Photo: Lamb Cranberry Patty Melts from Dana's Top Ten Table

Lamb is a meat choice that's trending up with Canadians. In fact according to Norma Collette, one of the head honchos at the Ontario Sheep Marketing Association, demand has sky-rocketed to the point where Ontario producers can only keep up with 50% of the local consumer demand for this red meat. And from what I hear from industry insiders, that story is true in other provinces, too.

Are you curious about cooking with lamb but not sure where to start or how to branch out beyond mom's roasted lamb leg with mint sauce? Below I've listed some classic lamb dishes and provided a brief description of each one. I encourage you to use my list to find recipes that will appeal to your family. Although lamb isn't a top ten dinner time choice yet. You'll find it makes a nice change from the ordinary.

• Navarin of lamb: A ragout of mutton (mature lamb) containing potatoes and various spring vegetables such as turnip. This classic French dish gets its name from the French word for turnip, navet.

• Braised lamb shanks: A popular “bonne femme” or French Bistro dish. Braised lamb shanks frequently turn up on trendy Canadian menus in cool weather.

• Stuffed milk lamb: a Kurdish recipe featuring a whole, milk fed lamb filled with a stuffing made from dried apricots, rice and pan-fried giblets.

• Irish Stew: an unbrowned stew of neck mutton, potatoes and onions. Traditionally (and deliciously!) served with pickled red cabbage.

• Roast leg of lamb: A British Sunday dinner favourite served with mint sauce. Modernize this classic buy making a fresh sauce made from mint leaves, olive oil, garlic and a little white wine vinegar.

• Shish Kebobs: Originating in Turkey and eventually spreading to the Balkans and the Middle East, these lamb or mutton skewers were traditionally made from nuggets of marinated meat alternating with nuggets of fat (which basted the meat during grilling). Today kebobs, minus the fat, are a standard item in Canadian Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants and are often served in pitas with tzatziki, a garlicky yogurt sauce.

• Sali Boti: An Indian wedding specialty for Parsi people. This dish features tender lamb cubes stewed with freshly ground spices, dried apricots and straw potatoes.


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As regular readers of this blog and my Topline Trends newsletter know, I spend a lot of time researching new products so that I can discuss trends. In the course of almost every business day I see a mention or news release of at least one new drink. Over the last several years many of these new releases have been for energy drinks. Some are formulated to appeal to athletes and others are designed for hardcore partiers. I thought I'd seen it all until I came across an energy drink designed specifically for Christians.

1in3Trinity is definitely unique in its category. When I contacted the manufacturer for more information, this is what their vice president had to say: “Our company is aggressively teaming up with popular Christian music artists and athletes, fusing faith, fashion and music to reflect a bold Christian lifestyle. Our brand is truly the place where fashion meets truth-and where art expresses God's love.”

Although this very earnest woman couldn't send me a sample of the drink (it's not yet available in Canada) she did send me wishes to “continue to abundantly receive love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” All much appreciated sentiments but I ask you, if a person had self-control would they really buy a drink like this one?


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Given the many books for sale on dream analysis, it seems like there must be a lot of people having interesting and enigmatic dreams. I feel left out. My own dreams are rather mundane; I'm often just shopping or doing regular routine stuff in my dreams (I hate to admit it but sometimes I'm cooking in my dreams – talk about mirroring reality.)

Worried about being left out while others are having a rich and textured dream life, I sought help. And, as is so often the case, the cure for what concerns me turns out to be cheese!

You see a 2005 study carried out by the British Cheese Board has produced conclusions that eating different cheeses can affect our dreams.

The researchers studied 200 late night cheese eaters and found that not only does eating cheese make falling asleep easier, but that the type of cheese you eat influences the type of dreams you'll have. They proved their point by each night giving study participants 20 g of a specific kind of cheese before bed. In the end they found that if you eat:

• Cheddar you're more likely to dream about celebrities.
• Stilton you'll have bizarre dreams.
• Brie you'll have nice relaxing dreams if you're a girl but inscrutable dreams if you're a boy.
• Red Leicester you'll dream about work.
• Cheshire you'll dream of nothing at all.

