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.

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. 

Summery Succotash Salad

Oh Summer, where for art thou? I have been waiting all month for a few nice, sunny days, and low and behold my prayers were answered! What to do on this gorgeous day? Why not take all your market finds and make a super scrumptious summery succotash salad (how's that for alliteration?).

Corn on the cob, cucumbers, yellow teardrop tomatoes, radishes, pois mange tout, eggs, basil and a miso vinaigrette. Sound delicious? Well, it is. Better yet, this salad is pretty too. Perfect for a dinner party or pot luck. Have I inspired you?

Try this recipe as is, or put your own spin on it. Make sure to let me know how it turns out.

Summery Succotash Salad

serves 4-6

• 6 ears of corn; cook and remove kernels
• 8 radishes; thinly sliced
• 1 pint golden teardrop tomatoes; cut in half
• 1/2 lbs pois mange tout (snow peas); thinly sliced
• 1 english cucumber; diced
• 1 bunch basil; chiffonade
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 4 eggs; hard boiled and quartered

Mix all the ingredients (except the eggs) together and toss with miso vinaigrette. Garnish with boiled eggs and fresh basil. 

Miso Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp mirin
• water
• 1 tsp sriracha

Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients and think to desired consistency using water.

Popsicles & Paletas

Nothing makes me happier on a hot and sticky Summer day than a refreshing popsicle. As a kid, my favourite flavours were banana and chocolate. These days, trying to find those nostalgic flavours seem almost impossible, so I decided why not make my own? Easy enough, right? Yep, that is right. So easy that I recently started making some for The Shack Oyster Bar and TIBS At Nite. These popsicles or paletas are easy to make, using seasonal fruit and molds that are redly available. Here is a recipe for a raspberry and bitters paleta that I recently made (also pictured).

Raspberry-Peychaud's Bitters Paleta

Makes 6-8  

• 2 C fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 Tbsp Peychaud's Bitters
• 1 lemon; juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 C water
• In a blender, puree all ingredients for 2-3 minutes. Strain and pour into prepared molds. Freeze. These keep in the freezer for a week. 

Introducing The Shack Oyster Bar.

So the secret is obviously out. Oysters, clams, bay scallops and more. Yes, this is what we'll be serving up at The Shack Oyster Bar all summer on the Halifax Waterfront.

Picture it. Sunshine, ocean and a few shucked Black Point oysters. Need more convincing? How about a delectable crab and lobster roll, or a steamy bowl of clam chowder served with an irresistible TIBS biscuit. ​

Why The Shack you may ask? Well, it's a fairly long story, but I will share.

​Many years ago, a shaggy-haired man name Nicholas Budreski entered the restaurant kitchen where I was working at the time and asked if I was interested in his oysters. Huh? I thought. Okay sure. Give me a few to sample and we'll take it from there. At the time, I figured I had gotten rid of him, but alas it was not that easy.

The phone calls, the random drop-in visits - this seafood guy was relentless and would not leave me alone. I ordered a few dozen of his kick-ass oysters and figured that would be the end of it. Hardly... 

Let's fast forward to present day. Over the years Nick and I have built a relationship based on oysters, clams, bay scallops and tuna. Initially, I was wowed by the quality of his products and eight years later, this persistent guy (who has become my BFF - no joke) thought we should take the plunge and go into business together. Whoah, this was huge, marriage huge.

Thus, out of our union (business union that is) emerged The Shack Oyster Bar. ​A shanty-esque kiosk on the Halifax Waterfront, where we will be shucking, steaming, and feeding those who are hungry for shellfish and a mighty damn good bowl of clam chowder.

Have I captured your attention? Good. We Shack Folk will be shucking up a storm, every day until October (excluding rainy days). Come on out, slurp down a few oysters, have a homemade beverage - concocted by our favourite cocktail maestro, Jeff Van Horne - and visit us time and time again. ​

We strongly believe that Nova Scotia is home to some of the best shellfish in the world. Yes - the world. Think we're crazy? Come check us out and let The Shack show you why.... 

We'll be open soon. Follow along here. ​

 

Spring Has Sprung

Can you feel it? I can. The first twinges of Spring have set into my being and I am now excited about those first few food items that come along with this season; rhubarb, fiddleheads and lovage. Yes, a crazy combination of sorts, but hey, I am a crazy kinda gal.

Let's start with lovage. When I was growing up in Quebec, my parents had this big, crazy bush of lovage that I had to walk by everyday. Everyday that I walked by that bush I complained that it stank and that the smell made me sick to my stomach; typical child behaviour. To me, lovage was the bane of my existence! It was only many years later, when I moved to Prince Edward Island to become Executive Chef of The Inn At Bay Fortune, that I had to face my fear. 

Working in a kitchen where I changed the menu daily, and depended on the garden for ninety percent of my produce, I realized that lovage and I were going to have to fall in love with one another. I took it upon myself to learn about this magical herb, that I could only describe as "celery on crack".

