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5 10 12 18 23 5 12
47 Some like it hot From traditional takes to new creations, a warm cocktail is a decadent holiday treat by TREVOR J. ADAMS
52 Canned cake memories
Baked with love in the dark days of war by CARY RIDEOUT
54 Sturgeon dreams Caviar with a conscience by COLLEEN THOMPSON
60 A sweet connection Boston Cream Pie by CRYSTAL MURRAY
64 Little bites, big on flavour Good things come in small, tasty packages by ERIN PETTIPAS
70 Tis the season to read cookbooks
A recent batch of Atlantic Canadian cookbooks by JODI DeLONG
Some like it hot
From traditional takes to new creations, a warm cocktail is a decadent holiday treat
by TREVOR J. ADAMS
by STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE
When the Nor’easter howls and the windows rattle, nothing warms the body and soul like a hot drink, such as a toddy or mulled cider.
Peter Wilkins is cofounder of the Newfoundland Distillery Company, which has been crafting unique and traditional spirits with an Atlantic Canadian twist in Clarke’s Beach, N.L., since 2017. The province’s first distillery produces award-winning whisky and gin but for its loyal customers, Gunpowder & Rose Rum is the Christmas go-to, quite unlike the mass-market cloying and boozy rum you may be accustomed to.
A nod to Newfoundland’s seafaring heritage, it hearkens back to when naval sailors got their daily tot and
would ensure it wasn’t watered down by sprinkling gunpowder on it and lighting it. If it had the correct amount of booze, it would spark and burn, verifying its quality and leaving a unique flavour.
“Health Canada wouldn’t let us use real gunpowder,” laughs Wilkins. “So, to get the flavour, we use local ingredients like sea salt and kelp. When we were making the first batch, the wild roses were out, so they seemed a natural addition as well.”
The result is a unique spirit that’s especially interesting when served hot.
“In wintertime, rum is quite warming,” Wilkins explains. “Rum and aquavit are popular in warming drinks like hot toddies. You should put boiling water
photography
INGREDIENTS
5 oz (150 mL) warmed apple cider, prepared with mulling spice
1 1/2 oz (45 mL) spiced apple liqueur
Cinnamon stick
Spiced Apple Cider
Servings: 1
Mulling spices
Cinnamon stick
Star anise
Whole nutmeg
Dried orange peel
Dried lemon peel
Allspice berries
Whole cloves
Finely chopped crystallized ginger
DIRECTIONS
Wrap mulling spices in a coffee filter or reusable tea bag and let simmer for 15-20 minutes in hot apple cider and liqueur. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Source: Deep Roots Distillery
with it. It gets very hot and the steam evaporates, releasing a lovely aroma, very warm and comforting. It’s very good with honey and citrus.”
Traditional East Coast flavours are also the rule at Deep Roots Distillery in Warren River, P.E.I.
Mike Beamish founded Deep Roots as a U-pick apple orchard before growing it to a distillery in 2014. Today, children Stacey, Greg, and Scott run the show, peddling distinctive creations that showcase the Island’s flavours, like apple brandy and maple cream liqueur.
“Our maple cream is very popular around Christmas,” says operations manager Scott Beamish. “We use real Canadian maple syrup. It goes extremely well in coffee and tea and can be used in baking. We
also do a spiced apple liqueur that has nice apple pie flavours … I recommend that one in a mulled cider.”
The maple liqueur is a nice addition to a hot drink, adding a uniquely Canadian flavour. “There’s just a little hint of sweetness and a touch of alcohol,” Beamish explains. “You can start low and add depending on your taste. Don’t overdo it. You can add more, but you can’t take it out. Experiment and have fun with your flavours. People are hesitant to try new things with alcohol but the results are worth it.”
Local tourism marketers have created a Hot Chocolate Trail for December, encouraging folks to come out and try businesses’ variants on the beloved Christmas drink. As the only participant with a boozy version, Deep Roots is a popular destination,
offering a decadent maple liqueur, peanut butter hot chocolate.
Often overlooked, even by experienced mixologists, hot drinks offer a new opportunity to be creative. “You can make quite complex drinks with winter spices. There are so many varieties,” Wilkins says.
But don’t overcomplicate things, either. “Some younger members of our team like hot chocolate with rum in it,” he adds. “Follow the recipe, but everybody has a different palate, if you like it sweeter, put more honey, more or less alcohol. It’s about having fun and enjoying the moment. Enjoy the way that’s best for you. As long as you’re doing it with joy and happiness, you can’t go wrong.”
