Monday, May 31, 2010

Best Bday cake EVER!!

This is a recipe to keep on your 'speed dial' file! For my cousin's 22 BDay, my aunt made her "famous" Drumstick Cake. You know the one I'm talking about - an amazing combo of frozen chocolate & peanut butter. And if you don't, I'm gonna school you!

Ingredients:

2 c. crushed vanilla or chocolate wafers ( or cookie crumbs)
1/2 finely chopped peanuts
1/2 c. melted butter
2 tbs. crunchy peanut butter

1 pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tub Cool Whip

Dark chocolate for drizzling.

Method:

Combine first 3 ingredients, 2 tbsp. peanut butter and press into the bottom of a springform pan to make a crust. Reserve 1/c. cup for a topping.

Cream together the next 5 ingredients, fold in the Cool Whip and pour over base.

Drizzle melted chocolate over the top, top with crumbs and freeze overnight.



Nova Scotia's Award Winning wines!

The 2010 All Canadian Wine Championships took place last weekend in Ontario, and 5 Nova Scotian wineries emerged as winners! Here is the press release from the Winery Association of Nova Scotia!


PRESS RELEASE

Nova Scotia Wines Take Home 16 Awards at the 2010 All Canadian Wine Championships

Halifax, N.S. – Nova Scotia wineries received 16 awards at the annual All Canadian Wine Championships in Windsor, Ontario. The All Canadian Wine Championships, considered the country’s leading wine competition, announced the winners for 2010 on Friday, May 21.

“The growth of the industry in this province is very much a team effort…we are proud to be a part of this industry in Nova Scotia and there is not another province we would rather be in,” says Karen Enright, owner of Annapolis Highland Vineyards and first time winner at the All Canadian Wine Championships. “We are absolutely thrilled about our awards. On Friday I was clicking the site every five minutes to see the results…I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw our Pinot Gris won gold.”

Held annually, this year’s competition had a record-breaking 1,143 wines submitted in the competition with wines represented from coast to coast.

The following Nova Scotia wineries won awards this year:


Annapolis Highland Vineyards
Gold (Grapes Fortifieds & Other Desserts) - 2009 White Wedding
Gold (Pinot Gris/Grigio) - 2009 Pinot Gris

Silver (Soft Fruit Off-Dry) - 2008 Highland Blue
Bronze (White Hybrid Blends)
- 2009 Geisenheim Riesling

L’Acadie Vineyards,
Silver (Sparkling) - Prestige Brut
Silver (Fruit Sparkling) - 2008 Organic Sparkling Cider
Bronze (Other Single White Hybrid) -
2009 L’Acadie Star

Blomidon Estate Winery
Silver (Marechal Foch) - 2008 Reserve Marechal Foch

Domaine de Grand Pré
Silver (Other Single Hybrid Reds) - 2008 Pete Luckett Vyd Millot

Silver (Vidal Icewine) - 2008 Vidal Icewine

Bronze (Other Single White Hybrid) - 2008 L’Acadie Blanc
Bronze (Marechal Foch) - 2008 Marechal Foch
Bronze (Other Single Hybrid Reds) - 2008 Vintner’s Reserve Castel

Jost Vineyards
Gold (White Hybrid Blends) - 2009 Valley Roads L’Acadie Muscat
Silver (White Hybrid Blends) - 2009 Habitant Blanc

Bronze (Baco Noir) - 2006 Baco Noir

“Nova Scotia has a lot to be proud of,” says Janice Ruddock, managing director of the Winery Association of Nova Scotia. “This recognition continues to show that our wines are being represented and respected on the national as well as international levels. It is especially exciting to see promising new wineries producing award-winning wines their first year in business.”

For more information about the All Canadian Wine Championships visit www.canadianwinetrail.com. Additional information about the Winery Association of Nova Scotia can be found at www.winesns.ca.

-30-

For more information please contact:

Christine White

Director of Communications & Events

Winery Association of Nova Scotia

Phone: (902) 492-9291, ext 115

Cell: (902) 880-2180

Email: christine@winesofnovascotia.ca

Website: www.winesns.ca


About the Winery Association of Nova Scotia

The Winery Association of Nova Scotia (WANS) was formed in 2002 to represent the interests of wine producers in Nova Scotia, to serve as a voice for local industry and to promote the growth and development of Nova Scotia wines. Members include Annapolis Highland Vineyards, L’Acadie Vineyards, Bear River Vineyards, Benjamin Bridge, Blomidon Estate Winery, Domaine de Grand Pré, Gaspereau Vineyards, Muir Murray Estate Winery, Sainte-Famille Wines, Lunenburg County Winery, Petite Riviere Vineyards and Jost Vineyards.


