simplicity

plain organic yogurt
clover honey
raw, whole almonds
(breakfast)

* pfft, I soooo had more than this to eat for breakfast.

Saucy! Apple, that is.

The best apple sauce I ever had was at my Theatre professor's house back in '97. It was deliciously lumpy and tasted like apple pie without the pie.

I set out to duplicate that memory of a condiment-cum-dessert. Surprisingly, I couldn't find a recipe for apple sauce in most of my cookbooks, so I was left to my own devices. I felt like Canada's Test Kitchen.

I knew I wanted a tart apple for a balanced flavour so I chose the organic Spartans available at the Glebe Loeb (which specializes in local produce!). I wanted a roasty flavour, so I decided to bake the apples as-is. I popped them in the oven at 400 degrees and baked for nearly an hour.

After baking they sortof exploded and the skins split and they smelled amazing! My only question . . . what next?? I had planned to just mash them through my colander, but the apples were a little firmer than I expected. At this point I felt really dumb and can offer this advice: It's a whole lot easier to peel them first!!!!

Well, it was too late to peel before baking, and they wouldn't mash through the colander, but the skin came off easily with my fingers (and right into my mouth -- yum!), and the core stayed intact and separated from the flesh. I put the good stuff in a bowl and gave it a stir . . . delicious! The last step was pouring the sweet syrupy juice that had collected in the bottom of the casserole dish into the sauce, and adding a couple tablespoons of lemon juice to keep it from browning.

Here's the what's left of the sauce after we piled it high & deep to accompany our pork chops. I think every one had seconds, and some of us had thirds (maybe even fourths!). Lucky me, it's even better after chilling for a couple of days!

go to Westboro Village!

And make sure you stop in Thyme & Again , a cute food shop that's half heat-and-eat take home food, half dessert cafe. They're also Ottawa's highly-praised upscale catering business- something to keep in mind! We bought an Art-is-in Bakery baguette, some coffees and a couple of desserts to take home (as we walked in just as they were closing). Since we were going to C&J's for dinner within a couple of hours, we didn't have a chance to try the desserts yet. Especially since we happened to visit the Ottawa Bagelshop, who had what I believe to be the only proper macarons in the city. Unfortunately, they were from Christmas time and had been preserved in the freezer. They kind of tasted like freezer, of course, and although cute and delicate, were filled will strange, supersweet, almost nauseating goos. The pink ones with raspberry filling were lovely; the chocolate was passable; the other three (passionfruit?, lemon-coconut, and possibly some incarnation of pistachio?) were notsomuch. That's what happens when you pay full price (ouch) for frozen macarons- you can't fully appreciate desserts that have been frozen for almost a month. My excitement got the best of me! Even so, I could tell from what little I could taste that my first-time-ever macarons that i made over Christmas break (what is it with macarons and Christmas?) were much more almondy and pleasant. Which leads me to conclude that either I don't really like macarons (and feel very much a peasant because of it), or that my impulse-buy of frozen, cute but filled with far-too-sweet goo macarons were not true macarons. Either way, I am left with the satisfaction of having filled my single homemade batch with a dreamy, dark chocolate ganache that worked as a filling between two incredibly sweet macaron halves. They could have been cuter, but not too much tastier.

Food in the Glebe Pt. 2

Last week at C&J's Sunday dinner, we arrived especially hungry. While the main course (spaghetti with a delicious, rich meat sauce) was in progress, they pulled out their treasures from that day's trip to Nicastro's in the Glebe. Like vultures, we descended upon the gorgeous, crumbly golden-yellow chunk of Mimolette and the creamy earthiness of Upper Canada's Comfort Cream. In no time at all, what was once $20 in yumminess became crumbs, rinds, and very pleased dinner guests. What a treat!

During a chilly walk in the Glebe today, we stopped in Nicastro's for lunch and a look-around. I am somewhat embarassed (but not really) to say that , despite the fact that I stood in front of what was probably 100 cheeses, I chose Mimolette and Comfort Cream. I think that I'd have left disappointed, no matter how delicious the cheese I might have otherwise chosen, had I not totally copied Colleen. She described Mimolette as geode-like; that description is spot-on. When you're handed your cheeses, wrapped in brown paper like little gifts, you do feel like you're taking home little treasures!

