powderate

Clearwater Christmas past and present I send to you in England dear daughter

2011-12-23T12:39:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone

Merry Christmas to all. I make this post for my daughter who is far away in England. She has requested the family menu of the Clearwater Christmas of her childhood as she is making the Christmas meal for her new family.

Growing up in the small interior town of Clearwater in central British Columbia it was a white Christmas with deep snow and a nearby ski hill which the community flocked to on Christmas day.

On Christmas Eve we'd gather by the fireplace and drink hot chocolate before dressing up in snow pants and such to toboggan down a hill with as many family members as we could fit. It was laughing all the way, snow flying in your face and ending up in a tangled heap at the bottom of the run.

Mother would have put a nice pork roast in the oven with crackling, there would be homemade bread and lots of vegetables to pour the gravy over. When my maternal Grandmother visited the pantry would fill with tins full of her home baking - she made a living cooking in camps and running cafes and was known for her pastries most of all. Butter tarts and butterhorns were among our favorites. Our mother would make huckleberry pies from the wild berries she picked in the summer and froze - this was our signature dessert. Dad would be playing Bing Cosby, Frank Sinatra, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass on the hi-fi stereo - later I played the piano and we'd sing Christmas carols. Christmas Eve was and is my favorite time of the holiday

Later when I was married and our daughter was young I added tourtiere, the classic dish of the Quebec Christmas Eve Reveillon, (her fathers' heritage) to the menu and large loaves of homemade French bread. There would be pickled beets and bread and butter pickles made from my mothers garden. It was a wonderful meal we all enjoyed.

Our family still dine on the china of our childhood and we count our blessings to have both parents and all siblings - now married with their own children to celebrate the season with. We honor life and let bygones be bygone.

Mothers blue willow china and our Great Grandmother from Sweden crocheted potholders

Christmas 2009

Our Christmas meal of roast turkey and stuffing with mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce, cranberry sauce and the best turkey gravy you could have changes a little each year but of all the things we prize is having everyone gathered together under one roof.

Myself and our father in his 90's

Together in 2009 with the hearts full of good cheer we brought the traditions to the little ones and shared in the delights of winter sport and evenings full of good food.


Christmas dinner 2009 my daughter arrives from London to share the feast

skiing between the sun and the moon - my daughter on the way to ski 2009

This was a grand Christmas with all the family together for the first time in 17 years. A cold and snowy year it was with a full moon to light our way home after a day in the backcountry skiing on Raft peak.

Today we are spread out and won't be together but in spirit and the blues will come reminding me of my humanity and that love is a place in the heart that keeps me close to all the ones I hold dear - both the living and the departed.

Dear daughter this is for you - Clearwater Christmas. Love Mom

go be delicious xxx

my working vacation in a flyin bush camp

2010-10-01T10:23:00.000-07:00


New North Blue River Yurt in the Cariboo Mountains of BC Snowy Mountain Alpine Tours is now booking for the 2010/2011 season. Be the first to experience this rustic luxury and have a run named after you! The newest and largest backcountry skiing venue and the first guided backcountry ski operation on crown land in the Cariboo Mountains sits on the eastern edge of Well Gray Provincial Park and is over 100 square kilometers of tenure. This summer I was invited to cook for the crew for the first phase of developement. Blue River BC is a destination for some of the best heli skiing in the world. For over thirty years Mike Wiegele has made these mountains a mecca for powder hounds. My history with Blue River goes back to a youth of ski racing and again when I took up backcountry skiing in the late 80's. It has hosted the Powder 8 World Championships and it is because of the deep and dry powder. Love of powder skiing and cooking was the inspiration in naming my food blog ... Powderate. This type of cooking has some challenges and one of the important requirements that makes the task smoother is to have most of the main entrees prepared and frozen ahead. This helps keep the food during transport and in this case was done by helicopter. Here is a photo story of the event. Flying in the camp and equipment including one five year old and three dogs. This was mid July and the weather is about to get extremely hot and dry for the duration and fortunately the forest fire smoke hadn't hit yet. The wall tent was brought in and erected by snowmobile in January of this year. The heavy snow fall and the bears had taken a toll on it but an afternoon of needle work helped keep the pesky insects to a minimum. Crew accomadation for the duration of construction. The Alpha tent in the background, erected early in the summer became my domain and the cook house. In this photo is Steve Ludwig and Raven the black lab that I was fortunate to have keep me company at night. Thanks to this sweet little machine we had some extra luxuries to keep us happy. Like beer! The beer garden. Nothing like a cold beer from the creek on a hot summer day! The hard work of master builder Dave Volmer soon has the yurt deck inshape. He took time to install a floor in the cook tent and build a little girls dream swing. Dave Volmer and Astrid taking a test ride on the swing. These are savory meat pies that I made ahead and froze. The fillings are fresh sockeye salmon and roast moose meat and curry sweet potato. Trail building was an ongoing task and the accomplishment of this was done by Dana Ludwig and Brenda who made sure the trail was complete for the hike out. Bushwacking was the only way get around and until the girls built the trail out we'd be following the cariboo trails. The trail out has some of the biggest patches of fern I've seen anywhere. Dana, Astrid and puppy Oscar on the hike out. Extensive trail building and bridges were required to access the base camp.

summer meals on the road and in the back country

2010-08-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

June has always been about adventure and discovery. This month the adventures included finding a remote and rugged Hot Springs accessed via a steep canyon trail with exposure that is drop dead gorgeous.

Our day started with a bowl of first of the season huckleberries after which we were fit and ready to descend the canyon wall where the secret Hot Spings is located.

