Culinary and thoughts blog.

The transition from spring to summer offers us the opportunity to pay homage to our parents in the form of official Mother’s and Father’s day celebrations. From homemade culinary treats to more standard gift ideas, this article will give you some great ideas about how to make your folks feel extra appreciated during this time of year.

While Mother’s Day is celebrated at different times of the year around the world, in the U.S. and Canada it falls on the second Sunday of May. The tradition has existed in the U.S. since 1870, when disarmament supporter Julia Ward Howe issued her Mother’s Day Proclamation, but was not made an official holiday until 1914. In North America’s it’s common to show respect and appreciation for mothers on this special day by serving them breakfast in bed or buying them flowers (especially roses and carnations), cards, jewelry and other gifts. If there are younger children in the household, it’s a common practice for them to make a homemade card or participate in the preparation of a special meal for mom.

Obviously, in my opinion, one of the best Mother’s Day traditions to follow is the preparation of a special meal, preferably breakfast (just don’t wake your mom up too early on her special day, especially to the smell of something burning on the stove!). Why not impress her with a delicious, nutritious Baked Eggs Florentine or, if you want something even simpler that the kids can help with, try my Easy Eggs Benedict with Salmon. The delicious scent of these dishes wafting towards your mother is sure to make her feel loved, especially if you accompany her breakfast plate with some homemade muffins and a beautiful flower centerpiece! If your mom’s a whiz in the kitchen, you can make her life easier by purchasing a handy gadget such as an ice cream maker or Moroccan tagine—you’re sure to reap the benefits of the gift too, so why not go for it!

Once your Mother’s Day tribute has been made, it’s time to start thinking about Father’s Day. This holiday is less popular around the world than Mother’s Day, but nonetheless is officially observed in both Canada and the U.S. on the third Sunday of June. This holiday was first documented in the U.S. in 1908, where it was created to celebrate fatherhood and fathers’ overall contributions to parenting. Only officially made a holiday in 1972, many North American families celebrate this special occasion by preparing breakfast in bed or an outdoor grilling party for their fathers or by purchasing cards, neckties, electronics, tools or other small gifts for the honoree.

If you’re searching for a delicious way to celebrate Father’s Day this year, I highly recommend a traditional outdoor grilling event with some gourmet touches. If your father isn’t much of a cook, then you can stage the event for him and invite him to simply enjoy. If he’s a dedicated grill master, then simply purchase some of his favorite meats and accompaniments and allow him to do the honors of putting that last delicious sear on the finished product! You can’t go wrong with my BBQ Blue Cheese Tenderloin Steaks—tender, juicy and enhanced with a delectably gooey, sharp blue cheese, this grilled offering is a real winner. Tired of traditional beef and chicken options? Then you should definitely check out my Grilled Basil and Garlic Marinated Large Prawn Skewers, which are sure to appeal to any seafood-loving dad and are quite heart-healthy to boot! If you’re feeling extra generous towards your dad, consider buying him a culinary tool or two to help facilitate his grilling such as a grill skillet (helps grill small foods like shrimp and veggies that might normally fall through the normal grilling grate) or a holstered BBQ tool set.

It’s springtime, and around the world many families are gearing up for festive Easter celebrations. One of the most common menu items during this time is lamb, which brings inevitable questions regarding why lamb is so popular now, how to choose the best lamb cuts for your Easter meal, and what’s the difference between lamb and mutton anyway? Here we will succinctly answer many of these Easter lamb related questions so that you can enjoy your spring holiday more informed and better prepared to treat your loved ones to the perfect seasonal dish.

Salt-Spring Island Lamb

The most common explanations as to why lamb is served during Easter traces their origins in biblical stories, such as that of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son in place of the traditional lamb. Jesus is also referred to as “the lamb of God,” and as many celebrate his resurrection during the Easter holidays, it’s considered a good omen to serve lamb in remembrance of the sacrifices of Abraham and Jesus. Lamb is also considered lucky because supposedly while the devil can take the form of all other animals, the lamb form is not possible because of its religious symbolism.

