An Indian Film, A New Spice Blend and a Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, EMILY of Sugar Plum!

I don't write about movies very often on this space simply because it's a food blog, and also since I don't watch very many films. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love movies, but let's just say the the opportunity doesn't present itself very often. On the rare occasion that I find myself with a few hours to myself, I'd much rather spend it in a book store (AHH, the silence!) or perusing the shelves of my favorite gourmet food shops. If a film is released that I think I want to see -i.e. not a summer blockbuster or holiday fluff- I tell myself that I'll just rent it. Famous last words, for Danny and I seldom rent films either! There's always something better to do with our time in the evenings, like play Agricola or...[glancing out the window]...shovel snow. Not More Snow?!
However, I couldn't wait to see Slumdog Millionaire after all that I had heard about it and so when my sister agreed to come hang out with the boys on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Danny and I were out the door as fast as you can say 'popcorn'.
The film does not disappoint and pins you to your seat for an emotional and exhilarating journey to a colorful, yet often brutal India. I loved it, but it certainly tugged on a mother's heart! Upon my return home I hugged my boys a little tighter than usual and cooked a simple dinner in honour of the movie. That's where the spice blend comes in.


From Montréal's spice expert, Philippe de Vienne, comes a special new blend: Route de la Soie or Silk Road Blend. Inspired from his travels to Kashgar and containing only the very best of spices, Silk Road Blend is to the palate what Slumdog Millionaire is to the eyes.
This blend marries the flavors of traditional Chinese, Persian, and Indian cooking. It contains over fourteen spices including Iraninan rose petals, green and white cardamom, casse, fennel, ginger, long pepper, saffron, anise, black pepper, white pepper, cloves, cumin, and rose buds. I used it in perhaps the simplest way possible: a rub for a Cornish game hen that I finished with a drizzle of honey. It was excellent! This dish perfumed the house with its extraordinary bouquet and transported us back to Central Asia.


Since you absolutely must try this blend, I am giving away one can to a lucky winner! Leave a comment before February 1 and your name will be entered to win. To get a second entry, blog about this giveaway and let me know where you have done so. Winners will be announced sometime on Sunday, February 1.
Good luck to everyone!

Silk Road Blend and more of M. de Vienne's spices can be purchased online or at
Olives et Épices
Marché Jean Talon
7070 Henri-Julien etal C-11,
Montréal, Quebec


Roasted Cornish Hens with Silk Road Blend
Serves four.

(You can find Philippe's original recipe here, which I only just discovered! It's in French, but likely far better than mine below! I'll give it a try next time.)

Two Cornish Game hens, rinced and patted dry
1 tablespoon Silk Road Spice Blend
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup honey

Grind spice blend until fine and place in a small mixing bowl. Add garlic, salt and melted butter and mix well. Using your hands, rub spice mixture generously all over the hens. Marinade for an hour or two.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Place hens in a roasting pan and then in the oven. Roast for about 45 minutes or until tender and the leg easily pulls away from the carcass. Remove hens from oven and pour honey all over them. Allow to rest for at least five minutes.
To serve: use a sharp carving knife to remove the leg. Slice down the breastbone and remove the breast and wing. Serve a leg and a breast per person.

All Gingerbread, All the Time

I absolutely love gingerbread. If I had to pick a favorite holiday cookie, gingerbread would win without question. It probably stems from my childhood and good memories of baking and decorating cookies to my heart's content. Every step is special, from the measuring of the spices for the dough, to the rolling and cutting of playful Christmas shapes, and perhaps the most fun of all, the detailed icing work.

This year I opted to make and decorate gingerbread trees. My heart just hasn't been into elaborately decorating men ever since that fateful Christmas several years ago when my brother-in-law ate the heads off of every single one of my styling GQ gingerbread men as they were drying. It was quite the massacre, no one survived and a small part of me died that day.
Of course I made some little guys for Noah to decorate and for ornaments for a wreath, which you can see later in the post.


This year I decided to forgo making an elaborate gingerbread house like I have in Christmases past. In light of a family wedding on December 20th, and the busyness that inevitably surrounds that event combined with the usual Christmas rush (Rehearsal! House guests! Gift shopping! and Me-oh-my-what-will-I-wear?), I'm cutting back on my holiday baking so I don't burn out before the big day. Still, Christmas without gingerbread just isn't an option, so I set aside some time to make sure we had a healthy stash.
Noah joined me on this task--which turned it into an adventure-- and at the end of the day I was thrilled with our assortment of gingerbread cookies. Stars! Mittens! Trees! Hmm, isn't it funny how things take longer even though you have an adorable 'helper'?


