The Yum Yum Factor

What do you do with a free case of Persimon© Persimmons? Well, aside from eating them straight out of the case, I made a persimmon chutney to serve with some sous vide pork and then I played around a bit with the rest. Out of everything else I made, this tarte tartin was my very favourite. I have been making an eggplant tarte tartin in cooking classes this year and it's a huge hit every time. The eggplant cooks down in the gooey caramel until it is reminiscent of stewed figs and the hit of freshly cracked black pepper in the caramel is almost as unexpected as the fact that you are actually eating eggplant for dessert. If it's fabulous with eggplant, it's kind of a no brainer to assume it's going to be even better with persimmons. I threw in a bit of cardamom and some pecans for good measure and I can now say, in my best FogHorn LegHorn voice, all puffed up chest and with a full air of confidence, that this is going to be my go to holiday dessert thi...

I'm not gonna lie, when the fine people from Foods from Spain offered me a free case or two of persimmons to experiment with, there was no way I was going to refuse. After being introduced to this fruit in Spain,  I realized that we only eat them raw and that I have never tried to cook with them before. Now was my chance to rectify that situation. These sweet, seedless little beauties have finally arrived in Ontario all the way from Ribera del Xuquer, Spain (at Metro and Sobeys) and they will be available until mid January. Actually, they are available until January or until they are all gone so you should grab some soon to incorporate into your holiday menus. Because these Persimon®  persimmons don't need to be ripened, they are ready to use straight from the store. Knowing that they are already ripe takes some of the guesswork out of purchasing a fruit that might not be so familiar and you won't have to stand in the aisle, shaking it, squeezing it and knocking ...

the calm before the storm, admiring the beautiful crystal chandeliers installed just for the evening I can get really passionate about the subject of food education and because of that, I am a huge fan of Food Share. This Toronto based, non profit organization works with our communities and schools to provide them delicious, healthy food and give them with the education and tools needed to empower those communities to start taking over themselves. The catch phrase for all of this activism is "food security" so if you haven't heard that term yet, it's only a matter of time until you do. Food Share has helped to revolutionize school cafeterias and has pioneered ideas like rooftop school gardens and urban agriculture across the city. They teach people how to grow, cook and eat with hands on training, community kitchens and a wealth of other amazing programs. The bottom line is that the people of Food Share believe that everyone deserves access to affor...

The first thing I do when I arrive in a new place is to visit a grocery store. Sure, eventually I will visit some lovely museums, take a hop on and off bus tour (I LOVE THOSE THINGS) and see the sights but, for me, to know a place and it's people is to know what they are eating. I want to know HOW they eat, where they eat and who they eat with. I chose Portugal for my 50th birthday trip basically so I could visit Pasteis de Belem, the birthplace of these pastries I learned more about the heart and soul of the Jordanian people by their constant invitations to come into their shop for a cup of tea or coffee, than I did from visiting their mind blowing historical sites. I will admit that, as a woman, I was a bit wary about visiting a Middle Eastern country that just happens to sit in the eye of a political/social firestorm. Would I be expected to cover my head? Would my son and I be safe to travel around on our own? Would we feel welcomed? From the minute we stepped o...

I have written about Food Share before here  and here  after attending their annual fundraising event, Recipe for Change. Food security and education is a cause near and dear to my heart so I am always thrilled to be asked to share the love.  For those who don't know about them, Food Share is a non profit organization that works with communities and schools to deliver healthy food and provide food education. You can also dig into your wallet and donate to Food Share here  too. I am giving away two tickets (worth $150) to a lucky winner so that they can join me on Thursday, November 12ths at the St Lawrence Market for " Evening at the Market  "  If you aren't the lucky winner, you can still attend and join in the fun. Tickets sell for $75 each (you can purchase tickets on the  St. Lawrence Market website ). Evening at the Market is coming up on  November 12th  and is sure to be a night not to be missed. This is a ...

I love working with Castello Cheese on recipes because any excuse to sneak some blue cheese into my food is always welcome. My guys think they don't like blue cheese so who I am to have to be the one to tell them that they actually eat it all the time?