An Ode to Ontario, Family and Friends with Peameal Bacon on a Bun with Corn Relish

Peameal Bacon on a Bun

When I travel I always enjoy visiting the local farmers markets. They are a window into the heart and soul of every region and community worldwide. Granville Market in Vancouver for the best wild salmon burger, Pike Place Market in Seattle for prizewinning clam chowder, ByWard Market in Ottawa for Beaver Tails, and St. Lawrence Market in Toronto (and pretty much every fall fair, farmers market and small town in Ontario) for Peameal Bacon on a Bun!!!

Judith Jones Makes a Potato Dish for Julia Child

A Potato Dish for Julia Child

Who is Judith Jones you ask? She is senior editor and vice president at Knopf , having worked for them for over 50 years and can be noted for rescuing The Diary of Anne Frank from the rejects pile in 1950. And if that doesn't jog your memory, Judith is the book editor who championed a cookbook no other publisher would touch ..."Mastering the Art of French Cooking"  by Julia Child.

Lox and Bagel Cheese Strata for Invite a Blogger to Your Table

Lox and bagel Cheese Strata

Through blogging we are given so many opportunities and heartwarming collaborations with people from all over the world. I learned about Norene Gilletz from my kindred spirit Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen whom I met in "real time" a few years ago in San Francisco. During my recent trip to Ontario to see my family we spent some time in the kitchen in her Toronto area home and this is our adventure. Also check out Giz' take here as well.

Madhur Jaffrey Makes Koftas and Corn with Aromatic Seasonings

Koftas and Corn with Aromatic Seasonings

Born in Delhi, Madhur Jaffrey came to London, England at 19 to study drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and pursue her passion for acting. It was here that she learnt to cook from necessity not liking what she saw of campus food. She desperately missed home-cooked meals, so her mother would send her recipes through correspondence which she cooked with growing skill in her kitchen. At the heart of her cooking were fresh ingredients and the vibrant flavours of herbs and spices reminiscent of her home in India.

Cooking with Julia Child in 1995

Madhur acted in TV, film and radio productions in England, then headed to New York, where she wrote food articles to supplement her income and fund her children’s education. This foray into food writing led to hugely successful books and stints on TV programmes, made popular due to Madhur’s straight-talking approach which makes her number 7 in our forray through the list of Fifty women game changers from Gourmet Live.

Forget the mystery of the Taj Mahal, the residence of the Dali Lama or the sacred waters of the Ganges River the true mystery for me is producing outstanding East Indian cooking and the intricate layering of spices. The assortment of mouthwatering recipes of Indian food is simply awe inspiring and for a "newbie" like me rather daunting. Most Indian dishes are easily constructed but complexly layered so I followed along on another journey with Madhur and learned a few more techniques.

Crispy Ricotta Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spring Peas for Invite a Blogger to Your Table

I am always cooking up something here on these pages at More Than Burnt Toast. This time around I am bringing you along for the ride if you wish. I don't know about you but I love to challenge myself. If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that I have been creating personal challenges to infuse new life into my cooking adventures for a few years now. Even every day food should always be an adventure either with new ideas, or experimenting with a new cuisine. With these personally imposed challenges my own culinary skills have been rejuvenated and back on track and I am once again inspired.

Your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to "Invite a Blogger to Your Table"! This is a fun event and an outlet for us each to challenge ourselves and create stronger bonds within the blogging community. Nothing is more intimate, or more effective at creating friendships than cooking and sharing meals together, even it is virtually. But hey, if you live in the same area as another blogger what's to stop you from gathering in your own kitchen for this challenge. With this ongoing event I will challenge myself and one blogging friend at a time throughout the year as the seasons change. I hope this inspires you to make new friends in the blogging community as well as create something you have been itching to try.

Heat Up the Kitchen With Farmers Market Asparagus Vichyssoise

Farmers Market Asparagus Vichyssoise

As seen on Honest Cooking....While Spring is when everything seems to come alive, summer is an all too swift reminder of lazy, hazy days of lying on the beach, grilling outdoors, and doing all that you can to prevent a heat induced coma. It is the season for the last of the Spring asparagus, the delightful fragrance of chives, mint, chervil and tarragon filling the air to season your dishes.

Marcella Hazan's Infamous Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter...a Game Changer

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

The type of outings I live for are the ones spent with foodie friends where you can whip out your camera and take photos of your food with wild abandon, where the conversation is always centered around what you are eating, the process of cooking it, the person behind it, the history of the dish, blogging, food writing, and anything else you can think about. In fewer words it is all about the food!!!

A few short weeks ago I enjoyed the company of some talented local ladies whom I met last fall at Jennifer Cockrall- Kings' Food and Wine Writers Workshop in Penticton. We spent some down time at Judy's Camp Okanagan on the sundappled porch of Wine Country Cabin 35 sipping bubbly. There were amazing desserts from a local bakery and amuse bouche "a la Frizzle" made with honey from the Big Island, her second home in Hawaii, while we unwound from a delicious lunch at Mission Hill Winery and private tour of their kitchen and gardens from executive chef Matthew Batey. You can read all about our amazing sojourn  at Roz's Site here. Dubbed by Judi "The Chicks Who Wine" our group will be out and about in the Okanagan valley enjoying all that it has to offer.

