We had two of our more food aware friends over for dinner tonight, so I wanted to put together a meal that was both representative of my cooking, easy-ish to prepare, and was fitting for a summer evening. Of course, average summer evenings this year are cold, rainy, and gloomy, but we'll ignore that for now.
I started out with my fried chicken, which besides my family spaghetti sauce, is probably the dish that I've most amalgamated and personalized in the past few years. The roots for my friend chicken started out with Michael Smith and Tyler Florence, but have now seriously melded with Big Daddy Aaron McCargo Jr. Ultimately I'm doing a Maryland style fried chicken now - I rub the chicken with my spices and let it sit before flouring, unlike more Southern styles that require a buttermilk soak and only add spices to the flour. My spice choices are a little fluid, although the currently revolve around paprika, cayenne pepper, FRESH ground black pepper (very important), kosher salt, and garlic and onion powers. I'm tempted to try either white pepper (good heat, but minimal flavour) or something green in the future though. The current combination provides good flavour and just the right amount of zing/heat in your mouth though, so there's no drive to change things up too much. I also added a quick bake for the chicken for after they've fried in the stove top oil - things ended up a touch dry tonight, but the baking helped with the crispiness of the coating and got rid of some of the oily issues we had last time.
Corn on the Cob is probably the simplest BBQ dish to make. Soak your corn for 20 min, and then throw it (husk and all) onto the grill, rotating for 20 minutes. If you're still cooking other things, wrap it in newspaper and throw it in the microwave or oven until just before you're ready to eat. The corn comes out with a great flavor, good sweetness, and rarely has any char marks. All you need to do is add butter and salt! Now if only I could figure out that lime butter recipe...
One of the easiest and tastiest "salads" I can make is a true Italiano treat - repeating layers of fresh sliced tomato, boccochini (mozzarella balls), and basil, then doused with balsamic vinegar over top. It's a quintessential summer time food - both light and flavourful, and very much a reminder of a hot summer's day. It works just as well in the middle of the winter if you can find the right tomatoes too!
Overall, a good variety of flavours and a balanced meal in terms of different types of dishes too!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Planning Canning
Well, it's already mid- (err...late?) August, and it seems like canning should be winding down for the summer, except that thanks to our unseasonal temperature and mass deluges of rain, it hasn't even really begun yet. Pickling cucumbers are still on the vine, and most of the July and August produce is still waiting to be harvested, never mind the fall arrivals. At this point, we'll be getting fresh veggies and fruit well into October baring any early frosts.
Dill pickles are always the centerpiece of my canning season and seem to be the most popular of my creations. While not overly labor intensive they do take forever, thanks to the need to maintain the hot water bath in a specific temperature range to guarantee preservation but at the same time maintaining the crunchiness of the pickles. Last year I ended up doing 36 pounds of pickles in one day (1 lb = 1 jar) but I'm thinking of splitting t hings into 2 or 3 days this year, depending on when orders are available...and whether or not school starts first!
Wasn't sure what to do about other canning this year, especially as neither of our apple trees are going to bear fruit this year thanks to the canker worms in the spring. We're well stocked on both "regular" apple chutney and Kashmir chutney, and there definitely isn't a demand for apple butter this year, so I think we can skip the apples altogether. Thanks to the desires of my SIL, we're also still well stocked with triple citrus marmalade as well. Most other things can be replenished or added to though.
I wasn't sure where I was going to find my recipes or inspiration from this year, when I stumbled across a book called "Put a Lid on It!" at the checkout stand at the library. I figured I'd take it home and copy any recipes that looked interesting and see it that would kick start my canning plans. After the first time I went through the book, I had over 40 recipes marked...so I ended up ordering the book, as well as it's sequel. Lots in there to go through, and I'm sure I'll find some things to make...possible even raspberry chambord jam!
More canning planning to come as I narrow down my choices...and decide what do to about our dwindling stock of pickled onions!
