Festive Holiday Baking

Are you a hybrid worker being forced to attend an office potluck? 

Do you need a dessert for your child's Christmas bake sale? 

Feel like baking something new this holiday season? 

If you answered any of those questions in the affirmative, the recipe below is just what you're looking for. Sure, there's no actual eggnog in these, but nothing is stopping you from pouring yourself a mug when you want to have one.

Ingredients

454 g white baking chocolate
115 g cream cheese, softened
60 g confectioners' sugar
1.5 g ground nutmeg, plus additional for sprinkling
1.5 g imitation rum extract

1. Melt 230 grams of the chocolate as directed on the package. Beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, nutmeg, and extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until it's well blended and smooth. Add the melted chocolate; beat until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until it's firm.
2. Shape into 24 balls. Place on a wax paper-lined tray. Refrigerate again while you make the chocolate dip.
3. Melt half of the remaining chocolate in a small microwavable bowl at 50% power for 1.5 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Using a fork, dip 1 truffle at a time into the melted chocolate. Tap the back of the fork 2 or 3 times against the edge of the dish to allow any excess chocolate to drip off. Place the truffles on a wax paper-lined tray.
   
   (If there are any "bald" spots on the truffle, cover it with the melted chocolate that remains on the fork).
   
   
4. Coat only 12 truffles at a time. Sprinkle truffles with nutmeg. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and the remaining truffles.
5. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the chocolate is set. Store the truffles between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

No Joke Holiday Ham

Poultry gets all the attention at holiday meals, but pork has always had a place at the Christmas table. While ham is often served on Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter, people have been eating pork products during wintertime long before Christianity. Germanic Pagans commonly served wild boar during Yuletide, while Norse Pagans sacrificed and feasted on wild boar during the Winter Solstice. Food historians believe that the holiday ham tradition is linked with cold weather months as pork could be easily carried and stored without refrigeration for long periods of time. As well, many cultures have associated pigs with abundance and good fortune, which is why a fat pig became a common gift on special occasions like births and weddings. For a ham that you would proud to serve to your friends and family as a main event or as an alternative, check out the recipe below. 

Ingredients

1 ham
125 mLmL maple syrup or honey
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
6 bay leaves
3 whole dried hot peppers
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
coriander seeds to taste
fennel seeds to taste
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Break the star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and hot peppers into large pieces. Set aside.
3. place the ham In a roasting pan, . Sprinkle generously with maple syrup.
4. Deposited on the meat the whole garlic cloves and other ingredients except oil and water. Pour oil over the filling.
5. Add water to cover bottom of pan about 1 inch (2,5 cm).
6. Roast in the oven 1h30-2h. Let stand a few minutes after cooking.

The Need To Know Dish That Is: Risotto

If you've ever seen any of Gordon Ramsey's TV shows, a plate of risotto will eventually appear. Whether it's being served on one of the reality cooking shows he hosts or a dish served at one of the restaurants he critiques on his other reality shows, if you make a bad risotto, you will hear about it from Scotland's angriest celebrity chef. This is because when done right, risotto is a real crowd-pleaser. After rice was introduced to Italy in the 14th century, risotto became a popular northern Italian rice dish. Arborio rice, a short-grain rice named after the town of Arborio in Piedmont Italy, is traditionally used in risotto recipes, as it is high in amylopectin and low in amylose, two starches found in rice. This ratio gives the rice the ability to absorb liquid and release starch, which gives risotto its creamy consistency. The recipe below will allow you to see what the fuss is about risotto without having someone call you a donkey in the process.

Ingredients

500 g arborio rice
250 g white wine
250 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
60 g butter
1.5 to 2 L warm chicken broth
1 onion, finely chopped

1. In a large saucepan, soften the onion in half the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat well. Add the white wine and reduce until almost dry.
2. Add the chicken broth, about 250 mL at a time, stirring frequently until the liquid is completely absorbed before adding more broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 18 to 22 minutes or until the rice is al dente. Add more broth, as needed.
3. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the cheese, the remaining butter, and the toppings of your choice (green peas, asparagus, shrimp, etc.). Stir until the texture is very creamy. Adjust the seasoning.
4. Divide the risotto into bowls. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Hot Turkey Sandwich By Way of Kentucky

Like most Canadians after the second Monday of October, you may still have turkey in your fridge from your Thanksgiving feast. If you're looking for a new way to use those leftovers, try putting them in the most famous sandwich to come out of the state of Kentucky.  The Kentucky Hot Brown was created in Louisville in 1926 at the Brown Hotel, and like most inventions, it came about out of necessity. Chef Fred Schmidt came up with this open-faced sandwich to serve hungry hotel guests who came for the dancing that occurred at the hotel every night. Now that Prohibition has ended, feel free to have a mint julep with this hearty meal as well.

