The Gouda Life

If you’re from anywhere near Ottawa to Kingston, perhaps extending as far as the GTA, you’re no doubt familiar with the name Seed to Sausage.

From humble beginnings and with a passion to create something that showcased his love of food, Michael McKenzie began selling his exquisite salumi under the name Seed to Sausage. “Local. Ethical. Humble.”, as their logo states, is not something Mike throws around without rhyme or reason. This is a way of life for him and his family (Seed to Sausage is Mike, his wife, mother, father, son [who is only 1 but I’m sure he cures a mean meat already], and 2 chefs + butcher). Everything is produced in small scale batches with the utmost respect for ingredients.

“If we’re able to produce food to feed people a better, healthier way, I would love to be part of creating a system to do that. Our philosophy at Seed to Sausage is simply to make the best tasting food that we can. If we can do this while utilizing as many local ingredients and as few additives and preservatives as possible, then I think we’ve done our job.” - Mike McKenzie 

I first had the pleasure of meeting Mike at the 2011 Beau’s All-Natural Brewing’s Oktoberfest. I walked up to his tent not having any idea that I was about to fall in love. With the salumi, that is. [Don’t worry, Mr. GL!] I took a few photos and walked away with a sample of Mike’s Sopressata. Before I knew it, I was back at his tent again. And then once more. Finally, I walked away with a paper bag filled with a foot-long salami to retire to a table with a cold pint of beer. 

Never, ever have I experienced such euphoria from a paper bag filled with cured meat. Ever. Though the rain continued to spit at our backs like an angry mob on that nipping day in October, I sat, perfectly content, entirely satisfied, tearing hunks of Sopressata off with my back molars like some sort of rabid animal. Washed down with a pint of Beau’s Lugtread, it was as though Heaven had actualized right before my very eyes. Try as I may, I will never be able to experience it that same way again. That said, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect introduction to Mike, and his vast array of salumi. 


 
Aside from the euphoria-inducing Sopressata, Seed to Sausage also sells these products; Lomo (Traditional or spicy), Lonzino, Pancetta Piana, Artisanal Bacon, Chorizo, Bresaola, Lomo, Lonzino, Copa and Capicola.

Recently, we got to talking about steak tartare and Mike shared the recipe he makes at home. I thought this might be a wonderful time to both regale you with tales of his impossibly delicious creations and share a tasty recipe straight from the Seed to Sausage family. Oddly, I know, this recipe doesn’t contain any Seed to Sausage product, but …you know… it just sort of happened that way. Besides, I like my S-to-S as pure as the driven snow, torn right from from a foot-long hunk out a paper bag in a field full of muddy people. 

In all seriousness, get out there and find his product! You will be forever thankful that someone like Mike and the rest of his family are producing ethical, locally raised meats that make your taste buds sing with joy.

 
Steak Tartare with Warm Kettle Chips and Pickled Things
Recipe from Michael McKenzie

A note from Mike on preferred cuts of meat;
Use chuck or brisket for beefy flavour. Sirloin or tenderloin for mild flavour with smooth texture. Flank will have some bite to it. The point is that you can experiment, there is no need to be afraid of raw meat and you don’t have to stick with the traditional tenderloin. You can even try it with duck, lamb (awesome drizzled with good olive oil, fresh mint leaves and cottage cheese on the side) Even venison. But my go to is beef sirloin, tastes great, everyone has it and its not to expensive.

Note on Food Safety;
Just make sure you have a good butcher and that he keeps his place clean, let him know what you’re using it for too. Get a fresh cut and keep it cold. Same as you would for anything else you would eat 

 
Ingredients: 
200g lean cut beef (I used sirloin)
1 large egg
1 tbsp chopped scallions
1 tbsp capers, finely diced
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 drops Tabassco
1/2 tsp ketchup, for some sweetness
a few grinds of pepper
pinch of salt
1 quail egg yolk (optional, for garnish) 

Instructions:
Dice the beef up as small or large as you’d like. Many people prefer a very fine dice, but like Mike, I prefer a bit more texture. I chopped mine into 1/2” pieces. 

Toss the beef into a bowl and keep cold while you prefer the rest of the ingredients. Throw everything together and give it a good stir. Taste to see if you want to add more of anything (I upped the original Dijon amount just a touch). Serve in a bowl or press into a 1-cup measuring cup (pack the tartare into the cup, place upside down on a plate and carefully pat the bottom until it releases). Make a small well in the top of the tartare and top with quail yolk. 



