Flash forward a few years, and I moved out west to work at one of those ski resorts... when I came home this recipe was in my bag. Now it probably isn’t that special on its own, what makes it special to me are all the memories that flood back when I make and eat them.

These memories are a huge part of what makes food special; the associations that we make over smell, taste, and the visual.

In the end these are still great lemon bars / squares, the cookie base along with the slightly sweet acidity of the lemon filling - maybe I should make some more on the weekend.

So take a look at the recipe video, and then check out the Zesty Lemon Bars Recipe page.

This time Julie is in the kitchen with Chef, and they are talking about his new cookbook ‘The Best Of Chef At Home’. There is a lot of freestylin’ and they really tear into a roasted chicken. The idea of freestyle cooking is one that I can really relate to; sure recipes are a great base - a place to start - but to really cook, you need to make them your own. This cookbook is perfect for that, offering suggestions on how to make changes, and how to make the flavours suit the tastes of you and your family.

So take a look at the video interview with Chef Michael Smith, and look here for the Roast Chicken with Apples and Rosemary recipe.

Looking for a new way to serve pumpkin this Thanksgiving and holiday season? Here’s a recipe that turns a cheesecake into an instant holiday favourite.
We worked this Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe out just in time for our American cousins holiday table. Pumpkin plays a big part of our Canadian celebration as well, so this will be on our table next fall. You can use canned Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar, spice, etc already added), or cook your own from scratch. Around our house, if the recipe calls for pumpkin we end up using butternut squash - far more flavour.

The Gingersnap Crust Recipe is a perfect compliment for this cheesecake, so watch the two videos and give the recipes a try.

Our latest recipe video with Foodland Ontario and Emily Richards is this Chicken and Mushroom Strudel on Baby Spinach. This is one of those dishes that will wow your dinner guests, and not tie you to the kitchen for hours preparing it. It’s even easy enough to make for a family supper on a weeknight.

So watch Emily as she lays it out in this easy to follow cooking video.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes.

I have seen TV chefs make it, but I always thought that they were leaving out a key step - that trick that makes the recipe work. They also all had those shiny pasta roller machines clamped to their countertop, and the whole process just seemed so inconvenient.

Then last fall we were shooting in Hong Kong, and during an interview with Chef Gianni at the Isola restaurant he made pasta while we talked. The process just seemed so natural, I was inspired to finally try it myself...

Now my question is: why did I wait so long?

The recipe in it’s most basic form just needs a countertop, flour, eggs, oil, a rolling pin, and a knife. No special gadgets, mixers, or rollers are needed. Your results will be ‘rustic’ and everyone at the table will be able to see that you made the pasta, they will also know from the flavour that this is not your ordinary dry spaghetti.

It’s a bit like making bread, and don’t worry about getting your hands and counter messy. Just mix the egg into the flour with your hands until you get a ball of dough. From that point you just knead it until smooth and velvety.

In order to get the shape you want, after you roll it out roll the sheet back up and cut it with a knife. Unroll the pieces and you have a wide flat noodle (could be called Tagliatelle).

I have to admit, for a quick after work dinner I still will be using the stuff from our cupboard - but for a weekend meal or time with friends and family, this will always win out.

We may break down and buy a pasta machine (roller) just so I can make sheets for lasagne, but for now I’m happy with the hand rolled, knife cut noodles. They work extremely well with big meaty sauces, like this Braised Beef Pasta Sauce.

Visit here for this pasta recipe with video directions and download-able pdf recipe card.

Our recipe for summer bean salad is pretty basic, something I do love is the chicken stock in the dressing. It adds a depth and dimension that is missing if you only use oil and vinegar. The rest of the ingredients follow that theme of basic, and are items that are always in our pantry. We use Red and White kidney beans, but there are no bean recipe police out there so use whatever canned beans you like! Chickpeas would work really well, just mix and match with whatever is in your cupboard.

