One minute I was surrounded by wines from sunny France and Spain. The next, I was driving through what looked suspiciously like January in my Calgary neighbourhood... on June 30. Join me for a Canada Day toast to cool-climate vineyards and a delicious coast-to-coast menu celebrating the best flavours our country has to offer.

A pot of lentils so good it deserves its own headline. Earthy, comforting, and endlessly adaptable, these heroic lentils play beautifully with crisp-skinned salmon or rich, savoury pork. Add a glass of Canadian wine - bright Riesling or a confident Cabernet Franc - and suddenly dinner feels intentional, cozy, and a little bit celebratory. Proof that simple food, done well, is never boring.