Nutmeg is not a brunch person, as you may have gathered coffee is important and generally speaking bunch buffet restaurants are not known for their coffee. Here are some great make at home recipes that follow are great for weekends for a big group or for two. Serve with good coffee and enjoy!

Baked Cinnamon-Apple French Toast

6 medium apples (an assortment works well)

2 tbsp unsalted butter (cut in chunks)

½ cup light brown sugar

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

8 slices thickly sliced toast (we used raisin bread) – be creative here

8 large eggs

½ cup sugar (we skipped this)

3 ½ cups milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Peel, core and cut the apples into ¼ inch slices. Heat butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until it starts to foam. Add the apples and cook them until tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Lightly toast the bread. Cut the toast slices in half to make triangles. Butter a 9X13 inch baking dish, and arrange the bread in two rows, overlapping the dish.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl; then whisk in the sugar, milk and vanilla to make a custard. Pour the custard over the bread and spoon the apples over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the baking disk and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the custard is set and does not shimmy when you shake the pan. It will puff up and brown slightly. Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves about 8.

High Protein Oatmeal Pancakes

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup egg whites

1 large banana

¼ cup blueberries

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp vanilla extract

To make the batter put all the ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Heat a small pan over medium heat and lightly spray it with olive oil.

Pour enough batter into the pan so it covers most of the pan’s surface. Turn the pancake over once bubbles appear – about 5 minutes. When one side is cooked, the other side should cook a bit faster – about 3 minutes.

You can eat them right away with your favorite toppings (Ginger’s is Vermont maple syrup) or put them in the refrigerator and heat them in the toaster the next day. They will last for 4 days in the fridge.

Makes about 5 pancakes so increase the quantities for a bigger crowd.

Bermuda Notes

Ok so a little island time was LONG over due as Nutmeg pointed out it has been nine (9) years since we had been to an island and over 25 since her last visit to Bermuda!!! Bermuda is one of the most cosmopolitan of all the Atlantic/Caribbean islands with the British influence, global bank presence and established wealth it is not hard to imagine a fabulous vacation spot. The food was definitely tourist focused and priced accordingly, although we were not there long enough to find all of them we are certain there are some special spots. An almost hidden gem is Harry’s, located in an office complex by the Hamilton marina. This place has a great patio on a quiet cul de sac at the end of the marina. Great bar menu – must try the salt and pepper shrimp and the tuna carpaccio. They have a great cocktail selection and attentive wait staff. There is no danger of leaving hungry or thirsty from this place. We understand Friday afternoons this place rocks, for happy hour(s)...

Coffee research in Bermuda was disappointing. Hamilton has a few places that serve espresso including the Hamilton Princess coffee shop which you should avoid unless absolutely desperate. The first place we tried on a recommendation was the coffee bar inside Miles Market, the lattes (marginal at best) were prepared by two baristas who were more interested in talking on the phone than serving. The next day we ventured further to the Common Ground which can be found in an alleyway just off Front Street. The lattes were definitely a step up from the day before although a bit milky. The food however gets good ratings; Ginger had their breakfast sandwich – basically a BLT with egg. It was fresh and well prepared. They also serve crepes which looked great – read: we screwed up by not trying those. The place that gets the highest ratings is Rock Island on Reid Street (one back from Front). Nutmeg thought it was worth a try on Sunday morning to see if we could find “the” coffee spot. However, it was an unsuccessful mission – nothing is open in Hamilton on Sunday mornings in fact the Juice and Java shop on Front Street opens at 2pm Sundays. Which led Nutmeg back to the aforementioned Hamilton coffee shop with a line-up out the door of hotel guests and islanders who just finished their road bike rides – literally this is the only coffee shop open and the coffee was terrible. So we suppose the lesson is either sleep in or stop drinking coffee when in Bermuda.

The island is small and very easily explored. The ferry and bus system work in tandem and you can easily get from Hamilton to either end of the island in about 60 minutes. There are 2-4 bus options each way and several ferry options on week days. Do make a point of checking museum and fort opening schedules before you go as we discovered Fort St Catherine is only open on weekdays. We would recommend at least half a day at the Royal Naval Dockyard; spend the money to explore the Bermuda Maritime Museum and the Commissioner's House. The Dockyards is also the port for the cruise ships visiting the island so expect a high level of tourist shops and associated prices.

