Poutine! Last weekend I went up to Quebec City for the Winter Carnaval and no surprise, the Poutine craving is strong still this week. I brought back cheese curds (yes, you can bring cheese into the US from across the border) so made myself this awesome lunch.
Browsing Tag
sides
Sauce”. I like to experiment with different sauces and chutneys to accompany the big turkey on the day. This year, I made the chutney variation a little earlier than usual, while I still had time. So here you go: Cranberry Black Currant Apple and Ginger Chutney. It’s very hearty and a little different than your standard “out of the can” or “recipe on the back of the cranberry bag” but I think that it is really lovely.
Have I ever told you about my complete and utter infatuation with the Dill Pickle? The Gherkin. The traditional accompaniment to the American burger. I have never met a combination of Vinegar, Dill and the standard ol’ cucumber that I didn’t love. Put them together and I am in heaven.
This infatuation has roots literally to the first years that I was on this plant (or any other planet, as far as I know). As my mum will tell you, I abhorred baby food. Anything mushing and unidentifiable, I wasn’t going to eat. No mushy carrots, no porridge, no yogurt. Blech. So there I was, one day at that age when one is just learning to speak and I was being a fussy little one, sitting in a high chair and pointing at the table. The family tried everything: does the want a piece of bread? Perhaps some of the soup that my sister was eating? Anything, anything? Finally, in my infant rage, I skipped the whole Mama and Papa as my first word and yelled “GURKE!” (the German word for pickle, think like gherkin). And yes indeed, I wanted a dill pickle. To this day, I have to pace myself from eating entire jars in one sitting. Yeah, I’m weird like that.
And while I have my favorite store bought ones, I also make my own. This is my basic recipe (though I make some spicier ones too). These Refrigerator Dill Pickles can be used for whole mini-cukes, spears, stackers and slices…. add a little bit of onion and it makes a great relish too. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a fridge full of deliciousness.
One of my guilty pleasures is Guacamole. OK, it could be worse — avocado is good for you right? — but I could eat it by the bucket. On Toaste. On potatoes. As salad dressing. On a burger. Whole Foods makes some yummy stuff (which I buy and freeze — that works surprisingly well — but when I go make it myself, here is the recipe.
