Boiled Peanuts, Fried Pickles  Biscuits & Gravy, Fried Yardbird and Chess Pie, soul food and casual style at Ottawa’s Union 613. Lunch with my gal Mary, delicious food, scandalous gossip.  I am greatly blessed to have gal pals who indulge me with patience as I shoot their food and often (by proxy) their cleavage.  I like to think of it...

This week we had the same vegetarian meal, twice in a row – by request rather than coercion.  We call that a hit and thus Coco’s Curried Naan-za became a new menu item in our house. At home, I am ‘Coco’, loving partner to the chef in my life, step-mom to an inquisitive, adorable four-year old.  Veggie meals are viewed with some suspicion around our...

Simple sides make weekday meals so much easier.  This is one of our favourites  just toss with olive oil, garlic and curry powder, and bang it in the oven and 20 minutes later; Curry Roasted Cauliflower. Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that works so many ways.  You can stream, puree, roast, grill, saute, soup or stew cauliflower and...

Lentils are a solid source of clean, plant based protein.  This curry you can eat hot, as a stew or cold, blended as a zippy dip.  This recipe is simple, fast, low fat and entirely plant based. We’re big fans of the lentil in our house.  On days when we’re too busy to cook we often pick up our favorite...

On this Wino Wednesday we tell a tale of vines in the new world and Canada’s newest breakout wine region, Prince Edward County.  As the winter droned on into what should have been the beginnings of spring, we loaded up for an off-season wine-tainted tour. A two hour drive from both Toronto and Montreal and three and...

Summer salad season, time for homemade mayo and Caesar salad,  avoid upset tummies with a little food safety know how and a bit of kitchen expertise.  Tip 1: how to coddle an egg. As a brief follow up to our Grilled Cesar Salad post, we thought this was a topic that deserved it’s own place on Food Gypsy as a...

The skies are blue and the snow is gone, it’s time to start up the grill and get cookin’!  Let’s start the season off right with a household favorite, a Grilled Caesar Salad. A little twist on the original Caesar, we lighten it up a bit for the summer months with a looser vinaigrette base.  Sometimes we grill thinly...

It’s birthday season once again at Chez Gypsy.  We begin with the Junior Miss and her fourth birthday celebration, and what better way to say “happy birthday” than with Red Velvet Hello Kitty Cupcakes. She loves chocolate, we love chocolate.  Red velvet tastes like chocolate but looks like sinfully rich, red cake.   Topped with a perfectly pink butter cream,...

This weekend we wandered through the shops of the Atwater Market in search of spring.  Produce was light, outdoor stalls were few but the shopping is still good for those with an eye for quality and taste. Montreal’s neighborhood markets are an exceptional way to explore local and regional cuisine.  Each one has a distinct flavour, servicing its residents in a...

The slippery slope of gourmet gluttony  is a downward tumble into a pit of decadent debauchery at Au Pied de Cochon in the capable hands of Montreal Chef, Martin Picard.  The long, narrow room is simple and almost minimalist.   Polished wood tables and black bistro chairs line the walls.  Voices echo off the ceiling to create a chatty din.  Warm scents drift from the open concept kitchen, fronted...

With temperatures on the rise, barbecue season can’t be far behind.  Time to get ready with a big bot of garlic confit.  Cooked slow and low in oil, the garlic becomes sweet and easily mash-able, perfect for quick summer cooking, sauces and condiments. Confit (pronounce: con-FEE) - From the south-west of France, a term used to describe a method...

A darling little gem in Bloomfield, Ontario offering seasonal fare, locally sourced, East & Main Bistro is a dining experience for even the most discerning of appetites. We are not picky eaters, and when I say we I really mean me, I’m a simple girl at heart who just loves a good meal.  The Chef in my life is a different story, he...