Thursday, May 27, 2010

Strawberry Rhubarb Mousse

I've never really been a big fan of rhubarb. It's not that I don't like the flavour, it's just not a vegetable (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable) that you can easily eat. It's not like an apple you can crunch into, a blueberry you can pop in your mouth or a juicy peach that you bite into and let those sweet juices dribble down your chin.

Nope, rhubarb is a bakeable treat - normally found in the form of a pie, a crumble or a tart - all of which, I'm not that fond of either! I'm a 'take it or leave it' kinda pie/crumble/tart girl. I'd much rather a bowl of chocolate mousse; smooth, light, and with little bubbles that you can almost feel popping on your tongue.

So then I had a thought: What if I took some rhubarb, with it's incredibly tangy bite, and whipped it in mousse form? Or better yet, strawberry-rhubarb mousse form? And so, this delectable little dessert was born - sweet, light and seasonal. The perfect end to a BBQ, potluck or elegant meal on the patio. I can't wait for the season when I can substitute fresh Annapolis Valley peaches for this recipe!


Ingredients:

2 c. chopped rhubarb
2 c. chopped strawberries
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 egg yolks
2 c. heavy cream

fresh strawberries, to garnish

Method:

In a saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries, 1/4 c. sugar and water over Medium heat. Stir occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn't burn. Once the mixture has broken down, remove from heat. Place 2 c. of the mixture in a blender, reserving the remaining for the top layer. Add gelatin and puree.

In a double boiler, over just boiling water, beat egg yolks and 1/2 c. sugar until they are pale yellow and quite thick. Cool to room temperature, and combine with pureed fruit mixture.

In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff and gradually fold into the egg/fruit mixture.

Spoon into individual dessert bowls and allow to set, about 2-3 hours in the fridge. Once the mousse is firm, top with the reserved fruit mixture and fresh strawberries.

Fold the whipped cream into the egg/rhubarb mixture.

Let the mousse set before topping with the remaining layers.

Top w/ compote and fresh berries.

And the finished product...!

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Great CATCH Culinary Competition!

The clock ticks. A chef bends over the hot burner and tries to breathe deeply as chef Ray Bear, host of the Great CATCH Chef Competition, announces that there’s less than one minute left in the competition.

The chef removes his Digby scallops from the pan and gently arranges them on a serving platter. He dips a spoon into his beurre blanc and carefully drizzles it over the tender seafood, ensuring that each one receives the same amount of sauce.

Chef Bear announces the thirty second mark. The chef pauses to consider his plate and reaches for some fresh chives to serve as garnish. The audience starts to count down: Ten - he quickly glides his knife over the tender green; nine, eight, seven- he sprinkles the chives over his dish; five - an extra grind of pepper; four - he gives his plate a final wipe. Three, two, one, Time!

The chef steps back and breathes a sigh of relief. He’s finished, but the judging is about to begin. He shakes the hand of his competitor, smiles, waves to the audience, and waits for the announcement that may name him as the top chef of the Great CATCH Chef Competition.

Such was the fate of chef Andrew Stevens of Little Louis’ restaurant in Moncton, New Brunswick. Stevens was the winner of CATCH’s 2009 competition, and is considering returning to defend his title again this year.

When asked about how he prepares for a competition, Stevens keeps it pretty simple, saying, “I prepare the same as I do for service in the restaurant; I review everything I need to do - step by step, over and over.” The competition’s host, chef Ray Bear, on the other hand, has a routine; ironing his chef whites, sharpening his knives, and going for a run the day of a competition. Bear is used to competing and adds that, “Once I put on my chef jacket, I’m there - I’m in the zone!”

The two chefs agree that an essential tool for any competition is a sharp chef knife. Stevens adds a little flair to his tool kit, bringing along liquid nitrogen to do frozen components. To this year’s competitors, however, Bear gives this counsel: “Competition is no time to experiment!” He says that the chefs should stick to their usual routine, just make sure to do it to the best of their ability.

As the host, Bear wants to see each competitor’s passion for Nova Scotia’s seafood come out in their dishes. “Show me in your style that you love cooking with our seafood.” he says, “I'll be able to taste your commitment.” He wants to see the competitor’s ability to showcase the main ingredient to its fullest, emphasizing that, “Nova Scotia's seafood is a gift to any chef.” Chef Stevens thinks of the competition as a great way to meet new contacts as well as an opportunity to work with various Nova Scotian products. He confides that his ideal ‘Black Box’ would contain Nova Scotian lobster and scallops.

From a competitor’s point of view, Bear confides that the audience should be ready for a very intense and technical level of entertainment. In his role as host, Chef Bear is inspired by chefs who seek to determine where they stand among their competitors. He encourages this year’s competitors to give it their all, saying, “Show me the talent! I want the best plate of food in Canadian competition!”

Be sure to check out all the fun at this year's CATCH Seafood Festival, especially the exciting Great CATCH Culinary Competition, June 19-20, at the Cunard Centre, Marginal Road.

