Introducing The Canteen

The cat is finally out of the bag! Yes, after months of planning, meetings and more, my dream of twenty years is finally becoming a reality. I will be opening up a small sandwich shop in Downtown Dartmouth called "The Canteen".

Why a sandwich shop?

I know many of you probably expected me to open a large, ornate, fancy restaurant, but over the years, the kids, the marriage, my tastes and my demeanour have changed. What screams Renee now? A sandwich shop. Simple, seasonal, local and community based.

I want to create a place where people can feel at home. A place where I can have spontaneous conversations with my customers. A place where my kids can come and help in the kitchen and learn about cooking. A place that serves damn good food, done really well, but that doesn't completely consume my life and that of my staff.

It's funny, if you would have told me ten years ago that I would be opening up a sandwich shop, I probably would have screamed profanities at you and told you to get out. That was Renee then, and this is Renee now.

What excites me about The Canteen?

How about the chance to work with great and talented people, such as my "right hand", Jessica Best. A great gal from Newfoundland who magically appeared and that I thank my lucky stars for every day. A very talented baker who honed her skills at Raymond's in St. John's - one of the country's best restaurants. She's not only a talented baker, but also a very talented chef. I look forward to cooking with her, throwing ideas around, sharing some laughs and loving our work.

Enjoyment. That's what excites me.

The chance to enjoy my work again. There were times in my career when cooking just didn't do it for me anymore. I had lost the love, the passion. The thought of cooking repulsed me, and I let it show. No one wants to work with or be served by a curmudgeon, and hopefully, I will never use that word again when describing myself. When you're happy in the kitchen, you can taste the love.

I heart Downtown Dartmouth.

I'm so excited to be opening up in Downtown Dartmouth. A place I have called home for nine years and a place that I absolutely love. What better way to give back to my neighbourhood, than by opening up an eatery - a place that I myself would frequent.

It also excites me that I'll be making my new home above Two If By Sea Café - a pillar of our community. For the past three years I have had the opportunity to work with Zane and Tara on our TIBS Family Dinners. I have also been fortunate enough to use their space for my cooking classes and private dinners. Now, I will have a permanent home above the cafe and beside Anchored Coffee. 

TIBS has continued to raise the bar in so many ways. I hope to follow in their footsteps by staying true to my craft, never comprising on quality and embracing the community.

And so it begins.

It is funny how we change, morph into something that we never imagined. The Canteen for me is a culmination of my life's work. I want to be that 40 year old woman, standing behind the counter, with a smile on her face, serving you the best soup you've ever had. The lady that ushers you into the kitchen to try a spoonful of something magical.

After all the years of cooking, I finally want to enjoy my job the way I have always dreamt of; with family, friends and neighbours around me - filling their bellies with goodness.

FOLLOW THE CANTEEN ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER.

Spicy Kohlrabi Slaw

I recently stumbled upon a giant kohlrabi. Yes, kohlrabi, that strange and mysterious vegetable grown right here in good 'ol Nova Scotia. One of the many things grown here that we either do not know about or do not know how to use.

This kohlrabi, that I found at Ted Hutten's stand at the Brewery Market, must have weighed at least 5 lbs, if not more. (Ted is the man that grows interesting and obscure things on his farm. Red more about Ted in this recent article in The Coast by Melissa Buote.)  What to do with kohlrabi? Well, I am about to tell you. 

Little known fact; this crazy looking vegetable actually has more Vitamin C than an orange (so when you get the sniffles, reach for a kohlrabi instead of an orange). It's flavour is somewhere between sweet cabbage, cucumber and jicama. Use it raw, roasted or boiled. Any way that you choose to prepare it, this is a highly versatile vegetable.

I decided to take my ginormous kohlrabi and turn it into a simple slaw. I julienned the kohlrabi using my Benriner (Japanese mandolin), then mixed it with sesame oil, fish sauce, cilantro, mint, peanuts and fiery fresh red chilies. The sweetness of the vegetable married beautifully with the salty fish sauce and with spicy chilies. This was the perfect companion to a green beef curry that I had just made for dinner.

Not feeling this salad? Then take a page from the beautiful cookbook Jerusalem and cube the kohlrabi and mix with greek yogurt, sour cream, watercress and sumac. 

Next time you see this gnarly looking vegetable, do not be afraid. Grab one, peel it and enjoy it. You will be surprised how amazing this vegetable can be. 