Dill pickles are always the centerpiece of my canning season and seem to be the most popular of my creations. While not overly labor intensive they do take forever, thanks to the need to maintain the hot water bath in a specific temperature range to guarantee preservation but at the same time maintaining the crunchiness of the pickles. Last year I ended up doing 36 pounds of pickles in one day (1 lb = 1 jar) but I'm thinking of splitting t hings into 2 or 3 days this year, depending on when orders are available...and whether or not school starts first!
Wasn't sure what to do about other canning this year, especially as neither of our apple trees are going to bear fruit this year thanks to the canker worms in the spring. We're well stocked on both "regular" apple chutney and Kashmir chutney, and there definitely isn't a demand for apple butter this year, so I think we can skip the apples altogether. Thanks to the desires of my SIL, we're also still well stocked with triple citrus marmalade as well. Most other things can be replenished or added to though.
I wasn't sure where I was going to find my recipes or inspiration from this year, when I stumbled across a book called "Put a Lid on It!" at the checkout stand at the library. I figured I'd take it home and copy any recipes that looked interesting and see it that would kick start my canning plans. After the first time I went through the book, I had over 40 recipes marked...so I ended up ordering the book, as well as it's sequel. Lots in there to go through, and I'm sure I'll find some things to make...possible even raspberry chambord jam!
More canning planning to come as I narrow down my choices...and decide what do to about our dwindling stock of pickled onions!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Tools of the Trade: My Stock Pot
I talked in my culinary point of view about believing in "simple" to prepare dishes that could be made in any kitchen with a common set of tools and devices. While my own kitchen definitely has quite a few more than the mandatory minimum, I thought that I should talk about some of the toys in my kitchen.
Something that I think SHOULD be a requirement in any kitchen, but isn't officially is a stock pot. While stock pots come in different sizes, it should be at least twice the size of a dutch oven to be effective. My personal stock pot is a 16 qt All Clad with an aluminum bottom that fits rather nicely on the adjustable burner of my glass top range.
The nicest thing about a stock pot is that you don't have to worry about how much you put in it (within reason!). I can a multi-batch of pasta sauce or make stock out of the remains of a 8 lbs chicken roast and never come close to filling the pot. Mind you I did manage to fill it up with a multi-batch of Kashmir chutney last summer, but the less said about that the better!
Anyways, on the list of funnest toys to play with in the kitchen, my stock pot ends up #3!
Something that I think SHOULD be a requirement in any kitchen, but isn't officially is a stock pot. While stock pots come in different sizes, it should be at least twice the size of a dutch oven to be effective. My personal stock pot is a 16 qt All Clad with an aluminum bottom that fits rather nicely on the adjustable burner of my glass top range.
The nicest thing about a stock pot is that you don't have to worry about how much you put in it (within reason!). I can a multi-batch of pasta sauce or make stock out of the remains of a 8 lbs chicken roast and never come close to filling the pot. Mind you I did manage to fill it up with a multi-batch of Kashmir chutney last summer, but the less said about that the better!
Anyways, on the list of funnest toys to play with in the kitchen, my stock pot ends up #3!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Condiments
While I know making your own condiments sounds a little extreme for the average cook, it's actually a great way of increasing flavour in your dishes, and cutting down on the number of preservatives you consume. So are easier to prepare than others, but there's always a recipe if you look hard enough to find it.
