~ Bumbleberry Loves ~
Cooking In Space
Being the science geek that I am, I can’t help but be totally amazed by this video!
Chris Hadfield also happens to be one of the coolest people around.
Science Rules!!
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~Bumbleberry Secrets ~
Kitchen Conversions
~ Bumbleberry Secrets ~
How to Open Wine Without A Corkscrew
Watch and be amazed!
Cotton Candy Flowers ~ Shanghai Market
~ Bumbleberry Watches ~
The Layover - Toronto
I love Anthony Bourdain. I am a die hard Cook’s Tour and No Reservations fan. If you haven’t seen his shows, get yourself on YouTube asap. With the end of No Reservations, Bourdain created a micro-version of the series with a show called The Layover. As the moniker implies, he has just enough time to check out a pit stop of cities. We were lucky enough to make the list. Check out his highlights of our city. An interesting look at an outsider’s perspective.
(by zodiacza)
- Source: dailymotion.com
~ Bumbleberry Holidays ~
Paulette’s Donut Christmas Tree
How many people can say their best friend is a genius who made a real-life fried chicken and donut shop? Well, I can. And yes, I consider myself a very lucky girl indeed.
Paulette’s Original Donuts & Chicken is the second exciting venture of my very talented, beautiful, amazing friend Devin Connell and her equally lovely brother Luke.
I could write a whole restuarant review, but I don’t need to. All you need to know is it is amazing and you have to go and check it out.
I will, however, give you an amazing gift idea straight from Paulette’s kitchen. The adorably festive Donut Christmas Tree! Pictured above (along with amazing flavour profiles…hello Candy Apple and D’Oreo!) the Donut Tree is perfect for anyone on your Christmas list this year. You know, those people impossible to buy for or the culinary obsessed like myself. Even better, imagine how popular you are going to be when you show up to one of those Christmas parties (or three) with a towering tree of donuts!
You can give Paulette’s a call: 647.748.1177
or
email them to order: info@paulettesoriginal.com
You can see the amazing menu (not just donuts!) and all the details you need at Paulette’s Website
P.S: In case you are interested (you should be if you like amazing food) I have written about Devin’s orignal location, Delica. You can read about it here.
~ Bumbleberry Holiday ~
Latkes Love
Happy Hanukkah! This past Saturday marked the beginning of the Festival of Lights. Although not even remotely Jewish, I can’t think of a better way to learn about and celebrate other cultures and their festivities than through food.
Recently, in my classroom, this became beautifully evident when a student, celebrating Diwali, brought in Samosas for his peers. The majority of the children had never had a Samosa or had heard of Diwali before, however, they were grateful for any opportunity to not do work! With some trepidation, they dipped their still warm and flaky Samosas into a silky sweet treacle Tamarind sauce. After the first few bites, there was no looking back. The Samosas had opened the floodgates of amazing questions and dialogue about food and culture in a way that no other vehicle could have.
Just as many of my students learned about Diwali through samosas, I first truly learned about Hanukkah by way of a crispy golden latke. While in the final stretch of pre-Christmas University exams, I was invited to my friend’s house for a Hanukkah dinner. I eagerly accepted, grateful for a break in my studies as well as the Kraft Dinner diet.
Coming from a generations-deep, WASPy background, I am embarrassed to say I knew little about Jewish traditions or what to expect. I had nothing to worry about. I was warmly welcomed by my friend’s large family. I was quickly ushered into the kitchen, where I took up a perch amongst the bustle.
I watched as my friend’s grandmother rowed waxy raw potatoes across an old box grater. She worked quickly, and in no time, she lifted the grater to reveal a glistening mountain of yellow potato strings. She asked me if I had ever had a latke before. “No,” I replied, I didn’t know what a latke was, but, I had never met a potato I didn’t like. She laughed and in her thick Polish accent she explained to me that latkes (meaning “little oily patches) are a symbolic part of the Hanukkah tradition.
As she dropped the little haystacks of potatoes into a deep pan of hot oil, she told me the oil in which the latkes bubbled payed tribute to the Miracle of the Oil. In the Temple of Jerusalem, a single day’s worth of oil miraculously burned in a menorah for eight nights of beautiful light.