Kohlrabi Slaw

• 1lb kohlrabi; peeled and julienned

• 1 Tbsp fish sauce

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil

• 2 Tbsp chopped mint

• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

• 2 Tbsp chopped salted peanuts

• 1/2 red Thai chill (or more of you like it spicy)

Mix all the ingredients and taste for seasoning. 

View fullsize

Gobblins, Ghouls and Gooey Halloween Candy

In a few short days, the "holiday" that most children care about is going to happen. That sacred night of getting dressed up and grabbing a pillow case to fill up with gobs of interesting (and sometime disgusting) candy. I have been known to stash the odd candy bag in my drawer at work after this great night; gummy worms, black liquorice, sour patch candies, and more. These candies are ok, but they are far from the traditional Halloween "Kisses" that I have grown to love and hate.

 Since the original kisses can sometimes be hard to find nowadays, I rely on a recipe that my Dad and I used to do when I was a kid. It was for the "St. Catherine" holiday that's observed in Quebec at the end of November. These homemade candies are very similar to the store bought "kisses', but tons of fun to make and so much better.

If you're like me, and these ooey gooey candies are a secret vice, I suggest you gather up the ingredients and try making some this Halloween for either yourself or those gobblins that show up at your door.

Every November 26th, I would get up bright and early and gather the ingredients for these sticky and chewy gems; molasses, brown sugar, white sugar & corn syrup. The heavy cast iron Creuset pot was placed on the stove, the ingredients were mixed and added to the pot, and then the wait began.

When would the thermometer reach 256 degrees Fahrenheit? Oh it felt like ages! Bubbling goodness would call me from the kitchen and for hours I would sit and wait impatiently until it was time to add the final secret ingredient, baking soda. 256F finally arrived! Baking soda was added and then the fun part would begin; the pulling of the taffy.

Once cooled, my dad and I would grease up our little paws and start to pull and knot the taffy until it turned from a dark brown to a golden blond. Next would come the cutting and wrapping, but it was also the perfect time for me to stuff my face with our hard work and literally cause my jaw to seize due to over eating and chewing.

If you are one of those 'special" people who make homemade candy for the kids in the neighbourhood, try these out. Wrap them in colorful wax paper and place in special bags with the recipe cards attached and a note about who made them, and you'll be forever known as the "best candy house" on the block for years to come. Happy Halloween to all you ghosts, ghouls and gobblins!

Tire St. Catherine

• 250ml (1 cup) white sugar
• 250ml (1 cup) brown sugar
• 250ml (1 cup) molasses
• 125ml (1/2 cup) corn syrup
• 15ml (1 Tbsp)white vinegar
• 15ml (1 Tbsp) butter

Mix all these ingredients and put in a heavy bottomed cast iron pot. With a candy thermometer in place, bring the mixture up to 256F (make sure to stir occasionally). This should take about an hour, but make sure to keep a close watch on this mix.

Once it reaches 256, add 5ml (1 tsp) baking soda to the recipe and take off the heat. Let the mix cool and pour onto a buttered surface to let cool even longer (marble is perfect for this).

Once cool enough to touch, grab a partner and grease up your hands with butter as well. each take an end and start pulling the candy; stretching it between the two of you until it turns a beautiful shade of blond.

Once the right colour, use greased scissors to cut into pieces (as big as you like!) and wrap in wax paper

Theses candies will keep up to three months in an air tight container.

Gold Medal Plates - An amazing display of local talent.

What do Chefs and Olympians have in common? How about always striving to be the best at what they do? Perhaps it is giving 100% in competition? Chefs and Olympians do have quite a bit in common, and in Halifax on October 17th, they united for a spectacular event, Gold Medal Plates.

Gold Medal Plates made it's return to Halifax after being on hiatus since 2007. The event, which has been going on nationally since 2006, is a celebration of food, wine and music that raises money for Canadian Olympic athletes. This year, Halifax had the honour of being the first of eleven cities that were participating. This event is a chance to shine the spotlight on our talented and hard working athletes, but it also focuses on our talented and hard working chefs too.

