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December 2006

Have a Brine time this Christmas!

Brining a piece of meat today is most definitely a far cry from its original use as a way to preserve meat in ancient times. Long before refrigeration, curing, brining and smoking were ways to preserve food. That’s why I was a bit taken aback when my editor, Barb Deters—who loves to try crazy new things in the kitchen—asked me if I was going to brine my turkey this Christmas.

“It’s so tender and juicy, it will just blow your socks off! It’s pure magic!”

The more I thought about it, the more appealing it sounded. A brine is actually a very salty marinade. Most commercial brines have roughly 20 percent salinity. This is equivalent to approximately one pound of salt per gallon of water. A lot of the modern home recipes cut back on the salt and add sugar. And this is where the fun begins. It’s what you add to your brine that makes it distinctly yours.

Many dry salt cures contain sugar, herbs and spices. Nothing in my rule book that says you can’t embellish your liquid brine: Consider adding rosemary, garlic, onion, peppercorns, hot chili flakes, bay leaves, juniper berries, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, honey or molasses. The key here is to experiment and follow your own taste buds.

While it’s in the brine, the meat cells absorb the liquid deep into the meat, along with all of the wonderful flavours you’ve added. So the meat has an incredible flavour throughout… moisture is locked in so it’s unlikely to dry out. Meat usually can loose up to 30 percent of its weight during cooking. Brining the meat can reduce that to 15 percent.

The amount of time required to properly brine your meat or fish depends on the weight of the item. Shrimp or fillets, for example, should only be brined for half an hour. A large turkey should be left for several hours, or even overnight. Because the bird will be left in the brine for a longer period, a little less salt may be used.

Place the turkey in a non-reactive container. Barb uses a large plastic pail, double-lined with garbage bags. After the bird is submerged in the brine, she ties the bags tightly. Please note: Brining must be done in the refrigerator or cold storage area, one that won’t freeze or rise above 4° C.

Discard the brine after use, and thoroughly rinse your turkey before cooking.

“The results, John, are out of this world,” Barb gushes. “Oh my God… the taste, you won’t believe it! You’ll never have to worry about dry turkey meat again.”

Barb is such a huge fan of brining, many of her meats are now prepared this way. I can’t wait to try it out this Christmas.

BARB’S BRINE

1 cup sea or Kosher salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 gallon cold water—enough to cover

Mix all ingredients together in a pail or large non-reactive container.

Submerge your turkey completely.

Store in a cold place overnight 4°C or cooler.

Rinse thoroughly, discard brine, and cook your turkey as you normally would.

Chef’s Note: Add 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme and a leaf or two of sage to give your bird a real festive kick.

GRANDMA BERRY’S UPPER CANADA STUFFING

1 large loaf of Italian or sour dough bread

1/2 cup butter melted, plus 3 Tbs.

1 medium-sized purple onion, diced

1 apple, cored, peeled and diced

6 large white button mushrooms, diced

3 celery sticks, diced

1/4 cup slivered almonds or walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

2 cloves fresh garlic, diced fine

3-4 Tbs. poultry seasoning

Canned turkey broth

 Rip or cube bread into large mixing bowl.

Sauté onion, celery, mushrooms and garlic in 3 Tbs. of butter until onion is translucent.

Pour over top of bread, with all of the other ingredients except poultry seasoning and broth. Mix well.

Add poultry seasoning to taste. Mix well.

Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup turkey broth over mixture.

November 2006

Time for a show of hands.

How many of you have put a dish in the microwave or oven that you had intended to serve as part of your Christmas meal, but forgot to serve it because you were harried and there was too much to do… or you had consumed too much red wine… or both?

How many of you have planned to serve a wonderful Christmas dessert and said, “Oh I really wanted to make a mincemeat pie, but I just didn’t have time.”

If you’re like me, I tend to put things off until the last minute. But this year I’m turning a new leaf. Be Prepared is my motto for this Christmas so I’m starting to plan and cook right now. In the Berry household, we’ll start planning our Christmas meal right after Remembrance Day: the menu, number of guests, special themes and decorations.

My wife, Myrna, and her mother, Clara, would make Christmas cakes and pudding on Remembrance Day and let them age like a fine bottle of wine. Clara used to say that a Christmas cake was in its prime about three years after making it. The longer you leave it, the darker and richer it becomes. The science behind it isn’t fully known, but it tastes better aged.

Former CFRN-TV Live Eye cameraman—and adopted brother in our family—Al Girard, found one of his late mother’s Christmas puddings in his basement and brought it for dessert a year or two ago. He couldn’t put an exact date on it, but we figured it had to be 10 to 15 years old. It was sealed perfectly like a jar of pickles, so we thought we’d experiment. I made my favourite rum sauce, we heated up the pudding and gave it a try. Other than an unusually deep and dark color, it tasted amazing. Now I’m not suggesting that everyone leave their pudding that long, but the key here is to plan ahead and be prepared.

Louise Vandeleer, who sings in our gospel rock group at church, feeds up to 30 people in her home at Christmas.

