HAPPY EASTER everyone. I hope you made the most of this day and celebrated it in a meaningful manner. We were fortunate to share Easter dinner with our friends and neighbours last night, and to celebrate the return of our middle daughter. She had been away in Europe for two weeks on a school trip . She came home loaded down with Austrian chocolate. The Easter Bunny came early for us! As always, the turkey was brined in onion, garlic, chili, cumin and KICS. If you have never brined your turkey, I highly recommend it. You can find the recipe on the website.
KICS is growing! Glenburn Soda Fountain and Confectionary has picked us up to sell and serve in their delightful new soda shop. You can find them at 4090 Hastings Street in Burnaby, BC. I am headed out to the valley on Friday to try and find some new vendors for us. I am really looking forward to exploring. So if you are reading this and live out Abbotsford way, let me know of any likely spots to sell KICS.
So that's all for now. I hope you don't get too many pranks played on you tomorrow!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Its market day tomorrow and it looks like its going to be lovely. As we get closer to spring there is more to choose from all the vendors. Spring greens are starting to appear! Its also time to get to work on your garden. If you are a Port Moody resident, the City has partnered with the police department and the Coquitlam Farmer's Market Society and begun a community garden. Check out the front page story in the Tri City News. http://www.tricitynews.com/community/199436771.html
Hope to see you tomorrow :)
Hope to see you tomorrow :)
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Fresh from the Market Cooking Class
Fresh From the Farmer’s Mkt
Fresh From the Farmer’s Market in April!
Karen Curtis is back and many of you already know her as the Kics Lemonade lady at the Coquitlam Farmer’s Market! Winter is over and as much as I love squash and root vegetables, I can’t wait to sample spring’s delights! Slowly these are coming in season and tonight we’ll feature all that is available. Please join us as Karen shows us some great recipes this evening including:
Karen Curtis is back and many of you already know her as the Kics Lemonade lady at the Coquitlam Farmer’s Market! Winter is over and as much as I love squash and root vegetables, I can’t wait to sample spring’s delights! Slowly these are coming in season and tonight we’ll feature all that is available. Please join us as Karen shows us some great recipes this evening including:
- Spiced Spring Pea Soup finished with Market Fresh Cheese Curds
- KICS Lemony Shrimp and Asparagus Ricotta Tart
- Slow Roasted Beef Carbonnade featuring Redl’s Beef and fresh herbs from Greendale Herb Farms
- Butterscotch Apple Galette featuring Snowy Mountain Organic Apples
Quinoa Cups with Little Qualicum Cheese & Spring Vegetables
We’re so lucky here in B.C. with all of our agriculture – come and learn what’s in season!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
My How Time Flies!
As we gear up for the new market season I have committed myself to keeping this blog current. Of course, it has taken me an hour to figure out how to do that again! Google keeps changing things and when one does not keep up, well...you get the drift :). My other commitment is to figure out (or have my hubby show me) how to link all this social media stuff together so that my tweets and posts and things are all linked. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I am really excited about this upcoming week. I am teaching a new class at Cooks 'n Corks in Coquitlam. This month's menu features Forstbaur Farms grilled beet and quinoa salad, Little Qualicum Cheese baked onion cheese dip, Redl's jambalaya, Port Hardy Seafoods hazelnut crusted sole and Snowy Mountain Organics maple pear parfaits. Most of my ingredients will come from the Port Moody Winter market this sunday. I am temporarily working as the assistant market manager and loving every minute of it.
This new market season will hopefully find me spreading KICS wings and heading out to Abbotsford and into Vancouver to spread KICS joy. In the meantime, you can find me at the Port Moody Rec Centre every other Sunday. And since kale is starting to show up at market, here is a recipe that makes use of it, and KICS of course!
As we gear up for the new market season I have committed myself to keeping this blog current. Of course, it has taken me an hour to figure out how to do that again! Google keeps changing things and when one does not keep up, well...you get the drift :). My other commitment is to figure out (or have my hubby show me) how to link all this social media stuff together so that my tweets and posts and things are all linked. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I am really excited about this upcoming week. I am teaching a new class at Cooks 'n Corks in Coquitlam. This month's menu features Forstbaur Farms grilled beet and quinoa salad, Little Qualicum Cheese baked onion cheese dip, Redl's jambalaya, Port Hardy Seafoods hazelnut crusted sole and Snowy Mountain Organics maple pear parfaits. Most of my ingredients will come from the Port Moody Winter market this sunday. I am temporarily working as the assistant market manager and loving every minute of it.
