A morning at Sheldon Creek Dairy

I love dairy products. There I said it. I am so thankful I am not lactose intolerant because I am not sure what I would do without milk, cheese and yogourt in my life. So you can imagine my delight when I was doing a sampling one day at Roast and at the table next to me Marianne from Sheldon Creek Dairy was sampling her delicious milk and yogourt. How could I resist when she asked me if I would like to taste their chocolate milk? And boy was I glad that I didn't. It tasted like the milk that used to get delivered to our door in glass bottles when I was a kid. Just one sip and it was like I was transported back in time. 

A couple of weeks ago, friends of mine agreed to go on a little road trip with me to Loretto; home of Sheldon Creek Dairy. I was intrigued to learn more about this wonderful farm and the milk that they produce.

Marianne met us in their farm store and the tour started with some rubber boots and a hair net. ;) She showed us the area where the magic happens (where the milk gets pasteurized), to the bottle washing and filling stations and then my favourite part - we got to meet the cows.

I am almost certain that in a past life I was either a farmer or a veterinarian because I get downright giddy on a farm. When I visit my sister's farm in Alberta the first thing I want to do (after spending time with her, my brother in law and nephew of course ;) ) is to get outside and walk around the farm, check in on the barn cats and see the cows.

Marianne's family dairy farm has 50 cows who get to listen to music while they are being milked, they graze on crops grown right on the farm and each cow has a name and damn were they cute.

Sheldon Creek Dairy started making white milk and the reason their milk reminded me of the milk from my childhood is because it is not homogenized. This allows the cream to rise to the top and gives you that full bodied milk that tastes fresh from the farm.

Then they introduced their chocolate milk. Marianne explains that the chocolate milk took about 30 different recipes to get it right. They needed the chocolate and sugar to mix perfectly. So it took a lot of experimentation, ultimately deciding on raw cane sugar and dark chocolate versus milk chocolate. Once you try their dark chocolate milk you will be spoiled forever. It tastes like a fudgesicle in a glass ;). In addition to their white and chocolate milk, they seasonally have strawberry milk available and I have been told it flies off the shelves. I can't wait to give it a try.

Marianne said something while giving us our tour that really stuck with me "They want to be a part of the community, not just a product of the community." And you can tell this is true. As we were in the farm store concluding our visit, customers were coming through the door and not only was Marianne greeting them each by name, she generally had their purchase prepared for them before they even made it to the door. Talk about customer service!

But don't just take my word for it. On June 14th you can head up to their farm yourself for their annual day on the farm. You can take the tour, meet the cows and taste their delicious products first hand. The day on the farm goes from 10am - 4pm and the best part is that it is FREE. But be sure to bring a buck or two because you are not going to want to go home empty handed ;)

Gardening - A lifetime of learning

I love this time of year. Finally the snow has melted and even though this particular spring is cooler than I might like, the buds are starting to appear on the trees, the tulips are popping up and my tomato plants are getting ready for hardening off.

When my husband and I bought our house almost 5 years ago, I had very little experience with a vegetable garden, but I knew I wanted one. I wanted to taste carrots like the one's I would pull up from my nona and my aunt's garden, I wanted to sit on my front porch and shell peas and I wanted to know that what I was eating was pesticide free and grown right in my own yard.

In our first summer we just kind of planted things and hoped for the best. There was no plan and between the two of us - no gardening experience. We had some hits and we definitely had some misses. Our tomato plants grew like crazy, so much so that they broke the stakes we had set up and they bent over from the weight of their yield. But even though they looked a mess, we got so many tomatoes that I had frozen tomatoes in my deep freeze that lasted us until spring.

Fast forward 4 summers and I can tell you that I have learned a lot over the past 5 years, but as Grandma Betty puts it 'A garden is a lifetime of learning'.

But no matter how many mistakes I make in the garden, I never feel like I have had a failure. It always just feels like I learned something 'not' to do the following year. Even with no experience we decided we wanted to grow everything from seed. I was thrilled to discover Cubits at a Seedy Saturday at Evergreen Brickworks. Laura was informative and patient with my endless list of questions. Where the garden is concerned I just throw caution to the wind. If it doesn't work this year, I will learn from my mistakes and try again next summer.

