How to Make a Better Crudité Than Dr. Oz

There are many doctors who I trust more than Mehmet Oz. Doctors Dre, Kevorkian, and Octopus are three just off the top of my head. Along with selling medicines and treatments that only help his bank account, we can now add food suggestions to the list of questionable things that Dr. Oz has said. Recently, the former TV host released a campaign video in an attempt to appear more relatable to voters in his run for a seat on the U.S. Senate. He may have missed the mark with this one.

If you're like me, this is the first time you've heard raw vegetables served with a dip called a crudité (pronounced crew-dee-tay) - I guess when it's comprised of more than carrots and celery sticks, it gets a fancier name. I don't usually follow these types of elections, but I don't think he's going to get many votes with this approach, especially when he has no idea what he's talking about. If you want to know how to make a proper vegetable platter to go with your charcuterie board, ignore what Oprah's favourite quack says, and follow the steps below. Leave all the food advice to his daughter the wellness expert, at least she's written a cookbook.

• Include at least four types of vegetables other than carrots and celery. It's always best to use what is in season, so consider visiting your local farmer's market over the supermarket; when making your choice, the more vibrant the colours, the better.
• Vegetables such as asparagus, green beans, and snap peas should be slightly cooked or blanched, to make them easier to eat. 
• Prepare a large pot of boiling salted water, and fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Remove the tough bottoms of the asparagus stalks and the strings from the green beans and snap peas.
• Start with one vegetable at a time, and lower it into the boiling water. Stir and let cook for 1 minute.
• Remove the vegetable from the boiling water and immediately plunge it into the ice bath to stop the cooking process and maintain the vibrant green colour it now has. Continue with the additional vegetables that you want to cook.
• Once all the vegetables are blanched, store them in separate containers until you are ready to assemble your crudité.
  
• When arranging your platter place a sheet of parchment paper between the vegetables and whatever serving tray you plan to use. Add your dip bowls first, then start placing your green vegetables around them, then add the more colorful produce for a better presentation. Small lettuces such as endive or radicchio can be separated and placed accordingly.
• Depending on how many different vegetables you have and how many people you are serving, go with at least 2-3 different dips. Don't use salsa or guacamole. I suggest a spicy hummus, a cheese spread, either a French onion or Ranch-style dip, or this recipe for an all-purpose dip from a guy who knows more about food than Dr. Oz.

Ingredients: All-Purpose Dip

480 g mayonnaise
15 g drained capers in brine
22.5 mL caper brine
5 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
32 g loosely packed, roughly chopped parsley, stems removed
24 g loosely packed, roughly chopped dill, stems removed
juice of a medium-sized lemon
black pepper, freshly ground if possible

1. Combine the garlic, mayonnaise, capers, brine, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Give everything a good pulse to roughly blend it all together.
2. Put in the herbs and blend everything for a second or two.
3. Add pepper to taste and mix everything until it has a smooth, creamy consistency.
4. Taste again, then add more capers, caper brine, or lemon juice if it needs more.
   
   This will last in your fridge for 4-5 days.

Better Than Ribfest Ribs

If you want to enjoy some ribs during the summer, there's no reason to wait until the various rib fests start popping up. As it turns out, all those vendors you assumed were coming to town from the U.S. to let you sample their grilled meats are all owned by the same Canadian company.  The only thing that makes any of the food taste different from each other is the sauce they use on the meat and sell to customers. They all use the same cuts of meat and they all cook the meat in the same way - whatever regional style they claim to be using, they're not. None of those trophies displayed mean anything; any first-place awards should be taken with a large serving of salt. Even the southern accents you hear from the people working the grill are fake. If you want to avoid the artificially long lineups (once vendors have people waiting for food, they work slower to build the line to build a buzz) try the recipe below. When it comes to BBQ ribs, slow-and-low beats fast-and-fake every time.

Ingredients

2 racks baby back pork ribs
180 mL apple juice
60 mL apple cider vinegar
30 g light brown sugar
15 g cayenne pepper
10 g smoked paprika (optional)
7.5 g salt
5 g granulated garlic
5 g dried minced onion
5 g ground mustard
2.5 g black pepper
your favorite BBQ sauce

1.  Turn all the burners on your gas grill to low. Leave the grill covered and let the temperature rise to 150°C.
2. Remove the silverskin off the back of the ribs by sliding a table knife under the membrane anywhere along the rack. Lift and loosen it with the knife until you can grab it with a paper towel, then pull it off the ribs. This will allow the seasoning to get to the meat giving it more flavour.
3. Mix all the dry spices together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend over both sides of the ribs.
4. Pour the apple juice and the apple cider vinegar into a large foil pan. Place the ribs in the pan and cover them tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pan on the grill, cover and close the grill, and let the ribs cook for 60-90 minutes.
• This can also be done by placing the foil-wrapped ribs in an oven preheated to 121°C for 2 hours.
5. When the internal temperature of the meat reads between 73-76°C, carefully bring the foil pan inside. Remove the ribs and transfer them to a large baking sheet, then slather each side of the ribs with your favorite sauce.
6. Increase the heat on each burner of your gas grill to medium/high. Grill each rack for about 5-7 minutes per side, adding more sauce as needed. You will know when the ribs are done when the ribs start to slightly char.
7. Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes before slicing and eating.

