Atlantic Books

Atlantic Books

Locate me
FR

Rock Recipes: The Best Food from my Newfoundland Kitchen

by

laptop with bookshelves and black wording

It’s that time of year! Yes, it’s time for holidays and celebrating, but it’s also time to look back at 2015. This list of the ‘most popular’ posts (as evidenced by readers’ clicks) showcases the wide variety of content found here at AtlanticBooksToday.ca. So while you may have come across some of these articles, recipes, interviews, and more now is the time to catch up on any you’ve missed below before we charge into 2016.

master's program

Mastering the art of authoring a book
Our Heather Fegan talks to Don Sedgwick, executive director of Canada’s only master of creative nonfiction degree program.

Barry Parsons Rock Recipes

The rock behind the recipes
We went into the kitchen of Barry Parsons, the home chef behind the Rock Recipes cookbook series, to find out what’s cooking.

Newfoundland-tourism

Books that make you proud to be from Atlantic Canada
Our stories make us who we are — and we’re especially connected to these ones.

Todd MacLean full

PEI musician, journalist, and editor Todd MacLean
Chris Benjamin profiles up-and-coming author Todd MacLean as part of our Young Writers series.

Fishing Premises, Tilting, Fogo Island, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, Canada

Newfoundland: An Island Apart
An excerpt from Dennis Minty’s beautiful book featuring his stunning home province.

Legendary television journalist and Scotiabank Giller Prize-winner Linden MacIntyre returns to the page with powerful new fiction. Photo by Joe Passaretti

Linden MacIntyre’s Punishment
A Q&A with the popular author and former CBC newsman.

Lesley-Crewe-672x377

Five things I learned: Lesley Crewe
We asked author Lesley Crewe to share five things she learned while turning her book, Relative Happiness, into a movie.

Mian_Sarah

First time novelist Sarah Mian takes her hard-earned place on bookshelves
A Q&A with Sarah Mian about her craft, characters, and how the local dive bar contributes to both.

The Book Of Negroes

Book of Negroes comes to the small screen
Atlantic Canadians behind the television mini-series based on Lawrence Hill’s celebrated novel.

Ivy (Melissa Bergland) and Joss (Aaron Poole) from Lesley Crewe's novel Relative Happiness came alive on the screen last fall. Photo courtesy of Nimbus Publishing

Atlantic books hit the big screen
From the small to the silver screen, we take a look at Atlantic books making the leap to film in 2015.

by

Barry Parson’s is back with the sequel to his best-selling cookbook: Rock Recipes  2: More Great Food From My Newfoundland Kitchen. Today he shares three amazing blueberry dishes perfect for those berries you stocked away during the summer.

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buckle Rock Recipes

I first heard of blueberry buckle in a restaurant in Maine many years ago while on vacation. Acting like a typical tourist, I asked where the name originated, but the server seemed to have no idea. “That’s what we’ve always called it” was her only response. It’s hard to fault her lack of knowledge on the origin of the name, especially when references to “buckle” as a dessert dish can be dated back to colonial times in the US. With that long a history, it certainly qualifies as a well-loved, old-fashioned comfort food. A little research does indicate that the name comes from the crinkled or “buckled” appearance of the streusel crumb topping as the cake batter rises.

I developed this Blueberry Buckle recipe on my own, and I’ve since used it with other berries and chopped fruit in season and even used frozen berries on occasion, so it really is a versatile year-round recipe.

Makes 12 servings

Blueberry Cake Base

  • ½ cup butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2½ cups fresh blueberries

Streusel Crumb Topping

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ cup cold butter, cut in small cubes

Blueberry Cake Base

  1. Grease a 10-inch springform pan well and line the bottom with parchment paper, if you like, for easy release of the cake when it is baked.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after the addition of each egg.
  4. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  5. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
  6. Add dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Always begin and end with an addition of dry ingredients. As a general rule, add the flour mixture in 3 divisions and the milk in 2.
  7. Be careful not to overmix the batter, or your cake will be dense. Fold the batter only until the flour is incorporated but no more.
  8. Quickly fold in the blueberries.
  9. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Streusel Crumb Topping

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Mix together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
  3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter through the dry mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.
  4. Press the crumb mixture together in handfuls and break off small pieces about the size of the top of your pinky finger, scattering them over the surface of the batter already in the pan.
  5. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The baking time can vary, especially if you use frozen berries. In that case, it may take 10-15 minutes more to bake. The toothpick test is the best way to ensure that this cake is fully baked.

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Lemon Blueberry Cheescake Bars Rock Recipes Barry Parsons

When you want all that luscious cheesecake flavour and creamy texture without making an entire huge cheesecake, these perfectly portioned little bites of lemon blueberry cheesecake are just the thing.

