There comes a time for most of us where we look at our blog and sigh.  It’s just not doing it for us anymore.

Maybe it feels tired or old.  Or maybe it doesn’t have a slick recipe index or a sweet landing page like those other cool blogs have.   Maybe it looks cluttered or your photos don’t pop, or you hate your logo or your fonts or your background.  Or maybe it’s on Blogger and you want to be on WordPress.  Or vice versa.

Maybe you just want to scream every time you look at it.

So what to you do next?

How Do You Know When It’s Time to Hire a Professional?

For most of us, when we start our first blog we sign up for a free blogging platform, like Blogger or WordPress.com, and we use a built in theme or template.  Some of us who feel comfortable with CSS or HTML might tweak it a little to make it reflect our personality.  But very, very few of us actually hire a web designer our first trip out of the gate.

So when is the right time?  Sometimes it’s as simple as wanting something prettier and more functional than you’re able to do on your own.  But, here’s a few other signs it might be now (hint: most of them are related to earning income):

• you want to start earning income from your blog whether it’s via ads, sponsored posts or as a stepping stone to your food related freelancing business (ie, food writing, food photography, nutritional consulting etc)
• you want to move from a free platform to a self-hosted platform
• you want to move away from the standard home page of a list of blog posts to something more interactive that encourages browsing
• you’re ready to work with brands and as such, you want to make sure you have a recognizable identity
• you want to increase your traffic and subscriber rates
• you want to make your site accessible and as user friendly to your readers as possible
• you’re looking to make your site mobile device friendly

Before You Start Looking For a Designer…

Before you start your search for a web designer you need to sit down and think about what it is you want to achieve with a redesign.  This is different for every blog so it’s important you think about the direction you want to take your blog in.

Here’s a few things to consider and do before you start your designer search (TIP: a good designer is going to ask you a LOT of questions before they put together a quote for you so you might as well be prepared – you’ll impress them if you are!)

Start Researching

• start looking critically at other blogs in your genre. Start with the ones you usually read but then start looking for “new to you” food blogs
• start looking at other genres.  Food blogging is very visual so why not seek out some design, fashion or photography blogs for some new layout inspiration?
• ask yourself what it is you like?  Is it the colours, the layout, the use of space, the graphics, the flow, specific features, the feeling it evokes?
• make notes of the features you like AND dislike.  As important as it is to be able to tell a potential designer what you like, telling them what turns you off is also very helpful!

Start Planning

• what’s your time frame? When do you want your new look to launch?  Most blog projects can take 4-8 weeks to complete (this can vary widely).  Also consider, the designer you really want to work with may not have any open slots to start working with you immediately. You may have to go on a wait list if they’re in high demand.
• make a list of goals for your new site: is it increased traffic, increased email subscribers, more e-book sales, more page views/vist?  This will vary dramatically from blogger to blogger so don’t get caught up in what other bloggers are doing – think about what YOU want to do
• decide on features that are critical to you.  Do you need a recipe index?  Will you be sharing videos?  Do your photos need to be the star?
• order your goals and features in order of importance – this will help if your budget is limited and you need to make tough choices
• think waaaaay into the future.  Even if you can’t afford to implement some changes now, being able to tell your designer the direction you want to head in means they can design with the future in mind.

Start Budgeting and Saving

Budgets differ radically – anywhere from $30 for an Elegant Themes template to 10s of thousands of dollars for a full blown corporate e-commerce site.  If you’re a blogger and you want custom design work done, you should probably budget in the $500 – $5000 range.  That’s still a pretty big range! It will vary based on your needs and, to a degree, the designer you choose to work with.

Starting the Search – Where to Look

Finding a web designer is sort of like looking for a needle in a haystack.  How do you even know where to start?

• Those blogs you liked in the last step?  Take a look in their footers and see if there’s a designer credit.  If so, follow the link!
• Ask! Ask your fellow bloggers, especially if you love their site.  Ask your friends or family who run small businesses who they’ve worked with.

Web design is very much a word of mouth business so don’t be shy to ask for recommendations.

You’ve Got a Handful of Names…

Do your research.  I’m always amazed by how many inquiries I get where it’s obvious the potential client hasn’t even made an attempt to check out my portfolio or the type of work I do.   This doesn’t do anyone any favours.

Web Designers are not created equal – and I don’t mean that in a negative way.  A neurosurgeon is very different from a pediatrician.  They’re both doctors but you wouldn’t go see either of them if you had a heart condition!

