tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78238106725408419102024-03-12T17:01:07.583-07:00Niagara Cooksfrom farm to tableLynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-28238446547039245052012-04-10T13:21:00.009-07:002012-04-10T14:37:00.461-07:00I’m making doughnuts – not donuts!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCw-2EMoe4TSdWyzmEXgE8OuKm03WxhrXeKIwSDdkLdIkLq1flaip5XH9VPbSoF-jwblkQK_zxsWJs0jVQBM1u-qsjqWPNbTPZdPVSRFLaiI7GVGO1MwmbOMXkBiQ24RHSgh99Mm_l1U/s1600/Doughnuts.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCw-2EMoe4TSdWyzmEXgE8OuKm03WxhrXeKIwSDdkLdIkLq1flaip5XH9VPbSoF-jwblkQK_zxsWJs0jVQBM1u-qsjqWPNbTPZdPVSRFLaiI7GVGO1MwmbOMXkBiQ24RHSgh99Mm_l1U/s320/Doughnuts.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729879284135903106" /></a>You may wonder what kind of stress can there possibly be when you eat for a living, but believe me, I can have a few pretty bad days. So here I am in the middle of the worst day ever! I’m refusing to answer the phone any longer for fear it may be another fire that I may or may not be able to put out.<br /><br />So what do you do on your bad days? I head for the sanctity of my kitchen and make something that makes me feel good. Usually it’s something sweet and today is no different. Today I’m making doughnuts. I use the English spelling instead of the American simply to distinguish between the sea of homogeneous dough balls, circles and twists from the pure luxurious joy one experiences from sinking your teeth into a warm, sugary home made doughnut – oh, yum.<br /><br />Raised in a family who cooked really well, doughnuts are one of my many comfort foods. I remember my grandmother deep frying doughnuts and as fast as they cooked (and doughnuts cook almost instantaneously!) we gobbled them up. They were warm, soft, and sweet with a chewy outside and billowy inside. They were the culinary equivalent of a grandmothers love. <br /><br />Of course, there are as many different recipes for doughnuts as there are calories in each one. My grandmother made traditional doughnuts with a yeasty dough that rose not once but twice. Today is not a good day and I need an immediate act of mercy so these won’t do.<br /><br />Apparently, my habit is to make doughnuts in the fall because all I can find among my scribbled notes are recipes for pumpkin doughnuts and apple cider doughnuts. Ah finally, I find a recipe for Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts I found on a food blog one day. There is a note scribbled on the recipe that raves about the fantastic food blog called Christie’s Corner, written by Charmian Christie. Check it out, it’s really good.<br /><br />The great thing about doughnuts is, the basic ones are never high maintenance. With a well stocked pantry, I have all the ingredients I need to make a batch of love – or in other words, Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts. I can just imagine my grandmother frying them up for me right now.<br /><br />Unlike my grandmother, I wheeled my KitchenAide from the pantry and plugged it in to do the work for me. It creamed the shortening and sugar together until it was a golden sand mixture, then I added the egg yolks one at a time and the sand turned to a thick cream as I scrapped down the sides of the giant bowl.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-gfFYswCQMRo3PrtYsxo_IEH7RqZoz8bbp6V2VobOsG8Et_l8_kKolLPGNZinRws6W4pomfW6rw_2So8y1izeiJf63iLBM_oGxS0DOKfXLh2Ct9XMYZsCyU4NG6faaxPS3-YKe0nVVc/s1600/Doughnuts1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-gfFYswCQMRo3PrtYsxo_IEH7RqZoz8bbp6V2VobOsG8Et_l8_kKolLPGNZinRws6W4pomfW6rw_2So8y1izeiJf63iLBM_oGxS0DOKfXLh2Ct9XMYZsCyU4NG6faaxPS3-YKe0nVVc/s320/Doughnuts1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729880392971953730" /></a>I mixed the dry ingredients together and added it little by little to the yellow cream with intermittent scoops of sour cream. In the end the dough was quite sticky and wet. I wondered if perhaps I should add more flour. I resisted for now, covered the bowl and refrigerated it while I got back to putting out another fire. <br /><br />I was successful in smoothing out one catastrophe and was feeling much better as I made my way back into my kitchen to fry up the doughnuts. Chilled, the dough was a bit firmer and I used a lot of flour on my hands, work surface and rolling pin. It was workable. I emptied a bottle of canola oil into a deep pot and set the gas to high.<br /><br />I have a series of round cookie cutters so I was feeling no pressure to shape the perfect doughnut. When the hot oil was ready, I dropped in the first doughnut and the oil sizzled and sputtered. I dropped in the second one and that’s when I realized my perfect doughnuts weren’t so perfect after all. They are too big for the pot and I can only cook one at a time, <span style="font-style:italic;">aughhh</span>.<br /><br />I reworked the dough and cut out smaller doughnuts only to find I had no instrument to cut a hole small enough - now what? Finally, I found the top of a glue stick - hey, it worked! <br /><br />Doughnuts cook incredibly fast and you certainly don’t have to cook them for as long as I did. I tried to reach a light golden brown colour but by the time I could get them out of the oil and onto a rack, they’d overcooked. There is a real skill to frying doghnuts and not wanting to be outdone by a doughnut, I made a vow to do this again real soon.<br /><br />The recipe for the glaze looked like it would make way too much for me, so I whisked up about a third of the recipe. Next time I’ll buy some white vanilla so I can have a beautiful white glaze instead of a dull glaze, and my doughnuts were a darker brown than I would have like too, but for today, it didn't matter.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWijYOikIU8sgnGwBSaOe-SLZ0SHp3vjUG9jARuy-YSQ2TIrfF3cIt3UeQawJknVui7KiQxpUqizj_P-0d6xaT9MFfen0zteb1LqUO_GmHOowMK9GSm5ntTkm4-8lXvxn5HvpHu_3PYxU/s1600/Doughnuts4.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWijYOikIU8sgnGwBSaOe-SLZ0SHp3vjUG9jARuy-YSQ2TIrfF3cIt3UeQawJknVui7KiQxpUqizj_P-0d6xaT9MFfen0zteb1LqUO_GmHOowMK9GSm5ntTkm4-8lXvxn5HvpHu_3PYxU/s320/Doughnuts4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729880584861410562" /></a><br />I sat in my big arm chair in the living room with a hot cup of tea and a plate full of 2 glazed doughnuts and 2 doughnut holes. I bit into the warm dough and the world seemed to instantly disappear as my teeth sank into the soft, sweet, billowy cloud with the silky texture of the glaze luxuriating across my palate and finding its way deep into my psyche. <br /><br />Thanks Charmian for the delicious doughnuts and for giving me my “moment of love” that helped to turn my upside down world, right again. <br /><br />Click here for the complete recipe, <a href="http://on.fb.me/HxLJ7U">http://on.fb.me/HxLJ7U</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-19926298495678187822012-04-07T14:40:00.005-07:002012-04-07T15:10:57.784-07:00When Recipes Become Yours<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPCuPBiUkWzmqHC3GUZPwnk-kdNEzO8MuUbg2jpQbnEHIkwSIywHuR8ydgHXLwcV3vspwJT4oW4WiesjTooN9TVZV120lIOZdX8yTY2TI2T-MfRVDJpAwk43zMuFG18XkBOQM1jRlDqk/s1600/Lentil+Salad.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPCuPBiUkWzmqHC3GUZPwnk-kdNEzO8MuUbg2jpQbnEHIkwSIywHuR8ydgHXLwcV3vspwJT4oW4WiesjTooN9TVZV120lIOZdX8yTY2TI2T-MfRVDJpAwk43zMuFG18XkBOQM1jRlDqk/s200/Lentil+Salad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728778774109223410" /></a>It’s going to be a lazy day and I feel like puttering I the kitchen. Before I head to the gym for my usual early morning workout, I pull together a small grocery list so I can swing by my favourite grocers on the way home.<br /><br />Cynthia Liedtke is Editorial Assistant for Health & Lifestyle Magazine (<a href="http://www.healthandlifestyle.ca">www.healthandlifestyle.ca</a>) and she sent me a few copies of her magazine. It’s a purse-size magazine focused on wellness with inspiring interviews of celebrities and their health struggles like Clara Hughes battle with depression and Lisa Ray’s challenges with a rare form of blood cancer. There is a deluge of information from both traditional and alternative specialists on natural health products, diets, lifestyle issues and of course food.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqDO4KoxKN2Nbcwc-rK8a88AtQHIBo8Lv0G9emt2OzKi8mbjNUAgg3xDsflfnGJtZKq4djlfLDXV49SE4lGRL8BmSI80cEEwNyvB-nIsiePY1k9k92N8JACqC2nmGSep8rnIP2XtLc98/s1600/Lentil+Salad1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqDO4KoxKN2Nbcwc-rK8a88AtQHIBo8Lv0G9emt2OzKi8mbjNUAgg3xDsflfnGJtZKq4djlfLDXV49SE4lGRL8BmSI80cEEwNyvB-nIsiePY1k9k92N8JACqC2nmGSep8rnIP2XtLc98/s200/Lentil+Salad1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728778924215692338" /></a><br />Flipping through the magazines, the recipe that caught my eye was the Beluga Lentils with Porcini Mushrooms, Asparagus and a Sunny Egg. It came from the featured cookbook, The Eat-Clean Diet, Vegetarian Cookbook by Tosca Reno. The photo looked downright delicious and I just had to have it. So I begin. <br /><br />Shopping didn’t go so well, couldn’t find beluga lentils anywhere so I settled for red. From the picture in the book it looks like there’s a huge difference, but I’m moving ahead anyway. I read the package directions for the lentils and end up with a very bland orange pudding. The starch on these little, overlooked lentils just took over. In the garbage that batch goes and I start again.<br /><br />This time the lentils are cooked with bay leaves, a clove of garlic and lots of salted water for only 5 minutes instead of the 20 minutes recommended. The lentils are al dente and all looks good to go. <br /><br />I took some dried porcini mushrooms and soaked them in boiling water for the recommended 5 minutes. Next I drained them and the recipe instructions said, “cook until lightly browned”. Well, there’s no darker brown than the colour of hydrated porcini mushrooms. I put them in a dry sauté pan and let the remaining water steam off them. Nice and dry, I added some extra virgin olive oil, minced, fresh garlic and dried thyme. It began to sizzle and as I stirred I could see how these mushrooms were absorbing all the wonderful flavours in the pan – yum, I added them to the cooled red lentils in a bowl.<br /><br />The recipe calls for asparagus to be cooked separately but I’m not a fan of all that fuss so I cleaned them, cut them up and cooked them in the same skillet as the mushrooms and tossed them into the salad. The recipe didn’t call for any salt or pepper but again, I took the liberty and seasoned it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFH2EG-pPBrzNTQ1wC1VI2_840Enp2ls2nMl7QWZhPVvPUoTh4Jk4gvnthM9uYaj3q5UzvkvlDkDtqeooG5m1y6n_pGpMZYNGFpfFYte2qNSBezc1z68VN9KBQqGaryWavZ6wMGT24Vs/s1600/Lentil+Salad2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFH2EG-pPBrzNTQ1wC1VI2_840Enp2ls2nMl7QWZhPVvPUoTh4Jk4gvnthM9uYaj3q5UzvkvlDkDtqeooG5m1y6n_pGpMZYNGFpfFYte2qNSBezc1z68VN9KBQqGaryWavZ6wMGT24Vs/s320/Lentil+Salad2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728779220993849202" /></a><br />Ok, now the egg, well I never did cook any, I guess the family was just too hungry or the salad was just so good there was simply not enough time to cook an egg. I think it was the later.<br /><br />Like all good recipes, they’re guidelines and if you dare to adventure into them, they eventually become yours just by adapting it to your needs and likes. I will hunt for Beluga lentils though; it just looked so delicious in the magazine - although mine doesn’t look that bad either.<br /><br />Btw, The Eat-Clean Diet made the New York Times best-selling list and it’s promoted as a must for anyone wanting to lose weight, help the planet or just spice things up a bit. I’ll probably pick it up next time I’m in the book store. Thanks Cynthia, I can see this becoming a delicious and long friendship.<br /><br />Click for the original recipe, <a href="http://ow.ly/a8AJN">http://ow.ly/a8AJN</a><br />Click for more photos, <a href="http://bit.ly/HqXJUe ">http://bit.ly/HqXJUe</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-22516756987161103562012-04-06T17:38:00.005-07:002012-04-06T17:56:29.678-07:00Prairie Beef Ribs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6kem47jWkaNj7DvFPLhlrTFb6wqGcHAAayAaf0WLCg9xfT7X3KLqTAmxIt1P2c2p2Btsl6ZPafNy6cOGjd-k3CHjQIlmXlvk666fHnpeBL0cyKXgPxHZU43qviW5aCJEI_ZJ5FaIfGc/s1600/Rub+Recipe.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6kem47jWkaNj7DvFPLhlrTFb6wqGcHAAayAaf0WLCg9xfT7X3KLqTAmxIt1P2c2p2Btsl6ZPafNy6cOGjd-k3CHjQIlmXlvk666fHnpeBL0cyKXgPxHZU43qviW5aCJEI_ZJ5FaIfGc/s320/Rub+Recipe.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728453989643779154" /></a>It’s Easter and we’re barbecuing! In the Canadian prairies, barbecue means beef and beef ribs are a favorite. Some people claim beef ribs are tough and fatty when barbecued and they’re absolutely right – that is, if you don’t know how to cook them. <br /><br />Beef short ribs are cut from the bottom end of the rib cage called the "plate" or from the chuck area and the meat is as tough as brisket. However, if your beef ribs are cooking up tough you’re simply not cooking them long enough. Beef ribs can only be tenderized through a long, slow cooking process and smoking is the perfect way to do them. <br /><br />Many people pre-boil ribs for tenderness. My advice is DON’T! You’re just robbing yourself of a whole lot of flavor and it will require more barbecue sauce than you can imagine to make them even begin to taste decent. <br /><br />Think of it this way, if ribs need plenty of sauce to taste good, then the cook needs more practice slow cooking or smoking ribs. I don’t serve sauce on my ribs and I definitely don’t baste the ribs with sauce while they’re cooking. There’s nothing wrong with barbecue sauce, but it should be used as a compliment to the meat, not as a replacement for lack of flavor. <br /><br />You can certainly marinate ribs in the refrigerator overnight but for traditional Canadian beef ribs, just put on a good dry rub a few hours before cooking and that should be the extent of your flavouring. Rubs are easy to mix together and they keep in your cupboard for whenever you want them.<br /><br />Rubs are mixtures of many dry ingredients from spices such as red and black pepper, cumin, ginger and dry mustard to onion flakes, allspice and garlic powder. Dried herbs such as basil, rosemary, parsley or thyme. If you want a bit of a sweet flavour, you can add brown sugar to the mix and for a spicy rib, throw in some cayenne and chili powder, ancho or chipotle peppers to give it a bit of heat. <br /><br />Mix these ingredients together and store them in an airtight container until your ready to use them. Then just pat a good layer of rub over the ribs and massage it into the meat. Let them sit refrigerated for a few hours before smoking them. <br /><br />For complete recipe and smoking instructions, click here <a href="http://on.fb.me/HX2nxj">http://on.fb.me/HX2nxj</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-79376028065168138212012-04-06T16:01:00.005-07:002012-04-06T16:33:41.976-07:00400 Cookbooks and Counting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVx92glBUt_F0cpA06RSe29Ue0wcMC9FOx-ZOykf-Ooyqntf-hIzSXAg490vTISEZtGrFFcdD4Iqpbxru_w9s8wiI5N3zAVaVduvmJLa2uU5BwcFow31UuBEIxCuHbSn-DXKFke5RClg/s1600/Pasta+Classica.