Legends of Canadian Pastry: The Saskatoon Berry Pie

The Sweet Canada: Domestic stamps series

If you haven't heard of Saskatoon berries, it's probably because of the part of Canada you live in. Also known as serviceberries, the Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a deciduous native shrub that grows not just in Saskatchewan as you would expect if you know your geography, but also in parts of western Ontario, British Columbia, and the Yukon. Like the city it's named after, the sweet, fleshy fruits take their name from a Cree word, and were used by both Aboriginal people and early colonizers. With a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, saskatoons are hardy plants that can survive winter temperatures of up to -50 to -60º Celsius. The berries are a good source of antioxidants, have similar nutritional properties to other dark-coloured berries, and can be used in jams, syrups, and pie fillings. Gas prices may keep you from heading out to this year's Saskatoon Berry Festival but the recipe below will allow you to enjoy this legendary Canadian pastry any time you please.

Note: Blueberries can be substituted for Saskatoon berries, but actually saskatoons can be ordered frozen online, just remember to thaw them before use.

Ingredients

1 9 inch/23 cm. pre-made pie crust
(If you have a favourite homemade pie crust recipe, feel free to use it; if you need one, here's a good recipe.)
760 g fresh Saskatoon berries
150 g white sugar
25 g all-purpose flour
15 g butter
60 mL water
30 mL lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
2. In a large saucepan, simmer berries in the water for 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice with berries. Combine the sugar and flour together in a medium bowl, then stir into the berry mixture. 
3. Pour mixture into either a pre-made pie crust or a pastry-lined 9-inch pie pan. Dot with butter. Top the pie with more crust, then seal and flute (crimp) the edges.
4. Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 175°C and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

The One With Jennifer Aniston's Favourite Salad

"Friends" was such a huge hit that it seems impossible to not have seen the trials and tribulations of three guys and three gals who hung out way too much at a coffee shop in New York. The show launched the careers of its stars, with Jennifer Aniston's Rachel character getting a lot of the attention for her haircut and her on-again-off-again interaction with her onscreen love interest. I watched the show for the first few seasons until I realized I didn't care if she and the love of her life were "on a break" from their relationship or not. I only drifted back near the tail end of the series because I already knew all the characters' names and I couldn't find anything better to watch. But I do find it fascinating that Aniston ate the same salad for ten years when she and her female co-stars would have lunch together on the set. If you're still pining for "Friends" after the recent reunion special, or you've just discovered the show on Netflix, the recipe below will be there for you to whip up before your next visit with the gang from Central Perk.

Ingredients

180 g bulgur

• Bulgur is a nutritious whole grain that can be used as a substitute for brown rice or quinoa. You can find it with the grains and rice in the international aisle of your supermarket or in the bulk section of Whole Foods or your local health food store.

2 cucumbers, diced
1 425 g can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
150 g crumbled feta cheese
50 g shelled pistachios
13 g red onion, minced
8 g fresh parsley, chopped
1.5 g fresh mint, chopped

1. Bring 475 mL of water to a boil. Add the bulgar and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the bulgar cook for about 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Stir every five minutes.
2. Let the bulgar cool for another 20 minutes until it becomes room temperature. In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Serve or put into an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready.

Let Them Eat Cheesecake - Doug Ford's Famous Cheesecake Recipe

The chances you will try the recipe below depend on how you feel about Doug Ford. If you believe the Ford government can "Get It Done" because he works 24 hours a day for the people of Ontario, folks, you will eat up his cheesecake the same way you ate up promises to make Ontario "Open for business" with a highway that only benefits the GTA. If you believe he's a corrupt, incompetent politician who hasn't evolved from his alleged days as a teenage hash dealer, you probably came here because you need a dessert recipe. Rob Ford's older brother claims this recipe has been passed down to him from Mama Ford, who learned the recipe from her sister.  As his day of reckoning comes on June 2 with the provincial election, how the voting goes will determine if people will be making this cheesecake as part of a victory celebration, or as a way to cope with four more years of FORDNation.

