OCTOBER

“I wish that every day was Saturday and every month was October.”

Charmaine J. Forde


Hello fellow leaf peepers! Your month has arrived. Yes, many of us are sad that sandals, shorts and short sleeves will go into hibernation for the next few months. However, some of us are happy to slip into a cozy sweater and fall footwear and get onto a local trail for an extra sensory activity. Spectacularly coloured trees, the crunch and rustle of leaves underfoot and maybe the smell of a wood burning fire can’t help but lift your mood. Wouldn’t it be nice to return home to a long-simmered stew or pot of soup on the stove? Or how about the aroma of an apple pie or crisp or something laden with cinnamon hot and aromatic out of the oven? October is a time when we drift back inside and reacquaint ourselves with our ovens. Turkey time is here (if that’s your tradition) but even if it’s not it’s a great time to share any kind of meal and take the opportunity to reflect on all the things we are grateful for. Too many for me personally to list here but I would be remiss if I didn’t say I was grateful to be a small business owner in the town I live in and love, to work with people I care about and to have the privilege of contributing to and being part of my community. Our store Anniversary is October 9th! THANK YOU for keeping me here for 15 Years!!

What's for dinner for Thanksgiving at the Passionate Cook's Essentials

 If a giant turkey of your own is not on the menu, we will be offering :

 Turkey Breast Roulade with stuffing and Gravy

Sides sold separately:

Broccoli and Cauliflower in cheese sauce

Sweet potato mash with pecan crumble

Cranberry sauce


What’s on in October:

Wednesday, October 9th – Happy 15th Anniversary to us and

Saturday, October 12th – Grab your cheese boards, Wine, Prepared Foods or other entertaining requirements

Sunday, October 13th – Thanksgiving – CLOSED

Thursday, October 17th – BIA Ladies Night. We are having a Cheesapalooza! We will have a Fondue and Raclette for you to sample

Thursday, October 31st – Halloween – pick up something from our freezer so you can focus on those trick or treaters!

Holiday Shopping (yes we’re already going there…)

We are planting a seed now and hope you will think of us for your upcoming holiday shopping needs. Of course we cannot compete with Amazon or the big box stores but we like to think we can absolutely hold our own when it comes to personal service. We REALLY care about our customers and try to take the time to talk to them and do our best to help fulfill their needs. So… stay tuned and come along for our holiday ride! (not a literal ride… there will be no ponies or anything in store…)

COFFEE PEOPLE…we are here for you

If changing light levels means you need to elevate (or resurrect) your caffeine levels, we have a new batch of our signature blend Passionate Cook’s coffee beans, along with Café Culture pour-over carafes.  Not to mention a full complement of beautiful mugs, some of which you can wrap both hands around as you sip your Pumpkin Spice Latte and ponder your summer memories. 

Adhoc Champagne Stoppers

Not sure why but these have been backordered for some time and are finally here. If you find yourself unable to finish a bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine this little gadget is for you. Leak proof and low profile, the stoppers are a perfect little add on whenever you are gifting someone a bottle of champers for a special occasion. (Dare I say the size is also a perfect stocking stuffer!) Sunday morning mimosas can now be resumed.

Cole & Mason Salt and Pepper Mills

This company has been in business in London, England since 1919 and made their first iconic mill in 1946.  The “London Mill” was introduced last year as an ode to the company’s heritage.  Its design is sleek and elegant and comes in black gloss, red gloss and a dark chocolate version with gold toned knobs. The grinding mechanisms (sharp anti-corrosion ceramic for salt, design registered Precision+ carbon steel for pepper) are supported by a lifetime guarantee.

Swissmar Adjustable Wire Cheese Slicer

As you may know one of our store staples is the Swissmar line of cheese knives, including my personal favourite Cheese Plane. However we sometimes get asked for a wire cheese slicer and since we are a cheese shop, we thought we should offer one. This weighty beauty from Swissmar is stainless steel and allows you to adjust the roller to your desired thickness delivering amazing precision slice after slice. (Hello gourmet sandwiches or specialty cheeseburger…)

SAVE THE DATE! - NOVEMBER 14th – 5-8pm

We are partnering with our neighbour Jillian’s Dress Shop for a Sip’n’Shop Special event. Mark your calendar today and watch for further info in our November Newsletter.

CHEESE NEWS

You choose what you want or we are happy to make the choices for you. Prices are based on the weight of the products chosen and we can work within whatever your budget is. Are you looking for crowd pleasing favourites for 12 or a higher end curated board for a small gathering with foodie friends? Either way we will make it look fabulous with the addition of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, olives, chutney and garnish. All you need to do is remove the lid and it is ready to roll! Let the nibbling begin!

New: Red Fox - a modern version of a British classic that offers a new experience to cheese lovers looking for something a bit different. Popping with sharp flavour and toffee notes.

Morbier is back!

A perfect pairing...
Aside from our own house made Passionate Cook's Carmelized Onion Chutney, we are partial to a fig jam for pairing with cheese. The Divina Fig and Chili Fig spreads are made in Greece using Aegean figs and are wonderful with a variety of both hard and soft cheeses.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Ingredients

Cake:

  • ▢1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ▢1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ▢½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ▢¼ teaspoon salt
  • ▢1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ▢½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ▢1 cup canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
  • ▢⅓ cup light brown sugar
  • ▢⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ▢¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt, not nonfat
  • ▢¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ▢2 large eggs
  • ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

  • ▢10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
  • ▢2½ cups powdered sugar
  • ▢2 teaspoons milk, plus more, if needed
  • ▢2 teaspoons espresso powder, adjust to taste
  • ▢¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pie spice, and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined (don't overmix). Tap the excess batter off the whisk and use a rubber/silicone spatula to stir the batter a couple of times, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Grease a 9×9 square baking pan and pour the batter into the pan. Tap the pan gently but firmly on the countertop a couple times to remove air bubbles. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, followed by milk, espresso powder (see note), and vanilla. Beat on high speed for one full minute. If desired you can adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.
  • Spread the frosting all over the top of the cooled cake.

GLUTEN FREE CORNER

Biscuiterie de Provence Le Gateau Moelleux (aka almond cake)

Born from a family recipe more than 25 years old, these moist almond cakes are the very definition of deliciousness! Naturally gluten-free, thanks to their richness in almonds, they will seduce you with their soft texture that melts in your mouth in their incomparable flavours. Discover these cakes made with very few ingredients, all selected with the greatest care, and baked in a steel mold. With their unique and 100% recyclable packaging, you will have a dessert ready to be enjoyed at any time, which will keep its freshness and softness for more than a year!

Fresh delivery just arrived of our Montreal Gluten Free pastries




Places I have been recently:

I was overjoyed this weekend when I went downtown to do an escape room with my son and daughter in law. We found a Mexican restaurant quite close to Casa Loma (where the escape room was) It was entirely gluten free! Even the server was Celiac. Imagine having Crispy fish tacos, Birra poutine and Churros. I was one extremely happy girl! El Pocho Antojitos Bar, 2 Follis Ave, Toronto, ON M6G 1S3