The weather was cool and wet and I was glad as the day before was sweltering and we put off going down the canyon in favor of a shaded camp under old growth cedar trees. We put on the Gortex hiking boots and rain gear and set across a flooding creek to get to the trailhead.

The rewards of the day, not a soul about but us ... and the raging river rushing by was an obvious thrill.

While away the garden has become a monster of growth and a wonderful neighbor has been watering it.

urban greens in Kitsilano: moose roast sliced warm on a bed of greens with orange mint and wild ginger dressing

2010-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

With the garden producing outstanding greens ideas for supper become salad centric. The lettuce above is called Farmers Market Lettuce Blend from Renee's Garden seed company, comprised of Little Gem, Tango, Outredgeous and Cimarron. Such a treat after grocery store lettuce all winter. Tender and robust at the same time.

The orange mint in pots is pretty and ready for cutting. I'll use some in a dressing along with wild ginger root picked on a recent hike.

Wild ginger grows in shaded forests and their flowers are quite unusual. Just peek under the deep green leaves. Use the roots not the leaves. After picking keep roots soaking in shallow water until using or dry for later use.

The moose roast below is a gift from the family hunter's and will be braised in organic beer.

Time to snip herbs from the garden, yet another thrill.

To make a roast rub:
Minced 2 green onions, large bunch of orange mint, 3 fresh thyme and oregano sprigs and add it to a small bowl with 1/3c Dijon mustard. Set aside. Season roast with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in a heavy bottom fry pan.

I use a combination of grapeseed oil for it's high smoke point and clarified butter to brown the roast in.
Peel and slice large white onion and place in bottom of large dutch oven.
Remove the roast from fry pan and place on the bed of onion slices. Spread the wet mustard and herb paste over the roast. Pour one bottle of good organic beer and cover with lid. Braise in 325 F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Let set. Remove the butchers twine and slice thinly. Spoon broth over the sliced meat.

to be continued.... meanwhile

go be delicious

Breakfast berry smoothie and a scrumptous breakfast of grilled cinnamon buns

2010-06-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

A huckleberry smoothie is an nitid way of having the very end of last summers wild huckleberries from the freezer. The early signs are promising for this season, at low elevation we have lots of berries forming on most varieties of huckleberry bush. On a recent hike to Cheakamus Lake in Garibaldi Park these green huckleberries are coming along nicely. This is a blue huckleberry vaccinium pacifica which are a high bush variety and common in lower elevations.

The huckleberries below are at mid elevation and are just past the flowering stage. When it rains the bees don't pollinate as much and if the frost comes late it lowers the yield as well. I have started picking berries as early as the third week in June ... time to crave and anticipate the early season taste of tartness.

sprouted chia and flax seed meal, wild huckleberries, coconut oil, vanilla, yogurt and cherry juice from home canned cherries!

Breakfast Smoothie: serves two

In the large jar of the blender place the following ingredients

1 c juice

1c plain yogurt

1 T organic coconut oil

1 t organic vanilla extract

1 c fresh or frozen berries

2 T ground chia or flax seed

Place the top on the blender and start the motor on low speed. Increase speed after it has begun to turn over to prevent spilling over. Add more juice to desired consistency. Drink slowly to taste the flavors.

For a day full of outdoor adventure treat yourself to an added bonus of grilled cinnamon buns.

Grilled cinnamon buns: slice the buns in half and spread cut side with butter and grill on medium heat for 5 minutes.

go be delicious

first meal from the garden: grilled sirloin and mesclun salad

2010-06-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Mescluns! Of all the wonderful foods we owe to the French this is my favorite. We North Americans have embraced this sensation from Provence by creating our own versions and though ours may not be a purist example of the Nicois mesculumo - meaning mixture or mix we have taken hold of the tradition.

This blend comes from West Coast Seeds and is called Oriental Saladini Blend consisting of unusual greens from the mustard family. In this mesculumo are choi sum, komatsuna, mizuna, pac choi, giant red mustard, red lettuce and spinach.

For a first time gardener mesclumo is a quick crop to start with. One month ago the seeds went into the new raised beds and today we celebrate with our first meals.

The romantic notion of back yard food
is a new reality for us.

Utopian is how it feels. This was lunch after the morning gardening. Deciding to harvest was both loss and elation after nursing and protecting the new growth it was a transition from giving to taking but a needed step.

The ability to take kitchen shears and bowl to the backyard plot and harvest salad ingredients is very seductive ...

Now we have good organic greens from
zero miles and no packaging.

These French Breakfast radishes and
a patch of arugula along with fresh
thyme make up the greens for this salad.

The mesclun is a cut and come again crop. It only requires a bit of feed and water and it will grow another crop. I use this feed from Gaia Green an organic fertilizer, mild and balanced. This and compost tea along with the rich soil has everything doing well and I'm happy to tell you the greens are splendid.

The cut and come again method of harvesting is done by cutting 1" above the ground . It works like a charm after just a few days new growth is appears.

After two or more cuttings pull the roots and replant.

The rainy weather of late has been marvelous for the garden greens but not for the basil or hot season crops. Adapting to it is the challenge this month as June can be more like June-uary !

My recipe today is for grilled sirloin and mesclun salad with potatas bravas and grilled onion rings.

One good size sirloin steak cut thickly feeds two with some left over for lunch.