“I try to get a good portion out of the way before the big day, or face a mad scramble on Christmas day.” Louise makes all of her sweets—shortbread, squares, puddings—in late November or early December, and freezes them.

“The butter tarts and mincemeat tarts I leave until a day or two before because they are the easiest to do.”

Many people have an aversion to Christmas pudding so, instead, she makes an old family favourite: a carrot pudding with a hard sauce of brown sugar, butter, water, flour and vanilla.

“Even people who don’t touch Christmas pudding love our carrot pudding.”

She also prepares her appetizers well before the festivities. “I make my mushroom turnovers, meatballs, ham and cheese puffs, and sausage rolls ahead of time then freeze them. All I have to do is take them out and pop them in the oven and we’re set.”

Fellow singer Lynn Lepine agrees with Louise. She hosts an open-house for 40 people Christmas Eve and proudly boasts, “I’ve never been stuck to the stove in my whole life. I’m prepared ahead of time so I can be with my guests!” She starts baking and preparing about a week before the big event.

You can also get a jump on the rest of your Christmas meal. Potatoes can be peeled and cut up and easily stored in a small bucket of cold water in your fridge for two to three days before cooking. Carrots, celery, onions and any other vegetable may also be cleaned and cut up days in advance, and sealed dry in Ziplocks or plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Make as many dishes as you can a day or two before the big meal. Mousse, pudding, pies, seasoning mixes, stuffing, casseroles and sauces can be stored in your fridge.

One of the advantages of starting early is that most of the ingredients you’ll need will be readily available in the supermarket. If you leave your food shopping to the last minute, a lot of your preferred products may have been depleted, and you may have to start substituting—or go without.

I found these recipes in Myrna’s Unifarm Cookbook, circa 1971. They are among the ones our moms and grandmothers used, steeped in tradition and family lore. 

CARROT PUDDING

• 1 cup shortening                       2 cups cooked carrots

• 2 eggs                          1 cup currants

• 1 cup raisins                 2 tsp. baking powder

• 2 1/2 cup flour 

• 1 tsp. soda dissolved in 2 tsp. water

• 1 tsp. each salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

• 1 cup brown sugar

•  

• 1.  Blend the shortening, sugar and eggs.

• 2.  Put carrots through a ricer and add to the shortening mix. (Mash carrots well if you don’t have a ricer.)  Mix well.

• 3.  Add raisins and currants. Mix well.

• 4.  Sift flour, baking powder and spices. Add to the carrot mixture stirring thoroughly.

• 5.  Add dissolved soda in water. Stir.

• 6.  Bake in the oven at 350º-375ºF for 2 hours or steam in sealers for 3 hours. If steaming, fill sealers less than two-thirds full and seal tight before steaming. Will keep indefinitely.

ALMOND CHRISTMAS BALLS

• 1 cup butter                  1 cup ground almonds

• 1/4 cup icing sugar        1 tsp. almond flavoring

• 2 cups flour                  18-20 cherries cut in halves

•  tsp. salt

•  

• 1. Cream butter and sugar, add flour, almonds and flavouring.

• 2. Take 1 tsp. of dough and form into a ball around cherry half.

• 3. Bake at 325ºF for 35 minutes.

• 4. Roll in icing sugar while warm.

 Chef’s Note: My mother used this recipe, but omitted the cherries and formed the dough into half-moon crescents. We called them ‘white mice’—still a must in our household each Christmas.

October 2006

Bits of Heaven along Route 97 - with Chef John Berry

Click here to see archive editions of menu Magic by Chef John Berry

Wine country cuisine is all about organic, locally-grown, seasonal ingredients picked fresh and taken right to your table. And, Penticton is one of the places where these factors all come together.

Dana Ewart and Cameron Smith know first hand what it’s like to have the best of the best at their fingertips. Both were chefs at the Bench Market when they opened their own catering company “on the fly”. There has been such a demand for their products that they are down to working one day a week at the market. The rest of the time, they are in their kitchen trying to keep up. Their clientele ranges from locals and tourists to those who fly to Penticton in their private planes from Washington State.

I met them at their stall in the Penticton market. To say they were run off their feet is an understatement. Their wonderful pastries flew off the pans as fast as they could put them up. And everyone knows each other.

“Hi, how are the chickens?” asks Dana of one of her customers. To another she inquires, “Another big party tonight?” As a young lady approaches, Dana smiles, “So nice to see you out of uniform.”

It feels like I’m home.

When you look at what Dana and Cameron are doing, it’s nothing more than good, old-fashioned down home cooking and hospitality. They’ve kept it simple and clean. It sells big time.

“Everything just grows here. Why not use it?” adds Dana. And talk about the circle of life: Dana and Cameron’s compost goes to the lady who raises the chickens. The compost becomes feed. Dana and Cameron take the eggs and use them in their baking.

A lot of wine-friendly items are raised or grown. For example, game meats are local: Rabbit is big. Game birds such as quail and pheasant are chef favourites.