During our conversation I remembered hearing some very persuasive things about a tomato sauce with onion and butter by Marcella Hazan, the venerable Italian cookbook author whose sturdy, no-nonsense, nonna-like tone makes me confidant in the kitchen.

Arugula Pesto Pasta with Asparagus, Ricotta and Bacon

Arugula Pesto Pasta with Asparagus, Ricotta and Bacon

Necessity is the mother of invention, so when you have enough baby arugula or rocket to feed a small army crowding the refrigerator you make pesto. I was thinking ahead when I made this pasta and used up what I had left of a hoard of asparagus too. For this dish I shaved the asparagus finely with a vegetable peeler where it adds it's own special flavour and texture to this pasta dish.

This recipe calls for Campanelle or farfalle pasta. At the time neither seemed available to me but I did come across some Gigli or "lilies" or even ballerine, which if not the same thing are at least similar. These are a delicate but sturdy shape, that has fluted, petal-like edges and a hollow center for capturing your sauce. It adds a touch of elegance and charm to your table don't you think?

Celebrating with Falafel Sliders and Tzatziki for My Legume Love Affair

Falafel Sliders with Tzatziki

I have been blogging now for over 4 years. Along the way I have been fortunate to meet many inspiring people who are passionate about food both in person and through our writing. One such person who has been around as long as I have, if not longer, is Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook. I have participated in her well appointed blogging challenge My Legume Love Affair and been an admirer many times over the past few years. Her event is now in its 4th year, and so to celebrate she has asked numerous friends to submit a recipe and a post as guest writers on her blog. We are celebrating 4 years of outstanding community participation and a legion of excellent recipes. Susan says, "With its 37th helping, My Legume Love Affair remains a powerful reminder that there are legions of world cooks who value the diversity, health benefits, flavors, and culinary versatility of legumes.You have shared with me thousands of recipes, all golden, all delicious, and all served from the heart. "

M.F.K Fisher Prepares "Socca" Through the Written Word

 

Socca

Thank you for joining me once again as I travel along with Mary of One Perfect Bite on an amazing culinary journey.  Gourmet Live brought out a list of the 50 most influential women in food...Fifty women game changers. Some are chefs, some are food writers, and some are women who are passionate about the creative process. You could certainly add or detract women from this list, but no matter what these women have all influenced us in one way or another. Being a woman and passionate about food myself I wanted to explore and join Mary on this journey and not only learn from the masters but recreate some of their dishes to better understand what has shaped and molded them into who they are today. In doing so I have learned more about myself, new techniques and many lessons previously unimaginable. Follow us on this journey while we take an in depth exploration of these women's lives and what makes them who they are.

Our Cooking Light Supper Club Goes Alfresco with Poached Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce

Poached Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce

We are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries, Canada and the United States, get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We are now in our second year and continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! Every month millions of readers turn to Cooking Light for recipes, advice on nutrition and fitness. This months theme "Sounds Like Summer" was chosen by Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen.

Red, White and Blue Fruit Scones

Cook's Illustrated Fruit Scones

A safe and happy 4th of July to all my friends from the States!!!

 In celebration I started my day with these patriotic red, white and blue scones based on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I have baked them twice in the past few weeks which is something that never happens here at MTBT. That speaks volumes about how much I enjoyed them. I rediscovered them on Monica's site Lick The Bowl Good last week.

You know how it is when you have recipes bookmarked for months, perhaps years and they have yet to grace your kitchen. Well this is one of those recipes I've had kicking around. I was reminded of them on a post over at Vanilla Sugar.... who made them with raspberries. I am so glad I decided to finally whip up a batch twice and still counting. They just might be the best scones I have discovered yet with a "new to me" technique. The dough is mixed with a light touch and then folded as if you were making a rough puff pastry.

Monica added white chocolate chips. You could also use a myriad of fruits such as blackberries, nectarines, cherries or even dried fruits. This recipe is open to all interpretations. Take a peak at Monica's site for pictorial instructions since I am just not that kind of a girl. Now I am headed to the beach! I have always been a beach kind of a gal:D

Celebrate Canada Day with Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream with Chocolate Balsamic Sauce

Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream
with Chocolate Balsamic Sauce

I hope you enjoyed your Canada day celebrations. We started the celebrations early on this blog and have been revelling ever since. I hope you have enjoyed following along with my patriotic menu. Today is my final post in my "Red (and White)" challenge. It has been a good deal of fun for me to challenge myself to come up with a menu based on a theme. Each dish has represented Canada as a melting pot of cultures, tastes and sounds which is an exact replica of what the philosophy of Canada is all about. With this unique red and white menu we have visited the four corners of the world  and focused on fresh, local and Canadian ingredients.

Martha Stewart's Goat-Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette Does Double Duty

Goat Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Happy Canada Day!!!!!!

Thank you for joining me once again as I travel along with Mary of One Perfect Bite on a culinary journey.  Gourmet Live brought out a list of the 50 most influential women in food...Fifty women game changers. Some are chefs, some are food writers, and some are women who are passionate about the creative process. You could certainly add or detract women from this list, but no matter what these women have all influenced us in one way or another. Being a woman and passionate about food myself I wanted to explore and not only learn from the masters but recreate some of their dishes to better understand what has shaped and molded them into who they are today. Follow us on this journey while we take an in depth exploration of these women's lives and what makes them who they are.