Years ago, I worked at a small daily newspaper that, like all small dailies in that neck of the woods, produced an annual supplement called “Fall Colours”. The supplement, depending on the state of the economy, could run many pages, supported by local retailers anxious to convince people that the holiday shopping season begins the […]
For years I have made a great big bowl of cranberry sauce with every holiday turkey, only to watch family and guests (me included) take a polite nibble and leave the rest. The bowl sits in the fridge for a week or two, untouched, before someone puts us out of its misery and tosses it […]
It feels like capitulation to turn the furnace on so soon, despite the fact the first cold of the season has made its way into the house – a sniffling, hacking reminder to put a big pot of chicken soup on the weekend to-do list. The soup can wait till tomorrow. Today’s task is to […]
Anyone who has seen my wardrobe knows I am not qualified to pronounce on fashion or trends. In my books comfort and a classic look trumps hipster style any day. Besides, every decade or so, the fashion gods smile on me and for a few brief moments my paisley tie collection wanders back in vogue […]
A stroll through Montreal’s Jean-Talon Market this time of year can be a dangerous thing, especially if your hotel is several kilometres away and you walked. Best to bring a donkey or, a very big friend who owes you a very big favour. Bustling, crowded and packed with gorgeous produce, Jean-Talon is, I think, the […]
If I was lucky enough to own white pants (L won’t let me), I wouldn’t pack them away this Labour Day weekend as custom dictates. I would wear them defiantly at least until Thanksgiving, I don’t like to give up summer without a fight. Swimming in the lake is good, as far as I’m concerned, […]
This is the first recipe I have made from The Chez Piggy Cookbook, despite the fact it will always be my favourite restaurant and I have had the book for years. Chez Piggy was opened in 1979 in a refurbished limestone stable by Zal Yanovsky and his partner Rose Richardson. Both Zal, who was the […]
I don’t often pitch specific products, but, if you like a nice gin and tonic on a hot summer’s day, you have to try this stuff. It’s hard to find – I’ve been looking for Fever Tree tonic water ever since I read this comparison of tonics a few months ago. It was worth the […]
(Loosely based on a true story) One bite. One timid, tentative bite and I wait. I wait for the deadly neurotoxins to wreak havoc on my nervous system, throwing my body into spasms of agony before, hours later, screaming and frothing at the mouth, my internal organs surrender to the inevitable and, one by one, […]
Nasturtiums, I am told, flower best in poor soil. They attract few pests, are generally happier when completely ignored and they tend to thrive under the unwatchful eye of even the worst gardeners. Thank, God – this is a plant for me. And, even better, they’re delicious. I’ve often thrown a few nasturtium leaves in […]
Meats, Roots and Leaves 