Ingredients:
One washed bowl of mescluns patted dry not spun, as I found the spinner a bit harsh on these tender greens.
have ready the balsamic vinegar and organic extra virgin olive oil for tossing just before plating.
For the steak:
pre-heat cast iron griddle or BBQ heated
1 lb. top sirloin brought to room temperature
1 1/2 T organic tamari
2T fresh snipped thyme
fresh cracked pepper
method:
This goes against every rule in the book but is tried and true. Lay the steak in a tray large enough for the steak and pour the tamari in. With a fork or filleting knife poke holes all over both sides of the steak and soak in the tamari and sprinkle generously with the thyme as well as fresh cracked pepper and let stand.
Meanwhile prepare the potatoes and garnish.

Potatas Bravas or Spanish Potatoes
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks and patted dry
1 T grapeseed oil
1 T paprika
salt and pepper

Method:
Toss the potatoes in the grapeseed oil and paprika sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread into a baking tray and bake at 375 F oven 25 minutes or until golden and fork tender.

For the garnish:
6 fresh radishes
1 large yellow onion, peeled and slice across into 1/2" rings
1/2 t grapeseed oil
salt and pepper
Brush with oil and season.

To cook the steak and garnish:
With the griddle hot but not smoking or the bbq on medium high cook one side of the steak for 5 minutes then turn and continue cooking the other side for 5 minutes. Gives a medium rare steak. Adjust cooking to your personal preferences. At the same time you have placed the onion rings to the ends or side of the cooking surface and turned them at approximately the same time as the steak.

Remove the steak and turn off the heat. Let stand on cutting board tented for a good 5 minutes. Prepare the greens with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil, toss with fresh herbs and salt and pepper. Plate the greens, surround the salad with the potatoes. Slice the steak thinly across the grain on a slight angle and top the greens with the hot steak. Garnish with the radish and onion rings.

go be delicious

my very first garden has vegetables coming up!

2010-04-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

Lilac blooms over the north east corner, scenting the air with the promise of summer. The raspberries will love the dappled early morning sunshine filtered by lilacs foliage and the broad leaves of the rhubarb will be a good sister sheltering the roots with protection from the elements.

It has been two months since my last post (sounds like a confession) ... I took time for sewing, thinking up a new wardrobe, experimenting with pattern pieces and fabric, cutting and constructing samples, and choosing garment fabric, prepping it with washing and pressing the collection: all with a view of taking part in a future eco fashion event. that was March. One month later - time for the garden. April is here at last! Blissfully playing garden. Oh boy!

I put away the sewing room for a minute to start seeds - this room has some morning sun and lots of late afternoon sun well into the evening. The long anticipated ritual that all other gardeners do, began - planting little seeds and hoping. Not one to go buy those special and expensive kits and heat mats my inclination was to try it without the aid of these things. I learn by trial and thrift. I now understand that those are aids to ease the process, assuring a controlled environment for this delicate cycle. My results are abundant however it required a vigilant watch.

I started the yard-to-kitchen garden conversion late last fall. Groups of bamboo had taken over the fence as had the white clematis climbing the katsura tree. An unsightly over-large California lilac (hit hard by cold the winter before last) needed removing along with the weeds and moss which owned the lawn, growing tall as toddlers. Gone. The roots of the bamboo and Ceanothus required pick-axe (if I had one) and saw to loose them of their well staked territory and were not going without a fight. The digging and shaking of every bit of soil from the sod was better than going to the gym. Done! No injury occurred in the making of this garden.

Liar - bruises from holding milk crates heavy with sod against my thighs whilst I shake out any remaining free soil
The first pots - Steve made for me from newspaper using this neat tool from Lee Valley (his love). Instead of adding more plastic pots to the equation, this simple pot uses up newspaper, then you just plant it in the garden or container.

The starting mix in these pots is from the bag I picked up at Choices Market in March as it was handy. Later I made my way out to West Coast Seeds in Delta and prefer the starter mix they offer called Dutch Mix. It is finer textured and esthetically more pleasing to the eye.

I kept going to see if anything had come up - finally about the fifth day these sweet and tiny double leaves appeared out of the soil, it was magic!

A gardener was born!

Broccoli seedlings growing in cartons saved all winter from coffee cream.
These are the first plants to go into the main bed. I salivate to think how tasty they will be.

I researched and visited most of the sites that sell bulk soil, sampling the best. I took Steve who is a full-time gardener with me as it is vital to get the best soil for your vegetables and herbs. I was nervous about getting it wrong, he's not as fussy, and he did chose the soil I was leaning towards, saying it had great structure and felt loamy and looked good, adding that it smelled better than the Rainforest premium topsoil, the runner up. I ordered 4 yards of organic veggie mix from EcoSoil via Greenway Landscape Supply on Mitchell Island.
This soil is garden ready. Here is what I did to prepare for this moment - the moment the soil would be delivered.

After emptying and moving the compost again I decided to dig three deep trenches below the main bed and bury the almost composted compost. This way I could start a new batch from scratch. I had dug down into the existing soil 18 inches and buried leaves from the katsura and limed it. That was last fall. With the extra organic matter and the lime balancing the acidity the native soil had been amended somewhat. After raking the native soil smooth over the buried compost I layered on 350 pounds of organic steer manure. Lucky find on Craigslist. A high school fundraiser - love that. Now I was ready for the soil.

A wonderful moment for me. The day was dry and hot and the work a pleasure soon done!

The yard last fall.

This is after I removed the California lilac, the bamboo that was as tall as a house all along the street side of the fence and hand cut a lawn full of weeds. This is where the fun began.
I had started composting last summer and moved the darn thing three times since. This next photo shows what it looked like just before Christmas with the white cord lighting the holiday lights. My theme was white blooms.

