February 17, 2014

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to CardaMOM, Dilly-Gilly, Hot Sauce, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cilantro, Mint, Curry Murray, Sage, Bearnaise and many more of you out there.
This day was NOT invented by Hallmark or the card industry, in fact it has a long history.  It is celebrated in many countries during May, although in some places the festivities occur in March and April.   Here is some of the history:
The day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March (March15-18). The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to the god Juno.  Mothers were usually given small gifts on this day.
In Europe there were several long-standing traditions where a specific Sunday was set aside to honor motherhood and mothers such as Mothering Sunday. Mothering Sunday celebrations…

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May 4, 2014

What is a Smorgasbord

As you know Hot Sauce and Chili are cruising around Scandinavia in their new car.  This week on a ferry they were able to sail and eat from the on-board smörgåsbord. Hot Sauce is still sorting out how to text from her phone so let me just say that her reporting was a bit lacking.  So, Nutmeg thought it would be good to do a bit of research, as it sure sounds better than “buffet”.
Have you every wondered what is a smörgåsbord?  It is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord and in Denmark it is called kolde bord. Smörgåsbord became internationally known as smörgåsbord at the 1939 New York World’s Fair when it was offered at the Swedish Pavilion Restaurant.  Members of the Swedish merchant and upper class in fourteenth-century Sweden and Finland served schnapps table (brännvinsbord), a small buffet…

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May 3, 2014

Grilled Fish Tacos on Cinco de Mayo

Need a dinner idea? Wondering what to serve for dinner on Cinco de Mayo in snowy Calgary?  Yes, for those of you who live in places that have normal weather – it is SNOWING!  So it calls for drastic measures; pull out the tequila and the Mexican beer.  Here is a Fish Taco recipe (care of Saffron):
Print Grilled Fish Tacos Recipe type: Main Dish Cuisine: Mexican Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  10 mins Total time:  20 mins Serves: 4   This recipe is very easy, you can play with the fish, the level of spice and the toppings. Ingredients 1½ pounds Mahi Mahi A few Limes 1 Medium Red cabbage 1 Bunch Cilantro 1 Small Red Onion 8 Medium Tortillas ½ Cup Plain Yogurt ½ Cup Mayonnaise Salt and pepper, to taste Hot Sauce, to taste …

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February 17, 2014

European Road Trip 2010

Nutmeg’s parents (Hot Sauce and Chili) love to travel.  Last year, they put a mere 6000 nautical miles on their boat doing the Great Loop Miss Bim’s Adventures.  This year they have decide to take on Europe in 7 weeks and do a driving road trip.  They start the adventure in Gothenburg (Sweden), at the Volvo factory, with a tour and a new car.  They will have a GPS and are fully equipped with the latest technology to get from point to point.  However, Nutmeg is concerned they may not have done all their research, on the food and drink options that await them in the next few weeks.  So, the following is an overview of the trip and Nutmeg’s food guide to help them narrow down the endless possibilities:

City
Country
Food Possibilities

Copenhagen
Denmark
Frikadeller (meatballs), with cabbage and beets

Kristiansand
Norway
Smoked Salmon, Gravlax, Open faced sandwiches, Meats served with juniper berries and lingonberry jam.  One interesting  thing is that Norway is the world’s…

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May 4, 2014

What to serve for Cinqo de Mayo

Nutmeg had never heard of Cinco de Mayo before she moved to Calgary.  Think what you may, Nutmeg is no slouch!  She has consumed her fair share of tequila, upside down margaritas and cervezas (Spanish for beer) in particular Corona and Dos Equisover the years.  Despite years in liberal Quebec,  a well known eastern university and a good grounding in Toronto,  she had honestly never heard of Cinco de Mayo before her arrival in Calgary.  Ginger made sure she was properly educated in her first 60 days on the scene.  Nutmeg’s awakening led to 5-6 years of classic “house party” celebrations (no photos available.  These parties ranged from reasonable to the industrial size rental margarita machine to dancing with power-tools.  At that point, Nutmeg suggested the annual celebration may have run it’s course.
What is Cinqo de Mayo?
Cinco de Mayo (“fifth of May”) is a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition…

