August 15, 2011 · 12:48 pm

Camping = Bacon

Yes, we just threw 2 packs into the pan. Bacon loves company.

Sometimes processed food is OK.  More than OK.  Perfect in fact.  Between this and the sour cream and onion crinkle chips.  I was feeling alright.

Don’t tell me your mouth is not watering just a little bit.

Let me inspire you:

*Bacon and ripe August tomato sandwich (with mayo)

*Bacon and scallops

*Bacon and peas

*Deviled eggs with crispy bacon

*Crisp Salad, blue cheese dressing, bacon

*Bacon in Meatloaf

*Bacon Cheeseburger

*Bacon and caramelized onion quiche

*Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Bacon

*Bacon in your hand at the kitchen counter before the eggs are finished

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August 10, 2011 · 10:50 am

American Cheese Society Conference: Cheese a Go-Go

Setting Up the Festival of Cheese

This is what 1676 cheeses look like set-up for nibbling.  The Festival of Cheese which is also open to the public concludes the events at the ACS conference.

I was lucky enough to get a peek while the room was being set-up.  This is only one side of a giant conference room.

It smelled pretty amazing in there.  Fresh, milky and rich.  Cheese land.  And the roller coaster was awesome.

Here are a few more images of the room to make you wish you were there.

This is the soft, bloomy-rind table underway.  Some of the really rich yellow ones were made with Jersey milk.  Comfort Cream from Upper Canada Cheese Company is in there–it won a ribbon.

Ontario also had winners from Glengarry Fine Cheese (Aged Lankaaster), Monforte (Abondance) and Best Baa Dairy for their yogurt (a no-brainer, especially if you’ve had the maple flavoured one!) and Mouton Rouge, a washed-rind wheel.

Here is the part of the blue table.  One of the Quebec winners was one of my absolute faves–the sheep’s milk Bleu Moutonnière .  YUM. YUM. YUM.

Finally-we had 44 Quebec ribbons over all and here are a few of the winning Fromageries:

La Moutonnière (5) Fritz Kaizer (3) Maison d’affinage Maurice Dufour (2) and of cour La Presbytere whose Louis D’Or took third prize for Best in show.

Cheesed out yet?   Someone get me a green salad.


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August 8, 2011 · 8:57 am

Toast Post: American Cheese Society Conference, Day 2

Oka recipe creates Fromage de la Trappe in Manitoba.

Remember that film The Notebook?  The one starring Ryan Gosling that’s about a monk who made washed-rind cheeses and kept secret notebook of brining techniques?

That version of the film is actually an NFB doc called A Monks’ Secret.  (You won’t recognize Ryan Gosling–he plays the actual notebook.  Amazing immersion into a role.)  The doc is a story of Fromage de la Trappe, the cheese you see above.

Fromage de la Trappe comes from Manitoba and is made by Brother Alberic at the Cistercian Abbey Our Lady of the Praires.  The old recipe was passed to him by the Trappist monks in Quebec (at Oka Abbey de Notre-Dame-du-Lac).

The original Oka recipe was sold to Agropur in the 1981 when the Oka Abbey in Quebec could no longer sustain the demand for the cheese.  The factors may have been more than economical–monks do not want to be known as cheese makers, cheese making is simply a means to an end so perhaps the business was in conflict with their values.  It may have also been hard to find people to keep making cheese in general as they got older and their numbers got smaller.

Fromage de La Trappe (left) and Agropur Oka (right)

One of the original Oka cheesemakers, Father Oswald had kept a  notebook that was passed on to the Manitoba monastery when they started to make cheese as a source of income.  The caveat that came with the hand-written notes was that should the Monks ever go out of the cheese business or the Abbyy close, that notebook would be destroyed (never to fall into a non-religious hand).  This cheese is God’s business and no one else’s..Due to the craft secrets in notebook, what started out as a mediocore cheese, became something unique and flavourful.

Celebrating a ribbon for Louis D'Or

Celebrating Louis D’Or.

And I cannot sign off before leaving you with a picture of Jean Morin, celebrating after his raw, organic milk cheese Louise D’Or received 3rd place in the Best of Show category.  And we’re looking at over 1600 cheeses entered.  That’s right he’s feeling smug.  He damn well should!

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August 5, 2011 · 7:51 am

Toast Post: American Cheese Society Conference, day 1

Cheese-alanche

Soak it up.  I ate it up.  A room of cheesemakers from the US and Canada offering their cheese at the American Cheese Society conference in Montreal.  The luscious fromage in the photo above is from Beecher Handmade Cheese in Seattle.  This is a new version of their Flagship cow’s milk cheese, it’s a mixed milk cheese (sheep and cow).  I walked by the table, popped a piece in my mouth and walked on.  And then went back.  The flavour of this cheese just kept evolving and lingering.  I left with more in  hand and some wrapped in a napkin stashed in my purse. (It was that or the waistband of my jean skirt and I already had a washed-rind tucked in there.)

