Steamed Five Spice Pork Buns

For a lot of us, the fall is a time for foraging, harvesting, and preparing for winter. For me, the fall included stocking my freezer full of meals to get me through the first few months with my newborn. And today is one of the days in which I enjoyed the fruits of my labour from the fall.

I had been running around all morning tending to a 3 month old baby's every need, and before I knew it, my stomach was grumbling. Even though I pride myself in having a fully stocked fridge and pantry most of the time, I also pride myself in staying away from most process foods and making things from scratch. So of course, when I opened my fridge, I had lots of fruits and veggies that would need to be broken down (which is difficult with one arm holding a baby) and in my pantry, lots of dry ingredients waiting to be made into bread and muffins, or needing to be cooked (like legumes and grains). So, freezer it was. Oh, and there were so many choices! Thank goodness for that fall preparation.

Beef Dip with Rosemary Garlic Butter

There is something about beef dip that is so comforting. And in times like these, when the summer whether hasn't quite kicked in yet; when spring showers and grey skies push you into sweats and winter behaviour, a beef dip seems like the answer to life's problems.

The great thing about making a beef dip is that it requires very little effort and makes enough food to get you through the rainy day blues. Served with great bread and a rosemary garlic butter, this sandwich just cannot be beat!

In this recipe, I use a slow cooker for the first time. I borrowed this slow cooker from my sister to see how it works. To be honest, I still don't have any inclination to get one for myself. I find that it's another appliance that I need to store and that takes up counter space. If you are like me and don't have a slow cooker, this recipe works just the same in a large casserole covered and put into the oven and left to cook low and slow (at about 250-275 degrees Fahrenheit) or on a low stove top.

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Sandwich

I am not really a fast food fanatic. I rarely eat it nor do I even crave it. Well, except for one thing. The Sausage and Egg McMuffin. That is my one guilty pleasure.

I love the saltiness of the sausage, the crisp chewiness of the English muffin and the fluffy, perfectly cooked egg. Every bite is just juicy perfection. But it's just not possible for either my body or my conscience to eat the Sausage and Egg McMuffin every day. After all, it is still fast food and not exactly the healthiest breakfast choice.

My husband, well aware of my weakness, went out and bought some lean ground pork last week. When I asked him why, he said it was so that we could make sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches at home!  It was easy, tasty and probably much healthier than the fast food version. 

Pulled Pork with Crispy Pork Crackling

Yes, I realize that it's been forever since I last posted. Thanks to everyone who has stayed with me:)

The reality is, with a new house (which is actually an old house), life has been full of projects from painting to insulation to excavation.  That doesn't mean that I don't eat. It just means that I find myself gravitating towards quick recipes that I know and trust.

That is, until the other day, when I went to the store and found myself buying a monstrous pork picnic roast (comes from the lower part of the pig's shoulder). I had no idea what I was going to do with it at the time, but it looked tempting, so I bought it.

The next day, I prepared to roast it for most of the day. I took it out of the fridge in the morning so that it could come up closer to room temperature. Then I seasoned it generously, poked holes in it and filled them with fresh, slightly crushed garlic cloves, and roasted it at 250 degrees for about 7 hours. I pulled it out of the oven, tented it with tin foil, and let it rest for about 30 minutes. After resting, I pulled the crispy skin off (eating some of the delicious crackling while working), and started to pull the pork apart with my fingers.  The pork was perfect to eat just like that, with pieces of crackling, or with any variety of sauces including barbeque and chimichurri (sauce of garlic, parsley, red wine vinegar--- the acid is great as it really cuts through the fattiness of the pork).

Of course, since there was TONS of pork, I made lots of other stuff in the days that followed.... that's the great thing about a roast like this. There is minimal effort as the oven does most of the work for you, and then you have food for days!

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Frittata

Eggs are one of those staple ingredients always kicking around in my fridge. Whenever I am looking for a quick and easy breakfast, lunch or dinner, I usually resort to eggs. They are a great source of protein, but often get overlooked, especially for dinner.

I am not sure how eggs became a breakfast food anyways. When I was a kid, I never ate eggs for breakfast. And even to this day, many outside of North America think eggs are really a lunch and dinner food.

Whatever the reason, I love eggs at any time. They are so versatile and so healthy. I made this frittata for dinner, but of course, it would make a great lunch, brunch, or even breakfast. If you have leftovers, you can cut a wedge and bring it to work for lunch as is or in a sandwich. Yep, I said it. A frittata sandwich! So delicious with a few greens and some dijon mustard, chipotle mayo, or even ketchup!

