The Food Allergy Foodie

The Best Pancakes

Don't settle for mediocre pancakes a minute longer.  Put on your apron, grab a spatula and get going.  Or if you live in the states, just drive down to your local IHOP.  This recipe is the 'Top Secret Recipes' version of their pancakes.

Nonstick spray (I just use butter, aerosol is bad for the ozone!)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
pinch of salt

1.Preheat a skillet over medium heat.   Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray.
2. In a blender or with a mixer, combine all of the remaining ingredients until smooth.
3. Laddle approximately 1/3 cup of the batter into the hot skillet, forming 5-inch circles.
4. When the edges appear to harden, after a minute or two, flip the pancakes.  They should be golden brown.
5. Cook pancakes on the other side for the same amount of time, until golden brown.

Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Making buttermilk at home

There is no need to buy a whole litre of buttermilk when a recipe, like The best pancakes, calls for it.  Buttermilk is the slightly sour residual liquid left over when making butter.  It doesn't contain butter and is actually lower in fat than milk, even though it is thicker.  The acid in the milk sort of curdles it, and that's where the thickness comes from.
You can imitate this liquid at home with regular milk and lemon juice.  Replace a tablespoon of milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice for every cup of milk.  For the pancake recipe I removed 1 1/4 tablespoons of milk from the 1 1/4 cup I had measured out, and then replaced it with fresh squeezed lemon.

You said it Julia Child

Feel like reading some Julia Child wisdom to live by?  You're in luck, read on...

When you flip anything, you really... you just have to have the courage of your convictions.

Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.

Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music.

Non cooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.

The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook.

It's so beautifully arranged on the plate - you know someone's fingers have been all over it.

(On what her longevity is attributed to) Red meat and gin.

The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they're right if you love to be with them all of the time.

Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health.

Fat gives things flavor.

It's fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That's what human life is all about-enjoying things.

The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It's doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile. I think of my strawberry souffle. I did that at least twenty-eight times before I finally conquered it.

If you're in a good profession, it's hard to get bored, because you're never finished-there will always be work you haven't done.

I don't think about whether people will remember me or not. I've been an okay person. I've learned a lot. I've taught people a thing or two. That's what's important.

Well said Julia, well said.

Fiddlehead omellet

 

I've never made anything with fiddleheads.  I tried them in a restaurant earlier this year but they were over seasoned and I couldn't really taste them.  I thought the season for them was over, but I saw them at my fruit and vegetable store a few days ago.  I brought some home, but wasn't sure what I would do with them.
I snipped of the brown ends and sauteed in olive oil with garlic.  Them I made them into an omelette and topped it with a sharp white cheddar.  I'm eating it as I write this, they've got a unique woodsy fresh crunch.  It's good, but I think I would have rather had them steamed and topped with butter, lemon, salt and pepper.

I just googled fiddleheads and found this on earthy.com...

Important! Fiddleheads should be boiled prior to sautéing, frying or baking. Do not eat raw! Fiddleheads may contain natural substances that can cause gastric distress if not cooked properly. To be on the safe side, only eat cooked fiddleheads. When they're properly cooked, any toxins that may be present are destroyed.

uh oh.

Extra Extra! Strawberries hit fruit stands

I just bought my first strawberries of the season.  Taking that first bite is such an ethereal, soul fulfilling experience.  All at once happy memories come flooding in; the smell of the beach, warm summer nights, strawberry picking, ice cream running down your childhood arm, sprinklers, strawberry picking/eating, warm pie, cool lake, Tim Horton's strawberry tarts after track meets...  I planned to eat them for dessert, but when I got home I gobbled down six of the juicy suckers before I even got my shoes off.  Amazing.

I do have one negative strawberry induced memory though... Last year a friend and I went to Loblaws in the heart of strawberry season, the big one at queens quay.  We searched the fruit section for local strawberries but found none.  We were furious at Loblaws, at Galen Weston, and at the people who were buying up the California version of our local treat with seemingly reckless abandon.  We left without buying anything.  I adamantly refused to buy anything Weston related again.  What disrespect towards the consumers, farmers and the environment!

