Thank-You Vancouver

Once again Vancouver you where at the Rendez-Vous, as you are always to support all your Canadian Artisans, Thank-You so much for your supports & to the great confidence and friendship you have offer me true the years Thank-You

Wishing to all of you the best for the coming holiday season.

Hopping to meet again next year

Jean-Pierre Cote & Family

Vancouver Staff Party after Circle Craft

I am sure you will appreciate

Circle Craft 2009 products

November 11 Come and see us at Circle Craft Canada place 5 wonderful day of fun

infuse Maple syrup and Balsamic Glaze or reduction

I am often ask if I have my balsamic glaze

I do them only when I have a bit of time to spare, in the last 3 year I am ask more and more for this nice treat ! As you could find a commercial one in all good food store or at Italian specialty store I do not see why I should make one at double the price then the fancy store around 6.00 CAN $ for a 250Ml. (a Cup)

When I make those Glaze 10 year ago no one want them, now as they are in fashion I could not keep them on the Shelfs when I make some, so here is two simple recipe. As balsamic glaze is just a fancy way of saying reduce down balsamic vinegar use 2 cup of any vinegar bring it to a rolling boil them let it sim slowly till it is reduce by half, store in a sterilize container and keep into the fridge, good for couples weeks. For a more stable one, make it as a simple syrup 2 cup of sugar one cup of vinegar bring it to a rolling boil and keep it high for a minute to make sure all sugar are dissolve pack in a sterilize container seal and just enjoy this wonderful sweet and sour treat.

(longer you boil it more thick it get if you boil it to much you will have a very nice soft to hard candy or it burn and it is over as every stove are different just experiment.)

Another product I do not make often is a flavor maple syrup (Vanilla, Matcha tea, Grand Marnier...) Bring 1 liter of pure maple syrup and then bring to a slow boil skim the top pan to have a clear maple syrup add a split vanilla bean in hot sterilize bottle pour the hot liquid into the bottle seal and enjoy keep in the fridge.

It is monday

It is Monday! My Day off, after gardening, laundry & house clean up, I cook Lunch for the 3 of us Lamb Rack with a mustard and herbs crust, Market Vegetables serve on a blend of brown rice and quinoa it is 11; 43 let attack the afternoon after this meal

Whistler Farmer Market

This is part of my shopping at the Whistler Farmer Market. I just love this market and Vegetables are 20 to 30 % cheaper then Vancouver Farmer Market???

Granville Island

This is my set up on Granville Island as a daily vendor

We change space in the Market every week & you could find my schedule online for my next date on the Island

Vancouver Steak Seasonig

Great meal for two

Great beef from Pasture to plate

Vancouver Steak seasoning

Mix salad tomato & I deglaze the pan with one orange and a tea spoon of butter

Whistler

Just another great day in Whistler with my friend Rick and Sylvie what a great ride this new Peak to peak this is really 53 Million well spend Spectacular

If you have the chance to have a fig tree this is what you could harvest I have two tree a Mission fig it coming back after a rough winter here on the West coast and my green fig tree is 12 year old and produce a fair amount of figs I just devour them as soon as they are ready

Keep the leaf to wrap fish, scallops, or cheese, bake it in the oven, do not eat the leaf, it will leave a mild coconut flavor to your meal.

Last night harvest in Brackendale

As usual after coming back from Whistler I stop at my friends Sharon & Ryan for a nice dinner + a ride to there wonderful garden for a late harvest Thank-You Guys it is so great to be with you what a great dinner again See you Sunday

Roasted garlic

5 Lbs or 2.27 Kilo of peel garlic clove 3 liter of olive oil a roasting pan lid or aluminum sheet

put in the Center of a hot oven (350 for 30 to 45 min) till it smell and clove soft

Put in sterilize container and keep refrigerated use the oil for stir fry to make a garlic mayonnaise a vinaigrette add to mash potatoes, blend half and half with butter to keep your butter always soft coming out of the refrigerator ,use the clove as spread on sandwich or bruschetta blend the soft clove with the same oil to make a garlic past top with oil and keep always refrigerated

Happy cooking

Be very careful as garlic even cook could grow bacteria small batch are always the best if you do not use lot of it a freezer is always your best friend when you make to much

Via TVA

Via TVA the French network have made a nice interview with me last year and it was show early June via the whole French Canadian network Thank-You TVA I hope I will be abel to Understand how to put this Fragment online from the DVD they send me

Earth Day is long gone but not our efforts to make it better everyday

Couples simple thing not to hard to follow to save money and a great way to reduce your carbon foot print 

1-Reusable Coffee mug save 300 paper cup a year

2-Stainless steel water bottle save 300 Plastic bottle a year  In North America  tap water is great no need to buy it 

3-A tiffin to bring your lunch I carry my 4 part tiffin when I work at farmers Market of Craft Show  I am a good cook and it is not hard to make it great

4-Permanent bags I carry at all time in my car trunk 6 permanent bag 4 basic and 2 isolated  for perishable or frozen food 

5-In the back of this Picture  I have a compost for any Veggies or garden scrap 

6-In Front  I grow the most vegetables I could  this are some of my Zucchinis Plant  I will have 38 Plants this year and 100 Beans plants 30 tomato plants they will be all suspended upside down on a metal pole to save some space and I am looking to have a beehive as it is legal to have up to two per house in Vancouver. 

To my Ladner Clients

I am sorry to inform you I was refuse at the Ladner Market one's again, This is the Only place in I was never considerate to be part of a Market or a Craft Show.

It is not then they refuse me as they just never respond to my application for the Market one' s again. I guest this is what happen when you are so successful you could bully your way around.

Well You could always come and see us at the Kisilano Market or in Whistler any Sunday this Summer.