And like so many things we make in the kitchen, this recipe is best made a day ahead to let all the flavours meld together.

So take a look at our video recipe, and give it a try for your next weekend BBQ.

In our Shiraz soaked grilled flank steak recipe video, I give you one way to prep and cook flank steak.
First up - what wine to choose? Well a shiraz is an obvious choice, and will give you great results, in the video we used a shiraz from Wild Horse Canyon a great wine for both marinading the steak and drinking with the finished meal.

Next up - all the other ingredients for the marinade, you need a salt and an acid and while there are lots to choose from; we went with some that have a really earthy feel - soy sauce and Balsamic vinegar. Put your flank steak into a sealable container, pour on the marinade and place in the fridge. Now once in the fridge, don’t forget about it... make sure to flip the steak over a couple of times and make sure that the marinade reaches every part. Two hours will give so-so results, overnight is best.

When it’s grill time, be sure to dry off the steak before it hits the coals! This way you get those nice grill marks, and the meat grills rather than steams.

Now I like my flank steak rare to medium-rare, the texture is just right and the flavour is great. Number one mistake people make when grilling with this cut is over-cooking; it ends up dry, and very tough. You also need to slice it very thin and against the grain.

Enjoy this with a glass of the wine you soaked it in, and place over a salad, with a plate of vegies, or even on a sandwich.

Here is our video recipe for marinated flank steak in Shiraz.

Check out our other Grill and BBQ recipes.

So at the beginning of the season we mix up our own rubs, and spice mixtures. Really easy to do, and it gives total flexibility in the flavour profile and saltiness. The mixtures just need to be kept in an airtight sealable container, I use plastic ziploc© tubs but you could use mason jars, or pickle jars, and you can keep them in the cupboard for about 3 months. They don’t go ‘bad’ after that time, but they do start to loose their flavour and effectiveness.

Another great reason to make your own - the right to tell everyone about your signature spice rub. Once you modify these recipes, no-one else will have the same mixture it’ll be all yours. Nothing better than friends and family begging for the ‘secret recipe’!

So over the next few weeks we’ll roll out all the spice rub recipes. We’ll they are more ratios, and just suggested starting points really. The ones that we’re posting are small tasting versions, you can mix them up and try them out; then make the changes you need to make them your own. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Rib and Chicken spice rub recipe
Cajun BBQ and Grill spice rub
Montreal steak spice recipe
Hot and Spicy BBQ and grill rub recipe

Unlike other times when I’ve steamed mussels in wine, I didn’t add a lot to the pan; half an onion wine and mussels. Simple and clean!
Once the mussels were cooked I pulled them out of the pan, added a knob of butter and gently reduced the sauce that I poured over the mussels for service.

Served the platter with bread for dunking and sopping up the sauce, plus glasses of the pinot...

We were not disappointed!



Our Steamed mussels in Pinot Grigio recipe with video directions.

This is a range of three VQA Ontario wines, with a fairly low price point ($11.95 at the LCBO) they show exceptional quality and value. I’ve tried two; the Cab2 Merlot (which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot), and the Riesling‐Gewürztraminer blend. Gotta say that these were approachable, and easy drinking wines. Great for people who just want to kick back with some friends on the deck and enjoy a glass of wine without food. If you do want dinner... well they are easy to pair with a wide range of foods; pizza to BBQ, burgers to something maybe a little more sophisticated, they are that good.

In fact I have some friends coming over tonight for dinner, and these will be on the table.

Now as for tart pans... I don’t have one that is the right size. Don’t know why, other than perhaps I don’t have room for more dishes - or I just can’t be bothered to get one. In the end use what you have available, a regular pie plate, or even a square cake pan. It’s going to taste the same! I’ve even found myself without pie plates, and ended up making individual pies in tea cups.

So we thought, let’s just show how easy it is; you don’t need any special equipment - at the bare minimum two forks and a bowl! That’s it that’s all, but most people would have a wire whisk, some will have an electric hand mixer, and a few will have a stand mixer.

