I have always wanted to make this recipe. What has stopped me? Fear of the unknown? With the commitment I made to “Invite a Blogger to My Table” last month when Valerie and I made Portuguese Tarts together, I decided to get this delectable little number checked of my ever-so-long list and “just do it”.

The first time I heard mention of coeur à la crème was probably somewhere unenchanting, like in a magazine at the dentist’s office. Probably a Martha Stewart magazine. I really cannot be sure. But, I am sure that this is a dessert that I have romanticised about, fanticised about, and already had developed a taste and texture profile for it in my little noggin.  I didn’t realize I had gone so far until I went to  unmold it. More on that, later.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I was tickled. I was going to woo Vanja; no, double woo Vanja with this delectable delight on Valentine’s night: Woo-Woo!

And is it not pretty? Come on! It is so pretty. And rustic and elegant and tantalizing. Isn’t it? They are hibiscus flowers in the top photos garnishing the heart of all hearts. And, my own home grown preserved sour cherries from the local Evan’s Cherry tree. I know you want it. Admit it.

Be ye not afraid! This is the easiest dessert I have made in my life, other than eating an apple. Truly.

However….

Invite a Blogger to Your Table

This is a new and innovative collaborative initiative by Val at More Than Burnt Toast that I participated in a bit ago with Val herself when she invited me to her table to make Portuguese Tarts. That was such a great learning experience! I have now invited Heavenly Housewife and Val to MY table and we will be each posting our own sauce with the traditional recipe of Coeurs à la Crème in time for Valentine’s Day! HH’a is here and Val’s is here.

PLEASE JUMP IN AND INVITE A CYBER FRIEND TO DO THIS WITH! It’s a blast!

Here are her “rules”:

Your choice of recipe can be anything you would like it to be. Is there something you have been wanting to make and need feedback and encouragement from a friend to create on your blog? Is there a special dish that you just have to share sweet or savoury? Do you just want the fun of collaborating with other bloggers to come up with a tasty dish you feel you and your readers might enjoy. This is a fun event that creates friendships throughout the blogosphere. Invite someone you have followed for years or a perfect stranger. It is up to you!

1. Choose a dish to prepare and invite 1 blogger to create that dish with you. You can source your recipe from a cookbook, magazine, blog or any other source. Your dish can be sweet or savoury; easy or complicated.
2. Decide upon a date that you can both mutually post your recipe within a 4 week time frame.
3. Link back to More Than Burnt Toast somewhere in your post as the creator of this event: http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com/
4. Please feel free to use the Avatar/Badge above “Invite a Blogger to Your Table”.
5. Once you have made your dish with your blogging friend or friends and posted it, you can choose to STOP or CONTINUE on and “invite another blogger to your table” to make something DIFFERENT on a mutually agreeable date within the next 4 week time frame.
6. Cut and paste these instructions into your post and contact a friend. Let magic happen and let’s get cooking!!!

Back to the topic at hand: the ingredients are so simple: cream cheese, crème frâiche, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon and salt. I made my own crème frâiche which is the ultimate in the world of crème frâiches and is deadly and to-die-for and you must try it. I am making my best effort. My very best effort would have had me make my own cheese. Next time, I will. I really wanted to use Holly’s chèvre, but I didn’t have any on hand or anyway to get any fresh, so I used Philadelphia.

Both Heavenly Housewife and I ordered our molds for this very special occasion and when they came we wrote to each other vibrating with excitement! Years. I have wanted them for years. I even saw an antique one on ebay in France about 150 years old I almost bought for this post. (I kind of regret letting it go… )

I wasn’t sure why I should push it through a sieve, but I am a follow directions kind of gal. At least, the first time.

Did you see how lumpy it looked on the spoon above, even after straining it. Is wasn’t, though. It just looked lumpy. I am not sure why the instructions say to wet the cheesecloth. Maybe so the filling fills the mold with greater ease. The instructions say to let it rest to set a minimum of four hours, and preferably over night. Maybe the word “fort” was left out by accident? A fortnight would make more sense to me!

That is only because I had imagined the texture, the consistency, the feel of these little parcels and the reality was not aligned. They did “set” in 4 hours and I could absolutely “unmold” them to hold their shape then. I checked. But, very little liquid had been released, and as I make yogurt cheese on a regular basis, I had expected a considerable amount of moisture to escape these tender little hearts. That did not happen. After twenty four hours, again, the mold came out beautifully. The heart tasted exactly like the filling that went into it flavour and texture wise.

What was I expecting? Magic? Well, yes. I was absolutely expecting a transformation. The kind I get when I hand yogurt overnight and in the morning I get cheese. It feels different and tastes different. That is what I expected from this simple French delicacy. I waited 48 hours and then “did it”. It was definitely a firmer consistency, but nothing like the one inside of my imagination. It is beautiful, though, with the cheese cloth markings: rustic and romantic. (The black dots are the vanilla bean seeds.)

Now you can see the texture. It is a very soft, loose pudding like texture. Nothing cheesy about it. I could not taste the vanilla. I could not taste the lemon (well, with one teaspoon, didn’t really expect to), but I could not taste my homemade lovely lush beautiful buttery crème frâiche! Now, that was disappointing. I could taste a very delicately sweetened cream cheese: plain old cream cheese. Maybe I was having an off day.

But, when I whirled and swirled it triumphantly (hiding my own impression) in front of Vanja after dinner to do the double voo-doo “Woo-woo”, he looked at it skeptically, one eyebrow raised (you know the look) took a taste, and just shook his head uttering something like. “Uh-uh. Nope… uh-uh…” all the way into his favourite chair.

I was left in the kitchen standing with my heart in one hand, loosely pulling the “Woo-Woo” chain with the other. Deep sigh.

But, don’t let me discourage you! I am not even going to let me discourage me! My friend came over today, and “oohed and ahhed” her way through almost two of them. She said it was a very special treat. The hibiscus flowers remind us both of choke cherry syrup. I love that!

I will make others. I can see a yogurt cheese one coming up, and a chèvre one, and some savoury ones, too. But I would need a large mold for that. Maybe. Anyway. I never give up.

I now have a project I am working on, like Bènè’s cake. and I will not stop until I succeed!

So, here’s a little love letter to each and everyone of my readers, today. Thank you for reading and enriching my life. Your feedback completes the circle. I learn from you and hopefully, you learn from me. I have learned so much from reading the sites I read and interacting with the wonderful cyber and local friends I have made through this work. My heart runneth over. Truly.

(But, not if you let it set for 48 hours!) XO

I mean, I don’t get it. Am I supposed to eat them, or wear them?

The White House version is in the video below that Valerie mentions on her post. Exactly the same recipe we used, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v80ssN_c8X8

But it is not so economical. Oh, maybe it is. You will see how much I get out of two litres of whole milk.

Have a sieve and some cheese cloth (I use a tea towel like I do when I make my yogurt cheese) ready. Measure 1/4 cup of vinegar, and then bring your two litres of milk to a boil. That is how easy this is. It took about ten minutes to bring the ice cold milk to a boil in my heavy pan.

Remove from heat immediately and add the vinegar.

Stir. You will see the curds separate from the whey immediately.

There is a lot of whey.

Pour the contents of the entire pot over the sieve covered with the cheese cloth. I left the entire sink underneath my sieve to catch the whey.

The curds now must be pressed.

Turn them on top of each other to form a brick or a thick rectangle. The paneer is nicer when it is thick enough to have a soft textured middle.

Wrap the cloth back around the curds snuggly and place something very heavy on top to press out all of the remaining whey.

Twenty minutes later, remove the weight and unwrap the cheese.

It is not too fragile and not too stable. You can pick it up, but it will crumble quite easily with a little effort.

Cut it into pieces.

Bal says they are similar to Bocconcini. I say they are not. I love, love, love Bocconcini and I really enjoy paneer. Paneer is a much more dense, much less creamy, curd. Both are young cheese and neither is salted. This is a lovely young cheese that will take on flavours beautifully… and, it needs flavour to give it life.

Bal showed us how to make a very flavourful Pakura batter to dip it in before frying. That really was tasty. I am just frying mine, as Bal did just before she added this to a chick pea dish. After it is browned like this, it is much more stable and will not crumble. I used olive oil and then actually drizzled some over it with a beautiful sea salt. That was nice. It needs something more, but it was still a tasty snack. A plot of the pleasure is in the texture. I find it so much better hot from the pan.

I am actually tickled pink that I learned how to make this and found out how truly easy it is to make. Shockingly easy.Now, the possibilities await! Thank you, Valiant Bal! XO

I confess. I was right beside her in the above photo, but cut myself out of it, as I too often do…. and, this is not about me. It is about Bal. Just look at the Paneer Pakora below. Is your mouth watering. It tastes even better than it looks.

Bal is a valiant woman. I, too, was a single woman raising my children for many years on my own. I know how hard it is. But her story is so much more than that. And it is a story well worth listening to. It is a story that seems unbelievable when you meet Bal, but then you look into her eyes, and you know it is true.

Bal Arneson is the author of Everyday Indian and apparently very famous in India and the US, she told us with a twinkle in her eye! Honestly, I had never heard of her before, and I am a Food Network Fan! She is the host of the Food Network’s recently launched “Spice Goddess” where she demystifies cooking with Indian spices and shares some of the special dishes prepared in her village.  She believes that meals can be healthy and nutritious without compromising flavour!

Originally from a small village in Punjab, India, Bal Arneson learned how to cook from her elders when she was just seven years old, over coals in a small clay pit. She was up in the middle of the night to milk the cows and the bison, do the laundry, prepare the meals for the day and do what women do in her village for their honourable (and sleeping) men. She was cooking by seven, and making the full family meals by nine years old. This entailed forming coals for the cooking pit from cow and bison patties every morning. “Oh, yes! I would make the best patties!”

Bal had a tenacious and independent spirit that thirsted for knowledge and believed in equality. When her brothers would climb the trees, she would climb the trees. When they would laugh and romp and play, she would laugh and romp and play. However, every time she did anything her brothers did, she was beaten. Every time. It didn’t stop her. But, itwas difficult to understand. Why? Why? Why? She would ask and none of the answers made any sense to her.

When she was twelve, she was pulled out of school. “That is it.” her father said. “You have done all you are to do.” her mother said. Why? Why? Why? She would ask and none of the answers made any sense to her. She has so many chores as she was growing older and more able and they needed her to do this work. Finally, after so much begging on her part, she was allowed to continue her schooling – but, only after all of her chores were done. There was no compromise for her.

And her fate? To be married to a young (well, not so young) man living in Vancouver who went back to India to get her. When she was 20, Bal immigrated to Canada and soon after, had a little girl. “A little girl? What is the matter with our ugly daughter in law?” Girls were shunned and she was to produce a boy! It was not until a few years later that she learned about genetics and chromosomes and understood it was he who orchestrated this daughter, not she! Truly! It is hard to believe she was so naive.

She ran away. She did not want her daughter to go through the life she had. “They are all crazy.” was the comment she repeated many times about her family.

She returned to school, cleaning houses during the day and going to school by night. She now has her Masters in Education and was working with autistic children very successfully in Vancouver until one day she was flipping channels and came upon a Michael Smith show. “What is he doing there? I can do that? That looks so easy!” So, she wrote to him, and told him her story.

By now, she was remarried to “a white guy” and had a wonderful and satisfying life. Suddenly, she is on a whirlwind back and forth from Vancouver to New York where her office and studio is. She has just launced a line of spices, though she only every uses one or two.

She was glowing, and funny, and bitter, and bright. Her food was light and lovely and as bright with flavour as she was with humour. She has really turned me on to Indian cooking, and hopefully, as you read about my time with her, she will do the same for you!

I snuck in early, as usual, after my incredible Kitchen Tour (to be posted) of JPL Kitchens and the wonderful “small” breakfast and found this set up. I chuckled as I saw her trying to nourish herself in between planning!

I had no idea what this was, but I certainly should have: paneer!

Drawing on the culinary knowledge she gained in India, as well as her own natural talents gained from her time in Canada, Bal would regularly cook up healthy, quick, and delicious dishes for family and friends. It was not long until Vancouver’s food community took notice of her incredible talent. Cooking stores and local television stations began asking her to share her tricks for making healthy Indian dishes. After giving numerous cooking classes, making several television appearances, and inspiring many newspaper articles, Bal’s recipes were in such demand that she decided to write a cookbook.

In Everyday Indian, she shares her recipes and her fresh approach to food and cooking which fit so well with today’s busy, health-conscious lifestyle. With a successful career in cooking and food, and support from many well-established companies like Denby and Cuisinart, Bal feels like she’s come a long way from her childhood in India. Though she rants (and rightfully so) about her crazy family and the discrimination and shunning she has suffered just by being herself, and a woman, it is clear that the food from her home gives her much pleasure. She speaks of her mother’s food with such warmth it is really difficult to understand that warmth is not also attached to feelings for her mother. But, it is not. It is for the food. And, there is the dancing. The music and the dancing clearly gave her joy as a child and she carries that with her, and shared it with us this day.

What are all these spices and herbs and aromatics: ginger, garlic, fenugreek leaves, onion, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander…. I am not sure what all of them are!

Sitting silently, I looked up, and there she was chatting with her Chef for this session (below). Absolutely gorgeous. The night before was the Grand Ball and she had danced up a storm there. She already had my admiration.

And, then she began.

Words of Bal Arenson during this session:

• This is all about healthy Indian food without butter or cream and without a long list of spices (without butter and cream was her reoccurring mantra)
• We have been cooking like this for centuries, since ancient years, in the Punjab
• And I want to say something special about women here: we don’t survive, we thrive
• However, modern day women in this society…you’ve screwed yourself double! We do it all and our other job begins when we come home!
• Have any of you had corporal punishment: hello yes, every day! That was my life as a child.
• Grade 8: that was it for my education, or so they said.
• At home, I was so surpressed
• I would work with the cow dung to make make patties and the patties were used for bbq pit
• We got up every day at 4:30 to milk the cows and bison
• We were all done around 10-11; then too hot and it was siesta time (I miss that here!)
• I had to get up and do all the work and iron my brother’s turbans
• However, I was the first girl in my mom’s side who went to school and did grade 10; then I got to 12… then did first year of college… I knew I would be handed off to a husband and then I would be handed off to slavery for the rest of my life
• I was born into slavery
• When I left my first husband the first thing I did was shave my pits! Indian women are hairy!
• I came here by an arranged marriage by the age of 18 and as soon as I gave birth to my daughter they said,  “This ugly daughter in law can give brith to only daughters….” Later on, I took biology and discovered it was the sperm that decided gender!
• My culture suppressed me and I didn’t want my daughter to experience what I was going through, so I ran away with my daughter and went to a shelter for one night only. I called my mom at the village and she said, “You have brought us so much shame!” She is crazy. Why should I serve my brother first just because he has a penis?  I was always questioning and always beaten. So, I was rejected and said, “OK, fine. You guys are all crazy and that’s it.”
• I wanted my daughter to see me as a strong independent woman and rejected welfare as I had been dependent all of my life upon someone. Thus, I would clean homes and at night I would learn English… and now I have my masters in education and work with children in autism and am on the Food Network! There was only one chef picked from all over north America to for food tv network in the US and they picked me!
• I am the first Indian show and it is called The Spice Goddess and it is doing above average (more than Rachel Ray)! I am the Spice Goddess, people!
• I launched my 100% certified organic spice line and a percentage will be going back to my village to support woman and children there
• I was just interviewed by Canadian Home Journal and the woman asked me, “What was your biggest indulgence after moving here?” My answer: maxi pads! Truly!
• I will be on the NBC today show next month with Matt Lauer and they want me to be a CBS monthly guest with Katie Couric! I just met her a couple of weeks ago!
• I don’t tell you these things to brag; I tell you because if you dream a dream and work to make it happen, it will.

• So, here I am cooking and sharing what I learned from my great grandma in the village
• You will peer through a window into my culture
• I like to begin with yoga and meditation, and if we had more time, that is exactly what we would do
• Then some cooking with a break into a Ballywood dance followed by more cooking; that would be my perfect class
• Back home, woman weren’t allowed to exercise; only through yoga
• My great aunt would take us (the girls and women) to a room and take us through guided meditation and yoga every day; other woman in the village would come, too
• I have learned to let mother earth or mother nature take care of you; let go of your control and let it take care of you: the energy will take care of you
• Everyone: stand up on one foot then the other, breath in, and out, and in, and out…. ah! there. Now, sit back down and let’s begin.

