Foodies Across Borders

Visit our new home

2006-08-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks for visiting Foodies Across Borders. WE'VE MOVED!

We are now located at www.foodiesacrossborders.com

Come for a visit, we know you'll be glad you did.

Review - Hot Sauce Blog

2006-08-08T15:05:00.000-05:00

While doing some research for the launch of our new home, I came across the Hot Sauce Blog. This smokin hot read is devoted to everything spicy, including sauce reviews, recipes and even the Hot Sauce Hotties. Written with brutal honesty and a healthy dose of sarcasm, HSB is a great resource if you love the hot stuff.

ps...This may give you some idea what we have planned for the launch of the new FAB.

Foodies new home coming soon

2006-07-30T07:37:00.000-05:00

Soon, Foodies will be redirected to a bright shiny new home at www.foodiesacrossborders.com full of juicy, mellony goodness.

Just like the move did for The Garage, we are hoping the move will excite our readers and spur us on to greater heights of posting. You can be sure that there will still be some mouth watering recipes, cooking gadgets and news. We'll also be bringing some special seasonal treats, camping food and maybe even something for kids in the kitchen.

Stay Tuned!

What....NO LIMES???

2006-07-16T06:59:00.000-05:00

We headed to the Real Canadian Superstore yesterday evening and part of the trip wasn't so super. We were looking for limes to make One of Seven's Perfect Margarita and the had none!
Can you imagine...Saturday evening during the summer & they have no limes. This little bundle of citrus joy must be a leading last minute weekend emergency purchase and they don't have any.

Now we will have to do some hunting this morning.

BBQ Safety tips

2006-07-12T13:26:00.000-05:00

I just came across these BBQ safety rules from the FDNY. Personally, I think most of them are common sense, but then again, common sense isn't that common.

While I'm sure that none of this is new to our readers, please pass these on to anyone you know who may be BBQ challenged.

Via Parent Hacks

The Perfect Margarita!

2006-07-09T17:24:00.000-05:00

The truth is, I got this recipe several years ago from a Grand Marnier ad in a magazine!! It’s shaken, not stirred (yeah, baby!), not the frozen, slushy kind. It is the best margarita I’ve ever made or had, and everyone I know has said the same!!

I know it sounds like a product plug, but I guarantee that neither I nor anyone I know is an employee of or rep for Grand Marnier!

Grand Marnier Margarita
30 ml/1 oz Grand Marnier liqueur
30 ml/1 oz Tequila
30 ml/1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

Pour all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake to your liking and strain into a margarita glass rimmed with salt. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Notes:
I know that in California (and perhaps the rest of the USA), there are a myriad of options for tequilas. In Canada (and especially where I live), our options are fewer. I recommend Sauza Conmemorativo Imported Tequila Anejo (Aged) – super smooth and especially lovable in this drink.

These are freakin’ potent! And exceptionally quaffable, especially on a hot summer day!! Please drink responsibly and plan ahead for your guests if you aim to serve these delightful drinkies! Taxis are always one option; invest in knee and elbow pads if you think walking seems viable – trust me on this one!!

If you somehow miraculously don’t finish the bottle of Grand Marnier and are looking for other ideas on how to use it, the Grand Marnier web site offers lots of other delicious drink recipes (complete with tasting notes and pairing suggestions), plus a deck of decadent dessert offerings!

My own pairing suggestion: serve these babies with our own Grilled Citrus Jalapeno Shrimp!!

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

Simple Penne Alfredo with Beef Tenderloin

2006-07-09T08:50:00.000-05:00

Like many things I cook, there was no recipe for this one. Coming home from work one Friday night, I wanted to make something elegant, but simple. A quick walk around Bruno's and an idea popped into my head.

Shopping List

1 box of penne noodles
500 ml carton of whipping cream
Grated Parmesan - you can use fresh grated if you have time, or store bought grated if not.
Garlic - again, you can cut up a few fresh cloves or use a spoonful from the jar in the fridge to save time.
Salt & Pepper
Asparagus - chopped into 1" pieces, I use about 10-12 stalks for 2 people
2 beef tenderloin steaks - seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch asparagus pieces. I find just under 3 minutes gives the best texture. Pour asparagus into a collander to drain and rinse under cold water to stop them from cooking more. Leave them in the collander for later.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil for your pasta.

Pour a bit of olive oil into a large skillet or sauce pan and brown garlic slightly to begin.

While garlic is heating, slink outside and throw the beef on the already hot BBQ. Set heat to med-low and close the lid.

Add pasta to the pot and set timer to the time specified on the package. The last pasta we used said 9 minutes, which was perfect. If you are using a fresh pasta, it will be much less time, so be sure to look.

Add about half of the cream to the garlic, along with a few tablespoons of parm. Keep stirring, while increasing the heat. You want it nearly boiling, but be careful not to let it boil over. As it thickens, add more cream and cheese in stages. You may also want to add some salt and pepper for flavour. When the alfredo sauce has the taste and creaminess you want, turn the heat off.

Sometime during the creamy goodness, run out and flip the steaks. You want them cooked to no more than medium rare.

Take the pasta pot and dump the whole thing in on top of the asparagus. This heats the asparagus up again, without cooking them. Now dump the whole thing back in the pot.

Run out and bring in the steaks. You want them to rest for a few minutes before you cut them.

Turn the heat back on under the Alfredo Sauce for a minute or so and stir in a bit more cream. This will freshen up the sauce a bit after it has been sitting. Pour the sauce in the pot with the penne and asparagus. Dish this out into a nice deep pasta bowl.

Slice the beef thinly and arrange it on top of your pasta.

You now have an elegant, yummy meal that took under half an hour to make. Perfect for a Friday evening.

We enjoyed a bottle of Maie's Merlot from Doghouse Wines and it was loverly!

15 (other) uses for vodka!

2006-07-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

I can't take any credit whatsoever for this post, but it was so cool that I just had to pass it along.

1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The Solvent dissolves adhesive.
2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a Trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five Minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.
3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.
4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting Your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfectsthe blade and prevents rusting.
5. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.
6 Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.
7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.
8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them.
9. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes.
10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal t he lid tightly and set in the Sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains.
11. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.
12. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.
13. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.
14. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the Urushiol oil from your skin.
15. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.

Thanks to Drink of the Week for this one.

Recipe: Grilled Citrus Jalapeno Shrimp

2006-07-03T17:31:00.000-05:00

Holy crap, I thought I had already posted this! That just goes to show you what the dog days of summer – oh, and getting a new (well, used) dog – will do to one’s computer time!

1 orange, juice only
1 lime, zest and juice, plus juice of 1 more
2 oz/60 ml gold tequila
3 tbsp/45 ml honey
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 large cloves garlic, sliced
2-4 jalapeno peppers (depending on your taste), sliced
½ medium red onion, coarsely chopped (optional)
454 g bag peeled and de-veined shrimp, thawed if frozen

Whisk together the first six ingredients. Add the next three and pour into a zip-lock bag.