Previous experimenting has lead to failure with ketchup due to a completely different flavour than advertised (luckily my stepson loved it), and a mediocre mustard that just kind of was, without being all that exciting. Relish is probably the most common condiment prepared in homes, but I'm not sure that making 8 L at once was the best idea in the world...especially when we only really use it on hamburgers! :p
BBQ Sauce, on the other hand, was my biggest success. A nice bold flavour and a chunky thickness made the process worth it. I tried it again today, and things went quite a bit smoother. I used an extra large can of whole plum tomatoes, which worked much better than a couple jars of homemade canned tomatoes...that needed lots of crushed tomatoes added to thicken them up. I was short an onion, which should add some extra depth next time, but I don't really miss it from the finished sauce. The standard ingredients are the same - home grown garlic, soy sauce, Worcester, olive oil, brown sugar, ginger, and spices (just no vinegar, otherwise you end up with sweet and sour sauce!). Tried to add a new "secret ingredient", in this case coriander, but it didn't add too much to the final sauce. I think I either have to increase the amount or pick something different next time. This is a blend while hot recipe too, which always makes me glad I have my immersion blender!
Previous experimenting has lead to failure with ketchup due to a completely different flavour than advertised (luckily my stepson loved it), and a mediocre mustard that just kind of was, without being all that exciting. Relish is probably the most common condiment prepared in homes, but I'm not sure that making 8 L at once was the best idea in the world...especially when we only really use it on hamburgers! :p
BBQ Sauce, on the other hand, was my biggest success. A nice bold flavour and a chunky thickness made the process worth it. I tried it again today, and things went quite a bit smoother. I used an extra large can of whole plum tomatoes, which worked much better than a couple jars of homemade canned tomatoes...that needed lots of crushed tomatoes added to thicken them up. I was short an onion, which should add some extra depth next time, but I don't really miss it from the finished sauce. The standard ingredients are the same - home grown garlic, soy sauce, Worcester, olive oil, brown sugar, ginger, and spices (just no vinegar, otherwise you end up with sweet and sour sauce!). Tried to add a new "secret ingredient", in this case coriander, but it didn't add too much to the final sauce. I think I either have to increase the amount or pick something different next time. This is a blend while hot recipe too, which always makes me glad I have my immersion blender!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Daily Dinner Review - Pork Chops with Roasted Beet Medley
Not something that I'm going to do everyday, but I thought it would be good to reflect on the day's cooking once in a while!
Today was based around marinated pork chops done on the BBQ. Marinating pork is a bit of a misnomer though - most pork is tender enough without a marinade, and cooks too quickly to braise. A spice rub is usually much more common when it comes to bigger piece of the meat. Every one in a while it's good to add flavour to pork chops though, and whether baking, frying, or grilling , a quick marinade will serve that purpose well as long as you don't leave the chops in it too long.
Anyway, today's marinade was completely freestyle, based in part on previous flavour combinations I've used, and ingredients I think go together. It was a little Asian inspired, so I went with oyster sauce (possibly a bit too much, soy sauce (VH Soy in this case - nice and thick and perfect for the grill, especially my Yakitori recipe), lime zest (but no pith - too bitter), lime juice, and ground ginger. It ended up being fairly balanced and had a nice sweetness after being on the grill.
I sauteed some left over button mushrooms in butter to add an accent to the pork chops.
The main side dish was a roasted beet medley. This is something based on a Michael Smith idea that I've done before with just beets, as well as a full roasted veggie medley. Tonight it ended up being a Spanish onion, red beets, and golden beets in olive oil. Finished, of course, with feta cheese after it comes out of the oven. This has always been a favourite of ours, and provides a nicely balanced way of eating beets that doesn't involve too much prep work either.
The Golden beets were actually a really nice surprise. I'm sure I've used golden beets before, but it's been years so I wasn't sure what I was getting when I picked them up from the market the other today. This afternoon I cut into them, revealing gorgeous yellow flesh with redish tinges around the skin - very reminscient of a (firm) but ripe mango. They still had the characteristic swirls and whorls of a beet, but in a sunny, warm flesh. Unfortunately, they ended up greening/blackening in the oven...but were still very tasty!
Today was based around marinated pork chops done on the BBQ. Marinating pork is a bit of a misnomer though - most pork is tender enough without a marinade, and cooks too quickly to braise. A spice rub is usually much more common when it comes to bigger piece of the meat. Every one in a while it's good to add flavour to pork chops though, and whether baking, frying, or grilling , a quick marinade will serve that purpose well as long as you don't leave the chops in it too long.