But Galen's reach is far and deep around here and it was hard to stick to my plan without the backing of my original fury.  I will say though, that I will never buy an out of season strawberry.  I hope you won't either.  Eat them now like crazy until your face is red and your stomach aches and then don't touch them again until they start coming off of their Ontario vines next June.

Biking and poutine -- a match made in heaven

I think summer is finally on it's way!  I went down to the lake for a bike ride on a glorious June day.  On my way back I spotted Royal Burger-Beach Side Smoke House and Grill (1925 Lakeshore Blvd W).  I have heard this place has great barbecue.  I haven't tried it yet but I will.  (You can read reviews here). I decided that nothing would go better with a springtime bike ride then some poutine by the water.  I was served a large plateful.  It was actually really good.  The gravy wasn't that hot, but I think it was because he was focused on serving me quickly and it didn't have time to heat through.  There was something so earnest about how he served me with a big smile that I didn't even mind about the temperature of the gravy.  The fries (I think they're frozen not fresh) were hot enough to melt the cheese, and to me that's what really counts anyways.  With a belly full of poutine I got back on my bike and headed home.  I got to thinking that there aren't alot of choices along the lake, so this combined with the rumour that this place is good, and the fact that the man (Chowhound says his name is Tyrone) was so friendly will be my reasons for returning.

 

Aphrodisiac apple mustard roast chicken

It's so easy, looks impressive (especially when seen on a platter that is not the same colour as itself) and it's cheaper than buying chicken parts.  I used it to impress a certain someone last week.  It will turn out golden, juicy and crisp every time.  Try it out for yourself, you'll get another date guaranteed!  Also, don't throw out the carcass.  You can use it to make stock.  If you're not going to do it right away, just wrap the carcass tightly and freeze it for later.  It sounds creepy, but your date might want some soup next time
. . . especially if they become love sick. (Too much?!)

1. Rinse the chicken inside and out, pat dry with paper towel.  Rub the chicken all over with room temperature butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (This is the simple version.  You could always put sage, rosemary or thyme under the skin or rub it on with the butter.  Or, do what I did and coat it with a sauce in the last few minutes.)   You could add an onion, celery and carrot to the chicken cavity while it roast to increase depth of flavour, but I didn't do this this time.
2. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan.  Place into a 375 degree oven and roast for 1-1.5 hours.  An instant read thermometer should read 180 F when inserted in the inner thigh near the breast.
3. If desired brush on apple mustard sauce and roast for five minutes longer.
4. Let rest for 10 minutes under a tin foil tent before carving.
5. If you want a gravy, add chicken stock or broth to the pan juices.  Put it on the stove over medium high heat.  Mix a small spoon full of flour or cornstarch in a separate bowl, whisk in broth or wine to form a thin paste.  Stir in the paste to thicken the gravy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I also added some of the leftover apple mustard sauce.

Apple Mustard Sauce
This all depends on taste.  I didn't measure anything, so it's up to you.
Mix apple mustard (or mustard and a splash of apple cider vinegar), apple butter, dash Frank's Red Hot, a pinch of thyme, salt and pepper.

'You have to go for this (super) salad.'

The following is an interview and a recipe, relayed to me by my friend David, over a few pints at The Rhino in Parkdale (where the food is nothing to blog about, but the beer is cheap and the variety endless).

Me: Tell me about the history of the super salad...

David: Well my friend Sarah, she was going to Concordia (university).  They have a restaurant where the food is free, or you pay by donation.  Some kind of lefty restaurant, it's on campus though.  They had a few non-cooked salads.  In fact it might have been a raw food restaurant. 

But Sarah had a deep sensual attachment to food. So we were hanging out one day and she said, 'why don't you come over to my place for a salad'.  Then she tried to sell me on  the salad.

(David then got frustrated with my sorry short hand skills.)

