From Paris with Love ... and Pumpkins

We can find recipes in interesting places if we are always on the look out.  The following great find came from my obsession with celebrity gossip and Hello Canada Magazine (the Oct 17 edition).  This yummy recipe is an excerpt from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan.  Who knew that a magazine devoted to lifestyles of the rich and famous would also be a source for recipes.  The other recipes from the book look equally delicous and worth a try.  But with Hallowe'en around the corner and pumpkins in tremendous supply, this seems like a good place to start.

I might experiement with the cheese as well .... gorgonzola sounds fantastic, but I'm going to ask the experts at Sam's cheese at the Hamilton Farmers market for some other options.  Some people are shy about their cheese and I think a less robust variety might work, too. 

Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Flans
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Greenspan likes serving these flans in their cups, but you can unmold them. While the French would garnish this flan with creme fraiche, Greenspan prefers a tiny drizzle of honey or maple syrup. The flans are best served the day they are made. Keep, lightly covered, at room temperature for about 6 hours before serving.
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 1/2 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled (generous 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped roasted walnuts
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter six custard cups or ramekins. Line the bottom of a roasting pan that’s large enough to hold the cups comfortably with a double layer of paper towels. Put the custard cups in the pan. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
Put the pumpkin, eggs, yolks and cream in a food processor or blender. Process to blend. Season with salt and pepper; pour the custard into cups. Divide the Gorgonzola among the flans, poking the cheese into the custard a little bit, just to distribute it. Sprinkle the tops of the flans with the walnuts. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups.
Bake until a knife inserted into a custard comes out almost clean, 35-40 minutes. Transfer the roasting pan to a rack; let the flans cool in the water bath to just warm or room temperature.

Stay tuned for reviews as I try this recipe on my unsuspecting friends tomorrow night. 

Delicious Food Show - Oct 20 - 23

Calling all "foodies"!  The DELICIOUS FOOD SHOW is underway at the Better Living Centre at the Toronto Exhibition Place.  Visit hundreds of vendors dedicated to tempting your palate.  And while you take a rest, watch your favourite celebrity chefs on the Food Network Stage.  Liaison College is presenting along with LIFE EXPERIENCES.CA in booth number 724.

At the opening night for VIP's last night the samples were flowing.  Mark McEwen was signing his latest cookbook and the celebrity stage was cooking.  Everything from organic CSA farmers to decadent chocolates in the shape of designer shoes.  There is something there for everyone.  Get great ideas and recipes from the vendors with new sauces and dips.  Perfect for the holiday season just around the corner.

Come and visit us this weekend!

Here's Chef Tracy from our new SouthCoast Campus with Chef Lynn Crawford:

Fall Food Spectacular

This time of year the bounty of the fall harvest gets even the most timid of foodies out of their shell to taste the delicious yield.  We are so fortunate to have access to the farms and fields who provide us with such good, tasty products.
Along with the fall harvest come the fall showcases of food.  Here are some of the events we are participating in (recent and upcoming) that might "tickle your food bone"!

September
Oinktoberfest
Taste Local Taste Fresh
October 2011
Foodstock 2011
Delicious Food Show

There are so many great and tasty events to choose from ..... venture out before the snow flies!

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake  15   SM gingersnaps 1/3 cup pecans 1/4 cup brown sugar 2   oz unsalted butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1   tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp cloves 1   lb cream cheese 3   eggs 1   cup pumpkin puree 1/2 cup pecans         To Decorate 1/4  cup pecans chopped 2.5  tbsp Brown Sugar

Method In a food processor pulse to chop the gingersnap cookie and 1/3 cup pecans, set aside. Melt the 2 oz butter in a saucepan, add the cookie and nut crumbs with 1/4 cup Brown sugar. Line a 9" cake pan with parchment paper and place the cookie crumble onto base and flatten. Chop the 1/2 cup pecan to a fine dice, set aside. In a mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the cream cheese and brown sugar, add all spices and pumpkin puree, beat together for 2 min. Add one egg at a time and continue to beat until all 3 eggs are incorporated. Add in the chopped pecan and mix together, pour batter into lined mold  and bake at 350 F.  for 1 hr. or until firm on the top.  To decorate, mix together the finely chopped pecans with the brown sugar and pour on top of the cheesecake