Dana recalls, “I was with friends the other night watching some wild quail feed on apricots. And I’m thinking with sage in the garden and quail… mmmmm. My friends think I’m demented.”

Perhaps, but in a tasty sort of way.

She points to several interesting businesses in Penticton that she calls “hidden gems.

“There’s Bench Market on Vancouver Hill… Poplar Grove Winery is making its own cheeses… Carmeles is working a lot with goat cheeses. It’s awesome. And then there’s Joie Winery, which has a cooking school. Both of us teach there as well, with owners Heidi Noble and Michael Dinn. Both were Sommeliers before opening up their winery. ”

This maturing of the culinary sector is also reflected in several key restaurants in town. A tourist and local favourite is Theo’s, built in 1976.

Here they serve not only traditional Greek dishes but what owner Nikos Theodosakis calls Okanagan/ Mediterranean cuisine.

“Some of the same greens found in Crete grow wild in the Okanagan. So we’ve incorporated them into the menu.”

He’s working very closely with his suppliers on produce. He says they can give him the quality and quantity that he needs for his restaurant.

“It’s organic and it’s fresh.”

Local wines obviously factor heavily into the equation. So does education.

“In 1976, we had three local wines on our list and two of them had Baby Duck in their names. Today, we have 118 Okanagan wines on our list. I’m trying to educate the public to the difference between the lower-end wines and the upper-end.”

Nikos also regularly trains his staff on how to properly present the wine at the table. He takes them to some of the farm-gate wineries to see how wine is made, and to learn about the different grapes used in wine production and what they taste like in the end product.

Like Cameron and Dana, Nikos keeps food preparation simple. He says the future is in returning to the traditional roots of Greek cuisine with locally grown wines and ingredients. Theo’s is certainly a destination spot for the serious food lover.

And an absolute must is to check-out the fine dining restaurants and bistros located in many of the wineries. Here chefs create wonderful dishes that are expertly matched to the wines produced on site. Most menus offer wine pairing suggestions for each item. 

Nikos provided me with his mother’s stuffed tomatoes, which she prepared for the Tomato Festival at Covert Farms and for which she won the Iron Tomato Chef competition.  

MARY’S STUFFED TOMATOES— CRETAN STYLE

12 medium firm ripe tomatoes

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium red onions, finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 cup long grain rice, rinsed and dried

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup currants, soaked in dry white wine

1/3 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 Tbsp. salt

1 bunch of fresh herbs, stems removed:

dill, mint, basil, Italian flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup ground parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

1 tsp. sugar for rice filling

sugar to sprinkle inside tomatoes

1.   Wash and dry tomatoes. Slice through side of tomatoes opposite the stem, but do not sever since the tops serve as covers. Scoop out the pulp with a teaspoon and reserve. Sprinkle inside of tomato with salt, sugar, and ground fresh pepper. Place upside down in a pan to drain.

2.   In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and toast pine nuts lightly. Remove and set aside.

3.   In the same skillet, add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, red onions, and 1 tsp. salt. Saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 8 minutes.

4.   Add green onions and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes.

5.   Add rice to onion mixture, stir together and sauté for 5 minutes.

6.   Add tomato pulp, minced garlic, cinnamon, strained currants, toasted pine nuts, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1 tbsp. salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar, and mix thoroughly. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until rice is soft but not cooked through. Mixture should be moist. Remove mixture from frying pan and place in a bowl.

7.   Season to taste.

8.   Add chopped fresh herbs and mix well.

9.   Place tomatoes stem down in a baking pan large enough to hold them snuggly upright.

10. Stuff tomatoes 3/4 full with rice mixture.

11. Sprinkle approximately 1 tsp. parmesan cheese on rice mixture.

12. Replace tops of tomatoes.

13. Drizzle 1 tsp. olive oil over each tomato top.

14. Sprinkle fine bread crumbs on top of each tomato.

15. Add 1/4 cup of tomato juice from reserved pulp on the bottom of the pan.

16. Bake uncovered at 350º F for approximately 1 1/2 hours.

September, 2006

Forty-foot waves… Sub-zero temperatures with 50 knot winds… Crab traps that weigh 700 pounds… Any second you could loose your footing and be swept overboard to a near certain death.

There aren’t many men I know who would be willing to take on those odds even to make a year’s wages in two to three months—some reportedly earn as much as $20,000 per day. But that’s what the dedicated and courageous fisherman who prowl the Bering Sea along the Alaska coastline do to bring King Crab to market.

You may have seen the incredible risks these fisherman take on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. Staring down upon the most succulent crab to ever come out of the ocean, it’s hard to imagine what it took to get these enormous crustacean legs on my plate.

“There is none sweeter than Alaskan King Crab,” according to Executive Chef Dennis Cummings of the Lighthouse Café and Billingsgate Seafood Market on Calgary Trail at 74th Avenue.

And he should know. Chef Dennis and his team serve up about 1000 pounds of Alaskan King Crab a week. “You can’t beat the flavour. Absolutely. It’s a marriage made in heaven.”

