Wanderlust and Words

Norwich is very close to the North Sea so I decided to spend a day at the seaside. I thoroughly enjoyed my ride on the top of a double decker bus. It takes 40 minutes to reach Great Yarmouth and there was so much to see: forested areas and fields, stone churches and old-fashioned windmills, shaggy ponies and a very self-assured rooster. There were glimpses of the canals and boats of the Norfolk Broads – happy memories of the Swallows and Amazons books by Arthur Ransome. Great Yarmouth used to be a major fishing and shipping port when Norwich was the centre of England’s cloth manufacturing trade. It now services the natural gas industry and is a tourist centre. To an outsider, there is something quintessentially tacky about England’s seaside resorts. I cringe imagining the full English breakfasts being cooked in row after row of guest houses. The streets are lined with souvenir shops and restaurants of every nationality imaginable – not to mention Flutterbie’s Tea Room an...

As you look ahead to 2015, consider attending one or both of these events. Saskatoon Food Bank Community Consultation, Feb. 4 The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre welcomes your input at their community consultation on Feb. 4: “At the SFBLC we believe it’s time to look at the issue of community food security with a new lens. For the past year we have been exploring new way of operating that expand our impact beyond redistributing of food and programmatic responses. We believe that by transforming the way our food bank functions we can enhance our contribution to a healthy food system, expand learning opportunities, strengthen social connections and build community wellness. We all want to live in a community where food banks are unnecessary. A community where everyone has access to safe, appropriate, nutritious food. How can we progress to that end?”  For additional information, contact brit.m@saskatoonfoodbank.org . Terra Madre St. Laurent & Slow Food Cana...

 It was sunny today, so I went for a walk along the River Wensum. Cow Tower Ferry Lane I ended up at Norwich Cathedral. Cloisters Julian of Norwich

I've been enjoying the sights and sounds of holiday crowds in Norwich's town centre. I continue to be amazed by the crowds of pedestrians. In addition, there are street vendors (roasted chestnuts) and musicians. Narrow lanes create a tangled web of passageways leading in every which direction. There are lots of independent stores as well as the typical British chain stores. I had tea at Caffe Nero yesterday. It's part of a chain, but my tea was served in style on a tray and I could have had a jug of steamed milk (the British are always surprised that I don't want milk in my tea). I've spent the last few days picking up assorted food items to enjoy over the next few days. Marks and Spencers was crowded, but it was worth it. I love English yogurt - such a variety of flavours - the 12% cream is tasty too! I bought a variety of local cheeses at the market as well as bread, fresh dates and apricots. A bunch of dark pink tulips brightens my wo...

I’m spending seven weeks house sitting in England. As always, travel is a learning experience. Strangers in a Strange Land I spent a week visiting my cousins in Lincolnshire, which is a major agricultural area. There are fields full of vegetables and spring wheat. The roads are packed with trucks carrying produce to market and factories for food processing. And the food production plants are many and huge. Farming and food production require large numbers of workers, so Lincolnshire and the surrounding areas have large immigrant populations. There is tension. Working and housing conditions can be very poor, and the British often resent the foreign-speaking people who crowd their streets. Low-Income Neighbourhood Immigration was only of passing interest until I moved to Norwich to house and dog sit for a young Portuguese couple who were going home to spend Christmas with their families. They’ve been here for 4 years, working in a food production facility (they warned me no...

No big news this week so I thought I’d share a few photos from my English adventure. This photo is for Michelle Zimmer, Wild Serendipity Foods .  Here are a couple of photos from the Spalding Market for all my friends at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. I have been staying in an old cottage surrounded by fields full of cabbages, Brussel sprouts and leeks. The land is extremely flat (flatter than the Prairies) as it has been recovered from the sea. Last winter there were flood warnings as the dykes and ditches overflowed their banks. These Brussel sprouts are sure to have come from a local farmer’s field. The weather has been mild, so I sat and read in the garden behind Ayscoughfee Hall , Spalding. Wishing you all a happy, peaceful Christmas with friends and family – and lots of good food!

Norwich Market Prairie Sun Brewery Kitchen Opening, Dec. 16  Tom Brown, Wild Cuisine Catering, has opened a kitchen at Prairie Sun Brewery, so you can enjoy a meal along with your beer. The launch of the Moose Tracks beer and the kitchen opening are being celebrated with a 3-course beer dining menu on Dec. 16. Vegan New Year’s Eve Dinner, Dec. 31  The Odd Couple restaurant will be serving a five-course vegan New Year’s Eve dinner (and a 5-course Oriental menu) , including Stuffed Asian Eggplant, Hot Pot, and Dark Chocolate Jin Duei. Beer & Pizza  The Woods Alehouse has started a crowdfunding campaign to help them purchase a pizza oven . Perks range from a piece of pie to a pizza party. Norwich Market Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Networks Vancouver’s neighbourhood food networks are collaborating on food initiatives and programs – from community gardens to emergency food programs and food-based education and celebrations. It's interesting to see n...

Paddock Wood is 10 Years Old!  Congratulations to Steve Cavan and Paddock Wood Brewing on their 10th anniversary. They’re offering Growler Specials from Dec. 8-12. Read my profile for a look at the company’s evolution . Boxcar Café  The Boxcar Café at Station 20 West is re-launching January 5 with Chef Jenni (@newgroundcafe) as Executive Chef. I wish them every success. The Night Oven Bakery  It’s that wonderful time of year when the bakeries are full of seasonal goodies. The Night Oven Bakery is offering panettone and stollen made from organic flour, citrus, sugar and nuts with natural yeast. Pre-order and pre-pay to pick up on Saturdays, Dec. 13, 20 and 24. Riversdale Deli  The new vegetarian sandwich at Riversdale Deli sounds intriguing – sweet ‘n spicy melon puree, sherry vinegar roasted carrots, and toasted fennel polenta. If you sample it, please report back as I’m very curious. Cappana Pizzeria is now on  Facebook and Twitter (@yxep...

Only 9 days until I leave for 7 weeks in England! Night Market, Dec. 4  The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market will be bustling with activity on Dec. 4 from 4:30-8 pm . Chef Jenni will be cooking in the kitchen and Amy Jo Ehman will be selling copies of her new book, Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens . Vikram Vij, Feb. 26  Vikram Vij – chef, producer, and the newest dragon on The Dragon’s Den – will be the guest speaker at the Raj Manek Banquet on Feb. 26. You can buy Vij’s curries at Dad’s Organic Market on 8th Street. Vegetable Fermentation Seminar, Feb. 27 The Saskatchewan Food Centre will be offering a Fermentation of Vegetables Seminar on Feb. 27. It will cover spontaneous fermentation, accelerated lactic fermentation and commercial franchise. Lots of treats available at Churchill's British Imports Locally-Grown Mustard  Marc Loiselle, Loiselle Organic Family Farm , is supplying ground yellow mustard seed to several Saskatoon customers, including Cong...