Typically timed to coincide with the start of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (now underway at Toronto's Exhibition Place), organizers of the Canadian Culinary Book Awards have announced the winners of the 13th annual edition.

Expectation and tradition can play a big part of special occasion eating -- one might expect a slice of cake (or perhaps a cupcake or equivalent) on one's birthday, for instance. For me, holidays definitely inspire food expectations, like roast turkey or spiced pumpkin pie.

Buying local is a popular trend that's grown across North America in recent years, but it has taken on special importance in the post-Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans.

 

In a recent trip to New Orleans for the fifth anniversary of Katrina, I spoke to celebrity chef John Besh about how the community came together in the wake of the storm.

Chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain is brash, opinionated and a straight talker unafraid to broadcast his warts-and-all perceptions - all qualities that have made him a bestselling author, a popular blogger and a brilliant guest judge for the TV hit Top Chef.

With sustained warm weather finally upon us, nonstop soccer online and on the telly and flip-flops as far as the eye can see, thoughts have inevitably turned to summertime eating - and imbibing.

Intrigued by what a culture's food says about its economic situation, OCAD University professor Ron Wood decided to take a week off work and blog his way through the G20.

Each blog entry contains a lesson learned - or an idea worth pondering - when the leaders congregate for their semi-annual meeting.

One of the latest food lessons I've learned of late is this: listen to your produce seller.

Ever the marketing genius, Ben & Jerry's is crowdsourcing the name of its latest ice cream flavour, asking Canadians to decide the moniker.

A combination of vanilla ice cream, fudge-covered waffle cone pieces plus a fudge swirl, the ice cream has already hit shelves, but with a temporary title, We are Waffling.

Like my Food Bytes colleagues Kevin, Amber, Tara and Andree, eating well and trying local specialties is an important part of travelling for me. This year, I was lucky to squeeze getaways to both Houston (to visit in-laws) and New York (to visit a girlfriend) into my March break, with some interesting food outings in both cities.

Easter is my favourite holiday. Halloween may have the fantastical costumes and Christmas the gifts, but Easter has the best celebration of them all: the Easter egg hunt.