From Layoff to Ladle

  Recently, my husband and I caught COVID-19 again! We didn't even realize we had it, until a cousin mentioned that she and her entire family had caught COVID. Having some old tests in the apartment, we took them out and sure enough my husband tested positive. I had been wondering why I had nausea, headaches and fatigue for the past week so suspect I had it earlier than him despite testing negative. His symptoms were more traditional, with lots of congestion. Anyways, in order to try to nourish our way out of illness, I decided to make a risotto with lots of fresh, spring produce. It was a warm day and neither of us were quite feeling like soup. I've been making risotto since I was in my early twenties, and often go with a mushroom risotto. I've also had in past a delicious tomato, fig and goat cheese risotto at a restaurant that I've tried to mimic with varying degrees of success. Perhaps, I'll make that for an upcoming post. Last night, I decided to make a risotto...

  I've loved bruschetta since I was in high school. It was actually a good friend who first introduced me to this tomato dish and taught me how to make it. We used to cook together on hot summer days at her parent's place on a beautiful lake in Muskoka. I have very fond members of making this dish, and a warm summer breeze coming in off the very blue lake. I can almost imagine myself there right now as I write this, rather than my very hot condo in the city with construction next door. I've played around with making bruschetta with a very uniform small dice of the tomatoes and onions, and also larger more rustic cuts. Truthfully, I like both and feel there is a time and place for both. The tiny more uniform cuts, seem to suit me well in winter and served cold with pieces of sliced baguette for an appetizer. The more rustic mix is excellent on a summers day on a big slice of rustic bread warmed in a cast-iron pan in the oven. Prior to taking cooking class, I always assumed t...