Beefsteak and Mushroom Pie

Executive chef John Cordeaux of The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto gets back to his British roots with this rich and traditional beef pie, enriched with Guinness and updated with notes of smoky bacon.

Gravlax With Mustard Dill Sauce

Serve up some Nordic-style flair this holiday season with this show-stopping cold-cured salmon. 

Creamy Leek Soup

Shortcuts - Heating purchased ready-to-use stock separately reduces time to bring soup to boil. - Packaged shredded cheese saves on preparation time. - Store-bought croutons eliminates making and baking them. - An immersion blender spares transferring hot liquid. - Bottled minced garlic saves time.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie Dough

Double Chocolate Mousse Wedding Cake

Look for white chocolate cigars at specialty chocolate shops, baking supply stores or online. Once you've tracked them down, measure their diameter and calculate how many you need to cover 38-inch (97 cm) and 26-inch (66 cm) round cakes. Of course, you'll want to have extras for any repair work. You will need double-sided tape to fasten the ribbons around the cakes, and twine to tie wildflowers in a delicate bundle.

Salmon Wellington

Pickerel with Lemon Mushroom Sauce

Succulent pickerel is widely regarded as one of Canada's best fish. On the lakes of northern Saskatchewan, locals catch their own to pan-fry, but visitors make a point of stopping by Amy's for this dish by chef James Smith. You can also use trout, whitefish or perch.

Cocoa Sugar Cookies

The dark brown colour of these cookies is a nice contrast to the bright icing.

Maple & Orange Celebration Tea

Discover Cabot Trail maple cream, an indulgent Canadian classic, made with grade A Canadian maple syrup and the smoothest of creams. It’s the perfect treat drizzled over dessert, in a coffee or simply on ice. Find it in your local liquor store. Enjoy responsibly.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Chili

This veggie-loaded chili is so hearty that even meat lovers will ask for seconds. To freeze it, cook as directed, but don't add the mushrooms. Cook them separately and add to the chili after reheating it. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every bit of sauce.