Ingredients

400 g roasted turkey breast, sliced thick
230 g heavy cream
230 g whole milk
60 g whole butter
60 g all purpose flour
55 g Pecorino Romano cheese plus 15g for garnish
4 slices of Texas Toast, crust trimmed
4 slices of crispy bacon
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
ground nutmeg
paprika
parsley

1. Fry the bacon to your desired level of crispiness, and set it aside once done.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and slowly whisk in the flour until everything is combined and forms a roux. Continue cooking the roux for two minutes over medium‑low heat, stirring frequently.
3. Whisk in the heavy cream and milk into the roux and cook over medium heat for 2‑3 minutes until the cream simmers. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add a pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Arrange the bread in an oven-safe dish, then cover with the turkey and top with the sliced tomatoes. Pour and completely cover the dish with the Mornay sauce. Sprinkle everything with some more Pecorino Romano. Place the entire dish under your oven's broiler until the cheese browns and bubbles. 
5. Remove from the oven, and either place or crumble the bacon over the sandwiches. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Bring Greekfest Home

Some go to Ottawa Greek Festival for the pageantry, some for the music, but most for the food. If you missed this year's event, don't fret - you can still have a lamb dish with the recipe^* below. Lamb yiovetsi is often made to mark the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Assumption, celebrated on the fifteenth of August (or the Sunday closest to that day), refers to the Virgin Mary being assumed — body and soul — into heaven at the end of her earthly life. As we slip into fall, this hearty meal would be good on any table, so crank up the Nana Mouskouri, and get to cooking. Opa!

Ingredients
1 shoulder of lamb, with most of the fat removed, and cut into serving-sized portions

600 g plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 400 g canned, chopped tomatoes
400 g orzo pasta, or spaghetti broken into small lengths
75 mL extra virgin olive oil
50 g Kefalotyri (a Greek hard, salty white cheese made from sheep milk or goat's milk), grated (Parmesan can be substituted)
5 g dried oregano
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C. Place the lamb in a large roasting pan, and add the tomatoes, olive oil, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 300 mL of hot water.
2. Put the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes, basting and turning the meat twice.
3. Take the lamb out of the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C. Add 700 mL of hot water to the roasting pan and stir in the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well.
4. Return the roasting pan to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta feels soft, and the meat is fully cooked and tender. 
5. Serve immediately with the grated cheese available to sprinkle on top. 

^* Taken from "Greece" by Rena Salaman and Jan Cutler, Anness Publishing Ltd, 2012

What’s in Season: Watermelon Pico de Gallo

You don't have to love fruits and vegetables to take advantage of the local farmer's market. Do it to support local businesses and farmers; do it if reducing your carbon footprint is a concern to you; or try a new recipe using produce you can be certain of its freshness and quality. The featured ingredient for this long overdue entry is watermelon. Watermelon has a three-month window of availability in this province, from July through September. Though technically classified as part of a botanical family of gourds that includes vegetables such as cucumber, squash, and pumpkin, watermelon has always been considered a fruit. 92 percent water, every part of a watermelon can be eaten, as the rinds can be stir-fried, stewed, or pickled, and the seeds can be dried and roasted like you would pumpkin seeds. The sweet red flesh makes a great substitute for tomatoes in the pico de gallo recipe below.

Ingredients

610 g watermelon, finely chopped
305 g cucumber, finely chopped
75 g red onion, finely chopped
40 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
60 mL fresh lime juice
15 g honey
10 g lime zest, finely grated
2 g salt
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

1. Toss watermelon with the cucumber, onion, cilantro and jalapeno.
2. Whisk lime juice with the zest, honey and salt. Stir into the watermelon mixture.
3. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips; for an additional burst of flavour, add the feta.
   
