Tempestuous Culinary
17 Locust Avenue B4P 2G1 Wolfville, NS, Canada

In 2022 I will return with private, all-inclusive small group tours of Italy (fingers-crossed!) Puglia, Sicily, Veneto, Piemonte, Tuscany-Umbria. Italy with a chef who knows the country backwards and forwards. Get a group of up to 8 together and a time that works for you and we can create an itinerary and do it when we are safe.

What’s your favourite place in Italy ? Post a pic here! Dream of the future!

Well as you all likely understand- we have cancelled all of our trips to Italy In 2020. But hope to rebound in late 2021 with our next trip - stay tuned for details!

Ready for another #FoodFromFilmFriday? Cause we are! Chef Michael Howell is showing us how to make an incredible butter chicken, the perfect dish to serve while... watching one of our favourite films, The Hundred-Foot Journey! #Devoured #FoodFromFilm TIME: 1 hour 15 mins YIELD 6 servings INGREDIENTS 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt cup lemon juice 1 tablespoons ground turmeric 2 tablespoons garam masala 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp Tandoori powder (Optional) 1 tbsp vegetable oil 3 pounds chicken thighs, skin off, bone out (Make stock) 1 tbsp unsalted butter 4 tsp vegetable or canola oil 2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced, or 1 tsp dried ginger 1 tbsp cumin 1 tsp Garam Masala 1 tbsp Tandoori Spice Powder (Optional) 1 tsp turmeric tsp ground cardamom 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 cinnamon stick 3 cups chopped tomato (canned or ripe and fresh) 2 red chiles, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, left whole Kosher salt to taste 2 cups chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade 1 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp chopped cilantro Step 1 Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, paprika, optional tandoori powder and cumin in a large bowl. Stir in oil. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day). Step 2 In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until the onions start to brown. Step 3 Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles, stock and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes and sauce thickens a bit. Stir often. Step 4 Add the chicken, marinade, and the tomato paste to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes. Step 5 Stir in the cream and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chiles and the cinnamon stick Step 6 Garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve with Basmati Rice and naan. Adapted from Sam Sifton New York Times Cooking

Feeling inspired by your favourite films? So are we! We’re kicking off our new weekly series, #FoodFromFilmFridays, with chef Michael Howell cooking up Julia Ch...ild’s delectable Beef Bourguignon This dish will pair perfectly with the film ‘Julie & Julia’ and a glass of Merlot #Devoured #FoodFromFilm INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEEF 6 ounces bacon sliced crosswise 1/4" thick pieces 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1 inch cubes 1 carrot peeled and sliced 1 small onion peeled and sliced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons flour 2 1/2 cups red wine- full bodied 2-3 cups rich beef stock or broth 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 cloves garlicmashed 5-6 sprigs thyme tied in kitchen string 2 bay leaves FOR THE ONIONS 6-7 ounces pearl onions or small shallots if pearl onions are hard to finds, peeled 1 tablespoon butter Water to cover FOR THE MUSHROOMS 1 pound white mushrooms stems removed, quartered 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil GARNISH chopped parsley INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 325F 2. In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil until glistening over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook for several minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Scoop the bacon with a spoon, tilt against the side of the pan to drain excess grease and transfer to a large, shallow bowl. 3. Use several paper towels to dry the pieces of beef (if they're not dry, they won't brown) and add them in batches to the dutch oven to brown. Brown the beef on all sides and then transfer the pieces to the bowl with the bacon. Continue until all the beef has been browned. 4. Add the onions and carrots to the dutch oven and brown them, stirring occasionally. 5. Return the beef, bacon and any drippings to the dutch oven. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. 6. Add the wine to the pot and cook to reduce 5 minutes, then add enough beef stock to barely cover the meat. Stir in the tomato paste,Flour garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and place back in the oven. Braise for 3 hours or until the beef is tender. 7. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. FOR THE ONIONS 1. Add the onions to a pot with a tight fitting lid and just cover with water. Add the butter. Cover with lid, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or unti the onions are just cooked, remove lid and let water evaporate and butter to glaze the onions, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside. FOR THE MUSHROOMS 1. In a large skillet heat half the olive oil and butter until the foam from the butter begins to subside. Add half the mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned. They will first absorb the oil, and then begin to brown... do not crowd the mushrooms in the pan. Transfer cooked mushrooms to the same bowl as the onions. Continue with the remaining mushrooms, by heating the oil and butter until the foam subsides, adding the mushrooms and then browning them evenly. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl and set aside. 2. When the meat is tender, remove larger chunks of carrot and onion from the pot. Its okay if some remains. Add the mushrooms and onions (I saved a few carrots too, because I love them).stir together, turn oven off and let the pot, covered rest in oven 15,-2 minutes 3. Serve with crusty bread, boiled potatoes with parsley and buttered fresh peas

I'm deeply saddened to let my Tempestuous Culinary clients know that my dear friend Paul Cappelli from Villa Cappelli in Puglia passed away today after a short battle with cancer. Since 2008, I saw him every two years, but when I was there with him and Steven Crutchfield it really felt like my third home, after Wolfville and Green Turtle. I loved him and will miss him. He was a very large star in the firmament. Photo by Stephen Anderson

Given the situation in Italy at present we will reevaluate our proposed trip to the Amalfi Coast, Naples and Capri in two weeks. We will resume normal activities in 2021. Michael

Want to visit Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Naples, Pompeii this fall . A couple of spots left for this bucket list trip. Www.tempestuous.ca

So thinking about ITALY this fall???? A couple spots to explore Naples and The Amalfi Coast with me still remain. Among the gustatory, visual and historical highlights you walk the stunning Sentieri Degli Dei with amazing guide Zia Lucy. This is a once in a lifetime bucket list trip. Capri, Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Vesuvius, Pompei and Napoli for Pizza! www.tempestuous.ca

Full Naples and Amalfi Coast trip itinerary now posted at www.tempestuous.ca Only a couple spots left for this bucket list trip. What an amazing Christmas gift to give!

Come to the AMALFI COAST September 2020 with a small group of cultural and culinary adventurers. Only 8 guests on a ten day visit to Amalfi, Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, Vesuvius and Naples. Luxury accomodations, Wine tours, Cheesemaking expeditions, CLIMB VESUVIUS! and private yacht to Capri and Blue Grotto, Amalfi Lemon Experience and more. visit.www.temesptous.ca. JUST A COUPLE SPOTS LEFT FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE, CHEF-LED VISIT TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PART OF ITALY

To our colleagues in Slow Food Canada

TRAVEL TO THE AMALFI COAST WITH ME IN SEPTEMBER 2020 Only two spots left to visit the most jaw droppingly beautiful part of Italy. This culture and culinary tour is for only 8 people. We visit Naples, Sorrento, Capri (via private yacht), Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, Pompeii and Vesuvius. We make fresh mozzarella, visit a Limoncello factory and enjoy the freshest seafood imaginable. for info visit tempestuous.ca or DM me here

Info Session about this great Devour led trip down the Rhine with AmaWaterways at Le Caveau /Grand Pre Wines on December 1. free wine tasting - meet the hosts Lia Rinaldo and ME!

AMALFI 2020 - If you have reached out in the past about joining me on this tour can you PLEASE send another email to [email protected] A computer crash has left me without some of my Tempestuous Culinary emails and I have new expressions of interest on this tour.