In our recent conversation I asked Chef Lynn Crawford about the two tattoos in the center of her palms.  For years I have had a curiosity about them, as I've watched her hands on Food Network's Pitchin' In and Restaurant Makeover.

I can tell by her response that she is tired of answering this question "Why does everyone want to know about my tattoos!?" she says with an undertone of exasperation, but she is kind and indulges me.

Forgive the question Chef but we, your people, want to know more about you - and your hands.

I have no ink myself, I've never found an image that I felt I could live with, permanently.  Hell, I can't commit to a hair colour for longer than six months.  I adorn with jewellery, charms, and talismans; they are tokens of my life's journey, while others tell their stories on their skin.

Chef Crawford, hip deep in cranberries on Pitchin' In. Photo Credit: Food Network Canada

Our hands are perhaps our most visible feature, our face may represent us, smile and frown for us but while many cultures cover the face, I don't know of any land that conceals the hands.  Hands grip, grab, reach, caress and scratch, they type, touch and play and (of course), they work.

You can tell a great deal about someone from their hands and you see a great many of them here on Food Gypsy because frankly, it's extremely difficult to craft food without them.

The tattoos we see in glimpses as Lynn Crawford flies though her mise en place are labyrinths, a tribute to the twists and turns of life.

"They are dear to me," replies Chef Crawford  "but, why does anybody really get a tattoo?  I don't know.  I had those done so long ago, like... twenty... twenty-five... a long time ago."

The labyrinth is an ancient symbol, struck in coins as early as the 430BC. Labyrinths appear on cave walls, in pottery and baskets, in sacred texts and on the floors, walls and art of churches all over the world.

It has only one path.  The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you to the center and out again. It represents the journey of life, to the soul, to oneness; one way in and one way out.

"I am interested," I explain "in what the labyrinth represents in your life.  You have had some very interesting twists and turns in the last few years."

"It's funny how opportunities present themselves in your life, you never know really what would be around the corner" says Crawford.  "If you'd said to me five years ago that I would be at this point it would have been unbelievable.

It really feels like I won a lottery [laughs] because... [more laughter] I'm a very lucky chef!"

In 2009 Chef Crawford left a 24 year career with the Four Seasons Hotel chain, a career that moved her from her native Toronto to New York City and what many consider the pinnacle of success, then she ditched it began a new chapter of her life.  Turning that corner she shifted from employee to employer as she opened her own restaurant in Toronto's Ruby Watchco.

"You look at what life is, your constantly growing.  Hopefully you're growing and your learning and your challenging yourself" says Crawford. "You come to a point where you say 'OK, this is fantastic and I'm so enjoying it but... what's next?'

I always knew I would come back to Toronto.  My mom is here and this is very much home.  I guess you could live anywhere in the world, it sounds like you've done it too, right?  There you are, you're a bit of a Gypsy, I think I'm a bit of a Gypsy myself, I've always moved around and traveled, but home is very important to me.  So coming home to open up a restaurant was always something I've wanted to do."

"Is it everything you thought it would be?"  "And more, much, much more" says Crawford with a wistful tone, a tone that hints of a deep contentedness that only comes from a happy heart.

Head Chef, Lora Kirk and Chef/Owner Lynn Crawford in the kitchen at Ruby Watchco. Photo Credit: Tanja Tiziana yongestreetmedia.ca

With a schedule that sees her day in, day out at a thriving business (two business actually, along with Ruby Watchco there is Ruby Eats, a chef's pantry filled with fresh, local ingredients) and a hit series on the Food Network, that involves a great deal of travel; how does she stay grounded?

"Keep on going" Crawford replies without a flinch, then she laughs "just keep on rollin'!  Of course life is about balance and [pause] I've got to work on that for sure.

But, I enjoy myself, this is my life this is what I do. The traveling [for Pitchin' In], we start off in March and we shoot throughout the whole year. We don't do one big block of shooting, I'm still at the restaurant so I'm out [of town] five or six days, sometimes seven depending on where the location is, it works out to be once or twice a month."

The ideal schedule for a part-time Gypsy, with a love of home.

In life our connections come in many forms, the lives we lead and the stories we share, feed the soul; they nurture, entertain and inspire, thank you Chef Crawford for sharing yours with us.

In the kitchen, food has one way in and one way out, it passes through many hands... like these hands.

Ottawa, you still have time to get your tickets for Chef Lynn Crawford's From The Farm To The Table gala dinner! American Express Winterlude Opening, Friday, February 3, 5:30 pm
Tickets are available until Monday' February 1, at midnight, more information: Winterlude.gc.ca.

