Food & Wine Magazine: October Cover Recipe

November 6, 2012


Written & photographed by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

As part of my culinary New Year’s resolutions, I have committed to creating each month’s cover recipe from Food & Wine Magazine. Joining me along the way is my fellow blogger Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée, and our resident wine expert Kendall Harris of Wine2Three who provides us with fantastic wine pairings for each month’s cover.

Want to join in on the fun? We’d love the company! Pick-up a copy of the latest issue of Food & Wine and get cooking. Be sure to send me an email at info@cookthatbook.com to let me know you made the cover recipe, and if you’re a blogger don’t forget to post a link to your post in the comments below.

Ricotta & Fontina Stuffed Shells with Fennel & Radicchio

Rating: 5 out of 5 (great vegetarian option for Thanksgiving)

Initial Thoughts: October’s cover recipe screams comfort food!

THE TEST: This month was extra special for me as it heralded the return of my culinary cohort Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée, plus I had the pleasure of cooking and sharing this meal with Kendall Harris of Wine2Three! Our resident wine expert is currently on sabbatical in France for the next several months, so I was thrilled to host her for a Food & Wine Magazine cover dinner before she flew across the Atlantic. It was so much fun being able to experience this month’s recipe and wine pairing together at the same table. Definitely something that we will have to do again in the future.

Now on to the food!

After what has felt like an endless stream of meat dishes, it was with enthused relief that I prepared to tackle this pasta dish. Stuffed with sautéed fennel and radicchio along with ricotta and fontina cheeses, this recipe is meant to suffice as a vegetarian main dish option for Thanksgiving. Baked in a homemade marinara sauce and layered with additional fontina, it was easy to see how seasonally appropriate this pasta bake would be to serve guests at this time of year.

The recipe itself is not difficult, but there are several steps involved. Feel free to use a good quality jarred marinara sauce if you are short on time, but believe me when I say this sauce is definitely worth the extra effort. Olive oil is infused with garlic before tomato paste, whole tomatoes and basil are added along with salt and pepper and some sugar for sweetness, and a dash of cream.

THE RESULTS: Initially after tasting the fennel/radicchio mixture I was concerned it would be too bitter, but once it had a chance to bake everything mellowed out nicely and even the flavour of fennel was not overpowering. The creaminess of the cheese mixture (fontina – where have you been all my life!) balanced the bite of the veggies and the acidicy of the tomato sauce. The results? Perfectly balanced pasta dish that was full of fantastic flavours and deeply satisfying. I was surprised at how hearty the fennel and radicchio filling turned out; it was ironically very meaty!

One piece of advice I would offer is to let the veggies cool completely before adding the rest of the ingredients for the filling. This display of patience will help prevent everything from melting together and allow each ingredient to stand out more independently from the others.

And as for the tomato sauce? No wonder it’s called Best-Ever Marinara! Hands down one of the best (and easiest) tomato sauces I’ve had the pleasure of making.

Well-done Grace Parisi…yet another successful cover recipe.

(Don’t forget to hop on over to Food, Je t’Aimée to see how our fair Aimée made out with this recipe!)

 

Cover Recipe: Ricotta-and-Fontina-Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio

The mission of Food & Wine Magazine is to find the most exciting places, new experiences, emerging trends and sensations in the culinary and wine industries. From travel and entertaining to luxury and design, this magazine brings an energetic and stylish take on food and wine. For more information on Food & Wine Magazine, please visit www.foodandwine.com 


Wine Pairing by Kendall Harris of Wine2Three

I had such fun watching Jasmine cook this amazing meal and take the time to photograph the beautiful pictures you see above! For this particular meal I brought an Italian wine; Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. I enjoyed sharing it with Jasmine and chatting with her about its flavour and how well it paired with this wonderful meal.

I have a special relationship with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Back in my ’20s, I tasted a wine I liked and noticed it said Montepulciano d’Abruzzo on the label. At the time I wasn’t sure if that was the name of the wine, the company who bottled it, or the name of a castle in Italy. But what I did know was that I loved the wine and had to seek it out again. The next time I was in a wine shop, I asked for a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and was subsequently handed a wine with a different label than I remembered. I was a bit confused, but when I tasted the wine it held the same delicious qualities. It has since become my go-to Italian wine! I now know that Montepulciano is the name of the grape, and Abruzzo is the region (essentially it means the Montepulciano grape of Abruzzo).