Already a pro from his snowflake sugar cookies, Noah had no trouble dressing up these little gingerbread men while I decorated the trees and mittens. I don't have a photo, but his cookies turned out so cute, I think I'm going to have to shellac a few to keep forever. Maybe I'll make a necklace or something.
Oh no! Not more crafts!
Speaking of getting crafty...


...I've been at it again. For the little effort it took, I was pretty happy with how this simple holiday wreath came out. I bought the greenery at Reno Depot for like $8, I think, and dressed it up with a few small gingerbread men. Honestly, these little fellows make my whole living room smell like gingerbread. It's heaven.
Before I forget, thanks for all your 'get-well' comments! We are all feeling much better and I am waking up with much less of a man-voice now.

And now for the recipe!


This is a new one for me, but I absolutely loved it. I like my gingerbread with a snap to them, but not jaw-breakingly rock-hard. These were perfect. I used Martha's recipe for royal icing, which calls for meringue powder. I recommend using this over egg whites if you are decorating with/for children.

Gingerbread Cut-out Cookies

This recipe is from Nick Malgeiri who has this to say about it:
"Of course you don't have to cut these cookies into any particular shape, but if you want to make gingerbread people this is the recipe to use. And these cookies are ideal for decorating... A bonus: this dough is so tender that you can roll and reroll the scraps without having to worry that the last batch of cookies you roll will be tough. This recipe makes a lot of dough, but it's easy to halve if you need less.
Check out the original recipe and other great recipes on his super comprehensive website.

Makes about 24 large cookies, depending on the size cutter used (Aimee's note: I probably got 8 or 9 dozen small cookies)

5 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup molasses
2 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans lined with parchment or foil

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda. Stir well to mix.
2. Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until well mixed, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating smooth after each addition. Scrape down bowl and beater.
3. Lower speed and beat in about half the flour mixture. Beat in all the molasses then scrape bowl and beater. Add the remaining flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time, and beat after each addition until it has all been absorbed.
4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and give the dough a final mixing with a large rubber spatula. Scrape half the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press it to about a 1/2-inch thickness. Wrap the dough securely and repeat with the remaining dough. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours or for up to 3 days.
5. When you are ready to bake the cookies, set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
6. Unwrap one of the pieces of dough and cut it in half. Rewrap one of the halves and return it to the refrigerator.
7. On a floured surface, roll the dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Use a floured cutter to cut the cookies. As they are cut, place the cut cookies on the prepared pans with about 1 inch between them on all sides. Repeat with remaining dough. Save, press together, and reroll scraps (they don't need to be chilled before rerolling).
8. Bake the cookies until they become dull and dry looking and feel slightly firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 12 to 15 minutes. If you overbake the cookies, they will be very dry. Slide papers from pans onto racks to cool.
9. Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.

Playing with Pumpkin: Pumpkin Spice Cake

Apparently, Anthony Bourdain's little one and a half year old daughter has the palate every foodie hopes their child will have. She eats olives like candy, munches on capers, and dines on roast rabbit and polenta with nettles for dinner. Naturally, this makes Tony very proud--and me, well, let's just say I feel the need to let off some steam.
How did I end up with the picky eater again? Did I not eat enough beating cobra hearts when I was on my world travels?* Didn't I do my time in the kitchen trenches? It is the smoking?

I think I might like him a little less now. Darn, it so hard, though. If he hadn't made that oh-so-memorable No Reservations episode here in Quebec and wasn't like my favorite celeb chef, I just might have it in for him and his perfect little girl.

Ach, Tony, I guess I'm happy for you.


How to tie that rant in with this super-moist pumpkin spice cake? I have no idea, but I guess if you have a picky eater and want to disguise some squash, this recipe is for you.
We certainly loved it and this weekend I'm doing a cupcake version for my mother-in-law's wedding shower. That's right, we've gone from a jam factory to a cupcake bakery here at UtHC. More on that coming soon.


These are originally called 'bars' but when I hear 'bar' I think nuts, caramel, gooey...these are like a slice of cake and that's all there is to it. The recipe is adapted from here. I know, I know, I won't make a habit of it.