Anyway, today's marinade was completely freestyle, based in part on previous flavour combinations I've used, and ingredients I think go together. It was a little Asian inspired, so I went with oyster sauce (possibly a bit too much, soy sauce (VH Soy in this case - nice and thick and perfect for the grill, especially my Yakitori recipe), lime zest (but no pith - too bitter), lime juice, and ground ginger. It ended up being fairly balanced and had a nice sweetness after being on the grill.
I sauteed some left over button mushrooms in butter to add an accent to the pork chops.
The main side dish was a roasted beet medley. This is something based on a Michael Smith idea that I've done before with just beets, as well as a full roasted veggie medley. Tonight it ended up being a Spanish onion, red beets, and golden beets in olive oil. Finished, of course, with feta cheese after it comes out of the oven. This has always been a favourite of ours, and provides a nicely balanced way of eating beets that doesn't involve too much prep work either.
The Golden beets were actually a really nice surprise. I'm sure I've used golden beets before, but it's been years so I wasn't sure what I was getting when I picked them up from the market the other today. This afternoon I cut into them, revealing gorgeous yellow flesh with redish tinges around the skin - very reminscient of a (firm) but ripe mango. They still had the characteristic swirls and whorls of a beet, but in a sunny, warm flesh. Unfortunately, they ended up greening/blackening in the oven...but were still very tasty!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Planning Ahead - The Ultimate...
This is more of a random thought than a substantial starting place, but it's something that keeps coming back to me. I was eating elk medallions in a wild/exotic berry sauce at InFerno's when the thought came to me - beef tenderloin with blackberries.
Beef tenderloin isn't something that can be marinated though, and all the rub that it ever needs is salt and pepper. It's literally tender enough that braising it would probably end up with it falling apart. That reluctantly leads me to conclude that it should be grilled/fried separate from anything else, and then combined with the sauce on the plate. That strikes me as leaving it a little too beefy, but that's one more issue to overcome.
As for the blackberries...warm compote? glaze? sauce? Just with sugar and water, or with something like balsamic vinegar to add another flavor into the mix? Definitely need more time to think... Any thoughts?
Beef tenderloin isn't something that can be marinated though, and all the rub that it ever needs is salt and pepper. It's literally tender enough that braising it would probably end up with it falling apart. That reluctantly leads me to conclude that it should be grilled/fried separate from anything else, and then combined with the sauce on the plate. That strikes me as leaving it a little too beefy, but that's one more issue to overcome.
As for the blackberries...warm compote? glaze? sauce? Just with sugar and water, or with something like balsamic vinegar to add another flavor into the mix? Definitely need more time to think... Any thoughts?
Friday, August 7, 2009
Planning Ahead - The Huffington Post Lobster Bisque
I'm the type of person who needs to think about things and let them percolate in my head sometimes before my ideas are fully realized. This applies to cooking and personalizing recipes just as much as it does anything else in my life! This and any future "Planning Ahead" posts will be me reflecting and brainstorming on cooking ideas that I'd like to try at some point in the future but haven't finished thinking about yet.
We were out with friends the other day, and it was mentioned that the Huffington Post had recently published a Lobster bisque recipe ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/one-for-the-table/this-lobster-bisque-is-be_b_242686.html ) that while "far to complex for them" was "perfect for us" to try. I can definitely see why looking at it, and it doesn't seem overly complicated.
Lobster, while expensive, isn't a terrible difficult ingredient to work with as long as you take your time and are careful. Steaming is actually a fairly gentle way of preparing it, and only really requires to the cook to be patient enough to wait until its fully cooked. And who needs to put hot liquids in a blender (dangerous!) when you DO have an immersion blender?? (Definitely my favourite kitchen tool, btw!)