Rinse and drain the shrimp and place in the zip-lock. Shake it up so that all the shrimp are in contact with the marinade and place in the fridge for 30 minutes, turning the bag over after 15.

Heat the barbeque to medium-high.

Meanwhile, skewer the shrimp (if using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak in water for 30 minutes ahead of time).

Cook the shrimp just until bright pink on both sides.

Notes

These shrimp rock as appetizers. Serve alone or with Mango Strawberry Salsa.

The only thing that goes better with these than the Salsa is a great Margarita! My favourite Margarita recipe comes soon!

If you’d rather try these out as a main, you could also serve them with a pasta – I’m torn between spicy tomato sauce or a white wine (Sauvignon Blanc) cream sauce. Pasta salad could also work, or a crazy little green salad with lots of fruit and nuts or seeds thrown in!

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

Food blog review: Diary of The Food Whore

2006-06-19T20:01:00.000-05:00

How can you not be intrigued by a food blogger whose tag line is Gracefully turning tricks since 1999. This anonymous, pickle juice swillin' caterer blogs about food, clients and life in general. I'm looking forward to trying "Collard greens - Food Whore style".

"Pork fat is brilliant stuff. Let's be honest, a dirty gym sock cooked in pork fat would be a nice meal."

Brilliant indeed.

One of seven is going to like The Food Whore

Restaurant Rant: Bobby C's Dockside

2006-06-19T18:27:00.000-05:00

We've been pretty quite here in Foodies for the last few weeks, as life has been a bit overwhelming lately, between work and all sorts of kid stuff. During last weekend's rush, a bunch of us left the annual dance recital headed for a bite in the sun. Bobby C's Dockside is a big place in the marina in Bowmanville. Being surrounded by boat yards and industrial units, the scenery approaching the place is less than stellar, but at least there is a nice patio overlooking the pier. On previous visits, the service has been less than stellar, but I figured that it would be hard for them to screw up a few pitchers (or more) and a few pounds of chicken wings. WRONG!

First of all, the patio was full, but the outside hostess said there was loads of room inside, so there would be no problem seating all of us (I think there were 14 or 15 of us). WRONG. They sat 6 of us at a table in an empty section at one end of the restaurant & the remaining group were put in a party room at the other end of the building. The manager explained that all the tables around us were reserved. No worries...just bring us beer & food & we're good to go. While we waited about 20 minutes for our pitcher to arrive, we were treated to the stunning view of a chubby hostess cruising around the place with 2 inches of ASS CRACK! When she bent over to set a table I think I saw some of that cutlery the bar was missing...

A tiny appetizer plate of wings and a chicken quesadilla came at the same time as the pitcher, but well over an hour later, there was no sign of dinner. This was when we noticed that the other group had already left, on their way back to the recital. Now, we started to panic as we realized that we may be late getting the kids on stage. I grabbed the manager and told him that we weren't pulling a dine & dash, rather he was comping our beer & apps to make up for the non-existant service. I made a point of mentioning the other table that had come with us, who had already eaten and left. Little did I know...

When we arrived back at the school, we found the others in the cafe, tucking into Subway! It seems they too had only received drinks & had done a runner. They didn't really run, they tried 4 times to get service, but the service never came. They also announced their departure. I've NEVER bolted from a bill before, but I also don't think I've ever had service that sucked so badly. We won't be going back.

Restaurant Review: Regina's Cathedral Village Free House

2006-06-14T16:31:00.000-05:00

Regina's Cathedral Village Free House

Ok, so I work in Regina. I don't live there, but commute there on a weekly basis. At first, I thought to myself, "who the hell did I piss off to end up here?!", but man, have I ever changed my tune. In addition to having some of the friendliest, genuinely nicest people I've ever met, Regina has some true culinary gems.

I'm a bit of a creature of habit, so I make the rounds of my favourite restaurants each week. On Mondays, I usually end up at the Cathedral Village Free House, at 2062 Albert Street.

They've got a great, casual fare menu; I'd like to say it's pub food, but it's up at least a couple of notches. At least.

I am a creature of habit, as I mentioned earlier. So, when I hit the Free House, I usually go for their pizza. All pizzas are thin crust and available in 9" or 12" sizes. Oh yeah, they're cooked in a wood oven, the best way to do it, in my opinion. My personal favourite is the Tandoori Chicken pizza. There is just the right amount of spice and the mango and cilantro make this a simple yet exotic pizza. I can't get enough of it.

I've recently discovered the Cappicola and Tomato pizza - for me, it's the basil pesto base (instead of the traditional tomato sauce) that really makes this special. Roasted tomatos don't hurt either. A new favourite? We'll see...

The Free House also has specials sheets that seem to be renewed every 6 to 8 weeks. Usually, there's a trout special included: the last one was Trout Vindaloo. If there's anyone from the Free House reading this: put it on the regular menu! Just the right amount of heat is balanced nicely with the fatty fish that's cooked medium rare; they also had a mango raita on the plate that was wonderful. Mmm...I may have to go to the Free House for the second time this week...but I digress.

The Free House has the usual suspects too: good selection of beers on tap and a fairly standard, non-intimidating wine list that's reasonably priced.

When I'm on the road, I try to seek out small local spots that offer quality food at a decent price. For me, the Free House hits it: great food cooked with interesting ingredients, good prices and a cool vibe. If you're ever in Regina, I strongly suggest you check it out. You'll be glad you did.

More to come from the wilds of Saskatchewan.

Mooby

Mad About Mango

2006-06-13T10:38:00.000-05:00

After my last posting, you’ll probably conclude from this entry that I’m a mango freak. I much prefer the term fanatic – it seems so much less spooky…! Mango is amazing and so versatile, especially in summer, but sometimes troublesome to deal with, unless it’s perfectly ripe. It’s nice that mango is now available frozen at most grocery stores, and the quality is exceptional for most culinary purposes.

Salsa doesn’t always have to feature tomatoes!! Until tomatoes are at their best in the late summer/fall, this salsa is perfect for casual summer get-togethers, and a welcome change from the ordinary. Choose a sparkly/carbonated beverage (or a classic margarita!) to go with it!!

Mango Strawberry Salsa
300 g mango flesh (fresh or frozen), coarsely chopped
6-8 medium-sized ripe strawberries, coarsely chopped
½ lime, juice only
2 green Serrano (or, if unavailable, Jalapeno) chillies, stemmed and finely chopped
½ medium red onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour prior to serving.

Serving suggestions:
Cucumber slices (thickly cut, and hollowed out with a mellon baller – fresh and crispy!)

Grilled Citrus Jalapeno Shrimp (coming soon to Foodies!!)

Notes:
I love a good, fresh mango, but definitely go for the ease of frozen if time is of the essence or quality is questionable!

I always opt for the ease of using a food processor (if you have one) to chop… well, just about anything!! To avoid mushiness, however, I recommend chopping softer ripe fruits (and fresh herbs) by hand. As for the chillies and onion, go to town with the f.p.!!

