Category Archives: Dips and Spreads

This is the last of the dishes from Popular Foods of the 80s. I hope you have enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Remember that this is just one of hundreds of cheese ball options. As mentioned in the first post, cheese was everywhere and appetizers were a way to offer more freedom of choice, […]

Appetizers and casseroles were all the rage in the 1980’s which must have pleased Kraft as many used cream cheese as a binder. It was a happy happenstance, when the day after class I took a friend to lunch and a variation of this dip was on the menu. It had no artichoke and was […]

Over the past two days I have shared some black currant recipes that I had been playing with over the long weekend. The jelly and curd left me with cooked berries that were definitely still useful. This post is all about what other options are available for the left over mash. Black currants grow locally […]

A fruit curd is a usually tangy, sweet spread used in cakes, on scones, for tarts and pies and as a topping on ice cream, pancakes or waffles. Lemon curd is probably the most well known flavour. Lemon meringue pie, began as lemon curd topped with a meringue. Black currants are another tangy fruit, currently […]

As summer comes to an end there is still time to enjoy the last of the orchard fruits (and get some really good deals!). There can also be the issue of what to do with it all! Being the recipient of a goodly supply of ripe nectarines, I made several calls and spent a lovely […]

Garlic Day was April 19th and I didn’t get this post completed in time but this nut spread is still a tasty addition to your treasure chest of recipes. It is easy to double the mix for special occasions and guests but in this house, with only two people, these amounts work well for us. […]

The first of the chives are ready in my garden and along with a few warmer days, this quick and easy appetizer will be perfect while enjoying some time in the sun. Don’t turn away if you are not a fan of bacon because leaving it out and upping the nuts and fresh herbs is […]

Mabon is a recent addition to the wheel of the year. Although the name comes from a Welsh God, there is evidence that this celebration was not originally Celtic. Mabon ap Modron and Modron were possibly deities from earlier legends. Mabon means “Great Son” and together this mother-son pair reflect similar aspects of the Demeter-Persephone […]

I chose lemon verbena, stinging nettle and rosemary for this Imbolc cheese. If you can’t find all on any one list of Imbolc herbs, it is because I picked and chose, based on what I had readily available and my intentions. The word Imbolc/Imbolg is from the Gaelic for “in the belly” and speaks to […]

Hummus is a tasty spread made from chickpeas with ground sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Originally from the Middle East it is now also popular in North America.  The other day I was teaching a “Playing with Herbs” class and we whipped up a batch along with some fresh dill mayonnaise and some […]