Whether you’re religious or not so inclined, lamb can be enjoyed by all in the spring if you follow a few simple rules of thumb. Choosing an excellent piece of meat is essential, as lamb is traditionally roasted, a technique that perhaps more than any other emphasizes the basic quality of the meat instead of other seasonings or accompaniments. Thus, if possible, try to select organic meat from an independent butcher who can help you choose the most luxurious leg of lamb (the most commonly served cut) possible. If you can get your hands on the celebrated lamb pré-salé, then you’re truly in for a treat! This term is strictly applied only to French lambs that graze on rich meadowlands on the salty shores of Brittany and Normandy. Unfortunately, this type of lamb is rarely found outside France.

When dealing with your butcher, let him/her know how many people you plan to serve (e.g. a 7 pound bone-in leg will serve 8 with plenty of leftovers) and be sure to buy a bit more than you need, so that you can create a large and dramatic roast, provide more gradations (rare to well done) of meat to your guests, and of course so that you can have plenty of delicious leftovers. You should ideally buy your lamb two days ahead of your main meal, because it should rest in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours before being prepped with minimal seasonings (e.g. salt, rosemary and perhaps a few anchovies) for the oven.

Salt-Spring Island Lamb

As for whether to choose lamb or mutton, preference should dictate your selection. Lamb differs from mutton in that it comes from a sheep under 1 year of age (lamb under 3 months of age is called “spring lamb”) and is thus characterized by a tender pink flesh with little fat and a relatively mild flavor. Mutton is sourced from sheep older than 1 year old, appears deeply red in color and is much fattier than lamb. Most North Americans prefer lamb to mutton due to the intensity of the latter’s flavor, whereas mutton is more appreciated in the Middle East and Europe.

Lamb Recipes Ideas: If you’re a more adventurous eater, then lamb is the meat for you! Braised, stewed, grilled or roasted, lamb’s unique taste can either be highlighted or complement other ingredients in a wide variety of different dishes.

Braised Lamb Shank with Orange and Cardamom

Braised Lamb Shanks with Herbes de Provence

Braised Lamb Shanks, with Madera, Porcini and Raz el Hanout Spice

Crusted Rack of Lamb with Artichokes and Garden Aroma

More Lamb recipes

Perhaps best known for its exquisite caviar, the term “sturgeon” is used to describe 26 fish species. Native to both subtropical and sub-Arctic freshwater areas in Eurasia and North America, sturgeon have been around since at least the time of the dinosaurs. A truly imposing fish, when mature they range in length from 7 to over 18 feet and can exceed 2,000 pounds in weight! This article will present some historical and gastronomical information regarding this fascinating species.

Written accounts of sturgeon have existed since the ancient Roman period, where sturgeon flesh was deemed an aphrodisiac. It was quite popular with Henry I and Edward II of England, and up until the late 1800s was found in plentiful numbers. However, over the past century, the sturgeon’s popularity as a source of meat and caviar has led to a drastic decline in its numbers in the wild. The species’ plight is complicated by its long reproductive cycle, slow growth rate and sensitivity to environmental changes, causing over 85% of sturgeon species to now be considered at risk of extinction.

Chef Eric with a 85 kg sturgeon

Despite the severe population downtown, sturgeon caviar is still in high demand world-wide. The most prized caviar types include Beluga, Sterlet, Ossetra, and Sevruga, all of which can only be obtained through the butchery of female sturgeon. Currently, over 90% of the world’s caviar is culled from the Caspian Sea, but imports to North America have periodically been banned or severely restricted due to the sturgeon’s endangered status. Nonetheless, the extremely high prices (between  € 6,000 and € 12,000 per kilo for the highest quality varieties) commanded by sturgeon caviar continue to contribute to the global market for the commodity and, in tandem, the fish’s ongoing decline.

To address this matter, and avoid literally killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, commercial sturgeon aquaculture has been attempted in several countries including Spain, Italy, France, and the U.S., among others. If you’re a caviar aficionado concerned with the sturgeon’s plight, you can obtain more information about and sources for obtaining sustainable caviar at websites such as: California Caviar (http://www.californiacaviar.com/), The Little Pearl (http://www.littlepearl.com/), etc. “Caviar” made from non-sturgeon fish, such as hackleback, salmon and paddlefish, are also available as less environmentally damaging substitutes. Sturgeon meat from sustainable sources is also an excellent choice, as when handled and cooked properly yields a succulent flesh similar to that of swordfish.

