Adele Hagan's food blog - secrets from a food stylist

entertaining basics for summer

2011-07-28T19:31:00.012-04:00

Happy summer everyone ! I have a few fun summer entertaining videos that I thought you might want to check out for inspiration if you are hosting some gatherings in the next little while.

The first is how to make an Herb Centrepiece.

The next one is how to make your own Spiked Lemonade with different garnishes for an assortment of flavour options.

And the last video is how to take salads and transform them into skewers. Its a great outdoor entertaining option as you don't need any plates or bowls to hold (or figure out where to set down) while you are mingling.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/entertaining/entertaining-essentials/video-wow-guests-with-a-lush-herb-centrepiece/article2090956/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/entertaining/entertaining-essentials/video-give-lemonade-a-grown-up-twist-at-your-next-cocktail-party/article2096361/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/entertaining/entertaining-essentials/video-salad-fixings-skewers-perfect-outdoor-party-food/article2096362/

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Add fireworks to your Picnic

2011-06-08T18:54:00.008-04:00

Picnic on the wild side. Here are four fun and portable dishes to pack up and bring along...

For full pictures click HERE. Enjoy !

Edible Mojitos

For easy picnic transportation, try making individual edible mojitos in paper or silicone muffin cups. This recipe is concentrated so the gelatin should hold for a picnic, but keep out of direct sunlight or they’ll slowly melt.

Ingredients

1 package lime Jell-O

1 cup club soda

6 oz. white rum

1 handful of chopped mint

1 package of Pop Rocks (watermelon flavour)

Method

Pour 1/2 cup of boiling club soda over lime Jell-O and mix until dissolved. Add 1/2 cup of chilled club soda, six ounces white rum and a handful of chopped mint and stir. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and pour in Jell-O mixture. Refrigerate to set for two hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve on limes slices with a sprinkle of Pop Rocks.

Never-Melt Ice Cream Cones

For easy picnic transportation, keep everything separate and simply bring an ice cream scoop for serving. Instead of a cone you can also serve in a waffle cup with spoons for even more picnic sophistication.

Ingredients

8 ice cream cones

4 cups mixed berries

1 tub (2 cups) mascarpone

Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod (or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract)

1/2 cup icing sugar

Handful of assorted toppers (chopped candy canes, Oreo crumbs, sprinkles, toffee bits)

Method

In a medium sized bowl, beat together mascarpone, vanilla and icing sugar. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. To assemble scoop 1/2 cup of berries into each cone. Add a scoop (1/4 cup) of mascarpone cream. Sprinkle with your choice of topper and serve.

Hot & Sour Shrimp Ceviche

Serve in a hollowed out red pepper, lemon or lime.

Ingredients

16 large cooked peeled shrimp

Juice of 1 lemon and 2 limes

4 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped yellow and green peppers

1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. mustard powder

Method

Mix all the liquids in a bowl with the mustard powder. Add chopped vegetables and shrimp. Mix to combine and refrigerate.

One Bite Cheese Course

Line a Chinese takeout box with wax paper for elegant and easy transport.

Ingredients

1 lb. (about 24) seedless grapes

2 oz. (11/2 cups) goat cheese

1/2 cup your favourite finely chopped nuts

1/4 cup your favourite finely chopped herbs

Method

Using a fork or hand mixer soften the goat cheese. Coat each grape with a thin layer of cheese (about one tablespoon) and roll in your palm until round. Roll in your choice of chopped nuts (almond, pistachio, pecan, walnut) and herbs (thyme, parsley, chives). Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Last Minute Entertaining

2010-12-24T00:00:00.007-05:00

Looking for a little something extra to add to your holiday entertaining this weekend ?

Try serving parmesan marshmallows with your charcuterie plate or alongside your favourite soup. If you love the salty sweet combination - try some chocolate bacon bark. Or simply add a cucumber ribbon to any salad already on your menu.

Hope you enjoy !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Behind the scenes

2010-12-01T10:09:00.007-05:00

Since I've been working like a mad woman and haven't had a chance to create a new 'how to' blog I thought I'd bring my camera to work and show you a behind the scenes glance at a food shoot. So when I wasn't swamped with baking, frying, grilling, chilling and glistening in the studio I grabbed my camera and took a shot. My favourite shot is the final one. Unfortunately that week of shooting was too busy and dirty for me to bring out my camera - I literally had my arm in a turkey ! So at the end of a great week the photographer kindly rewarded me with his signature cocktail and I indeed had a chance to capture that moment.

