The Finished Product

This past weekend, we held our second annual Holiday Cookie Baking Party.  Last year’s efforts were focused on quantity, but this year we shifted our focus to quality, and invested in pretty packaging so that we could easily use our baked treats as hostess gifts, Christmas presents, or stocking stuffers.  We focused on 5 recipes: one loaf, one decorated cookie, truffles, one bar, and a freezer log.

Everyone arrived at the shop by noon.  Yael brought her good china teacups, in keeping with our ‘Sunday Tea’ theme, and we started to bake.  We tackled our recipes in pairs.

Chocolate ‘Freezer’ Cookies

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup crushed candy canes or shredded coconut

Whisk together flour, cocoa and salt.  In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar then add eggs and stir in.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Form dough into a log, roll in crushed candy cane or coconut and freeze until ready to use.  When ready to bake, thaw log slightly and cut into 1/4″ rounds. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, or until edges are set and centres are still a bit soft.

Justine thought these cookies would make the perfect base for an ice cream sandwich using Pascale’s Egg Nog ice cream!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Base
10 regular size chocolate chip cookies (Robin made hers from scratch)
1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling
3 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (according to Robin, it must be Kraft)

Topping
4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup (you could substitute honey or maple syrup)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (we used cocoa camino chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 325.  Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.  In a food processor turn the chocolate chip cookies into crumbs then add melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are wet.  Pat into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Beat together the butter, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in all the sugar.  The mixture will be stiff.  Pat this mixture on top of the base and place in the fridge.

Combine the chocolate, butter and syrup in a metal bowl over simmering water and stir until melted.  Pour over the top of your pan and smooth. Refrigerate until firm and slice into bars.

Sugar Cookies

2/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
½ tsp orange zest
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
4 tsp milk
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar orange zest and vanilla until pale yellow. Add egg and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk.  In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.

Divide the dough in two. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in cling-film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Grease a cookie sheet. Remove one disk from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to approx 1/8 inch thick. Cut out desired shapes (I used trees that were around 4-inches.) Place cutouts on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges. Allow to cool, then decorate with Royal Icing (recipe below.)

Yield: 3 dozen 4-inch cookies

Royal Icing

1 egg white
2 cups icing sugar
juice of one lemon
1-2 tsp water
food colouring (optional)

In a small pot, bring an inch or so of water to a simmer. Place a small bowl over the pot and add egg white. Beat egg white until stiff but not dry.  Remove from heat and add icing sugar and lemon juice, beating until well combined. The icing should be slightly runny so that when you drop a spoonful back into the bowl it melds with the rest easily with only a slight resistance. If your icing is too thick, add one teaspoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Add food colouring if desired, mixing well. Fill a pastry bag with icing and pipe on cookies to decorate, starting by outlining the cookie and then filling it in. The icing should run together to fill in the gaps. Use different coloured icings to make patterns.

Allow to dry for 2 hours before storing cookies.

Gingerbread Cake

Bring ¼ lb butter and 1 cup molasses to boil in a small saucepan.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Whisk 1 cup sour cream and 2 teaspoons orange zest together in a small bowl.

Sift the following dry ingredients into a large bowl.

2 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons dry ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt

Whisk together the cooled molasses mixture with the sour cream mixture.  Add this to the sifted dry ingredients along with 1/3 cups diced crystallized ginger and ½ cup diced dried figs.  Stir only until all dry ingredients are moistened – do not overmix.

Pour into greased loaf pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Truffles

450 grams of good quality dark chocolate, chopped (we used cocoa Camino)
300 ml of whipping cream
100 grams of butter
100 grams of chopped candied ginger
100 grams of grated fresh ginger

Coating

200 grams of the same chocolate, melted in a double boiler

Place chocolate ingredients in a metal bowl.  Melt cream and butter and bring to a simmer and add fresh ginger.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes to infuse.  Re-heat and add to chopped chocolate.  Stir with a spatula, being careful not to mix in any air.  When the mixture is smooth, fold in the candied ginger.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  Remove from fridge and roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter using your hands.  Lay on baking sheet covered in parchment.  Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.  Dip truffles in melted chocolate to coat using a fork and place on clean parchment.  Decorate with a piece of candied ginger.

We made three kinds of truffles – Ginger, Orange and Tia Maria.  It’s pretty simple to change the flavour by replacing the ginger with grated orange peel and reduced orange juice, or some Kahlua.