Many designers specialize in specific platforms, like Blogger, self-hosted WordPress sites, Joomla, etc.  Some only work with e-commerce systems or large companies.  Some specialize in transferring from one CMS to another. Many will have a specific budget range that they like to work with.

Also, keep in mind that a Web Designer is different from a Web Developer.

Designers do just that: design.   They work mainly with CSS, HTML and javascript and usually have a very good understanding of how users interact with websites. They excel at visual communication. Often, they have a graphic design background and can also help you with other aspects of your brand identity like business cards, logos,  or social media collateral.

Developers make things work.  They program with languages like PHP, mySQL or Ruby and most of their work is behind the scenes coding and debugging.

In some cases designers and developers will have overlapping skill sets but it’s rare to find one that excels in both fields.  Most bloggers should be looking for a competent designer.  Odds are good that they’ll have a developer or two that they work with to help with some of the heavy lifting.

Check out the portfolios and websites for everyone on your list.  Do you like the feel of their work?  Do they work with bloggers?  Do they work with the CMS that you want to use? That should help you narrow it down and when you have 2-4 names that you’re interested in, it’s time to make an inquiry.

We’ll cover that and the next steps next week in part two of How To Find the Right Web Designer for Your Blog series.

Are You A Web Designer and an FBC Member?

We’re looking for FBC members who are also web designers.  If you’re a full time web/graphic designer, work with bloggers and are currently accepting clients, let us know.  We’ll be featuring a list of available FBC Member designers in next week’s part two post.  Please contact Melissa if you fit the bill.  Deadline to get your name listed is end of day, May 27th, 2013.

How to Find the Right Web Designer For Your Blog, Part 1,  was written by FBC co-founder Melissa Hartfiel.  Melissa is a freelance web designer and photographer at Fine Lime Designs by day.  She lives and breathes CSS and HTML.  By night she writes Eyes Bigger Than My Stomach as well as being the all round FBC design & technology gopher.

Connect with Melissa on Twitter: @mhchipmunk, Pinterest, or Facebook: Eyes Bigger Than My Stomach and Fine Lime Designs.

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

Happy 1000 Members to All of Us

We’ve said this before… we sorta thought when we started FBC that it would top out around the 500 member mark.  Well, this week we doubled it.  And we did it all thanks to all of you, just like anybody does anything… one step (or in our case, one member) at a time!

We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with all of you which is why we’ve got some fun giveaways happening!  Tune in every Tuesday for the next few weeks for a new contest each week – just for members!  That’s right, these are Members’ Only so you must log-in.  We’re going to kick it off tomorrow with something fun with KitchenAid Canada so be sure to tune in!

Our Pinterest Members’ Board

A couple of weeks ago we told you we were on pinterest.  Now we’ve got our feet wet and are a little more organized, we’ve taken FBC Member Barry Parsons’ (from Rock Recipes) suggestion to create a group board for all our members to pin their posts to.  You have to be invited but if you’re an FBC Member and you follow us on Pinterest, we’ll be sure to ask you to join in!  Thanks for the great suggestion Barry!

And be sure to check out our Facebook page on Sunday’s for Pin It Sunday where you can share your favourite post based on our theme for the week… we’ll pin all posts shared, as long as you’re an FBC Member and it fits the theme.  (If you’re an FBC member on pinterest and we’re not following you, let us know!)

Foodie Pages Box Winner

The winner of the Foodie Pages “Be Inspired” contest was Sarah Reynolds with her curried citrus yogurt sauce. Congrats Sarah – we’ll be in touch with you to get all your details to Foodie Pages!

Biosnacky 10 Day Sprouting Challenge

Want to grow something tasty and good for you and do it fast?  You should check out the Biosnacky 10 Day Challenge from A. Vogel to get a chance to try their famous sprouting system – they’re looking for food, health and nutrition bloggers to give it a whirl.

Rolling Spoon

FBC Member Julie Van Rosendaal of Dinner With Julie has started a new blogging adventure that connects music with food.  Her partner in crime on this new site is Elizabeth Booth.  Based in Calgary, the site is called, appropriately, Rolling Spoon.  Stop on by and see what they’re all about.

New Members

A big welcome to all our new members this week.  We’re thrilled to have you all on board!