No one knows why different cheeses encourage different kinds of dreams but scientists suspect that tryptophan, one of the amino acids in cheese, helps to reduce stress and leads cheese eaters to sleep well in general. Finally, I have a scientific reason to eat cheese and crackers before bed. Life is good!


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When I was writing Dana's Top Ten Table, I wasn't surprised to learn that chicken is one of the top 10 things that people eat for dinner. In fact, it turns out that Canadians eat 31.8 kg of chicken per person each year. I guess this isn't surprising considering the myriad cuisines and cooking methods that can be used to prepare this subtly flavoured white meat.

Although chicken has been a top 10 favourite Canadian dinnertime choice for decades, the way we use it in recipes has evolved over time. When I was a kid, my mom -- like most people -- used to buy a whole chicken and cut it into pieces. Chicken was a starting point for many of our meals but it came into the house in pretty much the same way regardless of how it would need to be butchered before it was used.

Today our chicken purchasing habits are very different. We most often purchase chicken that is already cleaned, and cut appropriately to be used in a specific recipe; or we buy whole chickens to be roasted intact.

According to the Chicken Farmers of Canada, the cut of chicken we're choosing more often is skinless chicken legs, drumsticks or thighs. In fact, 35 per cent of Canadians purchased these cuts in 2006; that's a 12 per cent increase since the last time our poultry-buying habits were measured in 2004.

Although dark meat is slightly higher in fat than breast meat, I'm thrilled to see this trend. I find that dark meat is more flavourful and juicier than white. As a result, it is far more suitable for using in stir-fries, on the grill or in slowly simmered stews and soups where white meat often becomes tough and rubbery.

So the next time you're thinking about serving chicken for dinner, consider choosing skinless chicken legs, drumsticks or thighs to check out this trend for yourself.


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Anyone who has ever chosen reading material solely based on the front cover will agree that sometimes the title can be better than the ensuing story. Such was the case in my real life earlier this month. I was scheduled for one of my frequent Canada AM appearances and slept through my alarm. Suddenly I was wakened by battle cries and my son saying, "Take that, ogre!" I jumped out of bed not in a panic about war in my house, that's a regular occurrence when you have a son hooked on World of Warcarft, but anxious about missing my segment.

As I hastily showered -- no time to exfoliate that morning! -- the perfect title for my morning crisis popped into my head: "How World of Warcraft Saved my Career". Now, if that title were on a magazine cover, people would snap up copies, right? Regrettably, they'd feel gypped when they read the story and discovered that I got to the studio only 15 minutes behind schedule but still in plenty of time for my segment. The End.

Interestingly sometimes the opposite can be true as well. I think I write really great cookbooks that are as fun to read as they are reliable to cook from. But, despite my creativity in the kitchen and on a conceptual level, I'm usually not great with titles, especially cookbook titles. In fact, of my five books, the two with the best titles were named by other people.

Last Dinner on the Titanic, my first book, was named by Hugh Brewster, a visionary publisher with a flair for the dramatic. And Pantry Raid got its wonderful double entendre name as a result of conversation two smart people had without me. What happened was my art director friend Adrian Doran told his friend Laurie McPhail about the book I was writing and that I was stuck and only had a working title: Out of the Cupboard. Smart Laurie heard about the concept and she said, "Wow, it sounds kinda like a pantry raid!"

As soon as I heard her title, I knew it was exactly what I'd been looking for. Regrettably, I don't always have such inspired friends and colleagues around when I need them. When it came to naming my latest book, the rather cryptically entitled Dana's Top Ten Table, I enlisted a committee of big brains but the perfect name remained elusive.

