Luckies of London Limited Has the Most Fun & Unique Affordable Gifts!

 

Oh boy. I've got a ton of birthdays, anniversaries and housewarmings in the next couple of months and I was starting to panic - how am I going to shop for all of these people and occasions? There's not enough time and I don't have a lot of money and ...

It's so easy to get stressed out about this kind of thing because it really does take a lot of time to find just the right thing for each individual if you have to hunt around different stores and rack your brain trying to remember something they need or want or like. 

But there is no need to worry anymore because I've found the most amazing one-stop-shop there is - Luckies of London Limited run by the lovely Jim. And it's all online, so you can shop in the comfort of your own home at whatever time is convenient for you. And boy, are you going to be blown away by the selection!

Check out the extraordinary, affordable finds I got for the folks on my gift-giving list:

- Undercover mini sleeve for mp3 players, cameras, games, phones, etc.

Just like it's big brother, the Undercover Laptop Sleeve, this awesome little padded envelope is actually made of a strong tyvek material,  lined and secures tightly with velcro. So while it looks just like a beat up piece of paper, it's splashproof, tearproof and  a lot heartier than that plastic thing you've been using to carry your phone/camera/etc. in. But be careful - it's so authentic looking that you might just want to pop your phone in the mail!

- Party Animals

Anyone can make a sandwich, but mine is going to be the only one with cool looking one, thanks to these playful sandwich cutters. I want to get the whole lot - Pig & Hen (I have the Cow). And I'm not going to just limit myself to sandwiches with this l'il beaut. Oh no, I'm going to make cow-shaped cookies, cow-shaped polenta and cow-shaped  burgers (or is that too cruel?) for my next dinner parties, to name just a few. And while I'm keeping this guy (I'm calling him Len for some reason), I'm going to get a bunch for my food-loving friends. It's not only great fun, it's something they'll really use too.

- Morris the Memo Holder

Speaking of animals, I love Morris. Not only does he hold your memo notes for you, he'll hold it in his mouth for you so you won't forget your shopping list or reminder to pick up the dry cleaning.  There is something so sweet about this burrow. He never asks anything of you - just that you make him feel useful. Now that's unconditional love! He comes in Red, White and Charcoal.

- Pickmaster

This is the ultimate gift for the music lover or musician on your list! Like the old 3-hole punch from high school, the Pickmaster (pictured above) punches out not holes, but a lifetime of personalized guitar picks out of anything flat - cardboard, plastic, etc. You can recycle materials and rock your way up the Stairway to Heaven! This gorgeous sturdy, chromed metal punch is something that the axe player in your life will genuinely appreciate. Rock on!

- YouToDo

It's as tall as I am, which means there's a lot to get through, but I'm up for the challenge. Are you? This list of to dos isn't a chores list by any means. It's more of a life list and the whole family can get involved. There are easy tasks such as "make and flip a pancake" and harder challenges like "learn the capitol cities of Europe." It comes with stickers so you can mark your achievements and there are a few blank spots for you to write in your own to dos. It's much easier to tackle your goals and dreams when they're right there facing you every day. This is a fantastic gift for anyone of any age.

The best part of all this? These are just a small few of the outrageously great products  Luckies has to offer. Shop their whole collection now and get the best gifts EVER!

Have Candy Without the Bad Stuff or the Guilt with Goody Good Stuff Gummies

It is hard to indulge in a little candy these days. 

Whenever I reach for something sweet, I am also concerned with what I'm putting into my body. Flip over the packaging and no doubt, all that unpronounceable stuff can't be good for you.

So I was elated to come across Goody Good Stuff Gummies. Finally we'd have something healthy to put in our snack box besides nuts (how many nuts can one person eat?) and I'd feel free of guilt for once.

These treats cover all the bases: made with all natural ingredients and free from artificial flavours, fat, soy, nuts, meat, dairy, egg, gelatine, gluten, lactose, GMOs, wheat, cassein and tree nuts.  We tried Tropical Fruit (pictured above) and Summer Peaches and we gobbled them up in just two days they were so good - so moist and bursting with fresh juice flavours. In fact, my fella, in the words of my man Drake, said they were the best he ever had.

Which gummies would you rather have - the stale, toxic-filled ones from the corner store or these that include all-natural fruit juices and extracts?

Fill your own snack box with Goody Good Stuff.

Take Your Food to Another Level with Sea to Sky Seasonings Salts

Do you get into a routine where everything you make tastes the same?

I certainly do. I tend to rely on the same spices, do the same 10 dishes again and again and fall into the same pattern at mealtime because I'm rushed for time.

I've recently discovered however, that all it takes is a little salt. Not just any salt, of course. I'm talking about Sea to Sky Seasonings Salts.