Tea Party Ideas: BBQ Chicken Pitas with Zesty Cabbage Slaw

Tea Parties. Elegant parties with elegant little food. Cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon rolls, petit fours and the like, right? Well, not in my book.

After all, who says that tea parties have to follow the "rules" when it comes to food? In my eyes, a tea party is a chance for people to get together, drink tea, perhaps champagne, and enjoy "little" food..... and by that, I simply refer to food that can be eaten while drinking tea.

So, this weekend was my sister's bridal shower. And it was a tea party.  So of course, food was an extremely important component. The question is, are all the traditions of a tea party really necessary?

Tea parties staples are in fact, just a suggestion, but they are not a requirement. It is not mandatory to adorn the table with perfect little cheddar sandwiches, deviled eggs, and fruit tartlets. This is a an opportunity to create an interesting spread of finger foods. Of course, details are everything. They need to look good and taste fantastic.

The first item on the menu were these BBQ Chicken Pitas with Zesty Cabbage Slaw. Definitely not the traditional tea party food, but colorful, comforting and just really delicious. They were a hit!

BBQ Chicken Pita with Zesty Cabbage Slaw

Makes a lot of little pitas (or you could just pile it onto a rolls and eat it yourself for lunch!)

For the Chicken

2 kg Whole Chicken Legs, bone in, skin on

Paprika

Salt and Pepper

For the BBQ Sauce

2 tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 Onion, chopped

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp Dried Thyme

1 tsp Dried Rosemary

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

2 tsp Paprika

1 Bay Leaf

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

2/3 cup Water

1/2 Orange, zest and juice

2 cups Plain BBQ Sauce (bottled)

For the Slaw

1 Head Cabbage, shredded (green, purple, or mixed)

1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Raisins

For the Slaw Dressing

Juice of 1/2 Orange

Juice 1/2 Lime

2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Ginger, minced

1 small Red Chili, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Plain Yogurt

Pita Bread (you could also use bread rolls or whatever bread you like)

For the Chicken

Generously season all sides of the chicken legs with salt, pepper and paprika. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until cooked through and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once cooled remove the skin and discard. Then shred or pull the chicken into small pieces and set aside.

For the BBQ Sauce

This is a really great way to make your own custom BBQ sauce. It really brings some additional great flavors to the table without needing to do everything from scratch.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in all the spices. Then add the water, orange juice and zest, and BBQ sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the BBQ sauce cook for about 45 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the mixture to reduce a little.  After 45 minutes, remove the bay leaf.

Pour the BBQ sauce over the shredded chicken. Mix well and set aside.

For the Zesty Slaw

In a large bowl, add the orange and lime juices, red wine vinegar and sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the dijon, ginger and chili. Then add the olive oil and yogurt and mix until smooth and creamy looking.  Add the cabbage, onions and raisins and toss with the dressing. Set aside.

To Prepare the Pitas

Cut each pita into triangles (I cut each pita into about 8 triangles). Top with a little slaw (make sure each portion has a few raisins), then the BBQ chicken. Enjoy!

Bleu Cheese Burgers with Homemade Buns

Who doesn't crave a good burger once in a while? Be it chicken, meat, or veggie, a burger is always a comforting, easy to please kind of meal.

Personally, I crave the meat variety. A nice, homemade juicy beef burger with that smoky charcoal grill taste. And of course, stuffed with some pungent bleu cheese then served on a home baked bun topped with all sorts of condiments? To die for!

Above is an example of how to "stuff" the burgers. Take the meat and flatten into a patty. Place some cheese in the middle, then close in all the sides to make a sort of ball. Flatten and you've got your stuffed burger!

Of course, if you don't have time to make buns, you don't have to....

But honestly, it doesn't take a whole lot of work, and look at the results!!

Bleu Cheese Burgers

Makes 8 burgers

1 kg Ground Beef

1 Large Onion, chopped

3 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup Ketchup

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Fresh Black Pepper

100 grams Bleu Cheese (divided into 8)

Olive oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the bleu cheese. Divide the mixture into 8 parts. Form each part into a large flattened patty and place 1 part of the blue cheese in the centre. Fold the edges of the patty over the bleu cheese to close. Repeat with the remaining beef to create 8 patties stuffed with bleu cheese.