NOTE: To add to the confusion there happens to be a town in Italy called Montepulciano, which produces a wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This wine is not made with the Montepulciano grape, it is made with Sangiovese which is Italy’s most planted red grape variety. But I digress!

After Sangiovese, Montepulciano is Italy’s second most widely dispersed indigenous grape variety. It produces a wine that pairs perfectly with the Italian dish we enjoyed from this month’s cover. It is not a heavy wine and so is perfect to serve alongside pasta, plus it has that wonderful acidity (the quality that makes your mouth water) for which Italian wines are renowned. Jasmine noticed some nice spice in it, and we both loved how fruity and bright it tasted. I hope this is a wine you explore and enjoy with your next Italian meal (maybe this recipe?) – cheers!

Kendall Harris is a wine blogger who shares her adventures in the wine world as Wine2three on Twitter & Facebook. She has an Advanced Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is passionate about sharing her wine knowledge with others. “Like” her page on Facebook for fun, informative wine posts!  

Posted in: Food & Wine Cover Recipes, The Back Burner – 1 Comment

Thomas Keller – Bouchon Bakery

October 29, 2012

I have to admit that initially I was tickled pink when a blog comment from Thomas Keller appeared in my email. But after it was quickly followed by one from Katniss Everdeen I knew that it was only spam.

Needless to say I went from cloud nine visions of having finally ‘made’ it in the food-writing world to the reality of needing to get a better spam filter. Those crafty spammer folks knew just what to do in order to get my heart pumping.

Thomas Keller.

Most people associate Keller’s name with his famed list of restaurants that include The French Laundry, Per Se, Ad Hoc, and Bouchon. But what some of you may not realize is that he also owns five bakeries. And unlike the target audiences of his flagship restaurants, Keller’s bakeries speak the universal language of baked goods.

Keller, Thomas (cr. Deborah Jones)

Inspired by the boulangeries (bakeries) of Paris, Thomas Keller and his team launched the Bouchon Bakery in 2003 next to their Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, CA. The success of the bakery has since resulted in additional stores in Las Vegas, New York City and Beverly Hills. All of their delicacies are based on traditional French baking techniques, and include everything from lunchtime staples like quiche and salads, to simple baked goods such as cookies and muffins, to the delicate macron, traditional French Viennoiserie (croissants, milk-bread doughs, brioche), and even treats for your four legged friends (dog biscuits enriched with foie gras and chicken stock).

This past week saw the release of Keller’s much anticipated book; Bouchon Bakery. Written by Thomas Keller and his pastry chef Sebastien Rouxel, this book has the anal attention to detail that readers have come to expect (and I happen to love) from a Keller cookbook. Details are meticulously laid out and accompanied by step-by-step photography to further illustrate techniques. I love baking recipes that have been scaled down from their original professional quantities with measurements given in weight. Honestly, if you plan to bake from this book buy a scale and embrace working with grams. You will be surprised by the favourable difference this has on your results. If you don’t have access to a scale, there are volume amounts offered as an alternative, but be prepared to face quantities such as “1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon”.

One recipe from the book I’d like to share with you is for the bakery’s famed Rum Cake. It is simple in terms of ingredients and overall taste, and yet it holds a plethora of layers that keep you coming back for more. I love the pureness embraced by this recipe. It is a classic cake that similar to the little black dress in your closet will never go out of style.

The batter itself is simple, consisting solely of a whack load of butter (we’re talking Paula Deen quantities here folks!), eggs, almond flour with a tad of all-purpose thrown in the mix, and of course rum.

Unfortunately my first attempt at this cake resulted in a crumbly disaster, my own fault as I couldn’t resist the pretty red Bundt pan that would look oh so lovely in the photos. Vanity won out over function. But the second time around I made sure to slather on an obscene amount of butter in my pan prior to adding the batter. I also found it helped to let the cake cool completely before attempting to remove it from the pan.

A rum simple syrup is brushed over the cake before it is drizzled with a rum icing.

The perfect rainy day indulgence with afternoon tea.

Bouchon Bakery is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this book please visit Thomas Allen & Son.

For a copy of the recipe for Rum Cake, please click here

Posted in: The Back Burner – 2 Comments

Food & Wine Magazine: September Cover Recipe

October 20, 2012


Written & photographed by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

As part of my culinary New Year’s resolutions, I have committed to creating each month’s cover recipe from Food & Wine Magazine. Joining me along the way is my fellow blogger Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée, and our resident wine expert Kendall Harris of Wine2Three who provides us with fantastic wine pairings for each month’s cover.

