The other day it hit a very warm +27 degrees here in the ‘Peg.

I was outside with my family and both my daughters were tugging at my shorts asking for something cold to cool them down.

We let them have popsicles, which for us means pouring fruit juice into popsicle moulds and freezing them, so they think it’s a big treat and we feel good about letting them have one too.

As I watched them both sit in the shade and focus on the frozen treat in front of them, I wondered what us parental units should be munching on to cool us down.

Popsicles weren’t going to do the trick–the ones we give the girls aren’t very big so they’d be devoured way too fast, so I started to think of a treat for more developed palates.

The recipe I found is borrowed straight from Janina Oleary, pasty chef at TRACE restaurant at the W Austin. A granita, or water ice, is simply a mix of flavored water and sugar that is not allowed to freeze completely solid, with the texture of a grainy slush. It is incredibly refreshing in warm weather and is worthy of making all summer long.

The recipe is called Cucumber Ice with Dr. Pepper Reduction–it’s easy, full of flavour and almost guaranteed to become a staple in your kitchen for years to come.

The picture above is just one, yes, just one, of four bookcases I have devoted to cookbooks.

I remember at an interview I had the interviewee asked me a pretty typical question: What was the name of the book or books I’ve recently read.

It’s one of those questions that usually pop up during one of these Q&A sessions but it honestly caught me aback.

It wasn’t that I didn’t know the names of the books I had my nose in recently, I knew them well, but, well, there were all of a particular genre.

I looked at the lady and said, “Larousse Gastronomique, The French Laundry cookbook and Kitchen Confidential.”

She said she wasn’t familiar with these titles and once I explained they were all from the culinary genre, she looked a little puzzled.

“Anything else on the list?” she said.

All I could answer was, “Bon Appetit magazine.”

When I was younger, I spent oodles of time reading a wide variety of books but as I grew up, my interests began to narrow.

Now, when I pack a bag for the beach or catch a flight somewhere, I’ve got at least one or two cooking related books with me.

On vacation this year, I sat with Wiley’s The Professional Chef on my lap as I watched the ocean waves lap on the beach.

Don’t worry, I wasn’t missing the point of vacation–I had a perfectly tart lime margarita in the other hand.

I just love cooking. And learning about cooking too because even if it sounds a little cliche, it’s impossible not to learn something new everyday.

Maybe it’s an ingredient you’ve snubbed for years or the purchase of a particular pot/dish/cooking instrument that inspires you to create a paella, fresh pressed tortillas or a slowly-briased meal.

The latter will always cure my cooking ennui–I simply find a new dish or instrument to use in the kitchen and for the next couple of weeks, I’m riffing on a ton of classic recipes creating new (and in my opinion, better) ones.

The other way to stay fresh in the kitchen is by picking up, yes, you knew it was coming, a cookbook–each one I own has taught me something.

So if you’re stuck and looking for inspiration, head down to your local kitchenware store or bookseller–both places will get you back in the kitchen with a smile.

What’s your favourite cookbook? Anything I should be reading this summer?

Those who know me know I love food and if there’s one ingredient I crave quite often, it’s the spud.
Yes, the humble potato is one of my all time favourite items to consume and yes, I do find myself actually craving it.
My wife does that share my enthusiasm for said spud so I don’t eat them as often as I like.
Still, when I do, I try to make sure the version I’m serving is something sublime (so she doesn’t make a face at me when I serve them to her).
As the weather starts to get warmer, the simple starch cries out (at least to me) to become part of a magnificent potato salad.
There’s something just so comforting and summery about a potato salad that, even for my lovely, is hard to resist.
Sure, you can use any potato you’d like to create one, but my favourite is assembling a variety of baby potatoes for the task.
Red-skinned, Yukon gold and if you can find them, purple potatoes, add a great deal of flavour to the mix, not to mention a lovely colour too.
I’m not a huge fan of dill, but when combined with luscious mayo, a bright splash of lemon, garlic and other fresh herbs, I think it’s a wonderful addition.
To wit, here’s my go-to potato salad recipe that may just become your go-to recipe going forward.
Baby Potato Salad with Sweet Peppers in a Dill Garlic Aioli
3 lb baby potatoes
2 heads of garlic, slowly-roasted until golden and soft
3/4 cup mayo
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 coloured sweet bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
1 cup peas
2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS:
Place potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil; when boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft (but not mushy).
Remove potatoes from water and let cool for about 20 minutes; slice in half, place in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
Add peppers and peas to potatoes.
Squeeze garlic into a food processor and process until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine garlic, mayo, lemon zest and all herbs and whisk to combine.
Toss potatoes with dressing and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
Enjoy!

