SIA Around the World

Pear and ginger pair so eloquently together. Like apple and cinnamon, this underdog pairing is perfect for a rainy day in or even to simply fill your house with the addictingly intoxicating aroma. Makes for a great breakfast, snack or dessert. Just try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting, okay?

Yakiudon has always been a go-to in my kitchen. It was one of the first meals I’d ever made when I was growing up - one that didn’t involve any condensed soup or onion soup mixes! It has been such a staple in my house and something that I crave out of all other Asian noodles. Big, fat udon noodles and a chock of vegetables…yum!

Stuck with leftover candy canes from work? Throw them in some chocolate cookies and call it a day. That’s what I did when I whipped these bad boys up. Fudgey and gooey with bits of crunchy candy canes, you definitely will not want to share this with Santa this holiday season!

When you have random ingredients in your kitchen that you don’t want to go to waste, you are forced to improvise and hope for the best! In this case, I married Quebecois cretons, mascarpone, dessert wine and red wine to create a wonderfully savoury and rich ragu. I would definitely call this one a winner! Recipe after the jump!

Looking for the easiest dessert to make in the world? Look no further than tiramisu. This traditional Italian dessert takes mere minutes to assemble and make. The only tricky part is waiting for it to set in the fridge and trying not to eat the whole thing immediately.

Do you ever have a craving for some Chinese food? And I’m not talking about the authentic shit. I’m talking about that greasy, Chinese-Canadian food like wontons, beef and broccoli, lemon chicken, kung pan chicken… This is one of the recipes - a classic sweet and sour pork recipe. Quick and delicious and perfect for those days when you want take out. This recipe will take the same amount of time for the food to be delivered to your door!

Need something easy to make for dinner? Like shellfish? Look no further than this traditional white wine mussels recipes. Mussels are a super easy appetizer or entree to make - only 6 minutes of active steaming time! You can definitely have dinner on the table within 30 minutes, including chopping and prep time! Serve with bread, with French fries, on its own…just don’t let that delicious sauce go to waste!

If there’s one dish you must try in Rome, it’s this one: coda alla vaccinara. Forget about the cacio e pepe (although that is great too) and the pizza and gelato. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new! This warming fall-off-the-bone oxtail stew is perfect for these winter months and smells wonderful in your kitchen! What are you waiting for? Add this stew to your roster this weekend!

If you’re looking for a special dish for date night or want to impress an upcoming date (like I did, even though I didn’t know it yet), this is the dish for you. One of my favourite dishes when I go out is a red-wine braised beef short rib. So rich and satisfying - definitely restaurant-quality. I mixed things up and used a mixture of leftover red wine and beer with outstanding results. Red wine and beer-braised short ribs? Yes please.

I am a big fan of European citrus cakes. This Spanish Galician tarta de Santiago is no exception. Nutty ground almonds, bits of citrus and a light crumb makes for an easy dessert that seriously takes minimal effort. I had made this with zero expectations and the results were pleasantly surprising - I’m sure you would be too!

Never thought in a million years that I’d be traveling to Wellington but of course, life trajectories happen and have lead me to this beautiful city. Wellington was the highlight of this trip to the Pacific Islands and I am glad I made the trek out there. Wellington, although small, is completely doable in a day or two. Its best enjoyed starting off the day at one of the many artisanal coffee shops, people watching by the bays and ending with a cocktail or two. One of the most hipster cities I’ve seen as a whole and I loved it all. Read on to find out why!

I have a new blog, hooray! After a long year of thinking about making this blog, I've finally taken the leap and just did it. This blog is centred around my two of my biggest loves: travel + food.