 

 

fresh mint tea

I love my Cast iron Tea pot  I found it in Bellingham at Russ for $16.00   

What a deal!

I see it on Granville Island at $70.00 

I love to buy local but there is a limit 

Flavor oil

Fresh mint, sorrel & chive are just some example of fresh herbs you could blend with oil (I like  grape seed oil) in a blender or a magic bullet and  filter true cheese cloth.  I like to make small batch and use them fast as there is a moisture contain in the fresh herbs compare to dry herb you want to keep them in the refrigerator all the time.

You will have a beautiful color and amazing flavor oil at little price,  the chive is great to finish on eggs, salad or stir fry, the sorrel great on fish or a cheese, mint is amazing on a lamb, fish or tofu 

Just have fun 

Eat Magazine online

Eat Magazine online guide an easy way to find Local small artisan www.eatmagazine.ca

Food essential oil

I am very happy to bring a new line of Food essential oil  Such as garlic,  porcini,  basil, white truffle, 4 spices, tarragon, shallot ... Couple drop in a mayonnaise, in butter or in a sauce or salsa...

It just bring so much flavor to your table 

Available in 10 ML Jar  with dropper

 

Twitter

Come and join me on twitter for quick information on my blog and new venue, product and recipes   http://twitter.com/invitations/find_on_twitter  Just click in the box  Maisoncote 

New product of the week

I have created 2 new product with the same base one with sea salt and one with herbs only 

French harvest blend with basil, oregano, rosemary, onion, shallot, garlic, chili flakes, pepper, dry vegetables & porcini 

So great in a vinaigrette, in a stir fry, a mayo or a yogurt for a dip or blend with Dijon for basting  chicken, beef, pork or tofu... 

It is just so delicious 

Tip of the Week

It is Spring, I like to steam asparagus and let them cool off  a bit,  roll some good ham or bayonne at the foot of 6 to 8 asparagus finish with Parmigiano Romano shaving top a white truffle balsamic vinaigrette 

Tip of the week

So easy and yummy!

I never buy juice in cartons. I always make it myself. For any citrus I make my own peel for cooking in soup or for poultry stuffing.

To do this first wash and peel your citrus with a potato peeler.

Soak your peels in cold water overnight and change the water twice or bring it to a boil. Then dry your peels in the oven on a silicone sheet at minimum heat or just dry at room temperature.

When dry put in a tin or in a zip look bag .







Now you have fresh orange juice for breakfast and wonderful peels for later to spice up your meals. A delicious and double savings.

Enjoy!

Truffles, truffles & more truffles

I am back with my Balsamic infuse with White truffle  a new sea salt with Black  Summer Italian Truffles, and of course my traditional White Truffle infuse with grapeseed oil or olive oil.

 

 I just finish a new production of Champagne Vinegar  

Infuse with so many great flavors,  Hibiscus, figs, vanilla, roses, saffron, pear, apricot.

A new production of white truffle balsamic

a new Production  of Fig Balsamic jelly and white balsamic  pear jelly

I am on Granville Island  today Sunday  March 22 till 7 PM 

Next open house  Friday March 27 from 4 to 8 PM

New production of balsamic

I have filter a new production of  traditional Balsamic

Dark Balsamic:

Mission figs, Madras curry & mango, Porcini, Citrus, White Peach. 

White Balsamic :

White peach, Citrus, Smoked paprika, Tomatoes, Tarragon, Chipotle.

Oil  Grapeseed oil:

Lemon, Orange, Garlic, Basil, Rosemary & orange, Lime, Shallot. 

Seattle Trip

I just get back from Seattle 
I spend a night at a older hotel, so so I will not get back there again I was planning to be at the Westin but the website of this hotel look pretty great and it was OK, but back to the Westin next Time.
As I had a long day of work today I decide to arrive early and enjoy the City

Each time I visit this beautiful City I always really enjoy myself
For Dinner in the Downtown Seattle,  Dahlia Lounge
A great little restaurant with a eclectic decor a bit dark to my taste but very nice with little sealing lights, (the one you will find in a small French or Italian village at night where all the villager meet for food, wine and dance)
The menu simple and pleasing to a foody, really get me struggling to find only one appetizer and on main dish.
We start with a wonderful bread salad ( pesto, olive, mozzarella & spicy coppacola ) Wonderful! the bread was smoky pestoy and a bit sweet with a touch of vinegar, I just love it!

We add the Verjus braised pork cheeks, semolina porridge & currant panzanella WOW I have no words in my restricted English to express how great it was YUM

Angie have a glass of wine with each course as I never drink I will not be abel to express her pleasure but she look pretty satisfied

She choose the rotisserie five spice duck, crispy Hong Kong soba broccoli, oyster sauce and orange chili dip It was spectacular
I had the Spit roasted Berkeshire pork rack, braised giant bean, Sauteed mustard greens stone ground mustard
It was so good I will eat this dish again and again
I was so stuff after this meal and I am pretty never empress with desert menu, I just ask for herbal tea. Angie order the Coconut Pie and I suggest to take only a bite, just to try right Well She had to fight me to have it back It was so good even the service was exceptional WOW it is so rare I enjoy a meal from start to end
I am so happy

Flavor Sugar

In my sugar collection
2 new addition made with organic cane sugar and natural ingredients
1-Strawberry perfect to be on fruits salad, in tea, creme caramel as a glass rimer...
2-Clove & orange perfect to glaze a duck, pork, chicken, carrot or to top any desert
450 Gr, always the same great price $8.00 each or 3 for $20.00
My regular sugar collection
Basil, Citrus, Lavender, Lemon coconut, Raspberry, Espresso, Hibiscus, Mango, Pear, Cranberry, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Rose petal, Mulling spices, Ginger, Habaneros, Chipotle & last my very popular chocolate cinnamon & chili.