Can you imagine a world without condiments? I can’t and I won’t! These guys are essential in cooking. They add flavor, enhance the dish and/or complete it. Imagine French fries without ketchup? Nope! What about not adding Dijonnaise to a Caesar Salad dressing? My Baked Salmon with Dill Sauce wouldn’t have that delicious impact without the Dijon mustard. These are “a must” and any home cook/chef can simply not live without them. Another condiment that I use every day either when I spread it on my croissant or add a square to my pancakes, sauté some vegetables, make a sauce or a roux, bake cupcakes, and so on is butter! Besides the regular ones, there’s also compound butter like Creole, Strawberry, Horseradish, Orange, Basil Lemon, Tomato, Blueberry, Garlic Herb, Apple, Whipped Tarragon, Chipotle, Avocado, and many others including this one… Chive Butter! It’s super easy to make and requires only 3 ingredients… that’s all! It takes a few minutes to put together, then it’s rolled into a log shape and chilled for 2 hours or until it hardens. I use parchment or wax paper when I roll mine. From there, I transfer it to the fridge and use it within 7 days. It also freezes very well so I transfer the log to a re-sealable freezer plastic bag, pop it in the freezer for up to 4 months. I find Chive Butter extremely versatile. It has a beautiful mild oniony flavor therefore its use is almost unlimited. Add some when making an omelet or finish your grilled fish with a dab of it. Instead of using Beurre Maître d’Hotel, put a cold slice of this one on top of your warm steak… it’s such a flavorful experience! I like to spread some on my corn on the cob as well as on dinner rolls. It’s a tasty substitute when making sauces and gravies. Add some in your skillet next time you sauté vegetables. Mold it into a heart or star, shape it into a ball or square when having a dinner party… it’s so elegant! I love making compound butter because it’s extremely easy to make and adds flavor to whatever you use it for. If you’re growing a garden this summer, Chive Butter is certainly a delicious way to use up this incredible herb… Bon Appétit! Check out these other great condiment recipes… – Homemade Tzatziki Sauce – Homemade Sweet Relish – Mornay Sauce – Russian Dressing – Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – Bourbon Maple Bacon Jam – Thai Yellow Curry Paste – Pomegranate Molasses and for even more condiment recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Condiments
My bucket list is quite extensive when it comes to visiting countries. One that I would love spending a few months in is France exploring all its regions. First, I’d be landing in the Îles-de-France region which is where Paris is located. Of course, this is a foody hotspot when it comes to classic French cuisine! We can find flavorful dishes like Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée (French Onion Soup), Blanquette de Veau, Mille-feuille, and many more. It’s definitely not a place to be on a diet! From there, I would go to the Grand Est which is the region that wraps Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne together. Besides Quiches and obviously the best sparkling wine in the world, this region is renowned for game and ham as well as my favorite beer… Kronenbourg! At this point, there’s nothing stopping me from going across the border and exploring Germany – my husband’s roots – unless I simply go to Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland! If I decide to stay in France, I’d go to Normandy which is the land of Camembert cheese, Brioche, Calvados, Andouille Sausage (yes, it originated from France not in New Orleans…), Poulet Sauté Yvetois, as well as seafood like Moules à la Normande, Coquilles St Jacques, Huîtres Chaudes au Pommeau, which are staples of this region unless I venture south and try Brittany’s oysters and lobsters. I can also enjoy some Cotriade, Crêpes or even Galettes de Sarrasin, one of my mother’s favorites. Now heading east, we end up in Pays de la Loire and Central France to enjoy fresh fruits for breakfast, a Tourangelle Soup for lunch and freshwater fish for dinner before finishing with Tarte Tatin or a couple Macaroons… yum! Next is Bourgogne and Franche-Comté… do I really have to spell it out – the best wine and cheese, oh my! Of course, there are other well-known dishes like Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon and Poulet de Bresse or Poulet à la Comtoise. To the south is Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes where Lyon is located also knows as the “world capital of gastronomy” and certainly a delicious destination with their wine (Beaujolais and Rhône Valley), game, sausages, Salade Lyonnaise, fish, Raclette, Gratin Dauphinois, Escalope de Veau Belle Comtoise, etc. South of this is Nouvelle-Aquitaine and as a wine drinker, this would be heavenly! I can just imagine sipping a nice glass of wine while spreading some foie gras on freshly baked Baguettes. Lamb, hare, pigeon and goose are other