Fortunately, I can find solace in the fact that there are many more poorly named books on the bookstore shelves. Don't believe me? Check out this Disney title called Cooking with Pooh. How that title got past an editor, a sales team and a publisher is truly a puzzle!


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So, now that I've been a blogger for almost two months (that's a lifetime in internet years -- right?), I thought I should check out the food blog scene to see where I fit in. Turns out, like most areas in my life, I don't fit in at all. Alas, once a misanthrope, always a misanthrope.

That said, I did find some really interesting food blogs out there that I thought you might like to check out over the weekend.


Hooked On Heat: Great pictures, easy on the eye layout and interesting content make this one of my new favorite blogs.

Once Upon a Feast: Love pasta? Drop by this blog every Friday for links to a visual directory of pasta recipes that are on other blogs. Other days visit to see what Ruth is cooking up in her own kitchen.

Candy Addict: From lists like the ‘10 Grossest Candies' to urban myths about candies, you can find a lot of sweet content on this site.

Kitchen Unplugged: Worth a click for the gorgeous photos; however, this Barcelona, Spain based blog has lots of depth and it's so well organized that you can find info about the foods you like very easily.

David Lebovitz: I like this guy. A lot. He sort of reminds me of me. The only differences are that he's talented, American, male and a pastry chef. Otherwise I'm exactly the same. So, if you need more than I can offer go visit him.

Cupcake Bakeshop: With recipes for every cupcake imaginable, Q&A sections on advanced techniques and step-by-step photos, you can learn a lot about baking at this site.

Cream Puffs In Venice: Although the name suggests this blog comes from Italy, it's written by a Canadian gal named Ivonne. I love her ‘Magazine Monday' feature but there are lots of other good reasons to read her blog, too.

Daily Tiffin: Got the brown bag blues? Check out this site devoted to filling lunch (and breakfast) boxes.

Married…with Dinner: Great layout and a nice chatty writing style make this blog a nice place to linger when you're having a coffee.

Deep End Dining: There bloggers introduce new and exotic foods that may would hesitate to try. Read about the experiences of these diners and you just might become an adventurer, too!



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Have you ever been to Pittsburgh? No, me neither. But, I recently learned that the Big Mac, one of the foods that will always remind my of my youth, was invented 40 years ago in North Huntingdon, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

After reading this info in a recent USA today article, I'm toying with the idea of taking a trip to Pittsburgh to visit the Big Mac Museum. Apparently they have the world's biggest big mac (it's 14 feet tall and 12 feet wide!). Does that mean that each sesame seed is the size of a loaf of bread?

Although today I eschew most fast food in favor of more gourmet fare, there was a time in my youth when a regular lunch order included two Big Macs, a large fries and a chocolate milk shake. At 2,230 calories (without ketchup) this meal is completely unacceptable by modern standards but was considered just fine 25 years ago. Amazingly in those days I was a super skinny kid who could eat such a lunch and then come home from school, eat a snack before doing my homework and then tuck into a full dinner. How I miss my 13-year-old metabolism!

Although I would never eat that combination of foods today, I do admit that I occasionally – say, once every three months – do crave and indulge in a Big Mac. There's something nostalgic and comforting about the soft sesame seed bun, tangy pickles and gooey special sauce that I really need once in a while.

So, in honour of the Big Mac's 40th birthday I dedicate this blog post to junk food and the special function it has in my life as a mental health food.


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I'm often surprised to hear new graduates expound how glad they are that school is behind them. How dull would life be if we weren't learning new things? I love the fact that my job as a food trend tracker and food writer requires constant research and learning. I'd surely wither up without such opportunities.

Before I landed in my happy little brownie-lined niche as a food writer and food trend tracker, I tried all kinds of other food industry jobs and learned as much then as I learned at university and chef school combined. One of the professions I sampled was food styling. An opportunity presented itself to me sixteen years ago when I met top food stylist Rosemarie Superville. At that time food styling was not a career title that many people knew about and I was fascinated by a job that made food look good enough to eat but that often ruined it in the process.