December 1 I planted white tulips and white narcissi, along with white winter pansy. Because of the Katsura tree I built up the soil in old brick beds to keep the soil off the trunk and still use the area for veggies after the bulbs. Slightly sorry I put bulbs in here as I want to plant veggies there now! But this is so gorgeous, not sure if I'll leave them or not. Moving things has been the fun of it, trying this or that look and not worrying about being perfect. Just going out and doing something is how I like to function.

The center bed is 10'x10' for a total of 100 square feet with four other beds 4'x4'- 8' along the east fence. This will be a considerable amount of shaded areas but I have a fire escape as sunny real estate for tomatoe pots and other containers.

I had thought to make the beds dry stack but after the first load of flagstone covered such a small area quickly that changed to non-treated spruce boards.
I put these together using only shims, no nails or screws. While digging I turned up old glass shards, a toy soldier, a glass bird and a few marbles. This place is one of the oldest operating corner stores in the city and was built in 1907 or before and fantasized about various treasures laying below my shovel.

My West Coast tomatoe seeds are up and doing well so far. Potting into big pots they look so small, but it will last for awhile, then the lettuces and greens will have grown and been deliciously dined on, at which time there will be more sun and space for cucumbers and tomatoes. Can you believe how quickly I've run out of space.

It has been a mixed bag this week weather wise and
end up moving the starts in and out of the house, one day it's blazing hot and then the next it's wet and blowing, much cooler than I'd like.
As the season progresses I'll share with you the wonders of growing things to eat.

A portrait of my digging treasure!

Now I begin laying in the flagstones as the mud is messy! Steve and I have been hauling foraged flagstones from the wilds each time we hike somewhere out of town. Rock hounding is our new sport.

Just a little chocolate coconut zucchini cake covered in chocolate cream cheese icing. Next time it'll be my future bumper crop of backyard zucchini in it.
Tea break and cake - rewards are good! Sure ... I'll work it off ... more gardening!

One interesting social factor has been the people who pass by and make comments on the project and the curiosity that some men just can't pass up an opportunity to hit on you for dates, even after you explain that your man wouldn't be too happy about that.

The little tomatoes in big pots sheltered from the wind and rain will be happy when the sun comes hot again.

go be delicious

Portobello Satay with braised collard greens and hazelnut crusted potato cakes

2010-02-24T12:29:00.000-08:00

Agricus Bisporus - The portobello mushroom is a variety of agricus that is allowed to mature beyond the button stage before harvesting and are simply an overgrown crimini, the brown version of the button mushroom. Often thought less potent than the exotic varieties they are as much if not more so. These meaty mushrooms are among my favorite foods and I cook them often, on their own and almost always add them in one form or another to recipes.

Vancouver BC is the birth place of eating local, home of the 100-mile diet and is also home to 13 certified organic mushroom growers. A British Columbian eats more mushrooms per capita than anyone else in Canada averaging 3 kilos per person. BC produces 35% of Canada's mushrooms and the availability year round of the portobello put this food on the top of my list.

Asia Pacific Farms is the largest producer of organic mushrooms in Canada is located in nearby Aldergrove.
I am investigating growing my own as an important part of a permaculture design in my yard. Fungi cycle nutrients that nourish new life in the soil. Recognizing this essential function would be an inventive way to integrate mushrooms into my fledgling front yard edible garden.
Misty Mountain Mushrooms David Lee Kwen is a man I've come across on a few occasions during the pine mushroom season and he is extremely knowledgeable about our indigenous species. What I've gleaned over the years about the wild mushhrooms I'll leave for further posts as they come into season.

Portobello mushrooms are prized for their anti-cancer properties although the phyto-chemicals and antioxidants have yet to be fully understood, but we do know enough to say they are a nutritional powerhouse compared to other kinds of produce, a cup of cooked mushrooms does contain a milligram of copper, a trace mineral that may play a role in guarding against osteoporosis. Adding a portobello mushroom to your plate for an extra bit of bone-friendly copper is a smart idea. If that's not enough to recommend them here is a short list of benefits aside from the local and sustainable: only plant food to contain high levels of vitamin D, rich in niacin, and trace amounts of B6 and B12, (vegans take note) and excellent levels of selenium, good levels of potassium and zinc. All in all an excellent meat alternative or booster for any diet.

Here is a dish I made at the Tree Planting Reunion in August 2008 for the vegans and vegetarians. Some of the meat eaters thought it was steak. The menu for the weekend started with a BBQ on Friday night. Here is the recipe.

Portobello Satay
ingredients
1 T olive oil
4 large portobello

marinade
1/4 c organic tamari
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T lime juice, fresh squeezed
2 T organic dark brown sugar
1 T smooth organic peanut butter
2 - 3 t spice mix
spice mix
1 t cummin seed
1 t corinader seed
1 t allspice berry
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t cayenne

method
1) Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the portobello caps and cook until softened, turning once. About 5 minutes. set aside.
2) In a small cast iron skillet dry roast the cumin, coriander, and the allspice seeds. Cool and grind in spice grinder or mortar and pestle adding the ground ginger and cayenne. M ix well.
3) In a food processor combine the tamari, minced garlic, peanut butter, lime juice, brown sugar, and spice mix and process until smooth. Transfer to a shallow dish.
4) Cut the portobello into 1/4" thick slices and add to the marinade. Cover and leave for 1/2 hour at room temperature.
5) Preheat the oven to 425 F. Remove the mushrooms from marinade reserving marinade. Thread onto soaked bamboo skewers. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake until browned 6-8 minutes, turning once and brushing with marinade. Serve hot.

