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Across Canada, many minimum-wage jobs—especially in fast food, retail, warehouses, cleaning, and delivery—are filled by international students striving to support themselves while studying.   These students contribute significantly to keeping businesses running smoothly, often taking shifts that are hard to fill. Yet, they frequently face financial strain due to high tuition, living costs, and limited work hours under student visa rules. Their presence reflects both the diversity and the economic realities of Canada’s labour market, where newcomers’ determination and resilience quietly sustain many everyday services.

This week’s article focuses on one of these fantastic young women whom I’ve had the pleasure of working beside for over two years.  Jashandeep made the trip to Canada from Karah, a small village of 1500 people in the Punjab State of Northwest India.   She left a home that held 30 people.  Her Mother and Father, grandparents, three uncles and all of their wives and children.   She hasn’t been home since she left and misses her family terribly.   

Families are sending their young adults to North America in the hope of a better future, higher income, and, most surprisingly to me, their safety.   While it’s essential to approach the topic with cultural sensitivity and avoid generalizations, some families in India—concerned about the safety, freedom, and opportunities available to their daughters—choose to send them abroad, including to Canada, for education and a more independent life. In certain regions, systemic gender inequality and threats to women’s safety remain pressing issues, and studying overseas can be seen as a way to provide young women with access to environments that offer stronger protections, gender equality, and personal growth. Canada, with its emphasis on human rights and multiculturalism, often represents a place where these young women can pursue their ambitions while living in a society that upholds their right to safety and dignity.

Coming together to share food is what every culture shares around the four corners of the earth.   Jashan shared a favourite memory of her and her family that happens in their winter season on a weekly basis.   A special dish is prepared by the moms and grandmoms that takes over 5 hours.   

Sarson da saag te makki di roti is a classic Punjabi comfort meal.  Sarson da saag is a thick, richly flavoured stew made from mustard greens (and often a mix of spinach or other leafy greens), slow-cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, and spices until it becomes soft, earthy, and slightly peppery. It’s finished with a dollop of butter or ghee for a silky, indulgent touch. Makki di roti is a flatbread made from cornmeal, with a rustic, slightly sweet flavour and a hearty, crumbly texture. Served together—usually with a side of pickles and buttermilk—they create a warming, satisfying, and deeply traditional meal that feels like a hug from a Punjabi grandmother.  

Jashan remembers with fondness the weekly winter dinners, sitting around the pot of stew, simmering over an open flame.   The entire family would gather to enjoy stories, laughter, and the warmth that came with the special meal.   

Jashan has studied business accounting, and her goal is to continue her CPA studies in the near future.  She is also excited to explore other parts of Canada and enjoy travel and the freedom that her new home provides.  In the meantime, Fox on the Run continues to benefit from her unwavering work ethic, quiet optimism and unwavering dedication to our small family business.  

Sarson da Saag te makki di roti

-500g mustard or sarson leaves

-250g bathua or chenopodium leaves

-250g spinach leaves

-1 tbsp ginger

-8-9 cloves garlic

-4-5 green chilli

-1 onion

-½ tsp cumin seeds

-1 red chilli, whole or powder

-Salt- to taste

-2 tbsp Clarified butter

-½ tsp Turmeric powder

-2-3 pinches asafoitida

-1 tsp Coriander seeds

-3-4 tbsp Corn flour

Clean, wash, and chop all of your greens and add them to the pressure cooker with a bit of water, salt, and turmeric powder. Pound the ginger and the green chillies together and add to the greens. Pressure cook until 3-4 whistles, then lower the flame and cook for a few more minutes. Let the cooker cool down and mash the mixture (do not blend the greens together), add the corn flour and mix well. Let it cook on low heat until it reaches the desired consistency, then turn off the gas. Then season, and store in the fridge for future use. Heat butter in a pan, then add asafoetida, cumin seeds and coriander seeds. When they crackle, add red chilli and chopped garlic, fry until they brown, then add chopped onions and cook until translucent, adding some chopped ginger. Cook on low for some time, then turn off the stove. Keep it covered until you serve.

We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story!  Send any questions or comments:  tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com.   

“Lisa Lemarquand (Laudadio – the Italian half) is the owner of Fox On The Run lunch and coffee bar, a mom, a wife, and a passionate home cook who believes that food is love—and every recipe has a story.”