Yesterday as I was shopping at the grocery store, I heard a couple chatting with the cashier as they were paying for their items.
They were speaking quite loudly so it was impossible not to overhear their conversation.
In their hands was a plastic clamshell package that held six muffins.
The topic of discussion was that these pre-made ones were so good, they stopped making homemade.
I, without being too dramatic, think my heart broke.
I took a look at they package and went to the bakery department to get a better look at said magnificent muffins.
Having found the ones these people were happily leaving the store with, I flipped it over to get a peek at the ingredients.
Heart break part deux.
The list was long and included everything from high fructose sugar to a silly amount of preservatives, artificial colours and flavours.
These were the muffins that were good enough to shut the door on homemade?
I think not.
That got me thinking–how horrible were the muffins these people were making for them to think these were the better choice?
While I’m not a professional baker, I know the ones I make at home kill the pre-made stuff–no question at all.
As I stood there for a minute, the only thing I wanted to do was to bake a batch of homemade muffins and give them to this couple to show them that real food, made with real, fresh ingredients will always trump the fake stuff any day, any time.
What do you think?
If you don’t want to bake, I can understand that, but have we gotten to a point where people are OK to consume fake food instead of trying to find a real alternative?
Let me know your thoughts.

You really have to hand it to Latin America–the creation of the taco has got to be one of the best kinds of food in the world.

At it’s core, it’s simple street food served unassumingly in a deep fried corn tortilla.

But while it’s basic premise is simple, the ingredients that can go within do not have to be.

I think many people are lulled into the simplicity of pre-packaged taco kits and I can see why.

They offer an easy way to put a meal together that requires only that the ‘cook’ stand in front of the stove and stir.

Simple-yes. Creative? No. Inspired? Nope. Awesome to eat the next day? Hardly.

When I make tacos, I make tacos.

For the filling, I love to go with marinated chicken thighs (with the skin pulled off -c’mon, you can do it) on the bone.

From there I add perfectly ripe chopped avocado, julienned Romaine, Roma tomato pieces and sour cream laced with lime juice, cilantro and chives.

The key here is the chicken as it is what transforms this dish from good to great.

I use an ingredient in this dish called achiote paste–don’t run away screaming, it’s nothing too crazy.

It’s a paste, kind of like Thai red chili paste, used to flavour a wide variety of Latino dishes.

You can buy it pre-made at places like Scoop N Weigh or a quick Google search will provide you with a decent make-your-own version.

If you’re thinking about making some soon, here’s the recipe I go with:

2 lbs (1 kg) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/3 cup achiote paste*

3 jalapeños, stemmed and seeded

1 head of garlic, cloves peeled

1 bunch of cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, combine paste, jalapeños, garlic and cilantro. Process until finely chopped. Place mixture into a bowl and add juices; whisk to combine.

Place chicken thighs in a large dish and cover with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours (overnight is even better).

Preheat oven to 350 F (convection if possible) and bake chicken until very tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, reserving juices, and let cool. When cool to the touch, remove chicken from the bone and shred into small pieces; discard bones.

Place chicken back into reserved juices and keep warm in the oven at 200 F.

From there, the possibilities are endless. In the photo above, I’ve used tostado shells as the base but feel free to use taco shells or wraps or whatever.

Makes enough chicken for many, many tacos.

Late this afternoon, my wife and I are meeting with an architect to talk about potential renovation ideas for our house.

As baby number three will arrive within the next couple of months, our thoughts about how to arrange the living space between us and our two daughters plus baby has come to the forefront.

But what does this have to do with food right?

Good thing you asked.

For the past couple of days I’ve been consumed with trying to figure out what I should offer, or not offer, to the person coming to chat with us.

In years past, it was customary to offer a refreshment and snack to people who visited your home.

Now it’s more like, “can I get you a glass of water?”

How boring.

Plus, the person making the house call knows she’s coming to the home of a person who cooks, eats and drinks for a living.

I’m assuming that she may be looking for something a little nicer than tap water.

But what should I have waiting?

Cupcakes? Coffe cake? Muffins?

