Girl Time





Summer just wouldn’t be complete without at least one "girl weekend" with Andrea in Ottawa. I hadn’t been in a few years due to unforeseen circumstances, but this summer I was determined to get there. Come hell or high water I was getting on a train and trekking to our country’s capital for a weekend.

Between the lingering discussions over coffee (at least 3 hours on Sunday morning) and the Olympic-style patio-lounging on Saturday sipping Kir Royales, we didn’t really do much at all. We did manage to venture through the market ooh-ing and ahh-ing over all the amazing looking fruits and vegetables and purchased many delicious snacks to indulge in.

Saturday afternoon was spent relaxing in her backyard, sipping sangria and enjoying the nibbles we’d purchased earlier that day. We even managed to throw together a delicious barbecue dinner for three very hungry boys who showed up somewhat unexpectedly.

On Sunday I finally got to see their new house, which Andrea’s husband has been diligently renovating for at least a year. It is absolutely beautiful too – from the enormous kitchen to the lovely three-season porch to all of the striking turn-of-the-century details. I really wish I had taken pictures.

It was an amazing weekend – full of good conversation, incredible food and lots of relaxation; just what a Domestic Goddess needs. I could do with a weekend like that again already – and in fact we are planning one for the fall or early winter. I’ve only ever been to Ottawa in the summer so I am looking forward to going when the weather is cooler. If anyone has any thoughts on what you simply must do in Ottawa in the fall, please let me know!

Grilled to Perfection

Somewhere in amongst the trips to the pool, the treks to the cottage, the seemingly unending backyard cleaning, the outdoor home repairs and the hours of watching the Olympics, I find time to cook. I love summer cooking for its simplicity: meat + grill = dinner. I find the scents of summer cooking irresistible: all those fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables make me lightheaded (in a good way). The flavours of summer are diverse and splendid…and tempt my palate well into the cool crisp months that follow.

S. and I have a deal that lasts from early April until late October. Actually, who am I kidding, it’s an all-year-round arrangement, much to his chagrin. If I marinate the meat and put together a side dish, he is more than willing to take to the outdoors and grill our main course. Sometimes I will peek out the kitchen window or lean out the back door to see him strutting around the backyard, congratulating himself on a job well done. He is artfully arranging steaks or chicken on the barbecue in order to achieve maximum beauty with his precise grill marks.

I benefit from this display of gastronomic masculinity not too long after as he proudly presents a plate of perfectly grilled meat. Even though he claims not to know what he’s doing some of the time dinner always turns out perfectly cooked, deliciously presented and amazingly delectable.

World Famous

Though I may reside in the city, at heart I believe I am a bona fide cottage-goer. I love the planning, the packing, the driving, the arrival, the unpacking, the stay, the clean up, and even the long, weary trip home. I think what does it for me every time is the truly magnificent eats we always manage to have. My parent’s cottage kitchen is about 3 feet wide by 7 feet long – it is an original “galley” kitchen. There are no fancy gadgets and not a heck of a lot of space, but some of my most memorable meals have been prepared in that kitchen. Something special happens to food once it travels north of the city; it takes on a new fascination for me, a whole new meaning and of course an entirely new flavour.

Continue reading “World Famous”

Summer Cooking

I feel as though I am MIA these days…but really I’m not! I’m just spending way too much time in my handsome, newly fenced-in back yard and my not-so-lovely kitchen, lounging outside in the sun and inside cooking up a storm. I have also been hiding, peeking out at the extreme weather we have been experiencing this summer, serving up some serious summer comfort food to my hard-working "boys".

I have been working on some truly delicious recipes (coming soon!) and reading some seriously amazing cookbooks (reviews coming soon!) so be sure not to stray too far. To tide you over, here are a few of my all-time favourite savoury summer recipes:

Tomato, Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts
These small tarts are perfect for a picnic or a nice cool evening when you don’t mind using the oven (or the toaster oven!).