Top Photo Credit (Chef Crawford`s hands) coopspeakeats.blogspot.com

Lynn Crawford, hands on and in the kitchen. Photo Credit: lifestylermag.com

Somehow this little gem, the last in our behind the scenes videos at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, did not get loaded to Food Gypsy only our YouTube Channel.

As we get ready to work on a new series of videos (heaven help us all!) thought we should compensate for this omission immediately.  The "Real Life. Real Butter." series was a personal project (with permission from Le Cordon Bleu) while I was a student last year.  It highlighted one of my favorite places to learn; the Production Kitchen.

Chatting with students and then Chef Instructor, Chef Christopher Price, it was a glimpse behind the scenes at "The Halls of Butter".

A great deal has changed at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa in the last year but one thing remains the same:  Basic Cuisine is still among the most rewarding experiences of my life.  The knowledge I gained, the friends I made (and the man I met), changed my life forever.

I'm very proud of these little vignettes, shot solo and low tech with a Sony Handycam and a GoPro strapped to my head, edited on my laptop and loaded it up to YouTube.  (Ever try cooking with a camera on your head?) The sound is questionable and the lighting is poor, but they're fun and informative and it was the first time Le Cordon Bleu ever let a student shoot video in the school.    Part I is my favorite --- can't believe The Food Network hasn't called!  *rolls eyes*

For those who followed along during my time at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, thought you might be interested in knowing where some of the "regular characters" on Food Gypsy are now that they've graduated.

Featured in Real Life, Real Butter. Part I Danica Guibord (aka: Inspector Cupcake) graduated with her Grand Diploma in June and is currently baking at Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana and also doing a stage, once a week, in the kitchen at Beckta.

Also in Part I Ali Yeg (aka: Big Al) relocated with the love of his life to Vancouver and is currently at The Goldfish in Yaletown, working all stations, even pastry.  (I nearly fainted reading that.) Currently planning an invasion of the Caribbean; exporting Persian saffron to St. Martin.  Livin' the life.

Member of Team Awesome;  Brenda Cook (aka: Special Agent Gravy) is holding down two jobs, at the  Metropolitan Brassier on the cold line, Aubrey's Butchery as a meat cutter.

The Real Life. Real Butter.  Series: Part II and Part III are all posted under our Video Tab and on our YouTube Channel... but here's our long lost installment, a little Friday Afternoon Quickie on Food Gypsy.

Enjoy Part IV of our Real Life. Real Butter. Series:  Work Experience Student Firoz Thanawalla in conversation with Food Gypsy - behind the scenes at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, the Production Kitchen.   Firoz Thanawalla, originally from India, has remained in Ottawa (currently processing paperwork), and volenteering at Grounded Kitchen and Coffeehouse.   He used to spend a lot of time in that cooler...

"It becomes a bit of a problem to wake early in the morning, but once you see Chef Christopher, you're WIDE awake! ~ Firoz Thanawalla, Cordon Bleu Student

So true.

I miss those days.  They started at 6AM  and I was so thrilled to be there, I was early.
(No, really.  Coffee, it's a wonderful thing.)  

Another of life’s pleasant detours brought me through the doors of the newly opened Back Lane Café under the wing of one of Ottawa’s best guides.

Its artful decor, high ceilings, aged plaster walls, colorful art, mix & match wood chairs and comfortably large wood tables paired with the sleekness of bits of brass, hints polished concrete and stylish lighting threw me.  Am I in Ottawa, or am I in Paris?

Enough style to welcome me in my Bebe heels, enough causal attitude to embrace me in my sneakers. I felt instantly transported to a different place, a different time; a scene of my imagination, down a narrow cobblestone lane in pre-war Paris. 

In this modern version there was a distinct lack of cigarette smoke and table of forlorn artists drinking cappuccino and complaining about money.  Instead, conversation was peppered with optimism thanks to my lunch companion, Paola St- Georges of C’est Bon Cooking.

A welcome addition to Ottawa’s eclectic Hintonburg neighborhood, the Back Lane Café is the brain child of longtime restaurateur George Monsour.  Recently returned from six years in Paris, Monsour had a vision that would offer Ottawa a change of pace; a nod to a time when life was lived in the back lanes of the neighborhood, in gardens and open kitchens and everything was made fresh, from scratch.

This vision is echoed in a menu that leans French but borrows from Mediterranean favor; with bright, sharp, contrast and fresh, fresh, FRESH ingredients. Everything at the Back Lane Café is made in-house, from the bread to the deserts.  There is no such thing as “pop”, instead they offer Charlotte’s Lazy Back Lane Spritzers; made from in-house fruit syrups and sparkling water - truly a “must have”.

