pembertonsgourmet.com

If you ask me what I have at all times in my freezer, the answer would definitely be frozen peas. Sure, I’ll get my hands on fresh peas if I can, but most of the year, that really isn’t a tangible reality. For most quick meals, having a bag of these frozen green jewels helps add vegetables to a simple pasta, or make an easy side dish, simply complemented by a little butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. Adding more vegetables to our everyday diets also seems to fit quite nicely with all these new year’s resolutions, doesn’t it? This pasta dish is garnished with crispy prosciutto and flavoured with Canadian bacon so the healthy points are not entirely there…but the delicious points definitely are.

Read more »

Just before ringing in the new year, I thought I’d look back at a few of my favourite recipes I blogged about this year. I look forward to sharing many more food stories with you in the year ahead and thank you for all your co…

There’s something about doing things at the last-minute isn’t there? It kind of gets your adrenaline going and forever reminds me of my years writing Political Science essays during college – I’ve never written so many 15 page papers overnight! And the less time I have, the more incredibly efficient I become -  does this ring a bell for anyone? I also spent last weekend in New York (my long lost love!) which threw me off my schedule in the most wonderful of ways. Here is one of my favourite photos from the trip – a whimsical moment I happened to come across.

My family flies in from Paris today to celebrate the holiday season and I’m knee deep in last-minute holiday shopping. The wrapping supplies, however, I have covered! I thought I would share an easy DIY wrapping idea – which involves washi tape and a simple candy cane.

And here’s a little glimpse of my tree this year – happy holidays!
Read more »

The holidays really seem to have taken over in our house. Although I
grew up in a half Jewish household, we’ve always had a Christmas tree –
there’s something so festive about decorating a tree, and for me it’s
just a symbol of taking the time to …

Do you remember the chocolate tarts I blogged about a few days ago? These are an easy variation to make homemade tarts that much more of a treat. Every time I see bright orange, plump persimmons at the market, I can’t help adding a few to my basket. Th…

As the holidays are fast approaching, my to-do list seems ever expanding – everyday I pin another recipe I’d like to try, or DIY project I’d love to tackle. I’m sure many of you can relate to this, but every year I wish that December was a couple of da…

This weekend was a chocolate kind of weekend and it all started with the simple desire of making homemade chocolate dough. Whenever things get hectic around me, or I feel a little ungrounded, I like to turn towards something that never fails me – like making a classic dough. No matter how many times I make it, I never cease to be amazed by the fact that a few simple ingredients can turn into a pliable, homogenous disc of perfection. When things feel uncertain or fragile the kitchen becomes — even more so than usual — my happy place. I find endless comfort in knowing that the right amount of flour, butter and sugar will always come together. This might be my cheesy moment of the week, but I’m sure you fellow baking-lovers can relate – am I right?

Read more »

Ah, breakfast.To be honest breakfast has always been pretty low on my list of favourite meals. I usually have unorthodox desires (read non-breakfast desires) that I don’t always have the time to fulfill in the morning when I’m rushing to get ready for the day ahead. I went through a Japanese-inspired phase a couple weeks ago that consisted of a bow of white rice topped with toasted sesame seeds, a nori sprinkling, sliced avocado and a drizzle of sesame oil. In a bit of a Goldilocks fashion, I seem to have trouble finding my perfect  breakfast option — the one that will keep me satisfied for the better part of the morning. Because, let’s be honest. when you work in a Test Kitchen, the last thing you want is to be overly hungry when you first walk into the office!

Steel-cut oats have solved my breakfast dilemma – for now! These golden pearls have a wonderful bite and texture, and, although they take a little while to cook, they really make a wonderful breakfast option that will keep you full for hours.

This version is sweetened using seasonal pears tossed in brown butter and cinnamon and topped with toasted almonds and a drizzle of flavourful honey. I can’t think of a better way to start the day at this time of year.
Read more »

When I hosted Thanksgiving this year, I wanted to serve an array of desserts but try to steer away from doing the classics only. This is how this delicious treat idea came about – creamy pumpkin ice cream sandwiched between two crinkled, ginger cookies. The toughest part was finding good pumpkin ice cream. If it weren’t Thanksgiving, I probably would have whipped up a homemade batch, but given the amount of food I was already making (herbed and butter turkey, wild rice and hazelnut stuffing, Brussels sprouts with pancetta, pumpkin praline tiramisu) this was an easy make-ahead dessert. I whipped up a batch of homemade ginger cookies the night before, and simply added a heaping tablespoonful of pumpkin ice cream right before serving.

The only tricky part was finding the perfect pumpkin ice cream! Il Gelatiere (one of my favourite gelato stores here in Toronto) didn’t disappoint – they had a wonderful homemade batch of the fall-flavoured goodness. And to package these, I opted for these little chevron pouches – each just fits one of these two-bite treats!
Read more »

Pretty patterns have always been on the top of my home decor love list, and I currently have a particular penchant for chevron. When things gets a little chaotic, I find solace in this predictable yet whimsical pattern. A little touch here and there is really all you need to add a little pizzazz to your kitchen space. The gold tray is gorgeous isn’t it?

Read more »