• Village Cooking (ON)
• Kiwi & Bean (ON)
• Little Miss Andrea (AB)
• da Butchers Daughter (ON)
• The Cautious Vegetarian (BC)
• Tales of a Ranting Ginger (ON)
• This is It Nutrition (ON)
• Phoodographs (ON)
• Hungry Janey (NB)

Name: Marlene Cornelis (aka, Musing Mar)

Blog name and URL: Life Through the Kitchen Window (http://lifethroughthekitchenwindow.com)

Where were you born?  Sarnia, Ontario

Where are you living now? London, Ontario

Why did you start your blog? Several years ago I experienced a serious repetitive strain injury in both wrists. Imagine if you could barely touch a keyboard, cook or hold a book to read … that’s where I was for quite some time. Once I began to recover, I wanted to start doing the things I loved again, but in moderation. Quite out of the blue, the idea of writing a food blog occurred to me as a channel for creative expression, combining my passions for cooking and writing (photography was a scant afterthought at that point). I was attracted to the idea that a blog would always be complete, the sum of each post, and I could pace myself as need be. I’d never read any food blogs and was quite unfamiliar with the blogosphere in general, but plunged in and have been learning and loving it ever since.

How did you decide on your blog name? I was drawn to blog titles that were clever, arty and sassy. Try as I might, I simply couldn’t come up with a name like that for mine. At the time, my kitchen overlooked the herb garden, and I liked the idea of what could be seen through the window. Looking out, I saw beautiful herbs to use in my cooking, and looking in, my family and friends could see me preparing good food for them. So that’s how Life Through the Kitchen Window came to be. It’s not flashy, but it is sincere.

What do you blog about? Mostly, I write about what we’re eating, and sometimes we eat what I’m blogging about. I’m committed to using whole foods, locally sourced where possible, with an emphasis on healthy cooking. Of course, there’s always room for a decadent dessert along the way. It’s important to me that my food is accessible. For the most part, I write for people who are learning how to cook and few of my recipes are complex. I also share my kitchen misadventures. After all these years in the kitchen I still make silly mistakes, and I hope it gives heart to a newbie to hear they’re not the only ones who burn cookies.

What post are you most proud of and why? This feels a lot like being asked which of my children is my favourite! I did a post last fall called Post-Market Marathon, Or, What To Do With Lots of Tomatoes & Peppers.

It exemplifies what the blog stands for: fresh, local produce being stored to use throughout the winter as the basis for a variety of dishes. I talked about making tomato sauce, roasting tomatoes and red peppers, and also freezing tomatoes. I link back to that post frequently when writing about other dishes that feature these items.

Which post do you wish received more love and why? Oh, there are many of those, but the first thing that comes to mind is A Sultry Cookie for Leonard.

I’ve been crushing on Leonard Cohen ever since my friends gave me a book of his poetry for my 18^th birthday. My daughter and I saw him in concert in London last December and he was amazing. I published this post after I got home that night. Not only was it an ode to Leonard (be still, my fluttering heart), but the cookie is my favourite and I’m proud of the photography too.

Which post’s success surprised you and why? While we were at the cottage last summer I made a lemon posset for the first time and wrote about it.

We don’t get wifi at the lake, so we drove up to a restaurant on the highway where I could get online and post it. It’s such a simple, unassuming dish but it’s had more attention than most other desserts I’ve posted. We can’t overestimate the charm and attraction of simple food.

What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without? I’m going to say my iPad because I’m an avid reader and for a long time I could only read on the tablet. It’s still a challenge for me to hold a book for long, so I can’t imagine being without the iPad. I love that I can download library books to it.

What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without? I have a KitchenAid stand mixer that I’ve had for something like 14 years and it’s still going strong. I couldn’t imagine making a buttercream or meringue without it. I’m going to cheat and mention something else, and that’s a quality chef’s knife. It’s so satisfying to have a good sharp knife for all the chopping, dicing, slicing and mincing that goes on around here.

Favourite food, care to share a recipe? I fell in love with a Brussels Sprouts salad last year. You can find the recipe in a post called Not My Mother’s Spruitjes.

What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page? Gosh, how much to reveal? My “About” page notes that I’m a Certified 4-H Homemaker who grew up on a farm, but I think I failed to mention the accordion playing and Fair Queen title.

What makes your blog unique? Life Through the Kitchen Window is a true expression of my interests and passions. I hope it’s my voice and the little pieces of life I share that make it unique.