I worked as Rosemarie's occasional assistant and I have to say that the time I spent with her offered me some of my most dynamic learning experiences. At one week-long packaging shoot she taught me to build layer cakes using thin slices of cake fitted into a plastic form. Once filled into the form I was then shown how to fill in any holes in the baked cakes using Vaseline and spit. Sounds disgusting but the result was perfect looking cakes that were on the client's packages for years to come. After that shoot I thought that Rosemarie must be one of the most adept food stylists in the world and today I'm pretty sure I was right.

Although I meet many stylists each year, I still learn amazing things from Rosemarie every time I'm able to work with her (now not as her assistant but as the recipe developer whose food is being photographed). But despite her experience, Rosemarie never stops trying to improve her skills. Her secret to being one of Canada's top food stylists for more than 20 years is regularly attending workshops and seminars to keep her skills current and to prevent her art from stagnating.

So, I guess what I'm really trying to say today is that although the routine of school and the stress of exams is definitely nice to leave behind, no matter how old you are or how long since you left school, remember to snatch up every learning opportunity you get. It will make you happy –- just look at the smile on Rosemarie's face!


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Today I welcome guest blogger Amy Snider who is the V.P. of Sensory Excellence for my consulting company. As a certified home economist with a specialty in nutrition Amy is the ideal person to review two health-skewed cookbooks that are getting a lot of attention this fall.

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Dana asked me to look at a couple of the fall books that have recently arrived at the test kitchen. Because of my nutrition background, I usually take a closer look at any cookbook that has a health or nutrition theme. And as a food writer myself, it's always interesting to me to see what consumers may be reading.

Robin Asbell's The New Whole Grains Cookbook, distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books, features lots of well organized info on a variety of grains and a detailed section on cooking tips. I found it informative without being heavy. In fact, even I learned a few things from reading the front matter, which surprised me.

Robin's diverse recipe collection has many ethnic influences and may be too adventurous for those newly initiated into using whole grains. (This book doesn't take common recipes and just sub in a whole grain component.) However, if you're looking for some different ways to prepare whole grains, this cookbook would be an excellent place to start.

I also checked out Rose Reisman's latest, The Complete Light Kitchen. Rose is legendary for her uncomplicated approach to healthy eating and I enjoyed this “greatest hits” book. Reisman promises that this new one contains many simpler versions of her classic, tried-and-true recipes and she delivers on that promise while also supplying pages of nutrition information to help you make informed food purchases.

If you have many Reisman cookbooks already on your shelf, you'll likely be satisfied with your old, dog-eared copies. However, I would recommend this compilation as an excellent Christmas gift for any cook newly concerned with eating well.


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I've never understood the appeal of food fights. My love and respect for food and my Felix Unger-style tendencies toward neatness prevent me from enjoying throwing perfectly good groceries at the walls.

But, from watching movies such as Animal House and hearing about events such as La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain's famous food fight and tourist attraction, I know that food fights hold an exciting appeal for many people. Tapping into this interest, the folks at the American branch of General Mills (which, here in Canada sells Green Giant, Old El Paso, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker products to name only a few of their household brands) have launched a new web site game designed to introduce people to their easy, healthy recipes.

Although I didn't check out the recipes on the site, I did check out the food fight. Contrary to my expectation, I loved it! It seems that when the food is virtual and the mess can be cleaned up with a mouse click, that food fights can, in fact, be pretty fun! Limber up your mouse clicking finger and check it out yourself at TheGoodFoodFight.com.


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Let's finish at the top with the most popular herb in Canada and a recipe that shows it off to advantage (cue the drum roll….):

1. Oregano (+75%): This herb is a mainstay in Italian dishes including pizza and tomato sauce, but did you know that it's also an essential component of chili powder? That means oregano is a great herb to use on taco night, too.