These are a quick way to make small servings of a delicious cheesecake, which I especially like to have on hand in the freezer during the holiday season. I either pre-cut them into bars and freeze them in airtight containers with each one nestled inside a paper muffin tin liner or I freeze an entire batch, uncut, in case I need larger servings as a decadent dessert for unexpected dinner guests. Either way, you will always be prepared to serve something utterly delicious to serve family or guests.

  • 1½ cups graham crumbs
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese (1 cup)
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup whipping cream
  • zest of 1 small lemon (or ½ large), finely minced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
  2. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  3. Mix together the graham crumbs, melted butter, and 3 tbsp sugar and press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  4. Beat together the cream cheese, ⅓ cup sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute.
  6. Blend in the whipping cream along with the lemon zest.
  7. Pour over the prepared crust.
  8. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the cheesecake batter.
  9. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the center sets.
  10. To ensure even baking, you can place the baking pan into a larger baking pan and fill halfway up with boiling water. This may slow down the cooking process and require a little extra baking time, but the cheesecake will bake more evenly from the edges to the center.
  11. Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving. Store in the refrigerator or freeze until needed.

Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Pancakes

Lemon Blueberry Pancake Rock recipes Barry parsons

This original photo accompanied the first pancake recipe ever published on RockRecipes.com back in the spring of 2008. It has remained the most popular pancake recipe I’ve posted. Back in the original post, I mentioned that I rarely made pancakes at our house because my ten-year-old daughter, Olivia, had taken on the duties of expert pancake maker. Not much has changed in the years since, but in the times when I still get up early on the weekends, before the kids, I like to whip up a batch of these, my personal favourite pancakes. There are never any complaints from the teenagers, either, when they wake up to the scent of blueberry and lemon wafting up from the kitchen below.

 

by

Chapters-Indigo logo stacked
Our Chapters-Indigo Atlantic Canadian bestsellers list for May is out! Have you read any of these great books? Let us know in the comments below. 

NOVA SCOTIA – MAY LOCAL TOP 5
1. I Owe It All To Rock and Roll and the CBC by Frank Cameron (Local Interest)
2. Lexicon Volume 16 by Theresa Williams (Local Interest)
3. Lexicon Volume 15 by Theresa Williams (Local Interest)
4. Frontier Town: Bear River Nova Scotia by Mike Parker (Local Interest)
5. Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham (Romance)

NEW BRUNSWICK – MAY LOCAL TOP 5
1. Wildflowers of New Brunswick by Todd Boland (Local Interest)
2. A Measure Of Light by Beth Powning (Fiction)
3. The Great Atlantic Canada Bucket List by Robin Esrock (Travel)
4. Waterfalls of New Brunswick GD by Nicholas Guitard (Local Interest)
5. Irving VS Irving by Jacques Poitras (Business)

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – MAY LOCAL TOP 5
1. Wild Island by John Sylvester (Local Interest)
2. Charlottetown Then and Now by D. Scott MacDonald with W. Blair MacDonald (Local Interest)
3. The Pup From Away by Shaun Patterson (Local Interest)
4. Those Splendid Girls by Katherine Dewar (Local Interest)
5. Prince Edward Lullaby by PL McCarron (Local Interest)

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – MAY LOCAL TOP 5
1. Rock Recipes by Barry Parsons (Local Interest)
2. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the Great War by Frank Gogos (Local Interest)
3. I Want to Know if I Got to Get Married by Miles Frankel (Local Interest)
4. Hikes in Eastern Newfoundland by Mary Smyth (Local Interest)
5. Creatures of the Rock by Andrew Peacock (Biography)

by

Chapters-Indigo logo stackedChapters-Indigo has put together a list of bestsellers for the Atlantic provinces for March. Check below and see what the popular reads are in your province.

NOVA SCOTIA – APRIL LOCAL TOP 5

  1. I Owe It All To Rock and Roll and the CBC by Frank Cameron (Local Interest)
  2. Lexicon Volume 16 by Theresa Williams (Local Interest)
  3. Big Book of Lexicon Volumes 123 by Theresa Williams (Local Interest)
  4. Lexicon Volume 15 by Theresa Williams (Local Interest)
  5. What I Learned About Politics by Graham Steele (Local Interest)

NEW BRUNSWICK – APRIL LOCAL TOP 5

  1. A Measure Of Light by Beth Powning (Fiction)
  2. Irving VS Irving by Jacques Poitras (Business)
  3. Creatures of the Rock by Andrew Peacock (Biography)
  4. You Might Be From New Brunswick If… by Michael De Adder (Local Interest)
  5. Waterfalls of New Brunswick GD by Nicholas Guitard (Local Interest)