Life through the Kitchen Window on Facebook
Marlene on Twitter
Marlene on Pinterest    

What a perfect object lesson: Never judge a country by a cartoon.

Once I got over my gnawing sense of inadequacy as the only American at the first Food Bloggers of Canada conference—and as its keynote speaker, no less—I was charmed. Utterly charmed. And I don’t mean that in a provincial, patronizing, aren’t-they-cute kind of way. Everything—from the wonderful conversation at the bar of the Hockley Valley Resort while waiting for my room (who actually speaks to strangers at a bar unless they’re looking to get picked up?) to the final embraces of conference founders Mardi Michels, Melissa Hartfiel, and Ethan Adeland as I headed out the door on my way back home—was special.

So entranced was I by my brief sojourn to an outlying town near Toronto that I contemplated mounting a campaign to convince The One (Who Brings Me Love, Joy, and Happiness) to move our upcoming summer vacation from Mount Desert Island, Maine, 706 miles west to Ontario.

Certainly the enchantment could have been due to the short and intense time we had together—not unlike an incredible first date. But it wasn’t just the initial chemistry that struck me. Everything about the conference worked beautifully. (Okay, so the power outage was challenging. Through it all, though, Ethan soldiered on and got me to a working outlet so I could revamp my keynote speech on my computer. Of course, the Internet was down, so it couldn’t be printed and I had to riff on some scribbled margin notes. But that’s another story for another time.)

The structure of the conference was unique, at least to me. Having everyone in the same room for the entire event gave all of us time to get to know each other, grow with each other, and share a communal experience. And that, to me, is the single most important aspect of a conference: that the attendees have a shared experience upon which to build a future, both personally and professionally. Dare I count the number of conferences I’ve gone to with friends, only to discover we had completely different experiences, leaving us zilch common ground? I dare not.

Looking beyond structure and schedules, I learned as much from my fellow bloggers as from the folks on the dais (including the fact that Canada doesn’t have a president, which I’m still not convinced is true). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner turned into quite delicious working meals, as plenty of information was lobbed back and forth over the tables. Casual time in the lobby became a chance to learn about new technologies or an old recipe. Even the ride from the resort to the airport after the conference proved insightful in many ways.

Since my return, I’ve been asked again and again what is the one thing I’ve taken away from the event. My answer is the people. Quite simply, they had me at “eh?” Their warmth, generosity, and humility made me fall—and fall hard.

So from now on I’m changing my tune from “Blame Canada” to “O Canada!”—the William Shatner version, of course.

William Shatner Sings O Canada by Jacob Medjuck, National Film Board of Canada

David Leite is the author of The New Portuguese Table: Exciting Flavors from Europe’s Western Coast, which won the 2010 IACP First Book/Julia Child Award and for which he received the 2009 National Leadership Award from the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS). Leite’s Culinaria, which David created in 1999, won the 2007 James Beard Award for Web Site Focusing on Food, Beverage, Restaurant, or Nutrition and the 2006 James Beard Award for Best Food Web Site, a 2006 Food Blog Award, the 2005 World Food Media Award for Best Food and/or Drink Web Site, and was named Best Writer’s Web Site for 2002 by Writer’s Digest. David is also podcasting these days, check it out.

Bloggers start your rinsing! A.Vogel Canada is looking for food, health and nutrition bloggers to try our world-famous sprouting system and report on the results. Do you have what it takes?

Here’s what you get:

1. A bioSnacky 3-tier sprouter with organic sprouting seeds shipped to your door! (You get to keep the sprouter.)
2. The chance to win a 1-year supply of BioSnacky organic sprouting seeds!
Plus – Traffic, links, mentions, support and social media reciprocity from A.Vogel Canada. (Our e-newsletter alone goes out to over 100,000 subscribers.)

Cool right?

 Here’s what we need from you -

• Be Canadian eh (i.e. have a Canadian blog and audience)
• Start sprouting on June 20, 2013
• Post a minimum of 2 blog posts about your BioSnacky experience between June 20 – June 30, 2013 (Product review, Sprouting insights, Pictures, Recipes, Menu ideas etc)
• Post a minimum of 5 updates on your social media channels between June 20 – June 30, 2013 (Links, Photos etc)
• Participate in our wrap-up twitter party July 2, 2013 8pm EST 5pm PST

Interested?