For me, this event is about the food and wine. I personally have not had a chance to participate as a competing chef, but this year was honoured to be asked to be a judge; a job fit for a feisty gal like myself. With national judge James Chatto leading the way, I was lucky to share my responsibilities with fellow Chef, Alain Bosse (aka The Kilted Chef), restaurant critic, Bill Spurr, a jack-of-all trades/winery owner/entrepreneur, Pete Luckett, and sommelier and educator, Amy Savoury.

Nine talented chefs from Nova Scotia competed this year; Martin Ruiz Salvador (Fleur De Sel), Luis Clavel (Seasons by Atlantica), Terry Vassallo (Cafe Chianti), Roland Glauser (Charlotte Lane), Matt Krizan (Mateus Bistro), Mark Gabrieau (Gabrieau's Bistro), Jason Lynch (Le Caveau Restaurant), Tahir Salamat (RCR Hospitatlity Group) and Sam Jaggi (Grand Taj). With a room filled with extraordinary Chefs, the food that was presented was awe-inspiring. 

As a judge, the diversity of tastes, textures and ingredients was stunning. Every chef out doing themselves and showcasing their unbelievable talents. Choosing a winner on this evening, was a most difficult task. Not only was the food splendid, but the wine pairings were spot on with each dish.

After deliberations, a unanimous winner was chosen: Martin from Fleur De Sel. His dish of an "East Coast Breakfast" was more than we had imagined. A pigs head mortadella atop a salt cod and parsley root brandade. A perfectly fried quails egg with a salty and crunchy piece of Martin's guanciale. Edamame beans from Ted Hutten were cooked ever so delicately with honey and ginger, and a napa cabbage and beet-green kimchi was gently placed beside a pickled beet. Three condiments were on the plate too; a tomatillo confit, a tomato and garlic reduction and a saffron mayo rounded out the plate. All this was served with a delightful Mimosa made from Van Dyk's blueberry juice, Benjamin Bridge Nova 7, honey and thyme syrup, beet juice, lemon juice and Ironworks Pear Eau-de-Vie.

Martin's dish was spectacular, but so were Terry Vassallo and Jason Lynch's who placed second and third. All the chefs, regardless of winning or not, should be proud of the food that they served at Gold Medal Plates. 

As if food, wine and Olympic athletes weren't enough, the musicians that entertained the crowd that evening were the icing on the cake. Sam Roberts, Jim Cuddy, Bruce Guthro, Anne Lindsay and Opera-star, Measha Bruggergosman, sang, played and were enjoyed by everyone. With Shaun Majumder as emcee, the night could only be described as a success.

With my belly full of food and wine, my toes tapping to the music, I was happy that Gold Medal Plates has made it's return to Halifax and I am already looking forward to next year, when Nova Scotia's talented chefs are able to come out and shine.

I wish Martin the best of luck as he will be heading to the national competition in Kelowna, British Columbia this coming February. Wouldn't it be great for a Nova Scotian chef bring home the gold?

View fullsize

Me and my fellow judges hard at work. 

Cheese Please

Many people have heard me describe myself as a "big mouse". This isn't because I am small, or even quiet for that matter, but because I have a secret love affair with one thing; cheese. My love affair started at an early age. Le Petit Quebec cheddar was a staple in the Lavallée home. Next came the cheese curds; those squeaky and salty bits that I would always purchase at Maple Dale Cheese (outside of Tweed, Ontario) when going on any car trip to satisfy my need for cheese. As I grew up, so did my taste buds. When going out for dinner with my parents, instead of ordering the usual cream puff or chocolate cake for dessert, I, a fourteen year old, would opt for a cheese plate. During my first year away from home, my diet consisted of saltines and any number of cheeses; Smoked Cheddar, Brie, Bleu, and my old time favorite, extra old cheddar. Needless to say, those were the tastiest years of my life!

Now, you might think that I am exaggerating about my love affair, but believe me, I am not. My husband can attest that one of the first things he remembers about me is when he took me to the Halifax Farmers' Market and brought me over  to "That Dutchman's" cheese booth so I could purchase a piece of Extra Old Growler. Once I had that piece of cheese in my hands, I tore off  the plastic cover, placed it in it's brown paper bag and started sniffing it. Ah, the sweet aroma of a piece of aged gouda! Now, my husband did find this a little peculiar, but he admits that it's one of the reasons he married me!

One of the great things about living in Canada is the insane amount of great Canadian cheese we have! From British Columbia, to Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canadian cheese is a crowd pleaser.