This new market season will hopefully find me spreading KICS wings and heading out to Abbotsford and into Vancouver to spread KICS joy. In the meantime, you can find me at the Port Moody Rec Centre every other Sunday. And since kale is starting to show up at market, here is a recipe that makes use of it, and KICS of course!
PASTA WITH
FRESH KALE AND LEMON
3 Cups kale,
ribbed and chopped into ribbons
½ onion,
finely chopped
2 cloves
garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp olive
oil
½ c KICS
Lemonade Syrup
1 cup ricotta
cheese
8 oz pasta
Fresh
ground pepper, salt to taste
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water
according to package directions. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl,
reserving 2 cups pasta water. While pasta is cooking, sauté kale, onions and garlic in olive oil over
medium heat until kale is wilted, 5 to 8 minutes. Add kale mixture to bowl of
pasta. Add KICS syrup to frying pan, and
heat through. Add to pasta, thinning sauce with pasta water as necessary.
Season with salt and LOTS of fresh ground pepper.
Serves 4-6
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Its been a while since my last post. Blogspot is confused and I haven't been able to access this from my computer. Weird. So...I have come in through the back door. The first "Fresh From the Market" class was a hit. Aside from a small case of nerves ( I forgot to add the icing sugar to the first recipe) all went well and the participants said they really enjoyed the class and the food.I am very thankful to those that came and supported me. I am really looking forward to the next one. Mark your calendars for June 22. I will have 5 new recipes for you to try. And no, they don't all have KICS in them!
My next column comes out this Friday in the Tri-City News. The focus this month is strawberries. They are starting to appear at market in limited quantities and boy are they good. There is nothing like a local strawberry to set the mood for summer eating. Use them to garnish the recipe below.
My next column comes out this Friday in the Tri-City News. The focus this month is strawberries. They are starting to appear at market in limited quantities and boy are they good. There is nothing like a local strawberry to set the mood for summer eating. Use them to garnish the recipe below.
LEMON RICOTTA MOUSE
1 lb light cream cheese
500ml ricotta cheese
2 C. whipping cream
1 C KICS Lemonade Syrup
2 C icing sugar
Beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Stir in
ricotta and KICS. In a separate bowl, whip cream into stiff peaks. Fold cream
into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into bowls and chill. Garnish with fresh
fruit.
Note: This recipe freezes well! Spread mixture into a 9x11
parchment lined pan and freeze until firm. Cut into squares to serve.
If you are feeling adventurous, try substituting the lemon syrup for one of my new flavours. I think the blueberry would be especially good.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Practicing Recipes
Hi All!
I am embarking on a new adventure with KICS, Cooks n Corks, and the Coquitlam Farmer's Market. Beginning in May I will be teaching cooking classes! We are starting with 2 and we will go from there. The focus of the classes will be what is fresh, local and in season. May 25th is the first class. I will source as many of my ingredients as I can from the amazing selection of goodies at Cooks N Corks, and the wonderful vendors at Market. The following recipe is my first experiment. Good thing my family and friends are willing to be guinea pigs while I play!
PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS, GARLIC SCAPES AND SAUSAGE
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 C. dried penne (or other tubular pasta)
3 C chopped asparagus
1 C chopped garlic scapes
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp fleur de sel
2 Tbsp KICS lemonade syrup
1 tsp anchovy paste (Do NOT leave this out, it is the magic ingredient!) (After KICS of course!)
4-5 mild italian sausages, casings removed
grated Asiago cheese, for serving
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook past according to package directions. In the last 2-3 minutes, add the asparagus and garlic scapes and cook until bright green and crisp. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain pasta and vegetables.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, KICS, anchovy paste, garlic, 1/2 tsp coarse salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside.
Brown sausage in frying pan until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Return pasta and vegetables to big pot, add sausage and oil mixture. Toss well to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to form a thin sauce that coats the pasta.
Serve sprinkled with grated Asiago cheese.
I was so impressed with the way this turned out that I ate 2 bowls!
Let me know what you think.
I am embarking on a new adventure with KICS, Cooks n Corks, and the Coquitlam Farmer's Market. Beginning in May I will be teaching cooking classes! We are starting with 2 and we will go from there. The focus of the classes will be what is fresh, local and in season. May 25th is the first class. I will source as many of my ingredients as I can from the amazing selection of goodies at Cooks N Corks, and the wonderful vendors at Market. The following recipe is my first experiment. Good thing my family and friends are willing to be guinea pigs while I play!
PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS, GARLIC SCAPES AND SAUSAGE
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 C. dried penne (or other tubular pasta)
3 C chopped asparagus
1 C chopped garlic scapes
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp fleur de sel
2 Tbsp KICS lemonade syrup
1 tsp anchovy paste (Do NOT leave this out, it is the magic ingredient!) (After KICS of course!)
4-5 mild italian sausages, casings removed
grated Asiago cheese, for serving
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook past according to package directions. In the last 2-3 minutes, add the asparagus and garlic scapes and cook until bright green and crisp. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain pasta and vegetables.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, KICS, anchovy paste, garlic, 1/2 tsp coarse salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside.
Brown sausage in frying pan until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Return pasta and vegetables to big pot, add sausage and oil mixture. Toss well to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to form a thin sauce that coats the pasta.
Serve sprinkled with grated Asiago cheese.
I was so impressed with the way this turned out that I ate 2 bowls!
Let me know what you think.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
So much excitement!!
It has been quite a couple of weeks. New recipes, new opportunities, new challenges. I don't know where to start. So...how about telling you what started the madness. Me and my big ideas.
I made a new recipe two weeks ago to play around some more with my lemonade and Dyanna's Aji. I ended up with a fabulous chickpea stew. ( Recipe to follow!) While I was creating I got to thinking that our local paper needs another column. This one should focus on local food, and promote the farmer's market (of which I am a passionate member). I sent my idea off to the editor of the Tri-City News, and he liked the idea. Now I am waiting to hear if I will be writing it!
After I made the stew, I thought I would take some down to my friend Septembre at Cooks n Corks because some of the ingredients came from her store. That led to me proposing a series of cooking classes, again focusing on fresh, local market food. I am now teaching those! Mark your calendars for May 25th and June 22nd.
Now I'm thinking about recipes, learning about what is in season, and wondering what I have gotten myself into! At the end of the day, I am soooo excited!
In honour of all this madness, here are TWO new recipes.
CHICKPEA STEW
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp KICS Lemonade Syrup
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs ACE CURRY TO GO Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Fleur de Sel with Herbes de provence
2 tbsp original AJI
14 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian spices
14 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Cups chopped spinach,
1 small chopped zucchini
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Saute onions til soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer till sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.
Serve over couscous.
And for dessert....
APPLE STRAWBERRY CRISP
10 small Ambrosia apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
1 Lb strawberries, sliced
1 and 1/2 C KICS MANGO LEMONADE SYRUP, divided
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 C rolled oats
1 C flour
1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix apples and strawberries together in s large bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 C KICS syrup with cornstarch and mix into a paste. Add remaining KICS and cook over medium heat until thickened and clear. Pour into fruit and stir to combine. Pour fruit into baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and crumble over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees, 45 minutes. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream.
I made a new recipe two weeks ago to play around some more with my lemonade and Dyanna's Aji. I ended up with a fabulous chickpea stew. ( Recipe to follow!) While I was creating I got to thinking that our local paper needs another column. This one should focus on local food, and promote the farmer's market (of which I am a passionate member). I sent my idea off to the editor of the Tri-City News, and he liked the idea. Now I am waiting to hear if I will be writing it!
After I made the stew, I thought I would take some down to my friend Septembre at Cooks n Corks because some of the ingredients came from her store. That led to me proposing a series of cooking classes, again focusing on fresh, local market food. I am now teaching those! Mark your calendars for May 25th and June 22nd.
Now I'm thinking about recipes, learning about what is in season, and wondering what I have gotten myself into! At the end of the day, I am soooo excited!
In honour of all this madness, here are TWO new recipes.
CHICKPEA STEW
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp KICS Lemonade Syrup
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs ACE CURRY TO GO Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Fleur de Sel with Herbes de provence
2 tbsp original AJI
14 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian spices
14 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Cups chopped spinach,
1 small chopped zucchini
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Saute onions til soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer till sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.
Serve over couscous.
And for dessert....
APPLE STRAWBERRY CRISP
10 small Ambrosia apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
1 Lb strawberries, sliced
1 and 1/2 C KICS MANGO LEMONADE SYRUP, divided
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 C rolled oats
1 C flour
1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix apples and strawberries together in s large bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 C KICS syrup with cornstarch and mix into a paste. Add remaining KICS and cook over medium heat until thickened and clear. Pour into fruit and stir to combine. Pour fruit into baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and crumble over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees, 45 minutes. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream.
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