These also make some pretty decent cupcakes, but I bet you've already thought of that.

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter,softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.
Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing:
Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and maple syrup and mix again. Fill a piping bag and pipe frosting onto cooled pumpkin bars.

*For the record, I have never eaten a snake's heart, but Bourdain has. He was in like Morocco or someplace. It's a good story.

Sugar High Friday: Tonka Bean Spiced Apple-Raspberry Cake

If you've ever had an apple cake, you'll probably agree that it just might be the second-most comforting, soul-satisfying cake out there. (Obviously chocolate cake takes first place, right?)
It works with tea or coffee, brunch or dessert, and can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. Apple cake stands alone; it requires nothing save perhaps a dusting of powdered sugar to spiffy it up, and doesn't rely on filling and frosting to meet its full potential.


Back in March when I was recovering at home from the birth of my second son, Mateo, my good friend and neighbor, Linda, brought over a box of home cooked food. There were at least three meals worth of hot dinners, warm artichoke dip with pita, a salad and her famous apple cake.
After the hospital food (which I barely survived), her cake tasted like the best thing I had ever eaten. I'll never forget standing in my kitchen with Danny, eating it from the pan and just looking at each other saying, "Everything is going to be OK now. We have this cake."
We could have brought home triplets, and I would have felt equipped.

There's a lot to be said for the benefits of good, home cooked food when you are emotionally and physically low on reserves. Remember that the next time a friend has a baby or an operation or something. Sure flowers or another baby blanket is a nice gesture, but how about a crock pot of Beef Bourguignon...and an apple cake.


I called Linda up a few months later and requested the recipe. She laughed and said it was a 'very popular' recipe and got a lot of reactions. I understood why.
Thanks Linda!

OK, so of course I changed a few things, but not much.
My raspberry bush was still yielding fruit when I made this cake, so I tossed in a few handfuls between the layers of batter along with the apples. The recipe originally called for a dusting of cinnamon at this point, but I reached for my microplane and grated Tonka bean over the fruit. You should always use a light hand when working with Tonka bean as ingesting too much of it can be a health hazard.



Tonka-Bean Spiced Apple-Raspberry Cake
(don't sweat it if you don't have tonka bean, just use a teaspoon of cinnamon instead)

1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup oil
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
3/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 tonka bean, grated superfine

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 8 inch round cake tin and line with parchment. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in oil and almond extract. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold into egg mixture. Spread half of cake batter in tin. Cover with sliced apples and raspberries and sprinkle with tonka bean. Cover apples with the rest of the batter and bake for about 45 minutes.

This is my entry for October's Sugar High Friday event hosted by Anita over at Dessert First. Anita chose spices as her theme for this event and I originally didn't have anything to submit, but when I took my first bit of this cake and the tonka bean quietly, yet masterfully, stole the show away from the fruit, I knew I had nailed it!
And my love affair with the tonka bean continues...

Check out Anita's blog on October 31 for the entire SHF roundup.

May Showers and Chocolate Chai Cheesescake

Spring is here and love is in the air! My dear friend Rachel is getting married in just a few weeks to the fabulous Dave, and as the matron of honor, I had the privilege of throwing a little wedding shower for her on the weekend. It's pretty easy to please ladies with chocolate, so I served it in several forms, the only deviation being some mini strawberry shortcakes.

These desserts, along with some sparkling white sangria (one of my favorite summer drinks) kept the bride-to-be and her friends happy and a good time was had by all!

A chocolate-themed shower is a no-brainer. If only everything about being a matron of honor was that simple.
How will I decide what to do with my hair?
Where will I find the perfect earrings?
And that upcoming speech? Yikes!

Mini Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortcakes

A classic genoise sheet cake, cut into hearts, brushed with a simple syrup and topped with a strawberry. Just before serving, garnished with whipped cream. Light and elegant.

Chocolate Chai Cheesecake
Recipe below!

Chocolate-Dipped Cherries
The first cherries of the season-I could eat dozens of these simple sweet treats.

Coffee Liquor Truffles
Dark chocolate and Kahlua--oh-so-rich and good.

Gingersnaps and Mayan Chocolate Sparklers
You've seen these before!

Chocolate-dipped Strawberries

So, for that cheesecake recipe. At first I was going to make a standard chocolate cheesecake, but as I was in the process of putting it together, I decided to add some chai tea and spices to make it a little more exciting. My favorite cupcake in Montreal is chocolate chai and it's a combination made in heaven.