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVx92glBUt_F0cpA06RSe29Ue0wcMC9FOx-ZOykf-Ooyqntf-hIzSXAg490vTISEZtGrFFcdD4Iqpbxru_w9s8wiI5N3zAVaVduvmJLa2uU5BwcFow31UuBEIxCuHbSn-DXKFke5RClg/s320/Pasta+Classica.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728428788855522370" /></a>I read cookbooks with the passion and concentration of my husband, Jon nose-deep in the latest Robert Jordan mystery. I read them in bed at night. I take them on book tours. I buy them where ever I go. I have about four hundred of them. I cook a lot and read even more and have decided that since I like the two habits equally well, I will continue.<br /><br />To me, cookbooks are fantasies of great meals in much the same way that travel books are fantasies of perfect vacations. They produce visions of perfect paellas and eye-rolling soufflés. As I pour through them, I can almost smell the house filling with the savoury smells of a cassoulet. I visualize my dinner guests dunking chunks of crusty bread in the dark wine and garlic-rich veal Marsala sauce. Of course, the dried out, even burnt reality of cooking, as we all know so well, is often far removed from the fantasy pages of my cookbooks. <br /><br />Because I still have cookbooks stacked in the kitchen and almost every other room in the house, people have asked me which are my favorites. So, here are some that I'm working with now. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pasta Classica</span> by Julia della Croce (Chronicle Books). I bought this book on a trip to Florence, Italy so it is filled with many memories. It’s a basic recipe on how to make almost any kind of pasta you want from macaroni to spaghetti. There is a section of classic sauces and my favourite section, the one I use most often is the baked section. This book has taught me there’s more to baked pasta than lasagna. There’s a fantastic recipe for an eggplant and sausage timpano, the one that was served in The Big Night movie.<br /><br />My latest love is <span style="font-weight:bold;">Ottolenghi</span> by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (Ebury Press). Two Middle Eastern chefs offer recipes from their London restaurant. The dishes are full of remarkably meaty salads made from quinoa, cous cous and lentils. Irresistible vegetable dishes like Caramelized Endive with Sarano Ham I’ve morphed into caramelized fennel with proscuitto and I can’t count how many times I’ve made the Chargrilled Broccoli with Chilli and Garlic.<br /><br />On a recent trip to London, England I discovered the series of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Michel Roux</span> cookbooks (Quadrille Publishing). I have the book on Sauces, Pastry and now Only the Best. Each one stretches my culinary muscles with simple dishes prepared elaborately. Sure there are some ingredients that aren’t common in Canada, but they’re easy enough to substitute.<br /><br />Here are three of the ones I’m working with right now. Of course, my own cookbooks are the best of what I’ve learned from my 400 teachers, what’s worked, what’s easy and what I love to share with everyone who cares to cook.<br /><br />Check them out <a href="http://on.fb.me/HWN1Ja">http://on.fb.me/HWN1Ja</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-48119403689101586722012-04-02T18:54:00.006-07:002012-04-02T19:08:24.342-07:00Craving Something Sweet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQULTkwVrNyNIC0zWO6ckJFGy1FChzmsiQsc9ACHw9bvI1nKtHo3MKbesNBhQar5zNOYfBTj3XEzBvj8bjGzCKUXegb_wZo1OdPbXeFPCM77l94rXZofiz0DgwhNHzsjI0SLZh0MS8LE/s1600/_MG_8412.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQULTkwVrNyNIC0zWO6ckJFGy1FChzmsiQsc9ACHw9bvI1nKtHo3MKbesNBhQar5zNOYfBTj3XEzBvj8bjGzCKUXegb_wZo1OdPbXeFPCM77l94rXZofiz0DgwhNHzsjI0SLZh0MS8LE/s320/_MG_8412.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726990238481941826" /></a>I was in the mood for something sweet, but it had to be something new and different. I didn’t have too much time so I searched the world wide web and found myself deep into the world of French pastries. I’d love to make croissant, but they’re so time consuming and if they’re not eaten within hours of baking, they begin to taste stale. There were Éclairs, Beignets and Gourgere – yum, but again, time consuming. I’d love to spend hours in the kitchen making macarons in pastel colours of pale yellow, green, pink and blue, but again, not enough time. I could make the crunchy and caramelized Palmier, I think they’d be the quickest and easiest with some frozen puff pastry.<br /><br />I like searching for new recipes on Pinterest.com. It’s a site that is all about pictures and that’s where I discovered French cannelé.<br /><br />A cannelé a specialty of the Bordeaux region of France. I saw them in many Parisian patisseries while there last year. Some Parisians call them “portable crème brulee” because they have a soft and tender custard centre, a dark, thick caramelized, crunchy crust and you can eat them with your hands. The recipe reads very similar to a custard batter, except for the rum. It bakes and bubbles for over an hour in a special mold, giving it the caramelized crust. The recipe was simple enough, just mix, refrigerate and bake. <br /><br />On Pinterest.com, the recipes are hopefully as close as the link on the bottom of the picture and sure enough it was a link to the foodnetwork.com recipe. It sounded authentic right down to the use of beeswax. Apparently you are advised to mix some melted butter with shaved beeswax and coat the cannelé molds with this mixture so the batter doesn’t stick to the molds. I got a note from Patricia Shea of Belfast, Maine who had made them and warns against the use of beeswax. It worked well in the mold but when she ate her cannelé, the beeswax got stuck in her teeth. Beeswax was used decades ago to keep baking from sticking, but today we have many other options. Thanks for the heads up Patricia.<br /><br />I don’t have cannelé molds so I used a special deep narrow muffin tin and it worked just fine. While mine might not have the beautiful shape that traditional cannelé have, the flavours are supurb! Luscious, creamy and rich in vanilla flavours on the inside with a crunchy caramel crunchy bottom, the sides are also caramelized but they’re a bit softer giving the illusion that they’re drizzled in caramel – oh yum!<br /><br />Instead of rum I used icewine so there was an elegant flavour that fit beautifully with the textures and caramel. I think I’ll use rum next time just to taste the difference. French cannelé are wickedly delicious and sinfully good and they’re as easy as whipping up a liquidy batter and baking. Click here for the recipe <a href="http://on.fb.me/H9XzPw.">http://on.fb.me/H9XzPw.</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-46383259886052624072012-03-31T16:08:00.004-07:002012-03-31T18:00:56.908-07:00The Ontario Table $10 Challenge: A Year of Eating Local<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8et8R6XBexaNcpwXBxWD7JFmj_PNOx7E503X3zKMcX8qku_UPabScBxf2ElEIgcqkmgC4Li-78mQmswOCvbAQz7rum5K7wDMc9tx5JkRkC2Xezjy-h3qA6gj-dXvCFktNkmHH6riR6AE/s1600/April+Cover.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8et8R6XBexaNcpwXBxWD7JFmj_PNOx7E503X3zKMcX8qku_UPabScBxf2ElEIgcqkmgC4Li-78mQmswOCvbAQz7rum5K7wDMc9tx5JkRkC2Xezjy-h3qA6gj-dXvCFktNkmHH6riR6AE/s400/April+Cover.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726202166570370802" /></a>This is my new magazine – or better put ezine. An ezine for those who are wondering is an on-line magazine. So why a magazine when the book, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.ontariotable.com">The Ontario Table</a><a href="http://www.ontariotable.com"></a></span> is still so popular?<br /><br />Last year I traveled across Ontario on a book tour participating in over 55 events from June to December. I met thousands of wonderful people, all interested in local food. As I talked to each one of them I realized there was a common theme in peoples understanding of local food. Most people think of local food as the fresh vegetables that come out of the garden in the summer months.<br /><br />As I tried to explain that local food is everything that is grown, raised and produced in Ontario, some got it and others dismissed it. It made for interesting conversations. I realized there was a need for a tool that was more specific than <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.ontariotable.com">The Ontario Table</a></span> book. What was needed was a tool that would both educate consumers on what local foods are available and when and also give them some quick and easy recipes to eat local all the time. It needs to be both fun and surprising.<br /><br />So here it is. April is our 4th issue and I hope you like it. It has become bigger than I could have imagined. We now have over 32 agricultural commodity groups working with us. In this issue we’re featuring Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers and Ontario Veal, Goat and Rabbit with others scattered throughout. In between are recipes, some identifying local ingredients with a comment or two on the ingredient. At the end you’ll find events that celebrate local food in different ways so you can get involved in a personal way. After all, local food is personal.<br /><br />The official launch of <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Ontario Table $10 Challenge: A Year of Eating Local</span> will be at the <span style="font-weight:bold;">Green Living Show, Direct Energy Building, Exhibition Place</span> from <span style="font-weight:bold;">April 13 to 15, www.greenlivingonline.com</span>. I’ll be sharing a booth with the good folks at Rowe Farms (booth #1309). Please drop by and celebrate with me. We’ll have some delicious draws and who knows, you may be the lucky one.<br /><br />Click here to download the on-magazine <a href="http://bit.ly/H5Of46">http://bit.ly/H5Of46</a><br />Click here for a preview in pictures <a href="http://on.fb.me/H6yQkD">http://on.fb.me/H6yQkD</a><br />Click here for launch invitation <a href="http://on.fb.me/H4kkEA ">http://on.fb.me/H4kkEA</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-81362793826754285902012-03-30T05:23:00.003-07:002012-03-30T09:00:54.015-07:00Hooray! Ontario Greenhouse Produce is Back!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmb6HyfXJvHwFcMUxu5WFFM85pRXcy2Ce92X2oolfA1gepeeSohlslqUYY6JTVVHmZXFq0K2F0bH9zaJW-X9zrinwQiZValnzOp0-bK8n6XSRSBZGx2T1dGq8WvjREzlVqVV_hjD78HXY/s1600/_MG_6872.1s.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmb6HyfXJvHwFcMUxu5WFFM85pRXcy2Ce92X2oolfA1gepeeSohlslqUYY6JTVVHmZXFq0K2F0bH9zaJW-X9zrinwQiZValnzOp0-bK8n6XSRSBZGx2T1dGq8WvjREzlVqVV_hjD78HXY/s320/_MG_6872.1s.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725666032412066962" /></a>“The first shipment of tomatoes was shipped out today”, said Laura Brinkman, Marketing Coordinator for the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG). I called the OGVG because I’ve been looking for Ontario produce in grocery stores and apart from cucumbers, haven’t been able to find any tomatoes or peppers.<br /><br />So yes, I called to ask why and in the process, discovered that there is actually a season or cycle for Ontario greenhouse produce. <br /><br />Modern greenhouse agriculture is a beautiful way to produce delicious food in Ontario. Greenhouse growing gives the farmer a completely controlled environment, free from rain, wind, scorching sun, and hungry pests. It also extends the growing season by creating a warm, sunny environment for almost an entire year of growing, but since plants don’t live forever, they’re pulled out and new ones planted. <br /><br />This cycle of replanting usually happens in our coldest months. You know the days between December to the end of February when we have very short days with very little sunshine. This is problematic for greenhouse growing because without sunshine, plants don’t grow. If plants don’t grow, yield is down but in the coldest winter months, energy costs are high. <br /><br />So it makes sense to pull out the crops in December, scrub and sanitize the greenhouses and replant in January. The new plants begin producing in March and will produce all the way to December again. This is a common cycle for tomatoes and peppers but cucumbers have a different cycle and this is why I can find Ontario greenhouse cucumbers in the grocery stores right now, but no tomatoes or peppers. Well, not until now.<br /><br />Laura taught me a few other things about greenhouse growing. For example, growing crops in a greenhouse allows the farmer to grow approximately 10 times the amount as the same size outdoor field would yield. The way they’re grown means the tomato and pepper plants often reach a height of 20-feet tall. Most greenhouse operations are hydroponic (using water) and are certified in the most current food safety standards. Pest management is easier in a controlled environment, the farmers introduce good bugs that manage the bad bugs.<br /><br />I always thought the largest greenhouse operations are in Essex Kent County, the warmest spot in Ontario. While many of them are there, large and small greenhouse operations are located throughout the province from Windsor across to Ottawa. Here in Niagara we have a few greenhouses operations. St. Davids Hydroponics produces multi-coloured sweet peppers, eggplant and some cucumbers. Koornneef’s in Grimsby grow lots of juicy cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet peppers, Muileboom Greenhouses in Port Colborne grows multi-coloured tomatoes and cucumbers (and you can buy from them directly). If I’ve missed any, please let me know.<br /><br />Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) is a not-for-profit organization representing over 220 greenhouse farm members across the province with greenhouses that cover over 2,000 acres of glistening glass. Under this glass they grow many varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers and multi coloured sweet pepper crops. Chances are you’ve seen their logo in grocers produce section next to the Foodland Ontario banners. They also produce a delicious cookbook called, A Taste of Ontario. <a href="http://www.ontariogreenhouse.com">www.ontariogreenhouse.com</a><br /><br />For simple, easy recipes that bring out the flavours of greenhouse produce, click here <a href="http://on.fb.me/H00cDH">http://on.fb.me/H00cDH</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-73719473351441057372012-03-23T14:46:00.003-07:002012-03-23T14:52:47.630-07:00Apologies to John Hall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLw_uHsWvBwZt3kkwRVKMyJU6dlKxdB7wqOUZtd2HPyc1t76ltqS6Idr8_heC3QkbHJQgtZRnUEKlOni8nnI3huEvyWw-m-dmJi-m_KVdPc590yr0wgDRvCJRRFY1oGuC7qH0Dt5361c/s1600/_MG_7319.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLw_uHsWvBwZt3kkwRVKMyJU6dlKxdB7wqOUZtd2HPyc1t76ltqS6Idr8_heC3QkbHJQgtZRnUEKlOni8nnI3huEvyWw-m-dmJi-m_KVdPc590yr0wgDRvCJRRFY1oGuC7qH0Dt5361c/s320/_MG_7319.