You didn't believe we'd make it but we did. <high five>The fridge and pantry may be empty of butter, eggs, flour and sugar; and we may have slipped into our stretchy pants, but the end is in sight.</high five> We've reached the final post in our #bakecation series and to celebrate, we've saved our best post for last: a Q & A with acclaimed chef Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Per Se fame.
Thomas Keller was in Toronto earlier this fall to promote his latest culinary oeuvre, Bouchon Bakery, and he graciously agreed to be subjected to a baker's dozen of no-holds-barred questions – from his role in the animated film Ratatouille to dessert dilemmas to the role of storytelling in cookbooks.
ILB (Indigo Lifestyle Blog): How often do you eat dessert (per week)?TK (Thomas Keller): [laugh] As often as I eat dinner. Though I don't always eat dinner. But when I'm eating at the restaurant – we eat all our staff meal together and there's always dessert. A pudding, some wafers, tart...ILB: Would dessert make it into your last supper?TK: Yes. Lemon tart.ILB: You've channeled your passion for food into three Michelin stars for your restaurants The French Laundry and…
Welcome to the *special* gluten-free edition of the Indigo #bakecation. Why gluten free? Because people with gluten sensitivity deserve treats too! They shouldn't be shunned at cookie exchanges or dessert tables. At Indigo, we are equal opportunity bakecation lovers: Our world includes gluten-free baking.Fifth stop on our Indigo bakecation: Thumbprint Cookies from Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays.
This is so exciting! Let's go shopping for gluten-free ingredients. We'll load up on xanthum gum, brown rice flour, and white sorghum flour. What? You can't find those ingredients at your grocery store? Ok, here's the deal: it's true. You need to seek out some special ingredients for gluten-free baking AND they also tend to be more expensive. But remember our new mantra: Our world includes gluten-free baking.Chances are you know someone who is gluten intolerant. I do – several, in fact. And once I realised that my friends' gastronomic lives were limited to expensive and suspiciously puck-like treats, I was determined to do right by them. It was time for a baking intervention. I was resolute: friends don't let other friends eat dodgy gluten-free goods. Enter Jeanne Sauvage and her book Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays. Jeanne Sauvage has been gluten intolerant for…
It's easy to get frazzled by the holiday hustle: what to bring, what to buy, what to wear, what to cook. It's easy to get overwhelmed. And while we can't help you with #3 (though we're happy to have a fashion 5 minutes any time), we've definitely got you covered on the other points. Here's an idea: if you're finding yourself squeezed for time (or sanity), why not take a page out of Rachael Ray's book. Literally. Consider having having a cocktail or appetizer get-together instead of a full-blown holiday shindig? Easy, delicious and still plenty festive.
Winter Cherry
We found some nice-looking cherries at the market this past winter, which I was happy to use as the base for this cocktail. It also features Maraschino liqueur, which is one of my favorite secret ingredients. Not to be confused with those sticky sweet red maraschino cherries, this bittersweet liqueur I made from Marasca cherries (from Croatia and northern Italy) and their pits lend it an almond-like flavor. A little bit adds a hauntingly, elusive flavor to the right cocktails.
2 fresh sage leaves
3 fresh cherries, plus 1 for garnish
2 ounces bourbon
½…
Welcome to the Indigo #bakecation. We're taking a trip through some of fall's noteworthy cookbooks to test, taste, eat every last crumb, and share it all with you.Fourth stop on our holiday bakecation: Red Pepper & Baked Egg Galettes from Jerusalem.I know, I've thrown you a curve ball. What's this savoury recipe doing amidst all the butter, sugar and flour? Well, according to my culinary Yoda: a cookie is a sometimes food. Sad but true. So it's ok – more than ok – to take a a walk on the savoury side, especially if it includes a detour with a flaky pastry.
Remember in bakecation post #2 (Barefoot Contessa), I praised Ina for giving us a sweet holiday make-ahead treat? Consider this recipe its savoury sister. Author and restauranteur Yotam Ottolenghi returns this fall with his third cookbook, Jerusalem. It's a valentine to the Muslim, Jewish, Arab, Christian and Armenian flavours of his childhood. And like his earlier cookbooks, Ottolenghi and Plenty, Jerusalem shines at vegetable and vegetarian dishes. Hey, wait! Don't leave! I know I wrote vegetables, but these are not the sad wallflower dishes that are left barely touched at the end of a night.
Yotam Ottolenghi creates vegetable dishes that…