• Started off with ‘Private Selection Cali Sauvignon Blanc’, this is their mid range Sauv Blanc and it didn’t work for me...

• Next up ‘Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Fumé Blanc, this is from their top level range and I found it intriguing. Fumé Blanc is a type of wine that I need to explore more.

• I then moved on to the reds with their entry level Cab Sauv, not big or bold enough for me, but I completely understand that most people who are afraid of reds would enjoy this.

• Last up was their top level ‘Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cab Sauv’ This had the tannic, mouth sucking pucker that I love.

• Spot Prawn Bisque with Tangle of Prawn and Greens.

• Grilled Oysters with Sweet and Sour Chive Mignonette.

• Crispy pain d'epices with seared duck liver and candied apple in cider.

This pairing of Jamie with Balvenie, is a bit deeper than just food and whisky. Everyone was talking about commitment to quality and craftsmanship, something that is lacking in so much of our hyperfast consumer society. In the end what do you need to know? The food is great, the whisky brings out the flavours, the view is terrific, and it’s an incredible way to end the week.

See you there!

For more info:

The Gardiner Museum.
Jamie Kennedy Kitchens.
Our own video series of interviews about The Balvenie.

Today though we take our first tentative steps back into the arena of beer. And there is no better place to start than the newest old brewery in town: Black Creek Historic Brewery at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto.

This is a real working brewery circa 1860’s located in the basement of the halfway house - just like it could have been in any town in Ontario during this period. This is as far from mass market brew as you can get, it’s even quiet a distance away from most craft or micro breweries. The reality is during this period all the ingredients would have come from within a day’s travel (20 miles or so) and the beer would have been consumed by people in an area that was even closer. So the operation doesn’t need to be that large, in fact it would fit in most suburban garages neatly with room left for the car.

The first thing you’ll notice is that it’s all copper and wood; no stainless steel, no pumps, no steam jackets, no computer control or refrigeration. Fermentation, and aging happens in oak barrels, with a final product that tastes like... Beer. There are 4 beers currently being made, and there are tours that explain the process and allow you to taste the fruits of their labour. Or sit down in the restaurant and enjoy a beer paired with local cuisine.
The plan for this brewery is to eventually have most if not all the ingredients grown and milled on the property - a 1 mile beer.

So watch our 3 part interview and tour of the brewery; part 1 is up now, with parts 2 and 3 rolling out on July 1st and 8th.

For more info on the Brewery, Tours, Tastings and Black Creek Pioneer Village - check out their website.

To watch our interview and tour of the Black Creek Brewery check out the videos here.

Also, tell us what you want to see in beer videos.

However we don’t just stick to one kind of sausage, they are so easy to make and the flavours you can add are limitless: some of the recipes we come back to time and again are these Beef and Mustard Sausage, and of course Pork Breakfast Sausage which can be made in links or as patties.

Of all the things I’ve learned about sausage making, the key points seem to be: Keep everything extremely clean, and keep everything extremely cold. Now keeping everything clean should go without saying... you do keep your kitchen clean right? And most people would say that of course they keep their meet cold; but I mean ICE COLD, only steps from frozen.

Cold meat grinds better, stuffs better, and you end up with an easier time making the sausage with the added bonus of much better texture when they are cooked.

As for equipment... Uncle Carmen’s family will get together, drink some wine and make 100+ pounds of sausage at a time. They split it up between them, and then do it again when their freezers are empty. So they have a pretty heavy duty industrial type grinder and stuffer. We join in on this, because it’s a great time to get together with friends and family - but it’s no place for experimentation so we started playing around at home.

At first we used a hand grinder, which works for very small amounts and wears you out very quickly, but it’s cheap and gets you started. Next we tried a grinder attachment for our stand mixer; again this works it’s not very big and is fairly inexpensive if you already own the mixer.

