Last August Visit to the Market

This is a bad news/good news post. Fortunately the bad news is short, so I'll just get it out of the way....I woke up later than I intended and so hit the market when it was busy (I do love getting in and out before the crowds)...I brought my camera so I could share the hustle, bustle and, more important... what was on tap for the week.

It's great to follow the produce as it makes its way through the season..., carrots that are getting bigger and bigger, the "firsts" - for me it was leeks and still only limited signs of tomatoes,...but I digress. My other bad news...when about to take a photo so you could live vicariously, the camera kept flashing "no memory card"...Bummer! It was way too crowded and my hands too full of pain chocolat (already eaten, so don't even think about a picture...EVER) to actually see about it. Besides my other memory card was at home - naturally!

That said, on with the good news...the memory card was just jostled loose a bit, so all is fine.

The ground lamb and lamb pepperoni will be photographed when they turn into awesome dishes...I'm thinking lamb burgers (these Lamb Feta & Eggplant Burgers were awesome) and pepperoni & mushroom pizza, but you never know. I saw George Christakos of Brooklyn Warehouse (one of our favorite neighborhood bistros- I reviewed it for foodtv.) buying lamb at Wood & Hart right beside me (I guess I'll have to take a trip over to check out what they're doing with it at the restaurant).
Last week I bumped into Dennis Johnston of fid Resto! - another fave casual fine dining spot. He was buying up a huge batch of fresh local chanterelles.
It is definitely corn season and the sweetest young man...perhaps 8 years old was very helpful with my purchase. Only four ears, but then...it's just for me. Perhaps I'll repeat last night's version. My daughter Joanna came up with this...boil, brush with olive oil and cayenne pepper and grill (minus the BBQ of course). I bet I could get grill marks from my grill pan.
Of course I had to buy some bread from Julien's for our Saturday afternoon tradition...baguettes (this time Asiago) and goat cheeses from Ran-Cher Acres. The other bread...rosemary olive sourdough will make some awesome sandwiches or tomato bread salad during the week...drool, drool.
And I had to buy these gorgeous little tomatoes (so sweet, they're my "pop-in-the-mouth-anytime" candy-like treat... Perhaps they'll even make it into a salad or two. Last night we used up last week's purchase of cute little eggplants, nestled here with the tiny tomatoes) with Ted Hutton's recipe, but ate it all up before I could take a photo. Don't worry, I bought more so I could repeat the meal with less cute distractions (Boaz & his brother Dov are taking their parents to PEI for the weekend).
More firsts...how stunning are these tiny pears from the Annapolis Valley?
or these beautiful local peaches...
not to mention the first of the local apples...these are July Red, tart and crunchy. They will be starring in my first apple crisp of the season. Can't wait for this year's apple picking with the boys. Dov may only be able to eat them, but Bo will definitely be picking this year.
First leeks mean a favorite soup of mine - Mushroom, Leek & Spinach. Only question...do I add these cute new potatoes or save them for lemon roasted potatoes like Jo made last night. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Last, but definitely not least, the most fantastic garlic - and organic, at that - I ever bought and right from Four Seasons Farm in Maitland, NS- no need to import from China, or anywhere else. If I could only freeze this time of year to get some all year long.

Definitely time to take a break and enjoy some of my bounty. I know I sound like a broken record, but local really does taste better - plus by supporting local farmers you contribute on so many levels...but enough about me... What's your favorite Eat Real Eat Local food available right now?

Presto Pasta Night #128

Helen of Fuss Free Flavours has been our wonderful host this week for Presto Pasta Night #128. And I'm happy to say, it's a wonderful looking list of tasty pastas.

I do apologize if some of you don't see your entry. I gave out an old email address and didn't remedy that until the middle of the week. So if you don't find yourself, and your delicious pasta, don't despair, just email them to me at ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com. I'm hosting next week and I'll gladly add you to the list.

If you're interested in hosting a PPN roundup, it's lots of fun and although every week in September is spoken for, there are lots of openings in October and beyond. Just send me an email and I'll be happy to add you to the list.

In the meantime, Happy Pasta Eating everyone and thanks for the great entries.

