The wonderment of spring is abound with the landscape a prismatic collection of pollen soaked plants and cherry blossoms. The promise of possibility has helped lure us from our home and out into the great unknown, the ever-changing horizon within our grasp. May springs eternal and carries with it an abundance of hope.

Hope for new beginnings. Fresh starts. Rekindled moments.

May is also the real beginning for wedding season and celebrations, together and independently of one another. The busy summer season starts with engagement sessions amidst the backdrop of burgeoning gardens, a canvas only mother nature is capable of producing. And that’s precisely how this weekend began. With love in the air and a waterfront town to capture it all.

We met the first thing in the morning, the town sleepy and quiet save for a few birds and early risers. We walked among the store fronts and landmarks, enjoying the sights from a different perspective. From the stone-edged waterway to the bunkers of a nearly forgotten fort, we weaved in and out of all the available sights and scenes. A couple of hours and near-perfect golden light that shimmered across the lake and down main street. All while soaking in the love of two people we’ve been blessed to photograph. Not a bad Saturday.

Sunday carried a different feel to it, something it does with ease. We tackled forgotten and pushed aside projects around the house before slowing down and coming together to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We have always held a special place in our hearts for the people, culture and food of Mexico, so celebrating Cinco de Mayo goes without saying. It was home to our first vacation together, our wedding day and subsequent honeymoon.  Our own love story.

As the day drifted into the evening we reconnected over a great Mexican meal. This incredible ceviche, shrimp & chicken tortillas and a couple of glasses of a spicy margarita.  At the end of it all, a celebration or a shoot, we always end up back where we started. New season but same result. Together. Viva la spring.

Shrimp, Tomatillo and Corn Ceviche

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of medium shrimp
• 3 tomatillos, husked, washed and cut into 8
• 2 avocados, halved, pitted and chopped (plus 1)
• 2 cobs of corn, grilled and corn removed
• 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced into 1/2″ pieces
• 4 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 4 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp. garlic paste
• 1 jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded and finely chopped
• sea salt
• lime wedges, for serving

Prep:

1. Using a large mixing bowl, add in the tomatillos, 3 avocados, cilantro, half the lime juice, corn, jalapeno pepper, garlic and salt. Mix well. Cover and chill for at least an hour.
2. Peel and devein shrimp and cut into thirds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining lime juice, mango and scallion. Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for an hour, stirring occasionally.
3. When ready to serve, add the avocado mixture to the bottom of 6-8 cups and top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle a few tomatillo and avocado pieces over top with some additional cilantro. Season and serve.

My next contribution to The Boys Club  is up today. Yay for that.

Spring is officially here, although the weather may tell us differently, but some of the early signs are visible and the long, drawn-out winter is nearly behind us. I made a cocktail worthy of spring’s arrival. Fresh, tart rhubarb and a balanced sweetness just light and refreshing enough to help fight the warmer temperatures and close the chapter on the heavier, warmer drinks of winter.

For the recipe and the rest of the images for this post and refreshing and incredibly flavourful libation, please click on the link for The Rhubarb Sour . Happy Spring. Cheers!

There are a few moments in one’s life that shatter the way you see things and forever alter the way you interpret it. One of those moments happened in Mexico. The first time my soon-to-be wife and I sat down at an authentic Mexican restaurant and were liberated by the flavours of a country we had both loved for a long time. We just didn’t know how much.

The food I had mistakenly associated with Mexico was the grocery store variety of boxed tacos and packaged seasonings. For the longest time this was my only example of Mexican food. Or what I thought was Mexican food. But that changed, quickly and abruptly on our first trip together a year after we started dating.

We left the comfortable confines of the resort to experience the culture and food of the people we had quickly grown to love. I still remember the first time my wife tasted real house-made salsa and fresh chips. And the first time we had authentic tacos. It was like a bolt of lightning. The food and the people were both so incredible that we decided on a destination wedding there to share that love with our friends and family.