Want to join in on the fun? We’d love the company! Pick-up a copy of the latest issue of Food & Wine and get cooking. Be sure to send me an email at info@cookthatbook.com to let me know you made the cover recipe, and if you’re a blogger don’t forget to post a link to your post in the comments below.

 

Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano-Corn Sauce & Salsa

Rating: 4 out of 5 (great flavours, quick & easy entertaining)

Initial Thoughts: Am I having deja-vu? Didn’t we just have a steak cover?! Not that anyone in my family would ever dream of complaining about steak, but so far this year’s covers have been pretty meaty. A crazy dessert. That’s what I’m holding out for…

THE TEST: This month I was once again alone in the kitchen as Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée was busy putting the finishing touches on her new site, which I am happy to announce is now live! You can check it out here. Luckily Kendall Harris of Wine2Three was able to keep me company with yet another excellent wine pairing! Don’t forget to check out her article at the bottom of this post…her choice of Carmenere went perfectly with the buttery skirt steak.

Mouthwatering would have to be the way I’d describe the photo on this month’s cover. But it wasn’t until I read through the recipe that I realized this particular dish had been developed as part of a 3-ingredient recipe challenge. I immediately became intrigued!

Grilled fresh corn and poblano chile are the star flavours alongside the steak. Half of the vegetable mixture is pureed into a smooth sauce, while the remainder becomes a chunky salsa to spoon over top of the meat. This dish came together quickly and easily…especially with Mr. Spock manning the grill. In terms of entertainment food, this would be a perfect recipe to serve guests as the sauce/salsa can be made beforehand and the steak only needs a quick sear on the grill before dinner is on the table. Serve this up with a couple of quick sides and BAM! (Sorry – couldn’t resist channeling me some Emeril).

THE RESULTS: I must admit that I was skeptical as to how much flavour impact this dish was going to have with only three ingredients, two of which (poblanos and corn) I find to be quite mild in taste. But low and behold, this recipe turned out to be a hit at our house! The corn and pepper held a nice sweetness from the grill that was full flavoured and roasted. Combined with the buttery taste of the skirt steak, this dish was balanced, fresh and exciting. The pureed sauce combined with the chunky salsa gave everything an interesting textural difference.

Yes – I would have liked some cilantro, maybe some lime juice and red pepper flakes – but as far as a 3-ingredient challenge goes this was inspired. I will definitely be playing around with this recipe in the future.

Cover Recipe:
Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano-Corn Sauce & Salsa 

The mission of Food & Wine Magazine is to find the most exciting places, new experiences, emerging trends and sensations in the culinary and wine industries. From travel and entertaining to luxury and design, this magazine brings an energetic and stylish take on food and wine. For more information on Food & Wine Magazine, please visit www.foodandwine.com

 

Wine Pairing by Kendall Harris of Wine2Three

Carmenere is one of my favorite red wines for grilled meat! Carmenere is famous for being the signature grape of Chile and also famous for its cool life story. It was first grown hundreds of years ago in the famous French region of Bordeaux, and was pretty much wiped out during the late 1800′s when the Phylloxera epidemic hit Europe and destroyed most of its vineyards. Luckily, it had been exported to Chile where it was thriving but the Chileans assumed it was the Merlot grape. Until…in 1994 a French Professor of Oenology corrected everyone: this Chilean grape was not Merlot, but long lost Carmenere! So in a sense, Carmenere is a relatively NEW discovery and the pride and joy of Chile.

Carmenere is a red wine that is characterized by its deep crimson color and its aromas and flavours of red fruits and berries. It often holds a pleasing spiciness which makes it pair wonderfully with grilled meats. The best Carmenere comes from Chilean producers like Concha y Toro, who not only vinify it on its own but also blend it with other grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to make some interesting blends. This is a wine varietal to get to know, and one that can be enjoyed at some very excellent prices as well! Enjoy your taste of Chile!

Kendall Harris is a wine blogger who shares her adventures in the wine world as Wine2three on Twitter & Facebook. She has an Advanced Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is passionate about sharing her wine knowledge with others. “Like” her page on Facebook for fun, informative wine posts!

 

Posted in: Food & Wine Cover Recipes, The Back Burner – 2 Comments

COOKBOOK REVIEW Classic Artisan Baking

October 16, 2012


Review written & photographed by Helena McMurdo

Classic Artisan Baking is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this book please visit Thomas Allen & Son.  

