Winter's Finest

Cassandra Loignon

Description

After the unexpected success of the three volumes of my S Simply Chic books, I now invite you to explore other exquisite, chic and accessible flflavours, but in a brand new formula. In this fifirst book of a four-part series celebrating the seasons, I celebrate winter! For the occasion, I’m offffering you gourmet and comforting recipes made with ingredients that are easy to fifind at this time of year. You will also fifind my ideas for themed menus to highlight the holidays that are on the calendar during this colder season, namely Christmas and Valentine’s Day. A total of 85 savory and sweet recipes are grouped in sections: appetizers, bites for entertaining festive cocktails, main courses, Christmas cookies, desserts for entertaining, side dishes, soups and salads as well as pastas and sandwiches. Inspired by the people around me and by requests from my Instagram followers, I created original recipes and perfected and reinvented classics that are like a balm for the soul. As an added bonus, I’m revealing my secrets for a successful reception, including my methods for table settings worthy of a fifine restaurant. All this, with a focus on simplicity, in the same spirit as my previous books.
Want to impress your guests in a simply chic way? Discover perfect recipes to celebrate any occasion or to comfort you during the cold season!

Sujets

• Cuisine
• La cuisine et son histoire
• Cooking
• Seasonal

Informations

• Publié par: Pratico Édition
• Date de parution: 15 décembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782896589678
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 22 Mo

Extrait

Editor-in-chief: Caty Bérubé
Author: Cassandra Loignon
Content Creation Director: Laurence Roy-Tétreault
Editorial Production Team Leader: Crystel Jobin-Gagnon
Content Manager: Lauréanne Hallé
Writer: Raphaële St-Laurent Pelletier
Revision and Assistant Team Leader: Marie-Christine Bédard
Production Assistants: Julie Adams, Sarah Beauregard and Catherine Fortier.
Copy Editors: Dominique Bélanger, Joanie Boutin, Stacy Breton, Sophie Lamontagne, Émilie Marcotte and Viviane St-Arnaud.
Creative Graphic Design Development Manager: Marie-Christine Langlois
Graphic Production Team Leader: Annie Gauthier
Graphic Designers: Sonia Barbeau, Sheila Basque, Marie-Isabelle Fortin, Marie-Chloë G. Barrette, Karyne Ouellet and Josée Poulin.
Studio Director: Christine Morin
Chefs: Benoit Boudreau (Team Leader), Richard Houde, Andrée-Ann Lachance, Sophie Lachance and Ariane Leclerc
Food Stylists: Geneviève Charron, Laurie Collin, Alexandra Guévin Thibault, Maude Grimard, Carly Harvey
and Joséphine St-Laurent Pelletier.
Photographers: Jean-Christophe Blanchet, Tony Davidson, Michaël Fournier, Francis Gauthier, Rémy Germain, Valérie Laroche and Marie-Ève Lévesque (Team Leader).
Image processing and Photo Calibration Specialist: Yves Vaillancourt
Collaborators: Christina Castagnaro, Céline Guérin and Oktocom.
Marketing
Sales and Distribution Director: David Gatteau
Marketing Director: Vanessa Ross
Business Development Manager—Book Division: Raphaëlle Mirandette
Logistics and Warehouse Team Leader: Valérie Boivin
Territory Manager: Lise Fortin
Warehouse Clerks: Nancy Arteau, Angélique Bertuzzi, Martin Carrier and Normand Simard.
Distribution: Pratico-Pratiques inc. and Messageries ADP.
Digital Diffusion: De Marque
Administration
President: Caty Bérubé
Vice-President of Operations: Julie Doddridge
Vice-President of Sales and Marketing: Émilie Gagnon
Vice-President of Administration: Alexandra Poiré
Director of Human Resources: Chantal St-Pierre
Human Resources Technician: Anne-Sophie Fortin
Accounting Analyst and Finance Team leader: Josiane Mailhot
Accounting and Production Assistant: Carole Bélanger
Accounting Technician: Sylvie Dion
Distribution and Billing Assistant: Pénélope Langlois
Accounts Receivable Officer: Josée Pouliot
Administrative Assistant: Josée Lavoie
LEGAL DEPOSIT: 4 th quarter 2022
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec and Library and Archives Canada cataloguing in publication
ISBN 9782896589678 (EPUB)
(Original French printed edition: 9782896588343 (2022)
PDF: 978289658-9685 (2022))
Government of Quebec. Tax credit program for book publishing —Gestion SODEC
© Pratico Édition, 2022.
Pratico Édition, a subsidiary of Les Entreprises Pratico C.B.
(Quebec, Quebec)
Government of Quebec. Book Publishing Tax Credit Program for Book Publishing—Gestion SODEC

All rights reserved. It is forbidden to reproduce, in whole or in part, the texts, illustrations and photographs in this book.
Although every precaution has been taken to ensure the accuracy and truthfulness of the information contained in this publication, it is understood that Pratico Édition cannot be held responsible for any errors resulting from its use.