These Canadian-inspired infused seasonings & salts enhance flavours way beyond simple table salt. The goal of Sea to Sky Seasonings is "to elevate your taste experience to a new level," and they have most certainly reached it.

By  using as many locally grown, ethical and organic ingredients as possible, you get the freshest, most vibrant taste. And you won't find any food colourings or other flavour enhancers here - just natural ingredients that will enliven both your food and your palates.

New flavours are introduced seasonally - I tried some earlier this season such as Vancoucer Coast & Mountains Berry & Honey Salt (try rimming your Margarita glass with this one - heaven), Vancouver Island Seaweed Salt (so good a top of salmon!), Thompson Okanagan Apple Salt, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Garlic Salt (I shook this all over my homemade sweet potato fries), Northern BC Wild Mushroom Salt (so decadent on eggs!) and for the every day, I quickly became addicted to Kootenay Rockies Spring Skiing Salt (so fresh!).

And now I want to try these from Sea to Sky Seasoning core lineup:

Bacon & Tomato Salt - Smokey Oyama bacon, concentrated sundried tomatoes and sea salt all packaged into one delicious ingredient?  Oh my!

Cabernet Sauvignon Salt - This Cab Sav from the Niagara region is sure to intensify your evening's menu.

Cinnamon, Chocolate & Chipotle - How sexy is this combination? Just think of all you can use it on!

Silk Spice - Created by Chef Silke Seiler, this seasoning is fascinating and completely unique. What a fabulous gift for the food lover in your life!

Shop the entire Sea to Sky Seasonings Store and rev up your cooking - naturally!

Celebrate Summer with Porch Parties: Cocktail Recipes & Easy Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining

The summer goes by so quickly. 

Before you know it, it's Fall, the kids are back in school and the heavy coats and wool tights come out. So celebrate the season with Porch Parties: Cocktail Recipes & Easy Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining by Denise Gee.

This is more than just drinks on a porch. It's about, as Denise says, "the joy of architecture and neighbourly camaraderie." Doesn't that sound good right about now? No running errands, no cleaning the bathroom - just getting together with friends and family.

Denise lives in Dallas, but she writes, "But what really shaped my design aesthetic was being raised in one of Mississippi’s most beautiful, historic and hospitable cities: Natchez. It was there, growing up downtown in a four-story Victorian house/clothing store owned by my mother and grandmother—and being a young docent at several antebellum houses—that I learned the joy of cooking, entertaining, storytelling, architecture, interior decorating and garden design." 

It's true that there's something instantly relaxing about a porch. I think it's that no one works out on the porch - it's where you talk and commune and you automatically unwind and decompress like you would on vacation.  

So in order to throw your own Porch Party, Denise gives you some great pointers like planning your buffet, how to stock the bar, garnish ideas and even includes a handy (and extensive) checklist.

And you're going to love her drink ideas - Blood Orange Martini, Prosecco Mojito and something called a Gumby Slumber. For these truly sweltering days, cooling off is easy with Denise's Watermelon Cooler, Blackberry Smash and a fascinating drink called the Michelada that calls for beer, hot sauce and soy sauce.

I love her "Punch" section and learned so much - for example, that Punch should have "at least three but preferably five ingredients and serve a boatload of people (or at least a small crowd)." And doesn't Lemon Sherbet, Ice Ring Finesse and Bourbon Slush Punch sound good right about now?

There is also a ton of non-alcoholic offerings, or as Denise calls 'em, Frocktails, as well as little bites to offer along with the drinks (you don't want the neighbours falling off the porch) such as Greek Crostini, Shrimp & Tomato Salad and Creamy Orange Fruit Dip.

Whether you live in a condo or have a sprawling house in the country, isn't it time you threw a porch party? You've got all you need right here, thanks to Porch Parties.

Need a Little Lift? BioFuel Caffeinated Popcorn Is A Tasty Pick-Me-Upper!

BioFuel Popcorn is an odd, yet exciting mixture of caffeine and popcorn.

And while I would have never thought to put them together, they make for an extremely delicious combination. So much so that I had to tear myself away after I'd gorged myself on half the bag and could have easily kept going until there wasn't a kernel left! I think it's the combination of salty and just slightly sweet (nowhere near caramel corn sweet, though it's got that lovely same sticky feel) that both satisfies and excites your senses.

So thanks to Amanda and Matthew Fitch, who created BioFuel Popcorn as a way to keep up with their long days. They may have been struggling to stay awake for awhile there, but it was worth it!

The Original BioFuel is infused with as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, so it won't keep you up all night unless you have it right before you go to sleep. The Super Caffeine-Infused BioFuel XL however, has twice the amount of caffeine as the Original, so save this one when you're up late working on that presentation or you need to catch the red eye.