In a nutshell, I don’t recommend that consumers part ways with the delicious sturgeon meat and caviar that they are accustomed to enjoying. However, if you want this wonderful animal to still be around to feed successive generations as well as contribute to health of its local ecosystems, then you should choose sturgeon products that are sustainably produced.

Try this recipe: One of the best ways to serve fresh salmon roe or caviar in the morning, this double eggs breakfast is a perfect communion between land and ocean. Pleasing to the eye and very chic. Boiled Eggs VIP

If you’ve ever hosted a major holiday meal at your home, then you know that good planning and careful preparation are just as important as delicious recipes to the event’s success. This article will walk you through some of the most important holiday meal preparations so that hosting newbies will feel more confident this season–even event pros might learn a few new tricks to help make this Christmas meal the best yet!

Once of the most important steps in ensuring that your Christmas goes off without a hitch is to plan your menu well in advance. When in the planning stage, be sure to consider the ages and palates of your guests as well as any allergy or dietary issues so you can be sure to offer something to please everyone. Keep in mind that the Christmas dinner that you’d prepare for a small group of middle-aged vegetarian gourmands would be quite different than what a houseful of young parents with children accustomed to chicken nuggets and chocolate chip cookies would enjoy. Expect to prepare adequate and varied side dishes to complement main meats and hearty desserts—in particular, a fresh salad or fruit dish is always pleasing to a palate worn out by richer options.

Before heading to the supermarket, be sure that any specialty cookware and fancy plating sets (which in many households go otherwise unused all year long) are polished, dusted or in any other way rendered in good condition well before the main event. If you’re serving a large group using specialty plate-ware, using buffet furniture can help keep everything at hand yet still tucked tastefully away.

After deciding on all recipes, be sure to take stock of your fridge and pantry before making an organized shopping list that encompasses all ingredients that you don’t currently have on hand. When actually going to the grocery store, try to shop at an off hour, such as a weekday morning or late evening on weekends, so that you can avoid holiday crowds and have a much more relaxed, and thus likely more successful, purchasing experience.

Once you get down to the cooking and baking, try to make as many dishes in advance as possible. Pies, appropriate sides and turkey thawing can all be done beforehand. The more dishes that you have that simply need to be warmed on the big day the less stressful your Christmas meal will be and, thus, the better chance you’ll have to relax at least somewhat and enjoy the holiday cheer along with your guests—after all, that is a main objective of the holiday season, isn’t it?

When Christmas day arrives, be sure to have snacks and drinks ready to entertain guests who arrive early. If invitees insist on bringing something to share, ensure it’s something that won’t need to be reheated upon arrival so you don’t have another element to worry about on the big day. If children are attending, ensure that they have access to a play area to keep them occupied. It’s always a nice touch to have Christmas standards playing or to show classic holiday videos to keep everyone amused while you put the finishing touches on the meal.

Still not sure about your menu? Then please feel free to visit the Recipes section of my site, where you’ll find everything from a fabulous, traditional Christmas Roasted Stuffed Turkey with Gravy and Cranberry Sauce and Classic Pannetone to more unconventional options such as my Tourtiere Meat Pie and Alsatian Kugelhopf.

Joyeux Noël!

Every now and then, I enjoy using this blog to spotlight a local gourmet business that I believe deserves greater attention. Typically, I have no personal connection to these businesses other than having enjoyed or heard numerous rave reviews about them. For this first such themed entry, I’d like to introduce you to a purveyor of decadent chocolate and pastry ingredients: Qzina.

Qzina was founded in Vancouver 29 years ago by local businessman Richard Foley. Richard’s love for the sweet baked goods industry allowed him to build Qzina from a small, single-location importer of European chocolate products to the larger business that it is today, boasting offices across the U.S., Canada and Mexico and claiming the title of North America’s largest chocolate and pastry ingredient distributor. While the company is now headquartered in Pompano Beach, Richard hasn’t abandoned his local roots, maintaining major offices in Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto. In fact, Qzina’s wider presence has allowed it to provide an even wider range of goods and services to a greater population of dessert aficionados.

