Culture

“I remember diyas (small oil lamps), new clothes and much delicious food during Diwali – and sweets, always sweets,” recalls Sneha Shekar. “And one of the tastiest and easiest to make is milk cake.” Sneha …more

Last year Canadians spent some $1.64 billion on Halloween. Pretty scary, right? And that might make you think North Americans “invented” the holiday (which isn’t technically a holiday since it doesn’t involve a day off). …more

In Austria they are called palatschinke; in Serbia, they are palacinka. No matter the name, they are delicious crepes stuffed with either a sweet or savoury filling. Their origins are Greco-Roman with the first written …more

“Piirakka” is Finnish for comfortably delicious Each month we cover a Leasider’s special dish with a hearty side order of narrative. Quick, name four things for which Finland is renowned: sauna, Marimekko clothing, architectural design …more

“For the longest time I only ever knew them as Mrs. Assad’s Chocolate Slices,” says Lorna Krawchuk, long-time Leasider, publisher of Leaside Life, and former East York Councillor for what was then called Ward 4, …more

Each month we cover a Leasider’s special dish with a hearty side order of narrative. It happens 10 times a school year, draws crowds, smells yummy and has become an institution at Leaside High School. …more

Helen Nugent didn’t start out as a baker – she studied fashion merchandising at Seneca College – but stepped back from a corporate career eight years ago to create Batterednbaked on Instagram and has never …more

By chance I asked neighbour Anna Crombie, long-time Leasider and local landscape architect (read “The Community Comes to LHS,” Leaside Life, May 2024), if her mom, born in Italy, had a traditional Easter recipe from …more