What gave you the idea to put bananas in your burgers? That’s what Anne asked after she figured out the mystery to what was in her mouth. The truth is I don’t really know what deviant brain cell in my head concocted the idea. I know I was looking at a half-eaten banana in the fridge…
Duck Magret with Sour-Cherry and Port Sauce …
This creation was me saying happy birthday to Benjamin, my über wonder dog of 18 years. That is to say, I’m not the only one in the family that gets weak in the knees when someone says “duck.” Truly, it’s a wonder that over the years I haven’t been beaned with a softball between the eyes…
Macaroni and Six-Cheeses … with pancetta crumble
If there was a food equivalent of original sin, I think I’ve discovered it. Long have I had the notion of creating a gourmet version of a childhood comfort food so many of us grew up on … create something very very adult. The inspiration for this comes from watching Gordon Ramsay several years ago challenge his…
Triple Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Seasons come and seasons go … and Meyer lemon season is drawing to a sad close for another year. And with a couple of lonely looking lemons which had seen better months staring back at me, it was a question of what was something else, something different again, that I could do with them. Every…
Maple-Teriyaki Pacific Salmon
If there has been one unifying ingredient as part of the Canadian Food Experience Project, it has been maple. This is not surprising given the prominence of this ingredient in our airport gift shops and the fact the leaf is emblazoned on our flag. It’s also not surprising, then, that it has shown up in…
Ground Beef Tacos
I’ll be the first to say that not every night can be crispy duck breast, roast beef, or even vegetarian lasagna. Few of us have personal chefs and most of us have jobs and family commitments that compete for time, so even if you love eating, you’re going to once in a while be tempted…
Persimmon Salsa
If Roald Dahl had been in my kitchen this past winter while writing his children’s classics, he may well have titled the one about “James” as Dale and the Giant Persimmon. Though I haven’t had any particularly giant fruits in my kitchen, persimmons have certainly been giant my culinary craft this season as I continue…
Beef Sliders with Barbecued Bacon and Cheddar
What’s better than burgers and beer? Well, little burgers … and beer. Enter the beef slider, the little burger that could …. I know they’ve been all the trend for awhile, but there is good reason for it. Firstly, in an ethical and more conscious world, we don’t need to be eating 16 ounces of…
Sweet Ginger-Garlic Chicken Wings
Ah, the chicken wing. At one time a throw-away piece of chicken, now an exercise in Friday-night indulgence. While I in no way, shape or form claim professional training or knowledge as a cook, I did spend a few years early in my university life as a line-cook in a busy downtown Calgary restaurant: Ed’s…
Friday Night Squash Fritters with Yoghurt-Feta Sauce
The squash are coming! The squash are coming! Ok, truth be told, they’ve been coming for awhile. Right out of the CSA gate, I had to contend week after week with summer squash and zucchini in particular. But for the past month, the misnamed “winter” squash have been taking up positions around my kitchen and…