From apples to smoked salmon to yogurt, I share my latest fabulous food finds

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook — try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.” — Famous quote from Julia Child.

“Cooking is a lot like riding a horse — never let the food know you’re afraid of it!” Famous quote from me, Marion Kane.

I was born in Montreal. I grew up from four years old to 19 — my formative years — in North London, U.K. 

My father, a Canadian, was from Montreal. He liked corn on the cob – it was an exotic food in the 1960s in Britain. Our dad worked at University College London as a physiology professor teaching medical students. Occasionally, he bought several cobs of corn at the Berwick Street Market in Soho near the college. My dad proudly cooked them and we ate as a family the rare, hand-held, toothsome food.

Jonny Schachter, my younger brother, ate a corn on the cob bought by our dad in London U.K. in the 1960s.

Nowadays, “sweetcorn” is everywhere on the British menus. 

Another food was rare. We couldn’t find yogurt decades ago in London — there is now a plethora of assorted yogurts in my former home. Recently, it boggled my mind in the average supermarket in downtown Toronto were several refrigerated cases with yogurt piled high. I noticed lactose-free, plant-based, high in protein, extra fruit, probiotic and extra fibre. I was intrigued by vanilla Liberté Extra Creamy (in the photo above). The second time, I bought flavoured with strawberry and banana — it was delicious and extra creamy!

The one upside of the pandemic, I have more time to do food shopping — and cooking. I browsed supermarket aisles and neighbourhood ethnic markets. 

Cooking is soothing for me. Occasionally it is a chore. Often it is creative.

Breyers vanilla “frozen dessert” — ice cream has at least 10% dairy fat  – and a “frozen dessert” does not. By accident, my partner bought it. It has nice texture and has a flavour not too sweet. It freezes not too hard, as ice cream sometimes does, has a softer mouthfeel. I will buy this in future.

Delicious Fab Food Finds, Part 2 was popular. This is Part 3.

Meat

Skirt Steak, rolled up in a pinwheel in the foreground in the photo above, is a fast-fry steak. It’s flavourful and juicy but slightly chewy. Skirt steak is long and thin — it’s perfect to sear, grill and marinate for Mexican food.

Coffee

I discovered Ashanti, medium roast and ground, at Farm Boy in Toronto. From Zimbabwe, the medium roast coffee is a right balance – it is a winner. I start my day with coffee — it starts my day with contentment.

Smoked Salmon

I discovered Kristapsons in the east end of Toronto last year. I keep Kristapsons smoked salmon constantly in my fridge — as a delicious protein snack, on crackers and as a sandwich with lettuce, mustard and mayo. Kristapsons smoked fish have less salt compared with other salty brands sold in grocery stores. Founded seven decades ago, this tells the story.

Cereals

I start my day — with Ashanti coffee, of course — eating three cereals (Ancient Grains, ground flaxseed, All-Bran Buds) with milk and dried cranberries. PC Ancient Grains (Multigrain Cereal) manufactured by Loblaws include organic grains — tasty, crunchy flakes with spelt, wheat, millet and quinoa. And my partner Ross eats every day cooked organic Bob’s Red Mill Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats — they are delicious, chewy in texture, full of fibre and wholesome.

Yogurt

I found an array of yogurts in the refrigerated case –  my favourite is Liberté Greek Yogurt Extra Creamy flavoured with vanilla bean. It is delish accompanied by fresh fruit salad and homemade applesauce.

Fruit

Talking of fruit, I like Ceres line of African tropical fruit juices, especially the passion fruit juice — it’s a delicious contrast of tart and sweet.

Also talking of fruit, I noticed in my favourite supermarket Fiesta Farms in downtown Toronto a pile of apples — they were beautiful. I bought a few Honeycrisp apples — they were beautiful in taste and texture. Honeycrisp is an eating apple — crisp and juicy, tart and sweet — and a cooking apple. I cooked Honeycrisp apples into my famous applesauce and baked apples – they were stellar.

Pomegranate seeds add crunch and snappy flavour to savoury dishes and desserts. It’s difficult to remove them from a whole pomegranate. Grocery stores to the rescue! The seeds are packaged in small containers for cooks.

Pan Gravy

Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions are a delicious sidekick to any steak. I keep them in my fridge. I tossed them in fried rice and in pasta dishes with roasted vegetables and leftover meat. I also incorporate them between the meat and vegetable layers in Shepherd’s Pie. 

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
3 medium onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsbsp liquid honey
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Add vegetable oil and butter to large heavy skillet over medium heat until butter is melted. Add onions. Cook, stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and golden brown. Reduce to medium-low; add stock. Cook, stirring, about 15 minutes until the onions are dark and until liquid nearly absorbed. Stir in vinegar and honey; cook, stirring, 5 minutes more. Stir in butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Makes about 8 servings as a sidekick.