A tight selection of tempting appetizers, salads, mains and wood fired pizzas make for an easy to please menu. Eat light, share a pizza, have one of everything including fresh beignets (called yeast doughnuts on the menu) – up to you.

Almond Garlic Mushroom Pate offered with a slection of freshly picked treats course mustard and a mustard aioli

We had to start with the Almond, Garlic, Mushroom Pate ($9), Paola insisted on it.  A wonderful vegetarian appetizer for lovers of fungus.  Local Veg Heads take note; between this and the Margarita Pizza ($16), you’ll be well served at the Back Lane.

I was torn between the Lobster Omelet with Potato Salad ($14) and the Duck Confit Baguette with Goat Cheese and soup du jour ($16) – which turned out to be an amazing Gumbo.  Not your typical “soup & sandwich”.

One good Gumbo.

I’d forgotten how much I love corn until I started into the bowl of gumbo before me, filled with shrimp and gratifyingly void of okra with just enough punch to be a proper gumbo. The combination of savory duck against tangy goat cheese, sweet grape and slightly bitter arugula was a winner.

Executive Chef Evan Pritchard shows his love of local fare in every bite.  Haunting the Parkdale Market in the early hours, he then sets the tone of the day with stocks and soups and steps behind the line for the lunch service.  Pritchard’s passion for great food spills out as he chats easily about the new digs he enjoys daily, and not one but two wood-fired Le Panyol ovens from France, which they pieced together themselves.

“They arrived like a giant Lego puzzle,” says Pritchard “and the worst ‘Ikea’ instructions you’ve ever seen. They’re dome shaped and we had to figure out which piece fit where, with a key-stone at the top… but we got it.”

Those Panyol ovens are the secret to a 2 minute pizza at Back Lane.  In fact the heat is so intense the pan is turned 180* after 60 seconds to avoid burning on one side.

Paola St-Georges of C'est Bon Cooking, she always has what I'm having. (sheesh!) Wait a minute, are you... Tweeting?! Is she Tweeting?!

Never turn a chef down when he/she offers a tour of the kitchen.  You can learn a lot about a place from a few minutes spent in the kitchen, and this is a kitchen to be proud of.  Unlike the moody ambiance of the front of house the Back Lane Café’s kitchen is gleaming white and flooded with natural light from… are you ready for it… windows.

Pritchard & Monsour, in a candid moment.

Can’t say I've ever seen a commercial kitchen, anywhere, that is as bright and receptive as this one.  While its lack of freezer and large walk-in cooler told me a great deal about its food; its meticulous attention to detail told me more about the man behind the vision that is brought to stunning synergy in the Back Lane Café - George Monsour.

“Oh George, you must be a chef at heart – what a beautiful kitchen!”

“No,” says Monsour with a smile “I’m not a chef at heart, I’m a dishwasher.  I designed that kitchen for the dishwasher.”

With two big windows on either side, easy access to the line, the racks and the prep-kitchen I see his point.  Being at this dish pit is almost like being at home, looking out into the backyard.

Because not everyone gets to step into the kitchen, ending this post with a mini photo tour and much thanks to the men & women in white under Chef Evan Pritchard; Jonas, Martin, Jason, bread baker John and dishwasher Tyler.  Plus a taste of Pastry Chef Charlotte Burpree-Dagenais’ signature dessert; the Pick-me-up Chocolate Bar (walnuts, dulce de leche, espresso ganache, between two layers of shortbread, covered in dark chocolate) - we wants one.

Ottawa, go enjoy the ambience, the food and the service in a welcome homage to back lane living.

Back Lane Café, 1087 Wellington St. W., 613-695-2999

As technology reaches deeper into our lives and processed everything threatens to consume us, we seek comfort in the simplicity of what once was.  The return of slow food, our appetite for organics, farm to fork concepts, and the rising of Food Network personalities that epitomize our ideal food culture to iconic rock-star status .

Food is our connection to one another, to family and home, to birthdays, weddings and family picnics; the intertwining of our lives as told at the family table.

Ross & Gertrude Cameron, 1926

Gertrude Cameron (nee Flannigan) was born in Pilot Mound, Manitoba on July 12, 1906. Ross Cameron was born in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan on Dec 29, 1900.  They were married on Dec 15, 1926 and moved to the family farm in Cutknife, Saskatchewan (Home of the World’s Largest Tomahawk) where they raised seven children: Betty, Glenn, Fern, Arnold, Ellen, Sharon and Diane.

