Way back in the mists of time when our wine scribe Jim Walker was contemplating wine importing, it not surprisingly occurred to him that he needed wineries to represent. But, what vintner in their right mind would expose their vinous treasures to a neophyte agent, let alone a recently retired banker? Astonishingly, Martine Sauvage and her Château Beauferan jumped fearlessly into the breach.
The ban on cruising in American territorial waters was lifted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in late October subject to strict conditions. But with COVID-19 rates still setting daily records and new safety protocols failing to keep passenger ships infection-free, it may take months before it’s safe to go back on the water again.
Continue reading “WHEN WILL IT BE SAFE TO CRUISE AGAIN?”
As I finish off the very British Christmas pudding, smuggled into Canada from Marks and Spencer on my last visit to England between lockdowns, I reflect on the fact that I’m not really a dessert person. But I do have some favourites.
With the seemingly endless lockdowns affecting travel plans, I’m dreaming of my favourite destinations, which I hope to visit again one day.
Continue reading “TRAVEL DREAMS”
The pandemic has negatively affected many folks’ travel plans, but it doesn’t prevent us from dreaming of future peregrinations and making plans for when we can venture forth once again. Here are five destinations that beckon for our wine scribe Jim Walker.
Most passenger ships have been sitting idly at anchor since the Covid-19 pandemic shut down the cruise industry last February. A few cruise lines had hoped to resume operations by year-end, but it now looks like it may be late spring of 2021 or later before most start sailing again. Until then, all I can do is dream about my favourite cruse destinations and where I will be sailing to once a Covid-19 vaccine makes travelling by ship safe again.
Continue reading “MY WET DREAMS”
Gentleman’s Portion: The Cookbook is now available online with more than 90 mostly vegetarian recipes. Here are images for six outstanding main courses from the book.
Continue reading “SIX DELECTABLE MAINS”
Checking through the nearly 90 recipes scheduled for my new cookbook, I found I’d missed a good vegetarian pasta sauce, which is curious because I’ll often throw together a great marinara for a solitary meal.
A dear friend pulls up stakes and heads off to the West Coast. Our wine scribe Jim Walker reminisces about the many vinous adventures and good times they shared.
In my first cookbook, How to Eat Well and Stay Single, I wrote about this communal dish that was popular in the 70s. I think everyone had a special fondue pot, with a burner in the stand and a set of long fondue forks.
Gentlemans Portion 