The Bounty Hunter

The Bounty Hunter is a website about cooking and eating delicious, seasonal and local foods.

spring

A Spring Day in the Kitchen with Julie

Spring is upon us. The light is shifting, the air smells of blossoms and thankfully the days are getting longer. What better way to spend the first day of Spring than in the kitchen with a friend with the patio doors flung open and the sun streaming in.

Julie has the kitchen of my dreams. I mean look at it? The light, the collection of beautiful dishes and the ever present fresh bread and baked goods. Magic!

The other thing I love about her kitchen is that it is well loved. It is here that Julie offers cooking classes, cooks meals for her family, and where friends gather to share food and conversation. There always seems to be a little hustle and bustle. People coming and going. It is where everyone gathers. The heart of the home.

This day was no different. Family was coming and going. Mabel the family dog kept coming by in hopes something had fallen to the floor and Julie was busy about the kitchen preparing delicious food.

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Honey and Vanilla Roasted Rhubarb

Spring seems particularly beautiful and dramatic this year. Once again I am totally smitten with all of the blossoms. Spring also means the return of another favourite, rhubarb.

I was delighted, a little giddy even, to see the first rhubarb at the farmers market this weekend. I have seen it coming up in gardens around the city and when poking around my Grandma and Aunt’s garden on Gabriola Island over Easter. But alas I do not have the space to grow my own so I rely on the kindness of others to supply me with this Spring delight. If I visit at the right time my parents or Grandma will send me home with some which is always a treat.

Thankfully Yolanda and Brian grow beautiful rhubarb at Shalefield Farm and brought the first picking to the market on Saturday. I asked if they knew which variety it was but they were unsure. What Brian did know is that he got the rootstock from a Mr Reinhart in 1973 from his backyard. I love it. I find rhubarb often has a story like this. It is handed down by friends, neighbours or family for generations. A friend of mine has a rhubarb plant that has been in her family for over 100 years. So special.

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Apple Streusel Muffins

Spring is here, which means it is time to dust off the winter cobwebs and perhaps engage in a little spring cleaning. It is also a great time to take inventory of your freezer and pantry and use up the goodies you stashed away last summer or fall and make room for the bounty of this new growing season. I have a very small pantry but found some applesauce hiding in there that I made in the fall. I decided it would be a good start to a batch of muffins.

Muffins are a pretty common staple in our house. I will make a batch, we will eat some fresh and freeze the rest to pull out for lunches, snacks or afternoon tea. These ones are a little more decadent with their streusel topping. If you would like to keep them a bit healthier you could certainly leave off the streusel topping but do you really want to miss out on that buttery crunch?

These muffins are a pretty classic combination with the applesauce, cinnamon and other spices and fill the house with a most inviting aroma. They are very moist and tender. I added some currants this time but often add a little grated apple for extra texture and flavour. Be careful to not add too much apple as they won’t rise as well if they are too heavy with fruit.

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