   Serves: 12

My Two Cents on Chick-fil-A

In one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in recent memory, my hometown now has its very own Chick-fil-A restaurant. While my son and I have been looking forward to seeing if the hype about this place and its chicken products is worth it, my wife doesn't share our enthusiasm. After learning the company donated to anti-LGBTQ groups and what the company CEO said about same-sex marriage, my wife decided Chick-fil-A would never get any of her money. Many other people share this sentiment, and it will be interesting to see if this boycott will affect sales here. In Chick-fil-A's defense, the backlash and criticism they have received have caused them to stop giving money to some (but not all) of the controversial groups that people opposed. They have since pledged to donate to Black-led non-profits or those serving the Black community in the U.S.; to mark the opening of the new Ottawa restaurant, Chick-fil-A plans to donate $34,000 to a local non-profit organization through Second Harvest.  And for what it's worth, the claim that Chick-fil-A broke a promise to stop donating to anti-LGBTQ groups is just fake news that came out after the company pulled funding from the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes after Chick-fil-A decided to change the areas of focus for their charities. I feel I can support the LGBTQ community and Chick-fil-A the same way I go to non-unionized Starbucks while being in a union. Distance will be the deciding factor on whether or not I ever eat from Chick-fil-A. I remember the long waits at Popeyes when they came to town. I'm not driving an hour, waiting an hour, and driving another hour back for a fried chicken sandwich anytime soon. Eating at Chick-fil-A doesn't automatically make you a homophobe any more than liking Kanye makes you an anti-Semite. I can understand why others may feel differently. In the meantime, I'll make do with the FCS I've been making for the times I don't want to go out to eat. I'm sure Chick-fil-A will be a huge success with or without my participation.

Happy Birthday Harley - The Perfect Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich

Photo: Credit: Warner Bros.

Margot Robbie gets a lot of deserved praise for her portrayal of Barbie in last year's blockbuster movie. But for me, she will always be Harley Quinn, the former psychologist turned Batman villain from the movie "Suicide Squad". Robbie was that film's highlight and breakout star, earning her a spinoff, "Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)". At one point in this film, Robbie's character hopes to lift her spirits by getting her favorite breakfast sandwich from her local bodega. While you may not find yourself on a wild adventure after eating one, most New Yorkers (where the sandwich originated and was perfected) would tell you it's the best way to start your day. In honour of Mrs. Robbie's birthday, here is the recipe for this cinematic culinary delight.

Ingredients

3 slices of bacon
2 eggs (if you're allergic to chicken eggs as Robbie is, duck eggs can be used)
2 process cheese slices
1 sandwich roll (plain, kaiser, potato, poppy seed - whatever you prefer)
melted butter
hot sauce
kosher salt

1. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a skillet until it's crispy. Drain the excess fat into a clean container (save it for future use) and dry the cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. 
2. While the bacon cooks, slice the roll in half lengthwise along the side, and set it aside. Heat another skillet over medium heat. Brush some melted butter on the cut side of the roll and place it face-down on the skillet after it gets hot. Press down on the roll with either a grill press or something heavy like another skillet. Toast the roll for about two minutes before transferring it to a cutting board.
3. Brush one of the skillets with melted butter and crack the eggs as close together as possible. Season with kosher salt. Flip the eggs when the whites are almost entirely set, then top with the cheese slices.
4. Place the bacon on one of the halves of the roll.  When the edges of the cheese melt, place the egg and cheese on top of the bacon.
5. Add two dashes of hot sauce to the top of the sandwich. Finish the sandwich with the other half of the bun and slice it in half before serving.

Buffet Etiquette

 After being shut down during the pandemic, buffets are making a comeback in a big way. To celebrate its 45th anniversary, Mandarin is offering people a free meal at any of its restaurants in Ontario on Canada Day. With so much to choose from, it can be overwhelming when it's time to put food on your plate. The following tips will help you make the most out of your buffet experience.