Maple Hot Chocolate
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
5 oz (150 mL) hot chocolate
1 oz (30 mL) maple cream
1/2 oz (15 mL) maple liqueur
A pinch of maple sugar
DIRECTIONS
Combine ingredients and top with whipped cream and a pinch of maple sugar.
Source: Deep Roots Distillery
INGREDIENTS
2 oz (60 mL) rum or whisky
1/2 oz (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) honey or 2 tsp (10 mL) brown sugar or ½ oz (15 mL) simple syrup
Hot Toddy
Servings: 1
5 oz (150 mL) boiling water. Slice of lemon with 4 cloves stuck in Optional: cinnamon stick
DIRECTIONS
1. Pour all ingredients in a mug. Stir until incorporated.
2. Add lemon slice and cinnamon stick.
Source: Newfoundland Distillery Company
Canned cake memories
Baked with love in the dark days of war
by CARY RIDEOUT
photography by LORAIN EBBETT-RIDEOUT
Maybe you were leaning against a Sherman in the weak autumn sun or breaking down your trusty Bren gun, wondering if Ronnie assembled it. You might have been in a noisy aerodrome of democracy on the Prairies, a barracks in drizzly Scotland, or steaming into Halifax on a corvette fresh from shepherding a frightened flock through periscope-peppered waters.
Regardless of where somehow the mail found you and with all the care of Carter opening King Tut’s tomb, you unseal the crumpled package to find letters, home-knitted socks, and an object that, upon
unwrapping, reveals a can of your favourite smoking mixture, far superior to any army issue hay chaff. But opening the tobacco tin reveals something so beloved, so fragrant, with the homey kitchen scent you miss, it nearly knocks you over. A molasses cake made by hands that reached across impossible miles, offering for a moment the one thing you dream of in those fragments of sleep. Home.
With our seamless ease of travel and constant connectivity the notion of a handwritten letter perhaps seems quaint. But for the shadowy past of nearly 90 years ago, a letter was a crucial link in the unbreakable chain that strained to hold back fascism during
“This war sure is a hard row to hoe And I miss all you dears more than you can know But with your next letter could you please bake Another tasty molasses cake?”
From a letter to a relative by Private William Rideout, somewhere in France, 1944
the Second World War. No matter rank or posting, every soldier longed for a package from home.
Warm thick socks for sore feet tramping towards Berlin, maybe tobacco, or a taste of beloved baking, all went overseas. Shipping was decidedly difficult with cramped space, rough handling, and U-boats all testing the mail, let alone the cook. Added to this were rationing restrictions at every turn, amounting to a confectionary conundrum. Nevertheless, like so many others, my paternal grandfather’s family of youngsters wanted to send over a taste of home, despite the logistics of the day. But how?
They needed a confectionary sturdy enough to stand wartime transportation. Various cookies were considered but crumbs seemed the likely outcome. Cake might fill the bill, and the famous War Cake came close but was too fussy. But never underestimate the determination of a family intent on sending their beloved father some cheerfulness.
A recipe from the recent Depression solved the cake problem with a thick basic batter infused with ordinary spices and molasses. What made this cake so well liked was our long East Coast love affair with molasses, the cook’s choice for sweeteners. Unlike other sugars in the war years, it was available everywhere and helped preserve the cake during its journey.
Next came the shipping question, which stumped them until the answer appeared in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This was genuine genius offering a stout sealed container, and if it kept the Virgina Blend fresh, it’d work for cake. Lacking eggs, milk, and sugar was no problem for this country recipe shrewdly employing a smattering of scientific substitution. Combining vinegar and soda produced a leavening agent that put every layer cake’s pride to shame.
A modern homemaker would cringe at
the thought of dealing with a fire-breathing range requiring skill somewhere between witchcraft and alchemy. Powered by wood or coal with vague heating nuances along with climatological eccentricities, more than one tobacco can of molasses cake came out a bit scorched.
Wartime calls for speedy solutions and this all-in-one baking system answered the
bugle call, pulling double duty as cook and postmistress. My grandfather, Pte. William Rideout, mentioned in letters how welcome a tobacco can cake was, particularly once in Europe eating rations, which the troops disliked due to the apparent lack of decent sweets. From France to the Netherlands and finally Germany, he received mailed tobacco cans of molasses cake, and while many times it was a little worse for wear, he always appreciated it.
