The Tribune

If you’re a fan of Mexican food, Montreal is not exactly a bueno place for la comida mexicano. That doesn’t mean you have to resort to brand-name sodium and MSG-based Old El Paso Mexican seasoning. You can make your own using spices from any local grocer. This mix makes about half a cup of seasoning for tacos, burritos, fajitas, or enchiladas.

If you’re a fan of Mexican food, Montreal is not exactly a bueno place for la comida mexicano. That doesn’t mean you have to resort to brand-name sodium and MSG-based Old El Paso Mexican seasoning. You can make your own using spices from any local grocer. This mix makes about half a cup of seasoning for tacos, burritos, fajitas, or enchiladas.

The mojito, a traditional Cuban cocktail, is not only one of the most refreshing drinks I’ve ever tried, but also one of the most versatile. The simple ingredients in the traditional version-rum, sugar, lime, soda, and mint-make it an excellent canvass for adding any variety of flavours.

This French twist on macaroni and cheese is a holiday classic in my family that is usually served with beef bourguignon, homemade rolls, and a few too many glasses of red wine. Now that I’ve moved back into my Montreal apartment after a summer away from home, curling up with this cheesy treat is the perfect way to relax after class and let the nostalgia kick in.

I’m shipping off to grad school in London (no, not Ontario) in the fall – and I’m trying desperately to conjure up some deep, captivating message about food, agriculture, and culinary ethics that hasn’t already been put on a bestseller list by Barbara Kingsolver, Jamie Oliver, or Mark Bittman.

Being the strawberry addict that I am, the return of strawberry season is for me one of the most exciting aspects of the arrival of spring. As soon as fresh, inexpensive strawberries are available, I eat them on their own, in salads, over vanilla ice cream, and any other way I can think of.

Meatball subs are the quintessential Italian-American dish – a pizza, burger, and a pasta hybrid. They have all the flavors you could ask for in a meal, and they are hearty and filling. Making your own is simple, fun, and will certainly leave you satisfied (or wanting more).

Even the most particular person always has at least one thing to marvel at when they think of the French: food. French food is one of the oldest, proudest and most regulated gastronomical traditions in the world. This is not to say that Indian, Thai, Spanish or any of the other traditions are lacking in some way, but they were not institutionalized as early as the French.

Blood, guts, and gore are trademarks of most horror movies and Halloween costumes. But bad fake blood can ruin even the goriest costume. A visit to the costume shop might solve the problem, but with these simple tools, anyone can create scream-worthy innards.

A few weeks ago, I ran a workshop at Nuit Blanche. We talked about a great assortment of food facts, including a demonstration of a brilliant tool: foodpairing.be, which generates incredible (and often unexpected) flavour matches. This can be useful for writing new recipes and coming up with innovative dishes.