Let’s Make Paneer:

• Cheese was a privileged food to have in my village (Valerie: how come? Bal: how come you only have turkey at Christmas?)
• It is a food associated with celebration to me though we had plenty of milk at home all of the time, we only made paneer for celebrations
• Or the birth of the boy; then paneer was made
• Then it was made into paneer
• When I interviewed with Canadian Living and was telling them that we dug up a pit to cook in with cow dung patties I made myself, they asked me, “What is your favourite appliance?”
• How am I supposed to answer that? At home, we had one clay pot that was used for everything!
• We also had one knife, well….not a knife, more like a machete!
• So I just answered, “I cooked in a pit for 20 years of my life and made amazing food so don’t worry about what my favourite appliance is. I just need a pit and a pot.”
• I just got back from New York as a judge for Iron Chef America and they told me I was the new “Paula Abdule”!
• For paneer, I use regular milk: whole milk or 2% (not skim)
• The milk is boiling and I am now adding vinegar
• See? It has only been 5 seconds and the cheese has already separated
• You now need cheese cloth or regular tea towel and a strainer (Valerie: just like making yogurt cheese)
• Press it with something really heavy to get all of the whey out and leave it for 20 minutes
• Boil milk for paneer on low to medium heat, not high or it might burn

Above she is pouring the milk onto the strainer lined with cheese cloth. Below, she moves it into a block shape and wraps it up.

Below, it is wrapped tightly in a rectangular shape.

Bal places a heavy can on top of her paneer to squeeze all of the whey out of it.

She is the most entertaining and expressive story teller! She mesmerizes you with her beauty and her tenacity.

Let’s Make Pakura

• I still have the philosophy of a village woman; I still believe that anything that is in a jar with a lid on is made like that to add shelf life and I stay away from anything in a jar, or canned or bottled

• Health benefits of Indian food are amazing if cooked authentically
• Chick pea flour, marsala, salt, Spanish paprika (sweet), Fenugreek leaves (take the dried leaves in your hand and crush them)
• Batter needs to be nice and fluffy and crispy ( so there is no BP and no soda)
• Add yogurt (to add fluffiness) and water
• In my village we made many trips to hand pump to get water all day long; we would start the barbeque pit with cow patties to heat the water You would never waste water after all that work
• This was your bucket for your hair and your body and that is all you got and you respected that bucket and used it wisely

• Look at the consistency of this pakura batter; it should be similar to pancake batter
• Think about it: you could dip shrimp in it, or vegetables, or chicken fingers, or fish and chips! All would be so delicious in this batter!
• Dip paneer in, cover it, and place it to the side

• Regardless of your number and your religious beliefs, or how you grew up: hold on to what you believe in
• If you are a woman, no matter what culture you belong to, you are screwed!
• “Why do we have to go through all of this hardship? Because we can!”
• See? Look at this beautiful pakura! It is not even spicy, just very aromatic

Let’s Make Chutney to go with our Paneer!

• I love mango; I use it for every thing
• We use this for ketchup; I make individual chutneys with all kinds of berries instead of ketchups
• I will make Mandarin orange ones when I go home; I use whatever is in season
• Today, we add mangoes, onions, pineapple juice: I like the acidity of pineapple, but we need liquid and salt and masala (masala is a mixture of spices)
• Each household has their own different recipe for masala according to the palate of that house; that is what each of you have to create for your house; it is good for 5 – 7 days
• Indian Food is natureopathic and so good for you
• Himalayan  food is part of the culture is re aso spiritual
• Food should be accessible; it is precious, it is spiritual, it should be honoured and revered
• Garam marsala is one thing that my mother made: she was crazy, but she made the most amazing food ever – not because of her long list of spices, or that we had cream or butter, but because she had a good masala: tumeric powder ( don’t get it on your clothes) and garam marsala is all you need
• Don’t follow my recipe, follow your own palate and make another one for your palate
• Coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon – that is the base
• Chat marsala is the same with the cumins and corianders, but also has dried mango powder and dried pomegranite powder
• The recipe on food tv network and in my new cookbook (Valerie: that we all got the day before as a free gift at lunch)
• I use chat marsala for vegetable dip or fruit dip
• (Valerie: Bal blended all of the Chutney ingredients for a few seconds and it was done )
• Woman weren’t allowed to eat meat in my village; it was only for men (but, I tried goat curry and man it was good)
• I was a vegetarian, so lentils and beans and seasonal vegetables was what I ate
• By the time I was 7 I was cooking and by the time I was 9 I was cooking full meals
• Yes, master master master because with every mistake, I got slapped

I was not expecting this to be as light and lovely and bright and gentle as it was. I did not expect to want to jump up and make this food as soon as I got home, but that is exactly what I felt after tasting this. The paneer is heavy. I do find paneer dense and heavy. What do I have to compare it to? Bocconcini. But, it is nothing like Bocconcini, either, to me. It is paneer: a dense curd. And, with this delicate batter, so flavourful! Someone asked, “Can you add herbs to paneer?” Bal, “Yes, of course, and many things as you can imagine and they will all be delicious.” I am making paneer!

And the chutney? Four words: EX-TRA-ORDIN-ARY!

Let’s Make the Chickpea Dish!

• I always use grape seed oil because you don’t taste anything, it doesn’t produce any chemicals and it cooks at high smoke point, no flavour
• In go the Garlic and ginger
• The key to Indian food is not a long list of spices: just no butter, no cream and only 20 minutes in the kitchen – then get out!
• So what to do when you have your 20 minutes?
• On medium heat, add a little oil and fry the ginger and garlic until it is almost brown
• Toast the masala to release the essential oils; sprinkle in the cumin seed and toast it
• Sprinkle in the Spanish paprika and the fenegeek leaves; then mix
• Prawns and coconut milk with this would be great, wouldn’t they?
• Or, add tuna right on top, remove from the heat and you have the amazing tuna
• Now, add tomatoes and take another pan: add oil to it
• Add tomatoes and add chick peas to first pan
• Slice fresh paneer, with basil, tomato, and lemon and salt
• Fry the paneer in the second pan so that the bottom is browned and then it can go on a cookie sheet and stay in a freezer for 3 to 6 months
• Now the fried paneer went into the chick pea mixture
• Always start with a half a teaspoon of a spice or herb, then you can add more, never butter or cream
• Add a few spices and toast them first and you will have dinner in 20 minutes

The recipe for the chick pea dish did not have paneer in it. Was it better with paneer? Absolutely!

This is a bit of a wet toasting, but Bal actually had each spice in its own section of the pan tossing gently for about a minute before mixing them all together.

Has she adjusted to her new environment, or what? Bal, you almost do not look comfortable with a frying pan in your hand. It is clear you know what you are doing, but you have climbed so far out of that pit in your village it is truly difficult to imagine you there…. except for your stories.

…and your passion.

I was wondering if we would get to eat the FRESH paneer, and yes we do! It will be the one in the chick pea dish!

I was mesmerized. It was like magic before my very eyes that she was able to make this in 20 minutes. But, I saw it, and she did. Now I will. (You watch!)

Bal is captivating. She blends her humour with her horrors to effectively I found myself actually laughing, often, about her childhood and young adult mis-adventures. But, really, they were not funny. That is the beauty of Bal. She weaves her story around you and through you and you don’t even realize how strong and valiant she is until the fabric of it rests upon you, and you feel it.

Valiance is a character trait that is very hard to come by. I have come by it, though, in some of my women friends, and I value it. The picture below makes me smile.

There is a poem by Duncan Campbell Scott that I recite when I think of these valiant women. And she dances.

And we dance.

And she feeds us…

body and spirit…

and we eat,

together.

The Forsaken
I
Once in the winter
Out on a lake
In the heart of the north-land,
Far from the Fort
And far from the hunters,
A Chippewa woman
With her sick baby,
Crouched in the last hours
Of a great storm.
Frozen and hungry,
She fished through the ice
With a line of the twisted
Bark of the cedar,
And a rabbit-bone hook
Polished and barbed;
Fished with the bare hook
All through the wild day,
Fished and caught nothing;
While the young chieftain
Tugged at her breasts,
Or slept in the lacings
Of the warm tikanagan.
All the lake-surface
Streamed with the hissing
Of millions of iceflakes
Hurled by the wind;
Behind her the round
Of a lonely island
Roared like a fire
With the voice of the storm
In the deeps of the cedars.
Valiant, unshaken,
She took of her own flesh,
Baited the fish-hook,
Drew in a gray-trout,
Drew in his fellows,
Heaped them beside her,
Dead in the snow.
Valiant, unshaken,
She faced the long distance,
Wolf-haunted and lonely,
Sure of her goal
And the life of her dear one:
Tramped for two days,
On the third in the morning,
Saw the strong bulk
Of the Fort by the river,
Saw the wood-smoke
Hand soft in the spruces,
Heard the keen yelp
Of the ravenous huskies
Fighting for whitefish:
Then she had rest.

The rest of the poem can be found here.

The traditions of Bal’s homeland live within her and she shares all the goodness she has chosen to retain. The rest, she has left behind, and she is clearly facing a wonderful new beginning as the new “Celebrity Chef on Food Network Television”! “I am the Spice Goddess, you know!” she announces with a wink and a twinkle and that ever-so-charming graceful wiggle that only Bal owns.

Paneer Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 litres of 2% milk
• 1/2 cup plain white vinegar
• one 20 inch square piece of cheesecloth

Instructions:

1. Bring milk to a boil over medium heat in a large pot
2. Add vinegar; stir until mixture separates into solids and liquids
3. Drain the mixture through a sieve and a cheesecloth
4. Wrap the curd with the cheesecloth; place in a sieve and place a heavy weight on it
5. Let the water drain from it completely for 20 to 30 minutes
6. Remove cheese cloth and cut into small cubes; use immediately or store in a covered container for up to 5 days

Note: Pan frying with a skiff of oil helps to keep the paneer cubes from falling apart: cook with grapeseed oil over a medium hot pan until golden and do the same on the other side. This will freeze and thaw very well; wrap tightly for the freezer.

Paneer Pakura Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tsp (or more) fenugreek leaves
• 1 tsp Chana Masala
• 1/2 tsp Spanish paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (approx) water
• 1 pound paneer
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Instructions:

1. Mix first five ingredients together in bowl; add enough water to give the mixture the consistency of a thin pancake batter (see photo, above)
2. Cut the paneer into rectangles and dip into the batter to thoroughly cover entire piece
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat in non-stick pan; fry paneer on both sides until golden brown
4. Serve immediately with chutney

Fresh Mango Chutney Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Chat masala
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (approx.) mango, cubed

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients, except the mango, into a food processor and blend until the consistency of a paste
2. Add mango; process until coarsely chopped
3. Chill well before serving

Note: this will keep three to five days in an air-tight container in the fridge

My Mother’s Chickpeas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (high smoking point, and no flavour imparts from it)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 green chili, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Chana masala
• 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 14 ounce can, drained and rinsed with fresh water)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• (Bal also threw in the fresh pan fried paneer, and tossed it with this recipe before serving)

Instructions:

1. Place the oil, onion, garlic and ginger in the frying pan over medium high heat and cook for three minutes; move aside and add cumin seeds to toast for one minute
2. Move ingredients in the pan to toast all other spices for a minute in their own space inside of the pan
3. Stir in the tomatoes, chili and salt; reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly
4. Add the chickpeas and cook for another minute; turn the heat off and cover the pan with the lid to sit a few minutes before serving
5. (Bal also threw in the fresh pan fried paneer, and tossed it with this recipe before serving)
6. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro
7. Serve with brown rice or Papaya Chicken

Note: Chickpeas take a long time to cook, so I usually make a big pot, and freeze them. I soak them overnight in hot water and boil them the next day for an hour, or until they can be crushed easily with a fork, then package and freeze.

Beavie didn’t meet Bal. He was mad at me when he saw her photos!

After the Sushi Making Class with Chef Brett Yasukawa, I was not hungry. I didn’t have much, but I usually don’t have much in the morning. However, who wouldn’t love to go into the beautiful dining room at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and be treated like a Queen? This luxury was ultimate and I was walking on air for days after. I was the first at our table, as usual. I like to be first.

The settings were so lovely and the menu is always a touch different than the one in the program. Soup bowls were set with a curious and delectable looking mushroom mix in the bottom of them. (Recipe will follow at the end of this post)

It is apparent that this soup is not done exactly as per the provided recipe; however this soup was extraordinary. It was spectacular. I cannot rave about it enough. And, the recipe looks very similar except for the green garnish in the bowl. I will be making this soup in the very near future. Maybe for Christmas dinner! This is a show stopper and a full on sensory explosion on all fronts: taste, feel, aroma, appearance. The entire table was silent except for slurping, purring and cooing noises.

My tablemate’s cheery faces! What a lovely group of gals. I certainly hope I run into them again!

This was lunch! Herb crusted Mahi Mahi with coconut couscous and a pineapple and mango salsa: cha-cha-cha! What a gorgeous flavourful plate! (I have the recipe for this if you are interested, I will mail it to you.)

More prizes and give-a-ways and screams of pleasure and delight from the happy winners. So many prizes! Then, the pièce de résistance: Fresh Berries Three Ways. Oh, my goodness gracious me oh my oh me! (This recipe is also below.) This was a spectacular layered sensation. Am I over using those words? Probably. The intensity of the fresh berry flavour was so incredibly unexpected. The mouth feel of the varied textures through each layer and the overall lightness of this dish was addicting. I will be making this in my little French verrines very soon (and going through three or four of them at a time!!). I am excited to make this as the recipes for each portion are very straightforward and the result is unexpectedly outstanding.

Ducking down to my next session, very early, as usual, I met Mr. Buffalo hanging over the fireplace. Now this is my kind of lodge! Rustic, warm, and definitely Canadian.

All of the cheeses are Canadian and if you start at the red dot on the plate below and go clock wise, you can find each one on the list above. The red dot marks the Double Crème Brie. The Clothbound Cheddar is in the centre of the plate.

I am not a wine drinker but I love tasting wines and pairing them with food. They really compliment foods and create incredible taste experiences found nowhere else. Somehow, I just cannot drink wine. I get headaches. When Vanja and I were in Napa Valley last summer we spent a couple of days touring and tasting our way through many wineries there and really cherished the experience though neither one of us will just sit and enjoy a glass of wine. That is very difficult for all of my friends to understand. The set up is sparkling and well thought out as every venue here has been. Even a pen and paper for note taking has been provided!

The room is massive and I am aware that a couple of the sessions were too full to accommodate all who tried to get in. It wasn’t like that today, and I was happy about that. I like more intimate learning experiences.

The wines are poured and the cheeses presented. It is time.

Under our plate are several information booklets and brochures.

I am happy to see that each glass is poured for a tasting, not a drinking!

Wolfegang Stampe is a retired SAIT Polytechnic Culinary Instructor who was born, raised and trained in Germany. He has lived and worked in Ireland and the Bahamas before immigrating to Canada in 1971.  Wolfegang and his wife, Susan, owned a Bakery, Restaurant and Catering Company for several years in Edmonton. In 1985, he joined SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary, as a Culinary Instructor, retiring in 2006. Currently, he is enjoying doing contract work for SAIT Polytechnic, the Dairy Farmers of Canada, and some other Food-related businesses. He has served overseas for CESO (Canadian Executive Services Organization) as a volunteer advisor to the hotel and restaurant industry.

He was so passionate and informative. I would travel to listen to this man share his expertise anytime!

Cheese in the words of Wolfegang Stampe:

• All cheeses today are made from 100 percent Canadian milk; no substitutes and no fillers
• There are over 400 different types of Cheeses in Canada and its cheese makers
• This kind of pairing is about enjoyment and enriching our lives
• Refer to the cheese booklet on page 24
• Pair lighter cheeses with lighter wines and more pungent cheeses with chewier wines
• Wines in the introductory picture are lined up to pair with the cheeses on the white board in that same order
• Before the second world war in a hotel we would eat for 4 hours and 11 courses (before TV); things have changed but we need to get back to really tasting and enjoying our food
• Origin of Today’s Cheeses:
  • Double Cream Brie: from Damafro, Que
  • Gouda: from Clover Leaf in Calgary
  • Boerenkaas: from Natural Pastures Dairy, BC
  • Aged Cheddar: from Clover Leaf in Calgary
  • Blue Benedictin: from L’Abbaye in Montreal
  • Clothbound Cheddar: from Avonlea in PEI

Wolfegang highly recommends having your cheeses shipped to you and buying them over the internet for special tasting occasions. He does this every holiday season (and for this event) and is never disappointed. On that note, Sylvan Star Cheese did not have enough product to contribute to the tastings this year, but Wolfegang sings their praises. He did not know about Smoky Valley Goat Cheese, or the young Pecorino made nearby at The Cheesiry, but he does now.

Gordon Fitzpatrick is the President of CedarCreek Estate Winery located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley which grows, produces and sells 100% premium B.C. wine. Twice named Canada’s Winery of the Year at the 2002 and 2005 Canadian Wine Awards; CedarCreek is dedicated to producing world class, highly acclaimed wines and providing the most intimate of onsite winery experiences. “Small But Mighty” is his mantra and what is it that makes wines from the Okanagan Valley so precious. His father started this company and he is carrying on the family business with great pride and tradition.

