Wanderlust and Words

Lots of flowers for sale at Quillan market prior to All Saint's Day Congratulations!  Congratulations, Chef Jenni , on winning Silver in Saskatoon’s Gold Medal Plates with a vegetarian main course! Prairie Pours, Nov. 18  The Glen at Crossmount is hosting Prairie Pours from 6-10 pm , Nov. 18. You can taste everything from Saskatchewan kombucha and coffee to beer and cider. French Wines, Nov. 24  Sample wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux in the company of Export Director Guillaume Blisson of Maison Gabriel Meffre and Winemaker Pierre Jhean of Maison Henri de Villamont on Nov. 24 at Co-op Wine Spirits Beer. You can find out more about these wine regions and wineries in my 2014 interview. Toad Lane Market  Toad Lane Market, Saskatoon’s newest market where everything is grown or made by the vendors, is looking for your input for next year. Where do you think they should be located? What hours would work best for you? What other advice can you give them as...

There is something bittersweet, but oh so lovely, about the last of the summer roses.

Our Farm CSA Our Farm is organically certified and grows a wide variety of different vegetables. Sign up now to receive a weekly selection of vegetables from July to October. “It is like having your own garden without the work and veggies showing up fresh picked and in season!” Cooking Classes Ah, home-made apple strudel! Simon’s Fine Foods offers such a wide assortment of cooking classes – from apple strudel, Italian torrone, and Christmas cookies to a Moroccan or Spanish meal. There are also pizza and beer or parent and child classes. Sign up yourself or offer someone else a gift certificate. Slow Food Canada National Meeting, Apr. 19-22 A heads-up for those of you who are interested in food that is good, clean, and fair – Slow Food Saskatoon is hosting the national meeting of Slow Food Canada from Apr. 19-22. Give Slow Food Saskatoon a shout if you would like to help organize the event and be sure to set aside those dates to meet people from across Canada and go on some...

It’s only a short distance from Quillan in the foothills of the Pyrénées to Perpignan near the Mediterranean coast, but the climate changes dramatically. From forested foothills and tight mountain passes, you pass through villages dedicated entirely to the production of wine, finally arriving in the major urban centre of Perpignan. Step out the door of the train station and you are greeted by a boulevard of 19th-century bourgeois mansions lined with palm trees. There is bougainvillea blooming by the river in the middle of October. The city of Perpignan has been in existence since Roman times, but its golden age was 1276-1344 when it was the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca, a kingdom that encompassed parts of both Spain and France. Perpignan is very close to the Spanish border and many residents consider themselves to be citizens of Catalonia. The Catalan colours were flying on the Castelet when I was there, and all the street signs are in French and Catalan. T...

Napa Valley Wine Tasting, Oct. 21 Ingredients Artisan Market is hosting a tasting of 4 wines from Copper Cane Vineyard in Napa Valley starting at 2 pm , Oct. 21. Portuguese & Spanish Wine Tasting, Oct. 21 Sample wines from Medeiros and Ego Bodegas wineries at Sobey’s Liquor, Stonebridge, from 12-1 pm , Oct. 21. Powered by Love, Oct. 24-26 Grandmothers to Grandmothers are hosting book launches in Saskatoon ( Oct. 24 ), Swift Current ( Oct. 25 ), and Regina ( Oct. 26 ) for Powered by Love: A Grandmothers’ Movement to End AIDS in Africa . Fall Beer Dinner, Oct. 25 Enjoy a f our-course meal paired with beers from 9 Mile Legacy Brewing at the Cathedral Social Hall on Oct. 25. Güd Eats Güd Eats , showcasing crave-worthy plant-based eats, is opening a storefront restaurant at 2917 Early Drive (formerly Prairie Harvest Cafe) at the end of October. They will still run their food truck with a limited menu next summer. Fabulous Faba Higher in protein than peas a...

World Food Day, Oct. 16  The Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation is hosting a World Food Day event from 6:30-9 pm , Oct. 16, at Station 20 West. Nettie Wiebe will talk about switching the menu from land-grabbing, migration, and food insecurity to food sovereignty. A similar event is being held in Regina on Oct. 15 . Eating While Travelling Alone, Oct. 19  Food writer and solo traveller, Noelle Chorney, will talk about her experiences combining her two greatest passions – great food and travelling – at 2 pm , Oct. 19, at the Mayfair Library. Empty Bowls Fundraiser, Oct. 21  Support CHEP Good Food at the Empty Bowls Fundraiser on Oct. 21. There’ll be great food donated by local producers and you can take your handmade pottery bowl home with you. Menu for Change  Join Slow Food International in raising your fork against climate change. Take the Eat Local Challenge and support Meatless Monday from Oct. 16-Nov. 5 . Rozendal Vinegar Roz...

I spent one-and-a-half jetlagged days in Montpellier, France, and loved every minute of it. I had a tiny apartment on the roof - it was so much fun having a terrace with a view. Montpellier has a huge pedestrianized city centre. Cyclists and motorbikes zigzag through as well, but it's definitely a place where pedestrians are the priority. And there were crowds and crowds of them. There are all sorts of narrow, winding alleyways. . . . . . and interesting stores - I never did find my way back to the ones I'd hoped to visit. But I did find the huge bookstore! Montpellier is known for its street art. Here are just a few examples.