Gertrude (Gertie/Gert) learned to cook as most of us do, from her mother and the women in her community; neighbors, family and friends. Over a wood stove pioneer women made everything from bread to beans, three meals a day, long before the advent of frozen pizza. Theirs was a friendly competition to see who could out-do whom at local fairs and church suppers.

Working on the farm burns calories, this is why breakfast on the prairies starts with toast and ends with pie.  No prairie woman worth her lard would send men into the field on less. 

Lunch was called “dinner” and featured whole hams, entire loaves of bread, vegetables straight from the garden and... pie.  At the end of the day, after the dirt of the land was scraped from under finger nails and washed from behind necks, there was supper.  A larger version of “dinner”, finished with cake or pudding or (dare I say it) more pie.

How Gertie Cameron managed in her busy day (hand scrubbing laundry, chasing children, chopping wood, tending her garden and plucking chickens) to make individual desserts for each of the seven children around the table I have no idea.  I can barely manage a scratch together a batch of cookies between IMing, there’s Gertrude making little cakes and puddings and the most precious of all things; homemade ice cream with ice chipped from the family ice-house.

This was a tradition she maintained for much of the family’s time together as they moved from Cutknife, Saskatchewan (Home of the World’s Largest  Tomahawk) to Dawson Creek, British Columbia in 1947, where husband Ross went to work at the town hall.

Is it any wonder that the Cameron Family’s most treasured possession is Gertrude Cameron’s family recipe book, lovingly referred to as “The Gospel of Gert”.

Great Grandson, Kris Johnson, trotted me down the hall at “Nana & Poppa’s” after a breakfast of waffles and eggs and toast and bacon and sausages and fruit (and constant threats of more) to the table where The Gospel of Gert is kept. 

As an only child I freely adopt, thus extending my tribe over many lands, Kris is among my tribe.  He came to me a wide-eyed broadcast student in the 90’s, I believe may have corrupted him on many levels.  After years stories of the infamous Nana & Poppa, I was treated like family in their home and permitted to thumb the cherished pages of their family Gospel.

Son Arnold & daughter-in-law Bernice Cameron (AKA: Ace & Bunny) in the kitchen at Christmas

 Gertrude’s recipe collection, clipped from magazines and newspapers or transcribed from the radio show “Kathy’s Kitchen", are held between the pages of an accounting ledger from the Village of Dawson Creek.  Yellowed and watermarked from years use, stuck to the lined paper with bits of glue and cellophane tape, they document family history.  

An intimate tale told over the stove, in the cool hours of the morning when the ladies did their canning and made pancakes.

Times of struggle, tales of resolution and sagas of celebration, togetherness, tenderness and individual desserts.  So sayeth The Gospel of Gert.

1960, Grimshaw Alberta, Ace & Bunny with their girls Kim & Jill

Passed from Gertrude’s kitchen to the fourth eldest; Arnold Cameron and his wife Bernice (AKA: “Ace & Bunny” or “Poppa & Nana”) after Gertrude’s passing in 1982; this humble collection of family pride is the link to the heart of the home, the many meals shared therein and a passion for good food passed through four generations.

Recipes still in use in Ace & Bunny’s kitchen (Home of The Endless Waffle) include Gertie’s salad dressing (eggs, sugar & vinegar- a family favorite), mustard pickles, hand-churned ice cream as well as the unwritten secret of “how to freeze beans without them goin’ all rubbery”.

As we traipsed through the family property, in Coldstream BC, with its half acre garden and chicken coop, Kris and I reminisced over our similar upbringing.  Families of hardworking people with a respect for the land and what it provides, and the grounded nature that this has lent us in life.

Great Grandson, Kris Johnson, raiding the family garden

“We’re not really a religious family,” Kris observes, between mouthfuls of raspberries from the garden “so Great Grandma’s recipe book is kind of like the family bible.  It’s the thing that binds us, the religion of food.”

Walking back into the cool house on a that hot summer day, we pass a sink full of cucumbers ready for pickling and find Ace, returned from his chores, in rubber boots and shorts.

“It’s too hot for pants” he claims.
“He’s always in those dam boots,” says Bunny, smiling and shaking her head “sometimes he wears them into town!”

Ace takes his boots off and relaxes in his wool socks, legs tanned from just above the knee to mid calf, his eyes filled with mischief.  Must be the epiphany of a lifetime of "homemade" that makes for a family of such beautiful souls.

Long live The Gospel of Gert.

