Best and Worst Canadian Chocolate Bars
I taste tested 13 Canadian chocolate bars to determine the nation’s best – and worst. Which Canadian chocolate bar scored a golden ticket – and which left me still looking for Mr. Goodbar?
Read MoreI taste tested 13 Canadian chocolate bars to determine the nation’s best – and worst. Which Canadian chocolate bar scored a golden ticket – and which left me still looking for Mr. Goodbar?
Read MoreFirst introduced in North America as “koolsla” by Dutch settlers in the 1700s, coleslaw has become a staple summer food, alongside potato salad, Vampire ice cream bars and charred wieners. Personally, I love coleslaw year-round, but it just hits different when it’s 35 degrees and I’m wearing my Daisy Dukes and doused in Raid.
Read MoreCan cottage cheese stand on its own merits? Will it always be the yawn-inducing third cousin of more dynamic cheeses, like Gouda, Pecorino and Cheez Whiz? And which brand is best?
Read MoreAh, Valentines Day. A time for lovers, overpriced chocolate, and pulling arrows out of your butt. (Thanks, Cupid.) And while we should all take the time to celebrate love, in whatever form it takes in our lives, I think it’s okay to acknowledge that, sometimes, love bites.
Read MoreI’ve never met a potato chip I didn’t like. For me, chips count as one of the four food groups, alongside chocolate, Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk, and macaroni salad. But once you strip away the salt & vinegar, the ridges, and the Lipton Onion Soup Mix dip, can a plain potato chip stand on its own merits? And which brand is best?
Read MoreBack in 2021, I did a panettone taste test with my Italian mother-in-law. It continues to be one of my most popular posts. Clearly, the world needs this kind of in-depth journalism. I convinced her to join me in another taste test to determine the best and worst pandoro.
Read MoreWhen it comes to cookies, nothing beats the classic chocolate chip. (Although my heart will always belong to Pirate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies.) And while they may seem simple, chocolate chip cookies are complicated.
Read MoreIn my family, you can always count on someone bringing a potato salad. (Or, as my mom called it, “pah-day-dah” salad.) Creamy and chunky, potato salad is the classic accompaniment to split hot dogs, charred hamburgers, and lukewarm beer. But if you’re short on time – and potatoes – can you find a good store-bought brand?
Read MoreWhen it comes to Canadian icons, butter tarts are right up there with Casey and Finnegan. But for something so simple, butter tarts can go so wrong. Too sweet, too much crust, too gummy, the list goes on. And while your best bet is to purchase from a business that specializes in butter tarts, is it possible to find a decent butter tart at your grocery store?
Read MoreSome people like to dance salsa. Me, I like to eat salsa. I put it on Crispy Minis, in my scrambled eggs, and, of course, on tortilla chips. But I’ve never given much thought to different brands of salsa.
Read MoreDo retro scratch n’ sniff stickers actually smell like they’re supposed to smell? I ordered 12 scents (be warned – smelly stickers aren’t selling at retro prices) and asked two friends from public school to join me for a smell test.
Read MoreFew things in life are as horrifying as items from your childhood now passing as “vintage.” Case in point: these Valentine’s Day cards I received in Grade 5. The cards look like they’re from another century! Which, when I think about it, they are.
Read MoreAfter a four-year hiatus, 2023 marked the return of my annual Caker Christmas party. It’s been a tradition – for better or worse – for about 25 years. I invite my Italian in-laws and friends to bring a mangiacake dish. Think Cool Whip, cream of mushroom soup and Jell-O. Here are the highlights from this year. Or lowlights, depending on your perspective.
Read MoreScotland has gifted the world with many treasures, including the Loch Ness Monster, stuffed sheep stomach, and the voice of Sheena Easton. Scotland has also given the world shortbread.
Read MoreThroughout November, I visit as many holiday bazaars as possible. They’re always an adventure and, more often than not, I meet at least one new friend named Jean. Here’s a round-up of my best bazaar finds from 2023.
Read MoreApple head dolls don’t get the recognition they deserve. Each one is unique, they’re cheap to make, and no craft better represents the ravages of time. They’re just like people. Before you know it, the moisture has been sucked out of their faces and they turn into shriveled, toothless, leathery balls.
Read MoreAs a kid, I don’t know what terrified me more at Halloween time: Getting too close to an open flame in my polyester costume, crossing the street at night while wearing a plastic mask with two tiny slits for eyeholes, or peering into strangers’ houses and seeing their unfortunate home decor choices.
Read MoreEvery year, people make a big deal about all the freaky food available at the Canadian National Exhibition. Fruit Loops-crusted hot dogs. Tater Tots with whipped cream. Chocolate-dipped pickles rolled in feta, then covered with caramel sauce and sauerkraut. The list goes on.
Read MoreOf all the traditional holiday foods, few are hated more than fruitcake. But what did fruitcake ever do to warrant such animosity? I mean, it’s still cake, after all. Personally, I believe fruitcake deserves more respect. Fruitcake is a fighter. When the world ends, cockroaches and fruitcake will be the two things left standing.
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