If you're worried about the kiddies getting hopped up on caffeine, not to worry. There's a blend especially for the young 'uns.

Inexpensive, completely unique and will give you even pep to get through the afternoon meeting? Yes, yes, and yes.

Maybe you'd better get the big bag.

Obol Keeps Your Cereal From Getting Soggy

I am very sensitive to the texture of food. I don't like that stringy feeling of overcooked shrimp or anything that's mushy (you should see how hard the nectarines I buy are). 

So I can understand the desire to keep your crunchy cereal from turning into pudding. Especially if you eat like puffed wheat, that seems to soften as soon as it hits the milk.

That's why you've got to get yourself the Obol. It keeps everything separate until you're ready to pull it together. And nothing says you've got to use it only for cereal - soup and crackers, chips and dip, it works for so many things! In fact, why don't you send me a tweet or leave a comment here or on my facebook page to what you're going to use yours for?

If you're like most people, you'll be happy with the Obol in CreamWhite. But why not add a splash of colour with the new Lime & Tangerine Obols? Ooh, they're fun. And all are available as of June 1st at Brookstone.

As a restaurant reviewer and food writer, it's important to me that the textures of food be the way they're intended. And my Obol lets me blend the ingredients together at my leisure.

Now that's customized!

Get yourself some Obols now and put an end to soggy cereal once and for all.

Treat Yourself to Berry Allure's Incredible Chocolate Covered Delicacies

Why have a regular chocolate bar when you can indulge in Berry Allure's Chocolate Covered Delicacies by DOTI US, Inc.?

This family-owned company from Poland creates chocolate-covered fruit and nuts. But not just any ol' kind. Nothing ordinary about these.

We're talking the good stuff here, the impressive stuff - Chocolate Covered Gooseberries, Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Covered Strawberries and  Chocolate Covered Blackcurrants, to mention just a few.

Chocolate and fruit has been done before, but not like this. Dark Chocolate Covered Orange Peel is the perfect offering at the end of your dinner party while you serve coffee. And award-winning pastry chef and chocolatier Rikke Gryber's Rowanberry in Dark Chocolate pairs beautifully with wines, cheese and Amarone.

There is so much to choose from juicy and ripe sour cherries, strawberries, gooseberries, black currants, ginger pieces, chunks of rhubarb and orange peel are "candied and dipped in luscious chocolate. Our carefully selected nuts, be they cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts or brazil nuts, are tenderly roasted before their chocolate bath in order to bring out their amazing aroma, taste and crunchy texture."

Oh my.

And while Berry Allure's Chocolate Covered Delicacies are indeed decadent, they are somewhat healthy as they use good chocolate and they are filled with vitamin packed fruits and nuts.

If you are going to have chocolate, why not have the good stuff?

Shop now.

Hershey's Drops Satisfy Your Chocolate Craving

Doesn't it seem like Easter was forever ago?

You got your chocolate fill then, but now the craving is back - big time. The problem is, it's shorts weather, so you can't binge like you used to.

That's where Hershey's comes in.

Instead of mowing down on an entire chocolate bar, you can satiate your sweet tooth with New Hershey's Drops. 

Because there is no candy shell, there's no mess. Which means you can nibble on them while you're working away at your desk and not have to worry about getting chocolate everywhere for once. The other bonus is that because they are small, you can have as many - or as little - as you like.

Hershey's Drops are available in two flavours - Milk Chocolate and Cookies 'n' Crème.  And with Cookies 'n' Crème coming in at only 200 calories for 14, and Milk Chocolate totaling 210 for 15, you can snack and share these l'il cuties and not feel that you need another sweet all day long.

Much like Hershey's Kisses, Hershey's Drops make it possible to have chocolate and be able to fit into your tankini!

Go ahead and get your chocolate on.

If You Love Good Food, You're Going to Love Southern Living Off the Eaten Path

One of my many, many dreams for the near future is to have a Southern food counter or truck or restaurant.

Though I've never even been to the South, I am enamoured by the food, ingredients and people. I can think of nothing more comforting than shrimp n' grits, a muffaletta sandwich (a specialty of New Orleans), fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread.

So when I heard about the brand new, just released Southern Living Off the Eaten Path by Morgan Murphy, I knew it would have to find a place amongst my very carefully selected cookbooks.

It's the subtitle after the colon that really got me - Favourite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes That Made Them Famous - and the fact that award-winning travel writer Murphy drove 15,000 miles in his 1959 Cadillac last summer and picked 75 places to include.

It is so jam-packed with photos, recipes and backstory, that it's more of an intimate scrapbook or personalized tour of the South than a mere cookbook. If I could somehow manage it, I'd like to do what Murphy did, and visit every single one of these places in one fell swoop. Now that's what I call a vacation!

