Ho! Ho! Ho! Dairy Christmas!

Dulce de leche is a Spanish version of caramel and is very popular throughout Latin America. It translates directly to, "sweet of milk". I would describe this treat as the Nutella of the Latin world. I have seen this product for sale at a number of stores, but I actually find it quite easy to make. (It actually tastes better when it's homemade!)

Begin with a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Sweetened condensed milk is basically evaporated milk with sugar added to it. It is incredibly thick and has a wonderful butterscotch colour.

Sidebar: This recipe calls for the slow heating of the condensed milk. For years, I had made dulce de leche directly in the can; a direction I know that has been followed by many Latinos. However, I have been told that heating cans in this manner can leech chemicals from the canning process into the food. This process is not advisable and therefore, I have augmented the recipe.


Proceed to transfer the sweetened condensed milk into a clean preserving jar and seal the lid tightly.

Place in the filled jar into a pot filled with water. Be sure to submerge the jar completely. Now, slowly boil the closed jar for a two hour period of time.


Note: You may need to top your pot with hot water intermittently throughout this process.

The bath is used to control the cooking temperature. The heat from the boiling water will caramelize the sugars within the sweetened condensed milk, making the liquid turn a caramel colour. You will be left with the best tasting, thick, mouth watering caramel ever!


Caution: Let the jar cool completely before opening. If you do not, the caramel will explode out, potentially causing severe burns to the skin.

Enjoy your homemade dulce de leche on:
- cakes
- muffins
- cookies
- pies
- toast
- ice cream


My absolute favourite way to savour the caramel is in the traditional dish called brevas con queso (figs with cheese).


Fig trees produce two harvests. The Spanish consider the fruit from each harvest as a separate type of fig.  The first harvest produces figs called "brevas", whereas the second produces "higos". The fruit of the first harvest is often found in a preserved form where they are submerged in a heavy syrup. This product can be found quite readily in stores catering to the Latino market.

As you can see, the brevas are completely saturated with sugar syrup, giving them a soft and tender texture.

Combine the brevas with queso fresco (fresh farmer's cheese) and your homemade dulce de leche to experience a taste that will satisfy the end of any meal.

¡Buen Provecho!

Where are my marrons glacés?

That truly was the question of the day in the movie Camille. Like Greta Garbo, if you are struggling to find marrons glacés, you may be surprised to know that you may be able to taste these delights in another form, as they may be used as an ingredient.

Panettone is a Christmas bread-cake available in food stores catering to the Italian market. Its origins are in Milan, Italy and it is normally filled with dried fruit and raisins.

I have been able to find a few brands of panettone that are made with marrons glacés instead.

The sweet loaf emits a delightful vanilla aroma. It has a slightly firm exterior that holds a soft and fluffy interior.

As you can see, there are actual pieces of the glazed chestnuts inside.

Another form in which you can find the illusive treat is in crème de marrons. Crème de marrons is a French product that is made from broken pieces of marrons glacés, sugar syrup and vanilla.

I love to enjoy the chestnut cream with fresh farmers cheese, called queso fresco in Spanish. The cheese has a mild, milky taste with a slippery and wet texture. They pair perfectly together!

For some alternative ways to savour this delight, follow the French and enjoy it with:

- crepes

- cakes

- pancakes

- ice cream

- tarts

- pies

- etc.

It's either that or go to France!

Marrons Glacés

Marrons glacés are one of my favourite Christmas time indulgences. They are glazed chestnuts that find their origins in the South of France and Northern Italy.

Ah, the South of France...

Ah, Northern Italy...

I digress.


This confection first finds itself as regular chestnuts. They are hulled, skinned, and placed into a sugary syrup. Then begins a labour-intensive, five-day process of heating, waiting, praying and repeating, to make the candied goodies.

After the process is complete, the result is a fudge-like sweet that is better than chocolate. They have a slight vanilla flavour and are delicately smooth. You definitely will not be able to stop at one.

In the Greater Toronto Area, these bad boys are very difficult to find. You can purchase them from select specialty Italian stores and gourmet food shops. However, you will be paying a pretty penny for them. The two boxes above cost me approximately $50 CAD, and were well worth the price. (Believe it or not, they are actually more expensive in Europe!)


Whether you are a guest at my home, a friend or a family member, I do not share.


Merry Chestnut! I mean, Christmas!

Heinz? Nein!

I love green tomatoes.  They are wonderful fried with a little olive oil, garlic, oregano and sea salt. I also adore them pickled, as seen below:

(My mouth is actually watering!)

I have now discovered an absolutely wonderful way of using green tomatoes; by making green tomato ketchup.

In a sauce pot, place the following:

- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

- approximately 10 (or so) cups of diced green tomatoes

- 1 chopped jalapeno pepper (seeds removed)

- 5 large cloves of garlic (chunked/diced)

- 1 chopped medium-sized white onion

- dash of peperoncino/dried red chili flakes

- dash of chili powder

- 1 tablespoon of paprika

- 1 teaspoon of turmeric

- salt (to taste)

- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Cover the sauce pot and let it cook on high in its own juices (approximately 10 minutes).