It was at that point in my life that I really realized how food extends far beyond nourishment. It is the touchstone of our cultures, our stories and our lives. It also proves to be a valuable teacher and expander of our cultural blinders.
From that dinner, I took away a new appreciation for Jewish culture, not to mention a copy of the dog-eared recipe and Grandma’s secrets for the perfect crispy latke.
Hanukkah Latkes
Advice from a Jewish Grandma and my own trial and error, have led me to discover that the three secrets to great latkes are: to remove as much liquid from the potatoes and onions as possible, use a cast iron pan if you have one and the starchier the potato the better.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes (Yukon Gold work best, but any will do)
1 tablespoon grated or shredded white onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup peanut oil for frying (peanut oil is great because it has a high smoke point)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel and shred the potatoes and onions. You can do them by hand using a box grater on the largest sized grate. A much quicker way to shred them is in the food processor, making sure to use the grater blade attachment!
2. Place the potatoes in a clean dry dish towel or cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible. Put the potatoes aside in a bowl and repeat the wringing process with the onions.
2. In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and mix together well by hand.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Heat the oil until hot and sizzling, this is key!
4. Form individual pancakes by hand (you can determine the size, but not more than a 1/2 inch thick) and carefully slide into the pan using a slotted spatula. Fill the pan, but leave room between the pancakes. When the latkes are nicely browned on one side, turn carefully and cook until browned on the other side and crisp on the edges.
5. Remove with a spatula and place on paper towels or clean brown paper bags. I like the paper bags because they don’t stick to the latkes. Let the excess grease drain onto the paper towel or bags. Serve immediately for the best taste. (You can keep the latkes hot in a warm oven if you are making more than one batch).
Serve with sour cream or applesauce, or sprinkle with granulated sugar.
~ Bumbleberry Loves ~
Gingerbread Houses
Christmas is my favourite holiday, hands down. I am that annoying person who has the Christmas music on deck early November. It’s pretty much a running track until it’s literally played out by the time the 25th rolls around. I covet all Christmas paraphernalia: decorations that sparkle and or jingle, cookie cutters with the ability to depict any North Pole related detail, elf-hand towels so red they have already decimated one pure white load of laundry. I am a Yuletide freak.
Under the umbrella of my Christmas obsessions, Gingerbread Houses rank pretty high on the list. The fact that I actually hate gingerbread is beside the point. I love to make, create, decorate and then eat those architectural details attached to the gingery frame. I am always on the lookout for new ideas to add design and flourish. I have collected a little archive (above) for inspiration and architectural pirating. I don’t know who created the abode in the first photo, but I need to be friends with them, stat.
So give it a go; add friends, it’s fun! If you’re hardcore and bake your own or just buy an assembly required job, it really doesn’t matter. I find a stellar end result all comes down to good ol’ candy coated creativity. Take a trip to the candyland aisle and ask yourself the all important questions like, “will these Sweet Tarts give me the perfect powdery pastelled roof? Or does the KitKat bring a more refined sense of realism?”
Warning: it can be addictive. In no time, you can easily find yourself becoming the Donald Trump of gingerbread real estate, with a taste for building a global empire!
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~Bumbleberry Browses~
Goop.com
I love Gwyneth Paltrow. I have done a previous post on GP and her website Goop. If you haven’t signed up for her newsletters I highly recommend it. I look forward to each new issue that hits my inbox. I have to give her credit because she has been the butt of many a GOOP-related jokes, but she perseveres.
This week she has tips on holiday entertaining prep. Now I don’t know about you, but I love having people over during the holidays. I have learned the hard way how important using the days before your event can be. I have been caught many times, five minutes before my guest are set to arrive, running around like a deranged and disorganized Martha Stewart wannabe. There is nothing worse than trying to clean your house while setting the table, only to hear the door bell ring!
Ms. Paltrow has shared some pretty great advice on using your time wisely, so you are not too stressed when hosting an event over the holidays. In this issue she creates a timeline and recipes for a fab Hanukkah dinner and/or a Christmas breakfast. On top of pre-entertaining prep, she incorporates her recommendations for interesting products, music and threads that you can throw into the mix. Granted, she does have a tendency to include suggestions that fit into her, I-make-20-million-dollars-a-film budget.
