Columnists

Zero8 in Montreal may well be the first restaurant to offer a 100% hypoallergenic menu. While people like my husband Martin Kouprie – a peanut and legume allergy sufferer himself – have been offering allergy aware dining options for the last decade or so, this restaurant is unique in providing a full service menu that does not include any of the 8 most common food allergens:

• Fish and seafood
• Peanuts
• Nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Milk
• Soybeans
• Eggs
• Wheat and glutinous grains of any kind

So, what does that leave for people to order at Zero8? Lots. There is pasta (presumably rice or spelt noodles are used) with tomato sauce or venison ragout, duck confit, steak frites and even house-made gluten-free bread ($2 per portion). Oddly, the menu is very protein based. I’d love to see a few legume dishes such as braised lentils or a chickpea tagine, too.

Does a restaurant like this one interest you? If it does, why?

A few weeks ago on Facebook, my sister-in-law asked me a deceptively complex question:

“If you had to choose between plastic wrap, foil or parchment – which would you give up first?”

While I’d miss plastic wrap (who doesn’t like being able to see their food?) and find it inconvenient to be without parchment paper (especially when baking), I’d give them both up long before foil.

After all, foil can:
• Cover food to seal in freshness
• Be used to prevent food from sticking to cooking surfaces
• Be shaped into foil swans to hold leftovers that you want to send home with your dinner party guests (I used to love making those swans when I was a chef)
• Be used to make cooking packets for fish and other delicate foods that people often cook in parchment pouches.

What about you? Which would you give up last?

We live in a neighbourhood where people know each other and socialize together. It’s a great environment and we’ve become good friends with many of our neighbours. Sal (he) and Chris (she) are among our best neighbourhood friends. Chris and I walk together often and share our parenting and work woes. We have spontaneous parties and, when we lived next door to each other, mutual midnight skunk scares while putting out our recycling.

During the last couple of years, I’ve run into Sal at the grocery store regularly. I think it’s great that he participates in his household but I can tell that it’s starting to bug him that he is known as the husband who grocery shops.

The good news is that soon he’ll be one of many. Research shows that in last five years, men have increased their grocery store spending by 56% while grocery store spending by women has declined by 11%
In fact, in the US, almost one-third of men are the primary shoppers in their households.

Now this is a trend I can get behind. (I’m going to leave this post open on Martin’s computer!) If you’re paired off, who does the shopping at your house? Has it changed over the years?

Start off the new year with a resolution that is good for you and good for the environment: quit buying bottled water!

Worried about being different? Don’t. It’s totally on trend. In fact, carafes filled with tap water are so ‘in’ that they are everywhere.

Is it too tedious for you to refill a carafe a few times a day? Then go big and choose the stylish, family sized Ovopur. I saw them up close and in use recently in the VIP tent at a Cirque du Soleil show and they are really fantastic!

At home do you serve individual glasses of water for each person at the table or do you place a bottle of water on the table at mealtime?

Merry Christmas to you and yours! Even if Christmas isn’t your seasonal holiday, I hope you have a peaceful, wonderful day filled with good company and good meals.

Did you know that I’m a mind reader? I am. For instance, I know that on Saturday or Sunday you’re going to go looking for yummy ideas for ways to make leftover turkey appetizing.

So, no need to do much with this post today. Just bookmark it and come back on the weekend. I won’t be here, but these links will be waiting for you.

4 yummy things to do with leftover turkey

1. Still in the mood to cook?
Try Turkey croquettes

2. All cooked out and craving something different?
Ladle up a bowl of Slow Cooker White Turkey Chili

3. Feeling retro?
Savour Julie Van Rosendaal’s Creamed Turkey with Biscuits

4. Craving soup but want something new?
Say Ole to Cheryl’s Tortilla Soup

Got great ideas of your own? Feel free to share your favourite turkey leftover recipes here.

“Good Gravy!” — That’s what my grandmother used to say instead of other, more crass exclamations (like the ones that I make on a daily – sometimes hourly – basis) when something went wrong. I don’t know why she used this term since I don’t think there’s anything wrong with good gravy. In fact, I think it’s essential for gravy to be good. Otherwise, why bother with the calories? I’ll always love every memory of my grandmother, but she was way off with this idiom.