Ever since that first trip we both have a longing for the food of Mexico and dream about our next trip there. And every once in a while we both need a good Mexican night at home. Fish tacos, tortillas, rice, micheladas and margaritas. Anything. So we did just that. Our own little Mexican fiesta, with memories of the country that started it all for us.

From my kitchen to yours,

Michael

Shrimp Tortillas with Lime & Cilantro Slaw and a Spicy Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of medium shrimp
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 lime, juiced and zest
• 1 garlic, minced
• 8 corn tortillas
• 2 avocados, coarsely chopped (guacamole)
• 3/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped (guacamole)
• 1 small white onion, diced (guacamole)
• 1 large tomato, diced (guacamole)
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed, finely chopped (guacamole)
• 1 lime, juiced (guacamole)
• 1/2 garlic, minced (guacamole)
• 3 tsp. cumin seeds (salsa)
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped (salsa)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped (salsa)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced (salsa)
• 1 can tomatillas, drained (salsa)
• 1/4 white onion, chopped (salsa)
• 1/2 lime, juiced (salsa)
• 2 cups shredded cabbage (slaw)
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped (slaw)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (slaw)
• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar (slaw)
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise (slaw)
• 1 lime, juiced and zest
• 1 tbsp. sugar (slaw)

Prep:

1. Combine the ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, olive oil, lime juice and zest and garlic in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the shrimp and season and let marinate for 15 minutes. 
2. While the shrimp marinates, start on the slaw. Combine all the slaw ingredients in a large bowl and mix to until the cabbage is evenly coated. Season to taste. Place in the fridge and keep cool until ready to serve.
3. Make the guacamole by combining all ingredients and stirring to coat the avocado. Season to taste and keep aside.
4. Next, start your salsa verde. Toast the cumin seeds in a pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the toasted cumin seeds with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse to combine.
5. Keep your shrimp aside and warm and heat the tortillas. In a skillet over medium heat, add one tortilla at a time, cooking for one minute per side or until it starts to brown. Keep the hot tortillas in aluminum foil to stay warm.
6. To make the tortillas, start by placing the slaw on the bottom of the tortilla. Add 4 shrimp and a spoonful of guacamole. Top with the spicy salsa verde.  Repeat.
7. Serves 8 shrimp tortillas.

Spicy Michelada

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. tobasco sauce
• 1/2  x 12 ounce bottle of Mexican beer
• 1 1/2 cups clamato juice
• coarse salt & ground black pepper

Prep:

1. On a plate combine the salt and paprika. Mix. Cut a slit in a lime ridge and rub along the rim of the glass. Dip the glass in the paprika mixture. 
2. Fill each glass with ice and add the beer and clamato juice. Add the Worcestershire sauce and tobasco and season.
3. Repeat for additional drinks.
4. Serves 1.

First off, sorry that it’s been quiet around this space recently. I’m hoping to change that. Just not quite yet. But that’s because I won’t be around for a short while.

In a week we’re off for a week trip to Costa Rica to shoot our first wedding of the 2013. It’s also our first destination wedding of the year and we’re excited and anxious. Destination weddings are always a balancing act, caught somewhere between nerves and anticipation. This time is no different. So this last week is being spent getting last-minute things done and the beginning of the inevitable pack, unpack,  pack process.

The process that leads to our takeoff is well underway. Last weekend we decided to head south of the border to do some shopping for warm-weather clothes. We spent the better part of the day in and out of malls and stores. We were able to knock off most of our list though, so that’s always positive. We were utterly exhausted by the end of the trip home and crashed as quickly as we came through the door.

Sunday was more relaxed. It started off a list or two and prep for the coming week. And just as we settled in on the morning, I decided to make this for breakfast. I happen to love Sunday mornings. The rush of the weekday takes on a relaxed feel and there’s more time for a breakfast fit for a weekend. Like Eggs Benedict. Or like this. Sunday mornings eggs. It’s what I call Eggs Benjamin.

