Cooking and Entertaining

Experimenting at home making martinis and cocktails can be a lot of fun and really impress a crowd. Here are some of the essential tools you should have to help create your tasty libations:

Shot Glass

Available in both one ounce and two ounce, shot glasses will help with accurately measuring each of the liquid ingredients for drink recipes. Shot glasses are the equivalent of measuring cups and spoons for cooking and baking.

Ice Scoop

Ice should be placed in a large container and placed into cups or shakers using a plastic or metal scoop. Glasses should never be used to scoop ice because they can chip or break and then the entire glass needs to be thrown away and the ice discarded. No one wants to get a piece of glass in their drink.

Bar Mat

The bar mat is where drinks are mixed on top of. Place the glass on the bar matt while being assembled. The small square at the end is where shot glasses should be placed, upside down, when not being used. The matt collects over-pours and spills. When the drink is ready it is placed six inches in front of the matt, signaling that the drink is complete.

Pourers

Essential for pouring to the exact ounce, down to the drop. Pourers should be used on top of every liquor and juice bottle. They allow for quick, efficient and accurate pours.

Shaker Set

The most popular shaker set for bartenders is the Boston Shaker. A shaker set includes a shaker glass, metal shaker, strainer and bar spoon. Drinks should always be assembled in the metal shaker. When ready to shake, the glass is carefully slid on top and shaken 10-12 times end-to-end. Once shaken, the glass is removed, the strainer placed on top of the metal shaker, and then pour into the serving glass. A bar spoon is used when delicate liquors, like gins, need to be mixed without getting bruised from being shaken.

Other great pieces to add to your home bar collection over time would include a garnish tray, straws, garnish picks, cocktail napkins, glassware, juice pitchers, zesters, and hand juicer.

Preserving fruit is a tradition of our grandmothers. But believe it or not, there’s a whole new generation that have embraced the by-gone skills of past generations, and re-erected the craft to produce fun and exciting temptations, including brandied cherries

Brandied cherries are simple and easy to make. It all starts off with fresh, juicy cherries, hand-picked from the tree! Here’s how you make it happen:

1. Pitt fresh cherries
2. Place the cherries in sterilized pint canning jars. Fill to ¾” from the top of the jar.
3. Pour in 1 oz rum, 1 oz brandy or vodka, and 1 oz amaretto.
4. Fill the jar to ½” from the top of the jar with hot simple syrup (1 cup of water brought to boil with 1 cup of sugar).
5. Quickly wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, moist cloth and place a snap-seal lid (previous heated in hot water), on the jar. Screw on a canning ring until it’s finger tight.
6. Place the jars into a boiling water bath canner. Allow the canner to come to full-boil, and then boil the jars for 10 minutes.
7. Remove the jars from the canner, keeping them in an upright position. Place them on a thick towel, away from drafts.
8. Allow the jars to cool overnight. After 24 hours, remove the rings, and wash the jars in warm, soapy water, to remove the sticky syrup from the sides of the jar.

Store the jars in a cool, dark, dry location. Let them sit for at least two weeks. Use within one year of canning. Once the jar is opened, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Fresh Okanagan raspberries in vodka.

Making homemade fruit flavoured vodka is pretty simple. It’s a great way to capture the essence of the summer season, when fruit is fresh and full of flavor.

Start by washing fresh, whole fruit. Use fruit that is not bruised, molding or under-ripe. Raspberries just need to be rinsed. Strawberries cut in half. Cherries need to be cut and half and pitted. Blueberries need to be blanched for 20 seconds. Pineapple can be sliced with the rind removed. Peaches, pears and nectarines need to be skinned and sliced with the pit / cores removed.

Fill a sterilized canning jar half full of prepared fruit. Fill the remainder of the jar with vodka. Seal with a sterilized lid. Place in the fridge for 3 days, up to 2 weeks.

Use flavoured vodka in your favourite cocktail or martini recipes, or create your own!

The vodka can be strained through a filter into a fresh sterilized jar and stored in the fridge for another 4-6 weeks. The fruit, which will be soaked in vodka-goodness, can be eaten – but beware, it will be potent.

Okanagan cherries in vodka

There are three iconic Canadian foods; maple syrup, smoked salmon and poutine. The first two are very well-known around the world, yet many have yet to know and experience one of the best fast-food dishes that originates from Quebec – Poutine!