Lovage grows year round in some parts of the world, and unlike most herbs, when you cook it, it does not lose it's flavour. So, out came lovage soups, oils, purees and salads.  It works wonders in a chicken salad sandwich, and pairs perfectly with pears! I am now proud to admit that the first thing I planted when we bought our house, was a tiny lovage plant that has now turned into a beautiful, aromatic bush.

Fiddleheads, those green little creatures that look like a caterpillar. Full of Omega 3, 6, iron and fibre, these green guys pack a major punch. Only available for about 4-6 weeks out of the year, I hoard them and freeze, pickle and devour them until their short season is over. The thing about these ferny friends is that you must wash them several times and fully cook them to get rid of any harmful microbes. A trick? Soak them in cold water, rinsing several times and a quick blanch in salted boiling water. A little olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice is all these guys need.

Doug and I have lived in our little blue house on Lake Banook in Dartmouth for 6 years now, and it wasn't until last spring, while doing some major yard work, that I discovered a very random patch of rhubarb growing in our yard. How exciting, I thought. It reminded me of my childhood days, and how I would go over to Sheila's (she was our neighbor in Shawville), and secretly cut her rhubarb from the patch behind her garage, and hope that none of the neighbors saw me! I would stuff it under my shirt, and make a run for my yard and bolt through the side door completely out of breath. Of course, my rhubarb cutting never went unnoticed, as my mother would interrogate me on my "lucky" find, and would place a call to the McDowell residence to inform Sheila of my bad behaviour. To make it up to everyone, I would bake a rhubarb crisp, taken from a local Shawville Minor Hockey Cookbook, and eat it hot right out of the pan! Now that I have my own rhubarb patch, I can make this sweet and sour concoction anytime.

The Shawville Rhubarb Crisp

• 250ml (1 C) all purpose flour
• 250ml (1C) packed brown sugar
• 200ml (¾ C) oatmeal
• 125ml (½ C) melted butter
• 2 1/2 L (5 C) chopped fresh rhubarb
• 250ml (1C) white sugar
• 250ml (1C) cold water
• 30ml (2 Tbsp) cornstarch
• 5ml (1 Tsp) vanilla

In a bowl, mix the flour and brown sugar with the butter and oatmeal. Press ¾ of the mixture into the bottom of a 9" pan; cover with the rhubarb. In a saucepan, mix all the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Pour over the rhubarb and sprinkle the remaining topping on top. Bake in a 350F oven for 45-60 minutes until it is oozy, bubbly and brown!

The Mighty Chedabucto Bay Shrimp

Shrimp have a special place in my heart. As a child, nothing made me happier than a shrimp cocktail - big, plump, pink shrimp placed beautifully around a cocktail glass with zippy horseradish infused cocktail sauce.

As the years have progressed, my love has remained true, but knowing that many ofthese little creatures are farmed, processed and shipped here from Asia, my affection started to fade - that is until my introduction to a very special local shrimp product.

A few years back, after moving to Halifax, I was introduced to the most spectacular little treats; the Chedabucto Bay Trap Caught Shrimp! Not only are these some of the best tasting shrimp I had ever eaten, but they're trap-caught off the shores of Canso. Local and sustainable - could it get any better than that? I think not! 

Super sweet and utterly decadent, these shrimp are the perfect snack. I have prepared these shrimp in a variety of different ways. Here are my favourite ways to enjoy them:

• Flash Fried - simply dusted with flour, flash fried in hot vegetable oil and dressed with a bit of salt and lemon juice, these beauties can be eaten whole - head, body, tail and all.
• Pasta - ​so easy, yet tasty. Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta and start cleaning your shrimp. In a pan, add olive oil, garlic and some chili flakes. Cook for 30 seconds and add yellow or red grape tomatoes. Sautee and add salt and pepper; add a ladleful of the pasta water. Turn off heat. Once pasta is cooked, drain and set aside for an instant while you finish the sauce. Add the shrimp, lemon zest (1 lemon) and a touch of heavy cream. Add a handful of baby spinach and chopped parsley, grated parmesan and toss with the cooked pasta.
• Chowder - ​what better way than to use in a chowder. The key with these little guys is to simply add to your favourite chowder or seafood soup recipe at the very end. 

These shrimp are harvested during the winter months and are available through the Off the Hook Community Supported Fishery or Local Source Market in Halifax or Fisherman's Market on the Bedford Highway.

Whether you eat them whole, blanch and peel, or toss cooked in a chowder or pasta, these Nova Scotian gems are sure to make you smile and appreciate yet another awesome local seafood product we have here to offer.​

Beautiful little creature.

Star of the chowder.

Flash fried shrimp with salt and lemon juice.

Simple pasta with shrimp, peas & tomatoes.