At Christmastime I always make giblet gravy to accompany my big turkey dinner. In case you don’t know, the giblets are those odds and sods in the paper bag that you find tucked into the large cavity of your holiday bird when you unwrap it. Also in that area you’ll usually find the butcher has stashed the turkey’s neck.

If you usually throw that stuff out or feed it to your cat to eat, I urge you to reconsider. While I’m sure your butcher would be happy to see your cat well fed, he included the giblets and neck in your package because they can make gravy taste great. Need proof? Try my recipe:

Classic Giblet Gravy

Gravy lovers are divided into two camps: those who slather it over their meat and those who prefer it only on their vegetables. So, serve this lean, flavourful gravy in boat to be passed around at the table so that everyone can moisten their food as they like.

Giblets and neck from 1 turkey
3 1/2 cups (875 mL) turkey or chicken broth
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
salt and pepper

Place the giblets and neck(s) in a pot. Cover with broth and bring to boil. Simmer for 1 hour until reduced slightly and fragrant, strain and reserve broth (about 2 cups/500 mL).

Drain fat from roasting pan used to cook turkey. Place roasting pan on stove over medium-high heat; bring the pan juices to a boil.

Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the reserved giblet broth and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain and season to taste with salt and pepper (if you used bought broth you’ll likely only need to add pepper). Serve in a gravy boat. Makes about 2 cups (500 mL).

Tip: If you make your giblet broth ahead, remove and discard any fat that forms on top before proceeding.

Just when you thought you knew cheesecake, this approach — which transforms a wedge of Stilton cheese into a gourmet, easy-to-make appetizer — emerges and turns that idea upside down.

I originally created this recipe to go with a gin infused Caesar (no, it’s true – they really taste very good together) for the Mott’s Clamato folks. But it’s also super delish served with port or a fruity red wine.

Whenever I serve this ‘cake’ it becomes a real conversation piece, so I highly recommend it for parties where a lot of the guests might not know one another.

Caramelized Onion & Stilton “Cheesecake”

Ingredients:
10 oz (300 g) wedge Stilton or other blue cheese
1 pkg (6 oz /175 g) brick-style cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp (30 mL) 35% whipping cream
3 tbsp (45 mL) caramelized onions
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped dried cranberries
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper
Crackers, melba toast or sliced baguette
Grape clusters, fig wedges or raspberries

Method:
Cut the Stilton in thirds to make three equal layers. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in the whipping cream until cheese is fluffy.

Divide cream cheese mixture in half; stir one half with the caramelized onions, cranberries, parsley, rosemary and pepper. Chill for 15 minutes. Use this mixture to “frost” between the Stilton layers to make a triple layer cake. Clean around the edges. Lay the cheese on its side on a serving platter.

Frost the top and back edge of the wedge with the reserved cream cheese mixture; loosely tend with plastic wrap. Reserve in the refrigerator until ready to serve, or for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers, Melba toast or baguette. Garnish the plate with fruit. Makes 18 servings.

It’s a good time to be a popcorn lover. Not only is there an abundance of ready-popped gourmet and kettle corn to choose from at most grocery stores, but gourmet popcorn experiences are possible at home now, too.

So, if you have a popcorn lover on your Christmas list, why not make his or her day with this explosive combination?

• Pop It Yourself kit from 479° Popcorn

• Cuisinart EasyPop machine in Santa Claus red

Cranberry sauce is a perfect pantry partner that no host should be without at this time of year. Seriously: go buy some right now if you don’t have some already on hand.

Then, keep these ideas top of mind and you’ll be able to turn bought or frozen hors d’oeuvres into your own gourmet expressions in less time than it takes to light candles.

1. Stir chopped cilantro or mint into cranberry sauce along with a few dashes of chipotle sauce to make a super dip for coconut battered shrimp.
2. Blend cranberry sauce with orange zest and candied peel and spread it evenly over the cut side of a French stick that has been halved lengthwise. Sprinkle liberally with aged Cheddar and toast in the oven until cheese is molten.
3. Spread an even layer of cream cheese into a plate. Blend cranberry sauce with chopped green onion. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese and serve with crackers or tortilla chips as a layered dip.

PS: Looking for advice about making cranberry sauce? I’ve got you covered!