Lime Pistachio Squares

It's been quite a while since I posted anything on this blog but I thought it might be time to start things up again.

Wordless Wednesday: The Frosty Treat

Combination Nutty Dip from the Frosty Treat in Kensington, PEI

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Wordless Wednesday: Beau's

Beau's by candlelight at the Hintonburg Public House

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Review From the Road: Le Smoking Vallée

Last weekend I was lucky enough to join one of my good friends for her birthday dinner at Le Smoking Vallée in Montreal. Not only was it a great celebration, the food and experience were pretty great as well. 

Happy Birthday Kristen!

Smoking Vallée is in the south west part of Montreal on Notre-Dame Ouest. I'm not even sure how I'd classify the food other than to say it's delicious. They give a sample menu on their website but the individual dishes change depending which ingredients are in season.

Cod with lobster bisque, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, and morels ordered by the birthday girl

The atmosphere was great. Our reservation was for 9:00 on Saturday night and the place was packed. We were a large group and ended up sitting at a huge table with another small group at the end. It was actually nice to have some interaction with some of our fellow diners. The other factor influencing the atmosphere at this place is that it's a "bring your own" restaurant. They don't serve any alcohol so you're free to bring your own with you with no corkage fee to speak of. They'll open anything you need uncorked and they even provide ice buckets for your whites or bubbly. 

Asparagus risotto with crispy pork belly

By far, the most ordered dish at our table was the risotto with asparagus, cheddar, and crispy pork belly. That's what I had and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was most impressed that they were able to produce that many portions of perfectly cooked risotto at the same time.

We were all enjoying our wine and were in no hurry to leave so it only made sense to order some dessert. Honestly, I can't actually remember what the other dessert options were but the strawberry shortcake was delicious. The base was almost a cross between a biscuit and cake so it wasn't too sweet but had a great texture. The crushed meringue on the top made for a really nice contrast in texture. I really enjoyed it.
 

Strawberry shortcake with crushed meringue

If you find yourself planning to eat dinner in this part of Montreal, and you're looking for a lively spot, I would highly recommend checking out this restaurant. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Wordless Wednesday: Le Glacier Bilboquet

Cookie Dough from Le Bilboquet in Laval, QC

Raspberry Vanilla

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Wordless Wednesday: Bluesfest

A freshly squeezed lemonade to help cool off at Ottawa Bluesfest 2012

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Easy Chocolate Sauce

A few weeks ago I had a friend over for an impromptu dinner in. I had some delicious ice cream in the freezer but felt like it needed a little something extra to make it even better.

Wordless Wednesday: Sangria

Summery sangria at 10fourteen

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Wordless Wednesday: Bridgehead Roastery

The now open, but not quite finished, Bridgehead Roastery off Preston St in Ottawa

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Strawberry Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt

Continuing on the strawberry rhubarb theme of late, I recently tried my hand at strawberry rhubarb frozen yogurt. Unfortunately, the portion I reserved to take photos of didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped. Making this recipe taught me something very valuable - homemade frozen yogurt freezes into a completely solid mass if you leave it in the freezer for more than a couple of hours.

Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

The latest and greatest addition to my rhubarb recipes - rhubarb baked oatmeal.

Must.Love.Cupcakes

About six months ago I got a message from fellow food blogger and baker extraordinaire, Lynne Frappier, asking if I'd be interested in being involved in a TV project she was going to be working on. I wasn't entirely sure what I was signing up for but, of course, I said yes!

Wordless Wednesday: The Merry Dairy

First taste of frozen custard from The Merry Dairy in Hintonburg

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Rhubarb Infused Vodka

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love rhubarb. I don't really know what it is about it but I crave it and look forward to Spring time and rhubarb season all year long. I've probably eaten rhubarb a hundred different ways but I've never had it into a drink before. That is until now. May I present to you - rhubarb vodka.

Wordless Wednesday: Bubbles with a View

iPhone photo with Instagram

Chocolate Fudge Ice Pops

Last week I came home from my grocery trip with an ice cream maker. This week I came home with ice pop molds. Sadly, I didn't really have any fruit or juice or typical ice pop fare hanging around to test them out. I came across this recipe on the Epicurious app and, since I did have all of the ingredients for these at home, this became my test batch.

Wordless Wednesday: Spring has Sprung

iPhone photo with Instagram

Pineapple Frozen Yogurt

It's been awhile since I actually posted a recipe. I figured today was as good a day as any to get back on track. Although, admittedly, calling this a recipe is a bit of a stretch. 

Wordless Wednesday: Schnipper's NYC

Outdoor dinner in NYC at Schnipper's across from the Port Authority Station

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Review from the Road: Birreria

As you could probably tell from the last couple of Wordless Wednesday posts, I spent a weekend in New York a few weeks ago with my friend Caroly. Over the weekend most of our dining choices were pretty standard New York fare. Bagels in Central Park, pizza in Little Italy, and cupcakes at Rockefeller Plaza. The one place we ended up splurging on a bit was Birreria (@EatalyBirreria) by Mario Batali and co.