A perplexing purchase was the little box of 12 mini-chocolates by Amedei. Unaware of hype surrounding this chocolate, I was drawn to it because of the varying high-cocoa contents of the little "Napolitains". . . and, okay, also the fact that it was packaged like a bottle of Chanel perfume. The three of us dug into the box over some coffee and all came to the same conclusion: something's missing. I was expecting more headiness for the % of chocolate on the label, or maybe some kind of flavor-gasm at almost $12 for less than two ounces. Ouch! With that being said, I am willing to give it one more try. Which is good, because I still have about $9 of it left!

this week's OM NOM NOM

I've been meaning to make Nigella's lovely-looking mustard pork chops ever since I happened upon the 5 minute clip of it on youtube. That woman could make liver and onions sound tantalizing- just the way she talks about food makes you want to cook and eat! And eat, and eat, and eat. So, with eating in mind, I went out and bought the ingredients for mustard pork chops. I found Maille's Old Style whole grain mustard amongst Hartman's surprisingly decent selection of mustards. YUM! Quite possibly the best thing that ever happened to right-out-of-the-fridge leftover roast beef.

Maille's Old Style whole grain mustard: a

gorgeous, richly textured yet

relatively mild kitchen must-have.



And it's also pretty damned good on a sandwich.

Ham, cheese, baby spinach, whole grain

mustard, a little pepper and a little butter

on white bread: flavourful and comforting.

It would also probably make an beautiful mustard vinaigrette. . . but let's forget about the condiments for a moment and go straight to the greens. Today I am singing Epic Roots' praises for bringing their mache salads to our grocery stores. I can't get enough of mache ! It may not be the cheapest way to get your beta carotene and vitamin A, but it's quite possibly one of the most delicious (and elegant!). Splash on a simple vinaigrette and enjoy.

Delicate and sweet, mache is an easy to dress

and even easier to eat lettuce. Shown here:

Epic Roots' Salad Aux Herbes.

Breakfast S'mores

Stack the following: one part graham cracker, one part natural crunchy peanut butter, one part sliced banana. Enjoy with a big glass of cold milk and the satisfaction that what you're eating is yummy, filling (not shown: the other three breakfast s'mores currently in my stomach), and pretty darn good for you to boot!

So good, in fact, that I don't even care that this photo is sideways.

Food in the Glebe

I can't believe I'd never checked it out before! Il Negozio Nicastro is a great boutique for aged vinegars, selected olive oils, chocolate galore, and CHEESE!! Many Ontario and Quebec cheeses, lots of raw milk noted, and the staff are ready to supply samples if you're looking to try something new.

We got a half-wheel of Upper Canada Cheese Co's Comfort Cream. Their website describes it thus: "A white, bloomy rind cheese with a silky, semi-soft creamy golden interior. Rich flavours of fresh truffles prevail with an intense, buttery palate and a long tangy finish. This delicate and luscious artisanal cheese in hand salted cheese is hand salted, hand turned and hand wrapped." I say: "Yummmmmmm". Melty in your mouth cheesy goodness.

One note of caution: while it may seem handy to pick up a fresh baguette on your way out the door, I don't recommend it. The baguettes were disappointingly airy and dusty, nothing like an artisinal French baguette should be. Even Ace is better.

Hollandaise Heaven

Brunch at Desi & Tom's this morning was AMAZING!! Perfect poached eggs atop crispy bacon atop a golden English muffin, all drooling with creamy Hollandaise sauce. And then, as if that weren't perfection enough, French toast with Desi's homemade French bread (see post below). Brunch is definitely my favourite meal of the day.

baking bread, the old fashioned way

I've always been a little hesitant with baking. I'm not the most patient cook, and if I can't see, smell, or hear progress in what I'm working on, it makes me a little nervous. Baking bread generally requires the patience of a saint, and wrists of steel; I have neither. Thankfully, what I do have are The Bread Baker's Apprentice and a dough hook attachment for my mixer. I was recently able to quell my dough-based fears with a little encouragement (thanks to my grandmother and C) and instruction via this beautiful and thorough book.



After making batch after delicious batch of "middle-class" brioche(butter in every bite!), I was able to gather some courage and tackle french bread. And my god, did this ever test my patience. Because so much depends on how you treat the dough in all of its various stages (knead, but don't over-knead. let rest. repeat. let rest some more. careful with temperatures. don't de-gas too much. create surface tension...eeeek!), I had resigned myself to the fact that this was just a test run. If anything, I would at least learn, and hopefully improve each time.