Post any questions you have about the shots and I'd be happy to explain.

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Tone on Tone (PART 2 & 3)

2010-09-07T22:32:00.004-04:00

Here are the two follow-up videos for more tone on tone ideas. One is with pancakes - a really easy way to make your pancakes a little more special. The other is how to make a simple chocolate wrap to elevate your next dessert.

Pancakes
http://www.youtube.com/user/torontofoodie#p/a/u/1/VT8dSR8h4J0

Chocolate Wrap
http://www.youtube.com/user/torontofoodie#p/a/u/0/AHTNQoAiADs

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

lunch box ideas

2010-08-31T23:55:00.006-04:00

If you are looking for a little inspiration to fill your kids lunch boxes next week here is my latest assignment for the Globe & Mail. Lunchbox dilemmas (after reading the comments it looks like I was a really lucky girl growing up. My mom always sent me with the best lunches - always including surprises and personalized notes ! )

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Tone on Tone (PART 1)

2010-07-12T15:49:00.004-04:00

Here is my latest webisode.... I've recently filmed a few so there is more to come soon !

The only thing to note is that the white cake level is quite low in the tight shots. When you make this at home fill it at least 1/2 if not 2/3 full. (I ran out of cake batter while filming)

Enjoy !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Andrew Coppolino's "The Food Show"

2010-04-17T14:12:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to say that I'm going to be interviewed about food styling on Andrew Coppolino's "the food show" on AM 570 this Sunday (12-1pm) if anyone feels like listening online or on the radio... Its my first radio show so guaranteed you'll hear me say uummm ;)

http://www.570news.com/listenLive

http://www.andrewcoppolino.com/listen-live-on-570-news/

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Last Minute Stress Free New Years

2009-12-30T12:11:00.004-05:00

Turn leftovers and pantry items into last minute party treats. My latest article in the Globe and Mail today shows you how.

Here is the link - Stress Free New Years Party Food or pick up a Globe and Mail Newspaper today.

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Holiday Table Decorations... Part 2

2009-12-17T17:36:00.009-05:00

Here is my second video on ways to decorate your holiday table. This one is a little more over-the-top ornate. But perhaps one of the concepts will inspire you for your next holiday party.

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Holiday Table Decorations... Part 1

2009-12-01T21:12:00.003-05:00

Hi ! I have a couple videos that will be online on the globe and mail's web site about Holiday Table Decorations. This time there will be no articles to go with them. Apparently people are more excited about watching videos than reading articles..... but that's ok because I'm one of them.

Hope you enjoy - there are more to come !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

theme party/ wedding shower

2009-10-05T10:38:00.025-04:00

Hi ! Its been a while since my last blog and I blame wedding silliness (my wedding was Sept 5th). I thought perhaps I'd write a blog based on the shower my foodie friend (and mentor!) Susan threw for me as she also has many beautiful Martha Stewart style tricks up her sleeve.

When you're having people over for a party, something you can do to keep it unified is to have a simple theme to tie everything together. An effortless theme that is quite effective is COLOUR. Pick any colour - since halloween/ thanksgiving are on their way I'd suggest oranges, reds, or even purples (my fav). Then use that colour as the accent for the party. Buy flowers, napkins, a table runner, print out the menu in the colour - or simply make cocktails with that colour. With very minimal effort you can really make your dinner party look stunning and well thought-out.

Of course - that was just one thing Susan did to create this gorgeous party. She went above and beyond with "if you don't ask you don't get" Veuve Clicquot & Belvedere Vodka glassware, accessories and of course beverages - thank you Matt @ Charton Hobbs. Take a look at the photos to get even more ideas and as always, if you have any questions let me know.

x
Adele
www.foodstylist.ca

BBQ Tasting Menu - restaurant style in your own backyard

2009-08-01T17:54:00.001-04:00

My latest article is in the life section of the globe and mail today. If you want a few ideas to have a restaurant style tasting menu in your own backyard - check it out.

Bite-sized backyard bonanza

"Isn't it time you moved beyond burgers? Just in time for the long weekend, food stylist Adele Hagan prepares an elegant outdoor tasting menu packed with seasonal ingredients, savoury sauces – and even a splash of rum"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/bite-sized-backyard-bonanza/article1237892/

Have a great weekend !!

Adele

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Cutting Techniques

2009-07-13T19:51:00.004-04:00

I thought that perhaps I'd post a webisode of some basic cutting techniques.... just to make sure that everyone has a good foundation before we do anything fancy with veggies.