Rub each patty with a little olive oil. Place the patties on a preheated grill or grill pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until there are grill marks on each side and the patties are cooked through.

Serve with homemade buns and condiments.

Whole Wheat Burger Buns

Recipe from http://www.acefitness.org/healthyrecipes/882/whole-wheat-burger-buns

Makes 8 buns

1 cup low-fat milk, room temperature

1/3 cup lukewarm water

2 1/4 tsp Active Dried Yeast

1 large egg, at room temperature (see Cooking tip), lightly beaten

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 cups (appr unbleached all-purpose flour

Cornmeal, for sprinkling

Place the warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the milk, sugar, salt, oil and yeast mixture. Slowly add the flours, stirring to create a soft, sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes. Return the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Lightly dust a baking sheet with cornmeal. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball and place on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes, until they have risen by half. Gently press down on the buns to flatten a little. Let them rise for another 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the buns on the center rack until golden and crusty, about 25 minutes. The bottoms should sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Chili Dusted Steak Wraps with Red Cabbage Slaw

Sometimes, I just crave meat. Not that it's a bad thing. Although, I often hear that red meat is not good for my health, or that it will not digest well, sit in my stomach, and prevent me from sleeping. I am not sure if I believe any of this though. I think everything in moderation can be good for you, and this includes red meat.

However, just so you know, this recipe is not just about one big hunk of meat. It's also about the spices that are massaged into the meat and the veggies that accompany it. As I've said before, it is all about balance, and this quick meal will satisfy any meat craving in a healthy and balanced way.

But quick and healthy doesn't have to mean bland and boring! These steak wraps are packed with flavor and texture, and are so colorful that they don't need a fancy table set up to be an impressive meal for entertaining! And accompanied by the Perfect Margaritas makes this meal even better!

Chili Dusted Steak Wraps with Red Cabbage Slaw
Inspired by the Chili-Rubbed Steak Tacos recipe from “Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger”
Serves 2

For the Steak
400 grams Sirloin Steak, cut about 1 inch thick
1 tbsp Chili Powder
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

For the Slaw
3 cups Red Cabbage, shredded
1 Carrot, grated
1 Red Pepper, thinly sliced
1 Small Onion, thinly sliced
1 cup Cucumber, halved and thinly sliced on bias
1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro

For the Dressing
Juice of 1 Lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 tbsp Grainy Dijon Mustard
1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt
Salt and Pepper to taste

4 pieces of Wrap Bread (Flour tortillas, Corn Tortillas, Iranian or Arabic flat bread)

In a small bowl stir together chili powder, garlic, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Massage this spice rub on both sides of the steaks.

In a grill pan on high heat, grill the steaks for about 4 minutes on each side (medium rare). Remove from grill and let rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small jar or reusable container with a lid, combine the lemon juice and zest, grainy dijon, olive oil, and yogurt. Put on the lid and shake well until the dressing is combined and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the slaw. Drizzle the dressing over the slaw and toss to coat.

To serve, slice the steak thinly and place on a serving plate. Serve with the slaw and some wrap bread. Or, if you want to wrap them for your guests, place some slaw in the centre of the wrap. Top with some thinly sliced steak. Roll, ensuring that you fold the bottom end in to avoid dripping. Enjoy!

Chicken Shawarma-- A taste of the Middle East

Living in the Middle East, I would be crazy if I didn’t love Shawarma. After all, it is one of the ultimate Middle Eastern street foods. Like hot dogs in North America. They are always around when you need a snack!

So, what is a shawarma? It is basically a wrap of shaved meat and condiments. The meat, which could be chicken, lamb, beef or a mix, is marinated and then stacked onto a huge skewer. This skewer is placed on a very large, vertical rotating spit which cooks the meat using a huge gas element on one side. The shawarma man shaves thin layers of meat off the spit as it cooks, and builds them into a moist and flavorful wrap. The “wrapper” is Arabic Bread, which is similar to pita bread, except a little thinner and chewier (in a good way). He tops this with a garlic tahina sauce, some pickles, and perhaps a few other condiments.



I never believed I could recreate this experience at home. After all, I am not in the business of setting up vertical spits in my living room and tending to large rotating pieces of meat. And, to be honest, you really can’t recreate the shawarma experience—the big skewer of meat, the thin shavings, the feeling you get standing on the street and taking your first bite. But what you can do is recreate the flavors and create a similar end product. I will tell you that right now that it is not the same. But it tastes wonderful and it incorporates all the flavors of the street shawarma in the comfort of your own home. Then, just close your eyes, and imagine that you are standing in the bustling market streets of the Middle East….