Cousins are like the built-in best friends you didn’t have to search for—they’ve just always been there, sharing family stories, holiday dinners, and a little bit of mischief along the way. They’re the ones who understand the quirks of your family because they share them too, and they make every gathering brighter with inside jokes and shared memories. Whether you see them every week or only on special occasions, cousins remind us that family can also be fun, and that love often comes wrapped in laughter.

Joanne McNicol is a local mom and home cook who runs the Northwest Funeral Alternative with her husband Travis.  She is also my first cousin who shares the constant drive to try and recreate the food that we remember with great nostalgia and very few instructions from our Nana Laudadio.  

Joanne had another great influence in her early years on her Mom’s side.   Great- Aunt Olga Nordal (nee Baryski) was the second youngest of ten,  born on a farm in rural Manitoba close to Fraserwood.  Her family came to Canada in 1915 from Western Ukraine.   

She remembers the ladies gathering, always with hairnets, babushkas and carefully laid tea towels on every flat surface.   Aunt Olga would always make sure Joanne was a part of the bustle with her own small balls of dough.   She treated her with kindness and patience when the other ladies thought kids were more of an annoyance.  

Joanne loves to be in her kitchen, cooking for her husband and two boys, calling it her sanctuary.  When life throws the giant, never asked for, but almost certain curveballs, having a passion to turn to can be a lifesaver.  One of her favourite recipes is Chrustiky, a Ukrainian treat.  It’s special to her because it was reserved for very special occasions, she has wonderful memories making it as a child and she likes the comparisons to the Italian version, Crostoli.   To this day, she has the giant wooden board that was used by her aunts to make this special dessert.  

Another fun memory for her is that during the chats that had Ukrainian and English words interspersed, the aunts would laugh when they remembered adding moonshine to the dough to make it a little crispy. It prevents the oil from absorbing-  so a lot of recipes for this item include a splash of vodka or other liquor.   Смачного! (Smachnoho!)

Chrustiky-Ukrainian 

Ingredients: 

3 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

1 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Enough flour to make a soft dough 

Directions: 

1) Mix together and roll about a quarter inch thick

2) cut into strips about one and a half to 2 inches wide-it doesn’t really matter what size they are

3) cut a small hole in the middle and twist one of the ends through the hole with the pointed side and give a twist 

4) fry in lard or oil until golden brown 

5) top generously with powdered sugar

We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story!  Send any questions or comments:  tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com.   

Fishing in and around Thunder Bay, Ontario is both a local pastime and a draw for visitors looking to experience the rugged beauty of northwestern Ontario.  Thunder Bay offers access to world-class freshwater fishing, with a wide variety of species, easily accessible lakes and rivers, and opportunities for both shore and boat fishing.   Talk to any fishing enthusiast, and they’ll tell you where the ‘best’ place is to pull out their favourite freshwater offering.   Lake Trout, salmon, bass, northern pike, speckled trout and on and on.  I have some great memories of ‘smelting’ with my Dad and Grandfather. 

In addition to fish being a delicious addition to your dinner offerings, it has the added benefit of being a healthy meat alternative.  Lower in calories and saturated fats than red meat for heart health. High in lean protein for muscle support, packed with omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins D & B12 for bone health and immune function.  

Mackenzie Lockyer joined his father John at ACO Services here in Thunder Bay providing computer sales and service.  John speaks with pride in his voice as he describes how Mack expanded their offerings and in 2017 took the family show on the road.  He now operates ACO Marketing from Ottawa,  providing a wide range of promotional services across Canada.   

Mack’s cooking skills encompass so many aspects of food.  He doesn’t skimp on ingredient quality, uses the best techniques showcasing each item and tries to use all natural ingredients.   No glucose/fructose or salt.   He and his wife Dasha look for other healthy options that add flavour without using salt as their ‘cheating saviour.’   

Some of their favourite meals come from shopping at a Ukrainian grocery store (Dasha is Ukrainian). Many people there have similar concepts of cooking and they find great ingredients.   Less is more is always an unspoken rule in his cookbook, says Mack. Keep it simple and focus on the quality of the ingredients. 

I’ve attached a few pics of Mack’s other dishes because as well as delicious and healthy, Mack’s presentation is gorgeous. From food placement, to  plateware and finally table set-up, he brings the family dining experience to another level.   Enjoy! 

Rainbow Trout

1. Mix 1 tsp each of onion powder, cumin, garlic powder and paprika with ½ tsp of chili powder and 3 tablespoons of olive oil
2. Pat your fish dry and spread the mixture generously to cover 
3. Bake at 350 in the oven or on the grill for 9-10 minutes per inch of fish (measure at the thickest point)  
4. In a second bowl, mix: two chopped mangoes, two chopped avocados, cilantro, red onion and fresh lime juice
5. Place cooked fish over rice or couscous and top generously with mango salad.  