Enjoy !!

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Chocolate Bark

2009-06-26T07:38:00.003-04:00

Here is my second webisode - demonstrating chocolate bark. I've used the bark to create what I call "Chocolate Millefeuille" as well chocolate dipped strawberries to garnish the plate.

Enjoy !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Fire Roasted Orange Chocolate Cakes

2009-06-10T18:08:00.016-04:00

This idea was given to me from 2 good friends when we were brainstorming an article I'm writing about gourmet camping food. Since I mainly boat on weekends I thought I'd attempt to take it to our mini bbq on the boat. The chocolate orange cakes were a hit this weekend if you want to add them to your camping for bbq repertoire here is how I made them...

Simply cut the top off an orange. Hollow it out (I prepared them in the morning so I drank the juice for breakfast).

Then fill your orange 1/2 full with your favourite chocolate cake or cupcake mixture and place the orange top back on. I wrapped them in 2 layers of strong aluminum foil and placed them on the bbq on medium heat for about 20 minutes. If you are camping add an extra layer of foil then bury them in the coals for 20 minutes.

Voila ! Gourmet camping, boating or bbq food with little waste.

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Caramel Decorations

2009-05-25T11:41:00.004-04:00

For this blog entry I've made a little video for your viewing pleasure showing you how to make caramel decorations. Its the first of several "webisodes". Hope you enjoy !

If there are other foodie tricks you'd like me to demonstrate - just write me a comment and I'll get on it.

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Lettuce Wraps

2009-05-02T19:35:00.008-04:00

A healthy, delicious and good looking meal or snack - Lettuce Wraps ! I often crave these... not only are they are fun to eat - they are low in fat.

If I'm making these for a casual dinner at home I simply toss the mixture on a bed of shredded lettuce. But they are just as easy to jazz up for a dinner party appetizer by using small leaves of bib or Boston lettuce, placing your filling inside and securing each bundle with a chive. To make your ties just dip the chives in hot water to soften. I use chives, strips of green onion or strips of leeks to tie bundles of anything.... carrots and beans for an elegant side, wild mushroom crepes for a delicate canapé or petit Peking duck rolls.

My favourite recipe for Lettuce Wraps is one mom has used for years out of Chatelaine Magazine - its a family favourite. Here it is for you to add to your repertoire:

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Dinner is all wrapped up in this fragrant stir-fry mixture using lower-fat ground chicken. After cooking, it's rolled in or heaped onto lettuce leaves to make a nutrient-rich meal. Try them at a buffet or informal family dinner.

Cooking time 10 minutes
Preparation time 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

* 2 heads Boston lettuce
* 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of ground cardamom, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ground coriander and cumin
* 1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
* 1 tsp (5 mL) vegetable oil
* 1 lb (500 g) ground chicken
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 10 oz (284 mL) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
* 1 small carrot
* 2 celery stalks
* 4 green onions
* 8 medium-size shitake mushrooms
* 1/3 cup (75 mL) water
* 2 tbsp (30 mL) oyster or hoisin sauce
* 2 tbsp (30 mL) dry sherry
* 1 cup (250 mL) bean sprouts (optional)

1. Separate lettuce into leaves. Wash and pat dry. Refrigerate while preparing filling. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Without adding any oil, sprinkle in cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, coriander, cumin and garlic powder. Stir spices until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add oil, ground chicken and onion to pan. Stir often with a fork to keep mixture crumbly until chicken is no longer pink, from 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, coarsely chop water chestnuts. Grate or julienne carrot. Slice celery diagonally into 1/4-inch (0.5-cm) pieces. Finely chop green onions. Thinly slice mushrooms. Mushrooms should measure about 1 cup (250 mL).
3. When chicken is cooked, increase heat to high. Stir in water chestnuts, carrot, celery, green onions and mushrooms. Pour in water. Cook, uncovered and stirring often to develop flavour and reduce sauce, about 3 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and sherry. Remove pan from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Stir in bean sprouts, if using. Turn mixture into a serving bowl.
4. To serve, set bowl with chicken mixture in centre of a large platter and arrange lettuce around bowl. Or place a few lettuce leaves on a plate to make a ¿cup,¿ then fill with chicken. Or spoon 2 heaping tablespoons (30 mL) mixture onto centre of lettuce leaf, fold top part of leaf down over some of mixture, fold one open side over filling, then roll to enclose. The stalk end of lettuce leaf will still be open and filling will show. Serve with hoisin sauce for dipping or drizzle over chicken mixture once it is spooned onto lettuce.