From my kitchen to yours,

Michael

Eggs Benjamin

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 1 bagel, halved
• 6 ounces of smoked salmon
• 2 tsp. capers
• 1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

Hollandaise Sauce:

• 3 eggs yolks
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Prep:

1. Start by making the hollandaise sauce. Put the lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl and add the egg yolks, whisking until frothy. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmer water, whisking eggs until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, roughly 3 minutes. Add in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, and whisk until the mixture thickens. Season and keep warm until needed.
2. To poach the eggs, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in the vinegar. Break an egg into a small dish. Whisk vigorously to form a whirlpool and slide the egg into the water. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Repeat with remaining egg.
3. Meanwhile, grill the bagel  halves and place each half on a plate, cut side up. Top with smoked salmon, capers, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce and chives.
4. Serves 2.

The Penicillin.  Today you can find my next cocktail post over at The Boys Club. Every post thus far has been an original libation, a combination of my favourite flavours and ingredients. But this time I was so intrigued by a cocktail that has made a name for itself in recent years, I just had to see what all the fuss was about. It was everything and more.

The Penicillin is a wonderful, smoky and aromatic cocktail featuring both blended scotch and single malt. It’s a modern masterpiece. It takes scotch out of the old boys bars where scotch is poured neat and men chomp on cigars. And now, scotch has a cocktail that will surely go down with some of the classics.

I’ll leave you with a few photos, but head over to The Boys Club for the recipe, additional photos and the entire story behind this cocktail.

Michael.

And so it begins. The slow and deliberate winter thaw. The sound of the swollen winter breeze, for months now our companion, has been extinguished. The birds have begun to regain their rightful place on the branches out back and have started serenading us in the morning. Spring. Her perfume is all around us.

The lull of winter is crawling to an end. After months spent harboring away in our home, the lure of spring’s charm will soon call. The pace will sharpen and test our resolve. And soon, the memories of winter will be distant. Fading into the sunset of another season passed. Ready for future moments to take hold.

Before the passing of the guard, winter will surely leave her mark one last time. And to hold you over for the last of the cold, long nights, I made this soup. Everything I want in a wintery pot of soup. It’s hearty and has great depth of flavour, it’s loaded with lots of great vegetables and beans and great stock. It’s also great to freeze. Just in case winter has different plans.

From my kitchen.

ML

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cannellini beans, soaked and drained
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large leek (white and light green parts only), diced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 cups squash, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 tbsp. fresh oregano, minced
• 4 slices of baguette

Prep:

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the leeks, carrots, celery, potato and squash and saute for 1o minutes.
2. Add the vegetable stock and 2 cups of water. Season and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in the beans and oregano and season to taste. Cook for a further 1o minutes.  Transfer half the mixture to a food processor and purée. Return to the pot and heat through.
4. Meanwhile, brush the baguette slices with oil and broil until golden brown. Rub with half a garlic head.
5. Ladle soup into bowl and place a baguette slice on top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Garnish with an oregano sprig.
6. Serves 6-8.

I have often professed my love of living in Canada and residing in a country with four distinct seasons. Each season ushers in hope and endless possibility. And with the seasons lasting but a few short months, it’s just enough time to sink into the heart of them before they vanish. Winter likes to bend the rules. And when she settles in it seems as though she’ll never leave. This is one of those winters. It started off quietly, but as the days grow longer her presence is more noticeable than ever. Fierce and harsh and no end in sight. And now I’m ready for a change.

There is one thing in particular that I love about a longer winter. Turning on the oven more times than the rest of the three seasons combined. Great slow cooked food with a deep aroma that walks through the house. That and the occasional baked good.  And on days when the weather turns for the worse, it’s the perfect opportunity to settle into the kitchen and create something deeply rich and warming.

Recently, Amanda from I am Baker contacted me about a food styling challenge she was running on her blog. Each month would feature a different blogger making and styling chocolate cake. Aside from the cake, we had carte blance on the rest of the project. We had a small budget to purchase second-hand props and style it ourselves. Last month Kristen of Dine and Dish did an incredible job with this White Chocolate Confetti Cake, way above my baking and icing grade.  I jumped at the challenge even though I knew it wasn’t in my skill set.