 *Archive photos compliments of the Cameron Family, with much thanks.*

As a (pinot noir soaked)  aside:  Besides his work as a hand-model here on Food Gypsy, Kris Johnson's passion for good grape can be explored on his blog: World of Winecraft at www.wowinecraft.com. (Make wine, not war! )

Ace & Bunny, still lovers after all these years.

... all our delicious readers.

Over the summer we've been thrilled to hear from Food Gypsy readers. Foodie Gypsies far and wide who enjoy a little Gypsy sass now and again and challenged themselves to try something new, in the kitchen and in life.

Fear of the unknown is a shared condition.  Every time we humans take a step into a new experience, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we're saying to The Universe “I am willing to learn.”  Thought I would take the time to share a couple of memorable notes from the community of crazed Foodies that we are, with the rest of our readers... just for fun (and inspiration).

First a story of triumph over chocolate with our Double Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe from Anita C. in the UK, who had to access “specialized equipment” to measure the recipe as recipes in the UK and Europe are weighed, not measured...

“Good morrow my scrummy, clever, most AB FAB friend!

Here are the pics that I promised of the official cake making day in Anita's kitchen. What was ace, was that after reading your recipe I had everything AND I MEAN ALL the ingredients in the cupboard, I didn't have to buy anything at all. I even had the 'extract'... no cheap essence for my baking cupboard. lol

The cups I bought years ago thinking I 'might just need them', and sure enough I did... 5 years later.

Well the cake was lovely to make my mouth was watering with anticipation and yes I licked the bowl... and the spoon... and the whisk... and the palette knife... gorgeous.

It cooked well and the clever tip of the [simple] syrup... mmm I never knew that. Only thing is I haven't covered in frosting as my family's palate is not as sweet as it used to be.  However I've got chantilly cream in the freezer which I made a few weeks ago so I'll be having that with mine.” ~ Anita C.

That’s Anita’s cake at the top.  Brilliant.

In Salmon Arm, Canada Maureen M. became a chocolate goddess with one of my personal favourites “Le Bete Noire” (the black beast) which has been my go-to chocolate stunner for years, first stumbled across the recipe in Bon Appetite magazine. 

Her request for a knock-out cake for a birthday party meant a dive into the uncertain world of butter, cream, eggs and chocolate to embrace a new technique, cooking in a Bain Marie (hot water bath).  Suggested the deep, rich “Bete Noire” cake, that bakes like a cheesecake (and is gluten-free), along with a raspberry coulee...

“Thank you Thank you!! The "La Bete Noire" was amazing!!  Made the Raspberry Coulee as well - everyone loved it!!” ~ Maureen M. 

(Maureen's pic of a truly outstanding job on la Bete Noire, below...)

And last, but certainly not last, a note from my favorite southerner, my first official fan (i.e.: someone not related to me and not told to go to Food Gypsy by my Mother), Lou H. from South Carolina, USA.

“You would be so proud!  I enrolled in the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas yesterday.  After 25 years in the restaurant biz, I decided it's time to learn what I'm doing. Classes start Aug 15.” ~ Lou H.

Proud?  No, ecstatic!  Lou, you're so brave and humble to think that you have more to learn after all these years.

I send all the love and encouragement you sent my way during my studies at Le Cordon Bleu right back to you Lou - times TWO.   Hope you'll find the time to drop a line during your culinary adventures and tell us if they're teaching you or... if you're teaching them.

We love hearing from our readers.  Thank you for coming back to Food Gypsy for fun and food, for sharing our links and telling your friends about us.  This is a conversation - by all means - tell us what’s on your mind, in your heart and in your kitchen!

You can comment on any post you deem worthy, use our handy, dandy Foodie Forum if you have a question or a suggestion or want to share a story (who knows we might publish it!).  You can tag us on Twitter, post on our Facebook wall or send us email direct to gypsy@foodgypsy.ca

I’m going to go bake something now.  Feeling inspired... by you. 

Looks like a re-bake is required on the Caramel Mars Bar Cookies... they disappeared shorty after coming out of the oven and were never seen again. Hmmm, curious.

Knowing where you've been can help you plot a course for where you're going... where ever that may take you.

Life and it's shifts are not always constant.  Shift happens, sometimes rapidly and you suddenly find yourself questioning personal direction.  How much do you believe in... you?

These past couple of weeks as I have been recovering from a ruptured appendix I have found cause to step back and consider my the path I am on.  Not only did my body break down, my "good" camera (Nikon 5000) suddenly quit.  Is this a sign?  It it worth repairing or should I just quit now?  Is there anything to say that has not already been said?  Anything new that I can offer?  Maybe I should just sell shoes.