Note: Cooked chicken mixture will keep well, covered and refrigerated, overnight. If using bean sprouts, do not add them until after reheating chicken mixture.

*
Hope you enjoy them as much as we do !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Chocolate Curls

2009-04-08T16:32:00.006-04:00

My mom asked me a few days ago how to make chocolate curls or the decorative chocolate on cakes. Its actually quite simple ! I demonstrated them for her and a bunch of women at my future sister-in-law's bridal shower. Here's how ....

Pour melted chocolate on to the back of an oven tray. Spread it around to cover the entire back side. It can be anywhere from a few millimeters thick to half a centimeter. Let it cool. If you are in a rush - 5 minutes in the fridge will do it. Otherwise you can just set it in a cool place in your kitchen. To test if its ready you want it to be mostly dry to the touch - but just a little wet that you can see your fingerprint.

Take a paint scrapper and press firmly against the pan. Slow and steady wins the race ! Either brace the baking sheet against a wall or get a helper to hold the other end so it doesn't slip away while you're making your curls. You can make small curls with small scrappers or large curls with large scrappers. If you are daring - hold one end of the chocolate while you are pulling it off so you get one long strip. Use this to wrap around a cake for a sleek polished chocolate look.

Hope this makes sense... Post questions if you need any further help !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Fruit & Veggie Crisps

2009-03-21T10:01:00.005-04:00

I was asked recently if I had any suggestions for passover alternatives to crackers. Yes - Fruit Crisps! They are absolutely wonderful to have with cheese as fruit and cheese have always been a perfect pair. They look stunning and impressive to guests AND they are easy to make.
You can use fruit and vegetable crisps to garnish just about anything - soups, cakes, salads, as a base for an hors d'oeuvre, etc.

How to make them - Use a mandolin to thinly slice fruit (apples and pears work best) or vegetables (beets and sweet potatoes look amazing). Spread them out on a very lightly greased baking tray. Then bake them at a low temperature (200F) for about 2 hours, flipping every 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack rack.

Let me know how it goes !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Cucumber Salad Ribbons

2009-03-03T17:25:00.004-05:00

Since my last blog entry was all about the formula to make a delicious salad - this entry is how to present it ! I saw this in a restaurant (MoRoCo) earlier this year and thought it was a great idea. Simply use your vegetable peeler and cut strips of an english cucumber lengthwise. In order to use the cucumber ribbon like a belt around your salad, make two small slits halfway through the ribbon at each end (use this to fasten the cucumber together). Fill with your favourite salad and voila - gorgeous and tasty !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Crunchy, Salty, Sweet & Creamy

2009-02-09T19:59:00.007-05:00

For my valentines blog - instead of a chocolate tip I thought I’d give a salad tip this year to keep things on a healthy but delicious note. I have some simple rules to follow and you’ll always have a crowd pleaser… I promise !

Every great salad is composed of 4 simple elements - crunchy, salty, sweet & creamy. If you think about it… all the best and most famous salads have these. Caesar, Greek, Waldorf.

Now for crunchy – it can be anything that gives your salad some texture.
(eg. Croutons, nuts, crispy noodles, bacon)

For salty it can be anything that has a bit of that brackish flavour
(eg. feta, olives, peanuts, cashews, Roquefort, sea salt, soy sauce)

Sweet is exactly that something that gives you a layer of sugary flavour. (eg. apples, pears, cranberries, raisins, red pepper, feta, mango, figs, basil, carrot, coriander, candied nuts, oranges)

Creamy is essential to give the salad some depth and sustenance.
(eg. avocado, goats cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, yogurt, mozzarella)

Some of the categories have foods that overlap – which is the beauty of the list. As long as you have all 4 elements you will have an amazingly delicious salad.

