My travel log: The best breakfast in Newfoundland

Tablelands trail

 We woke up early that day, packed all our suitcases and many bags, managed somehow to cram everything into our already battered hired car and hit the road. We planned to have breakfast at the restaurant next to our room, but it was firmly shut and "opened at nine", as the note on the door said. It was Saturday morning. Although we were a bit hungry, we couldn't stay. Our mission of the day was to get our eldest girl to Lomond Camp Ground on the south part of Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland. There she joined my friend Sarah and her adventurous family for a day of hiking: sixteen km of the Green Garden trail. 

We thought that 16km were too much for our three years old to walk and too much for his dad to carry him on his shoulders. Therefore we needed to devise other plans for the day. After bidding farewell to our daughter our next mission had to be food. My younger daughter already expressed her apprehension and a dire need for some carbohydrates. We didn't find any restaurants or eateries driving around this remote part of the park dotted with little fishing villages, but we found a nice picnic spot. A little clearing in the forest, scattered with a few benches.

There in the middle of nowhere, my DH demonstrated once more what a capable cook he is and made us the best breakfast we had on our entire journey through Canada. Mushrooms were cut, cheese and eggs beaten, bread was toasted, Canadian bacon sizzled, using only the little propane camping burner purchased 2 weeks earlier at a local Walmart and a 10 dollar pan.  Who needs restaurants when you have such a cook at home? For dessert my chef of a husband took some bananas, sugar, and a bit of rum and voila: Banana Flambé in the middle of the forest. Even the squirrels came down of the trees to see what's cooking.  We were lucky with the unpredictable weather of Newfoundland and had a lovely day with only light drizzle and fog.  

The rest of the day was dedicated to exploring the nature and amazing scenery of the Tablelands Mountains, Trout River and the lovely picturesque town of Woody Point. I am no poet so I lack the words to describe those views; I let my camera speak for me.

Trout River

The lighthouse at Woody Point, Gros Morne National Park

Our Canada voyage in short: Landing in Montreal and spending a few days exploring the city, from there driving to the Mauricie National Park and further to Quebec City; a 1000km drive with only one stop on the way brought us to North Sydney where we took the ferry to Newfoundland. After 10 days we took the ferry back and stayed 2 days on Cape Breton, Nova-Scotia. Drove from there to Prince Edward Island, after 5 days on the island we got back to New-Brunswick's Fundy Bay area. All the way back to Montreal via Grand Falls, NB and Ile d'Orleans ,Quebec. We took the train to Toronto, and there we boarded the plane back home, to hot Israel. 

My travel log: The oldest city market in North America

Hello all, after five adventurous weeks travelling in East Canada, I'm back. I have so many photos and I've seen, heard, ate and done so much that I'm still overwhelmed. Not to mention the jetlag that made me feel like my head is full of maple syrup. At first I didn't know where to begin. I have so much to tell about so many things: gluten-free travelling, eating and travelling abroad with kids, Atlantic Canada cuisine, and so much more. The past week I sat in front of the computer staring at the photos we took and couldn't write a single word. So I decided I'll just start somewhere, and I chose to start with the day we spent at the city market of Saint John, New Brunswick. In the following weeks I'll add more posts to my Canada Travel Log from time to time.

Truth be told, I didn't consider a stop at the city of Saint John, we planned to hike around the Fundy Bay area and then drive back all the way to Quebec City. But after reading in my Canada guide book about St. John's city market, I changed my mind. Saint John is situated at the mouth of the St. John River on the Fundy Bay and it is the largest city in the Province of New Brunswick. Arriving the city from the Fundy Bay National Park region, we were greeted by a beautiful, warm sunny day which was quite refreshing after three days of fog and rain. We got to the market just before lunch time and it was already very crowded. The atmosphere was very lively and vibrant and although the market space is relatively small; it is packed with everything you can think of: from fresh produce to Chinese grocery, from ham sandwiches to lobsters, I found it quite charming. I bought cherry, scallions and a pair of silver earing made by a local artist. There is great emphasis on locally grown products.

The Saint John City Market is the oldest continuing farmer's market in Canada, with a charter dating from 1785 and it was completed in 1876. The current market building has a unique roof structure that resembles an inverted ship's keel. According to Wikipedia some of the businesses in the market have been operating continuously there for more than 100 years. The market was designated a National Historic Site of Canada 25 years ago.

Naturally sea food and fish are very prominent in the market, and among the lobsters, clams, fish and crab I found a curious plant sold as a delicacy. 