Julian Day is the proprietor of Meg Rivers Artisan Bakery, a popular UK mail order cake company that has been shipping treats around the world for over 25 years. The company was originally started by Meg Rivers, a busy mom wanting to make cakes free from preservatives and artificial colourings. Julian ran a successful food wholesaling business in rural Warwickshire and was approached by Meg’s family after her death to take over the Meg Rivers business. Having now run the company for several years, Julian decided it was time to put together a cookbook with the original Meg Rivers recipes and bakery favourites.

At 140 pages plus index, the book is divided into sections for different types of baking with recipes for family cakes, small cakes, brownies and bars, biscuits and cookies, loaves, breads, and tarts. And what beautiful recipes! The book is filled with traditional British favourites like Caraway Seed Cake, Lemon Drizzle Cake, Bakewell Slices as well as fun treats like Traffic Light Tarts; jam filled tart shells in red, yellow and green. The tart section features tempting desserts like Rhubarb & Marscapone Tart and Tarte au Citron.

I love leafing through a cookbook and finding lots to enjoy and savour on every page. In fact, I found myself constantly ticking boxes and adding sticky notes to recipes I want to make in the future. The beautiful photography by Steve Painter very much contributes to the overall enjoyment of the book. I felt like I was peering through the windows of British country farmhouses and seeing all of these beautiful treats laid out inside.

Be prepared for a few unfamiliar items such as self-raising flour, readily available on shelves in the UK but harder to find in North America. However, you can easily search online to find recipes for blending your own self-raising flour. I also found myself envious of all the pretty and useful cake tin liners that the author seemed to employ in many of the cakes, which try as I might I could not seem to find. Instead I settled for parchment paper, which of course worked just as well (if perhaps not as prettily).

A word about pans: many of the recipes call for 6-inch or 7-inch pans (not our usual North American 8-inch standard). Being a total sucker for all things cute and small I succumbed and bought two new pans, somewhat begrudgingly at first. But any resentment soon vanished once I saw my lovely little cakes.

These small quirks might put off some readers, but I felt that the overall results of the recipes and the delicious cakes were worth all of the additional effort. I found lots of inspiration in the simplicity of the recipes.

One final small note about the overall size of the book: it’s not something I’d usually mention but at 7.5 x 9.5-inches, this book employs the smaller size that I’m seeing being used now by many cookbook publishers and I have to say I quite like this trend. It fits easily in my handbag, and doesn’t take up the whole counter when open. Yes, I am one of those people who often will be found carrying cookbooks around in my handbag! And this is exactly the kind of book I’d toss in any day of the week.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW

Posted in: Contributing Writers, Cookbook Reviews – 3 Comments

COOKBOOK REVIEW The Gluten-Free Aisan Kitchen

October 2, 2012


Cookbook review written & photographed by Andrea Savard

The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this cookbook please visit Random House of Canada. 

 

The moment I opened this attractive and well-organized book I was impressed and excited to start cooking! I have always been a huge fan of Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, since soy sauce traditionally contains wheat and is one of the main ingredients used in Asian dishes, this means I typically need to avoid the cuisine. I am always envious when I see people picking up takeout orders from their neighbourhood Chinese restaurant. Being able to eat at any restaurant without second thought is something you take for granted until suddenly you’re faced with strict dietary constraints. But thanks to Laura Russell’s The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen: recipes for noodles, dumplings, sauces & more (published by Celestial Arts, $22.99 USD) I will now be able to enjoy all of my favorite Asian fare again.

What I love about this book is the colourful and well-photographed food, which is a refreshing change from many GF cookbooks out there (and a personal pet peeve). I like the way that Russell organizes the recipes into categories, instead of by country of origin as is the case with many Asian cookbooks. She even includes an entire chapter for desserts and Asian inspired cocktails (the Saketini, made with cucumber and lime was light and refreshing).

The ingredients listed in this book are mostly available at local grocery stores; surprisingly I had the majority of ingredients on hand already. All of the recipes appear to be very user friendly, although the dumplings looked like they would require a solid afternoon’s time commitment.

