Lena’s torta al cioccolato e vaniglia Ask any pastry chef and they’ll tell you, one of the most important rules of pastry is to measure everything accurately. That rule went out the window the second I walked into Lena’s house. She was to teach me how to make Italian torta and I came ready with […]
Instant Gratification – 2 MINUTE CORNMEAL LEMON CAKE IN A MUG
The 2 minute cake I was going through an old issue of one of our favourite food magazines, Lucky Peach, and came upon a recipe for a 2 minute chocolate cake in a mug. We’ve all dreamed of it, arriving home late from work and craving something sweet, or watching TV to the wee hours […]
STAN’S BANANAS FOSTER
Brennan’s of New Orleans Bananas Foster originated at Brennan’s in New Orleans. It was in 1951 that the chef at the time created the simple dessert for Richard Foster, a regular customer and good friend of Owen Brennan. I (Nat) didn’t learn about Bananas Foster in New Orleans, I first tasted the concoction years ago […]
Lille’s Garden of Giants – BEST BANANA BREAD EVER
Jardin des Géants The Garden of Giants in Lille France covers about 2 hectares and includes more than 45 thousand types of plants. Created in 2009 by Mutabilis Landscape Architecture the gardens include water features and metal structures and sculptures. It also has a small cafe to grab a bite and a drink or in […]
La Coulée Verte – NAVETTES DE ST-VICTOR
The original Before the Highline in New York and the Bloomingdale Line in Chicago, there was La Promenade Plantée. The elevated and landscaped, Parisian escape in the city. Starting east of the Bastille and ending with a spiral staircase 4.7km away, La Promenade Plantée aka La Coulée Verte is an oasis in the city. We […]
European Markets Part Two – OLIVE OIL HONEY BREAD
As you can see in this and our previous European Markets post, the variety of products that can be found at markets is limitless. Whether you’re looking for pickles, honey, ferrets, second-hand clothing, olive oil or durian, there’s a market somewhere ready to cater to your needs. When in a new city, town or village […]
The Ghosts of Christmas Past – OLD WORLD FRUIT CAKE AND MINCEMEAT PIE
Outcasts When you think about Christmas foods, what do you think of first, probably not fruitcake and mincemeat pie or maybe you do, I don’t know. I feel like fruitcake gets a bad rap. It’s the outcast of Christmas. People who don’t like it hate it and those who do spend their time defending it. […]
SPECULAAS ALMOND BISCOTTI
Speculaas Remember the windmill cookies you used to eat as a child? Maybe you never stopped eating them. They’re called Speculaas, odd name, tasty cookie. The word means figurine or log. They used to be a tradition during a holiday called St Nicholas’ Eve in Belgium and the Netherlands. Now they’re available year round. The spice […]