Ingredients

3 packages of Dream Whip

3 packages of cream cheese

2 boxes of graham cracker crumbs

2 cans of cherry pie filling (Tory blue blueberries can be substituted if you're that partisan)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup icing sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 brick of butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Empty the Dream Whip packets into a bowl, then add the milk and mix with an electric mixer on high until peaks form.
2. Microwave the cream cheese bricks for one minute. Mix the cream cheese and the icing sugar in with the Dream Whip. Once done, put it in the fridge to cool down.
3. Mix the butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar together in a pot on the stove. Press the ingredients onto the bottom of a baking pan and up the sides.
4. Bake for 20 minutes then remove it and let it cool for 15 minutes. Add the cheesecake filling onto the crust and spread it evenly, then put it in the fridge to let it chill for an hour.
5. Open cans of pie filling and spread evenly over the cheesecake. Chill for several hours before serving.

Q & A with Haico Krijgsman, Hot Sauce Entrepreneur

Haico Krijgsman loves hot sauce. He loves hot sauce so much he started making his own after moving to Canada and finding the hot sauces here lacking. This led to the creation of Haico's Hot Sauce, a small batch crafter that has gained a positive reputation both locally and internationally. After discovering that he is taking part in an eating contest for charity, I had to learn more about this chili head and fellow chicken wing connoisseur. Here's what he had to say:

FRANKLIN on FOOD: Is there such a thing as "too hot" for you?

HAICO KRIJGSMAN: I am not sure if there is anything too hot. For me all hot sauces I make myself are about flavour and heat. I may find things not appetizing since they do not have the flavour I am looking for in spicy condiments. Of course, I have been "burned" by things that are much hotter than they first appear. As long as the food is spicy and flavorful I am quite happy.

FoF: How did you get involved in a chicken wing speed-eating contest?

HK: I have always been able to eat big amounts of food and even though I am no competitive speed eater, I decided to join and raise money for charity whilst having some fun eating way too many spicy wings. The charity's donation will be determined. I am part of a group called Sons of Fire - Canadian Chapter and we donate to charities on a regular basis.

FoF: Who are the Sons of Fire?

HK:  Sons of Fire is a global chili club that does spicy chili challenges to raise money for charities and those in need. Our Canadian Chapter was formed last year in June and since then we have donated over $3500 to several charities and people in need.

FoF: And the Ring of Fire?

HK: The Ring of Fire is what you usually suffer from the day after a competition of eating too spicy food... No seriously, the Ring of Fire is the name of all the challenges that will take place during the Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo in London (Ontario) on May 28 and 29.

FoF: Are you doing any special training for the eating contest?

HK: I am currently eating a lot of spicy food (which is not that abnormal from what I usually do) but I have been eating more and more spicy wings in bigger volumes.

FoF: What makes a good hot sauce?

HK: As I mentioned before, for any great spicy food and/or condiment in my book, it needs to have heat and flavour. Not just one or the other. When I started Haico's Hot Sauce 8 years ago, that was the goal I had. We are in a lucky position in Canada where we have a ton of great hot sauce makers that will all be highlighted at the Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo and at Heating Up The Capital in Mountain (close to Ottawa) on August 27, 2022

FoF: How long does it take to make a bottle of Haico's Hot Sauce?

HK: This is a good question since the longer a hot sauce is being made by us, the shorter it takes. In order to make a hot sauce, you have to develop a recipe initially, so that requires some experimenting. Once the recipe has been approved and accepted, production goes a lot quicker. We can make a batch of around 100 bottles in an hour and a half.

FoF: Do you grow all the peppers for your hot sauces yourself, or do you rely on local farmers for your produce?

HK: Between 85 and 95% of the peppers I use are grown by us. We actually use a lot of uncommon peppers that we use in our sauces like Madame Jeanette, Rimmerhus Fumstrain, and also a lot of super-hot peppers which are hard to source. This is the reason why I started growing peppers in the first place. That and because growing the ingredients and being able to present a product from farm to table is very rewarding. That being said since we are in Ottawa I do have contingency plans in place if our crop does not work out. I know several other growers, local and in more southern parts of Ontario, that can provide me with peppers in my time of need.

FoF: Other than yourself, who makes a hot sauce people should try?

HK: There are so many amazing Canadian Hot Sauces that are worth a try. You can find a good collection at www.TOCHSS.ca (The Online Canadian Hot Sauce Store closed as of 2023-02-04), which is a website that solely focuses on Canadian hot sauces. It provides a one-stop-shop for people interested in Canadian hot sauces. You are able to save on shipping and get a huge selection of Canadian hot sauces.

FoF: Haico's Honey Mustard (Not Just) BBQ sauce won 3rd place at the 2019 Hot Sauce Awards - will you be adding to your trophies with an entry at the 2nd Annual Hot Sauce Expo?

