There’s nothing quite as restorative as some time in the sunshine. Good food helps as well. We had plenty of both during our extended Christmas stay on the West Indian island of Antigua. Now, I’m so relaxed, it’s hard to get moving again. A few culinary highlights of our trip: The Antiguan black pineapple. A […]
From the better-late-than-never department, Happy Hanukkah! Trying to figure out which recipe to use for my first attempt at matzo ball soup was more than a little daunting. Just figuring out the proper spelling is hard enough. There are thousands of recipes (each handed down from a grandmother, it seems) in cookbooks and online and, […]
Last week, the City of Vancouver began implementing an ambitious plan to plant orchards in city parks. The apple, cherry, plum and pear trees will be cared for by young people from nearby schools and are part of a long-term project to create and edible urban ecosystem. It’s a great idea. Let’s turn all our […]
Sometimes, during a really good meal, there is a moment when you suddenly notice it’s quiet. Except for the scrape of cutlery, there is no noise. Even the most convivial talker has gone head down and silent and you can’t quite put your finger on exactly when the conversation stopped. But you know why it […]
A facebook friend who lives in India posted this on my wall the other day: “r u or have u been in India?” No kidding, it felt a bit like being taken down to FBI headquarters. “Yes,” I felt like replying, “but, I was never a member of the communist party.” It was the profile […]
October 25th was World Pasta Day and we almost missed it. Fortunately, it’s pasta day eight days a week around here (or so it seems) and we happened to be enjoying a bowl that very evening even though we were oblivious to the significance of the date. Whew! That was close. It’s not entirely clear […]
So, tell me if this has ever happened to you. It’s 10 or 11 in the morning and you wander down the stairs into the kitchen. Deep down you know what to expect but, somehow, you hope, it won’t be true. It is. The kitchen is a mess. Empty glasses and bottles everywhere. There are […]
Anyone who has been following the narrative on one of my favourite blogs, she eats bears, is sitting on the edge of their kitchen stool in anticipation of this weekend’s big event. The gentle rhythm of Marysol’s blog has been punctuated by a bit of tension of late as she prepares to open her own […]
Everyone around here knows that when I get out my 24-litre stock pot (I feel like a hobbit carrying this thing to the stove), the “crisper” drawer is more aptly called the “softer” drawer and it is time to make chicken stock. This seems to happen most regularly on a rainy Sunday. I throw in […]
Drywall is up (did it myself so, don’t look too closely), painting is done, shelves are up and they have been stocked with new food. Two weeks after a leaky pipe caused havoc in the kitchen, wrecking the walls and causing the pantry shelves to collapse (olive oil gives a lovely sheen to slate floors), […]
Meats, Roots and Leaves 