If you come here often enough, you've probably noticed that it's been an interesting month around Food, Je t'Aimée, with a number of exciting opportunities coming my way, and as a result, lots of different content! 

This post is no exception! 

Last week, myself and Kathy Jollimore of Eat Halifax! (and soon of The Record Shop) were invited down to  Chocolates by Design (1360 Lower Water Street) to check out their wares. If you haven't yet visited this chocolate-lovers haven, my goodness you're in for a treat when you do! Together, Kathy and I sampled a number of beautiful, individually wrapped chocolates, baking chocolates, and a steaming, decadent mug of milk hot chocolate.

Baking Chocos in white, milk, and dark.

My milk hot chocolate. Incredible.

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Lorne: My personal transition between the two isn’t clear, and I still consider myself a bartender. 18 years ago, I was slinging drinks in pubs, and all I knew was that I had to get drinks out fast. I think I made the trasition when I started working in hiring establishments and had more time to play around with garnishes, aesthetics, and flavours. While cooking and making drinks at Café Chianti, for example, I learned how food flavours translated into making cocktails and pairings, and learned to appreciate the undertones of the drinks I was making there. I worked my way through the line, starting as a dishwasher. I did end up taking a bartending course, eventually, but I find those courses are a mixed bag. Most places want to train you in their own way and style. I learned a lot from the course - it was incredibly useful - but I recommend taking a course after you’ve already worked as a bartender, not as a means to getting a job.

Photo by Megan Chandler. Used with permission.

A: So how did you get involved with Captain Morgan and Tall Ships?
L: I was approached by their ad agency to see if I was interested in creating a cocktail for the Tall Ships Festival this year, and I was completely honoured, considering what a big deal the festival is in Halifax. I'm one of these people who does this for a career, but genuinely loves (and geeks out about) what they do. It's all a labour of love. And truthfully, Captain Morgan Private Stock is incredible. It's a great product, so I was happy to work with it. It's a very smooth and mellow rum, with vanilla undertones. I drink it on the rocks. Can’t say that for many products!

Photo by Megan Chandler. Used with permission.

A: Walk me through the cocktails you made for Captain Morgan:
L: The first one is called "Morgan Takes Manhattan" [Recipes Below]. With the history behind the Tall Ships and this being the bicentennial of the War of 1812, I wanted one drink to reflect that history, and the Manhattan is a really old cocktail. This is my version of the classic. This is more of a formal drink you could have with dinner.
The second cocktail is called "Morgan’s Martimer." It has less to do with the festival and more to do with representing Nova Scotia in a summer drink. I used seasonal, local strawberries to make this drink nice, light, and breezy; perfect for an afternoon on a patio or a backyard BBQ.
I wanted to strike a balance with a formal drink and a light drink, so that these recipes could appeal and be accessible to everyone.

A: What do you do with people like me? Enlighten me! Turn me into a backyard bar maven!
L: You know, it all starts in the same place as when you need a new recipe for dinner: on Google!  Also, the My NSLC website has loads of bartenders and mixologists on there offering tips and recipes. There are drink ideas, centerpiece ideas, food recipes, glassware, pairing ideas... it's really a one stop shop. It's user friendly and direct.
I find the biggest mistake some people make when they begin their home bartending mission is picking up a bartending book. They can be daunting if you don’t know some of the lingo or ingredients already. Some cocktails use complicated ingredients, but if you know their flavours, you know what to substitute it with from your own cupboards. Personally, I prefer to use online resources and videos, which are more visual. The books aren’t meant to be intimidating, but really can be if you're just starting out.
For example, a book might tell you that Martinis shouldn’t be shaken, they should be stirred, because it bruises the ice. (Sorry, Bond!) Or a book will tell you to use soda water to chill your glasses first, but not tap water. Why? There are really good reason for why we do these things, and I find an instructional video tends to go into those explanations, whereas a book might assume you know and then move on. Book, video, website... just find something that explains the reasons why they are doing what they're doing.

A: At dinner parties, are you the default bartender? Do you have to mix drinks even when it's not your party?
L: I'm definitely a default bartender, but usually parties are a collective effort with chef friends. I do get phone calls for advice - from the deck, from the bar, from the liquor store - and I am a go-to guy for some friends. I don't mind, though, it's an honour and I absolutely love it. Behind 3 feet of bar, I'm happiest. The coolest thing about what we bartenders and mixologists do is that everyone wants to be around you, because it looks like such a fun job. Not all jobs are like that! I don't walk into a lawyer's office and feel that way. Just saying.

Photo by Megan Chandler. Used with permission.

A: Is mixology more an art or science, then?
L: The passionate person in me, the romantic in me, and my mom (an artist) in me thinks of it as an art. The science is knowing what flavours compliment each other, the proper mixing proportions, and how to balance acidity with sweet, etc. The science is more from a designer, executive, or management standpoint. The person at the top knows and teaches the science, while the bartenders on the floor are the art. And sometimes people bridge both.

A: What’s distinctive about your drinks, then?
L: It's a little more intangible. I put my heart and soul in everything I make. The coolest thing about what I do is that I can change a person’s night, with my mood, my service, my drink. It's a powerful thing.

A: If you had to choose just one, what's your favourite backyard/patio/BBQ drink?
L: A classic Mojito – no variations – it’s my baby.

