A Valentine’s Day cheese platter is a great opportunity to treat your loved one

A great way to let your valentine know you care is with small, unique gestures. So why not go beyond the traditional flowers and chocolates and surprise your special someone with a romantic cheese platter? Your partner will think the world of you and it only takes minutes to prepare. This platter maximizes pleasure and simplicity, and everything on it can be eaten with a fork. Start off with a Saint-Paulin, a creamy and buttery cheese, and couple it with a salty and savoury Parmesan. Cut both cheeses into cubes and place them on the simplest, most elegant plate you […]

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Food and wine sites worth visiting

My thanks to following food and wine web sites and blogs that have recently posted the free Drinks Matcher on their sites to keep their visitors coming back for more pairings. Please let me know if you post the Drinks Matcher on your site so I can include you in a future blog post with a link to your site. These sites are well worth visiting, with their wealth of tips, articles and recipes:   Everyday Sommelier www.everydaysommelier.ca Wine Love Lust winelovewinelust.com/2011/01/14/natalie-mcleans-food-and-wine-matcher Culinary Thymes www.culinarythymes.com/blog/natalie-macleans-wine-food-matcher Fireside Winery www.firesidewinery.com/products.html Kinkead Ridge Winery www.KinkeadRidge.com/htm/whats_new.htm Saveur Faire www.saveurfaire.net Nickle City Foodie www.nickelcityfoodie.com  

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Brighten up your winter with food, drinks and friends

The holidays are over and we must now deal with the realities of winter: short days, cold weather and for many of us, no vacation in sight. So let’s create our own holiday by hosting small, intimate gatherings of friends and family. Let’s share laughs and forget about the weather, but let’s keep it simple: use your favourite comfort dish, dress it up with a great appetizer and finish off the meal with a delicious cheese platter. Start off your first dinner party of the new year with a classic dish prepared with a fresh twist: French onion soup with […]

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Dry Aged AAA Beef Strip Loin with Warm Asparagus, Crispy Truffle Potato

Makes 4 servings 16 – 20 ounces Dry aged beef strip Loin steaks or roast 20 stalks Asparagus (peeled, blanched & cut, 1 inch pieces) 1.5 lbs Large Yellow or White Potatoes 1 Tbsp Gelatin Powder 2 Tbsp Instant Flour 1 Tbsp Fresh or Preserved Truffles (finely diced) 1.5 Tsp Truffle Oil 1 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese   Beef: Purchase dry aged beef which most butchers carry. Please note: When trimming dry aged beef it is important to remove any exterior tissue that has been exposed to the air because that is the place which […]

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