I've only discovered in the last year or so that mango is a lesser-known (and thankfully less common) allergen; strawberries too. So be sure to ask your guests about any known allergies ahead of time…!

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

Recipe: Spicy Mango Chutney

2006-05-31T19:31:00.000-05:00

I freakin’ *love* Indian Food (and fortunately, almost everyone I know does, too). But that doesn’t mean that you have to spend a hot summer’s day slaving over a hot stove to get a little bit of East Indian influence into your day!! The following recipe is adapted from “Curry: Fire and Spice – Over 150 great curries from India and Asia” by Mridula Baljekar (ISBN 0-7548-0822-X). It’s super-easy, sweet and spicy. Mmmm... chutney! It's definitely better than any retail product I've ever tried, and is totally worth the little bit of effort!!

Mango Chutney (makes 340g/ 1.5 lb/1½ cups)
600g bag frozen mango pieces
1 cup cider vinegar
130g/4 ½ oz/2/3 cup light muscovado (brown) sugar
2 small fresh red chillies, split
5 cm/2 in piece fresh root ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cardamom pods, bruised
2.4 ml/½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 bay leaf
2.5 ml/½ tsp salt

Chop the mango chunks roughly and put into a pan. Add the cider vinegar and cover. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring.
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the mixture is syrupy. Leave to cool, then ladle into a hot sterilized jar and cover. Leave to rest for 1 week before serving.

Comments:
This spicy mango chutney will add a bit of flare to this summer’s barbequed lamb, chicken or turkey burgers! In fact, use it in place of ketchup or steak sauce just about anywhere you like! Mental note, though: this really is quite spicy; cut the amount of chillies and ginger by half, if you prefer a milder, sweeter chutney. Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

The Weenie Roaster

2006-05-25T15:05:00.000-05:00

Oops....you've burnt your weenie! This gadget brings new meaning to the term Hot Dog! Apparently it comes in a variety of colours and has a rope strap to hang it up. It's available on e-bay for $14.99 but you have to supply your own weenies.

Barnyard Animals Ice Cream Sandwich Press

2006-05-18T11:43:00.000-05:00

Spring is here, with the heat of summer soon to follow. The kids will love making their own ice cream sammiches with these colourful chicken, cow and pig cutters. They are dishwasher safe & come with recipes.

A bit o Korean BBQ at home

2006-05-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

If you've ever been to one of those Korean BBQ restaurants where you cook your own dinner on the table, you'll understand what this is all about. Basically there is a heat source in the middle of the table, upon which you cook up your meal. Now, thanks to the Cook-N-Dine people, you can have that experience at your home or cottage. These tables come in a wide range of models, from smaller stainless steel models to portable table top versions, all the way up to the teak model pictured above that seats ten.

I want one!

Quick Chicken Roll-ups

2006-05-13T17:11:00.000-05:00

The following recipe is a quick, easy chicken recipe I adapted from the Kraft website. The kids love it and it's easy for them to help make. Clean up is quick and easy as well.

Quick Chicken Roll-Ups

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or fillets)
1 package stove top stuffing
1 package shake and bake

Take chicken breasts and bang them (I know what you're thinking, honey!) until they are flat. Coat with Shake and Bake. Mix stuffing in a bowl with 1 cup of water. Place stuffing on each chicken breast and roll up. Use a toothpick to hold and place seam side down on a baking sheet covered with tin foil. (This makes clean up a breeze!) Cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees and it's done. Don't over cook or it tends to dry out.

Product Review: Flor de Sal d'es Trenc Olivas Negras

2006-05-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

Translation: Black Olive Fleur de Sel

I know it seems pretty nerdy, but I have a salt collection. Yes, indeed. I think Michael Smith also has one, which is what makes me feel even nerdier. But then, what would I do without them all?? Fortunately, I don’t have a blood pressure problem… yet.

During a recent trip to Toronto, we indulged ourselves in a trip to the Saint Lawrence Market – one of the many places in this world that rivals, in our estimation, Disney World for the title of “the Happiest Place on Earth”. While perusing the amazing selection at Alex Farm Products (ostensibly a simply awesome cheese market – they have several locations in Toronto – but also purveyors of other specialty products), we came across a display of Flor de Sal d’es Trenc. With three aroma variations (hibiscus and Mediterranean herbs being the other two), we nabbed the black olive. Oooohhhh, so olive-y!! Even without opening the inner bag, the pungent sun-dried kalamata quality enwrapped us and we simply could not resist!!

Use as you would any other salt on your favourite concoction (like grilled summer veg), or venture to try one of Chef Marc Fosh’s recipes designed especially for these products (and oh so handily provided as part of the packaging) -- we did!!

Olive-Salt Crusted Beef with Coriander Pesto (serves 4) (note: obvious typos removed)
4 filet steaks
1 tsp black pepper (crushed)
1 tsp Flor de Sal de Olivas Negras
1 tsp mustard

Cilantro Pesto:
1 bunch of fresh coriander
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 Tbsp lime juice
150 ml olive oil
Seasoning

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a purée.

To Serve:
Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and sear the beef filets for 1 minute on both sides.
Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the beef filets lightly with mustard and sprinkle with the olive salt and crushed peppercorns. Place under a hot grill to finish cooking for about 3-4 minutes. Serve with coriander pesto and a green salad.

Comments:
The filet available on that day looked unappetizing, so we went with ribeyes instead (which is typical for us) and well, you know how I feel about pan searing during barbeque season, so you can guess what happened. Also typical for me, I didn’t really look at the recipe before hand and couldn’t pull together the pesto, so we went without (but not next time!!). All the same, the steak was unbelievable -- I’m sure it goes without saying to use some form of Dijon mustard and not “French”…!! Served with grilled portabellas and “Zucchini Fettuccini” (a la Brigit Binns – my undisputed new favourite cookbook author), our meal was outrageously delicious!

Pick up this product if you ever get the chance!!

~ One of Seven

Homestyle Beef-a-roni

2006-05-02T20:50:00.000-05:00

Today I discovered Elise at Simply Recipes and was interested in her old family recipe for HMO which stands for Hamburger, Macaroni & Onions. I can't wait to try it, but it reminded me of a meal that The Grants make on occasion.

Weekly, we make a big pot of spagetti sauce that might be used for any number of possible meals. Perhaps the easiest and favourite thrown together dish in our house. The following is far from a real recipe, but here it is:

Kraft Dinner - as many boxes as needed depending on how many you are feeding.
Make KD as per instructions on box. In our house we mix in lots of extra cheddar to make it extra cheesy.

Left over meaty spaghetti sauce:
Mix as much sauce as you like into the KD.

That's it! Scoop it out of the pot & load on some grated old cheddar.

If you want to take it up a notch or two, put the mixture in a baking dish & cover it with a bucnh of CHEESE. Mix it up a bit, use old white & orange cheddar, monteray jack and mozz. Throw it in the oven until the cheese it brown & bubbly.

Our family loves this simple use of left overs & I bet yours will too.