A "Follie" Good Time in Hamilton

On the evening October 1st the Hamilton Campus of Liaison College turned into a fabulous rock 'n' roll venue complete with live band Jacke de Keyzer (award winner!) and refreshments.  Oh, I mean, gourmet delights to tempt the most discerning palate!  Including upscale grilled cheese, pear and brie on crostini, potato puffs, mini beef wellingtons (to name a few!) and a dessert table to make even the crustiest heart melt.  What a feast.  Paired with local WINE and BEER for a total gourmet package.
The Chefs and students were working feverishly in the kitchen and the office staff were busy taking care of the front of the house.
Proceeds from the event will support the Hamilton area Geritol Follies which is a show not to be missed.

A wonderful evening .....

First Annual Baking & Sweets Show

The first annual Baking & Sweets Show was held Sept 30 - Oct 2, 2011 at the International Centre.  The show featured everything sweet ... from cupcakes, to chocolate, to icings, to shortbread ... there was no shortage of sugary delights. 
The entrance included access to the demonstation stage where celebrities and experts shared their secrets to baking.  Redpath Sugar was a major sponsor and their booth featured a photo opportunity where visitors could don a chef coat and pose holding a LARGE scale baking utensil (my friend Gail chose the rolling pin).  There was also a spooky cake competition and some of the entries were downright scary!

Most of the booths had samples galore (which was a bit of a challenge if you were counting calories) and there was a good steady crowd.  Perhaps you will see Liaison College there next year.

For more information about the Show check out the link.



A Grand Re-Opening Event

On September 22 2011 the Liaison College location in Kitchener ON celebrated its grand re-opening in its new premises.  The new location at 50 Ottawa St S (at Charles) is a former factory now re-purposed to house several retail shops, a storage facility and several other businesses including Liaison College.  The soaring ceilings, original flooring (both hardwood and concrete) and exposed mechanisms are the only clues left to what this massive building once was.  The entire building (all 220,000 sq feet) has been retrofitted to a new purpose.  Liaison College has approximately 5,400 sq feet of space that includes a large commercial kitchen, theory classroom, dining room, reference room and office space.  The mayor of Kitchener, Carl Zehr, officially opened the new location with kind words about LC's 10 year plus history in the community while guests enjoyed a wide variety of gourmet treats served by students.  To add to the ambience of the occasion, a local violinist entertained.  Staff of the campus and alumni students were on hand to to show off the amazing space where future chefs will train.  The food, of course, was entirely delicious; and the special cake prepared by graduate Sana Thibeh was an amazing work of art!  Congratulations to Chef Elaina Ravo CCC, the Director of the campus, for her wonderful event showcasing the new premises.
For more information visit Liaison College Kitchener

Taste Local Taste Fresh!

Foodlink Waterloo presents an annual fundraising event featuring local foods paired with local chefs.  This year's event was held in St. Jacobs on Sunday Sept 18th.  Liaison College was partnered with Gillespies Garden and prepared a "Braised Pork and Corn Crepes" for the sold out crowd of 500.

If the constant line up was any indication or the front page coverage in the KW Record (local newspaper), the feedback was overwhelmingly good ....

If you would like to try for yourself, following is the recipe:

Braised Pork & Corn Crepes

Crepes
15 Servings

• Prep: 25 min. + chilling Cook: 20 min.

Ingredients -

2 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

·         ·  In a food processor or blender, cover and process corn until pureed. Add the flour, cream, eggs, butter, salt and pepper; pulse until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

·         ·  Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet; pour 1/4 cup batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. When cool, stack the crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.