Located in Vankleek Hill, Beau’s use local spring water , organic malts (no extracts) and organic hops which are grown locally.  Their beer is available at the LCBO, and in many restaurants throughout the city.  Each October Beau’s hosts one heck of an Octoberfest in Vankleek Hill.  The proceeds of this fundraising event support  the United Way, VKH Agricultural Society & Canadian Organic Week.  They roll out the barrels in the fields of the Vankleek Hill fairgrounds.  Get out your lederhosen, dirndls, green alpine hats and steins and take part in the festivities.    What started as a small affair a few years ago, this annual event has become a real Octoberfest.  Local restaurants turn out to supply great food.  There will be live music, competitions like arm wrestling and sausage eating, and lots of musical entertainment.

This year my family has purchased a sheep milk share from Canreg Station farm, which we pick up every Saturday at the Main Street Farmer’s market. This week I plan to make sheep milk ricotta, if I can stop my family from drinking it all! We have also enjoyed a number of lovely dinners featuring their tender rack of lamb.

Much of my weekend cooking is done at our Riverhouse, located on the Gatineau River near Wakefield.  The gourmet kitchen is much better equipped than my home kitchen.  When the Riverhouse is not rented out to fellow foodies, this is where we spend much of our spare time.  The meals we have prepared in this kitchen have been spectacular.  We have roasted a whole lamb & a suckling pig; we have hosted cocktail parties for up to 50 people; we have made cinnamon buns & homemade bread in the wood fired oven; and we have toasted our fair share of marshmallows.

In truth, most of the cooking is done on our ‘Big Green Egg’.  My good friend Mike (aka the Grateful Griller) sells these kamado style cookers.  Quite honestly, once you have tried it, it’s impossible to think of going back to the old gas BBQ.

My Big Green Egg!

The ‘Egg’ works more like an oven or smoker and the temperature is very easy to regulate.  The result is that you can slow cook at 250 degrees for hours, or you can sear a steak at 450 degrees for minutes.  The ability to use ‘flavour agents’ like hickory smoke, add to the experience.  This past weekend I was experimenting with a new batch of orange wood – fantastic!

This past weekend’s feast included a gluten free focaccia (baked on the ‘Egg’), accompanied by a medley of grilled vegetables, and a strip-loin steak, purchased from the ‘local meat’ section of the Wakefield General Store.

Who knows what treasures will be in store for next weekend!

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon
California, United States
LCBO 55517
$14.95
Aromas of blackberry, cassis, and warm spices. Also, there is an overall oak quality to the wine that adds to the earthiness of this Cabernet. Dry and medium-bodied, with woody flavours and red berries.  Pair with grilled vegetables, sausages, meats, and pizza.

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Malborough, New Zealand
LCBO Vintages 35386
$18.95
This white wine is fantastic on its own, perfect for the deck and summer patio parties. Pair with grilled chicken, salads, and appetizers. Lively and smooth, with grassy and fruity aromas. The LCBO describes the flavours to include gooseberry, passion fruit, nettle, and citrus.

Huff Estates South Bay Vineyards Rose 2008
VQA Prince Edward County, ON
LCBO Vintages 63982
$16.95

This is a vibrant Rose that offers notes of pink grapefruit, and tastes of strawberries.  This wine makes a nice pre-dinner drink or serve with a light lunch or brunch.

Our  menu featured recipes from their new cookbook, including Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Braised Beef Short Ribs (prepared sous-vide), and Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was super sticky and very delish!

The most interesting discussion of the evening was about the sous-vide cooking technique.  Sous-vide is French for “under vacuum”, and is a method of cooking that is intended to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period at relatively low temperatures, in a vacuum sealed package.  Although not big proponents of Molecular Gastronomy, Jeff & Bettina have found a place for this method in their restaurant.  Otherwise tough cuts of meat, like short ribs, come out tender, and juicy without becoming overcooked.

The food was lovely, the book is beautiful and it was a pleasure to meet both Jeff & Belinda who are doing exciting things in the world of local & seasonal cooking in Canada.

For more information on their book, visit their website.

To accompany the Amuse and Soup course, Robin suggests:

Sibling Rivalry – White, Canada, Henry of Pelham Family Est. Winery
Item# 126144 $13.95

And to accompany the Main Course, Robin suggests:

Sebastiani, 2006 Sonoma County released Feb 6, 2010

Item# 640573 $19.95

Both wines are well stocked in almost all of Ottawa’s LCBO Locations.

Food & Love are connected in a way that is difficult to understand and sometimes more difficult to describe.  When we cook for people, we are showing them that we care enough about them to spend hours preparing something that might take minutes to consume.   We often cook using recipes that have been passed down through generations as a way to honour and remember people from our past.  By dining together, we are telling each other, “You are important to me. I want to break bread with you, to spend time with you.”