We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story!  Send any questions or comments:  tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com.   

Pork back ribs, sometimes called baby back ribs, are one of the most sought-after cuts of pork—not just for their tender meat but for the story they tell across time, cultures, and smoky backyards.

These ribs come from the top part of the ribcage, nestled near the spine, where the meat is leaner and more tender than the belly-side spare ribs. Because they’re smaller and curved (hugging the backbone), they earned the nickname “baby back ribs”—not because they come from piglets, but because of their size.

Historically, ribs weren’t always the prized cut they are today. In many cultures, ribs were considered scraps, secondary to pork loins or hams. But leave it to innovation—and smoke—to change that. In the American South, where barbecue culture took deep root, pitmasters began slow-cooking ribs over low heat with wood smoke, transforming tough cuts into juicy, flavor-packed delicacies. As smoking and grilling techniques evolved, so did the sauces and rubs, from sticky-sweet Kansas City styles to the tangy vinegar-based sauces of North Carolina.

In the mid-20th century, pork ribs really took off in North America, especially with the rise of backyard grilling and restaurant BBQ chains. The baby back rib became the star of rib cook-offs and tailgates, often slathered in thick, glistening sauces and cooked low and slow until the meat nearly fell off the bone.

Today, pork back ribs are a universal crowd-pleaser—grilled, smoked, oven-roasted, or pressure-cooked. They’re featured in everything from summer cookouts and Sunday dinners to fine dining menus. And while sauces and seasonings may vary, the shared experience of sticky fingers, smoky aromas, and that first bite of tender, flavorful rib meat ties together generations and cultures.

My go-to method is the classic ‘wet rib’—tender, juicy, and guaranteed to fall off the bone with delicious satisfaction. My American brother-in-law Steve, on the other hand, swears by the ‘dry rib’ and has turned his technique into an art form. This isn’t a quick weeknight dinner, but a perfect weekend indulgence. Serve it up with baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, whipped potatoes, sautéed red cabbage—or whatever sides bring a smile to your table!

Method one:

1. Remove the silver skin or membrane from the bone side of the rib with a sharp knife.
2. Salt and pepper the meat side well and cut the rack into 3 or 4 pieces. 
3. Sear the meat side at medium high heat in a non-stick pan with olive oil until a nice golden brown 
4. In a Dutch oven, heat to boiling –  3 cups of beef stock, ½ cup bbq sauce, ½ chopped onion, a couple of stalks of celery, ½ cup red wine and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice- add whatever herbs you like, rosemary, thyme and some garlic 
5. After browning all of your pieces, shingle them in your Dutch oven with the hot liquid  and cover with a lid
6. Cook at 250 for 3 – 3.5 hours
7. Remove pieces from Dutch oven and slather the ribs with your favourite bbq sauce 
8. Place pieces meat side up in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 min until sauce is caramelized. Done! 

Method Two:

1. Remove the silver skin or membrane from the bone side of the rib with a sharp knife.
2. Rub entire rack on the meat side with your favourite dry rub very generously.  Steve’s favourite is famous Dave’s! 
3. Place ribs on a cookie sheet, cover with foil and place on the bbq or in the oven at 220 degrees for 3.5 hours 
4. Remove from oven and place racks directly on your bbq meat side down for 7 minutes.  
5. Flip them over – meat side up and slather with your favourite bbq sauce.   Grill another 10 minutes.  Done! 

We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story!  Send any questions or comments:  tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com.   

“Lisa Lemarquand (Laudadio – the Italian half) is the owner of Fox On The Run lunch and coffee bar, a mom, a wife, and a passionate home cook who believes that food is love—and every recipe has a story.”

Food is fuel, but it’s also so much more.

It connects us with family and friends, creating memories around the table. Most importantly, understanding its nutritional value empowers us to support our health and well-being.

We’ve never had more information at our fingertips, but with that comes an overwhelming amount of mixed messages. This is where this week’s mom and home cook comes in.

Vivienne Stallwood has called Thunder Bay home for the past 15 years. She and her husband, Mark, made the move across the pond from the United Kingdom in 2010. Viv is originally from Wrexham, Wales, home to Wrexham A.F.C., the football (soccer) team co-owned by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.

