Travelling with Gershom

No, this is not about the Muppets. Although, that's not a bad idea... I have enjoyed some very good food on this trip to Sweden, and thought I would share tonight's meal with you. But first, last week I attended a conference on the fascinating island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea (more about Gotland later) and the closing dinner was held at the Visby golf club. The chef introduced the meal, speaking about his focus on fresh, seasonal local ingredients. And it was superb. From the starter of leek soup, through the main course of lamb three ways, to the dessert of cheesecake with local berries, everything was bright, fragrant, and flavourful. The localness shone though, and each item was perfectly cooked. A memorable meal, which was better than the one eaten two nights later in Stockholm.  Lux Dag by Dag has the same approach as the culinary team on Gotland - use only the freshest local ingredients available to create the menu for the day. Having a Michelin star heightened e

This great R&B song, released in 1965 and originally performed by Fontella Bass, is as infectious today as it was when it first hit the charts. I don't think it is simply the beat, or the fabulous vocal, that  reaches people (although they certainly do). I think it touches us because it speaks to a fundamental need: "can't you see that I'm lonely?". We need to be loved, but more importantly we need to know that we are loved. In our fragility, our weakness, we often do not feel assured we are loved by the people in our lives. As circumstances change, so we think love goes: she's disappointed, he's angry, he's hurt, they're unhappy...and therefore she, he or they don't really love me. But love trancends these things. Love is patient, is kind, does not envy, does not boast, said Paul to the Corinthians (his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, verses 1-13). "Hang on," you say. "That's not how I have experienced

We watch a lot of TV. Much of what's on these days is pretty bad, but there are some shining moments. We tend to like mysteries, detective shows and classic police procedurals, as well as action/thriller type programs. Our tastes run to modern British mysteries, such as Inspector Lynley and the BBC update of Sherlock. But there are some North American shows that meet the mark as well. Person of Interest is a smart thriller that combines high tech with physical action. Most importantly, it features two strong leads in Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson, plus a solid supporting cast.We also enjoy Elementary, the modern American take on Holmes and Watson, with the excellent Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock and the superb Lucy Liu as  Joan Watson. Both are highly recommended. But the best show on TV is Justified. A modern day Western,  it follows Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens, a Kentucky native who wants no more than to stay out of Kentucky, and of course ends up back there. Funny, sm

Really. EPIC  is an outstanding restaurant at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. We went there for dinner last Friday after the York University convocation, where Eldest Child received her M.A. in clinical psychology. A superb meal in a lovely setting sums it up. Friday evening's they feature live jazz music, which provided a nice backdrop to the meal. The service was good, not exceptional, but certainly acceptable. But the food was brilliant. The beef tartar was light, and full of flavour, nicely spiced and presented beautifully.The rack of lamb was cooked perfectly, accompanied by grits, which I learned I do not like. Dessert, pictured below,was also very good. An apple and maple cobbler with iced sour cream, a marvelous alternative to traditional ice cream (even though I do love ice cream!). You can find out more about EPIC at  http://www.epicrestaurant.ca/ . Very highly recommended.