Banrock Station - saving Canada's wildlife

2006-04-30T21:27:00.000-05:00

Banrock Station Shiraz has become a staple in our house over the last few years. It's big, Jammy goodness has become like a comfort food around here. That goodness has also come with the knowledge that the wine is made by a company with a solid dedication to preserving wetlands in it's native Australia. Last week, it was announced through the conventional media that Banrock Station would be helping to restock Lake Ontario with Atlantic Salmon. While native to the lake, the species has pretty much disappeared from the lake. Radio & TV sources are reporting that Banrock Station has committed to spending 1.4 million dollars to restock Lake Ontario with 400,000 Atlantic Salmon fingerlings & more mature fish. At the same time, it was announced that 3 Banrock Station wines sold in Ontario would be available in the new, recycleable Tetra packs. While this may seem like a tragedy to some wine lovers, it really doesn't seem to affect the taste of their wines. We bought the Shiraz & the Cab over the weekend and so far, the Cab was wonderful.

It's good to see a company that lives by it's motto "Good Earth, Fine Wine"

Blog review: Palatable

2006-04-30T08:59:00.000-05:00

Palatable is an American blog that will enlighten you on some of the scarier things that affect the processed foods that most of us on a daily basis. Be sure to check out the Manburger and the shitty teddy. They also have instructions on how to grow your own bean sprouts. Very cool.

In the links section, I found Easy Eats which is a bachelor's feedbag blog that looks pretty cool too.

Awesome Tealight holder

2006-04-25T19:48:00.000-05:00

As regular readers may have figured out, I love checking out what Arieanna has found over at Cooking Gadgets. This week, we've combined some things from The Garage with some things for around the house. You can get these wicked recycled bike sprocket tea light holders from ELSEWHERES for only 12 bucks a piece! I'm thinkin' that by the time he's read this far, Mooby's already left the page, with the plastic in hand to order a couple! Don't forget to check out the Bike Chain beer opener!

Less Stinky Soup

2006-04-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

Many years ago (about 15), Time Life came out with a series of American Country books. At that time, we were into many things country. The series of books was well done with great photographs but the most interesting to us was the country cooking book. I still use some of these recipes today and since I was already into the soup mode, here is another one. Fortunately, this one is a little less stinky!!!

Cheddar Cheese Soup with Cauliflower

3 tblsp butter
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups finely chopped cauliflower florets (about 1 small head)
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper (about 1/2 large) I often use red pepper or omit this altogether
1 medium carrot, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 tblsp flour
3 cups canned chicken broth
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 chopped parsley

1. In a 2-3 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower, green pepper, and carrot. Increase the heat to medium-high and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Gradually pour in the chicken broth and whisk until slightly thickened. Blend in the mustard. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup, partially covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. A handful at a time, add the grated cheese and stir until it is completely melted. Increase the heat to medium high and bring almost to a boil. Sprinkle the soup with the parsley and serve hot.
Serves 4-6
For and interesting color contrast, garnish this all-white soup with some grated sharp yellow Cheddar cheese.
Enjoy!

Blog review: Road Foodie

2006-04-22T07:18:00.000-05:00

Last week, One of Seven posted a review of a couple of recipes from The low carb gourmet, by Brigit Binns. This wonderful post has introduced us to Brigit and her new blog. Road Foodie is Brigit's journal of food and drink she's enjoyed (or not) as she travels around the world. She's witty and well written and I just love reading about steak houses in Texas. As one who spent time as a bartender years ago, I can relate to Brigit's description of what makes a good bartender.

Welcome to Foodies Across Borders Brigit Binns.

Big Stinky Soup

2006-04-20T20:52:00.000-05:00

A few years ago we had a dinner party where every couple was expected to bring a specific course and a bottle of wine (or two) to accompany it. We had 5 couples who brought an appetizer, salad, soup, a main course and dessert. For this particular evening, we made the soup; a Roasted Garlic Soup that we had found in the Bon Appetit magazine. Now, we love garlic but this is the most garlicy recipe I have ever made. Since everyone ate it, it wasn't a big deal but the next day, the garlic was still oozing from our pores! I lost this recipe until recently, but I am looking forward to making it again. I wouldn't change a thing, but let me know what you think.

Roasted Garlic Soup with Parmesan Cheese

26 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp butter
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
18 garlic cloves, peeled
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tblsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.
Melt butter in heavy, large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and thyme and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 18 raw cloves and cook 3 minutes.
Add chicken stock, cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan, add cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.)
Divide grated chese among 4 bowls and ladle soup over. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into each bowl and serve. Serves 4.

Hot Dog Steamer

2006-04-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

If you love a good steamy weinie, you've got to get one of these! No more exploded microwave hot dogs or split dogs that have boiled for too long. I bet the kids would love filling the hopper up with doggies & jamming the buns on the steam spikes. Speaking of the steam spikes, while they are cool, how come there are only 2? The hopper looks like it holds a full dozen weinies, but only 2 buns. Dumb!

You can pick one of these up from brandsonsale for $49.99

thanks to Techie Diva

Jamie Oliver friggin ROCKS!!!!

2006-04-18T20:54:00.000-05:00

I'm outta place here, "cause Sandy is halfway through a real review of the new show, but I've been into the Banrock Station & this Dude's show just kills!

This cat rolls into an old Italian monastary, gets the monk dudes shit faced & teaches them how to cook! Just imagine the opportunity....stroll into an ancient place with a misplaced rep & rejuvenate a bunch of really old dudes. He had a 70 year old monk (who had been in the place for 60 years) shakin' his ass to The Cure!!!

Stay tuned for more coherant comments from mama G

What the Heck is a Noisette, Anyway?

2006-04-18T18:15:00.000-05:00

Definition Paraphrased :

It's obvious now that I should have included a bit of Brigit Binns’ prelude to the “Seared Lamb Noisettes with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad”, as discovered when both the Grill Maestro and our own Garage Guy confessed that they didn't know what the heck a noisette was.... Well, fair enough -- and shame on me!! The author explains that noisettes are “very popular in England but rarely seen in the United States” and are made from racks of lamb by cutting the meat away from the bones, while leaving it in one piece. An 8-bone rack would produce 8 noisettes by tying it like a roast in 8 equidistant places, then cutting the meat crosswise. But as I mentioned, the presentation, in my opinion, is much nicer with the bones in and I *really* hate to waste a single morsel of lamb!

If you're as much of a grill fanatic as the G-Maestro, the Garage Guy or me, don't hesitate to shift from noisettes or racks to loin chops, which we did with friends for Easter dinner (about 5 minutes a side for medium-rare, using 1-inch chops)!! Even better, because it's so versatile, use that 4-ingredient marinade on chicken (wings, breasts...) and pork tenderloin -- throw in some basil for an extra dimension of flavour!

~ One of Seven

The Carnival of the Recipes

2006-04-17T13:53:00.000-05:00

Foodies has been included in a blog carnival for the first time. Thanks to the Grill Maestro for including us in the Carnival of the Recipes. The Carnival featured a link to One of Seven's double recipe review.

