I recently did a telephone interview with Lori Fazari of The Hamilton Spectator (paid subscription) and am quoted as saying "I wouldn't cook as many different things, I think, if I didn't have the website...my ability to cook has increased significantly over the last year from practice."

I believe that this is one hundred percent true - I definitely have learned a great deal about cooking over the past year. I have taught myself many things about what tastes good, which ingredients work well with each other and how to develop a dish from the bottom up -- from something I've eaten in a restaurant, or from an already existent recipe.

The latter is actually a task I enjoy quite a bit - probably because it is really the best way to learn about recipes and how to develop your own along the way. Sometimes you make huge mistakes and other times you happen upon something truly delicious as your reward. It is all very hands on, which is a facet of cooking that I love. Picking and choosing ingredients to substitute, switching the recipe up a bit to make it more impressive or have it be significantly less work. Basically making it your own and running with it.

Lately I've been attempting to meld savory and sweet together to create a harmonious combination - and I have had a few really wonderful concoctions as the result. I happen love cranberries - dried, fresh, frozen, I'll put them in almost anything. Stuffing, chicken, ice cream, scones, cookies, jams and savory chutneys - everything works well with their slightly sweet, very tangy taste and chewy texture. I also find that the taste of cranberry works really well with the dry, musky taste of goats cheese - if there is also some sort of spice involved...then you have a party in your mouth!

Recently I had a friend over for dinner and needed a side dish to serve with salmon - not wanting to go the usual potato or simple salad route, I came up with a great way to use the gorgeous cranberry chutney I had made recently. The cranberry and goats cheese deliciously complimented each other, without taking away from the main dish (horseradish encrusted salmon) and added some height to the visual design of the plate (we do eat with our eyes first). These goat cheese and cranberry tartlets with caramelized onions were fantastic...and used up the left over puff pastry in the fridge from Sugar High Friday as well!