On a recent vacation to Paris, I thought it might be fun to take a cooking class. My wife, Pat, loves to paint so it would also be a chance to get out of her hair while we each did something that interests us. The problem, though, is that I don't need someone to teach me how to make Beef Bourguignon, or Tarte Tatin. Those I make at home... Read more →

When I was a kid, we used to make these wonderful bush pies. For those who don't know what a bush pie is, it is a sandwich made by compressing to pieces of bread, with filling in the middle, in a device which compresses the edges and which you then heat over a fire to toast the outside while heating the interior at the same time. My all... Read more →

As frequent readers will know, I went to the King Arthur Flour "Artisan Baking at Home" class this past fall. Since then I have been working to make the best baguette possible in a home oven. After tweaking the KA method, and adjusting the recipe for Robin Hood unbleached white flour, I think I have gone about as far as possible in the... Read more →

At the end of January, Pat and I enjoyed an Eastern Caribbean cruise leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After our travel fiasco of last April, we decided to play it safe and give ourselves an extra day for unplanned interruptions. That ended up giving us an extra day in Ft. Lauderdale before the cruise, which we used to wander around... Read more →

One of my major good fortunes, food-wise, was that my father was a nuclear physicist working at a university which had a fairly good international reputation. What does nuclear physics have to do with food? It turns out lots, but my particular good fortune was that Dad had a habit of offering his post-grad students the deal that he (Dad)... Read more →

If you live in or around Vancouver, British Columbia, you should definitely go to Tapastree Restaurant. If you don't live nearby, get on a plane and go to Vancouver! Tapastree is in Vancouver's West End, just off Denman on Robson. It describes itself as tapas style cuisine with an international and West Coast influence at an affordable... Read more →

A few years ago, I went with my wife, Pat, and my brother and his wife to the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. This is a trip worth doing just about any time. Some Okanagan wines are simply amazing. Many have won Silver and Gold medals at international wine competitions. But one thing that made... Read more →

If you are like me, you probably enjoyed the recent Food TV program Top Chef. In the final episode of Season 1, Lorraine Bracco of The Sopranos fame and owner of Bracco Wines, said that she didn't care about the drama behind the scenes, and that the back story really doesn't mean anything, that it is what she was served that counts. OK... Read more →

Have you considered giving easy and convenient Amazon Gift Certificates for the Holidays this year? Memorable Meals IIISometimes, it is the waiter that makes a meal memorable. My wife and I recently took her parents out to Carver's Steakhouse in Saskatoon to celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary. What can I say? It's a steakhouse. You... Read more →

Memorable Meals II Picture this - A warm, sunny spring day in Paris. Lunch outdoors at a restaurant just off the Place du Tertre in Montmartre within blocks of Sacre Coeur. A musician playing contrabass in the courtyard just outside. My bride of 30 years sitting beside me. Lunch was Brie Pané (breaded Brie) with a salad of mixed... Read more →