Kitchen & Dining

Bring out your inner chef by finding the perfect cookware set!

Cast iron cookware has been around for centuries. Long before the electric stove was invented in the early 1900s, most meals were prepared using cast iron skillets, pots and griddles, and an open flame. A lot has changed since then, but the appeal of cast iron remains the same. Said to be the best cookware ever invented, the key to its longevity lies in its care. Follow these simple rules and your cast iron cookware will last for generations to come.

In a kitchen, cooking really begins with knives. With a decent knife in your drawer, it becomes much easier to prepare food than you can imagine. Cooking should be fun, and when it’s difficult to prepare food, you’re going to skip cooking and order out instead. There is a knife for every task, and when you use a knife designed just for the task you’re taking on, you get through food prep faster and can be more creative in the kitchen. Here’s a quick look at what type of knives are best for specific kitchen tasks.

Out where I live, the hills are alive with the color blue. Thanks to a bumper year for the amazing blueberry we’re all enjoying more of this sweet fruit than ever, and with my cupboards literally covered in them, I’ve had to think of some creative ways to use them.

I don’t know what it is about wedding gift registries, but I’m not a big fan. I absolutely love the process involved with gift giving, so it’s just not as fun for me when I’m told what to buy. Especially when the only items left on the registry are an inexpensive corkscrew and a China set fit for the Duchess of York. That’s why I tend to skip the registry altogether and stick with my standby wedding gift – glassware. There seems to always be a need for glassware, and when you have the right glasses for various types of drinks, your bride and groom are guaranteed to love using them.

Cooking with kids can be fun. There are lots of ways to get them involved as your little helpers, teaching the basics of cooking and baking, and even having them take on a few tasks themselves once they're old enough.

If 2016 is the year you’ve vowed to eat out less and cook more, I’m here to help. I’ve got a list of small kitchen appliances you can use to create your favourites, and it’s so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t make this resolution before.

Good quality flatware and knives are kitchen staples—but are people still asking for them when they get married?

What makes up a well-stocked kitchen? I’d have to say it depends the person cooking in it. Although we all have our favourite must-use kitchen gadgets, some people like to use kitchen tools every day that other people may never have heard of. But out of the plethora of cool kitchen gadgets available, there are a few gadgets I think we can all universally agree are absolutely essential to a happy, well-run kitchen.

Whether you struggle to cook pasta or fancy yourself the next Master Chef, certain kitchen essentials are required in your pursuit of a home cooked meal. First and foremost, you need a decent set of pots and pans; and while you might be happy with those mismatched relics from the past, or are set on purchasing each new pot and pan separately, there are a number of benefits associated with investing in a full set of cookware.