A lifetime ago It seems like a lifetime ago since I have written something about what we are actually doing with ourselves. The truth is pretty simple and by normal standards quite boring. As we have said before, we travel on our own terms which usually means on our own dime and it takes a […]
i-trak, the one item every traveller should own
Losing your luggage Losing your luggage is not something you think about when you’re organizing a trip. But sometimes things do go wrong, as we found out last week on our way to Europe. After our flight was delayed in Ottawa because of a snowstorm causing us to miss our connection in Toronto, we spent a good […]
Breakfast in Bedface
Vancouver blues It’s October and in Vancouver the weather has changed like a light switch from glorious sunny summer to low thick clouds and dark rainy mornings. It’s cold and wet and with the rain come the blues and the need to nest and be cosy seems as natural as the geese flying South for […]
Va Bene, capturing the flavours of traveling through Italy
VaBene A Cook Not Mad is heading to Northern Italy on another exciting tour. After logging thousands of miles, pictures and hundreds of recipes on previous trips to Italy the idea for our new book, Va Bene, was born. This trip will find us visiting some of our favourite spots and discovering plenty of new […]
Why is it a good idea for restaurants to source products locally?
Why is it a good idea for restaurants to source products locally? It is becoming more common for restaurants to source products from local suppliers. Venues such as nypbarandgrill.com advertise that they use local ingredients in the meals that are served to diners. Many people who go out to eat look for this type of […]
Seasonal treat – Pappardelle with roasted corn and peppers
Seasonal treat One of my favourite times of the year is when I see those huge bins of freshly harvested ears of corn at the market. Corn on the cob, a great Canadian (and American) tradition that thankfully remains a seasonal treat that we can look forward to every year. It means fall is on […]
Fermented foods at every meal : a book review
Which fermented foods are in your pantry? Just about every serious cook or foodie has one or more fermented foods in their pantry. Whether it be kombucha, sourdough bread or a mason jar filled with sauerkraut burbling on top of the fridge. Fermented foods could not be more in the spotlight, inspiring today’s cooks to […]
The Extraordinary Italian Taste
The extraordinary Italian taste Have you ever returned home from the grocer only to discovered that the expensive bottle of what you thought was Italian olive oil is actually not Italian at all? The label sure looks Italian and the name sounds Italian, but what’s in the bottle has never set foot in Italy. It’s not […]