Interesting that the wine is almost equivalent to the chicken broth; that'll definitely up the flavour...and possibly add in part of that "better than sex" factor. :p I'm thinking of a Riesling or a Gwertz rather than a Chardonnay, but that's my personal preference talking. I'm questioning the need for the fennel here...there is quite a bit, and fennel is the equivalent of adding black licorice in the kitchen. I'll probably end up trying it, but I'm just not sure what it's going to add to the soup.
The nice thing about the recipe is that while it's a very LONG list of ingredients, there are only a few steps, meaning that multiple ingredients go in at the same time. When it comes to prep, that means you can set things up so that everything in each step is already combined, spreading things up and streamlining your kitchen. (Needless to say that I suffer in a very SMALL kitchen at the moment!) On the other hand, this is a very LONG recipe time wise, especially when it comes to soup. Its one thing to start by making your own chicken or veggie stock and then turning that into soup, but that's a different process entirely. After prep, this is at least a two hour recipe, if not more. Definitely a weekend meal then!
We were out with friends the other day, and it was mentioned that the Huffington Post had recently published a Lobster bisque recipe ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/one-for-the-table/this-lobster-bisque-is-be_b_242686.html ) that while "far to complex for them" was "perfect for us" to try. I can definitely see why looking at it, and it doesn't seem overly complicated.
Lobster, while expensive, isn't a terrible difficult ingredient to work with as long as you take your time and are careful. Steaming is actually a fairly gentle way of preparing it, and only really requires to the cook to be patient enough to wait until its fully cooked. And who needs to put hot liquids in a blender (dangerous!) when you DO have an immersion blender?? (Definitely my favourite kitchen tool, btw!)
Interesting that the wine is almost equivalent to the chicken broth; that'll definitely up the flavour...and possibly add in part of that "better than sex" factor. :p I'm thinking of a Riesling or a Gwertz rather than a Chardonnay, but that's my personal preference talking. I'm questioning the need for the fennel here...there is quite a bit, and fennel is the equivalent of adding black licorice in the kitchen. I'll probably end up trying it, but I'm just not sure what it's going to add to the soup.
The nice thing about the recipe is that while it's a very LONG list of ingredients, there are only a few steps, meaning that multiple ingredients go in at the same time. When it comes to prep, that means you can set things up so that everything in each step is already combined, spreading things up and streamlining your kitchen. (Needless to say that I suffer in a very SMALL kitchen at the moment!) On the other hand, this is a very LONG recipe time wise, especially when it comes to soup. Its one thing to start by making your own chicken or veggie stock and then turning that into soup, but that's a different process entirely. After prep, this is at least a two hour recipe, if not more. Definitely a weekend meal then!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A Tale of Two Salads
Dressing: White Wine Vinaigrette
Recipe: Two parts extra virgin olive oil, one part white wine vinegar...poured freehand
Exotic Salad: A mesclun mix with diced yellow tomatoes, seaweed asparagus, and chantrelle
mushrooms healthily dressed in the white wine vinaigrette.
Thoughts: A fairly well balanced salad, although two tomatoes was about one too many. The seaweed asparagus was the big find - tiny little asparagus-like branches that were actually salty. They helped balanced the salad and served as a nice snack on their own too - no cooking required.
Ripe Salad: A mesclun mix with avocado, mango, and shallots with the remaining vinaigrette.
Thoughts: Good flavour combination, although there wasn't enough vinaigrette left to really fuse the individual components of the salad together. Ripe fruit is definitely a must, especially the mango. The shallots provided a good level of sweetness, but could have been balanced by an additional ingredient.
Recipe: Two parts extra virgin olive oil, one part white wine vinegar...poured freehand
Exotic Salad: A mesclun mix with diced yellow tomatoes, seaweed asparagus, and chantrelle
mushrooms healthily dressed in the white wine vinaigrette.
