Eggnog has always been one of my favourite holiday consumables. I adore the intense flavour of nutmeg, the rich and velvety texture that just begs for it to be added to pretty much everything. Cookies, pancakes, French toast, trifles, cupcakes…you name it and I’ve probably added eggnog to it at some point. But by far my most coveted way of enjoying this holiday treat is in a glass mixed with rum and a splash of Amarula (my brother-in-law’s secret ingredient).

While I have been a fan of eggnog ever since childhood, it is something that I have never attempted to make myself. To be honest, the whole raw egg thing kinda freaked me out. But by all accounts homemade is best so I was determined to give it a try this year. Then I picked up the winter issue of Edible Vancouver which included a recipe for old-fashioned eggnog. After speaking to our contributing writer Helena McMurdo who photographed the article and raved about the recipe, my mind was made up: the time had come for me to set aside any qualms and whip up a batch of nog.

Now I should add a disclaimer that whenever you consume raw or lightly cooked eggs there is a possibility of exposure to salmonella bacteria, which can be particularly harmful to more vulnerable people such as children, the elderly, pregnant women or others with weak immune systems. For more information on this topic along with some handy dandy egg safety tips, you can visit The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s site.

Now that the nitty gritty is out of the way, let’s get back to the recipe!

Kera Willis is the person responsible for my new appreciation for eggnog, and it is her family recipe that is included in the Edible Vancouver article. The process involves whipping egg yolks with sugar, to which you can then add the alcohol of your choice (rum is the most common option although brandy is also a coveted addition). Whipped egg whites are then folded into the yolk mixture, and the whole thing is finished off by folding in a litre of whipped cream along with some freshly grated nutmeg.

The results are incredible and to be honest I’m not sure if the English language has enough adjectives to accurately describe its perfection. Impossibly velvety, this eggnog is unlike any I have ever tasted. The level of creamy goodness is so far beyond that of regular commercial variety eggnog you can’t really compare the two. The texture is incredibly thick and rich – the ultimate boozy milkshake! It is perfect for sipping, savouring and moaning over this holiday season, and we will definitely be making another batch to ring in the new year in style (and taste!)

For a copy of the recipe for Old-Fashioned Eggnog please visit Edible Vancouver

Nigella Christmas is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this cookbook please click here. 

Cookbook review written by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

Nigella Lawson is a successful cookbook author, television host, and New York Times contributor. Hers is a household name known across the globe, famous for her – shall we say ‘racy’? – approach to food. Nigella often receives criticism for her lack of formal culinary education, but with a total of eight hugely successful cookbooks she obviously knows a thing or two about food.

Nigella Christmas (published by Hyperion, $50 CDN)  not only provides you with the culinary arsenal needed for the 25^th, but contains recipes and menu ideas that will see you through most of your special occasion entertaining needs. There are many dishes that would be perfect to serve at cocktail parties, birthday dinners, Easter and Thanksgiving celebrations.

The book is built around Nigella’s signature casual approach to entertaining, and acknowledges the fact that for a lot of us mere mortals the holidays can be a stressful, crazed time of the year. Instead of spending the entire Christmas season slaving away in the kitchen, Nigella’s goal is to provide us with the tools that enable us to lounge in the living room looking gorgeous and sipping a fun cocktail (or two). Everything is based on the idea of planning and cooking ahead as much as possible, in order to ensure minimum stress and maximum enjoyment.

I like the make ahead and freeze ahead tips included for each recipe. The photography (by famed British photographer Lis Parsons)  is attractive and festive, inspiring not only culinary related delights but design and gift wrapping ideas as well. Some people find the red and green print a bit over the top, but to those people I say a big loud ‘bah humbug’. It’s a Christmas book! The kitschier the better. At least in my humble opinion.

At the risk of sounding like a whiner, I have to admit I found myself getting frustrated with the frequent recipe conversions I needed to make. Being a UK publication, the good ol’ metric vs. imperial issue was at hand. But my exasperation did raise an interesting question: do folks outside of North America get equally frustrated with our measurements? Would love to hear what you think! Are listed measurements in cookbooks an issue for you or not?

A common complaint people have about this book is in regards to the long recipe intros. While I agree that they are long and full of flowery language, that’s kinda how Nigella rolls so if you don’t like that style why buy her book? Personally, I appreciated the fun, personal anecdotes that include information on the recipe’s origin along with past mistakes Nigella has made and from which we can learn.

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Cups

RATING: 4 out of 5 (festive treat perfect for the holidays!)