Any recipe is a snapshot of time and place a way to touch the hands of loved ones long passed. What better way to remember those who served with sacrifice and those who waited at home than with a cake cooked in a can and sweetened with molasses memories.
Wartime Tobacco Can Cake
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (500 mL) flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
¼ tsp each (1.5 mL) nutmeg, cloves, ginger
1 ½ tbsp (22 mL) vinegar
½ cup (125 mL) shortening or lard
¾ cup (177 mL) molasses, either blackstrap or cooking
¾ cup (177 mL) water
METHOD
1. Combine flour, baking soda, and spices in a bowl.
2. Make two pockets in mixture, add vinegar in one and softened shortening/lard in the other.
3. Add water then molasses, mixing thoroughly.
4. Grease and dust two medium 14-ounce cans and divide the mixture between the cans.
5. Heat oven to 350F/177C, set both cans in, and cook for 55-60 minutes.
6. Remove, cool for a quarter hour then gently shake cakes out of cans or store for later.
Sturgeon dreams
Crafting caviar with a conscience
story and recipes by COLLEEN THOMPSON
An early morning chasing sturgeon on the Saint John River in Carters Point, N.B., is never just about the catch. These ancient fish, older than dinosaurs, glide like living legends, their armoured bodies bearing the marks of millennia.
I join Cornel Ceapa, founder of Acadian Caviar, aboard a skiff named Stanley. We follow the fish to understand them, to witness their quiet, deliberate power, both mythical and primal. Equally striking was the reverence of those who work with them, especially Ceapa. For him, this is more than a livelihood. It’s a calling, grounded in science, respect, and purpose.
Ceapa’s journey began thousands of kilometres away on the banks of Romania’s Danube River.
“My fascination with sturgeon began in 1997,” he says. “I saw one being harvested and thought, and still believe, they’re the most incredible fish on the planet.” That moment sparked an enduring obsession, and Ceapa devoted the next decade to studying sturgeon, eventually earning a PhD through a joint program between Danubius International University and the University of Bordeaux.
Ceapa’s passion came to life after a leap across the Atlantic. “Armed with everything I’d learned, I followed my sturgeon dream to New Brunswick,” he says. “The fish were here, plentiful, mysterious, and overlooked.”
With five native sturgeon species, Canada is rich in biodiversity. “I’d call the Saint John River the sturgeon
Chasing sturgeon on the Saint John River, which Acadian Caviar owner Cornel Ceapa considers the sturgeon capital of the world.
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COLLEEN THOMPSON
capital of the world. We see ourselves as stewards of this incredible resource.”
Sturgeon are prehistoric, unchanged for more than 200 million years. Long before borders or empires, these fish glided through rivers across Europe, Asia, and North America. Their size and resilience have commanded awe for millennia. Their most precious offering, caviar, has had the same effect.
In the courts of tsars and emperors, caviar was a tribute, a medicine, and an aphrodisiac. Well-made caviar like Acadian’s is a quiet link to the past: the soft pop, the saline bloom, the moment of pause. But that legacy is fragile. Overfishing, poaching, and habitat loss, especially in the Caspian and Black seas, have pushed many sturgeon species to the brink. Global demand has driven mass production, often at the cost of quality and animal welfare.
“Sustainable and ethical are big words, often misused,” says Ceapa. “The concerns don’t apply only to sturgeon but to every fish species we harvest.” He continues, “Scientists know what sustainability means, but policies often follow politics and economics instead.”
At Acadian Caviar, sustainability means a science-based wild harvest and responsible aquaculture. “Fishing and farming are two very different kinds of sustainability,” says Ceapa. “For wild harvest, we keep the catch limited and accurately based on data. We maintain a balanced sex ratio, harvest selectively, and use every part of the fish.” Ceapa has found a market for nearly every part of the sturgeon, from smoked fillets and bone marrow to tanned hides, maws, and even heads. It’s a nose-to-tail approach rooted in respect and sound economics.
The wild Atlantic sturgeon fishery is one
of the most tightly regulated in the world, supported by peer-reviewed science and strict oversight.
Like wine or oysters, sturgeon reflect their environment. “Fish are about 70 per cent water, so water quality heavily influences flavour,” says Ceapa. That’s why they’re raised near native waters — to preserve true “merroir” (the sea’s version of terroir). Every detail matters: water, feed, and stress levels all shape taste. At Acadian Caviar, fish hibernate in winter as they do in the wild, and farmed caviar is tested against wild to ensure equal or better quality. “Our goal is ethical, nourishing food,” says Ceapa, “because good food is powerful medicine.”