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723213105138336610" /></a>I’m a sucker for sexy food porn, so when I was leafing through the latest edition of a food magazine who’s name I won’t mention, I saw this picture of a mouth watering, seductive slab of succulently juicy beef with sauce running all across the cutting board in a sloppy yet seductive way. The messy knife beside it was wet with delicious juices and I was left dreaming of how absolutely delicious the brisket would taste. <br /><br />The next day I ran out and bought a slab of beef brisket and the rest of the ingredients, or at least, most of the ingredients. The recipe list was extra long and some of the ingredients I felt were cost prohibitive. For example, would you buy an entire bottle of bourbon to use 4 tablespoons in a recipe? <br /><br />I would have substituted the stout for a regular beer if I didn’t just happen to have a bottle of Wellington Imperial Russian Stout in my refrigerator. I still have fresh thyme in my garden so I guess I was good to go.<br /><br />The next day I settled into the kitchen. I seared the beef brisket nicely and pour in the rest of the ingredients from ale to whisky to herbs and brown sugar. It simmered for the exact 4 and a half hours. Next I removed the brisket to a cutting board and reduced the sauce to a lusciously thick liquid. All was all looking good, I decided not to glaze the brisket with jam (I’m not a fan of sweet meat) but I did broil it with a thick basting of the silky sauce. I let the brisket sit on the cutting board and then began to slice it.<br /><br />Whoa, wait a minute. Inside my brisket was an unattractive gray color, not at all like the picture in the magazine of a pinkish juicy slices of meat. I tasted the sauce and while very robust, it was not as delicious as it looked. I just hate it when I’m duped by food porn.<br /><br />February is the time of year for slow roasted meats like brisket and I was not going to be outdone by what could be a great dinner so I bought another brisket, did a bit of research, altered the recipe and tried again. I seared the brisket and added the remaining ingredients. I used a bottle of Niagara’s Best Blonde Premium Ale from Taps Brewery in Niagara Falls. It has a quarter of the robust power of the Wellington’s Russian stout but I wanted complimentary flavours not an overpowering flavour. <br /><br />As I added the thyme, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar I grabbed the whisky from the cupboard over top of the fridge. What is it with liquor cupboards, why are they always difficult to get to when you’re in a hurray? I grabbed the bottle and poured out half a cup. It spilled over my fingers so I licked them – yum. I’m not a whisky drinker but I do enjoy the flavours and this one was smooth.<br /><br />I reduced the sauce and put a bit into the blender with a dribble of fresh whisky. With the frothy concoction, I basted the brisket for broiling. While that was sizzling in the oven I was separating the sauce to remove any fat and that’s when I noticed it. <br /><br />Licking my fingers again, the sauce was sublime! It was seductively rich, elegant, beefy with a hint of butterscotch, or was it vanilla. I sipped a spoonful and the velvety liquid luxuriated across my tongue with heavenly flavours. The brisket was sliced (ok, it was still grey but I brushed the slices with the sauce and they became a rich brown colour) and the sauce poured overtop. What a fantastic meal and all it took was a bit of adjusting to meet my kitchen conditions and taste buds.<br /><br />What I discovered later was that the whisky I grabbed in my haste was a bottle of Forty Creek Whisky, but not the Barrel Select – it was the John’s Private Cask! It’s $70 a bottle! Believe me, it was a total mistake and I intended to use a lesser expensive whisky. In hindsight, I’m glad I made the mistake because the sauce was an unforgettable experience no doubt in large part because of the whisky. <br /><br />Forty Creek Whisky is a local whisky (Ontario). John Hall is owner, winemaker and spirits master at Kittling Ridge Winery & Distillery in Grimsby. He is recognized internationally as one of the most talented whisky masters in the world and we’re so lucky to have him in Niagara. I owe him a huge apology for spilling his prized drink in my brisket sauce, but I have to say – it was so delicious, yea, I would do it again! <br /><br />Click here for the recipe,<a href="http://on.fb.me/zgTZEZ "> http://on.fb.me/zgTZEZ</a>Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-21402681071447075692012-03-19T06:36:00.003-07:002012-03-19T06:38:27.945-07:00If you missed the dinner - feast on my words!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NzBMTTHLE92Gft2UFEtXCZX73oCuDGnbDdiYWRu4_iN_L-W2Lz1sYWkvsDWV-Cq99JoXRHMqtiwInfSSyFSGHAcLaRAqpGvhSfhYr7_vK2S-TauYvfBinfA3t8VT1toUiusX7xLZHxU/s1600/_MG_8363.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NzBMTTHLE92Gft2UFEtXCZX73oCuDGnbDdiYWRu4_iN_L-W2Lz1sYWkvsDWV-Cq99JoXRHMqtiwInfSSyFSGHAcLaRAqpGvhSfhYr7_vK2S-TauYvfBinfA3t8VT1toUiusX7xLZHxU/s320/_MG_8363.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721601688621003778" /></a>What a spectacular dinner! 7 Chefs and a Table at London Convention Centre. 7 chefs from across Canada all converged to create one dinner of 7 courses and it wasn’t shy on flavour. Here’s what I had and what you missed!<br /><br />Chef Todd Perrin from Newfoundland made a layered salt cod and beetroot tian. So this may not sound good but it was luscious, delicious and not at all like my grandmothers salt cod!<br /><br />Chef Jesse Vergen from New Brunswick made a dish of sturgeon belly on a bed of lentil and pork cheek. Ok, this was a very distinctive dish and you could see many people refusing it, not wanting to venture into tasting sturgeon belly. I’ve never had it before but I was game. The belly was actually very nondescript but the entire lentil dish was more robust than beef could be!<br /><br />The home chef, Alfred Estephan created a stunning vegetarian dish that blew both of the previous dishes out of the water! On the plate with the maple braised squash and goats cheese roulade was apple caviar – little clear pearls of sexy apple flavour. Wow, the best dish yet!<br /><br />Chef Craig Flinn of Nova Scotia made a brown sugar cured pork belly – yum, Chef Paul Rogalski created candied duck with a fried rice cake and mushroom tea and chef Michael Smith made braised beef ribs.<br /><br />Dessert was the second most exciting dish with chef Scott Baechler of Fanshaw College made a double chocolate ganache with hazelnut praline caramel – omg!<br /><br />For my version of food porn or to feast with your eyes on all the courses, go to http://on.fb.me/AreIGzLynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-14984994860872851952012-03-16T09:54:00.002-07:002012-03-16T09:57:47.191-07:00Delicious Elgin County<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkkWK9a8RbjaoY07pzksxAmxgAUpUPKBlCfpkQM1ZrI91AOL8-MHo9NLWHaQQOsq_vJzIuUKQkHzp1zQA0CMKpaGkCN5uugfLvkN4dN7z1fMpeAQ0jv51COymbAwEJicibwFrEFoQN2E/s1600/IMG_1690.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkkWK9a8RbjaoY07pzksxAmxgAUpUPKBlCfpkQM1ZrI91AOL8-MHo9NLWHaQQOsq_vJzIuUKQkHzp1zQA0CMKpaGkCN5uugfLvkN4dN7z1fMpeAQ0jv51COymbAwEJicibwFrEFoQN2E/s200/IMG_1690.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720540165001903202" /></a>Southwest Ontario tourism held a conference this week in St. Thomas. Of course, I went for the food and it certainly didn’t disappoint! If you haven’t visited some of these places in Elgin County, try them out. <br /><br />Pinecroft (www.pinecroft.ca) made some luscious mushroom soup and Farmgate Markets made some seductive corn beef sliders. Empire Valley Farms (www.empirevalleyfarms.com) brought chef John Mairleitier who made the most irresistible roasted garlic and butternut squash soup and the Windjammer (www.thewindjammerinn.com) in Port Stanley offered iron spike pulled pork with yummy buttermilk chive biscuits.<br /><br />For dessert, Heritage Line Herbs (www.heritagelineherbs.com) had two different cheesecakes; one flavoured with lemon balm and the other with pineapple sage herbs – heavenly! Clovermead Farm (www.clovermead.com) was there with yummy waffles, whipped cream and drizzled with their luscious honey, a simple dessert with stunning ingredients!<br /><br />If yoy’re like me an love Sunday afternoon drives, these destinations are worth the trip – enjoy! Check out <a href="http://http://on.fb.me/zgTZEZ ">http://on.fb.me/zgTZEZ</a> for delicious pictures.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-18048192823612065292012-03-14T07:14:00.005-07:002012-03-14T08:22:41.066-07:00SouthWest Ontario Fun<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXD9mnTla-rB2iEBR0yqEMr1-2fQU19lE3Ubb8W05_J1AVz9G0VLIWn49xDgVaEOvZKJyMhqPs7rDxDy5bjaz6w2WP2nMcCtfNrFiK7wCmSyv6E6pcJFPcZALE8ZcjJp8JLLo9NfwOIMw/s1600/Oxford+County.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXD9mnTla-rB2iEBR0yqEMr1-2fQU19lE3Ubb8W05_J1AVz9G0VLIWn49xDgVaEOvZKJyMhqPs7rDxDy5bjaz6w2WP2nMcCtfNrFiK7wCmSyv6E6pcJFPcZALE8ZcjJp8JLLo9NfwOIMw/s400/Oxford+County.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719763860855520722" /></a><br /><br />It's the spring launch of SouthWest Ontario tourism. I'm going because this new region from London to Windsor that includes Simcoe, Woodstock and all the beach front and rural areas in between is one of Ontario's most satisfying summer playgrounds. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Michael Chan thinks so too because he'll be there cheering on the dozens of tourism people who coordinate activities, restaurants, history, farm to table culture and natural landscapes so it's easy for people like me to navigate and have a truly enjoyable experience. In true tourism fashion, the 2-day event is at the historical railway station in St Thomas - I can't wait. I'm not a railway buff but I appreciate our history and enjoy the experiences both fun and educational that they offer. <br /><br />You may not get to the SouthWest summit today, but <span style="font-weight:bold;">let me know what your favourite place to visit is in SouthWest Ontario</span>. Here is a travel story from The Ontario Table - there's many more in the book and at <a href="http://http://on.fb.me/zgTZEZ ">http://on.fb.me/zgTZEZ </a> you will find lots of pictures - eye candy that will inspire you on a lazy summers day.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-89414927373542141662012-03-13T13:05:00.006-07:002012-03-13T13:44:47.816-07:00Eat Local in March!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQM5Ty4CF46aZD_DvzYglh8gb_aAWqH7PWxEDIrH09VlNQw0cQyGLrcOoFB8fcaGbE8scgrIWuTQPDledEaiX-WNj9K9NlVYwM3swCWhKlFxxli6HbeU7J4-oOjq18L2unPu67JkcM-I/s1600/March+Issue+-+Maple+Syrup.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQM5Ty4CF46aZD_DvzYglh8gb_aAWqH7PWxEDIrH09VlNQw0cQyGLrcOoFB8fcaGbE8scgrIWuTQPDledEaiX-WNj9K9NlVYwM3swCWhKlFxxli6HbeU7J4-oOjq18L2unPu67JkcM-I/s320/March+Issue+-+Maple+Syrup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719482436050160818" /></a>April just around the corner and spring is already in the air. April is a busy month on the farm getting ready for the busy summer months. Trimming the trees and vines, plowing the soil, setting up irrigation, repairing equipment and planning for the upcoming season.<br /><br />We live in a province rich with delicious local food and wonderful farmers who work hard in and out of season to provide this food, yet how many of us really take advantage of what we have all around us? <br /><br />I have provided a page from the March issue of the new <span style="font-weight:bold;">Ontario Table $10 Challenge</span> Ezine. This online magazine was released at the beginning of the year and is filled with hints and tips to eat local year round. The Ontario Table presents the $10 Challenge encouraging consumers to switch $10 of their current food budget to local food. This is a great tool for those looking to take up this challenge and support these farmers. You can find the full January, February and March issues on the Ontario Table website at <a href="http://www.ontariotable.com">www.ontariotable.com </a><br /><br />I would love to hear your thoughts and how you plan on taking up this challenge in the year ahead! <br /><br />Like our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/theontariotable">Facebook</a> page and share the local food Ezine with all your friends!Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-33851186268264753972012-03-11T12:38:00.007-07:002012-03-11T13:44:04.111-07:00Lunch that is Brunchified<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWGBi13ktMlqEhdsbzjUOCs7sKBh1AqkJF9sqSYiUWFd0jVbs5oqFJg4ZGeiufoUFMqimlgkgwoRcp2LiKmMgyhUSUJnQ6YHcQFnKlLEkiUZL6HbVwLTp785ULCt3_pWD2ZM_q7b6f2g/s1600/_MG_7925_2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWGBi13ktMlqEhdsbzjUOCs7sKBh1AqkJF9sqSYiUWFd0jVbs5oqFJg4ZGeiufoUFMqimlgkgwoRcp2LiKmMgyhUSUJnQ6YHcQFnKlLEkiUZL6HbVwLTp785ULCt3_pWD2ZM_q7b6f2g/s320/_MG_7925_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718729780392227650" /></a>Step into the elegance of wine country cuisine with sunshine streaming into the simplicity of Early Canadiana décor of crisp, white woodwork, contrasted by muted Tuscan colours and romantic chandeliers hovering over crisp white tablecloths. This is Peller Estate Winery Restaurant and I’m having brunch, or as Executive Chef Jason Parsons tells it, <span style="font-style:italic;">“lunch that’s brunchified”</span>.<br /><br />“I make dishes at the restaurant that I’d make at home and then some,” explains Parsons of his irresistible menu that has room for both lobster and baked beans on the same page. The food reflects a rich Canadian culinary tradition and a typical chef’s playground all at the same time. Yet Chef Parsons is a real peoples chef; he makes food you’d want to eat instead of the artsy plates.<br /><br />Brunch is one set price of $47.95 and it includes the most decadent start, a glass of Peller Estate sparkling Ice Cuve<span style="font-style:italic;"></span>e. This is a delicious glass of uber elegant sparkling wine with a kiss of icewine used as the dosage – oh yummmm! To say the rest of the menu includes an appetizer, entre and dessert, is to understate the palate experience that follows the high expectations already set by sipping.<br /><br />The Lobster salad fills the palate with fresh, sea breeze clean flavours of succulent lobster, bright greens, juicy beets and luscious chevre. It’s a dish that leaves you feeling as happy and exhilarated as a walk on a warm sunny spring day. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JsRZQqraIi24ss6FFza3xGRn2mAp4JK2H3sY1HgueS1G9tarXlaF1vzha7I-DyOOQlMM1bb2DVY7jAjPHSB1OnYnjWuc6nU5Mse90LMw6fMzwFIHFPDd48Mx1gUx_vHRetdAZawB8EQ/s1600/_MG_7874.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JsRZQqraIi24ss6FFza3xGRn2mAp4JK2H3sY1HgueS1G9tarXlaF1vzha7I-DyOOQlMM1bb2DVY7jAjPHSB1OnYnjWuc6nU5Mse90LMw6fMzwFIHFPDd48Mx1gUx_vHRetdAZawB8EQ/s320/_MG_7874.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718727104474232098" /></a><br /><br />The Truffle Seared Diver Scallops offers up large, mouth-watering scallops that are seared and caramelized on the outside, seductively moist on the inside. The icewine hollandaise sauce lends a melt-in-your-mouth, heavenly texture while the potato rosti anchors the play of elegance with a crispy, weighty texture. With a sip of the Ice Cuvee, this is a dish you’ll swoon over.