The Zen Gourmand » Travel

Have Some Dim Sum

ZenGourmand — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:58:13 +0000

Going through one of my bookshelf the other day I came across a book I meant to mention here for some time.

The book is calle “Have Some Dim Sum” and was written by a good friend of mine, Evelyn Chau.

If you enjoy Dim Sum and always wanted to know more about it or even how to prepare some of these dishes yourself, this book is for you.

Or perhaps you are always a bit intimidated at a Dim Sum restaurant wondering what it is you are looking at?

After alll, there could be as many as 60 or 70 different items to choose from!

In Have Some Dim Sum, Evelyn Chau takes the mystery out of dim sum dining.

Not only does Chau explore the evolution of Dim Sum but also has some 20 clearly written recipes and the book is generously illustrated with gorgeous photographs by well known Toronto food photographer Vince Noguchi.

After reading the book you’ll know that when you are ordering Ha Guen you are getting those delicious shrimp balls you love so much and that Chinese Tapioca Pudding is made with tapioca pearls and lotus paste.

Yum!

Check it out: Have Some Dim Sum

B&B’s we like – Suites-on-the-Lake, Wellington, ON

ZenGourmand — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:05:46 +0000

This past weekend we ended up in Wellington, Ontario, by way of a ride with our motorcycles to a destination spa nearby. We arrived at the spa to find out that they totally screwed up our bookings for treatments and couldn’t come up with a satisfactory solution that wouldn’t compromise our other plans and commitments. The place also looked more like an addiction rehab center than a spa. We were completely ticked off, refused to stay and after making sure we would get our deposits refunded, high-tailed it out of there.

We visited a winery (see separate post), had a glass of wine and towards the end of the afternoon went looking for alternate accommodations. Julie had noticed the “Devonshire Inn” on a previous trip and had also checked it out on-line a while back so we decided to descend on them and see if they had a suite available.

They didn’t.

However, they were very helpful and phoned a couple of B&B’s for us to check availability. We ended up deciding to stay at the “Suites-on-the-Lake”, an older, well maintained Victorian mansion situated in town on a gorgous property on the lake.

It’s at the higher end of B&B’s as far as pricing is concerned but we liked what we saw and the hosts Joanna & Stewart McFarland were great. Friendly, regular people with a good sense of hospitality.

They just had one suit available – the “Butternut Suite”, a spacious bedroom with a large en-suite bathroom, a four-poster bed framed by an archway and a bay window with beautiful wood trim. The gardens and the lake could be seen through the various window.

Joanna offered us a glass of wine along with some nachos and salsa which we enjoyed sitting in a couple of Muskoka chairs by the lake. We relaxed this way for an hour or so, then headed back to the suite to freshen up for dinner. We mentioned to Joanna that we were planning on having dinner at the “Devonshire” (see separate post) and she immediately volunteered to make reservations for us. Back in the suite it didn’t take long for Julie to hop in the Jacuzzi and enjoy a hot bath while I had a shower.

Breakfast next morning was thoroughly enjoyable as Steward served fruit salad, orange juice, croissants, muffins and a vegetable omelet with Gruyere. The coffee was also excellent and we had a pleasant chat with the other guests.

We completely enjoyed our stay at the “Suites-on-the-Lake” and can highly recommend that you look them up if you are planning a trip to the “Price Edward County” area.

Here’s how to in touch with them:

Joanna & Stewart McFarland
Suites-on-the-Lake
229 Main Street
P.O. Box 40
Wellington, Ontario
K0K 3L0
Phone: (613)399-1717
Email: Suites-on-the-Lake
WWW: www.suites-on-the-lake.com

One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy: Food and Wine

ZenGourmand — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 20:40:32 +0000

One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy: Food and Wine , by Paolo Lazzarin

As a gourmand I’m always on the lookout for books that tie food, drink, locations and culture together and when they combine these features as well as this one does, then it becomes a treasured item in my library.
“One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy: Food and Wine” is one in a series of books by the same author (the others are “One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy: Shops and Crafts” as well as “One Hundred and One Beautiful Small Towns of Italy“).

This is an absolutely beautiful book in which Paolo Lazzarin takes you through the various regions of Italy and their notable towns.
The towns are described by what they are in fact know for, accompanied by gorgeous photography, well written sidebars and resource listings for such things a delicacies, wines and other specialities of the town or region including the names, addresses and phone numbers of the shops and/or suppliers.

If you have any interest in Italy, it’s wines, it’s foods or it’s towns and regions then you will be hard pressed to find a book more encompassing or more beatifully executed.

I give it my top “Bravo’s” rating of 5 Bravo’s!

My Canadian friends can get these books here:

Come with us to Tuscany, Italy in 2009

ZenGourmand — Wed, 02 May 2007 19:03:00 +0000

“Come with us to Tuscany, Italy in 2009!”

A beautiful adventure with friends in a rustic Tuscan Villa, eating delightful regional delicacies, tasting fine local wines and cheeses, touring wineries, art exhibits and spa relaxation moments by the pool, this travel event will be co-produced with Julie Moore Spa (JulieMooreSpa.com)

To receive more information about this trip please email us at:
info@zengourmand.com.
or at
tuscany2009@juliemoorespa.com

In the meantime….