The Gouda Life

It’s about to get a little crazy around here, my dearests. February is going to be an incredible, if insane, month for me and I want to do my best not to neglect you all or leave you without any delictible bites for the month. I’ll be doing my darnedest to keep you up to date with all my endeavors throughout these next few crazy weeks, so please keep checking back for exciting news! 

To kick off February, which also happens to be my birthday month (I accept gifts in the form of bacon. Thank you in advance) properly, I decided to share a very simple banana bread recipe that will have you sneaking down to the kitchen at 4am to shave a sliver off and pour yourself a big icy cold glass of milk (or perhaps some herbal tea for the non-dairy drinkers).

 

Light in banana flavour and rich and nutty from the addition of olive oil and hazelnuts, this bread is a somewhat lighter alternative to your typical banana bread. It’s butter-free and full of whole-wheaty goodness and made ever-better by slathering some natural peanut butter on it. Admittedly, I have convinced myself that cake for breakfast is entirely appropriate so long as you have peanut butter with it. It’s delicious. Plain and simple. And it would make me very happy if you’d make some and have it for breakfast with me so I don’t feel so bad. 



Hazelnut, Olive Oil, Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips
adapted from 101cookbooks

I ended up adding the chocolate chips to the top of this loaf, but that was mostly as a result of forgetting to mix them into the dough (durrr). Both would work well  but I think there is something to be said for a loaf laced with chocolate throughout. 

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark muscovado or dark brown sugar 
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup hazelnuts, skinned* 
1 cup dark chocolate chips or chocolate cut into chunks
1/3 cup good quality olive oil 
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 large, very ripe bananas
1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Remove a small handful of whole hazelnuts and set aside. Place the rest of the skinned hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. 

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, ground hazelnut mixture and chocolate until combined.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the bananas, olive oil, eggs, yogurt and vanilla until smooth. 



Pour the banana mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined. You don’t want to overwork this.

Pour into a greased & floured bundt or loaf pan. Chop up the remaining hazelnuts and sprinkle over the top of the bread. Cover with tin foil (so as not to burn the hazelnuts on top) and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 30 more minutes or until lightly golden browned on top. There’s but a few minutes between moist, dense bread and dry, overdone bread so do keep an eye out after about 40 minutes. 

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove, slice and serve! 

 

*To skin your hazelnuts, put them in a pan and roast at 350 until skins begin to split, about 6-8 minutes. Remove immediately, place in a paper bag and seal the bag. Let sit until cool, 10 minutes. Using a dish towel, rub the skins away from the nuts; they should come right off

Greetings, fellow Gouda Life followers and lovers of all things food. I am Laura, Ms GL’s sister, and she has graciously allowed me to share my recent honeymoon experience with you all. My new husband and I spent ten days this month in France’s Cote d’Azur / French Riviera region, and just could not keep the experience to ourselves. 

While I do not possess all the passion, charm and wit that you have come to love and expect from Ms GL, I will do my best to keep your attention. I hope this post not only inspires you to visit this beautiful region, but also to slow down and enjoy everything that life has to offer – no matter how small.
 

We learned a lot on our visit by immersing ourselves in the culture. Food is not just sustenance; it is a way of life. From restaurants and bakeries to large outdoor markets, food is everywhere. And people take the time to ENJOY it. Dinner in France is an evening long affair, starting with aperitifs and ending with an array of rich and decadent desserts. I also learned to slow down. We spend our lives rushing around, getting to this meeting, picking up the kids, and getting the errands done. But we don’t take enough time to sit back and relax and actually enjoy our lives. Try it – you won’t be sorry! 

We certainly took advantage of the food and wine in France, and while I could yammer on for days about it all… you just don’t have that kind of time. So instead I will tell you about some of the delicious highlights.

Best Entrée (the equivalent of an appetizer in Canada):

On our first night we spent what seemed like an eternity walking around trying to find somewhere to eat – but it was worth every step. We stumbled upon La Saliere, a lovely restaurant nestled into the port. We dined on the patio, overlooking the yachts and up at the Prince’s palace. Caprese salad is one of our favourite things to eat, but this restaurant put all others to shame. The buffalo mozzarella was like nothing we’d ever seen – it was hand stretched and tied in a large knot. With the slightest touch it oozed milky goodness, and paired wonderfully with the pesto marinated tomatoes and basil. We even went back on our last night just to indulge one last time.