Dulse (seaweed)

Dulse is dry seaweed, a red alga actually named Palmaria palmate, and it is a good source of minerals and vitamins compared with other vegetables since it contains all trace elements. Dulse is commonly used in Ireland, Iceland, Atlantic Canada and the Northeast United States both as food and medicine. It is also used in cooking because its properties are similar to those of a flavour-enhancer such as MSG. Fresh dulse can be eaten directly off the rocks before sun-drying. Sun-dried dulse is eaten as is or is ground to flakes or a powder. It can also be pan fried quickly into chips, baked in the oven or simply microwaved briefly. I've stumbled upon this site,http://www.theseaweedman.com/recipes/dulse if you're in the area and got some dulse. Unfortunately we didn't buy any, so I can't attest to the taste and quality of dulse. It doesn't look very inviting. Maybe next time.

We decided to join the crowd and have our lunch at the market. Simple yet very tasty fish and chips and a salmon sandwich ended our lovely time at the market. The kids satisfied their sweet tooth with maple toffee lollipops and we were back on the road. Driving  300km to Grand Falls, NB but that is another story that will be told some other time.

Our Canada voyage in short: Landing in Montreal and spending a few days exploring the city, from there driving to the Mauricie National Park and further to Quebec City; a 1000km drive with only one stop on the way brought us to North Sydney where we took the ferry to Newfoundland. After 10 days we took the ferry back and stayed 2 days on Cape Breton, Nova-Scotia. Drove from there to Prince Edward Island, after 5 days on the island we got back to New-Brunswick's Fundy Bay area. All the way back to Montreal via Grand Falls, NB and Ile d'Orleans ,Quebec. We took the train to Toronto, and there we boarded the plane back home, to hot Israel. 

Easy, Light - The Ultimate Dessert for Hot Summer Days

Chocolate mousse filled Pavlova

When I first encountered Jayne Georgette’s dessert blog, Chocolates and Figs I knew I'll like it. It's the perfect blog for owners of a sweet tooth like me and my three kids. I had discovered that Jayne’s blog is a great source for new techniques and recipes, accompanied by interesting stories and informative facts. I was thrilled when Jayne offered to write a guest post for my blog and make a dessert that is gluten-free but elegant and easy to make.  Be sure to check out Chocolates and Figs for more beautiful Pavalova recipes. 

Elegant, lithe, graceful—a beautiful and famous ballerina dancing the Dying Swan, or perhaps the tragic bewitched White Swan Queen.  Now imagine a dessert that would embody the lightness of the dancer in the air. 

That was the challenge for pastry chefs when inspired by the greatness and celebrity of Anna Pavlova, (1881-1931) one of the most famous ballet dancers of all time.  She was the first ballet dancer to tour the world, including Australia and New Zealand in 1926, to adoring crowds.  In one of those countries, a chef created a dessert that would be worthy of her, drawing upon the lightness and elegance of the classic French confection, meringue. 

A pavlova is a cookie-like meringue dessert, usually made with vinegar and cornstarch and topped with light fruit and airy whipped cream.  Some also claim that the shape of the pavlova is supposed to resemble the tutu worn by Pavlova, with the whipped cream the netting of her skirt. Another story holds that the dessert was invented first, and someone commented, “It’s as light as Pavlova” bestowing her name on the creation.  In any case, the Pavlova quickly became a hit in both Australia and New Zealand, and later around the world. 

But which country has the honor of first invention?  Like many Americans, Australia and New Zealand tend to blend together in my mind and I vaguely think of them as being right next to each other.  But don’t tell that to an Australian or a New Zealander.  Although their countries are diplomatically and culturally close, there are 1400 miles setting them apart. Both countries are proud to claim ownership of Pavlova. Many investigations have been launched, but no definitive conclusions reached.  I think that’s for the best, let the glory of Pavlova be shared.    

I knew nothing of this history when I first encountered the Pavlova but I knew we were perfect together.  Meringue desserts were also a classic part of my Hungarian upbringing.  I loved nibbling meringue cookies as a child and I’ve never stopped.  In Hungary, they are often made with nuts, (i.e. hazelnuts or almonds) but no other filling or indentation for toppings.    

The Pavlova is a meringue cookie superstar, befitting its namesake.  It has the texture that reminds me of the meringue cookies, crispy on the outside soft, chewy and moist on the inside.  Who wouldn’t love to top that off with fresh fruits, whipped cream, chocolate mousse, vanilla ice cream, roasted/stewed fruits and more (although not all at the same time)? 

What’s more, Pavlovas are easy to prepare, they require a minimum of time in a heated kitchen, and are light to digest.  Simple and versatile, they are a splendid summer dessert.  Depending on the toppings you use, it can be a low-fat or fat-free dessert as well. 

I’ve been playing around with Pavlova variations, and have prepared four for presentation. Since it is too long to be placed in one post, we decided to divide the recipes so that two are reported here, and two on my blog, at http:///www.chocolatesandfigs.com. I love the White and Black Swan Queen Pavlova, topped with the Black Swan’s seductive chocolate mousse to smother the pure white meringue of the White Swan. The bright Lemon and Gingered Peach Palovas are also wonderful.   My favorite is a simple and classic presentation of Mixed Berries on Chantilly Cream.   While piping the meringue onto a baking sheet is traditional, I prefer using a muffin or cupcake pan for easy, attractive and structured Pavlova creations.