<br /><br />The Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with House Baked Beans, and Riesling Braised Winter Greens is a rich, savoury, heart-warming dish. The dance of hearty flavours wraps you in an embrace of passion and with every mouthful, you feel it right into your soul.<br /><br />Heritage Beef Tartar with Celeriac Remoulade and House Made Toast offers up bright beef flavours on a floating texture that’s feather-light on the tongue and brought into focus with a morsel of celeriac slaw (or remoulade - <span style="font-style:italic;">chef’s speak</span>). <br /><br />The menu changes often and has more to do with Parson’s creative rhythm than any culinary schedule. In the spring you may find tiny tarts of bright, virgin asparagus and thick, sexy brie but the next week it may be gone in favour of what Parsons finds new and exciting. Parson’s is a rare chef that cooks with a heart and shares it with everyone who cares to eat his food. Don’t miss this amazing dining experience.<br /><br />To feast with your eyes, check this out: http://on.fb.me/ykLc4V <br /><br />Peller Estate Winery Restaurant<br />290 John St, Niagara-on-the-Lake<br />888-673-5537Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-50535430768681169882012-03-10T07:54:00.004-08:002012-03-10T08:13:56.942-08:007 Chef's and 7 Dishes - Yum!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfRSom11zCwZH5Qo5yuagC8bwUY6u5-is0rnDvEeEyydHvi1Lrv9MICPD1iPdu7U_abh7p7bZpeGO0Rdk6nYRCKnYgxT_1td9lsAwtAAZlgfouZDnr4dk4jdhVKRcCLBIDEIaOQ7AAAw/s1600/Chef+Michael+Smith_Page_1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfRSom11zCwZH5Qo5yuagC8bwUY6u5-is0rnDvEeEyydHvi1Lrv9MICPD1iPdu7U_abh7p7bZpeGO0Rdk6nYRCKnYgxT_1td9lsAwtAAZlgfouZDnr4dk4jdhVKRcCLBIDEIaOQ7AAAw/s320/Chef+Michael+Smith_Page_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718302382549375042" /></a><br />My taste buds are humming and my palate is whet with excitement. There's a charity gala on March 17, 2012 at the London Convention Centre that includes 7 amazing chefs from across Canada hosted by celebrity chef Michael Smith from Prince Edward Island. London's own Alfred Estephan, Owner/Chef of the Idlewyld Inn, a beautiful old mansion that has been transformed into an elegant estate with the most luxurious bedroom amenities. I'm making a weekend out of it. Join me at the gala, meet Michael Smith, eat the best of Canada's top 7 chefs and have a great night. I'm going for the food and company and I hoping to bring some new food ideas and recipe tips back with me. http://bit.ly/y1jHraLynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-85779524864361237402012-01-12T08:37:00.000-08:002012-01-12T08:48:28.892-08:00I’ve perfected my Beef Bourgogne!!!I’m still dreaming about my Christmas Day Beef Bourgogne I made in my little kitchen in Paris. It was so amazingly delicious that I made it again when I got home. At home, it was horrible! The second attempt was better, but not even close yet. A perfect beef Bourgogne, I’ve learned is about the quality of the ingredients as much as it is the recipe.<br /><br />So I searched for the best ingredients I could find. I discovered the best beef from my local butcher, hung to perfection - it’s only $4.99 a pound, how can you not go for quality at that price! The second time I made it, it was much better than the first but simply not quite right yet. So learning from the beef, I went further.<br /><br />The butcher in Paris recommended a bit of cheek in my Bourgogne and it was marvelous. So my local butcher got me cheek. Instead of regular, off the shelf flour, I had some stone ground all natural flour from Morningstar Mill in Thorold. I found little pearl onions at the market and went back to using regular white button mushrooms.<br /><br />I’m not sure what the key ingredient was by OMG the Bourgogne was as spectacular as what I made in Paris! Perfecto! The sauce was sinfully rich, smooth as silk and elegantly full of flavour. The meat melted in hearty flavours while the little pearl onions creamed on the palate like silk. Aughhh, finally a dish to swoon over.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzy9zb6WlepGwJshDtrx-Lwo19fCGTk2za3APbDwndDgxsGCnB3gIpzF9i6f55MZZJCize1g7b1LxfuwBoth2kSYIDp5-_U_1dDORIMmHQQtH5nT5IGd_w3oFeQZ0c_4m7tm6VglG95Q/s1600/_MG_6006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzy9zb6WlepGwJshDtrx-Lwo19fCGTk2za3APbDwndDgxsGCnB3gIpzF9i6f55MZZJCize1g7b1LxfuwBoth2kSYIDp5-_U_1dDORIMmHQQtH5nT5IGd_w3oFeQZ0c_4m7tm6VglG95Q/s400/_MG_6006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696788256790012626" /></a><br />The entire experience reminded me of a time when a beautiful kitchen store graciously volunteered to make a dish out of my cookbook during my book signing. It was the Pesto Pan Chicken, a delicious and easy one skillet meal. When I arrived, they shared some concerns so I took a look. It looked so horrible I didn’t want to taste it. I suspected they added too much liquid because the entire dish was swimming. I saw no brown searing marks on the chicken either. Now I know that the chicken was injected with water that was released when cooked. The cook at the time didn’t know enough to drain the skillet of the chicken juices. You see, when you brown meat, it acquires delicious flavours, when you boil meat, it becomes bland and tough. When I made the recipe, I used chicken from the butcher so my recipe turned out very yummy.<br /><br />So here’s my lesson for 2012. Buy the best ingredients you can from people who are experts in what they do. Second guess all recipe ingredients and make sure they’re the best you can buy. If you don’t, you're leaving yourself vulnerable. I'm raising my fork full of Bourgogne to toast the best quality Ontario ingredients!Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-46885767378082753472012-01-07T11:15:00.000-08:002012-01-07T12:02:18.604-08:00Beef Bourgogne, a second attempt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5tqNVo_ci3aq9Q1iSJh3iiDiGQWAxQgJWhlmkFWwIc8ql3q-NiIO4EcECUVfheemctkFffR6SBP-sAamhyphenhyphenoy4mH9KXZRSInzvVIsNOV9JaVldJ5bUmZBd6-p1-4-NEAYOntuk0Pjgq4/s1600/_MG_6005.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5tqNVo_ci3aq9Q1iSJh3iiDiGQWAxQgJWhlmkFWwIc8ql3q-NiIO4EcECUVfheemctkFffR6SBP-sAamhyphenhyphenoy4mH9KXZRSInzvVIsNOV9JaVldJ5bUmZBd6-p1-4-NEAYOntuk0Pjgq4/s200/_MG_6005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694979218050881618" /></a>Good food is worth great effort and that’s why I’m attempting Julia Child’s Beef Bourgogne twice in one week. I made it on Christmas Day in Paris with all the best ingredients I could find. It was so spectacular I just had to make it again when I was home. Unfortunately, the stewing beef I purchased at a grocery store was a disaster, but then you know that from my previous blog. <br /><br />So I went to probably the best butcher in Niagara; Lakeshore Meats. Scott the butcher was sympathetic to my woes and explained why his meat will give me the results I wanted. He further ages the already aged beef, he buys from trusted sources and his meat is free from anything nasty you just wouldn’t want to eat. “Better quality meat will give you a better quality result,” he said.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX_sAQESDP2MTcwYUxWfjlrK_1aGl_bcW8mIYpfEqvZQgOs693iLK0oeVuLOp2rspMog3kVdgrW_InxyRXgaGZs_8309Z0UHvLTbKb7GP7-qnf7wEYGpJZOemYL984tGGiMvanahe1ys/s1600/_MG_5993.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX_sAQESDP2MTcwYUxWfjlrK_1aGl_bcW8mIYpfEqvZQgOs693iLK0oeVuLOp2rspMog3kVdgrW_InxyRXgaGZs_8309Z0UHvLTbKb7GP7-qnf7wEYGpJZOemYL984tGGiMvanahe1ys/s200/_MG_5993.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694981139607530354" /></a><br /><br />So for exactly the same price ($4.99 a pound) I bought a pound of Lakeshore Meats stewing beef and a slab of pork belly. I wasn’t quite done yet, as I didn’t have the right sized pot nor did I have a sieve large enough to do the job easily. <br /><br />I shopped some retail stores in Niagara but couldn’t really find what I needed. Then I remembered the restaurant supply store in Niagara Falls. I bought an exciting sieve and the perfect size Paderno pot (btw, restaurant supply stores are the perfect place to shop for everything you’ll ever need for your kitchen. There are 2 in Niagara, they’ll save you money and they’re delicious places to dig around in).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIKKCvbUCtZTlqIAQyC3uXNLWkcvqke6i1RIVTRSKUY7VMJ9vmzeRBg4rI2OZJoaCes9eQSRrRpFH9Z82Bk1VcwWEmkLE1zWQM6aNRW5SjrleAK5XAi0b4aQSZt_P9aop07qRz_kiSLM/s1600/_MG_5982.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIKKCvbUCtZTlqIAQyC3uXNLWkcvqke6i1RIVTRSKUY7VMJ9vmzeRBg4rI2OZJoaCes9eQSRrRpFH9Z82Bk1VcwWEmkLE1zWQM6aNRW5SjrleAK5XAi0b4aQSZt_P9aop07qRz_kiSLM/s200/_MG_5982.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694980415943015986" /></a><br /><br />Equipped with the right tools and better quality ingredients, I made another Beef Bourgogne. I cut up the pork belly into what Julia calls Lardoons. In Paris, they sold lardoons; it was a package of pork belly already cut up. <br /><br />I dried each piece of stewing meat with paper towels and got the pot to almost smoking hot. I dropped a few pieces of meat into the pot and they began to brown quickly. I turned them over and over making sure all sides were browned and like magic – no water appeared! I browned the entire pound of stewing beef with great success. Things were looking up!<br /><br />Funny thing happened. I had far too much liquid so I removed 2 cups from the pot before it went into the oven. Perhaps I had more than a pound of stewing beef last time (?), hmmmm. I kept it aside just in case I needed it later. The stew simmered in the oven for 3 hours and I finished it off just as Julia wanted without the need for more sauce.<br /><br />The result was amazing! The meat was tender and luscious! The meat in the previous attempt fell apart with a bit of fork pressure but I wouldn’t say it was tender because it was still stringy and the strings were chewy. This beef was actually tender, juicy and had more flavour – ok, so better ingredients make a world of difference.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8g1wewTL5qIEDh2uh3WMv71FFqxfu7FStP9Gw4c6lFdKataC8RMODNgVkAHyK9tACRuSpJEHwm5ellgzACXWGCA8NU72D-yW0DGUyiy9ipyHF8zjAnCbUOgQ601ewECw57qwResmHNsI/s1600/_MG_6011.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8g1wewTL5qIEDh2uh3WMv71FFqxfu7FStP9Gw4c6lFdKataC8RMODNgVkAHyK9tACRuSpJEHwm5ellgzACXWGCA8NU72D-yW0DGUyiy9ipyHF8zjAnCbUOgQ601ewECw57qwResmHNsI/s200/_MG_6011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694982433149052866" /></a>What I couldn’t do was to get the sauce as velvety and luscious as my sauce in Paris. Perhaps it’s the flour. Augh, why did I leave the rest of the flour in the apartment in Paris? <br /><br />While at Lakeshore Meats I asked Scott about adding cheek to Beef Bourgogne and he agreed, a bit of beef cheek make a huge difference in stews – so why is this a butchers secret! No one in Niagara carries cheek, but he was nice enough to order some for me. Yea, you guessed it, a third attempt at Julia’s Beef Bourgogne is just a week away – stay tuned. I’ll get this right yet!Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-8276522871964286692012-01-01T08:43:00.000-08:002012-01-01T09:07:39.930-08:00Julia Child's Beef Bourgogne<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK4AGCHM42i6vEqgZI24gKhzPSfT2d95JlLZjuC0xxZkFcLIjDQSwhbXKzpZo8Rp25wZndSKlZFk74ZH_JkZ9nG7-BzFuJyTjuJyNvV0vOj02T2WNLAL4lGn4qNLD7XCglx8Ml4VlMLg/s1600/IMG_1388.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK4AGCHM42i6vEqgZI24gKhzPSfT2d95JlLZjuC0xxZkFcLIjDQSwhbXKzpZo8Rp25wZndSKlZFk74ZH_JkZ9nG7-BzFuJyTjuJyNvV0vOj02T2WNLAL4lGn4qNLD7XCglx8Ml4VlMLg/s200/IMG_1388.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692709928432270386" /></a>Time in Paris was magical. My most memorable times were shopping for our Christmas tree, Christmas Eve midnight mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, our walk back to the apartment along the Seine and Christmas day dinner – I made Beef Bourgogne from Julia Childs cookbook. <br /><br />I have to say that Julia Child was not afraid of spending too much time in the kitchen. By the time I managed to do all the steps she recommended, dinner was on the table by 8 pm (I started at 10 that morning!). Of course, it always takes longer to make a dish the first time, that’s why I had to make it again.<br /><br />We’re now back home in Niagara and deep into the madness that is our daily lives. I picked up some stewing beef (and braising ribs - I can't resist, they're delicious!) and the rest of the ingredients at the supermarket and set to work. After I’d finished with the bacon, I began to dry the beef. I set a piece in the hot oil and it began to spit and sputter as it should. I put in another piece, another and another. Soon I had 8 pieces of stewing beef in the skillet when I noticed there was a lot more liquid in the skillet than I’d started with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-296JqcT2TRt0Uf9z18UKx-Dkj6C8YCveF7AlQRc2jgELCDKNxZaNwgphPPCuURpl4smb8F02WM8aJYdGFfBveP3_Nj8svCk1rz6ivO393RB5KT9ytJ0BQdPQvm6r0Kfoy1nHirshSY/s1600/_MG_5930_2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-296JqcT2TRt0Uf9z18UKx-Dkj6C8YCveF7AlQRc2jgELCDKNxZaNwgphPPCuURpl4smb8F02WM8aJYdGFfBveP3_Nj8svCk1rz6ivO393RB5KT9ytJ0BQdPQvm6r0Kfoy1nHirshSY/s200/_MG_5930_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692709585873524962" /></a>My meat was not browning, it was now boiling. I removed the beef and dried it one more time, pressing down firmly to catch the liquid that was now oozing from each piece. I drained the skillet and returned the meat. It began to brown quickly. Good, dry beef, I’ve discovered, browns in seconds.<br /><br />I did have to wipe out the skillet after I’d browned the 8 pieces because a bit more water came out, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5VSCFJX2TgrLrhyphenhyphenxltMq82XGfu6K70SWGzSKMgrfFon0Vh1Y3uCIRoZzflAz1431ADGehM6llzihXQtUUePBPogamSqEaSzxVj2Q5XtUobDLfwqRlt5WClPIVYQOZhv3oYvpYRXc4os/s1600/_MG_5958_2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5VSCFJX2TgrLrhyphenhyphenxltMq82XGfu6K70SWGzSKMgrfFon0Vh1Y3uCIRoZzflAz1431ADGehM6llzihXQtUUePBPogamSqEaSzxVj2Q5XtUobDLfwqRlt5WClPIVYQOZhv3oYvpYRXc4os/s200/_MG_5958_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692710575187170242" /></a>but not enough to warrant another drying. I continued to dry the beef, sear it, remove it, dry it again and finish the browning process – some pieces had to be dried 3 times, but most only 2.<br /><br />So why is it that our Canadian beef has so much water in it? Is it injected to add weight as one customer claimed? Is it not aged long enough? Is it the type of cattle? I don’t know the answer to this but I will soon.<br /><br />The meal was absolutely delicious! It was far from the rich, velvety, smooth, beefy, ambrosia meal I’d made in Paris with my French ingredients, but it was still very good. The difference was that of a fine, aged red wine at its peak of perfection compared to a quaffable house wine – both are good, but still noticeably different. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8egrUTcK0SD55cdMVRSzoXW0SXRDlfAuJaR0kapO3UFgY8FRAS2nTFBTvTyQqrKNyLAvr9wZTbc0E07qztdE213RrDQlDXHlrj2USLZ-TnqYhzehrS-RRhpyUrTxC4l4wt-UMcxXfYk/s1600/_MG_5973.