Wanderlust and Words

New Year’s Eve at Prairie Harvest  There are vegetarian/vegan options on the menu for New Year’s Eve at Prairie Harvest Café . Beer in Lethbridge There’s a micro brewery in Lethbridge again after a 25-year absence. Theoretically Brewing prides itself on being green-friendly. Some of the spent malt will be going to help power a farm and they hope to integrate solar electricity into their system in a few years time. Craft Beer Trends  Jason Foster, in Edmonton’s VueWeekly , takes a look at upcoming craft beer trends: 1. Beers with hop flavour and aroma without the bitterness; 2. A resurgence of malty beers; 3. Barrel-aged beer that isn’t overpowering; and 4. More saison beers. Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance  The Slow Food Chef’s Alliance in Canada launched this month and includes chefs from Montreal and Vancouver Island. Slow Food Chefs are committed to sourcing local, sustainable, seasonal food all year round and will be emphasizing food biodiversity and wild...

I read a lot this year – over 115 books. Here are eight books that I highly recommend plus a bonus of two mysteries that provide an insight into other countries and their politics. A Life Well Lived  There was a common theme in many of the books I particularly enjoyed this year as the authors attempted to define a life well lived, where one can look backwards and say, “Well done.” The Paper Garden: Mrs. Delany Begins Her Life’s Work at 72 , Molly Peacock  Mrs. Delany takes what she has learned over the years and turns it into a collection of art that continues to be appreciated. Circling the Sun , Paula McLean Beryl Markham reinvents her life over and over again, bringing passion and determination to everything she does. Deserted as a child by her mother and married off at 16 by her father, she comes into her own when she trains and rides horses and becomes one of the world’s first female aviators. The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the W...

The weather forecasters gleefully predicted a one-day break in the torrential rain and gale-force winds that we’ve been having, so I quickly made plans to take the bus to Haverfordwest , the largest town in Pembrokeshire, and visit the market . green flecks are nettles The market is set up in and around the pedestrianized shopping mall beside the river. There were about a dozen vendors, smaller than I anticipated, but then it’s a small county town. I happily went home with bread, cheese, baked goods, gherkins and chutney, potatoes, and three bunches of daffodils! The sun was shining (quite dazzling after 3 weeks of almost steady cloud and rain) as I browsed the pedestrian shopping streets and trekked up the hill to the castle ruins. I ate lunch on a bench by the river watching the seagulls’ antics. Someone had done an exceptionally fine job of yarn bombing the whole town centre – from posts and trees to bus shelters. Fun.

Solo Italia Fine Pasta, Ogema Solo Italia Fine Pasta is owned by a family that moved to Ogema from northern Italy. The make and sell pasta as well as other Italian specialties and are serving espresso and wood-fired pizza. Hunter Gatherer Vegetarian Diner, Regina The Hunter Gatherer Vegetarian Diner is expected to open in December in Regina. I’m interested to learn more. Two Stones Mill I’m curious to find out more about Two Stones Mill. They are providing The Night Oven Bakery with buckwheat and their packaging says, “Saskatchewan-grown organic grain, stone milled in small batches.” Black Fox Spirits Black Fox Spirits are now available at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. New Year’s Eve at the Odd Couple I’m so impressed that the Odd Couple Restaurant advertises two New Year’s Eve menus – a 4-course Asian meal and a 4-course vegan meal. And the vegan menu looks absolutely fabulous. Donating Healthy Food An American crowdfunding platform gives people an opportun...

It’s another wet, wild, and windy day in Wales, and I thought that some of you might be interested in how I spend my days. It’s not a holiday, particularly as I’m in a fairly isolated location with not a great many tourist attractions. Instead, it’s an opportunity to spend two months living in a semi-rural location with a completely different climate, scenery, shops, and activities. I’m housesitting a cat in a house that is half a mile uphill from the town of Newport , Pembrokeshire. It’s a big house with a large, beautifully landscaped garden out front, a paddock where I hang the laundry to dry (well, if it isn’t raining) above the house, and a woodlot to one side. There are other houses nearby, but they are mostly hidden so it feels very remote, particularly at night when it’s actually dark with no street lights. Charlie, the cat, is easy to care for. He just needs food, play, and lots and lots of cuddles. There are some household chores though – collecting firewood, ord...