And what is so surprising is that the recipes are not your average "dive" dishes. Krazy Kat's in Delaware for instance offers Vanilla-Cognac Brined Pork Tenderloin with a Gingersnap Jus! You'd better believe that's joining my regular rotation of dinners. And Lobster and Brie Mac and Cheese from Cabana in Nashville and Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs from The Local in Virginia? Ooh la la. I think I just found my dinner party menu items. And I've got to make the  PCP Pie (Pineapple-Coconut-Pecan) from Ed & Kay's in Arkansas at the next do or potluck. Can you imagine the kinds of  hoots and hollers that will get?

Of course the book is teaming with the kind of comfort food dishes that are famous in the South - Hush Puppies, Crawfish Pie, Beignets, Shrimp and Crab Etoufee, Sweet Potato Casserole, Chicken-Fried Steak with Country Gravy, Southern Fried Catfish, Pecan Pie, Cornbread, Candied Yams, Chiles Rellenos, Buttermilk Biscuits  - and a heckuva lot more (My mouth filled with saliva as I wrote these. I'm heading into the kitchen to make some of these treasures as soon as I'm done here).

Go ahead and check out the preview here.

Thank you, Mr. Murphy, for bringing the South up here to me in the North via Southern Living Off the Beaten Path. I am so grateful to be surrounded by all of this great food  made by great folks from these great places. 

I hope you don't mind, I've gone ahead and doggeared the whole darn book.

Desperate for Vim, Vitality and Vigour? Get It All with EatStrong Snacks!

 

I am desperate need of some extra energy,

I know you feel the same. My to-do list is teetering with items yet to be crossed off, laundry is done but not put away and where did that new basket of dirty clothes come from? That's just the beginning, so I need to ramp things up and eat food that is full of energy to help get me through these frenetic days/weeks/months.

And something quick and easy and that doesn't taste like wallpaper would be great.

After months of searching, I am thrilled to have found EatStrong.

Founder Sophie Pachella created a fresh new line of "honestly healthy snacks." Yep, this is the real deal - good food that fills you up. 

Take the EatStrong Trail Mix, for instance. It is a surefire way to keep low blood sugar crashes at bay and to get you through those tough crunch times where you don't have time to eat, but you've got to have something. Vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fiber abound in this delightful mix of almonds, cashews, flax seeds, pistachios, sunflower seeds and walnuts. Ooh, it's tasty and filling. Oh, and to keep your sweet tooth at bay, Sophie's popped in some organic cacao chocolate drops, so you won't have to give into the lunch room vending machine anymore. Phew!

And if I need a quick meal or snack on the go, I prefer EatStrong Energy Bars to those supermarket ones that are supposedly "healthy," but you and I both know how laden with fat and sugar they are.

This soft bar of  finely crushed flax, sunflower and hemp seeds is only 230 calories, but it will keep you going for hours on end.  Again, some organic chocolate drops have been added in to satiate you. According to Sophie, this blend of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants will "increase metabolic function, fortify muscles and promote lean body mass."

 

It's practically a workout in a bar. Practically.

Life is sometimes too busy to stop and eat well. At least eat well on the run. 

 

Get EatStrong now.

My New Favourite Party Go-To Dessert is Kari's Malva Pudding

One of the biggest headaches for me when it comes to planning a dinner party is worrying about what to serve for dessert.

As I don't bake too often, I am always wondering what to offer people after the dinner dishes have been cleared. Chocolates seem too mundane and anything like cupcakes or macarons seem overdone. I want to serve something original and exciting, but truthfully, I'm not quite at the level of being able to do it myself.

So I looked to the pros, searching for an exhilarating choice. And I found it all in Kari's Malva Pudding.

These handmade cakes come way of the Mansfeld Family in Aptos California. Most notably by Miss Kari herself.  Using fresh "cage-free eggs from the Glaum chicken ranch just up the road and fresh apricot jam from the local farmer's market with no corn syrup in it," you'll appreciate all the wholesome, natural ingredients as well as the fact that one serving is only 230 calories!

Each pudding is spongy, light and moist and is like no other dessert I've ever had.  Slightly caramelly, it has a dulce de leche, creme brulee kind of feel, mixed with moist, fresh-from-the-oven cake. You serve it warm with custard, fruit or a complete showstopper - ice cream.

The pudding is is hand-poured and packaged and frozen fresh. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to:

- defrost

- heat up and serve in an instant

- store (up to 4 days at room temperature, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks)

- pass off as your own, if you want to (I never would, but I won't judge you if you do)

I am stunned that something that was shipped to me frozen can taste so out-of-the-oven fresh and homemade!

Be sure to get both Kari's Malva Pudding and the Chocolate Pudding because if you share these with your dinner guests, they are going to go like lightning.  