To serve: 
- Slice a warm baguette into roungs, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle of flaky sea salt and bake for about 5-6 minutes, or until golden, in a 300 degree oven. 
- Take a handful of your favourite Kettle Chips and warm them in the oven for about 2 minutes (a fantastic trick Mike taught me!)
- Cornichons (REAL cornichons - none of those sweet pretenders) 
- Miscellaneous ‘pickled things’ (I has some cauliflower and carrots)
- Extra caper berries
- Micro-greens to top the Tartare

Shovel all that meaty goodness up and cram into your face! Or.. I mean… umm… eat mindfully. Yes. 

When Milk Shop, an incredibly unique and fun clothing shop on swanky Dalhousie St in Ottawa, asked if I’d be interested in sharing a monthly dessert recipe on their blog, I jumped at the opportunity to work, even in the tiniest way, with them. Milk is so involved in their community (case in point; here) and are always working on ways to do more for the city they call home. I’m such a big fan of everything Inaas, her sister and their team do. 

Read on for the recipe for these beautiful little Spring scones! 

Read More

I’ve been incredibly lucky to be able to write about some of Ottawa’s best food and wine events in the past little while, but today I am certainly feeling my luckiest.

If you’re an Ottawa resident, or perhaps just Canadian, you are no doubt familiar with Chef Michael Blackie, executive chef of the NAC’s Le Café and brilliant mind behind Ottawa’s Celebrity Chef’s of Canada event. This March 25th marks the 2nd year of the event and it’s looking to be even bigger and better than the last. Which, of course, is no surprise if you’ve ever been lucky enough to attend an event by Chef Blackie. He’s one of a very select few Chefs doing anything in his power to put Canada, and as a result, Ottawa, on the map as a culinary destination. Where many only talk the talk, Chef Blackie isn’t afraid to put his words into action - and for that we’re quite thankful.

CCOC pairs some of Ottawa’s most accomplished chefs with Canada’s culinary superstars to come together, create and live-demo a dish that represents both chef’s culinary philosophies.The event brings chefs and food-enthusiasts together for a day of educational demos, food and wine tasting, and an exclusive after-party where guests are able to mingle with the chefs while indulging in a scrumptious late-night dessert table complete with champagne and live DJ.


photo courtesy of NAC

Now to get to the part that I’m feeling overjoyed about - not that the event alone isn’t enough to set me off - but there’s more! Of course there’s more! A team of 10 bloggers has been asked to take part in the event by covering two paired chefs, one local and one visiting, and telling you all a little more about them and the event itself. I’m sure you can only imagine how elated I was to hear that I was paired with Chef Jason Duffy, Executive Chef at Arc Lounge and Chef Jason Bangerter, executive chef of O&B’s Canteen and Luma - both located in the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. These chef’s have inspiring careers rich in culinary education, travel and experience which has me incredibly anxious and appreciative to have the opportunity to chat with them both.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing some short interviews and telling you a little more about each chef’s career, their thoughts about CCOC, some little personal tidbits about them both, and of course, most importantly, the dish they plan to collaborate on. Keep your eyes peeled for more, but in the meantime, take a look at the press release below and head on over to the CCOC event site and purchase your tickets before they’re all gone!  Details after the jump…

Read More

It’s been an exciting day and a half in the GL residence! My very first published piece appeared in Centretown Buzz, a publication kind enough to help a rookie writer out with a monthly food column. The soup featured in this month’s issue is one of our favourites around here. Without fail, we make it once every two weeks and haven’t grown tired of it yet. It’s warm and soothing, satisfying and nutritious (mostly..). If you want to check out the recipe, you can find it here. 

 I’m looking forward to finding my voice and sharing more food love with readers. 

I realize I’m on a mad-posting binge this week. I hope you’ll forgive me for not posting like this every week going forward. It’s just been one of those months where I have so much to share with you. I don’t want you to feel left out, you know. 

Today I was incredibly lucky and honoured to be able to make my television debut! How odd it sounds to say that. No, I wasn’t on the Food Network or anything like that, but I may as well have been since it was just as cool. The local news station, CTV Morning Live, asked a few weeks back if I’d ever be interested in coming on to do a cooking demo and chat about the blog. Like there was even a question of if I’d do it. I jumped at the opportunity without so much as a thought. If you’re interested in the video, it can be seen here! 

