Food & Travel
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Truffle Cashews ‘Comme Le Ritz’
If you’ve read my post titled ‘The Ritz Paris for a Light Lunch’, you may remember the Truffle Cashews that I enjoyed during that lovely meal. They were such a tasty, sophisticated treat, and one that seemed relatively easy to replicate, that I decided to experiment when I returned home to see if I could do just that. I am happy to report that, with minimal effort and ingredients, I have succeeded! If you too would like to experience a little taste of the Ritz, just follow the quick and easy recipe below. Ingredients: 350 grams salted cashews (I used sea salted but I’m sure regular salted ones would work well…
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Vimy Remembered
November is upon us now. The days grow shorter and the skies grey. It is a time to remember. In Canada, we commemorate the many who fought and sacrificed their lives for the wonderful freedoms that we enjoy today on November 11th, Remembrance Day. And Vimy Ridge has come to symbolize this nation’s remembrance. I feel blessed to have had the good fortune to visit this site of such great courage and sacrifice. Located about 100 kilometres inland from the Normandy coast in northern France, Vimy Ridge, is the site of what is considered one of Canada’s greatest victories during World War I. In just four days, beginning on Easter Monday,…
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Central Park: An Autumn Stroll
As I write this, the beautiful maple tree outside my window is in the midst of its annual transformation from green to gold. The autumn sunshine magnifies its gorgeous light, which both puts a smile on my face and reminds me of a wonderful stroll I took through Central Park in New York City a year ago. I was on a weekend bus tour to New York from Montreal where I had visited a friend. The sun was streaming brightly through the remaining leaves on the trees and providing a little warmth on a gorgeous, crisp morning. Our stroll began among the gorgeous, luxury apartment buildings of Manhattan’s Upper West…
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Belgian Bobbin Lace: A New Family Heirloom – Part 2
Having refreshed my bobbin lace-making skills by creating a sampler using various combinations of the three basic types of stitches, it was time to choose a pattern for my niece’s wedding garter. The type of Belgian bobbin lace that I make is called Torchon. It is made up of motifs such as spiders, fans and hearts. I decided to choose a pattern that would embody several motifs that would represent my niece and her special day. So, if you look closely, you will see hearts (in white) for her beloved, pine trees (in gold) for her second love, the Ottawa Valley, and spiders (in white, silver and gold) for her…
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Belgian Bobbin Lace: A New Family Heirloom – Part 1
My favourite (and only) niece celebrated her first wedding anniversary last month. This momentous occasion, along with my recent trip to Bruges, reminded me of a gift I made for her wedding. While I completed it during the summer of 2017, I actually started it in 1995, during my first Bruges visit. That visit was part of my first trip to Europe which included stops in Paris and Amsterdam. I spent the most time in Bruges though. This was due to the fact that I had registered for a week-long lace-making course at the Kantcentrum – Lace Centre. My goal was to learn to make the beautiful and delicate Belgian…