Squash Pesto Bake

2006-04-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

Since we always celebrate the major holidays at our house, we are always looking for new recipes to try out. On Friday morning, we were flipping through the TV and stopped on Everyday Italian, a show we had never watched before. The hostess, Giada De Laurentis, was reviewing vegetable recipes. One of the featured recipes was a squash and pesto dish but unfortunately, they don't publish the recipes on Foodtv.ca, so we had to go freestyle. The above picture is the result of our Easter squash dish that although it has many flavours in each mouthful, will probably become a regular in our house. Even our 12 year old liked it.
Take one large butternut squash (we used 3 small ones). Cut and cube it and boil it until soft. When cooked, put it in a food processor until pureed. (We don't have a processor so we mashed it). Butter a rectangular baking dish and add half of the squash mixture and spead it over the bottom of the dish. Take some store bought pesto (or homemade if you are ambitious) and add a layer of that on top of the squash. Cover the pesto with fresh, grated parmesan cheese. Follow with a layer of the remaining squash and a layer of the pesto and cover with more parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the cheese is crispy. (We actually cooked it for 40 minutes and then put it under the broiler. Just be careful the cheese doesn't burn.
As I said, each mouthful has a bunch of flavours but it is really tasty and a very different and distinct vegetable dish.

Double Recipe Review

2006-04-10T11:10:00.000-05:00

“Seared Lamb Noisettes with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad” and “Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagnas”

I wish I had taken a picture – the meal we made last night was attractive and really colourful – but more importantly, it was freakin’ delicious!! Whether or not you subscribe to the low-carb trend of this decade, this dinner was spectacular! My superstar girlfriend gave us a wonderful cookbook for as a gift, The Low-Carb Gourmet: Recipes for the new Lifestyle by Brigit Binns. Two stellar recipes, plus comments, below….

Seared Lamb Noisettes with Pea, Feta and Mint Salad
Minced or grated zest of 1 scrubbed lemon
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 noisettes of lamb, 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick, trimmed and tied (about 1 pound)
2 cups shelled fresh peas (or use thawed frozen petits pois)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Pinch of ground allspice
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon water
3 ounces mild French feta cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes

In a shallow glass or ceramic dish, whisk the lemon zest and juice, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the lamb and turn once, then cover with plastic srap and let stand for 15 minutes. Turn over again and let stand for 15 minutes more.

Prepare an ice bath, and blanch the fresh peas for 1 to 2 minutes in lightly salted boiling water, until not quite tender. Immediately drain and then plunge into the ice bath. Drain well and spread on a layer of paper towels. (If using thawed frozen peitis pois, simply roll them around gently on paper towels to dry.)

In a bowl, combine the peas, ½ tablespoon of the olive oil, salt, pepper and mint. Toss together gently and spread into a thin, even layer on a flat serving platter. Pat the noisettes dry with paper towels (reserve the marninade) and season both sides generously with salt, pepper and a tiny pinch of allspice.

Place a large, heavy sauté pan or skillet over high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter (use 2 pans if necessary to avoid crowding). When the butter is starting to brown, add and sear the noisettes for 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 2 minutes more, for medium-rare. Transfer the noisettes to the platter, placing them on top of the peas. Add the remaining marinade and 1 tablespoon of water to the pan and deglaze over high heat for a minute, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Drizzle the juices over the lamb and the peas, scatter the feta around the lamb, and serve.

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagnas
2 large globe eggplants, preferably long and thin
¼ cup coarse sea salt
Olive oil, for brushing
Freshly ground black pepper
Best-quality dried oregano, for sprinkling
3 ounces soft, mile goat cheese, such as Montrachet
1/3 cup freshly grated imported pecorino, grana padano, or Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 ounces slivered fontina cheese
8 leaves fresh basil, cut into julienne
1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch julienne
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Trim off the stems of the eggplants and peel them, leaving four 1/2-inch-wide, lengthwise strips of peel around each one. Slice them crosswise about 5/8 inch thick (you should have 12 nice slices). Gently combine the eggplant slices with the salt in a colander, distributing the salt with your fingers. Let drain for 20 minutes, then rinse briefly and pat dry thoroughly with kitchen towels.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the slices in a single layer on the parchment, and brush them lightly with olive oil. Season generously with pepper and oregano and bake for 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Remove from the oven, leaving it on if you plan to finish the dish immediately (the slices can stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours).

Cut the goat cheese into 4 equal pieces. On the same baking sheet, choose the 4 largest eggplant slices as the bases. Place a piece of goat cheese in the center of each and top with a pinch of pecorino. Top each with a medium-sized slice of eggplant, and top this slice with one fourth of the slivered fontina, one fourth of the basil, and another pinch of pecorino. Top each with another eggplant slice and press the top layer gently but firmly with a flat spatula to compact the stack a little. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and cover the pan with foil.

Bake the lasagnes for 20 to 25 minutes, until warmed through wit the cheese bubbling slightly around the edges. Remove the foil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, if necessary, until soft enough to cut with a fork (the peel will be a little tough, but it looks far more interesting than completely peeled eggplant). To serve, place a small jumble of red pepper julienne on top of each lasagne and scatter with a little parsley.

Comments
We modified the lamb recipe by quite a bit, so I’ll give you the “tried and true” version from last night. The first recipe calls for noisettes, but we used New Zealand rack of lamb, cut into chops – mostly for presentation purposes, but also to avoid waste. Now that it’s barbeque season, heat your barbeque to medium-high. On the one hand, you’ll miss out on the whole pan-searing, deglazing aspect (in which case, you won’t need the butter or the water), but we enjoyed the barbequed results (still roughly 2 minutes per side)…. The marinade was a snap and the cooked lamb was absolutely delicious. As for the salad, it was sweet and tangy at once, and the mint was lovely and refreshing. I put all of the salad ingredients together from the outset and would definitely recommend bringing it to room temperature ahead of time, especially if you intend to use heated plates (bag that platter idea!).

I confess that, even with a bit of background in the culinary arts, I was an eggplant-cookin’-virgin until last night (to be honest, it’s never held that much interest for me). This recipe was straightforward and speedy, prep-wise. The three cheeses (on hand I had peppered chèvre, Danish havarti and Parmigiano Reggiano) made the end effect completely decadent and delicious. Use bamboo skewers to hold the stacked eggplant together and to avoid having the foil stick to the cheese. The stylin’ presentation, along with the splash of colour, really made the plate.

These three components created extraordinary eye appeal and the combination of flavours was extremely complimentary. My husband and I have more of an affinity for Asian dishes, so this dinner was an uncommon foray into Mediterranean flavours and a really special treat. We decided after about three bites that we would definitely serve this meal to guests and are now planning our next dinner party!

