Browsing: Food Celebrations

Savoir Faire -Weekend Dinner

July11

winehouse1

Is it hard for you to pull off something different and unique for a loved ones’ birthday?  In a family of culinary and wine fanatics, this sometimes is problematic for us.  I typically let the person celebrating decide whether they want me to cook for them, order in or dine-out.  Recently though for Daughter #1’s birthday, we had the perfect solution.

winehouse2.jpg

Nine of us assembled in the private dining room at the Winehouse at #110 – 1600 Columbia Drive (Kenaston Commons) where we were the first guests of Susan Kapilik

winehouse22jpg

and Patty Black who are hosting private wine pairing dinners called Savoir Faire.  The goal of these special evenings is to take the intimidation out of cooking and wine pairing, using an interactive, relaxed and fun approach.

winehouse3.jpg

Both hosts are an expert source of culinary and wine knowledge offering practical instruction without using all those fancy terms that you then have to use your smart phone to look up.  J1 knows a great deal about wine and was the most enthusiastic participant at the table-hanging on Patty’s every word and jumping up to assist Sue in the kitchen and absorb her skills and knowledge.  I know less about both than the hosts, but I felt invited just to sit back, relax and have a fun time surrounded by my family.

winehouse8.jpg

Our beautifully selected menu included Chili-rubbed Shrimp on an Avocado Corn Salsa appetizer

winehouse11.jpg

and Peach, Prosciutto & Mozzarella Salad paired with Zeta Cava Brut Sparkling from Spain.  We detected grapefruit and apple notes in the aperitif which went beautifully with the seafood and salad.

J1 assisted in the preparation of the salsa and Daughter #2 with the plating and serving of the amazing dish.   The uncooked corn and creamy avocado were the perfect ways to offset the subtle fire from the shrimp.  The latter were huge, meaty and still crunched on the tooth.  The salad-oh the salad!… Imagine every taste you crave in one bowl and on each forkful- sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and umami!  I am officially addicted to this salad.

winehouse25.jpg

winehouse9

Daughter #1 helped piped the Duchess Potatoes that were served alongside the Chicken with Port and Mushroom Sauce.  Everything was perfectly cooked, right before our eyes.  The tastes were magnificent especially when enhanced by the Clayhouse Adobe Red and Cameron Hughes Chardonnay.

winehouse10.jpg

What turned out to be the biggest surprize for me, was that my favourite new wine of the evening would be the dessert wine.  I enjoy Concha Y  Toro Chilean Merlots frequently, but never thought to expand my horizons with their Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.  I drank more than my own tasting glass and loved the honey tones with the Apple Galette and Salted Caramel Sauce that concluded our dinner.  Dessert was such a hit that three family members had seconds (I rarely serve dessert-perhaps this too, was motivation).

winehouse5.jpg

I can’t say enough about the pairings, that we all agreed, were thoughtfully selected.  The dinner itself was perfection and so very satisfying.  Not only did we gain an abundance of culinary tips and knowledge but in helping with the various courses, we knew the satisfaction that a well-prepared food offering can bring.  Best of all, we enjoyed an “as comfortable as home” dining experience without having to partake in the dishes and clean up (worth very single penny, in my mind).

winehouse4.jpg

Patty from the Winehouse is a joy and so knowledgeable about her product.  Best of all, she shares her insights about wine in such an accessible manner-not with the arrogance that you might sometimes detect from a sommelier.  Patty teams up so well with Susan who is a professional cook that received her training at Red River College.   Her years in hospitality certainly shine through her skills in the kitchen and her easy, engaging manner.  But I knew this would be so, because Susan is Sister #3-my very own baby sista!

Suze (to me) specializes in Group and Individual Cooking classes in a variety of themes and techniques.  When teamed up with Patty wine pairing dinners are also offered.  The next time you are planning a corporate or charitable event and want to offer up something unique or want to assemble your family for a special celebration, contact Susan at 204-452-2212 suekapilik@mts.net.  Our dinner that evening cost $75. per person and private appetizer parties start at $65. per person.

Kath’s quote:  “Cooking is an art and patience a virtue… Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing – love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist – not perhaps in the representational style of a Dutch master, but rather more like Gauguin, the naïve, or Van Gogh, the impressionist. Plates or pictures of sunshine taste of happiness and love.”-Keith Floyd

BeFunky_wine heart

Love-that is all.