Having worked in a variety of industries, I can tell you that there is no business that speaks to people’s hearts the way the food business does.  Food is a means of celebrating joyous occasions, and a way to mourn together.  At the Red Apron, people often give food to celebrate the birth of a new baby, or to acknowledge the passing of someone dear.  Feeding people is our way of telling them that we care, that our thoughts are with them, and that if there is nothing else we can do to ease their pain or help them through a difficult time, then at least we can feed them.  Just last week a woman was in our store buying food for a family with a very sick child.  “I don’t know what else to do,” she cried.

Our memories are linked to food in ways that amaze us.  When we smell certain foods we can conjure memories of special people, places and occasions, as well as feelings of comfort, joy and satisfaction.

My father often made a simple dish of boiled pasta (usually macaroni), canned diced tomatoes, butter, salt & pepper.  As simple as this dish sounds, when I am feeling sad or tired, or in need of love and attention, there is nothing that makes me feel more comforted than enjoying a bowl of Dad’s pasta.

My grandfather loved Oreo Cookies and would eat two of them on a plate with a butter knife, which he used to separate the tops and scrape out the middle.  Each component had to be enjoyed slowly and separately.  As much as I generally despise processed food, I can’t think of Oreo cookies without smiling at the memory of my sweet grandfather.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we have created a menu to be enjoyed with those you love, in the comfort of your own home.  Our four-course menu features many local and organic ingredients, and I can assure you it will be made with love.  We feel privileged to be able to work in an industry we are passionate about – cooking good, healthy food for wonderful people to enjoy with their families.  It doesn’t get any better than this!

Here is the menu:

House Made Paté with Orange & Tarragon, Herbed Crostini

Butternut & Smoked Balderson Cheddar Bisque with Fresh Chive Pesto

Breast of Chicken stuffed with Walnuts & Caramelized Apple, Calvados Reduction
or
Slowly Braised Petite Nation Bison with Cranberry Port Sauce

Le Coprin Organic King Erynge Mushroom Risotto
Haricots Vert, Yellow Peppers & Heirloom Carrots

White Chocolate Cheesecake with Chocolate Crumb, Raspberry Coulis

Cocoa Camino Dark Chocolate Tangerine Truffle

Dinner is priced at $59 for 2 people and is available for pick-up on Friday February 12th, from 2-6pm and Saturday February 13th from 10am-2pm.  Quantities are limited so order in advance to guarantee availability.

The process, I must tell you, is quite labour intensive.  First, we start with premium Ontario Duck Legs – which are slowly braised in a mixture of figs, white wine and aromatics for 2 hours.

When they are cool enough to handle, the meat is carefully stripped from the bones and set aside, while the bone and juices are dumped into a large stock pot and simmered for a day – to reduce to a rich, flavourful sauce.

For our first batch we started with 70 Kilos of duck!

Meanwhile, batches and batches of Pie Crust dough was made – using butter, lard, organic flour and local eggs.

Many cultures have a traditional food that resembles a meat pie in some way but the Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the word “pie” as it relates to food to 1303. In the Middle Ages, pies were the specialty of patissiers.

The Holiday Season is fast approaching and with it –  our social calendar begins to fill up.  If you are hosting a open house or cocktail party, we have some suggestions for simplifying your entertaining.

• In our retails store we carry a selection of oven ready flatbreads.  Baked in the oven or grilled on the BBQ, these elegant flatbreads make a wonderful appetizer.
• Denis’ gourmet sausages can be cooked, sliced, and served on cocktail skewers with Henderson’s Mango Chutney or Redhead Pantry Tarragon Mustard.  Our selection of sausages includes Thai Salmon, Cajun Turkey, and Turkey Merguez.
• Throughout the month of November we will be preparing our Seasonal Meat Pies.  We are re-creating our very popular Bison with Sweet Potato & Cranberry, our Duck with Fig, and this year we are introducing Lamb with Apricot & Pine Nuts.
• If you are planning a dinner party, remember that our weekly fresh meal menu can be ordered for as many people as you are serving.  This is an easy way to present a complete sit down meal, without having to shop or cook.   Thursday menus between now and Christmas have been designed with an eye to Holiday entertaining, and feature entrees like ‘Cider Braised Lamb Shanks’, ‘Bison Meatballs’, ‘Confit of Ontario Duck’, ‘Kerr Beef Brisket’, and ‘Caroline Style Pulled Berkshire Pork’.