As for the book, it has so, so many wonderful looking and sounding dishes, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, especially given how this meal turned out. With amazing recipes from each of the predictable categories, plus sections on Breakfast and Brunch and The Cheese Course, this book will be a serious addition to your collection. Of special note is her collection of Stellar Sides which, if you are of the carb-avoiding crew, offers unique dishes that avoid high-carb components, but are absolutely mouth-watering. If you don’t consider carbs to be the devil’s work, you’ll just be treated to innovative, flavourful offerings that will compliment your current repertoire. I am super-impressed by this book!

~ One of Seven

Bloody heart AKA Hoisin Marinated Pork Chops

2006-04-08T08:43:00.000-05:00

After chasing the kids around with a bag of pork chops soaking in red stuff, they were all determined that they weren't going to eat that stuff. How things changed when they tasted it. Everybody loves that pork you get with chinese food take out, the pork with the nice red colour that penetrates into the meat and has a nice sweet taste. Now, you can have it at home. Best of all, it's really easy! Our 5 year old, who doesn't eat much meat, came back for seconds and ate almost a whole huge chop by himself.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cups of hoisin sauce
1 cup of oyster sauce
1/4 cup of black bean garlic sauce
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (if you're lazy like me, use a huge tbsp of prechopped stuff)
1 tbsp of chopped, peeled fresh ginger (I grated it)
1 teaspoon of red food colouring
6 nice fat pork rib chops

mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
Place chops in a big ziplok bag. Pour in the mixture from the bowl, squeeze out the air and stick em in the fridge. Leave them there for 3-5 days. We actually left them in the beer fridge for 6 days.

When cooking time comes:
Preheat the broiler - we used the default 500 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil. This is a killer recommendation, as it cuts down on the clean up.
Remove chops from marinade & put them on the sheet. Don't drain off the marinade, as you want them to be goopy.
We followed the instructions and cooked them for 9 minutes a side. When you turn them over, they look a little raw, but it all evens out & they are perfect.

We sliced the chops thin, like you would have from Wong's delivery, but you could serve them as regular chops. It might be a good idea to make a couple of extras to slice up and add to some noodles.

The menu suggestion from Bon Appetit included a funky applesauce and something else that sounded like it would take too much time. I had no interest, so I don't even remember what it was! Instead, we took the easy route & used some Asian Home Gourmet brand Singapore stir fry noodles, tossed with a half a bag of pre shredded coleslaw. Easy, colourful and very tasty!

A funny aside about the noodles. Twelve year old Shelby loved them. 5 Year old Riley hated them. The freak of the house, 7 year old Duncan hated the noodles, but picked out and ate ALL of the cabbage!!

Overall, this recipe was a huge hit in the house and I think it will become a staple. Next time, I think we'll try the chops on the barbie.

Shikar Poppa Dums

2006-04-07T13:31:00.000-05:00

We've all had papadums at our fave indian restaurant, and maybe even tried frying some up at home. Now you can get little ones that come in a can sort of like a Pringles tube. I recently came across these wonderful treats in the local Superstore & just had to pick them up. They are miniature papadums and come in 4 flavours, Green Chili & Garlic, Black Pepper, Red Chili & Cumin. So far, we have tried the Black Pepper & the Green Chili & Garlic and the whole family loves them. Having a look at the Hunter Foods web site, they have all sorts of unique snacks. If they are all as good as Poppa Dums, these folks will enjoy huge sales growth here in Canada.

Burgers from Heaven (and Hell)

2006-04-03T17:17:00.000-05:00

Believe me, I can cook. I don’t think I love anything more than the satisfaction of preparing an elaborate dinner and sharing a little wine with some friends. But one of the other things I love most in life is a great freakin’ burger!! Whether it’s right off our own barbeque or a treat at a local hangout, there’s nothing better than a super-juicy, hand-packed, made-with-love….

In the last few weeks, we’ve made a point of trying a bunch of new and not-so-new spots and comparing patties from heaven. Here are our Canmore results, to date:

Rose & Crown (Railway Avenue)
Last week, I mentioned that this burger was held over from the previous menu – which is true – in all three of its glorious formats: their regular Burger, the Mushroom & Swiss and the totally awesome Banquet Burger (cheddar, fried onions, sautéed mushrooms and bacon). What I neglected to mention was that the Rose has increased the SIZE of their hand-packed patty and it’s now an 8-oz-er!! Served with choice of fries, soup or salad, this one ROCKS: “A+”!

Miner’s Lamp (Georgetown Inn, Bow Valley Trail)
A girlfriend tried their burger recently and invited us to come out and experience it for ourselves. This “best-kept secret” of a pub has a really intriguing menu – a combination of pub food and Rocky Mountain cuisine, but we were on a burger mission! I do have to say that it was completely divine! Served with caramelized onions and a brie “upgrade” (from cheddar), the burger was completely stellar!! A little skimpy with the fries, I can only give it an “A”, but the burger itself was heavenly.

Sage Bistro (Bow Valley Trail)
My husband had been to Sage for breakfast with a couple of friends a few months ago when I was out of town. Suddenly, he had an urge to go back, so we invited the same friends and made a bit of an event out of it…. Now, I’m all for breakfast being the most important meal of the day, but when I found out I could actually order lunch instead, that just made my day (it was a late breakfast, anyway). I opted for the lamb burger, which was beautiful and juicy, and not as lamb-y as I might have thought, which suited me fine. Served with Oka cheese, it was just incredible, as were the absolutely divine sweet potato fries!! The one knock, unfortunately, was the onion bun; I know some people must like them, but yuck. So I can only rate the experience an “A”. And heck, if you like onion buns, this burger is going to knock your socks off!!

Crazyweed (Main Street)
Another girlfriend once told me that she thought this was the best burger in town, but honestly, “what’s all the hubbub, Bub?” This burger was dry and unimpressive, with little flavour and a crappy bun. Served with nary a side dish in sight (nope: no fries; no salad; just plain nothin’) and no cheese option, I can’t help but give this burger an “F”. I’ve heard that they sometimes have a lamb burger “special”, but I’m not feeling hopeful so it would take a lot to make me go back to try it.

Don’t hesitate to try any of the first three spots for a super-delicious meal. Try to get a window seat, too, to make the most of your visit! And, if it’s your thing, be sure to try a local micro brew (each of the three will offer something different, whether on tap or in a bottle)…. Tell them "One of Seven" sent you! Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven

Smoke-free P.S.

2006-04-03T17:12:00.000-05:00

I really should mention, after last week’s submission on smoke-free pubs in Canmore, that the Drake and the Rose were two of six, count ‘em six establishments to voluntarily adopt a non-smoking policy this weekend. The Sherwood House (reopening in May), the Canmore Hotel, the Last Call and The Legion are all on the bandwagon. Also of note, the Miner’s Lamp at the Georgetown Inn should be blaring the fact that they’ve been “smoke free since day one”.

~ One of Seven

We're having a bloody heart for dinner!!!

2006-04-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

The March 06 issue of Bon Appetit has tasty looking recipe for Hoisin Marinated pork chops. It's got lot's of cool stuff in the marinade like oyster sauce, black bean sauce, garlic, ginger and of course hoisin sauce. One odd ingredient is a whole teaspoon full of red food dye. Throw all this stuff in a giant ziploc with a bunch of pig for 3-5 days & then broil. I may choose to BBQ it, because it's just that time of year.