The chai and spices are added only to the topping, so they are not too overpowering. Also, I don't like crust that goes all the way up the sides, but if you do, just one and a half times the recipe for the crust and press it up the sides.


Chocolate Chai Cheesecake
Makes a 10-inch round. Serves 12 generously, 16 modestly.

for crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

for filling:
500 grams cream cheese (2 pkg Philly), room temp.
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 cup 35% cream
250 grams semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped or in chips
3 large eggs, room temperature

for the topping:
1 cup chocolate
1 cup 35 % cream
1 chai tea bag (I used Stash Chai Spice)
three green cardamom pods, seeds remove and reserved, shell discarded
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon whole mace
1/4 tonka bean (optional)
1/2 long pepper (optinal)



Preheat oven to 350F.

For the crust:
Combine all four ingredients and mix well. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of a 10 inch spring form cheesecake pan.

Use the bottom of a water glass to press crust down and pack firm. Bake 7 minutes and cool.

For the filling:
Melt chocolate and cream slowly in a bain marie. Mix well to ensure there are no lumps. Cool slightly.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixer until creamy. Add vanilla and mix well. With the paddle attachment, slowly mix in melted chocolate mixture and combine well.
Add eggs, one at a time until they are all incorporated. Do not overbeat.

Pour mixture over crust in the spring form pan and place on the middle rack in oven. Bake 40-50 minutes, until the middle is set. Remove from oven and cool completely.

For the glaze:
In a bain marie, gently bring the cream to a boil. Add chai tea bag and let steep for about 10 minutes. Remove and discard bag.
Add chocolate to cream and melt slowly. Combine all spices in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground.
Add to melted chocolate. Stir well. Pour over cooled cheesecake and chill until set.

Garnish with shaved chocolate, fresh fruit, chocolate covered coffee beans or topping of your choice.

Enjoy! This cheesecake keeps well for several day as long as it is refrigerated and covered with cling wrap.

WFD? Seafood Creole Tagliatelle

Let the good times roll! Here is a pasta recipe worth blogging about and one that I am so excited to bring to you! I have to admit, most of my pasta dishes are usually inspired by a cleaning-out-the-fridge frenzy: Penne with….over-ripe tomatoes, wilted basil, molding provolone, and questionable slab bacon. It tastes great when it all comes together, but it’s nothing new.
However, I am happy to report that this recipe for Seafood Creole Pasta is much more than your average blah-blah pasta dish; it's decadent enough to serve guests at a dinner party. I tend to steer away from serving pasta when I entertain because it is so, well, week-night supper, but I think this is going on the menu really soon!

I have to credit the talented Montreal chef Phillipe de Vienne for this recipe as it is yet another fantastic recipe from his titillating cookbook. Seriously, if you haven't bought it yet, go get it (available in French only).

Seafood Creole Pasta

1 lb shrimp, with their shells
1 lb Tagliatelle or Fettuccine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup butter, cold and cubed
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bundle of green onions, sliced finely
1 cup lobster or crab or oysters or scallops

For the Shrimp Stock:

Shrimp shells
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 cup white wine

Ground Spices:

2 teaspoons Cajun Spice Blend(see below)
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried garlic

Cajun Spice Blend:

3 Tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon Cayenne
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons white pepper
3 tablespoons dried onion flakes
½ tablespoon dried thyme

Place all the ingredients for the shrimp stock in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Strain and reserve the fragrant stock. (I did this the day before.)

Combine in a spice grinder the Cajun blend, white pepper, dried oregano and dried garlic. Pulse until fine.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add some salt and cook pasta.

At the same time, place a large pot on medium-low heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shrimp stock, ground spices and lemon juice.
Bring it to a boil and add butter, shrimp, garlic and green onion.
Stir constantly until the butter is all melted and the sauce becomes creamy. Add the remaining seafood ( I used lobster) and cook gently another 1-2 minutes.

Check to see if the pasta is cooked and when it is ready, strain it well and add to the sauce.
Mix well, gently cook another minute and serve immediately.


Oh, BABY.

Mayan Chocolate Sparklers: a new personal favorite

With the arrival of a new baby comes the arrival of many visitors and over the past few weeks we've welcomed plenty of friends and family as they've dropped in to meet the new addition.
This steady stream of company has been most welcome as I haven't had the energy to get out much with the boys and it's nice to have an adult around for some real conversation.