A: Ok, so you're on your deathbed: what drink do you request?L:. A nice, full bodied red wine. It would take longer to drink than a cocktail ;)


A: Any final words?
L: Visit the My NSLC website. It's an awesome resource. I don't think it's being used to its potential because people just aren’t aware it's there.
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Given it was 10:30 in the morning, that I had to be at work by 1, and that, to my knowledge, public intoxication is still illegal, conditions weren’t ideal for – erm – taste testing. Thankfully, Lorne had recently had a fancy-pants photo shoot, so he allowed me to share these lovely shots by photographer Megan Chandler with you.

Photo by Megan Chandler. Used with permission.

Morgan Takes Manhattan
by Lorne Caborn

Photo by Megan Chandler. Used with permission.

Morgan's Maritimer

by Lorne Caborn
Ingredients
1.5 oz. Captain Morgan Private Stock
3-4 strawberries
orange juice
lemon/lime soda

Give these summery cocktails a try and let me know what you think! I know I'll be unearthing my inner mixologist this weekend and giving these inspired cocktails a try. Stay tuned!

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Spaghettini with Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Chile Crumbs

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 - Delicious components, but missing something, flavour-wise.

THE TEST

First you roast some plum tomatoes (local grocer wasn't carrying them, so opted for cocktail size) in red wine vinegar and olive oil, season them, cool them, and grate them into a rustic sauce. Crisp some bread crumbs (I used Panko flakes) in a pan with lemon zest, crushed red pepper, and olive oil. Boil some pasta until al dente. Stir fry the shrimp and combine it with the pasta and some shredded basil. Garnish it with cherry tomatoes and the Panko mixture. Lovely!

THE RESULTS

So how was it? A little underwhelming, I'm sorry to say. The shrimp were definitely a highlight: plump, juicy and and with a touch of heat from the red pepper. The Panko mixture was also a great addition, and one I'll likely use again and again. But there really was something missing. The pasta itself was a little on the dull side. The tomato sauce wasn't as zingy as I imagined it would be, though that probably has more to do with the quality of the tomatoes than the recipe. And the cherry tomatoes on top would have benefitted from being warmed in the pan, too, to get their flavours and juices going.

That said, it certainly wasn't the worst way to spend a warm, sunny Sunday evening to myself, with Ethel the cat for company and Muddy Waters creating some atmosphere. And those shrimp really made up for a lot!

For wine, the recipe recommended an unoaked Chardonnay to pair with the acidity of the tomatoes, so this Townsend Jack from the Okanagan Valley, BC was recommended to me by the people over at Harvest Wines & Spirits. I wonder if Jasmine has ever tried this wine, or Kendall from Wine2Three? Admittedly, I think I prefer the oak - taste wise - but it did pair nice and lightly with the pasta.

I'll head over to Cook That Book later today to see how Jasmine fared with this recipe. Maybe she had better luck with her tomato sauce? Or her pasta?

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As much as I love spending time in the kitchen, carefully preparing meals, life just doesn't afford me these kinds of days every day (or every week, for that matter!). I'm sure you know the feeling! We all need to rely on 'fast' food from time to time, but not the variety that conjures up images from Super Size Me.

Unless you're a guru in the ways of healthy eating, have your own veggie patch, or are blessed with a one of these fabulously creative minds who can think of endless possibilities, sometimes it's hard to find ways of eating both fast and well, especially when you're thinking and shopping on the fly. Usually the most convenient foods are, inconveniently, quite unhealthy. Prepackaged, deep-fried, jammed with preservatives, or far too many sugars or carbs, these are just some of the ways that 'fast' food is delivered to us.

Another problem? With just the two of us at home, I buy fresh produce that (more often than I'd care to admit) doesn't get used up before going bad. I could put spinach in pretty much everything, for example, because I find it's the most colourful and healthy addition to so many of our regular dishes. But no matter how many different ways I think of to use it (and use it up), without fail, some of the package ultimately gets sacrificed to the green bin gods.

Enter Cookin' Greens: A company who takes rich, vibrant greens at the peak of their freshness and freezes them for quick meal prep. Here is an excerpt from the material they sent me:

Cookin' Greens "are cut at the peak of their freshness. Our greens go from farm-to-freezer within 6 hours of harvest, locking in all of the goodness intended by Mother Nature. An innovative "quick-frozen" process captures the ultimate flavour and nutritional value found in our dark-leafy greens. Cookin’ Greens™ offers you a sensory journey that is luscious and earthy. So eat your greens and savour the wholesome flavours!"

I was lucky enough to score some vouchers to try their products - disclaimer alert - but can honestly say I will be buying their products again, and often. They solve the problem of fast; they solve the problem of healthy; they solve the problem of wastage. Three massive wins in my book.

I found my bag of Cookin' Greens at Pete's Frootique in Bedford. They were only carrying one kind - Designer's Mix - so I grabbed my loot and went on my merry way, happy with its delicious mix of collards, rapini, spinach, yellow beans, and onion.

Greens are so versatile, they can go in just about anything: in salads, in pastas, on pizzas, in rice, in grains, in casseroles... there are truly few dishes where you couldn't find some way of sneaking in some greens. I probably wouldn't want any in my Apple Pie, though. Just saying.

(Brings to mind "Pie. Seaweed Pie." Anyone on the East Coast remember that old Maple Leaf commercial?)

In any case, I saw a great recipe for Black Bean Burritos on the Cookin' Greens website, and given I'd had hankering for some over the past few weeks, I decided to halve and adapt their recipe to include some of my own favourite ingredients. Being meat-lovers, yes, we opted for the addition of lean, ground beef. Without the meat, however, they would have been perfectly stuffed and hearty on their own.

Adapted from Cookin' Greens...