A great perk of having your own business is choosing the organizations that we can support. This summer we are sponsoring two community soccer teams. Here are our daughters after opening night. Our apologies to the coaches and parents who were confused about the two Pasquale Brothers teams in the same division. One of the hazards of having twins…
We were excited to be part of Cuisine and Cuvee again this year as over 1,100 guests helped to raise $250,000 in support of Providence Healthcare. We sampled: buttery St. Andre, a triple cream from France, tangy Roquefort, a crumbly blue cheese also from France, piquant Manchego, aged 12 months from Spain and velvety Blyth’s Eweda from Ontario’s own Blyth Farm Cheese.
Guests liked being able to pair the cheese with a variety of fruit accompaniments that we had set out: quince paste from Spain, mulberry jam from Sicily, and orange and plum mostardas from Lombardy, Italy.
Upcoming Event: World Tapas Day
We will be back at George Brown College for World Tapas Day Culinary Market on Thursday, June 15th from 6:30-8:30pm. https://www.universe.com/events/world-tapas-day-culinary-market-tickets-RYWQK8
Can Bech’s Just for Cheese
We have just received in a new shipment of a favourite product, Can Bech’s Just for Cheese line. Can Bech is a family run company from Catalonia, Spain. They have a created a line of fruit spreads that they are a cross between a jam and sauce. Their five flavours, Golden Apple, Raspberry, Black Fig, Peach/Apricot and Black Grape, all pair beautifully with cheese.
Strawberries were in season while I was in Spain in late April meeting with the folks from Can Bech. I love that unmistakable smell of ripe strawberries and the switch from cool weather stews to bright spring salads – a harbinger of the warm months ahead. Here are some ideas for a spring salad that incorporates so many of my favourite tastes and textures.
Spring Salad with Strawberries, Marcona Almonds and Aged Chevre
Whisk up a simple vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, preferably a light and fruity one, like a Ligurian oil, champagne vinegar and wildflower honey.
Make your salad with ripe, sliced strawberries, baby spinach leaves and buttery marcona almonds.
Toss the salad with dressing and then use a vegetable slicer to add ribbons of an aged goat cheese, like Chevre Noir. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!