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Eric Pateman

Bridging Cultures & Building Communities Through Food

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Blog

ARTICLES
  • Global Tourism is Changing Forever. Are You Ready?
  • Ten Ways to Write —and Sell— a Great Canadian Menu
  • Culinary Tourism 101: The Basics
  • Exploring Northern India
  • Exploring Antarctica
  • Exploring Auckland, New Zealand
  • Tofino: The Culinary Epicentre at the Edge of the Pacific
  • He Said / She Said – 10 Tips for Travelling with Kids
GUEST POSTS
  • Kick-Starting the Restaurant Industry
  • Sorry, We’re Closed: The New Sign of the Hospitality Business
  • Be My Guest: Reopening the Restaurant Industry
RECIPES
  • Hot and Spicy Watermelon
  • Spicy Pork Tacos
  • Spicy Salmon Panzanella
  • Easy Black Truffle Pasta Carbonara
  • Black Truffle Prime Rib with Caramelized Onions
  • “Magic Fat” Potatoes
  • Seared Asparagus with Smoked Bacon Salt
  • Garlic & Rosemary Mushroom Crostini
  • Crispy Fried Eggs with Smoked Bacon Salt
From festivals in the Yukon and kayaking in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands to meeting with local producers in New Zealand and finding the best produce at market towns in the UK, Eric spends most of his time on the road, discovering amazing culinary offerings around the world. Keep up with his adventures here!

Global Tourism is Changing Forever. Are You Ready?

Destination marketing organizations need to ensure they’re set up for success in a post-pandemic world.

by Eric PatemanView from an airplane at sunset

Never in my lifetime, nor likely in the modern history of tourism, has an opportunity like this presented itself. 

Yes, it has been a disaster. The world has stopped travelling. But on the other hand, it’s an opportunity for destination marketing organizations to start fresh, and to leave behind some of the challenges and hangups of the past such as over-tourism, the wrong demographics, etc. It’s a chance to do deeper research, go after a newly defined traveller and travel market and ultimately, increase reach and market share.

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Kick-Starting the Restaurant Industry

Government support or discount programs: what is the right helping hand?

by Apoorva Prakash

Restaurant outdoor dining at night

As restaurants continue to navigate this year’s pandemic dining battle, in general, they are sticking to executing the minimum: keeping their business afloat. Working within the restrictions imposed by national governments and public health authorities, with reduced capacity and increased responsibilities, restaurant owners and employees are finding it hard to see the light at the end of this tunnel.

Many are being driven to close shop for good; the fortunate few who have been able to stay open are in desperate need of assistance. Earning what they need by relying on locals to open their wallets as they gain confidence in the economy is slow going, forcing restaurants to seek aid in the form of government support and discount programs. But are these measures effective? And what approach works best?

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Hot and Spicy Watermelon

Sliced watermelon sprinkled with Amola Molten Hot Salt

Okay, this one isn’t a recipe so much as a suggestion — but it’s a game-changer! The combination of spicy, juicy, cool and sweet makes for an incredible summertime snack.

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Spicy Pork Tacos

Spicy pork tortillas drizzled with KewpieInspired by Mexican and Japanese cooking, these spicy tacos are a great pick for a summer dinner outside. Watch out — they’re hot! If you like things a little less spicy, leave the sriracha off on top, or swap the sriracha in the marinade for brown sugar. If you can’t find Kewpie mayonnaise, regular is fine.

READ MORE

Spicy Salmon Panzanella

A healthy, varied and summery meal with a bit of a kick! I love enjoying the salmon with the panzanella served overtop, but you could also just make one or the other (and the Amola Molten Hot Salt makes a nice addition to either).

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Easy Black Truffle Pasta Carbonara

Bowl of gluten free black truffle pasta carbonaraBlack truffles add an amazing umami depth to just about any dish, but who keeps fresh truffles on hand in their home kitchen? Luckily, a sprinkle of Amola Black Truffle Salt does the trick — and has a much longer shelf life, too, so you can keep this powerhouse ingredient in your pantry, ready to take any dish up a level. This dish is my daughters’ absolute favourite — we would be eating it every week if they had their way!

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Black Truffle Prime Rib with Caramelized Onions

Fire-grilled steak with truffle salt and potatoes

Take a juicy Prime Rib up a step to absolute gastronomic heaven with Amola Black Truffle Salt. The rich flavours of black truffle take any cut of meat to a whole new level of deliciousness. If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the steak on a cast-iron pan over high heat, with a little oil to keep it from sticking.

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“Magic Fat” Potatoes

Cooked in a mouthwatering combination of duck and beef fat, these golden gems of goodness  are unbelievably addictive. Feel free to also experiment with goose fat, chicken fat, bacon fat or a combination of all of them (hence the name “magic fat”). The secret to perfectly crispy potatoes: Parboil them until they are just starting to fall apart and then chill them quickly, and get them nice and cold before you fry them. The secret to PERFECT crispy potatoes? A good sprinkling of Amola Smoked Bacon Salt.

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Seared Asparagus with Smoked Bacon Salt

Seared asparagus on a platter with Amola Smoked Bacon SaltFor a burst of spring on your plate, nothing beats fresh, local asparagus spears—especially when they are crunchy on the inside but nice and crispy at the tips. Yum! The key is to cook them over high heat for just a few minutes. Here, they’re elevated to something even more special with the smokey, savoury flavours of Amola Smoked Bacon Salt. I seared them in a cast-iron skillet, but a grill would work well, too. Just brush on the oil and butter before grilling.

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Garlic & Rosemary Mushroom Crostini

Garlic & Rosemary Mushroom Crostini with a box of Amola salt

The perfect appetizer, these tasty bites are quick enough to whip up before dinner, or make a lunch that feels fancy but is oh-so-easy to put together. We’ve opted to use Amola Garlic & Rosemary Salt, but they work equally well with Amola Black Truffle Salt — try them both ways! I used white button mushrooms, but you can use whatever kind you have on hand, or a mix. And yes, that is a lot of butter, but the mushrooms will soak it all up and love you for it! Fat is flavour!

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