Barbeque Chicken Wings
I think that chicken wings are the ideal acompaniment to watching a summer baseball or softball game – at the park or in the living room.

Coffee Marinated Steak
This is a cottage favourite. Rich and robust, perfect with grilled vegetables and garlic mashed.

Deviled Eggs
What backyard party is complete with these little treats?

Spicy Seared Scallops
This dish is simple but delicious – my favourite combination!

Lemon-Garlic Grilled Shrimp
These shrimp are so good you will peel them while you eat them and lick your fingers all night long.

Caprese Salad
If you can wait until your garden tomatoes come into season this is the perfect use for them. Otherwise pick up some fresh Ontario Beefsteak tomatoes at the market.

Chicken Fajitas
Fajitas are easy on the stove or the grill and are always delicious!

Maple Mustard Moose Wings
A Canadian version of "Buffalo Wings" that’ll make you want it to be Canada Day all over again!

Summer Sentimentality



I am having a torrid love affair and I’m all hot and bothered by it.

Let me at least try to explain… The affair began on Canada Day, July 1st. And no, it had nothing to do with "Mmm… Canada", I promise. Since that afternoon it has carried on, much to my dear husband’s vexation. You see, he knows…and he is tormented by it.

I can’t help it and I will keep on with it until the flame dies out. You’d be sure to notice its effects if you took one look at me, walking down the street, smiling like a crazy person while the sun blinds me, my clothes stick to my skin and the heat addles my brain. I’m in love and I quite simply cannot get enough.

Both S. and Leith are plagued with sleeplessness while I on the other hand, sleep like a baby – could it be the effects of my wandering heart? Neither of them can comprehend why this love makes me so happy, and strangely neither is insistent that I give it up. They just wish I wouldn’t gush about it quite so often.

This forbidden love of which I speak? The hot, humid weather of the summer. I have a renewed love of warm weather, of summer and of being outside. I think I spent too many months indoors last year and my body is just now getting used to the idea that I do not have to confine myself to a hospital room for the next three months. Recently S., Leith and I were at the beach, watching the ducks, wading in the water and simply enjoying the summer weather. That was when I fell in love. I actually stopped, hugged and kissed S. and told him how happy I am, just to be outside. I know, I’m crazy, but you don’t know what you have until you lose it, and sometimes you don’t know what you’ve lost until you get it back again.

Mmm… Gardening





After reading about everyone’s home-grown Canadian goodness this past week I was inspired to plant my own tiny version in my backyard. I have been longing for a backyard garden of my very own for a long time and this year I was finally granted both a yard and some dirt in order to make this Domestic Goddess’s dream come true.

I had decided to wait until S. and my brother had had a chance to get the fence built. This fence may have taken a while but it sure is a thing of beauty, even without the gates on. S. and I are both very proud of our wee house with its teeny backyard and this gorgeous fence.

So yesterday all of a sudden I found myself standing in the middle of a garden centre, Leith loading up the bottom "shelf" of the garden cart, and me loading up the top. I managed to convince him in the end that we only needed one purple basil plant and no Geraniums, but it was a positive outcome over all. He can be very helpful in garden centres it turns out – I never would have found the tomatoes if it weren’t for him pointing at all the little yellow, red and green fruits (vegetables?) saying "ball! ball!".

So we brought home a small flat of plantables and S. told me it was up to me to do the dirty work. So this morning while he and Leith were out running errands and visiting Aunties I dug my fingers into some seriously black earth and planted my little heart out.

Just think of all the amazing dishes that will be enhanced by my fresh thyme, basil, chives, tomatoes and hot peppers. I searched and searched for rosemary but there was none to be found. We might have to head out again today so I can get some at another nursery.

Mmm… Canada – The Sugar High Edition

Jasmine and I have spent the last month receiving and reading emails about what Canada tastes like to our fellow Canadian (and honourary Canadian!) bloggers. I asked for sweet recipes and Jasmine solicited savoury ones. I think that between the two of us we have officially taken Canada to new gustatory heights. And now it’s your turn to read about these fabulous Canadian sweet (andsavoury!) treats.