This cookbook has taught me that cooking delicious, gluten-free Asian inspired dishes is easier than I thought. It requires a few different combinations of spices and some items that might not be in your cupboard, but everything is readily available in most grocery stores. This book will be a mainstay in my kitchen. With summer officially over and temperatures starting to dip, I look forward to cooking up warming dishes such as Asian Braised Short Ribs with Star Anise, Gingery Pork Potstickers, along with the abundant number of curries listed in the book.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW

Posted in: Contributing Writers, Cookbook Reviews – 2 Comments

Fifty Shades of Gray Poupon

September 25, 2012


Written & photographed by contributing writer Jacqueline Twa

I spent most of my formative years out here on the beautiful west coast, and grew up sheltered from many things…including condiments.

Well, ketchup and mayonnaise have always been a part of my life but mustard was something rare and really bright yellow – sun shiny yellow. In our home it was only to be used sparingly. A little swipe on a ham sandwich on white bread, or sometimes on a hot dog. This brilliantly coloured condiment was definitely not something that you encountered every day. At least in my family.

Looking back now, I realize that I was a mustard innocent. But all of that sweet naiveté was stripped away in junior high school when I met and befriended Yvette, a girl who had just moved to our city. She came from France, and as a result seemed incredibly unique, very sophisticated, and oh so worldly.

I shall always remember the day I was first asked to come over to her house for dinner.

I had never seen anything like the food that was put in front of me. They even had hor’derves – and on a Tuesday night no less! Yvette’s Mom came over to us with a tray of tiny round crackers with what I thought was going to be mayonnaise and a sweet pickle, but in actuality was a tiny cornichon with a healthy slathering of Dijon mustard as its sexy pillow.

I took one, thanked her politely, and popped it into my mouth.

My scalp tingled and my eyes widened at this first taste. My virgin tastebuds were assaulted, slowly heating my mouth and shocking my senses into total oblivion. I abruptly feelt a stiffening in my mouth, my lips throbbing from the tangy assault. I spat out this unfamiliar experience into a million little pieces, watching helplessly as they fell into the depths of my napkin.

My mouth spent and exhausted, my chest heaving from the heady experience.  A strange and somehow savory, sexy taste lingering on my lips from the mustard. It was at this point that I knew deep inside that I would forever be bound to mustard – my new dark, savoury obsession.

When I mentioned this experience to my Mom after returning home later that night, she just rolled her eyes at the thought of serving 14 year olds hor’derves!

Thus began my fetish with mustard.  I dared not tell anyone about my obsession for fear they wouldn’t understand. When I left home and moved out on my own, I immediately went to the grocery store and bought several types of contraband mustard and brought them home to explore and embrace my new mustard-centric lifestyle.

Eventually I did come out of hiding and openly admit that I like mustard. I even began serving it at dinner parties. Today it is unusual for me to make any kind of savory sauce, vinaigrette, wet rub or barbeque sauce without adding at least some mustard. My family enjoys mustard and the things I make with it, with the exception of my middle son who has a morbid fear of mustard in any form.

Perhaps like me, he just needs to experience a mustard awakening.

Laters, baby!

For a copy of Jax’s Mustard Chicken please click here


Posted in: Contributing Writers, The Back Burner – 7 Comments

COOKBOOK REVIEW The Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook

September 14, 2012


Review written & photographed by Jordan A.R.

The Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this cookbook please visit Thomas Allen & Son. 

The Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook (published by Skyhorse Publishing, $17.95 USD) is written by Wendy Polisi, creator of the popular website CookingQuinoa.net. This book is a collection of over two hundred of Wendy’s quinoa-inspired recipes, and includes nutritional information for each dish as well as tips on preparation and ingredient substitutions. The recipes cover a wide spectrum of dietary genres, including vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free. There are also kid specific recipes, as well as suggested meals to serve on busy weeknights when you’re short on time but still want to serve something healthy.

I have to admit that I found the photography completely uninspiring. It is said that we eat with our eyes, and the same follows true with cooking: we want to cook what looks good to eat. Obviously publishers don’t have unlimited budgets and high caliber food photography is not cheap, but this book would have really benefited from some more consideration in terms of its overall visual appeal.

Some of the other issues I have with the book are in regards to basic edits. For example; I found the suggested cook times and temperatures not only to be inaccurate but also inconsistent with what is listed online. There were even instances where itemized ingredients were nowhere to be found in the recipe itself, while more commonsense ingredient additions were excluded. After double-checking the website I found the same recipes online without errors.