Of course, you could keep Kari's Malva Pudding all to yourself. But something tells me as much as you'll want to covet it for yourself, you won't be able to resist sharing it with friends and family!

It's Easy to Look Good This Season, Thanks to Skinny Dips!

Thank goodness the weather is warming up. Do you feel your palate changing? A couple of weeks ago I was still craving stews and chilis, but these days, I'm thinking grilled chicken, big salads and dips.

Skinny Dips: 60 Recipes for Dips, Spreads, Chips, and Salsas on the Lighter Side of Delicious by Diane Morgan is perfect for this time of year. Diane gives us full-bodied, vibrantly-tasting dips that also happen to be low calorie. And she doesn't do it with substitutions or sweeteners, thankfully. It's all made with whole, natural ingredients.

So whether you're making dips for a summer pool party, to take to someone's potluck dinner or want to make a light lunch, dinner or snack to enjoy at home, these recipes will definitely wow the crowd.

There are so many kinds of dips, you'll never run out of ideas for party snack again! Choose from Vegetable and Herb, Salsas, Guacamoles and Tapenades, Cheese and Tofu , Bean and Legume, Meat and Seafood and Crudites and Other Skinny Dippers. 

Friends and neighbours will be begging for the secret to your dips, such as Butternut Squah Bharit, Svelte Green Goddess Dip, Pomegranate, Orange & Avocado Salsa, Microbrew Cheddar Cheese Spread, Curry Pumpkin Hummus and Thai-Style Spicy Pork Dip!

To help keep you fitting into your summer dresses and capris, Diane's listed the calories of each recipe, as well as how big the recipe is, making it super easy to double or triple the amounts, depending on the size of your crowd. A Healthful Ingredient Glossary helps you with unfamiliar ingredients and recommendations. A section on Tips and Techniques helps guide you through the process of handling and cutting fresh chilies, roasting garlic, zesting citrus and other tasks that will make your dips stand out.

I am so grateful to have found this little gem. It's like having a party planning committee and restaurant menu options permanently at your side!

Buy your copy of Skinny Dips: 60 Recipes for Dips, Spreads, Chips, and Salsas on the Lighter Side of Delicious by Diane Morgan  now!

Cocktails, Anyone? Ultimate Bar Book Has Got You Covered!

Because our summers are so short here, I think we tend to take them pretty seriously. So on the first warmish day, you'll see us outside on patios, imbibing in a cocktail or two. Sure we'll still have our coats on, but there's nothing more summery than taking a few minutes out to enjoy a good drink.

The problem happens when you get home and realize that all you know how to make are lame cocktails from the 90s. How are you supposed to entertain your friends serving Long Island Iced Teas and Rum & Cokes?

That's why you've got to get yourself a copy of Ultimate Bar Book. It has the classic drinks you've known and loved with an introduction to the newest drink recipes that will impress the crowd - and having them come back for more, no doubt!

You won't have to worry about running out because there are more than 1,000 recipes (that oughta get you through at least the summer!) and that's not just regular drinks - there's garnishes, rims, infusions, and syrups; punches, gelatin shooters, hot drinks, and non-alcoholic beverages here too.

And in case you've never really set up a home bar before, author Mittie Hellmich tells you everything you need to get started.

If you start now, you'll be ready to be the first to host a cool cocktails fete celebrating the season. Buy your copy of Ultimate Bar Book now and always be prepared to host a little soiree or a big blowout.

p.s. And in case you've celebrated a little too much, there are some hangover tips included in the book as well. It really does have everything!

The New Line of 100% Organic Spice Blends from Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of Vermont ROCKS MY WORLD!

Do you ever feel like all of your food tastes the same?

I do. Despite changing up the menu every night, I think because I tend to buy the same ingredients again and again, my cooking tends to feel very familiar.

Sure, getting a new cookbook helps, but I feel like it never really changes.

One of the most revolutionary ingredients I've ever come across is the new line of 12 100% Organic Spice Blends from the Teeny Tiny Spice Co. from Vermont.

They are like nothing I've ever cooked with or eaten before (and remember, I eat for a living!).

Owners Thora and Ed Pomicter (pictured above) "always had a passion for global cuisine, but were often challenged by ethnic recipes that required so many different spices that it was nearly impossible for them to keep their pantry adequately stocked. To resolve this, and help other home cooks add the flavor of various world cuisines to everyday meals with ease, they created Teeny Tiny Spice Co. of Vermont." 

Thank goodness for Thora and Ed's ingenuity, because these spice blends truly bring the world right into your very kitchen. You get the flavours of Northwest and Southwest India, North and East Africa and places that you might not normally be able to replicate easily at home.