Now we've started using a dedicated grinder, pretty heavy duty, takes up storage space, fairly expensive, but in the end well worth it if you make sausage every couple of months or so.

Lemon first caught my eye, as being the flavour I would probably most enjoy; but I was taken in by the Mint and Blueberry. The fourth flavour took me a little while longer to get my head around - Cucumber. Don’t get me wrong I love cukes, but a bubbly water infused with Cucumber Essence? As the office gathered around, it became clear to me that Cucumber is apparently all the rage as a flavour right now so maybe I’m in the minority?


Enter a great idea, “Isn’t Hendrick’s Gin infused with cucumber?”.

And so it was born (we think we invented this) the ‘Cucumber Slumber™’. A super refreshing summertime drink consisting of 1 ounce of Hendrick’s Gin, 1 can of R.W. Knudsen Cucumber Sparkling Essence, and a cucumber wedge for garnish.

So if you are looking for a low cal, all natural, refreshing drink this summer that doesn’t compromise flavour; give this Sparkling Essence a try.

German Grill

So some time in the early ‘70’s my dad bought a gas grill; it was an ARKLA and it’s arrival sounded the death knell of charcoal around our house. When I moved out on my own I bought a gas grill as well, and since then several more as they wear out - fall apart. (The ARKLA is still going strong some 30+ years later)

Then a year ago the German Grill showed up, and I will never gas grill again. I can’t believe that I bought into the negative hype around charcoal! This grill is a dream to light, because it has an integrated ‘chimney’ and can be ready to cook in about the same time as it’s gas cousin.

It’s also the most solid grill I’ve ever used, this will be the last grill I ever have on my deck. Period.

So get in touch with Pat and Ron at German Grill, and get your father the Rolls Royce of Grills.

Some recipes we’ve cooked on the German Grill:
Cooking Yakitori
Mint Leg of Lamb
Bacon Explosion

Bradley Smoker

There’s grilling, and then there’s smoking! Cooking low and slow for hours, imparting subtle and sometimes not so subtle smoke flavour to meat and fish.
What’s that? You say “Dad won’t want to stand around all day watching the fire, adjusting the temp, and making sure that the smoke is just right.”.
Well with the Bradley, all of that is automated. Temperature, and smoke level can be set with a timer; leaving you to enjoy your day secure with the knowledge that whatever you are cooking will turn out right - every time.

Grilling Planks

You can cook anything on a grilling plank, anything and everything.
Salmon? - Goes without saying.
Burgers? - Why yes of course.
Cheese cooked on a cedar plank on the BBQ? - You haven’t lived.

They are available in a variety of different woods, each type adding its own flavour to the party.

Check out some of these recipes where we grill with planks.
Cedar Planked Brie Cheese
Kama Sutra Saki Teriyaki Salmon
Planked Beerlicious Baseball Burgers

Woodford Reserve Boubon
Bourbon, not really a mixing drink and perhaps miles away from the Rye dad would usually drink, but hey isn’t that the point? This Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a particularly fine example of what’s out there, it’s triple distilled in copper pot stills and aged in new American Oak Barrels. The Woodford Reserve Distillery dates back to 1838 and is set in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.
On second thought, why just buy your dad a bottle of bourbon when you could take him on the Woodford Reserve Distillery Tour? Don’t have time for the tour? Le Gourmet TV took it for you and you watch the video tour here.

To enter the contest, watch the video: Sweet Tart Dough, and answer the skill testing question on the entry form - What temp is the butter we use in the recipe?. No Purchase necessary. Must be age of majority in your home province, state, or territory.
Residents of Quebec, and Florida are not eligible.
Contest runs from about 11:59pm (EST) June 14 2009 to 6 pm (EST) July 14 2009. (the contest closing date)

Win this great Waring Pro WMK300 Belgian Waffle Maker!

