Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on December 3, 2011.

The number of people with dietary restrictions in our circle of family and friends is increasing by the day. That’s why for the next three Saturdays before Christmas (including today), I’d like to recommend some specially designed gourmet menus for all the guests to enjoy at the party… without the hosts having to break into a sweat about how to plan the menu.

We begin this week with a ‘5-course lactose-free menu’ for a festive meal. Normally, people who are intolerant to this milk sugar are still able to tolerate some dairy products. For example, cheeses that are low in lactose (such as cheddar, blue, Parmesan) are often eaten without any problem if taken in small amounts during the meal.
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Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on November 26, 2011.

This year, let us spare a thought for our friends and relatives who have dietary restrictions, and come up with some allergen-free treats for them.

There are desserts in Italian Christmas tradition that are perfect for those who are gluten-intolerant (celiac disease): These are homemade egg white and almond or hazelnut-based confections that will please even the most difficult palate.

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Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on November 26, 2011.

The slow cooker, a practical solution for serving up a nice hot meal after work, has started to make a comeback. This cooking appliance uses moist heat: All the ingredients are placed in a glazed ceramic or porcelain cooking pot that is covered, and are cooked slowly, by the indirect heat of the heating elements contained in the metal housing.

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Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on November 19, 2011.

You would certainly remember if you have ever come across this vegetable, because its spiral, pyramid-shaped florets are hard to miss. We are talking about the Romanesco broccoli, a variety of cauliflower from Italy, or more specifically from Rome (hence the name).

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Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on November 12, 2011.

Monday, November 14 is World Diabetes Day. Initiated in 1991, it aims to raise public awareness about the increase in the incidence of diabetes worldwide. This date was chosen because it is the birthday of Frederick Banting, Canadian physician and scientist who, with his student Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1922. This achievement earned him the Nobel Prize the following year.

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Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on November 5, 2011.

The turkey is believed to have descended from a small dinosaur species that lived on the planet about 10 million years ago. Originating in North America, it was domesticated by Native Americans who appreciated not only its edible flesh but also its feathers for making clothes.

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Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on October 29, 2011.

There are pumpkins and there are pumpkins. The North American variety is round and bright orange in colour, whereas the European one is rather flat and can vary from reddish orange to dark green. The flesh of the latter is also sweeter, tastier and less stringy than its North American cousin whose ample seeds, which once dried, make a very healthy snack.

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