Happy Gourmand
Travelling for your tummy
Have you ever taken a road trip for food? It’s not uncommon to find good food when you travel, but how about making plans just to try the food in a...
Food served to astronauts not the most appetizing fare
This week, another group of private astronauts arrived at the International Space Station. They work for Space X, and will do scientific experiments and...
The joys, and frustrations, of gardening in the Okanagan
They say April showers bring May flowers. In the Okanagan this year, we seem to have mostly skipped the rain and jumped ahead to the flowers. I love seeing the...
The simplest meal, done with flair
I was watching a show about the late Julia Child recently, showcasing her rise to fame as a television star. Did you know she had one of the first cooking shows...
Remembering a mom who encouraged her daughter to just be herself
When I was a kid, I was weird. I liked wearing a flowery embroidered purple tunic with just about anything, regardless of colour or pattern (it was my favourite...
The origins of May Day and the fun of the season
May 1 has long been known as a day of celebration throughout much of Europe. May Day, as it is sometimes called, represents the midpoint between the spring...
Cook often, be happy and live longer
Every day, we are constantly pushed and pulled by influences in our lives and those influences change how our lives go and how long they last. The quality of...
'Easy' baking at a young age
I love cooking in all its forms. I have been enamoured with it ever since I was a little girl. My granddaughter is now two and a half years old, just starting...
What do you put in your coffee?
To all the tea drinkers out there, I apologize in advance for coffee’s monopoly on the conversation in this week’s column. I am someone who enjoys...
April Fool's Day is a fun time for foolish food
Today is April Fool’s Day, so I thought I would use it as inspiration to be a bit goofy. Perhaps that is in part due to spring weather being so...
Learning about food early is important for us all
My husband has been a chef his whole career. He loves to cook and he loves to teach people about cooking. One of his first students was his daughter and one of...
Big brand shopping and local loyalty
Branding has become evident in almost everything we do today. Many big brands work to convey an image that seems more intimate than corporate. But do we serve...
Strange names for foods we eat
When we are little, we often end up pronouncing foods in a funny way. My younger brother used to love “pas-getti and meatballs”. Even adults can...
Things to do as spring arrives
I don’t care what anyone says, I am blazing ahead with my visualizing of spring. I know it’s still a bit nippy out there, what with grey skies and...
Reduce, reuse, recycle— even with leftovers
I bet you have heard statistics about food waste. They have become another part of the discussion on environmental concerns. In this week’s column, I want...
Marking a day of excess just before the sacrifice of Lent
Isn’t it interesting that the day proceeding the start of Lent is seen in some places as an all-out binge? There is something a bit silly, and perhaps...
Cupid’s wings or Buffalo wings?
This weekend might be one of the toughest ones for many folks out there. Nestled within days of each other are two very popular social events of the season. If...
Find a tasty way to celebrate the sun
I am Icelandic on my father’s side. Perhaps that is why I have both an appreciation for the stark beauty of winter and a keen interest in celebrating the...
Celebrating Candlemas, the forerunner of Groundhog Day
January is just about done – let’s celebrate! Many people say January is like an endless month, but now the year is starting to gather some...
Celebrating foods on special days of the year
Did you celebrate World Pizza Day (Jan.17) or National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19)? We eat traditional foods on holidays like Christmas, Hannukah, Ramadan, etc., but...