Explore and source.

Take your cooking to the next level

TURN THE EXPLORE SWITCH ON! Explore flavour. Explore colour. Explore texture, temperature and technique. Explore your neighbourhood. Explore and source food in every nourishing way. More than anything else, your choice to explore will elevate your expertise and make cooking easier. Be open to sourcing delicious ingredients and cuisine in your area, across the country or around the world. Travel in your mind and explore the unique single ingredients and food combinations in cookbooks, restaurants, TV and online. Never be shy to ask questions. Chefs, farmers, and food purveyors are enthusiastic about sharing their distinctive flavours and novel techniques. Discoveries renew your energy and motivation to cook. So go ahead, explore… every variety, every season, every day.

Palena and Teresa are tying whole cloves in cheesecloth to infuse their essence into the simmering soup.

Hands-On Soups Cooking Skills—Making the Perfect Soup

February 1, 2016

/

One cool Saturday in January, students joined us in…

Chef Nancy Henley working with mentor Erin Huston who is an eating disorder awareness and body positivity advocate.

Exploring Nourishing Eating in a S.H.E. Cooking Class of Young Girls and Their Mentors

December 1, 2015

/

Above, I’m working with mentor Erin Huston, an eating disorder…

Edible foams created with arugula, watermelon and soy lecithin.

A Typical (and Atypical!) Culinary Taste Testing Week in Tree House Kitchen

November 1, 2015

/

Another week of recipe taste-testing in Tree House Kitchen…

The preparation of sauces in Tree House Kitchen – Artist Eric Ranveau.

Supporting the Community by Improving Food Literacy and Sharing Food Inspiration

May 1, 2015

/

"The Preparation of Sauces" by artist Eric Ranveau, captured…

Wild leeks foraged from local Ontario land.

Spring Foraging for Wild Leeks

April 1, 2015

/

New beginnings and the uniqueness of Ontario forests…

Wooden bee nests you can build.

Making a Bees Nest: The Pollinating Power of Native Canadian Bees

June 6, 2014

/

Pollinating native Canadian bees fill your belly and…

Six stages of cooked roux.

New Orleans Cuisine: Learning About Culture Through Food

February 19, 2014

/

The origin of the word “restaurant” is French and…

A variety of market mushrooms including a fantastic Ontario abalone mushroom.

Cooking Mushrooms and Locally Sourcing this Amazing Superfood

January 16, 2014

/

Sweet wood, fresh grass, sea spray, fresh bread, new…

Tender and fresh garlic scapes.

Exploring and Cooking Garlic Scapes

July 1, 2013

/

Working with local garlic scapes is a great way to experiment…