staples from this region including truffles – I don’t think I would like coming back to Canada! And next comes the southwest of France known as the region of Occitanie. With its saucisses de Toulouse, Cassoulet, Bourride, Cargolade, etc., this is a perfect spot for a foody like me! Next to it is Côte d’Azur where Bouillabaisse à la Marseillaise is one of the famous dishes of the region including Ratatouille, Pan Bagnat and Salade Niçoise! From there, I’ll be jumping on a boat to go to Corsica where I can savor a nice Veau aux Olives, a Wild Boar Casserole along with a side of polenta or pasta. Let’s go back to Côte d’Azur and its Salade Niçoise shall we! This recipe is simply amazing! This is exactly what summer is all about; fresh and healthy with layers of yumminess! I have to be honest with the fact that there are several steps involved to achieve this incredible dish but it’s so worth it! After boiling the eggs – I prefer hard boiled over medium boiled – and potatoes, blanching some beans and marinating the red onions, the rest is easy peasy… you just need to assemble it. A couple of points I would like to highlight is when making the tasty vinaigrette, I use raspberry wine vinegar because it gives a subtle dimension to the salad but normally red wine vinegar is used so pick whichever you prefer. If you’re using an oil-packed tuna can, reserve the oil and if there’s not enough, add extra virgin olive oil to get the ¼ cup needed. After chilling the vinaigrette for 1:30 hours, take it out 20 minutes before serving in case the oil starts to solidify. When ready to eat, give it a good whisk and pour it over the Salade Niçoise. Back to the tuna… It’s visually more appealing to have little chunks of it than flakes. It gives more personality to the dish. Another ingredient that gives a nice look to it is red peppers – it’s not traditional but highly suggested. Salade Niçoise is beyond a salad… it’s an art form on a plate! I know there are a lot of steps but the combination is exactly what Côte d’Azur is about; great ingredients with a breeze of freshness from the Mediterranean. This is a salad that you must have and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes your favorite for the season… Bon Appétit! Here are more incredible French recipes for you to enjoy… – Classic Vichyssoise – Canard aux Montmorency – Croque-madame – Escargots à la Bourguignonne – Sole Almondine – Creamy French Eggs – Steak Tartare – Lemon Rosemary Madeleines and for even more salad recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Salads & Dressings
During the warm weather, I have two things that I can’t live without… my barbecue – I don’t want to heat up the kitchen – and having a cold treat! It doesn’t matter how old we are, when it’s hot outside, we like to enjoy a nice gelato, fudgesicle, milkshake, slushy, float, snow cone, popsicle, etc. When it comes to ice cream, I’ve posted many scrumptious recipes like Piña Colada, Blood Orange, Coffee, Passion Fruit, Maple Walnut, and others. Today, there’s another one to add to this list and it’s my Black Cherry Ice Cream! If I could describe it in one word, it would be this… Y-U-M-M-Y! I’m a Bing cherry lover and when they are on the shelves, I turn into a kid in a candy store! First, my mouth opens and my eyes light up. I then grab a bag (or two) before getting back to my shopping – at this point, I don’t care about what else is on my grocery list and can go straight home with my cherries. If you’re like me when it comes to this particular fruit then this is the treat for you… Bing cherries are great for savory recipes like Canard aux Montmorency, Cherry Simple Syrup, Ham with Spicy Cherry Sauce, or beautiful Ribs with a Cherry Glaze. It’s certainly a no-brainer when it comes to desserts and beverages… Cherry Pie, Cherry Cola Float, Cherries Jubilee, Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Cherry Martini, Cherry Clafoutis, etc… The beauty of making this Black Cherry Ice Cream recipe is there’s no machine involved… well only when I make my Whipped Cream, I use a stand mixer. What I’m saying is most of my ice cream recipes are no churn. On the other hand, if you do own a machine, nothing is stopping you from using it. One important step to do when making ice cream with fruits is to dehydrate them. To avoid the ice crystals caused by the fruit’s moisture, roasting the cherries in the oven is a good solution unless you own a dehydrator (machine #2). Either way, you don’t want them to turn too “crispy” but remove enough moisture so the ice cream turns out nice and creamy. I do the same when I make my Strawberry Ice Cream When Bing cherries are in season – unfortunately only for a really short time -, take advantage and make this easy Black Cherry Ice Cream! It’s so decadent and packed with flavor. Oh my, I almost forgot… I also add a tiny amount of Cherry Brandy in the mixture but Cherry Simple Syrup can also be substituted… Bon Appétit! Here are more scrumptious cold treat recipes for you to try… – Yogurt Bars with Fruit & Nuts – Chocolate Ice Cream – Shamrock Shake Copycat – Lemon Gelato coming up on June 15th, 2023 – Mango Sorbet – Granita di Caffè Con Panna and for even more cold treat recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Ice Cream & More