There are four main species of King Crab. Red King Crab is the best tasting in the world. The meat is snow-white with highlights of bright red. They are actually a dark burgundy in color when caught, but turn bright red when cooked.

Blue King Crab, known for its giant claws, are among the largest in the world. In 1998, one was caught weighing and astonishing 18 pounds. When harvested, they are brown with royal blue highlights and turn bright orange-red when cooked. They are usually marketed as Red’s but are a close second in taste.

Chef Dennis sells both at Billingsgate. But he says be prepared to pay a little more for the Reds—currently about $25 per pound, which gets you one-and-a-half legs.

Golden King Crab are the smaller of the three main species, but similar in taste to the Blues. The fourth species are Scarlet King Crab which have neither the size nor the population to sustain a commercial harvest and as such are not marketed.

Cooking King Crab legs is really quite simple. But having said that, be careful. Over-cooking leaves you with a rubbery, chewy, very expensive disappointment on your table.

Because the legs are cooked as soon as the crab are caught, then flash frozen to preserve their taste, you can either thaw them in your refrigerator for a day, or run them under cold water until the joints move easily. Steaming is perhaps the most common method of re-heating. You can also drop them into salted boiling water or bake them. Each method takes no more than 5 to 8 minutes—more and you will reduce the texture and taste. 

Serving the crab legs can be a whole lot of fun, especially if you like to get down and dirty with your fingers, a pair of kitchen shears and a fork or a specially designed crab fork that’s available in most kitchen stores in Edmonton.

Most crab legs are tasty enough to stand alone with a crusty bun, a ramekin of melted garlic butter, and ice cold beer or a glass of wine. Or the meat can be made a salad, a sandwich spread, eggs rolls, crab cakes or cucumber rolls. And, in land-locked Alberta, a pound of King Crab legs are a great complement to steak. Anything really that strikes your fancy.

One thing is certain. Once you’ve tried Alaskan King Crab, you’ll be trapped.

Steamed King Crab Legs

4 large King Crab Legs

4 garlic cloves diced

1/2 C Chardonnay wine

4 ramekins of melted garlic butter

4 lemon wedges                                   

1.         Cut the crab legs into manageable pieces.

2.         Bring water with garlic and wine to boil in a steaming pot.

3.         Steam legs for about 5-8 minutes. Do not overcook.

4.         Remove from steamer, place on a platter with ramekin of melted garlic butter for dipping. Garnish with lemon wedges.

5.         Serve with crusty buns, and/or wild rice and salad greens.

6.         Wash down with ice cold beer or wine.

Crab-stuffed Cucumber Rolls

1 long English cucumber                        1 lb King Crab meat

2 Tbs. finely diced purple onion 4 Tbs. Mayonnaise      

salt & pepper to taste               1/2 tsp. sugar   

1-2 cloves of diced garlic

pinch chili peppers or to taste

1.         Remove ends and cut cucumber into three or four pieces.

2.         Remove the seeds with a sharp knife or apple corer, resulting in a large cavity—essentially creating a cucumber cylinder.

3.         Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and stuff into the cavity.

4.         Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour or more.

5.         Remove plastic, cut into bite sized pieces and serve.

August 2006

Lavender has been used as an herb for over 2,500 years. Its fragrance is so strong, long lasting and pleasant that the ancient Egyptians used it in mummifying the dead. The oil from the lavender plant has powerful antiseptic qualities that reportedly kill many common bacteria including typhoid, diphtheria and streptococcus.

Now, cooking with lavender—the best is English lavender—is gaining popularity. Since its fragrance is so powerful, a little bit goes a long way. This herb is widely available from Edmonton and area greenhouses, and the dried variety is available at farmers markets and specialty food stores.

Lavender has got to be one of the most versatile herbs you can find. It can be used in jellies, cookies, breads, rubs, marinades, teas and numerous other drinks and cocktails. I even tracked down a recipe for Herbs de Provence that includes the dried flowers.

The fresh flower of the lavender plant makes a great garnish… or you can add it directly in your recipe. It has a sweet, lemony flavour that gives many dishes an incredible boost. If you want to save the flowers for another occasion, simply freeze them in a plastic freezer bag, immediately after you harvest them.

It’s best to cut the lavender branches where they attach to the main trunk of the plant, and you can either strip the blossoms off the branch or use intact, the same way you use rosemary.

Here’s three different uses for lavender. And then I managed to talk Linda into sharing her recipe for Lavender Honey Duck. Undoubtedly, she prefers domestic duck, but I would personally prefer the wild variety.

