What could express the down home goodness of our famous Albertan hospitality better than making a few gifts from your kitchen for friends and family? Here are a few favourite recipes I have developed or collected over the years. From easy chocolate bark to DIY soup, hot cocoa and cookie kits to slightly more involved thumbprint shortbreads and peanut brittle, I hope you’ll find something to increase your own joy as you increase that of others. Continue reading
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No, I’m not Italian. Yes, I’m a wannabe. Now that we’ve got that out-of-the-way, let’s bond because if you’re reading this, chances are, you admire the Italian culture and food as much as I do.
The year I did “An Italian Christmas” theme for our Alberta Food Tours pre-Christmas shopping tours for food lovers we were embraced by my Italian business owner friends. A lot of these recipes either came from them or were inspired by them. They are good, very good or in Italian, bene – molto bene!
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Nothing says party to me like a punch bowl. When I get my punch bowl out, it is usually to make something special for the designated drivers and youth in our crowd. Having someone fuss over a special drink for them, makes them feel as cared for as the other guests and that’s what hospitality is all about.
Still, if you are going to make a boozy punch the general formula is this – booze, more booze, fizzy beverage, spice and ice. Punch is easier than serving individual drinks and now that you know the formula, you can come up with endless “punch lines.” Read on for a bevy of holiday beverage ideas.
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There are so many calories floating around over the holidays, it pays to be wise and choose your dessert indulgences carefully. The recipes included here fit that criteria. They are definitely delicious and oh so worth the splurge.
Note: These recipes are part of my holiday recipe collection. They are tastes my family loves, and I’ve made every attempt to give proper credit to the creators. Continue reading
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For the first seven years that I ran my company, Alberta Food Tours, I used to create a day long food tour each November that was all about holiday shopping for food lovers. We did themes like Christmas commandoes, an Italian Christmas, International Festivities, a Country Christmas, a Cowboy Christmas and an Angelic Christmas. I’d plan the whole day with deals for my guests at great locally oriented food and kitchen stores and we’d always have a splashy lunch to fortify our efforts.
At the end of the tour, everyone got a copy of a collection of Holiday Feasting recipes that I had gathered according to each theme. I added a chapter every year. It’s important to note that, while many of the recipes are my own or my family’s, many more are from favourite cooks and magazines. I’ve strived to give proper credit here.
Many of my neighbours were on those early tours and they still cook from that recipe collection. Now, the next generation, my friend’s grown children, are also asking for their own copies of these fun tried and true treasures. I had a look at the recipes, gave them an overhaul and thought it’d be fun to share them with you too. Here on Savour It All™ blog, the recipes will find a permanent home and since the holidays – and life in general – are all about sharing, this seems the perfect solution. Continue reading
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I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I am collaborating with Eric Pateman, chef extraordinaire and owner of Edible Canada, to sell spots on his award-winning Flight Across the Top of Canada scheduled for June of 2019. As many of you know, this is the first time, after seven straight years of taking groups, that I will take a break from my annual India sojourn. I want to explore my homeland and in particular the three parts of our country I’ve not been to – Newfoundland, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. So….
And for the first time ever, on one of my culinary adventures, my husband will join me. I’ve finally found the place he wants to see and it is our own true north strong and free (in case you are not Canadian, that’s a line from our national anthem).
Here, we’ll board our chartered Air North 737 and fly directly to St. John’s, Newfoundland for a few days of puffins, icebergs and hearty Atlantic seafood and craft beer exploration. On June 17, we fly directly to Iqaluit in Nunavut to immerse in Inuit culture and feast on wild game from the tundra. On June 19 to the 21, we visit Churchill, Manitoba – the Polar Bear Capital of the World – before winding up in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, to explore this small town and all it has to offer. On June 21, we land in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon to fish and forage and feast with boreal chefs and local legends. On June 23, it is back to Vancouver after having toured the country from coast to coast and coast!
This once in a lifetime offering is $14,995 based on double occupancy. Airfare alone on regular airlines added up to over $11,000 when Eric Pateman scouted the trip in 2016. These are not easy places to get to.
You can sign up here.
Use – Alberta Food Tours – as your booking code to receive two passes on our Eat the Castle experience at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel as my thank you.
Please contact me at karen@albertafoodtours.ca with questions. I’ll love to talk to you about this incredible chance to see a part of country that so few have the opportunity to experience. I’ll leave you with a few more photos.
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I have taken this course and now I do this practice at home. When I do it regularly, I feel my body realign. Kinks from sitting, standing and sleeping in the awkward ways we do, dissolve. My mind is clear. I focus and contribute to the world.
I’ve written about Sadhguru and Isha yoga before. You can check out those pieces to learn more. As Sadhguru always says, “The only way out, is in.” and these yoga practices will give you the strength you need to sit for meditation and enjoy physical health.
This is a non-sponsored post. I am a willing volunteer for Isha because of how Sadhguru and the organization have enriched my life – on a whole other level that money could never buy.
Filed under Health