See all the details, and full schedule here. Info will be updated as it becomes available!!

World Ocean's Day



June 8th is World Oceans Day! An opportunity to celebrate our world ocean and our personal connection to the sea.

Our Oceans, Our Responsibility!

The concept for a 'World Oceans Day' was first proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janero, and it had been unofficially celebrated every year since then. In 2002, The Ocean Project and World Ocean Network have helped to promote and coordinate World Oceans Day events worldwide.

AS a result of the United Nations General Assembly resolution passed in December 2008, World Oceans Day is now officially recognized by the UN on June 8th, every year!

To register your Event for 2010 go to the World Ocean's Day Website. On the WOD website you can also find:
  • WOD events in your area
  • inspiration for your own celebration
  • resources to help spread the word about WOD
Don't forget to follow all World Ocean's Day events on Facebook at: World Ocean's Day

Be sure to attend the event in Halifax this year! On Friday, June 4th we'll be celebrating World Ocean's Day from the Halifax Waterfront Celebration. From 10:00am-3:30 am, we'll be educating and entertaining the public on the waterfront behind the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. See fish and sea creatures and touch their slimy scales, courtesy of Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Enjoy some celebration cake and get you face painted with your own little fishy! If it rains, the celebration will be moved insideto the museum.

And, of course, I won't leave the aspect of eating sustainably out of this post. For dinner, make sure to check out some of Halifax's restaurants for Oceans Day sustainable seafood menu highlights - support the benefits to healthy oceans and healthy coastal communities!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ela!

This is a post about two different meals at Ela! I went on two separate occasions and decided to combine them both in one post- almost a comparative analysis of two locations.

The first, a lunch special at the Dartmouth Crossing location. This venue is lovely. With windows aplenty, the bright summer light filtered in on the new location's squeaky clean interior. The service staff was friendly and quick, and swiftly answerd all of my questions. I was really pumped about my meal- a baked haddock fillet with a lemon sauce, served with a side of Greek salad.

Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The salad was drenched in dressing to an almost soup-like consistency; totally ruining it's potential since the feta was deliciously salty and the tomatoes plump and bursting. The fish was equally smothered in the lemon sauce, whose syrupy consistency over-powered the fish's subtle flavour.

On my next visit with friends at the Argyle location, I had eaten a bit earlier and decided to order just a small appetizer, the tzatziki with pita bread. This was definitely not a calorie conscious choice, but when you're in a Greek resto, the quintessential Greek dishes are a good measure of authenticity and quality.

I've never been to Greece (yet) but if this is how they make it in the motherland, then I'll be going there real soon. The creamy dip was thick and rich- certainly full-fat Greek yogurt was used here. I would have liked to see a little more cucumber mixed in, but that's just my preference - I don't know what the traditional recipe calls for. The pita was warm, soft and slightly chewy; substantial enough to carry the heavy dip.


Look at that fluffy pita...mmm, pita!


Friday, May 14, 2010

Light dinner at The Wooden Monkey

A couple weeks ago, I went to The Wooden Monkey for my friend's birthday. I'm a big fan of small plates because it allows me to try more stuff. So as my friends were going for entrees, I opted for the Japanese Dumplings. Once I heard the soup of the day, I was sold on that as well! Soup is my comfort food, and when it's a hearty, earthy-flavoured soup, I just can't pass it up!

The soup was a blend of tomato, fennel and Parmesan cheese, pureed just to a medium thickness that ate almost like a chili. Warm, rich and with a slight bite from the licorice-flavoured anise, it was the perfect choice to fill my belly without being too heavy.

Tomato, Fennel & Parmesan Soup


Japanese Dumplings
Marinated tofu, vegetables and roasted seeds, wrapped, pan seared, oven finished,
with a hot chili sauce and garnish salad

With a crispy outer shell, the dumplings had plenty of crunch and the dipping sauce was slightly smokey with a tangy finish. The stuffing, a tasty mix of veg and tofu was flavourful, though a bit on the skimpy side. A garnish salad tied it all together - a nice addition as it provided a fresh element.
Crispy...

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

An Easter Feast w/ the Fam

Yes, I know- this one's a little late, but I've been busy! This post will lead into the incredible Easter dinner that my fam and I had this past April. More amazing than the dinner though, was the fact that said meal was consumed at MY apartment. If you've seen my apartment, you might be likely to channel the villain said in one of my favorite childhood films, The Princess Bride: "Inconceivable!"

But it was, in fact, conceivable. Now, the reason that this is such a big deal for me is the fact that every holiday dinner; Easter and Thanksgiving (I'm usually home in NL for Christmas) is held at my Aunt's house in Dartmouth. She, like most people, has more than 4 plates, forks, knives...chairs, ect, while I don't even have a matching place setting! Nor have I ever even thought of making an effort to cook anything in a roasting pan in my teensy apartment-style oven, let alone a ham for 6 plus the trimmings!