Champagne Lavender Mint Tea Punch

6 tsp. dried mint                       

6 Tbsp. boiling water

1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms

1 litre ginger ale

1 cup Champagne                                            

Ice cubes with fresh mint leaf frozen in each

1. Brew the mint in the water in a teapot for 10 minutes. Add the lavender blossoms to the pot.

2. Allow tea to cool. Strain. Add ginger ale, Champagne and ice cubes. If serving in a punch bowl, float lavender buds and mint sprigs on top. Serves six

Oil-Free Lavender Dressing

1 Tbsp. powdered fruit pectin               1/4 tsp. dried lavender

1/2 tsp. sugar                            1/8 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. pepper                                     1 Tbsp. vinegar

2 cloves diced garlic                 1 Tbps. Chardonnay wine

3 Cherry tomatoes per plate

1. Stir together pectin, lavender, sugar, dry mustard and pepper.

2. Stir in the wine, vinegar, garlic and 1/4 cup water. Cover and chill for 30 minutes Serve over garden greens. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Serves four.

Herbs de Provence

This is a great blend to use in any fish, meat or poultry dish.

2 Tbsp dried basil                     1 tsp dried sage

4 tsp dried oregano                   1 tsp dried mint

2 tsp dried marjoram                1 tsp dried lavender     

2 tsp dried thyme                      1 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp dried rosemary

1. Combine all ingreients. Mix well and spoon into a tightly-lidded jar.

2.   Store in dark, cool place for up to four months.

Linda Bodo’s Lavender Honey Duck

3 tsp. lavender blossoms                       2 tsp. fresh thyme

2 tsp. fresh savory                    12 peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp. salt                            8 Tbsp. lavender honey

1 Tbsp. red wine                                  1 duck

 1. Grind all herbs and seasonings together in mortar.

2. Cut crosses into duck, rub with herb mix, then honey. Roast in the oven at 375 of until desired doneness is achieved.

3. Baste with drippings and more honey during cooking.

4. Make sauce with drippings, dash of wine, and 2-3 more lavender flowers diced or ground.

July 2006

By Linda Bodo and Chef John Berry

Your yard looks absolutely perfect. The lawn is lush, flowers in bloom, and trees form dense canopies of green. Time to invite some friends over for an afternoon of fun and games. Host a lawn-game tournament with a few cocktails to kick-start the affair and some munchies thrown in for good measure.

Fire up the barbeque, and serve the trendy version of sliders—mini burgers that fit perfectly into the popular tapas concept—to complement the country, the game and the liquid refreshments.

Sliders first appeared in the U.S. in the early 1920s, at the White Castle restaurant chain, the oldest American hamburger joint. They were the original greasy burgers—hence the name. But, now that they’ve gone gourmet, sliders have achieved a new cult craze status all over North America. California is a slider heaven. The Upper East Side in New York has become a mini-minefield of restaurants offering sliders. The Overtime Bar and Grill in Edmonton is said to have the best sliders in town.

We didn’t stop at presenting sliders made from lean ground beef. We also prepared pork/beef, bison and lamb burgers. While the ingredients that went into the meat mixtures are relatively standard, the toppings were what gave the sliders individuality. 

BASIC BURGERS

1 lb. ground meat                                  2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1/2 cup bread crumbs or oatmeal          2 Tbs. barbeque sauce

1 tsp. each salt, pepper, rosemary         1 egg

1 medium onion, finely chopped            1/4 cup chopped chives

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

(1 tsp. Herbs de Provence)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly by hand to ensure even distribution of all seasonings. Form into eight 2 1/2 to 3 inch patties. Grill to well-done. In last few minutes, if desired, top with appropriate cheese and allow to melt. Remove from grill and serve on petite dinner rolls, brioche or baguette slices.

We added Herbs de Provence to the lamb burgers only. Use you imagination and add herbs that enhance your toppings and match your theme country. For example, go Greek by adding oregano to the meat mixture, and top the sliders with feta cheese and olives.

Here’s our summer line-up for backyard fun. All the games are available at Lee Valley Tools.

The Game

The origins of croquet are a little cloudy. Some believe that it developed from the French game Pall Mall, but arguments link it more to golf than croquet. What is known is that the game traveled from France to Ireland, then to England in the mid 1800s. At first, croquet was most popular among women; it was a new experience for them to be able to play an outdoor game in the company of men. Early games of croquet were carefully chaperoned and the practice of Tight Croquet became all the rage. Here, a foot was placed on the ball before hitting, causing the target to fly into the bushes. Inevitably, young men and women were forced to go into bushes to search for the ball…

The Drink

Pimm’s is a traditional English summer drink. It is thought to be the most suitable cocktail to drink while watching croquet at Wimbledon. Created in 1840 by James Pimm’s, it is customary to serve the orange-based gin with soda water over ice, garnished with a slice of cucumber or mint sprig. Start with half Pimm’s and half soda. Test various strengths until you are satisfied, or fall down…whichever comes first.

The Slider

Top the beef burger with Stilton cheese, thin cucumber slices and watercress. Spread the bun with thick, creamy dill dressing, or dill seasoned cream cheese.