I use the broiler or the BBQ depending on the occasion. This time I used the broiler and served over a bed of collards braised and hazelnut crusted potato cakes and garlic chips.

go be delicious

Wholewheat stone ground organic cinnamon buns with dried cranberry and walnuts

2010-02-07T00:50:00.000-08:00

This post is an ongoing editorial of angst. I drool enviously over the breads made by artisan bread makers, lusting after the dark chewy textures. Recently I realized my bread making is stuck in a rut. Sure these look good and taste good, made with the right ingredients but I want to trap my own yeast and culture a starter that isn't made with store bought yeast.

The School of Artisan Food based in the heart of the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, is set to take it's first students in September 2010 for the Foundation Degree in Artisan Food, a 2 year diploma program. The emphasis is on foods that ferment; bread, cheese, beer, diary and charcuterie. While that would be an marvelous experience I'll need to take another route.

I begin with the very talented Susan at yeastspotting who has mentored a league of her own, sharing her knowledge so kindly. I started my quest with; water + flour = yeast, a very detailed set of instructions, thank you very much Susan.

It all went well for awhile but something went wrong so I had to resort back to my tried and true method, for now. Here is my recipe for sweet dough. I use our local Anita's organic stone ground wholewheat and organic unbleached white flour.

1 c warm water

1T sugar

2T regular yeast

In a small bowl add the warm water, dissolve the sugar and stir in the yeast. Let set until foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3 c milk or water and milk combination, scald

1/3 c to 1/2 c butter or coconut oil

1/4 c to 1/2 c pure cane sugar

2 large eggs, organic free run

1 1/2 t sea salt

4 c wholewheat flour

4 c unbleached white flour, approximately

In a large bowl whisk hot milk, butter, sugar, and salt together to melt butter and cool to warm before adding eggs. Whisk in yeast mixture and add the wholewheat flour changing to a large wooden spoon. Work in enough unbleached flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wash the bowl and butter or oil the bowl well and roll the dough to cover with oil or butter. Cover with cloth and let stand in warm spot. When it has doubled punch down to let air out and butter top. Let rise again to double.

Filling

1/2 c butter

1 c packed organic dark brown sugar

2 - 3 T ground cinnamon

1/2 c dried cranberries, soaked and drained well

1/2 c raisins or currents

1/2 c chopped raw walnuts

glaze for pans

1/4 c butter

1 c dark organic brown sugar

12 raw walnut halves, optional

Preheat oven to 375 F

Butter 2 large heavy baking pans or 2 glass cake pans, this is a large batch. Sprinkle brown sugar on bottom of pan and distribute the walnut halves if using.

On a large floured surface roll out the dough making sure to keep the surface underneath well floured. Roll a large rectangle to 1/4 thick. Spread soft butter, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon, then cranberries, raisins and walnuts. Roll the long side in tightly. Cut into 1 inch slices and place cut side down 1/4 inch apart. Cover with tea towel until double in size. Bake in oven on middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes until browned and firm.

Have a large cooling rack ready and another baking pan to turn the buns out onto right away. Flip out onto rack with sticky side up until cool.

go be delicious xx

huckleberry sauerbraten pork burger with portobello and dipping broth

2010-02-05T22:41:00.000-08:00

I am in the grip of Olympic fever and still can't believe it has finally arrived. My thoughts travel back to earlier times when the IOC came to town in Whistler .... gold ribbons lined the highway that day in March of 2002, driving down to Squamish I kept seeing limousines go by, so many I started to count them, a common thing but this day was extraordinary, in a 45 minute drive I passed over 50 limousines.

That day in July of 2003 where hope and anxious emotion held us breathless waiting for the IOC to award the host city for the 21st winter Olympics there was a double rainbow over the twin mountains and I just knew we were going to win the bid.

Living in Whistler those days was a mixture of high spirits and dread. Worrying about rent increases, displacement and affordability and on the other hand living in the mix and being part of the biggest moment in BC history ... was not to be missed.

Now the day is here and oh what excitement! My sentiment is to experience as much as possible and can't wait for the ladies ski cross ... to watch a friend compete and all the parties and people.

I have been making things to freeze for work and it's such a help as I wait to go, which keeps getting postponed due to red tape and feel so very lucky to still be in town to enjoy it all!

Practiced my favorite red potato and Avalon organic extra aged cheddar with parsley and red onion perogy, squash ravioli, cinnamon buns, butter tarts, tourtiere meat pies, portobello satay, sour dough panko for all sorts of yummy croguettes, tartlet's, savory cakettes, pop-overs with BC Jerusalem artichokes, pizzettes, pasties and bean pastes. I've worked on culturing wild yeast so I can be a sour dough packing backcountry cook. This is all so much fun and now I will offer you a recipe which you can adapt using any berry you choose, I use my omnipresent huckleberry.

That reminds me chef Michael Smith who is cooking up a storm 10,000 meals strong so far, at the athletes village in Whistler featured the wild blueberry for a media breakfast, which quite pleased my sensibilities.