At home, we are never without a few of these cheeses; havarti from Fox Hill Cheese House, and gouda from That Dutchman's Farm,  just to mention some of the local cheeses.  The only downfall from my cheese buying, is that I have one drawer in my fridge that is dedicated to cheese, and is often full of cheese "nubbins" (all those little bits that tend to never be eaten).

I have the great job of being able to taste, cook and create with some amazing Canadian cheese for the next few months thanks to the Dairy Farmers of Canada and their "Simple Pleasures" campaign. Want to know what cheeses to try or which our my favourites? Check out their page  "All You Need Is Cheese".  Also, make sure to check out more of my pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

Now that you have all this cheese knowledge, how about offering a cheese platter the next time you have guests? I know that a lot of people find it daunting to put together a cheese plate, but it is as easy as pie! Here are a few tips for creating a memorable cheese plate:

1. Make sure to buy cheese that you are familiar with, or have tried at the store. (nothing worse than buying something "new" and getting it home to find that you think it's awful!). Also, make sure to look for the "blue cow" 100% Canadian Milk symbol when buying Canadian cheese.
2. Keep it simple! I cannot stress how important it is to keep things simple and not  try to over do it. I have seen first hand how horrendous a cheese plate can look and taste when someone has tried too hard to impress.
3. Try to have a theme. Whether you are going all Canadian, all local, all blue or all soft/hard, make sure that your cheeses have a theme or at least are compatible with one another.
4. Make sure to have some great accompaniments! Fresh figs or beautiful Medjool dates go well with cheese, as do grapes, pears, nuts and apples. Try to be creative and add some preserves or jellies (red pepper jelly is great with brie!) or even some honey drizzled on top of an extra old cheddar. You also want some crackers or bread; a fruit bread like a honey-apricot or even toasted raisin bread impresses the guests.

Apples & Blue Cheese

Did you know that Nova Scotia produces tons of apples; very red apples? Oh yes. Our apples are the reddest around, and that is all due to our wonderful climate. Nova Scotia produces some wonderful varieties (over 40) such as Cox's Orange Pippin, King, Paulared, Idared, and more. With all these different varieties, there are so many ways to eat and cook with apples. Nothing beats a warm apple pie or a juicy and crunchy apple crisp, but I like to use my apples in salads.

Salads? Yes. Imagine a burst of sweet, a touch tart and a nice crunch to accompany your greens or grains. You can grate them and throw them into a slaw, or thinly slice them and add them to a green salad. I love to showcase the almighty apple; make her Queen of the plate. She pairs beautifully with cheese, cured meats and dried fruits.

One of my favourite salads to make at this time of the year uses Gravenstein apples with crispy, salty pancetta, Dragon's Breath blue cheese and pomegranate seeds - all mixed with a tart buttermilk-blue cheese dressing and placed on a bed of watercress. This is the perfect start or ending to any dinner.

Apples are amazing, anyway you use them. As they say, and apple a day keeps the doctor away. So grab yourself some apples and get creative.  

Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons blue cheese; crumbled (I like to use Dragon's Breath) 

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, buttermilk, cheese and mayonnaise. Stream in walnut oil while whisking. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Keep in jar with lid in refrigerator for up to a week.

Raspberry Semifreddo

For the past two years I have participated in the Dairy Farmers Of Canada "Cooking With Real Cream" campaign. Luckily enough, I have won some and lost some, but overall it has been a great experience to work with many talented food writers and the people from the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

This recipe, my last for this years' series, was a smooth, delicious raspberry semifreddo. So unbelievably easy to make, yet very decadent looking. The great thing about this recipe is that you can switch up the raspberries for any fruit that is in season, or even for candied nuts or chocolate chunks.  Have fun and play a little with your food!

Next time you have guests coming over, whip up a semifreddo and watch them ooh and aah over your dessert. 

Raspberry Semifreddo

• 2 cups 35% cream; whipped to soft peaks
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup thick sour cream
• 1 pint fresh or frozen raspberries

Whip cream to soft peaks with half of the sugar. Then, whisk sour cream so that it is the same consistency as the cream.

Mix the raspberries with the remaining sugar and mix; breaking them up. Fold the cream with the sour cream and very gently fold in the raspberries.

Pour into a standard size loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Then, place it in the freezer and freeze for 4-6 hours.

To serve, take out of freezer and place in fridge for an hour. Slice and serve with fresh berries.