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8egrUTcK0SD55cdMVRSzoXW0SXRDlfAuJaR0kapO3UFgY8FRAS2nTFBTvTyQqrKNyLAvr9wZTbc0E07qztdE213RrDQlDXHlrj2USLZ-TnqYhzehrS-RRhpyUrTxC4l4wt-UMcxXfYk/s200/_MG_5973.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692706159317648882" /></a><br /><br />We enjoyed our Beef Bourgogne, the meat was more than fork tender – it succumbed to pressure so easily and readily, but interestingly, the tiny little juicy shreds of beef that fell apart were noticeably chewy; a bit unlike the sweet, velvety tender texture of the Parisian meat.<br /><br />Julia Child’s Beef Bourgogne is so spectacular, so delicious, so amazing that I think everyone should experience it at least once in their lifetime. I would delightfully spend hours in the kitchen if my food tasted this good every time! Besides the seductive flavours, it’s been a lesson in quality of ingredients, and I’m learning about judging quality. This week I’ll make her Beef Bourgogne again, but I’ll go to a butcher shop and chat with him about the beef before I buy. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know what he says.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-44666959093548462222011-12-26T03:30:00.000-08:002011-12-26T09:01:05.847-08:00Christmas in Paris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07L7QWM_EatFznNMrHVgemXcoNOd4l_h414DLGWV41PXYBIbHcTPhqRAdt4Wf0H-0YiQvfwspp-taj9W6wWaeyIbGAG7a02EBvjp205eGmB8NEPjiGfq6f7y3CW1xgP8uTYxVry9Ej6I/s1600/_MG_5390.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07L7QWM_EatFznNMrHVgemXcoNOd4l_h414DLGWV41PXYBIbHcTPhqRAdt4Wf0H-0YiQvfwspp-taj9W6wWaeyIbGAG7a02EBvjp205eGmB8NEPjiGfq6f7y3CW1xgP8uTYxVry9Ej6I/s200/_MG_5390.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690400316057837490" /></a>Ok, it’s now the day after Christmas and I haven’t blogged for 2 days – but hey, I’ve been enjoying Paris!<br /><br />Off we went to the Opera House. We took a tour of the magnificent building and since there is no way to describe how fantastically incredible it is, I’ll just show you some pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52iWQ9zAZmFYiS9LQN8ttREB8lXFqqZIwg73u0FzVYXfbwO_issguDu3nAajuqyoQtNl2T4_XxY5F03CyA6QX5e0D18pwWN7lIqpoa3dz5UPHqc52cWxUAIdXpT_KKYP_0IGmRJ-d8SA/s1600/_MG_5429.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52iWQ9zAZmFYiS9LQN8ttREB8lXFqqZIwg73u0FzVYXfbwO_issguDu3nAajuqyoQtNl2T4_XxY5F03CyA6QX5e0D18pwWN7lIqpoa3dz5UPHqc52cWxUAIdXpT_KKYP_0IGmRJ-d8SA/s200/_MG_5429.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690403554281118178" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZl1oeklaVyNe3gqYXkJ3j_WNS_aCGt6g7Tkb4ETZZX3v5xyqdt8n-pGH2tJwDhj_UbTJJBgUnuPJSBInBVpeu-9ex_eH1aBvCHogt6iET0aW9HWkTClYMp-IeHbJco5S2BjnTBVWNlM/s1600/_MG_5445.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZl1oeklaVyNe3gqYXkJ3j_WNS_aCGt6g7Tkb4ETZZX3v5xyqdt8n-pGH2tJwDhj_UbTJJBgUnuPJSBInBVpeu-9ex_eH1aBvCHogt6iET0aW9HWkTClYMp-IeHbJco5S2BjnTBVWNlM/s200/_MG_5445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690479696205966514" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMiifbmkyGx2VTH2Um41cf__-NCB9Y_CwNGQO2JLgioNFSTqmoMXBhVU8r10wTULIg8SJk60j0ED0aPrvMUZjaqKF2ApPqQm_kLsu86U64PFKDaf0bm_sgAvNI6v1P3KuxSfg3o2O6Ac/s1600/_MG_5510.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMiifbmkyGx2VTH2Um41cf__-NCB9Y_CwNGQO2JLgioNFSTqmoMXBhVU8r10wTULIg8SJk60j0ED0aPrvMUZjaqKF2ApPqQm_kLsu86U64PFKDaf0bm_sgAvNI6v1P3KuxSfg3o2O6Ac/s200/_MG_5510.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690481655128308162" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy0KoRBMDRS7UHpYO9cIoUQFecbm7p7f2NlubOT_1OOoAUGWlEdm5NGCdYHwR4pMYulBiA5iFxzF_Kv90hOpTj3Vs8HSq9665UkVhX3XCmpOhhV3knRM8TWT4B4gVmhL03GG3yu-u3o8/s1600/_MG_5499.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy0KoRBMDRS7UHpYO9cIoUQFecbm7p7f2NlubOT_1OOoAUGWlEdm5NGCdYHwR4pMYulBiA5iFxzF_Kv90hOpTj3Vs8HSq9665UkVhX3XCmpOhhV3knRM8TWT4B4gVmhL03GG3yu-u3o8/s200/_MG_5499.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690482575999260642" /></a><br />After our tour stopped into a café for a quick salad. Off in the corner of Fayette Gourmet (yes, the famous department store) was a large glass urn of hot chocolate. The thick dark liquid was being stirred by something below and of course I couldn’t resist. We sat at the bar along the window and people watched while we had our snack. The hot chocolate, while not quite as amazing as the one yesterday, was definitely a hundred times better than anything I’d had in Canada. I took a sip and the scum from the milk stuck to my top lip - I licked it off – yum. It was pretty dam good. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and another hot cup of chocolate chaud - my new love.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-12303315046010389962011-12-23T12:24:00.001-08:002011-12-23T13:11:48.734-08:00Christmas in Paris, Day 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfCQpo0xLGzfLIIH7BMk3tPn0zBBfAo_EgU4g535WnXcEHu5-w7o33_iN3NuK4PGmQItSe2z_pM-lz_rn3_ilCLu0hmRZ4MONi0GD2UKWPk1sv45TLHc7LxBa3cQjrw87RAlqTaVUFVI/s1600/_MG_5047.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfCQpo0xLGzfLIIH7BMk3tPn0zBBfAo_EgU4g535WnXcEHu5-w7o33_iN3NuK4PGmQItSe2z_pM-lz_rn3_ilCLu0hmRZ4MONi0GD2UKWPk1sv45TLHc7LxBa3cQjrw87RAlqTaVUFVI/s200/_MG_5047.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689424344131386690" /></a>This morning we got up and made it out to Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in the 19th Arrondissement of Paris. The subway brought us 2 blocks away from the school and it was so quick we were there half an hour early. We walked the streets around the school and found a farmers market. Both sides of this street were lined with market vendors. There were florists, shoe salesmen, meat vendors, fresh produce and seafood mongers. At this market you could buy sweaters and scarves, pots and pans and carpets, there was even one guy with furniture for sale. The market was about 6 blocks in length and we had only gone a few blocks when we had to turn back so we could make it to Le Cordon Bleu on time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TOXcSwfNIiPw2Muo4GQsR8bokPYhRnjCx82xB1VcXAKXg22ZI2OT26WsiIIy5vX_ynBtXI_guniXOgO3rzgtfIvc-zL2NsGLQ-i2IgLmDl9LhJOAoCIkZYEpdCkmsscNMRlRORJZrMw/s1600/_MG_5080.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TOXcSwfNIiPw2Muo4GQsR8bokPYhRnjCx82xB1VcXAKXg22ZI2OT26WsiIIy5vX_ynBtXI_guniXOgO3rzgtfIvc-zL2NsGLQ-i2IgLmDl9LhJOAoCIkZYEpdCkmsscNMRlRORJZrMw/s200/_MG_5080.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689425304380979762" /></a> Le Cordon Bleu is tucked a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of Paris’ busy streets. We walked into what looked like a small building and asked for Catherine Baschet, development manager.<br /><br />Catherine walked us through the school, each floor was a different kitchen, pastry on the 3rd floor, demonstration kitchens on another level. We stood and watched a class making madeleines, then up to a pastry class making croissant. We tasted and talked, I took notes and Jon took pictures.<br /><br />The history of Le Cordon Bleu dates back quite far to Marthe Distel who was a food journalist who began giving a few culinary classes by some of Paris best chefs around the late 1800’s. After Marthe, Madam Brassard bought the school and took it to the next level. This is when Julia Child took a class and it is true that under Brassard’s rule, she was very tough on the students – Julia included. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBFVFV3xK1HkZaQHyBBEfqEzBDnRaOWycDSp1JWp-JZ8MJUrl2LL7sbDHZeQQUKeeRVnkGc6X8IF6XUboJ0MQqjUz-en_qN2T3C6kRaohxmp3YvWNZhnMmsUce5uTH9WsDTeijwMBBO0/s1600/_MG_5072.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBFVFV3xK1HkZaQHyBBEfqEzBDnRaOWycDSp1JWp-JZ8MJUrl2LL7sbDHZeQQUKeeRVnkGc6X8IF6XUboJ0MQqjUz-en_qN2T3C6kRaohxmp3YvWNZhnMmsUce5uTH9WsDTeijwMBBO0/s200/_MG_5072.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689427997367186290" /></a>Brassard ran the school for 45 years and retired at the age of 87, selling the school to the present owner, André Cointreau, a descendant of both the Cointreau and Rémy Martin dynasties. It was André that expanded the school into what is today an international school that teaches the highest standard of French cuisine around the world.<br /><br />There are a few schools in The USA but there is only one in Canada and that is Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa. After that inspiring experience, we went right back to the market. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqdz_9-9IXDrDn4LOKUJisLtrK4axwcvziMp40C52NZaj8K2U2tnnNOSKGlWVpT6bsdV9CeCqtG0wFNXtPwD9E5ISszJfoZyqJ2G6y-RdrWizWYD0MVP2_dUpCoo5xAKzBFOUL8Q5qQw/s1600/_MG_5174.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqdz_9-9IXDrDn4LOKUJisLtrK4axwcvziMp40C52NZaj8K2U2tnnNOSKGlWVpT6bsdV9CeCqtG0wFNXtPwD9E5ISszJfoZyqJ2G6y-RdrWizWYD0MVP2_dUpCoo5xAKzBFOUL8Q5qQw/s200/_MG_5174.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689428637835959922" /></a>I bought another 6 escargot for dinner and a beautiful bouquet of holly and evergreen boughs.<br /><br />We met Jordan back at the apartment and went on a hunt for Christmas lights. We took the subway to the Eiffel Tower and walked down the streets we became familiar with last year when we rented an apartment on Rue Sufferen. We walked into my favourite boulangerie, sure enough, a few of my favourite cheese buns were left and I quickly bought one for my evening escargot. We went into a department store and found some Christmas tree decorations; gold balls and red stars. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVTOMsUtauklz8GBZzS6UQUfnBRLzThDdHjW0Ha-kDI89U404vWK_hY51OOcSepkGWu6w2RrDyIEnGuy4FL3HfTiWu-AOokvchim6Y3Y7nc-9R22eAM6MC_4aEYhqu0J6r1lQXkjO3Lk/s1600/_MG_5197.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVTOMsUtauklz8GBZzS6UQUfnBRLzThDdHjW0Ha-kDI89U404vWK_hY51OOcSepkGWu6w2RrDyIEnGuy4FL3HfTiWu-AOokvchim6Y3Y7nc-9R22eAM6MC_4aEYhqu0J6r1lQXkjO3Lk/s200/_MG_5197.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689429320268904562" /></a><br /><br />We walked around the Eiffel Tower and over to Rue Clare, the street famous for the food shops that spill into the pedestrian cobblestone street. Our friends rented an apartment here last year and we used to walk this way when we would rendezvous with them. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljVcfwGHLOsHlMWgsD4i0ZiiFNjptWEIg61QK_aQlJQauqKzJFjGHShxiQyMhwpQLdNDHRIDOWwxqZxiVlfGb2Wy4Et_JBjS03gKEwENw1qwO5DFpPGi6fHS9FyCVLI__Xa2HZRsAvHE/s1600/_MG_5190.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljVcfwGHLOsHlMWgsD4i0ZiiFNjptWEIg61QK_aQlJQauqKzJFjGHShxiQyMhwpQLdNDHRIDOWwxqZxiVlfGb2Wy4Et_JBjS03gKEwENw1qwO5DFpPGi6fHS9FyCVLI__Xa2HZRsAvHE/s200/_MG_5190.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689430034670415154" /></a>We walked through the street and up La Montte Picquet. It was a beautiful street with quaint little shops. One in particular caught my attention, it was a bread and chocolate shop or, Pain & Chocolat. Outside were chocolate brown bistro tables with whicker chairs. Over each chair was a blanket to keep outdoor customers warm. The blankets were in alternating colours of red and white – how beautifully festive and tasteful. We couldn’t resist, we went in; the tiny little place had rich brown wooden furniture against antiqued walls with small tables, glass and brass accents that gave<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAU8hnZtlYMG0Od2E39CgFblHkNDw0EJ2qC4B8CthLYYVcaJ8j4Z1h6fXzrhUMz92s4soQNadgiqzqF6w0KRI3S0s8P9G1NKl1PG9dysosnc9lgZUsrtfRXjHbaMgp33PGjWKVQb2AWn8/s1600/_MG_5208.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAU8hnZtlYMG0Od2E39CgFblHkNDw0EJ2qC4B8CthLYYVcaJ8j4Z1h6fXzrhUMz92s4soQNadgiqzqF6w0KRI3S0s8P9G1NKl1PG9dysosnc9lgZUsrtfRXjHbaMgp33PGjWKVQb2AWn8/s200/_MG_5208.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689430567642288626" /></a> it a feel of a parlor of the 1800’s. We ordered hot chocolate and drank it outside – holey cow! It was pure chocolate. It was a pure drink of thick chocolate topped with foamed milk. It luxuriated across our palate like decadent velvet with a rich flavour. I’m beginning to fall in love with Paris’ version of hot chocolate. <br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHWZN4KUgXL1SjQ01qtofc80umiLcEUH2U-kYuBnyNXV1bX5g64sQl3HmxXRA8QTGaW3Wb0g-i4M7rVVZ4ixa10xYGhrQZ49aCwYNx6tCzB8bEtpcqAwAOcdUQqsrBdi6sA0RR11lIrE/s1600/_MG_5213.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsHWZN4KUgXL1SjQ01qtofc80umiLcEUH2U-kYuBnyNXV1bX5g64sQl3HmxXRA8QTGaW3Wb0g-i4M7rVVZ4ixa10xYGhrQZ49aCwYNx6tCzB8bEtpcqAwAOcdUQqsrBdi6sA0RR11lIrE/s200/_MG_5213.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689431410274712402" /></a><br />Christmas decorations are not nearly as obvious in Paris as anywhere in North America but what they do have is stunning. Rue Domonique had beautiful lights that resembled long icicles. The lights streamed from the top to the bottom of these 3-foot icicles that were draped across the street. There were hundreds of them and the white lights of each of them fell from top to bottom – in the dark they looked like snow falling – the Eiffel Tower was in the distance and the scene was one of pure Parisian magic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAUSIGszV9B253UER9cHPBLlFBhLTObUxpa-RMEZmqPUEaEMwY0IA8uXjYuyVbcSw3URqR3ignYYqz4MdywFgiaBSJV8uT89hPTsKyn3DZ8gphBvC48yKkpYBkwCSy0cjQhRC-m5PuIs/s1600/_MG_5227.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAUSIGszV9B253UER9cHPBLlFBhLTObUxpa-RMEZmqPUEaEMwY0IA8uXjYuyVbcSw3URqR3ignYYqz4MdywFgiaBSJV8uT89hPTsKyn3DZ8gphBvC48yKkpYBkwCSy0cjQhRC-m5PuIs/s200/_MG_5227.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689432400275198642" /></a>We walked over to the Christmas Market on the Champs Elyse. It was dark and the Champs Elyse was it up like an elaborate Christmas wonderland. The modern lights circled the street lights in brilliant blue and others in bright white.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunoFk9Kj_XZ6IKUS3BUtcpdrtKfJESE27vBXOSMzMwoQtzaR2GTlA5IhHkkXM7z_bfR261qlaNqtJ56_x_Z-XZ2uHa3Wdv7vuODIp4HmnABjhtUhzocdZEmGmItfP1zn7VIX8_QG9HHE/s1600/_MG_5262.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunoFk9Kj_XZ6IKUS3BUtcpdrtKfJESE27vBXOSMzMwoQtzaR2GTlA5IhHkkXM7z_bfR261qlaNqtJ56_x_Z-XZ2uHa3Wdv7vuODIp4HmnABjhtUhzocdZEmGmItfP1zn7VIX8_QG9HHE/s200/_MG_5262.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689433029312068386" /></a> The hundreds of little cabins that make up the Christmas market were all decorated in white lights. There were thousands of people at the market and as Jordan put it, we were walking through “a sea of people”. At times it was impossible to make your way through. Some people were eating churros from large paper cones. Churros are a sweet dough piped into oil, deep fried and rolled in sugar. I bought a few Boules, they are the size and shape of a short fat candle. They’re some kind of individual cake covered in chocolate with different flavours; I got the mint chocolate one and dark chocolate with nuts. We’ll have them for dessert tonight.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bv0qGu0WuUvdtUTpACaG0-uATax9_8TbTmVME-bsHVdq9a7REEqBExLMwDfndvKZOmdVqnHulf5chORMdUp-jIT7YwoQe9QgSjNdZd1m0L-nFCj_g5JwtTcb651R31oK65PEZIXMCjc/s1600/_MG_5257.