I am going to do this round up geographically. I’ll start on the east coast, head west and then go south to our American friends who begged to be honourary Canadians for this celebration. After that I’ll head over to Europe for a few more honourary Canucks and a few Canadians living abroad.

Ready? I want everyone to say it with me: Mmm… Canada!


Ruth of Once Upon a Feast used to live in Toronto but moved out east to Nova Scotia recently. Loving everything the beautiful east coast province has to offer she has written an entry mentioning many of the amazing foodie-oriented benefits that come with living there. From cheeses to wines to herbs and vegetables to vinegars and oils, they are there for the consumption! For her Mmm… Canada Sweet Edition recipe Ruth has graciously submitted her very own Super Strawberry Tart, made with gorgeous local strawberries.


Wandering west we stop in Quebec and are tempted by Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction and her Maple Syrup stories and mentions of Maple Sugar Ragga Muffins. She has also baked up a delectable Maple Syrup Pecan Bundt Cake (that has 2 whole cups of Canada’s delicious “liquid gold” in it!).


Jenny of All Things Edible from Ottawa teases us with tales of Beaver Tails. She then goes on to make something even more delicious with an ingredient that many people consider a rich part of Canadian food culture: Rhubarb. Jenny made a scrumptious batch of Rhubarb ice cream to top a yummy Rhubarb Cobbler. I’m headed out now to scour the neighborhood yards for rhubarb!


Traveling west (probably battling long-weekend traffic on the 401) we stop off in for a pit-stop in lovely Oshawa to see What Smells So Good?. Sarah is baking up a storm, adding the extremely Canadian Crispy Crunch bars, to a batch of brownies to create what might be my new favourite breakfast(!).


Heading a bit further west we hit the ‘big smoke’…Toronto(!) for a couple of bloggers in my area. First up, Candace of Mmm, Tasty! prepares a Maritime sweet treat – Blueberry Grunt (a wild blueberry sauce topped with a sweet biscuit dough, and the dough is steamed until puffed up and cooked through.)


Elizabeth (who was born in Manitoba, grew up in Alberta and now lives in Toronto) of Blog from OUR Kitchen is revisiting memories of her youth and rhubarb with her fabulous Rhubarb Pie recipe. I only wish my own backyard sprouted the delicious Ontario “weed”!


Next up, Monica of Nervous Chef brings us her rendition of the Butter Tart with a glorious crown of caramel drizzle to tempt your sweet tooth even more (if that is indeed possible).


My own creation for this warm Canada Day is Maple Ice Cream with fresh Ontario Blueberries and Strawberries. I think S. and I will be eating it right out of the tub while sitting in the backyard this evening while the fireworks peek through the trees.


Heading about an hour and a quarter west of Toronto, we stop off in picturesque Paris (Paris, Ontario that is!) to see that MsC of My Sweet Cupcakes has been baking up a storm, making batch upon batch of Butter Tarts. Although these little sugar tarts are very much a Canadian confection and there are a million and one recipes for them, Msc wanted to rely on a slightly more “original” version. Her recipe is from a cookbook produced by the Royal Victoria Hospital’s Women’s Auxiliary in Barrie, Ontario in 1900. Obviously this recipe stood the test of time because her tarts look delicious!

Expanding into the province of Ontario we find another group of bloggers who joined in on Mmm… Canada.


The first person we pop in to see is none other than Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict. I figured she would be too busy with her own savoury side of Mmm… Canada to concoct a sweet dish but of course she came through. And what a deliciously tempting dish it is: her very own Spiced Blueberry-Maple Syrup. I am dying for some of this syrup right now…perhaps she and I can do some sort of an Mmm… Canada amalgamation. My ice cream smothered in her syrup? (And of course her Savoury Ramp Rolls would go great alongside my Maple Mustard Moose Wings).


