Wishing you a happy Christmas and many blessings in 2021. 


“Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is blue water, soft sand, and warm weather.” (unknown) 


“May we rest safely this night, sleep in perfect peace, and rise with the morning light.” (Celtic prayer)

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A Vegetarian Rant

I walked out of a foodie gathering last evening with laughter ringing in my ears. Oh, I’m sure it was intended to be friendly laughter, but all the same, they were mocking me. Vegetarians are not taken seriously in the food community. We are odd, delusional folks who fail to appreciate that meat is the centre of any classy meal. Well, I beg to disagree. Good vegetarian food is creative, flavourful and forward-thinking. Creative I was a terrible cook until I became a vegetarian. The traditional “meat and two vegetables” led to boring meals with no flavour. As a vegetarian, that standard scenario was turned on its head. Every meal was different – would it be a soup or a stew, savoury pancakes or spring rolls? Meal planning was suddenly way more fun. Trips to the farmers’ market became an adventure. What could I make with fennel? Why not try arugula on my pizza? Cookbooks were culinary travel adventures and my spice rack expanded to include flavours from around the world. There w...
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Brit Foods: Saskatoon’s Very Own British Food Store

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My parents were British, and I have spent many happy months in England visiting family friends and relatives. I used to enjoy shopping at the Canadian outlets of Marks & Spencer and was very sorry when they closed, so I was delighted to learn that Saskatoon now has its very own British food store. Brit Foods is located in Cumberland Square, in the covered alleyway just down from Safeway. It’s a treasure trove of British food. The owner, Tony Badger, says they try to stock the national brands, so you’ll find soups by Marks & Spencer and Baxter’s, Yorkshire and Typhoo tea, Heinz beans, Rose’s preserves, Thornton’s chocolates, and Walker’s chips. In addition to the food products (primarily packaged although there are pork pies and a few other items in the freezer), there is an entire wall devoted to loose candies. You can also pick up a linen tea towel or an English magazine. There is a second Brit Foods in Parksville on Vancouver Island, but Mr. Badger says that the demog...
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Tarragona, Spain: Old Stones and Flowers

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I feel so at home in southern Spain - the sense of history, the warmth, the narrow streets, the outdoor lifestyle, the flowers, the attention to detail. I hope that my photographs can at least partially share my passion for this wonderful part of the world. History The Mediterranean was the centre of civilization for many, many, many centuries. Tarragona was a political and trade centre during the Roman empire, and there are still traces of it today in the Roman walls and gates, the ampitheatre and other relics. North Americans are infatuated with everything new and shiny - new housing estates, monster homes with four-car garages. The old streets of European cities are not always pretty, but the patina of age is rich in character and history. As I walk the cobblestone streets, I take my place alongside past generations who walked there before me. Current political debates or personal heartbreak are absorbed in something larger than any one person or generation. Outdoor L...
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Flavourful Saskatoon, February 17, 2011

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Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon  There are so many interesting foodie events around Saskatoon, so I’m going to try and compile them and share them with you on a weekly basis. I’m planning to post Flavourful Saskatoon news on Mondays, but there are a couple of exciting upcoming events that I didn’t want you to miss so I’m posting early this week. Please email me to share foodie news and events. I’ll be happy to pass along the information. Collective Coffee A new coffee shop is opening at 220 20th Street West on Saturday, February 19 at 10 am . The owner is Jackson Wiebe, and the coffee shop is part of The Two Twenty, a community of social entrepreneurs and artists and has been designed and built by Curtis Olson. I’ll share more information in a future blog post. For now, Jackson and Curtis just want you to know that “It’s good in the ‘Hood.” So be sure to drop by and say hi to the folks at Collective Coffee. Slide show – culinary tour of South V...
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Exploring Mediterranean Spain: wine, cheese, markets, architecture

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