Outdoor enthusiasts at heart, Viv and Mark were ready for a change and wanted to give their children, Caitlin and Elliott (then nine and six), a new cultural experience. They were especially excited to trade endless rain for the beauty of four distinct seasons.

Viv laughs as she recalls the initial shock of just how much snow winter brings, and the surprise of summer mosquitoes! But the family quickly found their forever friends and became involved in a Thunder Bay essential: hockey. Elliott jumped right in with both skates.

Fast forward to today, their kids have flown the nest to universities across the country, and Viv has fully dedicated her time and energy to her work as a Menopause Coach, specializing in women over forty.

The changes women face in midlife can’t be avoided, but there are lifestyle choices and nutrition habits that make a huge difference for both symptoms and long-term physical and mental health. Viv’s education in Nutrition, along with certificates in Culinary Arts and Recipe Development, have been invaluable for the women she supports.

This week’s featured summer recipe is not only delicious and family-friendly, but it’s also high in protein and fibre while being low in saturated fat. A perfect example of the simple, nourishing building blocks Viv uses to guide her clients toward better health.

I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with this amazing woman, and her warmth and passion for what she does shine as brightly as her smile.

You can learn more about Viv on her website: www.viviennestallwood.com(http://www.viviennestallwood.com/)

We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story!  Send a note to:  tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com. 

I actually didn’t mean to continue the Italian theme, but that’s how it worked out!   Italian Wedding Soup is a quick and easy dinner which can be paired with a fantastic green salad and thick crusty bread for a full meal.  

This week’s recipe is from Joyce Paladino-Anttonen.   Joyce is a lovely ‘hockey-mom’ friend of mine that I met over 15 years ago.  One of those people that you connect with right away, we still call each other ‘hockey wives’ when we bump into each other even though our hockey rink days are over.   She is a very accomplished home cook and a few of her recipes have become part of my dinner rotation.  

Minestra maritata- married soup, has actually nothing to do with bride and grooms and isn’t served in Italy at weddings.  It is the marriage of leafy vegetables and pieces of meat, usually pork or sausage that were made into hearty soups in Southern Italy.  The wedded part brought these simple ingredients into a wonderful thick and hearty soup.   

Paterno Calabro is one of those small towns in Calabria, Italy where this dish became a staple for families during lean times.   Joyce’s Mom,  Iolanda Paladino, set off from Paterno in 1961 with her husband to make her way to Canada.   Iolanda of course is Joyce’s teacher and still cooks alongside her.   “Pasta of all kinds” she says is her favourite thing to feed to her kids and grandkids.   

The charming Iolanda Paladino arrived in Canada with her husband in 1961 through Pier 21 in Halifax. Just last week, Joyce had the opportunity to visit the Pier herself and was deeply moved by the wave of emotions she felt while imagining what that moment must have been like for her parents.
Very much like my Nana, this particular recipe was presented originally with no amounts, cooking times or instructions of any kind.   Joyce recounts many stories of learning how to cook an item with amounts not in measuring cups, but cupped in the palm of your hand.   Pinky fingers were used to measure quantities of ingredients and the rest was measured with comments like “you’ll know when it’s enough.”   

These are the spectacular cooks who have made their favourites so many times that they just know how to cook by feel.  There are also the folks who need to be told exactly what to do, in an exact order with no small detail left out.   Most of us fall somewhere in between. 

Joyce and I worked together to put quantities and cook times into the items.   Tweak it as your family likes, change the chicken to beef or pork, add a bit of heat, or change the spinach to arugula for some spice.   Grab a kid if you have one around to roll some meatballs and help make it a new family favourite of yours!

We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story!  Send to:  tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com.   

Italian Wedding Soup

Chicken Meatballs
450 gms ground chicken
1 egg
3 cloves minced garlic 
1 tsp dried basil
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp onion powder
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients well and form into small meatballs.  It will be sticky!

Chicken Broth
2 tetra packs of chicken broth or ½ cup dried chicken base and 8 cups water 
2 large shredded carrots
250 gms of ancini de Pepe pasta or other small soup pasta
1 cup packed fresh or frozen chopped spinach 
Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:
    1    Bring the stock to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and carefully put the meatballs into the water one a time.  
    2    Boil gently for 30 min
    3    Add shredded carrot – simmer for 5 min
    4    Add pasta and simmer for 10 min
    5    Add chopped spinach – one minute to wilt
    6    Serve and top with Parmesan Cheese.