Thoughts: A fairly well balanced salad, although two tomatoes was about one too many. The seaweed asparagus was the big find - tiny little asparagus-like branches that were actually salty. They helped balanced the salad and served as a nice snack on their own too - no cooking required.
Ripe Salad: A mesclun mix with avocado, mango, and shallots with the remaining vinaigrette.
Thoughts: Good flavour combination, although there wasn't enough vinaigrette left to really fuse the individual components of the salad together. Ripe fruit is definitely a must, especially the mango. The shallots provided a good level of sweetness, but could have been balanced by an additional ingredient.
Canning
One of the reasons I bought a house...err....one of the first things I did once I owned a house was to start canning preserves. Dill pickles, chutneys, apple butter, apple sauce, dill pickles, apple pie in a jar, mixed pickles, marmalade, vanilla, fruit in alcohol, tomatoes, dill pickles... all have found their way into my hot water bath canner at one time or another over the past 4 years. I like canning not only because of the challenge of cooking in a slightly different way, but because everything we can ends up better tasting (rave review from friends and relatives begging for more every Christmas, birthday, and housewarming?!! attest to that) and because food is healthier when you make it yourself and you cut down on the chemical preservatives. Besides, who ever preferred a jar of store bought pickles over homemade? :p
This ends up being more of an addendum to my "culinary point of view" than an original post, because canning IS a big part of my cooking repertoire. August is always the biggest canning month, focusing around the dill pickles and my ever changing secret recipe (red chili flakes in any one's jars this year?) and usually the apple chutneys (regular? Kashmir? Bengal?) but marmalade, vanilla, fruit in alcohol, etc. can be done all year. Canning is still considered old fashioned to an extent, but that just makes it easier to accomplish - there's nothing complicated about pouring a recipe into a jar, sealing the cap, and submerging it in boiling water for a set length of time. Once again, great taste that can be accomplished in any kitchen!
Now if only this year's pickling cukes would hurry up and ripen... :p
UPDATED:
Oh, and since it relates... When my wife and I decided to start giving out canning as Christmas gifts, we realized that we would need labels and a name for our "establishment". While my initial attempts to work 'Dragonfire' into the name went nowhere, we brainstormed other possibilities that best fit the both of us, as well as the house and our philosophies. In the end, we christened ourselves "Apothecary Gardens". I have to admit the Shakespearean references didn't hurt either (Get thee to an apothecary! Err...wrong play! :p ) Hence the name of the blog, give or take a letter e...but I had to work in a reference to being a writer too, didn't I? (See John Gardner, espionage writer extrordinaire...)
This ends up being more of an addendum to my "culinary point of view" than an original post, because canning IS a big part of my cooking repertoire. August is always the biggest canning month, focusing around the dill pickles and my ever changing secret recipe (red chili flakes in any one's jars this year?) and usually the apple chutneys (regular? Kashmir? Bengal?) but marmalade, vanilla, fruit in alcohol, etc. can be done all year. Canning is still considered old fashioned to an extent, but that just makes it easier to accomplish - there's nothing complicated about pouring a recipe into a jar, sealing the cap, and submerging it in boiling water for a set length of time. Once again, great taste that can be accomplished in any kitchen!
Now if only this year's pickling cukes would hurry up and ripen... :p
UPDATED:
Oh, and since it relates... When my wife and I decided to start giving out canning as Christmas gifts, we realized that we would need labels and a name for our "establishment". While my initial attempts to work 'Dragonfire' into the name went nowhere, we brainstormed other possibilities that best fit the both of us, as well as the house and our philosophies. In the end, we christened ourselves "Apothecary Gardens". I have to admit the Shakespearean references didn't hurt either (Get thee to an apothecary! Err...wrong play! :p ) Hence the name of the blog, give or take a letter e...but I had to work in a reference to being a writer too, didn't I? (See John Gardner, espionage writer extrordinaire...)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A Culinary Point of View
To start I should say a few things about myself and some of my points of view, I guess!
