

Eat drink and enjoy!!!!