When bad news hits or good news shows its smiling face, I head to the butcher block and start chopping. When my neighbour or my kids visit. When we need comfort. When Dave remembers another in his wonderfully long list of our anniversaries. The reasons we cook are many, and often have nothing to do […] Read more
Why do we cook?
First We Eat: Cooking needn’t be just a chore we do every day – it could help us improve our metal health and well-being
Southeast Asian foods — Part 2: Try Thai
First We Eat: Thai cuisine offers contrasts in tastes, textures and temperatures
When talking about Thai food on the TV show “Parts Unknown,” the late Tony Bourdain said, “It was like discovering a colour I never knew existed before. A whole new crayon box full of colours.” Bourdain loved Thailand, and had the means to visit it repeatedly. Lucky man. But his life was tougher than we […] Read more
Southeast Asian foods — Part 1: Vietnamese pho
First We Eat: There’s a good selection of Vietnamese ingredients in many stores as they strive to serve a large refugee population
We are so fortunate in Canada to have arrivals from around the globe to teach us about seasoning our tables. Lucky for us, food is one of the best tools for welcoming people and sharing experiences. The foods of Southeast Asia — Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam — are worlds apart from what those of us […] Read more
South Asian favourites — Part 3: Vegetables take centre stage
First We Eat: The combination of warm spices and vegetables makes for tasty cuisine
I moved to Vancouver from rural Saskatchewan when I turned 18, landing in an Edwardian house with two roommates on the East Side. I’d grown up on my Germanic mother’s honest meat and spuds, but the West Coast was a popular destination for immigrants, and I lucked into a South Asian enclave — shops and […] Read more
South Asian favourites — Part 2: Learning to love lamb
First We Eat: Lamb consumption is on the rise in Canada so it may be easier to find a local producer
My Saskatchewan-raised mom never served lamb while I was growing up. She hadn’t eaten it as a child or young woman, and as a result, I didn’t learn to love lamb until I was in my 30s and living in Calgary. Sheep have been a presence in Alberta since the late 1800s, when thousands of […] Read more
South Asian favourites — Part 1: Pakoras
First We Eat: To start off, try these vegetarian appetizers — fritters served with chutney
When I told her I thought I was a changeling, my mom laughed out loud. “With those eyes? Those cheeks? That chin? You are the spitting image of your Aunt Lila.” It’s true. In the mirror, I see my family staring back, just as when I look at my sons, I see my dad’s face. […] Read more
Becoming a better cook — Part 2: The taste of umami
First We Eat: This Japanese word has various translations such as ‘savoury’ or ‘deliciousness’
The four tastes — sweet, salty, sour, bitter — underpin every dish we eat. Smart cooks reach routinely for a bit of honey, a smidgeon of salt, a splash of lemon, or a drop of bitters to balance a dish, and fat too, like butter, oil, or whipping cream. Asian and Latin cooks add pungent […] Read more
Becoming a better cook — Part 1: By the book
First We Eat: A list of food books that explain the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of cooking
My son recently served me a meal of spatchcocked (butterflied) chicken. It was sensational, crisp and juicy. “Butterflied is the only way I roast a whole bird anymore,” he told me. Then I watched as he made brownies. His recipe was more complex than mine, and he spent longer on the process. They were addictive, […] Read more
Try this Carrot Pickle recipe over the holidays
First We Eat: If you grew a good crop of carrots this year you’ll want to make some jars of this for sure
All month I’ve been pestering Mom for stories. You’d think I was five again. But no. Truth is, we’ve been in closer proximity than usual. She’s recovering from glaucoma surgery, which has eliminated lifting, bending over, or carrying anything heavier than a supper plate. So I am at her house, lifting, bending over, and carrying. […] Read more
What is a ‘chameleon’ dish?
First We Eat: Take a basic recipe and change it up by adding different veggies and spices for a whole new taste
I’ve been benched. Perhaps you recall that last month’s column mentioned Mom’s and my West Coast holiday, specifically meeting a salmon fisher in Steveston. That morning we worked our way up and down the wharf, admiring the spot prawns and salmon despite having neither pans nor stovetop. We moved slowly, but not just to soak […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