The garden also gives me the freedom to experiment with my preserving. Last year I had a bumpercrop of cucumbers. We had more cucumbers than we could eat even when we shared with our families and our neighbours. Several great things came out of that bumbercrop - Manitoba Pickles and Honey Beer Pickles just to name a few.

The year before our tomato plants were very late to ripen and I had a huge amount of green tomatoes that I knew would go to waste with the first frost - this led to an afternoon in the kitchen and jar after jar of Pickled Green Tomatoes.

This year we are planting broad beans and peas for the first time so once again I will be a novice and will learn a few more things about what it takes to make a garden grown. I hope you all have luck with your garden this summer!

This post is part of The Canadian Food Experience, it began June 7 2013. As we share our collective stories through our regional food experiences, we hope to bring global clarity to our Canadian culinary identity.

How to cut an onion without ruining your mascara

Onions always make me cry. Like not just one glistening tear in the corner of my eye, but the kind of cry where if you walked into the kitchen you would think I had just cut off my finger or lost a loved one. Tears stream down my face, my eyes burn and my nose starts to run. It is not a pretty sight or a fun experience.

It wouldn't be such an issue if I only cooked with them occasionally, but when your business makes Onion Garlic Jam and you are cutting 100lbs of onion in one afternoon, it tends to get rather annoying. And yes, annoying is the perfect word to describe the experience.

I am not a trained chef, so my knife skills have been learnt from watching others and hours spent cooking and preserving.

So I asked Chef Cheryl Torrance to come to the Manning Canning kitchen several week ago and provide myself and my staff with a knife skills lesson. Initially I trembled when she said we would be starting the lesson with onions - my nemesis, but in a few short minutes I was literally in shock. I was cutting onions and NOT crying.

STEP ONE: Start by cutting the 'outtie' end of the onion off and creating yourself a flat surface to work with

STEP TWO: With the onion standing up on it's flat end (the one you just cut off), proceed to cut the onion in half and lie it down on it's larger flat surface

STEP THREE: Cutting away from yourself, cut halfway through the onion stopping about an inch from the end

STEP FOUR: Proceed to cut the onion in 1/2" strips or to the size that you would like your diced onions to be once completed

STEP FIVE: Working with your nice flat surface so the onion isn't rolling around on your cutting board, begin to cut the onion to your desired size.

STEP SIX: When you get to the point where there is not enough onion left to cut comfortably, simply tilt your onion so the largest flat surface is against the cutting board and continue to chop

STEP SEVEN: Stand there amazed staring at the diced onion on the cutting board and relish the fact that you didn't bawl, that your eyes aren't burning and you didn't need to use a single kleenex while you cut your onion.

Thanks again to @chef_inked for the fabulous tutorial. You have changed my relationship with onions forever

The Chef Series: PB&J Ice Pops

One of the questions I get asked the most when I am talking with customers at markets, shows or even in-store sampling days is this "How would I use this product". I always answer with one of the many ways that I integrate my products into my cooking and recipes, but decided to reach out to some very talented chefs and creators that I know to see what they would come up with if they were given the product to spend some time with.

For the first post in this series, I reached out to Sanober Motiwala. Some of you may already know Sanober, but for those of you meeting her virtually for the first time, you may want to bookmark this page because you are going to want to taste her fabulous creations this summer. She is the owner and ice cream magician behind the company Sweet Sammies. And I speak from first hand experience when I say her sammies are wonderful. They were my breakfast at almost every Withrow Park Farmer's Market last summer (she says as she shamefully hides her face in her hands).

PB&J Ice Pops - guest post by Sanober Motiwala

Photo courtesy of: Sanober Motiwala 

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Manning Canning last summer at a couple of local farmers’ markets where both of us sold our wares. I quickly became a fan of Christine’s products, especially the rotating selection of jams and jellies. Imagine my delight when one day she casually suggested collaborating to prepare a Sweet Sammies product utilizing her jams. The result was our bestselling PB&J ice cream sandwich – two slices of vanilla buttermilk cake with a peanut butter ice cream and swirls of Manning Canning jam in between.

This ice pop is an adaption designed to be made at home with pantry essentials. The best part: no specialty equipment required!

Photo courtesy of: Sanober Motiwala 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Manning Canning Grape Jam

• 1/3 cup Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy, whatever strikes your fancy)

• 1 & 1/3 cup Whole Milk (can be substituted with cream or skim milk depending on desired richness)

• 1/4 cup Sugar

• 1/4 cup Water

Recipe

• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat until all the sugar has dissolved.