So, without further ado, here are the recipes:

PAVLOVA

All the meringues or PAVLOVA’s are the same:, except I added in some recipes chopped, roasted almonds

Ingredients:

4 egg whites, room temperature

1-tablespoon cornstarch

1/2-teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup caster (fine) sugar

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Pinch of salt

Method of Preparation

1.     Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.     Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

3.     Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until it becomes thick and glossy.

4.     Add the cornstarch with the last 3 tablespoons of sugar.

5.     Fold in the vanilla and the vinegar and mix it for 10 seconds.

6.     Spoon the meringue either on jelly roll pan covered with buttered parchment paper, 1 inch apart; or as I did use a muffin pan and either butter the muffin pan or place a silicone muffin cup into each unit.  The meringue should be higher then the muffin cup and make indentations in the middle of each unit with the back of a spoon; this is where the filling will be placed.

7.      Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F.

8.     Bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of the muffins. It has to appear dry and crisp outside. Try not to open the oven door at least for the first 15 minutes of baking.

9.     Turn off the oven and open the oven door. Cool completely in the oven (the meringue (pavlova) may sink during cooling, but it is fine).

10.                       Serve with various fillings. See suggestions below

Empty meringue shells

Chocolate Mousse

• 3 large eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• Optional: 3/4 cup chilled whipping cream

Method of Preparation

1.     Whisk egg yolks with 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons water, and rum in a metal bowl to blend.

2.     Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch the water). Whisk until the candy hermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160°F; you may need about 6 minutes.

3.     Add the chocolate pieces and whisk until melted and smooth.

4.     Mix the cocoa powder with 3 tablespoons hot water (make sure there are no lumps and add it to the chocolate/egg mixture.

5.     Turn off heat; leave bowl over water.

6.     Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

7.     Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form

8.     Fold 1/3 of egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten.

9.     Fold in the remaining whites.

10.               Remove from over water and let the mousse cool 20 minutes.

11.               Beat whipping cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form.

12.                Incorporate the whipped cream into the chocolate mousse or alternatively, use it as a decoration placed on top of the chocolate mousse.

Assembly

This type of “cake” or “cookie” can be assembled in a variety of ways. Here, I scooped  three small scoops of chocolate mousse and placed it into the indentation (see the photo without fillings), then used raspberries for color, and the mousse is sprinkled with roasted, ground almond and the entire service plate is sprinkled with tempered, melted dark chocolate.

Note: You can add sweetened whip cream (Chantilly cream), on top of the mousse; you can use other nuts,  you can have just whipped cream with chocolate shavings as decoration and so on…

Gingered Peaches

Peaches

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 3 firm but ripe large peaches, peeled, pitted, quartered

Method of preparation

1.     Combine 2 cups water, 1-cup sugar, fresh lemon juice, and sliced ginger in large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.

2.     Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.     Add the peeled peach quarters to the syrup and remove from heat.

4.     Allow the peaches to cool to room temperature in the syrup, at least for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. The longer you let the peaches to absorb the gingered syrup, the better  they will taste.

5.     Transfer the peaches with the syrup to a container that can be closed; and chill it in the refrigerator until cold. Peaches can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Asssembly

As you can see on the photographs, there is no real assembly required. Just place a few gingered quartered peaches into the indentation of the Pavlova and I placed a single raspberry in the middle for color.

Guest post at Food Wanderings

When I first begun to write my blog, I thought that writing is a lonely vocation, that still may be true but blogging turned out to be a great way to socialize and meet many new people. Among the many food bloggers I've encountered through the web the past months, Shullie Madnick from Food Wanderings turned out to be one of my preferred ones. I like her use of fresh ingredients, uncomplicated yet tasty recipes and above all lovely writing and photography. I was really delighted when Shullie asked me to write a guest post for a series of articles about Israel. So please check out Food Wandering blog, and come with to my weekly shopping at Ramle market.

Refreshing summer flavors

Disclosure: The writer was a guest of the Sofia restaurant at the Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem.

It was a regular Israeli hot and humid summer day. We were early. My best friend (famous food blogger Foodbridge) and I had arrived to the Inbal hotel almost an hour too soon. We looked at the swimming pool longingly and wished we had brought bathing suits. We also felt very sorry for the hotel staff, all dressed formally in suits while we wore our best T-shirt and capris for the day.  We were invited to a blogger event and formal introduction of the new menu of the Sofia restaurant. Because of our early arrival we had a chance to wonder around the hotel prior to the bloggers' event. It turned out to be a gem of a hotel: combining the beautiful view of the old city with all the modern comforts and pampering. 