Just a couple of notes before we get started… in this recipe, I am using a Shawarma spice mix. Because it is already salted, I do not add any additional salt anywhere in this recipe. If you can’t find Shawarma spice, don’t worry! You can make your own. Just mix together equal quantities of Allspice, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Fenugreek. Ginger. Then add a little salt.

The second ingredient I use in this recipe that you may not know of is Sumac. Sumac is a deep reddish purple spice made from the ground berries of a wild bush called Rhus. It has a nice lemony taste and in the Middle East, they use it to add flavor and as a garnish. In this recipe, we use it mainly as a garnish, so if you can’t get it, you can skip it.

Chicken Shawarma
Makes 4 shawarma wraps

For the Chicken

400 grams Chicken Breast, sliced thinly
For the Marinade
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
2 tbsp White Vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp Shawarma Spice

For the Sauce
1/2 cup Tahina (Sesame Paste)
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
Juice of 1 Lemon
¼ cup Plain Yogurt

For the Wraps
4 Pita Breads
White Onions, thinly sliced
Cucumbers, sliced
Tomatoes, sliced
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Red Bell Peppers, sliced
Sumac
Pickles

In a bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine all ingredients for marinade. Add chicken breast and mix well. Cover and let marinate in fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

In a pan over medium high heat, cook all the chicken and marinade for about 5-8 minutes, until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook as you do not want the chicken dry.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce.

If you are serving this as a “wrap your own” then prepare all condiments on a plate. You can choose to either sprinkle the vegetables with sumac, or place it in a bowl and let people sprinkle their own. It also adds a nice conversation piece to the table, since most people don’t know what it is.

To wrap the shawarmas, place some chicken in the bread. Add some of the condiments, then drizzle with the tahina sauce. Add a sprinkle of sumac, then wrap. You can wrap each halfway up with parchment paper so they stay together.

Amazing Camping Food- Part 1

So I just got back from a week of camping in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Tent living, campfire building, and camp food. Yep, I said it... camp food. But I am not just referring to hot dogs and s'mores. I am referring to really easy and yummy "gourmet" camp food. Food that is just as easy to make as pasta and mac and cheese, but is more filling and delicious.

Expand your camp food horizon! Shop at the local markets. Buy groceries rather than convenience foods and elevate your next camping experience!

For starters, here is a little tip....

In our camping kit, I always carry the following "pantry" staples-- a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, small zip lock bags or containers of herbs (usually one with dried chili flakes and one with mixed italian or provencal herbs), and small containers of dijon mustard, ketchup, and barbecue sauce. These come in handy for all your cooking needs, from kicking up jarred pasta sauces and seasoning goods from the local market to making salad dressings. I also carry some tin foil, butcher's string, and of course, a good knife.

All this stuff on hand means that you expand your campfire cooking experience!



So, join me as I walk you through a variety of delectable, easy to make camping food that will give you energy through the day, and motivate you to give gourmet campfire cooking another try.



Campfire Toasted Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Toast Bread (White or WW)
Butter or Margarine
Smoked Ham, sliced
Old Cheddar (or any hard, meltable cheese you find at the local market)
Salt and Pepper

For this recipe, the ingredients are minimal and I didn't put quantities since it's pretty obvious that you would use however much you need to make a sandwich.
The ham we purchased was a chunk of smoked ham which we sliced ourselves, but you can also have it presliced at a local deli counter if you prefer.

You could do this recipe in a frying pan over a camping stove or in a frying pan over the fire, but if you find you don't have a frying pan, or you want to try something different, try it this way....

Find a large stick/tree branch in the woods with a v-shaped branch. It should not be too dry, as you don't want it to burn in the fire. Cover it with tin foil to create a strong, flat surface. This will be your "pan" (see photos above).

Now, no matter what method you are using (camping stove, frying pan, or tree branch), you will follow this same method.

First, build your sandwiches by buttering both sides of each piece of bread. I know this sounds like a lot of butter, but don't skimp. It will ensure the bread toasts nicely AND it will taste delicious!

On one slice of butter bread, add a layer of cheese, a layer of ham, then another layer of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with the 2nd slice of bread. As a reminder, the sandwich should be buttered inside and outside.