Once I finished putting it all together, after noticing it's wonderful dark red colour, I just couldn't help but have some fun with the kids. Only the Mini Dude bit. "I'm not eating heart" he announced as I took the bag outside to show it off to the other kids. They aren't quite so easily fooled.

The marinade tastes great, and later this week I'll review the finished product and post the recipe.

Beer review: Innis and Gunn Oak Aged Ale

2006-03-27T19:51:00.000-06:00

Mmm...beer: Review of Innis and Gunn Oak Aged Ale
So, this is available in a few select restaurants and liquor stores (aka happy places). It seems to be quite a rare find, and oh man, it's worth it.

Apparently it's aged for a total of 77 days - 30 of those are in oak barrels used to age single malt. The balance is in a "marrying tin where these flavours infuse and fall into perfect balance." The perfect beer? Not so fast, my Homer-esque friends. This is a strong beer (6.6%) with HUGE flavour - it tastes like Caffrey's that has had an insane bartender drop a shot of Lagavulin into it. Yup, the single malt essence comes through in a big way for me - that means you can't be quaffing this all night. It's like drinking a huge fat Cab or Chardonnay - it needs a little somethin' somethin' to go with, ya know?

That said, I can see having one or two of these Scottish badasses for a little apres, in front of the fireplace. Beautiful, huge flavours (I get the single malt as well as honey) and a lovely velvety mouth feel. Not a lot of carbonation makes it slide down that much nicer...drool...

If you can find this, I recommend this - sell your kidneys if you need to, you won't regret the tradeoff.

2006-03-27T07:46:00.000-06:00

For all you dog lovers out there, now your puppy can hold a kitchen towel for you where he needs it most! Slam introduces the Dog-end towel holder that is easy to look after, doesn't need a daily walk & wipes his own butt! Perhaps even better, it is made from recycled plastic, so if you ever get get board of looking at his balls, you can just toss him in the blue box!

Smoke-free ... it's about time!

2006-03-26T17:00:00.000-06:00

Good news for Bow Valley residents and visitors alike! In Canmore, effective April 1, both the Rose & Crown and the Drake Inn pubs will become smoke-free!! Now, for those of you from Toronto and Vancouver, “big deal”, right? Well, these two pubs are a bit ahead of the curve in Alberta, as Calgary is only mandated to become smoke-free in 2008. While Canmore has lagged behind Banff in introducing a by-law to this effect for well over a year, it’s commendable to see business owners teaming up to make a point, as well as looking out for the health of their patrons and staff members.

If you enjoy a couple – or a bunch! – of pints and some great food, my first recommendation is definitely the Rose & Crown, at the corner of Railway Avenue and Main Street. They’ve got the best “pub grub” in town and just introduced a new menu this last Monday. I totally recommend their Banquet Burger (held over from the last menu and quite possibly the best beef burger in town), while my better half totally enjoyed the new Sirloin Quesadilla. The Rose offers both a pub atmosphere in one room and a dining room in another. And if you’ll be pubbin’ in the summer, the Rose enjoys sun on its patio longer than any other place in town (and is a little quieter, as it overlooks Policeman’s Creek). Year-round, a couple of pool tables are available for your amusement, in case the people-watching isn’t enough. The Rose & Crown offers a great selection of beer on tap and their awesome servers will be the delight of your day; in fact, in my humble opinion, the service exceeds that of any pub or restaurant in town. Can you tell it’s our favourite?

If you’re interested in live entertainment, the Drake offers live bands most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, as well as a dance floor to get yo’ funk on. It can get a little crazy when some of the favourite local bands are around, so you might want to arrive early to root yourself at a table to make the most of its fun and lively atmosphere! You’ll also find pool tables downstairs. Trolling? I have to guess that this would be the place – and hey, there’s a motel attached!! The Drake also offers bi-level patio seating in the summer, but loses the sun a little earlier than others. The Drake is located across the street from the Rose (do I see a mini pub crawl in your future?).

Also of note, pub-wise, is the reopening of the Sherwood House Pub, slated for the Victoria Day weekend. The Sherwood House is a Canmore landmark and has been seriously missed for nearly two years, now. Submerged into the pits of hell by the interim Bolo House management, it sounds like the reclaimed Sherwood House will come back to make the most of its hot patio (some would say “the hottest”) for the summer, offering a streamlined, “gourmet” pub menu. Then, once sunny (etc.) summer is over, they’ll close for some significant renovations in the fall and treat us all to more of a grand opening in December. Woohoo! The Sherwood House is located at the corner of Main Street and 8th Avenue.

Clearly, the Molson Canadian trademark slogan rings true (at least in Canmore): “There are two seasons in Canada; winter … and patio”. This week’s warm weather and sunshine in the Bow Valley have obviously had an effect on my psyche and thus a young woman’s fancy turns to thoughts of havin’ a pint in the great outdoors (while viewing beautiful mountains, feeling that cool alpine breeze and so on…)!! Meanwhile, plan to enjoy the improved, smoke-free facilities at your disposal! Bravo to the respective management of the Rose & Crown and the Drake!!

~ One of Seven

Quick n easy pizza

2006-03-21T17:51:00.000-06:00

This is the easiest pizza ever, and best of all, the kids love it. Forget about the mess of using frozen or fresh pizza dough, let alone making your own. Just take a package of soft tortillas, add a bit of sauce and some toppings and voila....home made thin crust pizza! We put the sauce on for the kids & then lay out the toppings on the table for the kids to make their own creations. Our kids may not be normal, but they like bacon, tomatos & red/orange/yellow peppers along with the usual cheese & pepperoni. For Mom & Dad, mix it up with some spicy Thai dressing, onions, bean sprouts and chopped bbq chicken! This is a quick easy treat the whole family loves.

Recipe: Potatoes mashed with caramelized onions

2006-03-19T09:41:00.000-06:00

Each month, we look forward to the arrival of the LCBO's Food & Drink Magazine. It's always filled with great ideas for feeding the ever present crowd that invades our house every weekend. The first thing we decided to try was the mashed potatoes with caramelized onions. They are easy to make & can be put together in the morning & then finished off in the over while you are prepping the rest of dinner. The end result was outstanding. The potatoes are nice and creamy, thanks to the buttermilk and the onions are sweet, with a bit of tang from the sherry vinegar.

Onions:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
6 cups of sweet onions (like vidalia)
salt to taste
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock
freshly ground pepper

Potatoes:
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & cut into even sized chunks (note: you may want to make more taters, we didn't have enough for the dish & had to make more)
3/4 cup of buttermilk
1/4 cup of melted butter
salt & freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup of grated asiago cheese. I think we used a whole brick, you can never have too much cheese!

1. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until butter sizzles. Add onions & salt & saute for 3 minutes or until onions start to soften. Sprinkle with sugar, turn heat to medium low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar and stock. Raise heat to high and reduce until stock almost completely disappears. Remove from heat, season with salt & pepper and reserve.

