I’m not sure if it was a case of good luck, being in the right place at the right time, having the right connections or a combination of all three!? Whatever the case may be I was fortunate enough to hook up with Bob Blumer and the “Glutton for Punishment” crew while they were in Pictou this past week for the 74th Annual Lobster Carnival.

I received a great question in our Q and A section of Chef's Corner.

The question was, “Can I substitute powdered onion for fresh onion?”

The fact is onions, and in particular, raw onions can have a harsh effect on our systems. Long cooking and/or caramelizing the onions can reduce those effects and create a sweet, almost candy like substance that I love in recipes but to some it is still difficult to enjoy without after effects.

I have always been a huge fan of dried spices. Sure when we are cooking it is great to use fresh herbs and spices when they are available but I like to use both in my cooking.

I was recently asked about potato starch substitutes for those with potato starch allergies on the Sobeys Chef Q & A site. Here's some interesting facts from our head dietician, Cheryl, at Sobeys Atlantic.

Cheryl writes:

The book I would recommend is a book for those who have celiac disease. It lists many starches that can be used and details substitution amounts that would be useful for Su. The book is called Gluten Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide by Shelley Case.

Substitutions for 1/2 tbsp potato starch are:

Last week I was able to put on a much requested Lunch and Learn at the office where we get together, cook, eat and talk about a food topic for 60 minutes over the lunch hour. Well, word got out that I was cooking with Chocolate and it spread quickly. The first class filled up with 20 people in less than 4 minutes, so I decided to put on a second chocolate class that week, and it filled up in less than 4 minutes, as well!