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bv0qGu0WuUvdtUTpACaG0-uATax9_8TbTmVME-bsHVdq9a7REEqBExLMwDfndvKZOmdVqnHulf5chORMdUp-jIT7YwoQe9QgSjNdZd1m0L-nFCj_g5JwtTcb651R31oK65PEZIXMCjc/s200/_MG_5257.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689433839302703842" /></a><br /><br />Jordan is getting tired and I have to admit, so am I. Jon is taking hundreds of pictures and we’ve just walked about 10 miles this afternoon. Jordan and I headed back to the apartment through the mile long promenade along Rue Rivoli.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-68855225517221119162011-12-21T09:19:00.000-08:002011-12-23T13:11:22.801-08:00Christmas in Paris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4jXE7HLa9rCOPEZUzeOYmeIiJQGAmuAJUqlK15_MDXG5tOJOBI7WVF-ZWbT9LRbCiTrrzaOiudbZ1Tx-CvXdwhlOvsvi5i7l2qS8DRa9arZsGEz9hzvpwvBBS5_9ovPFqIrC6-Bf2so/s1600/_MG_4874.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4jXE7HLa9rCOPEZUzeOYmeIiJQGAmuAJUqlK15_MDXG5tOJOBI7WVF-ZWbT9LRbCiTrrzaOiudbZ1Tx-CvXdwhlOvsvi5i7l2qS8DRa9arZsGEz9hzvpwvBBS5_9ovPFqIrC6-Bf2so/s200/_MG_4874.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688635785980652898" /></a><br />We arrived in Paris at 4 in the afternoon. The sun wasn’t shining but the weather was warm and dry. Paris was bustling and as we walked the streets around the Louvre, our new neighbourhood, we noticed the unusually large amounts of café’s still with outdoor seating that were bustling with people, drinking, smoking and some were even eating. As we walked by we could feel the warm air from the heaters escaping into the cool evening air. <br /><br />We couldn’t resist and stopped at a cafe and had a hot bowl of onion soup – they don’t call it “French Onion Soup” here and I’ve learned that this is probably the one dish that Paris can call its own. <br /><br />Day One<br /><br />We all slept in this morning When we did get up we were fighting to use the one bathroom in the apartment. We’re so used to our own bathrooms back home that we almost didn’t know what to do, but before long, we had a routine worked out so we could all <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUavU-4MI5gyjJ_RVR7_439839EjmkoycUlNUBXwfKj_7UQzBQ3e08FUoIBguyQTJ1meICaswy9G8khsvY2n8bmjiQPGhBTrfRO4OhUcJAyMjuvVKrmPZxHa2yVKFr3VA0yy3D4d5Fxqo/s1600/_MG_4859.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUavU-4MI5gyjJ_RVR7_439839EjmkoycUlNUBXwfKj_7UQzBQ3e08FUoIBguyQTJ1meICaswy9G8khsvY2n8bmjiQPGhBTrfRO4OhUcJAyMjuvVKrmPZxHa2yVKFr3VA0yy3D4d5Fxqo/s200/_MG_4859.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688641720438156866" /></a>get ready efficiently with the few facilities we had. We made mushrooms omelets and spooned sweet cherries over yogurt. <br /><br />We ventured out in the direction of the Champs Elyse Christmas Market. It was misting, not really raining but if you stayed outside for a long time like we did, you would get wet but the weather was warm enough so we were't cold. About one block from where we started, we entered a promenade that covered us the entire distance from where we were to the Champs Elyse – perfect! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsEyesTskoN_gn0hPuRxeY-aTpo1b3UQEw-_loilFkQo2tdRmOhv16kWknw408SDDBwei8pFfHFzQInybmlAVZF3IXqEbBmJdfuxDwbzPvIC47m9LNQ_iQ6ikPyOsDyjwGZ-3SbJaj3Q/s1600/_MG_4889.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsEyesTskoN_gn0hPuRxeY-aTpo1b3UQEw-_loilFkQo2tdRmOhv16kWknw408SDDBwei8pFfHFzQInybmlAVZF3IXqEbBmJdfuxDwbzPvIC47m9LNQ_iQ6ikPyOsDyjwGZ-3SbJaj3Q/s200/_MG_4889.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688647422573460850" /></a>Through the promenade there were small shops with their goods spilling out onto the walkway. There were stores after stores of beautiful scarves, hats and gloves. In between there were patisserie’s that made the eyes in your head bulge right out and boulangerie’s that made your drool. There were jewellery stores with diamonds and glitter and antique stores with treasure and antiquities. <br /><br />Finally we could see it. Off in the distance were hundreds of small white cabins, the size of a farmers’ market tents back home, but instead, they were white wooden cabins. They lined either side of the Champs Elyse. The grounds were decorated with transplanted evergreen trees and glittering lights. The each little cabin was a different shop overflowing with goods. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9Cpy8331PWbZNAomHCvm33Dcl_MZk-rTP9SjjUQXljc-xsni_B_dlfduOGJuiIJa-rpGQ4sTdnrnLSPC6D_TQTyU9zR16we5FrTXpq8mcHU0f11jhQZLtmlnyleYXbei_hZTbm6okXA/s1600/_MG_4887.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9Cpy8331PWbZNAomHCvm33Dcl_MZk-rTP9SjjUQXljc-xsni_B_dlfduOGJuiIJa-rpGQ4sTdnrnLSPC6D_TQTyU9zR16we5FrTXpq8mcHU0f11jhQZLtmlnyleYXbei_hZTbm6okXA/s200/_MG_4887.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688638096514846514" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDnOuMEQc7J9uBR2-drwVmyPRMpg3Mf7n-1uv_Voej9YjIUHP2WcxtGAYWAOKU6yOI5Ng5OJuK6vmdGx6nma_imPmZTlk0UUwYwqZrnBV6kZqNkqQJ3tlG2BzMpR93czAwrR3MoH4U8A/s1600/_MG_4904.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDnOuMEQc7J9uBR2-drwVmyPRMpg3Mf7n-1uv_Voej9YjIUHP2WcxtGAYWAOKU6yOI5Ng5OJuK6vmdGx6nma_imPmZTlk0UUwYwqZrnBV6kZqNkqQJ3tlG2BzMpR93czAwrR3MoH4U8A/s200/_MG_4904.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688639680822011746" /></a>Surprisingly there were few Christmas decorations but there was lots of hot wine, hot beer and of course hot chocolate. Here they have a machine that dispenses hot milk and then you buy a large square of chocolate that is stuck on the end of a wooden spoon. I played it safe with a milk chocolate square. It goes into the cup and you stir. By the time it’s cool enough to drink, the chocolate square has completely melted – it was sooo yummy! <br /><br />The chocolate cabin was ov<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaxmiDC0Gf_kLIzIv_iGEdgDR99gOG2XnxsZp8cC4ao_kpSH_lf8ZWgZivJi8gztNVihkqG1wlwR7-JXkaDzE_w2rRSY_oiUjDf9rie6omvub38TIDxtcQES2Wm8yc8cXZl5ax4Ep8fM/s1600/_MG_4895.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaxmiDC0Gf_kLIzIv_iGEdgDR99gOG2XnxsZp8cC4ao_kpSH_lf8ZWgZivJi8gztNVihkqG1wlwR7-JXkaDzE_w2rRSY_oiUjDf9rie6omvub38TIDxtcQES2Wm8yc8cXZl5ax4Ep8fM/s200/_MG_4895.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688638744880232690" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaG0i3Z4yojnoGo-nAuVWP9YwSXHQArePoT9VkcRFTFNlnaBWbfPa_svhwqhyphenhyphen4_oHfN1FYHNQ9DxfKoisD2TGcPA2P_rjjt8VauIMlA8UJJDrmakG-QFh7etgYZ7NPszZB5koah2XuU8/s1600/_MG_4941.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaG0i3Z4yojnoGo-nAuVWP9YwSXHQArePoT9VkcRFTFNlnaBWbfPa_svhwqhyphenhyphen4_oHfN1FYHNQ9DxfKoisD2TGcPA2P_rjjt8VauIMlA8UJJDrmakG-QFh7etgYZ7NPszZB5koah2XuU8/s200/_MG_4941.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688640749305705682" /></a>erflowing with giant slabs of different kinds of chocolate. Walk along and there were multi coloured macaroons by the hundreds, mountains of cheese and a small city of charcuterie. There was hand made wooden toys and candle shops; Christmas cards and Swiss army knives. Some of the cabins were full of foods from sausages on a bun to giant steel bowls filled with simmering foods over portable flames. Jordan got a bowl of luscious mushrooms in a creamy mustard sauce. <br /><br />We finished at the market and took the subway to the Bastille district where we thought the market was open every day. Unfortunately it’s just on Saturday so we stopped for a hot bowl of onion soup at a cafe. Once refreshed, we headed towards our apartment on foot.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOaKdkHiGifRDLGkpbbZVlU4E4oPwxKKJ9E0LLTZuI7X7q8wvLYUAMf-hUlMrnJRRcty5ggLSdDWhJWp8xnoulaGz-WbruHvTMFHozp0f96cvoH6pav5-gyQHsWDTgmjMlRXrys21Xhc/s1600/_MG_4965.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOaKdkHiGifRDLGkpbbZVlU4E4oPwxKKJ9E0LLTZuI7X7q8wvLYUAMf-hUlMrnJRRcty5ggLSdDWhJWp8xnoulaGz-WbruHvTMFHozp0f96cvoH6pav5-gyQHsWDTgmjMlRXrys21Xhc/s200/_MG_4965.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688642744646556786" /></a> We hadn’t gone too far when we found someone selling <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9jNQtUBkCoOYks3S8RFVdAQCHPYelnIY53CmDeRUAZMm9tZlD64wfHs04_AMKJJc8Wc3Gs_79qto1HbXqME9noTHyRg5RSPWJx1b4yjHUWa5fRQxTcncUjFXTBtC5IhMeOGs22FhSdw/s1600/_MG_5028.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9jNQtUBkCoOYks3S8RFVdAQCHPYelnIY53CmDeRUAZMm9tZlD64wfHs04_AMKJJc8Wc3Gs_79qto1HbXqME9noTHyRg5RSPWJx1b4yjHUWa5fRQxTcncUjFXTBtC5IhMeOGs22FhSdw/s200/_MG_5028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688645184761097010" /></a>Christmas trees on the street corner. Fresh Christmas trees here are all stuck into a tree stump to stand them up. Not like back home where we fight with the waterproof metal tree stands that end up leaking all over your hardwood floor. We picked out a perfect tree and brought it back to our apartment.<br /><br />We walked down Rue Rivoli with the small 3-foot tree, wrapped in its mesh sock. We passed a small outdoor market and I bought some garlic butter escargot for my dinner. The pedestrian traffic started to get thicker by the block – we were entering the district where most of the reasonable shopping is to be found in Paris and there we were marching with our little tree against the now thick flow of shoppers. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB0C8csQtvSgI98HdSnRglOURGZNkmZg-G0tokg9ithU9hV4uJOSF5A43bW_SohutwRKFboUWAWGwYVoBUH8qGGu1tN_2pAGQ_u35djcYOY-5qWCazRYcxWP7ZG8hedOBoROfENPihxs/s1600/_MG_5026.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB0C8csQtvSgI98HdSnRglOURGZNkmZg-G0tokg9ithU9hV4uJOSF5A43bW_SohutwRKFboUWAWGwYVoBUH8qGGu1tN_2pAGQ_u35djcYOY-5qWCazRYcxWP7ZG8hedOBoROfENPihxs/s200/_MG_5026.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688643550185718210" /></a>The store windows were beautifully decorated, some with animated Christmas displays. There were a few men walking with TV screens on their shoulders – I guess it’s a new kind of advertising – wow! We’re certainly getting into the holiday spirit now.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-78912078399779513252011-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:002011-12-18T08:14:08.734-08:00A Different ChristmasI’m having a different kind of Christmas this year. Not by choice but by circumstance. The plumbing in my newly renovated bathroom decided to give way and take with it my living room ceiling. So now I have a 15-foot exposed living room ceiling (aka Christmas room) showing off my newly fixed plumbing while all the furniture sits in one corner, covered with sheets.<br /><br />I suppose I could get upset and have the worse December ever, but instead I decided to cancel Christmas. What happened next was totally unexpected. I felt lighter and began thinking about what I’d like to do with my December while everyone else was engaged in the holidays.<br /><br />It wasn’t long before I found something to do. I’m going away but while I wait for my departure date, I find myself going about my days feeling very detached from the bustling activities around me, like I’m watching the holidays pass me by and I have nothing to do. I have to say, it feels pretty good.<br /><br />The malls are busy but people are mostly stressed instead of happy, conversations of family gatherings take on a tone of frustration and anxious anticipation and people are talking practically about money and waste.<br /><br />But I’m sort of walking through it, enjoying the nicest parts of Christmas. I get a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart when I hear Christmas carols, am amazed at how beautiful some of the houses are decorated, especially at night and there are so many candle light strolls and choir performances that I’m actually being swept away with the best bits of the holidays – how glorious!<br /><br />As I sit on the sidelines to Christmas this year I’m incredibly thankful I’m not caught up in what I now see as holiday madness. Each and every Christmas I try to recreate the amazing Christmas of my youth for my own family. My family would always put on an incredibly memorable event. It was never about the presents because they would have them all “made” by the end of November. The first few weeks in December was spent making a special outfit to wear on Christmas Eve, then the week prior to Christmas was for preparing special dishes, a little at a time. For my family, Christmas was all about the Christmas table, the food and the gathering. I’m sure it wasn’t always manageable but the effort was always made because – well, it’s Christmas.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3x8Y-cnM3C6-qfhMwvQOnfj0lZNJ_va8LE0qTMxxdZL54lIiPtCaXUZ3J17EOZAj1XJXIdR47N1GRUKNa87xPiAcf_rUXFiE-yM5TNLQzEj3MR1bimr_mp3yASGGK0sFahbXYW5Nuyc/s1600/_MG_8155.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3x8Y-cnM3C6-qfhMwvQOnfj0lZNJ_va8LE0qTMxxdZL54lIiPtCaXUZ3J17EOZAj1XJXIdR47N1GRUKNa87xPiAcf_rUXFiE-yM5TNLQzEj3MR1bimr_mp3yASGGK0sFahbXYW5Nuyc/s320/_MG_8155.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687502081130934242" /></a><br />This year I didn’t really cancel Christmas but I cancelled the madness that Christmas has become. As you read this, I’ll be in Paris, France with my family strolling the Christmas Markets on the Champs Elyse with a hot cup of cocoa in my hands. I have an apartment just off the Louvre, I brought my Julia Child cookbooks and I’ll be making beef Bourgogne for Christmas dinner along with garlic butter escargot I'll buy at the farmers market and a stunning tourte aux pommes (apple tart) I'll pick up at one of Paris’ famous patisseries. We’ll light some candles, decorate a tiny tree with a few ornaments we found at the Christmas market and our presents will be ourselves. This year is a very simple Christmas, a return to the memorable ones – my gosh, how did things get so out of hand?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfpBFEqzxlkR8Y_J0ZyC3Did163J1ddy_BPBmK777_vgn5N0CNtqJbnJF9uKNPHunVZj-Y70HIixKu4dl_wqg_NwSzLiSZXQH-xHUztbiw3tXO21BSvQM2CUbyXZNSijpdf_irIt7laE/s1600/_MG_8324.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfpBFEqzxlkR8Y_J0ZyC3Did163J1ddy_BPBmK777_vgn5N0CNtqJbnJF9uKNPHunVZj-Y70HIixKu4dl_wqg_NwSzLiSZXQH-xHUztbiw3tXO21BSvQM2CUbyXZNSijpdf_irIt7laE/s320/_MG_8324.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687501427352507090" /></a><br />I’m not sure that you need a house disaster to remove the holiday madness from Christmas nor do I think you need to travel to the other side of the world for a simpler, more enjoyable Christmas but it’s amazing how beautiful Christmas can be when you let go and focus on what really matters. <br /><br />Whether your Christmas table is elaborately festive or simple and delicious, may it be one for your family’s memory books and above all else, enjoy the holidays in which ever way you choose for Christmas is truly meant to be enjoyed. Merry Christmas.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-89579373454178740042011-12-12T14:05:00.000-08:002011-12-12T14:36:38.324-08:00Ottawa's Christmas Market<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINZ7d_yj2TXQHh10T65ZENgUBL_BN0LO5jHC6ZSzbhVr2yC8WYsjl0Sh9qM_uK-uhOGBl6mtvwOpOPM8uzVJWO68NIc3VhHzI7mYpUlsJkpE9VyJgE1zxGEWNN8tl6ZzocfxV4mPx9ag/s1600/_MG_4585.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINZ7d_yj2TXQHh10T65ZENgUBL_BN0LO5jHC6ZSzbhVr2yC8WYsjl0Sh9qM_uK-uhOGBl6mtvwOpOPM8uzVJWO68NIc3VhHzI7mYpUlsJkpE9VyJgE1zxGEWNN8tl6ZzocfxV4mPx9ag/s320/_MG_4585.