(Ann all windswept and blissed out, Mango Chow, The Spice Necklace)

I was all prepared to dislike Ann Vanderhoof, the author of The Spice Necklace. I mean the Toronto native lives half the year sailing to exotic places and collecting local recipes.

And if that’s not enough to conjure up some sizable green eyed monsters, she’s gone and written a fantastic book about her adventures in the Caribbean from a food lover’s point of view no less. Being the petty jealous person that I am, there was no way I could like her.

Despite all this, Ann, with her easy charm and infectious smile, won me over. Damn you Ann! Admittedly she had some help from her delicious yet ridiculously simple Mango Chow (I’ll post Ann’s cooking demo and recipes from the book later in the week).

All kidding aside, I enjoyed Ann’s gentle yet passionate account of island culture, the people she befriended, not to mention her mouth-watering descriptions of the food (see photo gallery below).

Part guide book, part cookbook, part memoir, Ann’s latest book is the perfect read for food lovers who crave adventures in the sun.

Damage: $32.95

You’ll like it if: you like food, adventure and sun, not necessarily in that order. Each chapter ends with recipes inspired from that particular island.

Highlights: Be it gathering nutmeg in Grenada, hunting crabs and crayfish in Dominica, or tracking down the best oregano-eating goats in the Dominican Republic, Ann’s description of island life and culture will transport you.

Giveaway: I have two signed copies of Ann Vanderhoof’s The Spice Necklace to giveaway.  To be the lucky recipient, email me at blogATfoodnetworkDOTca (note: email address has changed) the correct answer to the following question: Which Caribbean-influenced recipe is March's Cooking Club Challenge.? Please see contest rules.

Also, what do you guys think about starting a book club for food lovers? We’ve been throwing the idea around for a while and want to know if you guys would be interested.

Book & Giveaway appear Tuesdays.

Related: 

• Photos: Mercato San Lorenzo, Florence
• Question of the Week: Have You Smuggled Food Across Borders?
  

The Podleski sisters,  Janet and Greta of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry, will be in the Ask a Host spotlight for the next three weeks. This is your chance to ask them any food-related questions, especially about healthier eating options. The warm weather is on its way and I for one need help getting bikini body ready.

Today's question comes from Kate who asks: I’m making your Shockolate Cheesecake (Feb's cooking club recipe) where you use sour cream and cottage cheese to lighten the recipe. What are some other tricks you use to make recipes healthier?

Janet and Greta: Be creative with substitutions for mayonnaise in sandwiches. For example, try replacing fat-laden mayonnaise in egg salad sandwiches with fibre-filled hummus (lemon-dill hummus is especially tasty!).

When making pizza or casseroles, use cheese with stronger flavour so you can use less of it and still get great taste. Try sharp cheddar, Swiss or Parmesan in sauces or casseroles. For pizza, mix part-skim mozzarella with freshly grated Parmesan try Monterey Jack. A little goes a long way! Look for part-skim varieties with 40% less fat.

Substitute 2% evaporated milk for some or all of the artery-clogging cream in soups and sauces.

Add fibre to muffins and loaves by blending all-purpose flour with wheat bran in a 3:1 ratio (1½ cups flour plus ½ cup wheat bran), or use high-fibre Robin Hood Nutri-Flour Blend, which bakes like white flour but contains healthy wheat bran.

Do you have food question for the Podleski sisters? Don’t be shy. This is your chance to tap into their wealth of food knowledge. Please post your questions for them below.

Ask a Host is featured Tuesdays.

Disclaimer: This page and all comments are maintained and moderated by Foodtv.ca. We encourage your comments and opinions; however, please note that questions directed to Michael Smith will not be responded to by the foodnetwork.ca team or Janet and Greta Podleski. Please do not post personal information including email or home addresses and phone numbers. If you have questions relating to this feature, Food Network Canada or this website, please visit our Contact Us  page.

Related:

• February Cooking Club Results: Shockolate Cheesecake
• Ask a Host with Janet and Greta: What's a Healthy Way to Thicken Sauces?
• Ask the "Big Cheese": What Happens to the Food Cooked During Taping of Shows?

(Maple caramelized pumpkin encrusted breast-milk cheese with texturized concord grapes courtesy of Chef Daniel Angerer)

I’m being totally serious! A chef in New York is raising plenty of eyebrows, not to mention a chorus of ewwwwwwws, by putting cheese made from his wife’s breast milk on the menu.

Before you dismiss it as just plain icky, Chef Daniel Angerer, who is known for sourcing local ingredients and supporting sustainable practices, has plenty of supporters. You have to admit, it doesn’t get more local and sustainable than your wife's breast milk. And if you un-crinkle your nose long enough to think about it, is it SO different from consuming cow’s breast milk or goat’s breast milk? (And the picture does look good!)

It raises some interesting questions. I mean his wife had produced more than enough milk for their newborn daughter, which meant all that precious liquid gold was headed to the dumpster, so why not experiment?

Chef Angerer has even posted a recipe for breast milk cheese on his blog. Apparently it tastes like raw milk cheese, like really sweet cow’s milk. So what say you?

Question of the Week appears Mondays.

Related:

• Question of the Week: Have You Tried Pet Food? Be Honest!
• Question of the Week: Have You Smuggled Food Across Borders?
  

(Cured meats and sweets -- enough said!)

Florence is an architectural and artistic wonderland where at every turn, there’s a new, majestic site to behold.

But if you're like me, you like to break up the breath-taking views with something a bit more tangible -- Tuscan food! And there's no better place to witness the bounty of this Italian region than at the city's Mercato San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence Market).

From Florentine steaks fit for a king (or a group at least), to the most wonderfully sourced olive oils and rare aged Balsamic vinegars, this is a market that boldly says: Tuscan and proud of It!

Mary Luz Mejia is a Toronto-based freelance food writer, food TV producer

Related:

• Photos: Winter Farmers Market, Vancouver
• Photo: Biarritz, France

When the rare and sweet weekend comes around, do your cooking habits change. Do you cook more elaborate meals and focus on the recipes and ingredients you're using? I threw that question out there and this is what nstwinmom had to say:

Weekend Meals

"I definitely save my more elaborate and time consuming meals for weekends. This is my time for experimenting too! Mon. - Thurs. nights are so rushed, even if you've got the meal planned. If I am not rushed I enjoy preparing the meal more too!"
 
 

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March break is a time that all kids LOVE! They finally have time off of school to play and relax (yes, even the eight-year-olds need some relaxation in their life.) It's a time for them to enjoy the weather (fingers crossed) and for parents to jump through hoops figuring out what to do with their kids. Though it may involve some additional planning and work for all mom's and dad's, AvaDJ shares a great idea for you all.

March Break & Your Kitchen

"March break is a great time for us to do more baking and since the kids love getting involved in the kitchen I have extra helping hands. They love the fact that they can enjoy some decent lunches as well, a nice switch from the same old soup in a thermos or sandwich, and they get to eat in front of the TV while enjoying a movie or two."

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Ever wonder what finishing salts are? Well, have no fear kcbowie is here!

Finishing Salts?

"Finishing Salts are just a flavoured salt to enhance a dish. They are usually the last sprinkle on the plate just before it goes out to service staff. They can add flavour, colour and aroma to a dish. There are a million of them out there...or you can easily make your own."

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