There are people out there (they know who they are!) who cannot appreciate the complex and sublime flavours of fungus because of “texture issues”. Granted, mushrooms can sometimes be a bit challenging texture-wise (read: slimy, knobbly, bumpy, spongy, etc.) but to deny oneself these earthy delights is unthinkable! So, during the wild mushroom season I tend to make a lot of soup so that even my squeamish friends and family get a chance to taste the essence of autumn.
Golden chanterelles can be 50/50 when it comes to texture. If you go picking on a good day you’ll get the dry, crisp stuff that sautés and even grills well, but after a heavy rain those same ‘shrooms will be bloated and a bit spongy. A pureed soup solves all of those pesky texture issues without losing any of the chanterelle’s flavour. Read More
Last weekend Vancouver’s spiffy new convention center played host to a veritable pantheon of celebrity chefs, food product artisans and industry professionals. For a couple bucks you could spend a couple days nibbling handmade cheeses, haggling over sous-vide machines, watching local chefs out-garnish each other and wander around tastefully buzzed on local wines. The 
This is a recipe that Hiro and I dreamed up way back in October during preparation for my Red Seal exam. I knew that I had to cook a salmon fillet in a short period of time, showcase seasonal and traditional Westcoast ingredients ‘n flavours while remaining true to my Japanese training. Nothing says Westcoast like smoked salmon, but there didn’t seem to be enough time… “Syunkon” said Hiro, meaning “moment”, “flash” or “instant” in Japanese. What if the salmon was seared first, then given a moment’s rest in a smoker? Well I’ve got a bombed-out old wok I never use, let’s see…