January 2016 - start with a bowl

A bottle of olive oil

The perfect olive oil. A few years ago Thom and I had the wonderful pleasure of traveling through the south of France, the Italian Riviera, and Tuscany for 3 weeks. It was an amazing holiday. We were there in September and the markets were bursting with the most beautiful fruits and vegetables I have…

The Battle of the Birthday Cake

In my life I have made a lot of cakes. A heck of a lot of cakes If you ask me to choose between pie and cake, I choose pie every time. Every single time. For my birthday my mom would make me a lattice top cherry pie. As a result there was only ever…

Vegan?! Gluten free?! Egg allergy?! What can I make????

Cooking for allergies, intolerances, and preferences. ( I can hear you sigh already). I have one friend who is a vegan, a few vegetarians, one who is allergic to eggs, some who are lactose intolerant, and a couple who are gluten free. I often have these people over to dinner, or bring baking to places…

How To – Chickpea and Spinach Curry

This recipe is based on Ross Dobson’s recipe from the book Wholesome Kitchen. This is a great book with lots of great recipes and ideas for adding more beans, pulses, and grains to your diet. When I make this recipe I usually double it so I have lots leftovers.

Making Doughnuts at Home!

I really enjoy doughnuts. When I was a kid and I went ice skating with my dad, we would stop at Tim Hortons on the way home and sit at the counter (back then there was a counter, kinda like a diner) and we would have hot chocolate and doughnuts. It was just the two of…

How To – Basic Devil’s Food Cake Doughnuts

This recipe is from Hand-Forged Doughnuts by Mark and Michael Klebeck with Jess Thompson from Top Pot Doughnuts. Thom and I always debate which is better, cake doughnuts or yeast doughnuts. To me, a cake doughnut wins every time.

How To – Gluten-Free Potato Doughnuts (Gem Bits)

This recipe is from Wendy Turnbull’s book “Gems of Gluten Free Baking.” These were the first doughnuts I ever made. You can make little ‘Timbits’ or ‘Doughnut Holes’, or you can use a doughnut dropper and make full size doughnuts. Really tender and yummy.

What is your favourite meal?

Seriously. What is your favourite meal? If it’s your birthday, or you’re on death row awaiting execution, what do you want to eat? I find this question curious as I don’t know that I have a favourite meal. I can narrow it down to a handful of things, but depending on my mood, or the…

Eating my way through Vancouver – Part 5: Salt Tasting Room

People in my life have suggested to me that I could use a salt like. Like a horse. Well, they’re not wrong. I love salt. Love it. I have 6 kinds of salt in my kitchen right now (Maldon, Fleur de sel, coarse kosher, coarse sea salt, fine sea salt, and a blend of fleur…