 

Braised pork

 

Ingredients

• 1 (about 3-4 pounds) bone-in fresh pork shoulder half (preferably picnic)
• 2 garlic, cloves, slivered
• coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon harissa, or any hot sauce
• 1/2 cup Riesling
• 3 cups unfiltered apple cider
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• sprigs mint
• sprigs fresh coriander
• chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Score pork in a crosshatch pattern.
3. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit.
4. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
5. Heat oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides about 8 minutes
6. Transfer pork to a plate.
7. Add onions to pot and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
8. Add salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
9. Stir in spices and harissa.
10. Continue cooking onions for another 1-2 minutes.
11. Deglaze pan with Riesling, simmering until liquid has almost evaporated.
12. Stir in cider, stock and water and return pork to pot.
13. Add herb sprigs.
14. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
15. Transfer pork to a serving dish.
16. Boil juice in Dutch oven until reduced by 1/2 into a glaze, about 20 minutes.
17. Season to taste.
18. Shred pork and mix with the sauce

Gorilla Cheese Please!

Last week Hamilton lined up its range of "food trucks" for an event open to the public to inspire the wide range of offerings out of what could usually be called a "chip wagon".  Not anymore.  The one we focused on, though, was Gorilla Cheese since the concept is the creative vision of Graeme Smith a Liaison College graduate.  Who knew that a background working at Stelco, with its ups and downs of the volatile labour market would result in Graeme feeding his passion at culinary college?  And then to find himself working on a school project where he had to create a business plan.  When his instructor told him:  "if you don't do this business I will!"  that was the tipping point and Gorilla Cheese became a reality.
Now six months in business the truck is fantastically busy.  It's novel; it's a conversation piece and it's tasty.  According to our Exec Assistant, Brittany (who went on a mission to check out the food trucks and said by far the line up at Gorilla Cheese was the longest), it was "the best grilled cheese I've had in my life".  Wow.
The novelty adds to the allure and many articles have been written about Gorilla Cheese.  All you have to do is Google it to see for yourself.
Can't wait for the truck to come to my neighbourhood!

Day Seven & Eight: Saint John NB & the USA road home

Leaving PEI behind was a bittersweet experience.  We enjoyed our time there thoroughly (not to mention the food!!) and wished we had a few more days..... 

However we know that we will be back within a year as next year's Chef Educators Conference will be held at Holland College and hosted by our friends.  June 2012 - it's PEI or bust!

We arrived on the island by ferry, but left via the Confederation Bridge.  Yes, for many years now (since 1997) travellers to PEI can get there by car without boats involved!  This concrete marvel is an amazing piece of architecture with its sturdy supports (right into the deep channel waters) and amazing views.  You pay a toll when you leave PEI - so I guess they are hoping that you come and enjoy it so much you never leave!  The cost to leave via the bridge was approx $45.  And worth every penny.  The 8 minute trip was an experience in itself.


As soon as you cross the bridge you can enter the New Brunswick tourist information centre.  This environmentally friendly facility is very "green" .... my partner did not warn me that the washroom facilities were similar to our friend's cottage - an open "pit" (no flushing) with a very distinct odour - and I was in and out in a hurry!  But I did think that the hand sink supplied with rain water was very neat.  The centre is a hive of activity and information and we were able to gather a number of pieces for our trip across the province.  They are very proud of their "Seven Wonders of the World" status as they have the world's highest tides (and they really are a marvel).  The entire coast of the Bay of Fundy is filled with interesting sites to experience the tides and the "flower pot" rocks.  We would have really liked to take the coastal trip up the Acadian trail.

Nonetheless, we arrived at our accommodations at the Inn on the Cove and settled in to the amazing views right on the mouth of the Saint John's Harbour and watched the tide.  We enjoyed a salmon dinner in the quaint dining room (also overlooking the water) along with a bottle of wine.  The Chef was kind enough to share his passion for food - homemade herb and cheese biscuits, tangy veloute, salmon entree followed by a flourless chocolate cake adorned with spun sugar. He has been cooking since he was 10 and has apprenticed with many of the areas top chefs.  We really enjoyed the meal and his company.

