Chef Brian Henry

Chef Brian Henry Blogspot

Welcome to Chef Brian Henry's official blogspot where you'll find occasional information about different events I'll be taking part in, information about catering, Ice-Sculpting, our cooking classes, various recipes and more.

---

 

I update my blog at random when ever so inspired… Check in regularily to see what’s going on…

Follow on twitter @ChefBrianHenry, Google+ or on facebook depending on what your thing is…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gastronomically yours,

Getting all fired up!!   There is something inexplicably tantalizing to one’s taste buds when the gentle wafting aromas of a neighbours BBQ ride find their way into our olfactory senses. It’s almost instinctive the way we react to the smell of flesh cooking over an open flame. This is quite understandable seeing as this [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Indigenous trumps local food Without question our unstable weather patterns from winter have carried over into spring and this is challenging for those who like to harvest their own food. It has been hard resisting the temptation to plant my vegetable garden as the weather has often felt like summer on many days since February. [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Rampage!! The wild leek known as “ramps” is a wild onion native to North America. This  member of the Lily family is one of the very first plants to push its head out of the ground after the snow melts. They usually appear in late April and can be harvested throughout the month of May. [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Something to Birch About   This winter or more specifically a lack of it has made for easier heating bills and a lot less shoveling but I can’t help but wonder what will happen to this year’s maple sap harvest. For those of you who weren’t aware Ontario maple syrup producers started harvesting this year’s [...]

Kawartha International Wine & Food Festival

    Sunday, April 15, 2012 At The Venue, 286 George Street North, Peterborough, Ontario Noon until 8:00 p.m. $12.00 per person (HST included) Included 1 Food and Wine Pairing Wine Wheel (retail value $10.)   The Venue is proud to be hosting the first annual Kawartha International Wine & Food Festival… Sunday April 15th! [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Bovine Milk   Humans began consuming the milk of other mammals around 9000 BC. It was at this time that we began domesticating animals which led to the agriculture revolution. Farming practices began in Southwest Asia and grew in commonality through nomadic cultures as it permitted people to move about the land taking their food [...]

Gastronomically yours,

  Where the buffalo roam   We use the words buffalo and bison interchangeably as if they were describing the same animal but the two are actually distant relatives which are more closely related to the domesticated bovine than each other.  Buffalo are related to the Asian water buffalo. Bison are the almost mythical creature [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Something to Birch About   This winter or more specifically a lack of it has made for easier heating bills and a lot less shoveling but I can’t help but wonder what will happen to this year’s maple sap harvest. For those of you who weren’t aware Ontario maple syrup producers started harvesting this year’s [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Gastronomically yours,

Horseradish   Horseradish is an herbaceous perennial that is related to turnips, cabbage and mustard. The entire plant is reputed to have medicinal properties and has been used in the treatment of urinary tract infections, rheumatism, and joint pain. It was commonly prescribed for bronchial, lung and throat ailments which explain why horseradish may once [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Chocolate Duck Pekinduck is a breed of duck bred from the Mallard duck inChina. Its domestication was primarily for egg and meat production. In 1873 nine Pekins were exported toLong Island,New Yorkwhich explains why some refer to this breed asLong Islandduck. Since this time thePekinduck has become the most consumed commercially available source of duck [...]

Polar Fest 2012 Ice Sculpting Competition Invitation

TheLakefieldVillageMerchants  Present the 8th Annual Polar Fest Ice Sculpting Competition Greetings from the Kawarthas! The Lakefield Village Merchants are currently planning the 8th Annual Polar Fest Ice Sculpting Competition Saturday, February 4th, 2012 2012 theme “Mardi Gras”   Last year we had 16 competitors as well as an amateur area for kids and adults. Each [...]