• Email justice(at)multibird(dot)com a few words explaining why you want to be part of the BioSnacky 10-Day Sprouting Challenge.  (Important – Put SPROUTING CHALLENGE in the subject line!)
• Include links to your blog and social media sites.
• Hurry, sprouting starts June 20, and we need to get your sprouter shipped to you!

Contact: justice(at)multibird(dot)com

Selection will be complete by the end of May, and participants will be confirmed via email by June 1, 2013.

A. Vogel website
A. Vogel on Facebook
A. Vogel on Twitter
Hashtag: #bioSnackySprouts

Traditional Homemade Indian Samosas from the Tiffin Box in the FBC flickr group

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

Be Well with Canola

We’re excited to share with you the winners of the Be Well with Canola contest.  The two winners were selected at random by Manitoba Canola Growers using random.org.  As different as their stories were, their passions are equally the same. The national winner is a professional Home Economist and FBC Member Mairlyn Smith from Toronto,  and the Manitoba winner is farmer Curtis McRae.  Each one wins a video prize package estimated at over $5000 giving them the opportunity to share their stories and inspire others. Meet the winners here and watch for their Be Well Stories soon!

Eat! Vancouver – Media Passes (VANCOUVER)

For any of our member in the greater Vancouver area who would like to cover Eat! Vancouver at BC Place later this month for their blogs, media credentials are available.  You will need to fill out the Media Accreditation form, available on the Eat! Vancouver website.  You’ll also find information on the site if you wish to request an interview with any of the presenters or vendors.

A Canadian Food Experience

Feeling a little inspired by FBC2013, Valerie from A Canadian Foodie, is putting together a great blogging project for Canadian food bloggers called The Canadian Food Experience.  Following up on Dana McCauley’s call to action to fly our Canadian flag, Valerie is starting a project to get fellow food bloggers to post about a unique Canadian experience on the 7th of each month.  If you think you might want to participate, be sure to check out Valerie’s project!

New Members

Please give a warm welcome to all our new members this week.  We are just shy of 1000 and we expect to hit that milestone next week.  Please be sure to tune in then because we have a little bit of a celebration planned for all of you.  There might even be a few goodies!

• The Starving Student (AB)
• Dietetic Directions (ON)
• Veg Coast (BC)
• Celiac Baby! (ON)
• City Spice (NS)
• In Search of Yummy-Ness (ON)
• ivysmushbowl (BC)
• Village Cooking (ON)

Blog name and URL: Baking in Saskatoon http://bakinginsaskatoon.com

Where were you born? Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

Where are you living now? Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Why did you start your blog? When I moved to Canada I got my own kitchen and started baking more than I used to. Going through a good amount of recipes I thought I should record them somehow. I have a personal blog but thought that I should have a separate blog to keep track of those recipes. Having access to them at any time or any location as long as it has internet was what really got me started.

How did you decide on your blog name?  It took a while to figure out a good name. I knew my main focus would be baking since that is my passion. But I also wanted to let people know where I am hailing from so they would understand the context. Baking in Saskatoon seemed quite appropriate.

What do you blog about?  As the title says, it’s all about baking though after a while I also added cooking recipe. The main focus is German recipes since those are the things from my childhood, what I grew up with. My husband is Canadian so I like to share with him and his family all those German things.

Furthermore, I also bake and cook North American style. Whatever interests me or what might be trendy – like Cake Pops – I will take on. But I also will not shy away from international recipes.

What post are you most proud of and why?

I guess I have to say Angry Bird Cake Pops.

I love making cake pops, they are so much fun and you can do so many things with them. When a friend ask me to make Angry Bird cake pops for her son’s birthday I didn’t hesitate. There was a good amount of research involved to figure out the characters and details. It took a real good while to figure how to make those details and how many of them I could make. The result was amazing and I am really proud of it. The mom loved them, so did the kid but he was quick to point out that I was missing a character.

Which post do you wish received more love and why?

In the summer time you get a lot of rhubarb in Saskatchewan and I have a recipe for Rhubarb Streusel Cake, which is very typical German. It is also completely different from what most people do with their rhubarb because uses no other fruit, just rhubarb and streusel. I think more people should try it that way, they will be surprise how good rhubarb can be on its own.

Which post’s success surprised you and why?

The Japanese Chocolate Cornets’ success completely surprised me.

