Compliments - Inspired.ca

inspired ideas
food buzz
Food and drink news
you can really use
Entertaining advice
from our Food Editor,
Bonny Reichert
Q: I’d like to host a casual New Year’s
Eve get-together. any ideas?
Ingredient Spotlight:
Chestnuts
Roasting chestnuts on an open fire isn’t just the stuff of Christmas carols. Chestnuts are
in-season from September to January, and can be easily roasted at home, even if you don’t
have a fireplace. Preheat your oven to 425 o F (220 o C); score the flat side of the shell, then
roast on a baking sheet, flat side up for about 20 min. Chestnuts can also be boiled or
puréed. Use them to add depth to creamy soups and sweetness and texture to dressings.
When buying, look for firm chestnuts that are plump with unblemished shells. Keep
unshelled nuts in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate shelled nuts in a covered container.
Try it: Get our Sausage, Chestnut & Onion Dressing recipe on page 33.
Etiquette Tip:
You’re serving a rich, hearty stew and a dinner guest shows
up with a bottle of crisp white wine in hand. Don’t feel obliged
to serve it that night – it is a gift, after all. Simply thank them
and let them know you’ll save it for a special meal in the future.
stunning starter
We love using Sensations by Compliments Flatbreads
to make quick and elegant appetizers. Available
in Original, Multigrain and Three Cheese, they’re
completely versatile. Try the Original as a base for a
smoked salmon appetizer: warm the flatbread slightly
and dress with sour cream, smoked salmon, a few
leaves of Compliments Italian Salad Blend and a drizzle
of olive oil and lemon juice. Or heat the flatbread and
cut it in triangles for scooping up chunky dips.
Try it: Get our Caramelized Onion, Pear & Brie
Flatbreads recipe on page 31. Check the back of the
package or visit compliments.ca for more recipes using
these flatbreads.
new
Sensations by Compliments Three
Cheese Flatbread, 275 g, $2.97
A: Definitely! Instead of a sit-down meal,
I would bring out a series of nibbles, which
is more fun and casual. I love to make my
own pizza cut into small wedges (the trend
these days is to focus on a great crispy
crust and pitch-perfect tomato sauce
instead of exotic toppings).
For a festive drink, start the night
with our Cranberry Gin Fizz on page 29;
to toast, try an inexpensive bottle of
sparkling white wine jazzed up with a
spoonful of puréed raspberries. Later
in the evening, bring everyone together
around a big fondue pot – cheese or
meat – and I guarantee the night will
end on a high note!
Q: Are there any simple food trends
I can tap into over the holidays?
A: One trend that’s perfect is the move
toward combining interesting flavours,
especially sweet and savoury. To impress
your family and friends, try the exciting
flavour variations for our Chocolate Truffles
on page 22 – the Red Hot Truffles are
especially delicious!
another idea that has been big for a
while are charcuterie platters (a platter
made up of a variety of interesting cooked
meats and pâtés). They’re perfect for
holiday entertaining because you can
assemble them in the morning and
refrigerate until just before your guests
arrive. Aim for a selection of meats, such
as salami, prosciutto or serrano ham, as
well as a pâté or two. Serve with some
crusty bread, mustard and small pickles
and you’re set.
14 Inspired | winter 2009