Gastronomically Yours,

Veisalgia for breakfast again?   Happy New Year!!  Ah yes you wake up and it’s 2012!  However with all of the fun and festivities you find yourself afraid to move. You slowly open your eyes. So far so good, so you continue on your way by pulling back the covers and getting out of bed.  [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Tourtière Basically tourtière is a meat pie that is made with three key elements; a meat filling, an aromatic blend of spices and delicate pastry. There appears to be no absolute rules for constructing this traditional French Canadian meat pie as it appears to vary by region, kitchen and family traditions. Tourtière has been revered [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Any way you slice it Bacon Bacon is prepared from a number of different cuts of meat from pigs. Canadians most commonly eat bacon prepared from the pork belly. We often consume this type of side- bacon while it is very fresh forgoing the aging process; instead we salt and often cure our bacon with [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Hold the Turkey!    Ah yes! The festive season of over indulgence is upon us once again. Say good-bye to your diet and workout routines and bring on the carbohydrate loaded Turkey Dinners, the home baked goodies and all of the vices that give us those hallucinations of sugared plums dancing in our heads.  On [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Snow Cream is a scream   It was nice to wake up to a winter like scene this past weekend. The fresh fallen snow was a delight to see after our typically dreary November days. It was fun to get out and play in the snow, make snowmen and see all of our holiday decorations [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Raising the Roof on the Centre of Hope  At one time or another, most people dream about getting away from the cold Canadian weather to an idyllic vacation in the warm sunny tropics.  So, it was when my husband and I, in 1995, with visions of long sandy beaches, backpacking to a jungle retreat, and [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Chicken Lick’ n   Chickens are domesticated fowl. It is the most widespread domestic animal with an estimated global population of more than 25 billion. It is believed that the chicken was domesticated somewhere in the region of India and Vietnam over 10,000 years ago. They were domesticated from the wild red jungle fowl species [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Lyonnaise Onion Soup Historically onions and soup have been considered to be poor people’s food. Put the two together and you have a poor person’s meal, whose origins go back pre- medieval times. With the holiday season coming to a close and the credit card bills coming in you can very well call me a [...]

Gastronomically yours,

What was old is new again  With all of the global insecurities plaguing our society I think we need to take inventory of what’s truly important to our homes and families.  Long before we had investments, stock exchanges and retirement savings, planning for the future meant having the larder, pantry and root cellar stocked up [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Salt of the Earth   Humans are hard wired to crave salt as it not only quenches one of our basic tastes; saltiness but we physically require salt to help regulate our body’s water content and central nervous system’s function.  The significance of salt is paramount to our survival and as a result of this; [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Chicken Lick’ n   Chickens are domesticated fowl. It is the most widespread domestic animal with an estimated global population of more than 25 billion. It is believed that the chicken was domesticated somewhere in the region of India and Vietnam over 10,000 years ago. They were domesticated from the wild red jungle fowl species [...]

Gastronomically yours,

I wrote a previous article on tomatoes back in the summer showcasing the benefits of using fresh tomatoes in salads. I have to revisit using tomatoes once more before this growing season ends simply because we truly get to enjoy them twice during their growing season  When tomatoes first come into season in late July [...]

Gastronomically yours,

This little piggy went to lechon   My wife and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary by inviting friends and family together for a pig roast. My father-in-law dedicated himself to guiding us through the process of preparing a traditional Filipino style pig roast known as lechon.  In Spanish lechon translates to suckling pig. In [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Respect your Elders   The rich sweet scent of the delicate elderflower is synonymous with early summer. This small tree like shrub has branches that form an arch which makes it look a bit like an umbrella that is covered with snow when it comes into bloom with it’s white flowers.  These flowers eventually yield [...]

Gastronomically yours,

The Poutine Manifesto Poutine is a French-Canadian food. The origins of poutine are disputed but restaurateur Fernand Lachance fromWarwickQuebecis believed to have created and named this dish in 1957. Poutine is Acadian slang for mushy mess.  I have to mention that there is a proper way to pronounce poutine, which phonetically is ‘peu-tsin’, not ‘pooh-teen’. [...]

Gastronomically yours,

 My Eccentricity on Ethnicity    I personally loathe the word ethnic. Here is why…  To me this word has been imprinted as politically correct to use and has been permitted to slip into mainstream linguistic styles in a vernacular way associated with the parlance of the day. Say it ten times fast to yourself… see [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Kitchen Patois    So what’s in a name anyway? Well there can be a lot of history to the origins of our lexicon…for example ‘cuisine’ comes from the Latin word ‘coquna’ and is now a French term meaning the manner or practice of food preparation.  The word restaurant originally meant ‘food that restores’ and pertained [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Watermelon Pickles Melons have been consumed for over 4,000 years. Until recently most of us have only been exposed to the three most common melons; watermelons, cantaloupes and honeydews. The two main classes of melons are the muskmelons and watermelons.  Most of us think of a watermelon as a huge green stripped oval fruit with [...]

Gastronomically yours,

Deadly Nightshade   Tomatoes originally came from the desert regions along the west coast ofSouth Americaand grew much smaller in size and resembled a berry compared to today’s domesticated varieties. The tomatl as it was known in Aztec means “plump fruit” and was domesticated in Mexico where it was found by early European explorers.   It [...]

Gastronomically yours,

  Here Comes the Bride  The ritualistic trading of nuptials throughout society carries many traditions. From the ring to the veil and the colour of the brides dress all of these traditions have a story behind them. All evolved over time depending on many historical influences.    Wheat and grains are considered by some to be [...]