I didn't know anything about this sweetener until I read Gwyneth Paltrow swore by it over artificial sweeteners. Good choice, Gwynnie, as this syrup is 100-per-cent natural and 25-per-cent sweeter than natural sugar, so a little goes a long way. Made from the renowned Blue Agave ("Weber azul") grown in Central Mexico, this mild nectar works wonders at sweetening tea, coffee, mulled wine, smoothies, lemonade and even baked goods. Use as a one-for-one replacement for sugar, then adjust to your personal taste. Agave sweetener has a glycemic index of 39 or less, which means sweetness without the blood-sugar spike.
$130, available at Quincallerie Dante, 6851 St-Dominique St.
Published on Dec 12, 2008
Am I ever in love with this non-stick pan! Made in Italy, this pan is ideal for searing fish and meat, or deep-frying a small batch of French fries or chicken Kiev. It's also perfect for preparing braised dishes
$6.50, available at most newsstands and book stores.
The planet is overflowing with food magazines. The American ones are filled with glossy pictures of turkeys and layer cakes, the British feature quick and easy suppers and long texts on the merits of organic farming, and the Italian are all about classic recipes. The French, however, tend to focus on trends, and none as well as this magazine. Filled with the latest gadgets, foodstuffs, hot wines and coolest cookies, Elle à Table also includes a ton of chic and easy recipes. Available eight times a year and only in French, this magazine is sure to excite any foodie.
about $145, available at most kitchen supply stores including all outlets of Ares Kitchen & Baking Supplies
If there was a fire in my house, the only piece of kitchen equipment I would grab would be this pan. Smaller than your average roasting pan (and thus, less expensive) this 11X14-inch pan has steel handles secured with non-corrosive rives and a polished stainless steel interior and exterior, providing a non-reactive surface. Best of all, the base is reinforced, which means it won't buckle in high heat. Large enough to hold a roasting rack, use to roast everything but a large turkey. It's also great for roasting potatoes and vegetables, and can go straight from the oven to the burner to make gravy.
.
about $1.50/16 g package, available at most Italian gourmet shops including La Baie des Fromages, 1715 Jean Talon St. E., and Fruiterie Milano, 6862 St. Laurent Blvd.
I discovered this baking powder in Italy and was thrilled to find it here. Scented with vanilla, this powder adds the most wonderful vanilla accent to sponge cakes, pound cakes and egg-based tortes. It even adds a little spark of flavour to chocolate chip and butter cookies.
$7.99/125 g, available at gourmet shops, including Les Douceurs du Marché at the Atwater Market, Gourmet Laurier, 1042 Laurier Ave. W, and La Vieille Europe, 3855 St. Laurent Blvd.
These savoury shortbreads are the perfect snack for your late afternoon cocktail, or make a great addition to any hors d'oeuvre tray. I also like to serve them with a bowl of soup. Made with 100-per-cent organic ingredients, including mature English cheddar cheese, these biscuits are just as popular with adults as with children. But beware - they're addictive!
about $6, available at most major supermarkets, fruit stores and health-food stores.
Homemade pesto is unbeatable, but tracking down the basil, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil to make it can be trying. And if you buy the good stuff, it's also expensive. This vibrant, unpasteurized pesto - in its fabulous new, recyclable pouch packaging - is a great substitute. Stir into pasta, soups, seafood stews or risotto. Spread it over a rack of lamb or pizza, or dilute with olive oil to make a salad dressing or marinade. This product is a staple of mine and good enough to eat straight from the package! Made - in Quebec - with 100 per cent natural ingredients.
about $8/180g, available at most major supermarkets and cheese shops.
This mild, camembert-like cheese is named after Soeur Angèle, one of Quebec's most famous cooking nuns best known for her cooking shows, cooking courses, charity work and fabulous singing voice. Made by Quebec's renowned cheese maker Kaiser, this blend of both cow's and goat's milk - with a dash of cream - has a creamy buttery taste and soft bloomy rind redolent of mushrooms. And, for every wheel of cheese sold, a portion of profits goes to the Fondation Dignité Jeunesse.
$9.95, available at The Linen Chest, Stokes, Au Printemps, La Soupière, Quincaillerie Dante, 6851 St. Dominique St., and La Maison D'Emilie, 1073 Laurier Ave. W.
Now this is seriously stylish. Brought to you by Jamie Oliver, Britain's most glimmering star chef, this retro-cool napkin dispenser will add a touch of diner style to your kitchen or dinner table. The dispenser holds up to 140 deli-style paper napkins, and can be brought outside, to the cottage, on a picnic, or anywhere where a fresh napkin is a must. Available in white, yellow, orange, green and grey. Napkin refills sold separately.
$4.59/125 mL, available at most major supermarkets.
Some recipes, like vanilla ice cream, crème anglaise or crème brûlée, are best made with a vanilla bean. Others, like cookies, cakes and squares, usually call for vanilla extract. And if you're using vanilla extract, you might as well use artificial, because taste tests have proven (especially one undertaken by the smart foodies at Cook's Illustrated magazine) that experts cannot detect the difference between real and fake vanilla in baked goods. So save a few bucks at the supermarket - but still feel good about baking with vanilla - by picking up this brand, which contains 10 per cent real vanilla and 90 per cent of the artificial extract, which still smells and tastes awfully good to me.
Comments (0)
