Here is the paradox with Chinese food—it’s not as weird as you think and it’s probably not what you imagine.
Restaurant reviews in Ottawa and around.
Here is the paradox with Chinese food—it’s not as weird as you think and it’s probably not what you imagine.
Christmas always gets a foot in the door through popular Advent Calendars popping up in aisles before Halloween, as if every single Canadian household had to stock up for an emergency holiday kit.
Feng shrugs as if he is privy to top-secret information, like the People’s Republic of China plan to invade Canada using the MERBALP method—Massive Exports of Red Beans and Lotus Paste.
A few years ago, I read a post from an American expat who explained how much she missed pumpkins.
“Pumpkins?” I thought. “Okay… Huh, why?”
The queue at each food truck was as impressive as the skills displayed to eat poutine standing up without staining ties and skirts.
Lunar worshipers, grab a bite of mooncake, chew it, then repeat after me: “中秋节快乐!"
It's amazing how combinations of spices can turn an ordinary mix or grains and vegetables into something super yummy. So, slow cooking 101: know your spices.
I wish I had believed in the power of the slow cooker earlier.
"I have no idea hat to make!" I bawled. "I'm so fucking sick and tired of buying food, cutting food, cooking food, cleaning up food!"
The day I took pictures inside my local supermarket, I was aiming for three or four products, max. I just wanted to give you a glimpse of popular North American items that aren’t on the shelves in the rest of the world. But I… got a bit carried away.
The Byward Market is a gorgeous display of local products and colourful fruits and vegetables, especially toward the end of the summer. Just for the (free) pleasure to the eyes, it is worth a stroll.
For all the times I took you inside supermarkets around the world and showcased local delicacies, I realized that I had never taken pictures of common North American products.
If you think about it, Tim Hortons is just another franchised restaurant serving coffee and donuts. Yet, Canadians almost feel it's a patriotic duty to get a double-double at Timmies rather than at McDonalds, Starbucks or—gasp—brew coffee at home.
My culinary journey started when I left Nantes. In Asia, Latin America or North America, I discovered staple food and dishes that were completely new to me. Here is my advice to start a culinary adventure, at home or abroad.
Everyone has heard about French eating snails and frog legs. Fun fact: I have never ever seen frog legs and the only time I saw snails on the menu was in these tourist trap restaurants in the Latin Quarter in Paris. These foods are a bit of a stereotype, like saying “Chinese eat dog...
Because I didn’t grow up in Canada, I sometime don’t get what all the fuss is about. These “treats” weren’t part of my childhood and it’s harder to adopt them later in life. Or maybe I’m just a picky French girl after all. So here are some foods Canadians seem to be crazy about… and I...
I must have walked/driven by the Merivale Fish Market thousands of times, but I had never tried it. I didn’t even know what kind of food they had exactly—well, fish, obviously, but I wasn’t sure what kind of place it was. Well, now we’ve been there. Verdict? Good fish but I found the...
The day after Canada Day, a friend of mine and I headed to Chinatown for a sushi lunch. Our first choice was Sushi 88 but it was closed for the day, so we went next door to Yummy Sushi, an all-you-can-eat sushi place I had never tried.
Ottawa is addicted to Phở, the Vietnamese soup. A few years ago, one phở restaurant opened, then another one, and another one… and now phở places can be found from Chinatown to the far suburbs of Kanata. Really, what's not to like? Phở restaurants are typically cheap if not very fancy...
I’m not your typical cordon bleu French cook, but I tend to stay away from supermarket bakeries because the lists of ingredients they use scare me. So once in a while, I bake. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated: I usually follow recipes loosely (seriously, who has all the ingredients on...