• This should be obvious, but the less food in your belly, the more food you can eat. Having only one plate at a buffet is a colossal waste of time and money. 
• When you arrive will impact the amount of time you spend waiting in line and how crowded the buffet will be. Plan accordingly.
• Not all buffets are all you can eat, so check before loading up your plate. That being said, when at a serve-yourself affair, there is no need to pile everything on one plate to see how high you can stack your food.  You can always go back for more.
• Pace yourself by starting with appetizers and salads before moving on to the main course. Avoid loading up on bread or dinner rolls, and save some room for foods you usually don't get to enjoy.
• Do not cut in or disrupt the line flow by starting midway or from the opposite end. Respect the personal space of your fellow diners by giving them room to serve themselves comfortably without feeling crowded. There's no reason to reach around or in front of someone serving themselves, no matter how hungry you are. 
• Just because there is a sneeze guard protecting the food it doesn't you have to test its effectiveness. If you need to cough or sneeze, step away from the buffet to avoid contaminating the food or the other patrons. As well, refrain from licking your fingers, touching your hair, or scratching any rashes on your body while using the serving utensils.
• Do not start eating items while still in the buffet line.
• If you don't like what you have on your plate, don't return items to the buffet line. No one wants to eat your used food. 
• Once you've finished with your plate, leave your plate behind and get a clean one.
• Unless you're ordering takeout, you can't bring food home with you - leave the Tupperware containers at home.

Year-Round Refreshing Drinks

Keeping hydrated is important for maintaining overall health. As the need to drink more fluids increases as it gets warmer, quench your thirst with these refreshing beverages.

Ingredients - Pineapple lemonade
This take on a summertime favourite will make you want to set up a stand at the end of your driveway and sell it for pennies a glass like you did back in the day.

1.2 L sparkling water 
250 mL water
950 mL pineapple juice 
120 mL lemon juice
250 g granulated sugar
710 g ice cubes

1. In a saucepan, mix together the sugar and the water. Heat on medium heat until the sugar is entirely dissolved.
2. Fill a large pitcher with the ice. Slowly pour the sugar syrup over the ice to cool the syrup down.
3. Add the pineapple juice, lemon juice, and sparkling water to the pitcher. Stir with a long spoon to combine. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Ingredients - The Arnold Palmer
Created by and later named after the golfing legend, this beverage is good with or without a shot of liquor.

120 mL iced tea
60 mL lemonade

1. Pour the lemonade and iced tea into a tall glass filled with ice.
2. Stir well. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Ingredients - Classic Sweet Tea
When you go south of the Mason-Dixon line and ask for iced tea, you'll get a variation of this in your glass.

12 individual bags of black tea
250 g granulated sugar

1. Bring 950 mL of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat.
2. Dunk the tea bags a few times in the water to fully hydrate, then leave them submerged with the strings hanging over the side of the pot. After 5 minutes, remove the bags and discard them.
3. Add the sugar and stir until it's completely dissolved.
4. Pour the tea base into a large pitcher. If using multiple pitchers, divide the tea evenly between them. Add more water to the tea base and stir to combine.
5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight.
6. Pour the sweet tea into ice-filled glasses. Add a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon to each, if desired.

Ingredients - Roy Rogers
The cola version of the classic Shirley Temple, this mocktail is named after movie star Roy Rogers, known as the "King of the Cowboys" in the 1940s, and John McClane's alias in the first "Die Hard"; yippee-ki-yay, indeed.

your favourite cola
60 mL grenadine syrup

1. Fill a highball or pint glass with ice. Add the grenadine syrup.
2. Gently top with cola, and stir.
3. Garnish with maraschino cherries.

The Need To Know Classic That Is: Shepherd's Pie

Let's get this out of the way now - a true shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb; when ground beef is used, it's called a cottage pie. Over time, ground beef became the filling of choice, and lamb was used less frequently. This is why the two names are used interchangeably.  Originating from the British Isles in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, shepherd’s pie was a way for people to save and make their money, and leftover food last longer. Early versions of the dish used a pastry shell at the bottom and top to hold everything together; over time, potato slices were used at the bottom, eventually making their way to the top as mashed potatoes. So if you ever see ground lamb (or ground beef) on what constitutes a sale nowadays, use the recipe below. 