 

Wild Blueberry Platz

July7

Happy Sunday morning readers.  We were in the city this summer weekend which as you know is very unusual for us.  Yesterday was a perfect summer day-a time for baking and writing and visiting into the wee hours with family and good friends that I don’t see often enough over the summer.  The weekend in town, afforded me the opportunity to write most of this special blog post.  I am honoured to be a part of the Canadian Food Experience Project  which began June 7 2013.  As we (participants) share our collective stories through our regional food experiences, we hope to bring global clarity to our Canadian culinary identity. There were 58 participants in the first round up!  This month’s challenge was to write about a regional Canadian food and I choose wild blueberries for a number of reasons: their exemplary nutritional value, their low cost and their distinct connection to the places they grow here in Manitoba and on the Canadian prairies. 

blue6.jpg

The beach areas on the east and west side of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba were populated by various ethnic groups that are like the patchwork swatches that make up the provincial quilt.  The French holidayed at Paige Albert, Jewish persons at Winnipeg Beach, the Anglo-Saxons at Victoria Beach, Icelanders at Gimli and the Germans at Lester Beach.  Our family are not German but we have been welcomed into and have been part of the lake crowd at Lester Beach since the mid-seventies when my brother Tom and his wife bought a little two bedroom cottage.  Fast forward almost forty years and there are now approximately 38 of us who take turns staying at various wooden beach houses within a one block radius.  There are some streets where you can hear German spoken amongst the seniors who still enjoy the forest and the sandy beach.  As you walk along the lanes the cottage families are identified by signs such as the one at the end of our road “The Regiers and the birds live here”.

blue5.jpg

Friends of ours who have a cabin close by but who we also know from the city, renewed their wedding vows one summer on the beach and then hosted a huge party in the yard.  At supper time an old metal drum that had been split and made into a barbeque was fired up and there were hamburger patties and various sausages grilled up.  A number of salad and accompaniments were contributed by various guests, as well as a bevy of desserts.  There was one dessert that came in various fruit variations: peach, apple, rhubarb and blueberry.  It was called “platz” and it was the most divine dessert that I had ever tasted.

I am not a sweet lover but prefer desserts like this one that are doughy, and buttery with natural sweetness from the fruit and just a hint of sugar to crunch up the crumb topping.  “Platz” is German for coffee cake and many Mennonite homes have one available in case family, friends or neighbours drop in for coffee and a visit.  From my first taste, I was hooked and now make platz on a regular basis.  I love to bake one up in the summer when fresh fruit is at its peak.  The simple ingredients are always at hand and frozen fruit produces an equally fine result.  I originally found the recipe in a book entitled “Mennonite Girls Can Cook” but have modified it over the years to use half brown sugar and even sugar substitutes.

Wild blueberries are plentiful throughout Manitoba and especially in the lake district.  I love to blueberry picking.  Actually, I have to be honest…I love the results of blueberry picking but not the act of picking itself.  Wood ticks are an issue as well as bears, not to mention poison ivy, the risk of getting lost in the bush and coping with the backache, heat, thirst and mosquitoes.  What I am trying to say is, picking is no fun at all but the results make the difficult task more than worth it.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Wild Blueberry Platz
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Mennonite
 
Ingredients
  • 2 c flour
  • 1 c of sugar (or substitute brown, Splenda or Monkfruit Sugar for ½ the white sugar)
  • ¾ c of room temperature butter
  • Scoop out 1¼ c of the above and set it aside for the topping (once it has been blended with a pastry blender).
  • To the balance of the mixture that is left, add:
  • 2 t baking powder
  • ½ t baking soda
  • 1 beaten egg
  • ¾ c milk soured with 1 T vinegar
Instructions
  1. Mix baking powder and soda into dry ingredients.
  2. Add beaten egg and soured milk.
  3. Mix well.
  4. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
  5. Sprinkle with 2 c of blueberries.
  6. Drop crumb mixture over blueberries.
  7. Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 375 oven.

The time for wild blueberry picking is not yet upon us, as it was a very late spring on the prairies.  But I have noticed an abundance of plants and flowers as I have meandered in the forest, so this summer’s crop is sure to be abundant.  In the mean time, because we so love the nutritious fruit, I always have a pint on hand.  But because I live in a busy house, my plans sometimes are foiled by a hungry family member looking for something to have with their morning granola.  In that case, I go to plan B because I always have frozen berries as well.  When all is said and done, the taste is very close.

blue1.jpg

Kath’s hint:  I made a double batch this morning and then split it between three smaller sized pans.  With one I varied the fruit to mango and banana and then added coconut to the crumb mix.  This will go with us to a tropical pool party this evening.  One of the berry cakes will accompany us to a back yard graduate lunch this afternoon.  The third is to just have on hand.  It stays fresh on the counter for a day, can go into the fridge for a couple of days or go immediately into the freezer for future entertaining.