The Game

Bocce is an ancient game… its birth lost in the shadows of antiquity. Not only is it among the earliest known outdoor pastimes, but it is played in more countries than any other ball game, with the exception of soccer. Bocce was played between battles during Rome’s Punic Wars which started in 264 B.C. Soldiers selected a small stone called a leader and threw it first. Then larger stones would be thrown at the leader and the stone coming closest to it would score. The game provided exercise and relaxation for the soldiers. During the same period, Vulgar Latin emerged as a dominant language of the common man. The Latin word bottia—meaning ball—is the root of the Italian word boccia or bocce, as the game came to be known. It’s one of the lunch hour games played in Churchill Square during non-festival days.

The Drink

Bellini’s were invented in 1934 at Harry’s Bar in Venice, a well known haunt of Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles. Faced with an abundance of seasonal white peaches, owner Guiseppe Cipriani created the drink and named it after the 15th century artist, Giovanni Bellini. Mix one-third fresh peach juice and two-thirds chilled sparkling wine. Make sure to pour the peach juice into the glass first. Guaranteed to improve your game.

The Slider

Top the pork/beef burger with shaved parmesan, procuitto and grilled Romano tomato slices. Spread the buns with pesto or Italian veggie spread. Serve with caper buds.

The Game

Horseshoes dates back as far as the 2nd Century when iron plates or rings were nailed on horses’ feet. One of the sports featured in the Greek Olympic Games was discus throwing. The discus was a circular plate of metal or stone 10” or 12” in diameter that was pitched with a strap passed through a circular hole in the centre. Grecian armies that could not afford the discus took discarded horseshoes, set up a stake, and began throwing horseshoes at it. The game migrated to North America with soldiers returning from WWI.

The Drink

The Caesar is considered Canada’s national drink. In 1969, while working for The Westin in Calgary, Walter Chell was asked to develop an original drink to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant. Three months of experimenting eventually yielded a mix of hand-mashed clams, tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. The Mott Company eventually developed its own clamato juice and, after an initial dispute, hired Chell to consult and promote the product.

Rim a tall glass with celery salt and fill with ice. Add one ounce vodka, top with Clamato juice, splashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, dashes of salt and pepper. Instead of the usual celery stalk, garnish with a pepperoni stick or pickled asparagus spear. Takes the pain away when you miss a shot.

The Slider

Top the bison burger with Armstrong sharp cheddar cheese, Canadian back bacon, and grilled onion rings. Spread the bun with spicy mayo. Serve with grape tomatoes.

The Game

Boules, otherwise known as pétanque, is perhaps the sport that is closest to French hearts. Similar to lawn bowling or bocce, the French version is traditionally played with metal balls on a dirt surface beneath plane trees, with a glass of pastis at hand. The object of the game is to throw your balls—usually with somewhat of an arched back-spin—so they land closer to the cochonnet (small object ball) than those of your opponent, or strike and drive the object ball toward your other balls and away from your opponent’s.

The Drink

Pastis is an aniseed-flavoured alcoholic drink which is a classic apértif in Provence. Amber coloured in the bottle, it turns a milky white when mixed with water. It is often referred to as the milk of Provence.

Here is an absolute version that is sure to improve your game. Heat one side of a brown sugar cube until lightly caramelized. While hot, attach to the middle of a 6” bamboo skewer. Pour one ounce of pastis into a tapered glass and lay skewer across the top. For serving, pour water over the sugar cube into glass. Guests can use the skewer as a swizzle stick and melt any remaining sugar… or use it to threaten their opponents.

The Slider

Top the lamb burger with goat cheese, thin radish slices and black sesame seeds. Spread the bun with Grey Poupon mustard. Serve with tapanade.

June 2006

Body building certainly requires a specialized diet. One that’s heavier in protein. The thing to remember is that everyone’s body is different, hence my requirements will vary from what you might need.

According to Brad Fehr, director of fitness at the Castledowns Y, there seems to be a misconception that the harder you train, the more protein you need.

“That’s not necessarily the case. Recent studies have shown that endurance runners and cyclists, in fact, need more protein than body builders.”

Bottom line? Consult with your trainer and nutritionist to ensure you are getting the proper nutrients required for your body type. It’s very important.

During weight training, you actually breakdown microscopic pieces of your muscle mass. To repair and rebuild muscles, weight lifters have to eat half an hour after training. This is because your body starts to repair what’s been lost and needs to absorb nutrients.

So what’s a body builder’s diet like? There are the usual suspects involved: fish, chicken, lean beef, power bars and raw vegetables.

Peter Yeung, a 47 year-old stay-at-home dad is into body building. He says tinned tuna is one of his mainstays. He tries to ingest one gram of protein per one pound of body weight per meal three times a day, compared to someone who is into competition and will eat small amounts every two hours.

A typical meal for Peter is a tin of tuna, garden salad and brown rice or a 4-6 oz. grilled New York steak, baked potato with sour cream, and chives, and a salad—his favourite is spinach—with a small amount of dressing.

One of the “new” meats being recommended by some trainers is a diet of lean buffalo. It has the lowest amount of fat and carbs per four-ounce serving of any commercially produced meat on the market. Simply prepare buffalo as you would beef—grilled, roasted, stewed.

