There's a reason we gift chocolate at Valentine's Day. Besides being one of nature's most perfect foods, from a chemical perspective, a new study finds that chocolate and some of our other favorite flavours, have structural similarities to valproic acid, a chemical…
It's cold. We've got snow up the wazoo and here comes Valentine's Day. For my money nothing says love quite like a bowl of Mushroom Risotto. It's a warm, starchy hug that you can wrap your whole body around. It…
Where to go for a fancy cup of coffee while shopping in downtown Dijon, France? A quite little out-of-the-way café perhaps? Nope, it was McCafé France for a little golden arches action to see what McDonald's has to offer, with a…
Six bottles of BC wine made it's way east this week to be tasted and Tweeted by eastern wine hounds (of which I am one). Another of our ongoing Canadian wine discussions, lead by Canada's Natalie MacLean. Nothing like a little taste of home...…
Cooked low and slow, until they're fall off the bone tender, Moroccan Inspired Lamb Shanks is comfort food at it's midwinter best. Warmly spiced and heavily sauced with rich, meaty intensity. There was a time when farmers couldn't give shanks away, but now with a resurgence of…
When in Italy, buy shoes. When in Mexico, buy tequila. When in Dijon, go straight to The Maille Mustard Shop for Dijon's famous mustard. Shelves teem with jars, serving vessels, vinegars, pickles and mustards in a dizzying array of flavours. Fans can purchase aprons,…
You learn a great deal about the culture of food in an open market, it's both social and commercial. Les Halles, Dijon's Central Market, is a snapshot of Burgundy's gourmet lifestyle, except in France it's just called 'living'. Some of France's most famous dishes hail from…
The making of foie gras is a simple, though messy process. The fattened liver is soft and breaks apart easily, so each step must be handled with care and precision. Unless you've attended culinary school or worked in the industry, chances are you've…
This holiday season we made a pilgrimage to France, for a taste of Burgundy. It was a journey home for the Chef in my life, time to connect with family, to breath the air of the French countryside and savor the flavours that made his…
Wino Wednesday, our monthly feature on Food Gypsy where we select our favorite bottle from the past month and share it with you. Our pick for the month of November is a journey into uncharted wine territory, Chateau Kefraya, a gorgeous red…
If you're looking for the perfect gift for the food fanatic in your life, look no further. 'Cocotte' is the French word for Dutch Oven; an enamel finished, cast iron pot with a fit fitting lid, prized by cooks for their ability to…
When faced with the task of cutting liters of cherry or grape tomatoes in half, it pays to have a time saving trick, or you will be at it a long, long time. Here's a trick from the pro kitchen that can…