Best Lunch – On the go:

Between touring and beaches, you don’t always have time to sit down and eat. The solution: sandwiches! Turn down any street, and you will instantly find a sandwich shop. And these aren’t just any sandwiches, these are foot-long fresh baguettes topped with the most deliciously fresh ingredients. All washed down with Coke from a glass bottle (yes, the glass bottle part is a very important detail).

Best Lunch – Restaurant:

I absolutely fell in love with a small town on the coast called Villefranche Sur Mer. The beach was out of this world, the small shops carried such wonderful treasures from the region, the architecture was a photographer’s dream… and the FOOD.. oh the food. Don’t get me wrong, I l-o-v-e me my carbs. Pastas, breads, pizza… they all make my heart skip a beat. But after a number of days of eating nothing but stick-to-your-thighs meals, we sat our bums down at Le Cosmo and added some protein back into our diets. I ordered the tandoori chicken skewer on a bed of basmati rice with curry sauce drizzled over. If I ever have to plan my last meal, this is a definite contender.

Best Dinner:

I go crazy for anything spicy. I’m talking runny nose, flushed cheeks spicy. However I find it’s rare in Ottawa to find spicy done well. It normally is just burn-your-tongue spicy so that you can’t even enjoy the remainder of your meal. So you can imagine my delight when I ordered the penne arrabiata at L’Escale and was served the most flavourful, deliciously spicy pasta. Made with chili-infused olive oil and ridiculously simple tomato sauce, I devoured every last bite, runny nose and all.

 

Best Dessert:

Tiramisu is the obvious answer, but I was surprised at how many variations there were of this classic dessert. My favourite version was that of Le Michelangelo. It was decadent and rich, and the bottom layer just oozed espresso. I am not a big dessert person, but I lovingly ate every last bite of this piece of heaven.

** sorry, I didn’t get a photo of this…. I ate it too fast **

 
Best Gelato:

Like sandwiches, gelato can be found on every block. My favourite was my lemon and green tea combo from l’Atelier du Glacier. The flavours were so fresh, and in the 30-degree heat, extremely refreshing. A great mid-afternoon snack (or any time really, let’s be honest).

 
Best Market:

I have never in my life seen anything quite as fantastic as Nice’s Cours Saleya Flower Market. When you first walk in, you are greeted with the most beautiful flowers. There are rows upon rows of blooms and plants and cacti. When you make your way through that section, that’s where the real wonder begins. Hundreds of little baskets with flavoured salts, loose spices, teas, and soaps. There are fresh veggies, fresh fish, olive oils and breads. I could have spent a full day just taking in all the different tents.

Best Adventure:

We could not go to somewhere like France and not bring back something absolutely fantastic for Ms GL. It just would not be right. So when we saw a write-up in our Frommer’s guide about a man named Nadim who had a storefront in old Nice selling handmade olive oils that he makes using ingredients from the region, we knew we had to find him. The old towns are no easy feat to navigate through, as street signs are few and far between and all the roads intersect creating a maze-like obstacle course. Just when we had given up hope, I threw my hands up in the air and said ‘we are NEVER going to find this guy!’, and lo and behold we were at the doorsteps of Oliviera. He welcomed us into the shop and we explained why we hunted him down. He let us taste all of the oils, and we finally picked THE oil for Kelly. He grabbed a glass bottle and filled it up right there while we waited, then corked it and packaged it all up for us. It was a very neat experience.

While this is all just a tiny piece of our experience, I think you will be left with a taste of what France is like and I hope you decide to visit there in your travels. You will certainly not be disappointed.

Thank you, Kelly, for letting me step up on the soapbox for a few minutes. I have a new appreciation for your art. My brain hurts and my stomach is growling. xo

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Laura Norris, my wonderful sister, is also the talent behind the lens at Laura Jane Photography. Check out her work and drop her a line! 

What a strange week it’s been so far. The weather here is borderline schitzophrenic and I’m not sure if I should put on another coat or start planting my tomatoes.