After that we head on over to Kaitlin’s (of Kait’s Plate) in beautiful Essex County and indulge in yet another sweet treat. Her Strawberry-Rhubarb French Toast both looks and sounds like the perfect sweet-tooth breakfast for any patriotic Canadian.


Next up, Marika of Madcap Cupcake schools us on the history of the Nanaimo Bar and then “veganizes” a recipe. Her bars look fantastic and I’ll bet they taste as good – if not better than – they look.


Another fellow Ontarian, Natashaya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, comes through with her mouth-watering recipe for Mini Maple Cakes. Go and check out the picture she took – it’s an especially “sweet” version of the Canadian flag!


Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs also hails from Ontario and has brought us another delectable version of Butter Tarts (hers are “Glorious and Free” [of Eggs and Dairy]) and look surprisingly close to the real thing.


And our last Ontario-based blogger, Shari of Whisk: a food blog, is giving me cavities with her delicious individual serving-sized Sugar Pies (cooked in a jar!) but I want to eat them all anyway. She even added maple syrup to her recipe to make it even more Canadian…and because (lucky girl that she is) she lives 45 minutes from a maple syrup manufacturer (I think she should send me some, don’t you?).


Skipping across the country we wind up in Alberta with Jackie of Gasterea’s Table who has made a delicious Queen Elizabeth Cake. This is a date and walnut cake, covered in a wonderfully sticky caramel sauce. I’ve had it once I loved it – and never have I seen it since.


Moving a little further west across the country we end up in beautiful British Columbia with a former Ontario resident, Deb of anm8rchick: the miss underpants project who talks of her memories of Sugar Bush trips. She has made a fine-looking batch of Maple Cookies, filled with a delectable maple cream icing.


Another BC’er, Joanna of Salute to Sanity has my taste buds going crazy for her Maple Bacon Pound Cake with Sweet Maple Glaze. Don’t you just love the salty-sweet combination in this?


Next up, Liz of Bits ‘n Bites who lives in BC but was ‘born and bred’ in Quebec, offers up her recipe for Sugar Pie. She also provides us with a great recipe for Nanaimo Bars to represent her present geographical location.


From the Okanagan Valley (in BC) comes Val of More than Burnt Toast. She has made Strawberry Shortcakes Val says: “In Canada, as a general rule, we are given a British based short-“cake” and in the States they make a biscuit out of “short”-ening. Is it “short” or is it “cake”…who cares…both versions are delicious.”


And the last of our west-coast entries is from Vera of Baking Obsession who gives us another version of Canadian Butter Tarts. Her presentation is a bit different than I’m used to but I think I like them better this way!

Now let’s visit our neighbors to the south and a bunch of honourary Canadians.


First up is AS of Life’s too Short for Mediocre Chocolate. She has definitely earned herself the title of Canadian-for-a-day with a genuine love of ice hockey and her two versions of Nanaimo Bars: Nanaimo Pie and Nanaimo Cheesecake Bars.


Moving right along we have Heather of Diary of a Fanatic Foodie who introduces us to her tasty Cherry Maple Cupkins. Oh, and just so you know Heather, we also grow Cherries in Canada (mainly in Ontario and British Columbia)!


Another Canadian “wannabe” is Judy of Judy’s Gross Eats from Ventura, California. Judy has made another delicious version of Butter Tarts, apparently the most famous of Canadian desserts.


Next up is JZ of Tasty Treats who has made another new very interesting and I’m sure, scrumptious version of an old Canadian stand-by, Cappuccino Nanaimo Bars.


Moving right along we head up to New York City, where Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives has stolen my heart with her Polka Dot White-Maple Mousse Nanaimo Bars. Her inspiration was a Canadian-produced television show of my own childhood, The Polka Dot Door.


Now we head to Chicago to see what a former resident of Toronto makes as an honourary Canadian. Janine of Rustic Kitchen has made a taste bud-tempting Apricot almond tart to celebrate her Canadian friends and all the joy — and delicious tastes – they’ve brought her through the years.