What is special about the wines of BC, particularly the Okanagan in the words of Gordon Fitzpatrick:

• There is a story behind each bottle and the people that make it
• Bigger is not better
• Terrior: wine should be all about the place that it is from
• Small is a good thing
• There are five areas and 200 wineries in British Columbia
  • Vancouver Island
  • Gulf Islands (33 wineries on the islands, altogether)
  • Frazer Valley 10 wineries  on 70 acres
  • Similkameen, and the
  • Okanagan
• How are we different than the Canadian Niagara Wine region?
  • It is bigger than the Okanagan
  • They are excellent ice wine producers due to their climate; we are not
  • They are three times the size regarding the grapes planted, but a lot of the grapes do not go into wine
  • The Mexico Sanoran (desert) runs all they way North and the Okanagan is the only desert climate in Canada
  • Grapes need Heat and the Okanagan is:
    • Hot and dry
    • Degree growing days:  1492 in Osoyoos compared to 1326 in Bordeaux and 1622 in Napa
    • Precipitation mm 290 in Osoyoos compared to 900 in Bordeaux and 599 in Napa (or in inches: 11/35/24)
    • Latitude 49-50 degrees Latitude, so we get 2 hours more sun than Napa or any other region in the world (Richard Smart: Let Sunlight into Wine)
• What we do is called “Extreme Viticulture” (hot summers, cool falls cold winters)
  • Pristine Environment: few insects or sprays
  • Click beetle and cutworm have to be looked out for very early on in the season: we let unsightly grass grow between vineyards and it keeps the bugs out of the canopy
  • Harvest Hang Time: Natural Cold Soak (shorter and cooler days and we let the grapes hang)
  • TA’s sugar acidity weren’t all there: we let the grapes hang until mid October (3 weeks later than normal this year) but it was the right decision for the grapes because the acidity dropped the ph was better, the sugars developed and the flavour developed character
• Wine maker must be out tasting the grapes and that can happen at a small winery
  • Analysis in the lab is not enough: the flavour profile cannot be added in; it must come from the grape (it can’t be added in the lab or the winery like many other aspects of the wine can)
  • Our wine making team is out tasting each block as opposed to major vineyards like Yellow Tail  that use a formula and never get out to taste
• Various micro-climates affect our products
  • Growing grapes in Oosoyus is very different than growing in Kelowna: we have 37 different soil types in a very small area

• Our Place: Our Diversity: Our Style
  • See Diversity Chart in pic on camera, above left
• Erhinphelser (sp?) planted in 1977 is an incredible wine we call “Fruit Salad in a Glass”
• There is a direct correlation between quantity and quality
• Record 22 tons on the golden mile
• Rule now is we crop at about 4 tons per acre
• Dramatic Transformation after free trade to pull out the hardies and put in the noble varietals: the veriferal vines

• In 1986 my dad found a struggling farm and changed the name to CedarCreek as the creek running across the property was lined with cedar trees; the name is critical and needs to have purpose
• Our initial hobby winery grew after Free Trade
• Wine improved and the pioneering was tempered by patience and perseverance
• We own 150 acres up and down the valley
• We have been rafting wine for 24 years
• We won Canada’s Winery of the Year twice
• We are really all about: Truth in Wine
• Our wine is our word: we back it up in our bottle
• Respecting the Land is critical to our success
  • check out the slides for the four main sites and what they plant in them, below
• Honouring Tradition is important to our business
  • My dad started out at McLean and Fitzpatrick Ltd. (Zenith Canadian Products) and we honour that and recognize what it took us to get this far
• Pursue Perfection:
  • Darrell is our new wine maker and isoriginally from and trained in Australia; he was hired this Spring (our wine maker can’t quite walk on water but is walking on barrels)
• It is very impt for wine maker to be in the right place at the right time as your wine is your resume
• We provide housing at all four sites
• We have a very dedicated team

Fitzpatrick’s passion, sensibilities, responsibility and respect for the land, his business and his product was very apparent. I will be seeking out CedarCreek wines. Even before I tasted them, and after the tasting, definitely.

Tasting by Wolfegane Stampe:

1.     2009 Reisling and Brie

• Look at the wine
• Aerate it
• Nose in it and enhale
• Sip and Slurp (move it around the inside of your mouth and add air to receive the full character of the wine)
• Volatile oils are trapped in the cheese paste when it is cold and you don’t get any taste, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating

Again, to engage all senses:

• What do I see?
  • A bloomy rind cheese: gasses create esters which create flavour
  • Double Brie: creamy colour, some glistening, and beginning to ooze (this indicates they are ripe and at the top of their flavour)
• Squeeze: it there still a hard centre, it is too early to eat (your job is not to age it, it is to buy it, so it should be soft in the centre)
• What do I smell?
  • mushroom
  • must
  • soil
  • wet cement
• What do I taste?
  • place it on the tongue and rest it: your taste buds will receive it; your mouth will warm it
  • Inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose
  • do you smell ammonia? If so, eat it right now – if you get a sense of ammonia in the flavour, the cheese is too ripe and the esthers are on the way down

Comments about the Reisling by Gordon Fitzpatrick

• it is all about the aromatics paired with Brie (Okanagan Aromatics) and all in the details (this is a young  Skrew Top wine)
• stainless steel fermented
• hands off wine-making
• Darrell extended the press cycle to about 3 ½ hours
• also doing a longer ferment from 20 days to 40-50 days
• he does a cold soak first and keeps the tanks cool

2. 2008 Estate Chardonnay and Gouda (young)

• this is a WONDERFUL pairing (Wolfegang would have liked a stronger gouda)
• Gouda is matured at warmer temp and has toffee and caramel notes when aged
• Gouda is firmer than Brie and the paste is a little tighter
• Dairyish cream butter: sweet and salty
• Made with two cultures (one added to milk and one added to the curd)

Comments about the Chardonnay by Gordon Fitzpatrick:

• there is not a lot of oak influence in this wine, but the oak gives us a middle (also screw top)
• we don’t do the easy thing, we do the right thing
• usually you plant east to west, but we had to plant north to south
• south will ripen 12-14 days earlier than north facing so we do 2 passes; one for each ripening (more expensive, but it is the right thing to do)
• this Chardonnay lingers….

3. 2008 Platinum Chardonnay and Boerenkaas THIS CHEESE and pairing blew me away: it was sensational. I could not get enough. I will be ordering this cheese and buying this wine.

• Boerenkaas is an artisan handmade cheese made with summer milk and only morning milk; it is not pressed (made similar to cheddar, but not pressed)
• it is a Dutch cheese and can be crumbly
• Only made from pasture fed cow’s milk from the Eyreshire cow
• I cut all of my cheeses with a wire, never with a knife
• the white with little white dots you may see on the cheese happen when the cheese ages (this one is 9 months) and it looses moisture and the white dots are flavour bombs as the sugar and culture and bacteria ages
• I served you another cheese from this maker at the opening dinner called: Cracked Pepper Verdelit (it is also wonderful)

Comments about the Chardonnay by Gordon Fitzpatrick:

• not an inexpensive thing, but the right thing (best of what we do is Platinum) corked
• 100% oak aged (American Oak has dill character)
• 1500 barrels at 1000 a pop is a significant ingredient (what spice is to a chef the barrel is to the wine makers)
• 5-7 uses per barrel
• we control 85% of our fruit itself (was once harder for us to differentiate between three different tiers, so now we just do two)
• I keep all wine at 12 degrees C
• Chardonnays go in fridge an hour before service
• Reds come out 2 hours before, decant and let it breather

4. 2007 Platinum Pinot Noir and aged Cheddar An INCREDIBLE CHEDDAR!

• this is a classic match: and was absolutely a lovely pairing

Comments about the Pinot Noir by Gordon Fitzpatrick:

• this is what we started our winery for (we call it heartbreak wine)
• our wine must be perfect: heart break wine means that sometimes there re more grapes on the ground than in the barrels
• Kathunk-ing (stainless steel plunges took 1 and a half hours by hand and now takes 10 minutes by using the Kathuker)

5. Platinum Merlot 2007 and Artisan Blue Benedictin Cheese Another EXCELLENT cheese and outstanding pairing

• at this point, we were running out of time, and as Wolfegang Stampe didn’t own the Dairy Companies and was just guiding us through the tastings, Gordon Fitzpatrick, sadly took over. He and his product was excellent, but many of us had an equal (or in my case, a stronger) desire to learn about the cheeses.

Comments about the Platinum Merlot by Gordon Fitzpatrick:

• small scale production, cellared
• special place in our hearts
• first one to bring in French Oak barrels (international judges gave it a platinum)- – more red grapes now than white (we were the first red)

6. 2006 Platinum Meritage and Unpasteurized Clothbound Cheddar This was a very special cheese made in an ancient tradition.

• cheese is made from the milk of Holstein’s only: morning summer milk and it is raw (unpasteurized) and organic
• it is formed into a cylindar that is 10 kilos
• made in the old style that it was made in over 200 years ago
• the cheese is wrapped in cheesecloth and cellared for 2 years
• What does it smell like?
  • potato on outside and mashed potatoes on inside
  • huge difference in terrior between this cheddar and Ontario cheddar

Comments about the Platinum Meritage by Gordon Fitzpatrick:

• look up the percentages of kinds of grapes in the blend
• this wine will get better with age and can be kept in your cellars for 10 plus years
• we don’t have the pedigree that they do in France with aged wines

Jasper Park Lodge’s Butternut Squash Soup with Mushroom Velouté Recipe

Ingredients:

• 15g butter
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 small apples, peeled and chopped
• 15g of ginger, minced
• 2 cups butternut squash (about one small squash)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• 15g tumeric, cinnamon, allspice
• 5g cloves

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Ingredients for Wild Mushroom Timbale:

• 1/2 cup lobster mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup hedgehog mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup golden chanterelles, chopped
• 1 cup matsutaki, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup Armagnac
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• pinch of fresh thyme or chervil, chopped

Instructions for Soup:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Cut squash in half and remove the seeds; place face down on baking sheet and bake uncovered until easily pierced with a fork
3. Cool and scoop out the flesh
4. Heat the butter in a pot over medium heat; add onion, garlic, apple, ginger and sauté
5. Add spices and sauté to combine
6. Add squash, stock, and season with salt and pepper
7. Bring all ingredients to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes
8. Blend until smooth and strain through a fine sieve

Instructions for Wild Mushroom Timbale:

1. In a rondeau (a wide, round usually two handled pot that is fairly shallow) add the butter and sauté the shallot and garlic
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown; deglaze the pan with the Armagnac and reduce au sec
3. Season with salt and pepper; remove from heat and place in fridge to cool
4. Form into cylinders one inch high; heat 225 mls of soup per person
5. Place mushroom timbale in the centre of the bowl and pour the soup gently around it
6. Garnish with fresh chervil or thyme

Fresh Berries Three Ways Recipe

Ingredients for the Gelée:

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest from one lemon
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 package frozen unsweetened raspberries (I have many of those from my garden!) about 500 grams
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
• 4 tablespoons water
• 750 mls mixed fruit juice
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chambord (I adore this!)
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries

Ingredients for the Mousse:

• 5 ounces of raspberries
• 5 ounces of blackberries
• 5 ounces of blue berries
• 8 ounces of strawberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 3/4 teaspoons powdered gelatin
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chambord (I adore this!)
• 1 cup heavy cream

Ingredients for the Berry Compote:

• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fruit brandy (Chambord) or water
• 2 10 ounce packages of frozen mixed berries (or 4 heaping cups) thawed with their juices
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• finely grated zest from one lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions for the Berry Gelée:

1. Put the mold(s) or glasses being used in the freezer to pre-chill
2. In a stainless steel saucepan combine the lemon zest and juice, sugar and frozen berries; bring to a boil over medium-high heat
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
4. In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let soften five minutes
5. Strain the simmered fruit through a strainer to remove all seeds
6. Stir in the softened gelatin and continue stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved
7. Stir in the mixed fruit juice and the Chambord
8. Skim away any excess foam remaining on top
9. Pour half the gelatin mixture in the molds (or glasses) and refrigerate until just lightly set
10. Add the fresh raspberries to the mold and top with the remaining gelatin
11. Refrigerate for a minimum of four hours prior to serving

Instructions for the Mousse (two layer dessert, one layer of mousse:

1. Purée the berries in a processor using the finest disc or to the finest possible consistency
2. Strain through a fine mesh to remove any seeds
3. Divide evenly among two large bowls; stir 1/4 cup of the sugar into one bowl of the berry mixture
4. Sprinkle 2 1/2 teaspoons of the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the Chambord; place this over a small pan of simmering water until melted
5. Stir into the first bowl of berry mixture
6. Whip cream to still peaks and stir 1/3 of the cream into the second bowl of the berry mixture (the one with the gelatin); then fold in the remaining cream
7. Divide the second bowl with the cream mixture among the 6 dessert cups and refrigerate another hour until it has set
8. Then, divide the first bowl with the gelatin mixture among the 6 dessert cups and refrigerate one hour, until it has set

Instructions for the Berry Compote:

1. In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the brandy or water; set aside
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; stirring often until sugar dissolves
3. When bubbles appear on the side of the pan just before the fruit reaches a full boil, quickly stir in the cornstarch mixture
4. Let the fruit boil for only one minute to cook the cornstarch; remove immediately from heat
5. The compote will thicken as it cools; may be served at room temperature, or warm

Putting it all Together to Make Fresh Berries Three Ways:

Looking at the photo and recalling the textures, all I can do it guess.

1. The Gelée went into the bottom as there were fresh raspberries there, and the mousse would not set so nicely on top of the compote
2. The moussed was next, but was not separated into two parts: the gelatin and the cream were all mixed together to make only one layer of the mousse for this dessert (I would make only half of the mousse recipe: the half with the cream, and add the gelatin to it.)
3. The compote would be added to the top layer
4. The tulle is a beautiful touch and adds so much drama to the presentation
5. This is garnished with whipped cream and a raspberry

Thank you, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge for these mouthwatering recipes! It was such a decadent pleasure to eat at your beautiful restaurant and take home these lovely recipes to make at home.

Big hugs to all of you!

I think this is the first time in more years than I can remember that I have stayed alone in a hotel room. I awoke on the edge of the King sized bed with the beautiful comforter tucked all around me, mummy like. One breath of the morning had me on my feet and opening the front door. Mountain air! Ahhh! Crisp, cool, clean, revitalizing. I ached all over, still, from my parent’s 60th anniversary party preparations the weekend prior, yet with this breath, I was healed.

I love living where there are four seasons. Winter is in the air. It is hiding somewhere there… but, I know it. I feel it and smell it. I love the scent of winter in the air.  Look at the vapours over the mountain. I am waling in the middle of an artist’s canvas.

And then enveloped in the warmth of the main lodge like a big grizzly hug, fireplace burning, tree twinkling. Heart beating.

This is the view from the dining room window. There are about twenty tables positioned right against this window for a more intimate view during dining time.

Ours was not one of them, but that was OK. I was assigned to table 5. Everyone was to remain at the same table for the entire event. I liked that idea. Everyone was at the table but two of us. “Hello!” Such warm people!

I sat for my coffee and that incredible orange juice that always tastes better served by someone else than by myself in my own kitchen each morning. I really look forward to coffee and orange juice in the mornings when I travel, and I knew both would be top notch here. I was right.

The breakfast was a hot and cold buffet that surprised me. I did not expect such elaborate choices, nor so much at breakfast. I do not eat a big breakfast, so I chose this lovely looking morsel. It was just perfect for me and what a great idea for a breakfast: frittata in an individual mold. I cannot explain how flavourful, light and delicate this eggy dish was. Yum.

Michelle, the other gal that arrived later, was the only one at our table who had been here before. Though breakfast was over at 9 (many still lingered an extra 30 minutes over coffee and juice), and we had an hour before the first session, Michele said that they usually fill up fast, and it is best to get there in a timely fashion if you like a front row seat. Now, I am definitely a front row seat kind of girl. Grade one, on. I was there at 9:20. No one else arrived until about 10 to 10. Fortunately, I had my laptop and as a President’s Club Member, had free Internet everywhere on site. So, I answered my e-mail and took pictures of the mis en place while I waited. I was really looking forward to this session. I thoroughly enjoy Anna’s shows Sugar and Fresh on the Food Network. I was definitely intent on soaking it all in: camera and computer ready!

I really had no idea what we were making as it was my first day and I didn’t realize that one of the magazines I had received for free in the registration package was actually the program for the entire event, including the recipes for each session, and many of the specialties served in the dining room, as well. I did better preparations the next day!

I realize the above picture is out of focus. No, it is not you. It is the only one I got of the demonstration table: exactly like mine, at school. OK. Not exactly. Mine does not have a stove in it, it is smaller and much older. But, I was in familiar territory. There was a multitude of glasses and frosty stainless pitchers filled with water.

As people came in, one gal announced: there is cider just outside of the hall. No one rushed out. I did. Hot apple cider at Christmas in November? I must. Later, I learned that it was served to set the mood for the session Michael Smith was doing. Oh, well. I had some then, too! It also set the mood for this session!