I always find the transition from one season to the next a little tough. The anxiousness of knowing that sunshine and warmth is just around the corner makes it all the more hard to get through these last few weeks of cold, ice, and yes, even a surprise blizzard! Just in case you got a little too cocky and wore your shorts out prematurely. Yes, you! The gentleman I saw rollerblading down Bank St in shorts. RELAX! It’s not time yet and you’re scaring away all the spring! Put your pants back on and give it a rest.



I’ve been trying to sneak in all the carby, cheese-filled, braise-heavy dishes I can in the last week or two, knowing full well it will be 30, humid as anything, and dangerously hard to move in no time at all. Summer has a way of kicking through the door like a masked intruder in this city. One minute you’re enjoying a cool spring breeze on your face, marveling at how lovely it is to be able to sit outside at all, the next you’re taking 10 cold showers just to be able to sit still without sweating. Or maybe it’s just me. I doubt I have to tell you my feelings on summer. And if you don’t know, well oh boy, you will.  

Much like our weather, dinner tonight was also a little schizophrenic. The pasta making it heavy enough to feel comforting enough for a winters eve, but the addition of lemon, both zest and juice, making it feel fresh, springy and surprisingly light. Confused has never tasted so good.



This recipe, originally followed from Cooks Illustrated, has been a regular spring guest at my table for a few years now. It’s simple, fresh and light, and other than some lemons and basil, consists mostly of pantry staples. Perfect weeknight pasta for one, two, or a whole table of guests.

Lemon & Olive Oil Pasta with Basil

I used rotini because it just happened to be what I had on hand. Feel free to use your favourite pasta. Spaghetti and linguine are both excellent for this.

1 pound pasta
1.5 tbsp lemon zest (about two lemons)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup cream or buttermilk
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 cup (handful) of fresh basil, chiffonaded
extra Parmesan and olive oil to garnish
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add your pasta and cook until just slightly under al dente. It won’t taste quite finished yet. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta water. 



Strain your pasta and set aside. Put the pot back on the stove and add the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 cup of pasta water, and cream. Boil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until reduced slightly. Add your pasta and parmesan cheese and stir until combined. Give it a quick taste for seasoning. If you think it needs more lemon juice, add the rest. If it needs a little more liquid, add the rest of the pasta water. When the liquid is absorbed, remove pot from heat and add the basil.





Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, parmesan and a few grinds of pepper.

I’ve just finished reading [er..plowing through with reckless abandon] A Homemade Lifeby Molly Wizenberg, who is also the creator of the ever brilliant Orangette. What a great book. If you blog about food [or even if you don’t] - I highly recommend you read it.

It was romantic. And not in the sense you’re thinking…romantic in the way that only moving to Paris to find yourself could be. Romantic as in weaving your way through cobblestone roads and street vendors, seeking out the best ingredients and making yourself a simple, fresh dinner as you sip cheap Beaujolais and watch the lights of the Eiffel Tower..ahhhh…what? Sorry… I must have drifted off there.

It was lovely. Every chapter brought a story that felt at least somewhat relevant to my own life. Reading it was like reading through what it would be like if I wasn’t mildly [massively?] terrified to do something like that. Along with stories came some deliciously inspiring recipes.

Which brings me to my point after much rambling. Salad! Delicious, simple, fresh salad.

Asian Pear & Fennel Salad

2 medium-large fennel bulb
2 medium-large Asian pears
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Coarse salt (good flake salt is best!)
Parmesan

Cut the stalks off the fennel and use a sharp knife/vegetable peeler to trim away any soft spots or bruises. Cut the bulb in half from root to stalk and trim off the root end. Slice the fennel quite thin (around 1/4” thick) as you can using a knife or mandoline (I sliced mine much too thick! It makes for awkward bites.) Set aside.

Core the pear and cut it in half. Again, slice as thin as possible.

In a bowl or plate, arrange a layer of fennel and drizzle with olive oil. Next, arrange a layer of Asian pear. Sprinkle with salt and give it a good squeeze of lemon juice. Repeat this until you have no pear/fennel left. Using a vegetable peeler, shave as many pieces of Parmesan as you’d like over the salad. Give a final drizzle of olive oil and a good dusting of fresh pepper.

Let me say from experience - it tastes just as special for one as it does for two!