A midlife crisis can be great. What’s wrong with a new Porsche or a well-equipped man cave? Even a boys’ golfing weekend in South Carolina could work – Spring Break for pseudo-seniors. Or, how about going back to school part time for two years and spending every waking hour outside of work desperately trying not […]
My grandmother was a remarkable woman. Widowed young just after the Second World War, and armed with not much more than a fierce work ethic, she left Scotland and emigrated to Canada with her three daughters – the smallest just three. I think that took great courage. Nana lived upstairs from us in the house […]
I’m pretty sure my New Year’s Resolution wouldn’t approve but, oh well, after my little mid-winter fling with these cold-oil fries, we’re no longer on speaking terms. (It was a strained relationship from the very beginning – that can happen if you make a hasty commitment on New Year’s Eve.) There’s no going back now. […]
Part three of Super Bowls and Plates. This year’s football feast: Spicy, grilled chicken wings with blue cheese dip. Guacamole, because you have to make something healthy. The easiest barbecue ribs you’ll ever make.
This is Part One of Super Bowls and Plates, a good excuse to have a party. Once a year we pretend to like football so we can have a mid-winter gorge on tavern fare. Last year I made Scotch eggs, a crowd favourite. This year’s football feast: Spicy, grilled chicken wings with blue cheese dip. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Baby, it’s cold outside. A summer cold snap calls for something with a little more substance than salad. Something saucy and meaty and noodley. This paprikash fits the bill nicely; a rich, but not too rich, sauce made with red wine and fresh tomatoes and lots of heat from pungent Hungarian paprika and cayenne. Lean […]
Meats, Roots and Leaves 