Heat your tree branch constructed frying pan (or your actual frying pan) over the campfire (or camp stove). Add about 1 teaspoon of butter and let it melt over the surface slowly. Do not place the frying pan directly on the flame, but just beside so as not to burn the butter. Place one side of the sandwich onto the cooking surface and let it toast. Again, it is very important to be patient and not place the "frying pan" directly in the flame of the fire. This will ensure that the bread gets toasted and the cheese gets melted, without burning.

After a few minutes, check that the first side of the sandwich is golden brown and toasted. When it is, carefully flip the sandwich over and toast the other side. When both sides are toasted, remove from the fire and enjoy!

Russell's Impromptu Artisinal Sandwich Shop

Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while, but things have been busy and I am now on vacation in Canada.

At the moment, I am not cooking much as I am not at home, but I joined my dear friends at their place for lunch the other day, and had to share this simple entertaining idea.

Here's the scenario... With very little notice, your friends decide to join you in the early afternoon (in this case, we were "the friends"). In this situation, is lunch in order? Should you cook something? Arrange snacks? Just drinks? What to do?

Certainly, there is no easy answer. If you cook something, and they are not hungry, not only do you potentially waste, but you could also make them feel forced to eat, since you went to the trouble of cooking. But if you assume that it's drinks and snacks only, and they come over famished, they may not enjoy their time as much (I mean, I know when I am hungry, I get cranky. Can't speak for the rest of you though).

So, what is the answer? Do what Russell did in setting up a beautiful spread of breads, deli meats, cheeses, fixins for sandwiches and a few accompaniments (dried fruit and nuts, pasta salad), all of which were available already prepared at the local grocery store. Minimal effort, but maximum impact, if you set it up right.

Notice that I said that his spread was "beautiful." Presentation is really key here because you want your guests to feel like you expected them. Not that you noticed from their faces that they were hungry then threw all the stuff in a pile on the table. Then, everyone can help themselves, eating as much or as little as they like and using the ingredients they want. The setting is casual, comfortable, and a great way to catch up with friends.



The best part about this set up is that nothing gets wasted. If it's not eaten, it gets repacked and saved for tomorrow's lunch. No harm done.

So next time you have company coming over at the last minute, don't sweat. Just play it smart like Russ and your guests will be able to enjoy the great company over a casual bite. And I assure you, make it beautiful and you will get compliments equal to those you would get if you slaved over the stove for hours.

Here are a few ideas of what you could include in your spread, but of course, use your imagination!

Ideas for the Sandwiches

Selection of bread rolls, flat breads, and crisp breads

Sliced Tomatoes, Red Onions, Cucumbers, and Other Assorted Veggies

A Selection of Sliced Deli Meats

A Selection of Sliced Cheeses

Mustard, Mayonnaise

Avocado

Mixed Lettuces

Accompaniments

Pasta Salad

Marinated Olives

Stuffed Marinated Peppers

Cornichons

Mixed Nuts

Dried Fruits

In Search of the French Sandwich...

So, we are in France. And the entire week leading up to this trip, all I could think about was finding a sandwich upon landing. No joke.

At this point, you probably think I am delusional. I mean, who gets excited about food and can’t stop thinking about it for a whole week leading up to a trip? And not just any food-- a sandwich of all things?!? Yup, that’s me. I even wrote it on the “To Do” List.

Crazy as it sounds, the sandwiches in France are the absolute best. They are simple, but perfect. The crunch of freshly baked bread which cannot be replicated anywhere else, the creaminess of the butter, the saltiness of the ham, and the pungency of the cheese. There is absolutely nothing better than a great French sandwich.

Now, you are probably thinking that this is an easy craving to fix right? Well, it should be. Flying into any French airport would give ample opportunity to satisfy this sandwich craving. But we usually fly into Geneva airport, then drive into France. And the recently renovated, lone snack bar in the “Secteur Francais” of the Geneva Airport serves sandwiches, but overpriced and really not that good. Perhaps it’s because they are sitting in a refrigerated vitrine all day. Or perhaps it’s the price that leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

So, we need to find the fix en route. The problem is that upon leaving Geneva Airport in a rental car (a Citroen if we are lucky, and a Fiat Punto if we aren’t so lucky…this time with a German license plate), there is so much stress to find the right roads to France while avoiding the Swiss highway tax, that we cannot even think about find a boulangerie to satisfy the craving.

