When you brew a giant batch of saké with a master Kombucha scientist, you end up with a lot of saké. I'm not talking awesome saké, but table saké – the kind of saké that I'm happy to make friends taste, but won't crave after a long day. So what do I do with approximately 10 … [Read more...] about Booze-tacular Turbot, and Other Fish Tales
Cooking With Booze
Cider-Braised Turkey Thigh and why the Oven is Better than a Slow Cooker
How could anything be better than the fix-it-and-forget-it mentality of slow cookers and their resulting fork tender meat? you ask. Excellent question. In a slow cooker, the skin (if you use it) ends up flimsy and gelatinous, even if you sear it beforehand. The only work around … [Read more...] about Cider-Braised Turkey Thigh and why the Oven is Better than a Slow Cooker
Jawa Juice: Grapefruit-Basil Cocktail Punch with Frozen Cherries (Aperol Optional)
Is Aperol ever really optional? It's a bit like tying your shoe laces. You could leave them untied, but that would be dumb. Still, the virgin version of this punch is plenty passable (though less red). Either way, the key is the bittersweet grapefruit-basil syrup. Don't skip … [Read more...] about Jawa Juice: Grapefruit-Basil Cocktail Punch with Frozen Cherries (Aperol Optional)
Frog’s Legs, Chicken Wings or Scallops in Brandy
The original recipe is for frogs legs and it's in honour of Jabba the Hut's preference for eating them in brandy (see Christmas Party 2015 for further explanation). But frog's legs are somewhat hard to come by in Newfoundland, let alone in the middle of winter, so I subbed … [Read more...] about Frog’s Legs, Chicken Wings or Scallops in Brandy
Boozy Adventures and How to Make Homemade Limoncello
Limoncello is liquified Italian sunshine. The best versions are made with thick-skinned lemons from the Amalfi coast. They're sipped – glass by small glass – with memories of the azure coastline and often draw to a close a subjectively perfect meal of anything from simple … [Read more...] about Boozy Adventures and How to Make Homemade Limoncello
Baked Chicken and Rice with Okra…and Changing the World
I still dream about this dish. I have one serving in my freezer and I'm saving it for a special occasion when I'll need healthy comfort, like when the Habs lose game five, or for days worthy of a small celebration, like when Trump is ousted from politics forever (which will be … [Read more...] about Baked Chicken and Rice with Okra…and Changing the World
Blueberry Wine Chicken with Arugula
I love things bittersweet. The same way The English Patient pulls your heartstrings is how I feel about Aperol, or dark chocolate, or this recipe for sweet blueberry wine and bitter herbs. I think of it as balance. Because without the bitterness, how would you know what was … [Read more...] about Blueberry Wine Chicken with Arugula
Crispy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Fennel, Carrots and White Wine
This is one of those "looks fancy, but isn't" recipes. You roast a bunch of fennel and carrots with some white wine and then throw some marinated chicken breasts on top, letting their juices soak into the vegetables. If you feel ambitious, you add some beans and peas. Yup, … [Read more...] about Crispy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Fennel, Carrots and White Wine
Three Slow-Cooker Recipes and Throwing Off Winter with Lamb Tajine, Tequila Chicken Tacos and the Ultimate Tomato Sauce
Was that snow falling outside my window the other day? I refuse to believe that those big pillows of fluff weren't hallucinations. There's no way we're subzero and it's not even November yet. My general rule is that if it's not worse in Newfoundland than here in Montreal at any … [Read more...] about Three Slow-Cooker Recipes and Throwing Off Winter with Lamb Tajine, Tequila Chicken Tacos and the Ultimate Tomato Sauce
How to Make Homemade Korean Sake: Makgeolli with Koji
"You need a mother or a starter," explained Sebastien Bureau, the head of Research and Development at RISE Kombucha and the man who gave me koji. I was taking part in the Living Table Tour, a gastronomic bike tour offered by Melissa Simard through her company 'Round Table Tours. … [Read more...] about How to Make Homemade Korean Sake: Makgeolli with Koji