Click here to check out her stylish suggestions.
~ Bumbleberry Notes ~
Food Trends 2013
Each year epicurious.com releases its predictions for the food trends of the year. They shuffle in what’s hot (Front Burner) and boot out what’s not (Back Burner). The list came out this week with a special shout out to Toronto. We have earned the coveted spot on the list as the Front Burner for food cities. Starting with Scott Conant’s (condescending?) expansion of his NYC/Vegas Scarpetta franchise to Toronto in 2010, big name chefs have been making the migration north.
This year my favourite culinary badass David Chang, has opened his NYC Momofuku (four-in-one, just for us) next to the Shangri-La hotel. Although I haven’t been yet it is being touted as the best restaurant in Toronto. I am excited about all of the new big chefs bringing their brands here, and they are smart because we are the right market for it. I hope that someone passes the message along to Nobu and he brings some new style sashimi and spicy rock shrimp this way.
Here is the list for the top trends of 2013. I have included the abbreviated list (with the exception of notes on Toronto). If you want to get the full story you can see it here.
STATE OF THE FOOD NATION
Front Burner: Collaborations
Back Burner: Food Feuds
RESTAURANTS
Front Burner: Technology
Back Burner: Tasting Menus
HOT VEGETABLES
Front Burner: Cauliflower
Back Burner: Kale
DISH
Front Burner: Vegetable Plate
Back Burner: Meatballs
FOOD CITY
Front Burner: Toronto
David Chang’s addition of four (yes, four) Momofuku spinoffs and Daniel Boulud’s new outpost at the Four Seasons adds further depth to an already exciting international dining scene. Head to Ossington Street, Roncesvalles Village, or the St. Lawrence Market, which rivals San Francisco’s Ferry Building. Want to taste it all? Victor Restaurant in the Le Germaine Hotel has a menu of neighborhood classics. It’s clear; the Big T-O is poised for something scrumptious in the coming year.
Back Burner: Portland
LIQUOR
Front Burner: Mezcal
Back Burner: “Moonshine”
DIET
Front Burner: Exercising to Eat
Back Burner: Dieting
CUISINE
Front Burner: Brazilian
Back Burner: Southern
ESOTERIC INGREDIENT
Front Burner: Sumac
Back Burner: Offal
HOW WE EAT
Front Burner: Pinning Pictures of What We Might Make
Back Burner: Taking Pictures of What We’re Eating
COOKING AT HOME
Front Burner: Homemade Snacks
Back Burner: Homebrewing
DESSERT
Front Burner: Vegetables
Back Burner: Nostalgic Kids’ Treat
CULINARY PROFESSION
Front Burner: Artisan Food Producer
Back Burner: Forager
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~Bumbleberry Watches~
Jamie’s Christmas With Bells On
My love for Jamie Oliver is longstanding and undying. I have even waited in line for 3 hours in the freezing cold to meet him. He is so down to earth, funny and genuine. Not to mention super passionate about food. This time of year I especially love his Christmas specials. Jamie’s Christmas with Bells on is last year’s special which aired in the UK. It hasn’t aired here yet, but I was able to see it last year using a variety of questionable stalker-like tactics. Jamie films his Christmas specials at his amazingly perfect country home in Essex. I love the fact that he includes his adorable family in different segments. He gives lots of great tips and tricks for surviving cooking Christmas all while being charismatic and cute. You can see for yourself, it airs tonight at 9pm on the Food Network. Don’t miss it. I myself will be watching for the fifth time, while coordinating my tactics to get my hands on his UK special for this year.
Jamie’s number one fan,
M
~ Bumbleberry Loves ~
Art Imitating Yum
Forget Picasso, this is the kind of art I want on my walls! When I first came across Mary Ellen Johnson’s artwork I thought her pieces were photographs. I had to do a double take to realize they were, in fact, a product of a brush and not a lens. Her hyper-realistic works, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner, can take up to eight weeks to complete.
I am now craving PB & J!
You can see more of her work here
A Fresh New Look
In the spirit of a fresh start for Bumbleberry Notebook, a new look!