THE TEST: This recipe is a homemade version of the treat made famous by Reese’s. They looked so pretty and festive in the photo I knew they’d be a welcome addition to my Christmas baking repertoire.

The recipe is not difficult but be warned that it’s finicky work. Pressing the peanut butter base into the tiny petit-four cases would be perfect for my daughters’ little fingers, except they’d end up consuming more than they produced. In fact, Nigella alludes to this challenge when using your offspring for this particular project!

Once the bases are pressed into the cases, a mixture of melted milk and dark chocolate is poured on top and they are refrigerated until firm (approximately 30 minutes). Alternatively, you can freeze them and thaw overnight as the need arises.

You can top them with pretty much whatever turns your crank. Honestly, the festive possibilities are endless! I used some pretty little edible silver stars I found at Scoop-N-Save, a cake decorating supply store located in Langley (BC).

How cute are they?!

By the way, Pamela from My Man’s Belly suggested adding bourbon to the peanut butter mixture which I think is genius! While I can’t stand drinking the stuff, I happen to love the flavour of bourbon in baking. It adds such depth of flavour. (Read more about Pamela’s booze infused treats here).

THE RESULTS: I could hardly wait for these little beauties to harden enough so I could pop them into my mouth. There’s just something about the combination of peanut butter and chocolate that I can’t resist. It’s a perfect flavour partnership.

I loved the first slightly hard crunch into the cup as your teeth sink into the chocolate crust. Immediately it gets melty and suddenly you’re in peanut butter heaven. Yummy!

This is an easy, impressive treat to serve up over the holidays, although in terms of peanut butter/chocolate desserts I think I still prefer my famous Tiger Butter recipe. Just sayin.

Effortless Home-Cured Pork with Apple & Onion Gravy

RATING: 3 out of 5 (lacked the expected punch of flavour)

THE TEST: Out of all the recipe tests this is the one I was most excited to try. An alternative option to traditional turkey or roast beef, I found the idea of a semi-cured pork loin roast appealing. Add to that a yummy sounding concoction of apples and onions in gravy form and I was sold!

Preparing this roast is indeed ‘effortless’. It is a less labour intensive version of the Rolled Stuffed Loin of Pork included in the book, and makes for some pretty simple entertaining. After two days of what Nigella calls her “magic-soaking treatment”, garlic oil is poured over the roast which is then baked off in the oven for approximately 1 ½ hours. The brine consists of apple juice, salt, cider vinegar, chopped onions and parsley, garlic, maple syrup, cardamom and caraway seeds. Sound amazing? It smelled amazing too.

While the roast is baking you make the gravy by puréeing apples and onions, which is then cooked in garlic oil for half an hour. Near the end a mixture of maple syrup, cornflour (or ‘cornstarch’ as we call it in North America), ground ginger and soy sauce are added into the gravy.

One side note would be my confusion in regards to the bacon fat called for in the recipe. You can opt for butter (which I did since I didn’t have any bacon fat on hand the day I made this dish) but in the directions it says to cook the processed onions and bacon over gentle heat. Did I miss something? Were we supposed to add bacon? My guess is that she meant bacon fat which she mentions earlier, but this possible typo does make the whole thing slightly confusing. At least it did for me.

THE RESULTS: I had such high hopes for this dish but unfortunately we were disappointed. Don’t get me wrong – the roast tasted good…it just didn’t taste as good as it should have considering all of the heavyweight flavour ingredients the meat had been soaking in for two days. Two days! And honestly there wasn’t any added flavour. It tasted the same as if I’d bought the pork and slapped it into the oven all plain Jane style as soon as I came home.

The apple and onion gravy was – ummm – interesting. In a good way! But I definitely won’t be making it again. The kids thought it was the oddest apple sauce they’d ever had and became grumpy at the thought that mom and dad were trying to trick them. Eaten alone it is very strange, although combined with the pork it all came together. Apples and pork – can’t really go wrong.

A word of caution: the recipe calls for the pork to be cooked at 200 C/gas mark 6, which according to my quick google search comes out somewhere in the 392 F degree range. I ended up cooking the roast at 375 F which browned the meat nicely but near the end everything started to burn. The roast was fine but if I were to try this meal again I would definitely cook it at a lower temperature of 350 F.

I should also mention that Mr. Spock and I tagged each other out on this recipe test, as I had to leave before the roast was finished (thanks for taking such great pics babe!) It was an interesting process, as I felt incomplete and he felt thrown in the middle of the mix. I also know for a fact that it was a struggle for him to stick so closely to a recipe. What can I say? My husband is a free spirit in the kitchen!