If you’re interested in a beautiful recipe book about quinoa, something like Quinoa 365 deserves purchase. But if all you want are some quick, simple recipes using this South American staple, check out Wendy’s website. Honestly, after testing this cookbook and closely examining her website I cannot help but feel that what’s online is a far superior resource for cooks.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW

Posted in: Contributing Writers, Cookbook Reviews – 2 Comments

Food & Wine Magazine: August Cover Recipe

August 30, 2012


Written & photographed by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

As part of my culinary New Year’s resolutions, I have committed to creating each month’s cover recipe from Food & Wine Magazine. Joining me along the way is my fellow blogger Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée, and our resident wine expert Kendall Harris of Wine2Three who provides us with fantastic wine pairings for each month’s cover.

Want to join in on the fun? We’d love the company! Pick-up a copy of the latest issue of Food & Wine and get cooking. Be sure to send me an email at info@cookthatbook.com to let me know you made the cover recipe, and if you’re a blogger don’t forget to post a link to your post in the comments below.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Anchovy Vinaigrette

Rating: 5 out of 5 (fresh & full of flavours that highlight the tomato perfectly)

Initial Thoughts: Looking at the cover picture I could practically taste the fresh, juicy tomatoes…bring on summer’s bounty!

THE TEST: This month I found myself cooking alone, as Aimée from Food, Je t’Aimée is in the middle of launching her new site and is currently stuck in cyber limbo for the time being. Glad I had Kendall Harris of Wine2Three to keep me hydrated while preparing this tasty summer salad! Don’t forget to check out her fantastic wine pairing at the bottom of this post…she opted for a pinot gris from one of my favourite vineyards.

This recipe has several layers of flavour that are each made separately and then assembled just before serving. Bright, jewel toned heirloom tomatoes are sliced and diced and showcased on a platter over which shallots pickled in red wine vinegar are sprinkled, a warmed olive oil, anchovy (I used anchovy paste), garlic and lemon zest dressing is poured overtop the tomatoes with sliced hardboiled eggs placed on top. This recipe is perfect to make ahead when entertaining as you can quickly assemble it at the last minute, and your guests will be impressed with this tasty twist on the usual tomato salad.

THE RESULTS: Despite all of the different layers of flavour in this salad the taste of tomatoes is never overshadowed. The taste explosion of the juicy, sweet fruit paired with the salty anchovy vinaigrette and tang from the pickled shallots is fantastic. I love how each ingredient works so hard to help the others shine. Talk about good culinary teamwork!

I was a bit anxious serving this to the kids as I had no idea what they would think, but my unease was for nothing as they gobbled it up and asked for seconds. Needless to say I walked away from the dinner table that night feeling triumphant. Another Food & Wine success!

Cover Recipe:
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Anchovy Vinaigrette 

The mission of Food & Wine Magazine is to find the most exciting places, new experiences, emerging trends and sensations in the culinary and wine industries. From travel and entertaining to luxury and design, this magazine brings an energetic and stylish take on food and wine. For more information on Food & Wine Magazine, please visit www.foodandwine.com

 

Wine Pairing by Kendall Harris of Wine2Three

Nothing more summery than an heirloom tomato salad, and with so many wonderful flavours going on in this recipe you will need a wonderful summery white wine to stand alongside. This Pinot Gris, from British Columbia’s Poplar Grove winery, hits all the right notes!

Pinot Gris is also called Pinot Grigio in Italy or if the wine has been vinified in the more zippy Italian style (zippy = more acidic), whereas Pinot Gris is the term winemaker’s use when the grape is vinified in the more French style, as is this the case with this particular wine.

Pinot Gris is the signature white wine of Poplar Grove winery, and they’ve won many accolades for this and past vintages of Pinot Gris. You’ll notice aromas of lemongrass, apple and peaches, and on the palate (as you sip it), you’ll get refreshing lemon and apple flavours with a hint of apricot. Pinot Gris also has a characteristic “minerality,” which some describe as a wet stone flavour, so look for that. I like to think you taste B.C.’s wonderful terroir when you detect that minerality! Pinot Gris, or Pinot Grigio in general, is a great wine to have on hand and is a widely appealing white wine – not as lemony as Sauvignon Blanc, not as buttery and oaky as some Chardonnays, not as lime-ey or sweet as Rieslings can be – really, the perfect “house wine”. And if you happen to be in B.C., be sure to look for Poplar Grove’s version…it’s one of the best!

