We are convinced that if we fire up our BBQ, toss on our flip flops and chill the beer, the sun will come out and hopefully stick around.  Aren't we cute when we're all optimistic and stuff!

We can't think of a better way to get our grill on that with a great burger.  Not just an ordinary burger, but a Smokehouse Bacon Chipotle Burger.  Fischer & Wieser does a great job of creating sauces that have that perfect balance of sweet heat.  Try them over baked brie, on chicken wings, ribs or added to baked beans...you're going to love it as much as we do.

And...then there's that cold beer we mentioned.  Because we are in the Fraser Valley we like to do it froggy style.  Dead Frog Brewery makes a great beer, period.  Lager, Honey Brown, Pale Ale & Nut Brown, so many frosty, good choices, so little time!  They've also just launched a new beer that we are dying to try...Pepper & Lime Lager.  You can find out all of the information you need about where to get your cold Dead Frog on their website.

While the beer is chilling, you've got to try these:

• 3 pounds lean ground chuck (as your butcher to grind it fresh for you)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dehydragted onion flakes
• 1/4 cup Fischer & Wieser Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Grilling Sauce
• Additional Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Grilling Sauce for basting

Preheat your grill to medium heat.  In a large bowl combine the ground chuck, black pepper, dehydrated onion and 1/4 cup Smokehouse Bacon & Chipotle Sauce.  Using your hands, blend the mixture well, distributing ingredients thoroughly.  Separate the meat mixture into 8 equal portions approx. 6 ounces each; pat meat into firm burgers.  Place burgers on preheated grill and cook, basting with additional sauce each time you turn them, for about 8 minutes per side.  To serve, assemble burgers with your favourite condiments and ENJOY!

Submitted by Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned

Sparkling wine is such a lovely treat and we think you can turn any event into a special occasion when you serve a little bubbly. We especially love to raise the stakes a little by adding a beautiful Wild Hibiscus flower into the bottom of the champagne flute. It is fascinating to watch the tiny bubbles surround the blossom as it unfurls in the glass. The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company is a small family owned business in Sydney, Australia. Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup are the original creation of Lee Etherington who invented the product 11 years ago in 1997. Wild Hibiscus Flowers are unique and are now sold in 30 countries across the globe through specialty retailers. They are available at Well Seasoned for $9.99 (jar contains aprox. 11 flowers).

What a treasure....these little beauties are totally edible and taste almost like a cross between raspberries and rhubarb - they are delicious. Wild Hibiscus Flowers come packed in a natural syrup and by adding a little of that syrup to your cocktail or glass of champagne it transforms the drink into a perfectly pink, slightly tart masterpiece. They are so much fun, a great conversation starter and totally original. Pick some up for your next soirée, you won't be sorry.

Champagne Cocktail with Wild Hibiscus

Wild Hibiscus Flower Garnish
½ oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup
Champagne or Sparkling Wine

Place 1 Wild Hibiscus Flower into the bottom of each champagne flute & stand upright
Top with Champagne and pour in the Hibiscus syrup which will graduate from crimson at the bottom to light pink at the top
The flower will sit in the bottom of the champagne flute and slowly open up over a few minutes.

BC Spot Prawns - one of our favourite seasonal foods fresh from the waters off the coast of Vancouver Island.   BC Spot Prawns are best known for their sweet delicate flavour and firm texture...they almost remind me a little of a sweeter version of lobster.  They are reddish brown in color with horizontal stripes on the shell and very distinctive white spots along their abdominal segments.  The season for these little beauties is relatively short,  it literally starts right now and runs until about the first or second week in July.  You can get frozen prawns all year but we think they are best when they are fresh.   Fortunately for us the best fish monger in the Fraser Valley is right here in Langley - 1 Fish 2 Fish (205 & Fraser Hwy). Heather Jenkins and her crew are excited to be receiving their first spot prawns of the season TODAY!  Just in time for the weekend!

When you are buying your Fresh BC Spot Prawns you want to make sure they feel firm,  that they have a few or no black spots and smell just like the sea.  Your fresh prawns can be  grilled, baked, sautéed or steamed, they only require 2 or 3 minutes cooking time and are done when they just turn pink. Over cooking will instantly toughen these little babies up so keep a very close eye.