Seasonally Spiced Nuts

RATING: 5 out of 5 (perfect for entertaining, great flavour that improves over time)

THE TEST: Who doesn’t like warm, salty nuts during the holidays (shut your mouth Crystal Smith!) It’s the perfect snack to have on hand and makes you look like a rockstar when you pull out a jar of these nuts to serve to your guests.

What I love about this recipe is the endless flavour possibilities. Simply swap out different nuts/spices and voilà – a whole new version to enjoy. I decided to use a mix of almond, macadamia, Brazil, pecan and cashew nuts. These are toasted on the stovetop until golden brown, and then tossed with a ground spice mix of garam masala and celery salt. Olive oil, brown sugar and finely chopped rosemary are then added to the pan, and the nuts are cooked until evenly coated and slightly darkened. Cool on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

THE RESULTS: These nuts tasted fantastic! Even though Nigella stipulates that they taste best when served right away, I definitely found they improved with age as the flavours got a chance to really meld and deepen. I used a lovely smoked sea salt which tasted incredible with these nuts, but with the wide variety of flavoured salt now commonly available the possibilities are endless.

The draw will be made on December 16^th so hurry – the big day is approaching fast and we want to make sure these books go to good homes! To enter your name for a chance to win either A Field Baker’s Guide to Christmas Cookies or Gourmet Gifts, please leave a comment below telling us about your favourite holiday cookie. Don’t forget to include which book you’d prefer to receive.

Want additional chances to win? ‘Like’ us on Facebook and/or retweet the following on Twitter: Just entered to win FREE xmas cookbooks via @cookthatbook http://bit.ly/sAYEvK

In continuation of the spirit of giving, a number of our fantastic CookThatBook contributors have submitted a holiday recipe for you to try. Be sure to check out the tasty Christmas treats being whipped up in their kitchens!

Ashley Astells – Eggnog Cookies

Jacqueline Twa - Chinese Peanut Butter Cookies 

Anuradha Sharma - Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Helena McMurdo - Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Aimée White – Mexican Wedding Cakes

Stay-At-Home-Chef – Chocolate Mint Cookies

Kendall Harris – Dessert Wine Pairing

Happy Holidays!
from everyone at CookThatBook

JACQUELINE TWA: I have to admit that I am a food television junkie.

I love to watch it any time…anywhere. In fact, I once told my editor that I thought watching the Food Network was like watching soft porn. She quoted me on that comment without naming me – now I am outing myself.

As part of my addiction to food television, I became deeply immersed in the MasterChef show this past summer. I love the idea that someone who does not cook professionally can compete in this arena!

Confession? I often fantasize about standing in that studio sweating it out to win some fabulous prize and to raise my brow at Gordon Ramsey’s comments. The brow raise? Practiced daily. I also have to admit that I have a secret (well not so secret now I guess) crush on Joe Bastianich…but the skinny Joe; not the Elvis version.

In my fantasies no detail is too small when it comes to envisioning each challenge and how I would prepare every dish. Of course in my mind I win each challenge with my flamboyant culinary skills, and not only do I look slim and youthful in every shot but Gordon keeps telling me over and over how I am ‘da bomb’. However, all fantasies came to a screeching halt during the one episode challengers were asked to create a soufflé.

Although I had a basic idea of how to make a soufflé, I had actually never made one. Oh the shame. The gourmet gauntlet had been thrown down and I had no choice; I would have to master the soufflé.

Now I have many friends that I consider to be great cooks – I like to mentally categorize them as my “Foodie Friends”. One of my dearest foodie buddies, is none other than my editor Jasmine (Stay-At-Home-Chef). Jasmine and I share a passion for food and a passion for our families. She is my touch stone on all things food. Spending time with her is always filled with fun and laughter! I have to keep reminding myself that she is over 15 years my junior. It just feels like she has been in my life as a trusted girlfriend forever.

Back to soufflés.

I called Jasmine up and asked if she had ever made a soufflé before.

Dramatic pause.

The answer? Nope! So with our heads hung low in foodie shame, we agreed to get together and conquer the art of making a soufflé.

The day we cooked together in Jasmine’s warm and inviting kitchen with her gorgeous daughters running about was magic. There is something about peering through the window of the oven – wondering if our soufflés would rise and meet our expectations – that reminded me of Christmas morning as a kid.

In short? Our soufflés were an unqualified success. Now keep in mind that our little guinea pigs were 5 and 3 years of age! Leave it to a food blogger to not only have her kids eating soufflés at such a tender age but to give us decent feedback!

So, the final step in my imaginary quest for food supremacy was done and another item checked off my bucket list – or ramekin list in this case!