Stir the mixture occasionally. If the mixture becomes too dry, don't be afraid to put in a little bit of boiling/hot water.

Add the following ingredients:

- approximately 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (you could also use regular white vinegar)

- approximately 1/2 cup honey

Note: At this point it will smell like vomit. (I'm not kidding. The smell of vinegar cooking is absolutely disgusting.) Let it cook down with the lid on for a couple of minutes and then remove it. As the vinegar smell cooks away, the aroma will get better and, quite shortly, it will become very pleasant.

Purée the mixture in a blender or by using an immersion blender while hot.

Jar and you are done.  This recipe yields approximately 6 1/2 - 250 mL jars.

Your green tomato ketchup can be used in any way regular ketchup is used. The only difference is that the green tomato ketchup tastes like heaven blended into a sauce!

Garden Variety Goodness

Giardiniera is an Italian term used to describe pickled vegetables in vinegar and/or in oil. The word is derived from giardino, which means a garden in the same language.


If you come from a traditional Italian family or are close to any, you may be recruited to produce this product on a yearly basis. If so, you are in for a treat...and an entire day's worth of work!


The process begins by cleaning, chopping and preparing the following ingredients:
- cauliflower (we used 7 heads)
- celery
- pearl onions
- carrots
- yellow and green beans (haricots verts)
- red sheppard peppers

The vegetables are placed in a vat and are heavily salted. The mixture is set aside for 4-12 hours to allow for the water to be expelled from the vegetables. 


Olives can also be added to the mixture after this process.


Once ready, a pot with a strainer is filled with one part white vinegar and five parts water and then set to boil.

The vegetables are allowed to boil in the vinegar/water mixture for five minutes and are then strained.

While hot, dried oregano and olive oil is added to the boiled vegetables.


The mixture is then jarred with garlic placed at intermittent levels.


Hint: To prevent your garlic from turning green over time, blanch them in hot water for 30 seconds.

The jars are then topped-up with olive oil and sealed by boiling them in hot water for 10 minutes.

After all that work, you will end up with a bounty of pickled vegetables that are ready to eat.


Of course, this is a very simple version of the recipe and many variations exist. However, in my opinion, simple is often better.


Enjoy your giardiniera:
- as an antipasto (appetizer)
- by serving it with bread
- with pasta or lasagna
- over pizza or as a topping for pizza
- with curries
- as a side for meat or fish, e.g. with steak, chicken, lamb, etc.
- with hamburgers or sausages

It's Not a Quince-cidence

Quince are very firm, bright yellow fruit that you have probably seen in your supermarket. They are related to apples and pears and it is even believed that the apple, in the story of Adam and Eve, was actually a quince. (Somehow, referring to a man's "Adam's Quince" doesn't feel right.)

Most quince are extremely hard and have a sour/astringent flavour, not lending well to eating raw.  However, I have found that if they are cut thinly and small, they make a great addition to fruit salad.

Quince are quite frost resistant and will remain fresh and usable in your refrigerator for weeks.

You may find quince in a preserved form, usually in syrup. Through my experience, the fruit in this form is flavourful, but is not very appealing in its consistency or appearance.

The Solution: Easy Quince Preserve

Often, the problem with making preserves is that you have to make a massive amount, which takes a great deal of your time and tests your patience. Follow the directions below to make a delicious jar of homemade quince preserve. (That's right, only one jar!)

- Begin with peeling 3 quince

- Shred the the fruit, using a cheese grater or similar appliance, directly into a small sized pot

- Add one 100 mL container of PC Unsweetened “Just Apples” (By the way, I love this product. It contains no artificial flavours or colors and an organic variety is also available.)

- Add the following ingredients:

       - vanilla sugar* (as much as is required, depending on the sweetness

         of the fruit and your taste)

       - honey (same as previous comment above)

       - water (you may need to add water, throughout the process, if the mixture

         thickens too much for your liking or if the fruit requires more cooking)

       - 3 rounded teaspoons of fruit pectin

       - a dash of ground cinnamon

* If you don't want to use vanilla sugar, use regular white sugar and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  I would suggest not using vanilla essence (artificial vanilla flavouring), as nothing beats the real thing!

Simmer the mixture until the fruit is cooked.  Jar and you're done!  The directions above yields approximately one 500 mL jar.

Sidebar:  To make your own vanilla sugar, you basically put some granulated white sugar in a jar with a vanilla bean. You can either insert the bean whole or cut it into multiple pieces and leave it in a cupboard for use whenever you need. The natural oils and scent of the vanilla bean will permeate into the sugar et voilà, you have vanilla sugar. It lasts forever and a day. Note, separate out the bits of bean before using the sugar.

Suggestions for use:

- replace regular sugar in recipes for cakes, pies, etc.

- use it for sweetening coffee, tea or other drinks

- make jars of vanilla sugar for people as a great (and inexpensive) homemade gift