Love it or hate it, fruitcake season is upon us! Filled with fruit and aged for as long as you can manage, this unfairly maligned cake is making a welcome comeback. Who doesn't love fruit and cake? This particular recipe was popular with our grandmothers. Light in colour (not in weight) this cake allows the festive jewel-toned fruit [...]
Sweet, beautiful, magical cherries! The season is upon us. Make the most of it with this simple two-step process and enjoy the fruits of your (minimal) labour Step 1: Choose the best cherries. When deciding which sweet red cherries to bring home, look for deep, dark shades of red. They should be firm and smooth. [...]
Whether you're freezing your late summer bounty or you've stocked up on sale-priced fresh tomatoes, freezing them for another day is a snap. No blanching or peeling necessary. Here's how: WHAT YOU NEED: Large sealable freezer bags, space in your freezer, a sharp paring knife, and glorious ripe tomatoes. WHAT YOU DO: 1) Wash and dry ripe [...]
Well, first, all of three potatoes are delicious, but that doesn't mean you can always use them interchangeably. Here's a break down of the right potato for the right dish. Russet Good old, classic russet! It's a drier potato, with a thick skin making it ideal for baking or frying. Thanks to this dryness, when you bake [...]
Squash season is a wonderful time of year, despite the mealtime protests from kids around the world. Prepare it right and you may even win those dubious littles over. And if not, oh well—more the rest of us! Cut off the top and bottom of the squash. Use a peeler to remove all the skin in [...]
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our friend and former Quadra Island Store Manager, Stuart McKean is his team's walk in support of ALS research. They raised $20,000! Amazing.
If you haven't tried grilled romaine lettuce, you're in for a treat! Smoky with a wonderful texture, lettuce on the grill may just outshine your best Caesar salad. INGREDIENTS 2 heads of romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed & cut in half lengthwise (4 halves) 3 tablespoons of olive oil Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper 2 tsp [...]
For those times when you reach for the baking soda mid-recipe only to discover that SOMEONE put the emptied container back in the cupboard or those midnight home baked cookie cravings—here's a handy list of baking ingredient substitutions! Baking Powder 1 teaspoon baking powder = ¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar + [...]
Butterflying a whole chicken simply means you are removing the sternum and backbone of the bird so it can lay flat. This cuts the cooking time in half, looks fancy on a platter and can be done in three simple steps. Tools: Good kitchen shears Sharp paring knife Cutting board Method Step 1 Prepare the [...]
Cooking salmon is child's play for we coast and island dwellers, right? Not necessarily. Many of us find cooking up this glorious fish a bit intimidating. Will it be too dry? Is it undercooked? Skin or no skin? Well, here's a few tips for serving up a perfectly cooked salmon. Preheat a neutral cooking oil [...]
