Toronto Eats: Bar Begonia

Bar Begonia

Tomiko passed her CPA exam, so the whole family went to the nearby Bar Begonia to celebrate. Bar Begonia is a Parisian cocktail bar by Anthony Rose, a restaurateur who has several restaurants along Dupont St (as well as other neighbourhoods) in Toronto. The building is a weird, almost ziggurat shape that has been empty […]

Happy Hour: Lavender Lemonade

Lavender Lemonade

Tomiko and I tried a cup of lavender lemonade when we were travelling through Prince Edward County last summer. It was delicious! To make it more obvious that you’re drinking or serving the lavender lemonade, try adding a drop of red and two drops of blue food colouring to the whole batch to lightly tint […]

Happy Hour: The Fancy Ryan Whiskey Cocktail

Fancy Ryan Whiskey Cocktail

Ryan loves whiskey and has several types stored in our liquor cabinet. He has a few pricey ones he’ll drink neat, but also some cheaper ones that go well in mixed drinks. This is a cocktail that he started making, and he says that every time he has it he likes it more and more. […]

Happy Hour: Saudi Champagne

Happy Hour: Saudi Champagne

Saudi champagne was served as a special beverage at restaurants or home parties where we grew up. Saudi Arabia is a country where alcohol is haram, or forbidden. As kids, of course, we didn’t care about the lack of alcohol; we just thought Saudi champagne was a great treat at ma’asalama (goodbye) parties or when we occasionally […]

Happy Hour: Ponche de Creme

Ponche de Creme

Ponche de Creme, or Ponche Creme, is a Trinidadian Christmas drink that is similar to eggnog. Before last Christmas, Ryan told me about a creamy drink made with sweetened condensed milk and rum – sounds pretty good to me! Then we visited his parents and his dad whipped this up. It is rummy, creamy, spicy, a […]