03 Nov 2023

Just A Spoonful Of Yogurt

Q. ‘Each kind of spoon is used for a specific purpose, and should never be used except for that one.’ So wrote Lady Constance Howard in her 1885 Etiquette : What to do, and how to do it. ‘A grave error would be committed,’ Lady Constance continued, ‘by using a dessert

16 Oct 2023

No Love For Circus Peanuts

Q. . Trick or Treat! Your smile is big; your Super Spy costume is on point. Now, bring on the candy. “George!” The third Weird Barbie to answer your knocking is now hollering over her right shoulder. “We’re out of candy! George!” George is bashing about the back room, banging

13 Oct 2023

That Coffee Smell

Q. What is it about the smell of coffee? . A. If you close your eyes, can you summon up the smell of coffee? The talented Haruki Murakami writes about that glorious coffee aroma in Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. ‘Haida was very particular about coffee, always

22 Sep 2023

A Little Bitter

Q. Amaretto – ‘a little bitter’ – is the almond-soaked liqueur you might know from the Amaretto Sour, The Godfather, Blueberry Tea. We know it’s a deeply historic potion with Italian roots, but who can claim inventor credits? . A.  With a name like ‘a little bitter’ are we surprised

28 Aug 2023

Yes To Black Forest Cake

Q. Chocolate, sour cherries, sponge cake, kirsch, whipping cream, dark chocolate curls. What’s not to like? What inspired this deliciousness? . A. Black Forest cake – or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte –   gets its name from Schwarzwälder Kirsch, a sour cherry liqueur distilled in Germany. Some say that the inspiration for this 16th

04 Aug 2023

Popsicle, Please

Q. It’s hothothot this B.C. long weekend. Whom do we have to thank for inventing this beautifully juicy relief on a stick? . A. Most credit 11 year old Frank W. Epperson of Oakland, California for the invention of the popsicle. After an intense day of outdoor play, Frank retired inside

01 Aug 2023

Pre-Race Cheesecake

Q. What are some of the stranger foods that people have used to give them speed and power on race day? . A. Let’s lift our olive leaf crowns to cheesecake. Cheesecakes were on the menu for athletes at the first Olympic Games in Greece. Olympians were encouraged to reap energy

30 Jun 2023

Lucky Elephants, Thrills + Other Canadian Treats

Q. As we near July 1st and Canada Day: what are some Canadian-born sweets? 🇨🇦 . A. What does it say about our culture that we are the inventors of a gum whose tagline reads: ‘It still tastes like soap’? They may think us mad, but many of us would

29 Jun 2023

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Q. The heat is on. What is your favourite ice-cream flavour? How do flavour preferences play out in Canada? . A. In 2022, Narrative Research asked the question of 1, 239 Canadian adults over the age of 18. As you’ll see below, the top 4 came in close, but chocolate

03 Jun 2023

Poor Man’s Pudding

Q. It’s one of Canada’s most famous, historic desserts. What is Pouding Chômeur? . A. This delicious Depression-era Canadian dessert – Pouding Chômeur – was created in Quebec. ‘Poor Man’s Pudding’ is said to have been invented in 1929 by women who, after a long day working on the factory