Also I recommend GourmetFury for all sorts of great BC food and drink in Vancouver.

huckleberry pork belly dipping broth

4 oz pork belly, diced

1 T clarified butter

1 T coconut oil

1 m red onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 quarts chicken stock

1 quart tomato sauce

Brown the vegetables and pork belly in the fat, add the chicken stock and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer broth until pork bellies are tender and stock is reduced. Set aside. Strain half the pot of broth for the huckleberry pork sauerbraten and put the other half away as a soup for a second meal.

huckleberry pork loin marinade

12 oz pork loin, cut into thin strips

1/4 c jalapeno pepper, minced

1/4 c garlic, minced

1/4 c ginger, minced

1/4 c grape seed oil

2 c huckleberry ketchup

Marinate in glass container up to 24 hours in fridge. To cook place marinated pork and marinade in a dutch oven, add the strained broth covering just barely. Braise in slow oven with lid on until reduced slightly for about one hour. Meat will be fork tender and the broth ready for dipping burger into.

to make the burger

4 organic portobello

1 red onion, sliced

1 dill pickle, sliced

4 leaves lettuce, chiffonade

2 t grape seed mayo

2 t mustard

1 t tomato ketchup

Fry portobello mushrooms and sliced red onion on a cast iron griddle, toast bun, dress with grape seed mayo, mustard, lettuce, pickle, pork and ketchup. Serve with a dipping bowl of the broth.

go be delicious xx

Eat peasant quit plastic ode to self

2010-01-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

Eat Peasant quit plastic ode to self

These mason jars have been mine for 30 years and represent an attachment to all things peasant. Vintage jars continue to work for tomatoes and everything else we put up. A replacement lid is all. Lunches, left-overs and freezer foods all go into jars with no need for plastic. I remind myself be vigilant about waste.

In the kitchen at Le Crocodile, chef Michel Jacob lives this kitchen virtue obtaining the best food control in the industry and the experience remains an excellent example of waste management.

I tell to my ear, less is more. Buy in bulk, share with family, friends and neighbors to reduce waste. Stores are still using foam trays on organic meat and poultry and wrapping it in plastic. The single portion is wasteful!

In a perfect world we make yogurt, bread and bakery products, noodles, pasta etc and stay away from the middle isles of the supermarket, avoiding packaging.

I am on the warpath to end waste and to embrace my peasant roots.

Composting, edible garden instead of lawn. Seedy Saturdays are coming up! Fortunate to have a freezer.

Farmers markets are wonderful in this regard. Avoiding packaging.

Grass fed and finished beef comes to us in butcher wrap, in sensible portions as does lamb and pork. Keeping a ready supply of homemade meals is sure to cut down on plastic!

The way of the peasant is to make what we consume.

go be delicious xx

The Canadian Butter Tart

2010-01-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Canadian Butter Tart

Before I go further, I applaud the daring bakers for this visual treat. The January Food Challenge salutes British Columbia's Nanaimo bar, in support of the coming 2010 Olympics, in Vancouver BC.

As a tree planting cook these were a staple on the lunch table. Untold misery if you forgot to buy Birds Eye custard. We cooks soon learned to hide them the night before if we had any hope of getting them to the table the next day.

To get into the spirit of things I have made Canadian butter tarts. The first know butter tart filling, the voluptious mix of eggs, butter, sugar and currants appeared in a cookbook by the Royal Victoria Hospital's Auxiliary in Barrie Ontario in 1900, attributed to Mrs Malcolm MacCleod. It appeared again in the daily news from a Mrs BMB in 1908 and again

in 1911 in the Canadian Farm Cookbook.

The recipe used today comes from my recipe box, but I think it originally came by way of The Joy of Baking.

I have used a regular butter pastry dough instead of pate brisee. I do like to cut back on sugar where possible.

This adaptation uses currants (my favorite), instead of raisins (although today it is raisins) and extra whole walnuts.

I'm not fond of corn syrup, which is mostly used in store bought butter tarts. Brown sugar and butter are the real McCoy and give it that distinct caramel flavor they are so loved for.

go be delicious

Wild Huckleberry crisp with hazelnut streusel

2010-01-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

wild huckleberries

British Columbia is the blueberry and raspberry capital of Canada and is the second largest producer in the world after Michigan. No where are these sweet berries more appreciated than in BC. Blueberries and the mild, moist climate and acidic soil of the Fraser Valley delta are a natural choice and have been produced for over a 100 years. The 2009 harvest was 90 million pounds up from 2008. Demand has sharply increased as the health benefits are better known.

Blueberries top the list of antioxidants: they should be firm and plump with a silvery sheen called the bloom. Can be kept up to 10 days in the fridge and frozen up to a year.

Also home to British Columbia are a number of native wild berries.

It is with thanks to the busy bumble bee that we have wild berries.

blueberry crisp with hazelnut streusel

Topping

1/2 c organic dark brown sugar

1/4 c organic flour

1/4 c lightly roasted hazelnut, skinned rub off

1/4 c organic butter

1/2 t cinnamon

Process in medium bowl of food processor pulsing and scraping sides to obtain a fine but crumb mixture.

early season fresh huckleberries, tart and plump

Filling

4 -5 c of frozen or fresh berries

1/3 c organic white sugar

1/4 c tapioca.

1/2 t cinnamon

2 T butter

Mix together the sugar and tapioca, add to berries, pour into buttered glass baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and dot with butter. Cover topping and Bake.

Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until brown and the berries are bubbling.

go be delicious xx

Broccoli soup with raw walnut and aged goat cheese

2010-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

This soup captures the elegant rawness of broccoli just picked from the garden. It literally can be ready in minutes. I happened to see Gordon Ramsey prepare this soup. The garnish can be what is on hand or to your liking. Raw walnuts I prefer for their nutrient density and with so many local artisan goat cheeses to try, it makes for a perfect light meal. When the best broccoli is within your finger tips, on a fine summer day, it needs only a simple preparation, keeping the superb quality intact.

Serve it in a lovely bowl and eat it quietly in the garden if possible. A glass of wine...

It's important to salt the water before and after adding the broccoli and immediately covering the pot and quickly bring the pot back to boil.

4 c water

2 c broccoli florets

salt

goat cheese

raw walnut halves

extra virgin olive oil

Boil 4 c cold salt water, add broccoli, salt again, lid on and bring back to boil and simmer to done, remove from heat and cool slightly.