For Ceapa, honouring sturgeon means showing that true luxury can be responsible. “It’s a treat, like fine wine, meant for special occasions, in small amounts,” he says.
Running a small, ethical caviar business is hard. “There’s a real lack of awareness around sustainability and food quality,” says Ceapa. “We’re held to strict regulations, while many imported caviars, often containing borax (used as a preservative) and heavy metals, face little scrutiny.” Climate change has disrupted traditional migration patterns. With sturgeon taking over a decade to mature, sustaining longterm operations is financially daunting. “It’s a constant struggle,” Ceapa admits. “But we never give up. We keep pushing through the challenges.”
Despite its complexity, Acadian Caviar is meant to be simple and deeply enjoyable.
“Start with a caviar bump on the back of your hand,” says Ceapa. “Pair it with a Canadian sparkling wine. Caviar will elevate anything on your plate, whether it’s a cracker or a hard-boiled egg.” Most of all, he wants people to let go of the idea that caviar is elitist or intimidating. “I wish more people knew that good caviar isn’t an acquired taste. It’s incredibly healthy and likeable, even for beginners.”
Ceapa has spent a lifetime tuning into, the pulse of rivers, migrations, and ecosystems that reward patience. Acadian Caviar is more than a product; it’s a promise that taste can tell a story and true luxury lies in respect, not excess.
Ceapa says caviar is “a treat, like fine wine, meant for special occasions, in small amounts.”
COLLEEN THOMPSON
Mini Blinis with Acadian Caviar
Makes about 12
INGREDIENTS
Blinis
1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1.5 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk, warmed
1 large egg, separated
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for cooking)
Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar (for slight sweetness)
Topping
6 tbsps (90 mL) crème fraîche or sour cream
3–4 tbsps (45-60 mL) caviar
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh chives, finely chopped Zest of half a lemon (optional)
METHOD
1. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar (if using). In another bowl, whisk egg yolk with warm milk and melted butter. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until smooth.
2. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter to keep it light and airy.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly butter it. Drop small spoonfuls (about a tablespoon) of batter onto the skillet to form mini pancakes.
4. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges look set, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for about 1 minute.
5. Remove and keep warm while cooking the rest.
6. Spread a dollop of crème fraîche on each blini. Top with a small spoonful of caviar. Garnish with chopped chives and a touch of lemon zest if desired.
7. Serve immediately.
Tasty treasure
Acadian Caviar offers three varieties, best tasted in sequence.
• Gold: From a rare shortnose sturgeon line, this caviar is buttery, smooth, and subtly briny. Only 20 per cent of this species yields the prized golden eggs.
• Emerald: Green-amber pearls with a mild, creamy, nutty flavour and a hint of seaweed — farmed with minimal environmental impact.
• Wild: The world’s only sustainable wild caviar. Smaller grains, rich umami, and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Purée, Brown Butter, and Acadian Caviar
Serves 4
This dish offers a luxurious balance of sweet scallops, creamy purée, nutty butter, and the delicate, briny pop of caviar, making it perfect for an impressive starter or elegant dinner.
INGREDIENTS
Cauliflower purée
1 small head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1/2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream
2 tbsps (30 mL) unsalted butter
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Scallops
12 large sea scallops, cleaned and patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsps (30 mL) olive oil
3 tbsps (45 mL) unsalted butter
Brown butter sauce
4 tbsps (60 mL) unsalted butter
1 small shallot, finely minced
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh chives, finely chopped
To finish
3 tbsps (45 mL) caviar
Microgreens or fresh dill for garnish
METHOD
1. Steam cauliflower until very tender. Blend with heavy cream and butter until smooth and velvety. Season with salt and white pepper. Keep warm.
2. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear scallops for 2-3 minutes per side, until a golden crust forms on both sides. Remove and keep warm.
3. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in minced shallot, lemon juice, and chives.
4. Spoon a pool of cauliflower purée on each plate. Arrange 3 scallops over the purée. Drizzle brown butter sauce around the scallops. Top each serving with a generous spoonful of caviar. Garnish with microgreens or dill.