Dana's Top Ten Table Super Pizza Spread*

This zesty sauce uses not just oregano but also basil, another national hit. I keep this spread in the refrigerator so that my son can easily make himself a healthy snack easily. If you have a toaster oven at work, try taking this spread and a whole grain bagel to work so that you can make an inexpensive hot lunch.


1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each dried oregano and basil leaves
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese

Blend the sauce, oregano, basil, garlic, green onion, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses until well combined. Place in a clean, dry container and cover tightly. Refrigerate up to 1 week. Makes 1 2/3 cups (400 mL) spread (enough for one 14-inch (35 cm) pizza or 6 small tortilla or pita pizzas).


*Copyright (c) 2007 by Dana McCauley. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.


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Herbs number two and three on the Canadian Top Ten list are likely as familiar to most Canadians in their fresh form as dried. Regardless of which one of these herbs you choose to use dried, choose crumbled fresh leaves instead of ground versions which are often harsher flavoured and leave a mealy texture on your tongue even after cooking.


3. Basil (+65%): Dubbed a ‘royal' herb by the ancient Greeks for good reason, basil is a mild, versatile herb that adds the crowning accent flavour to so many of our favorite dishes including most tomato-based pasta sauces and pesto.

2. Parsley (+65%): Parsley is a ubiquitous herb that's often strewn about as an after thought garnish. In fact, its overuse as a decoration has caused many cooks to forget that parsley can be used as a dominant flavor. Consider tabouleh, the Middle Eastern salad made from bulgur, parsley and lots of garlic and lemon. Likewise, parsley plays a more muted but no less important role as part of a mirepoix – the chopped carrots, onions and celery that are used to start almost all soups, sauces and stews.

Continued on Friday November 16


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Recently McCormick sent me a press kit and samples for its newly expanded line of 100% organic herbs. Our test kitchen team tasted these herbs next to regular dried varieties. Although we didn't find a huge taste difference, we did note that their organic Turkish Bay leaves were really wonderful. If you do choose organic dried herbs, choose them for the assurance that they were grown without herbicides and pesticides and remember, that often the colour of non-organic herbs is falsely vibrant due to the fertilizers and preservatives used during drying.

5. Sage (+55%): Although this herb is most often associated with holiday turkey stuffing, sage is also a delicious herb to use when preparing pork, veal or dried legumes such as braised navy beans.

4. Bay leaves (+ 60%): Although few people can pinpoint the taste of bay leaves in a dish, they can quite easily notice when they are missing. Bay leaves are important foundation-flavouring agents that add depth to many recipes. Use bay leaves in slowly simmered recipes such as soups, stews, braises and sauces to add the herbal notes that result in a full, fabulous finishing taste. Add only one or two bay leaves at a time since bay leaves can create bitter flavours if used in quantity.

Continued on Thursday November 15


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Although I was surprised that thyme was not one of Canada's top five favorite herbs (it is easily one of my most often reached for ingredients), I wasn't surprised to see rosemary in the bottom half. I have seldom found dried rosemary appealing. If you must use dried rosemary, soften the leaves in a spoonful of boiling water before use.


7. Rosemary (+40%): Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs for flavouring lamb and oven roasted potatoes. It goes well with garlic and can be used to flavour poultry, beef and even more assertively flavoured fish such as salmon.

6. Thyme (+50%): Thyme loves mushrooms and lemon so it can be used in many wonderful family favorite recipes. Although suitable as a forward flavour in vinaigrettes and poultry dishes, thyme is also an important foundation flavour and, like bay leaf, should be added near the beginning of cooking when making slow simmered dishes such as soup or stew.

Continued on Wednesday November 14


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Experimenting in the kitchen is a big part of my work life; trying a sprinkle of this and dash of that in new recipes has led me to some pretty amazing food discoveries.