Here is my favourite salad -

Candied walnut, Pear and Gorgonzola salad
Serves 4

Ingredients 
115g/4oz granulated sugar 
120ml/4fl oz orange juice 
115g/4oz walnut halves
 2.5g/½ tsp salt
 2.5g/½ tsp cayenne pepper 
2 tbsp walnut oil
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  
2 tsp dijon mustard 
2 tbsp white wine vinegar 
1 radicchio, split into separate leaves 
55g/2oz wild rocket 
2 heads chicory, split into separate leaves 
2 conference pears
 175g/6oz gorgonzola

Method
 1. Place the sugar and the orange juice in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and keep boiling until the syrup has reached a golden brown colour. Take off the heat and stir in the walnuts, salt and cayenne. Place the walnuts onto a non-stick baking sheet using two warm wet spoons to prevent sticking. Allow to cool completely. 
2. In a small bowl whisk together the walnut oil, olive oil, mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. 
3. In a large bowl toss together the rocket, radicchio and chicory with most of the dressing, reserving 2 tbsp.  
4. Cut the pears into quarters, core, cut into thin slices and toss with the remaining dressing.  5. Arrange the salad leaves on a large serving dish, scatter over the pears and walnuts and crumble over the gorgonzola. Serve immediately

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Superbowl Party !

2009-01-28T14:49:00.007-05:00

Hosting a Superbowl party this weekend ?
Try this championship spread I have on NFL Canada !

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

mini food

2009-01-19T10:43:00.010-05:00

This weekend was my boyfriend's birthday and he made the special request of having all his favourite food but in mini / bite sized versions. So I happily took on this challenge.

On the menu were mini hamburgers, mini hot dogs, mini grilled cheese sandwiches and to finish off the meal - mini apple pies. It was a huge hit and very easy to do.

I ordered the buns from a great local bakery (Silverstein's) and simply used a cookie cutter to punch out the appropriate sized patties. Topped them with cheese and bacon and let the guests top them however they liked. Here is also a link to a kit that helps you make "sliders" at home. http://www.uncrate.com/men/gear/grilling/slider-miniburger-tools/

The mini grilled cheeses were the easiest. I simply sliced small buns width-wise a few times to create small slices of bread. You could also simply cut regular bread into squares (The birthday boy requested that each piece still have the crusts intact as this was his favourite part!) Since I was doing a large volume, I buttered each slice on the outside and but a slice of cheddar on the inside and popped them in the oven at 450 for about 3-5 mins per side.

For the mini apple pies I bought those rinky dinky aluminum foil tins from the grocery store and cut pastry to fit inside, (actually the birthday boy did that step for me) then filled the shells with diced apples, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and a tiny bit of butter. We then cut smaller circles for the top and I made small leaf shaped holes on tops - both for decoration and to let out steam, baked them for about 15mins at 350C and simply re-heated them when guests arrived.

Since this was a big hit I'm looking for suggestions of what else I should make mini ?

x Adele

www.foodstylist.ca

Edible Parmesan Cups

2008-10-27T10:25:00.002-04:00

Caesar salad is one of my most favourite things to eat. Not only does it have oodles of garlic, it has cheese & bacon and to top it off my dad has a killer recipe for homemade dressing ! So I love to serve it at dinner parties.
Friday night we had friends over for dinner and I didn’t want to overload them with multiple courses so I made mini parmesan cups to serve mini caesar salads.
First you grate fresh parmesan cheese on baking trays. The cheese is oily enough not to stick but if you’re worried use a non-stick mat. Spread the grated cheese in rounds on your tray. They wont spread much so don’t worry about having them close together.
Next bake it in the oven at 425F/220C until melted and golden - about 5 minutes.
Let cool for 30 sec - only long enough for the cheese to harden slightly. Using your fingers or a spatula lift each round and place it over a narrow glass or upside down muffin tin. Let cool completely.
Un-mold when cooled and hardened and use as a serving vessel for any salad, pasta, etc.

x Adele

Cake Advice

2008-10-04T13:25:00.004-04:00

After making a wedding cake for a very good friend’s wedding last weekend I got to thinking about the little tricks I use to make sure a cake looks as great as possible while still being as easy as possible to make.

The most important trick I wanted to share is to try to roughly even off the top of the cake and then flip the cake over so the bottom (now nicely flat) becomes your top. This is key to make a cake that looks visually appealing. You then fill your cake with whatever suits your fancy - jam, lemon curd, hazelnut, chocolate fudge, etc. Place your second layer on top UPSIDE DOWN again so you have a nice flat top to ice. Dollop your icing all over the top before spreading it - this ensures you don’t get crumbs on your icing. Put extra icing on the top so that when you smooth it out it falls down the sides so that you also do not to get crumbs in the icing on the side of your cake.

In the picture shown I’ve also added a final layer of fondant on top of the buttercream icing. Fondant is the smooth hard icing that you roll out like pastry and lay it on top of your cake. Normally its reserved for decorating wedding cakes but I also use it for birthday cakes as well. To finish the cake simply wrap a ribbon around the bottom in either a similar colour as the icing or a striking contrast colour and secure it with some royal icing.