Warm, spicy, fragrant apple cider. Mmmm. Mmm. I was focusing on taking it all in when I didn’t even see the Olsen’s enter, and there they were, quietly prepping their station.

Michael began by welcoming us and then explaining how he and Anna met. Rather, how he met his “honey-bunny”: HB, for short!. This is their 6th time presenting at Christmas in November and he said most sincerely that “this is the event we maintain every year and it has become part of our tradition.”  Anna chimed in, “It is perfect for us! When November comes around we are ready for the break and this is something we have begun to look forward to every year.” Michael adds, “If I am dopey you will have to forgive me, Anna has been doing that for 15 years!” He was tremendously funny. They both were. This is a very slick and sincere pair who know their stuff, are passionate about what they do and have a lot of fun doing it!

Michael stirred the cheese as Anna introduced us to Cheese. “We are using cheese as an ingredient, today, not as a primary, stand alone course. “

Michael poured and held up a shooter filled with milk: “This is where it all begins and ends : with your Diary Farmers! The western world has embraced dairy products as a primary food group. There is skim, 1%, 2%, 3% or homogenized – etc…. the percentage of butterfat that is in the solution contributes to the shelf life of the milk. Skim milk (or ghost milk, as Michael calls it as it is the ghost of the milk that died), is 0% and has a very short shelf life, while the shelf life of heavy cream is much longer.” I did not know that. It was new information to me! Anna is in the process of testing recipes for her new baking book and has been using about 12 to 15 pounds of butter a week! She adds that she will have a huge gluten free component in her cookbook.

Michael goes on, ” Long ago, when the milk went bad, people needed to do something with it. Somehow, someone discovered that if you take cream and shake it up or agitate it, it will separate! The butterfat is lighter than the whey part and the buttery stuff will go to the outside of the container. The butter will last longer that milk. especially if I add salt.”  Later, or maybe before, someone put milk in an animal skin and somehow it curdled the milk and they got curds and whey. The enzyme in the animal skin assisted (…rennet,,,but they didn’t know that at the time). Other natural elements in the air or soil coupled with bacterial agents affected the milk and added flavour, aroma, and colour. That was the beginning of cheese making.

Anna now carried on to talk about the five main kinds of cheese.

Five main styles or forms of cheese:

1. Fresh:

No ageing allowed.

Brie is made like a fresh cheese, but a bacterial culture found in that region is introduced to it, and as it grows and ages, the white rind grows long spores of mold that are huge and incredible and a definite part of the flavour profile once pressed. That is why Brie cheese is grown only in that region of France. It is that region that contains that bacterial culture that finds its way into the young fresh cheese. That culture can be copied, to a degree, and that cheese made similarly elsewhere, only to a degree. It is best to make cheese from your own region with ones own cultures and flavours of your locality.

2. Semi-soft Washed Rind Cheese

Washed with a salt solution

3. Firm Cheese

Goudas are a good example of these

4. Hard Cheese Aged and Pressed in Wax or in Cloth

Water evaporates and it gets stronger and sharper and improves over time as there is no moisture content; cheddars are the quintessential pride of Canada as we make incredible terrior cheddars.

5. Blue Cheese (Pressed like a cheddar and then stored in caves because they are cool)

Named after the areas where there are limestone caves with Rockfort penicillin; all blue cheeses start with a Rockfort penicillin

So, after our little lesson on the main kinds of cheeses, and with that in mind, the Olsen’s shared what their perfect cheese board contains when they are hosting a party.

Perfect Cheese Board

Do not base your cheese board selections on the colours of the cheese; rather, base your choices on textures and tastes and wine pairings. Two to three ounces is a lot for a good  per person amount for a cheese board.

• One brie
• one semi
• one firm
• one blue

Note: You must have a separate knife for the blue cheese so the spores which are still alive and active do not transfer to the other cheeses.

Now, for the soup!

Michael and Anna were all about being guests at their own parties. Both were quite strong about the guest being the most important part of the meal. The food is expected to wow their guests, yes, particularly as they are both Chefs, but the first dish or course is the important one. Work at the “big wow” on that dish, then relax and enjoy your evening and your guests! Make the rest of the meal something that can be prepared in advance so that you have nothing more to do but heat, plate, and serve.  “We try to avoid skewers and toothpicks. I don’t know about your friends, but if you have ours over for dinner, check your ferns later!…We want you to be a guest at your own party, instead of being “aghast” at your own party!” Michael quipped with that sideways grin and endearing twinkle he has.

This soup can be made ahead. ” Be casual! Treat the soup like chili! Relax! Serve a little soup in little cups, or bowls, or shooter glasses. Set the garnish out for your friends to do themselves. They will figure it out!”

The base must be a roux base to add cheese to. You cannot add cheese to a soup properly that is not made with a roux base. “Instead of just a butter and flour roux, we will have an aromatic roux!”

Instructions for the Soup as Michael cooked:

• cook the vegetable components
• if I added the flour now, I would never have the super tender onion I am looking for: I want a nice and soft and tender onion, first
• ensure you have vegetables with an even coating of flour around them, then add flour and only let it toast if you want a caramelized roux for a gumbo… but not for this recipe
• do not cook the flour until it browns; do that for a beef and a brown sauce: the thickening ability of the flour is reduced the more you toast the flour: if you want a darker roux you will need more flour to thicken your soup
• 3-4 minutes longer before we add the flour to these vegetables(almost 7-8 minutes)
• garlic goes in now, for about 30 seconds on its own
• mustard holds the oil and vinegar together, so we add mustard powder
• sift in the flour and sugar now until the vegetables are just coated with the dry mixture (no toasting, remember!… about 3 minutes)
• whisk in a bottle of big rock beer, your chicken broth – 2 cups, and the 2 cups of milk; it can be all broth or all milk, no matter
• beer adds body and bitterness and if we don’t have beef broth I add beer to a lot of things I am making, particularly stocks and sauces
• I am more likely to have beer than homemade beef broth at home now, so I often substitute it
• President’s Choice Organic Chicken Broth is an excellent stock; both Olsen’s sang its praises
• the flour has to bloom and take out some body; it has to simmer to activate on a slow and low boil
• I add salt at the end
• Now, the cheese goes in; I have got the roux in there, lowered the heat, and so it is stable and I can confidently add the cheese without worrying about it separating
• add Cayene pepper and it is like a liquid grilled cheese sandwich with beer
• Reheat over low heat so it doesn’t separate, or add a couple of tablespoons of warm water stirred into it and that will bring it back together  if it does separate (or use a blender)

Michael then introduced Anna as the Queen of their kitchen as, “I sweat over a hot stove day and night and she sprinkles chocolate over a few things and everyone goes weak in the knees!” We all “oooed” and “aaahhhhed” on cue!

Anna was clearly so mesmerizing making her pastry that I neglected to take a photo of that. I was star struck. She is so beautiful and such a natural teacher. She is confident, articulate, and experienced. There were no second takes like there may have been on her TV shows, but everything she did and said was perfect: take one!

She passes around her pastry dough for all to see how flaky it was, even in dough form. Instructions and recipes for all follow at the end of this post.

Instructions for the Pastry Dough as Anna prepared it:

• the tarts must look rustic and homemade, not perfect
• the crust is like a cracker, and the filling, with a choice of cheeses all from the same basic recipe create three different bites
• my new book is a back to baking book and I have been working a lot at testing and refining my recipes for it
• this is a savoury crust and I have come to love savoury crusts as you can do so much with them
• this is a pastry or paté brisée as the French would say
• I add flour and cornmeal for colour and texture and sugar to shorten the gluten strings and a little BP to have a flaky crust and a little chopped rosemary for flavour
• use cool unsalted butter, not cold or frozen butter as you will have to work it in too vigorously and your crust will be tough: pull out the butter a little early from the fridge so you don’t have to overwork and toughen the pastry by using frozen butter
• Who makes your own pie? Where does the expression “easy as pie come from? Making pie is not easy, is it?
• now I am adding parmesan cheese
• I always use unsalted butter so I can control the salt: also, salt slows yeast activity which allows more time for flavour development
• parmesan lends salt to the recipe, as well
• you cannot overwork this in the food processor
• DO NOT SKIMP on the relaxing time… after the dough comes together it looks like powdered almonds, and needs a good rest after formed into discs or rolls
• mix the sour cream with ¼ cup cool water to create the liquid needed to bring this pastry together
• mix until it comes together and let it relax one formed into two logs: any time you exercise your flour, you must let it relax or it will taste tough: the glutens must relax (over exercised gluten causes pie crust to shrink: rest for a minimum of 20 minutes to an hour)
• think of  gluten as like a bunch of rubber bands mixed together: if you let it relax, it will stretch with ease instead of pulling back into shape (you have all probably made a pizza dough that you have tried to stretch into a large round too quickly and it keeps pulling back into a little round because it needs to be relaxed, first)
• spelt flour is brilliant in a pie crust – it crisps up beautifully; I have just started working with a variety of flours for my new book, and find felt to be brilliant
• protein percentages in Canadian flours: all purpose flour is 12%, bread flour is 14%, cake flour is 9%
• we want a dough that rolls quickly and easily with even sheets of butter so pull it out of the fridge and let it rest for a bit so the butter will not crack when rolled
• if you are rolling in an hour, leave your freshly made pastry dough out of the fridge, and then roll it
• cut this pastry log into 16; cut it in half, then in quarters, then in fourths:  then rolled each out
• don’t worry about them being perfect: rustic is best

The atmosphere was very comfortable and questions were asked and answered during the session. Each session, I later learned, had a chef available to assist, and as many helpers as the numbers attending required. The soup was made in between the tart preparation and was served to each of us, steamy hot with the most cheesy fragrance!

Question from the audience: Have you ever used ½ cup of water and ½ cup vodka to make your pastry? I do, and find it works very well!

Answer: I opt for the vinegar over the vodka. I have tried it, but don’t buy it. I think it was America’s Test Kitchen that first introduced that to the world, but it didn’t win me over.

Soup is coming!

You can get a great look at the thickness of the shells Anna rolled, below.

To the left, below, the Olsen’s brought the apple butter with them from Ontario, that they use. Apparently Costco has had some this season. I was going to make my own, anyway. Now I have a really good reason! Look at my soup, below, right. The little vegetable morsels gave the soup a nice texture and flavourful bits to chew. There wasn’t garnish on these shots, but any kind of garnish would only enhance this already yummy cheesy slurp. Michael said it was to be like a grilled cheese sandwich with a beer all in one glass. I didn’t catch the power of the beer, but loved the subtlety of it! I will definitely be making this soup and appreciated understanding the importance of a roux to stabilize adding cheese to a soup.

Instructions for the Filling as Anna prepared it:

• I like to use an eating apple: whatever you like, or what is local in your region: Royal Gala,  Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious are all great in this recipe
• I am adding the green onion, rosemary and a touch of sugar that will draw out juices from apple: that’s it!
• apple butter is so easy to make on your own, or you can buy it; here is what we use from home (passed around the jar)
• sour cream and apple butter holds the apples in place (she plops it one) and now add the cheese: three different kinds equals 3 different appetizers, isn’t that great?
• place cheese on top of the apple mixture, gather the pastry around the cheese leaving the cheese out and showing, very rustic
• once they are baked, they freeze well; just reheat as per the recipe (below) in your book
• brush on some egg mixed with water for a nice sheen
• these are tasty hot or cold

She laid fifteen shells on the parchment lined sheet and positioned a dollop of apple butter that she combined with sour cream. It was a pretty pink! Then she carefully spooned the apple filling she had made on top of each dollop. At this point, she did three rows of three different cheeses on top of the apples, and labeled the rows with her felt pen.

Take a look below. You can see there are some tarts with shredded cheddar, some with a crumble of blue cheese, and some with a slice of Brie. Yum.

She and Michael worked together to pull the edges of each galette over the sides of the filling, but not over the top: leave that open to let the cheese peek through!

Time to add the glossy sheen with the egg wash.

They made it real and did one cookie sheet between them both. The ones we ate were made in the kitchen by the JPL Chefs and were all cheddar.

These were all pretty perfect looking. Not too rustic, but were they ever spectacular. This was just like watching one of Anna’s TV shows with Michael as a guest, and then actually tasting the food. I did not expect it to be this good. Truly. I expected a tasty bite, but this little bite packed an incredibly tasty complex and mouth-watering punch. You will see a post with me making my own in the very near future. Certainly, for Christmas! YUM! I am motivated. This is a hit and is not complicated at all! A make-ahead-freezer-appetizer: how much better does it get than that?

At this point, I thought Anna was going to make a larger galette, as that disk in her had looked like what I just ate, without the topping. But, I was wrong. This is the large goat cheese torte that was prepared by the JPL Chefs.

Instructions for the Goat Cheese Torte: Gluten free as Anna preapared it:

• cream cheese will work if you don’t care for goat cheese
• all ingredients should be room temperature, whatever you make; another word about that: if one ingredient is cold, all should be (whatever you are making, the ingredients should all be the same temperature – and I don’t mean you have to have your flour frozen!)
• 6 ounces of the cheese, and it is not about what goes in that makes the difference, but what goes on the top: there will be a lemon or a citrus flavour that comes out of the cheese in this setting
• as we are only using 3 tablespoons of sugar, this torte can also serve as the conveyor or a savoury topping such as a tapenade, sundried tomato mixture or caramelized onions, and so on
• the Fruit on top makes it sweet, and olive tapenade on top makes it savoury: the topping can change the profile completely
• whip the egg whites and then watching them for that small window of opportunity can be stressful, and taxing, but whip them on one speed less than high and you will get the same volume, but you will have more time to catch that window of opportunity and will not have to struggle to catch it
• egg whites without sugar whip faster than egg whites with sugar
• it is hard to over-whip egg whites with sugar because sugar adds structure
• if you have stretched those whites to the maximum point that you can to hold in the air, when they hit the oven they expand and will break: so you don’t want to use over-whipped whites
• use medium speed, not high speed, and you can whip out the same over-whipped whites to the point you missed before,
• this works with whipping cream, as well, but add more liquid cream to your over-whipped mixture and it will melt back into the cream so you can rewhip it on medium to where you wanted it to be
• place a round of parchment in a spring form pan
• this torte has only three ingredients: goat cheese and eggs and sugar; it will double in size, and then collapse, but it is supposed to: use the indentation for the filling
• stabilize whipped cream: for every 1 cup of whipping cream add 1 tablespoon of of skim milk powder and it will hold beautifully in the fridge, whipped for hours without liquefying (lemon juice will set the cream as well)
• I like to add some lemon zest for flavour into the cream, add the Limoncello
• grease the pan and coat inside with sugar and they pop out so easily if using the new silpat molded pans

Michael adds a little practical tip: If you are baking in the oven, make a baked dessert to use left over heat; take advantage of what you are doing. If you are grilling, don’t bake a dessert.

I just happen to have a couple of bottles of Limoncello from my last trip to Italy! YUM.

Sprinkle a little dust of icing sugar….

…and look at that!

Miniature bites were made ahead by the Chefs in the JPL kitchen. I was surprised by the soufflé-like texture of the torte, itself. It was wonderfully light and moist. That, plus the creamy topping with the juicy fruit was a lovely combination of textures in my mouth. The fruit was bright, the cream rich and lush; both complimented the tanginess in the goat cheese perfectly.

I can definitely see these made to hold three different toppings just as their galette did: green olive, black olive, and sun-dried tomato tapenades!

Honestly, it was hard for me to leave the room. I had some cookbooks that I wanted them to sign, but there was a huge crowd around them, and I am not the patient type when there is a crowd. Notice, I can wait forty minutes for them to appear, but leave immediately after! I thought I would have plenty of time to reconnect with this couple, and really, I did. But, I was too shy to engage in anything significant… or, anything at all, for that matter. I didn’t even get my cookbooks signed as they left at 7 am the last morning and I had expected to lug them to my first session that day and have them signed right after breakfast. Oh, well. I didn’t buy them for the signatures… but, they were gifts for my daughters, so that was disappointing.

I did pull myself away and slowly walked down the hall, hesitatingly, pulling myself forward, but felt drawn back. I didn’t want to loose the magic of that morning.

Time for lunch! Well, there is still 30 minutes before lunch, so I went back to change my camera batteries and freshen up. I thought this would be my routine, but it was not. When I was out for the next day, I didn’t get back until just before dinner… there were so many people to meet and so much fun to be had! Look at the lovely grounds that we walked across daily. Such beauty.

Such history.

And then back for my first official lunch. Oh, my! A printed glossy menu. Beavie was now out of the bag, and together, we were very excited.

The place settings were gorgeous. There was a coupon for ten dollars off a special Christmas fragrance from Crab Tree and Evelyn. That was nice. And, look at the salad with the Brie! It really felt like Christmas, all by myself, in my quietness, there was a surprise awaiting around every corner. The child was writhing with in me delighted with these pleasures.