Chef Moti Buchbut

Then it was time, we were called back to the restaurant and the tastings began. There weren't many of us bloggers at the lavishly arranged table. In addition to Foodbridge and me, there was  Ariella Fixler-Alon from the Hebrew food blog "Cooking to the rhythm of Salsa", Shira Zwebner from Hipstermom blog, two managers from the hotel and a PR agent. Now our T-shirts seemed very inappropriate.

On the spot made brioche bread

We began the meal with brioche bread that was freshly baked and tapenade spread.  The restaurants' chef, Moti Buchbut came and explained every dish as it reached our table. The Red Tuna Carpaccio was served, and we were extremely impressed and not for the last time. The fish was marinated in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, seasoned only in sea salt. It was a perfect starter, fresh, delicate and very tasty.

Tuna carpaccio 

Next we were served onion soup based on red wine that had a rich taste followed by a very unusual green salad. The salad was extremely fresh, the lettuce crisp and juicy but the unique ingredient was the sauce: a combination of olive oil, and Passion fruit puree that contributed a tangy yet rich flavor to what is generally considered a mundane dish.  We had also sampled pasta with tomato sauce (Pasta A La Pomodoro) that was tasty but not thrilling.

Onion soup

Green salad

Spaghetti pomodoro

The "piece de resistance" was next. This is a dish that in my opinion is worth hiring a baby sitter, getting dressed and driving to this restaurant.  The Asian Sea Bass (Barramundi) served on a bed of mushroom risotto and topped with scales made from potatoes. It was ingenious combination of flavors, textures and the beauty of an impressionist painting. 

Barramundi fish on a bed of  mushroom risotto

 In addition we tasted two more fish courses: one of sea bream and the other of trout- both were exceptional in flavor and presentation.

Marinated trout fillet with potato and mushrooms

Sea brim on toasted brioche with yellow bell peppers sauce

We were so stuffed that we couldn't believe we will handle the dessert. But the deep fried chocolate filled ravioli was irresistible.  We licked our fingers literally. 

Not a space ship, chocolate filled raviolli

The whole experience was unforgettable. I personally loved the Chef's tendency towards fresh, lemony, tangy tastes and the combination of extremely fresh ingredients in a beautiful presentation. There is a tendency ( I had it too) to look at Kosher and especially Dairy Kosher restaurants as unsophisticated, a no match to regular chef restaurants. Chef Moti Buchbut and his staff at the Sofia restaurant prove that one can cook Kosher Haute Cuisine, you just need the enthusiasm and creativity.

Sofia restaurant – Kosher (not open on Saturday) at the Inbal Hotel , Liberty Bell Park, 3 Jabotinsky Street, Jerusalem,  Israel.

Views of the Old City from Inbal Hotel

Lunch time

I've been a stay at home mom for a few months now, a very new and educational experience for me. Although I've spent long maternity leaves with each of my children, there was never a doubt that I'll go back to work. For years my kids spent the lunch hours at various child care facilities and babysitters, while I would usually eat my lunch in front of the computer at the lab, trying not to let my sandwich drip on the keyboard. I welcomed the change in my employment status because I finally had an opportunity to spend more time with the kids and pay them a lot more attention. At first they were ecstatic about the fact they will go home after school and not to any of the child care places but then when they realized that the supervision on TV time, homework and piano practice got a lot tighter the enthusiasm waned.  One of the most important issues is of course their diet, and as one of my daughters has celiac and the other is lactose intolerant we have to be creative and very meticulous about what we feed them. Now that I'm home I find it challenging trying to prepare them tasty and healthy food every lunch. The following pasta dish is a great success. It's an adaptation from a recipe by Beth Elon (an Israeli cookbook writer). The best thing about this recipe is that it's very easy to make. Only a few months ago I took pride in the fact that the only thing I cook is hardboiled egg and now the fact that I cook this dish on regular basis to my household liking, is pretty miraculous in my view.   

No pasta sauce can be complete without onion (Yahud Ashkenazi market)

Ingredients:

1 package of gluten-free pasta (we use the whole rice one)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 medium size onions chopped

2 grinded carrots

2-4 chopped garlic cloves

800gr of pureed tomatoes (either fresh or canned)

2 table spoons of tomato paste

Salt, pepper, a few chopped basil leaves

Preparation

Place the oil in a medium size cooking pot and add the onion, garlic and carrots. Sauté the vegetable till the onion softens.

Add the tomatoes and paste and boil the sauce on high flame for 15 minutes than lower the flames to the lowest fire and let it simmer for an hour.

Add a pinch a sugar and the basil.

Take the sauce off the fire and mash it using a hand blender, turn the fire on again and let it simmer for 10 more minutes while adding the salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta as instructed on package and serve.

Bon appetite!