Next up, I compete in my imaginary triathlon without breaking a sweat!

STAY-AT-HOME-CHEF: When my dear friend and contributing writer Jacqueline Twa called me up and demanded to know if I’d ever made soufflés, I knew the gig was up. My cover as a ‘foodie’ was about to be blown apart. Why? The truth was that I had never made a soufflé.

In my mind, soufflés were only attempted by true professionals with a minimum of 500 years’ experience in a highly coveted culinary institution. Their reputation for collapsing immediately after removal from the oven is the main reason why I have never attempted them before. And who can blame me?! I figured they were stereotyped as hair pullingly difficult for a reason. So I stayed away.

Until now.

When Jax responded to my confession by saying that she had never made a soufflé either, I began to feel better. When she suggested the two of us get together and give these fickle custard and egg white concoctions a try, I felt way better.

We decided to make both a sweet and savoury soufflé. Savoury wise we opted for Ina Garten’s Blue Cheese Soufflé. It is fairly straightforward (am I allowed to use the word ‘straightforward’ when describing soufflés?!) but be warned there are lots of steps. We ended up rereading the recipe numerous times just to make sure we hadn’t gotten off track amid all of our culinary nattering. And let me tell ya staying focused was no small feat! When Jax and I get together and talk food it’s like watching a high intensity sport. In fact, a friend once told me she likes to just sit and observe the two of us in dialogue!

For our sweet soufflé, we ended up going the chocolate route with a recipe by Real Epicurean. Immediately we were struck by the fact that there were a lot less steps and ingredients involved compared to Ina’s recipe. Being complete food nerds, we quickly became excited to see if the results would be markedly different too.

Soufflés are made from two basic components, specifically a French crème pâtissière base (flavoured cream sauce) and egg whites beaten into a meringue. The base provides the flavour while the egg whites create that fabulous lift.

While a successful soufflé should emerge from the oven gloriously fluffy and puffy, it will fall after 5-10 minutes so don’t worry if this happens! Both our savoury and sweet experiments rose beautifully (check out our in oven picture…we were extremely proud of our babies!)

The Blue Cheese was definitely our favourite (not surprisingly our little taste testers preferred the chocolate). Greasing the ramekins and sprinkling with parmesan cheese prior to adding the soufflé batter, resulted in this amazing crust that was salty and crisp. The blue cheese tasted wonderful and in no way did its strong flavour dominate the dish. The texture itself was perfect; light as air and lovely and rich.

The chocolate soufflés were also a hit, although I felt there was something lacking in the flavour department that left it a little one dimensional. Some cinnamon or a sprinkle of sea salt would have been fantastic, or even a pinch of chili pepper for a little burst of heat. Being lactose intolerant, poor Jax had to leave the tasting part up to me and the girls.

All in all our cooking adventure was chalked up as a great success. Hmmm…wonder what our next culinary Kilimanjaro will involve. Suggestions?!

Cookbook review written by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

Canada: the food, the recipes, the stories is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores

Something that Canadians have always struggled with is a clear definition of our national identity. With a country as rich in cultural, historical and geographical diversity as Canada we often succumb to a general description of being a multicultural melting pot. But our country and people are so much more complex than this rather generic description, and as a result we are continually seeking ways to better pay homage to the richness of the true north strong and free.

The same struggle to define Canadian culture can be extended to our food as well. What is traditional Canadian cuisine? With culinary influences that span the globe (including European inspiration on the east coast to the west coast’s Asian fusion), it is not easy to pinpoint the quintessential nature of Canadian food.

Anita Stewart is a renowned authority on Canadian cuisine, culinary activist, educator and food writer. Author of 14 books, Anita’s passion for showcasing the diversity of Canadian cuisine can best be described as contagious. She is also the creator of Food Day Canada®, an annual mid-summer celebration that promotes Canada’s rich culinary heritage.

Canada: the food, the recipes, the stories (published by HarperCollins Publishers, $34.95 CDN) brings together recipes from the past with the latest food trends. Each chapter is based around a traditional Canadian ingredient, including Maple, Honey & Molasses, Corn Beans & Squash, Salmon, Fish & Shellfish, Meat & Poultry, Gran, Potatoes, Dairy & Eggs, Fruit & Nuts.

Canada is part cookbook, travel guide and historical textbook that allows you to get to know the people behind the food. Initially when I bought the book my intentions were not culinary! I thought it would be a great coffee table book perfect for flipping through as a resource guide but that the recipes would be ho hum. What a pleasant surprise to discover each of the recipes I tested turned out fabulous. I can’t wait to cook from it some more! Patriotism never tasted this good.