The colour of the water is so gorgeous. The walk around the lake is a must. The environment was absolutely the highlight. To commune with nature in the midst of these extraordinary sessions was deeply moving.

Attention to detail is never lost on me. It always makes me smile. Thank you for making my butter pretty.

The room was filling up, but my table was still empty. Oh well, I will start and then wander around the lake after lunch.

Where is the dressing? Under the salad. I had to move them to find it. Once again, the blur is me, not you. But, I wanted to remember this little trick. I often use it in the bowl when I am serving a crowd. The dressing goes in the bottom, the leaves on the top, and I toss just before serving. This was a nice idea, too… and, I wasn’t the only one searching for the dressing at our table, so it was fun, too.

My main was served while the others ate their salads as they had just arrived. The recipe for this main was also included in my book, and I may add a post at the end with all of the hotel recipes. If not, feel free to write me for it. This was a beef and mushroom ragout over house made pasta that was the best pasta dish I have ever eaten in my life. The beef was braised to perfection and so flavourful I couldn’t even visit while eating it. The small onions were bursting with caramelized flavour and were prepared on their own, and added to the mix. The combination of mushrooms worked as the flavours and textures varied, but each was earthy and flavourful. I could go on. I have not forgotten this dish. I actually thought of getting up and going directly into the kitchen and hugging the Chef and the others that made this dish. I ate every bite of it which is truly rare for me. I usually cannot even eat meat, but this was just that tender.

Beavie applauded my efforts as he sat on my cup cheering me on and enjoying the pleasures I was experiencing. He was just happy to be out! My table mates, having just met me at breakfast, eyed me a little warily at this point.

There were door prizes! I did not expect that, either! I did expect not to win, and I didn’t care.

Below is my table. The empty chair is mine. I was sitting with three couples, one of each couple was a sibling of the others, and they were all married within months of one another forty years ago. This was their party! What an accomplishment and they were such a fun group! I sat with two other gals whose daughters are good friends and they were very interesting and warms, as well. Then there was Michele, from Calgary. She was the only one who had attended before and was definitely a sparkle at our table! She had a friend staying in her cabin with her, but none of us met her, so she was “Michelle’s phantom friend”… until the last day, and I did meet her!

I left to put my bags on the front row of my afternoon session with Michael Smith and when I returned, they had hung Beavie by his tail on our table number!!! Poor Beavie! After that, he stuck to me like glue. Some people just don’t understand Beavie. They even wrote a sign on the back of the number (it was all Hector, they said) that read: “Don’t touch Valerie’s Beaver!” (Blush!)

So, back for dessert, as I had intended to have that walk around the lake, but also didn’t want to miss any part of any meal, and the staff was so busy, mine was served with everyone else’s. The brownie recipe is also in our book and was so rich and moist that it left you wanting more, even after all the tastes and bites and that incredible meal! I did not care for the granola balls. They were the only thing that didn’t ring my bell all week! The cookie and srtipe of wet chocolate were both exceptional.

And that was not all…. no, it was not. Just as I was getting ready to leave again, there was an announcement that the table by the dining room door covered with the cloth was hiding Bal Arnison’s latest cookbook. We all were given one as we left for our afternoon session! If you are still reading this, you must be enjoying this as much as I did. Next year, come. You must. You deserve it. I have a feeling I will be back, but with my mother and my sister. This is something that must be shared… it is a gift that keeps on giving…. Christmas in November, I am definitely IN THE MOOD!

Thank you! I cannot wait for my next session!

Cheddar Beer Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 twelve ounce bottle of beer, ale, or dark beer
• 3/4 pound old cheddar cheese, shredded (plus extra for garnish)
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat, melt butter and add onions and pepper
2. Sauté until tender, about 6 minutes
3. Stir in garlic and mustard powder; cook one minute more
4. Sift in flour and sugar with a wooden spoon for about three minutes, working to coat all vegetables evenly
5. Switch to a whisk, and gradually pour in milk while whisking; add stock and beer
6. Bring to a simmer while stirring often
7. Once simmering, stir in cheddar cheese and reduce heat to medium low; stirring continuously until completely melted
8. Add cayenne (if desired) and season with salt and pepper
9. Ladle into bowl and garnish with shredded cheese

Note: Soup can be prepared ahead of time, and chilled, but reheat over low heat, stirring often.

Mini Savoury Apple Cheese Galette Recipe

Ingredients for the Crust:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for sprinkling)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chilled
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons sour cream

Ingredients for Filling:

• 1/3 cup apple butter
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3 cups Gala (or eating) apples, peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons green onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup medium orange cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 ounces of Brie, cut into one inch slices
• 4 ounces of Blue Cheese, crumbles
• 1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons of water for egg wash

Instructions for the Crust:

1. Combine first six ingredients in food processor; add butter and cut it into the flour mixture until it is a rough and crumbly texture
2. Stir water into sour cream to blend well together; add to the flour butter mixture
3. Combine until dough comes together; shape into two logs (see photo above)
4. Wrap each in plastic, and chill until firm (at least one hour)
5. Pre-heat oven to 375°F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper

Instructions for Filling:

1. Combine apple butter and sour cream; set aside
2. In a large bowl, toss apples, sugar, green onion and rosemary

Instructions for the Galette:

1. Cut each log of chilled dough into three equal parts, and each of those into 5 slices (15 slices per log)
2. On a lightly floured surface, with a small rolling pin, roll out each slice to just under 1/4 inch thick (about 2 1/2 inches across)
3. Place each onto prepared baking tray
4. Dollop a little apple butter mixture in the centre of each circle; spoon about 2 tablespoons of apple mixture over apple butter mixture
   • top 10 tarts with a sprinkle of grated cheddar
   • top 10 tarts with a slice of Brie
   • top 10 tarts with a cube or crumbling of blue cheese
5. Fold dough in a rustic galette fashion over the apples leaving an opening in the middle of each one to see the cheese
6. Brush with egg wash and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown
7. Serve warm, or at room temperature

Note: Tarts can be fully prepared and baked in advance and reheated at 325°F for 10 minutes immediately prior to service.

Goat Cheese Torte with Limoncello Cream and Berries Recipe

Makes one 8 inch (20 cm) gluten free torte

Ingredients for the Cheese Torte:

• 6 ounces of fresh goat cheese
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated

Ingredients for the Limoncello Cream:

• 3/4 cup whipped cream
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons Limoncello

Ingredients for the Berries:

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• icing sugar for dusting

Instructions:

1. For the Torte: Preheat oven to 350°F for the torte; grease and line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch (20 c) cake pan with parchment paper
2. Cream goat cheese to soften and beat in sugar
3. Add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition
4. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until peaks are stiff
5. Fold one third of the egg whites into the goat cheese mixture until blended; gently fold in the remaining two thirds
6. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until risen and turned and even golden brown
7. Cool to room temperature: don’t worry: when the centre of the tort falls – it is supposed to
8. Remove cake from pan and peel away the parchment
9. Limoncello Cream: Whip cream to soft peaks and whisk in remaining ingredients
10. Dollop cream over top of the torte into the fallen space left for the cream and the berries
11. For the Berries: Wash and gently toss together; spoon berries over Limoncello cream and dust with icing sugar immediately before serving

Note: Torte and Cream can be made up to 4 hours in advance; assemble immediately before serving

Save On Foods sure missed out when they told Hennie Bos at Bles-Wold Dairy that there is no way they could make yogurt in an old barn like this and rejected Bles-Wold’s bid to sell in their stores. One Save On Foods in Sherwood Park took the risk and successfully sells their product, but head office at Save On rejected our famous local Little Engine that Could! Bravo to Hennie and Tinie! I know they would give Save On a second chance, should they come crawling back asking for forgiveness, but this booming little “side” business for this Central Alberta immigrant family is growing like wild fire and has brought such a sense of satisfaction to Tinie Ellers as she radiates joy talking about the birth of her yogurt and sour cream business.

Last Sunday, September 26th, I had organized an Edmonton Slow Food Dairy Farm Fieldtrip for Slow Food Members and friends. It was a drizzly morning, but when I arrived to the bus at 8 am with ample Thermoses of Transcend Coffee brewed to perfection, there were already people in the bus! Moreover, the bus was already there, and I was actually a minute early! I set up my little table, covered it with a cloth and got out the coffee, orange juice and name tags. Just as I was inviting all to come out of the bus for a fresh cup of coffee and some juice, Vanja arrived with the fresh-out-of-the-oven bag breakfast from Duchess Bake Shop: perfect timing.

Giselle had planned a savoury and a sweet scone for our early morning trip: cheese with peppers and blueberry with lemon. Both were outstanding. Thank you, Duchess! The coffee was also really welcomed in this drizzly weather, and I do believe I did Transcend justice with my home brewing as I loved it and some came back for seconds!

We are off! What a friendly group of like minded people. Who else would spend a Sunday visiting a couple of Alberta Dairy farms?

As we drove South toward central Alberta, my breath was taken away as it always is this time of year. What beautiful country we live in. For those of you not familiar with Alberta, this is definitely a side road. We have turned off the major highway and are headed out toward Sylvan Lake to Sylvan Star Cheese. There was so much interesting conversation, that it took no time to arrive.

I planned this trip because I wanted to visit everything on the schedule and it seemed like the perfect thing to do. I had wanted to visit this Cheese Manufacturing Farm for a few years. I was really delighted when I saw the building that they have on their website. “We are here!”

All needed a moment to stretch and then we were invited into the Tourist area: a lovely shop and luncheon area just newly built for people like us. There was some initial confusion which I don’t care to dwell on. (We were to visit the Dairy Farm here, too, but the plans were changed and somehow, no one let me know.)

Jan greeted us and had the cheese ready for a tasting almost immediately. Going anywhere the first time is always a great learning experience for a guide. I have taken students to Europe for years, and after the first one or two, they all went like clockwork. Jan and his wife had prepared lovely platters of their award winning cheeses for our group to taste, but they were all on two platters and there were 40 of us. About 10 of us didn’t get any of the cheese. More was put out, but only three kinds. That was disappointing, but the teacher in me would definitely do that differently next time, and it would not happen as it did. No one complained. The group was such a positive group of people. And, the cheese is some of the best in the world. We are so fortunate to have Sylvan Star Cheese in our province.

Just look at that medium Gruyere, below. I never allow myself to be out of it. It is so delicious in sauces and tarts, and to just eat like this. Vanja loved it, too.

Their Aged Grizzley Gouda is another of my all time favourites. It has won a best Gouda in the world award. This family immigrated here, from Holland, and though they didn’t plan to continue making cheese, I am sure glad they are.

Jan took us upstairs and told his story. It is a story of a family immigrating to a new country to Dairy Farm. Alberta offered the perfect place for his dream. Once here, he could not find any good local cheese, and definitely had brought 30 years of cheese making knowledge with him. He really wanted to leave that behind, and do something different. However, the niche was there, unfilled, and he recognized it. The rest is history, but not an easy route. Alberta doesn’t have many artisan cheese makers. The health inspectors don’t have the experience and knowledge they need to monitor this kind of business here. They have it all figured out in Quebec. Why can’t our political leaders and our Food Inspection agency take some lessons from them. Their culture nurtures the artisan cheese farmer; ours intimidates it according to Jan’s stories and his experience with cheese making in Holland compared to here.

We were all nibbling on incredible cheese and thoughtfully paired crackers listening to an intimately personal story of a family creating a new life in a new world.

We moved through a huge empty room that will eventually be used to store and age the Grizzly and then down the stairs to the work and storage area. The first impression was that it was absolutely spotless. Everyone commented on that as we were touring and afterwards. In the past, over the years, Sylvan Star has run out of Grizzly. Thus, the new storage room preparation and the greater inventory. Jan said they will not be running out again!

This is the storage and waxing room. The white rounds in the foreground to the right are not waxed at all, yet.

Jan is explaining the storage of the cheese and the humidity of the room. I am in awe and wiggling with excitement to be in such a room.

I sure hoped Vanja was listening as I was exploring and just lost in the rows and rows and rows of cheese.

The sprinkler above is for misting the room to keep the humidity at the correct level. It is all hand monitored and does not come on automatically.

And here I am, playing and being caught. That’s where my cheese plate went. I lost it enroute and was really sad about that!

We are in the waxing room again, beside the brining tank. The various kinds of cheese are all lined up and, well, irresistible. Two of my favourite local Edmontonians were participating with us, today: Mack and Sharon.

When the Smoked Gouda was passed around for sniffing, noone could resist. Please forgive my shaky photos. I was quivering with lust for this cheese!

Jan demonstrated how the rounds are waxed: all by hand. The wet wax is rubbed into the cheese with a sponge 3 times a day for 4 days (every other day) over an 8 day period. Clearly, a labour intensive project when looking at the vast amount of cheese stored in the building.

The cheese sweats as it ages (see the mark on the wood, below, right?), so it needs to be turned over often through the waxing process and once the process is finished, there will be no more “sweating”.

I do tend to prefer everything natural, or plain, but this family really has it going on with their flavourings. The flavoured cheeses are incredibly delicious and possess a perfect balance of creaminess and cheesiness with the spices and herbs and peppers.

I had not seen their Edam. It is the rectangular cheese. I didn’t know they made this until I was on their web site. I guess I didn’t investigate their booth at the City Market as well as I should have this past summer. They also sell locally at Planet Organic and Sunterra Foods.

Below is a close up of an unwaxed Gouda right out of the mold.

The true colour is closer to the photo on the right, above. But the lighting changed the colour in the photos.

The logo is also waxed in under many layers of wax. Here is Cathy and her husband. They didn’t bring their camera and I insisted on taking their picture. Everyone of the few I took was shaky! But, look at that cheese!

Below is the brining tank that the molds of cheese go into. Miss Brûlée Blog was taking notes, so I hope she heard (or someone else, please chime in!) how this tank was used, and at which phase of the process. I did ask again, but didn’t understand the answer.

Katharine was another participant that I was able to get a lovely photo of with steady hands.

Jan took us into another room where he has the cold smoke apparatus. He smoked 20 cheeses at the time and left them in six to eight hours. They have a luscious smokey to-die-for aroma! Their Smokey Gouda is another award winning cheese.

He uses maple wood to smoke the cheese. It comes in these small packages and the machine and process is very easy to maintain, according to Jan.

Below is the room that 8000 litres of milk at a time comes to fresh from the milking barn. It is pasteurised and then put into a huge vat with a culture and stirred until the curds form. At this point, the curds are separated from the whey and placed into molds to cure. Each 8000 litres of milk produces 800 kilograms of cheese, or Jan gets 10% of the volume of his whole milk product in cheese.

Below he is standing over the huge oblong vat to demonstrate how he actually does this work when the pasteurized milk is mixed with the culture and then stirred with the knives. Though he does have this incredible equipment, the work still involves a great degree of manual labour. Throughout this process, he stands over the cheese and monitors the knives and equipment, working it, in a bent 45 degree position. I asked him if it was back breaking work. He said that it is, but that he is fit and that his back is strong and it does not get sore.

The photo below is blurry, but will give you a good idea how big the tank is.

You can see the pipes over the vat, or tank, and the knife blades move into position over the tank. The milk is poured into the tank through the pipes from the pasteurizer.

Here are the molds. I wanted one. I am not sure why. I really did.

This is another vat or tank for a smaller batch of cheese with a different culture. The sinks on the side are clearly for cleaning all supplies.

Below, left is the pasteurizing panel. The milk comes in from the tank truck and is piped right into the pasteurizing pipes which are a labyrinth around the back of this room. To the right are some interesting pieces of equipment that I wished I had asked about, but didn’t notice until the room had cleared.

Another view of the large vat or tank, below, from the door where the truck brings the milk in.

Turning around, here is the truck tank that holds that 8000 litres of milk from two angles.

Time for lunch. Seriously. After learning how to make the cheese, all I wanted to do was eat it, and actually participate in making it. The lunch provided by Sylvan Star was wholesome and delicious. Massive sandwiches with Blackforest ham, Edam cheese, and focaccia bread were served with a hearty tomato based soup.

The soup was so warm and satisfying I forgot to take a pic until it was almost gone. People shopped and then ate, or ate, and then shopped.

There were a lot of culinary treasures to ogle.

The cheeses, fresh eggs, and cultured butter were the stars of this show. Sylvan Star opened just for us on this Sunday, and we are really glad they did. I had no idea they made their own butter, and now I am a fan. That is another peeve of mine: there is no locally made butter available in our city.

Below, right, Sherene in front of the facility. It is so big, I couldn’t get in the entire building.

Back on the bus, and in no time we were a half hour down the road turning into Bles-Word Dairy Farm, our next planned visit.

I was immediately charmed by the picture-perfect farm house and yard, including the white fence and a Canadian Flag! Those are llamas in the corral.

Hennie and Tinie met us so warmly as we were scrambling out of the bus. (Tinnie is the woman to the right with the folded arms.)

We were divided into two groups of 20: one went with Tinie and one with Hennie. I went with Tinie; Vanja went with Hennie.