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685367274717494514" /></a><br />Have you been to the new Christmas market at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa? It’s a romantic and festive market in one of Ontario’s most beautiful and historic buildings, the Aberdeen Pavilion. The Aberdeen Pavilion is a stunning 36,000 Victorian heritage building that held a variety of agricultural events in the late 1800’s and continues to do so today.<br /><br />Christmas Markets are popular in Europe, they first began over 200 years ago. Cologne, Vienna, Nuremberg, Brussels, Munich, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, are the best (I’ve heard) and now they’ve spread to Rome and Paris. Christmas Markets are primarily outdoor markets that are different from farmers’ markets in that they have very few fresh fruits and vegetables and more items more appropriate for the season.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm75ZEynk5j_ZRIC9v04dVwSV4HMlITIU0C5VDQvLyT8VxSMk71sDz6wKMtEL5vn0byGaICLyFiX1fGRMaFgAuHJ1UUDP4DGQaM9jk3UIq2IqahU6VXkvhL-mjad8pNoVmkBdeDHOllEc/s1600/_MG_4719.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm75ZEynk5j_ZRIC9v04dVwSV4HMlITIU0C5VDQvLyT8VxSMk71sDz6wKMtEL5vn0byGaICLyFiX1fGRMaFgAuHJ1UUDP4DGQaM9jk3UIq2IqahU6VXkvhL-mjad8pNoVmkBdeDHOllEc/s200/_MG_4719.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685372451304659778" /></a><br />White tents decorated in colourful lights spill into village squares selling nutcrackers and Christmas ornaments, wooden toys and marionettes, candles and lambskin shoes. Foods offered include roasted chestnuts, baked apples, gingerbread biscuits, mulled cider and hot wine. <br /><br />The beautiful new Christmas Market in Ottawa is indoors. Market stalls were decorated with twinkling lights, evergreen boughs and shiny presents. Carolers dressed in historic costume strolled the market singing Christmas carols. On the tables were prepared foods and one-of-a-kind gifts that added interest to the stalls of fresh produce.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMDHoJK2Vpj4i3-El3fn8cr8jQUt7I7rY56UHlxXSTqP2qnGsvfQzJQ6wo-15G2h2wb062Q6EoUpjcP8SPdCa5NupdKN6h0vQdmjicCqLV8jbPy4BNrvyZbYu9K_ohewj-C0avP3mSms/s1600/_MG_4602.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMDHoJK2Vpj4i3-El3fn8cr8jQUt7I7rY56UHlxXSTqP2qnGsvfQzJQ6wo-15G2h2wb062Q6EoUpjcP8SPdCa5NupdKN6h0vQdmjicCqLV8jbPy4BNrvyZbYu9K_ohewj-C0avP3mSms/s320/_MG_4602.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685368098801367154" /></a>It’s amazing how much fresh produce is still available in December. There were chestnuts, apples, pears, squash, kale, onions, garlic, leeks, beets, cranberries, green onions, spinach, potted herbs, fresh greenhouse tomatoes, carrots in rainbow colours and multi-coloured potatoes. There were long stocks of Brussel sprouts and pints of Jerusalem artichokes; pork and bison, sausages and pepperettes. I found green spiky cauliflower marketed as edible Christmas trees and a few honey stalls mixed in with maple syrup vendors; an artisan grain producer was busy grinding fresh flour.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK86xgcfF-tKQ26D4SM4bFyDymLGsI8_u_EDcir-KrQnRjGsLSQt12JuETPTTv1lZCrNWKxpXqyAj2VA6PFU-62DVZTv9SjSdLEii5beN8N9m0shZkvVG8cYOETRuJFFr-Pg3hnyyjvI/s1600/_MG_4633.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK86xgcfF-tKQ26D4SM4bFyDymLGsI8_u_EDcir-KrQnRjGsLSQt12JuETPTTv1lZCrNWKxpXqyAj2VA6PFU-62DVZTv9SjSdLEii5beN8N9m0shZkvVG8cYOETRuJFFr-Pg3hnyyjvI/s200/_MG_4633.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685369563834483762" /></a><br />In between the fresh produce was a wide range of wholesome and decadent foods made by culinary entrepreneurs. There was Ottawa’s popular Pascal’s Ice Cream (I had the egg nog flavour). There was sparkling apple cider, apple cider donuts and bags of dried apples, some dipped in yummy chocolate. Bakers with tables overflowing with artisan loaves of bread and bakers with pies; pies made of pumpkin, apple, turkey, steak and traditional tortierres. There were giant, soft cinnamon buns, vegetable stuffed breads and giant irresistible cookies.<br /><br />There were cakes baked in mason jars, topped with icing and equipped with a silver spoon; bite size pieces of cake called Bombs, enrobed in chocolate and topped with yummy goodies of caramel, nuts, candy and fruit. There was a donut baker offering mini home made donuts in flavours of Pecan Turtle, Malted Milk, Coco Hazelnut and Maple Bacon.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKqFm7e6D452l3Wq_zl3ygFCZVDRRd3SQDzTiGQQfEdr7NGYjIl6N9bUY5TGQ_t0k2nqzNCKozwdyPKC7egxeEYAD4ByzQQ47AgMcvZk-kHGMABXlGJqnvbCr7-DFGOueNc_yKqolLtw/s1600/_MG_4711.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKqFm7e6D452l3Wq_zl3ygFCZVDRRd3SQDzTiGQQfEdr7NGYjIl6N9bUY5TGQ_t0k2nqzNCKozwdyPKC7egxeEYAD4ByzQQ47AgMcvZk-kHGMABXlGJqnvbCr7-DFGOueNc_yKqolLtw/s320/_MG_4711.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685371460968551218" /></a><br />Besides the fresh produce and decant foods there were pots of Christmas greens, holiday candles and wreaths of grape vines. There are hand crafted hats and beautiful scarves, jewellery, stunning cutting boards, artwork, hand made wooden toys and Christmas tree decorations.<br /><br />Christmas markets are a step back to an old fashioned holiday where simple pleasures are paramount. <br /><br />The worlds most decadent, beautiful and incredible Christmas market is in Paris, France where over 350 stalls spill out along the Champs Elyse with Christmas <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARh2-qJxdanVr8AcSeu-nWPLzPjQsXSaZUMhZMtw2dpU9eqW89vKUHaVZV2wjvEoArz7It6eUs-rntGcaFFWCdzZ218Koaor35E8EZR3r87RTgGL_8L6sBqOP1Jdz8GMO1T5uzSMpFQo/s1600/_MG_4606.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARh2-qJxdanVr8AcSeu-nWPLzPjQsXSaZUMhZMtw2dpU9eqW89vKUHaVZV2wjvEoArz7It6eUs-rntGcaFFWCdzZ218Koaor35E8EZR3r87RTgGL_8L6sBqOP1Jdz8GMO1T5uzSMpFQo/s320/_MG_4606.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685374117390765538" /></a>lights strung across the boulevard and around every tree, festive music plays while shoppers stroll casually with a cup of vin chaud (hot wine). <br /><br />I can’t wait, I’m going to Paris for Christmas this year. I’ll be strolling the streets, shopping at the Christmas markets with a mug of hot chocolate. I have an apartment behind the Louve, I’ve packed my Julia Childs cookbooks and I’ll be making Beef Bourgogne on Christmas morning. I’ll write from Paris, but if I don’t, from my table to yours, have a very merry Christmas.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-69746214935310519512011-11-22T13:13:00.000-08:002011-11-22T13:27:29.120-08:00Sizing Up Mushrooms<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEU7UIECsKmppxGk2DQwfPpWn0id7-U15qyvpWJAdhAPzlZj2P5LUdYKi41BkraXa_plC3D6R8SODaM1q3dBYc8rA0qILCntxhW1yD6uBv61ec9RUpL3LEA4f6kMebyMhpA-tiNqsxEsg/s1600/_MG_4474.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEU7UIECsKmppxGk2DQwfPpWn0id7-U15qyvpWJAdhAPzlZj2P5LUdYKi41BkraXa_plC3D6R8SODaM1q3dBYc8rA0qILCntxhW1yD6uBv61ec9RUpL3LEA4f6kMebyMhpA-tiNqsxEsg/s320/_MG_4474.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677933660711328178" /></a><br />Full of mystery and intrigue, mushrooms are an edible fungi. But there’s no mystery for Zlatko Vidmar, an international mushroom specialist. Throughout Zlatko’s career he has been in demand by the worlds top mushroom companies throughout Europe (Italy, Hungary and Germany), then in China and Viet Nam.<br /><br />In 1999 Zlatko and his family moved to Canada and in 2008 bought an ailing mushroom farm in Amhurstburg. Zlatko saw it as an opportunity to grow mushrooms the way he’s always wanted to - organically. Today Vidmar Oganic Mushrooms (Vidmar-funghi.com) has over 21,000 square feet of production in 7 growing rooms. <br /><br />Mushrooms grow so fast you can almost see them growing. Certainly you can see the size difference between a mushroom in the early morning and the same mushroom 8-hours later, they almost triple in size. As the mushrooms grow they have to be thinned. The very first, smallest mushroom to be plucked to make room for the others are called ‘button’. Denis claims they’re the most tender, juicy and flavourful of all mushrooms. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSk9tXqZJMrT7-1EKFHOzhKKUtWCsl5akSbeHC7xTi3KdYxL1w-arNokzUSyLXvm4KSPUFMa-RPbWZOoXmIOShxwWP-2anTixOMnp31n7o3td1a7EIgxp16-YhVfXX1jqdeOSi-kWVrM/s1600/_MG_4412.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSk9tXqZJMrT7-1EKFHOzhKKUtWCsl5akSbeHC7xTi3KdYxL1w-arNokzUSyLXvm4KSPUFMa-RPbWZOoXmIOShxwWP-2anTixOMnp31n7o3td1a7EIgxp16-YhVfXX1jqdeOSi-kWVrM/s320/_MG_4412.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677934254178951730" /></a><br />The same is true for brown mushrooms and when they’re picked, they’re graded starting with button, then cremini which are larger, portobelini which are between 2 to 3-inches in diameter and full Portobello mushrooms, or ‘the ports’ as they call them on the mushroom farm, is 3 to 6-inches in diameter. <br /><br />Inside the growing room is 12 beds with rich black compost and littered on top are hundreds of mushrooms of different sizes, all fighting for room to spread out their caps. Every day the mushroom beds are harvested, or thinned to ensure the remaining mushrooms have room to grow larger. So on a mushroom farm they’re not necessarily picking for size (or ripeness as any size mushroom is ready to eat), but to create space for the remaining mushrooms to stretch and grow. On each wagon the pickers push in front of them they have boxes of varying size mushrooms so they can thin, pick and grade all at the same time.<br /><br />Zlatko’s son, Denis runs the business while Zlatko works his magic in the mushroom dirt. “I eat mushrooms every day because it’s important to test my product every time it goes into the market,” says Denis who goes on to explain that mushrooms are better the simpler they’re prepared. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF_KjUsMWuajv2aGxB46BhGKwScBaNoLci0NRSiD4TwlLVmovG1ngrE499s4-6rK1TQIBawd2rJvnCDPq9WO7qlC_1mushiPVDPDyUmOYeC7dwZlsxwlAB8BZC5i8oZW-jfkI3cPDtPI/s1600/_MG_4430_2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF_KjUsMWuajv2aGxB46BhGKwScBaNoLci0NRSiD4TwlLVmovG1ngrE499s4-6rK1TQIBawd2rJvnCDPq9WO7qlC_1mushiPVDPDyUmOYeC7dwZlsxwlAB8BZC5i8oZW-jfkI3cPDtPI/s320/_MG_4430_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677934645795167490" /></a><br />Denis prefers to simmer his cremini mushrooms in sweet butter for a short period of time like 3 to 7 minutes in a very hot pan. Just last night I reduced some red wine and beef broth and added some of Denis mushrooms. The mushroom juices mixed with the other flavours and when almost all of the liquid was evaporated, I popped the pan into the oven with a bit of butter to finish them off. Oh yum, meaty and delicious.Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-55249611532054173382011-11-16T11:55:00.000-08:002011-11-16T12:16:10.207-08:00Christmas Baking the Italian Way!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK68zi2gwxXIkbFeJme6TwxIq6kMExUWb9j4yOvUe7qaPAogTMxIWASr6o6b5s-tG5wl6A9fv-ohdgLBmVJY_-fMIlpcooY7_QN0Ez8FpdfoqMquGVVuhmCW6dJajxIJcd-lWM6Hjia3Y/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK68zi2gwxXIkbFeJme6TwxIq6kMExUWb9j4yOvUe7qaPAogTMxIWASr6o6b5s-tG5wl6A9fv-ohdgLBmVJY_-fMIlpcooY7_QN0Ez8FpdfoqMquGVVuhmCW6dJajxIJcd-lWM6Hjia3Y/s320/IMG_0315.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675685322496501458" /></a><br />Every year Phyllis Santone hosts a day of cookie baking at her home just before the holidays get busy. How lucky was I to get an invitation this year. Nothing says Christmas more than the elaborate foods we prepare and offer to friends and family over the holidays and in my family, cookies play a big part in the festivies. <br /><br />We all descended at Phyllis’s house around mid morning and unloaded our cars. I came prepared to make two of my favourite holiday cookies and had ingredients for one recipe of each. I watched as Theresa and Anna brought in box after bag overflowing with ingredients like she was ready to cater cookies to an entire football team - hmmmmm. <br /><br />With no time to spare, we immediately set to work in Phyllis’s enormous lower kitchen. In the centre is a large table and two bigger tables spill out into other rooms. Ingredients and equipment spill over every inch of the counters while bowls and rolling pins wait patiently on the tables.<br /><br />Anna brings in two dozen large tubs big enough to bath in. They all have lids and it still doesn’t click that I’m in for some serious baking so I innocently continue on. I’m immediately put at the chopping station. I start with dates, they’re so sticky and laborious. I finish and I move on to chocolate. Wow, Belcolade chocolate wafers, whoa, no Bakers chocolate in this kitchen, yum! I’m working on a glass cutting board and the chocolate ricochets with each chop like an escaping convict, but I quickly get the better of it with a method to keep it confined. Over by the stove, the door is open and Phyllis and Anna have their heads into a pan of toasting hazelnuts whispering about their condition and level of doneness.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfafhpr8asCdAK9l2aSaGNFHNosrKi334iaZYyhmHqNV81rCm46mRGfR6ramY162bgfZFP63pe0uHJvNMUn514KGyffXYa1_Y88VQ6oisWL2-Jthu_bLnFFm4bRwcMeSdoHQh6rcIUkjM/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfafhpr8asCdAK9l2aSaGNFHNosrKi334iaZYyhmHqNV81rCm46mRGfR6ramY162bgfZFP63pe0uHJvNMUn514KGyffXYa1_Y88VQ6oisWL2-Jthu_bLnFFm4bRwcMeSdoHQh6rcIUkjM/s320/IMG_0308.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675685663468194274" /></a><br />It’s Phyllis’ kitchen but Theresa is definitely the one in charge of the baking; measuring and sifting, whisking and mixing by hand. Yes, I glance over and she is almost elbow deep in a giant bowl of luscious cookie batter, squeezing it between her fingers, feeling it intensely until she’s happy with the texture.<br /><br />I on the other hand have a hot cookie sheet full of toasted hazelnuts in front of me. My job is to skin them. I begin to rub them firmly between my hands. I rub furiously fast as the hot nuts are burning my palms. Some of the skins fall off easily but others are stubborn and the task takes forever – my hands are swelling with the pain – but I don’t say a word.<br /><br />On the centre table Anna stacks parchment lined cookie sheets, half a dozen high. The first batch of dough is ready and the assembly line begins. The giant bowl (just larger than a kitchen sink) is set beside the cookie sheets, Theresa rolls the dough into a specific size giving Anna and Phyllis instructions that include rolling the dough ball into fluffy, whisked egg whites, then in blonde almonds. The assembly line work begins and the cookie sheets are slowly filled with round bundles of almonds. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8396GTLk_1CarD6kfmgWTFtPtD7qg9uINbNRmFu52dHeB7GLurbkEI0-gxEK-DVvhGtthKh2dhIF_k3TSiH87yme8Hw18iNIRkJxQRHw6GtVLOcFFIBWUCCMOccmSfzj4L7F_bgGkph0/s1600/IMG_0357.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8396GTLk_1CarD6kfmgWTFtPtD7qg9uINbNRmFu52dHeB7GLurbkEI0-gxEK-DVvhGtthKh2dhIF_k3TSiH87yme8Hw18iNIRkJxQRHw6GtVLOcFFIBWUCCMOccmSfzj4L7F_bgGkph0/s320/IMG_0357.