Tofino: British Columbia’s Not-so-Secret Beach Town

Cox Bay. Tofino, BC is perched on the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island. When we first visited nearly 10 years ago, it was a sleepy surf town just beyond Pacific Rim National Park. Tofino also offers great hiking, kayaking and some of the freshest seafood anywhere. It's an 8-hour trip by car and ferry from Seattle,…

May 16, 20170Comments

Asparagus with Lemony Orzo, Chicken and Spinach

It's asparagus season. And I have to admit, roasted with olive oil and salt is pretty much my fall back preparation for them. When the asparagus is finally coming in locally, you don't need much more than that. Usually. If you want to feel like you ate a complete meal, try this Lemony Orzo with…

May 4, 20170Comments

Book Reviews

Pipe Dreams by Sarina Bowen (Brooklyn Bruisers #3) | Review

**ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review** Pipe Dreams weaves hockey with heartbreak and hope, but can it deliver the hat-trick with a happily ever after? Let me say upfront that I don’t usually go for the single dad, second chance at love trope. But damn it, Sarina Bowen did it again,…

May 2, 20170Comments

Book Reviews

Mister Romance by Leisa Rayven | Review

**ARC provided by author's PR in exchange for review** Mister Romance is a classic opposites attract story with a side of “will-they-or-won’t- they?” Straight up: it’s the ultimate beach read. 4 stars. On the surface, the premise might be a stretch for some readers: Clickbait journo Eden stumbles on the exposé of a lifetime and needs to…

April 26, 20170Comments

Recipes Salads

Louisa Shafia’s Rhubarb, Radish and Strawberry Salad

Do you have any idea how sour raw rhubarb is? Until I found this Strawberry, Rhubarb and Radish salad in Louisa Shafia's New Persian Kitchen cookbook, I'd never thought to eat it raw. Thinly shaved it adds an acidic tang, but be forewarned, it's astringency can give you that dry tongue feeling, which some chalk up to…

April 19, 20170Comments

Events

Hot Stove Society’s Food Lovers’ Weekend: April 28-30

Photo Credit: Tom Douglas Restaurants Tickets are still available for Tom Douglas' Hot Stove Society Food Lovers' Weekend, April 28- 30 in Seattle. The weekend's theme: World Flavors, including Brazilian, Caribbean, Chinese, French, Indian, Malaysian and Persian cuisines. The weekend kicks off on Friday night with a reception and demos, followed by two days of eating,…

April 18, 20170Comments

Baking

Hot Cross Buns or Not Cross Buns? The Choice is Yours

I'm known to bake hot cross buns any time of year, except maybe summer. Since Easter isn't a huge holiday for us, Good Friday usually sneaks up on me. This year, I'm ready. Over the last few years, I've tweaked a Donna Hay recipe and finally settled on it as my go-to. You can do a lot…

April 12, 20170Comments

Book Reviews TV

TV Review: Confess on Go90

Katie Leclerc and Ryan Cooper star in Confess on Go90. (Photo Credit: Awestruck) **THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS** The TV adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel Confess debuted on Go90 earlier this week. After watching the first two episodes that dropped early, I thought, wow, they’ve really done the novel justice. Confess totally pulls off a…

April 8, 20170Comments

Recipes Side Dishes

Fast and Fabulous: Minty Smashed Peas

The first time I had minty mushy peas was at a pub in Sydney. Served alongside a beefy pot pie, the combo of mint and peas was bright and just a tiny bit sweet, making it a perfect match for the rich sauce in the pie. But the name just put a damper on the whole…

April 6, 20170Comments

Recipes Side Dishes

Roasted Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas with Mint

Roasted asparagus is my go-to preparation the moment those green stalks hit the supermarket. Year-after-year, it's the first thing I do, even if you can wrap them in proscuitto, put them in quiche, or even make asparagus tamales. It's easiest to just snap off the bottoms, toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, and crank…

April 4, 20170Comments

Michelle

Tofino: British Columbia’s Not-so-Secret Beach Town

Asparagus with Lemony Orzo, Chicken and Spinach

Pipe Dreams by Sarina Bowen (Brooklyn Bruisers #3) | Review

Mister Romance by Leisa Rayven | Review

Louisa Shafia’s Rhubarb, Radish and Strawberry Salad

Hot Stove Society’s Food Lovers’ Weekend: April 28-30

Hot Cross Buns or Not Cross Buns? The Choice is Yours

TV Review: Confess on Go90

Fast and Fabulous: Minty Smashed Peas

Roasted Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas with Mint

It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller | Review

Now Available: Wicker, the Short Story That Inspired the Film

Review: The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren