27 April – Pop’s birthday and #tellastory day. Time to tell another (just like the other one…). Food, glorious food. Like many people, I have lots of memories and associations with family members and food. When I started to think about Pop and food, I came up with many little stories and memories. One of... Continue Reading →
Always Home, by Fanny Singer. Book report #26 (2020)
Always Home, by Fanny Singer. Pub 2020 This book was an unexpected birthday gift from a friend living in California. She knows of my love of good writing and good food (and of the annual reading challenge), and after reading some favourable reviews of this book, she kindly sent it my way. It came along... Continue Reading →
The Ten (Food) Commandments, by Jay Rayner. Book report #17 (2019)
The Ten (Food) Commandments, by Jay Rayner. Pub 2017 This book was a gift from my book club buddy, who shares my delight in good food and good writing. The author here is a regular contributor of restaurant reviews and food commentary at The Guardian, and I've read and enjoyed his style before, but this... Continue Reading →
Item #27: Grapefruit spoons
Prior to 2007, I had never seen such a thing before, didn’t even know they existed. These quirky little things are grapefruit spoons, designed for citrus aficionados who like to scoop their fruit with ease. My grampa was such a one. He was a man who took care with his appearance – almost always appearing... Continue Reading →
An Everlasting Meal, by Tamar Adler. Book report #19 (2018)
An Everlasting Meal, by Tamar Adler. Pub 2011 I don't recall how I learned about this book, but it truly a treasure of food writing. While there are many recipes included, the prose is mostly about creative and - yes - everlasting ways to cook food. More than that, the language is lyrical - Adler... Continue Reading →
Food on Film
Another cinematic list, about another favourite topic - food. Eating is a universal activity, and yet it doesn't get portrayed very well or often in movies. Here are some of my favourites, for times when you want to eat vicariously or need culinary inspiration. Babette's Feast (1987, Gabriel Axel). Starring Stéphan Audran, Birgitte Federspiel, Bodil... Continue Reading →
Book of Treasures: Grade 3
Grade 3: 1974, Van Bellingham Elementary School, Winnipeg, MB Teacher – Mrs. Delaquis We moved in the summer of 1974, from a townhouse in East Kildonan to a duplex in Southdale. Complete suburbia, right down to the white fence. The school was right at the end of our street, so now I could walk to and... Continue Reading →
Foodville, by Timothy Taylor. Book report #4 (2017)
Foodville: Biting dispatches from a food-obsessed city, by Timothy Taylor. Pub 2014. This little slip of a book is especially appealing to me as it highlights some of restaurant culture and history in Vancouver over the past 20 years, overlapping exactly with my own time period of dining here. From that point of view, this... Continue Reading →
Item #8 – Water Glass
When I was 3 and 4 years old, I attended what would now be called pre-school but back then was called nursery school. Happy Time Nursery School to be exact - on St. Mary's Road in Winnipeg, MB. The school was in a small house, with the upstairs decked out with a coat room, art... Continue Reading →
Item #7 – Our Daily Bread
I've never been quite sure what to call this item. I don't recall where it came from or how I came to have it. I don't remember getting it, just always having it. This is not a valuable ceramic by Doulton - just a made-in-Japan (literally) trinket. I remember as a kid being fascinated by... Continue Reading →
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