Ingredients

1 kg Russet potatoes, peeled
700 g ground lamb or beef
225 g carrots, diced
200 g canned chopped tomatoes
125 g white mushrooms (optional)
30 g butter
15 g flour
5 g frsh sage, chopped
240 mL beef stock
45-60 mL milk
5 mL Worcestershire sauce
2 onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Place whatever meat you're using in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with no cooking oil, and gently cook until the meat begins to brown.
2. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and continue gently cooking everything for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Gradually stir in the beef stock and the tomatoes and bring everything to a boil. Add the Worcestershire sauce, the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In another pot, boil the potatoes in salted water until they're tender, then drain thoroughly, and mash, beating in the butter, some salt and pepper to taste, and enough milk to give the potatoes a good consistency for piping. If you don't have a piping bag to spread the mashed potatoes, there are alternate ways to do it.
4. Stir the mushrooms (if using) into the meat and taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour the meat into a shallow ovenproof dish. Pipe the potatoes evenly over the meat. 
5. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until it's piping hot and the potatoes are golden brown.

24 Hour Perogies

In a place known as the City That Fun Forgot, it's no surprise that there's not much happening in Ottawa late at night. The House of TARG decided to change that by celebrating its tenth anniversary with a 24-hour event. Located on Bank Street in Old Ottawa South, the House of TARG is the venue for old-school arcade games, pinball, and live music shows. But for some, the main draw is the perogies that they regularly serve. With plans to satisfy my hunger and cure my insomnia, I made my way over at around 3 in the morning. I arrived in the middle of the Graveyard Shift, which explains why there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING happening when I entered the establishment. While the DJ played rockabilly and country music, the few party people remaining were milling around chatting with the staff, while some were still trying to make high scores on their favourite machines. The bands that had the room filled hours ago had long since left the stage; I even missed the comedy stylings of Gandlaf, the Wizard of Comedy, and some spoken word entertainment they had planned.  I knew I couldn't order a beer that early, but the lack of coffee was surprising, as was the lack of food (I wasn't feeling the chips that were available that early). I was kicking myself for dosing off earlier in the night, just my luck that I picked the one time in the 24 hours that was a dead zone - I almost wish there was a night mayor I could complain about this to.  Not wanting to wait until breakfast time for the cereal TARG was offering, I left soon after getting my fill of Galaga and Iron Man pinball. But what am I to do about my potato dumpling craving? Uber Eats isn't an option until the weekend, so I'm forced to rely on the recipe below. But first, some much-needed rest...

Ingredients:

Dough:
240 g all-purpose flour
160 mL cold water
1 large egg, beaten

Potato Filling:
2.30 kg Russet potatoes, peeled
115 g shredded Cheddar cheese
bacon
salt
pepper

Sauerkraut Filling:
1 (908 g) jar sauerkraut - drained, rinsed and minced
115 g bacon
45 g sour cream

1. Combine the flour, cold water, egg, and 6 grams of salt in a bowl. Mix everything until a smooth dough forms. Cover the bowl and set it aside.
2. Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water, and bring everything to a boil. Let it cook for 25 to 35 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain and mash in the pot until smooth.
3. For the potato filling, place 454 g bacon in a large frying and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels, then crumble and stir it into the mashed potatoes. Blend in the shredded cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the mixture aside.
4. For the sauerkraut filling, cook the remaining bacon in the frying pan and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Drain, crumble, and place in a medium bowl, and stir in the sauerkraut and the sour cream. Mix well and set the mixture aside.
5. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a 3 to 6-mm thickness. Cut out 7cm circles with either a cookie cutter or an upside-down drinking glass, and place a spoonful of potato or sauerkraut filling in the center of each circle and fold over, pinching edges together to seal.
6. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop the perogies in the boiling water and let them cook until they float, about 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Remove the perogies from the water. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 30 mL olive oil. Add the perogies to the pan, and sauté for 2-3 mins per side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. WIZARD TIP - towards the end of frying, add 15 g of butter and coat the perogies in it.

Working My Way Through The Works: Son of a Beech

A popular gimmick for food blogs is to eat and review every item on a restaurant's menu. This blog is no exception. These are the observations I've had while eating my way through the burger menu of The Works, a Canadian burger restaurant with locations across Ottawa and Ontario.

