It is always a pleasure and an honour to cook for youth of all ages. I believe that having a positive relationship with food needs to start at a young age, the effects of which will last a lifetime. I recently had the pleasure of witnessing a kid step outside his food comfort zone. He asked what something was and… Read more →

I’m a big fan of naturally sweet foods because they can satisfy my craving for sugar in a nutritious way. Sweet potatoes are a perfect example of this kind of food and are also very good for your health. They get their pigment from carotenoids, which among other things contain beta-carotene that is beneficial to the health of our eyes.… Read more →

It is very easy to lose track of what ingredients you have hiding in your cupboard, basement, cooler, fridge or wherever else you store your food. It is a good habit to regularly clean and organize your pantry. This is an important practice because using up what you have will inevitably lead to less food waste. The fun and challenging… Read more →

At last week’s Healthy Roots event I had the pleasure of preparing a meal for the community to enjoy with Family Traditions. The intention of the menu was to show what a seasonal meal can look like during the winter. Everything that was served can potentially be grown and preserved locally. There were some familiar ingredients perhaps done in unfamiliar… Read more →

Comfort food keeps the soul warm when the temperature plummets well below zero. Deceivingly simple food made with love and care has a powerful affect on the psyche. To me that food tastes even better when I have a connection to where the food came from. Unfortunately finding local vegetables from the fall harvest are difficult to come by this… Read more →

Cooking rabbit well can be a challenge because rabbit meat is high in connective tissue. Just last week I received an email from a woman whose husband had been out on a successful hunt. It was her first time attempting to cook rabbit and she requested some guidance. I was happy to share some of my tips on getting a… Read more →

There is an incredible variety of fish available, each having its own unique texture and flavour profile. In the kitchen it is important to never overpower the delicate nature of the fish you may be serving. Cooking with a light hand in terms of seasoning and selecting complementary ingredients will ensure the fish is the star of your dish. Understanding… Read more →

When cooking on a budget with few ingredients to choose from, it is very important to utilize everything. Doing so will add depth of flavour to the food being prepared. It is also respecting the ingredient by letting it pass on as much of its nutrients as possible, minimizing kitchen waste. Nearly a year ago, I talked about building a… Read more →

In last week’s column I walked through the steps of preserving a duck leg by curing it in maple syrup and cooking and storing it in its own fat. There are many things you can do with meat prepared in this style. Meat prepared in a way that resembles confit can be used in anything from a delicious savory spread… Read more →

Curing and cooking animals in their own fat is an ancient preserving technique. There are two fundamental steps to the process. First one would typically cure the meat in a salt and sugar mixture. Afterwards, the meat is cooked in its own fat and then stored. There are other ways to preserve meat in animal fat much like the process… Read more →