Poutine is simple and easy to make. Fresh, hot French fries, topped with fresh cheese curds, and covered in brown gravy.

The fries are typically a medium cut and are deep fried. The cheese curds must be fresh; less than a day old, so they will melt and squeak. The brown gravy sauce is made from chicken and beef gravy, with a hint of pepper. The hot gravy softens and melts the cheese curds.

Poutine can also include bacon, chicken or Montreal smoked meat.

Spring is here and it’s time to get together and celebrate! There are fabulous, fragrant flowers that are filling the spring air with fresh scents. From lilacs and tulips, to daffodils and daisies! It’s a true rainbow of spring happiness that needs to be celebrated with fantastic friends and flavourful drinks.

Here are four great tips on hosting a fun Spring Fling party:

1. Send out the invitation a week or two in advance of the party. As people to RSVP a few days before the event. You may consider sending a reminder the day before or the morning of the party.
2. Decorate using fresh, seasonal flowers. They fill the room with bursts of colour and bring the excitement of spring indoors.
3. Serve fresh-tasting seasonal beverages including white sangria, gin & soda, Pimm’s Cup and other favourites. Many cocktails can be made up in advance in mason jars and stored in the refrigerator – just add ice, shake well, and soda before serving. This way you can enjoy the party too!
4. Have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable snacks. Most people are starting to put in a lot of hours in at the gym getting their beach bodies ready and they’ll appreciate the thoughtfulness.
5. Throw on the iPod and shuffle through up-beat dance music to keep the party going. Spring energy is fun, so should be the music.

There you have it – Spring Fling! Give these party tips a whirl. Leave a comment on this post if you have any other great spring party ideas.

It’s just like your grandma’s fresh-baked apple pie, only with a twist – instead of being baked as an entire pie, it’s baked as single-servings in canning jars! Now all your dinner party guests can have their individual servings. Screw a snap-lid and canning ring on it and you can easily store them in the fridge, take them to work for lunch, on a Sunday hike, or on a romantic picnic.

Ingredients:

• 8 X 250ml (half pint) glass canning jars
• 4 uncooked pie crusts
• 7 cups (15-20) apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg

Lay out the piecrusts on a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a jar to cut 8 circles. Insert one circle of dough into the base of each jar, pressing into place. Cut the remaining piecrusts into long strips, about 4” wide. Press the dough inside each jar so the inside is completely covered.

In a large bowl, toss the apple slices in the lemon juice.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients together. Pour the sugar mixture over the apples and toss until evenly coated.

Equally divide the apple filling into each of the jars, filling each jar about 2/3 full. Finish each “pie” with a crust – either another circle of piecrust, or make a lattice top. Pinch and fold the top piecrust inside the jar, below the top edge of the jar.

Even though canning jars are heat resistant, it’s best to place  the jars on a baking sheet inside a cold oven. Heat the oven to 375’F (190’c) and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Remove from oven and let the jars cool on a wire rack, away from drafts or cold.

Summer isn’t too far off – so experiment with other pie fillings like blueberries, strawberry-rhubarb, and cherries!

After taking a brief break over the winter season, Master chef, Marcel Kauer is ready to re-open the dining room at Hastings House Country House Hotel on Salt Spring Island this Friday, March 2, 2012. The opening will feature a traditional a la carte menu consisting of a three-course meal prepared by Kauer and his culinary team.

This year marks Chef Kauer’s 20^th year at Hastings House. He arrived in 1992 as a Sous Chef and over the years his high standards has kept the dining room listed as one of the top rated dining spots in Canada by the Zagat Guide.

Kauer grew up in a small Swiss Village that he says reminds him a little of Salt Spring Island. “There are similarities.  I noticed the land right away when I arrived here from Vancouver in 1992.  It’s the small, rural, country life that drew me in.  My wife and I have enjoyed living here ever since.”

Although the menu has seen a changes over the years, the one thing that has not changed in the quality of the food.

“When I first arrived as a Sous Chef 20 years ago, we had a fixed menu of fish or lamb,” Kauer explained. “In the last 4 to 5 years we have provided guests with more choices and presented an à la carte menu. We always base the menu on the freshest available ingredients, many of which come directly from our own estate garden.”