Blue2.jpg

Kath’s quote: “I remember his burlesque pretense that morning of an inextinguishable grief when I wonder that I had never eaten blueberry cake before, and how he kept returning to the pathos of the fact that there should be a region of the earth where blueberry cake was unknown.”-William Dean Howells (1894)

blue4.jpg

Love-that is all.

Fiesta Wedding Shower

July3

There are a couple of families in our life, whose edges are so overlapping and intertwined with ours, that it is hard to see where they end and we begin. Is this true in your circles as well? Recently, we were all together to celebrate the upcoming marriage of one of the  daughters of this large brood.  Sister #2 was the host for the Sunday afternoon event.  Many hands contributed to the food and the success of the event including the bride’s best friend who joined the festivities via Skype from Austria.

The theme was a Mexican Fiesta and the gifts that were showered upon the couple were gifts that they could enjoy on their honey-moon in the Caribbean.  The bride wore a “fascinator” which was a little decorated black sombrero.  The prop did not diminish how positively glowing and elegant she appeared.

fiesta5.jpg

Upon arrival, there were platters of shrimp ceviche and guacamole and chips.

fiesta7.jpg

Sister #2 also found a recipe for a slice made of the same ingredients as chilies relleno.   The tastes were similar but way easier to eat than the classic dish.

fiesta4.jpg

These black bean and goat cheese quesadillas were perfection too.

Fiesta2.jpg

Here’s a clever idea: she prepared these little to cups.

fiesta3.jpg

Which we then filled with our desired amounts of meat and cheese

fiesta8jjpg

and topped with our favourite fixings.  A mini taco bar!

Fiesta6.jpg

But my favourite appetizer was Tequila Chicken in Corn Bread Muffin Cups.  She said that the cups lend themselves to a scoop of pretty much anything that you might choose.

Kath’s quote:  “A simple enough pleasure, surely, to have breakfast alone with one’s husband, but how seldom married people in the midst of life achieve it.” -Anne Spencer Morrow Lindbergh

BeFunky_32630_506604932735416_181021657_n.jpg

Love-that is all.

 

 

Where to Eat on Canada Day Weekend in Winnipeg

June28

I think that we live in the most amazing country in the world!  Are you feeling patriotic this Canada Day weekend?  We’re heading up to our little beach house but last evening while we were at the Bomber game, I got an email from my friend Derek Taylor.  He and his wife Fiona needed a foodie to come onto CJOB with them during their Friday Foodie Finds segment.  I started brainstorming about places to eat on Canada Day weekend and thought that you, my loyal readers might need some suggestions as well.

The Forks is the perfect place to celebrate the creation of our magnificent country since it is the birthplace of our fair city.  Depending on what time of day you are commencing your personal celebrations, you may want to visit the Original Pancake House.  I personally haven’t been in a long time but J1 and J2 (and soon to be 3!) love to go and share The Big Apple.  There are a bevvy of places in the food stall area of the market itself.  We recently tried Fergie’s Fish ‘n Chips with a two course dinner starting with a hearty clam chowder, and a main course of fantastic fresh cut fries, coleslaw and Manitoba pickerel fillets.  Why anyone would choose cod or halibut over pickerel, I will never know.  If you have the whole family with you, the Old Spaghetti Factory delights the young ones and can also accommodate your senior parents with their easy accessibility and spacious layout.  Our 86 year old Mom loved our recent visit and remembered artifacts on display from their former location.  If you are looking for a romantic spot for fine dining, you will have a tough decision between Sydney’s  or The Current at the Inn at the Forks.  The upscale decor and culinary creations make them two of Winnipeg’s premiere restaurants.

If you are heading to or from the Living Flag event, which is being held on the grounds of the Leg, you will have a plethora of choices in the downtown area.  The closest is likely Cafe 22 right on Broadway.  We’ve taken our entire family there and shared their terrific pizzas and salads, without breaking the bank.

If Osborne Village is your destination then you are in luck. Two of my favourite Winnipeg restaurants are almost next door to each other-Unburger and Segovia.  Both use the very best local ingredients and concoct amazing culinary delights.  I have not yet had a chance to visit Billabong Gastropub since they have revamped but Sister #3 and Daughter #2 both love their Eggs Benedict for weekend brunch. A spot that I have wanted to try for ages is Kawaii Crepe.  The Frenchman says that the offerings are both delicious and affordable.  Although I haven’t visited Fude in quite sometime, my last visit was so memorable that I recall every detail.  The Chef/owner’s ability to deconstruct typical recipes and reconstruct them in a new and unique manner is well worth the climb up the stairs to their second floor location.  A descent to the Spicy Noodle House is a good bet too.  Try their deep fried pork chops for a decadent treat.