Tinie told us her amazing story of creating this local yogurt company. This couple also immigrated from Holland in the 1990′s. Hennie had a huge dairy business with 250 cows and Tinie was a teacher planning on teaching once settled here. However, she started making yogurt for her diabetic daughter, and that grew into a Farmer’s Market business. The last day of the market in 2000, the manager of the local Co-op Shopping Centre asked her if he could carry her product in his store. Very shortly thereafter, her product found its way into over 200 stores throughout Alberta. But, only one Save-on Foods Store, as you have heard!

Monday the milk comes in, is pasteurized and separated from the sour cream and the culture is added to make the yogurt. Tuesday the yogurt is packaged and Wednesday it is delivered. The same process happens Wednesday through Friday: Wednesday the the milk comes in, is pasteurized and separated from the sour cream and the culture is added to make the yogurt, etc. Tinnie gets the weekends off! Kind of.

Her company is very small compared to her husband’s she said. The entire farm has four staff members and there are three family members that work at the farm, too. The yogurt facility has 5 staff members, including Tinnie and for each litre of milk Tinie gets one litre of yogurt. She does 2800 litres of milk two times a week right now.

Hennie explained the Dairy Farm end of the business. In Alberta, dairy farmers must buy their quota from another dairy farmer who is retiring, or going out of business. There are currently 600 Dairy Farmers in Alberta and most have an average of 125 dairy cows. Hennie has 250. His son in law runs the farm. Hennie is on the federal Milk Board and spends a good deal of his time in Ottawa.

Hennie sells to Saputo (Dairyland), one of the three big Dairy Milk buyers in our province. The other two are  Parmalat and Beatrice. He said he was happy with the arrangement and compensation from this company.  We were talking about the advantages of Supply Management during my session with him and someone asked what the dairy farmers share is of the consumer dollar. Hennie said it was the highest in the Northern world and guessed it was close to 50%. He later sent us this information from a report just out after our tour:

Keystone Agricultural Producers (Manitoba) and Agricultural Producers Association of Sask and Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (AB) released, just recently, their 3rd Annual “The Farmers’ Share Report” prepared by Dr. Alma Kennedy. The study concludes that over the last 3 years the average prairie farmer’s share of the food basket is 27.1 %.  (This is considerably lower than his estimate and my question would be: Is he still happy with his return from Saputo?) This percentage varies greatly depending on the food group. For dairy: The dairy farmer’s share of a 250ml glass of milk at a restaurant, costing $2.25 is 9.4%; of a medium pizza costing $17.70 the dairy farmer receives 67 cents; for a liter pack of store milk the farmers share is slightly higher.

This is the tank (above, right) where the farm fresh milk is poured into and then used in the Yogurt Making, inside the barn facility.

After hearing from Hennie and Tinie, it was raining quite hard, so we scooted over to the building on the left, below.

They had it all set up with milk and juice and cookies and brownies and all varieties of their individual yogurts! Vanja was lapping them up. They truly are delicious. While I prefer plain, it is not sold in the small packaging, yet it is their biggest seller. French Vanilla is their biggest seller in the flavours and their fruit flavours are sourced out of their farm, but still Alberta made. Their sour cream is 18% and Tinie chose this as it was a higher percentage that already available, thus creating a niche market following. This farm family is definitely tour savvy. They had government booklets on milk, recipe booklets, a print out for their yogurt business and a lovely black and white cow motif bag from moreaboutmilk.com and the Alberta Dairy Council.

Inside of this barn, as well as our treats, were the young cows: such a great introduction to the Dairy industry!

The calf, below, right, is trying to nurse another young calf unable to provide any milk, of course. These young calves pull so hard on the teets, that they actually damage them for life.

Thus, the nose ring, that goes on a few young ones with that sucking fetish to ensure that they cannot damage the teets of the future dairy cattle.

These little fellows were about a week old. Vanja was taken by one cutie.

Below, left was a little Holstein calf just born the day before! Oh, Oh! There is that naughty calf sucking again!

Now the tour of the dairy barn. That was a massive education. Have times ever change in this industry since my childhood! There are about 250 cows in this barn. Half of them are milked manually, but this is still done by machine. The other half milk themselves. Yes, it is true. I had to see it. I had no frame of reference for a robotic milker. But wait! What is that red spaceship like looking vessel in the distance, below?

We are all gawking at it in disbelief. Hennie and Tinie had not prepared us for this. The space ship looking vessel is a robotic “cow-barn sweeper”. As the cows feed, they push the feed away from themselves. This smart little robot moves up and down the barnyard corridor pushing the feed back toward the cows. Incredible!

Most of the cows were friendly. The looked at us and tried to engage us with their eyes or their nodding and welcoming gestures. I was amazed at their curiosity and friendliness. The bull, below, left, was enormous. He had a sore foot, too. He looks too big to even move! Hennie assured the group that this big fella knows what to do when he needs to do it, and he is very good at it, too. (blush) I was taken by R-2 D-2. I was trying to engage in a robotic conversation, but he just whipped right by me focused on sweeping the feed back to the cattle.

Looks like someone needs to get some relief! The robotic milker cleans its lines three times a day whenever it is determined needed and is then out of service for 45 minutes. The cows line up. They like how it feels, and they are also rewarded by feed.

Can you see that? R-2 D-2 has a child! This smaller version of the sweeping robot moves bravely behind the feeding cattle and sweeps up their “messes” ! Isn’t that wild? A robotic toilet cleaner for the barnyard! Brilliant!

On the other side, there was the automatic “cow wash”! Thos big green brushes that scrub over your car as they rotate were twirling here in the barn. Engaged by the cow as she backs into it and gets a good old back scratch. “AH! This is the life!”

Below the cows are lining up for the robotic milker to open.

If a cow is ill, its milk is redirected to a special bin (below, left) and not used. Look at the love one of the cows is giving Cathy. I got a kiss, too: very, very scratchy tongues…. and the feces dripping out of their noses is quite off putting. Otherwise, their little pink snouts are downright nuzzley!

What a beautiful animal. She even knows how to turn on the tap to get a drink. Hennie says the Holstein is almost over bred as a super producer of milk.

More cattle are outback in two other facilities.

When the robotic milkers stopped the self cleaning cycle, Hennie invited us in to see the cows milk themselves from a close-up-and-personal view behind the machines. Each of these machines is about 150 thousand dollars.

I thought I had captured really great photos, but they are almost impossible to understand unless you were there. The cow walks up and stands over the milkers. The laser finds the teet, then washes, brushes and cleans it before latching the milker onto it.

You can see the milk come into the tube below, far right.

The video below explains the process and gives and excellent understanding of this amazing technology. Hennie has two of these machines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vo4NJU5wTk

Below, left is the room we were viewing the robotic milking from, and the instruments on the right are used on the other side of the barn for the manual milking.

Here is the set up for the manual milking. I am not sure how it is done, but I believe the cows are hooked up to the milking machines a few at a time, and then milked by the machines.

I truly hope that the group that attended will chime in with their special “remembers” and moments of this day. There was too much for me to include everything! The sun is fighting with the clouds, as we wave farewell, and head back North toward Pigeon Lake and our dinner destination: Eco Cafe. Chef Tim is famous in this neck of the woods for his use of local and wild products.

I think I don’t take enough time to commune with nature. The scenery both there and back was heart stopping perfection.

Here we are. It seems like all we have done is eat all day, but we are eager for more!

The appetizer was Smoked Prairie Trout with a cold pressed canola oil mousseline in a corn and sweet pepper crepe accompanied with local organic greens, and candied beets in a yogurt maple dressing. I loved it all. The beets were like candy. I love beets, especially this time of year.

The entrée was Bison Short Rib Ragout served over goat cheese mashed potatoes with oven roasted sweet root vegetables and everyone lapped it up!

Honestly, I found the goat cheese too strong in the potatoes, but I think it was just me.

As we were not including dessert, I baked some cookies: Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut Cookies and Breakfast Cookies. Mack took the photos, and when he sends them to me, I will include them here. Other photos are included in the cookies recipe pages of our travellers!

So, with cookie in hand, tummies full, and spirits completely edified after this day of visiting two amazing farms and meeting two very dedicated and warm farm families, we climbed into our seats on the bus for the last leg of our journey. And, yes, the sun was shining on us now. The day was bursting forth in its full glory.

Ok, just a little photo shop enhancement. The photos remind me of the old Ideal Magazines I used to dream into when I was a child. How I loved them. And today, the country side is golden and heavy with the bounty of the harvest season.

I met Larry and Holly Gale early in the Market season this summer. It was either the first, or the second Saturday that City Market was open for the season when I spied a very rustic looking sign advertising cheese: Smoky Valley Goat Cheese. Travelling through many markets throughout the world, one of my biggest complaints about my own local market is that there has been no artisan cheese. That was until Sylvan Star reared their head a couple of years ago. And I am so thankful for them. They produce award winning Gouda and Guyere that I make sure I have at home at all times. But, that is not enough.

Every market I have been to has a plethora of artisan cheeses: The Rue de Cler Market in Paris, Borough Market in London, The Ferry Building Market in San Francisco (part two and part three), the Bijeljina Market in Bosnia, the Kikinda Market in Serbia, Mount Zladabor Market in Serbia, the Old Town Market in Kotor, Montenegro, the Old Town Market in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and the Quincey Market in Boston. Why don’t we have local artisan cheese makers? Why? So, when I saw the sign, I was very excited. I bought the chevre the first time “just to try”, as that is the French cheese that I adore. It was spectacular. Since then, I have been back every week buying the chevre, and everything else they carry. Holly and Larry make incredible cheese.

And, tonight, Kevin Kossowan has invited a few of his friends and family members for a serious tasting of this cheese. I love tastings. I learn so much about my own palate and listening to the impression of others really has me thinking and tasting at a whole other level. Unfortunately, this evening, I had to leave early. But, I was there long enough to still be buzzing about the experience several hours later!

Kevin was prepared. The cheeses were out. Garden carrots and celery were out. Wines were breathing it all in. The candles were lit. Oh, how I love a good party!

I noticed there were wines from Alsace. Kevin said that he and his family are Alsace wine seekers and lovers. Noted. This one was light and sweet and lovely. Mel has written all about it. She was taking detailed notes a little later. I loved watching her write in her journal as she whiffed and sniffed and swirled and sipped. I really missed talking to her about her tasting experience. She was at the far end of the table, and I am sure she had a lot to offer on her note page.

I buy Smoky Valley Goat Cheese every Saturday: the chèvre and another, always. Love it. But, tonight there were some I have not tasted. YUM!

The best bread from the Italian Centre Shop was propped ready for take off: so gorgeous. Kevin also had thin croutes from the gorgeous loaf he had resting on his counter the night I was there for dinner. He toasted them in the oven and served them with cheese. Yes, they did overpower the cheese. I forgot that for a moment of two as I was lost in my head enjoying the depth of the yeasty wheat filled goodness. Kevin can bake a mean loaf of bread. There is no doubt about that.

I loved the use of the teacup for the tzitziki: Smoky Valley goat yogurt and Kossowan garden cucumers. Do you see the white bowl of baby carrots? They are the pickled carrots that are actually Kevin’s mother’s mom’s recipe. I made some, too, that I haven’t tasted yet, so I was thrilled to sample these. I couldn’t stop sampling them, either: double yum.

People were arriving and final preparations were happening. The tasting table was eventually filled with a group of people that I could sit around a tasting table with every week: Kevin’s mother and her husband, his brother, and his good friend Yan. This was my first time meeting this group. I could tell I can learn a lot from each of them.

I had not seen the Smoky Valley Gruyere before. It was incredible to see it: gorgeous, and I thought nutty and delicious. Very different than Sylvan Star’s as this was much drier than theirs, and though clearly from the same family of cheese, a very different experience. I liked it a lot, but love Sylvan Star’s. Love it. (Their medium Gruyere is an award winning cheese and I will not allow myself to be out of it.) I admire Holly for making such a variety of cheeses, but I think it is just too much. Apparently, I wasn’t alone in this way of thinking. After the tasting was completed, much later in the evening, as the group conferred, apparently the stars of the Smoky Lake Cheeses are their soft cheeses. Certainly, they are precious to me. I truly value the ability that Holly has to make such incredible soft artisan cheeses.

But, don’t get me wrong. Her hard cheeses are really good, too. Really good.

And here we are. Kevin had just started speaking and I jumped to take the photo at the most awkward moment. Woops. When is a moment right for a group photo during a tasting when everyone is focused on the food?

Other participants were Mel, Alan, Thea (Edmonton Slow Food Convivium Chair) as well as Chris and Sarah. Kevin had the Tasting well thought out: soft to hard, starting with the yogurt.

I make my own, always, and use Bles-Wold plain as my culture when I need one, so this was my first tasting of Smoky Valley’s Goat Yogurt. I have bought goat yogurt before to make goat yogurt cheese… and that was incredible: very much like chèvre. Holly’s yogurt (above) was creamy, but thin and light; it had no aroma that I could detect and the flavour was very, very subtly goat yogurt. I like a thicker yogurt. Her feta (below, left) was a lovely product, but not what I have become accustomed to as feta. It had the consistency of Mladi Sir which is a very young gelatinous cheese from the Balkins that I adore. The feta was creamy, but not the drier creaminess one associates with most fetas; this was a wet creamy, As a matter of fact, it was excellent when spread on bread. Most fetas cannot be spread on bread very easily. This one was easily mixed into a creamy dip. Many tasters found it too salty, initially. After considerable discussion, it was agreed that feta is a salty cheese and that the problem with the salt in this cheese was the unexpected combination of the soft texture of the curds. This texture didn’t seem to fit with the saltiness, yet the saltiness was not over the top for a typical feta.

Smoky Valley Chèvre (above, right) is an incredible product. Everyone who loves chèvre must get to City Market Saturday and take the time to find this booth and buy this cheese (and the other soft cheeses). The Tasting group was unanimous regarding this product. The moans and groans around the table while many tasted it for the first time was such a pleasure to witness. I was happy for the producers of this product. As a lover of chèvre, this is the first product I bought from Smoky Valley Goat Cheese a couple of months ago at the Saturday morning market. After that, I bought it every week. I will not allow myself to not have this wonderful local artisan product in our home. It is not expensive. The nose on this is still very subtle. It has a fresh light aroma. The texture is creamy luxury: luscious velvety richness at its ultimate without any cloying fattiness detectable. The flavour is definitely goaty, but the goatiness is not overpowering; it is perfectly balanced within the light milky cheese. I love to eat it with a hot pepper jelly, or melted into garden fresh mashed potatoes, but then the incredible texture of this product is lost to the heat of the dish. I cannot sing its praises enough. But, on to the next tasting: the Annette.

It is pictured in the second and fifth photos (in this post) as the round on the right on the cheese board. It is a small round disc of goat Brie, but it is not a “goaty” brie. It is a complex buttery to-die-for Brie. I had never purchased this product before as Holly had told me it was a goat Brie. I have had goat Brie cheeses before that were heavy and dense and so goaty that there was nothing soft and goey and “Brie-like” about them. So, I never bought hers. I should have known better. Everything else I have had of hers, I have loved. There was another few moments of ecstasy and impatience as those of us not experiencing the cheese had to wait for the platter to come around. By the time it did, I was clearly too engaged to think about a photograph, as there was none on my disc. I do recall every moment with that Tasting, however. The briny fragrance hit my nose and my palate salivated in preparation for it. The nutty buttery goey goodness awakened all receptors on my tongue and my little umami centre was wagging its tail. This cheese has it all. The rind was incredible: melt in your mouth yummy. The rind was found to be unusual in a discussion at our end of the table: inconsistent. Not all agreed, but all did agree that this cheese was a winner. There was a wisp of ammonia which I found appealing mixed with the delicate goat-butter nuttiness. Jay (the Super Critic) said that it had so much ammonia that he felt like he was in a barnyard. He actually did not say that. That is what I heard when he commented on his intense dislike for the overpowering ammonia in this cheese. Maybe he has the ability to “super smell” like a hound dog? I know I have a good palate, and I had to actually block his comment from my mind to continue to receive the tasting and respond to the experience of this sample on my palate. The power of suggestion is huge during a tasting,  and there were more than a couple of times that his critiques had me tasting or smelling things that weren’t there. Of course, comments enable sensitivity to what is there, yet they can also explode inside of the head if they are completely unexpected. I have a very good taste memory, so it is not a huge leap for me to be tasting and smelling something one suggests. However, I would have had it no other way. I really gained a strong sense of what I was experiencing when I had to place it in question.

