The Gouda Life

My past with food isn’t as glamorous as I sometimes wish it was. I didn’t learn to mix, knead and roll pasta with my grandmother on Sundays and I wasn’t teetering on my tip toes, nose barely reaching the counter, while my Dad taught me how to break down a chicken, sear it to a golden brown and simmer it in tomatoes and capers, olives and hot peppers. It wasn’t my reality. There are times I feel nostalgic for the stories of those whose family and food lives were wrapped around each other like a sturdy vine, but I forget that I, too, have a past in food, glamorous or not. 

The older I get the more I remember the things I did learn about food from my family. They may not be the stories I longed for or the romantic ones some of my friends and peers can tell, but they were the ones that shaped me. My Dad passed along his fearlessness towards all food. Mold? Just cut it off and carry on. Leftovers there for a while? Details, details - just eat it. Expiry dates? A mere suggestion. He joked endlessly about liver and onions, terrifying my sister and I at the thought of having to join him at the table. He ate any cut, any way. If there was something on a menu that he hadn’t heard of before, there was an 80% chance it would arrive in front of him minutes later. At the time I may not have appreciated his ways with food, but theses days I embrace them. He made me a fearless eater, never one to turn anything down, never afraid to try anything at least once. Especially creamy, mayonnaise-filled items like chicken salad, egg salad, any kind of canned meat… I was my fathers daughter and it made me proud to say that I liked what he liked. 

Years later, when it was just my mom and I living in her place, I learned how to cook the first meals I made for my friends and first real boyfriend. Meaty spaghetti sauces studded with big hunks of tomato (something that made my sister squirm in disgust), tomato soup jazzed up with a hit of Worcestershire sauce, tabasco and melted cheese slice that I still crave today when I’m under the weather, dreamy whipped mashed potatoes that I can still claim as the best I’ve ever had and still make today, much to Al and my friend’s delight. She taught me that cooking for people made them feel special and showed them how much you cared for them. It was a high I still haven’t come down from despite not getting into cooking until I was about 24. Sunday dinners at her place brought us all together so we could slow down, laugh hysterically and tell our stories from the week. I still relish her cooking and it always makes me feel important and loved when she cooks for us. 

My best friend, Amanda, is Lebanese. She comes from the kind of food background that I’ve always longed for. Her mother cooks everything from scratch. When I used to go there, back when I was only just learning to love cooking, I remember seeing hot peppers from her garden drying on the window sill. Amanda explained that she would grind them and use that as seasoning in her dishes. That nearly blew my mind. Do people do that? Don’t spices come from a clear jar with a sage-green lid in the spice aisle? She would feed us labneh, a soft cheese made with strained yogurt (also homemade) and I would sit, bewildered at her dedication to feeding her family ingredients that she pulled from the garden or created from a few humble items in her fridge. Her cooking is a nudge to her past, rich with tradition and memories of Lebanon. I remember Amanda always felt a bit weird about her entirely ethnic lunches (at least to suburban kids who ate french fries or peanut butter sandwiches for lunch), and I would be lying if I said we weren’t all a bit put off by them in the high school cafeteria, but those are the meals I now hope I can feed my kids someday. Meals rich in culture and tradition, meals that have a past and a story to them. Meals and ingredients that I made with my two hands. Ones that I might even be able to say Mary Melhem, your Aunt Amanda’s mom, taught me about when I was just a bratty 10th grader. 

All of these stories shaped the way I cook, the way I eat and my relationship with food. Though I longed for more then, I realize now that I couldn’t want for any more. Fearlessness and an open mind, the knowledge that cooking equates to loving and that making a meal for someone is the best way to show them you care, and a dedication to create meals from scratch for my family and share the tradition and stories behind them. 

Egg salad always reminds me of my Dad. He liked his creamy and mayonnaise-filled (expired or not) and studded with green olives. I haven’t eaten egg salad in a long time but when I do, I prefer mine a touch healthier and with plenty of flavour from tarragon, pickled celery and hot sauce. I still thought of him as I spread it thick on bread and took a monstrous bite as the salad pushed out the sides like toothpaste. 

Healthier Egg Salad with Pickled Celery and Tarragon
makes 4 sandwiches

Though this recipe is mostly mine, I did use Smitten Kitchen’s idea of picking the celery. This adds such a welcome kick of sour bite to the salad without having to bite down on a pickle. Unless you’re into that sort of thing, in which case - add a few pickles diced really tiny. 

Hard boiled egg method courtesy of 101Cookbooks. Follow it to the tee and you’ll have perfect eggs every time. 