Four-Generation Rhubarb Pie

RATING: 5 out of 5 (superb rhubarb pie with a unique egg white filling)

THE TEST: I had a fridge full of fresh rhubarb and the kids were tired of the muffins and chutney I had been making, so I decided to use the last of my stash and make this pie. The recipe is from a family in Ontario, and Anita Stewart described it as the most delicious version of rhubarb pie she’s ever tasted. Fred Gordon’s family have been making this pie for generations, each person writing the recipe out by hand before passing it down.

Ignoring the premade pie crust that was calling my name from within the depths of my freezer, I made the Sweet Tart Pastry recipe in the book which can also be used for butter tarts. The dough came together nicely and was easy to use, rolling out smoothly without any breakage or temper tantrums.

To make the filling you first need a paste made from sugar, flour, salt, the zest and juice of an orange and melted butter. To this you add egg yolks and diced rhubarb, before folding the whole thing into meringue.

THE RESULTS: When the pie first came out of the oven we were not overly wowed into digging in before it had a proper chance to cool…a common occurrence in our household when it comes to pie. It looked rather unassuming. But as soon as we took a bite we knew this was no ordinary pie. Talk about a surprise! Mr. Spock and I were both taken aback by how absolutely phenomenal this pie tasted. It was incredible! The pastry was perfect; nice and flaky with a slight sweetness that went well with the natural tartness of the rhubarb. The filling was light from the meringue but tasted almost custard-like from the egg yolks, while the orange complimented the flavour of the rhubarb and brightened the whole dessert.

I’m so glad that the Gordon family of Elora (ON) shared their treasured family recipe with Anita for inclusion in her book. It truly belongs in everyone’s family cookbook…I know it will be added to mine.

Giant Pumpkin & Apricot Muffins with Sugary Nut Topping

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 (very moist, loved the combination of spices)

THE TEST: This recipe was developed by Anita Stewart as part of an article she wrote for Homemakers Magazine back in the 80’s when giant muffins were all the rage. The sugary nut topping can include the nut of your choice, including walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts.

The muffins were straightforward to prepare, a typical cake-like batter that involves creaming the sugar and adding eggs until light and fluffy before mixing in the dry and wet ingredients. (See how much I’m learning about muffins courtesy of Muffin Mondays?!) The muffins are then topped with brown sugar and the nut of your choice (I opted for walnuts).

THE RESULTS: I instantly fell in love with these muffins and cannot wait to make them again. They turned out incredibly moist with a lovely spiced flavour infused with fall flavours. The crunchy nut topping was delicious, and I am excited to experiment with different nut combinations. I think macadamia nuts would be absolutely heavenly paired with the dried apricots, perhaps with some white chocolate chips thrown in just because.

The dash of almond extract imparts a subtle flavour but is so unexpected. Personally I thought the hint of almond was the best part of these muffins. So tasty!

Salmon Spring Rolls with Sweet Plum Dipping Sauce

RATING: 5 out of 5 (addictive spring rolls & the absolute BEST plum sauce!)

For a copy of this recipe, please click here

THE TEST: This recipe comes from my home province of British Columbia, and is a fun twist on traditional spring rolls that fully utilizes the concept of Asian fusion. At first I was intimidated by the idea of making my own spring rolls, but I took a deep breath and a sip of vino and got to work taking things one step at a time. And you know what? It was pretty straight forward!

First you process the spring roll filling which consists of capers, onion, lemon juice, mayo, dill, salt and pepper, and fresh salon. I used sockeye but coho would also work. Next you brush the edges of the spring roll wrappers (typically found in produce sections of most grocery stores) with an egg wash, place a spoonful of filling in the middle and roll up like a cigar.

I opted to deep fry the spring rolls in a mini Dutch oven on the stovetop. Whether you choose to pan fry or use a deep fryer, be careful your oil temperature does not stray far from the 350 F degrees listed in the recipe. Too hot and the exterior will burn while the filling will be undercooked. Too cold and the spring roll will taste oily.

THE RESULTS: Our minds were blown by how amazing these spring rolls tasted! I must admit to initially being a tad wary of the salmon filling, fearing an overpowering fishy taste. Not the case. The salmon was cooked perfectly and tasted fresh and mellow. The capers, citrus and dill provided a classic seafood flavour profile that was familiar yet still exciting.