The Waring WMK300 professional waffle maker brings a new level of performance to making Belgian waffles at home. The unique 180-degree rotary feature of this heavy-duty waffle maker ensures consistent baking and even browning. The result is a perfect, large, round, restaurant-style Belgian Waffle with extra deep pockets to hold fruit and syrup for breakfast, or ice cream and sauce for desert. A 6-setting browning control, LED indicators and audio signals ensure foolproof performance, waffle after waffle.
Features:

• Extra deep waffle pockets allow for thickest Belgian waffle in industry
• Rotary feature ensures even baking on top and bottom
• "Power" and "Ready" extra large LED indicators
• Audio beep tones indication when waffle is ready
• Rotary thermostat/browning control knob
• Brushed stainless-steel housing and brushed die-cast base
• UL/CUL approved
• Limited 1-year appliance warranty
• Measures 16-1/4 by 9-1/4 by 7-3/4 inches

That’s it watch the video, fill out the entry form and answer the question.

But since you’re hanging around, why not watch some of our great Recipe Videos, Baking Videos, or BBQ Videos.

Of all the recipes that we can make, it seems that pie dough strikes the most fear in our hearts. I have to tell you I don’t know why... Most dough or pastry recipes contain only 3 or 4 ingredients: Fat, Flour, Water. In an easy to remember formula (by weight): 3 parts fat, 2 parts flour, 1 part water. Couldn’t be easier, right?

Well, yes and no.

First off what fat to use? in our kitchen Lard is number one; I know that over the years it’s got-ten a lot of bad press but that was mostly just hype by the shortening marketers. On the box of lard in my fridge there is only one ingredient - Non-Hydrogenated Lard, the ingredient list on shortening is significantly longer... Our second choice is butter, and this is usually used when we add sugar for a sweeter crust.

Some recipes will call for an egg, sugar, and sometimes vinegar; these are all personal preferences with everyone claiming that their Grandma did it this way or that so it must be best. So who are we to argue?

By hand vs food processor? I now fall squarely in the food processor camp, you just need to make sure you don’t over process.

Once you’ve made the dough, you need to roll it out. I’ve been baking pies for 26 years or so, and usually I can roll it out OK but sometimes there is still a disaster. So don’t worry if it doesn’t look pretty, I prefer to think of it as ‘rustic’ or ‘hand-made’, in the end it will taste better than anything you can buy at the store.

Here are some great recipes to get started with:

3-2-1 Pie pastry recipe using butter

3-2-1 Pie pastry recipe using lard

Sweet Tart dough recipe

Rolling pie dough

How-to blind bake a pie shell

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Date Custard Pie Recipe

Common pie crust problems, and solutions.

Crust is tough & rubbery: Too much water and / or overhandling
Too tender & falls apart: Undermixed, too little water, too much fat.
Dry & mealy: Fat mixed in too finely, too little water

Problem is leftovers. I work from a home office, and try as I might the leftover brownies usually don’t make it to supper on the second day.

Enter this Molten Chocolate Cake Recipe for Two.

In the video Julie whips it together in no time, and it uses very few ingredients.

So when is a molten chocolate cake not a brownie? I’m sure that the lack of a leavening agent might have something to do with it, but it’s probably just in the cooking time. Follow the directions and you get an oooey goooey mess that tastes great - if you don’t burn your tongue because you couldn’t wait for it to cool.

If you cook it a bit longer the centre firms up and you have something that’s just like a brownie, dense and chocolately.
The video goes live on Friday June 12, we hope you enjoy it.

Yesterday was the launch of that change; the day to day operation will become a simple cafe offering sandwiches and salads. But don’t despair... The main space will now feature a ‘Weekly Lunch with Jamie Kennedy’, a taste of which we were treated to during the launch. Every Wednesday Jamie and his team will serve a prix fixe lunch of 3 courses featuring local sourced and seasonal produce - cost $25. The space will be set-up communal style with one seating and an eye on the clock to ensure everyone makes it back to the office. Each week they will focus on a specific product from a specific producer, and Jamie will be on hand to talk about the menu and his choices.

