Fans of Top Chef Canada will recognize Joanna Notkin, a Montreal-based caterer who impressed judges with her mouth-watering culinary creations. During the pandemic, Notkin launched Maison Zoe Ford, an online shop selling gourmet dessert mixes.
The Maison Zoe Ford at-home collection features boxed mixes like Little Angels Powdered Doughnuts, Speedy Cinnamon Rolls, Crispy Cinnamon Doughnut Pancakes and Big Time Brownies. They’re so easy to prepare, and your friends and family will be shocked that you didn’t pick them up at a fancy bakery!
The online shop also sells must-have pantry items like high-quality baking chocolate, Canadian barrel-aged maple syrup, Dutch-process cocoa powder and Quebec maple sugar.
Available at zoeford.com.
Good Lookin’ Cookin’
After the launch of Dolly Parton’s Southern-inspired cake mixes with Duncan Hines, it’s no surprise that the country music queen has launched a cookbook with her sister Rachel Parton George.
In Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals, Dolly and Rachel share cherished recipes for a year of meals for friends and family, including 12 multi-course menus for New Year’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and more. You’ll learn how much butter or whipped cream goes into a “Dolly Dollop,” what condiment is always on the table at Parton family feasts and what special dish Rachel prepares for Dolly each year to celebrate her birthday.
Must-try recipes include Southern classics like Country Ham & Biscuits, Meatloaf, Watermelon Salad, Mac and Cheese, and Strawberry Shortcake.
Available at Chapters Indigo.
The Spherificator
Looking for the perfect gift for the food lover in your life? The Spherificator is a modern kitchen tool that transforms virtually any liquid into caviar-shaped pearls that burst with flavour.
The machine, a little smaller than a wine bottle, comes with three nozzles to create various-sized pearls. You blend your ingredients to a liquid consistency, let it rest for a couple of hours, then pour the mixture into the Spherificator, turn it on, and out shoot your pearls. Surprise guests at your next dinner party with balsamic pearls on a Caesar salad or espresso caviar on top of creamy panna cotta.
Available at amazon.ca.
Club House Tamarind and Pasilla Chile Seasoning
Much like Pantone’s annual colour-of-the-year reveal, Club House announces its flavour of the year based on research on global culinary trends.
The 24th edition of the Club House Flavour Forecast celebrates the sour flavour of tamarind, a tropical fruit that tastes both sweet and sour and is a staple in global cuisines. This tangy, Mexican-inspired seasoning blend pairs the fruit with the mild heat of pasilla chiles and savoury notes of paprika, coriander and onion, and adds a whole new layer of flavour to your favourite savoury dishes. To learn more about the 2024 flavour of the year and for easy recipes, visit clubhouseforchefs.ca.
Available at your local grocery store.