Brownies, cookies or a slice of cake?

Truth be told, up to this point, I’ve only spoken with her once on the phone and wouldn’t know her face if we passed on the street so I have no idea what she may or may not like.

So what do you suggest my friends? What would you serve in this situation?

March is a busy month around here as not only do I celebrate a birthday, my lovely sister does as well a few days after mine.

That usually results in a couple of birthday parties at various places not to mention a big family get-together at some point so my parents can see us and wish us well.

But now that I’m a Dad of two little girls (with number three child right around they corner), choosing a restaurant that serves good food and is accommodating to little kids is incredibly challenging.

Why is that?

Why must we have to choose one or the other?

Having been in the hospitality industry for more than a decade, I can understand the trepidation managers and waiting staff would have when they spied our small entourage of little ones arriving as sometimes it can turn out to be a real gong-show.

Thing is, even though our girls have their moments just as any four-year-old and 1 1/2 year old would have, they are quite well-behaved in restaurants.

Not to mention, since we’ve walked many miles in hospitality shoes, we come packed with enough distractions to ensure that we and the people around us can eat in peace.

We ended up at a family run Italian joint close to where we live that supposedly made pretty good food and had enough space for our little ones to roam around before dinner.

Since they’ve been in business for forever and a day, all this might actually be true.

So we pack up the family to meet the sibling and parents at the restaurant.

I start off with an order of calamari and a bowl of carbonara to follow.

As the first plate is put in front of me, each calamari ring is exactly the same size and shape with perfectly uniform crust.

Sigh.

Sysco pre-made frozen squid rings. Great.

The carbonara to follow was so bland and flavourless (even with the bacon!), a bowl of Elmer’s glue tossed with spaghetti would have tasted better.

My kids had a decent order of buttered noodles with a side of house made marinara to add, so they managed to slurp a decent amount down.

Too bad Dad didn’t get so lucky.

So here we were, in a place that served pre-made frozen calamari and awful carbonara in a space neither of our girls were really allowed to explore and for this, we got to pay close to $90 (gratuity already included in the bill).

So again I ask, why isn’t there a place, or should I say places, that serve great food and are happy to see kids?

I’m not asking for a jungle gym to be set up on site, but at least a smile and a willingness to help their patrons have a good meal.

What do you think?

Is there such a thing as a great restaurant that is happy to welcome parents and their little ones?

Hard. Core. Carnivore.

That’s me in a nutshell.

For as long as I can remember, the thought of tearing into a big juicy steak, pulling the bones from a slow-smoked piece of baby-back ribs, or thinly slicing a rotisserie leg of lamb has caused me to salivate.

I still remember clearly the time, maybe about 25 years ago or so, at our family’s garage sale, when I brought out a big bag of Lego to sell.

It was a stupid huge bag of the stuff and I had reached a point where it’s spell over me had faded and it was time for it to go.

My Mom had told me to come up with a price for it since it was mine to sell and as I thought about what to sell it for, the only number I could come up with was one that would allow me to bike down to the butcher and buy the biggest T-bone steak I could find.

True story.

Back then, I think all it took was about $10 bucks to purchase one of those monsters and much to my parents horror, that’s the number I put on the bag.

Needless to say, the first parent of little children who spied my garbage bag of the stuff snapped it up before I even let go of it.

My parents to this day still remind me that I could have sold it for five, many 10 times the amount, but all I remember was that I got to go to the butcher afterwards.

I bought that big ol’ steak and my Dad grilled it for me, nice and medium-rare and I sat there, in the summer sun, with my giant T-Bone steak and a baked potato in total and complete bliss.

My wife does not sure the same ‘enthusiasm’ for grilled steak as I do, which is actually good, because if left to my own devices, I’d most likely try and eat it everyday.

So, as I turn older today, without, thankfully, feeling old, I sit here contemplating what to make for my celebratory dinner and guess what’s going to make it on the menu?

Oh gawd yes–a T-bone steak and baked potato.

This time, it will be me in front of the ‘cue grilling it to medium-rare perfection and I can honestly say, I can’t hardly wait.

<h2>Ingredients</h2>
Almond Butter:<strong>
</strong>1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped almonds
1 lb (500 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Salt to taste

Bread Pudding:<strong>
</strong>Butter for the pan
3 medium potatoes, diced and cooked
1/2 loaf of bread, diced (Vives uses focaccia)
3 cups (750 mL) heavy cream (or a mixture of milk and cream)
5 large eggs
1 bunch of chives, finely diced
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Sablefish:<strong>
</strong>1 ½ lb. (675 g) sablefish, sliced into 4 fillets
Olive oil to drizzle and for the pan
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
1 zucchini, sliced into matchsticks
1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
1 red pepper, sliced into matchsticks
1/2 sweet red onion, sliced thinly

<h2>Directions</h2>
Almond Butter:
Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C). Place the chopped almonds on a parchment-lined sheet in a thin layer and toast for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter at high speed for one minute, or until light and fluffy. Add cooled almonds, mix well and add salt to taste. Scrape one-quarter of the almond butter onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Fold one edge of the paper over the mixture and use the back of a long knife or palette knife to tighten the paper into a snug cylindrical case around the butter. Repeat with remaining butter to make four cylinders. Freeze 3 for later use. Wrap and refrigerate one cylinder.

Bread Pudding:
Increase the oven temperature to 350 F (180 C). Butter a gratin dish. Combine potatoes, bread and chives in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs thoroughly, then add the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the custard to the potato-bread mixture, mixing with a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the eggs are set and don’t jiggle when the dish is moved. Remove from the oven. Cover loosely and keep warm.

Sablefish:
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan set over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the sablefish with salt and pepper to taste. Place the fillets in the pan, skin-side up, and cook without moving the fish until a golden crust forms, about 5 minutes. Turn the fish and repeat. For thicker fillets, finish cooking the fish, uncovered, in the oven.

While the fish finishes cooking, heat another sauté pan for the vegetables. Add about 1 1/2 tsp (22 mL) olive oil to the pan and add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until crisp-tender. Remove from heat.

To Assemble:
Remove Almond Butter from the fridge and slice into 8 circular discs, each about 1/2” (1.3 cm) in thickness. Slice the bread pudding and arrange on plates with vegetables. Top with the fish. Melt the Almond Butter in a hot pan, allowing it to brown and foam. Drizzle over the fish and serve promptly.

Serves 4

Recipe by  JP Vives

Anybody who knows me knows that I love to bake.

And cook. And eat. OK, there’s a lot of things I like to do in the kitchen.

Still, it drives my better half bezerk because I don’t have a sweet tooth.

Whipping up a batch of fair trade, organic, natural cocoa brownies or rolling out a sweet pastry for a pie actually makes me giddy but the thought of tearing into it (or them, depending on how many batches I make) doesn’t fill me with the same kind of enthusiasm.

Sure, I’ll taste it to confirm how all the ingredients taste together but will I sneak a square after dinner or slide off with a slice post lunch? No, not really.

That’s why it drives my beautiful wife crazy.

Being 23 weeks pregnant with our third child, her ability to stay clear of my baked goods is being overruled by the other person growing inside, and since I’m not contributing to the cake’s erosion, she’s often starring at a full 9″ round double layer cake minus a few forkfuls. Or a full pan of brownies. You get the idea.

To help, I’ve begun sending pieces home with our nanny, leaving hunks of it on friends doorsteps (they never seem to mind) and offering it to almost anyone who comes to the door. So slowly, it’s being taken care of.

I like dessert, I do, I just really need to be in the mood for it and that doesn’t strike too often.

But, if you offered me something salty, say, ripple chips, now that’s an offer I couldn’t refuse.

In the end though, even when my dearest gives me that look as I cut out perfect parchment rounds for my baking pans, I know she’s happy she’s getting a piece.

My point of this blog is really about what goes on the cake rather than the cake itself.

I think part of the reason I can’t dive in is that the frosting is just too sweet for my tastes.

So, I’ve been tinkering with whipping cream that’s lightly sweetened and combined with melted chocolate.

I find it almost refreshing when compared to other butter-loaded spreads.

To wit, here’s my recipe for Dark Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

Enjoy!

1 cup of chopped dark belgium chocolate
1 tsp instant espresso mixed into 2 tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp  sugar
One very chilled bowl from an electric mixer
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a sauce pot set over medium-low heat, combine chocolate, espresso, 1/2 cup cream and sugar. Using a whisk, gently stir until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cooled, place remaining cream in the chilled bowl with the sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form then gently fold in chocolate mixture. Cover and chill for 30 minutes before using.

Makes enough to cover and fill a double layer 9″ round cake