Once successfully in France, after either navigating the correct roads or sneaking onto the highway and gunning it to France before someone notices we don’t have the vignette (Swiss highway tax sticker), we find ourselves on a highway, laden with gas stations and rest stops stocked with overpriced, mediocre fare that doesn’t do justice to the real French food, let alone the sandwich. And before we know it, we are either home, sans sandwich, or pulling up to a crappy gas station in a vain attempt to satisfy the craving before lunch time.

But this trip was different. We decided we could no longer play this silly game. We needed the real thing. The real sandwich. The crusty bread. The salty ham. So, we pulled off the highway into a small town in search of a cash machine and a boulangerie. Conveniently, we found both right across from each other. What a treat it was to walk into the boulangerie. The smell was intoxicating. And of course, it was stocked with fresh sandwiches, tarts, flan, meringue. It was all there, just as I remembered it. But, this was not the time for gluttony. Only 1 hour off the plane, and 1 hour away from a home coming lunch, we needed to deal with the task at hand. We made straight for the sandwiches, and not being able to resist, we took two. One Jambon Cru et Raclette (Cured Ham and Sort of Stinky Cheese) and one Jambon Blanc et Fromage (Cooked Ham and Cheese).

Once in the car, we attacked them one at a time. And boy, were they delicious. Everything I had been dreaming of. That crunch. That chewiness. That saltiness. It was all there.

And before we knew it, we were on the road again. Direction: Home. Objective: Lunch with the family (Pate, Pork Chops, Salad and Gratin Dauphinois).

Perhaps one sandwich would have been enough???

T is for Tartine

Nutella & Caramelized Banana Tartine

If you are going to bake bread, then you had better understand the concept of tartine.

Definition: tar·tine (tär-tēn') - A French open-faced sandwich, especially one with a rich or fancy spread. [French, from Old French, diminutive of tarte, tart.]
From: The New Food Lover's Companion, 3rd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst, published by Barron's Educational Series, Inc.

Well that's all fine and good, but what does that mean exactly? For me, it means the perfect balance of bread and spread. There are really an infinite number of possibilities, but I really believe that simplicity reigns in this case.

In its simplest of forms, a tartine could be composed of a slice of bread and butter (salted, of course). A little more intriguing would see the bread spread with Nutella. For a more worldly touch? Add Vegemite. As comfort food? Add PB & J. For a sophisticated feel? Add fig jam, crumbled blue cheese, walnuts, and a drizzle of honey.

A piece of bread can transport you to any place in the world, at any time of day, without a lot of effort. It is a medium by which to communicate flavors, bring back memories, and convey feelings.

Here are some of my all time favorites (in no particular order):

• Nutella

• Nutella with Caramelized Banana (slice the banana, sprinkle with sugar, and torch it!! or, broil it until caramelized)

• Butter & Good Quality Shaved Dark Chocolate (shave it with a potato peeler or grate it)

• Butter & Jam (I love St Dalfour Jamswhich are all natural, sugar free, meaning only natural sweetness!)

• Cream Cheese, Thin Shaved Red Onion, Smoked Salmon (topped with caviar anyone??)

• Grilled Chicken & Mango Chutney

• Grainy Mustard & Emmental Cheese

• Sliced Crisp Red Apple & Sharp Cheddar

• Fig Jam, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Walnuts, and Honey Drizzle

The question now is: When does it become a sandwich??? Well, duh, when you add another slice of bread!

So why not? Why not rid ourselves of this confusing, half sandwich ''tartine" (a.k.a. "open faced sandwich) and give in to the conventional sandwich?

After much deliberation, here is my conclusion (and please, feel free to drawn your own)… as the tartine is a French term, and the French are known for richness and moderation, two slices of bread warrants more spread, more filling, and more calories to maintain the same balance of flavor and texture as the tartine while maintaining the svelte French figure (reference the book, French Women Don't Get Fat). Therefore, one slice is better. I mean, you have to remember also, we are not talking about your typical white sandwich bread here. We are talking about a thick slice of freshly baked, rustic country bread. With two slices, how would you fit it into your mouth? Let's go try....

Understanding the Loaf

I would not call myself a baker. Baking requires patience, precision, and time. Now, I am not implying that I don’t have these attributes, but when one must compare the adrenaline rush attained from cooking versus baking, cooking surely takes the cake (pardon the pun…).

