As a chef and the child of an Englishman, I am fascinated by tea. I drink several cups a day of 'proper' tea; black tea with milk and sugar. Darjeeling is of course famous the world over for tea production. The soil, altitude and climate are perfect for growing tea. So I booked a taxi… Continue reading Happy Valley Tea Estate, Darjeeling, India
There is a large population of Tibetans in exile living in Darjeeling. The streets are plastered with slogans calling for an independent Gorkhaland. (They call themselves Gorkhas). Unlike the Indians at the base of the mountain, the Gorkha cuisine is light on vegetables and heavy on meat and starches. In the cold climate of the… Continue reading Kunga Restaurant, Darjeeling, India
I had wanted to go to Darjeeling forever. I had imagined a quaint colonial era town perched atop the Himalayas. I knew that any trip to India would have to include a visit to Darjeeling. This was a 'non-negotiable'. Getting to Darjeeling was another matter altogether. First you fly in to Bagdogra airport, nestled in… Continue reading Darjeeling, India
Arrived in Bangalore just in time for Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival that celebrates the Hindu godess Durga. My friend Schonali organized for a taxi to take me to the Iskcon Temple in Bangalore: A Hare Krishna Temple perched on top of a hill. I had a wonderful time at this temple, taking in… Continue reading Durga Puja at Iskcon Temple, Bangalore, India
Apologies for the delay in adding my India photos. Please forgive me! My first venture out on my own in India was to the Russell Market. The streets surrounding the market are jam packed with vendors, housewives, child merchants and water buffaloes. I circled the building twice before entering. I laugh about it now but… Continue reading Russell Market, Bangalore, India
Initially, Bangalore was simply a transfer point on my itinerary. I was meant to catch a bus at the airport and start a 3 hour journey to Mysore for the annual Dussehra festival. Life conspired for me to stay and I am forever grateful. It is a beautiful city and I thought I would share… Continue reading Bangalore, India
This is the recipe I developed for Canadian Living Magazine. It was published in the October 2013 issue. For more detailed instructions, please refer to the expanded recipe on their website. Canadian Living: Dragon Fruit Martini
Patacónes are Central American fried plantain medallions. They are consumed as a snack or substituted for bread in savoury sandwiches. Most patacón sandwiches consist of a shredded meat, avocado, tomato, lettuce and several spicy sauces. This shredded chicken patacón recipe is authentic, delicious and easy to reproduce at home. When making this recipe NEVER leave… Continue reading Patacónes Rellenos con Pollo (Patacónes with Shredded Chicken)
After searching for a recipe for a spiced pear and dark chocolate Italian Torta with no success, I adapted this recipe from Lidia Bastianich's Almond Cake alla Mantovana. Her cake is a traditional Italian almond cake. However the addition of the spiced pears, dark chocolate and vanilla essence to this cake send it over the… Continue reading Spiced Pear and Dark Chocolate Torta
I am a product developer based out of Toronto, Canada. I live with my husband Marco and our springer spaniel, Riker. After earning my Bachelor of Arts in French Language and Literature from the University of Toronto, I followed my passion for culinary arts and enrolled in Humber College's Culinary Skills Program in 2010. During… Continue reading
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