I live in a very metropolitan urban center and I have to say, I've never seen anything like these before. Nothing that is this authentic, that's certified organic, that's made in small batches, that is so flavourful, so easy to use and very affordable! Ed says, "We provide spices already combined in proportions to give you just the right flavor profile to create dishes with the essential flavors of North and South, East and West."

And let's be honest - when's the last time you made Ethiopian, Persian or African for dinner?

I am so grateful for having found these spectacular blends. I mean, Chocolate Chili? With it's cocoa nibs, juniper berries, organic Vermont maple sugar and Himalayan pink salt, you can see why Teeny Tiny's spices far and away beat my ol' standard chili recipe any day! And I'm in love with the British Curry mix - it's become my new favourite comfort food dish - and so easy to prepare.

Choose from so many exciting selections - British Curry; Citrus Pepper; Ethiopian Berberé; Garam Masala; Montréal Seasoning; Penang Curry; Perfection Spice Rub; Persian Adwiya; Ras el Hanout; Shepherd Herb Mix and Vindaloo. I love the range of this line - you can simply put some rub on some pork chops or chicken if you don't feel like doing too much or if you feel up to a few simple steps, create a Thai Style Penang Curry or Ras el Hanout Tangine.

Each spice blend covers you for at least four to eight "full recipes" depending on the blend and how heartily you use it. Each tin of spices tells you the heat level as well as how to use it, so you don't have to start from scratch every time - just get your veg, grains and/or protein, add your spice blend and away you go. To a brand new, healthy way of eating!

I recommend getting One of Everything. Or at least the Herb & Spice Collection or Heat Collection. Because these are going to be your culinary best friends for life.

p.s.- True story. I was going to make a Shepherd's Pie one night and I thought the Shepherd Herb Mixour cat Cosmo would really give it new life and zest. But had grabbed it from the low spice shelf it was on in the kitchen and apparently, it was better than catnip, as he was playing with it, tossing it around like a football. It happened every night for a week, until I went and put it on a slightly higher shelf. I'll keep you posted...

You'll Never Run Out of Dinner Ideas with One Big Table

Author Molly O'Neill writes: 

"One Big Table is the nation’s community cookbook, the result of my journey of more than 500,000 miles across the U.S.—during which I conducted over 5,000 oral history–style interviews and consumed untold calories—to discover why we eat what we eat."

This is no mere cookbook - this is a nation's autobiography with recipes.   

With over 800 pages offering  personal stories, recipes and photos, it is one of the most moving cookbooks you'll ever own. Just think - you'll begin to tell these people's stories as you make and serve their dishes. And then your guests will tell those stories and so on...

Because this is a book focused on the U.S., it is a veritable bible of different cultures and the way they eat. 

It includes recipes from home cooks, farmers, fishermen, pit-masters and even famous chefs that you may know. I know I  saw Daniel Boulud in there somewhere...

And the recipes, my God, the recipes - Mavis Lowe's West Indian Pumpkin Soup, Jamie Pagana's Rich & Herby Cornbread, Sicoutris Family's Greek Orzo Salad, Rachele's Haitian Shad in Green Peppercorn Sauce, Thomas Jefferson's Chicken Fricassee, Mill Pond Plantation's Beer and Bacon Quail and well, there's 600 recipes in the book, so I can't list them all (but I'd like to).

I think aside from being introduced to so many amazing people, ingredients and dishes, the part that gets me the most is that I have been handed down hundreds of people's tried-and-true family recipes.

And for a girl that doesn't have an extended family, it makes me feel like I've just found  the very best one of all time.

Buy your copy of One Big Table: A Portrait of America Cooking now.

Pack the Prettiest Lunch with Urban Harmonie's Reusable Lunchbags

For a short while, I actually went to an office instead of working here at my desk at the end of my bed.

Working outside the home has many challenges that don't occur here - there's the commute, people other than your cat to talk to and lunch options.

At home, I eat whenever and make whatever, depending upon my time and mood. When you work in an office, you have limited options. And where I was working, there wasn't much around to choose from, so I packed my lunch.

The problem I had was:

1. I could never find a bag cute enough to carry, so I ended up using ugly plastic bags

2. I could never find one big enough to hold my various containers of carrots, crackers, salads and whatever else I trucked in to hold me over for the day

So you can imagine my immense delight when I happened upon Urban Harmonie!

Made with the environment in mind, these delightful lunch bags and snack bags do not contain PVC, phthalates, BPA, lead or formaldehyde. Creator Vicki Davidson says, "The loops and handles on the lunch bags are made from our scrap fabric, we reuse old buttons  and we use only Kraft boxes and envelopes for shipping which can either be reused or recycled."