Voila ! You have yourself a perfectly styled cake !

x Adele

Wedding Inspirations

2008-08-28T13:35:00.002-04:00

The food styling at the wedding I attended last weekend was phenomenal so i thought I’d share some pictures and tips. The bride (my good friend from high school) is a big foodie and wanted everyone to have a taste of many foods on her wedding day. So we all had the privilege of having our own “tasting plates” or “small plates”.

I am a HUGE fan of the most current trend of ordering several small plates instead of the typical 3 course meal. Not only because its great fun to try out multiple dishes but you can be so creative in styling small plates. You can serve them in edible vessels like wonton spoons or parmesan cups. Or serve them in martini glasses, small ramekins, shot glasses or ice cream cone holders. Or in the case of this wedding - a few tasting items on each full size plate. There is almost no need to garnish they look so good on their own !!

Another clever trick the caterers used were cucumber ribbons to wrap around and contain the salad. To do this at home, simply use your vegetable peeler and peel the entire length of the cucumber. It also works with carrots and zucchini.

Lastly, to keep up the small plate theme of the menu the dessert plates were literally half a plate. I honestly have never seen that before.

x Adele

Small things make a big difference

2008-08-05T10:36:00.001-04:00

After hosting a great number of events in the past month I thought I’d pass along a little food styling tip that I practice at work and at home. I call it “small things make a big difference,” which in essence is: Take a minute to GARNISH !!

I held a wedding shower for a girlfriend at my place and made a few things as well as the other bridesmaids brought items. One recipe I made was for carrot muffins. To make them just a little more special, I made them into mini muffins with a cream cheese and maple syrup frosting...but what really made them go from good to great was my garnish. I took finely sliced (julienned) carrots and crystalized them to place on top of each muffin. It probably took about 10 minutes ... using my julienne grater to slice the carrots, boiling the carrots in a simple syrup (half water/half sugar) and letting the carrots cool.... but it was definitely time well spent !

Another garnish tip that I use regularly at work and at home is spring onion curls. They are great to decorate a serving plate for many appetizers well as add flair to individual plated dishes like a stir fry or lettuce wrap.
Simply thinly slice long strips of spring onion (green onion, scallions) and place them in a bowl with ice cold water with a few ice cubes. Leave them for a few minutes and when you return the lovely long green strips will be beautifully curled.

So for your next gathering, add a little flair to your meal by taking a few extra minutes to garnish !
x Adele

BBQ Pizza "do it yourself" style

2008-06-23T10:31:00.000-04:00

I was on a boat this weekend with a bunch of friends....all with different tastes in food AND high expectation of what i could create on a boat for lunch.

There were some vegetarians and some die hard meat lovers. I had to think of something fun and exciting to serve that would please everyone. Burgers and dogs always seem like the easiest option but I'm not the kind of person to settle on the easy option.... especially when there is pressure for the chef to come up with a creative alternative. It was my first time using the brand new boat BBQ so i kept my fingers crossed as i had no clue if i was capable of pulling off “do it yourself” individual pizzas on the boat while anchored in a quiet bay with NO contingency plan...... But it worked like a charm !!!

Here is how to do it ....

Buy a ball of ready made pizza dough from your supermarket or pre-make dough the day before. (A pound of dough stretched out made 3 pizza bases) To stretch the dough out i find the easiest way is to hold onto the edge and let gravity do your work for you. Simply rotate your dough slowly around in a circle until it is your desired thickness. Then either drizzle with olive oil - or on the boat i actually sprayed mine with olive oil for less mess.

Before placing it on the grill make sure your grill has been heated as hot as possible ! Then right before placing the dough on the grill turn it down to low/medium.

Place the dough directly on the grill. place anything you like on pizza on top of your dough - tomato sauce, artichokes, mushrooms, pepperoni, pesto, goats cheese... anything ! After you’ve placed your toppings on the dough, close the BBQ to keep all the heat in for the dough to cook and the cheese to really melt. Every BBQ is a bit different but it should take anywhere from 8-12 minutes for your pizza to cook fully. On our little portable boat BBQ it took about 10 minutes and we could do 2 individual pizzas at a time.

Note: I like my pizza a little soft and doughy in the centre so i don’t flip mine before adding toppings. But if you like your pizza crispy, flip your pizza dough over before putting on toppings.

Let me know if this works just as well for you as it did for my BBQ alternative !

x Adele