Classic British Potted Shrimp

October 16, 2026

A Tudor classic that won over Ian Fleming and James Bond: tiny shrimp sealed under golden spiced butter, made for warm toast.

homemade grainy mustard

March 7, 2017

There’s an immense satisfaction when something homemade turns out well and puts a smile on your face.  It gives that boost in confidence and lets you know you can tackle the next project on a high note.  We love grainy mustard almost as much as we do Dijon.  In the past 20 years, I have…

Celery Soup

February 1, 2017

Easy to make, healthy and budget friendly. A smooth celery soup finished with crumbled blue cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

lime & cashew fish rolls

January 16, 2017

This is the second time I’ve made this dish. The first was the week of the new year and I was in search of something different from the food I usually make during the holidays.  Lime and cashew paste smeared over the fish sounded so good – it was delicious!  But…I struggled with the rice…

chocolate coated toffee

January 3, 2017

Hello 2017!  By now most of you are back to your daily routine.  Our Christmas decorations and tree are still up but it’ll all be put to bed come Friday – or at least the tree will be stripped and out on the sidewalk (garbage collection day).  Over the holidays I made my usual goodies…

holiday party food – part 2

December 19, 2016

At this point, the rush of the holiday season is in full swing.  On my previous post, I suggested three, easy-to-make party food treats and the three I have chosen today are just as easy.  Chocolate is a crowd-pleaser and lovely to have on hand when your friends and family pop over.  Making your own…

holiday party food

December 13, 2016

Twelve days to Christmas! Yikes! Why is it with the best-laid plans things slip? I finally got around to making my first ever Christmas cracker snaps even though I had the materials 2-weeks ago.  They were a cinch to make and took half an hour to assemble.  I think the same goes with party food. …

chocolate fudge

November 29, 2016

I cannot recall the last time I made fudge.  It was a family favourite growing up and around the Christmas holidays, there was always some to be had.  My mom always had the pantry and freezer full of cooked goodies.  The laundry room became the storage area for fruit cake, plum puddings, cookies, squares not…

pasta with basil sauce

November 25, 2016

After three weeks overseas, I am happy to be back home.  Mr. S and I love to travel almost as much as we enjoy being in our humble abode.  When away, I encounter (stumble upon) new ways to dress up old dishes.  Stumble upon; another word perhaps for getting lost.  Not that we are frequently…

tuna noodle casserole

November 3, 2016

I don’t know why, but of late I am drawn to nostalgia and in particular food.  This nostalgic feeling is all good and although I am not one to dwell in the past, there’s something so familiar about comfort food that pulls me back to my childhood.  In the 1950s and well into the ’70s…

bruschetta with white anchovies

October 24, 2016

Bruschetta (pronounced bru-sketta) is a classic Italian appetizer consisting of toasted bread slices topped with fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.  There are oodles of variations and I’ve named a few here for you to consider: smashed avocado with chopped tomatoes; zucchini goat cheese bruschetta; smoked salmon with mascarpone cheese.

Eliot & Vine – new menu tasting

October 17, 2016

I received an invite to sample Eliot & Vine’s new menu and to show off their chef, Lachlan Culjak.  I am always grateful when a request like this comes my way.  The restaurant is tucked in a residential area of the north end of Halifax – a stone’s throw away from the Halifax Common.  Johanna…

Homemade Quince Paste

October 11, 2016

First served to us in Singapore by my Spanish amiga, on a cracker with manchego. Roasted quince turns sweet and floral, pure pleasure with well-cured cheeses.