Growing Up Blueberry
When I drive past a blueberry farm or stand on the side of the road I think of a friend who grew up on a blueberry farm. Envious imagining how lucky she was and what a blast it must have been as a kid to wonder the fields loading her cheeks up with fresh picked blueberries, still warm and Read the rest of this entry »
Richmond Country Farms
While visiting Richmond Country Farms yesterday not only did I grabbed myself some fresh produce I grabbed a coffee and wondered the gardens for a while. Once I took in the new outdoor plant area I gathered up tender baby eggplants, gai-lan, leeks, beet greens, kale, English peas, new potatoes, 2 varieties of cherries, raspberries, rhubarb and strawberries.
I’m making a spiced ginger summer fruit chutney with the fruits listed above. Read the rest of this entry »
Wally Burger & Cates Park…
Growing up in North Vancouver I frequented Cates Park through-out my childhood. Winter, Spring and Summer didn’t really matter when.
I have fond memories of Sports Day’s, family picnics on the small beach watching ships sail through the inlet which in my little eyes, the coolest thing in the world.
Recently I had heard Wally Burger opened in the old Cates Park concession stand and asked my husband if we could head to North Vancouver for the day. I wanted to experience the famous Read the rest of this entry »
Strawberry Fields Forever
Honestly! As we were pulling out of No 4 Road strawberry fields that very song started playing, Strawberry Fields Forever…all the while our Jimmy was perfumed with fresh strawberries lovingly picked by my husband James. Could there have been a better moment?
I had every intention of participating in “MY” idea to go pick our own strawberries but natures little creatures put a quick stop to that. For those who know me yes…it was a spider. My strawberry adventure was done. I became camera person and instructor!
We had visited another farm in that area between No 3 & 4 Road. It was a lovely farm and surprisingly busy for the small selection of vegetables. Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to … Rustically Speaking!
How lucky are we to live in BC?
Richmond Farming
BC is inspiring! Why? Where else has the multicultural mish-mash so harmoniously joined together, becoming the norm for our weekly dim sum excursions, sushi nights with the girlfriends to enjoying contemporary west coast cuisine. Where else can you drive for a few hours and to buy fresh Chilliwack corn, Harrison for wildflower honey or hazelnuts, go to Richmond to hand pick fresh blueberries and strawberries to taking a scenic ferry ride to Salt Spring Island for award winning cheese.
Where does Rustically Speaking fall in that landscape? It falls into a little bit of everywhere . The middle of the road but not middle of the road flavours. Jokingly my sous chef said my food was Rustic Elegance with an edge. Oddly enough I think he nailed it. As time goes by I think my blog will reflect that statement more and more.
I have no master plan of what will be shared in Rustically Speaking, I am a chef first and a writer…very last. I love photography as you will see through-out the site. I have a “thing” for tractors, roosters and taking pictures of food stands with hand-written signs. I love it!
What’s missing from our dinner tables today? Company. Gather the family, roommates or your significant other to the table. Eat family style, pass the food around while engaging in the art of conversation and story telling over delicious food.
Thanks for being here!
Olive Oil vs Butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil vs Butter
I worked for a woman, slightly mad from Barcelona for 16 years, and what she taught me was to respect proper ingredients while preparing authentic Spanish cuisine. I’ll never forget the day early in my career when I thought enhancing my recipe for chicken livers flamed in a rich garlicky sherry sauce, a new Tapas dish, with butter as being a great idea. Read the rest of this entry »
Paella Pan What a Discovery!
I was on the search for interesting plates for presenting recipes on in some food shots. I decided go into Steveston’s little antique store and look around. After scouring every shelf I felt a little disappointed with the volumes of fine china and crappy crystal.
paella pan
Double cut Rib-eye steak
Starving and craving a great steak I wondered into the meat department of the Super Grocer here in Steveston. This tiny little meat department carries every cut you can imagine of beef, pork and lamb from pork belly to lamb shanks and all at responsible prices. I should go on to add…pig tails, ham hocks, chinese cured slab pork belly, smoked slab bacon, turkey, smoked turkey (great in chili) and then some! Read the rest of this entry »
Steveston Farmers Market
The Steveston Farmers and Artisans Market begins May 24th and running every other Sunday until October 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come rain or come shine! Noon is the time for local chefs demonstrate delicious fresh dishes with fresh local ingredients directly from the vendors at the market.
12138 Fourth Avenue (at Chatham Street), Richmond, Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site parking lotHave you been to the Market? Please tell us your thoughts!
Gazpacho
Summer Cool
Gazpacho is a deliciously refreshing cold vegetable soup occasional nicknamed liquid salad. Gazpacho always came back onto our menus in the summer months. Today’s 22° c is what triggered my craving for the refreshing and picanté gazpacho. Read the rest of this entry »
Share Your Passion
Posted by admin in Guest Chefs on May 27th, 2009
I want to know what makes you tic! If you are interested in being interviewed or writing a small article or recipe with us please let us know!
I’ll look forward it!
Beer Clams…Clams Beer
Local clams meet local micro brew. How do they get along? Deliciously! Beer is overlooked for the most part when it comes to throwing together a recipe most likely because of the bitter notes created from Read the rest of this entry »
Potato Salad with Tuna
Not all potato salad is created equal.
This is a super easy light tapas dish. On my latest visit to Richmond Country Farms I picked up some of our local nugget potatoes which are so tender and sweet. It’s no secret that being heavy handed with the salt when boiling is essential for Read the rest of this entry »
Chef Alan Dee
Posted by admin in Guest Chefs on July 15th, 2009
I have worked with Alan who at first was my Sous Chef at the Spanish Restaurant we worked at. I would love to embarrass him with some funny kitchen stories but for every funny story on him he has about 5 on me! Trust me when I say mine are stupidly embarrassing… Work aside I am now honored to say Alan is in my close circle of friends going on for 12 years or so. He’s come a long way since arriving in Vancouver and runs his own successful personal chef business named The Invisible Chef. Alan also teaches cooking classes at several locations through-out the lower mainland. His charm and wit both make him a terrific instructor. One location would be at the Well Seasoned in Langley.
While Alan loves cooking healthy Mediterranean flavours he hails from Quebec. Alan speaks so fondly of his mothers cooking and recalls these memories with buckets of love and sentiment that I thought we should ask him about his culinary roots. Read the rest of this entry »
The Bastardization of Tapas
I may get enemies for this but…
I am a purist when it comes to Tapas. I don’t think Tapas should be compared to dim sum or sushi. Do you ever hear them being compared to Tapas? I go crazy when restaurants call appetizers Tapas and get really annoyed when Read the rest of this entry »
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