I’ll admit it. I am NOT a baker. The truth is I like to sit snugly in my comfort space behind a stove. Maybe it’s because cooking is a very flexible process and baking is regimented and precise. I have never been one to follow a recipe entirely, so baking a cake tested my patience. I decided to choose a recipe that I’ve wanted to make for a while and just changed it slightly to include some of my favourite berries.

Thanks Amanda for inviting me in on this challenge. It was hard but I’m so glad I did it! Now head over to I am Baker to check out my answers to some her questions and to see the rest of the images for this challenge.

Blackberry Chocolate Cake

*slightly adapted from Donal Skehan’s Swedish Chocolate Dream Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, plus AP flour for dusting
• 2 1/2 cups superfine sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 8 tbsp. sweetened cocoa powder
• 4 cups blackberries
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, for frosting
• 12 ounces cream cheese at room temperature, for frosting
• 4 tbsp. half & half, for frosting
• 3 cups icing sugar, for frosting
• 1/2 cup cocoa, for frosting
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Prep:

1.  Preheat oven to 355°F.  Grease three 9″ cake pans with a removable base. Line the bottom with a disc of parchment paper and dust with flour. Keep aside.
2. Melt the butter in a pot and remove from heat. Add in the sugar and mix thoroughly. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well each time. Add the flour and cocoa and mix until combined.
3. Pour into the three prepared pans and place in the centre of the oven, baking for 20 minutes or until the top sets but the middle remains slightly soft.
4. While the cakes bake, get started on the frosting. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter and half & half together until smooth. Add in the sugar, cocoa and vanilla and beat until well blended. Reduce speed to low and continue beating until smooth. Chill for 20 minutes.
5. To assemble the cake, place the first cake on a cake stand and spread with one-third of the frosting. Top with blackberries. Add the second cake layer, frosting again and topping with blackberries. Finish the cake with the third cake layer, spreading with the remaining frosting and again finishing with blackberries.

This is something a little different from what normally resides here. My wife and I spent some time recently styling and shooting together for a special post on both of our blogs. A styled valentine’s day shoot, for you from us. So here it is:

For additional images from the shoot, please visit my wife’s site here Wendy Alana Photography

Tonight, as I write this, winter is baring her teeth. For the last couple of years now snow, a common characteristic of Canadian winters, has been light and barely noticeable around here. While the temperatures outside have been low and cold, the big fluffy white stuff has been next to non-existent. And this winter started off the same way.  Sure, we still get some. Just not the quantity we grew up with. I’ll be honest, I love distinct seasons but I’ve come to appreciate a softer winter. But that’s changed recently.

And I’m perfectly okay with it.

As the winds gust up and a blizzard swirls around outside, blanketing a significant part of this region and both sides of the border, we are safe and warm in the comfortable confines of home. We have a fire and a show outside. People are outside shoveling in shifts, never able to fully catch up. We are not unfamiliar with winter storms, but it has been a long time since the last storm of this significance.

Even though winter doesn’t plan on exiting gently anytime soon, I know the end is near. Optimistic? Of course. And that thought alone brings me  joy and has me quietly thinking ahead to spring and summer. That and the retail stores where spring merchandise is now piling up by the truck load. And we all know that retail may be early to jump the gun, but they know what we want to know. Spring will be here soon. Don’t blink.

So with that in mind I wanted to make a cocktail fitting for the first days of spring. And valentine’s day ahead. It’s fresh and bright and flavourful. One taste and you’ll be thankful that a new season and change is upon us. Longer hours outside, the light escaping deeper into the night and the warmth of the sun replacing the frigid days we’re used to now. And a special evening spent with the one you love most.

Think mojito. But with a sweet pink spin on it.