Picture right: Mill Loaf

Cooking is accommodating, allowing for creativity, the odd mess up, and the chance for recovery. Taste, adjust, taste, adjust… this is the cooking mantra. Of course, you do require a basic understanding of ingredients and flavor and perhaps a little technique, but a little goes a long way in cooking. Understanding just a few methods and ingredients and playing around with them could satisfy you for weeks on end in the kitchen.

Having said that, today is a day for baking. In general, I bake very little because I don’t like to use recipes, and baking requires a recipe. Like most people, I don’t fully understand the chemistry behind baking, and therefore, cannot even hope to “create” a baked good, or even severely alter a recipe, without affecting the results. However, one baked good which does intrigue me and feed my creativity is BREAD!

My History with Bread
Even before the days of fad diets like Atkins and South Beach, I haven't always been interested in bread. Having grown up in Canada, my bread repertoire as a child consisted of sandwich bread (white and whole wheat) and what the supermarket called “French bread”--- this spongy, soft, white loaf which really has no resemblance at all to the bread available in France.

After travelling and marrying (indeed, a French), I have discovered the real bread, a complement to every dinner table in Europe. It is certainly not the spongy white mess that I remember, but a hearty, rustic loaf, perfectly browned on the outside, and with a beautiful texture and crumb on the inside. Made of white, wheat, rye, corn… it doesn’t matter. The results are beautiful, and thus, my journey to bake bread began.

My Bread Journey
Only a few months ago, I began this journey to bake a great loaf of bread. And I don't mean the perfectly uniform, square, bread machine loaf. I am referring to the rustic, country loaf, baked in the village boulangerie, the smell of which drifts into the thick morning air and guides a population of inhabitants to purchase it every day.

First, I tried the way I had learned in hotel school, using active dry yeast in warm water, letting it bubble, and mixing it in to the flour. Already trying to “do my own thing,” I altered the recipe to use 100% Whole Wheat Flour, and ended up with a loaf as dense as a brick and with a prominent yeasty aftertaste. Not good….

Picture Above: Three Great Loaves- Rosemary & Sundried Tomato, White, White with Grainy Mustard & Cheese

Take two: After watching my in-laws make bread with dried bread yeast, just chucking it into the bowl with the flour, I decided to try this method at home (again, with 100% whole wheat since apparently I didn’t learn anything from my first attempt). The result? Better, but still dense and yeasty. After multiple attempts, I arrived at a loaf which could pass as bread, but did not satisfy the craving for that crunchy crust and soft, textured crumb.

Then it happened. For Christmas, my forgiving husband (anxious for me to learn the tricks of the skilled boulanger so that he could reap the benefits) gifted a beautiful book to me called The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard, containing bread recipes, explanations of the science of bread, and bread technique. Admittedly, this book was seriously intimidating at first. In fact, for almost one month after receiving this book, I continued on my old bread ways, convinced that the recipes were far too complex, calling for ingredients that I had never heard of or didn’t know where to buy. Natural Leaven? Fresh Yeast? Malted Grains? Barm? The recipes were written in percentages also, as if I was going to calculate what percentage of ingredients I was going to use!! Right! Like I don’t have a day job!

But, I gave in to the “pressures” of my husband, who wanted to be sure that I liked his gift, and wanted to taste the results. So, over the following six days, I cultured my own leaven, which I came to find is a simple mix of flour and water which ferments naturally with relatively little work. Dan Lepard also adds a few other ingredients (yogurt and raisins) which he deems create a nice leaven but as I didn’t have those items in my kitchen at the time, I did without. Seeing my mixture activate as the days passed was enough to get me interested in the bread it could produce. And boy did it produce! I followed the Mill Loaf Recipe, using a mixture of white, whole wheat, and rye flour and had my first taste of real bread success! Great texture, no yeasty taste, and beautiful crust.

(Picture right: White Maize Loaf)

Since that first successful loaf, I have made many others, all inspired by this great book The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard. And I have come to understand why percentages matter (they allow me to be creative by giving me boundaries by which to play with), the difference between flours (no wonder 100% whole wheat didn't work out for the amateur!), how steam creates a crisp outer crust, and how a little time and patience really pays off in the bread world. Best of all, I have learned that bread can be an outlet for my creativity just as cooking can. Because, bread is like a blank slate which I can decorate any way I like! So, off I go to bake some bread!