Don't get me wrong, Noah is a great conversationalist for a two-year-old, but there is only so much one can say about rockets, big machines, volcanoes and hockey!

I like to have something on hand to serve with afternoon tea or coffee during these friendly visits and these cookies are something Noah and I mixed up recently--I think they are my new favorite cookie!
This recipe surfaced during my famous Christmas cookie exchange and was executed beautifully by my friend Kirsten. What makes these far superior to a regular double chocolate cookie is the integration of cinnamon, black pepper and cayenne, giving them some heat! Also a generous cup and a quarter of cocoa powder makes these cookies dark, delicious and totally satisfying for a chocoholic as myself.

The dough is pretty amazing, too. You may not want to bake all of it...

If you're crazy about the combination of chocolate and pepper, check out my recipe for Milk Chocolate Pudding with Long Pepper.

Mayan Chocolate Sparklers:

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Baking time: 10 minutes

Makes: 5 dozen

Ingredients:

Topping:

½ cup granulated sugar 125 mL

1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 mL

Cookies:

¾ cup vegetable shortening 175 mL

½ cup unsalted butter, softened 125 mL

¾ cup granulated sugar 175 mL

¾ cup brown sugar, packed 175 mL

2 large eggs 2

1 tsp pure vanilla extract 5 mL

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 425 mL

1 ¼ cups cocoa powder 300 mL

1 tbsp ground cinnamon 15 mL

2 tsp baking soda 10 mL

¼ tsp salt 1 mL

¼ tsp ground black pepper 1 mL

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper 1

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 250 mL

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Topping:
Combine sugar and cinnamon for topping.

Cookies:
Beat shortening, butter, sugars and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir in black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll in 1” (2.5 cm) balls, don’t flatten. Roll into cinnamon and sugar topping. Place on prepared cookie sheets, about 2” (5 cm) apart.
Bake 7-10 minutes. Cookies should still be soft in center. Let cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Remove, cool on wire rack.

Two Favorites: A spice blend and a photography duo

WFD? Cornish Game Hen Roasted with Ethiopian Berbéré Spices, Sour Cream Gnocci, Acorn Squash and Braised Baby Bak Choy.

Finding a great new restaurant is no easy feat. One must take friend’s suggestions and critic’s raves with a grain of salt. Not until you have tried a place yourself can you really be sure that it’s a place you will be often retuning to and making your own.

Finding a great photographer is kind of like choosing a restaurant—just a lot more risky. You are entrusting someone to encapsulate an event or milestone in your life that can’t be repeated. There is no rewind button for a wedding day, infants only get bigger, not smaller, and unless those moments are captured expertly on camera, they are gone for good.

Yes, I really am pregnant! Cooking lunch around my 7 month baby bump.

Recently we had the good fortune of welcoming not one, but two, photographers into our home for a personal family photo shoot and lunch. The goal: to capture my growing baby bump and this momentous time in our lives. While we weren’t really sure what to expect from Tim and Angela, we were thrilled with the stunning results from these talented photographers and their moving photographs.

We sat down to a hot lunch after the photo shoot and Angela continued snapping away as I put the finishing touches on our roasted guinea hen. I loved her work so much and was so excited when she graciously allowed me to use a few of her shots for this post. She makes my food look really good!

It is with utmost sincerity that I recommend Tim and Angela from www.timchin.com

They specialize in weddings, so if you (or someone you know) are planning to tie the knot in the Montreal area, give them a call. You will be hard pressed to find a more dedicated team to capture your big day in a truly personal way.

And now for my current favorite dinner dish!

I almost never use the word sensational, but with this exotic spice blend, I am tempted to. ..

The guinea hen for our lunch was rubbed with an authentic Ethiopian splice blend called Berbéré that is available from Montreal spice guru, Philippe de Vienne. Called the curry of Africa, it is an absolutely transporting melange of 14 different spices that come together to create an unforgettable flavor. Black cardamom, fenugreek, cassia, paprika, and coriander are just a few of the spices that tickle your palate.

I love this aromatic traditional blend so much, I practically buy it in bulk when I drop by his store, Olives et Épices ( Marche Jean Talon, 7070 Henri-Julien étal C-11, Montreal)

If you are not in the area, you can order your berbéré blend online; however, if you want to make your own, Philippe gives the recipe in his new cookbook, La cuisine et le gout des épices, and I will pass it on to you at the bottom of the post.