      The Pink Mojo Tools: tall rock glass, pitcher, muddler Ingredients:

• 8 lemons, for pink lemonade
• 1 cup sugar, for pink lemonade
• 3 tbsp. grenadine, for pink lemonade
• 2 tbsp. cranberry juice
• ice cold water, for pink lemonade
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tbsp. lemon juice
• handful of fresh mint sprigs (about 3/)
• 6 ounces of rum
• 8 tbsp. blueberries
• lemon wheels, garnish
• mint, garnish

It was a busy weekend. Two planned engagement shoots on consecutive days for two winter lovestruck couples. We had been anticipating these shoots for a while now and winter had been doing her part for us. Winter, up until this point, has been rather subdued. The temperatures have hit seasonal highs and snowfall has lacked its usual muster. Of course we knew it couldn’t stay that way.

Friday night we charged and packed all of gear. A couple of camera bodies, multiple lenses, speedlights, SD cards and gear. Ready. Rested and excited, we woke up early Saturday for our commute. Only the view had changed drastically. It had snowed all night. Effectively, it was a white-out. Yet the weather, however bad, couldn’t dampen our spirits. So we drove slow and carefully to our destination a couple of hours away to meet up with the loving, infectious couple and her sister and brother-in-law. there for support and their homemade props.

The wind was crisp and cold and the snow knee-deep in parts.  But we kept on. And it was wonderful. We started at a local artisan coffee shop and enjoyed the break from the weather. The four of us walked up and down downtown taking pictures of them being just who they are. Then we made a short drive to a beautiful, hidden park where the fresh snow remained untouched. Lots of wonderful opportunities, a snow-covered gazebo, quaint bride, textured stone walls and cast iron benches riddled with packed snow. We shot for a couple of hours, our feet and legs immersed in the snow, and pushed through the boundaries. By the time we were done our fingers and toes felt partially frozen. And we were happy for the heat of the car and the slow ride home.

Sunday. The roads had improved and the snow had stopped but the temperatures dropped. Again, nothing was going to stop us. So another incredible couple drove up to meet us in our town and we spent nearly four hours in different areas capturing the beauty of who they are. Skating, coffee, graffiti, 100 foot trees, powder paint fight and lots of laughs. A beautiful morning/afternoon spent with a creative couple willing to try something new and uniquely them. More than ever, time escaped us but by the end it was safe to say we were all pretty cold and eager for the warmth of home.

It was a successful, fun-filled weekend. And although the snow and frigid temperatures were difficult to handle at times, we had the joy of spending quality time capturing  genuine people in love.  But there was also one other thing. A cake I had baked waiting at home for me to devour with a hot cup of tea was in the back of my mind. Freshly baked.  So that’s just what I did. Chocolate goodness and layers of love.

Perfect ending to another brilliant weekend. We are blessed.

From my kitchen to yours,

Michael

Chocolate Fudge & Coconut Cake

Chocolate Cake Layers:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  
• 2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2  cups flour
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups buttermilk
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups sweetened flake coconut, for topping

Frosting:

• 2 sticks of butter
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Fudge Icing:

• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Prep:

1. Start by making the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease three 8″ cake pans with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients and add them in. Add the remaining wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until well combined. Pour the batter into the three pans and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester/toothpick inserted comes out clean. You may need additional time depending on your ovens. Let the pans come to room temperature before removing the cake from the pans and placing them in the fridge.
3. Next, make the frosting. Using a large mixing bowl and an electric mixer, add the butter in. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the icing sugar until fully mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the mixer to medium and add in the vanilla, continue beating for 5 minutes or until fluffy and smooth.
4. To make the chocolate fudge, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a double boiler on the stove.  Once broken down and melted, set aside to slightly cool. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a medium bowl until fluffy. Add in the melted chocolate and beat for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and beat until everything is smooth.
5. Fill the cake layers with the frosting. With the 3 layers stacked, ice the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate fudge, smoothing as best as possible with a cake spatula. Sprinkle the coconut all around the cake, gently pressing to stick to the fudge. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Serves 6-8.