David: Nobody has a tape recorder anymore?! Can't you use your cell phone?

(Then after ordering some nachos and another round he continued his story.)

David: I was too busy to go for the salad, but she said, 'No, you have to go for this salad'.  So I asked her what the salad was.  And then she tells me what the salad is.  But she has this way of telling a story where she stares out into space.  She uses all kinds of cliches like, 'oh my god this is the greatest taste sensation you've ever had.'  She's not one for avoiding hyperbole.  In fact, she's a hyperbolaholic.  So she goes into this kinda dreamy description of the salad, where I basically leave the room.  Sarah when she talks, she uses all these elaborate hand gestures.  Like she is sculpting the air in front of her.

First you take a clove of garlic and a whole lemon. Squeeze the lemon into a dish.  Mince the garlic, add spoon full of tahini and a big splash of olive oil.  And then you emulsify! --He imitates Sarah's big hand gestures. Then you put that aside. Then you take a big pile of kale and you chop it really fine.  You squeeze the big bunch and chop it linear, then you turn the board and chop it the other way. ( I should mention that last bit was David's voice, not Sarah's) And then you take a pear and you chop it fine.  Dice it, puree it... no dice is good.  Then you take a big carrot, dice it.

Me: Don't you grate the carrot?

David: Yes you grate the carrot, unless you don't have a grater.  Students quite often don't have graters.  And then you toss the whole thing.  Drop it on a plate, and grate some beet over top.  It's the beet that really does it...visually.  'And it is so yummy and unbelievable.  You get the lemon and the root vegetable, the sweet and the sour.  All the competing flavours.'

(Hand gestures flying!)

And then I tried to get her pants off.  And she said no.  So, I said forget the salad.  Then I made the salad later and it was amazing.  I would say it's the best salad I've ever had.  You feel like a better person when you eat it.  It's invigorating, you feel the nutrients pouring into your system.

She only told me once, but I remembered it because of the way she told me.

There you have it.  The story of The Super Salad.  Tell you friends.

I feel like crepe

Last night we walked over to Little Italy for dinner.  There are so many choices, we bounced across the street to read menus, then back across the street again.  Lined up at Cafe Diplomatico, then left the line to check out somewhere else.  Finally, hungry and tired we sat down on the patio of I Feel Like Crepe.  I ordered the 'Luc'- brie, black olives and sundried tomatoes and had already looked ahead to ordering the 'Delphine'- lemon juice and sugar, for dessert.  After we gave our orders I informed our server that I was allergic to nuts and fish, so probably the nutella they use is the main issue.  It wasn't very busy, so I figured they'd clean off one of the cooking surfaces for me.  The server talked to the cook and came back to the patio with an apolegetic smile.  She said he wasn't comfortable serving me.  I looked up at him through the glass and asked sorrowfully, 'you don't want to feed me?'  He sort of shrugged and gave me the same sorry smile.  Our server told us she had a boyfriend that was allergic to nuts so she knows how serious it can be.  I appreciate her concern and also the fact that she is informed about allergies.  However, at this point I AM HUNGRY!  I think I have the right to decide what kind of risk I am willing to take.  Am I wrong?  I also think they should have just cleaned the cooktop.  I have eaten there countless times before (they didn't go for that argument, by the way). They wouldn't budge, so we headed back across the street to Cafe Dip.  It's familiar and comfortable and I should feel satisfied to finally be eating dinner, but I feel like crepe.

Dinner in 15 minutes

I have friends that struggle with what to make for dinner and often end up eating frozen meals.  So this is for you guys!  In honour of my favourite quick and easy meal I'm going to keep this short.  Swedish meatballs from Rowe Farms heated in the oven for 15 minutes on a tin foil lined baking sheet, so you don't have to wash it later. In the mean time boil some potatoes, baby reds go best with this meal.   Add a vegetable on top of the potatoes in a steamer  and cover for the last few minutes.  Serve with lingonberry compote, I got mine at Sigrid's Bakery in Barrie. 

THE END