There's a surfeit of new speakeasy cocktail bars in Montreal of late, and the first one I checked out was Nhâu Bar, which is the subterranean lair of Hà, the Vietnamese place on McGill St. in the Old Port. There, bartender Tao Zrafi has created an Asian-inspired drinks menu … [Read more...] about The Banana Miso Cocktail by Tao Zrafi at Nhâu Bar in Montreal
All Recipes
Toasted Cinnamon Sticks from Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich (and the interview transcription)
One of the highlights of my food journalism career thus far is my 2015 interview with Alice Medrich, the Queen of Chocolate and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and baking instructor. What's stuck with my from that interview the most – more than the idea of hydrating … [Read more...] about Toasted Cinnamon Sticks from Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich (and the interview transcription)
Vegetarian Wild Mushroom Risotto
"Rice, say the Italians, is born in water and dies in wine," writes author Margaret Visser in her book Much Depends on Dinner. Would that we could all be so lucky? Hmm...that makes me sound a bit like an alcoholic, when I really just meant that I like swimming... Point … [Read more...] about Vegetarian Wild Mushroom Risotto
Shrimp and Cod Chowder (Dairy-Free)
Facts: My dad loves seafood chowder and I wanted to make it for him. Problem: It contains gluten and dairy. Goal: Create a gluten free, dairy free seafood chowder recipe that's as good as the original. Challenge: I didn't want to use coconut milk because it makes … [Read more...] about Shrimp and Cod Chowder (Dairy-Free)
Tender Pressure Cooker Calamari with Red Wine-Tomato Sauce (aka a Messy Sunset and How to Clean Squid)
I'm standing at my kitchen counter. Late afternoon light is streaming in through the windows as I take my uncleaned squid tubes and tentacles from the fridge. It was $1 less a pound to buy them uncleaned, with the inky skin, entrails and plastic-like clean quills (it's actually … [Read more...] about Tender Pressure Cooker Calamari with Red Wine-Tomato Sauce (aka a Messy Sunset and How to Clean Squid)
Cinnamon Spice Bundt Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
There are moments when you need something sweet. "A little sweet tooth tonight?" I was asked yesterday evening as I plunged a spoon into my red currant sorbet. No, a sweet tooth in life, actually, not just last night. It doesn't really go away. Besides, why would I want it to? … [Read more...] about Cinnamon Spice Bundt Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Buffalo Turnip Wings (Vegan)
These sound weird, I know. And I should have posted these before the Super Bowl, I know. But really, I've just saved that handful of football-watching vegans the annoyance of explaining to stereotypical meatitarians how these are better than chicken wings. You're … [Read more...] about Buffalo Turnip Wings (Vegan)
Cooking with Seal, Part 3: Rogan Josh
Alright, last kick at the can, I thought as I stared at the cubes of defrosted seal meat in front of me. I'd bought pounds of it at The Fish Depot in downtown St. John's over Christmas and brought this last pound of meat home with me in my luggage. Direct flight with good … [Read more...] about Cooking with Seal, Part 3: Rogan Josh
Cooking with Seal, Part 2: Ribs
For Part 2 in my 'How to cook seal' adventure, I decided to make ribs. It wasn't that hard a decision since the guy at The Fish Depot in downtown St. John's, NL only had seal cubes and seal ribs. I'd used the cubes to make meatballs, so now it was time to make ribs. I used a BBQ … [Read more...] about Cooking with Seal, Part 2: Ribs
Cooking With Seal, Part 1: Meatballs
This might seem weird, but yes, I cooked seal meatballs. The upsides: It's lean protein, high iron and totally sustainable (they're eating all the cod and these are not the cute baby ones). There are no antibiotics or grain in the feed since it's a wild meat. And it tastes … [Read more...] about Cooking With Seal, Part 1: Meatballs