The Tribune

There’s cold, and then there’s Montreal cold: a rare breed of winter where the cold not only numbs your body, but also your mind. Soup is the perfect dinner to come home to after a mind-numbingly chilly walk. It’s hot, filling, and rich in flavor and texture.

Last week I went out for dinner with a group of friends and I got a serious case of nostalgia. We went to Delicias Colombianas, a Colombian restaurant on St. Zotique, to wish a friend bon voyage before a long trip to the Middle East. The restaurant was very accommodating for such a large group, the portions were more than generous, and the food was fresh and delicious.

In Italy, “panino” just means sandwich, usually made up of pretty basic ingredients. On this side of the Atlantic, however, the name conjures up images of crusty bread, melting cheese and piles of meat, something that seems complicated and gourmet, but doesn’t have to be.

Happy hour is a typical part of family life at my childhood best friend’s house, and her mother is an elegant woman who drinks her five’o’clock champagne cocktail religiously. Often sipped by leading ladies in classic black and white films – Bette Davis once famously said, “there comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne” – this sophisticated drink is a delicious relic of old Hollywood.

Irish coffee combines two of life’s greatest joys – caffeine and booze – in one convenient glass. The recipe below uses Jameson whiskey both because it’s delicious and tastes slightly sweet, which compliments the coffee very nicely. There are variations of this drink that include Bailey’s, crème de menthe, spices, decorative coffee beans, and lighting things on fire at strategic moments.