I think I’m starting to believe in fate.
It’s been a crazy couple of months on Quadra, filled with adventures and mis-adventures, happenstance and straight-up, no-joke synchronicity. Every day it seems I’m stumbling blindly, yet gladly into another chance meeting, nutball conversation and potential life-changing experience. Take, for example the morning I got off the ferry and found that my rear bike tire was flat… Read More
I’ve been slinging a lot of hash on Quadra Island these last three weeks, and unavoidably a portion of that time is spent doing a whole lot of nothing on the Quadra ferry. WiFi cuts out once I hit the island (I have no Pintrest to crack out on!) so I’ve started on my 2014 reading list a little early this year. Read More
Working in a restaurant isn’t like working anywhere else. The heat, sweat, furious speed, constant pressure and never-ending workload can really take a toll on the human body and mind. It’s an environment that makes people crazy. I’ve witnessed this first hand over many years stalking this dimly-lit wasteland of sauté pans, cigarette butts, swear words and thousand-yard-stares… And maybe I’ve been a bit damaged in the process as well…. Maybe I’m just being really melodramatic.
The people who subject themselves to this, who willingly march into the meat grinder are an interesting breed. They come from every background, every culture and every level of psychological/emotional stability you can imagine. They are amazing people, my people. Read More
My co-worker and fellow creative lunatic Carol recently asked me what I considered to be the best, most easily accessible books on Wescoast foraging. She’d been poking around the backyard, getting excited about harvesting some local spring plants to eat and wanted a guide that could: a) Give her a fundamental understanding of foraging – ie. when and where to pick what. b) Clearly identify what plants are edible and what to avoid. c) Inspire her to roam farther afield for new experiences. Read More
The holiday season has moved in like a ninja this year: swift and unseen, appearing only at the last minute for a killing blow. Thwack! It’s time to start buying gifts for family and friends. If you’ve got a special cook in your life that you think is ‘kinda keen, then this year you should think about stuffing a little literary love in their stocking (not a metaphor).
I’ve been reading a lot this past year and I’ve been blessed with a lot of family and friends that have gifted me many books on food and kitchen life. I’ve compiled a short list of my favourites, why they pop and my recommendations for who might love finding them under the tree this Christmas. Read More