With slotted spoon place broccoli in blender, add cooking water to cover, place a tea towel folded over lid and blend, scraping down sides until uniform in appearance.

Dress soup bowl with raw walnut halves, goat cheese and top with broccoli soup. Drizzle with olive oil.

go be delicious xx

Baking bread with Anita's organic stone ground flour

2010-01-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

" Bread is to the world cuisine what light is to an artist, it has the power to enhance and complement"

Not sure who the author of this quote is but I remembered it today as it really is an old world skill.

This wholewheat bread is made with regular yeast and is a handy recipe when you haven't any starter or wild yeast on hand. Artisan bread making is an enviable art and is complicated to get started, but truly well worth the effort.

I developed my bread making skills from the back of the flour bag. At the time we had Rogers Flour, a local brand and it was considered the best at the time. Now I use Anita's organic stone ground wholewheat, a readily available local product. There are more excellent flours coming available here in BC with the CSA expanding in our area.

My wish for this post is to make it accessible, to get you started if you have never made bread before.

For those who would like to make regular bread with store bought yeast this is a good start. Artisan bread is an institution on it's own. I'll be posting on this another time. Homemade bread at any level is old fashioned frugality, one to embrace. Many home cooks use a bread maker but hands work just fine too .

Anyone who buys 22kg sacks of flour has got to bake bread and in uncertain economic times this can save you money.

Basic rule for 1 loaf

1 t sweetener per

1T regular yeast

1c of tepid water

3/4 t of salt

1T of regular yeast

2 c hot water

4-7 c flour

The liquid can be just about anything: scalded milk, hot potato water, pureed frozen vegetables with hot cooking liquid.

There are many ways to start. Boil up a tea kettle of water, pour it into a bowl and add salt.

That is the very basic.

Today I have used frozen green peas, and have brought 1quart of cold water in a medium pot to a boil, added 11/2 cups of frozen organic peas (or try mixed vegetables: adds fiber and flavor), covered the pot and brought it quickly back to a boil. I then removed the pot and cooled it slightly before blending, water and all.

Meanwhile in small ceramic bowl proof the yeast with sweetener (sugar, honey, maple syrup, brown rice) in the tepid water and let stand until foamy. If it has not, the water was too cold, too hot or the yeast old. Start again with fresh ingredients.

Pour the hot liquid in a large mixing bowl, add the salt and a good dash of extra virgin olive oil, or 1/4 c butter. Mix well to dissolve salt, and melt butter while liquid cools, before adding the proofed yeast . Make sure the liquid has cooled to blood temperature or the yeast will die.

At this point you can add more ingredients to enrich the bread or keep it simple. For a sandwich bread that keeps for a few days add small amount sweetener, eggs, molasses, leftover oatmeal or leftover potato. For a nice plain bread just add flour.

Start by adding 2 cups flour and mixing with a heavy wooden spoon, adding more flour as it starts to stick, eventually cleaning the spoon and using your hands to knead the dough, until it doesn't stick to your hands and comes away from the bowl.

About flour: quantity depends on type of flour used.

All purpose, unbleached white, wholewheat, bread flour (which has a small amount of barley to aid the yeast), or try heritage Red Fife.

Do not use pastry flour as it is made from soft wheat and the gluten will not develop.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead some more. Knead all you want, the more the better.

go be delicious

Farmer's Market meals from the freezer: tulameen raspberry dessert

2010-01-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

It feels like Spring here today and I'm craving raspberries. This is my favorite variety ... Tulameen's. They are firm, fleshy and intensely flavored, no petrochemical fertilizers on these lovelies. I freeze a few crates from the Farmer's market each year to the delight of all. I'm going to dip into this stash and make a birthday meal for a friend. Check back tomorrow and see what I make.

chicken marbella... why is it not on any local menu?

2010-01-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

Please ... can anyone tell me if there is a restaurant in Vancouver that serves chicken Marbella... made popular by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins of The Silver Palate fame?

Requested by friends and family to make this dish way too many times ... they love it so much. Don't you want something else I ask? Unrelentingly good, each time I'm pressed to add more and more olives and prunes, okay, yes it's great.

Restaurateurs ... please add chicken marbella to your menu!

When in doubt make chicken marbella as I've never found anyone to not like it. My top three Silver Palate recipes starts with this dish followed by the spicy breakfast patties. I served these as burgers at Real Food using lots of fresh basil and grated ginger interchanging ground turkey with chicken. The third favorite is the chocolate fudge sauce which became a must have holiday dessert for Christmas while I was a live-in chef. This sauce served warmed and poured on homemade (hazelnut praline) ice cream hardens on contact like an ice cream revel's chocolate coating. None can resist that! Put that on your menu restaurateurs pretty please.

When I was an apprentice chef at Le Crocodile Restaurant after graduating from the Pierre Dubrulle Culinary school friends would ask for the tomato soup you see in the pot on the back burner and the onion tarte but really kissed up for the chocolate mousse. Chef Michael Jacob and his recipes have continued to make me a popular host.

I make the soup with home canned tomatoes .... treasures from BC gardens.

We still reach for our cook books and feeling the pages and seeing the scribbles and notes cannot be replaced ever, only added to.

Can you see where this is leading? Tell me about your cook books. I would enjoy a

journey through your cook books.

Tomatoes I have loved thanks to the Kitsilano Farmers Market. This Saturday Wise Hall Farmers Market, hurray!

This cauliflower cheese pie with potato crust comes from the Moose Wood cook book and is by far the top vegetarian request. When I cooked for tree planters there was always a small vegetarian group in the bunch and we discovered all the meat eaters wanted some too. That was when meat became the side dish. Now I must pop this pie in the oven . Another dish I would like to see on the local menu.