The Sweet Plum Dipping Sauce was hands down the best plum sauce we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. The sweet plum jam was perfectly balanced with the acidic apple cider vinegar and salty soy sauce. Ginger and garlic gave the sauce a freshness that was mellowed out with apple juice, and a jalapeño pepper gave the dip a nice bite. Perfection.

We are well into summer; why wouldn’t I be obsessed with meat pies?

I blame my endless production of winter comfort food on the weather. Anyone who lives on the West Coast knows what I’m talking about! Up until a couple of weeks ago we had not been graced with more than half a dozen spring days let alone any long lazy days of summer. Thoughts of picnics with crispy fried chicken and potato salad, or a late afternoon barbeque holding an overstuffed burger out from the front of your shirt in order to save yourself from the usual mustard coloured stain down the front have been far from top of mind.

Okay where was I? Oh yes…meat pies.

Personally, I love meat pies and have been making them ever since I was a kid and first learned to make pastry. Nowadays, I often try to shake it up and add new elements to my recipe repertoire. This penchant for changing things up all the time to avoid boredom has resulted in a collection of morphed recipes that originated from classics. For example; often I add curry and turmeric to my chicken pot pies. I have also been known to use Ras el Hanout and grated orange zest to beef pot pies. I love classic French Canadian Tourtière, Shepherd’s Pie and English Steak and Kidney Pie. I love Jamaican Patties, Scottish Pasties, Indian Samosas, American Pizza Pops and even Chinese Barbeque Pork Buns which arguably are a kind of pie (okay let’s not fight – they are a pastry).

Whatever type of meat pie happens to be your favourite, the best part about making them is that they are super versatile and hard to screw up.

My Mother used to make a fairly simple single crust meat pie called “Cheeseburger Pie” which was a weeknight dinner staple in our house. Whenever we walked in the door and inquired about what we were having for dinner and she told us Cheeseburger Pie, we would all cheer!

I can still envision her tattered recipe card, written in her beautiful hand.  Stained withy decades of use, I know I still have it somewhere and while writing this I have vowed to dig it out to remind me of those long ago family dinners.

Now as for the pastry potion of this program, I am a firm believer in good pastry. I believe in making my own from scratch and I believe in using shortening for pastry. No butter crust for this girl – especially in a savoury pie.

If the idea of making pastry strikes fear into your heart, there are variety of decent ready-made pie doughs available so you don’t have any excuse: hang the weather and go make meat pies!

Here is my basic pie crust recipe along with a few of my favorite meat pies (including my Mom’s kid pleasing Cheeseburger Pie):

Jax’s Basic Meat Pie Crust
Jax’s French Canadian Tourtière
Jax’s Chicken Pot Pie
Mom’s Cheeseburger Pie

Have you ever woken up to the faint smell of bacon wafting into your room? Have you ever been walking down a hallway or been in a room and caught the whiff of the tantalizing smell of the world’s best carnivorous delight being fried? It’s almost as if you can already taste the crispy, salty goodness – you can imagine the taste, feel the thrill, live the moment.

That’s how it is right now with the Vancouver Canucks. We can taste the victory, smell the Stanley Cup, live the dream before it happens. Okay, admittedly my argument for a connection between hockey and bacon is a bit shaky at best but you read this far didn’t you?!

This month, rather than a full-fledged recipe I would like to talk about my many trials and tribulations in the advanced field of cooking bacon. Some people are fryers, some people are microwavers (shame on you lot)…I have seen bacon deep fried and (gasp) saw one idiot actually try to barbeque the stuff.

But I am here to attest that after years of trial and error, I think I have found the best method to consistently achieve that perfect strip of bacon. How? Roasting it off in the oven.

My method is simple and starts with a very hot oven (425 F degrees). I place a piece of parchment down on a simple cookie sheet and place a rack on top – I hate greasy messes, hence the parchment.

Now I personally believe that the best roasting results are achieved with room temperature meats going into a hot oven so as not to bring down the oven temperature when you place it inside. I position the bacon on the rack so each slice is as close together as possible without overlapping. The more rashers the better! You know each and every piece will disappear.

I am also a big believer that you can improve upon the taste of bacon by adding additional flavour. Wow – I can already hear the gasp, see the raised brows, eavesdrop on the snort of indignation from the bacon purists (you know who you are) that my comment has just caused.

The first step in flavour addition is to decide what you want to put on the bacon – another gasp from the crowd. Yes, I like to dress my bacon up a bit. I have been known to sprinkle white sugar on top before baking it off, I’ve tried cane sugar and I’ve tried a sprinkle of liquid smoke. I have also based it with maple syrup, balsamic reduction, Kahlua, barbeque sauce and even tried molasses. I have dusted it with things like garlic powder, granulated garlic, garlic salt, onion powder, curry powder, cayenne pepper, wasabi powder and even coriander and cumin. I’ve tried dousing it with pepper, paprika, blackening spices and honey, as well as grainy mustard, teriyaki sauce and thick soya sauce.