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – APRIL LOCAL TOP 5

  1. The Little Book of Prince Edward Island by John Sylvester (Local Interest)
  2. Prince Edward Island by Wayne Barrett and Anne MacKay (Local Interest)
  3. Wild Island by John Sylvester (Local Interest)
  4. Elora Of Stone by Jaime Mann (Local Interest)
  5. Formac Pocketguide to Prince Edward Island Birds by Jeffery C. Domm (Nature)

 NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – APRIL LOCAL TOP 5

  1. Rock Recipes by Barry Parsons (Local Interest)
  2. Sweetland by Michael Crummey (Fiction)
  3. Where I Belong by Alan Doyle (Biography)
  4. Eating Habits of the Chronically Lonesome by Megan Gail Coles (Local Interest)
  5. Newfoundland and Labrador Lullaby by Joy Steuerwald (Local Interest)

by

Chapters-Indigo logo stackedChapters-Indigo has put together a list of bestsellers for the Atlantic provinces for March. Check below and see what the popular reads are in your province.

NOVA SCOTIA – MARCH LOCAL TOP 5

1. Lexicon Volume 16 by Theresa Williams
2. Big Book of Lexicon Volumes 123 by Theresa Williams
3. What I Learned About Politics by Graham Steele
4. You Might Be From Nova Scotia If… by Michael de Adder
5. Relative Happiness by Lesley Crewe

NEW BRUNSWICK – MARCH LOCAL TOP 5

1. A Measure Of Light by Beth Powning
2. Irving VS Irving by Jacques Poitras
3. You Might Be From New Brunswick If… by Michael de Adder
4. The Great Atlantic Canada Bucket List by Robin Esrock
5. Waterfalls of New Brunswick GD by Nicholas Guitard

 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – MARCH LOCAL TOP 5

1. Elora Of Stone by Jaime Mann
2. Charlottetown Then and Now by Scott D MacDonald
3. The Little Book of Prince Edward Island by John Sylvester
4. Prince Edward Lullaby by PL McCarron
5. Wild Island by John Sylvester

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – MARCH LOCAL TOP 5

1. Rock Recipes by Barry Parsons
2. The Ghost Of The Southern Cross by Nellie Strowbridge
3. Leaving For The Seal Hunt by John Gillett
4. Townies by Robert Hunt
5. Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

Have you read any of these? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

by

Barry C Parsons is a food blogger with a mission: to get people into their kitchens and cooking. It sounds easier than it is, but Parsons keeps this in mind with his selections in Rock Recipes: The Best Food From My Newfoundland Kitchen.

In his introduction, Parsons acknowledges his lack of culinary training – and even equipment – as he tries to set home cooks at ease. But the real comfort for readers comes in the recipes themselves: clear, packed with useful tips, all delivered in a tone that liberates rather than intimidates.

These are recipes geared towards home cooks who want to make the food they see in magazines and on blogs, and delivers then in a manner that excites the reader to stop reading, and start cooking.

Parsons includes recipes for dishes that most home cooks would want in their repertoire. Simple recipes –both for the cook and the diner– such as Chicken Souvlaki with Lemon Mint Tzatziki, or a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad convince the cook that they can make satisfying meals out of ingredients they can access easily with great flavour. The great thing about these starter recipes is that they can inspire the home chef to try standouts like the Tomato Braised Leg of Lamb with Spinach Feta Stuffing, or Cod a la Empire.

Rock Recipes: The Best Food From My Newfoundland Kitchen
By Barry C. Parsons

$24.95, paperback, 312 pp.

Breakwater Books Ltd., October 2014

by

Group Of PeopleNot sure which books the bibliophile on your list is dreaming of this season? We have you covered

While many are finished their holiday shopping, there are more than a few of us still wandering wide-eyed from store-to-store seeking the perfect gifts. To take the pressure off, Atlantic Books Today curated this holiday gift guide, packed with local reads for everyone on your list.

Read on to discover gift suggestions that will look great under the tree –that is– if they don’t land on your bookshelf first!

For the Mystery Lover

WaltThe Mystery Lover is known to curl up with a novel on a dark and stormy night. Our first pick, Walt, is a psychological thriller narrated by a janitor who collects discarded grocery lists and obsesses over their authors. When St. John’s cold case squad reopens his wife’s disappearance, they discover that Walt is more than he seems.

Walt, Russell Wangersky, $22.95 (pb), 9781770894679, 304 pp., House of Anansi, September 2014

bodies-cover-300For those seeking a lighter whodunit, Bodies and Soles returns the reader to The Shores, PEI, a tiny community as besieged by mysteries as Cabot Cove, Maine. This time amateur sleuth Hy McAllister must convince Mountie Jane Jamieson that the town’s newest resident is up to no good.

Bodies and Sole: A Shores Mystery, Hilary MacLeod, $22.95 (pb), 9781927502310, 300 pp., The Acorn Press, September 2014

For the Hockey Fan

They Called Me Chocolate RocketCanada’s game figures prominently in this year’s new releases. We recommend a local story, They Called Me Chocolate Rocket. It tells the courageous story of John Paris Jr., an African-Nova Scotian who rose through the junior leagues, was scouted by Scotty Bowman and became the first Black professional hockey coach.