 

Since I know everyone goes cuckoo for anything bacon related these days, it wasn’t hard for me to come to the decision that I was going to make Bacon Jam on the show. Of course, I knew people would be excited about the recipe, but I also sort of hoped that they’d be so excited that they wouldn’t notice how terribly nervous I was. I mask it well at times, but I’m paralyzingly shy in some situations. This was one of those times. I promised myself that I’d do more things that made me scared and uncomfortable this year, and this was probably the biggest one. 

Nerves aside, I was so happy to be able to show you all how to make the jam at home. It’s such a wonderful recipe and yields a savoury condiment that is surpassed by none. Spoon it over eggs, or a warm baguette, stuff pork or chicken with it, serve it on the side of a cheese plate, fry up with perogies, mix with ricotta for a pasta-filling….or simply spoon into your gob as I tend to do whenever I make it. It never lasts long enough to be able to serve it with something in this house. I admit, it’s not the prettiest of foods, but what it lacks in appearance, it more than makes up for in explosive flavour. If you’re stretched for some last minute gift ideas this holiday season, it also makes a very unique gift that any bacon-lover would be thrilled to receive. Do yourself a favour and cook up a batch as soon as humanly possible. Your life isn’t complete until you’ve tried it. 

And just so you have something extra delicious to serve them with, I’m going to share a recipe for Cheddar and Caramelized Onion scones. Slather the warm jam on one of these guys for a heavenly little treat. 
 
Chipotle Bacon Jam
adapted from Homesick Texan 

I’ve provided a sweet-maple variation at the bottom for those who don’t like or can’t  have things too spicy. It’s uses are just as varied as the chipotle version.

You can purchase the Chipotles in Adobo in the Mexican aisle of most grocery stores or specialty Latin stores. If you can’t find them, you can use ground chipotle peppers in a pinch. 

Using a hand blender or food processor, pulse the mixture a few times so it’s a coarse texture. Try not to turn it into a paste. It should be coarse with some pieces of bacon still in tact.



Eat right away or spoon into a jar and refrigerate. It will keep for a few weeks in the fridge. 

Maple Bacon Jam

1 pound of bacon
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped rough
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup of brewed coffee
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Make the same way as the chipotle version.  

Cheddar & Caramelized Onion Scones

1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
salt
2 cups all purpose flour (or 3/4cups AP + 1/2 cup WW)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, diced into 1/2” cubes
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

In a pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the onions and a pinch or two of salt. Cook the onions, stirring every few minutes until they are deep brown and reduced in volume by half. 





Preheat oven to 375. 

In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add the onions and cheddar and stir. Add the cream and stir, pulling the dry ingredients from the edge of the bowl into the center, until dough has formed. It shouldn’t be sticky, but it should hold together when you press it. 





Dump bowl onto lightly floured counter top. Press everything into a ball and flatten. Fold one half over itself and flatten again. Turn 90 degrees. Repeat 4 times. Press the dough into a circle and cut into 8 pizza-slice-esque pieces. 



Arrange on a baking sheet and cook for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. 



Let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then move to a  cooling rack until completely cooled. Slice in half, slather with bacon jam (or butter, or nothing at all) and enjoy! 



 

I always get excited to hear of new café/restaurants opening, but what’s better, is when they open right down the street from you! 

Pressed is a gourmet sandwich bar devoted to all things local, organic and most of all, delicious. They serve Equator Coffee, adding to their list of local vendors that also includes Auntie Loo’s Treats & B-Goods Cookies. 



I had the pleasure of visiting Pressed this afternoon, just 2 days after their opening. As soon as Don, Krista and I heard they were opening this week, we started hatching a plan to visit for lunch. 



The first thing you notice upon entering Pressed is the cozy wood decor and warm colours. It feels as though you’re coming into a friends home rather than a restaurant. Some of the wood in the cafe was salvaged from joists in an old home that was being torn down, while parts of the seating were built using century old oak pews the Peace Tower Church was selling. Keeping things ethical seems to be important to Jeff, which is always nice to see in local businesses. The shop is teaming with vintage treasures like LIFE Magazines from the 60’s, Trivial Pursuit - Baby Boomer Edition, and kitschy cool lamps you might find in your great grandmothers living room, adding to it’s comfortable yet elegant feel.

