Chef Brian Henry

You be the Judge

Geographical regions are often defined by their terroir or their sense of place which is personified through its geography, environment, culture and cuisine. This weekend our region will display all of its characteristic qualities that define our somewhereness here throughout the Kawartha and Northumberland counties at the Flavour Festival being held this Sunday at The Morrow Building.

My childhood summer memories are filled full of drives with my father throughout Central Ontario. Our regular road trips through the countryside were serenaded by baseball games on am radio while squeaking our way through lightly salted bags of curd, softened on the dashboard in the sun. Often these road trips were interrupted by stopping to try butter tarts from corner stores and church bake sales.

To me curd and butter tarts define our region like nothing else when it comes to food. Personally, I have never met a curd I haven’t enjoyed and our region is full of brilliant cheese makers. Finding a great butter tart is more redolent of spending a lifetime in pursuit of a fish that got away and faded memories of summers past.

What makes the best butter tart? Is the most personal question one can be asked and can include other questions like “Do you like a runny or firm filling?” or “Do you prefer raisins in or out of your tarts?” These questions as well as who makes “The Best Crust”, who makes “the Best Filling”, who makes the “Best Overall” butter tart and who makes “The Most Creative Filling” will be asked and answered at the Flavour Festivals Kawarthas Butter Tart Taste-Off.

A panel of judges including myself have been tasked with the difficult job of answering these questions while finding our local area’s best butter tart. This will be no easy task but I will fulfill my public service duties to our community to the fullest.

There is another category that will be awarded at this competition as well and it’s the most prestigious of all “The People’s Choice Award”.  I personally invite you to come out and discover the flavours of the Kawarthas and Northumberland County at this year’s Flavour Festival and I further challenge you to come and help us decide who makes the best butter tart in the region.

For those of you who enjoy butter tarts and their pastry I suggest you try the following recipe for Vodka Pie Crust using Kawartha Dairy Butter.

Vodka Pie Crust

Ingredients:

13 oz unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. sugar
6oz cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka that has been infused with vanilla bean
1/4 cup cold water

Method:
Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined. Add the butter and shortening and pulse the mixture until it reaches a uniform consistency. It will appear clumpy and curd-like.

Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the remaining flour. Again pulse the mixture until evenly incorporated. Turn the flour mixture out into a medium sized mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the vodka and water over mixture. Use the rubber spatula, to fold the dough over on itself while pressing down on the mixture to combine it into a slightly sticky dough mass. Divide dough in half and form it into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.