But eventually, the dough of your labor ends up in the oven and the room begins to smell of fresh bread... and you want so much for it to work!

I'm happy to assume, from all visual and olfactory cues (minus tasting... why must I wait 40 minutes still, to let cool?), that this was a success. I will update once I can be sure one way or another!



UPDATE:



success isn't sweet; it's melt-in-your-mouth soft, crusty, and doesn't even need butter.

Edible Googly Eyes

Tom sent me this link today which made me laugh so much:

www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/edibleeyes

I promise to post pictures of anything I make with these. Now where to buy pill casings . . . .

Bread and Sons Bakery, Ottawa

I thought I'd put in a good word for Bread & Sons Bakery in Ottawa. Not only is their bread sooooooo tasty, but they use almost exclusively organic, locally sourced ingredients. It's not only bread at Bread & Sons, but also hot pizza every day at lunch, soups, fresh sandwiches, apple turnovers that taste like my mom's pie, local cheeses, quiche . . . Lots of good stuff packed into a little store. And they're friendly to boot.

Check them out online: www.dvaja.com/breadandsons/home.html.

And in case you don't believe me, here are some reviews:

www.ottawaxpress.ca/food/food.aspx?iIDArticle=9261

ottawafoodies.com/vendor/1148

www.ottawaplus.ca/shopping_services/bread_sons/1060911

Fishcaketales

I was inspired by an episode of Kitchen Nightmares where Gordon Ramsay transforms a restaurant with major pretensions into the traditional British pub it claims to be. After being roundly chastised for too many "au jus" reductions, the chef uses "fresh, locally-sourced ingredients" to make an "good, honest" fishcake that is apparently "to die for".

It really looked like it was to die for, so I decided to make some of my own. I found a recipe in my America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook and thus inspired, went to the grocery store. I should mention that while I am an adventurous cook, I'm also a cheap one, so instead of the pound and a half of fresh salmon called for, I used a pound of tilapia and a half-pound of salmon.

Some other "adjustments" (or, ahem, screw-ups) I made: ran out of mayo so I made my own--from olive oil (don't ever do that, even if Jamie Oliver tells you to), added 2 eggs to the mixture (didn't read the recipe where it said the eggs are just for coating with breadcrumbs, but told myself it would help them to hold together better), and added extra mayo to make up for the tilapia replacing the oilier salmon.

This isn't rocket science or souffle, so they actually turned out okay! Definite olive oil notes, and the tilapia is much milder than the salmon, but not bad at all.

Unfortunately I won't be making them again, or at least not until I buy a food processor (which probably won't be any time soon, see above reason for substituting the tilapia). The fish is supposed to be "minced" which takes 4 pulses in a processor, or 25 minutes rocking a not-quite-sharp-enough knife back & forth on a cutting board while the back of the knife digs ever deeper into the palm of the hand.

Even all-salmon all-the-time version isn't really worth the agony.

My Xmas of Foodie Stuff!

I had a great foodie Christmas this year with not one, not two, but three turkey dinners! It was the only year I've ever eaten "enough" stuffing--there was even stuffing left over!

While I haven't had quite "enough" time to peruse them, here are the food-related xmas gifts I received:A one-year subscription to Cook's Illustrated,

A copy of the cookbook I gave my brother last year (and have been jealous of ever since!),



The latest from Jamie Oliver (drool . . . over the food, I mean :),

Something to "chew" on (metaphorically . . . though if Madeleine gets a hold of it, there might be some physical chewing as well),

And . . .
My Life in France by Juila Child. I've never read Julia Child before, but I'm excited for all the foodie reading waiting for me! I also gave some foodie presents:


The zyliss mandoline slicer to Desi, who said it was amazing though she can elaborate if she wishes,

and for Aunt Vicki:


"Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink". I could hardly put it down in the bookstore, it was so good, complete with New Yorker cartoons, and essays by some great writers and personalities. Good thing my DH wrapped it up for me, as I might have decided to keep it for myself if left to my own devices . . .

One other discovery, Sudbury Ontario has a great new cafe: The Old Rock Roastery.

Now instead of bringing Bridgehead coffee home from Ottawa on the holidays, I'll be stocking up on their Kenyan French Roast whenever I visit my parents in the Big Nickel. Not only is it fantastically delicious coffee, it's all Fair Trade organic beans, locally roasted (the key to amazing coffee!). Well, it's about time!

Here's to a very delicious New Year!