“As Chefs go, Marcel Kauer is recognized as a top notch professional,” said Hastings House General Manager, Kelly McAree. “We are really proud of his tenure at the hotel.  He is a humble person who shies away from the spotlight, but when guest chefs come here they are clearly happy to work with him in creating a memorable dining experience.”

In 2010 Hastings House started the guest chef program, “Chefs Across the Water”. The special dinner evenings have proven to be very popular and have added to Chef Kauer’s reputation and a world-class chef.

A modern and fun twist on serving Jell-O shots at your next party. Not only do they look impressive, but they are also easier to consume.

•  4 Naval Oranges
• 2 Packages Jell-O
• 2 Cups Vodka

Cut Naval oranges in half. Using a spoon, carefully hollow out the inside of the orange like a Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin so only the peel remains. It’s important not to make any holes in the orange peel when hollowing it out. Once the orange halves are hollowed, place open-side up into a muffin tray. Set aside.

Boil kettle with water. Mix two single packages of Jell-O with two cups of hot water. Stir well. Add two cups of vodka. Mix well.

Pour Jell-O mix into orange halves. Carefully transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate for six hours.

When ready to serve, use a serrated knife and carefully cut orange halves into three wedges. Place on plate and serve.

In the winter there’s nothing like homemade soup to warm you up from the inside. Soup from scratch doesn’t have to take a long time to make either – it can be as fast as 20-30 minutes. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for making cream of broccoli soup from scratch.

• 4 cups broccoli florets and stems, chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli in chicen stock until tender. Do not drain. Let cool for a bit and then puree in a blender or food processor. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter. Add onion and carrots and saute lightly. Do not brown. Add flour, salt, pepper and milk. Stir until mixture boils and thickens. Add broccoli mixture. Stir until hot again.

Carefully ladle into bowls and top with cheddar cheese.

This recipe should make 5 individual servings.

Celebrate autumn with a batch of homemade gingerbread cookies. Not only do they taste good; your home will smell wonderful!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
•  1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then the eggs and molasses. Add the flower mixture, combining on low speed. Divide the dough into thirds, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Heat over to 350’c. On a floured surface, rol out the dough to 1/8” thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet and refrigerate until firm. Bake until crisp; approximately 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool on wire racks. Decorate with sugar, sprinkles, icing, etc.

Grandma’s always make the best hot cocoa. Why? Because it was made from scratch. Believe it or not, it is pretty easy to make hot cocoa. With the cool rainy Autumn days upon us and long, cold winter nights just around the corner, here’s the recipe so you can stay warm and cozy:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 cups milk

In a large saucepan add cocoa, sugar and salt. Gradually stir in 4 cups of warm milk. Set over low heat at stir occasionally for 8-10 minutes. Add remaining 8 cups of milk and heat until scalding. Do not boil. Serve in mugs. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg or top with marshmallows. Makes 12 servings.

To make a single serving, use 1 tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt, 1/3 cup water and 2/3 cup milk. Pour all ingredients into a sauce pant and heat slowly  until scalding.

Make it adult style by pouring cocoa into a mug and adding 1/2 oz Bailey’s and 1/2 oz Frangelico.

An easy and fragrant way to spice up carrots.

• 4 cups of bite-sized carrots
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup cranberries
• ½ teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 firm, ripe pear; peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter

In a non-stick pan, combine carrots, orange juice, cranberries and ginger. Bring to boil and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pears, brown sugar and butter. Cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Making cranberry sauce from scratch is just as easy as using a can opener, but the results of making it yourself are far superior. Plus, using  fresh cranberries (or freshly frozen), means you know that there are no preservatives and you can control the sugar!

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups fresh cranberries

In a medium pot, bring water to full boil. Add sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add cranberries. Bring to boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cranberries will pop during the cooking process.

Stuffing is an essential part of any traditional roasted turkey or chicken dinner.

Make your own dry bread cubes by cutting 12- 14 slices fresh bread into ½ cubes (makes about 8 cups). Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 300’c for 10-15 minutes, or let them air dry for 8-10 hours.

• 1 ½ cups celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon of fresh sage
• ½ tsp poultry seasoning
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 12 cups dried bread cubes
• 1 cup chicken broth

In a large pan, cook celery and onion in butter until soft and tender. When it’s done, add in fresh snipped sage, poultry seasoning and pepper.