Stilll Blueberry Season

Biggest highlight at the market last week and finally made their way to the local supermarkets as well... blueberries...tiny little wild ones that pack quite the tangy punch and cultivated, big fat and juicy ones. I've already shared some of my favorite blueberry recipes with you, but I certainly haven't had my fill yet...as I write this, I'm enjoying some blueberries and goat yoghurt drizzled with some local honey....heaven in a bowl!

But what was I going to do with the last of this batch???? And, because I really do love to support local farmers when I can, I thought I'd check out Anita Stewart's Canada, which is one of my favorite books. Even if you don't live in this wonderful country, it's a stunning book.

I couldn't resist these stunning Butter Honey Blueberry Muffins which taste even better than they sound. Ingredients....local butter from Tatamagouche, Smeltzer's honey, and wild blueberries from one of the many stands at the Saturday farmer's market.

Just another reason I support Helmann's Eat Real Eat Local Campaign, Tomorrow is another visit to the market...for sure corn will make its way back here, some lovely new potatoes and ...hopefully, some tomatoes...not to mention all the usual wonderful treats. I'll keep you posted.

Wherever you live, there are some local, seasonal things to focus on...what's up in your neck of the woods?

A Whole New Perspective on Curry

Truth...I'm embarrased to say, the first time I ever tasted curry was in London, England when I travelled there for the first time at the ripe old age of twenty one. Somehow, it never made it into my mother's repertoire and even when I was boss of my own kitchen, I didn't make it very often.

My take...curry = Indian; the more Southern the hotter the dish; lots of work to prepare (of course it is when you make a giant feast and invite the world), so best eaten out.

Gradually my horizons expanded (through restaurants at first) Pad Thai, Singapore Noodles, Jamaican goat curry roti,...plus now you find curry dishes on just about every menu of every restaurant.

That said, I'm still learning and the latest in my treasure trove of cookbooks is Curry Cuisine which does an awesome job of explaining which countries cook which curries, what spices each uses and tons of other interesting info (like Japan first started cooking with curry through their British connections in the mid 19th Century. Check out my review for the whole scoop.

And, how uninformed of me to lump "curry" with India...Northern India and its many regions, Southern India and Pakistan are all so varied in their use of spices and cooking methods, not to mention Vietnam, Laos, Caribbean....

I tried this Pakistani Lamb & Tomato Curry, expecting lots of heat and was pleasantly surprised with its mild and mellow flavors.
I served it with another Pakistani dish - Chickpea & Rice Pilau, thinking I'd need it to counter the anticipated HEAT. It was gloriously aromatic and quite a lovely combination. Now I have to choose my next cultural curry...I wonder where I'll end up?

What's you latest food fixation? And which book explains it best?

BBQ Pasta? Really? Well Not Exactly, But...

I'm not sure if the authors actually thought of pasta when they were putting together my newest cookbook...300 Big and Bold Barbecue and Grilling Recipes and you can read my take on it here...but the cooked pasta in the fridge - I was ready for the big effects of Hurricane Bill- was calling. After all, pasta is a perfect base for salads, so if the power goes out, there's still tasty meals to be had with a little oil and vinegar and something from a can.

We were lucky and didn't really get much more than lots of rain and high winds. A good idea to stay indoors for the day, but what was I to do with all that pasta?

There was a fantastic recipe for Grilled Shrimp in Garlic Wine Marinade with Peanut Sauce (I'm even drooling just thinking about it) that I thought might work with pasta...at least the garlic-wine marinade part.

At first, I tossed the hot pasta with some of the marinade (after I boiled it so there was no raw shrimp juice in it) and placed the shrimp on top, adding a small dollop of sauce on top. I didn't want to kill the dish by going overboard....I've definitely done that before...not knowing when to stop and destroying a dish. So that's the photo....but it was so awesome that I just kept adding sauce and tossing it all together.

Lucky me, this success story goes out to Helen at Fuss Free Flavours, this week's Presto Pasta Night host. What are you serving up? Send your entries to hippolyra (at) fussfreeflavours (dot)com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com


Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. October and beyond are wide open. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

A Nice Invitation to Share my Views on Food

Tasty treats from Hutton Family Farm at Halifax Saturday Farmers Market

I recently was invited to be a guest blogger on East Coast By Choice.ca Check it out and then think about what your food philosophy is.