 

The fabric used are quality quilting cottons "coated to create a durable, water-resistant, easy to clean surface." The interior of the bags use Pro Care Barrier Fabric.  This makes it waterproof and extremely durable. And to clean your sweet l'il bag, you simply need only wipe it with a cloth and hang it to dry!

And let's talk about these fabrics, because you won't find anything cuter than In The City, Kittens and Fun Times. If you like patterns, you'll swoon for Avocado Damask, Lotus and Retro Wave.

The detail and care of these Canadian-made bags is extraordinary. Aside from the fun fabrics, you then have to think about what size you need. Do you want a strap, loop or both? Do you like it short, tall or bento shaped? There is so much to choose from!

I went with the truly awesome Pop Art Tall Boxed Lunch Bag (pictured above). I am a huge Roy Lichtenstein fan, so this bag makes me very, very happy. It also allows me to pack a whack of food (which let's face it, as a food writer, I'm not subsisting on grapes alone...). There is also an insert included, a little bamboo fibre tray that fits perfectly into the bottom, giving the bag a smidge more stability and strength. I also like that it gives a very flat bottom so that my various eats don't slip and slide while I'm navigating my way through subway crowds, etc. The insert is made without chemicals or fertilizers and does not absorb liquids or fibres. When you're done with it, place it in your compost. It will degrade 45-90 later.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Even though I'm back at home, I still pack my lunch in this cutie. And now I take food with me wherever I happen to go.

Because a bag this cute should not be left at home where no one can see or enjoy it.

Shop the entire Urban Harmonie Collection now.

Spring Menus are a Cinch With Fine Cooking Annual Cookbooks

I am a huge fan of Fine Cooking Magazine. There are always exciting items to try and I've centered more than one dinner party around their dishes - to rave reviews, I might add!

So discovering that there are Fine Cooking Annual Cookbooks is like having a personal chef and menu/party planner right in the comfort of your own home!

There are 3 volumes to choose from, which you can purchase individually or as a set. Each volume contains a year of great recipes, tips and techniques. And I think that's what sets these cookbooks, as well as the magazine, apart. They offer up intriguing recipes, while showing you the techniques involved with instructive photos along the way. So it's not as oblique as Gourmet could be and not as textbook-y as America Test Kitchen's mag.

Volume 1 has lovely, fresh recipes that are perfect for spring (vibrant salads, fresh seafood) and some of the best tips. Did you know that for even onion slices, you should use a radial cut? I didn't know what that was either until I saw it (page 50). I will use the tip on page 69 of warming the vinaigrette before drizzling it over my warm salad from now on. And miso keeps for a year if sealed well and refrigerated? If only I'd known! It's these kinds of small tips that actually change the way you cook, the way you eat for the rest of your life. And of course the recipes are fabulous: Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup with Almonds, Creamy Tomato & Fennel Chicken, Dry Brined Roasted Turkey, Bourbon & Brown Sugar Marinated Steak, Argentine-Style Burger, Farmhouse Ragout with Pesto and Mexican-Style Pecan-Chocolate Squares.

In Volume 2 (a signed edition is also available), we go international and learn to make Pork Shiu Mai, Pan-Fried Halloumi with Fennel, Olive and Mint Compote, Fregola with Grill-Marinated Red Peppers & Zucchini, Smoked Paprika & Fennel Seed Roast Turkey with Onion Gravy, Carrots with Curry-Yogurt Sauce and Kahlua Truffle Triangle. I love the tips on how to do a tapas buffet at home, stock your Spanish pantry, preserve lemons, what Treviso is (I didn't know either!), 7 different types of basil and various kinds of steak.

Good luck not drooling over the recipes and photos in Volume 3!  Here are just a few delicacies to whet your appetite: Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Apricots, Carrot Salad with Walnut Oil and Honey, Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Bacon & Onions & Peas,Salmon Braised in Pinot Noir, Lime Chicken with Poblano Sour Cream, Rack of Lamb with Ancho-Honey Glaze, Ham Bone Collards and Earl Grey Creme Brulee. And thanks to this volume, I know how to turn a salmon steak into a medallion, make my own gravlax and calibrate my instant-read thermometer.

Mealtime just got a whole lot more exciting.

Buy the whole collection now.

Healthy Cooking by the CIA is a Home Cook's Dream!

I bet that if I had a look at your cookbook shelf right now, there would be a lot of titles that you use only once in awhile and one or two that you rely on almost daily.

Add Healthy Cooking by The Culinary Institute of America to your list of must-have cookbooks.

This awesome tome has over 235 recipes to choose from, keeping weeknight dinners from being the same old, same old. And speaking of weeknight dinners, I know that the last thing you want to do as soon as you get in the door is work on making an elaborate meal when you're so tired and worn out from the day and incredibly hungry to boot. That's why you're going to love this book - the recipes are fantastic, but the ingredients and steps are super short, allowing you to get a great meal on the table in no time!

