H&G: Spice up the grill this spring
When making homemade barbecue sauce, there’s a lot of room to get creative. With the formula of salt, sweet, tart and spice (including heat, if you like), you can riff on the recipe, taking advantage of all kinds of locally produced seasonal gems. To start, you’ll want a base of caramelized chopped onion and garlic, […]
Lavender blue enhances berries
There are days around here when the hills, dressed in their summer colours set against a painterly sky, are really a feast for the eyes. And if you happen to be near one of our local lavender farms this time of year, the delicate fragrance in the summer breeze is quite magical, too. But the […]
Life of Spice: Toss up spring garden freshness in this Levantine salad
The taste of fresh, local produce that comes with spring and summer is something many of us crave all winter long. With the farmer’ s markets back in full swing and grocery shop signs boasting Ontario produce, I can get overzealous in stocking the of all kinds of veggies. In addition to the limited fridge space, the combination of greens, roots and other freshly- […]
Life of Spice: pear and cheddar soup, with smoked paprika
The month of March around here can be such a ‘mixed bag’ when it comes to the weather, which seems to be the case this year. The morning can start with sun and temperatures in the mid-teens, with the afternoon turning to wind and rain then followed by snow and sleet overnight. So it’s not exactly ‘winter,’ but it […]
Life of Spice: Spice up homemade oyster crackers
I had never heard of oyster crackers before stumbling on a recipe for them when I was looking for things to garnish soups and chowders. Most typically found on the east coast, Oyster crackers were originally named for their oyster-like shape. (Though there are no oysters or any seafood ingredients involved in making these crackers.) While they are well-suited to oyster, fish or clam […]
Life of Spice: Cardamom transforms cranberry sauce
“This is the best cranberry sauce I’ve ever had,” said my Mom. And while you might think that she’d be bias, knowing that I had made it; she is also a bit of a connoisseur of all things cranberry, and can be a “tough customer.” Not to mention she tends to be pretty straight with […]