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Cassandra Loignon

Winter's
Finest
A Word From Cassandra
Winter in the Heart of My Kitchen
Already a fourth volume! To differentiate it from my previous books, the Pratico-Pratiques team suggested that I develop recipes according to the seasons. The objective was to develop a concept allowing people to use these cookbooks according to the season, or to what they want to serve to their guests. I immediately found the idea interesting! At this stage of the project, I could already visualize people pulling out their winter book to prepare their holiday menu, or their summer book to cook recipes on the barbecue or prepare salads bursting with freshness. I was excited, but I knew that putting together this series of books would be a challenge, as I am not used to creating my dishes based on seasonal ingredients. The good news is, I’m always up for a challenge!
To choose the recipes that would be included in this first book dedicated to winter, I focused my research on the months of November through February, taking into consideration all the holidays on the calendar during this period. Since Christmas is widely celebrated, I have dedicated several recipes to this holiday. I also focused on dishes that are comforting during the cold season, mostly warm meals. In each section, I have tried to introduce as many seasonal fruits and vegetables as possible, and to exclude those that are not. In the beginning, I found it more difficult, because I was used to cooking whatever I wanted without restrictions, but I really enjoyed taking on this little challenge and coming up with new ideas.
For inspiration, I asked people around me what they like to eat during the holidays and in the winter. I took notes, identified easy-to-find seasonal ingredients and, based on my experience, I created my recipes. I chose some of the classics, such as Christmas cookies or Nanaimo bars, but always reinventing or updating them by adding my own touch.
My mother used to serve a delicious roast beef with Dijon mustard every Sunday, and I took inspiration from that to concoct my own version, of which I am very proud of. I worked with foods that I love, but I also had fun with lesser-known ingredients, like chestnuts. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavour of this food, so much so that I wanted to develop a reinvented ravioli recipe using it. I also played around with certain ingredients that my family is less fond of, such as mushrooms.
Since they are used in many comfort foods, and I was often asked for recipes using them,
I dared to try them.
I was not disappointed at all by the result!
Overall, my goal was to create comforting, gourmet dishes, but also some recipes that bring a breath of freshness or lightness, while remaining festive. I think I can say, “mission accomplished”! Above all, I hope to make your next winter (and all those to come!) a pure awakening for your palate.
Have a chic and gourmet winter!
My Preparation Tips
For a Chic Reception Without Stress
I lovvvvvee to entertain! Whether it’s small or large, to make every reception a success, I rely on good planning to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Many of you have asked me how I go about preparing a party in advance. So here are my tips and tricks for party planning. I also share some of my methods for setting a great table and for impeccable plating… just plain chic!
“My mother always liked to have big parties. Since she had a large home, she could easily host about 20 people with no problem. My love for parties was certainly passed on to me by her. I could see in her face how much fun she was having, and I always associated that with positive emotions. My sisters and I used to help her with the preparations, and so early on, I developed my sense of organization."

Preparing a party: everything to think about!
A successful evening takes preparation! To avoid doing everything at the last minute, I take the time to plan every detail and ask my guests questions. Here are the steps I always think about before starting the preparations. 1. I calculate the number of guests. That’s really what determines my menu. Whether I invite two friends or twenty people, the choice of recipes, the preparation required and style of service will not be the same. • For a limited number of guests. If I am hosting for two to four people, I allow myself to dare a more technical meal or one that requires last-minute cooking. I could, for example, prepare a filet mignon. On the other hand, for a group of twenty people, I would never serve this dish, because with so many individual servings and tastes, I would risk overcooking the meat. • For a large group. I plan well in advance because this requires more preparation and choosing my menu differently: — I prefer recipes that can be cooked in advance; — I choose large platters to be placed in the centre of the table; — I consider the space and equipment I have (the size of the kitchen, the oven, etc.). I’m lucky to work with two ovens, which allows me to prepare several hot dishes at the same time. Otherwise, I would choose cold options. 2. I check with my guests about their food restrictions. Whether it is a specific diet (vegetarianism, veganism, etc.), allergies or intolerances (nuts, gluten, etc.), pregnancy or simply food preferences, these restrictions directly influence the choice of the menu. For a vegan friend, for example, I always provide an option for them, or even sometimes a 100% vegan menu. People often don’t even realize it’s an entirely vegan meal! 3. I curate my menu and the type of meal. A cocktail dinner with appetizers served around the island, a sit-down dinner with several courses, a hybrid of the two (serving small bites and follow-up with a sit-down meal), a buffet… The preparation required for each type will not be the same, before and during the event!
“The bigger the group, the more I do in advance and I try to find options that I can freeze. My tortellini recipe with chestnuts is perfect for receiving several guests: it takes longer to cook than other recipes, but by preparing it in advance, I can freeze it and make my life easier.” 4. I make a grocery list. To be sure not to forget anything, I always make a list in advance. For a big reception, I start by writing down a list of all the dishes that I want to make, detailing the ingredients required, and I then segment the list into two or three shorter lists depending on the ingredients: • Non-perishable foods (canned goods, condiments pasta, etc.). I buy the basic ingredients tha