It has been a pretty tough and sad week around here.
Jimmy, my grandmother’s “boyfriend” of 50 years passed away on Tuesday after a two week hospital stay. Jimmy was 86 and his health had been slowly declining over the past few years but it still came as a shock to see him get so sick and pass away so quickly. Continue reading
I am in love with this cake.
This might be because I first spotted it on one of my favourite sites, Sweet Amandine, where Jess writes about life and food in such a thoughtful and beautiful way. Jess’ recipes are always appealing to me and her dreamy and poetic photos are inspiring. Continue reading
Nothing says spring to me like the arrival of fava beans at the market. Those long, dark green pods that must be split open to find the jewel like green beans nestled in fur-lined beds waiting to be quickly blanched and peeled again. It takes a bit of work to get to the fava itself but the creamy, buttery texture and nutty flavour makes it worth it. Continue reading
I want to share a recipe that I hope will inspire you to get into the kitchen this weekend and cook some breakfast for a handful of people you like/love.
Springtime is the perfect time to host an informal brunch. Why not stir up a batch of Bloody Marys or a few Mimosas, enjoy some lively conversation, cook something simple yet delicious and perhaps even enjoy a walk with the dogs and/or kids once the meal is complete. Continue reading
Happy Easter! This weekend for Easter Sunday dinner will it be turkey or ham?
As Easter can fall anytime between March 22nd and April 25 (dictated by the timing of the first full moon after the spring equinox and Passover) it can often feel like the big bunny is hopping in either right in the thick of winter or into a balmy, full blown spring. This year it is sliding in right under the wire and while we are hardly enjoying any temperatures that could be called “balmy” we are in for a weekend filled with sunshine and daffodils and the smell of warm earth and green grass. Continue reading
A few weeks ago when I was doing a major cleaning of my kitchen I also spent a bunch of time going though my cookbook collection. I am lucky enough to have a good size office where I have two fairly large bookshelves that are dedicated to cookbooks. A stash of additional cookbooks ends up in the kitchen on a countertop nestled between the back wall and some heavy enamel pots. These overflow kitchen cookbooks are the ones that are the most used and loved of the moment. The ones in “heavy rotation” if you will. There are certain books that have held their place on that kitchen shelf for months and even years, books that are thumbed through daily and cooked from weekly or sometimes even more often. Continue reading
On Saturday it was my Grandmother’s 100th birthday!
We marked this momentous occasion with an afternoon party at her church in Lynn Valley and invited 90 or so family members and friends. There was lots of food (made by my Mom, sister and me), flowers, balloons and streamers, a massive cake and some heartfelt toasts to the birthday girl. Continue reading
Last Saturday night we hosted a dinner for Glen’s camera crew here at our house. As I mentioned in my last post my husband has been working on a television series for the past ten years and it finally came to an end a week ago. Glen really wanted to do something special to show the guys (and girl) how much their hard work and support has meant to him. We were pleased that almost everyone (30 people!) could attend and Saturday turned out to be one of those really wonderful and memorable evenings filled with laughter and reminiscing. Continue reading