Nathan on his own selling veggies last week Night Market Before Christmas, Dec. 17  The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market is hosting an evening market from 7-10 pm , Dec. 17. There will be music, drinking, and shopping. Griffin Takeaway  The Griffin Takeaway has expanded its options. You can take home frozen pies, dairy-free/vegan cookie dough, and scones. They’re also serving curries (coconut lentil, aloo gobi) as part of an expanded lunch menu. Coffee - Try Something Different  City Perks has a great selection of coffee. There’s 49th Parallel – from Vancouver, Anchored from Dalhousie, Nova Scotia, and Pilot from Toronto. Crack in Broccoli Form  I know I’m a broken record, but I wish more chefs would realize what astounding dishes they can make if they start treating vegetables with respect. Dirt Candy ’s Korean Fried Broccoli is #1 on the Zagat list of the best things they ate in New York in 2015 . Zagat says, “If you do finally manage to get a table...

Terra Madre Day, Dec. 10 Terra Madre Day is Slow Food’s annual day to promote the diversity of food traditions and production, and show how our network is using its creativity and knowledge to build a better food future. Slow Food Saskatoon suggests celebrating by sharing a meal made of local ingredients with family and friends. Noche de Posada, Dec. 12 La Taqueria Mexicana and El Mercadito Latino are hosting a Noche de Posada on Dec. 12. There will be Mexican food, Latin DJs, and a piñata smash. Craft Beer & Cheese Fest, Feb. 26 & 27 Tickets are now on sale for the Craft Beer & Cheese Fest at Prairie Sun Brewery. Tickets sold out in two weeks last year, so you’ll need to move fast if you want to attend. Slow Food Canada National Meeting, Apr. 6-10 Slow Food Canada will be holding their annual national meeting from April 6-10 , 2016, in Invermere, BC . Bringing Healthy Food to a Food Desert Neechi Foods, an Aboriginal worker co-op, is trying ...

Greetings from Newport, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It’s much warmer than Saskatoon, but there’s a howling gale battering against the house from all directions and white caps cover the bay. There are lots of exciting things happening, as always, in Saskatoon. Let’s start off with four new food businesses. Vintage Wine Bar on the Corner The Vintage Wine Bar on the Corner is located in the corner of the Hotel Senator lobby. They offer classic cocktails and “the best wine list in the city.” They’re using a Coravin system so that they can serve wine by the glass and still ensure it stays fresh. The Brasserie  The Brasserie , at 226 2nd Avenue S, will be serving coffee, tea, wine by the glass, and a light menu. “There hasn’t been a place downtown where you can go for a dessert and a coffee — whether it’s a boozy coffee or a regular coffee — or a glass of wine. There wasn’t a lot of options out there,” explained owner Daniel Beavis . The Brasserie will showcase art by establish...

 Pottery, glass, weaving – all these handicrafts bear the firm imprint of the artisan’s fingers, and I find it easy to feel the connection and relate to their work. And make no mistake about it, this is art, just as much as any Renaissance or Cubist painting. But it’s more grounded, more connected to daily life. Craft in the Bay , Cardiff, displays and sells the works of the Makers Guild in Wales. It’s almost across the street from the Wales Millenium Centre and other well-visited sites in Cardiff Bay and yet I fear it’s often overlooked. What a shame! Craft in the Bay is a well-lit gallery displaying an amazing array of handicrafts. I fell in love with at least half a dozen pieces, ranging from pottery to fabric art to glass. If you’re in Cardiff, be sure to visit.