I love food and at any given time I become obsessed with a certain ingredient in my cooking or start to salivate at the thought of a specific dish.
Here are 5 food items that are rocking my world right now:
1. Roasted Coconut
I picked up a couple of bags in Maui from a guy that roasts them in a shack about half way along the Hana Highway. The coconut is toasted and has a crunchiness that makes it perfect for putting on ice-cream or yogurt. Not sure if I can find this in Vancouver but every time I taste it a reminder of Hawaii comes shining through.
2. Panko
Essentially Japanese breadcrumbs, Panko is a great way to create a light crispy topping on not only deep-fried food such as chicken but also Mac ‘N ‘Cheese and Quiche. Pretty easy to find in Asian stores and most Supermarkets, it should be a mainstay in your cupboard.
3. Pickled Onions
The English have a tradition of pickling small onions and serving them in the traditional Ploughman’s Lunch. The Tangy briny flavours are married with the onion notes and it works well with cheese ( strong Cheddar, Blues and other big cheeses) cuts of meat ( pork, dried salamis etc) and of course beer(IPAs, pale ales and Brown Ales). In Maui they do a pickled Maui onion which is more delicate due to the milder Maui Onion.
4. Mortadella
One of my favourite cold cuts made from pork , I usually go to Commercial Drive (Santa Barbara or La Grotta) to pick up a couple hundred grams. The flavour is light and yet full of flavour. Works well with lighter mustards such as Dijon as opposed to Brown or Stone Ground.
5. Liberte Coconut Yogurt
Made just outside Montreal , this very thick yogurt ( 19% milk fat) uses coconut to give it a lovely tropical note mixed in with the slightly sour Greek style yogurt base.
Be Well.
Mark