We each ordered a different sandwich from their list of very-hard-to-choose from delights. Krista ordered the Flank Steak Sandwich with caramelized onions, blue cheese, and a red wine reduction. Don ordered the Smoked Chicken Sandwich (fresh out of the smoker 5 minutes prior to our arrival) with roasted garlic aioli, goat cheese and red pepper. Though I didn’t try either of their sandwiches, they both seemed to be quite happy with their choices. I chose the Sandwich Special, which was a Margherita Sandwich filled with smoked tomatoes, basil, black olive tapenade and big hunks of mozzarella. I took my first bite and was a little startled when the tomatoes exploded, oozing down the sides of both the sandwich and my hands. Startled in the best way possible, of course. The combination of the juicy smoked tomatoes, mild gooey Mozzarella, salty tapenade and fresh bright basil was so perfectly balanced and flavourful that I might have been able to eat 5 more. Jeff explained he’s still on the hunt for the perfect local bread, but the ciabatta he’s using now is wonderfully crisp on the outside, though not so crisp that it cuts your gums, and soft and smooshy (a very technical term, of course) inside. I thought it was delicious, but I’m looking forward to seeing what bread he does eventually settle down with. 





Krista ordered a side of the Sweet Potato Chili (vegan) and it was packed with flavour. Just a bit of sweetness, beautifully spiced and seasoned perfectly. I imagine it would make a perfect lunch while lazily flipping through the pages of your Holiday Food & Drink magazine. 



Don ordered a side of macaroni and cheese, made with fresh cheese curds (how very Canadian!), that was also pretty scrumptious. Not too gooey, but not dry and like everything else, seasoned well. 



All in all, it was a really great lunch. The food is delicious and exciting without being pretentious, the atmosphere is fresh and modern, cozy and comfortable. A place you could easily watch a few hours pass by without knowing it. 



I’m anxious to go back, try more things and get better acquainted with a good book in the cozy dining room. 





Jeff is working on getting a liquor license and eventually hopes to invite local artists and musicians in to entertain his guests both visually and musically a few nights a week. 

Don’t miss out on this new gem. It’ll be packed with excited patrons in no time at all! 

Pressed - Gourmet Sandwich Bar
750 Gladstone Ave
Ottawa, ON
613-680-9294

 

photo by Kronick Photography

I was recently asked to take part in an interview with Pawsh Magazine about creative folks and their best furry pals. Laura Benn, the woman behind the magazine, contacted me a few weeks back and we got to work right away. PAWSH is such a fun and informative publication that boasts many features the pet-crazy owner will love like Ask The Expert, Pet of The Month, Contests, and pages upon pages of great information about behaviour, health and yes, even fashion. 

photo by Kronick Photography

If you’re interested, have a peek at the interview here. And if you know of someone, maybe even you, who has a neat hobby or career and a pet you simply can’t live without, get in touch with Pawsh. You might be the next one gracing their colourful pages! 

Oh my gosh. It’s been one of the most exciting weekends I’ve had in a very long time. This is another one of those non-food related posts and I’m about to gush about a few things. I hope you’ll allow me the space to do that. After all, what good is a personal blog if I can’t talk about the personal things that are most exciting to me? 

It’s been 8 months since Mr. Gouda Lifes’s band, The Love Machine, moved on from the 1st round of local radio station, Live 88.5’s, Big Money Shot competition. Eight whole months. There were 4 rounds of the competition, each bigger and better (both in skill requirements and monetary amounts that came with moving on) in their own right. Up until this past Friday, they had won $20,000 from the competition. That alone allowed them to purchase some new equipment, tour more often, and release some ridiculously cool white vinyls. 

Friday night, we all arrived to St Bridgid’s, an old church turned venue, tummies wild with anxiety for the band. It was the final night of competition and there were still 6 bands left. They played one of the best sets I’ve ever seen them play in the 7 years they’ve been together. And there couldn’t have possibly been a better time to pull out all the stops and give it every little bit of everything they had in them. It was, in a word, thrilling. 

1am came along and it was time to announce the winners. I’m sure you have a pretty good idea of where this is going. 3rd place, Down in Ashes. 2nd place, Hearts and Mines. We waited. And waited. And waited some more. Everyone on bated breath. 1st place… THE LOVE MACHINE. Tears from everyone. Hugs all around. High fives and first pumps. It was brilliant. It was moving. A band that has worked so hard, for so long, finally got their comeuppins. In the form of $50,000! 

Check out my hard working bearded man and the rest of his bandmates in their video for ‘Be a Path’ here [warning; some violence in the video]. 









And as if that weren’t enough excitement for one weekend, we were elated to be in attendance for the Grand Re-Opening of one of our favourite shops in the Glebe. 



