At the table, Viognier really blossoms with rich sauces such as seared scallops with brown butter and capers or a classic poulet à la crème. Gewürtzraminer is excellent with strong cheeses such as Roquefort, and its oily texture provides a buffer against fiery Asian cuisine, including Sichuan and Thai. Either one of these wintery whites would be terrific with our vegetarian Master Curry Sauce with Tofu & Peas.

Fresh oysters have many delicious preparations beyond the raw bar. And if you ask your fishmonger to shuck them, you’ll save half the work. There are timeless baked dishes, such as spinach-topped Rockefeller, and they respond particularly well to frying in either  a tempura batter or a cornmeal crust. To make the most of oysters and all their briny liquor, make a pot of our comforting chowder-like Oyster Stew.

Saffron may cost a fortune, but just a pinch will impart its vibrant colour and heavenly perfume. For maximum extraction, it is often first steeped in hot water or broth to make a tea to be used in many classic dishes, such as bouillabaisse and risotto Milanese. Another method is grinding the threads in a mortar and pestle with a little salt or sugar to produce a fragrant powder. Try this trick in Roasted Cumin & Saffron Cauliflower, a quick and easy festive side dish.

In our simple holiday nut recipe, feel free to swap out the pecans for Ontario walnuts, such as shelled black and Persian walnuts from Grimo Nut Nursery.

In our simple holiday nut recipe, feel free to swap out the pecans for Ontario walnuts, such as shelled black and Persian walnuts from Grimo Nut Nursery.

Our Roast Cornish Hens with Cranberry Balsamic Glaze calls for sugar in the glaze. Replace it with 1 tbsp (15 mL) harissa spice and 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey, stirred together, to give a lovely balance of sweet and spicy flavours.

If you don’t eat veal, swap in a real treat — a tomahawk steak — in our Pan-Roasted Veal Chops. Typically weighing 3½ to 4 lb (1.59 to 1.81 kg), it’s basically a giant rib-eye on a long frenched bone. Mix 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil and 2 tbsp (30 mL) za’atar for a quick, flavourful meat rub. Grilled and sliced, this dish gives enough richly marbled, buttery meat to feed four people. Wrap and freeze the bone to use for soups or beef broth. 

Our Maple-Glazed Turkey Breast calls for turkey, but for a simpler mid-week meal, you can substitute bone-in or boneless chicken breasts. You will need to adjust the cooking time based on the size and thickness of the breasts. Adding 1 tbsp (15 mL) sumac to the glaze will enhance the flavours of this recipe.

Our Argentinean Short Ribs also work well with baby back pork ribs (remember to remove the thin membrane on the back for tenderness) or luscious, juicy beef cheeks — the king of all braising cuts of beef. Use smoked paprika instead of the recipe’s hot paprika to give a smoky, outdoorsy flavour.