A sweet connection
Celebrating cross-border ties with a Boston Cream Pie
by CRYSTAL MURRAY
photography by STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE STUDIOS
Like many East Coast families, ours had ties to New England, which my grandparents often referred to as the “Boston States.” My mum still remembers her long car rides from Nova Scotia to Massachusetts with her parents. She would stretch out in the back seat of her dad’s sedan, munching potato chips and napping away the hours on bumpy, twisting roads long before divided highways. Her aunt, uncle, and cousins would make return visits north of the border, a tradition that continued for many years, and a connection the next generation still maintains.. Boston Cream Pie was part of my grandmother’s dessert repertoire, usually reserved for a “fancier” dinner like New Year’s Day, but it was a treat I always
associated with our cousins in the States. I’m not sure if she had a recipe passed along to her or if she simply used her own sponge cake and vanilla custard method beneath a glossy chocolate glaze, but it was always one of my favourites.
It’s been years since I’ve made the dessert for my own family, but with one of our Nova Scotian Christmas trees making its way over the border this November for the annual Boston tree lighting, I can’t help but think of that connection once again. Just as the tree symbolizes friendship between our regions, Boston Cream Pie feels like a little slice of my family’s own history and connection.
Classic Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Makes about 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
Sponge cake
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
4 large eggs
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) whole milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Pastry cream
2 cups (500 mL) whole milk
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
¼ cup (60 mL) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Chocolate glaze
4 ounces (113 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup (125 mL) heavy cream
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
METHOD
1. Make the sponge cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Heat milk and butter until just warm; stir in vanilla. Gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture, then fold in warm milk mixture. Divide batter between pans and bake 20–25 minutes, until golden and springy. Cool completely.
2. Make the pastry cream: In a saucepan, heat milk until steaming. In a bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture, then return all to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla, and let cool with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Chill until firm.
3. Make the glaze: Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate and butter. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
4. Assemble: Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread pastry cream evenly on top. Add second cake layer. Pour warm chocolate glaze over the top, letting it drip slightly down the sides. Chill briefly to set before serving.
Pie or cake?
Despite its name, Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake, with layers of airy sponge filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate. The dessert was first created at the Parker House Hotel in Boston in the mid-19th century. At the time, “pie” and “cake” were often interchangeable terms, and the name stuck. In 1996, the state government declared it the official dessert of Massachusetts.
Small bites, big flavour
Good things come in little tasty packages
recipes by ERIN PETTIPAS
photography by STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE
This time of year, when guests can drop in out of the blue, you need canapés that come together quickly and have folks asking, “Who catered?”
“The holiday season calls for festive bites that wow without weighing you down,” says Chef Erin Pettipas. In this issue, she delivers inventive canapés that come together quickly.
Earthy roasted beet tartare mounded on crisp rye crackers with whipped goat cheese, refreshing cucumber rounds topped with smoked salmon and sesame-kissed cream cheese — there’s something for every palate. Steak crostini brings bold, savoury indulgence, while herbed turkey meatballs paired with tangy cranberry aioli offer a lighter nod to tradition. And for a flaky, elegant finish, vol-au-vents filled with sage, apple, and sausage are guaranteed to steal the spotlight. Like gifts, some of the best things come in small packages.
Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites
Makes 15-20
INGREDIENTS
1 large English cucumber, sliced
3 1/2 oz (100g) smoked salmon
Scallions (for garnish)
Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Cream cheese mix
8 oz (227 g) cream cheese
1 tbsp (15 mL) tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tsp (5 mL) rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) sesame oil
METHOD
1. Combine cream cheese, soya sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil and put into a piping bag.
2. Spread cream cheese mix on cucumber slices and top with smoked salmon, scallions and sesame seeds.
Roast Beet Tartare Bites
Makes 24
INGREDIENTS
24 rye crackers
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped walnuts Microgreens to garnish
Beet tartar
2 medium beets, roasted and finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) grainy Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (30 mL) shallot, finely diced
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh dill
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
Whipped goat cheese
5 oz (140 g) goat cheese
2 tsp (10 mL) honey
METHOD
1. Roast beets wrapped in foil until fork tender, refrigerate, and cool completely. Finely chop beets and combine with Dijon, salt, pepper, olive oil, and shallots.
2. In a food processor combine goat cheese and honey until very smooth, transfer to a piping bag (at-home cheat: freezer bag with corner cut).
3. Pipe about 1.5 tsp of goat cheese onto each cracker, then top with beet mixture and garnish with micro greens or dill.
