The maze of construction hoarding is gone. Vehicle congestion is a mere shadow of its former chaos. As Cultural Capital of the year, Marseille is ready to welcome the world this summer.
The exact value of total funds dispensed for urban infrastructure projects, new artistic exhibition space, and other enhancement work would require a forensic accountant. The results of this massive undertaking are changing Marseille’s scruffy image and vastly improving the previously underwhelming waterfront.
Here are some of the highlights:
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Recipes & Travel:
Cultural Capital of Europe, History of Marseille, MP2013, Provence Travel, Travel in France

Nutmeg’s heartstrings are tethered to the State of Vermont. In fact, if Ginger had not entered the picture 20+ years ago, she likely would living in the Green Mountain State instead of Alberta.
Vermont is a near perfect destination all-year round. Well, maybe not during mud or black-fly season(s), but certainly the rest of the year. A natural beauty, graced with; pastoral farming scenes, gentle flowing rivers, rolling hills covered in iconic maple trees, black-diamond ski runs and refreshing swimming holes. Are you starting to get the picture?

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Recipes & Travel:
apple cider benefits, family recipe, Switchel from Vermont, Vermont Maple Syrup Recipes

Constructed on a rise, at the confluence of the Spray and Bow Rivers, this iconic ‘Castle in the Rockies,’ the Fairmont Banff Springs first opened its front doors to guests on June 1, 1888.

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Recipes & Travel:
Accomodation in Banff, Banff National Park, Canadian Rockies, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Hotels, Holidays in Banff, Hotels in Banff, Travel Alberta

With the Internet, email and social media – does anyone get real mail these days?
Needless to say, Nutmeg was thrilled to find a copy of Judith Finlayson’s The Complete Gluten-Free Whole Grains Cookbook, buried under the innumerable junk-mail fliers for duct cleaning, roof repair and debt consolidation.
Judith took some time one spring afternoon to talk about this book, and how her career path (from keyboard to slow cooker) got her to where she is today – working on her 15th cookbook!
Her professional life began in book publishing, in her words as a “glorified secretary.” Judith moved into editing and then to well known Canadian magazines such as MacLean’s. Her career stops included freelance work, recipe development and a long running Globe & Mail column. She was always interested in food related journalism, although her articles also covered a broad range of women’s and social issues. Even while juggling a busy career and editorial deadlines over a twenty-year period her…

Recipes & Travel:
Blog Contest, Cookbook Review, Gluten-free, Quinoa, Soup, Sweet Potato, Vegan

Literally as old as the hills, the fruit of the apricot tree are confirmed to have been domesticated since the Bronze Age. Although, the exact origin of the tree is debated;

there is evidence of consumption of the fruit in both China and India between 3-4,000 B.C.
the apricot in dry format was certainly exchanged along Persian trade routes.
the scientific name, is Prunus armeniaca (Armenian plum), likely as a result of the ubiquitous presence in Armenia since antiquity.
The fruit was eventually introduced to the Greeks and then adopted by the Romans.

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Recipes & Travel:
Apricot Recipes, Easy healthy desserts, Easy healthy snack recipes, French Food

Flawless green lawns, vivid crayon-coloured annuals, miniature potted palms and manicured golf courses all exist on land that was once desert scrub. Nutmeg disgusted with her golf game and not a dedicated shopper decided that it would be time well spent to understand more about their natural surroundings.

Good news – she found Desert Adventures. Not knowing much about the company she asked Kimberly Nilsson one of the co-owners for a bit of background.
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Recipes & Travel:
California Travel Guides, Jeep Tours Palm Desert, Things to do in Palm Desert, Travel Palm Springs

I almost slept with a strange lady in Las Vegas.
Well not exactly, but she offered!

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Recipes & Travel:
Pet Friendly Travel, Travel Tips with Pets, Travel with Dogs

The iconic vision of a French man or woman walking home with their baguette in hand is neither a myth nor a creation of the department in charge of French tourism. The classic baguette, long, thin, and crusty, remains an excellent carrier for fresh jam in the morning, or for soaking up tasty sauces at dinner.
Although, French daily bread consumption per person has declined significantly from the early 1900s to about 120 grams, from as high as 900 grams, the mighty loaf still remains a vital part of the national diet. Despite the decline, that still is a lot of bread, over 23 million baguettes a day (8 billion a year) for 65 million people.

Music to Nutmeg’s ears, by law bakeries in France, are not allowed to use preservatives in any bread. This means that boulangeries must bake several times a day, so their customers can always find a fresh loaf.
The name baguette first appeared around 1890, although it…

Recipes & Travel:
Food in France, French Baguette, French Food, Travel in France

Gathered together under the green, leaf umbrella of a colossal Provençal plane tree participants were enjoying the “fruits” of their efforts; the food they had all created in Nito Carpita’s professional kitchen at Mas de Cornud. Ginger and Nutmeg were still dressed in their white chefs aprons as the table conversation scrolled through a host of topics.
In the group, were two girlfriends from far-flung cities who had decided to meet in Provence. They had booked accommodation via Untours.
Well, that certainly peaked Nutmeg’s curiosity, as she had never heard of Untours and they are in thirteen countries! She got in touch with General Manager, Brian Taussig-Lux at the company to ask a few questions.
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Recipes & Travel:
European Travel Tips, Self-Guided Travel in Europe, Travel in Switzerland, Untours Travel

Nutmeg has been fortunate enough to visit France several times. One year Ginger and Nutmeg joined some friends on a cycling trip through Provence.  That was the beginning of their “love-affair” with the region. However, on all the previous trips the fields of lavender had already been harvested, it was too late in the season. This time Nutmeg was determined to see the flowering fields.
The lavender plant is actually part of the mint family, and there are some 39 varieties.  The plants love the dry, sandy, rocky soil that is typical of the Vaucluse region of Provence.  Lavender flowers come in many colours, they can be blue (almost indigo), purple, violet, even pink or white varieties exist. It is a relatively easy plant to grow, as it requires minimal care.

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Recipes & Travel:
Lavender Essential Oil, Lavender fields of Provence, Provence Travel, Travel in France