Next we shoot on over to the west coast of the United States and head north of Seattle, Washington where Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody makes our teeth ache (in a good way) with her recipe for Maple Syrup Pie.


After that particularly sweet concoction let’s see what Rachel of Vampituity has in store for us. She has used a semi-savoury ingredient to create a new version of an old favourite: Gingerbread Cake. Except that this cake is aptly named The Cake of the Damned, because it is made with Maudite, a Canadian Beer.


Remaining in the US for just a bit longer we stop in at Foodblogga where Susan has made a luscious looking Blackberry Oatmeal Cake. Her memories of rainy days in Vancouver, sipping lattes and eating this cake have me longing for a few lazy, rainy mornings myself.


Next up, Texas! Where The Apron Queen (of Confessions of an Apron Queen) has us drooling over a batch of Maple Walnut Fudge. She also has this great Canada-themed apron with the changing of the guard on it that I love!


The last American who wanted to be Canadian-for-a-day is Zilla of Climbin’ the walls who wows us with her Tantalizing Berry Tarts. The recipe comes from The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook (written by L. M. Montgomery, a Canadian).

And now we head overseas to England, where we have two wannabe-Canadians and one Canadian-living-abroad…


First up we have George of Culinary Travels Of A Kitchen Goddess who treats us with a gorgeous Rhubarb and Maple Bundt Cake with Maple Icing. She has also suggested a wine pairing of an Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine.


Next is Jessica of RD-2B who has made only the second very delicious-looking version of Strawberry Shortcake in this entire list (and she thought there would be many, many more!).


Our last British entrant is someone who used to live in Toronto. Sands of All Things Dolce is the only person who managed to concoct a both a savoury and a sweet recipe all in one! She made her childhood favourite: a Strawberry Sandwich. This is exactly what I will be making my son for breakfast tomorrow – he LOVES strawberries!


Our next stop is in Northern Germany where see that Ulrike of Kuchenlatein has made a truly delicious-looking batch of Nanaimo Bars, which were “love at first taste”. And I love the European flair the lady fingers add to the crust!


Our second-to-last Mmm… Canada participant comes to us from Milan, Italy (also originally from Toronto). Joanne of Frutto della Passione made her favourite Canadian dessert, Butter Tarts. Apparently, whenever she comes back to Canada she eats one everyday for breakfast and another one just before going to bed…now that’s a true Canadian!


The last stop we make is all the way over in Australia where we see what Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen is cooking up. For someone who has never been to Canada, she has hit the nail on the head with her very Canadian-esque Oat S’mores.

Thank you so much for joining in on Mmm… Canada, the Sugar High Edition. I don’t think Canada Day has ever been quite so sweet. If you have an entry that has been over looked or you are so inspired by the above list that you want to make something now, please let me know and I will add you to the list.

And be sure to check out Jasmine’s savoury Mmm… Canada round-up…I can hardly wait to see what everyone has come up with on that side of the table!

Maple Madness



My Canadian roots stretch back further than I know. I have great, great grandparents who were born here, so though I always say I’m of British/Irish/Scottish descent, that is only from the males in the family. My grandmothers parents were born here I believe (on both sides)…so I’m a Canadian girl, through and through.

Until very recently I would have scoffed at any thought of good "Canadian" food (as would I’m sure, most people). But think about it. Canada produces lots of gorgeously delicious fruits and vegetables. There are farms that produce free-range chickens, milk-fed veal and some of the best grain-fed cattle in the world. We have road-side stands that sell corn and berries and pumpkins and tomatoes. We have farmer’s markets dotting every green space in the city of Toronto that will support a few trailers and their owners (there is even one outside of The Hospital for Sick Children every Tuesday morning now!).

When I think about what flavour best encompasses the country for me it has always been Maple. We proudly display the tree’s leaf on our flag, one of our favourite hockey teams (that we love and also love to hate) wears it with honour on their jerseys and it is the symbol of our country. Right next to the beaver. But beaver meat, while apparently sweet and tender – like corned beef – is not readily available (and no, I have never eaten it myself).