Don’t get me wrong – I am not espousing the idea that you absolutely must have some sort of flavour topper for your bacon; I’m just saying you should feel free to think outside the box now and then and experiment. At the very least simply try giving it a very small sprinkle of brown sugar with the tiniest pinch of cayenne pepper. Whatever you decide to try, rest assured that you really can’t go wrong. Then again my family would eat grass if I sprinkled bacon on top.

Place the bacon in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes – don’t flip it, don’t move it around and don’t try sneaking a test piece as you will burn your tongue. I speak from experience. Remove the bacon and give it a few minutes to rest before removing it from the rack so it can firm up a bit. Serve and sit back and watch your family wallow in bacon bliss.

Until next time…

Sorry. Yes I actually did just title my post “what’s the big whoop”. But one bite of these highly debated increasingly popular baked treats and you’ll understand why the corny in me just has to come out.

For us west coasters, the whole whoopie craze has only recently started to make an appearance in the pop food scene. A perfect combination of sandwich cookie and cake, the traditional version consists of dark chocolaty cake with a creamy marshmallow filling. However similar to what we saw happen with cupcakes, whoopie pies are becoming more trendy and fancy in terms of taste and flavour combinations.

It was time I discovered what all the fuss was about.

My first stop? A famous coffee shop chain which recently started selling a red velvet variety of whoopie pies. One bite of the overly sweet cardboard tasting treats and I knew my search would need to be expanded. So I headed down to Tracycakes Bakery Café. Located right on White Rock Beach in British Columbia, this is a chic and cozy café popular with locals and tourists alike. Designed to create a special experience for customers that centers around good food and good hospitality, everyone who steps into the store is made to feel warm and welcome but in an elegant way.

Known for their cupcakes (in 2009 The National Post named them the most retro delicious cupcake in Canada) Tracycakes also serves up continental breakfasts, soups, salads, sandwiches and light lunches. But the newest treat to hit their stores? Whoppie pies.

“If you can’t decide between a piece of cake or cookie, why not have both?!” reasons owner Tracy Dueck. Hard to find fault with that kind of logic!

Tracycakes started carrying whoppie pies just last month, after slaving away in their kitchens creating and tweaking recipes since October of last year.

“We wanted to make sure that we had the perfect recipe before launching our whoopie pies,” Dueck explains. “It was difficult to get the perfect consistency of cakey cookies that are not too soft but are still nice and moist.”

Current flavours available at their stores include Toasted Marshmallow, Peppermint Patty, Raspberry, Salted Caramel, Chocolate, Vanilla and (my personal favourite) Cookies n Creme.

When I asked Tracy why the sudden surge in popularity of whoopie pies, she said that one of the most common responses she gets from customers is that they are easier to eat. It’s true! Because the icing is sandwiched in the middle you don’t get that classic icing nose as with cupcakes. People who don’t like cupcakes tend to enjoy eating whoopie pies, often siting the lesser quantity of icing as one of the most appealing factors. Personally I enjoy both cupcakes and whoopie pies. What can I say?! I don’t like to play favourites.

Last year saw a number of whoopie pie specific cookbooks published (with more in the works), and Wilton has released a whoopie pie baking pan for those concerned with uniformity. This isn’t a trend that will be going away anytime soon, so why not jump on board the whoopie pie train and try them for yourself!

For more information on Tracycakes Bakery Café, please click here

Want to try making your own whoopie pies? Click here for a recipe courtesy of Tracycakes Bakery Café

Want to see something really funny?  Tell your kids (or even better tell your husband) that you are making liver for dinner. Then sit back and watch their faces.

Grown men – including the toughest tough guy types – turn into squeamish, yuk-faced babies at the thought of eating liver. Children have a look of horror that cannot be duplicated by any other means, and I cannot even begin to explain the true depth of the teenage facial experience.

Growing up, my mother would make liver and whenever that happened we would all protest vociferously and pitch fits. But no matter how much we would whine and complain, the liver always had to be eaten. You see, my mother and father were Prairie people and grew up eating things that didn’t come from beneath a saran wrapped package or from underneath a mainstream glass fronted butcher’s counter. They ate liver and kidneys and tongue and tripe – yuk!

It’s not that we were so opposed to eating liver, the problem was that my mom had a family recipe that she always used during the once a month ritual torture. We called it the “mom’s cooking liver tonight” recipe.

