Author/Eater
I’ve been partnered with an Italian for over 23 years. And in those 23 years, I’ve learned there are some things that Italians hold sacred: a clean house, designer sunglasses and disco singing sensation, Raffaella Carrà.
Another sacred thing? Tomato sauce.
Read MoreYou can count on grannies for a number of things. Showing you how to do the mashed potato dance, for one. Or keeping Glade Plug-In Air Fresheners in business. Or using “dilly-dally,” “horse-feathers” and “nincompoop” in a single sentence. Another thing you can count on is a granny’s candy stash.
Read MoreSome time ago, I was on CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, predicting that cut-up party cakes were due for a huge comeback. Cut-up cakes, for anyone born past 1980, were popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Basically, you take a cake, cut it up into different pieces and assemble those pieces to create something new. Like a turkey. Doesn’t that sound appetizing?
Read MoreWho isn’t trying to cut corners these days? But should the line be drawn with chocolate? I picked up six brand name chocolate bars and paired them against their dollar store equivalents. I conducted a blind taste test and enlisted the services of a second taste tester, so you’ll get more than just my opinion. Even though mine is the most important. Obviously. So how did the dollar store bars stack up?
Read MoreLet’s face it – snack crackers don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Think about all the times snack crackers have been there for you. While you’re microwaving your dinner. When you come home after too many wine spritzers. When you need to preoccupy your mouth during awkward office parties.
Read MoreEvery Christmas, I take on an ambitious baking project. I tell myself I enjoy doing it, but, by the end of the project, I always wonder if I have some sadomasochist need. This year, I decided to make a gingerbread house.
Read MoreRecently I went to New York City and learned a few things. When riding in a taxi, never look out the windshield to see what the driver is doing. Instead, just look out the passenger window and think of puppies and daffodils.
Read MoreI recently hosted my annual Caker Christmas potluck party. I ask Italians to make Anglo Saxon dishes like casseroles and things saturated with Cool Whip. As you can imagine, it’s a real rollercoaster of tastes.
Read MoreA few months ago, I was in a charity bowl-a-thon. Bowling is the only sport I’ve ever been good at because it involves minimal physical activity and there’s a snack bar within arm’s reach. So imagine my surprise when I won the raffle grand prize – airline tickets to anywhere WestJet flies!
Read MoreI’m a big believer in emotional eating. Do you come home at the end of the day and want nothing more than to work your way through a container of Duncan Hines Whipped Vanilla Frosting? Go right ahead. And don’t forget those Pizza Pockets in the freezer. Recently, I got to thinking – why not make some cookies with my letter press that really let you eat your emotions?
Read MoreI grabbed a set of Tupperware cookie cutters when we moved my mom out of the family home a number of years ago. She kept them in an old Ziploc bag. They’re a seasonal set, made for birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, etc. I don’t think she ever used them, though. I don't recall ever getting a cookie for my birthday. Not that anyone remembered.
Read MoreRecently, I went on a vacation to England and learned a number of interesting things about British life. For example, if you value your life, always look before crossing the street. You can also buy single-serve gin and tonics at the grocery store. (They come in handy if you’re travelling with the same person for 10 days straight.)
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