Although I love to try new ethnic spice and herb combinations when I cook for my own pleasure and education, as a food writer I need to create recipes that home cooks can make not only easily and affordably but that their families will eat eagerly. That means that I often have to limit my use of unusual ingredients to make my recipes accessible to regular people. Fortunately, there are research houses that study all facets of Canadian home life and they sell statistics and pantry lists to people like me so that we can create recipes that use the ingredients people have on hand.

This week I'll share the list of the top ten herbs Canadians keep in their pantries. Beside each herb you'll see not only its percentage status as a Canadian pantry staple but also suggestions for using these flavourings to add flair and flavour to your own everyday favourite meals.

10. Marjoram (+25%): Excellent with lamb and veal, marjoram is very similar in flavour to oregano and can be used as a substitute for oregano in most cases.

9. Chives (+30%): Milder than green onion, chives are a welcome addition in dips but they also add a dash of brightness when added near the end of cooking to saucy foods such as chili, stir-fries and stews.

8. Dill weed (+40%): Dill is a fresh tasting herb even when dried. Try it in fish sauces, with eggs and in dips and salad dressings.

Continued on Tuesday November 13


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This picture from Singapore's Carnivore Churrascaria shows that meat lover's experience in action!

A big part of my daily work routine includes reading the latest news about restaurants, food products and ingredients so that I can write my quarterly food trend newsletter called Topline Trends. This reading also gives me ideas for recipes, articles, product development and now, information that I can share with you here in my blog.

Recently I've noted 3 developing restaurant trends that will be interesting to watch:

Studio Movie Grill condenses dinner and movie into one activity. This Texas chain offers swanking surroundings and a made to order kitchen that specializes in burgers and gourmet pizza. Drinks and meals are served right in the theatre so that you can nosh and watch simultaneously. Check out the video on their site to see how it works.

Melting Pot is a Florida fondue restaurant chain that's expanding with new locations in B.C. and Ontario. The concept is simple and, to me, surprisingly successful. I've never really gotten the appeal of fondue (even my food likes personal space) but apparently a lot of other people disagree since this chain has over 100 operating outlets and a now few dozen more in development.

Churrascaria are Brazilian rotisserie restaurants that feature rodizio service. Rodizio style restaurants are ideal for big meat eaters since you pay one price and then the waiters bring you food (usually displayed on a spit and then carved onto your plate) until you say you've had enough. A Dr. Atkin's dream come true! Already gaining momentum in USA cities such as LA and New York, check out Toronto's Red Violin Brazilian Steakhouse Rodizio, Vancouver's Samba Brazilian Steak House or Milsa in Montreal.


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So, I'm going to be honest with you. I've lost my edges and I'm not happy about it. I don't mean that I'm not hip or cool anymore (that's another topic entirely). I'm being literal. Where I once had prominent collarbones and pointy hipbones, I now have substantial cushioning.
I'm not sure I'm mad enough to do anything about my weight gain but I'm definitely mired in a sad and pathetic pool of self-pity. It's really affecting my sunshiny demeanor.

For most of my adult life I was lucky to be long, thin and curvy in the right spots. Without bragging I can say that my body was my best feature. Today? Not so much.

Regrettably, I've fallen victim to a pernicious conspiracy. Gravity, my profession and two dirty, but much loved companions named chocolate and cheese have conspired to make me thick and doughy. In truth I'm 25 pounds heavier today than I was in 1997 after I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight only four months after my son was born.

I know I should go on a diet (not only for my health but so I can do up the size 10, white Holt Renfrew pants that went unworn last summer) but I really don't want to face the crushing guilt (™Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock) that ruins eating once you commit to a weight loss diet.

I'm not sure how the term “guilty pleasures" came into common usage but I think we use it mistakenly. I see nothing pleasurable about guilt. In fact, it ruins everything. I just want to eat, drink and be merry while I wear gorgeous clothes and look great. Is that really too much to ask?


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Photo courtesy of Fiber Boost by Amy Snider.