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May 4, 2014

The Iceberg Wedge a Classic Salad

Chili Pepper (Nutmeg’s Dad) loves the “wedge” salad.  Essentially, a large wedge of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing.  This salad can be found in every steak restaurant in North America,  if they do not have it on the menu you may want to check their credentials.  There are of course variations on the classic theme; add bacon bits (real or not so real) or add tomato pieces (mostly for color) or nuts (way too healthy).  In the end there is very little nutritional value, although who really cares as it will most likely be followed by a rare steak and fully garnished baked potato.  The wedge salad is truly a classic, there are historical references to the lettuce from the 1920s and to the salad mixture from the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Print Iceberg Wedge a Classic Salad Recipe type: Salad Prep time:  5 mins Total time:  5 mins …

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May 5, 2017

Wondering About Dates try some Trail Bars

As you might have gathered Nutmeg is in the desert and it is not that warm so she has some time to add to all the really useful food information in this blog.  So the question about dates came to mind… Here are the facts:
The Date Palm (scientific name Phoenix dactylifera), also known as the Medjool palm is a tall, beautiful and majestic tree that is known for its edible sweet fruits, the dates. The tree belongs to the Arecaceae family and the genus Phoenix. The Date palm produces true real dates. It is the second most known and most useful palm tree in the world after the Coconut palm tree.
The Phoenix Dactylifera is one of the world’s oldest trees. It has been grown for thousands of years in hot, dry, desert regions throughout the world. It is an important multi­purpose tree in the Middle East, Asia and North Africa. The Date palm tree is a holy symbol. It was historically mentioned…

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February 17, 2014

Coffee Oasis in the California Desert

Nutmeg could not be happier to discover some coffee options in the land of Starbucks.  The alternative coffee-house options much like really good restaurant options in Palm Springs, Palm Desert and most of Riverside County are limited.  There are of course the ubiquitous Starbucks outlets in almost every second strip mall.  However, as you may have gathered that is almost the land of last resort for Nutmeg.  (more…)

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October 19, 2018

Would you eat Sushi in the Desert

If you were stuck on a desert island what would you eat?
If you are visiting Palm Desert what would you eat??
The choices on an island are slim and in Palm Desert are vast, although far from fantastic.  In Palm Desert (and most of the surrounding area) it is a safe bet you will find lots of food chains, big restaurants, large menus, sizable helpings and mediocre food.  Nutmeg says this may sound terrible and although it is not a crisis, you need to try hard to find the gems – don’t worry this is one challenge she is always up for!
One of these gems is NO DA TE on El Paseo in Palm Desert .  This small sushi restaurant has never disappointed.  The sushi chef and owner Shin is very involved, if he is not making sushi he is in the restaurant making sure the quality is just so.  Ideally, try to sit at the sushi bar to catch…

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February 17, 2014

Celebrating The Milestones

Hot Sauce has a milestone birthday this week.  Although, she does not want to advertise the specifics, let us just say that it starts with a “7”.  So in order to celebrate Nutmeg’s family converged in Toronto for a weekend of celebration.  Nutmeg’s sister Bernaise decided that they would host the weekend event.  This is no small undertaking as the family is well practiced in the art of consumption on many levels.  In fact there was an emergency run to the LCBO  (“Large Central Booze Organization”  or as Nutmeg calls it the Ontario liquor monopoly) to refill the stock of wine.  It was almost a national emergency!!!   There is no question that the LCBO has been able to position themselves well in the marketplace – some might call it a monopoly….the Avenue road store is impressive with a two-level underground, heated parkade and four freight elevators to make sure you are not restricted by what you can carry. …

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