Now my mother fancied herself a gourmet cook, and for the most part she was a good cook. But her crazy idea about how to cook liver left a lot to be desired. Basically she would take the liver and poach it in tomato juice which made the liver dry and taste terrible, the meat tough and chewy versus the wonderful, creamy, savory yum that can result from a wonderfully spiced and perfectly cooked piece of liver.

When it comes to liver, you should know that there are several different classifications of people:

• First off there are the “hate liver” people. They hate liver. Really, really hate liver. They do not eat any kind of liver, ever, period.
• Next are the “neither one way nor the other” liver people. Depending on the dish they could be coerced into giving it a try.
• Then we have the “like liver” people. Eternal optimists that will try anything once and as long as it tastes good they will eat it again. Really, it doesn’t matter so long as it tastes good.
• Lastly are the “love liver” people. They are just weird.

Now I happen to be a “like liver” person. Never mistake me for a “love liver” chick; I don’t want to be painted with that brush. In comparison, my husband is a “hate liver” person. He also happens to be German, which is interesting as most Germans tend to be “like liver” people. Go figure.

In general I like to think that liver people are more enterprising and outgoing, more emotionally sensitive and attractive. So what are you waiting for?! Try my amazing liver recipe. Right now. Seriously.

Click here for a copy of Jax’s Spicy Chicken Livers recipe

The fact of the matter is that women fake it sometimes.

Now I am aware that as a woman I really should not be divulging this information, but I am and we do. Deal with it people.

As women our lives are complex and busy enough as it is, so who can blame us if we aren’t always in the right frame of mind or have the physical ability to get to the real thing. I know most women don’t usually admit to things like this – but I must stand up and say loud and proud that I fake it now and then. Truth be told I fake it almost every day. Honestly, for me it’s a matter of necessity. No really – hear me out!

I can’t eat dairy products. Dairy makes me ill – the yucky kind of ill that makes me diligent about avoiding it at all costs. The tricky thing is that I happen to love the way dairy products look and smell, the shameless foodie within me constantly imagining how the addition of something creamy and stringy and gooey would enhance a particular dish.

I know countless women who given the choice would rather sacrifice wine or chocolate in place of cheese. So in a valiant effort to not appear handicapped, I always try to recreate foods that traditionally contain dairy and make them into lactose free masterpieces that taste better than the real deal.

Speaking of dairy, everyone loves Caesar salad, right? Whenever I see people eating Caesar salad my mouth starts to water. That garlicky smell, the gentle snowstorm of pungent white Parmesan…I have always been jealous of the lucky consumers of such deliciousness.

Every time my husband breathes his garlicky Caesar satisfaction in my direction, I am forced into that ‘how unfair’ feeling. Consequently, I have tried many times to make a dairy-free Caesar salad and many times I have failed. Somehow they just never seemed to satisfy my lust for that specific dairy flavour profile.

Fortunately all of my efforts eventually led to designing a recipe that I think give other Caesar dressings a run for their money. All of the signature flavours are present and the overall taste is great, even without Parmesan. Most of my dairy eating friends prefer this version and my own ravenous horde (aka, my family) ask me to make it almost every time they come for dinner – and in my world that’s the test that matters most.

Jax’s ‘Fake’ Caesar Salad
Start with a cup of good mayonnaise – people who avoid things that come out of an udder know that mayonnaise is next to godliness. Never buy cheap mayo! Add 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard. Mash 3 whole anchovies or add a big squirt of anchovy paste and add to the dressing. Oh get over it – put them in! Add about 2 toes of crushed garlic (even better if you use roasted garlic). Include a good six or seven shots of Worcestershire, salt and pepper (to taste) and whip into a frenzy. This dressing will last well in the fridge for over a week.

Next, put sliced pancetta (two slices per person) on parchment and roast them off on a baking sheet in a 425 F degree oven for about 10 minutes (thickness can vary final cooking time). When the Pancetta discs are crispy and brown take them out and set them aside.

Cube up any day old bread you have (artesian breads are obviously the best choice) and toss them in the leftover pancetta fat. If the cubes are too dry, add olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste and toast in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until crunchy and golden.

Cut a trimmed head of Romaine lettuce in half and place on a plate.

In a back and forth motion, drizzle the salad with the dressing and a balsamic reduction (I use a bottled variety). Sprinkle with the croutons and add 3 or four toes of roasted garlic over the top, garnishing with the pancetta on the side.

If you absolutely must, finely grate Parmesan over the whole thing. Damn you.