Do you just grab whatever is handy?

Do you love to spend hours in the kitchen trying complex dishes or prefer to "whip something up"?

Are you a "live to eat" or "eat to live" person?

Is eating local important to you?

Do you get excited about how food looks, smells, tastes?

I remember when I was younger, my cousin (always a radical, always boycotting, or protesting something or other) said we shouldn't eat...I don't remember what exactly, but I do remember asking if the reason was political or health oriented.

Please share your views in the comments.

Preparing for Hurricane Bill

Here in Halifax, we're all preparing for Hurricane Bill. Depending on which radio/tv/internet expert you listen to, we might be hit full on or just a glancing blow. So...got the batteries, duct tape, heavy plastic, lots of water, canned goods (salads - pasta, chick pea, tuna...are sitting in my fridge as I write.)...

My cousin called from Fort Lauderdale and since he's seen many a hurricane in his day, he felt it wise to share his "preparedness tips"...Number One...have a good corkscrew ;-)
My rule... have something delicious to munch on while you wait. Check out my very fresh Digby Scallops, lightly dusted with Madras Sambar Masala, seared for 2 minutes per side, sprinkled with fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

And now we wait....

Presto Pasta Night Roundup #127 At Last

This was one crazy week.... Katie of One Little Corner of the World had her first week back at work and I do understand how life somehow gets in the way of good intentions. I didn't even get a chance to write about my own pasta dinner this week. Bottom line... Presto Pasta Night #127 was a little later than usual....but well worth it, I promise.

Everyone outdid themselves - thanks all for a job well done - Katie, for hosting in spite of all that was on your plate. And to each of you brilliant pasta makers - BRAVO!

Next week's host will be Helen of Fuss Free Flavours - I love her subtitle - tasty stuff without the fuss - my kind of world! Send your entries to hippolyra (at) fussfreeflavours (dot)com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. October and beyond are wide open. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

Presto Pasta 127 Update...almost ready

I know we're all anxious to see this week's Presto Pasta Night Roundup. Katie's had a crazy week, and is a little late, but check back at One Little Corner of the World later today to see all the tasty pasta dishes.

Now at 7:25 am I'm off to the farmers market. I have a feeling that we'll all be enjoying the parade of pasta by the time I'm back.

Two More Reasons to Eat Local

It's been a hot and hazy week here in Halifax Nova Scotia. We've already broken records (at least twice) for heat - which didn't stop me from going blueberry picking twice this week.

As you can see, Boaz at two and a half, already knows the routine....Pick ....
eat eight...
one for the bucket.
Even nine month old Dov loves blueberries, here with his mummy who can't feed him fast enough.
Back to the title of the post "2 more reasons to eat local" ....Reason One: delicious family outings. This one was at Between the Bushes (200 acres of blueberries for "pick-your-own" and commercial produce) that also has a fantastic restaurant that my Honey and I will go back to without little messy children (the picnic tables outside beside the fish pond & fountain that captivated Boaz was perfect for family outings).

The day before I went out to Lunenburg County Winery (an assignment for foodtv's blog - I'll keep you posted), a unique Nova Scotian winery. Heather and her husband started a fruit farm thirty years ago and while they do make traditional grape wine...
...they just see grapes as one of many fruits. They have 100 acres of blueberries (you can pick your own and they have a commercial operation as well), 6 acres of grapes and more acres of other berries and a small orchard as well. What that means is blueberry wine is made from nothing but fermented blueberries, same for strawberry, apple, kiwi (did you know that they are grown right here in the Annapolis Valley?), peach, cherry, pear, elderberry....list of wines is endless
If they don't produce it, someone in the Annapolis Valley does. I couldn't resist the Honey Moon Wine, which is made from fermented local honey - think Mead and Harry Potter or your favorite Medieval story...Robin Hood, King Arthur...but I digress. The Oxbells and Fireflies is a sweet wine made of apples and maple syrup and apparently is a fantastic accompaniment with curries. My bottle is in the fridge chilling for the first chance I get to heat up the kitchen with a pot of curry. Stay tuned.