The St. Maure rounds (above, right) initiated a chorus of individual celebrations around the table as each person savoured this cheese not so silently. There is nothing so personal as a tasting. The sharing is important, but the experience is so uniquely personal that one has to spend that time inside oneself to really put words to the experience: particularly if it is as joyous as this one was for each of us. I had actually purchased this cheese, but not sampled it the night I had dinner at Kevin’s home and he first introduced me to it. I ate my purchase alone the following day. Not all in one sitting. But, it wasn’t hard to do. It was hard not to do! This cheese has a musky, earthy aroma and the rind, though soft and papery does give up to a good little tart and mildly pungent chew. There is the hint of strength there, but this is not a strong cheese It is a mild soft cheese with the complexity of a great read. One keeps coming back for more. I heard: “I can smell fish… grass… mushrooms…plastic…but, in a good way!” with a lot of “Me. too!’s” in unison after each declaration. I did not experience all of those notes, but I have known since I have been eating this cheese, that it is definitely a cheese that holds my attention…. and, it grows on you. Jay, Kevin’s brother (known as the Super Critic) said he felt like he had a glob of peanut butter stuck in the roof of his mouth. No one else related to his “personal” experience. But, it is a cheese that coats the inside of your mouth. And it is creamy with the rind that provides the perfect backdrop to that creaminess.  Everyone did agree that this was a delicious cheese. It was not buttery, but it was creamy. Buy it. Try it.

Above, left, the pyramid shaped cheese is the Valency. This one has aged past what some would consider enjoyable. For me, it was sensational. This was a stronger, more tangy cheese with the luxury of the runny cream coupled with the powerful zing that occurs in an over-ripened soft cheese. This is a tongue tingle worth waiting for. Buy it. Age it. Wait. The savour. At this phase, I wouldn’t eat the rind. Many would. But, it is too pungent for my palate. However, the multi-tiered complexity of the soft cheese within has a “wow” appeal. Cheese is not cheese. It is amazing to me that the culture used will create such vast differences with cheese, and that the  ageing of cheese affects the nuances of flavour and texture to the degree it does. I had participated in five tastings. This was the sixth, and I found myself still reacting with irresistible pleasure from the experience of tasting the over aged Valency. There was also a young Valency there to taste. I never got to it that evening I had to leave. But, I buy it regularly because I enjoy the contrast that it brings to the cheese board. The pleasure is enhanced through variety and this cheese is a perfect partner to the Annette and the St. Maure on a cheese board.

Now, I have to leave. Do you know what I missed? I missed the three hard cheeses and the end of the conversation about the Valency. I brought them home to taste. I have bought the Farmer’s Cheese and the Tomme before a few times. The Gruyere was completely new to me. Holly thought it was too old to sell, but knew if would be beautiful in sauces. However, she hasn’t been selling it at the market, either. At least, I haven’t seen it. But, that is the way it is with farmers. She is busy. Maybe she forgot it.

Farmers work long hours. The work really hard. They get tired. They wake up the next day and there is a farm waiting for them. If they are sick, there is no “farm temp agency” to call. They just carry on.

Holly is a Master Artisan Cheese Maker, to me. She has been doing this since she was a young teen. Yet, that doesn’t mean she has the time to market her product. Kevin is having this tasting to gather information about Holly’s cheese and provide her with the feedback to help guide her practice. Most businesses do this. This will not be the only tasting done for Holly. But Kevin has take on another project. This time, his project is to help Smoky Valley Goat Cheese thrive. He has committed to work to support them in their endeavours so we can continue, as a region, to enjoy these amazing products. Holly deserves it, but who would do this? Kevin is doing it.

And the rest of us? We have bought in. I was there, already. But now, in a different way. We will work to inform, educate, and share our enthusiasm for this incredible cheese. Try it. Buy it. Buy it. Try it. These are the three I missed tasting. I brought some home. Love them. But, am not going to do the Tasting by myself! You do it!

• The Mountain Tomme
• The Farmer’s Cheese
• The Gruyere

We are a baby, in Alberta, regarding our understanding of cheese making. Quebec has it figured out. We have room for many more artisan cheese makers here. Bring it on! But, let’s support Smoky Lake Goat Cheese as they find their way in our massive marketplace. Buy local. Put your money where our farms are.

The Night We Ate Cheese from Sarah Taylor on Vimeo.

After travelling so far, then being cooped up in the hotel room, Beavie was fit to be tied and so excited to be out for the day! I wanted to go to an outdoor market in Paris. I read about them all and in many more places than one. There is no one major outdoor market in Paris as there is in London at Borough Market. Each little neighbourhood has their own open air market and it was very difficult to know which one to choose as each one reflects the personality of the neighbourhood and I know nothing about neighbourhoods here.. Anyone I wrote to and asked (who answered) did not give a definitive answer. I learned that it was like asking what chocolate is best from a chocolatier. “What do you like?” It all depends upon what you are looking for – and I had no idea. I did know I was looking to find items that were new to me. I want to see specialty foods and what most of the French would find at their market. I think it is not easy to get a grasp of the later unless you visit a few markets in Paris. This one was a good place to start as it is very close to the touristy spots. Mind you, they all are. However, it was a bit disappointing.

The day was sunny and hot and lovely for going to the market and on tp a picnic. Beavie observed a lot on his day out. For one thing, the boxwoods are alive (not plastic) and have new growth on them! For another, the metro seats and windows are dirty: not super dirty, but enough to encourage one to not sit on furniture at home after sitting on the seats.

And Beavie found the buskers that entered the trains constantly blasting their little speakers and playing and singing along for spare change to be incredibly annoying. It happened very often. Even on the RER. Never make eye contact with them. If you do, you are done. And the metro was jerky, but incredibly fast. The speed made it a great mode of transportation despite the inconveniences. (Beavie fell over at the first take off!)

We were at Rue Cler in no time and looking for the market. Where was it? We were early, of course: 8 am. They should be setting it all up, now. I love to be at the market when it is getting set up. It is early, and fresh and there is so much activity.

But not too much was happening. There were a few delivery trucks here and there, and the permanent grocers were getting their wares out and on display. Empty boxes were strewn in the street in front of the fruit and vegetable stand, but where were the farmers?

The store fronts were as charming and as Parisian as one might expect, but I am a little confused.

Juesslin Charcuterie is setting up and the doors were open. They nodded to my request for photos, so I started to investigate here while waiting to see what was to unfold; Vanja took Beavie for a coffee. Beavie wasn’t bored, but there wasn’t too much going on at this point.

The meat was gorgeous and different than at home. It was not as glaringly different as in London as all of the cuts and kinds of meat were labelled there in English. I couldn’t understand everything on these labels. I did understand the kind of meat, but definitely not the cuts and many were definitely new to me.

Above were some little wrapped fillets (middle) very similar to what I saw everywhere in London (and nowhere at home). Look at that gorgeous osso bocco, above! Below are some house made sausages.

The veal and rabbit look lovely. It is so hard to find veal that is raised ethically in Edmonton. Here, it is everywhere. And, I have eaten rabbit and truly enjoyed it. It is not easy to find in Edmonton and I do like cooking it. Change is good. They used to carry in at Superstore as regular stock when it first opened. No more. However, we haven’t any local source for it, to my knowledge, anyway.

I am always intrigued by local charcuterie and house made sausage: especially the dry and smoked ones.

Above, left, the patés and loaves look very similar to what they did in London. You can buy roast chicken at the market, here, too, mom. but not on the spit.

After reading Rick Steeves review of Rue de Cler Market, Vanja had a difficult time deciding where to drink his coffee: where the locals do, or where the cool people do. He chose the one with the most people. Not this one. It was the one where the “cool people” go. Beavie would have it no other way.

This pâtisserie was also filled with a variety of delectable looking items. The staff wasn’t too friendly, but what can I expect? I am taking photos (with their permission) and salivating all over their food. It probably wasn’t as tasty as it looked.

Clearly, (well, not so clearly…) the photos here are all taken through glass.

I wanted to taste every single quiche (2.50 Euro each) and the crusts looked so perfect. I should have bought those rings at E. Dehillerin!!

And the tarts! Oh, the tarts! Our pies do not come close to the perfection of these fruit pastries. Just look at them. Oh, my! The time taken with the presentation of each tasty morsel is motivating. I want to go home and recreate these! Now!

It is also a little disconcerting. Gorgeous pastries, everywhere. I realize that some taste better than others. That is why some pastry shops are famous. But, so many have perfected the art of making them look lovely.

The brioche I baked at my Breaad Baking class at Le Cordon Bleu (post yet to come) on the Saturday after we were were here was actually baked to look exactly like this. I thought it was too dark, but it is baked to a very dark crust.

I cannot recall ever laying my eyes on this kind of baguette (the viennoise, below): stunning. And, clearly, formal.

This is the kind of meringue I have seen all over Italy and much bigger, but rarely here. Then again, I am certainly not a local! But, I don’t like meringues like this. I find them too sweet. But make them into a Pavlova or break them into a creamy dessert and you have my undivided attention!

Time to see if Beavie and Vanja are finished their coffee. It is after 9, almost 9:30 am actually, and not too much has been “set up” at all on this street. It is apparent, after walking it, that the vendors are all permanent stores. That I didn’t expect and found disappointing. Some never did open, like O&Co. I was disappointed about this as I had just finished the oil I had purchased there from another trip and was hanging out to get more, but the door never opened. Most stores didn’t open until 10 am. I was told these were “summer hours” when I asked, and some not until 10:30 am (again, summer hours, even though the information on the internet indicated opening time to be any time after 8 am.)

Let’s go and buy some Espelette pepper I have found it. (I had completely forgotten about it the day prior when I did the Kitchen Ingredient shopping). I discovered it prior to coming and it was on my shopping list. Then, Chef Justin used it on the shrimp skewer recipe at La Cuisine when Vanja and I cooked dinner together there in a class on Bastille Day. It was a must buy.

Yes, I am enamoured with the pigeons. We don’t have them at home, either.

Beavie was r-r-r-r-ready! Vanja was not. But, he came anyway. See how Parisian Beavie is? He is sitting, facing the street, watching all of the people go by while having his morning coffee. Ah! This is the life!

I had to stop a few places that were now open to peek in, along the way. Look at the gorgeous meat here! It was open before, but there is much more out, now. As we were planning on picking up some meat, cheese, bread, and other items from the market for a picnic, I didn’t want Vanja to miss out on any choices.

I went ga-ga over the meat wrapped in the caul fat, below, left. I would love to get my hands on some of that regularly, and easily, in Edmonton, like one can in most parts of the European world. Why is it impossible to find. Restaurants do use it. Where do they get it from?

There was a lot of puff pastry pots stuffed with savoury items. The long, thin shredded cheese (a different shred that is usual) decorated many food items making them look like delectable pom-poms. It was new and appealing. (I wished I wasn’t too big to ride on the piggy!!) Wheee!

This shop was full of delicacies that were beautifully prepared. The carpaccio looked deadly delicious! I am constantly charmed by terrines. They are gorgeous and only one’s imagination can limit the possible combinations. Of course, there are traditional recipes.

I have said that dried sausage appeals to me. It does. In every country there is a specialty. And, sometimes, in a city. For example, when I was in Firenze (Florence) last, the guide told me about the one there. I forget the name. People travel and take it with them. She was taking some for her mother in Venezia(Venice). Does anyone know what this is called? I bought some and brought it home for Vanja that year. It was so delicious. My mouth waters thinking of it. And, I need to recall its name! In Bosna, there is Kulen. It is incredibly delicious and full of paprika. I love it. I will be writing about it with my Bosna post, soon. I didn’t know what the Parisan specialty was as I didn’t know anyone to ask. But, I am curious. I certainly am!

Smoked salmon was revered, everywhere we went. At Jöel Robichon’s Atelier Restaurant in Paris (another post, coming soon) it was served as an appetizer with dill crème fraiche and a potato galette (made in a waffle pan). Pure heaven. It was in terrines, and rolls and covering such gorgeous little savoury cold pots as this one. I must! I must! I must use it more. I love it. It glistens with goodness.

I find the photographs I take very motivating and they often serve as the catalyst for an idea that I create at home (or attempt to)!

This cheese shop was still setting up. We would be back!

And we bought our charcuterie at Davoli, later. I never did see Ulysse have any business, though the chairs went out about 10 am.

We were headed for the above grocery store to buy the espelette pepper. I took photos of all four corners on the street. Another coffee shop.

And from where we just came, above, with a little closer view, below.

It was early in the morning, but it is never too early for a good ice cream. I see Berthillon is now sold in other locals than the original spot across from Notre Dame.

And the street continues…

We went into Top Halles. Beavie spotted it first. I had said I would get two. Vanja saw the price first. I had thought the code was the price. Each 40 gram bottle was 10 Euros. This is not a cheap item. Whew! Beavie was very careful not to break the jars!

Look! Red glistening currants! I grow them, but they rarely all ripen at once, like these – though my grandmother’s used to. Help, gardeners out there! What am I doing wrong? And they are very prone to worms and bugs, but I love them so much, I keep at it. I spray the wood in the spring and the fall when there is no growth with the duel mix that kills bug eggs.

I grow and love the black currants, too. The looked huge and gorgeous this year, just before we left for our trip, but I hear they have become worm infested. I was spraying them with soap, daily, before I left. I am really sad about this. I welcome suggestions!

Beavie is celebrating this find with me. I am crazy over these tiny tart treasures. I love them in everything. I remember that grandma Maude grew red ones and white ones. I don’t recall her having black ones. Maybe she did. We would help pick them, and they were always ripen all at once. I thought of them as bobble earrings. All of the bobbles had to be pulled off of the earring without bursting any of the juicy fruit. It was such fun! But, I did not like eating them at all. They were exceedingly sour to my tender palate, then!

Isn’t Beavie sweet? We had so much crazy and silly fun this day. So many people were laughing with us. The gal in the store thought we were nuts and totally enjoyed Beavie’s modelling for his shots. (I was prepared for disapproval and thankful for her spirit!)

There are fresh sour cherries for sale here, too, above, right. That is so rare. I do grow them in my back yard, but have yet to have a really good crop. This would have been the year, but the unheard of snowstorm on May 29th shrivelled most of the blossoms.

Have you ever seen flat peaches? I have not. Nor, has Beavie. These were advertised as flat white peaches and they were everywhere around Paris. Even the little grocery stores had them out front on display with the other fruit in season.

See how flat they are, below, right?

The figs are in season here, too, Lequan (below, left)!

The almonds, below, can be found like this (in their original pod) at the Italian Centre Shops in Edmonton, usually around this time of year, too.

I have never seen zucchini this shape (round, below), either! There is such an interesting variety of produce here.

Remember to double click if you want to compare prices at home to here.

There were two or three specialty wine stores here. I didn’t see any of them busy, but we were gone by 11:30 am. They actually didn’t even appear to be open. However, we are not wine drinkers, so didn’t try to enter any.

Ah, we bought some red currants and are now stopping for some cheese.

I know. Where does one start? Beavie was just quivering with delight and for the most part, sniffing satisfied him just like taking photos satisfies me. One cannot possibly eat as much as one would like!

And looking and sniffing and listening is such a pleasure. Truly.

There was a foreign Stilton, but it wasn’t the one from Neil’s Yard Dairy, in London. Most of the cheeses were local artisan cheeses and all begged to be tasted: rigorously. We bought too much, but it seemed like so little at the time.

Vanja’s treat to himself cheesewise is always the big holey Swiss. He is adventurous only through tasting whatever I buy.

Above left, is a cheese cake. I believe it was a savoury cheese cake. There were no tastes in the Rue de Cler Market. Anywhere. That was not surprising once I realized what kind of market it was. But, also, disappointing. At a market, I want to taste to learn and to decide what to buy. No tastes here.

There was a house made butter at the back. Not from this cheese house, though. However, it was not the artisan butter David Lebovitz is crazy over.

As I have seen in Dubrovnik, in Neal’s Yard Dairy, and in most European cheese markets, quince paste (below, left) is sold as the ultimate compliment to cheese. It keeps a very long time, and I still have some from Neal’s that I bought in March.

I love all kinds of cheese, but the French are particularly famous for their artisan soft cheeses, so bought the round below (left) and the gal at the counter then recommended the heart shaped cheese, above, right. She said she liked it better and that it was (as I understood her) a famous French cheese. It was fantastic. The St. Felicien cheese was a bit too tangy and stronger, though it was not a strong cheese at all. Nice, but not nearly the nutty and buttery depth of flavour the Neufchatel with the AOP approval had. I was so happy I tried them both, and so sad that half of each ended up in the hotel fridge upon our departure from Paris two days later.

I had to drag Beavie out by his tail. Who knew? I do understand. I have such an interest and love for all kinds of artisan cheeses.

And now the fish. We were not buying any for the picnic, but with a shop like this, we had to stop and ogle. I know I say this in every post that I write about fish: I have never seen such gorgeous fish! It is true every time!

If you are interested in reading what each item is, remember to right click or double click to enlarge each image.

I asked what this was, but the man did not have the English word. He said “squid”, but we found squid. Maybe they are cuttlefish? Does anyone know? I will look it up when I get home. They were so fresh, they almost jumped in my bag and begged me to take them home!

We were investigating everything, when out of the corner of my eye, something on the ice bed moved! I jumped. Then we saw it again! The crab imbedded in the ice was alive. Look at the three photo of it, below. You will see it is moving as each photo is a bit different. It was clearly camera shy because it stopped performing as soon as I started shooting it!