The next day, after massages (the inn is also a "spa") we got back on the road.  Destination:  Vermont.

The crossing from New Brunswick to Maine is really interesting.  A two lane city street turns into the border as it crosses the river.  Gas stations on the Maine side are advertising their prices in full view of the Canadians who take advantage of the 40% discount.  We continue on the "interstate" (a winding, hilly road through a remote area) until we cross from Maine to New Hampshire and then quickly into Vermont.

The next day we are greeted with sunny skies for our ferry trip across Lake Champlain.  On the ferry we met a couple who are travelling on their motorcycle with their grand daughter and her son (on their motorcycle).  They were heading from Maine to Niagara Falls; what an adventure!

Day Seven: PEI Culinary Institute, Charlottetown

The sun has disappeared and rain has begun as we make our way across the channel to Woods Island PEI for our visit to The Culinary Institute in Charlottetown.  The ferry ride is windy and cold, but a bit of home was in the waiting deck as the TV was showing the Marilyn Denis Show!  The 75 minute trip was smooth and uneventful with an array of passengers from tour buses, to RV's, to construction trucks, and an assortment of cars and vans.  A full load.  We were interested to know that there is no charge to get on PEI, but there is to leave.
The short drive to Charlottetown in the rain was quick, but we noticed along the way that many homes were for sale and made a note to ask someone about this.  The only other time that I noticed so many places for sale was in Virginia Beach and that was due to the highly transient military demographic.
We stayed at the Delta in Charlottetown; a nice hotel on the waterfront but overpriced for the somewhat tired amenities and rooms (not as bad as Kitchener's Delta though!).  We stopped for a quick bite at Linda's Diner knowing that we were in store for a major meal at the college.
Our reservations at the Lucy Maud dining room were for 6 p.m. and we arrived early for a tour with our host, Chef Hans Wicki.  Chef Hans toured us through the campus which is located at 4 Sydney Street in downtown Charlottetown; there are two floors of classrooms and offices which comprise the Culinary and Tourism Centre.  The Culinary Institute offers several culinary programs and a fairly new applied degree in Culinary Operations.

After the tour we were seated in the dining room which overlooks the bay.  A million dollar view.  And we were introduced to Chef Mike who would provide our tasting menu for the evening; the theme for the menu was international flavours.  The servers started us with an amuse bouche and basket of freshly baked breads; the breads were served with a Meyer lemon infused olive oil and an 8 year aged balsamic.
The first course arrived:  a platter of Mediterranean appetizers and olives - exquisite!

The Second Course:  A delicous traditional French Onion Soup

The Third Course:  An Italian tortellini with a tomato confit

The Fourth Course:  Ethiopian Braised Lamb Shank

The Fifth Course:  A spicy mushroom Fondita

The Sixth Course:  Lobster Ravioli

The Seventh Course:  Beef tenderloin with Gorgonzola on Mashed Potato







Our host selected a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany our meal.

We had to fore go dessert .... we were simply sated.  Stuffed.  Kaput.  No need to eat for .... at least a few hours!

Over dinner we talked about all kinds of things including the reason for the sale of homes on the east island.  The answer seems to be simple enough:  the main employer, a fisheries outfit has closed its doors and rendered many unemployed.  However, it seems that where one door closes another one opens as Charlottetown is experiencing a much greater influx of students at both Holland College and the UPEI.  Looking through the local events listings,  including several high profile culinary events, there is a lot happening on this robust island.

We bid our host adieu after he presented us with a wonderful memento of the visit - a culinary recipe book featuring local chef sensation, Michael Smith, and two Chefs from the Institute.

Hans et al .... we can't thank you enough for your wonderful hospitality .... your generosity and your friendship.  See you next year!

(did I mention that Hans and his colleague Blair are hosting the Canadian Chef Educators Conference in June 2012?)

We can't wait to come back and properly explore your unique island.