Berbéré Roasted Chicken

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 Tablespoons Berbéré, ground

1 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs, or two plump Cornish hens

4 onions

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Mix together the berbéré, garlic, butter, lemon juice, and salt.

Cut the chicken into 8 and brush with spice mixture.

Peel onions and slice into thick slices.

Place the onions on the bottom of a roasted pan and arrange chicken pieces on top.

Roast for about 1 hour. Baste occasionally with cooking juices.

Philippe de Vienne's Berbéré Spice Blend

2 Tablespoons dried ginger

2 teaspoons green cardamom

1 teaspoon cloves

1 stick cinnamon

1 stick cassia

2 teaspoons fenugreek

½ whole nutmeg

1 teaspoon all-spice

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon black cardamom

2 tablespoons coriander

1 teaspoon adjwain (lovage)

3 whole, dried Cayenne peppers

¾ cup paprika

Ed. Note: Huge thanks and props to Tim and Angela for the photos. You guys rock!

Warm Gingerbread with Cortland Applesauce and Cream

The annoying thing about living in a post-renovated home is that you can never find anything. It's not like after a move where you know you'll eventually unpack a box and find what it is you are looking for; it is much more uncertain than that. In the pre-renovation haste, I was just stashing stuff anywhere and everywhere and now I am suffering the consequences.
Please, if anyone finds my Diana Krall Christmas CD, hand it over. I'd like to be listening to it since we seem to be hurling toward Christmas at a breakneck pace.

I always associate this gingerbread recipe with Christmas, although I am not sure why. I can't for the life of me remember any particular incident that would connect the two together, yet, when I dusted off my Kitchen Aid and started mixing, I said to myself "I guess I'm starting my holiday baking".

I hope I am not the only person who starts baking a good month early. I tell myself that with a enthusiastic toddler to keep my busy and a baby on the way, I have to be organized and I am--in the kitchen anyway. As for the rest of the house? Forget it!
Where IS that dang CD?


Merci to my MIL for this recipe. I believe she got it from her mother and although we know it is called 'Prize Gingerbread', we have no insight into just what kind of prize this cake earned...
I think as far as gingerbread goes, this one is about as good as they get. Moist, flavorful, fragrant, and a lovely dark color from a whole cup of molasses.
Cortland apples are hard to pass up in the market these days, with their blushing bride coloring and sweet fragrance. They make the most delicate-of-pink applesauce that is a must with this gingerbread; however, if you don't have any apples, a drizzle of lemon icing would be delightful too, and whipped cream is essential.
There you have it! Your dessert for the week.

Prize Gingerbread

2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, well beaten

Preheat oven to 325F

Butter a 9x13 cake pan or two loaf pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment.

Combine flour, baking powder, and ginger together and set aside.

Cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy, then add molasses, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add baking soda to boiling water and mix into molasses mixture. Fold in reserved flour mixture and combine. Add beaten eggs and mix well.

Pour into pan(s) and bake about 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding with Rummy Raisins

What's with all the pumpkin? you are probably asking right now, but don't tell me you can resist their rock-bottom prices, rich fall colors, or a chance to make something other than pie either! I can't promise this will be the last recipe...

I have had all these ideas in my head about building a dessert around a classic bread pudding made with a fluffy brioche, adding pumpkin puree for that seasonal flavor, plenty of spices to complement the tame pumpkin, a creme caramel-type base for added stickiness, and rum-soaked raisins thrown in just because. Sound good? It was!


(I had also though about making it with heavy cream for a crème brulée feel, but decided to add whipping cream as a garnish instead.)
The bread pudding turned out well, and as good as it was straight from the oven, I thought it was even better the next day when I warmed it up for lunch. Maybe all those flavors needed a chance to meld, or maybe I was just really, really hungry and anything sweet would have tasted like heaven. (That happens a lot)

While the bread pudding baked, the smells coming from the oven that perfumed the whole house were absolutely amazing--forget scented candles. If my windows had been opened we would have had people lining up outside the front door. Roasted pumpkin, freshly ground spices and Jamaican rum all contributed to having our home smell better than any Thanksgiving dinner you have ever sat down to enjoy.

Hmmm..., comfort food seems to be in the spotlight on Under the High Chair these days. With rice pudding a few days ago and a bread pudding today, what's next? Pease pudding? I think I'll leave that one up to the British - like Amanda at Little Foodies who makes her pease pudding with ham. Delicious!