Slaysh is one of the best skate and snowboard shops in Ottawa. If not for it’s always cutting-edge fashions, shoes, and accessories, then for it’s kindest, most lovable owner, Sarah Hyde. Not only does Sarah love all things skate/snowboard related, but she loves The Glebe. If she’s not already organizing an event in the Glebe, like this past summers’ Glebe Streets, she’s ever-present at anything and everything to do with the neighbourhood. She and her husband are everything business owners should be. The newly opened store looks as stunning as ever. More open space, cleaner colours and lines, and better displayed merchandise. It was the best thing they could have done for the shop.



Also present at the grand re-opening was Sound of Lions, this years ‘Best Album’ & ‘Best New Act’ winners of the Ottawa Xpress’ Best of Ottawa 2011. They dazzled the crowd with their unique and always entertaining sounds, best described as trip hop. Whitney Delion silences crowds with her crooning voice while Christian Awad spits rhymes that are both raw and thoroughly honest. Will Assad, vocals and guitar, Joel Soucy on bass, and Marco Campagna on drums keep the beat going with their talented array of sounds. They all add to Sounds of Lions’ craft having been members of some of Ottawa’s best indie/punk rock bands. For the video of their song, Blue, check here.





It was a wonderful evening and it made me feel extremely proud to be from a city so rich with talent and bursting with creative drive. In short, I love you Ottawa. You never cease to impress me. 

I urge you to go visit Slaysh. With Christmas coming up, I have no doubt you’ll find the perfect gift for any number of loved ones. 

Slaysh
775 Bank Street   (Between Second and Third Ave)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 3V5
613-667-5830

It’s rare that I stray from the words that spew from my belly, but today I find the words from my heart are speaking much louder.

This past Saturday a youth from our community, 15 year old Jamie Hubley, tragically took his life after what sounds to have been a long and hard battle with being openly gay as a high school student. I didn’t know Jamie, or anyone in his immediate circle of family and friends, but the heartbreak is felt and the tears have been shed regardless. This is not the first time we’ve lost youth as a result of senseless bullying in our schools, on the streets, or even in our own homes. It happens far too often.

I can’t help but mutter ‘It’s not fair..’ over and over in trying to make sense of it. How can this be happening so frequently? How can we still be so far behind and have so far to go in accepting each other’s differences? It’s more clear than ever that although times are changing, we are not doing enough to bring light to this situation. So long as members of our community are taking their own lives as a result of bullying, or simply a lack of awareness and education surrounding homosexuality or mental health, it’s not enough.

I can’t say that I’ve been proactive in creating awareness in our city and I, for one, am going to make a change in that regard. Acceptance isn’t enough anymore, we need to be more diligent in shedding light and creating awareness of these situations so that we, the future of Canada, can live in a country where we are all accepted, all equal, and we all have a fair chance at succeeding in making something amazing of ourselves. We all have a voice in our community, let’s collectively try and use them for the betterment of our city. And if not for that, so that no more of our community feel so helplessly lost that the only solution is death.    

I’m begging the community of Ottawa to please, please, just do something. Anything at all to shed light. Talk to your neighbours, talk to your children, talk to anyone who will listen. Just start talking. Sharing. Creating awareness about what’s going on and what we can do to stop it and help support our peers, friends, youth, family, and community. Until our education system adopts a better way of teaching our youth about diversities in sexuality, it’s the best way to raise awareness. We’re all in this together.

I’ll be making a donation to Jer’s Vision; Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative, in honor of Jamie. Should you wish to do the same, just follow the link.

Please feel free to leave any and all comments below. If you know of a way that those who wish to get involved in something can help, please share it with me.

[photo courtesy of Harvest Noir]

Tired of hearing about how boring Ottawa is? How fashionably inept we are? How nothing exciting ever happens?

It’s time to show those naysayers otherwise.

Harvest Noir is Ottawa’s secret picnic feast & black tie dance party. The location is unknown until the last minute and the guestlist is limited, making it one of the year’s most intriguing events.

On Saturday, October 15th, Picnic goers, dressed to the nines in their best formal black attire (tuxedo’s not necessary) bring their own basket of (local, when possible!) food, showing off your creative culinary skills. Following the picnic, attendees will then march to the unknown party location, through the streets of Ottawa in an impressive flash-mob-style parade, to dance the night away with music provided by a fabulous DJ, Cirque-du-Soleil-style circus performers and other surprises at every turn.

If you’d like a chance to win 2 free tickets, an $80.00 value, all you have to do is comment on this post. For an extra entry, share on Twitter or Facebook referencing The Gouda Life (twitter: @thegoudalife or Facebook) and using #HarvestNoir hashtag if posting on Twitter.

Good luck!

For more information on Harvest Noir, find them on: 
Facebook
Twitter