Kendall Harris is a wine blogger who shares her adventures in the wine world as Wine2three on Twitter & Facebook. She has an Advanced Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is passionate about sharing her wine knowledge with others. “Like” her page on Facebook for fun, informative wine posts!

Posted in: Food & Wine Cover Recipes, The Back Burner – 2 Comments

Muffin Monday: Cinnamon Blueberry Amaretto Muffins

August 12, 2012


Written & photographed by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

I’m back baby! Due to the typical busyness of summer I’ve unfortunately had to take a few weeks off from Muffin Mondays. But thank you to all of the readers who sent me concerned emails worried I was retiring from the world of muffins. Glad to see you are as addicted to this monthly venture as I am!

This week’s recipe is for a no frills blueberry muffin. Hailing from Gourmet, it showcases the beauty of a simple muffin. The batter itself is straightforward, and in terms of flavour the berries are paired purely with cinnamon.

I dusted the blueberries with the flour mix in order to prevent discolouration of the muffins during the baking process, which also helps keep them suspended in the batter rather than sinking to the bottom. The only change I made to this recipe was in terms of the sweetener, substituting amaretto flavoured agave nectar for the brown sugar.

These muffins disappeared at the speed of light! In fact, I must apologize for the lack of well-styled final glamour shots of these muffins, but what you see is what I got to take before the hands of my hubby and kids made a grab for them. And I couldn’t blame them. They were completely addictive! A muffin that is simple in flavour and texture should never be underestimated. And the subtle sweet almond flavour from the amaretto went perfectly with the blueberries and cinnamon.

Bring on a second batch!

For a copy of this week’s Muffin Monday recipe, please click here

Don’t forget to visit Baker Street’s site and be sure to check out what the other food bloggers have baked up this week!

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

Posted in: Muffin Mondays, The Back Burner – 6 Comments

COOKBOOK REVIEW The Mom 100 Cookbook

August 10, 2012


Cookbook review written & photographed by
Stay-At-Home-Chef

The Mom 100 Cookbook is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this cookbook please visit Thomas Allen & Son. 

The Mom 100 Cookbook (published by Workman Publishing Company, $16.95 USD) is described as providing “recipes every mom needs in her back pocket”. Written by Katie Workman, it is specifically geared to young families and deals with 20 typical mealtime dilemmas by providing five recipes per predicament. For example; getting the kids fed and out the door on time (Quick & Easy Breakfasts), going beyond hamburgers and hotdogs (Main Dish Meat), healthy munchies (Handful of Snacks), meatless dishes (Vegetarian Mains), and new twists on old favourites (Pasta & Pizza).

By the time I started testing this book I was fully aware of all the hype and had read positive review after positive review. As a mother of two small children, I am always on the lookout for a new cookbook that will make my life easier and hoped this one would live up to my expectations.

I love the overall look and vibe of this cookbook that compliments Workman’s playful writing style, and found the recipes to be both fun and practical for the family table. The “Fork in the Road” sections are really helpful, and provide you with options for serving the same dish to the entire family by including suggestions for various adaptions that allow you to incorporate additional flavours or spices for more adventurous palates. It was always a pet peeve of my mother’s when she found herself serving up four different meals based on our family’s likes and dislikes.

“What the Kids Can Do” sidebars provide helpful tips for getting children involved in the cooking process, allowing them to feel more invested in the food on their plate and therefore more open to its consumption. Nearly every recipe contains tips and suggested cooking techniques, serving ideas and storage instructions.

Although the photos are not what I would consider to be overly inspiring, they showcase the food in a clear manner that is far from fussy and leaves the food looking relatable (the approach most parents take to food when feeding children).

I must say that The Mom 100 Cookbook is definitely geared towards parents of young children, so if you are searching for a book that deals more in technique or fancy fare I would give this one a pass. The recipes are very basic, and therefore perfect for people with little to no cooking experience. For those of you who know your way around the kitchen, I would suggest using this book as a jumping off point and build upon the recipes. Personally, because I am constantly subjecting my family to all sorts of recipes tests this book is a good reminder for me to include some kid friendly meals into the mix. Yes I want to expose my children to a wide variety of tastes and flavours, but sometimes they just want some plain ol’ chicken strips.

Katie Workman is a food writer whose work has appeared in publications such as The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, and AOL Food. She is the founding editor-in-chief of Cookstr.com and an active supporter of the largest hunger relief organization in the US; Share Our Strength. The Mom 100 Cookbook is Workman’s first book.

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