And now for the recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding with Rummy Raisins

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for ramekins
½ cup sugar, for dissolving
1 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup rum
1/3 cup hot water
1 1/12 cups firm pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ inch fresh cinnamon stick
Three whole allspice
½ tonka bean
Pinch of salt
One 12-ounce, day-old loaf brioche cut into 3/4-inch cubes (or desired size)
Whipping cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 10-ounce ramekins or custard cups.

In a small, heavy bottomed pot, carefully dissolve 1/2 cup sugar and cook until golden, stirring occasionally. Divide evenly among ramekins to coat the bottom and allow to cool.

Place raisins in a small bowl, and cover with rum and the hot water; let soak until plump, about 20 minutes. Drain; set aside.

Combine cinnamon stick, whole allspice and tonka bean in a spice grinder and grind until fine.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, granulated sugar, milk, ginger, vanilla, spice mix, and salt. Toss in the bread cubes, and stir gently to evenly coat; let stand a few minutes.


Fold in the raisins. Divide among prepared dishes, pressing down slightly to make level.
Bake until custard is set in the center and top is golden, about 40 minutes.
If bread browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Remove from oven and run a sharp knife around the edges; let cool slightly.
To serve, un-mold onto plates; serve with sweetened whipped cream. It is entirely up to you if you wish to spike the cream or not!

Cardamom and Rose Water Rice Pudding

In the 'Travel' folder of my favorite bookmarks, I have the Rice to Riches website linked.
To me, travel consists mostly of eating, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that the folder doesn't contain many hotels, cheap flight deals, or online translation helps, but just a slew of restaurant links, bakery websites and promos for a few dream wine vacations (someday). I meant to get to the rice pudding mecca when I was in New York the last time, but it didn't happen.

Well, that's not totally true, I did get there--I walked in and then back out.


I love rice pudding, hot or cold, and I had heard enough buzz from friends about Rice to Riches, that I knew I was going to have to get down to Little Italy and taste for myself; however, when I got there I couldn't bring myself to order. Maybe I should blame the large Lombardi's pizza we had just scarfed down. Perhaps the Katz's pastrami on rye, enjoyed only an hour before the pizza, wasn't quite laid to rest, or I was still experiencing cramping from those oh-so-heavy Upper West Side bagels.

Whatever it was, at that moment , standing in the ultra-modern, one-and-only Rice to Riches, surrounded by people hunched over orange plastic bowls, I knew that it would have to be enjoyed the next time I was in town.

Still, I'm not totally convinced though. To me rice pudding should be something simple, not over the top. It should be slightly perfumed, maybe jazzed up with a handful of currants or toasted coconut.
You know, satisfying and straightforward.

Does Cookies and Cream Rice Pudding with Toasted Buttery Pound Cake sound like this to you? See for yourself; check out the Rice to Riches menu for more wild flavors such as Rum 'n Raisin, Rocky Road and Pecan Pie. It's like they swapped menus with Baskin Robbins or something.
Even now, while battling a serious case of the late-night munchies, these choices don't sound particularly appealing.

I'll tell you what does do it for me in the rice pudding department. A little recipe for traditional Persian rice pudding, delicately flavored with the aromatic rose water and cardamom, adapted from the superb Seductions of Rice by the talented Jeffery Alford & Naomi Duguid. I enjoyed this dessert so much I am wondering if I need ever head south for the Big Apple's famed rice pudding hot spot.

Oh well, I hear they ship. (How appetizing does that sound?) But trust me, simmer a pot of this rose water and cardamom rice pudding on your stove for a few hours and you will never need to leave home.

Satisfying and straightforward, simple and seductive.

Cardamom and Rose Water Rice Pudding

1 cup short-grain rice
4 cups whole milk
2 cups water
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons rose water
Seeds from 2 cardamom pods, ground
Pale honey (optional)

Wash the rice thoroughly. Combine in a large heavy saucepan with the milk and water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, for 2 hours, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed; the texture should be slightly soupy.

Stir in the sugar, the rose water and cardamom and cook, stirring, for another five minutes. Taste and stir in more sugar if you want. Transfer to a serving dish and let cool to room temperature.

If you wish, just before serving drizzle a little honey over the pudding and garnish with chopped pistachios.

Serves 6