There is only one word to describe these spice-coated macadamia nuts -- addictive. Addictive as in keep tasting them just to make sure they're ok, and make twice what you need, and you better stop now lest you have none to give away addictive. They are crunchy and fragrant and stunningly easy to make -- as a matter of fact the hardest part of the whole recipe is waiting for them to cool before eating. These orange spiced macadamias are the second gift I included in my foodie … [Read more...]
Good Eats Holiday Gift Guide 2014
Next up in my 2014 Holiday Gift Guide series… edible gifts for the gourmet. Food should never be overlooked as the perfect gift, especially when it's as good as the items here. True, it doesn't quite have the longevity of a cake stand or a cutting board but good food, shared between friends, is the stuff memories are made of. Of course you can always pair food with another complimentary present too. ** These are some of my favourite edible treats. Most are locally made by small producers … [Read more...]
Holiday Mixed Spice
WARNING: this spice blend is like Christmas fairy-dust in a jar. Seriously. Well, it is if warm spices make you think of gingerbread and mulled wine and tree decorating all other sorts of holiday festivities... On the other hand, if warm spices make you think of drinking a cocktail while sitting on a tropical island then please revise aforementioned warning to apply to your own happy spice memory. Either way, everybody wins. Working on the assumption that everyone has a happy … [Read more...]
Gingerbread Syrup
It's always the unexpected things that get a reaction. A random burger, a stunningly odd pie crust, a unique ice cream recipe, and in this case a completely last minute extra Secret Santa Gift. I had made Gingerbread Biscotti for my Foodie Secret Santa recipients and it could have been enough, but then Gingerbread Syrup popped into my head and simply wouldn't budge. I made it, not knowing what to expect, figuring that if it was awful the cookies would have to suffice. I threw … [Read more...]
Gingerbread Biscotti – Coconut Caramel Gingerbread Biscotti to be exact
The coconut caramel wasn't burnt, per say, but it was well past the colour it needed to be to make light tan kaya jam, and it had to be light tan. So into a jar it went and into the refrigerator to be worried about another day. A new batch of caramel was made for the kaya, which in turn was made into bread pudding for photos, and all was well with the world. But that jar of caramel kept staring at me each time I opened the fridge. It knew darn well that it was only moments away from the bin, … [Read more...]
Macadamia & Coconut Granola – gluten, dairy, fructose free
3 days. 3 days until we're sitting on an airplane headed to America-land. 3 days of blur. The past few weeks have flown by in a flurry of editing and technical-publishing-learning-as-I-go-blah-blah and food photography and art direction. It will continue up until the moment we leave, and quite possibly for a bit while we are away, and as a result the impending holiday is proving a bit more laced with stress than anticipation. Incidentally, any recommendations on things to do and places to … [Read more...]
Not your ordinary Gingerbread… and oh, I’m famous…
Oooh, what a mysterious title. Not really all that mysterious, but it's late and so, you know, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Also, ~famous~ is entirely relative in its use here, but we'll get to that shortly. There are many things about this Gingerbread that do indeed make it extra-ordinary however. For starters it has Pomegranate seeds on it - how festive are those little buggers?! And then there is the piping - Eggnog Royal Icing. Yep, you read right, Eggnog.Royal.Icing. A … [Read more...]