Whimsical, shabby chic and overall a pretty great representation of my style, I hope the new layout will prove to be more user friendly. It will also provide the opportunity for comments and feedback, something that was missing from my previous layout.
Let me know what you think!
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~Bumbleberry Bakes~
Coke-a-Cola Cake
After what felt like two weeks of indentured servitude at work, I finally had a weekend to relax. And by relax, I mean spend the day in my kitchen.
And this day was not just spent meandering around, I had an occasion! The much anticipated arrival of my beloved sister-in-law all the way from Oz.
Those who know me, know my emotional scale can be easily determined via food.
My excitement, love, happiness and sadness can all be understood through what I may be making at that particular time. Needless to say, Saturday was going to be a frenzy of food.
The dinner menu was easy, an order had already been placed for my Chicken Parm well in advance, but what to make for dessert?? Posed with this quandary, I frantically ploughed through my mountain of cookbooks. With growing frustration and a trail of books strewn across my bedroom floor, I was still dessert-less. Then it dawned on me….Pinterest.
For those of you who have not fallen down the rabbit hole called Pinterest, I caution you. It is a captivating, magical place, apt to suck up hours of your life in one sitting. But I digress, back to dessert.
I went to my aptly named “Sugar” board, where I had been, for months, pinning a myriad of confections for just an occasion such as this. And after dismissing truffles, cookies and candies, there it was. Faith Hill’s Coke-a-Cola Cake.
A vision in glossy, crackled, molassesy goodness was to be the chosen one. The fact that it was endorsed by the gorgeous and talented Faith Hill, (who I adore) sealed the deal.
The dinner was a success, but with a quenelle of shimmering vanilla bean ice cream, the cake was the star. Even after a massive Italian feast, the cake was devoured from the comfort of the sofa while watching Holiday Inn (with even some sneaking back into the kitchen for seconds and thirds.) Happily thanking the baking gods, and feeling complete surrounded by my family, I smiled. There is nothing more gratifying than feeding the people you love, watching them tuck into something you’ve created with the sole purpose of bringing comfort and happiness.
The following is the recipe for the Coke-a-Cola Cake, so you can share the same chocolatey amazingness and comfort, especially over the holidays.
I have tweaked a few things to make this old fashioned Southern cake my own.
Mainly, I encourage you to make it the day BEFORE you plan to serve it. Although I did not, I can attest there is something magical that happens to a cake like this when it can sit on the counter overnight, all the flavours coming together to form an alliance of deliciousness.
Coke-a-Cola Cake
Makes: 12 servings Hands-on time: 25 min. Total time: 60 min.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup Coke (Not Diet or Zero!!)
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups miniature marshmallows
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour and sugar an salt in large mixing bowl.
3. Combine butter, cocoa and cola in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; pour over flour mixture. Add buttermilk, baking soda, eggs and vanilla, whisking until blended. Stir in marshmallows. (Batter will be thin and marshmallows will float to the top.)
4. Pour batter into lightly greased and floured 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake 30 to 35 min. or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 15 min. Spread Chocolate Coca-Cola Icing over warm cake. Let icing solidify to form a smooth sheen. It will beautifully crackle and crumble when cut.
Chocolate Coke-a-Cola Icing
½ cup butter
A pinch of salt
3 tablespoons cocoa
8 tablespoons Coke
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar, sifted
Combine first three ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar. Make sure icing sugar is well mixed and melted about 3-5 minutes of stirring.
~ BumbleBerry Loves ~
Fruit Soap Labels
Why didn’t I think of that?? One of my biggest pet peeves is having to peel labels off of fruits and vegetables. There is nothing worse than missing one, like while cutting red peppers and to later see it melting into your stirfry (true story). An amazing idea from inventor Scott Amron. Now is your opportunity to own a 10% interest in this patent. His genius fruit soap labels feature:
Features
- Washing turns label into Fruit Soap
- No stickers to peel off and throw away
- No expensive produce wash (fruit wash) to buy
- Displays Price Look-Up codes for fast & accurate check-out
- Label can also be removed normally by peeling off
- Water resistant
- Washing / rubbing with water triggers the turn
- Helps remove water-resistant wax, pesticides and fungicides
Check out more here