There’s one thing that drives me “nuts”… wasting food! With inflation, the cost of food went up dramatically. David and I are not independently wealthy and I always try to salvage what’s left in the fridge by creating recipes or freezing it. As much as I try to not throw food in the garbage, I sometimes have to do it. There’s a vegetable that costs less money when buying it whole instead of just the ribs and after trying many ways to keep it longer like separating the ribs and plunging them in a long Tupperware container filled with water, I finally got it! In this episode of How to Store Celery for Weeks, you’ll be surprised how long it lasts! I’ve been doing it for a couple decades therefore it didn’t dawn on me to share it until one of my girlfriends asked me what was in my crisper. I told her and right away her reaction was – “no way”! She told me that hers never last more than 5 days before the ribs become limp. How to Store Celery for Weeks is so easy. After drying them with paper towels to remove any moisture, they need to be wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, unwashed and uncut, and stored back in the crisper as usual. That way, the celery stalk maintains its freshness for 3 to 4 weeks. Now if the celery ribs are washed and cut into pieces, I rely on the water method by putting them in water – and of course, back in the fridge. How does it work? Simple… Every vegetable emits ethylene gas and this is how they ripen faster. For an example, to accelerate avocado ripening, place it in a brown paper bag with a banana… the same applies with so many other fruits & vegetables. Now to let the gas escape from the celery and keep it fresh at the same time, aluminum foil is the solution. I think this vegetable is underrated. It’s used in so many recipes and it’s certainly a must for home chefs. Now with this quick & easy How to Store Celery for Weeks trick, you’ll be happy to unwrap it and find it fresh like the day you bought it. After getting some, make sure to rewrap it tightly each time. This is another easy way to save money… Bon Appétit! Here are more great kitchen tips & tricks for you save money… – Secret to Better Freezer Meat Storage – Tomato Paste Leftover Solution – Buttermilk from Scratch – Extend the Shelf Life of Parsley & Cilantro – Tomato Ripening Trick – Grind Chicken & Save Money – Vanilla Sugar – How to Make It and for more handy kitchen tips and tricks, click on this link… Recipe Category – Tips & Tricks
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We all know by now that drinking plenty of water is very good for us and also important especially when it’s hot and humid outside or when working out because it regulates our body temperature. What I like to do first thing in the morning is to press a full lemon in a very large cup (trust me, my cup is oversized), fill it up with water and warm it up in the microwave. It’s a good way to rehydrate after fasting overnight. Throughout the day, I drink more water. As much as we have to drink between 2 ½ to 4 liters of water per day for several health reasons, it gets boring. Another healthy beverage that I like to incorporate in our diet is a smoothie! Most recipes out there are loaded with vitamins, nutrients, fibers, etc. Of course, one a day by itself replacing a meal is sufficient otherwise we might have too many calories as well as elevating our blood sugar. I have many smoothie recipes like Tropical Sunshine, Berry Fusion, Pomegranate Avocado Detox, Polynesian, Green Smoothie, Kiwi Raspberry, Caribbean, and many more including this amazing one… Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie! This is so refreshing and quite tasty! The combination of these two fruits is perfect! Like any other smoothie, it’s super quick and easy to make. To this, I add vanilla yogurt and the brand I really enjoy is Activia® – no, nobody pays me for saying that! Also depending on how sweet the fruits are, I like to add about a tablespoon of agave nectar to my Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie if needed. You can use honey but I find agave lighter. Brighten up your mornings by making this delicious Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie! The flavor is so “summery”! With only 3 (or 4) ingredients, this is the perfect light beverage to start your day but nothing is stopping you from enjoying it for a mid-afternoon treat! Cheers! Check out these other incredible beverage recipes… – Kiwi-Banana-Pineapple-Orange Smoothie – Red Velvet Boost – Tahini Mango Peanut Butter Smoothie – Palm Springs Date Shake – Cantaloupe Smoothie – Agua de Jamaica and for even more non-alcoholic & alcoholic recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beverages
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