The WORKS (900 Watters Road)
Burger Description: "Avocado, Beechhouse sauce, sundried tomato & feta cheese."
March 25, 2024

I'm overdue for writing about these burgers. So much so that I can't help but notice a lot has changed around the site of my favourite Works location. I see some businesses have come and gone from the surrounding strip mall. Somehow they managed to wedge in a new supermarket across the parking lot from the Works.  The most concerning addition to the area, however, has to be the arrival of a new McDonald's. Having a place famous for selling billions of cheap burgers a year in your backyard can't be good for any business that sells similar food - how does one counter Rotten Ronnie's fast-food fixings? You can start by offering a better burger.  I went with the Son of a Beech,featuring the Works' own Beechhouse sauce. As burger sauces go, this is one of the better ones. The sun-dried tomato added a nice bit of tangy sweetness to the burger, which worked well with the saltiness of feta. I'm still not a fan of non-guacamole avocado being added to my hamburger, but I didn't mind the slab that came with my meal this time. No complaints either about the French fries, I'm glad the server suggested adding some gravy on the side to go with them. I did take issue with the shrinkflation that affected the size of my burger patty; if you must skimp on the meat, at least put it on a smaller bun. Overall, I was happy I decided to get lunch here. This was the busiest I've seen this location mid-afternoon, and judging by the laughter I heard from the back of the house, if the staff is worried about competition from the Golden Arches, they're not showing it. I don't know what the future holds for this location, but it's good to see and taste that they're not going out without a fight.

3.5 of 5 stars - head and shoulders better than my last burger experience here.

Random Thoughts About The I Heart Beer + Taco Festival Tour

The second edition of the two-day  I❤︎ Beer & Taco Festival rolled into Ottawa last weekend. I went to the second of three sessions, the first on Friday, and the last starting later that afternoon. These were my impressions.

• Entering the Cattle Castle (I'll never get used to calling it the Aberdeen Pavilion, no matter how many years have passed since the last SuperEx), I was handed a plastic cup for beer sampling. Already this is more than what the Food & Wine Festival gave people.
• I wanted to bring my son to this but after buying the tickets I learned it's a 19+ event - why? We're eating tacos for God's sake...Yes, I'm aware they're serving beer here, and that a bunch of drunk children would be a nightmare to deal with, but you're not supposed to serve minors beer. They made an exception for toddlers, however. Who knew screaming colicky babies were preferred over children who aren't ill-mannered brats?
• You had to buy tokens to get anything to eat or drink, with most tacos and beers going for 2 to 3 tokens. I went with 8 tokens to start for $20.
• First taco: Beef brisket, El Patcho's Tacos
  Done in a barbacoa style, the brisket tasted good, and the toppings added some freshness and balanced everything out. This is what you want in a taco, check them out if you're ever in Carleton Place.
  
• This was the place to be if you like beer pong, as half of the left side of the Castle was devoted to it. I've never gotten the appeal of playing beer pong as I've never needed to gamify my drinking. If beer pong wasn't your thing, there were plenty of 1UP arcade games and some retro consoles set up for play.  With all these video games around, you'd think they would allow children to attend. If it sounds like I'm bitter about this rule, it's because I am. No refunds on tickets.
• Second taco: Fish, Margarita Restaurant
  I didn't think to ask what fish it was, but it was nicely fried, and the slaw served with it was just as good. If I ever go for a sit-down meal at this place, the cauliflower taco that was also an option to try is what I plan to have.
• I hadn't planned on drinking that afternoon, so I was happy to see lots of free water available for drinking and rinsing out your sample cup. I was also happy to see all the breweries that attended the event - who says that craft beer is dead?
• Third taco: Lamb, Spring Pasture Farm
  This vendor knew more about raising and butchering lamb than making tacos. Even though the meat was cooked well, this was my least favourite taco of the day. It was essentially a basic gringo taco made with ground lamb instead of ground beef. 
• For what it's worth, the best lamb taco I've ever had I got from Sí Señor, whose presence was noticeably absent from this event.
• Quite a few bored security guards were milling around.
• I would have liked more standing tables at this event, but there were a lot of tables and chairs available on the right side of the building if you're a fan of community seating and eating. Introverts like myself were forced to stand or sit off to the side.
• To the surprise of no one, the plant-based taco booth had no lineup.
• Fourth taco: Beef tongue, Casa Cancún
  I'm glad these guys came from London, Ontario for this thing, as they made my favorite taco. I've wanted to try beef tongue since I heard the meat was tender underneath the rough outer exterior. I also noticed that they were the only place I tried that used corn tortillas instead of flour and that they grilled them. It was a very satisfying taco topped with some hot salsa, onions, and a little cilantro. 
• I heard there was hot sauce available to sample, but I couldn't find any.
• Fifth taco: Pork, Picante mx
  Because I could pronounce it better than I could carnitas, I went with the pastor style of pork. For those who were wondering, al pastor is when the meat is cooked on a vertical spit, like shawarma meat, while carnitas is chopped up pork braised in its own fat, or added lard. It was a good taco, I'm certain I would have enjoyed either style.
• This is a first - I actually felt full at a food festival. 
• Overall, one of the better food festivals I've been to in Ottawa. If I could change anything I would have allowed people to buy tickets at the door, it seemed like a missed opportunity with so much foot traffic around. The food was great, and it was an event that the whole family could enjoy if the promoters would let them. 