So Maple is my choice for both my savoury dish – Maple Mustard Moose Wings and my sweet one – Maple Ice Cream with Berries.

Backyard Delights



On warm summer evenings there are very few things that beat the flawless combination of good friends, good weather and good eats. Back yard entertaining is one of my favourite ways to spend time during the entirely too few warm months in Canada. Growing up, a large backyard was something we took for granted as kids. We always had a place to play, a place to picnic, a place to pitch a tent and play at "camping". Even though we lived smack in the middle of busy, crowded, downtown Toronto we always had that shady, comfortable, large oasis at our beck and call.

I don’t think I truly appreciated how good we had it back then until S. and I bought our own house this past fall. We love our little house and are absolutely crazy about living in Leslieville (we are close to everything: Little India, the Beach, Queen East, TTC, and only about a 12-minute drive from the downtown core), but we realized this spring that something very important was missing.

We don’t actually have a back yard.

Well, we do have a rather petite rectangle of grass behind our house that S. has been working hard to keep neatly mowed. Recently we have been making very big plans for what (hopefully) will be in no time, our own wee sanctuary. Once we have a fence built, the barbecue S. received as a Father�s Day gift will come out of its box, the lawn chairs will come out of the basement and Leith will be �set free� in his very own outdoor space to play, picnic and pitch a tent.

Once all the bits and pieces come together we will of course host a backyard barbecue with friends, food and fun overflowing. I have some very good backyard-friendly recipes already but only recently have I come up with a worthwhile coleslaw recipe. Because honestly, what good are homemade burgers, grilled corn with chipotle butter and margaritas without a delicious bowl of chilled coleslaw�???

My Dearest Leitho





You are now two years old and I think it is high time I started writing letters to you. This will be my very first one. Please forgive me if I babble on incoherently or if I reveal anything truly embarrassing, I am still new to this whole thing (writing about motherhood, the act of motherhood, you name it).

You are asleep right now, in your very own bed in your very own room upstairs. You had an active day (helping your father dig holes in the backyard, helping me make dinner, playing with the hose in the back yard and drawing some rather interesting renditions of all of your beloved family members and friends with your crayons) and I was not surprised to see you drift off to sleep on the way home in the car.

You are an excellent sleeper. Sometimes I watch you sleep. I come into your room at night to check on you and your face mesmerizes me. You are completely at peace when you sleep and so utterly beautiful it makes my heart hurt. I run my hand over your forehead and your nose wrinkles up for about two seconds and then your face lapses into its delicate baby curves once again.

Those curves are disappearing now that you are two (terrible two!) and you are turning into a little boy. This morning I looked at you and was sad for a brief moment. Sad that you are no longer that mewling little bundle that was totally dependent upon me for every need. Sad that you are growing so quickly it is difficult to keep up with the changes. At the same time I was overjoyed to note that you are learning things faster than you did even just a few months ago. I was pleased that you are becoming independent ("no" is one of your favourite words), even though it means daily small accidents (you fell and split your lip open the other day and scared your poor father half-to-death).

To put it bluntly, you amaze me. You amaze me daily with your pure joy and your compassion. You thrill me with your love and devotion. You impress me with the new skills you are learning and the old ones you are retaining. You are, in short, the centre of my world.

At least once a week someone asks me if I want to have more kids; I suppose I am at the point and age where a second child would be welcomed. If I could have more I would have to consider it very seriously, because I know you would be the most amazing older brother in the world. But since that is a blessing I am unable to accept I am happy to say that you are more than enough child for me. While you make me want to have a dozen children just like you, you also give me reason to never have another because no one could ever measure up to you. You’ve spoiled me for other kids little man…and, I think, spoiled a few of your aunties in this regard as well.

I will stop rambling on now…and end this (my first!) letter to you.

Happy Birthday my little munchkin man…I love you very much.