It has nothing to do with German or Canadian recipes, it was just something fun I tried. Now it’s the 4^th most visited post I have. Maybe it’s all those anime/manga lovers out there who see chocolate cornets in their show and want to make them too. I really love them myself and think they are great to give to your kids.

What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without?

Hands down, my laptop and the internet. It keeps me connected with my family and friends back home. I talk every weekend with my mother via Skype, and connect with friends over Facebook.
Once I asked my brother’s girlfriend to call my grandmother to clarify a recipe for me. It was a bit late there and I didn’t want to startle her by calling myself. Thanks to the internet all of this is so easy now.

What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without?  My Candy Apple Red KitchenAid that my husband gave me for our first wedding anniversary. I love it because it’s so universal and easy to use. The attachments are great too and it’s a quality that will last.

Favourite food, care to share a recipe?  I guess you would expect a baking recipe right now but I have to go with my family’s Lentil Soup. Something typical German again and I could eat this every week. The surprise about this soup is that you eat it with a bit of sugar and vinegar. It really gives the soup a whole different level of flavor. My Canadian family was quite surprised but liked it a lot.

What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page?  I am not sure how obvious it is on my blog but I grew up in the GDR, behind the iron curtain. We had a big garden and grew a lot of food there from fruit to vegetables, and canning and preserving was a big deal to us. That’s why I also love canned peas can eat those cold right out of the can. Many will find this weird but for me, that’s the taste of home.

What makes your blog unique?  I think as a mostly new immigrant to Canada with a German background I have a unique view on cooking and baking. The goal is to combine both cultures and explore both equally, though I have to admit the German side is a bit more prominent.

Also, I like to show people how easy it is to cook and bake. Many think it’s tricky or difficult but it’s actually not that hard and I often surprise myself with that. There are recipes, like yeast dough, that I always thought were difficult. But in reality that’s not true. I want people to know that you can bake and cook and it doesn’t have to be tricky or difficult. You just need to be a bit bold and don’t worry too much.

 Baking in Saskatoon on Facebook
Andrea on Twitter
Andrea on Pinterest

Not sure where to take mom this year?  Well our roundup might just give you a few ideas – or you might just want to treat yourself!

Our Favourite Choices for Canadian Brunch Spots

Let’s start on the west coast this month…

Vancouver Island’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Gwen from Devour & Conquer chose Nanaimo’s Longwood Brewpub for her brunch spot of note.

While a local brewpub restaurant may sound like an unorthodox brunch choice, Nanaimo’s Longwood Brewpub remains a popular favourite on Vancouver Island, winning ‘Best Brunch in the City’ the past six years running. The buffet is a tasty combination of brunch classics and fresh Pacific seafood, the restaurant’s staff are friendly and attentive, and the great hillside location gives diners panoramic views of the nearby mountain range.y

Be sure to read Gwen’s full review of Longwood Brewpub and you can check the restaurant out on twitter at @LongwoodBrewpub.

Vancouver’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Let’s hop the strait over to the mainland to check out Sean at Sean’s Adventures in Flavourtown‘s choice of Stanley Park’s Fish House.

It’s a brunch paradise in Vancouver but my choice for the best place that is very family friendly is the Fish House in Stanley Park.  Serving up some of the best Ocean Wise seafood and fish in Vancouver they put a great twist on brunch that let’s the best of the West Coast shine.

Read Sean’s full review here and you can check out @FishHouseSP on twitter

Calgary’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Next spot on the brunch tour is Calgary with Dan at Dan’s Good Side.  Dan has a knack for sniffing out great brunch wherever he is and his choice for Calgary is Borgo Trattoria.

I consider myself somewhat of a brunch connoisseur. Regardless of if I’m at home or traveling abroad, my Saturday and Sunday mornings are always dedicated to locating some of the best brunch dishes in any given city. I am always a sucker for a solid eggs benny, but, let’s face it, every good place has one of those. Here in Calgary, Borgo Trattoria has an egg dish, ‘Purgatorio’, which knocks it out of the park. Pancetta, eggs in a sweet tomato sauce and grilled crostini. It doesn’t get sexier than this folks!

You can read Dan’s full review on Avenue Magazine and check out @borgotrattoria on twitter.

Winnipeg’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Kathryne at Food Musings picked a spot that will make the whole family feel at home – Southdale Village Family Restaurant…

When deciding upon the perfect spot for Mother’s Day bunch, I think that it is a good idea to search out a place where your young family will feel comfortable-the Southdale Village Family Restaurant in Winnipeg is such a place

You’ll want to check out Kathryne’s full review of Southdale on her blog.

