November 11, 2015
We are keeping different schedule here in Italy with all the comings and goings and sometime late at night we just want something to eat. Unless I have a dish ready I invariably turn to a quick pasta and use passata as a base for the sauce. Passata is a useful Italian ingredient not well known at home so I thought I’d tell you about it. It is common in Italian kitchens and frequently called... View Article
November 10, 2015
You may find it interesting that after talking about all the towns in Tuscany that are “on the list” (whose list is it anyway?) our first excursion was to a town that is not, not “on the list” that is. We set off one morning for a three day excursion to Certaldo, about an hour and a half east from here inland, to meet Simone and his parents Luigi and Giuseppina. Luigi and Simone were... View Article
November 7, 2015
We arrived in Tuscany a few days ago and settled on the coast between laid back Lido di Camaiore and the more happening Viareggio. We will be using this place as our base for the next four weeks and from here will make excursions inland and up the coast, probably as far as Cinque Terre and Portofino. The kitchen in the apartment is bright and well equipped and now I understand the concept of the... View Article
November 3, 2015
If you are a foodie visiting Milan there are a couple of places not to be missed. In the center of town, within a couple of minutes walk from the Duomo on Via Spadari 9 (Google Map directions were confusing, just take Via Torino from the Duomo and turn right on Spadari) you will find Peck, a high end gourmet food store and restaurant that is rightly described as a gastronomical temple celebrating the best foods... View Article
November 1, 2015
The last thing you expected to hear from me is about fast food in Italy, right? Well, I am full of surprises. I was going to write about some of the restaurants we tried but gave up (I may try again later) because, really there is no need to chase specific places as almost any place you walk into will serve good food. Before we came here I researched and listed a few places that... View Article
October 30, 2015
We have been in Milan for a week and haven’t left the city, loving every aspect of this beautiful place, but one out of town excursion was too fun to miss. How about a train ride to St. Moritz for lunch? The train ride through the Swiss alps seemed appealing, as did a visit to one of the world’s most famous ski resorts, tucked some 1900 meters above sea level in the south Swiss alps... View Article
October 25, 2015
The much anticipated trip to Italy is underway and we are now well settled in our apartment in Milano, minutes away from all the main attractions that come to mind when you think of Milan. The trip across the pond was, you know, air travel, with all the associated indignities. Take you shoes off, take the computer out, take a picture with the big camera to show it is really a camera, wait in line,... View Article
September 17, 2015
Looking to discover you inner Italian? Here is how. Gian Marco Litrico offers classes that are so much more than just learning the language. With Gian Marco you will learn how to think like an Italian, how to cook Italian dishes and how to have an appreciation for Italian art, music, style and life. The classes are conversational and structured to be fun and informative, allowing you to progress at your own pace. The goal is... View Article
September 16, 2015
I have written about Sunshine farm before here and here and wanted to share the lovely experience we had this weekend at the much anticipated annual Tomato Festival held at their farm. Each fall Jon and Sher Alcock and their family host a tomato festival on their organic farm, opening the doors to local foodies and food enthusiasts who snap up the tickets to the sold out event. The festival is held in their front... View Article
August 15, 2015
How would you like to attend a dinner prepared by your city’s best chefs, paired with award winning local wines and served in the most beautiful and unique settings this summer? Look no further. On Wednesday this week culinary professionals, amateurs and food enthusiasts gathered across British Columbia at 30 different venues concurrently for the most anticipated culinary event of the year. The aptly named Summerdine is Canada’s largest concurrent dinner fund raiser organized to... View Article
July 15, 2015
For the third year in a row hundreds of people all dressed in white converged on a secret location in the Okanagan, flash mob style, setting long tables on the grass, covering them with white linen, white dishes and elaborate white center pieces, then wave white linen napkins in the air to signify the beginning of this special event that takes place in many countries around the world around the same time. Diner en Blanc... View Article
July 12, 2015
So you think there was no adventure left in me after 10 days on the road? think again. On our way down the Oregon coast we passed through the vast Oregon sand dunes. We had no time to stop there on the way down but there was no way in Timbaktoo that I was going to pass up driving a dune buggy on the magnificent dunes. We planned our drive back with another stop in Oregon... View Article
