Sète it is the kind of city that grows on you slowly, until one day you recognize that this fishy port has you hooked. Suddenly, you find yourself planning your next trip – reviewing the 10 reasons to visit and craving seafood à la Sètoise.
Sally Harris is a freelance writer – after a long career in travel and hospitality she turned her hand back to her first love of writing once she became a parent. She loves to inspire and educate with her written work.
Nutmeg was thrilled when Sally asked if she could write a guest post for Ginger and Nutmeg on a spicy theme. What follows is Sally’s informative article on Turmeric a spice revered for its clear culinary purpose, but also for the promising potential healing properties.
Turmeric. It turns your fingers orange and puts the finishing touches to your tikka masala. According to some, it also cures your arthritis (among other things) while it’s at it. Once upon a time, turmeric was almost worth its weight in gold, transported along the spice roads with jewels and luxuries almost comparable to it in value. Since then, it’s lost a lot of its power to entrance us, but new claims about its health-giving powers have renewed our interest in this fascinating space.
With the prospect of shorter days, cooler nights and relaxed meals with friends and family, Nutmeg enlisted Martine Bertin-Peterson to design a Fall Harvest Menu. This three-course meal is a celebration of the colours and flavours of autumn with pears, squash, lamb and a sweet finish.
Accomplished only begins to describe Martine Bertin-Peterson a lady who speaks five languages, worked in corporate marketing, owned an art gallery in Santa Fe and runs a bespoke travel company called Goût et Voyage. You can read more about Bertin-Peterson here and her small-group tours in Provence here.
Charming, was what Nutmeg expected from the Tuesday market in Saint Quentin la Poterie; a village known for its collection of resident artisans (40+) and the annual European Ceramic Festival – Terralha.
A concrete abomination was what she got.
This town was the birthplace of Joseph Monier the inventor of reinforced concrete. As a tribute to the creator, a raised concrete canopy shelters market stalls from sun and rain.
Practical.
OK, so Alberta suffers from a few extra months of winter than other locations in Canada, but that has not stopped foodies from noticing what the Province does produce — naturally. Events such as Cook it Raw Alberta (2015) have raised culinary awareness levels globally.
Karen Anderson, the founder of Calgary Food Tours, is a self-professed food lover. Her passion for the kitchen influenced by a family of cooks, with roots in St. Andrews by-the-sea, in New Brunswick, Anderson tells Nutmeg that “One grandfather owned a fish market, and the other was a farmer.”
Recently launched, Pitcher and Powell is a travel concept that combines the creative talents and cooking passions of two accomplished ladies. Even their last names work well together!
Barbara Pitcher is a Canadian by birth, with an international spirit, she is a painter who lives in Provence with her family. Like many artists who have lived in the region (think: Cezanne, Picasso and Van Gogh) the Provencal light decidedly inspires her artwork. This is what Barbara shared regarding her approach to the canvas,
“There is the cliché of “the light is beautiful in Provence” well it truly is! The colours of the landscapes beg to be painted. I have been painting since the early 90’s. In Provence, when I arrived eight years ago I changed my style altogether, I have embraced abstract that I love because I never know where it will take me.”
Please read the rest of Barbara’s story here. Continue reading
Celebrity chefs flaunt their talents with teetering food towers, seared this and that, and sous vide experimentation, but they still rely heavily on spices to perfect the flavours.
Ubiquitous today, as the world’s most traded spice, the black peppercorn was once highly sought after for both its flavour and medicinal qualities. As Romans increased use of pepper in their cooking, savvy Spice Route merchants commanded gold and silver coins in exchange for the seasoning. This was not unreasonable as peppercorns had to travel long distances from Southeast Asia – parts of India and Java.
“Tu es amoureuse des olives!”
A six-year-old’s words to describe author, linguist, sommelier and Mediterranean food aficionado Viktorija Todorovska. According to Todorovska, the young girl pegged her with such laser accuracy that she is considering changing the title on her business cards to read “Amoureuse des Olives.”
Nutmeg is coffee-obsessed if a cup is not in her hands within 30 minutes of her feet hitting the ground in the morning it’s best to stay away. What is odd about her addiction is that her first encounter with coffee was while visiting her grandparents in the West Indies and she hated the bitter brew.
Now, just a few years (or so) later she’s hooked. Needless to say when a new java option appears in town Nutmeg feels it is her duty to investigate. Continue reading
The cocoa goji balls are criminal – they should be locked up!
Carole Beaton owner and operator of An Edible Life in Canmore is modest, she says that she is not a confident cook and “only started baking in the fall.” When pressed for more details, Carole admitted that she may have baked before launching her food business, but never in retail quantities.