1/4 cup (2 stalks) celery, diced
1/2 cup pickle brine (from dill pickles, sweet gherkins, pickled jalapenos)
6 hard boiled eggs, method follows
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce (or favourite hot sauce)
1 tsp dijon
1 tbsp caper berries (2 tbsp if you really like them)
1/2 tsp salt
plenty of fresh ground pepper to taste
sliced whole wheat bread
romaine, kale or greens of your choice

Place the diced celery in a pickle brine of your choice. I used jalapeno because I wanted that spicy kick. Let it sit in the brine for at least 45 minutes up to overnight. 

Have a bowl of ice water ready. Place your eggs in a pot and cover by 1-2” with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil, turn off the heat, cover and let them sit for exactly 7 minutes. Plunge into the ice water and let cool for at least 3 minutes to stop the cooking process. 

Peel the eggs, place in a big bowl with the celery, greek yogurt, tarragon, Tabasco, dijon, capers lots of pepper and salt. Mash everything together, paying most attention to the eggs, until you’re left with a well combined, coarse textured salad. Taste and adjust to your liking. Spread a nice, thick layer onto bread and top with greens of your choice. Place the second slice of bread on top and take a big, messy bite. 



Was your childhood ripe with tradition and history in food or did you have a past similar to mine? 

If you live in Ottawa, as I do, you know there is no shortage of soup or sandwiches in the downtown core. Whatever you do, and wherever you do it, there is a small to medium shop that sells the basics, and a few that even go far above and beyond the minestrone and ham sandwich. And then there are the ones that are delicious and varied enough that going back every day doesn’t seem so bad at all. 



Last week, I tucked in out of the snow and into the warm and inviting lobby of the Westin Ottawa to try out a new lunch offering at Daly’s at the Westin. Typically I would shy from grabbing lunch at a hotel because I prefer to get more for less, and that doesn’t ever seem to be the case with hotel food. I was assured, by someone whose opinion I wholeheartedly trust, that this was not the case with Daly’s. And I was glad that I trusted her in the end, because my meal was filled with so many delicious things. 



A little over a month ago, Daly’s decided to start a new lunch venture that would offer quick and simple options to both it’s guests and the general public. It was an opportunity to offer something slightly less posh than their dining room menu, and something they could offer up to shoppers in the Rideau Centre that wanted something healthy, fast and under $15.

Westin (Starwood) hotels are the first to offer a signature “superfoods” menu, which consists of carefully paired ingredients that cultivates “food synergy”. All the things your body needs, teamed up so you can get the most out of them. 

Now as much as I appreciate the science behind healthy eating and why it does what it does for our bodies, I can’t get down with it unless it tastes good. Really good, preferably. And Daly’s Express absolutely came through there. I sat down to a veritable feast of sandwiches, soups, an amazing green tea granola parfait, Starbucks latté (all the coffee at Daly’s is Starbucks! Bonus!) and impeccably iced and colourful cupcakes. I left worried that I might have to take a 15 minute catnap on a bench in the mall, but out of fear of having my leftover cupcakes stolen, I trucked on, full up to my chin with delicious fare. 



Before I could even see Chef Matt Bedard coming out with plate upon plate of scrumptious, lightly toasted paninis and sandwiches, I could smell the herbs and spices from the toasted bread wafting into the dining room. And then, right before me, was a mountain of sandwich heaven. Each one served on carefully chosen artisan bread, crafted specifically to pair with the ingredients of the sandwiches. From a beautiful tender roast beef sandwich with gooey, melted Swiss cheese, to a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich, a toasty club with a wonderful creamy guacamole, impeccably spiced roasted chicken with prosciutto and brie, and even a vegetarian sandwich stuffed with blanched asparagus, tofu, and tender mushrooms. Between bites, I sipped on a creamy, balanced Coconut Chicken Curry soup, which I instantly fell in love with, and a comforting beef and barley soup. We finished off the gut-busting lunch with a granola green tea parfait, and very pretty cupcakes. 

If you don’t find something that strikes your fancy on the menu, executive Chef Kenton Leier & Chef Matt Bedard said they don’t mind helping you create something just the way you’d like it! 



Daly’s Express is open from 6:30am-2pm 7 days a week. If you go into the Westin Ottawa front door, you just head up the escalator to the 3rd level, and you’re there! Because I want you to know just how tasty everything from Daly’s Express was, we want to give away a gift certificate that will get you and a guest (or two meals for you!) soup, sandwich and a drink, valued at $25. 