In a large bowl, mix bread cubes with celery / onion mix. Mix well. Drizzle chicken broth to moisten, tossing lightly until it is all combined.

Place the stuffing into a casserole dish and bake covered at 325’c for 30-45 minutes.

Tips:

• Do no stuff the poultry in advance; stuff it just before you put it into the oven.
• It takes about ¾ of a cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey / chicken
• Don’t pack in the stuffing, keep it loose; otherwise it will not reach a safe temperature by the time the poultry is done cooking. It needs to reach at least 165’c (use a meat thermometer).

Gone are the days of old ladies wearing big hats sitting in a parlor sipping tea with their pinkies in the air. “High Tea” was for the British working class, who had tea as their supper, which was a hearty meal of sandwiches and scones. In many regions of the world, tea is an honour of tradition.

Over time, the tradition of afternoon tea has evolved. Today’s afternoon tea can range from casual to formal. Afternoon tea may be hosted from early to late afternoon and is enjoyed by both men and women.

Afternoon tea is a great alternative if you want to host a party. It doesn’t have to be as sophisticated or elaborate as a formal dinner party. It is a nice way to spend an afternoon catching up with friends, celebrating a birthday, baby or bridal shower, anniversary or retirement party, or a graduation.

Food is always prepared in advance of guests arriving. It can be served buffet style or served by passing plates at the table. Whether the occasion is casual or formal, the table should always be set with the best china, silver and linens.

To make a perfect pot of tea, pour cold water into a kettle and let it come to a hard boil. While the kettle is boiling, pour hot water into your teapot. When the kettle is comes to the hard boil, dump the hot water from the teapot, put in your fresh tea, and add the freshly boiled water. Cover and let steep for four minutes. When it’s done steeping, remove the tea and discard. Always keep an extra kettle of hot water to weaken strong tea, or to quickly make another fresh pot.

Here are some useful tips to help you plan and host your next afternoon English tea party:

• Choose the date of the tea party. Formal tea parties should have invitations mailed. For casual parties, include  a tea bag in the invitation, or send the invitation by email.
• Purchase tea supplies in advance. Have several teapots to make and serve a variety of teas.
• For casual mid-afternoon tea, prepare lighter snacks and small bites. If the tea party replaces a meal, serve a larger variety and heartier food. Traditional English tea has both savory and sweet fare served including scones, biscuits and tea sandwiches. Traditional tea sandwiches include:
  • Egg salad
  • Cucumber and cream cheese or cucumber and mint
  • Chicken salad
  • Smoked salmon
  • Tuna salad with capers
  • Asparagus and Prosciutto
  • Chicken Pate
  • Traditional English teas served include Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Darjeeling. Queen Elizabeth prefers Darjeeling, also known as the “Champagne” of teas. Loose-leaf tea is superior to bagged tea.
  • Serve milk, cream, sugar, lemon, and honey so each guest can enjoy their tea just the way they like.

Tea sandwich tip:

Use thinly sliced and good quality bread. A thin coating of butter keeps the bread from getting soggy. Trim the crust from the sandwich and cut into small pieces, typically no larger than two-bite size.

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Hosting a toga party conjures up images of college guys having a kegger, running around in bed sheets. Throw away those trashy memories of days gone by and host a fun, adult party by celebrating the ancient festival of the grape harvest. Yes, there will be the traditional Greek and Roman revelry. It’s called a Bacchanalian Bash!

Invite friends over for an evening of Greek and Roman inspired food, wine and ambiance they’ll be sure to enjoy. It’s easy to do and the results are impressive.

For décor, use columns, urns, grapes, topiary and fig trees, and vines. These are easily rented from supply stores like Greenscape Design and Décor in Vancouver. Try to find artwork that is Roman or Greek inspired.

Rather than serving beer from a keg, serve guests red and white wine – after all, it is a grape harvest festival. Serve white wine chilled and red wine decanted, near room temperature. Have lots of wine glasses, a few bottle stoppers and a wine opener available.

Easy to serve appetizers include 6-year aged cheddar cheese with an assortment of water crackers, green and red grapes, dried figs, sliced apples, ancient grain bread, olives and almonds.

If you and your friends do not have access to a suitable toga outfit, it is cheaper to go to a fabric store and buy a few yards of white fabric; plus it’s easier to drape. Traditional togas have a white robe with a red sash. Purple sashes are the royal colour typically reserved for the Togaboy. Costumes are easily accessorized with leather cuffs, a green laurel and gold jewelry.