• Blend together the “simple syrup” (sugar-water mix you just made) with the PB and 3/4 cup milk. Pour up to a third of the way into popsicle molds, using up half of the PB mix. Small reusable plastic food containers, drinking glasses, and cups work well as alternatives to popsicle molds. Freeze for about one hour. Place the remaining PB mix in the refrigerator.

• Whisk together the remaining milk with the grape jam.

• Remove the molds from the freezer, and pour the grape jam mix in next, about two-
thirds of the way up in the molds. This is a good time to insert a popsicle stick or chopstick in, anchoring it in the semi-frozen PB mix so it stays upright. Freeze again for about one hour.

• Remove the molds from the freezer and top up with the remaining PB mix. Freeze for at least four hours.

• To unmold the ice pops, remove the molds from the freezer. Run them under hot water. Slowly pull the popsicle stick or chopstick out of the mold, and the ice pop should slide out with it. If you used a cup or glass without a popsicle stick, serve the dessert in that cup with a spoon.

Makes 5 ice pops

Photo courtesy of: Sanober Motiwala 

Rhubarb Recipe Round-up

About 2 weeks ago the weather tricked us into thinking that spring had arrived. The temperatures began to climb and people started to rub their eyes and crawl out of the spaces they have spent the winter hibernating in. For me, that was most certainly our basement parked right next to our wood burning stove.

During one of these milder days, I did a lap around my garden. It is not a very large garden so the lap didn't take all that much time. But during perhaps the second lap, my spirits were buoyed by the fact that I saw the first glimpses of my rhubarb plants pushing up through the soil.

Very shortly after that discovery, the weather dipped quickly, dropping back down below zero and mother nature decided to bless us with yet another snow fall. Sigh. I quickly ran back down to the basement and parked myself right next to the wood burning stove.

My next lap around my garden was just after the snow once again FINALLY melted. Where had my rhubarb gone? It had slipped back down under the soil waiting for warmer temperatures. Can't say that I blame it -it didn't have a wood burning stove to warm up beside.

But ever since that first sign of my rhubarb plant, I have been tasting fresh rhubarb like a mirage in my mind. And I find it difficult to remain patient. Hurry up Rhubarb, I want to scream from my bedroom window each morning in an effort to coax it along.

If you are as anxious as I am to see your rhubarb in full bloom here are some recipes for you to ponder as we all wait patiently together for spring to completely arrive.

Pineapple Rhubarb Jam - the combination of pineapple and rhubarb is a fresh combination that I think sounds like a great alternative to the tried and true Strawberry Rhubarb.

Straight up Rhubarb Jam - while rhubarb pairs beautifully with so many different flavours, it truly does stand well on it's own. This simple recipe only requires 2 ingredients...how easy is that?

Pickled Rhubarb with Ginger - this is a flavour combination that has my tastebuds delighted just at the thought. Just imagine the amazing 'pop' these would add to a summer salad.

Rhubarb Cordial - fast forward to the middle of June when you are sitting outside on your front porch, in your back yard, at the cottage or even just in your kitchen. The sun is beating down and you need something to quench your thirst. Well, this ought to do it!

Stewed Rhubarb - if you are like me and happen to plan ahead for what you will preserve now so that you are surrounded by your favourite flavours all year round, this recipe is perfect. But please note it requires a pressure canner.

The man behind the preserves

Almost a year ago, I left my full time marketing job to pursue Manning Canning full time. It was a big decision and one that I did not make lightly. Nor, did I make it alone. My husband James had been telling me for months that it was time to move past marketing and give Manning Canning the chance that it deserved. But I was full of reservations and questions. But with his support, I finally pushed those reservations aside and found answers to the questions I needed.

Well almost a year into this wonderful adventure, it is time for me to give props to the man that gave me the courage to do it.

Not only did he help me transition from standing on the edge of the cliff - to finally having the gumption to jump, but he has played an important part in Manning Canning's success.