I love shoes.   The arch of the instep, the perfect heel, the smell of leather.  But then I remembered that what I really love about shoes is BUYING them I believe I may be incapable of parting with them.  Scrap that.

As energy returned (and I stopped feeling sorry for myself), I sorted my recently unpacked cookbooks, long in storage, now ensconced in the new bistro-style Gypsy Kitchen.  I tore open boxes greeting them like old friends.  They have been resources for many years, some remain great favorites; among them one of Time Life's Foods of the World" Series - American Cooking.    

Published in the early 70's my Mother and had the entire collection; as each edition arrived we would pour over the pages and select a recipe to make together.  This was my first introduction to "international cuisine" at nine years old.

Little did I know that I was reading the likes of Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey, James Beard, Julia Child, M.F.K. Fisher and Dale Brown. Edited by food writer Michael Field, the series combined recipes with food-themed travelogues illustrating the cultural context of each recipe.

Asparagus, $0.19 per pound... those were the days!

I reread "American Cooking" this week, cover-to-cover, and was reminded how far food in North America has come in just 40 years --- from "cookery" to "cuisine" and there I found inspiration in the uniqueness of the voice that told the tale.  Perspective and experience is as unique as a fingerprint and it colours all that we do. There is no other Picasso. What if he had succumb to critical presser, we might never know him.

I saw in the pages of Time Life, the seed of who I later became, and the path of the food culture that has shaped us on both sides of the 49th parallel.

Until the 60's, pie was a must at the breakfast table.  As pioneers, and immigrants, a woman was once judged by her peers on how well she cooked for her family.  Did her bread rise?  Was her pastry flaky?  What did her husband take to work in his lunch bucket?  Refrigeration, modernization, transportation and the many layers of cultural influence have changed us and the food we eat every day.  I found myself wondering what will change us next?  I feel that we are on the edge of global change.  That is a tale I want to tell.

There were other books in my collection that did not fare so well, that have since left my possession. Ring-bound grocery store finds that now fail to challenge. Why keep what no longer works?  Make room for the new.

My body will heal, my camera will be mended and I will find my way, I always do.  Let go and let the good stuff in.

Change, growth and evolution.  Honoring the past while making room for the present, is what creates a vibrant, abundant future.  In that there is always something to say, always something new based on the familiar. 

The wisdom of my Grandmother combined with a palate of global experience and a desire to create, some might call it "passion".

Among the top talents in the industry today are those who have found a way to incorporate their heritage seamlessly with fresh direction to create new flavour profiles.  This has brought us from "home cooking" to "haute cuisine" and all that lies between.

Gordon Ramsay confesses that when he goes for dinner at his local pub he orders the same thing, every time.  Steak & kidney pie. Simple food, done well, never goes out of style.  We are simple creatures at heart.

Inspired by the past to move bravely into the future of what's next.  Life is a joyful journey.  Let us feast upon it.

Further, I propose that pie is a perfectly acceptable breakfast food.  If it was good enough for Grandma, it's good enough for me.  Pass the pie (or cobbler).

Grandma's Rhubarb Cobbler recipe, works with any seasonal cooked fruit. A family favourite, long since made my own. (recipe to follow)

Another year, come and gone.   Since entering a decade that starts with 'four' birthday celebrations are quiet affairs with those I love, often banning the word "birthday" all together.  A great meal is all I want.  This year, for added fun, was leveled by a stomach flu for two days following.  

To which I say: "BLAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 

Thus proving that I am an adult. 

Sure I'll be up to my old tricks, the blog (and solid food) again shortly; in the meantime a snapshot of the magnificent meal from the Chef/man in my life on this the occasion of my 10th anniversary of my 37th Birthday.  Lucky Me.

Ideas for your next 'non-celebration' perhaps.

Menu: 

Seared Lamb Chops with Tomato, Olive, Prosciutto, Basil and Shallot Salad tossed in a Red Wine-Dijon Vinaigrette

Sweet Chartreuse Souffle with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Chartreuse Shooter

Pink Champagne // Red Wine

I love simple food --- grilled meats and fresh, acidic salads are my go-to mains in the summer.  Chef B's Red Wine-Dijon Vinaigrette has become my new favorite. 

Recipe to follow. 

Hot souffles, chilled chartreuse, cold ice cream...

Remind me never to dilly-dally when there are souffles involved, it gets one the following warning;

"CoCo (he calls me Coco), if you're not going to eat it now it will be ruined and next time I won't go to all the trouble of making a souffle, I'll just buy them frozen!" 

(yikes)  "Yes Chef!" 