Herbed Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Aioli
Makes 16-20
INGREDIENTS
1 lb (454 g) ground turkey
1 cup (250 mL) panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free if desired)
½ cup (125 mL) celery
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup/250 mL))
3 tbsp (45 mL) mixed herbs, chopped (rosemary, thyme, sage, savory)
1 egg
METHOD
1. Sauté onion, celery and olive oil for 10 minutes on medium until softened and browned, add herbs and sauté for 1-2
minutes until fragrant. Combine with other ingredients and mix just to combine.
2. Roll into 16-20 balls. Bake 20 minutes at 425F/218C.
Aioli
1/4 (60 mL) cup mayo
1/4 cup (60 mL) cranberry sauce
1 tsp (5 mL) orange juice
Zest of ½ orange
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
Combine and serve on side for dipping.
Steak Crostini
Makes 12-16 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 baguette, sliced on an angle about 1/2 inch thick
1 (about 8 oz or .25 kg) strip loin steak
½ cup (125 g) chopped pancetta
1 8 oz (225 g) container mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup (177 mL) mayo
2 tbsp (30 mL) horseradish
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
METHOD
1. Season steak generously with salt and let sit at room temperature while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
2. Chop mushrooms and pancetta and sauté with 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat until browned and crispy, set aside.
3. Combine mayo, horseradish, Worcestershire, and Dijon.
4. Slice baguette and arrange in one layer on a baking tray, drizzle or spread with oil. Bake at 400F/204C or broil for just a couple minutes until the edges just start to brown but the middle is soft. Remove.
5. In a stainless steel or cast-iron pan, heat 1 tbsp high heat oil. Pat steak dry and sear for about 4 minutes on each side or to desired doneness, then rest 5 minutes.
6. Swipe a generous amount of horseradish mayo on each crostini. Top with about 1 tbsp of the mushroom pancetta mix.
7. Slice the steak and top each crostini with a slice and garnish with micro greens and chives.
Sausage Roll Vol au Vent
Makes 16
INGREDIENTS:
1 (450g) package puff pastry
1 cup (250 mL) your favourite fresh sausage meat
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh sage and thyme, chopped cranberry or red pepper jelly
1 egg, whisked in small bowl with 1 tbsp water, set aside for egg washing
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1/4 apple, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
Sesame seeds to garnish
METHOD
1. Using a biscuit cutter or something about 2-inch in diameter, cut both sheets of puff pastry into circles. You should get around 16 each sheet.
2. Using the wide end of a piping tip or something about ¾-inch round, put a hole in the middle of half of the circles. Use your pointer finger dipped in water to make a ring around each full circle to stick the rings on top. These are called vol au vents — the ring around will puff up while cooking to create a hole for the filling. Keep chilled while you make the filling.
3. Sauté shallot and olive oil over medium heat until soft and browned, add apple and sauté until it softens, then add herbs for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Combine sausage meat, sautéed shallots, apple, and herbs, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
5. Place about 1 1/2 tsp filling in the middle of each ring, top with a light brush of cranberry jelly, then brush the ring of pastry with egg wash.
6. Bake at 425F/218C for about 15 minutes until golden and sausage is cooked through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and thyme for garnish.
’Tis the season for new cookbooks
Reviewing a fresh batch of Atlantic Canadian cookbooks that will have you eager to try new recipes
by JODI DeLONG
No matter how much we turn to digital books and websites to search out recipes, actual cookbooks remain quite irresistible. Here, we look at a few recent releases from Nimbus Press in Halifax. Note: To maintain consistency, we’ve added metric or imperial conversions to each recipe as required.
The Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook
by Elisabeth Bailey
Photography and Food Styling by Alyssa
Valletta
Any food enthusiast who is an ardent follower of Instagram has probably swooned over utterly gorgeous photos of meals, from dishes celebrating local flavours, to those delving into more exotic flavours. This book is like a collection of those posts, with exquisite photography on almost every page, and a collection of recipes developed by members of the Lunenburg Farmers’ Market, who grow so many foods locally.
Author Elisabeth Bailey suggests that people get to know their local producers, and the foods they produce, as a step on the way to eating better, and locally. The recipes are grouped according to what’s available at the market that month, with recipes such as Sesame Soy Scallops, Moroccan Lamb Stew, Spring Onion Pasta, or Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
The volume is also dotted with market tips and a few market vendor profiles, all of which makes it feel like you’re as close to experiencing the market as you can be without going to Lunenburg. And you should go. The market is one of the largest in Nova Scotia and is simply wonderful.
