It’s been a while since I posted an afternoon snack, but here’s a delicious one I can’t get enough of right now: Mediterranean “Grilled Cheese”.

The recipe started off as roasted veggies: a simple mix of zucchini, eggplant and onions in oil. Add to that some fresh herbs, chick peas, super ripe grape tomatoes and some feta cheese, stuff it all in a pita, and it’s delicious.

Even better? Grilling it so the cheese melts and the pita gets crispy. We don’t have a sandwich press in our little apartment, so I improvised, and got two pans hot, pressing the pita between them.

It looks kind of sad and flat in this photo, but trust me: delicious.

A few new drinks in the past few weeks.

Melbourn Brothers Cherry Beer.

Although I have had cherry flavoured beer in the past (Bellevue Kriek) this brew was a bit different. This British beer had a lot of cherry added to it, so much so I found it overwhelming actually. It was a bit tart, and very carbonated. Just sort of like cherry juice with some beer mixed in. I’m not sure I’d try it again.

My old friend Fentimans.

Ginger beer is a real treat. I remember the first time I had it when we moved to England. We were in a pub in a city called Chelmsford, and I took my first sip, expecting ginger ale. How surprised I was to taste the sharp ginger and fizz in my nose. Fentimans is a more refined ginger beer. Still spicy and zingy, but a definite fresh ginger flavour and not too sweet, either. I would definitely drink it again.

It was my mom’s birthday on Friday. She was working, so I made something light, easy and fun to eat for her and her co-workers and clients to enjoy: angel food cupcakes with balsamic strawberries and whipped cream.

It was my first time making from-scratch angel food cake. It was so delicious, I will never return to those spongy, greasy pre-packaged ones in the supermarket. 12 egg whites go into the batter though; that’s crazy.

Angel Food Cupcakes

• 12 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar (sifted)
• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Let egg whites sit in a bowl for an hour or so to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Sift icing sugar, flour, salt together into a bowl.

3. Beat egg whites til frothy. Add cream of tartar, continue beating until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar gradually, and continue beating, until white thicken and form droopy peaks. Beat in vanilla.

4. Sprinkle sifted dry ingredients in small batches, folding into whites.

5. Fill cupcake pan tins 3/4 full, and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

6. Cool, and use a butter knife to loosen the edges, then pop out the cupcake. The recipe made about 30 cupcakes.

The strawberries were easy. I hulled and sliced them, sprinkled with sugar and balsamic and let them sit and marinate for a while. They were so good. I’m adding some to my salad for lunch.

One thing that astounds me is how little great BBQ there is available in Alberta. Aren’t we the Texas of Canada? Seriously: we have so much beef in our own backyard and ranches and people who love to grill. How come BBQ culture isn’t more widespread in these parts?

The one place that makes great barbeque is my parent’s place. My dad has been away for six months, traveling in Asia with my mom and working in north Africa, so I have been sorely missing his BBQ talents.

He squeezed in one smoke session before heading back to work again. Great timing, since I was really craving some ribs, and his have to be the best in Edmonton…even though he doesn’t own a Big Green Egg.

Look at that smoke he has going! He uses his own foil packets and a Weber BBQ set to a low temperature all day to smoke the ribs.

Simple sides: a fresh slaw my dad made, with Farmer’s Market buns I brought. My mom made a walnut & port-soaked cherry pie for dessert.

He’s wearing a Singha Beer shirt, but drinking a Chang Beer. Both Singha and Chang can now be found at Sherbrooke Liquor in Edmonton, by the way.

Homemade dry rub and sauce, a good long smoking and the meat is easy (but not too easy) to strip off the bone. Just looking at this photo is making me want some pork again. Yum!