Better than Cheetos (maybe)

A hit of cheese anyone?

These awesome little cheese bites above come flavoured with lavender, saffron, rosemary and chili.  They are called Hannahbells and hail from Shy Brothers Farm. These thimble-like cheeses are made in the style of the French “boutons de coulottes”. (Trouser Buttons).

Bleu Moutonnière up front, Apple Ice Wine in the rear

This is my tasting plate from the Taste Buds and Molecules session–a discussion about the science of pairing food and wine. Sommelier Francois Chartier, author of Taste Buds and Molecules led the tasting, he’s worked with Ferran Adria amongst others, helping create about 50 dishes for El Bulli (which just closed last Saturday) using the science of deliciousness.  He would never serve you Perrier if you didn’t want to partake of  alcohol with a meal—at his house he would offer spruce beer or green tea–so your bevvie would compliment your meal, not just wash it down.

Stupid Perrier.  Smart molecules.  Amazing Pairings.  Hercule de Charlesvoix +apricot+ apple marshmellow and curry butter+apple ice wine.

YES, YOU WANT THE MARSHMELLOW CURRY BUTTER RECIPE.

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August 4, 2011 · 7:01 am

So Many Damn Peaches

Planet Peach

Summer peaches.  A perfectly ripe, juicy, pain in the ass.

Why do I have to buy a whole basket of peaches?  Why can’t I buy just two or three at the farmer’s market?

Because none of the farmer’s want to deal with all those damn peaches either. “Take them urban consumers!” they shout at us. (In their heads.)

So my perfect peaches sit on the counter while  fruit flies circle and I shove slice after slice into my mouth like some uber-healthy, hot dog eating contest for the “eat local” movement.  At which point I’ve only eaten 2 1/2 peaches.

Ready for the sauce.

So how do I rescue my delicate bounty from the fate of the green bin?

Luckily, Delmonte comes to the rescue.  Peaches in syrup.  AHA!

I slice eight peaches.  I make a light syrup in a medium pot.  (4 cups water, 2 cups sugar).

Once the sugar has dissolved I add the peaches and some mint and basil leaves (my basil plant weeps with gratitude at its usefulness–the poor thing barely sprouts a leaf under my care.)

A peach of a plan.

And then I bring it all up to a simmer, pour in a shot of Triple Sec (from my margarita stash) and pull it off the stove.  Let cool and store in the fridge so you can eat them all week. On top of ice cream!  YES.

Don’t be distracted by the above picture, keep your focus on the fact that the herby-fresh syrup created from our peachy compote is great for cocktails.  Like peach infused Mojitos.

The  minty, aromatic liquid is a perfect sweetener for the limey-tart concoction.  Mash some of the fruit in there too.  God knows you have to use it up somehow.

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July 28, 2011 · 10:46 am

Pickles in Heat

The website has pickle recipes. Beat that cucumbers.

The McClure’s pickles website has recipes for pickle brine.  Beat that cucumbers!

Word of caution: Put a warning Post-It on these  when you plop them in the fridge.  My husband took a big bite before squealing (like a pig) at their spicy nature.

Then Donna our babysitter innocently gave one to my son Felix.    So I pretty much burned the whole household.

OK, this photo gets weirder the more I look at it.

Even at All the Best Fine Foods (have you been there since they re-opened in their reno-ed building?  You’ll be lost in wonder) I was kindly warned twice about them before I took a bite.

But the fact is-they’re delicious!  And honestly, I am pretty flimsy when it comes to spicy food.  Yes, they’re hot but they have so much flavour that you persevere.

(And truthfully–Tad and Felix–bunch of wimps!)

If you do want to temper their bite try them in a sandwich and they’re amazing with melted cheese.  Like my retro chicken salad melt.

Pickles inside and out.

Spicy pickles are also a fine option to sneak into your mild-mannered enemy’s lunch bag.  Except once they’ve had these they’ll probably want to be your friend.  I warned you.

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July 25, 2011 · 10:08 am

Tarte Tatin is like a pearl necklace (A Haiku)

You had me at caramelized.

Simple and elegant is what I meant about the pearl necklace in case “cheap and chipped” initially popped to mind.

I made a Tarte Tatin to serve post-BBQ on Saturday night.  It truly is one of my favourite desserts.   The apples were sticky and rich with a touch of burnt caramel bitterness.  And we loaded on big spoonfuls of real whipped cream.

I recommend making way more whipped cream than is sensible so you can eat the leftovers from the same bowl you served it to your guests in.  Meanwhile they look on aghast, wishing you would stop stuffing your face and ask if they want a coffee.

To which I say in my defense,  Isn’t a f’#@!%#  homemade pie enough????

Anyway, eh um….

TARTE TATIN IS LIKE A PEARL NECKLACE

Simple elegance

Induces feeding frenzy

My pearls are trashed

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July 21, 2011 · 2:37 pm

Toast Post: Tiger Blue

Buttery, fierce Tiger Blue with ginger/apple/pear chutney.

