Savory bread pudding with fresh herbs, roasted tomato and crumbled stilton

My grandfather used to make the most amazing pies, puddings and custards. As a child I remember loving the banana cream pie-served diner-style with a decorative dollop of whipped cream. In the years before his passing however, my absolute favorite was his bread pudding. I used to ask him what made it taste so good and he’d chuckle and say “stale bread."  As simple as this dish might appear, I can never seem to get it quite right. Many times my mother and I have tried to recreate this classic, but something always seems off. The mixture is too 'eggy' or we've added too much nutmeg or not enough nuts. It's frustrating and yet challenging at the same time.

I’ll admit, I’ve fallen for the ‘chocolate brioche bread pudding” and other fancy variety’s but as delicious as they were, my heart will always belong to my grandfather’s simple version. It was subtly sweet. Crispy around the edges. Full of fruit and nuts and brown sugar. The bread wasn’t soggy but rather sopped with sweet custard. Truly, it was magnificent. He’d make it for me every time I asked because he said it was a good way to clean out the fridge “and because I love you so very much” he’d add at the end.

The other day I noticed some ‘stale bread’ and decided this was the perfect opportunity to make pudding. This isn’t a traditional bread pudding of course but it’s full of fresh garden herbs, leftover roasted tomatoes, buttery baguette and loads of stilton cheese. I didn’t measure a single thing so I hope the recipe stands true. I chopped and added things haphazardly- but feel free to substitute. I can’t imagine a single garden vegetable or herb that wouldn’t ‘go’ in this dish and I love that you can use up things that may have otherwise been wasted. It’s the perfect ‘clean-up’ recipe for your fridge and it makes a pretty fabulous brunch dish too. 

coastal living + rustic strawberry tart

The Northumberland Strait is reportedly the warmest ocean water north of the Carolinas. When I was very little, my parents purchased land directly on the Strait with the dream of building a summer home one day. As the years went by however, life got busy; three more children came into the world and priorities shifted. We visited our land every summer, enjoying the lovely waters of the Atlantic while basking on a magnificent beach. Our beach. My siblings learned to swim in that ocean. We played games. Watched sunsets. Picnicked. We had water fights. Saw shooting stars. Played until our feet ached. It was perfect. There's something so therapeutic and tranquil about being near the water and I imagine being immersed in that setting on a daily basis would foster endless feelings of serenity. 

Last week, our wonderful family friends invited us to spend three days with them at their magnificent beach house on the North Shore. With promises of relaxing summer days on the Northumberland Strait and warm nights filled with good conversation and excellent food, it was the most amazing retreat. S and T and baby H were the most graceful hosts. Hospitable, accommodating and simply incredible. Every morning we woke up to a breathtaking view of the ocean and the rest of the day followed with walks along the shore with our children. While they scoured the beach for hermit crabs, snails and seashells, played in the sandbox and napped, we had the opportunity to talk and cook. 

We poured over home décor magazines, enjoyed a bonfire on the beach, toasted marshmallows, savored delicious cherries and red currants from Anita’s garden, dined in the most relaxed manner over simple, fresh food and just enjoyed being together. It was exactly what we needed. The view of the vast sea, smell of the salt air and sound of the waves crashing on the shore felt absolutely amazing. None of us wanted to leave. Even the rain felt warm and tranquil. Good friends, family and delicious food. Nothing beats it.

birthday party painting

It's been a busy summer holiday so far. I recently threw an 8th birthday party for my daughter in Vancouver. As with most birthday party celebrations for kids, you want your little guests to have a good time. Our guests were between the ages of 5-10 years old so what better activity than painting? I picked up 8x8" canvases, the three primary colours in washable acrylic paint, a few pie tins and an assortment of brushes from the dollar store. I told the kids what colours the primary colours made and to feel free to incorporate elements from the garden. I grabbed a handful of grass as an example, which got me a few giggles. They kept busy at their creations for almost 30 minutes. I was amazed (but not surprised) at the creativity! Now to throw an adult painting party.

arugula with fresh cherries, fennel, pistachios + goat cheese and shallot-tarragon dressing

After stumbling upon a few unopened bottles of Nova 7, I felt like something refreshing and savory to compliment this lovely summer wine. I thought about Kara and her amazing work for this brand and all of the spectacular pieces she has created over the years.  

She’s such an inspiring artist because she’s meticulous and fervent and her work showcases the very best of who she is. As you can tell, I’m a pretty big fan and I’m not alone. Kara Loop is pretty well known around these parts for her work in both fine art and graphic design. And one of the things I like most about her is the passion she imparts when talking about her craft and the time she spends perfecting her work for her clients (and her friends.)

I think if she were here, we would have enjoyed a few glasses of Nova 7 together and delved into this simple salad. There would have been laughter. Lots of great stories. Perhaps a few serious moments too.  But mostly, just two friends enjoying each other’s company over good wine and simple food. For me, summer is all about unfussy cooking and impromptu dinner parties. This is one of those dishes that’s easy to throw together on a whim and as I’ve said before, that’s what I love most about this season.

If you don’t have fresh cherries, you can use dried ones but go for the fresh if you can get them. They are succulent and juicy and sweet and the perfect accompaniment to the anise flavor of the tarragon and fennel. It’s wonderful as a light lunch, or a fabulous addition to simply prepared fish or chicken. I think I may have found my summer ‘go-to’ salad as the colors and flavors compliment each other so nicely. It’s definitely going to be my contribution to summer potlucks.

grilled chicken tortillas with avocado salsa, black beans and beer-braised onions

I love summer for so many reasons, but perhaps my favorite thing of all is that cooking is so easy and carefree. Grilled chicken and fish, tossed salads, burgers on the BBQ, roasted vegetables and summer fruit pies grace the menu and most of these amazing flavors can be created with food grown in your own backyard. I especially love visiting the farmers market during this time of year because I know I can buy fresh fare grown right here at home. There’s something so heartwarming about that.

When we were little, my parents visited u-pick farms for the fruit and vegetables they didn’t grow at home. I remember coming home with baskets of fresh strawberries and barrels of fresh corn and even though they had a tomato garden, we always stopped to pick more. They would parboil the tomatoes, remove the skin, freeze them and all winter long we enjoyed the flavors of summer in soups, sauces, cobblers and pies. On the way back into the city, we'd stop at this quaint little cafe and enjoy fresh apple pie and ice cream. To this day, I don't know the name of it because we always referred to it as 'The Apple Pie Shop." 

Our garden is still very young, but our children love watching its progress. They beam with excitement when the tomato plants have grown or when the herbs are ready for picking. I smile when I think about them developing their love for gardening and cooking. The process of planting, growing and picking their own food is quite thrilling for them and they love coming up with ways to use our homegrown goods in dishes we make at home. I think once the garden has matured, I’ll dedicate an entire meal using only ingredients found in our backyard. I might even encourage them to plan the menu and I can’t help but wonder what delightful flavors they’ll want to meld together. This morning they announced they wanted to use chives and mint in the burgers we're making tonight, and I know they're looking forward to picking them from the garden box.

The meal below is effortless. You can throw it together on a whim and even though the recipe calls for marinading the chicken overnight, it's not an absolute necessity. The marinade simply enhances the flavors. We used fresh herbs from the garden and local tomatoes, peppers and garlic. It's a fantastically easy and hearty meal the whole family is sure to love.

little gardener hard at work