2. While onions are cooking, place potatoes in cold salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until taters are tender. Drain well and return to turned off burner for a few minutes to dry off.

3. Mash potatoes with a potato masher and beat in buttermilk and butter. Season well with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat oven to 375f

5. Butter a large gratin dish. Layer one third of potatoes and then half of the onions. Repeat layering, finishing with a layer of potato. Sprinkle with the grated asiago cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is browned and potatoes are hot.

Cha Cha wine rack

2006-03-16T06:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Jaime over at Random for pointing us towards the funky Cha Cha wine rack. The colourful plastic pieces can be put together in different shapes. They come in blue, clear, green & orange and are available from Wrapables for $21.95 per section.

New Blog Launch

2006-03-15T11:34:00.000-06:00

Blair Valley Media is happy to announce the launch of our new toy blog, The Jumping Bunny. This is our first blog that is outside the realm of blogger, so it has been an exciting learning experience.The Jumping Bunny is a essentially a toy review blog, but at times we may talk about all sorts of kid stuff. We hope you will come and visit soon.

Puff Balls

2006-03-15T09:34:00.000-06:00

Gary’s dad and his girlfriend came to visit last September from BC. They were driving around Canada and the U.S pulling their new trailer and we had dinner with them one night at the trailer park. Gary was catching up on family history (mostly cars!) and the kids were getting restless so we decided to go for a walk in the woods. We found the usual sticks and rocks and an old dump full of bike parts and garbage but nothing too exciting. As it was starting to get dark and everyone was getting hungry, we decided to head back to the trailer and were stopped in the woods by an older gentleman who’s trailer (home) was situated beside the path to the woods. As usual, I can never get past an older person without them talking to me and this time was no exception. This little, round man walks up to me and says “Do you like puff balls?” “Excuse me?” I reply, not fully understanding what he is asking and somewhat concerned that he is propositioning me in front of my children. “Puff balls,” he repeats. At this point, I am thinking that perhaps he is just a lonely old man looking for someone to talk to and I ask him what he is talking about. He tells me that in the woods there are these white balls, about the size of a beach ball and they are a delicacy to eat. (His wife was apparently in the trailer, frying some in butter for dinner). He points us back in the direction of the woods and the kids and I go searching for these puff balls. It doesn’t take long before Duncan is running through the woods yelling that he has found them and sure enough, a little off the beaten path are these white balls on the ground, bigger than our heads. Duncan grabs one (the biggest he can find) and we head back to the trailer to show daddy, grandpa and grandma. Apparently, these Giant Puff Balls are from the mushroom family. They grow in the late summer to mid-fall and can be as small as a baseball and as big as a basketball. They are mostly edible and are often fried in butter or cooked in soups. Duncan, being the Fear Factor freak, takes the first bite, raw!!! Once we are sure he is not going to keel over and die (the good parents that we are) we all decide to take a bite. They are earthy-tasting and a little spongy, almost like styrofoam, but we are told they are much better fried in butter. The puff balls made it home with us but we never got a chance to cook them up. The kids are looking forward to next fall when we can hunt for them again. Perhaps by then, we will be able to find a recipe and really check them out.

10W30 Dark Ale Review

2006-03-05T10:23:00.000-06:00

Visit The Garage for a full review of Neustadt Springs 10W30 Dark Ale.

They're Grrrreat!

2006-03-05T09:08:00.000-06:00

The boys wanted Corn Flakes after hockey this morning and I suppose I wasn't really surprised when I found the box empty! I thought we had another box down in the pantry, so I sent the boys on a mission and they came back with a new box of Frosted Flakes. I'm not sure where they came from, but I must have bought them on sale one day. I hadn't had Frosted Flakes in years. Crispy & sweet, but not too sweet. I had forgotten how good they are. Definately a guilty pleasure!

Blog Review

2006-03-03T12:08:00.000-06:00

I've just come across a fun B5 Media blog called Cooking Gadgets, by Arieanna Foley. Like most of B5's blogs, this one looks great and has lots of cool kitchen toys. I'm liking the perfect pint robot, but I think the kids would go crazy for the motorized ice cream cones!

Restaurant review : The Real jerk

2006-03-01T18:39:00.000-06:00

As close as I can remember, it's been at least 13 years since I've visited this place. The Real Jerk has been a landmark in the Toronto island food scene for many years. The outside of the building is brightly painted in red, yellow and green, the colours of Jamaica and the theme is followed through inside. Yellow tinted windows cast a sunny glow over the place, complementing the make believe beach hut that dominates the center of the place.
Normally I'd be ordering a roti or curry of some sort, but I just wanted a light lunch so I opted for the Jerk Chicken sandwich. I enjoyed the nice soft cocoa bread and the chicken was juicy & tender, but where was the heat? Maybe it's 'cause I'm a fat white guy, but really people...give me some heat! The chicken was whiter than me!

Other than the chicken having no spice, I thoroughly enjoyed lunch at The Real Jerk. Now that I'm working close by, I'll be visiting again soon. It's like taking a little mid week vacation!

I like cupcakes!

2006-02-25T12:48:00.000-06:00

I decided that I had to try making some cupcakes from scratch and after seeing a reference to Magnolia Cupcakes in NYC, I went on a hunt for a recipe. I found the ladies at All Cupcakes, All The Time. Theirs is a blog dedicated to the cupcake, and they had the recipe I needed. Normally, I'm no baker so I think things were a bit messier than they usually are when I venture into the kitchen, but I think I was happy with the results. Straight out of the oven, the cupcakes had a wonderful crusty, sugary cap & a nice not too sweet taste, with a texture like soft cornbread. They tasted great. Of course, like most things I do, I didn't allow enough time to ice them the same night & the tops had gone a bit sticky by the time they were iced the next evening.

Next time, I'll plan ahead so I have time to ice & I think I'll turn the mixer up faster so the batter sticks less.

A super quick curry

2006-02-23T18:53:00.000-06:00

Last night was super hectic around the Grant household, like most evenings. Sandy had planned to make a simple curry & had left some of the ingredients out on the counter & then got busy with some work. I decided to whip something together during an ad break on Lost. I threw in some minute rice and then moved on to the tough stuff. I sauted a half a red onion in butter, along with 2 heaping tablespoons of this really nice curry powder I found in a market somewhere. Once the onions had carmelized a bit, I blopped in half a jar or so of Patak's hot chutney & then most of a tin of condensed milk. Then I stirred in some left over cooked chicken from the previous night's fajitas & BAM!!! We had smokin hot curry & rice. All done within 2 ad breaks!

Welcome to Foodies across borders

2006-02-20T16:39:00.000-06:00

We the foodies are a bunch of semi normal friends who are spread out across North America who all share a love of entertaining. That means we all like to eat, drink & be merry!

In this little space, we'll be sharing recipes, restaurant reviews, and our thoughts about any variety of food and bevvie products.