To highlight the potential hazards of using English around the world, George Bernard Shaw said “England and America are two countries separated by a common language”. Our little expat community in France that we now call home, includes mostly residents from the UK. No problem for us we thought since theTravelsketcher made many business trips... Continue Reading →
Tipsy Baked Mussels on the Half Shell
The Pacific Northwest is seafood heaven with a dazzling variety of options, availability and creative methods of preparation. Over the years, I have enjoyed cooking with shellfish and have tried many different techniques. I developed this recipe after finding some inspiration online (thanks to the hundreds of recipes available for stuffed mussels). This delicious dish... Continue Reading →
Day Trip to Hood River, Oregon
Hood River, OR is quite a trendy place these days. It is considered one of the top kiteboarding destinations in the world, and the river is packed with kiting pros from all over the globe. This quaint town located in the Columbia River Gorge (considered one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon), about 60 miles... Continue Reading →
Travel Photos of Australia
Australia is known for its vast, diverse and ruggedly beautiful landscapes, as well as beaches, deserts, strange and beautiful animals, spiders, snakes and don't forget Vegemite! I was fortunate to have captured photos of a few of these amazing sites ten years ago this month on my one trip down under, which I will share... Continue Reading →
Pistachio Encrusted Truffle Goat Cheese Rounds
Baked and breaded goat cheese rounds are a popular item to add to salads and have been around for many years. There was even a time when you could by goat cheese rounds at Trader Joe's that were ready to be seasoned. I had some on a salad a few years ago at a restaurant... Continue Reading →
Truffle Tuesday, A Short Story
It's difficult to keep a travel blog going at the moment, when travel is so restricted, so today I am doing something a little different and sharing a short story that I wrote. One of the dishes I mention in the story was inspired by a delicious entree I had at the Oyster Bar on... Continue Reading →
An Italian Inspired Recipe
Like most of us these days, I am unable to travel, so I have been looking back at photos from previous trips and enjoying the pleasant memories they bring back. A few years ago we visited Italy, we stayed at an agriturismo near San Gimignano, and then spent a few days in Florence. What little... Continue Reading →
Sunday Lunch
The French have a tradition of gathering together on Sundays to enjoy a long, leisurely lunch with family and friends. I first read about this tradition in a book by Susan Hermann Loomis called In a French Kitchen. Since my husband and I love food, cooking and France, we adopted this custom for our weekends.... Continue Reading →
The Oyster Bar on Chuckanut Drive
One of the perks of traveling is trying new restaurants. I have been fortunate to have traveled to quite a few countries and I have some favorite restaurants in various locations including World Wine Bar in Tokyo, L'Etoile du Nord in Paris, and Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA. However, my absolute favorite restaurant, The... Continue Reading →