Food Fusions toy drive!

We have begun our seasonal collection of gifts to donate to local families in need through the Christmas Season.

Each year, my family hosts a big Christmas Brunch - we keep our friends and family well-fed and merry in exchange for them bringing a gift for the Christmas Bureau. This weekend we collected about 20 toys - but you can see that there is still room for more!

If you'd like to pitch in, just let me know. I'll come by and pick your unwrapped toy up. We are aiming to deliver a week today - Dec 18th.

Thanks for joining me in brightening up some little faces this year!

More here: www.lmcb.ca

Delicious ideas from the Okanagan

If you recognize this photo, you've probably spent time in B.C.'s gorgeous Okanagan.

So you'll know why it's called our province's Fruit Basket. And here's a simply tasty way to enjoy your favorite Okanagan fruit.

It really is painless: just take your selection of the Okanagan's finest, accompanied by your own homemade syrup, a dash of mint and vanilla ice cream. In fact, it's such a simple and popular recipe, that our own local experts at Granville Island feature it on their website. Check it here.

Ripening schedule: when we went up a few weeks ago, the cherry harvet was in full swing. Peaches and apricots are ready to go about now, with pears, plums and apples just around the corner.

Enjoy!

Richard Ford
604.767.1580 / richard@foodfusions.biz

Eggs, the Equinox and a Tasty Tip

Legend has it that there are just two days each year when eggs balance on end - the spring and autumn equinox, when the sun is directly over the equator and day and night are nearly equal.

Although skeptics (including Albert Einstein) tell us that it's all hogwash, we reckon folks all over Vancouver ought to celebrate the beginning of spring by dedicating some quality time today to your egg-balancing techniques.

But if you're just not having any luck, and your desk is overflowing with the results of your foiled efforts, we've dug out a great recipe for post-modern devilled eggs: the perfect way to use up your almost-scrambled equninx eggs!

First. The key to perfectly boiled eggs: it's all in the ice: Place your eggs in half a pot of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before transferring carefully to a bowl of ice to cool.

You can make and serve devilled eggs the traditional way, slicing them in halves. Or you slice a quarter of the rounded fat end off the bottom, and just enough off the pointy end to allow the egg to stand on end once you've de-yolked it. Using that method, be sure to keep the egg carton to place the eggs in - you can even use it to serve them!

Devilled eggs with smoked trout (salmon, or mackerel)

All you'll need: hard boiled eggs; a mixture of your favourite seasonings (paprika, cayenne pepper, cracked black pepper, salt); mayo; whole grain mustard; lemon juice; and smoked trout, mackerel, or salmon.

Directions
Take your hard boiled, cooled eggs and slice about a quarter from the fattier rounded end. Very gently with a small spoon remove yolk. Cut just enough off the skinnier end so that the egg can sit upright (even when it's not the equinox). Place back into egg carton with this skinnier end down. You will pipe (or spoon) your filling into the open end from whence you removed the yolk.

(Note - if this seems a bit fiddly, go ahead and use the simpler method: simply cut your hard boiled eggs in half and scoop out the yolks, folks).

In either case, save your yolks and mix together with mayo, cayenne pepper, salt, mustard and lemon juice.Either mix your shredded smoked trout right into the mixture, or save to lay over top.Spoon the mixture back into (or 'onto') the eggs where the yolks used to be.

Top with remaining trout (or other smoked fish) and paprika, et voila - a perfect spring equinox or Easter treat.

And .... welcome to Spring!