The photo above, right, is identified and priced, below, right. It was in a tank with other alien looking creatures.

The shop and the side opposite the ice bed was laden with “fishy” items made to take home. Such delectable gourmet dishes that I was completely speechless. (That is why Vanja loves shopping with me at places like this!)

Another savoury salmon cup in gelée: stunning. Unmolded fish terrines in gelée, below.

And there was Davoli right beside the fish store. It was completely set up now, with the outside table selling hot prepared items like the meatball stuffed tomatoes, below, right.

Here,we purchased the charcuterie for the picnic. The Andouille below, left looked lovely. Thank goodness we only got one slice. The taste was so terrible it is not possible to politely or honestly describe it here! Suffice it to say that seeing this photo turns my stomach (and Vanja’s). My grandmother used to make a gelée she called head cheese, as did many prairie farmers. This terrine, below, right, reminded me of it though the ingredients are completely different!

Vanja loves fine patés. We bought a slice of the one, above, left. It was really delicious. He was crazy over it and devoured almost all of it later during lunch.

A slice of each of the salami’s to the right, above. Both were very tasty. The smaller one was better.

Above, right, also looked like a savoury cheese cake. Very rustic. I loved the look and will have to investigate recipes, though it is hard to beat a variety of hard cheeses on a plate.

I have the pans for the baba’s below. Never made them. Yet. And the gnocchi! Isn’t it gorgeous? There is that finely shredded long cheese again, garnishing it.

This is what the famous Croque Monsieur should look like. These were the best I have seen.

Foie Gras is definitely one of the top 10 items on the foods I love list: and, back onto the street. Phew! That was intense!

Just around the corner from where Vanja had coffee is an Epicerie where I want to snoop into, but the delivery guy has been standing outside of the store for about an hour so far with his boxes all unloaded beside him. It is not open, so I snoop at the macarons in Christophe Roussel. It was just opened and the gal was flustered. “Come back when I have organized the window!” The flavours were exotic and everything looked incredible.

There was a red strawberry chocolate bar, and look: The candied oranges I made earlier this year for mom’s 80th are dipped in chocolate and selling for 90 Euro per kilogram. It is a good thing to know how to cook!

I did succumb and left with a small bag of macarons for the picnic.

Finely, it opened and we bought some mixed spices. “No photos, please.” I will post all of my purchases when I get home. It was an interesting store, but nothing like G. Detou or anything like I had expected.

We stopped quickly at the bakery to buy our baguettes and I purchased a piece of an egg flan as I had seen them everywhere and wanted to taste one. This one had sour cherries lining the bottom.

Oh! There’s the other cheese shop! I knew there were two! This one was supposed to be a very special one that drew Parisians from all over the city. I stepped in. I stepped out.

The smell was horrid. It was like sour and bad rotting milk. I couldn’t possibly spend a minute there.

I didn’t realize that we were so close the the Eiffel Tower at Rue Cler, but Vanja had his plan. So, with the Lenôtre bag filled with our goodies we trecked down a couple or streets and over to the Champs de Mars for our picnic under the Eiffel Tower!

Past a couple of charming neighbourhood shops.

Past the charming and repetitive Parisian architecture.

And, voilà! There it is! There it is! Now, I have been up the tower about 5 times, and Vanja, twice. But, this was Beavie’s first time, and the first time is absolutely thrilling. You don’t imagine you will ever lose that thrill, but you do.

Past the Rue Belgrade. (The even spell Beograd like the Americans do, in Paris.)

And here we are! In the park under the Tour d’Eiffel!

Can you see Beavie on Vanja’s shoulder, above? Me, either. So, look below!

I wanted to get our picture together, each with a French baguette. We should have been wearing a tam and riding a bike with it under our arm, but I am happy with this. However, how silly of us! We were right there. Right under the Eiffel Tower with our baguettes and did not get it in the background. What was I thinking? I would have never done that on earlier trips! We will just have to do this again!

I know Vanja had visions of us on a blanket in the park having a traditional picnic. But, we hadn’t any blankets, and I wasn’t about to sit on the grass as I have a cleanliness fetish, so we unpacked everything on a lovely bench overlooking the park and the tower.

The kind young gentleman we bothered, took our photo again. And by the food this time. I still forgot to have the tower behind us!

Beavie is famished and dove onto the food table!

We over did it, didn’t we? But it was such a wonderful moment in time. Ripping gorgeous crusty bread from the baguette and topping it with a dollop of creamy artisan French cheese.

Then a cherry tomato or a handful of tart glistening currants. The water was mine and the wine, Vanja’s. What is a picnic in Paris without wine? (Even though we don’t drink it?) Somehow, like magic, he really enjoyed it here.

The meats above were all perfect. The one below, never ever buy it! And the cheeses…

Just look at them. Oh, they were so tasty and creamy and tangy and buttery and nutty and lush. Such a dream.

My favourite photo of the food is below: postcard perfect!

The park is a busy place. The play school children were going somewhere. A gypsey accosted us with the “Is this your ring?” scam right while we were sitting on the bench having our picnic. This was the second time for me (the first was in the line at the Louvre) and the second time for Vanja this trip. Then he said he was hungry and would be share. “Non!” “Non!” and double “Non!” We give our money to organizations that help the poor, instead!

And look at this sour cherry flan! It was incredibly heavy and very filling. I could not eat much of it at this point. It was not sweet at all, by Western standards. I enjoyed it a great deal.

Beavie was distracted by the pigeons, too! We had fun feeding them. That was probably as bad as giving the gypsies money would be.

Now, for the French macarons with the exotic flavours….

Even Beavie was happy to have only one bite of each. They were almost flavourless. Truly! They were “OK”. If I had made them, I would have been happy with them, but not thrilled. They were really not very good at all. And the exotic flavour labels felt like a scam! I am certain that was not the intent. But, there was barely an almond flavour detectable in these cookies. The caramel chocolate one was tasty, but more like a chocolate bar. Definitely a novel way to preserve the shelf live of a macaron!

Now, it looked like there were some performers setting up something in the park. Not a moment of boredom, here!

But, we were fed, edified, tired, and wanted to go back to the room for a rest before going out for the evening. Vanja had packed up and was coming to meet me at the flowers where we walked back through the beautiful park to the metro for our hotel.

I never imagined that one day I would have a lovely market fresh picnic in the park under the Eiffel Tower with my wonderful husband. Never. It was a dream I never dreamt, yet it happened. And, now I will never forget it.

(And Beavie? Well, Beavie is still speaking with a French accent. He had the time of his life!)

Vanja and I were wandering around the Covent Garden area of London looking for a hot pair of shoes (it is a great little shopping area) when I squeeled with delight and jumped up and down with glee! “Vanja! Look! It’s Neal’s yard Dairy! ” Vanja thought I had gone over the edge and was experiencing a form of exhausted dilerieum from all of the miles we had travelled by foot this day. He just looked at me with the most confused and considerately loving look. “Neal’s Yeard Dairy!” I pointed again. Then, I realized he didn’t live inside of my head, or read my mind. “Brulee Blog told me to not miss it. It is a great cheese shop! Let’s go in!”  Ah! He grinned that knowing grin. 

Neal’s Yard Dairy is paradise for any cheese lover. And they sell a few other things, but not too much. Just something to eat your cheese or dairy products with. 

Cook Sister had written me a lovely letter about what not to miss in London, as well, and this was also on her list for me. Look at that cheese! 

I found the information about how this amazing shop started, on their website, extremely interesting. The artisan cheeses that the owner discovered connecting with one of his providers grew into what we find today. This is not the original location, but this shop is in the area of the first location. The Borough Market shop is much bigger store and there is also a dairy and another cheese aging location. This small artisan cheese idea grew into a massive support network and sales venue for artisan cheese makers within the UK. There are a couple of cheeses from France (Brie and Chevre) and one from Italy(Parmasan). 

Double click on each photo, or open each in a separate screen to be able to read the information on each cheese. I found it so gratifying on a primal level to read the names of each cheese, and then when each came from and who the Cheese Maker was. The names of the real people who made each cheese was such a find. To know my cheesemaker, or farmer, or butcher, or producer of any of the food I buy is very important to me. At Neal’s Yard Dairy, you will know whose cheese you are eating. You can find out where their farm is. You can taste their cheeses. It was truly a very special experience. I could taste every corner of the UK in cheese if I had the time and the capacity. 

I didn’t. But I tasted as much as I could. The staff is incredibly helpful. They do ask you what you like. You may not know. I found that a hard question to answer as I like almost all kinds of cheese. But, we found our way around some very interesting cheeses together. This stilton was deadly: Colston Basset Stilton made by Billy Kevan, one of the proprietors of the Colston Basset Dairy founded in 1913 and synonymous with Stilton. There are only 6 dairies in the UK  permitted to make Stilton Cheese. I have never had a blue cheese like it. Look at all of that luscious Stilton. Not in my life have I seen so many varieties and so much of each in one location. And all are artisan cheeses. Double swoon! You can order online from Neal’s Yard Dairy. Otherwise, you have to go to the Dairy and buy it in person. 

I was drawn to the deep orange cheese for a taste, and found it very mild. I was told that almost everyone asks to taste this cheese and expects something different than they taste. It was delicious, but I do like strong cheeses. That was a helpful clue to my guide. 

It is a very busy place, and there are usually a lot of people waiting for a person to help them make their choices, so, I did feel a bit rushed. On the other hand, I couldn’t have tasted any more with clarity, and certainly purchased any more. I just wanted to stay and talk cheese and learn. But, my half hour was definitely over, and I had made my choices. This would be a magnificent cheese platter for mom’s 80th a few weeks after I get home. Everything I bought was to last at least 6 weeks in the fridge. 

Artisan butter. I could not resist. It had a beautiful cow embossed on it that had been pressed out by the time it arrived home in my suitcase. Darn! 

I bought a slab of quince paste, too, as it pairs beautiful so with cheese and cannot be found anywhere in Edmonton. 

Now, how did I get this cheese home with me? I once bought a huge round of young Pecorino from a cheese maker in Sienna, Italy: Pecorino country. It was about 30 pounds and I carried it all over Italy in my back pack. When we came back to cross the border, I declared it, and was allowed through. I had it wrapped as it would be to be mailed to me. That is what I did with this. I have had many people tell me that they have never been able to bring cheese through the border. Either I was lucky, or had it wrapped properly. 

Time to leave. Satisfied, and happy. I know I will be at the Borough Market store tomorrow, so I don’t feel a need to linger. Smiling wide with the load over my shoulder, I greet my husband and we continue shoe shopping before stopping by a pub for another thing to do on my list:  “eat a pub meal at a local pub”. 

Ah, Saturday. Our last full day in London, and after an early morning tour of The Globe Theater (which was amazing and I would highly recommend it to all), we were off to the Borough Market. We took the tube to the Millenium Bridge, and walked across it to The Globe. Borough Market is a short walk from there. We turned down a street toward the market, and the first shop I spotted before even getting to the market was Neal’s Yard Dairy! 

Lucky, me, many times over. 

This store was much bigger than the one in Covent Gardens, but also much more crowded, particularly on this last Saturday before Easter Sunday. The only sample one would find would be outside the door of this dairy today, above, to the right. Delicious. But, I was here particularly for the double creams as the dairy had just sold out of them all when we were there the evening prior. 

And, of course, I could not resist another look around and a second opportunity to breath in this amazing artisan cheese experience. 

I did get a taste of the Stinking Bishop and consider myself extra ordinarily fortunate. Everyone else was buying for the holiday and seemed to be there knowing exactly what they wanted. It was clear I was enamoured with the experience and was lusting after this cheese. A young chap kindly took a little wooden test stick and swooped up a scoop and handed it to me with a wink and a smile. That Bishop might stink, but he was mighty tasty! 

I really appreciate that the label even includes whether the cheese is made with traditional animal rennet, or not. And, in this area, all I saw were. This Yarg was a softer hard cheese: not sharp like a cheddar, but strong and full and distinct. 

Wouldn’t a tasting of all these creamy buttery soft cheeses be a blast? Oh, my! 

The shapes and sizes and colours and textures are simply incredible. 

And now, I found my creams. 

I bought each of these. I was told they would all freeze beautifully. So, that is what I did. I froze them and then thawed them for mom’s party. But, no one even tasted any of them. There was too much to choose from. The thought was there… and I found each divine. The gal at the store had her favourites, and another gal had hers. That is why I bought three. And, I could not pick. The clotted cream does have a different texture. It is clotted, so has little grains of texture in it, that dissolve into buttery goodness. I think anything dairy from a Jersey cow has to be lush and rich and creamy and full. And it was. I love the double cream. It is as thick as our sour cream in Edmonton, but with the flavour of a 52% whipping cream. Can you imagine that on a scone? Addictive. 

This is still cold. 

We can buy so many international foods here, but not this. I wonder why? 

Everything arrived home safe, and healthy and delicious. Except Beavie. He got home owly, stinky and with his nose out of joint. 

I am still enjoying some of these cheeses. I baked Fougasse and breadsticks that Richard Bertinet taught me to make at my cooking class in Bath, to eat with them. YUM! 

Owly? Cheeeeeeese! Sometimes YOU are just too cheesy for me, Valerie!

Hanna, my Thermomix friend, and I were headed to Calgary in January to do a Thermomix Demonstration for Matthew Altizer at The Cookbook Company Cooks as he received a machine to use in the store’s public cooking classes. Look for it there! Ask about it. Matthew can show you, or I can refer you to another Calgary consultant.

The perk of the day was meeting my old (in the most endearing way) girlfriend, Pat, from High School. She and I used to be such great pals, oh, so many years ago, and had lost touch. About every 10 years, we would reunite, as we did this Saturday in January, like we had never been apart. This time, it had been 17 years. There is nothing like a childhood friend. We had recently reconnected on Facebook (gotta love it), and made a date for a meeting after our early morning demonstration. Her office and our demonstration location were both within a short move over to Janice Beaton’s Farm Restaurant. So, that is where we convened.

We had a beautiful visit. I could not take a photo as I had brought my camera, but left my card tucked neatly into my computer. Ever done that? I have TOO many times. Anyway… Pat, I have missed you. You are as real as you always were and that is what I have always loved about you. The soup was warm, the conversation was warm, and my heart was warmed. Of course, the Pea and Tarragon Spread stood out to all of us. It was a keeper. What was in it? Peas and Tarragon we were told. But, no. There was something more.

A wee bit of Bella Lodi was the answer. I was in. Never had I heard of that cheese and I love trying new flavour combinations. We all went to the back and the JB Cheese Shop after our meal, and I bought some goodies for the trip home. Including, of course, this cheese so that I could recreate the yummy spread.

We also were there for the first demonstration of a Queso Fresco Cheese that I bought on the spot. The fellow that makes in in Red Deer buys his milk from the Sylvan Star Cheese Farm and sells it at the Red Deer Farmer’s Market. I have since researched how to make it, and it is quite easy. Home made cheese making I will be getting into very soon… well, this summer. In any case, he said that in Edmonton, ask for Fresco Cheese at Planet Organic. It was outrageously good. Simple, too. Cut into small portions, and friend on each side, then served immediately. Pat went back and bought some another day, as well. Keep your eye out this summer for my homemade cheeses. It is amazing how motivating one stop can be!

That is about how complicated this is. Some lovely sweet green peas. Some of the Bella Lodi, and really, not very much. For 800 grams of peas, I had 100 grams of cheese. It is similar to Parmesan, but not as hard and not as sharp: a lovely cheese. A handful of tarragon to taste. I like a lot. And, you need quite a bit of salt and extra virgin olive oil: at least a teaspoon of salt. I decided to add extra, as needed, with a finishing salt. I added about 30 grams, or two tablespoons of oil. Then I found the spread needed a little kick of something acidic, so added the juice of half a lemon. That is usually about two tablespoons, as well. And really yummy. What is not good for you here? At Beaton’s, there is a small oval dish of this placed before you to share. I think I at that much ensuring I had the right amount of this and that as I developed the recipe idea I “stole”. YUM!

Pat, this post is dedicated with love to you, and green peas and tarragon, and all things fresh and green and beautiful and full of Spring, no matter what time of year it is. Like you. Let’s get together again, this year… much sooner than our ridiculous track record. I raise my glass (and fork) to you. Much love and big hug, Valerie.

Sweet Pea and Tarragon Spread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 800g fresh sweet peas
• 100-150g Bella Lodi Cheese
• 5g or 1 tsp salt
• 30g or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 30 g or to taste, fresh tarragon leaves
• finishing salt and crackers to serve it with

Instructions:

1. Scale all ingredients into the TM bowl; pulse 2-3 times at Turbo; taste and adjust seasonings and flavour
2. Pulse again to desired consistency; I like it as you see it here

Happy Spring!

Yup! There is really nothing like a childhood friend. Clever little beavers everywhere can tell you that!