Books

With an introduction by Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini, foreword by Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and recipes contributed from chefs Daniel Boulud, Alice Waters, and Deborah Madison, The Pleasures of Slow Food is truly an all-encompassing and collaborative effort.

I adore my classic cookbooks. It’s wonderful having Elizabeth (David) and Julia in the kitchen and The Joy of Cooking on my shelf.  I’ve no quibble, though with the hip (mostly) young chefs, whose cookbooks made it on to my desk this year—nearly all of them Canadian, and mainly BC chefs who are singing the praises of local, seasonal, but above all, fresh.

With fewer and fewer visits “across the pond”, I was beginning to lose touch with the wining and dining scene in the city that spawned the magazine. So with laptop, overnight bag and a 5am coffee firmly in hand, I aim for the first ferry on a rainy Friday morning to mix a little business with pleasure.

The tradition of supplying soldiers with cacao products dates back to the time of the Aztecs. The Aztecs also provided this product; a frothy, ground cacao-based beverage, to men on their wedding nights, which brings us to this week’s chocolate holiday: St. Valentine’s Day. 

In the new Touchwood softcover edition, Angelo Prospera-Porta invites you into the kitchen of his Sooke guesthouse and generously shares the recipes that have made his intimate cooking classes so popular. Don't miss his signature Sea Bread, using locally harvested edible seaweeds.

I have, at times, been described as an incorrigible optimist. I do tend to see the glass as half full, not half empty. But lately, I am coming across more and more evidence to support my undying hopefulness, at least in the future of food department.

EAT's new Vancouver Reporter, Anya Levykh, launches her weekly column. Check back every Wednesday to find out what's new and noteworthy in Vancouver's food scene.

Whitecap has done it again; another beautiful glossy cookbook that celebrates Canadian cuisine in that way that makes you want to hop right into the kitchen and start chopping.