Qzina offers two primary groups of product offerings for choosy bakers. The Qzina Exclusive Collection includes items exclusively manufactured and imported from Europe, and explicitly focuses on the highest quality and most innovative products. Items that constitute this collection include Chocoa premium Belgian chocolate, Crescendo pastry ingredients, and the most state-of-the-art products produced by prestigious brands such as Braun, Matisse, and Chewters among many others. The other principal collection is the Specialty collection, which focuses on more well-known and value-conscious brands. Valhrona chocolate, Pidy tart shells and Hero jams are some of the Specialty collection standouts.

Qzina’s increasingly widespread North American presence has allowed it to focus on a more diverse portfolio of industry offerings in addition to traditional product sales. For example, the company recently opened the Qzina Institute in Orange County, California, to provide world-class training and R&D support for chocolate and pastry professionals. This Institute has helped create Qzina TV, whose specialty ingredient, baking trends, and techniques videos can be viewed on the company website, YouTube, and other video forums. In addition, Qzina is actively involved in pastry demonstrations, open houses, trade shows and culinary competitions.

To better acquaint yourself with this wonderful, home-grown business, I recommend that you visit their website: http://www.qzina.com There you will find their online catalog, listing the wide variety of specialty products offered, a selection of mouth-watering dessert recipes, the latest information on high profile industry events, and much more.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are close at hand, so it’s only fitting that families across North America begin to plan their special event menus. Of all the possible dish selections, few are as popular as (almost) everyone’s favourite holiday protein: turkey!  This article will help you select, prepare and decorate the perfect turkey dish for this holiday season, providing helpful tips and recipes for both traditionalists and modern cuisine fans.

What a squash display!

Your first decisions when it comes to selecting the perfect holiday turkey will be what type and what size to buy. Size is the easy part—the general rule is that you should factor in one pound of turkey for each adult and half a pound for each child. Be sure that you estimate conservatively so that you still have plenty of meat for leftover turkey sandwiches during the long weekend holiday. Now the more difficult choice—what kind of turkey should you buy?

Hi, are you organic?

Turkeys are sold either fresh or frozen. Many consumers believe that fresh turkeys possess greater flavour, but end up purchasing a frozen one anyway for convenience reasons. If you opt for a fresh turkey, you’ll need to cook it within two days of purchase and ensure that your local grocer has kept the bird in optimal conditions during its time there. A frozen turkey can keep for weeks, but must be carefully thawed before serving. A good rule of thumb is to thaw it in the refrigerator one day for every four pounds of meat, although some home chefs take the express route by more quickly thawing the bird in a bath of ice water (one half hour for every pound of meat). This latter technique must be used very carefully, as if the ice water bath temperature rises above 32 degrees F, you will be putting your guests at risk of food-borne illness.

A pumpkin field along the Fraser river.

Among the many frozen turkey options available, you may find self-basting varieties (injected with a special solution to supposedly make the bird more succulent), Kosher turkeys, and organic/free range/ cage-free varieties (read the label carefully to ensure that they are 100% organic and hormone-free). Your personal preferences will help you navigate these options, as will your brand loyalty and budget!

Once you have selected and appropriately thawed your turkey, it should be brought to room temperature about 1 hour before cooking. All parts of the bird can be used, including the giblets (for gravy and stuffing) and bones (when properly preserved, use to flavour soups and stocks). As far as preparation details and appropriate side items go, there are a wealth of detailed tips and ideas contained in my turkey recipes on my website. Among my many delicious turkey recipes, the Christmas Roasted Stuffed Turkey with Gravy and Cranberry Sauce and Turkey with Apple and Truffle Flamed with Calvados are particularly delectable and provide some of the best instructions for preparing, cooking and decorating your Holiday bird.

As always, if you do end up trying one of  these recipes, please let me know how it turned out. Thanks for your interest, and here’s to the start of the winter holiday season!

The fertile soils and temperate climate of the Russian River Valley have made it one of California’s most popular and successful wine regions. Located one hour north of San Francisco, this region is ideally situated near a large and affluent population of consumers who have been relishing the area’s wines even before the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) became an approved viticultural area in 1983.

The Russian River Valley is so named because the first non-natives to settle in Sonoma County were Russians, who arrived in 1812. In addition to fur hunting and trading, these settlers pursued agricultural endeavors including viticulture. When the Russians left the area in 1841, subsequent settlers took over and nurtured the existing vineyards, giving rise to the industry that flourishes there today. Contemporary winemakers continue to take advantage of the cool, foggy weather conditions that allow grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to develop full flavor maturity and unique acidity over an extended growing season. Soils in the 150 square mile area have high quantities of clay and alluvial materials, which further lend the grapes grown there a distinctive character.