Worried and frustrated parents frequently ask me how they can encourage their children to eat more vegetables and choose healthier foods. I try to give them good suggestions but often I feel like my ideas leave them wanting more.

My son, Oliver is a great eater who will try almost any food and who often needs to be reminded not to over-consume fruits and vegetables. I think watching him eat makes a lot of my friends feel like they haven't done a good job teaching their own children proper eating habits. Truthfully, I don't deserve any credit beyond stocking our pantry with a range of healthy foods. He just likes fruits and vegetables.

A recently published study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition should reduce parental guilt since it reveals that childhood food aversions are mostly inherited. The study considered the eating habits of 5,390 sets of twins between 8- and 11-years old and concluded that 78% of childhood food aversions are genetic and only 22% are environmental.

While this info explains why some children have poor eating habits, it doesn't make it any easier for parents to ensure that their children are eating a balanced diet. My best advice remains the same: model good eating habits yourself and make it fun for kids to try new foods. One way to amp up their interest in eating well is to let kids help make dinner. I've found that if a child makes the salad s/he is usually pretty likely to try it, too.


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My generation is divided into two groups: women who had Easy Bake ovens as children and those who didn't.

I was in the ‘have' group and truly, I'm glad for it. I loved my turquoise Easy Bake oven! It was a present from Santa Claus the year I was in grade one and it gave me such a sense of maturity and accomplishment to make those little too sweet cakes and unnaturally flavoured cookies! Success with my Easy Bake oven encouraged me to try baking from scratch and gave me the confidence to master the full-size appliances in our kitchen. In retrospect, I think having an Easy Bake oven was an important step on my path to becoming a professional cook.

Launched in 1963 when many young girls still imagined their ultimate adult success to be landing a steno pool job at a prosperous company where one could easily snag a rich husband, I don't think the inventors of the Easy Bake oven ever expected someone to type a statement like that one!

Yet despite our modern society's very different attitudes about female success, Easy Bake ovens remain popular toys. Although today's Easy Bake ovens are still pretty girly (the newest model is pink, after all) it's no longer considered weird for a boy to play with one. Likewise, I'm sure no Canadian girl who receives one will imagine herself growing up to bake cakes all day long while her husband works.

I bought my son one of the modern models that look like a microwave several years ago and I was delighted and relieved to see that he and his friends enjoyed cooking by light bulb almost as much as I had! It's interesting to see that some pastimes can remain fun even after the type of person they were invented to please no longer exists.

Tip: Since 2006 Easy Bake ovens have been made to cook with heating elements and not light bulbs. These new machines have been the subject of at least 2 recalls so if you decide to buy an Easy Bake oven consider buying vintage. They often have great models at good prices on ebay.


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Recently I realized that it's been ages since I made anything with coconut or written a new recipe featuring this sweet, toothsome baking ingredient. I cruelly abandoned coconut after nutrition scientists and reporters smeared its reputation. Their research discovered that coconut is high in saturated fat (a feat for a non-animal derived food!) and cholesterol and as a result, we were all told to avoid frequent use of coconut and coconut palm oil. Without thought I wrote coconut off, forgetting that it's no more nutritionally deficit than ingredients such as butter that I still bake with often.

The flavour of coconut is unique and pairs well with pineapple, mango and sweet meat nuts such as walnuts and pecans which makes coconut a popular ingredient for southern cooks like Nancie McDermott, author of a pretty new book called Southern Cakes.

I am both humbled and hungry after reading her book. McDermott not only includes coconut in many recipes, she celebrates it with an entire chapter of fluffy coconut cakes. Her homage to coconut-y goodness continues in latter pages with recipes for lemon-coconut filling and coconut pecan frosting. McDermott is an author who clearly understands that coconut is a splendid baking ingredient and a not-to-be ignored sometimes food!

Although I don't advocate going on an all coconut diet, I do encourage you to rediscover coconut. It's a retro delight that can be used to make many wonderful, comforting treats!


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