Chicken breasts have long been considered the healthiest part of the bird, but top chefs favour the flavour of dark meat. (RECIPES)
WHAT THE PROS KNOW | Why it took so long, I’ll never know, but North Americans are beginning to wean themselves from the breast—the chicken breast, that is. “The dark, tender meat of the chicken thigh is the most flavorful part of the bird,” writes Nate Appleman in his cookbook A16 Food + Wine, the International Association of Culinary Professionals cookbook of the year in 2008. To prove it, he includes THIS AWESOME RECIPE for Chicken Meatballs with Peperonata.
International superstar chef Daniel Boulud (who once set up shop in Vancouver) gave chicken thighs two thumbs up this past winter when he used them in THIS GREAT RECIPE for Chicken Lasagna, which appeared in Elle Décor.
Neither of these chefs would ever stint on ingredients or sacrifice quality because of cost. Both cook with chicken thighs not because they are always cheaper than breasts but because they taste better than breasts. Simple as that.
But here a small voice interjects, “But what about health? Aren’t chicken breasts a whole lot better for you?” Read more
Why The Mezzaluna Is Best For Slicing Pizza
/3 Comments/in FOOD, Food & Drink, Tools & Techniques, View All Food Stories /by EditorSeriously, this is the only utensil you’ll ever need to cut perfect pizza slices every time.
BUY RIGHT | Google pizza slicer images and you’ll find an amusing looking assortment of scissors, wheels and other contraptions designed to cut effortlessly through homemade pie. The only trouble with most of these gizmos is that they don’t work all that well. I know because I have a drawer full of them and not one delivers a decent wedge without struggle and concentration, including Jamie Oliver’s pizza wheel pictured above. Read more
The Write Thing: Send A Handwritten Note
/1 Comment/in BUY THIS. MAKE THAT., Culture & Leisure /by EditorThis perfect Mother’s Day gift costs nothing more than thought and time—plus proves the pen is mightier than the charge card.
KEEPING IT REAL | Wherever you look on the internet today you’re going to be clobbered with last-minute gift ideas. Since when did Mother’s Day (this coming Sunday), an occasion honoring maternal bonds and the influence of mothers on society, become so hyper-commercialized that we now feel compelled to prove our mother love by purchasing the sorts of presents typically reserved for birthdays or Christmas.
Flowers and corner-store cards are one thing, says my friend Tansy Palmer, “but gadgets and gift certificates for Mother’s Day? No way. Mother’s Day is about gratitude and emotional connection not buying stuff.” Read more
What A Small Patch Of Lawn Can Do For You
/0 Comments/in Home & Garden /by EditorA small patch of the green stuff may be just the sort of versatile ingredient your garden needs.
DESIGN WISE | If you want to get maximum mileage from your outdoor space for physical play or entertaining, the most versatile garden surface I know of is good old-fashioned lawn. Lawn is a four-letter among guerilla gardeners who see it as an ecological disaster and a colossal waste of energy, and I do agree that a large area is imprudent. But a small patch can be a godsend. Read more
Breast Or Thigh: Which Chicken Part Is Best?
/7 Comments/in Diet, FOOD, Food & Drink, HEALTH, Nutrition, View All Food Stories, View All Health Stories /by EditorChicken breasts have long been considered the healthiest part of the bird, but top chefs favour the flavour of dark meat. (RECIPES)
WHAT THE PROS KNOW | Why it took so long, I’ll never know, but North Americans are beginning to wean themselves from the breast—the chicken breast, that is. “The dark, tender meat of the chicken thigh is the most flavorful part of the bird,” writes Nate Appleman in his cookbook A16 Food + Wine, the International Association of Culinary Professionals cookbook of the year in 2008. To prove it, he includes THIS AWESOME RECIPE for Chicken Meatballs with Peperonata.
International superstar chef Daniel Boulud (who once set up shop in Vancouver) gave chicken thighs two thumbs up this past winter when he used them in THIS GREAT RECIPE for Chicken Lasagna, which appeared in Elle Décor.
Neither of these chefs would ever stint on ingredients or sacrifice quality because of cost. Both cook with chicken thighs not because they are always cheaper than breasts but because they taste better than breasts. Simple as that.
But here a small voice interjects, “But what about health? Aren’t chicken breasts a whole lot better for you?” Read more
How To Stress Less: A Free Lecture, Yesss!
/1 Comment/in Fitness & Health /by EditorWhat, You Worry? Clinical counsellor Deborah Braun explains why you want to say yes to stress—and offers advice on how to fight immobilizing anxiety. (FREE Lecture)
WHAT THE PROS KNOW | One thing most of us know for sure is that change is a condition of existence. We know, too, that the big changes in our lives, the ones that affect our health, our heart life (relationships) and home life (moved lately?) inevitably cause stress. Experiencing some anxiousness around change is not a bad thing, says registered clinical counsellor Deborah Braun. “Anxiety in itself is not the problem—worry can be a great motivator; it’s how we look at life and anxiety that usually trips us up.” Read more
The Must-Have Book For Home Renovators
/0 Comments/in Home & Garden /by EditorThinking about renovating? Then this “bible” of home improvement ideas belongs on your bookshelf.
WHAT THE PROS KNOW | A lot of what I know about how a house should work on the inside and mesh with the outside I learned from the bible. Not the authorized King James version but a book called A Pattern Language, a renovator’s bible that I return to repeatedly for inspiration and guidance.
First published decades ago, this tome consists of 1,170 tissue-thin pages of poetically written advice on how to make considered meaning-filled homes and communities. At its core are 253 simple patterns, each one an answer to a design problem, that can be used in any number of combinations to make a family home or a small commercial building—even layout an entire neighbourhood. Read more
Icbreaker’s Roma Is The Ultimate LBD
/0 Comments/in Classics & Trends, FASHION, Fashion & Beauty, View All Fashion Stories /by EditorThe perfect little black dress will take you from dawn to dusk, office to dinner—oh yes, and even around the world.
BUY RIGHT | The perfect little black dress is to women what a well-tailored suit is to men: a garment that works in a range of situations. And the most perfect little black dress of all may be the Roma wrap dress from Icebreaker. Read more
Stage Presents: See Live Theatre For Free
/0 Comments/in CANADIAN CONTENT, Culture & Leisure /by EditorGet more out of live theatre performances by working behind the scenes—save on ticket purchases, too.
Craft Beers Really Are Quite Simple To Make
/1 Comment/in CANADIAN CONTENT, FOOD, Food & Drink, View All Food Stories /by EditorCraft beers are surprisingly simple to make—economical, too. All you need is a little equipment and the advice of a homebrew guru.
DO IT YOURSELF | Vancouver has made a name for itself as Canada’s microbrew capitol. As the trend and palates for craft beer continue to grow, artistic DIYers are brewing up their own spins on flavourful favourites at home for little more than pennies a pint.
Not so long ago my husband and I tried some delicious homebrew. Intrigued, we questioned the couple who’d made it on the ins and outs of their hobby while our silent glances said, “We could totally do that!” And we did. Read more
Floss Much? No? Then AirFloss To The Rescue
/2 Comments/in Fitness & Health, HEALTH, View All Health Stories /by EditorThis cool new dental tool can help with a cumbersome chore many of us avoid like the plague.
MONEY WELL SPENT | Floss much? Didn’t think so. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Daily flossing is as important as daily brushing, but most people don’t floss routinely, and if/when they do floss, it’s guilt flossing, the kind you engage in just before or after a trek to the dentist. Read more