A recent approved AVA boundary amendment has enabled the region to encompass lands to the east and south of the original established limits, including the entire Santa Rosa Plains, the entire Green Valley, and Sebastopol Hills. Currently, 103 wineries are included in this vast AVA, ranging from Acorn and Benovia to Windracer and Zmor.

In addition to award-winning fruity, Meyer-lemony Chardonnays, the Russian River Valley is renowned for its world-class Pinot Noirs. This difficult grape thrives and ripens fantastically in Russian River due to the consistently cool nights, dry weather, and moderately warm days. Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs have won countless local and international awards, helping put the AVA on the map for true oenophiles.

In addition to the usual suspects, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a number of other grape varieties are grown in the Russian River Valley. Zinfandels ripen exquisitely due to the area’s long growing season, and are characterized by dark berry aromas and black pepper overtones. The Cabernet Sauvignons produced here are typically full bodied with cedar notes and a fruity aroma. In turn, the Sauvignon Blancs, or

Fumé Blancs, are surprisingly crisp with delightful hints of tropical fruit.
Two relative newcomers to the winery scene in the Russian River Valley are Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. Delicious apple and pear notes characterize the light to medium bodied Pinot Gris. Similar citrus notes are present in the region’s Gewurztraminer dessert wines, which can develop into a rich honeyed flavor depending on seasonal harvest conditions. The area’s weather conditions give this wine, as with most others born of different grape varieties, a signature acidity that allows it to balance out the sweetness of desserts or provide a fantastic counterpoint to spicy dishes.

Finding West Sonoma is as simple as traveling west of California Highway 116 until you hit the Pacific Coast, where you will encounter the cool, breezy temperatures that produce some of the U.S.’s best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. While this area is encompassed under the much larger Sonoma Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA), growers in this sector of the AVA consider themselves to be a separate entity due to the differing temperatures and thus wine styles produced here when compared to other members of the AVA located farther east. This article will shed some light on this niche group of Sonoma wineries and the increasingly popular vintages produced there.

The growing areas typically considered part of West Sonoma are Annapolis, Fort Ross/Seaview, Occidental, Freestone, Green Valley and the Sebastopol Hills. Wineries in this coastal highlands area were nearly all established within the last 10 years, and feature dominant strains of syrah, chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. In an attempt to distinguish themselves from the other Sonoma AVA wineries which encompass an enormous 750 square mile region, much of which is too far east to experience the coastal weather and soil conditions that make West Sonoma wines unique, the West Sonoma Coast Vintners Group was formed. The Group is an association of wineries and growers who are dedicated to the promotion of West County wines and the development of a special sub-regional identity. Twenty five wineries currently constitute this entity, including Flowers Vineyard & Winery, Failla Wines, Freestone Vineyards, Cobb Wines, Boheme, and Red Car among others.

West Sonoma winemakers are proud of their intimate connection with the land, most of which has been farmed for generations. They are top participants in California’s Sustainable Winegrowing Program and emphasize organic and natural flavors in their products. For example, many of the region’s Chardonnays are created using fully sustainable practices, with growers obtaining added flavor through the natural effects of the Pacfic daytime breezes and chilly evening fogs. This lends an incredibly fresh acidity to the finished wines. The grapes benefit directly from the influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean which provides cool daytime breezes during bright sunny days to ensure proper ripening and chilly evening fogs to guarantee lively acidity for freshness in the finished wines. These wines are known for their rich floral aromatics and subtle mineral undertones.

The other standout grape in West Sonoma is Pinot Noir, which also thrives in the area’s cool growing conditions. West Sonoma Pinot Noirs are known for their excellent acidity, complex bouquets, and long finishes. These Pinot Noirs at their best are deep ruby red in color with flavors or red berry preserves coupled with smoky, mineral undertones.

While it still trails Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in production, syrah is the fastest growing varietal in West Sonoma. These grapes boast a high acidity, and feature flavor elements of rich concentrated fruit and woodsmoke. Blackberry, violet and grilled meat aromatics along with a wonderful garnet color add to the allure of these increasingly popular syrahs.