The press lunch featured Steamed Asparagus with Kozlick Mustard Sabayon and Crisply Shallots to start, followed by Braised Dingo Farms Beef with Lovage Broad Noodles and Pickled Wild Leek Herb Paste. I understand that during regular operation there will be a choice of two mains.

The meal was great, and Jamie spent some time explaining his reasons for changing the Gardiner Cafe and his overall focus on not only local food, but how we could deal directly with the producer of that food.
Keep watching this space, as we hope to get the cameras into the kitchen with Jamie at some point in the near future.

Also announced was the kick-off of ‘Cocktails on The Terrace’ which will be a Friday after work event throughout the summer featuring a range of small plates and cocktails featuring The Balvenie Whisky. The terrace at the Gardiner is a great place to sit back and watch below as the city goes by.

Finally... After lunch we were treated to Butter Tarts and a wee dram of The Balvenie. Now butter tarts are a tough one, ‘cause everyone’s grandma makes the best and you are either in the runny or firm camp; apparently Jamie is in the firm camp. Which is fine by me, and it was made even more pleasurable when paired with the whisky.

So look out on our Chef interviews and cooking pages, for upcoming segments with Jamie Kennedy.

Interested in the weekly lunch? Visit Jamie Kennedy online, or call for reservations: 416.362.1957 ext 2

2009 is “Hong Kong Food and Wine Year”, but I’ve been travelling there for years and it would seem that HK is all food all the time.
On our last trip (paid for by the Hong Kong Tourist Board) we took pleasure in 8 days of non-stop eating. We would shoot in 4-5 restaurants a day, where we would eat what the chef prepped, plus a sit down lunch and dinner that we didn’t film. Along the way we would stop to eat at roadside stalls and stands as well. The crew was well fed - overfed in fact.

Some of the stories are already posted: Eggy Tarts, Clay Pot Rice, Snake Soup, Stinky Tofu, Hairy Crabs, Market Food Court, Mak’s Won Ton Noodle Soup can all be found here.



We also ate in some high end places and the first video from the fine dining restaurants is Isola Italian Restaurant in ifc mall. OK, OK, Fine dining in a mall? Italian food in HK? Yes and Yes, if you find yourself in Hong Kong get yourself a table on their patio with it’s spectacular view of HK Harbour, order a pizza and hand made pasta. You’ll love it.

In the coming weeks we’ll start releasing more videos from our trip. We’ll visit a tofu factory, Bo Innovation, The Conrad, Hotel LKF, and the Flight Kitchens for Cathay Pacific Airlines.

So watch this space for some exciting Hong Kong culinary tourism videos.


G.

When I first picked it up I had to get over how light it seemed for this size of knife... and how nice the ergonomic handle felt in my hand. Yes the handle looks a little wonky on that angle, but it really does seem to help out with wrist strain. Over-all a solid mid-priced, mid-range knife, that would do great duty in any kitchen.

Does it beat out my favourite knife? Nope. You might think that with our pick of the litter, I might enjoy cutting with the more expensive knives on the market... but you would be wrong.


Yes, that’s right - my favourite knife is decidedly downmarket. I’ve had it now over 25 years, and it just feels right in my hand. Sure it takes way too much to maintain the edge, I’m constantly out in the shop with a waterstone keeping it true. I have strayed a few times over the years to other knives, but I keep coming back because it’s comfortable to use and I feel confident using it.

In our video on choosing knives, we learn that there are so many choices it can be really confusing. But one thing that the expert kept coming back to: the knife needs to feel comfortable in your hand!

Other Tips:
-Bring in some fruit and veg to try out cutting. If the retailer doesn’t allow this? Go elsewhere.
-You don’t need to buy a matching set, each manufacturer will have strengths in different categories.

Happy Cutting!