Just Add Yoghurt

Paris...the city of love, wine, cheese and  crêpes .  We walked off the train from London and entered the alluring Paris streets, coming face-to-face with the cuisine that was exciting yet overwhelming - where to start... We walked toward Montmartre, eyes wide and mouth drooling over the array of food. Then with the beautiful white church backdrop that is Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, I met the eyes of this lovely chef making crêpes on the street. He showed me his technique as he shaped the batter into a perfect circle, slightly crispy yet light and heavenly. It was a perfect start to our time in Paris.  Now back in my kitchen, I had to try and rekindle that Paris feeling by making my very own crêpe, with a yoghurt twist.  Ingredients: ¼ cup yoghurt 1 cup milk (a little extra if mixture too thick) ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup plain flour 1 tablespoon spring onion Method Whisk the yoghurt and milk together Sift in the flour and salt, m...

Vancouver was an eye opener for me. A popular and assumed affluent city, I walked out of the train station with eagerness and excitement. I heard it was a food lover’s dream and I intended to eat as much maple syrup as I possibly could. However as I walked away from the train station and through the tourist-central area of Gastown, inching closer and closer to our accommodation on Cordova Street, the mood changed within a few hundred metres. The number of flies grew, the smell made my eyes water and the general chatter of locals died down as we came across a very sad sight. The effect of hard drug abuse was clear and I was both shocked and saddened. After letting the shock subside we ventured out to Canada Place, we ticked off a food recommendation - Japadog. Said to be a must by my brother, the thick kransky sausage on a beautifully toasted bun and topped with mayo, teriyaki sauce, onions and seaweed, was the best hot dog I have ever eaten. Crunchy bun, melt-in-yo...

When we made it to Canada I was thrilled to pick up our car and meet up with some friends living in Toronto. As we drove by large double story homes I fell in love with the suburban areas. Tree-lined, green and a lot more spacious than New York. As we arrived it was birthday dinner time and I couldn’t wait! We headed to local restaurant The Rosedale Diner. It's Korean, Canadian and Middle Eastern menu was very interesting. Craving a fresh meal I went with a Korean Bowl - juicy ribs, rice and broccoli was a traditional approach to Korean Cuisine. I liked this dish however for those who don’t like salty dishes, I would avoid it. The ribs had a soy flavour however with the bone in tact, it's not a dish to get if you want to be formal or on a date. It's messy! I also had a taste of MrBball Duck Poutine. Wow it was rich and decadent. The fried egg on top leashed a lovely soft egg yolk that took the richness of this dish to a whole new level. At that point I ticked o...

Day 8 in New York had a focus on work, but we still managed to sneak in dinner at Rosie’s - sitting right at the tortilla bar in middle of the restaurant I saw first hand each tortilla being made. They puffed up perfectly on the grill, which left me wondering what MrBball and I are doing wrong! The tacos while small, were generous with flavour. I opted for pork, which had a perfectly smokey, creamy and sweet flavour with fresh pineapple and avocado. We also ordered the corn chips and salsa - both salsas were filled with flavour. Fresh, spicy, salty and smokey - absolutely delicious! Do yourself a favour and order this but make sure to keep some salsa aside to add to whatever other dishes you get. I added them to the creamy black beans and it elevated the dish to a new level. After dinner we enjoyed an outdoor movie in Washington Square Park - black and white French classic La Traversee de Paris filled the park, making our final day in New York a perfect reminder of how amazing t...

Day 7 was our food tour day. Five spots and train rider later we enjoyed a picnic in Central Park - people watching with a glass of wine in hand was a special experience. Our tour included: Bottle of Pinot Noir from Trader Joes Wine Shop Baguette from Breads Bakery in Union Square  Pepperoni and prosciutto from Faicco's Italian, 260 Bleecker St in little Italy Jalapeño Jack cheese and olives from Murrays Cheese Shop - 264 Bleecker St in little Italy Amy's Bread for a black and white cookie - 250 Bleecker St in little Italy. The bottle of wine was light and peppery. You know that feeling you get when you smell freshly baked bread? Your stomach growls, mind drifts back to a childhood memory (or a memory of working in a bakery as a teenager) and you let out a little laugh of delight. That was me in Breads Bakery. I can only imagine what everyone else thought of me. Way too excited for what is only bread. But good bread is so much more - it's nostalgic, jaw-strain...

Day 6 started with a walk across Brooklyn Bridge. They say walking across Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most romantic things you can do and the view is said to turn a platonic relationship into more. Surrounded by large groups of school kids it wasn't romantic exactly but the view was just beautiful. The iconic locks have been removed to preserve this landmark but you could still see some instances of them - an icon of love for the city. Over the bridge in Brooklyn we walked along Brooklyn Heights before venturing to find the perfect bagel. I saved my bagel eating until Brooklyn and it was worth it. Frankel’s Delicatessen & Appetizing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is a relatively new Jewish deli - with bagels, smoked fish and cold drinks this place was the iconic Jewish bakery I was looking for. Run by two brothers, it has neon signs, white painted walls, classic Jewish food and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. The everything bagel was soft, slightly chewy and the perfect balance ...

Day 5 - New York Today was a day of mixed feelings - we were surrounded by world-class modern art at MOMA, shadowed by the forever growing apartment buildings along the High Line, intrigued by the Charging Bull and new addition, young girl and both overwhelmed and saddened by the 9/11 memorial and museum. At the memorial they place a rose on all those whose birthday it would have been if they hadn’t fallen victim to the terrible attack. It was beautiful and chilling at the same time. Amongst all of this came some interesting NY food. A yiros at The Halal Boys outside MOMA was met with a smile however with Greek heritage never met the mark compared to a traditional yiros from Greece. This was followed a must- do visit to Chobani - a Chobani yoghurt cafe with yoghurt-inspired l savoury, sweets and drinks. A mixed berry breakfast bowl combined berry yoghurt, milk, puffed rice, berries and mint. The berries were generous, yoghurt both creamy and tart and puffed rice perfectly complime...