The Need To Know Classic That Is: Red Beans and Rice

Nowadays soul food is used to describe any well-loved homemade comfort food. Traditionally, soul food is food rooted in African American culture in the southern United States during the time of slavery. Slaves were given food that was low in quality and nutritional value, foods that their masters didn't want to eat for themselves. Using the techniques they learned before being snatched from their homelands, enslaved Africans adapted their traditional recipes with the resources available. These methods became the basis of the soul food dishes we know and love today. There's a lot to like about red beans and rice. It's a classic soul food dish that's tasty, a great source of fibre and protein, and can be made relatively cheaply. The end of February may be the end of Black History Month, but that doesn't mean it's the end of enjoying Black culinary delights.

Ingredients:

300 g dry red beans
200 g long grain white rice, uncooked
265 g Andouille sausage
10 g salt, or to taste
7 g smoked paprika
5 g chopped parsley
3 g dried oregano
3 g dried thyme
2 g garlic powder
2 g onion powder
1 g cayenne pepper
1 g freshly cracked black pepper
20 mL cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions
2 ribs celery, diced
1.5 bay leaves
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced

1. Soaking beans helps them cook faster and breaks down some of the complex sugars that make beans hard for some people to digest. The night before, add the dry beans to a large bowl and fill the bowl with water. Allow the beans to soak in the refrigerator overnight.
2. When it's time to start cooking, slice the sausage into rounds. Add the cooking oil and sliced sausage to a large pot and cook over medium heat until the sausage pieces are browned. Remove the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl. Set the cooked sausage aside in the refrigerator.
3. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot that the sausage was cooked in. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat until the onions are soft, allowing the moisture from the vegetables to help dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the pot as you stir. Add the smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, and bay leaves to the pot. Stir and cook for one minute more.
4. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Add them to the pot along with 1.4L of water and give the pot a brief stir to combine all of the ingredients. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring everything up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the pot boil for one hour, stirring occasionally. Replace the lid every time you stir.
5. After boiling for one hour, the beans should be tender. Begin to smash the beans with the back of a spoon against the side of the pot. Continue smashing the beans and letting the pot simmer without a lid for 30 minutes to thicken the pot.
6. While the beans are simmering, add the rice and 700 mL of water to a saucepan. Place a lid on top, turn the heat on to high, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the rice simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice rest for 5 minutes without removing the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
7. Once the red beans have thickened, add the cooked sausage back to the pot along with the chopped fresh parsley. Stir to combine. Taste the red beans and add salt to your liking.
8. Serve the red beans in a bowl with a scoop of rice and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.

Superbowl Eats: San Francisco 49ers edition

For the second time in four years, the San Francisco Forty-Niners faceoff against the Kansas City Chiefs for the Superbowl. This time out, the 49ers are led by quarterback Brock "Mr. Irrelevant" Purdy, who was previously famous for being the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Helping Purdy is league-leading rusher Christian McCaffrey at running back, talented wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and a really good tight end who's not dating a pop star in George Kittle. There's a lot to like about this team, just as there's a lot to like about the San Francisco seafood stew called cioppino. Cioppino is a tomato-based stew created in the late 1800s by Italian-American fishermen who fished off the North Beach of San Francisco. It was made with whatever seafood was leftover from the day’s catch. If you need a dish to bring to a Superbowl party, making this will definitely stand out from the usual crab and sourdough bread people think of for a Bay Area-themed menu.

