As lunch time approaches, students in the Grade 3 class at J.W. Walker School here are full of anticipation and eagerness.
Most would assume it would be because lunch time and recess are just around the corner, but Mrs. Easton’s students aren’t excited to dive into their sandwiches.
Rather, they’re looking forward to what they get to do after they’ve consumed their lunch—compost.
The class of 22, along with the entire school, has begun a composting campaign that’s been very successful so far.

For all those who have gone to La Place Rendez-Vous here over the past three weeks and thought everything had tasted a bit different, it’s probably because it was different.
The Rendez-Vous recently hired Nelson Rogoza Jr. as its new full-time head chef. He has worked in the kitchen there before (during the 1970s and again in the ’90s), but this time he’s returning with a lot of valuable experience—and ideas.

This savoury rib-eye steak dinner is a perfect choice for dad on his day this Sunday. This recipe serves three but can be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd.

Steak With Caraway Onions
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) caraway seeds
15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon-style mustard
50 ml (1/4 cup) beef broth
3 boneless rib-eye steaks, about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick
15 ml (1 tbsp) coarsely ground black pepper
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
1 125-g pkg blue cheese, sliced
1 pkg baby spinach

Aficionados of barbecued pork spareribs, stop boiling the meat before you slap it on the grill!
‘‘In fact, never boil meat because it leaches all the flavour out,’’ says George Siu, co-author with Winnipeg native Park Heffelfinger of ‘‘Memphis Blues Barbeque House: Bringin’ Southern BBQ Home’’ (Whitecap).
‘‘And when you boil meat it turns this kind of grey brownish colour with a chewy rubbery texture,’’ says the 47-year-old Vancouverite, who with Heffelfinger owns a chain of the Memphis Blues Barbeque House restaurants in B.C.

While researching for her cookbook bibliography, culinary historian Liz Driver stumbled upon recipe treasures, many hearkening back to the 19th and 20th centuries.
Here are three she discovered and they are reprinted in ‘‘Culinary Landmarks: A Bibliography of Canadian Cookbooks, 1825 to 1949.’’
The first recipe is from New Brunswick. It was from Mrs. John Robinson and was found in the ‘‘Fredericton Cathedral Organ Fund Cookery Book,’’ 1907.

Moose Meat Pie

OTTAWA—Beer remains the alcoholic drink of choice for Canadians in terms of both volume and dollar value, but its dominance continued to decline last year as consumers turned more to wine.
Statistics Canada said Canada’s beer and liquor stores and agencies sold more than $18 billion worth of alcoholic beverages during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007.
That’s 4.9 percent more than the year before and the fastest rate of growth in sales since 2003.

Those looking to take the family out for a meal at the new Boston Pizza here, or maybe enjoy a beer while watching the big game, are expected to only have to wait until this winter.
The company told the Times that construction at the future site (next to the Super 8 Motel in the west end) is expected to begin in July, with the business opening its doors in December.

Take three of some of the most delectable cuisines from around the world, add more than 80 guests, sprinkle in a dash of ambience and what you’ll end up with is a great time.
“Taste of Our World” held its inaugural event here Friday at the Little Beaver Snow Park lodge, where Randy Stewart, event co-ordinator and chef, was busy overseeing and cooking in preparation for the hungry guests.

Whether it’s steak and lobster or linguine and clams, shellfish is a popular choice at market seafood counters and restaurants.
Shellfish can be divided into two main categories—crustaceans and mollusks—and due to the vast size of this topic, this will be the first of three instalments.
That being said, I will discuss the main aspects of these two divisions without focusing on one particular type of shellfish in too much detail. This column, and the next instalment, will concentrate on the aspects of crustaceans while the third column will focus on mollusks.

Whenever I think about mixing techniques, I am reminded of a cartoon I once saw.
It depicted a man saying “The recipe said to fold in one egg, so I fried it first and then folded it in half!”
Funny, but clearly incorrect.
The technique used to mix two or more ingredients together will depend on what you are trying to accomplish. Mixing obviously will combine ingredients, but the procedure chosen also can incorporate air (such as beating or whisking) or minimize incorporated air from escaping (as in folding).