He may not be in the kitchen helping me make preserves or be a part of the day to day management of the business. But he is the man behind the preserves. He helps me navigate complicated situations and he is my sounding board. He has allowed my business to take over rooms in the house. He has been understanding when during the summer I am just a blur that runs through the house in between kitchen days, farmer's markets and shows. He helps me load the car, unload the car, carry HEAVY boxes of preserves up and down stairs and you may even have seen him standing under the tent with me at a farmer's market or two. Even when the wind is blowing and the rain is streaming down.

James has been the unseen hero of Manning Canning and for that I am naming him:

Volunteer of the Year. 

Interview with Alberta Farmer - James Heitzman

It's hard to believe that with 90 head of cattle and 720 acres of acres of land, that James Heitzman considers himself a small farmer. But it's true - compared to some of the large scale farming that happens in Alberta, James' farm is small. It's so small that it doesn't even have a name. Or could it be it doesn't have a name because James has no time to think about pesky little things like marketing? Whatever the reason, James is one farmer you are not going to be able to find with a quick Google search, but you will wish you could after you read this post.

On their combined 720 acres, James and his dad grow canola, wheat, barley, oats and hay for the cattle. When asked, Why the variety in crops if you consider yourself such a small farm?, he didn't even hesitate with the answer "We rotate our crops to cut down on things like disease. If you seed canola from year to year on the same land you risk bringing disease into the crop". He went on to explain how hay puts nitrogen back into the soil, which cuts down on the need for fertilization and fertilizer costs money. When you are small, you need to think about how you spend every penny "Take care of the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves", says James.

When running a small farm, James tells me that if he can get 50 bushels to the acre and keep his costs down and his product top quality, he would much rather do that than get 70 bushels to the acre with higher costs and poorer quality. And rotating his crops is just one of the many things that allows him to do just that.

James got into farming at a very early age. His dad was (and still is) a farmer and his grandpa raised cattle. His grandpa used to buy orphaned cattle and feed them by hand. They were called 'pailbunters' and James says they were more like pets. When he turned 18, James had managed to save $10,000 and with that money he bought himself 10 head of cattle and he has never looked back. Now it's his full time SECOND job. Oh, didn't I mention that James also works full time at the Edmonton International Airport.

That's right, James puts in a full time work week, usually working 4 days on and 4 days off. But even when he is on, he comes home from work and can put in an additional 5 hours, especially when they are haying or calving. He says that a lot of small farmers have second jobs; some have gravel trucks or are welders, etc all because it's too hard to support a family with a farm alone.

When I asked him why he does it, his answer was simple "Because I love it" and there was no hesitation. Raising cattle helps offset the cost of raising a family, but it doesn't come without it's sacrifices. During calving season, James and his wife Yvonne tend to take turns sleeping on the couch so that they can go out every 3-4 hours during the night (sometimes in bitterly cold temperatures) to check on the cattle. And they do it without complaint. "It's a hard life, but it's a good life. We enjoy the family farm lifestyle and are happy for the values it has taught Harley (their son). He understands the value of food and where it comes from."

I asked James why he thought Alberta Beef was so darn good and this is where he got a little too technical for this farming novice ;). He listed a lot of reasons; Alberta Beef is grass fed, a lot of Alberta farmers raise Angus cattle which are born smaller, get up and feed faster, tend to be smaller with better cuts.

But James just doesn't know a lot about farming, to be a good farmer you also have to keep abreast of what's happening around the world and James does just that. He explained to me how Canadian farmers have a hard time competing with countries like Australia and Brazil who can feed their cattle grass all year long and don't have to supplement their feed with hay. You see - grass is cheap and keeps the cost of raising cattle down. We talked at length about how a lot of the smaller grain terminals have closed down, which puts additional pressure on the small farmer because the remaining terminals cater to the 'big guy' with larger yields. Bumpercrops of grain in other countries drives down the price of grain in Canada. It's a constant shifting of variables and then you throw disease, illness and weather into the mix and it's amazing James gets any sleep at all.

The one question I really wanted an answer to when I was speaking with James was this "What's the one thing you wished more people understood when it came to farming" and his answer really resonated with me. "Lots of people don't understand where the food they eat comes from."

I couldn't agree more with this simple statement because it is true. If people would sit down and look at that loaf of bread on their table and think about all of the work that it took to get it there, from the farmer that took the time to grow it, to the work it took to get it off the field, to the baker who put it all together and made the loaf itself, they might better understand it's true value.