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675686152058817506" /></a><br />Theresa’s recipes are traditional Italian recipes that have been in her family for generations and she’s been baking them herself for as long as she can remember. The room fills with seductive smells of butter, vanilla and almonds. Theresa begins working on another recipe creaming sweet butter – I counted 12 pounds of butter on the counter and 8 dozen eggs. I’m beginning to wonder what they hope to accomplish.<br /><br />The bowl gets passed around and everyone smells in complete satisfaction, then she takes it over to the scales where she carefully weighs out mounds of dough, whispering the entire time about overages, then adjusting and finally successfully moving on to the next mound. <br /><br />The first cookies roll out of the oven. Everyone stops to smell, poke, analyze and taste. The room gets serious with talk of production methods, adding more of this or baking longer than that. Should the size be bigger or smaller, they’re just a little too big for the intended one-bite size but the consensus is they’re perfect for someone with a big mouth! Great, nothing is changed and we continue.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmPtGe7ADQxFffTOp4ypOtpBJMAYRSyzCSZ8HLLR6xty5Pqe10BAYq8ee_q3vGWNieasji-Y5e-qDoMK6TXC1B2KXe2NhGq4R5b6Xts2G5orbXcePm7ti_bQvWS8fQEiGNfWXW5-xg9s/s1600/IMG_0360.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmPtGe7ADQxFffTOp4ypOtpBJMAYRSyzCSZ8HLLR6xty5Pqe10BAYq8ee_q3vGWNieasji-Y5e-qDoMK6TXC1B2KXe2NhGq4R5b6Xts2G5orbXcePm7ti_bQvWS8fQEiGNfWXW5-xg9s/s320/IMG_0360.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675686488589687154" /></a><br />Once the girls are satisfied with the cookie conference, we go back to baking in silence. It seems to be more of a meditative act, almost therapeutic and we love it. Balls of dough continue to be rolled out between loving hands, dipped skillfully in egg whites and tumbled in almonds. <br /><br />There comes a time when we get ahead of the ovens. Phyllis has one oven in the basement with 3 racks that are full. Upstairs there is a double oven that is also full. There is talk of switching to the convection mode to hurry things up, but before the words have a chance to be fully spoken, shrieks ring out in the room. Never! Convection will dry out the cookies, so we keep the traditional ovens going.<br /><br />We take a break and talk of the latest Toronto baker, Cake Opera. Apparently, an artist turned her talents to baking elaborate cakes. The minimum charge is $2,500 for one cake! But the ladies are convinced these cookies would out do anything the Cake Opera can produce because there’s nothing better than good home cooking. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXO3pQ9XBjB7nQCzGAy5zBDZ1JdB9l2PULsPhkZW6CcqBgqYO3bBd83uv0t3MY7Ai3oLyI-Z019KePabTC6Cp8SofGc9P4zg1l1ti2tWxaiKdYwVaGSJ_a1cpHBuMFlDsKKFoC2WIOLRE/s1600/IMG_0335.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 264px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXO3pQ9XBjB7nQCzGAy5zBDZ1JdB9l2PULsPhkZW6CcqBgqYO3bBd83uv0t3MY7Ai3oLyI-Z019KePabTC6Cp8SofGc9P4zg1l1ti2tWxaiKdYwVaGSJ_a1cpHBuMFlDsKKFoC2WIOLRE/s320/IMG_0335.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675689035281300738" /></a><br />Theresa takes her perfectly equal mounds of creamy cookie dough and begins to roll them into logs. The sticky dough picks up the icing sugar she’s rolling them in and when it’s just right, she transfers the logs onto a cookie sheet. Miraculously, there is another stack of parchment lined cookie sheets beside her and she has enough dough to fill them all.<br /><br />It’s early afternoon and we decide we need to stop for lunch. Phyllis makes sure her bakers are well fed and we walk into a feast in the upstairs dining room. Large trays of just made pizzas, one with luscious tomato sauce, herbs and yummy cheese and the other a delicious salty foccacia. There are trays of charcuterie and large blocks of cheeses; parmesan and asiago that are decorated with fresh balls of bocconcinni. There is a scrumptious rapini stuffed bread, a platter of glistening black olives and a colourful salad with a blend of radicchio and greens. A large platter of fresh fruit sits at the edge of the table and we feast, talk, laugh and keep an eye on the cookies still in the oven.<br /><br />We’re back downstairs and I’m back to chopping the Belcolade chocolate – perfect dessert after our baking feast. Soon the bowls of chocolate are melted and stirred into luscious cookie dough with mounds of toasted hazelnuts. There is still lots of eggs, cream and butter on the counter waiting to be turned into yummy cookies and my wonder begins to turn to worry about the amount of baking there is to do. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8FqUHeoVjxWhdkhI54zmJxROSvtqbHv4VPZWK78iybjiB6EGo2u2cd-WTVtWu_hpp9LvwesgAMI4H_2ilqdvlWCxrwZs_Kr0vo4ousavoRBB8NKYgNPqiNlXsoT3HhaDgJGSzghHeJ0/s1600/IMG_0374.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8FqUHeoVjxWhdkhI54zmJxROSvtqbHv4VPZWK78iybjiB6EGo2u2cd-WTVtWu_hpp9LvwesgAMI4H_2ilqdvlWCxrwZs_Kr0vo4ousavoRBB8NKYgNPqiNlXsoT3HhaDgJGSzghHeJ0/s320/IMG_0374.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675688286134988610" /></a>The back table starts to fill with warm cookies from the oven, the sink fills with hot water while bowls and dishes, spoons and beaters all get their bath and are put to work again.<br /><br />I start making my biscotti. While everyone else is baking hundreds of cookies, the best I can do is to double my recipe. I’m using a hand beater with a bowl with a ridge on the bottom so the ingredients don’t mix properly. I try to compensate with a spatula. The ingredients aren’t cooperating and I beat it extra long to try and pull the right consistency together. It ends up a little too wet but I have to move on. Magically 6 stacked cookie tins appear beside me and I begin to take dough and form it into logs. Oh no, I didn’t weigh my dough to make sure my biscotti logs were equal; I just eye-balled it. Oh well, the trays are quickly escorted into the oven and we wait – why am I so nervous!<br /><br />I begin to work on my shortbread cookies. These are not traditional Italian cookies nor are they my Canadianized versions of biscotti, but they’re a personal cookie that means something special to me so I love to share, especially during the holidays. I start to cream an entire pound of soft butter. It succumbs to the beaters and becomes a luscious mass of yellow cream – how ultimately satisfying. In goes the fruit sugar and I beat until it’s fluffy and irresistible. I start to feel better about my cookies and I sift in the flours. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KiLIimkrLDpI_GxNc9XPBqkQ_TCeHCRlgyuv0ibJjtW9TO7NQAUza3rH7BqFYjcRwBsiHAb5t1LM-H3P9kXYJY3nGDvl3oy0HWvFyNCReR-0Btqwtz7GL42Uw_-isIAnnfS092hzWAE/s1600/IMG_0366.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KiLIimkrLDpI_GxNc9XPBqkQ_TCeHCRlgyuv0ibJjtW9TO7NQAUza3rH7BqFYjcRwBsiHAb5t1LM-H3P9kXYJY3nGDvl3oy0HWvFyNCReR-0Btqwtz7GL42Uw_-isIAnnfS092hzWAE/s320/IMG_0366.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675687919218791042" /></a><br />Theresa and Phyllis have their heads together as they work cinnamon and hazelnuts into the chocolate cookie dough. They taste it and Theresa decides to add orange zest and a bit of almond. Then with great satisfaction Theresa parades the kitchen for the rest of us to taste. With approvals all around she moves towards another stack of pristine cookie sheets. <br /><br />There’s too much flour in my bowl and the shortbread is way too crumbly. I work in more butter with my fingers and it becomes barely acceptable. Nothing seems to be working for me but the ladies are gracious. It’s now 5:30 and the count on the table is 300 cookies of one recipe, 360 of another, 250 of the almond balls and who knows what else – amazing. I’m producing just under 100 biscotti and 40 shortbread cookies – how underwhelming, aughhh.<br /><br />My biscotti are now out of the oven and I wait to cut them. Theresa’s cutting hers and they’re slicing perfectly. Mine are still warm when I attempt and the nuts and dried cranberries tear every second one – aughhhh. They get cut, turned on their sides and back into the oven for a second baking. I’m getting tired and frustrated, I’m usually a very good baker but in light of these women, I realize I’ve got a long way to go. Look out culinary schools, I don’t know of one that can hold a candle to this efficient production of Italian ladies baking their beloved holiday traditions. <br /><br />Anna talks of leaving and I feel relieved – the first sign of the end of the day. We’ve worked feverously hard today and we have mountains of cookies to show for it. I’m thinking the day is coming to an end and we can relax, then there’s a knock on the door. In comes Marissa and Lucy, arms laden with bags of ingredients – the second shift of bakers!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8K3oj_jDWSwA8eesRf3Z616D6Cqw1IO6AVLanRGaxRaGdmw3eP1qvmq3LvtCteU1Bj8G4Ac8Fcy68nHRu12ORbn7VFMUgjRmfFQgq_WeUKBLAJruYtclWxHs11KZ6edvcKOvMypef3nk/s1600/IMG_0339.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8K3oj_jDWSwA8eesRf3Z616D6Cqw1IO6AVLanRGaxRaGdmw3eP1qvmq3LvtCteU1Bj8G4Ac8Fcy68nHRu12ORbn7VFMUgjRmfFQgq_WeUKBLAJruYtclWxHs11KZ6edvcKOvMypef3nk/s320/IMG_0339.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675689691392093218" /></a><br />Anna leaves while Marissa and Lucy unload their bags and dive right into the kitchen with the energy of a new day. All of the new recipes are calculated for a double and triple batch. The group hovers around a cutting board filled with whole biscotti logs waiting to be cut. They decide that biscotti perfection is a combination of the right cutting board, a sharp knife, type of nut used and the perfect temperature of the cookie. There is an endless ritual of whispers, poking, cutting and discussing – perfection is always being worked on. I don’t think there has ever been as much thought gone into solving world problems as there is in this kitchen with these cookies that will be shared and eaten in the name of love and hospitality. <br /><br />It’s dusk, my legs are throbbing and I’m feeling tired. Obviously I’m no match for this group of bakers. But the holidays are coming and these cookies will create flavours and memories for their family and loved ones, it makes sense they must be perfect. Happy baking this holiday season!Lynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7823810672540841910.post-56042045001759749182011-11-14T08:42:00.000-08:002011-11-14T09:17:32.559-08:00The very first and most elaborate farm to table event in Canada!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ral5aZlSwcMWcUdnYqfVDN63lhfOZHURZcN4ckdna1JzoPWBs6z3I_RcZWRvpUF6aoq1MCZmfJjdrpLHKkLlUOzdMdBAiqWRUGwPJdcUwpYZn3NN0XJosMLG-pi_KssMHsObpM_yypM/s1600/_MG_4218_2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ral5aZlSwcMWcUdnYqfVDN63lhfOZHURZcN4ckdna1JzoPWBs6z3I_RcZWRvpUF6aoq1MCZmfJjdrpLHKkLlUOzdMdBAiqWRUGwPJdcUwpYZn3NN0XJosMLG-pi_KssMHsObpM_yypM/s320/_MG_4218_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674897462064592498" /></a><br />It’s over, another Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and it was amazing! I opened the 2011 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair at the Journey To Your Good Health cooking stage and I closed it. In between there were dozens of cooking demos with some of Ontario’s most delicious local food organizations. I made a sinfully delicious Honeyed Apple Crisp with Honeyed Apple au Jus with Nancy of the Ontario Beekeepers Association, a savoury and luscious Sweet Onion Tart with Jamie from the Holland Marsh Growers Association and a succulent and decadent Ice Syrup Pork Tenderloin with the good folks at Willowgrove Hill Farm – the only pork rich in Omega-3 goodness.<br /><br />We offered tips on how to cook the best scrambled eggs (add melted butter to the eggs before you cook them!) and which apple varieties were best for baking (Ambrosia won for both flavour and texture) and eating. We discovered the flavour richness and juiciness of Yorkshire Valley Farm organic chicken and how a medley of Ontario greenhouse vegetables comes alive with a C’estbon Chevre cream sauce over a steaming bowl of ravishing red fife wheat rigatoni. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjtvFH1FncBVvmNiYQMpVfptQqA9rTVQocldVSIF8IJAQUQ_j4Zt65oZu6XVIFfPsNNeYOGLCTcTI2gYDCRx7tfDvntdNm7sj59Qma1vjOUwPI5ZHTs5QnmYz3BNyz4oBoSD5nILwp-M/s1600/_MG_4182_2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjtvFH1FncBVvmNiYQMpVfptQqA9rTVQocldVSIF8IJAQUQ_j4Zt65oZu6XVIFfPsNNeYOGLCTcTI2gYDCRx7tfDvntdNm7sj59Qma1vjOUwPI5ZHTs5QnmYz3BNyz4oBoSD5nILwp-M/s320/_MG_4182_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674900583485740578" /></a><br />Nutritionist, Judy Scott Weldon was the dazzling host of the Journey To Your Good Health cooking stage and she skillfully weaved the cooking demos in between culinary contests and energetic performances about food. <br /><br />It was the good folks at the Ministry of Agriculture and Foodland Ontario that organized the 2-week long eat healthy, eat local cooking experiences. Around the stage were farmers selling their products, a nutritionist to answer questions and milkable cow. <br /><br />If you’ve never been to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair or the ‘Royal’ as the locals call it, it’s a must attend event. There is a continuous parade of livestock that is judged, you can hear roosters crowing throughout the aisles and majestic horses prance in their rings. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb52Ar3bjM7ZRpcKTz4PCyilQxTcOM0k370qmMyQAq-7qLQodz938PNm_u0EyB_FQJ5bC9fSkL4Wvewu_-e7K20BKXcdF7NzxJlz0h2TrOOfjlsdEOp6YU6xfwzSx7M09g7g70kvZxH-E/s1600/_MG_4167_2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb52Ar3bjM7ZRpcKTz4PCyilQxTcOM0k370qmMyQAq-7qLQodz938PNm_u0EyB_FQJ5bC9fSkL4Wvewu_-e7K20BKXcdF7NzxJlz0h2TrOOfjlsdEOp6YU6xfwzSx7M09g7g70kvZxH-E/s320/_MG_4167_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674901587761352258" /></a>These beautiful animals are a site to behold while displayed nearby are the largest vegetables, the most perfect and the ugliest. There are butter sculptures and egg displays, ribbons for the best cheese and the Bernardin contest for the best preserves. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair was and remains the very first and most elaborate farm to table event in Canada!<br /><br />Besides the cooking demos and generous samples, the fair offers traditional farm food from apple dumplings to peameal bacon on a bun and booths to buy unique items from garlic spreaders, cutting boards and hand crafted blankets and hats. There’s always the deals to be had from beautiful silk scarves, Egyptian cotton bed sheets and quality pots and pans.<br /><br />The 2011 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair may be over for another year but the recipes gathered, the culinary tips remembered and the flavours savoured will continue to excite for an entire year. Make sure you get there next yearLynn Ogryzlohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16212194466464699987noreply@blogger.com0