Donna Logue and her husband, Brian, run Elite Body Building and Fitness. She says sugars and fats are a no-no. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have enjoyable, tasty meals. Among her favourites are these pancakes, and the chicken meatballs. She was gracious to send along several recipes that Elite uses for clients. One thing is certain: These recipes that could be used by any weight-conscious readers.

PANCAKES

16 egg whites (2 small cartons)

500 ml cottage cheese

3 1/2 cups dry oatmeal (more or less depending how dry or moist you want the pancakes)        

20 packages of the chemically altered Sugar Twin

or Stevia, the natural sugar.

1 Tbsp vanilla

592 calories protein; 770 calories carbs; 1362 calories total

To get a calorie for each, divide total number of pancakes by total calorie and then total into carb and protein calories. For example: 20 pancakes = 68 calories per pancake 38 calories of carbs and 30 calories of protein. Calculation for each pancake: 80 calories (40 protein + 40 carbs)

For additional protein: Add 2 scoops whey powder, 234 calories

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

1 lb ground chicken breast

1 tsp No Salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

sprinkle Mrs. Dash

2 oz. diced onion

3 egg whites

1/3 cup oatmeal

Mix ingredients together. Form into balls and fry in pan coated with Pam cooking spray. Cook until firm, approximately 30 minutes. Top with salsa.

Protein: 692 calories (69%); carbohydrates: 161 calories (14%); and fat: 172 calories (17%). Total for full recipe: 996 calories

SWEET SALSA

1 Red Pepper

1 Green Pepper

1 Tomato

1/2 cup Onion

1 cup Celery

1/3 cup white vinegar

6 packs Sugar Twin or Stevia

Chop in food processor, add vinegar and Sugar Twin or Stevia to taste. May add more or less Sugar Twin or vinegar to desired taste. 83 calories carbohydrates for total recipe

TUNA CASSEROLE

6 – 4 oz cans of tuna

18 oz California Mix (frozen broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mixture)

3 egg whites

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 oz oatmeal

Mrs. Dash

1/2 tsp Pepper

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Boil California Mix until soft, mash. Drain tuna and mix ingredients together and press into casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake in oven at 350°F for approximately 45 minutes. Casserole will be firm to touch.

8 servings. 146 calories per serving: 28 calories carbohydrates, 107 calories protein, 11 calories fat 

SHEPHERD’S PIE

1 lb ground eye of round

1 1/ 2 cups unsalted tomato sauce

2 tsp. chili powder

1/ 2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp no fat beef bouillon

1 package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Topping

1 1/2 lbs potato

1/2 cup non fat sour cream

1/4 tsp No Salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Peel and boil potatoes until soft. Drain water except for 2 Tbs. Add sour cream, No Salt, pepper and mash potatoes until smooth. Cook beef in skillet. Wash and drain fat. Add tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano and beef bouillon. Continue to cook mixture. Coat casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, spoon beef into dish, add layer of vegetables and then potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35 minutes.  

6 servings. 265 calories total: 20 calories carbohydrates, 218 calories protein, 27 calories fat

May 2006

When we think of a diva of cooking in Edmonton, the name Gail Hall immediately comes to mind. Her first venture was Gourmet Goodies, a popular catering firm that she parlayed into a $3-million a year business with 65 full-time staff and 35 part-time staff.

After the 9/11 tragedy, even the local catering scene took enough of a nosedive that Gail found herself re-inventing her career. But like a phoenix rising, she has emerged as strong as ever with Seasonal Solutions Loft Cooking Classes.

“One of my passions has been cooking from the age of five. It’s very nurturing, very therapeutic. A year-and-a-half after Gourmet Goodies, I still loved food… and the idea of cooking classes popped into my head.”

In today’s fast paced society, we have a whole generation of young people relying on fast food and take-out, instead of cooking at home with friends or loved ones.

Gail, a big supporter of the slow food movement, says people need to rediscover and take control over good, healthy meals that ultimately affect our health. “People should know what they’re eating, what’s going into their foods. We’re just beginning to have an influence there.”

In addition to teaching brunch basics there are classes on soups and salads, dessert basics, and market fresh cooking—with a tour of the downtown Farmer’s Market to pick ingredients.

But Gail doesn’t stop there. She does food consulting for the agriculture, food and hospitality sectors. She’s also working on an Alberta Industry Showcase at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington from June 30th to July 11th.

If this isn’t enough, our kitchen diva is leading a culinary tour of New Zealand in February 2007. And to round out her busy schedule, Gail is working on a cookbook.

“I have enough recipes, I think it’s time. The challenge now is to find a focus. I have some interesting catering stories—people who shall remain nameless. It would make a great tie-in.”

Gail put me to work preparing a great salad that we shared with some friends.