If watching three seasons of the Next Food Network Star has taught me anything, it's that any good chef needs to have a clear point of view. While the blog title does start with Gard(e)ner, I think this blog is going to end up dealing primarily with food preparation (some growing too!) and cooking on a regular basis. Just don't call me a foodie!
When it comes down to it, I'm interesting in simple manageable cooking that produces strong flavours and great experiences. Of course, I say manageable, when my signature dish to date is a four hour pasta sauce! Really though, any dish worth cooking should be able to be made in any kitchen with a basic minimum amount of tools and gadgets. Sure, fancy complicated toys can help and/or complicate a dish, but shortcuts should be available.
I'm also an apprentice of sorts to PEI Chef Michael Smith, who's culinary point of view can be summed up succinctly as "simple is best". He prepares tasty uncomplicated food, without worrying about too many details, and not always worrying about a recipe either. While I can't say that I can pull off freestyle cooking completely, it's nice to have a recipe to start with and be able to tailor it and adapt it to my tastes and needs as inspired. I do mean inspired too - cooking, when don't properly is an art form. Just a very tasty one! ;)
Good cooking should be shared too - I love cooking for other and being inspired by what I think my friends would like to eat. I've taught a few cooking lessons too, and its amazing to be able to pass on what knowledge I've picked up on the subject, especially since I'm entirely self-taught.
I believe in an organic approach to gardening and farming - not necessarily because the food is any "better" or healthier in itself, but because the less chemicals we take into our bodies, the better off we are. It's the main reason I won't use pesticides or herbicides in my garden either.
My garden is a source of great pride, joy, and frustration for me. It's about 20 ' by 6' and is usually overly full of both weeds and whatever I can cram into it. I literally spend hours weeding and preparing it each summer...and usually but not always get a crop in. In fact, I've only had it fully planted once...but there's still a chance this year. There's something incredibly rewarding about being able to plant and grow your own food though, and it's just too hard to pull off in the house.
If watching three seasons of the Next Food Network Star has taught me anything, it's that any good chef needs to have a clear point of view. While the blog title does start with Gard(e)ner, I think this blog is going to end up dealing primarily with food preparation (some growing too!) and cooking on a regular basis. Just don't call me a foodie!
When it comes down to it, I'm interesting in simple manageable cooking that produces strong flavours and great experiences. Of course, I say manageable, when my signature dish to date is a four hour pasta sauce! Really though, any dish worth cooking should be able to be made in any kitchen with a basic minimum amount of tools and gadgets. Sure, fancy complicated toys can help and/or complicate a dish, but shortcuts should be available.
I'm also an apprentice of sorts to PEI Chef Michael Smith, who's culinary point of view can be summed up succinctly as "simple is best". He prepares tasty uncomplicated food, without worrying about too many details, and not always worrying about a recipe either. While I can't say that I can pull off freestyle cooking completely, it's nice to have a recipe to start with and be able to tailor it and adapt it to my tastes and needs as inspired. I do mean inspired too - cooking, when don't properly is an art form. Just a very tasty one! ;)
Good cooking should be shared too - I love cooking for other and being inspired by what I think my friends would like to eat. I've taught a few cooking lessons too, and its amazing to be able to pass on what knowledge I've picked up on the subject, especially since I'm entirely self-taught.
I believe in an organic approach to gardening and farming - not necessarily because the food is any "better" or healthier in itself, but because the less chemicals we take into our bodies, the better off we are. It's the main reason I won't use pesticides or herbicides in my garden either.
My garden is a source of great pride, joy, and frustration for me. It's about 20 ' by 6' and is usually overly full of both weeds and whatever I can cram into it. I literally spend hours weeding and preparing it each summer...and usually but not always get a crop in. In fact, I've only had it fully planted once...but there's still a chance this year. There's something incredibly rewarding about being able to plant and grow your own food though, and it's just too hard to pull off in the house.
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