Sometimes the best thing about a dish is watching someone else experience it for the first time. Seeing that look of wonder across someone's face when they bit into something they know they're going to love. For example, I've always been a seafood junkie, but my husband is a recent convert, and watching him discover - and fall in love with - seafood has been an eye-opening experience that takes me back to the beginning of my oceanic culinary journey. It's one of those experiences that led me to write this blog. My husband and I were married this past June and for our honeymoon, we took a road trip through Quebec and down into upstate New York (the Adirondacks rock!). While I loved every waking minute of that trip, two particular nights (or rather, meals) stand out for me: mussels and green salad at La Moulerie in Outremont, just outside of Montreal, and moules frites at Poisson D'Avril in historic old Quebec City. On both these nights, my beloved and I devoured whole bowls of steaming, fragrant mussels with a passion and vigor I normally reserve for really good chocolate cake or ice cream. There weren't enough baguettes in all of Quebec to help my hubby sop up the rich, aromatic broth that his beautiful black-shelled beauties were cooked in. It was wonderful to watch him enjoy a dish that I have loved for years. Of all the places I've eaten mussels over the years, the house special at Poisson D'Avril was simply one of the best. Below is my take on their classic recipe. Bon Appetit! Mussels in white wine with herbs 2/3 cup chopped white or red onions 3 pounds mussels, cleaned and scrubbed 2 cups dry white wine 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley 1 tsp chopped garlic 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp butter In a large wide pan, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent; about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add mussels, white wine and bay leaves. Cover and steam mussels until they open, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer mussels itno a large bowl, reserving the liquid. Discard bay leaves. Pour liquid into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add butter and parsley and stir until butter is dissolved. Pour sauce over mussels and serve immediately with crusty bread and a lemon wedge. Green salad with Dijon vinaigrette Dijon vinaigrette (makes 2 cups) 1 1/4 cup olive oil 1/3 cup Dijon mustard 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper pinch of salt In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Drizzle over pieces of bib lettuce. Dressing will keep for 1 week in refrigerator.

I'm a french fry fanatic. To me, there is no greater side dish. In fact, I'd be perfectly happy to make french fries the main dish - and put the burger/sandwich/hot dog on the side. Especially since I discovered sweet potato fries. Not that there's anything wrong with the good old-fashioned russet potato, but the flavour and colour of the sweet potato just add that something extra - and make french fries a main dish in my world. Spicy Sweet Potato Fries 3 large sweet potatoes Olive oil salt pepper cinnamon cayenne pepper Slice sweet potatoes into thin wedges and add to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and a generous amount of pepper (about 12-14 turns). Hit with a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne for some heat. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated with oil and spices. Spread the potato wedges on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, turning fries once. After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 450 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until wedges get slightly dark. Remove from oven and serve piping hot with garlic & dill aioli Garlic Dill Aioli 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1/4 - 1/3 cup minced garlic 1 tbsp lemon zest 1/3 cup finely chopped dill In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients and chill for up to 3 hours before serving. to skin or not to skin? this is totally a matter of personal preference. If you like baked potato skins, then leave them on...they add great flavour to the fries. If skins aren't your thing, peel 'em off. This recipe works well either way! Enjoy!