HK: Haico's Hot Sauce will not be entering the YOW awards for the Heating Up The Capital hot sauce expo since we are closely associated with the event. We do not want there to be the potential perception of any bias when the YOW awards are being judged and handed out. We do indeed to enter other competitions every now and then, but with the past two years having been what they have been, we did not enter a lot of competitions. Haico's Hot Sauce did enter two categories at the Eternal Flame Awards in London this year, so we keep our fingers crossed!

FoF: What role did you play in creating the Heating Up The Capital hot sauce expo?

HK: It was a joint decision in 2019 by both Angela, (my wife and partner in the business) and me that it was way overdue to have a hot sauce expo in Ottawa. Being on Farmers' markets and fairs we noticed there are a lot of pepper heads and hot sauce lovers living right here on our front doorstep, but no one had ever organized a hot sauce expo here. Since we know a lot of people and makers in the Hot Sauce community we decided to take on the responsibility. The original date of the expo was planned for May of 2020. We all know what happened. The world shut down and we had to revise our plans. After two more postponements due to the pandemic and a change of location, we held Heating Up The Capital, Ottawa's First Hot Sauce Expo last Sept 4, 2021, at Smokie Ridge Vineyard in Mountain. Even though I am part of the organization, my wife does most of the behind-the-scenes work. She is as I often say the Brain and the Beauty behind it. I am just the Brawn and the Face.

FoF: Seeing how you're a member of BBQ Ottawa, what's your go-to meat when you fire up your grill, and what sauce you are using?

HK: I actually enjoy BBQ-ing and smoking meat a lot. I make my own bacon in the smoker, love good chicken Sateh (marinated and served with peanut sauce), A good rib steak (Canadian Smokesman dry rubs are the best), or a nice fatty pork chop (BBQ sauces from all over, lately I have been dabbling in JR and the Kid who has amazing sauces). So to answer your question, there is not one sauce in particular I lean towards. I like variety in my cooking and sauces.

FoF: Where can people buy your hot sauces?

HK: We are available through www.HaicosHotSauce.com. When you order three bottles or more, you get free shipping in Ottawa (shipping will be refunded due to the system not recognizing Ottawa as a region). For any order anywhere else in Canada free shipping comes with orders over $17.50. We are also available through www.TOCHSS.ca and we sell a lot directly to the public during Farmers' Markets and fairs You can see on our website where we will be each week and there is also a list of retail locations where we are available. One of the latest additions to the retail locations is the Ottawa Artisans at St Laurent, Bayshore, Tanger Outlets, and Place d'Orleans

FoF: What do you say to people who say they can't handle the heat?

HK: When people tell me that at markets I explain that our sauces are available from Mild to Wild and that there is something for everyone. Angela did not like hot sauce when she met me, but over time I have been able to convince her that there definitely is a place in cooking for Hot Sauce. She has started using some of the sauces in recipes she makes. It is all about the dosage as well. If you use it properly and sparingly, it will open your palate and you will experience more flavour of all the food. I do have a "gateway hot sauce as well. My Canadian Jerk is really focused on flavour and it only has a little zing in the back. The last thing I tell people about my sauces is: Start with a drop! You can always add, it is much harder to remove it afterward!

---

UPDATE: (1) Haico's Hot Sauce's Devils Brew won Best Sauce, Extreme Category at the Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo. (2) Haico was "...three wings away" from winning the chicken wing speed-eating eating competition.

A Martini for Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is known on this side of the border more for being a day of drinking than for an 1800s Mexican victory against French forces. For whatever reason you choose to celebrate, a spicy avocado martini would be a change from the usual margaritas and Corona.

Ingredients for two drinks

1 large avocado, slightly mashed with a fork, but not pureed
1 lime, cut into wedges
chili powder (use Mexican chili powder or Taji with lime if available)
60 mL gin
45 mL dry vermouth
30 mL club soda
15 mL lime juice (fresh if possible)
200 g sugar
1.5 g chili powder
240 mL water

1. Combine the sugar, water, 1.5 grams of chili powder, and the avocado in a small pot over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a slight boil. Remove the pot from the heat and let the flavours infuse for 30 to 60 minutes. Strain the liquid into a sealed container and put it in the fridge to allow it to cool completely; it will keep for up to a week.
2. Run a lime wedge along the rim of each glass, and rim each glass with the chili powder. Set the glasses aside.
3. In a martini shaker, combine the gin, vermouth, 15 mL of the avocado syrup in the fridge, lime juice, and more chili powder to taste. Pour some into the martini glasses and top with the club soda. Garnish with lime (or a slice of avocado if you're not saving it for toast) and serve.