CREOLE SALAD WITH REMOULADE DRESSING

1/2 lb. bacon                2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper       1/4 cup flour    

1/4 cup cornmeal                      2 eggs, beaten 

8 slices tomato 1/2” thick

1 Tbs. onion powder

1 Tbs. garlic powder    

4 cups romaine lettuce-diced

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper           

1/2 cup remoulade dressing

In a heavy sauté pan, sauté the bacon until cooked but not crisp. While the bacon is cooking, combine cornmeal and seasoning in a mixing bowl. Dip each tomato slice in flour, then egg wash and finally cornmeal blend. Remove bacon from pan, and fry tomato slices for 2 minutes each side over medium heat. Handle gently so as not to disturb the coating on each piece. Arrange lettuce in the centre of a salad plate, and drizzle with dressing. Top with bacon bits and place tomato pieces on top. Serve while tomato and bacon are warm. Serves four.

REMOULADE DRESSING

1/4 cup red wine vinegar          

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup parsley chopped

1/4 cup Creole mustard           

1/4 cup celery, diced fine

1 Tbs. garlic, chopped

1/2 cup green onions sliced thinly

1 Tbs. paprika

salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix together the vinegar and mustard. Add the olive oil slowly, whisking until the three ingredients are blended well. Add the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  

For more information about Gail’s cooking classes, call: 437-0761. For information about the New Zealand Culinary Tour, call Vanessa Ward at 429-5960. Contact John at jberry@edmontonians.com

March 2006

by Chef John Berry

Listening to Dr. Carlos Pechtel de Avila talk about the hottest vacation ticket in town is like listening to a grandfather burst with pride over his grandson riding a bicycle for the first time. The president of Avila Vacanza Destinations—who also serves as Honorary Consul for Bolivia—unveiled the latest trend in touring Italy recently at the Edmonton Petroleum Club.

 The idea of “A Taste of Italy” is to take serious foodies, who love to explore incredible cuisines, taste fine wines and want to get up to their armpits in flour and red sauce, to the heart of Italian cuisine—Tuscany, Umbria, Amalfi and Sorrento, Sardinia and Sicily, Piemonte and Liguria. It’s a hands-on culinary adventure in one of the most romantic countries in the world.

And just to give that special sparkle to the event, Avila imported Italian Chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi to talk about Italian cuisine, and do cooking demonstrations. He was ably assisted by Shaw Conference Center Executive Chef and Culinary Team Canada guru and business manager Simon Smotkowicz. After each show, guests sampled the chefs’ creations, complemented by Italian wines.

 THE SEXY, SAVORY AROMAS OF ITALY

Chef Giuseppe is a man with a mission. Not only does he want to please the world with his culinary delights, but he wants to take the world to Italy and his birthplace of Nievole in Tuscany.

He was born in an olive water mill called Molino Delle Galere, where his grandfather ran and oversaw the production of extra virgin olive oil. When he was four, the country women started introducing him to the delectable, humble dishes created with their farm produce: vegetables, cheese, poultry and olive oil. That led him to culinary school in Montecatini, and on to positions in St Moritz, Geneva, San Francisco and Atlanta. He also was executive chef on a cruise line, gaining extensive knowledge in international cuisine.

In 1990, Chef Giuseppe returned home and began offering classes out of his Bed and Breakfast in Nievole. As well, he teaches S.A.I. culinary and wine programs for U.S. students in Florence.

“Italy,” he says, “has it all. Think about the food itself. It’s grown, processed and cured right here. Add in the landscape, the atmosphere, the wine, the culture, the history—it’s incredible.”

Chef Giuseppe beams, “Ours is a pure cuisine, passed down from generation to generation. We pay great detail to quality and won’t settle for anything less.”

He says cities like Edmonton and Vancouver are vast untapped markets for this type of culinary adventure. It doesn’t matter if you are a gourmet chef or a novice who likes to tinker in the kitchen. There’s something for everyone.

The tour packages that are being offered include stays in villas, apartments, a medieval mill, a family-run hotel, countryside farmhouse, and four-star hotels and include forays into the woods looking for truffles, a visit an olive grove with olive oil tasting, and numerous vineyard and wine tasting excursions. Culinary instruction is offered in four classes at the famous Sorrento Cooking School, as well as several restaurants, villas, hotels and a countryside kitchen.

Plus Avila Vacanza Destinations has launched cycling, walking and backpacking tours so vacationers can enjoy the culinary and wine delights of various Italian regions.

Chef Simon agrees there’s so much to see and absorb. “Tuscany is cheese, wine, wild mushrooms, locally grown produce. It’s simply the best of the best. This sort of tour is getting very popular and is going to get very big.” He’s off to Italy to lead a culinary tour on September 26th. For more info, call Avila Vacanza Destinations at 482-3427.

CHEF GIUSEPPE’S BRUSCHETTA

4 slices of firm, unsalted bread

1 clove of garlic

3 Tbs. of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese slices

4 slices of mild country ham; white pepper

1.         Preheat the oven to 400º F and toast the bread until crisp.

2.         Rub one side of the bread with the garlic clove.

3.         Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the bread, then add slices of cheese.

4.         Top with a piece of ham.

5.         Pepper to taste. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and bake 4 minutes. Serve.

Contact John at jberry@edmontonians.com