What is Lychee Fruit? How Do I Eat It? You’ve probably seen lychee fruit in the grocery store, at Asian markets, or even at your local farmer’s market. What was classified as an exotic fruit a decade ago has become decidedly more mainstream of late. The scientific name for lychee fruit is litchi chinensis, and…
How to Cook 101
How to Cook 101 is for the beginner and yet also the experienced cook. Browse the articles to find everything from the perfect roast, basic cooking methods, and unique vegetables to so much more!
Spring Vegetables, What’s In Season?
Spring is almost here!! And while everything’s waking up from winter, we’re most impatient to start eating fresh, Spring Vegetables. Farmers’ markets, farm stands, and even grocery stores are already stocking the first seasonal produce for spring. Truly, there’s already a bounty at hand. But you’ve got to move quickly. Early spring vegetables don’t last…
What is a Cucamelon? Can I Grow Them?
What is a Cucamelon? Can I Grow Them? You’ve might have already seen this unique fruit, even if you didn’t know what they are. They’re all over Instagram every summer because they look like tiny watermelons. Even though they’re called cucamelons, or melothria scabra they’re not really cucumbers and they’re definitely not melons. They’re a…
What are Fiddleheads and When Are They In Season?
Every spring, chefs in North America proudly present recipes with Fiddleheads. And with good reason, these tender delicacies are only available for a short season, for few weeks they are spring fresh (although, if you are lucky you can now get frozen fiddleheads all year round). Fiddleheads also called fiddlehead ferns or ostrich ferns. They…
What is White Asparagus?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably familiar with the spring delicacy that is fresh green asparagus, but did you know there is such a thing as White Asparagus? It’s less common than the green counterpart we know and love, but it makes an amazing addition to your spring table. What is the…
How To Toast Pine Nuts
Here is another post in our how-to series. Pine nuts are one of the most expensive nuts on the market today. Partly because they’re rare and hard to find and partly because they’re so labor-intensive to harvest. So you want to really know How to Toast Pine Nuts properly, so you aren’t wasting them and…
What is a Blood Orange? When Are They In Season?
Do you ask What is a Blood Orange? When Are They in Season? Well, we have the answers for you. Blood oranges are a fantastic winter citrus fruit with a lot of possible uses. If you’ve seen blood oranges in the grocery store but weren’t sure what made them different from regular oranges (or why…
How To Dice An Onion
One of the first things many chefs learn in culinary school is How to Dice an Onion. Dicing an onion is one of those skills that will come in very handy in the kitchen. You have to know basics like this, how to toast nuts, make a basic egg, how to remove a tomato skin…
Opo Squash, What is it and How do I Eat it?
Opo Squash or long squash, as it is often called in Canada, isn’t actually a type of squash at all but rather a gourd. Other names this unique vegetable goes by are bottle gourd, snake gourd, Tasmania bean, and calabash squash. The term Opo squash is Chinese in origin – and it is used in a…
What is Swiss Chard? What Do I Do With It?
With all the attention that kale has been getting for the past few years, it would be understandable if you hadn’t heard about Swiss chard. So you may ask What is Swiss Chard? It’s similar to kale in texture, but it’s much more versatile and has a milder flavour that many people enjoy more. If…
What is Kohlrabi? What Do I Do With It?
You may have seen kohlrabi at your local farmer’s market, grocery store, or received it in a produce or farm share box but hesitated because you weren’t sure what to do with this unique vegetable. You may ask What is Kohlrabi? What Do I Do With It? Kohlrabi can seem intimidating – it almost looks like…
Flour Arrangements! What Kind of Flour to Use And When!
Flour Arrangements! What Kind of Flour to Use And When! The grocery store has more than just all-purpose flour to offer, but if you’ve been looking at the different types and wondering “when would I use that?” this post is here to help. While all-purpose flour is a pantry staple for a reason and should…