Set the mood by playing traditional Greek and Roman music in the background, turn down the lights and enjoy the evening over a few (or many) glasses of wine.

What kid (or adult for that matter), doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? With school coming back in session soon, here’s a great soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pur vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chip cookies

Many farms, markets and gardens are bursting with fresh local peppers. While they are perfect for fresh cooking, salads and snacks, it’s also a perfect opportunity to do some quick preserving by freezing them for use later on.

When produce is in season it is cheaper than in the off-season when it has to be imported from other countries or grown in a local hot house. During the summer months it’s easy to head to a local farmers market or farm to purchase the fresh harvest and easily prepare to have some extra local goods to enjoy in the fall and winter season. It’s good and saves money!

While red, yellow, orange and green peppers are now all fresh and in prime picking season, it’s easy to put some away in your freezer. Here’s how:

1. Wash all the peppers and dry with a paper towel.
2. Cut the top off and slice into quarters, removing the seeds and white pith.
3. Slice the quarters into spears using a knife or slice them using a food processor with the slicer blade.
4. Place into ziplock freezer bag, squeeze out all the air and lay flat on a cookie sheet.
5. Label the ziplock bags with the ingredients and the date.
6. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 8 hours, allowing the peppers to freeze solid.
7. Stack in the freezer and use within six months.

Frozen peppers are perfect for using in chili, stirfry and casseroles. Let the peppers thaw before cooking.

Raspberries are in full-swing in British Columbia and now is the best time to take advantage of the great summer harvest by preserving them into tasty jam. Here’s a great recipe that comes from Bernardin. The key to making jam is not to double batch the recipe – it never works and your jam won’t turn out.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mashed raspberries
• 1 package of Bernardin liquid pectin
• 6 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ tbsp butter

Sterilize 6, 250ml jars. Place snap lids into hot water (not boiling). Keep jars and lids hot until ready to use.

Using a deep, stainless steel pot, stir together raspberries, sugar and butter. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Add liquid pectin. Return to full boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Pour the hot jam into the prepared jars, leaving a ¼” head room from the top of the jar. Wipe off the jar rim and remove any food residue. Place the hot lid onto the jar and screw on a jar ring, finger tight.

Place in a hot water bath canner. Bring canner to full rolling boil. Boil filled jars for 10 minutes (adjust accordingly to your altitude).

When the processing is complete, turn off the stove and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes and then remove the jars, placing them on a towel away from drafts. Let the jars sit for 24 hours.

Remove the rings and wash jars and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry jars. For easy removal of rings and to dress up your jars, place a piece of fabric over the jar and then screw the ring back onto the jar.

Store jars in a cool, dry and dark location. Don’t forget to label the jars, including the date canned.

For best quality, use within one year.

In 2008-9, with the economy in a downward spiral, people were looking for new ways to save money and do whatever they could to prepare for an unstable future. During the economy crash when money was tight and while bountiful crops were being harvested, people began to look back at traditions of times past.

People remember times when parents and grandparents learned the skillful art of home preservation. This included canning, dehydrating, freezing and curing. It was at this that a new trend began to emerge called, the Canvolution.

Today, the art continues. Home preservation is affordable, provides healthy eating choices and is seen by many as an amazing feat. This is because in today’s modern society, it is easy to go to a store and buy a jar of jam for a few dollars. But when someone hands you a jar of homemade jam, it becomes something special. It’s made from fresh ingredients and with tender care.

Home preserves are a thoughtful gift that are cherished by many who do not have the skills or knowledge into preparing the delicious treats. It’s especially impressive to share home preserves during the cold winter season – a jar of peaches for instance tastes much better on a January night when you know that the peach was picked fresh from the tree on a hot summer afternoon in late August.

Preserving at home is not difficult or take a lot of skill. Dehydrating is as simple as washing the fruit or vegetable, slicing (if required) and laying out onto dehydrator racks. Similar with canning – prepare the fruit or vegetables, put in sterilized jars and boil in hot water. Pretty simple stuff that yields amazing results and reactions from those who have never tried it themselves.

With the fruit and vegetables now in coming into season, now is the time to get active and try your hand at home preserving. Keep watching for tips, recipes and advice on home preserving. It’s easy, fun, and rewarding!