Obediently consumes souffle, my first sweet souffle actually.  He had planned to make this for me the first time he  made me dinner.  We never made it to dessert.  Can't think why. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Wishing me a smooth transition from baby food (how very Lady Gaga of me) to solids.  The joy!

An unassuming little vintage and affordable too.

Mild mannered Natasha LeBlanc; Chef by day, Bacon Girl by night --- fighting crimes against bacon everywhere. 

Now that's my kind of superhero.    

A recent dalliance at Play - Food, Wine introduced me to  a man in whites; Chris Wylie, Sous Chef and our conversation took an all too familiar turn down the dangerous road of... bacon.  How great it is.  How we can't live with out it and pork in general.  

"Oh, we don't do a staff meal without bacon" declares Chris.  

Suddenly I am considering dumping this whole food/travel writing/photography thingy and going back to waiting tables just for new bacon enhanced experiences at Play.  Are they hiring?   

Chris laughs and insists that I meet Natasha LeBlanc, on the Play cuisine team - who recently had a strip of bacon tattooed around her wrist. (Now, that is a girl with a commitment to pork.)  

Indeed, Natasha emerged from the kitchen and plans for an in-depth Food Gypsy conversation were set - just as soon as her 'bacon perfume' arrived. 

Natasha LeBlanc, as sweet as maple bacon.

That day has come.  I hereby dub her, 'Bacon Girl' defending defenceless pieces of bacon from going off in the fridge.   

And I thought I loved bacon.  Ha!  Mine is a mere passing interest in comparison.  This is her first tattoo.  

"I wanted to get something that really meant something to me" says Natasha.  Thus the bacon bracelet now on her skin.     

"I see where you're going with this" says I "relationships come and go, Chinese characters always need to be explained but bacon --- is forever."  

What better place to meet this modern day (meat) hero than at a place there fairly reveres pork in all it's glory - Murray Street - Kitchen, Wine, Charcuterie.  Its logo is pig shaped.  Bless their little bacon wrapped hearts.  

Between bites of the best (read highest calorie, sharp and creamy) Mac ‘n’ Cheese I've ever had outside the confines of my own kitchen (hand-cut sour cream spätzle, Le Coprin mushrooms, mixed artisan cheese sauce) and tasty looking morsels of the Charcuterie Plate (deep-fried smoked head cheese, cretons, shaved ox-tongue, regional cheese selection, boiled egg, mustard, pickled things & Rideau Rye) devoured between eyes-rolling-back moments; we chat.  

Gypsy:  What's your favorite Bacon?
Bacon Girl: Double Smoked.
Gypsy: Pan fry or oven fry?
Bacon Girl: If I'm only cooking a couple of slices, pan fry, but... who does that?  Oven fry.
Gypsy: First industry job?
Bacon Girl: White Spot, Edmonton.
Gypsy: Where did you train?
Bacob Girl: CCI (Culinary Institute of Canada, PEI.) plus a degree in Criminology from the University of Ontario.
Gypsy: Criminology? So... fighting crime is not new?
Bacon Girl: (laughs) No, I guess not.
Gypsy: What constitutes a "crime against bacon"?
Bacon Girl: Oh, definitely improperly cooked bacon.  Soggy bacon.  Burnt bacon. Half raw bacon. It must be stopped.  Respect the pig, let it be crisp.
Gypsy: (though giggles) Here, here!  Tell me how you cook your bacon...
Bacon Girl: Cook to halfway, sprinkle with brown sugar, return to oven, finish with Jack Daniels.
Gyspy: Ahhhhha, a Jack girl. I think I smell an Epic Mealtime tribute.
Bacon Girl:  OH MY GOD. I LOVE those guys.

Gypsy: What's your favorite episode?
Bacon Girl: Turduckinpig! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xc5wIpUenQ)
Gypsy: Hahahahahaha... a classic.  Be fun to throw down with the Epic boys don't you think?  Sure we could take them.
Bacon Girl: (laughing hysterically, wagging her head, pursing her lips) Bring it.  I don't see no bacon tattoo on those boys.

Hear that Epic Mealtime?  Bring it.  Bacon tattoo = epic... pork... dedication. (can we still have shirts?)  

I'd like to adopt her please.  If I had a daughter, I'd want her to be just like Natasha; fun, quirky, passionate, able to cook pans of bacon in a single bound, strong desire to be an organic farmer and sing lullabies to pigs & tomatoes.  Such a noble profession.  Honest.  Simple.  

Makes one wonder --- if I was cloned.  I lost a toothbrush about 27 years ago, cloning was just taking off.   Maybe some mad scientist...  