To enter: 
Tell me in the comments which sandwich you think looks most delicious! 

For extra entries: 
1. “Like” Westin Ottawa on Facebook (1 extra entry)
2. Follow them on Twitter (1 extra entry) 

Leave an extra comment below for each Twitter and Facebook follow letting me know you’ve followed/liked. 

Winner will be chosen at random Monday, December 10th by 11am. 

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. The Westin Ottawa sponsored it and compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend restaurants or products I use/enjoy personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Every so often, maybe more than I’d like to admit, I have to make a point to remind myself to slow down. Stop and breathe. Look around at the life I’m lucky enough to have been plunked into and relish a little more in how wonderful it is. 

I’ve always struggled with anxiety and it makes it extremely difficult for me to just be still. If my mind isn’t completely occupied with ideas, projects and plans, I feel a little uneasy. The same can often be said about my cooking - you’ll rarely find a recipe that takes more than 30 minutes to throw together. It’s quick and simple so you can move onto the next best thing. You get it, right? (I like to assume you’re all just like me. I’m sure you’re not. The world would be a hideous mess if it were filled with that many me’s). 

Summer is the perfect time to be slow. Not only because it’s too hot to think or do anything but sit stark & motionless in front of a fan, but because everything is slow like sticky honey in the summer. Plans are more laissez faire, time becomes more of a suggestion than a necessity, drinks are sipped lazily, and, much to my (and hopefully yours) enjoyment, the food becomes less hurried, too. 

I made this low and slow Texas Style Pulled Pork from Homesick Texan over the weekend and, much like the pork shoulder that came out of the oven after 7 glorious hours, I found myself melting in it’s presence. It was tender, succulent and heavily spiced with the flavours of Texas. As someone who isn’t fond of the overly sauced, crockpot-style pulled pork (not that I don’t appreciate it’s ease and convenience, it’s just too sweet for my taste), I was shocked at how much I bonded with this humble hunk of pork. I might even like it more than the Pork Carnitas (also from Homesick Texan - Lisa knows how to do meat better than most) that graced our plates earlier this Spring. It’s simple, consisting of little more than a homemade spice rub, pork shoulder, coleslaw and buns (really! That’s it!). It’s slow food that makes me wonder why I don’t cook like this more often… and then I remember that I rarely have 7 hours of free time. But when you do, and it’s worth finding the time, this is what you should do with those 7 hours. 



Texas-Style Chipotle-Coffee Pulled Pork
adapted from Homesick Texan
makes about 6 regular sized sandwiches, or 12 sliders

I did these in both slider and regular sized buns, either is delicious. Coleslaw is a must! It’s limey, light and cuts through the richness of the pork. 

I skipped the 8 hour rest in the fridge and was happy with the results just the same. But if you do have time, pop the spice-rubbed (raw) pork in the fridge for 8 hours before cooking. I bet the spiced mixture gets that much sexier in those 8 hours.

Ingredients
1 4-pound bone-in pork shoulder
1 1/2 cups favourite barbecue sauce
Chipotle-Coffee rub (recipe to follow)
Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw (recipe to follow)
sesame buns, toasted

Preheat oven to 250. 

Coat the pork shoulder on all sides with the rub (how amazing does it smell, right?!). Drizzle a large roasting pan with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and place the roast in. Pop in the oven, uncovered, for 7-8 hours. 




Remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Using a fork, start shredding the pork. You might need to use a knife to slice through the spice bark, but once you’re through, the meat literally falls right out of it’s crust. Take a little of the bark, chop it up and toss it into the pulled pork mixture for some extra spiced-up flavour. Toss with 1 cup of the barbecue sauce and serve extra on the side for those who want more. 

Spoon a generous amount of the pork onto the toasted buns and top with coleslaw. And don’t forget to serve with a very cold beer! 



Chipotle-Coffee Spice Rub
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup of finely ground dark coffee
1/4 cup paprika 
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp chipotle powder
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp of cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp allspice  

Mix all spices until no lumps remain. You might not use all the rub, so have a container at the ready for the leftovers. 
 
Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw
adapted from Homesick Texan
4 cups red or green cabbage, shredded 
4  tbsp cilantro 
2 jalapenos, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced julienned 
1/3 cup of mayonnaise
4  tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp green onions, sliced thin
1  tbsp rice wine vinegar (you can use apple cider vinegar, too) 
1 cloves garlic pressed or minced

Mix cabbage, cilantro and julienned jalapenos. Whisk the mayo, lime, vinegar, green onion and garlic until smooth. Toss with the slaw and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (at least). 

 

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