Does it work with Zinfandel?  Depends who you ask.  If you ask the cheese, then yes. If you asked the Zinfandel, well, wine won’t answer you. It talks with its eyes.

I recently had Tiger Blue at a wine tasting and realized I had forgotten how addictive it was.

Tiger blue is a spicy, roar of a cheese and it won’t work for everyone.  It’s also very smooth, rich and creamy and I find that just as the blue-lover in me is begging for mercy I’m hit with buttery richness that soothes my panicking taste buds.

You’ll see that in this case I added a smear of apple/pear/ginger chutney courtesy of Nick at Olympic cheese (have you seen the stores’ makeover?).

And BTW, even if you don’t eat this cheese it just looks unbelievable on a cheese board.  Like a cool piece of marble.  It watches you and thinks, “Hey Matey,  (I know! The pirate voice is so unexpected) why don’t you lurch on over here and slice a sliver off my cool, smooth wedge.   What’s that parrot?  Polly want a neutral cracker to cleanse the palate?”

Tiger Blue in 11 words or more:  Producer is Poplar Grove in British Columbia (Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley).  This cheese will change over the seasons depending on the cow’s milk, it may be more creamy or it may be more crumbly.  Made in the style of Stilton. Comes in a 2Kg wheel.  Pasteurized and a must-try if you like blues.  Get it at Olympic Cheese if you hail from Toronto….

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July 17, 2011 · 3:26 pm

Thanks for the ribs Pete Watson

Man, my camera was so sticky.

Nothing grilled, nothing gained as they say.  Five years after Pete Watson and his wife Lara gave us a Weber kettle grill for a wedding gift we finally made ribs on it. What idiots we were to deny ourselves the pleasures of grilling ribs on charcoal for sheer procrastination.

But we have gained, oh yes, we have gained.  Sticky fingers, kind of sexy, smoky smelling hair and the most envious aroma of deliciousness coming from any backyard in the neighborhood.   If only I had begun the process in the early afternoon as I declared I would, we could have actually had the ribs for dinner rather than the cold pizza we half-heartedly choked down waiting until the ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender at 11pm.

Here is our talented little grill pre-show.

The kettle potential.

And then I bought myself some apple wood chips and though I could not get a coal chimney (sold out) I got some quick burning coal starter things which were quite effective as long I did not let my thought wander to the substances that made them so quick-burning.

My indirect heat set-up is almost ready.

I have the coals on one side and a drip-pan filled with water on the right.  I put a stainless steel box of soaked applewood chips on the coals just before I added the top grate and the the lid.

Ribs: rubbed, rested and ready.

Two racks of baby back ribs, about 2 lbs each.  I put a dry rub on them and left them for an hour at room temperature.  The rub had sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, celery seed, fresh back pepper and chili powder.  The recipe (BBQ Back ribs with Sweet and Sticky Sauce) came from the Saveur BBQ Issue (I know, what else, right?  I will branch out one day but once again not only were the magazine’s recipes lipsmacking but the stories of BBQ, coleslaw, baked beans, coals, tradition and rivalry were addicitive too!)

And while the ribs cooked between 225 F-250 F over 3 hrs  ( I actually found it hard to keep the heat below 300 F even adjusting the vents as much as I could) I made the sauce.  Honey, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire, hot sauce, cloves……MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMessy.

Served with coleslaw and napkins.

And finally at 11pm, with the grill lit from the soft glow coming through the back door of the kitchen, I was able to pull off  shreds of the crispy rib-ends that were slowly caramelizing from their recent basting in sticky sauce.  And I ate them greedily, slightly out of site of my husband before he next opened the door to ask, “are they done yet?”.  And they were good.  Sigh with pleasure good.

Like Angelina Jolie, I am now a Pitt master.

And that’s why I want to thank you Pete Watson.

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July 14, 2011 · 1:38 pm

Drink free wine at lunch on July 15. I’ll fill your glass to the brim.

Come, take home a raven as a souvenir!

I lied, I’m not actually allowed to pour the wine.  I’m too messy to have contact with liquids that stain.

Luckily, you can’t pour cheese.  Here’s the scoop, come out tomorrow between noon-3pm and try some wines from Ravenswood Winery in California (Sonoma Valley to be precise).  Joel Peterson, Ravenswood’s wine maker will be there and for once you won’t have to talk about the weather as where he lives–it’s nice all the time.  He’ll never say, “whoa, three days of sun, awesome!”  But he will tell you about his Zinfandels and Shiraz and a special blend called ICON.

And you’ll be sober enough to go back to work  (functionally sober I mean) as  Nick from Olympic Cheese and I will fill you up with delicious fromage.  And if you feel sad that you can’t talk about the weather, I’m there for you.  “Humid today, eh?” I promise to say.

DEETS:  July 15, 12-3pm, Victor Restaurant and Lounge, 30 Mercer Street     RSVP marian@eventrix.ca as numbers are limited.

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