She Ain't No Gerber Baby

by Renee Lavallee in

Eight months ago I  gave birth to a bouncing baby girl, and decided at that moment that she was going to be a "Bébé Gourmand".  I've taken it upon myself to make all of my little monkey's food in hopes of developing her palate at a young age.  Here are a few tips and ideas that I have when making food pour les bébés.

One of the most important things you can do is to "switch it up", as I like to say.  No one, not even a six month old, wants to eat the same thing everyday.  I puree batches of fruit (pears, apples, peaches, melon), store them in freezer jars and pull them out when I need them.  Same goes for veggies (peas, sweet potato, squash, asparagus).  I mix my fruits and veggies together when I feed Zoe, and often add silken tofu for protein.  Another winner at our house is quark and plain yogurt, that I pick up at the market from Rick and Jeanita (proprietors of  Foxhill Cheese House). This gets mixed with fruit for a big ol' smile.  For protein, I steam off sweet potato with either chicken or white fish and then puree it.  Sometimes I`ll even add fresh herbs such as basil or dill for added flavour.  As I always say, "if I'm not prepared to eat it, then she won't be either!".  Next for our little lady; a puree of coconut curry with red lentil dal...I'll keep you posted!

I Feel The Lovage

by Renee Lavallee in

[/caption] 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, did I have 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 each other.  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 flavor.  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.

Et Tu BBQ?

by Renee Lavallee in

There is something primal about the smell of a charcoal fire.  Over at my house, we have a great old school Weber that we absolutely adore!  I was so happy when a foggy, rainy Tuesday actually ended up being the most glorious and sunny day so far this spring .  We decided to spark up that bad boy bbq, and grill us some food!  Doug & I have recently made a pact to be "vegetarian" for awhile, but this was the day that we had to temporarily cease and desist; and out came the Sweet Williams chorizo sausages that had been staring at me from the freezer for the past few weeks. These would be our protein, along with some grilled radicchio and eggplant that was later tossed with Cosman & Whidden honey and extra virgin olive oil.  Sweet potato grilled whole in its skin, some yellow peppers and of course grilled baguette rubbed with garlic, Maldon Salt and more olive oil would take up all the room on the grill.  This was all served alongside an impromptu cheese plate (assembled by Douglah) which included some Dragon's Breath, Old Growler and Oka. The entire "grill-up" was paired with Propeller Pale Ale.  As the sun set on us in our backyard, we looked at each other and said, we really must do this more often.

Rhubarb and Brioche Trifle

by Renee Lavallee in

Rhubarb - that sweet and sour spring miracle.  I love the first rhubarb cuttings of the season; a vibrant pink and a little bit sweeter than the older rhubarb which tends to be  thicker and greener.

Here is a great little recipe that I do with rhubarb that is dead simple and easy to personalize.

Stewed Rhubarb

For this I cut the rhubarb up into 1/2 inch pieces and put it in a pot with sugar and lemon zest.  This part of the recipe depends on your own personal preference for "sweetness". I generally like my rhubarb on the sour side, so I add very little sugar to my own stewed rhubarb.  My rule is 1 C. chopped rhubarb to 1/4 C. sugar (white or brown) and the zest of 1 lemon.

Pastry Cream

  • 1 C. milk
  • 1/2 C. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 vanilla bean

Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and cook over low heat while stirring.  Cook for 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens and can cover the back of a spoon.  Set aside and let cool.

Brioche

Cube up 1/2 a loaf of your favorite brioche and soak in maple syrup (this again depends on whether or not you have a sweet tooth).

Assembly

Layer the ingredients in your favorite dish or glass.  This recipe typically makes 4-6 servings.