Ingredients

350 mL chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
340 g skinless red snapper fillets, cut into small pieces (haddock can be used as a substitute)
230 g shelled and deveined medium shrimp
240 mL bottled clam juice
225 g canned diced tomatoes, drained
120 mL dry white wine
30 mL extra-virgin olive oil
30 g unsalted butter
30 g coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2.5 mL hot sauce, plus more for serving
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened, for about 3 minutes. Add the wine and boil until it's reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the stock, clam juice, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has slightly reduced.
3. Add the clams, cover, and cook just until most of them open, about 5 minutes. Add the snapper and shrimp, cover, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until they are cooked through and the remaining clams have opened.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer seafood to 4 bowls. Add the butter and parsley to the broth remaining in the pot and cook over moderate heat for a minute, while stirring. Spoon the broth over the seafood and serve with sourdough toast.

A Meal Fit For Rabbie Burns

“Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it,

But we hae meat and we can eat,

And sae the Lord be thankit.”

On or around January 25 poetry lovers and people of Scottish descent get together to celebrate the life of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns. This celebration includes a Burns supper, a meal of traditional Scottish cuisine, some Scotch whisky, and lots of readings of his works. Naturally, haggis will be a part of this meal, but there's more to Scottish cooking than offal meat and oatmeal cooked in an animal's stomach. Cullen skink is a fish chowder named after the town of Cullen on the coast in northeast Scotland. Try the recipe below if you're looking for a starter for your Burns dinner or a new winter comfort food.

Ingredients

400 g medium potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
300 mL water
250 g smoked haddock
250 mL whole milk
15 g unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
half a small bunch of parsley or chives, finely chopped

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion and fry for 5-8 minutes until they are translucent but not browned. Add the potatoes and the water and bring everything to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Put the haddock in another pan and cover the fish with the milk. Cook gently for 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove the haddock from the milk with a slotted spoon (reserving the milk), transfer it to a plate, and leave to it cool slightly. When it's cool enough to touch, flake the fish into large pieces, removing any bones.
3. Add the reserved milk and flaked haddock to the pan with the potato mixture and cook for another 5 minutes. Season and sprinkle over the parsley to serve.

Better Girl Dinners

I don't know as much about feminism as Justin Trudeau does, which is why I don't understand the girl dinner trend. According to TikTok, a girl dinner is any low-effort meal you make when you’re alone. It could be a fruit or vegetable platter, instant noodles, some sliced meat and cheese on a plate, or even leftovers. It qualifies just as long as you post a video of it as Olivia Maher did. These meals are apparently quite liberating for women, as it allows them to take a break from their traditional role of preparing complicated meals for men. I didn't think being too lazy to make something to eat was gender specific, just as I don't think a few pickles and a handful of crackers can be considered a meal. If you must eat a series of snacks for a meal, try to make healthy choices that include protein, produce, fat, and fibre sources.  If you're having trouble coming up with ideas for your next girl dinner, below are some suggestions you may want to try before the next viral sensation comes along.

Ingredients: Caprese Skewers

It's the classic caprese salad in snack form.

16 small fresh mozzarella balls
16 fresh basil leaves
16 cherry tomatoes
extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Thread the mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes on small skewers.
2. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Ingredients: Eggocado

This meal is a favourite of renowned author, journalist, and speaker Alan Henry.

1 avocado
1 egg

1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C. Beat the egg with a fork.
2. Cut an avocado in half and de-pit it. Slice off a quarter's worth off the back of each avocado half so they lay flat. Sprinkle a little salt in each pit hole. Place the avocado halves in an oven-safe skillet, pitted side up, propped against the side to keep them steady.
3. Pour half the egg into the center of each avocado half. Depending on the size of your avocado, you may need to scoop out some of the flesh to make room first. Add any spices or condiments you like on top. Suggestions include hot sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika, or lemon zest.
4. Carefully place the skillet in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, until the egg is set.

Ingredients: Texas Hash

NOTE: You will have leftovers if you make this.

227 g ground beef
227 g canned chopped tomatoes
50 g uncooked white rice
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
7 g chili powder (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 177 degrees C.
2. In a large oven-safe skillet, brown the ground beef on the stove. Add the celery, onion, and green pepper, and cook slightly, stirring everything together.
3. Add the tomatoes, rice, and chili powder, and stir to further incorporate everything.
4. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.