Toronto’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Toronto’s Stella at Food Junkie Chronicles pick Splendido as her brunch spot of choice in Toronto.

Indulge yourself in Splendido’s fancy Sunday brunch because it is totally worth it! Their $35 two-course brunch, dubbed “The Spread”, begins with an impressive array of freshly baked pastries, housemade charcuterie, pickles and fine cheeses. This is then followed by a choice of ten classy mains such as eggs Benedict, Croque Madame, open face lobster sandwich, brioche French toast, and beef tartar. Doon’t forget the cocktails.

Be sure to read Stella’s full review of Splendido and check out @Splendido_TO on twitter.

Ottawa’s Favourite Brunch Spot

The gang at FoodiePrints decided on Chez Edgar for their Ottawa brunch pick.

Chez Edgar has been capturing the hearts of Ottawa residents since its opening in October 2010.  Recently featured on season 2 of Food Network Canada’s You Gotta Eat Here, this small, yet charming and humble eatery is the sister restaurant to the equally well-known Odile.  Edgar’s brunch and lunch offerings have hungry patrons lining out the door every week.  Chef/Owner Marysol Foucault’s famous Dutch Baby is absolutely to die for.  Savory, rich, sweet and fruity, this fluffy pancake with apples, pork belly, aged cheddar and maple syrup will have you coming back for more.  It’s well-worth the trek across the river into Gatineau, QC.  A perfect way to celebrate spring and Mother’s Day!

You can see the full FoodiePrints review of Chez Edgar.

Quebec City’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Marie from Food Nouveau chose Le Clocher Penché as her favourite brunch spot in Quebec City:

My favorite place to have brunch in Quebec City is without hesitation Le Clocher Penché. A casual bistro opened over 10 years ago, it’s a beloved local institution. You know those popularly used words we hear so much today – fresh, local, seasonal, artisanal – well, they’ve always been at the forefront of Le Clocher Penché’s mission. A warm and inviting interior, friendly and efficient service, impeccably executed creative terroir cuisine and a moderately priced menu all make this restaurant top countless favorites list. Although it’s a great place to share any meal, I believe their weekend morning menu is especially irresistible. Undoubtedly the most inventive brunch in the city, the dishes range from sweet to savory, from classic (but reinvented) breakfast dishes like French toast and Eggs Benedict to out-of-the-box options like tartare and black pudding. The menu is short but well thought-out and it has something for everyone – plus, it changes regularly according to seasons, ensuring regulars always have something new to try.

You can read Marie’s full review of Le Clocher Penché on About’s Go Montreal page.

Montreal’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Let’s jump over to Montreal with Jason at Shut Up And Eat.  How can you not be intrigued by a brunch spot called Prohibition?

 Prohibition’s lemon ricotta pancakes, blueberry compote and sugar bacon. A fat stack of pancakes is always one of the best ways to start the day and end the weekend, especially if it’s sided with two thick slices of fried bacon. Great inspired menu: Challah fresh toast with fried chicken, poached eggs on a savoury yogurt, or homemade vietnamese sausage to same other options as well.

Read Jason’s full review of Prohibition on Shut Up And Eat.

Halifax’s Favourite Brunch Spot

Kathy Jollimore at Eat Halifax chose The Coastal Cafe as her brunch pick.

When it comes to weekend brunch, Halifax has got eggs and bacon covered. But my pick for our city’s best dishes up creative brunches all week long. With a mere 25 seats, chances are you’ll be waiting to get your fix at The  Coastal Cafe but it’ll be the best 15 minutes you’ve ever spent. Where else can you find dishes like the Durty Bird, a buffalo chicken, bacon and guac breakfast sandwich that would make the Colonial himself gasp in disbelief.

With inventive takes on waffles, scrambles, and other mind blowing dishes rounding out the seasonal menu, there is literally is something for everyone. And don’t even get me started on the lunch menu. So, the next time you imbibe a little too much and are looking for the cure, forgo the greezy bacon n’ eggs, get in that line and put your belly in the hands of Chef Mark Giffin

You can check out Kathy’s full post on Coastal Cafe on Eat Halifax and you can check out @thecoastalcafe on twitter.