We spoke a bit about the 'farm to plate' movement taking place right now and while James knows it could be good business for his farm, he also mentioned that a lot of small farmers just simply don't have time to look at new opportunities, get involved with social media or really market their product well. I guess that's what happens when you have two full time jobs.

The small farmer may face a lot of challenges, but James doesn't think they are going anywhere. They may be small, but it has also forced them to be more resourceful and to do more with less. As a small farmer he believes you take more pride in what you are doing because you aren't doing it for money, but because you genuinely enjoy it. He knows he is not going to get rich off farming, but says it is just a part of who he is.

My husband and I buy a half a side of beef from James' farm on a yearly basis and every single one of our dinner guests who have been lucky enough to have us share it with them can attest to the fact that it is some of the best beef they have ever tasted.

It's important to know where our food comes from and I am thankful for small farmers like James Heitzman.

This post is part of The Canadian Food Experience, it began June 7 2013. As we share our collective stories through our regional food experiences, we hope to bring global clarity to our Canadian culinary identity.

Lemon Honey Vanilla Bean Jam

Huge thanks to Lindsay Zaraska, a Manning Canning facebook fan for sharing her lovely story and even lovelier sounding recipe for Lemon Honey Vanilla Bean Jam. 

LEMON HONEY VANILLA BEAN JAM - GUEST POST - Lindsay Zaraska, Edmonton, AB

I've been on a total lemon and vanilla kick lately. Probably because it reminds me of spring, and here in Edmonton, it feels like spring is never going to arrive, so I've been trying to replicate it through food. So far, I've made pavlovas with lemon curd, berries and vanilla bean whipped cream as well as lemon and vanilla bean trifle. 

I was on holidays earlier this March in Phoenix, AZ staying at my parents house. They had a fridge full of lemons off their friends tree and I couldn't get enough of them! They're not like the ones you buy in the store, and they're not like Meyer lemons either. They're super sweet and mild. You could eat the fruit like an orange.

Once I got home, I found out that most of the time, you can take lemons across the border. From what I gather, it's pretty much at the discretion of the border crossing agent. So I tasked my mother with bringing lemons home, and it worked!

I sweetened this batch of lemon vanilla bean jam with honey. I used a thick, creamed style raw honey from a friends uncle who has bees in Saskatchewan. I buy it by the gallon, so I had plenty on hand for this project.

I have 6 of the lovely lemons left, so I think I will make a second batch, perhaps adding some pomegranate juice as well, for a nice pink colour.

I based the jam off of this recipe.
http://www.gardenbetty.com/2012/03/lemon-honey-jelly-and-an-accidental-syrup/
 

Lemon Honey Vanilla Bean Jam

1 cup of lemon juice, strained of any pulp (about 6 lemons worth, measured after straining)

3 cups of honey

2 vanilla beans, split down the center

zest of half a lemon

1 pouch of liquid pectin (I used Certo)

In a large pot, combine the first 4 ingredients and over medium heat, bring them to a hard boil stirring constantly for two minutes. It really bubbles up and expands, so please use a big pot! Add in the full pouch of liquid pectin and stir thoroughly to combine. Return the mixture to a full boil and boil for one minute. Turn off the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle into previously  sterilized jars leaving 1/4" headspace and process for 10 mins. 

I think it worked perfectly! It's got a nice jelly consistency, albeit a little on the loose side, but that's how I like it.

I'm sure the jam will taste just as good with conventional lemons, it will probably just have a little more zing and tartness.

Lime Cilantro Marmalade - an award winner

I have been kind of quiet for these past few weeks. There were a combination of factors that led to this silence. Let's start with the most obvious; winter. Yes, I am afraid I was wintered out. The below average temperatures and the dull grey sky and the snow had rendered me without words.

The second thing that kept me from my computer is the sad fact, that three weeks ago we had to put our big ol' beautiful Bull Mastiff 'Betty Boo' down. The loss of her really stole all my energy. It was a struggle just getting used to how quiet our house now is and to be honest, I couldn't face sitting down and talking about it or even worse - not talking about it and acting like everything was normal on this side of the fence.

The last contributing factor is that my husband and I decided almost over night that we had to escape the house and this never ending winter and we booked a last minute trip down south. We spent a week lounging in the sun, snorkelling, eating, reading our books and trying to put some distance between the lack of Betty Boo and ourselves.