Getting pointers from the pros of The Culinary Institute of America is like having a personal cooking lesson, right in your own home! I love the idea of creating soup samplers (p.21), the helpful advice on shaping and baking pizza (p. 62) and the different between sauteing, braising and stewing (p. 159).

The recipes are based on the new USDA food guide pyramid and the latest dietary guidelines, doctor recommendations and research, but they are anything but boring. They take recipes you're familiar with and give it a modern twist, making it new and exciting to both create and consume. I mean just imagine this dinner:

Beet-Fennel-Ginger Soup

Lobster and Jalapeno Pizzas

Papadzules with Roasted Tomato Salsa 

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Chocolate Polenta Pudding Cake
Almond-Anise Biscotti

I'm telling you, these recipes are fantastic. And whether you're a novice or a pro, you'll find dishes that will excite you!

Buy your copy now and add some excitement to mealtime.

The Essential Thomas Keller Boxed Set Is A Food-Lover's Dream

I just finished reading Knives at Dawn with the 4 food book clubs I run. It's about a cooking competition in Lyon and there was a lot about Thomas Keller in it.

I loved the book, but really enjoyed learning about the man behind such famous restaurants as The French Laundry, Per Se and Ad Hoc. To be devoted and driven like that is fascinating to me.

So I decided to see if I, a non-perfectionist who likes to improvise when cooking, could tackle such a feat as The Essential Thomas Keller - a boxed-set of 2 of Keller's eponymous cookbooks, The French Laundry and Ad Hoc At Home.

They come in such a beautiful case and are hefty, coffee-table style books with luscious photos. These are no ordinary cookbooks, let me tell you.  This is one helluva swank gift, if you ask me. One that your food-lover friends will no doubt actually use.

The French Laundry is Keller's fine dining restaurant, of which so much has been written, including his famous Salmon Cornets (which you can now make at home).  If you want more finesse in your cooking and kitchen, this is a great place to start.

The recipes here are things that I would make for dinner parties or if I was trying on a new technique. After all, White Truffle Oil-Infused Custards with Black Truffle Ragout and Lobster Consomme on Gelee, while triumphant-sounding,  is beyond my usual budget and time allowance for a work week dinner. However, you will learn a ton just reading the book - there's the mushroom lady, the restaurant itself and a ton of new things to try in your own kitchen such as vegetable cuts, cooking lobster, blanching and straining.

Ad Hoc is Keller's "casual family-style" restaurant that serves a single menu every day and the cookbook is most definitely the more approachable of the two. I like his list of tools to have in the kitchen, how to cut a chicken into 8 and 10 pieces and his simpler recipes such as Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Tarragon, Meatballs with Pappardelle. There are lots of helpful hints along the way here too - the only protein you do not let rest, why you should buy whole fish versus fillets and what kind of dish to serve salad in.

There is much to learn from both of these books. Work your way up from one to the other. Refine your methods and ingredients.

You will be a better cook for it.

Buy The Essential Thomas Keller now.

Savory Baking by Mary Cech Satifies My Salt Tooth

I don't have a sweet tooth. In fact, I've always preferred pickles and chicken pot pies to cupcakes and candy bars.

So when I found Savory Baking: Warm and Inspiring Recipes for Crisp, Crumbly, Flaky Pastries, I was thrilled - finally a book of baked good recipes that I'll actually be able to eat!

Developed by Mary Cech, one of America's top pastry chefs, there are 75 recipes here that will work with whatever event you're planning:

- Quick breads that are actually quick (thank you!) such as Sour Cream and Dill Muffins and Shallot Crepe Rollups Filled with Fresh Carrot-Ginger Salad work as phenomenal brunch items as well as dinner party nibblies.

- For lunch or dinner, Seafood Strudel and Baked Pomodoro Dumplings on an Olive Salad from the Flaked Pastries section really rev up my usually boring workweek menus.

- The Rustic Section is one of my favourites. Comfort food gets a modern twist with dishes such as  Creamy Sweet Corn and Prosciutto Crisp and Chicken Dijon Brown Betty here. Mmm!

- Sesame Eclairs with Honey-Soy Asparagus and Smoked Bacon Beignets from Pastries with Puff are restaurant worthy offerings that will work in your teeny home kitchen too.

- There are also Cookies and The Side Show (condiments, etc.) sections.

And there is a comprehensive section at the front that includes all the tools and tricks you need to know about baking. Something I really appreciate, as I am still such a novice baker.

This cookbook fulfills a niche and need that caters to those of us who prefer pretzels to truffles. With these innovative recipes that fit into my ultra modern lifestyle, it was definitely worth the wait.

Order your copy now.