... she does look a little like me and I too love double smoked bacon.  

Nahhhhhhhhh.  Coincidence.  

Pass the bacon.  Be sure it's properly cooked.  Don't want to get Bacon Girl angry - you wouldn't like her when she's angry.  Though she'd still smell sweetly of Candied Bacon. 

Sigh.

http://www.murraystreet.ca/
110 Murray Street, Ottawa, Ontario 613-562-7244  

The Source of her Bacon-y Super Powers...

Because - I'm sweet enough already. 

A day in the Gypsy Test Kitchen.  It started innocently enough... looking for a savory waffle delivery vehicle for some hollandaise and a bit of egg for Mother's day.  Next thing you know I'm hip deep in batter, venturing into new territory, digging things out of the fridge.  I'm not sure (because I was full and haven't tasted it yet) but I may have jumped-the-shark with the Hoisin Chicken Waffle.

What can I say, I was on a roll after the Buttermilk Black Pepper Bacon waffles, which was wicked and made it into the Bacon-Waffle-Grilled-Cheese Sammich post. 

Thrilled with the other cheesy takes, moving in an interesting direction.  I'm undecided at the moment if you will see the Ricotta Chive or the Parmesan for our Mother's Day Brunch menu. Cheddar Green Onion was great and I'm rather in love with the Feta Olive, by far the most aromatic of the savory waffles I tested. 

You know when the neighbours start dropping by asking "what are you COOKING?!" you're on to something. 

Sooner or later I'm sure you'll see all of the recipes, but if there's one in particular you'd rather see sooner, as opposed to later - let a Gypsy know. 

It's fun to play in the kitchen!

Parmesan Waffles... sharp, earthy.

Ricotta Chive Waffles... light, bright.

Cheddar Green Onion Waffles... indulgent, crisp.

Feta Olive Waffles... fragrant, moist.

Hoisin Chicken Waffels... hmmmm.

Sprouts?  Really?!  In the Gypsy Kitchen?

Oh yeah.  Nothing I like more than growing things then eating them.  As spring (slowly) ascends here in Ontario, I'm craving all things growing and --- alive.  Sprouting Chickpeas is fun.  By day three... IT'S ALIVE!

When we talk about food in terms of fuel and energy think for a moment about the amount of energy that a seed produces to grow. Sprouting increases the protein, essential amino acids, enzymatic activity, vitamins, and fiber content.

"(Sprouts) supply the highest amount of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc. of any food per unit of calorie." ~ from The Wonders of Sprouting by Lucie Desjarlais, RNC

In fact, sprouting can increase the protein content of a seed by up to 50%, contain vital enzymes and increase the vitamin content by 20 or 30 times. That's a whole lot of nutrition.

Yeah spouts.

Plus it's fun and easy and if you have kids... it's the science of food in the kitchen.  Who knows, they might even eat them.

I've read several articals that suggest adding (3% food grade) hydrogen peroxide to avoid mold in your spouts but most of the articles I read were spouting in a semi-closed environment (IE: a jar with a cheesecloth lid).

I borrow a page from the garden and spout things for the kitchen the exact same way I do for the dirt.  On an open tray (or pie plate) between two sheets of paper towel - spread seeds to cover bottom, cover with lukewarm water overnight, keep moist and warm for three to six days.

Rinse thoroughly under cold water.  Refrigerate growing spouts to maintain freshness until ready to use.

My favourite sprouting spot is the top of the fridge.  Warm and dry.  I rarely sprout in the heat and humidity of summer, so this might be one of the reasons I've never experienced slime, mildew or mold on tiny, growing seedlettes.

I usually start with organic seeds/grains bought in bulk form my local health food store, but regular off-the-shelf supermarket beans/peas/grains sprout just as well, in fact that's what you see here.

In this case I'm spouting chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) for this week's "Sprouted Hummus" recipe.  More fun things to spout include mung beans, alpha, lentils, broccoli, arugula, buckwheat, red clover, radishes, wheat-grass, sunflowers and peas all make tasty sprouts. (we'll cover wheat-grass, sunflowers and peas in a related post, for micro greens, they take a little longer and a bit more care)

• Here's a great online resource for home spouting http://www.sprouting.com/homesprouting.html

Use them in salads, pastas, sandwiches, burgers or dips.  Three and a half days later I turned these lovely growing beauties into smooth, creamy hummus with double the protein and massive amounts of vitamins.

They were ALIVE when I put them through the food processor... akkkk, the screaming of the chickpeas (just kidding, they hardly screamed at all).

Good and good for you. Sprout away...