St George’s on the other end (east) of the island, it is a step back in time to the 19^th century in fact it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This tiny port still has cobbled streets and alleyways. There are a few interesting shops and restaurants. Make sure to visit Tobacco Bay and have a swim or a drink overlooking the ocean. You can get to St George’s by ferry on weekdays or on any one of 4 buses everyday of the week.

Golfers love Bermuda there are multiple courses with varied terrain and price points. We were fortunate to play the Mid-Ocean Club and Port Royal (future home of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf). Mid-Ocean is a classic old course, with plenty of trouble along the way and would definitely be a challenging walk. Port Royal is undergoing a massive renovation for the Grand Slam, it was in good shape – there is lots of sand and it is not easy for the average golfer, although is much more open than Mid-Ocean. We did visit Tuckers Point which is adjacent to Mid-Ocean. They have fabulous grounds, tennis, semi-private beach and a beautiful golf course with very similar terrain to Mid-Ocean (in some cases the holes almost run parallel.

Let’s talk about dinner in Bermuda:

As you probably know by know Nutmeg does her research in this department. Coconuts in The Reefs Hotel had received several reviews from a disparate group of people so it sounded like a must try. The setting is fabulous you literally walk from the road to the water’s edge and dine on the patio overlooking the surf or if you so chose at a table on the sand. The tip off should have been the $75 pre-fix dinner – that should have screamed TOURIST to us. The food was OK, the service OK. Our recommendation is go for a cocktail and check out the view/scene. The do have another fabulous patio overlooking the ocean and the beach, at road level. This too would be a good spot for a drink.

On our last night we tried The Waterlog Inn, which is associated with the Southampton Princess. It is a classic steakhouse. The food and service were both very good. The place was packed, likely with those disappointed by Coconuts. Ginger would recommend this place based on wine and food. Nutmeg sits on the fence as the restaurant could be in any big American city.

We did not try and should have The Dining Room at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Here are some fast facts on the lighthouse itself. Constructed in 1844 the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is the oldest cast iron lighthouse in the world. The hill on which the lighthouse stands is 245 feet high while the lighthouse itself measures 117 feet. A 1,000 watt bulb sits inside a lens revolving in a trough of 1,200 pounds of mercury. The light beam it emits can be seen by ships 40 miles away and from a distance of 120 miles by a plane flying at 10,000 feet. So you get the picture the lighthouse is on a hill and the outdoor restaurant has likely the best views on the island. Try it and let us know.

So Nutmeg is adamant that her research time was way too short to truly do the level of study required we will plan a return trip.

In Praise of the Small Restaurant

In praise of the small restaurant!! Have you ever been to a “Chinese, American, Italian” restaurant and dreaded the fact you had walked in the door? Have you ever been handed the 11”X17” full color (with pictures), multi-page encyclopedia and wished you had stayed at home for popcorn?

Our top restaurant choices are those with few tables, great service, limited but well chosen wines and GREAT food. Our current top Calgary choice is RASOI which is hands down consistent service and market fresh modern Indian. The flavors are distinct, not overpowering. No traditional “butter chicken” here. The menu is short and covers all the proteins, with options for the vegetarians in the crowd. The team at Rasoi does not disappoint they are meticulous about the table settings, food presentation and attention to every detail. Unfortunately, they are on the busy Marda Loop strip and do not have a patio – which is not a problem 11.5 months of the year, so go and enjoy!

Another winner in Calgary, is PETITE – yes “small” for the western Canadian anglos. They took over the coffee shop space across from Community Natural Foods on 10^th Avenue. The name is appropriate this place is cozy, few tables (with enough spacing to remind you that you are not in France). There menu is market fresh, the specials are literally best of the season. Our party ordered the special starters (breaded squash blossom flowers in a sauce of parmigiano cheese) and beet salad – both winners. The seafood was delectable and our mains were terrific in terms of presentation and portion size. The overall winner was the seared scallops with orchietta pasta and baby tomatoes finished with 25yr old balsamic – try it you will not be disappointed. Limited wine list with a focus on bin ends which works fine for small groups.

So you know Nutmeg has a hard time leaving Canmore out of the discussion. The Trough never disappoints. The restaurant is small and really cozy for the lovely -30 nights (she is joking about the weather). Rosie (chef) and Mike (host) never disappoint, the menu is consistently good and the choices hard but listen closely to the specials as they are generally over the top. Did Nutmeg mention the great innovative and price sensitive wine list?