It’s August, and my little garden’s crop of lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries and radishes lay in piles all over the kitchen. The table’s groaning under the weight, the sink is clogged with garden soil, the dish rack is full of kale waiting to be washed… This is ridiculous! I haven’t got the space to cook something elaborate, so I’ll stick to just one pan and treat some of my radishes to a little bath, some butter and a dollop of honey. Read More
I have emerged from the “labyrinthine foliage of scrubby bushes and knotted vines” with 4 cups of fresh, glittering, juicy thimbleberries! By the time I’m back in the kitchen that amount has shrunk by half (Is there a hole in the container? Why are my fingers all red? Alright… just one more!) I haven’t got enough to make a traditional jam or preserve, and no ice cream either, so I’ll make a savoury sauce instead. The slightly sweet and sharply tannic flavour of the berries will complement the luxurious crispy/fattiness of my favourite ingredient… Duck! A hot pan, butter, shallots, a splash of vinegar, berries, what a classic entree! Read More
After a wet and deeply depressing June-uary, a sunny get-down-to-the-beach-and-rock-out July has come as a shining relief. Summer! People are out skim-boarding, biking, hosting noisy backyard BBQs, and enjoying life! Not to be outdone, mother nature soaks up the summer heat and busts out her brightest colours. So what if everyone’s lawn turns brown! Flowers are everywhere! And, along highway ditches and dog-walking paths, hidden inside the labyrinthine foliage of scrubby bushes and knotted vines are The Three Sisters of Summer: salmonberries, thimbleberries and blackberries… Read More
Mind totally blown.
I just found out that Anthony Bourdain (lanky, foul-mouthed former chef, Travel TV host, and author of the life-changing read Kitchen Confidential) has written a comic book! Inconceivably combining two of the greatest passions in my life; informed food writing, and comic book mayhem. Read More
The thing I remember first was the noise…
The moment I stepped off the bus, clutching my guide Crystal’s hand for dear life, I was doused in the alien cacophony of Toronto’s Chinatown. People everywhere were laughing, yelling, hailing cabs, and bartering for street food. The singsong chatter of portable radios poured a constant stream of superhappy Cantonese talk radio from every storefront window. Read More