They Called Me Chocolate Rocket: The Life and Times of John Paris, Jr., Hockey’s First Black Professional Coach, John Paris, Jr., with Robert Ashe, $22.95 (pb), 9781459503311, 272 pp., Formac Publishing Company Ltd., September 2014

My lost 10 point nightFor some NHL flavor, try Newfoundland-based author and lobster fisherman David Ward’s new book. In The Lost 10 Point Night: Searching for My Hockey Hero . . . Jim Harrison, Ward sets out to find his boyhood idol. The result is part memoir, part biography and examines the personal impact of the politics that, all too often, come with pro hockey.

The Lost 10 Point Night: Searching for My Hockey Hero . . . Jim Harrison, David Ward, $17.95 (pb), 9781770411555, 160 pp., ECW Press, September 2014

For the Animal Admirer

Phoebe's WayIf your best friend loves man’s best friend, we suggest Phoebe’s Way. This slim novel follows a St. John Ambulance dog through the rooms and lives of the residents and staff of a Nova Scotia nursing home, and offers touching reflections on aging.

Phoebe’s Way, Pamela Ditchoff, $14.95 (hc), 9781770411951, 96 pp., ECW Press, September 2014

Company of AnimalsFor those on your list with more philosophical bent, try In the Company of Animals. This 37-story collection examines our relationships with animals, be they salamanders, beloved pets or creatures encountered in the wilds. It features a host of Atlantic Canadian authors including David Weale, Charlotte Mendel and David Adams Richards.

In the Company of Animals, Edited by Pam Chamberlain, $22.95 (pb), 9781771082242, 288 pp., Nimbus Publishing, September 2014

For the Foodie

Chowder_TrailThe Atlantic region has plenty of creative cookbooks that your favourite home chef will hunger for. For those with a traveller’s palate, try The Chowder Trail Cookbook: A selection of the best recipes from Taste of Nova Scotia’s Chowder Trail. This picture-filled volume presents chowder recipes from prominent seafood eateries across the province, each with its own story and special local ingredients.

The Chowder Trail Cookbook: A selection of the best recipes from Taste of Nova Scotia’s Chowder Trail, Elaine Elliot and Virginia Lee, $16.95 (hc), 9781459503243, 96 pp., Formac Publishing Company Ltd., June 2014

Layout 1For those seeking a little more variety in their fare, try Rock Recipes: The Best Food from my Newfoundland Kitchen, food blogger Barry C. Parsons’ collection of his most popular recipes. Who knows? This gift might even land you a dinner invitation.

Rock Recipes: The Best Food from my Newfoundland Kitchen, Barry C. Parsons, $24.95 (pb), 9781550815559, 312 pp., Breakwater Books, October 2014

For the Short Story Lover

fullcover2.inddFor the busiest bibliophile in your life, we suggest short stories with regional flair. Eating Habits of the Chronically Lonesome introduces readers to a character driven world populated by people craving a human connection, packed with dark humour and smart dialogue.

Eating Habits of the Chronically Lonesome, Megan Gail Coles, $19.95 (pb), 9781771030526, 130 pp., Creative Book Publishing, October 2014

six@sixty-isolatedAnd for true book collectors, don’t miss Goose Lane Editions’ 60th anniversary set six@sixty. This limited edition collection features six individually bound short stories meant to be savoured, and includes stories by award-winning authors Lynn Coady, Douglas Glover and Alden Nolan.

six@sixty, Various, $30.00 (pb), 9780864928535, 40 pp. each, Goose Lane Editions, October 2014

For the Crafter

Celtic Threads MacLeod-MacInnes-Weaving-webThe Crafter has a creative spirit and understands the thought that goes into a handmade gift. But you needn’t be handy with a needle or hook to give Celtic Threads: A Journey in Cape Breton Crafts. This thoroughly researched book shares the island’s textile heritage and offers practical tips for weavers and other fibre artists.

 Celtic Threads: A Journey in Cape Breton Crafts, Eveline MacLeod & Daniel W. MacInnes, $24.95 (pb), 9781897009796, 170 pp., Cape Breton University Press, June 2014

Simply ModernSimply Modern: Contemporary Designs for Hooked Rugs reimagines another enduring craft: rug hooking. Photos of Deanne Fitzpatrick’s bold designs and her Amherst, NS, studio-shop fill this book with eye-catching colours and inspiration that even first time rug hookers can put into practice.

Simply Modern: Contemporary Designs for Hooked Rugs, Deanne Fitzpatrick, $34.95 (hc), 9781771082167, 135 pp., Nimbus Publishing, October 2014