Farmers market meals from the freezer : braised blade steak with huckleberry ketchup

2010-01-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

Grass finished Empire Valley Braised Blade Steaks with Huckleberry Ketchup

After the harvest we continue to enjoy food from Kitsilano Farmers Market where meals are a matter of visiting the freezer.

My freezer ingredients today are grass fed and grass finished blade steaks from Empire Valley Beef and foraged wild huckleberries ketchup.

These under appreciated inexpensive steaks are made for braising with big flavor and make a rich dark broth.

Braised blade steak with wild huckleberry ketchup

serves 4

2 large blade steaks cut in half or try flat iron steaks

2 red onions peeled and diced

4 stalks celery peeled and diced

4 medium carrots peeled and diced

1 large clove garlic peeled

2 small yams peeled and large dice

1-2 T organic coconut oil

1 c huckleberry ketchup

2 oz fruity red wine

2-3 c stock

1 bottle beer

2 T spice rub

salt and white pepper

Spice rub

1t ground cloves

1t ground ginger

2t ground cinnamon

1/2 - 1t cayenne pepper or to taste

mix well and rub on both sides of dry steak

Heat organic coconut oil in heavy casserole with whole clove garlic on medium heat. I have used a (rare) Leningrad variety of garlic, porcelain in color, with a mid season harvest.

When the oil is hot, not smoking, adjust the heat and remove the garlic, slice and set aside. Brown the meat. Season well with salt.

Boil stock, skim and strain again and measure out a pint. I have used organic turkey remouillage; this term is the second run of stock made from the remaining solids leftover from the first stock. I use remouillage instead of water. Stock is reserve for quick soups and sauces.

Add a a good splash of wild berry wine or any fruity red wine you have on hand ... above is homemade Himilayan black berry wine. De-glaze the steaks, cook off the alcohol, pour in a bottle of organic BC Natureland lager beer (their amber ale is my favorite thirst quenching beer).

Once this has come to a simmer add in the stock and sliced garlic. This is a braised dish so the liquid should just cover the steaks. Cover the pot and braise in a slow oven till fork tender. Check the liquid after 40 minutes adding more hot stock if needed.

While the meat is braising prepare the garnish. The colors in this dish are deep and dark with red onion and lots of root vegetables.

These are foraged from Sea To Sky, route 99 north

wild huckleberries August 2009

Now for the huckleberry part of the dish. I realize that you do not have access to huckleberry ketchup so substitute by making your own from frozen organic BC blueberries. Enjoy!

Blueberry Ketchup

makes 1 1/2 c

Ingredients: 2 c frozen BC organic blueberries

1/2 c organic cider vinegar

1/2 c water

1 c firmly packed organic dark brown sugar

1/2 t ground cloves

1/2 t ground ginger

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t sea salt

Tools and method:

None aluminum sauce pan and a food mill

canning jars or freeze containers

1) Combine the blueberries, vinegar and water in non aluminum sauce pan and boil for 5 minutes.

2) Put the mixture through a food mill fitted with the fine plate and set over bowl. Discard the pulp.

3) Put the liquid and the remaining ingredients in a non aluminum sauce pan and simmer for another 10 minutes until slightly thick. Pour into hot jars and seal. Heat process in a water bath 10 minutes.

or simply use right away.

Add the berry ketchup, onion, celery and carrots to the pot, stir and continue cooking with lid on.

You can turn the oven way down or turn it up depending on your plans. Only add the yams when you want to serve this dish. Keeps and travels very well.

go be delicious

skiing between the sun and the moon

2010-01-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

Boxing Day bliss ... a picnic in the snow. Basking in the alpenglow and the moonlight .... sublime!

sugarloaf mountain and the brownie

2009-10-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

Sugarloaf Mountain Thanksgiving Bike and Hike 2009

A fun roller coaster ride in the grasslands high above the Nicola Valley where rolling hills, giant ponderosa pine, magnificant even in death, and colorful groves of aspen fill the view of this beautiful country side.

The night we arrived the temperature dropped to -17 C with a quarter moon bright on the frosted windows. Sipping Alpine Blueberry wine from Kermode Wild Berry Wines we kept going outside to look at the splendid night sky. Camping is so much nicer in clear weather! In the morning Kick Ass coffee got us out of a warm bed with toast made on the heater. Great morning light and a stunning sunny day was a photographers dream. The many ponds and lakes in the area host a wealth of birds, especially large flocks of loons and darling little blue birds all actively swooping and calling.

This shot of the frost on the cryptogamic crust surrounding the lake really caught my eye.

Lots of single track to chose from.

The artic blast had us putting on hats and long underwear for the first time this season.

We stash the bikes to scramble the talus slope of Sugarloaf mountain and to view the ancient lichen.

In the arid climate this takes a very long time to grow.

At the top our hunger is for the air and the view and the rewards of the day.

the ultimate brownie

Three layers of home made goodness.

Chief Seattle, Leader of the Squamish Nation 1854 quote

2009-10-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

To the great philosophers and care-takers, the good stewards of the land I am grateful. The deep thinkers give us words that are timeless and as it is Thanksgiving I chose to give thanks to them. I'd like to share these words of wisdom.

"This we know, the Earth does not belong to Humanity, People belong to the Earth. This we know.
All things are connected. What ever befalls the Earth, befalls the people of the Earth. We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a part of it. What ever we do to the web, we do to ourselves."

Chief Seattle, leader of the Squamish Nation 1854.

Happy Thanksgiving.