Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip)

I am slowly collecting my Persian recipes, and this is the latest one. This is a fresh and easy dip that is great for dinner parties. If you like eggplant and garlic, then this dip is for you. Some recipes call for eggs and onions but that is not how my mother-in-law makes it. I like to add a bit of paprika for extra sweetness, which is entirely my addition and not traditional in any sense. Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Eggplant Tomato Dip) -...

Corner Room, London

Tucked away in London boutique hotel, Town Hall hotel, Corner Room is a great place to go if you're in the mood for a casual, but upscale meal. Corner room is the low key version of Nuno Mende's Michelin-starred restaurant, Viajante. To keep things moving, there is a no-reservations policy here, and your stay is limited to 90 minutes when it is busy. The menu changes weekly. My appetizer was the beetroot with butternut squash...

Beigel Bake, London

Montreal has smoked meat, New York has pastrami, and London has salt beef. What I recently discovered was the salt beef part, and I'm so glad I did! While all three are Jewish deli meats made of beef brisket that is cured in brine, each has its own distinct characteristics and flavors. If you are not familiar with the term salt beef, it is pretty much the same thing as corned beef. After a long night of pub hopping,...

Schwartz's, Montreal

I can't believe it took me almost 10 years to try a Schwartz's smoked meat sandwich. Shame on me. My husband has been trying to get me to try Schwartz's forever and for some reason, I always rejected his suggestion. I finally tried Schwartz's when we brought a friend to Montreal for the day. I'm totally slapping myself for not having tried it earlier. Schwartz's is FAN-TAS-TIC! Mouth watering, make-the-hair-on-your-arm-stand-up GOOD! I had...