Rise: A Devotion to Whole Grains by
Jess Ross
Are you one of the many who discovered an innate love for making breads during the great lockdown of COVID? Then you’ll want to get this book to further inspire your breadmaking skills. If you’ve never kneaded a loaf and are daunted by the thoughts of sourdough or yeast, don’t worry: Moss explains the magic of
Ginger Radish Fridge Pickles
Makes 1 litre
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp (30 mL) dried hot chili flakes (optional)
1-inch (2.5-cm) chunk ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsps (30 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) lemon juice or rice vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
2 cups (500 mL) sliced radishes
METHOD
1. Combine all ingredients except sliced radishes in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for five minutes. Pack sliced radishes into a container. Carefully add pickling mixture to sliced radishes, making sure that all slices are completely covered.
2. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for at least a week before eating. Pickles will keep up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.
Reprinted with permission from Nimbus Publishing Ltd. Lunenburg Farmers’ Market Cookbook
Text copyright © 2024, Elisabeth Bailey
Available through Nimbus.ca
Cheddar Cheese Scones
Makes 8-12 scones
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (500 mL) unbleached white flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, cold
1 cup (250 mL) grated cheddar cheese
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup (175 mL) buttermilk (variations: cream, whole milk, or sour cream as 1:1 replacements)
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 400F/204C. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with butter; alternatively, cover a cookie sheet with parchment.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Grate cold butter into dry mixture, then mix lightly with your fingertips. Add grated cheese and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolk and buttermilk. Stir lightly into flour mixture. Note: set this buttermilk-and-egg mixing bowl aside. There will be enough liquid left in the bowl to later brush onto the tops of the scones.
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and knead gently, no more than three or four times, to bring together.
5. Roll into a round, inch–thick disc, then cut disc into 8 to 12 wedges, depending on the size you prefer. Place each wedge separately on cookie sheet. Brush the top of each scone with the leftover buttermilk and egg mixture from the bowl.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed up and golden.
Reprinted with permission from Nimbus Publishing Ltd. LaHave Bakery. Copyright © 2024, Jane Morrigan & Susan Ivany. Available through Nimbus.ca
breadmaking as a science, offering tips that will have you making pancakes with your sourdough “discard” in no time. The founder of the well-known Gold Island Bakery, a micro bakery in Scotch Village, Hants County, Moss celebrates whole grains from spelt to kamut, rye to heritage wheats, and tells her own story from student to acolyte of sourdoughs and whole grains.
Rise is an endearing and highly entertaining read, and the recipes, oh, the recipes! When I got this book, I knew I’d have to rush out and get some rye flour to make her Cardamom and Date Rye Cake, but also, I may be finally ready to turn my hand to sourdough bread. If I can be tempted, you can, too.
Mitji — Let’s Eat! Mi’kmaq recipes from Sikniktuk
by Margaret Augustine and Lauren Beck
This small wonder of a book is a loving and informative celebration of Mi’kmaw food culture, and the wisdom of the Elders of this vibrant Indigenous community. Sikniktuk is one of seven traditional Mi’kmaw districts and includes Elsipogtog, the largest Indigenous community in New Brunswick.
Along with being a practical (and delicious) stock of recipes, this book turns its unflinching focus on the ravages of colonization to the Mi’kmaq over the years. You will learn a great deal about the history of the original settlers to this land, the often seasonal and very local way in which they eat, as you learn to make Eel Stew, Swiss Steak with Moose Meat, and several types of breads.
The LaHave Bakery
by Jane Morrigan and Susan Ivany
If the walls of the LaHave Bakery, on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, could talk, what tales they would tell. Formerly a ship chandler and fish plant, the waterside building fell into disrepair and could have been lost to time’s ravages. Fortunately, Gael Watson and her then-husband bought the building in 1984, opening the bakery the following year.
This fascinating read isn’t so much a cookbook as the story of the bakery over more than 40 years, but readers will be delighted to find a dozen or so recipes of their popular products, including Anadama, Butter Tarts, and Chedder Herb Bread. It’s a beautiful read, told in the voices of Gael and others who were deeply involved in the bakery. The recipes are a delicious bonus.
THANK
to everyone who made the Nova Scotia Loyal Expo a great success. From our incredible partners, amazing vendors, talented musicians and presenters and each and every person who attended...we are humbled and grateful. UP NEXT: Spring Expo - April 24-26 2026. Save the date and watch for details!
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