But that was what made this meal so special. We were squeezed around my table, used the sofa for seating, and I even managed to get a spot at the table that would let me swivel in my chair to reach into the fridge! I finally got my family to come to me, and all it took was the promise that I would cook everything - which in my world = playtime!

Bone-in ham, glazed with grainy horseradish-dijon mustard and maple syrup. The bone and stock is still awaiting it's fate in my freezer; either a red lentil or green pea soup I think!

Just blanched asparagus cooling off in an ice water bath to maintain their vibrant colour.

I made a cheese an asparagus tart by mashing up two recipes; one from Jaime Oliver, and the other from Martha Stewart. I had a brain freeze and got phyllo instead of puff pastry by accident, but it lead to a lighter, crisper crust which we really enjoyed. To add a bit more chewiness to the creamy Gruyere, I added Mozzarella as well. These two cheese paired well together as they both have a similar texture. I'd love to try a tart like this with tomato and goat cheese as well!
Some assembly required...

Just out of the oven...

Best Leftover Ever!

Boiled red potatoes, tossed with melted butter, S&P, lemon zest and fresh dill

For dessert, I made these Lemon Custard Cakes from Martha Stewart's website. I don't know what it is about lemon, maybe it's their bright skins like baby yellow chick fluff, or elegant daffodils, but when I think of spring cooking - desserts especially- I automatically think lemon!

I wasn't a huge fan of these cakes. They were fairly simple to make, but to me, the end result didn't really justify the means. I added a few fresh strawberries to top them off, though I would have preferred raspberries here.


Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day Brunch

What is more traditional on Mother's Day, but to take your momma out for brunch? well, you can do just that this year, or you can make it a dinner out at her favorite restaurant. On the other hand, Mom might also appreciate breakfast in bed, knowing that you made an effort to take on the kitchen!


Whatever you choose to do tomorrow, check out some of these's special Mother's Day menus from restaurants in Halifax, as well as my favorite web-sites for great Mother's Day recipes!

Here's wishing Happy Mother's Day to all the hard-workin', fun-lovin',
shoulder-to-cry-on mommas out there.

And to one certain momma in particular: I wish I could be there to
make you bfast in bed! Long distance xo's!!


Thursday, May 6, 2010

Nom, nom, Nova 7

Well the day started just like this: Alarm went off 1.5 hrs. too late. Cut to this frantic cricket running around my apartment, chirping expletives, until...I pause with the realization that: "Wait, Nova 7 comes out today!" And then it was allll gooood. Well, in a matter of speaking- I was still uber-late for work.

However, once 5pm rolled around, I was ready to head down to Bishop's Cellar for the release of Benjamin Bridge's highly anticipated launch of Nova 7, their signature sparkling wine.
Ah the anticipation- I look, I smell, I taste. I was warned ahead of time that this was one of those 'Dangerously Drinkable' wines; one that you can gulp down easily. And it certainly lived up to its name.

Slightly more tropical than last year's vintage, this year's batch is brimming with the sweet, yet subtle flavour of lychee and grapefruit. With a light, delicate effervescence, it's a sparkling wine that doesn't assault your mouth with bubbles, but gives it a suggestive tickle instead. With a touch of honeyed sweetness, I could think of only one way to sum it up: Benjamin Bridge's Nova 7 is Nova Scotia's nectar.

Buy up kids! I have a feeling that the past will repeat itself, and that this year's batch won't be around for long...


Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Gooood Friday at Durty Nelly's

Let me just start off this post by saying that I am not religious- there, done. I do, however, love a good plate of fish n' chips. I don't often crave this deep fried fest - I'm more of a baked fillet of halibut type of gal - but as it was Good Friday, I indulged with my Momma and Auntie at Durty Nelly's.

Durty Nelly's has the yummiest fish n' chips in Hali; huge pieces of haddock in a light Killkenny beer-batter, thick potato wedges called 'fat chips' and tangy coleslaw. To improve upon an old standard, DN's does their own version of tartar sauce with a smooth, smokey flavour. This goodies paired with an ice cold pint were just the thing to make mine a "good Friday."


Monday, May 3, 2010

Shortbreads

On Easter wknd, I introduced my momma (who was viviting from NL) and my Auntie (from Dartmouth) to Susie's Shortbreads on Dresden Row. While they gobbled up moist chocolate cupcakes with rich buttercream frosting, I opted to try something new; Susie's namesake creation - the shortbread.

Toffee Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Cup & Coconut

I finished two off at Susie's and saved the Toffee Chocolate Chip for later. Cuddled up with a great read and a hot cup of tea, it was the perfect way to end the weekend.