The difference between these quirky dining experiences and my aunt’s open-door policy is that the former come and go. My aunt made plain, farm-style cooking so delicious my memories still sing. Only problem was, there were never enough people to eat it. So anyone who came to the door unannounced was a welcome guest....
During my years in community development, I rarely found a catering company that had any commitment to sustainability. They would serve us melons and pineapple in winter, eggs from chickens that had never scratched up a bug, and dishes created by some factory far away. They offered water in little plastic bottles and paper...
Saturdays are my favourite days at the Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market. That’s when the largest and best farmers’ market in British Columbia is humming with activity. It’s when the largest number of vendors are there. This is Canada, of course. In April the only fresh produce on offer are spring greens and radishes....
Ten hours in the Incheon International Airport (outside Seoul) punctuated a recent 48-hour journey from Montville, in Australia’s Queesnland, to my home in Kelowna, British Columbia. I was less than thrilled. I had already been traveling around the clock with only one hour’s fitful sleep. Anyway, hanging out in an airport is nowhere on...
Two innovative British Columbia businesses have come up with an clever scheme that links farms with schools and community-based organizations. Their Farm Bag Fundraiser program gives schools and organizations a way to support local farmers and raise funds at the same time. It is a win for both ends of the equation, as farmers gain a...
Greeks are going through hard economic times these days, but they are still quietly making a huge investment in the future of food. The story begins with a packet of seeds and roots from an American seed bank. Panagiotis Sainatoudis was intrigued and scrambled to find the money to buy it. That was...
I tucked the link for The Most Unusual Restaurants in the World into my hope file because a quick scan made me smile. Creativity, quirkiness and a social conscience are sprinkled throughout these offbeat eateries. A lot of them offer a place for people with addictions, mental illnesses, prison records or other challenges to...
Irvine, California, had a 7-acre vacant lot that cost the city more than $4,000 a year to maintain. So the city met with Southern California Edison and the Second Harvest Food Bank and came up with a plan: the Incredible Edible Park. Instead of killing weeds, the city of Irvine grows vegetables. According to...
In most ways the Corner Perk Cafe in Bluffton, South Carolina, is like any good coffee shop – a welcoming place to relax with friends, drink good coffee, maybe read a newspaper. On the Yelp travel site, people leave enthusiastic comments: “Best place in Bluffton for good quality in a friendly environment.” “The coffee...
A former colleague of mine still tells the story of a city official who objected to her proposal to plant fruit trees and berry bushes in public spaces. He told her, “But people will eat them.” Oh, yes, indeed they will. That, dear city official, is the point. Green spaces and beautiful plants abound...
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