If Assiniboine Park is your destination and you are entering through the south gates, stop first at the Tuxedo Village Family Restaurant.  Excellent Greek cuisine can be had as well as many family favourites.  On the north edge is Sargent Sundae one of the city’s best spots for a cone (rivaling the BDI).  The Star Grill is a cozy place for a dinner for two in the evening and at brunch serves up a bacon and egg pizza that was so much fun to try.  We’ve yet to make it to Gus and Tony’s at the Park but it is on our “must try this summer” list.  Of course there is the elegant Terrace in the Park which I recently declared to be Winnipeg’s most romantic restaurant.  You can order seafood from both Canada’s east and west coast-the perfect way to salute the breadth of Canada’s geography.

Last but not least, is a special Canada Day at St. Norbert Market.  The noshing is always great on site or you could put together a Canadian picnic basket for wherever you are headed.

Take a moment this weekend to contemplate and celebrate all that Canada means to you.  We are so very blessed to live in the true north, strong and free!

Kath’s quote: “My food is Louisiana, New Orleans-based, well-seasoned, rustic. I think it’s pretty unique because of my background being influenced by my mom, Portuguese and French Canadian. There’s a lot going on there.” –Emeril Lagasse
i_love_canada_round_sticker-rd2f89499afd24ea3adca345ff2e09dfe_v9waf_8byvr_512

Love-that is all.

Red River Exhibition 2013

June19

Hello readers.  Are fairs and exhibitions, permanently etched in your memories as a way to mark time?  They are in mine.  The Red River Ex was a must do when I was a youngster along with a tour of the Eaton’s windows at Christmastime, the Shrine Circus and Ice Capades.  It was truly limited to these major events.   Now a days, this number of activities could be on a elementary schoolers’ one week agenda.  The Ex was always one of my favourites because it marked the end of the school year and the official beginning of summer.  We used to take the bus to Polo Park and I can still remember the roar of the mobile generators, the music blaring from the rides, and the carneys trying to lure us into going for the big prize.  The smells were unmistakable of cotton candy and grilled onions to top the burgers.  We took our kids almost every year as they were growing up and then there was this big long gap in attendance for us.  In fact, this year was the first time that I have attended at the new exhibition site!

ex19.jpg

This past Monday was a perfect summer evening to start a new era of the Red River Ex for us.  We wandered around the beautifully accessible fair grounds with no cables to climb over like the “olden” days.  There were plenty of washrooms and shade and in my mind the new set up is just about perfect, except that with everything so stretched out, it seems to lack the vibrancy that I remember so clearly.  Perhaps, busier days deliver this.

ex18.jpg

But to the food….

ex11.jpg

ex12.jpg

ex16.jpg

We did a lap to check out all of our options.  After taking note of the sign below, we decided to start with a couple of the many healthy choices available to fair goers.

ex256.jpg

ex13.jpg

ex7.jpg

When D suggested that he wanted to order a combination of kielbasa, cabbage rolls and perogies, I heartily agreed and grabbed a fork to sample a taste.

ex14.jpg

ex8.jpg

I was happy with my supper choice of Pad Thai.  I never thought that I’d live to see the day that I could order noodle boxes at the fair.  By the number of stir fries being enjoyed at the tables around us, they were a big hit.

ex10.jpg

This talented artist was our dinner entertainment while we sat at communal tables and also indulged in our favourite fair activity-people watching.

ex17.jpg

We then promptly forgot about the size warning for the rides (heck we had no intention of going on the rides anyway) and performed another lap to seek out our next course.

ex15.jpg

D had to satisfy his sweet tooth so decided upon a caramel and apple pie.

Ex4.jpg

When given a choice, I also go for salty and had these homemade kettle chips for my extra treat.

ex26.jpg

Somewhere in between we also tasted Lemon Pepper wings at Little Bones

ex22.jpg

ex6.jpg

AND what turned out to be our favourite new taste of the evening: Seafood Poutine from the Poutine King.

ex20.jpg

If, we had any room whatsoever, we have sampled the authentic Mexican fare from this concession, but alas, it would have to be another time.

ex21jpg

As we waddled to our car, singing along with the songs of Glass Tiger from the main stage, we enjoyed watching the thrill seekers on the midway.  Being one of those adrenalin junkies seems like a long time ago, and I like it that way.

Kath’s quote: “I don’t like to eat snails. I prefer fast food.”-Roger von Oech

sandy.jpg

Love-that is all.

« Older EntriesNewer Entries »