Long before we had recipes, ovens, or even spoken language, people were gathering around fires to share food. From ancient hearths to modern kitchens, the act of sharing a meal has always been about more than just eating—it’s how we connect, celebrate, and pass stories from one generation to the next. I would like to honour that timeless tradition by sharing the recipes that bring families and friends together—one beloved dish at a time.

During Covid times, I started a Facebook group for friends and family to share recipes and meals. The intention was to get some inspiration from others and more importantly, maintain a connection when we couldn’t in person. I imagined a small group of 20 or so, swapping ideas and meal tips. In just under two weeks, over three hundred people had joined and for the next two years, hundreds of recipes were shared and new friends were made.

Week after week, posts came in from simple to complex, made from scratch to restaurant take out. The support and unbelievable positivity from every comment made the journey an absolute pleasure. The inspiration for this column stems from that amazing group.

Every week, you’ll find a recipe that is tried and true from one of your local home kitchens. These dishes may have come from a friend or neighbour or colleague and just may give you a little inspiration for your next meal.

To every home cook, from beginner to pro: please send us your favourite recipe, along with the story behind why you love to make it. It could be a family recipe shared for generations or a dish that you concocted and that brings you joy to serve.

In the animated movie Ratatouille, there’s a heartwarming scene where the harsh food critic takes a bite of Remy’s dish and is instantly transported back to his mother’s kitchen as a young boy—a powerful example of how flavour can evoke a memory. Are there smells, tastes, or dishes that bring you back to a special moment or person?

I’ll kick things off with the first recipe that came to mind—something I made with my Italian Nana (yes, we called her Nana, not Nonna). I can still picture myself standing in her kitchen, watching her roll meatballs with such care. They were so tender and delicious, and because they simmered for hours, the whole house smelled like heaven. We were always handed a meatball on a fork while we waited for dinner to be served—it was the best kind of appetizer.

Her face was always serious when she cooked, no giant smiles, those were reserved for every time we walked through her door. Warm hugs and lots of words we couldn’t understand, but so dripping with love, we knew we were always welcome. Big eyes would marvel at the speed she could grab a small handful of the mixture, roll it so many times in her hands and plop the balls in the sauce and all be the same size using no measuring cup. My sister had a nice moment a few years ago watching one of her kids roll her meatballs. A lovely memory flashback hit her as she watched her little one with the same hands and technique as Nana. Everything does come full circle.

This recipe comes with a warning, as the hours go by and your house smells like an Italian bistro. The meatballs will start to disappear. Random forks covered in tomato sauce will be left on the counter and the bread that was waiting to be served with dinner will vanish.

My little meatball thieves have all grown up, and for now, there’s no second helping of tiny hands in my world. Maybe one day, I’ll get to create new memories—beginning in a warm kitchen that smells like love, and ending with a meatball on a fork.

“Lisa Lemarquand (Laudadio – the Italian half) is the owner of Fox On The Run lunch and coffee bar, a mom, a wife, and a passionate home cook who believes that food is love—and every recipe has a story.”

Nana’s Meatballs

Ingredients:
4 cans crushed tomatoes
4 cans tomato paste
½ cup sugar
⅓ lb ground beef
⅓ lb ground pork
⅓ lb ground veal
One bone in and skin on chicken breast
1 cup bread crumbs
3 eggs
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
One cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat up olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add chicken breast when oil is hot and brown until golden on both sides
3. Leave the chicken breast in the pot and add all the crushed tomatoes, sugar and the tomato paste
4. For every can of tomato paste you use -fill it with water and pour that in
5. Turn the sauce down to medium to heat while you’re making the meatballs- stirring once in awhile
6. In a large bowl, mix all meat, eggs, seasoning, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese
7. Add about a cup and a half of the warm tomato sauce into your meat mixture and mix well
8. Roll golf ball sized meatballs until they’re perfectly round in your hands.
9. Carefully drop them into the sauce, one by one covering each section of the pot so they don’t get crowded
10. Do not stir for at least 15 minutes-you need the balls to firm up a little bit or they will break apart- stir gently and occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom
11. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down until simmering
12. Remove the chicken breast after about an hour and a half or it will fall apart and become part of your sauce. Now you have another snack on a bun.
13. You can leave these on for an hour and a half up to as many hours as you want- keep a lid on but ajar for the most time so you don’t lose all of your liquid- but it’s not boiling like crazy
14. Crumble these into your favourite lasagna, serve them over spaghetti or your favourite pasta, serve them on a bun or just eat them straight out of the pot