One of my favourite ways to treat the Fresh BC Spot Prawns is to start by sautéing finely chopped shallots and a clove of minced garlic in a generous amount of butter.  Sauté until the shallot is translucent and you can smell the fragrance of the garlic.  Bring the temperature of the pan up and toss in the peeled & deveined prawns.  Give them a quick sauté, throw in a handful of fresh herbs, season with a little salt & pepper to finish.  Simple is best, you really want to enjoy the flavour of the prawn.  Serve these up as a first course with some fresh bread and a cold glass of Cava.  Cava is a beautiful sparkling wine from Spain - the perfect match for your garlic spot prawns.  And as you sit on the deck or in your dining room licking the last little bit of butter off your fingers you can take great satisfaction in knowing you just enjoyed some wildly sustainable BC prawns that make a great contribution to our local economy.  In fact - you should really celebrate that with another glass of Cava.

Cheers.

Submitted by Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned

You definitely know it’s spring when the rhubarb is ready!  So this week poor old Calgary has 2 inches of fresh snow and here in BC we are enjoying first of the season rhubarb, asparagus, salmon, halibut and spot prawns! Hallelujah!

Today’s recipe is a seasonally inspired quickie!  We do love a dessert – especially when it’s simple, seasonal and delicious.   By adding a few crumbled store bought Amaretti cookies you can transform some of your rhubarb into rich creamy foolish goodness !

Since 1718 the ancient and secret Amaretti Cookie Snaps recipe has been preserved and prized by the Larzaroni family of Saronno, Italy. Amaretti cookies snaps are baked slowly and carefully to achieve their delicate and delicious flavour & texture. Amaretti Cookie Snaps can be perfect topping for ice cream and other desserts and will make any occasion special. Amaretti Cookie Snaps of Lazzaroni are the world's most famous Italian biscuits. The original recipe created by David Lazzaroni in the 18th century is still used today.

Lazzaroni Snaps are available at Well Seasoned and other specialty retailers $6.29/200 gram bag
 
Roasted Rhubarb Fool with Amaretti Crumble  serves 6
 
2 lbs. ripe fresh BC rhubarb cut into 1”peices
½ cup Fraser Valley honey
2 bricks of room temperature full fat cream cheese
500 ml whipping cream
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
18 Amaretti cookies for garnish
 
Wash and cut your rhubarb into 1” pieces.  Put the rhubarb chunks in a baking pan and drizzle over the honey. Roast uncovered in a 350 degree oven until the rhubarb is soft and the honey has caramelized- about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir well to mash up the rhubarb and blend the honey and the juices back into the flesh.  Transfer the roasted rhubarb to a bowl and leave to cool - about 20-30 minutes.
Soften the cream cheese by mashing it vigorously with a fork. Whip the cream in a bowl with the vanilla - when it is softly whipped add the softened cream cheese and blend to combine.  Using a spatula lightly swirl the cooled roasted rhubarb into the cream cheese mixture.  Spoon the mixture into serving dishes or wine classes.  To serve, crumble over the Amaretti cookies.

Submitted by Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned

The SimmerMat is one of the smartest kitchen gadgets we have seen in a while. Developed in New Zealand, the SimmerMat's unique design has 12 small raised points that come in contact with the base of your pan allowing air to pass between these points, eliminating hotspots and maintaining a consistent cooking temperature. By putting the SimmerMat between your element and your cookware you are able to cook for long periods of time on a slow simmer with perfect heat distribution - no more hot spots, scorching or burning. It is great for sauces and gravies, making jam, custard, oatmeal, cheese & cream sauces, melting chocolate and even stovetop cooking with your tajine. The SimmerMat can be used on gas, electric, ceramic and even induction cook tops. We love it...In fact we love it so much, we think you need to have one so we are giving one away!

Just make a comment here and we will draw to give a lucky reader their very own SimmerMat. We know you will love it as much as we do.  Draw will take place on Wednesday, April 28th.

SimmerMat is $24.99 and available at Well Seasoned and other specialty kitchen shops. Ask for it by name.

H'appy Hour Dessert...

Using a SimmerMat allows you to melt chocolate perfectly without using a double boiler. Simply add 2 cups of best quality dark chocolate into a small sauce pan. Place the pan onto the SimmerMat over a burner on medium low temperature. To the chocolate add ¼ cup of heavy cream. Slowly stir the cream into the chocolate allowing it to melt together. Once it has melted and the cream is incorporated, transfer the chocolate sauce into individual ramekins, place the ramekin on a small plate and serve with fresh berries, apple slices, biscotti, orange segments, pretzels etc. as an individual dessert fondue. Your guests can double dip to their hearts content in their very own fondue. A fun way to serve dessert without any fuss !

Submitted by Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned