Year End Wins and New Challenges Ahead...

On the move again... 💪💨 

Newcomer Kitchen got a new kitchen space just in time for our most recent term's first food prep- product to market module for the holiday market at Evergreen Brickworks. There is so much potential in this kitchen for our Willing To Work food business program cooking events but also for taking it to another level- business start ups and expanding opportunities for our past program alumnis💥.

We've been working hard at this and the timing of the move couldn't be better. Seems like the universe is aligning for us 💫🙏

At Trinity St.Paul's United Church and Centre For Faith

Proudly introducing you to my newest group of ladies in the daytime Newcomer Kitchen  'Willing To Work' Food Business Program- Taste Elle ❤! 

In our first module, we prepared a mixed cake tasting box to learn about what goes into the business of Product to Market with traditional cakes from each of the ladies cultures for this weekend's Saturday's Farmer's Market Evergreen Brick Works. 🇮🇳🇺🇦🇱🇧🇸🇾 With holiday parties abound, this International cake box is the perfect host/hostess gift 🍰🎁!

Some have been here within a year, and all working together in a kitchen with this volume (cakes to serve 50) for the first time. It was my first cooking experience having newly moved into this beautiful church's kitchen space and it went wonderfully over two production days. By the end of the day, these ladies were like old friends laughing, helping and encouraging each other 😍! Camaraderie at it's best 😊!

Just look at their baked wares 👀🍰💓!! 

They accomplished exactly what their brand story embodies (Taste Elle) --

We are 5 spirited and nostalgic women from 4 different countries. 

We believe in preserving our cultural food traditions while adding our personal touches. 

We offer a diversity of flavours with our passion for cooking and a combined fusion of tastes. 

We invite you across continents into our home kitchens with the stories we tell. 

Feel our Spirit and Come Taste All with us!

Almost Sold Out 👏!!! #mixedcaketastingbox

What a wonderful day at Saturday's Farmer's Market @evergreen_brick_works bright and early to greet customers with our exquisite collection of cross culture traditional cakes!

These ladies (Taste Elle from Newcomer Kitchen) set up the gorgeous winter display table, arranged product, greeted customers, presented and marketed, told their stories, engaged in conversation and more. Charming and compelling, it is no wonder we were a popular booth and sold well! I just stood in the shadows, observing and smiling. They rocked it big time 👊💥!

Congratulations ladies on a very successful market day! Happy we just had enough left so we can all take a box home to savour and celebrate with our families on our hardwork! Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones! And we will go get 'em again in the new year with more learnings to succeed in more events! Cheers 🎄

One more term with the Mabelle On-line After-School Program before activities go back fully in person. The youngsters over @culturelinkto @clink_youth also had fun creating their crepes online with me with their parents support! Always proud to present at the end, these kids did great, don't you think 👏?

The history of crepes dates back to 13th century Brittany, France. It seems a housewife there accidentally dribbled some thin porridge onto a hot, flat cooktop. Since people back then weren’t inclined to waste even their smallest cooking mistakes, she ate it. The rest, as they say, is history... 🤤

Cripes... it's Crepes 😀!

It's the most wonderful time of the year ❄🎶. Hot potting that is... to nourish and warm you inside and out 🥘♨️. #holidayhotpotting

Looking for a unique gift for a loved one? How about a split pot and a copy of my Hot Pot Cookbook For Beginners (it's a year old- yay!!). 

Taken from my book, "A split pot is a shallow 4-inch deep hot pot, usually aluminum with a divider down the middle. These are commonly used for offering two broths simultaneously, a spicy broth in one and non-spicy in the other. They are inexpensive, and recommended if you love changing up the tastes or if family and guests prefer one broth over the other, such as meatless on one side (12-inch with glass lid: $25 to $40)." Look for it in most major Asian supermarkets. 

Spanning 11 Asian countries with 50 recipes on 138 pages, you can find broths from light Japanese dashi to Thailand favourite aromatic tom yum or Cambodian creamy coconut ya-hon to concoct your incredible hot pot masterpiece. Great for beginners and for hot pot lovers who want to experiment with new tastes 🤤! 

Available on Amazon.ca/.com/.uk and Chapters-Indigo 

And... that's a wrap for the year with TDSB Newcomer Services 🙏🎉!

Finished the last cooking sessions for the year at Beverly Heights Middle School, @johnpolanyici, Woodbine Middle Public School and online @culturelinkto @clink_youth with some festive fun 🎄!

We made spicy shrimp avocado rice crackers and hot spinach artichoke dip with crackers for savoury entertaining, and sweet treats- chocolate candycane bark, white chocolate cranberry pecan clusters, decorate your own sugar cookies and gingerbread people, and a refreshing cranberry mocktail with pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprigs 🌱!

May your festive holiday be a pinch of patience,

a dash of kindness,

a spoonful of laughter

and a heap of love! 💗

Keep on cooking, and see you all in 2023 with some exciting news! Cheers!