So now we are back and on a somewhat sunny Sunday I find myself sitting here looking at the cilantro that has been growing from seed on my windowsill and I feel inspired and once again full of words. It is going to be a slow recovery, but we will just take it one step at a time ;).

Last year, I was experimenting in the kitchen making some lime marmalade, which is one of my favourites (there are so many) and I wanted to create something sweet that would be tasty in a fish taco but that wasn't salsa. Out of this day in the kitchen, lime cilantro marmalade was born. This won a 2nd place in Mad for Marmalade and I knew I had a winner.

Photo credit: Sarah B. Hood

Lime Cilantro Marmalade (2nd place winner at Mad for Marmalade)

Ingredients

1 cup of lime peel zest

1 cup water

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (strained)

1 cup water

2 1/2 cups lime segments

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

5 cups sugar

1 - 3oz liquid pectin

2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

Instructions

In a bowl combine the 1 cup of lime zest with 1 cup of water and stir to cover zest completely. Soak for 10-15 minutes, drain and discard the water.

In a medium sized pan, combine the peel with the strained lime juice and add 1 cup of water. Using medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat once a boil has been achieved, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime segments and lime juice. Cover and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove the cover, stir in the sugar and continue to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Return the heat to medium-high and stirring constantly, bring the contents to a full rolling boil. Stir in the 3oz of liquid pectin and return to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove your pan from the heat and skim off any foam.

Quickly stir in the cilantro and allow the marmalade to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle your marmalade into previously sterilized jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe the rims and threads and apply lids and screw rings. Process in a 200F water bath for 10 minutes.

Yields approximately 6 - 250ml jars

The 25 minute raspberry tart

In times of stress - I bake. Mostly because in times of stress I want to stuff my face with anything that is sweet and can make me feel better even for a moment. This past week, I have made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, breakfast bars and now this - the 25 minute raspberry tart.

This tart is especially dangerous because it literally only takes 25 minutes from the moment you stand up out of your chair to walk to the kitchen to start making the tart - to the moment you return to that very same chair with the warmed tart, fresh out of the oven, in your hand. Trust me - I timed it!

I don't want to get bogged down in the 'why am I so stressed' conversation, because we are here to talk about tarts, but I feel like a little history is required so you can understand how we ended up here with raspberry jam and frangipane being licked off my fingers at a rate that is surprising even to myself.

For the past month, my bull mastiff Betty has been in a fight for her life. It started off with a breast cancer scare - which turned out to be benign. We thought 'whew, that was a close one' and then a few days later she slipped on the ice and hurt her front elbow. Fast forward 2 weeks and we are still having to carry her outside, she is only able to put the slightest amount of pressure on her leg and the vet is telling us we are approaching the end of the road.

S-T-R-E-S-S.

So I turn in moments like this, to things that give me comfort. My mom used to fill the house with the scent of fresh baked bread, homemade raspberry jam, our deep freeze was always full of cookies she had made and her cinnamon buns to this day still haunt my dreams with their deliciousness.

I knew I was looking for the ultimate 'nostalgic comfort sweet' and what better way to get there than to bake something using raspberry jam - which has always reminded me of home, of my nona's garden and of summer (which we all need a reminder of at the moment).

Please note that below, I say the Double Devon cream is 'optional'. I don't really mean it ;). It absolutely should be included, but let's just assume you don't have a jar in your fridge at all times (not saying that I do), the tart is still delicious on it's own.

The 25 minute raspberry tart (adapted from a recipe by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients

12 frozen tart shells

1 egg

1 cup flax meal

1/2 cup granulated sugar

7 tbsp unsalted butter

Zest of one large orange

English Style Double Devon Cream (optional)

1 tbsp of brandy vanilla extract

Good quality raspberry jam

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 and get your tart shells out of the freezer and place on a cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the egg, flax seed meal, sugar, butter, orange zest and brandy vanilla extract and stir thoroughly.

Add a small dollop of the egg mixture into the tart shell, layer a small dollop of raspberry jam and repeat one more time.

Place in the oven and cook for 18 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from oven and serve with a little bit of English Style Double Devon Cream.

This post is part of The Canadian Food Experience, it began June 7 2013. As we share our collective stories through our regional food experiences, we hope to bring global clarity to our Canadian culinary identity.