Reason two for the title - " more reasons to eat local". One day this week, it was too hot to do anything except find an air conditioned theater and spend two hours in a dark cold place. My younger daughter, Sharron and I didn't even care which movie we actually saw...it was more important to pick one that started....NOW!!!

We ended up seeing Food Inc. which is a truly eye-opening, thought provoking documentary about the food industry in the US. I don't usually stand on a soapbox about anything, and I've always liked to buy locally simply because..well, it tastes better. This film gave me an even more important reason to 1.) go to local markets first; 2.) read labels for point of origin; 3.) ask my grocer/butcher/fish monger where it came from and 4.) buy free range and organic whenever possible. But I suggest you check out the link above and/or see the film for yourself. Hopefully, this was enough to peak your interests.

I've often mentioned Hellmann's Eat Real Eat Local Campaign. And I did mention Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food and his tv program Fowl Dinners . Between eye-opening facts on their sites, and watching the film and tv show, I really encourage you...no matter where you live, to be more aware of what you eat and look for local first.

Here's what I'll be buying this week at the Farmer's Market....fresh Nova Scotia lamb (for that curry from my newest cookbook - Curry Cuisine ), fresh fish and seafood - scallops, ( I saw an awesome looking recipe for curried scallop salad in Everyday Indian doable even if it is hot), goat cheese, goat yoghurt and free range eggs, fresh herbs, and whatever else catches my eye.

Where are you shopping for food this weekend?

At Least There's Blueberries

We've set a new record....hottest it's been in 39 years. Frankly, I'm not impressed. This is one record I could do without.

The good news...it's blueberry season BIG TIME here in Nova Scotia and I thought I'd share some of my all time favorite recipes with you.

My most favorite of all...Blueberry Minty Custard Tart

Blueberry Crisp

Minty Berries with Yoghurt

Quick Berry Sauce (great over anything...especially wonderful over ice cream)

Blueberry Mint Granita

Blueberry Pecan Bran Muffins (a perfect mid-morning snack)

And who says blueberries are just for dessert...check out this Blueberry Salsa...one of my favorite ways to serve grilled fish and steak.

or this awesome salad...Scallops on Mixed Greens & Blueberries

There are more, but this is a good start. Happy Blueberry Season, everyone.

Presto Pasta Night #126 is Ready for Eating

Get your forks, bibs, and anything else you need to dig in to this week's fantastic Presto Pasta Night Roundup. Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity did another awesome job of hosting (it's her second time!) and all the dishes look particularly spectacular. Whether you in the midst of summer or winter has kicked in where you live, there's something for you to whip up this week.

Next week Katie of the very delicious One Little Corner of the World will be hosting. Send all your amazing dishes to her via email sprange (at) hometel (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. October and beyond are wide open. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

Thanks again, everyone for a truly wonderful roundup this week. Couldn't do it without you all...which means, however subtly...what are you making for next week's roundup?

Quick, Easy, and Oh So Tasty Indian Food

Just when you think you've figured out what East Indian cooking is all about....think again.

Check out what I had to say about Bal Arneson's latest book Everyday Indian
...it's unique and wonderful.
Like these Salmon Paneer Cakes (or in my case crab).

Or this Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa

I think the garam masala scallops are next.

Curried Spaghetti Sauce

When I think "East Indian" cooking...I usually think - hot, hotter, hottest. And I love it, but usually have to tone it down a notch. East Indian cooking is one of my favorite ethnic eating choices. Butter Chicken, Saag Paneer, Sookhi Gobi, curries of course, Biryani...the list is long.

That said, I've never seen Curried Spaghetti Sauce, so when I got my newest lovely cookbook Everyday Indianby Bal Arneson, I couldn't resist it. After all...tomorrow is Presto Pasta Night and this week, the lovely Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen is hosting.

I was surprised at how mild, yet how flavorful the sauce was. I suppose you could always add more heat to it, but I loved it just the way it is. It's perfect for wimps and kids of all ages. My Honey just would have preferred it over penne or some other small tubular pasta....oh well, next time.

Don't forget to send in your entries to Psychgrad...you still have time. Just email bloggingwagon (at) hotmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com