Don’t agree with our choices?  Well… tell us yours in the comments! We’d love to hear them!

Big thanks to our entire Restaurant Roundup Crew for sharing their favourite brunch spots.  They’ll all be back next month just in time for Mother’s Day with their top choices for brunch spots across Canada!  Check it out if you’re looking for a great place to treat Mom!

Don’t see your city listed here?  Do you review restaurants on your blog and are you an FBC Member?  Then let us know! We’re still looking for folks in Kelowna, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Fredericton, St. John’s and Charlottetown.  You can reach out to us through our Contact page.

***all images are courtesy of our Restaurant Roundup Crew.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Cherry Bomb Kitchen in the FBC flickr pool.

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

After a month of traveling the country in April and seeing far too much snow for my liking, I think it might be safe to say that spring has finally arrived with the start of May (or maybe even summer, depending on where you are).  And thank goodness for that!  So let’s kick winter to the curb and get on with what’s happening!

We’re On Pinterest!

We finally got on board with all the pinning (we couldn’t resist after getting all of Aimée’s tips).  You can find us here.  We’d love to have you follow us and our goal is to follow all of our members who are on pinterest so if we’re not following you yet, leave your handle in the comments and we will.  We’ll be pinning lots of member content, our restaurant roundup crew’s reviews, blogging tips and more!

April Winners from Janes and Arla

It’s time to announce our lucky member winners for April!

First up is the monthly random member draw from our Weekly News sponsor, Janes Family Foods.  Random.org chose the winner from our 985 members and it is…

#237: Jenelle Antolin from I Taste and See! Congrats Jenelle – you’ve won some free product coupons from Janes! Melissa will be in touch via email to get all your mailing details.

Next up is our Featured Member Blog winner for April from our Featured Blogger sponsor, Arla foods.  This is chosen from our list of featured bloggers for April by Random.org.  And this month it is…

Bryan Picard from The Bite House! Congrats Bryan, you’ve won $25 worth of gift certificates for your choice of Tre Stelle, Castello, Apetina or Dofino cheese (or a mix of all of them!).  Melissa will be in touch via email to get your mailing details.

Dorset Cereals – sample, blog and win!

Dorset Cereals is offering 15 Food Bloggers of Canada members free samples of their entire seven-recipe product line. 10 samples are available for FBC members in Ontario and 5 for FBC members in BC. Check out the offer in the Members’ Only ares (login for details!)

Cook it. Share it. Live it. Food Revolution Day 2013 is May 17th

Food Revolution Day 2013 is a day for raising awareness and education to empower people to make better food choices, something we know you, dear Food Bloggers of Canada members are already passionate about.  It’s a day for people to come together in homes, schools, workplaces and communities to cook and share their kitchen skills, food knowledge and resources.  With your professional know-how in the Canadian food community we are reaching out to ask you to get on the Food Revolution Day bandwagon and participate! Find out how here.

Mother’s Day is This Weekend

Not sure where to take Mom out this weekend for her special day? No fear, our intrepid restaurant crew will have their favourite picks for brunch in their cities on Wednesday so stay tuned for some great ideas later this week!

The Everything Guide to Living Gluten-Free

FBC member Jeanine Friesen from The Baking Beauties is the latest proud author in our membership with her new book, The Everything Guide to Living Gluten-Free (Adams Media) which was released in March.  You can read more about the book, as well as ordering information right here.  Congrats Jeanine! (and we have some plans to get one lucky member a copy of Jeanine’s book so stay tuned!)

New Members

Back with the second half of our mammoth list of new members.  We’re just shy of 1000 and stay tuned – we’ve got some goodies lined up for all of you to celebrate when we hit that milestone!

• Food is Life (ON)
• The Local Kitchener (ON)
• Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen (AB)
• Locavore Girl in the City (ON)
• The Experimental Cupcake (ON)
• The Healthy Maven (ON)
• The Culinary Chase (NS)
• Fat Girl Food Squad (ON)
• Afrolems (ON)
• Healthy Husband Happy Wife (ON)
• Chez Julien (QC)
• Food For Thought (ON)
• Ramblings From the Complex Mind of a 20 Something (QC)
• Katheryn’s Kitchen (AB)
• On Crawford Street (ON)
• Happy Gourmand (BC)
• Food & Recreation (ON)
• Big Plate, Small Bites (BC)
• Running on Real Food (BC)
• BarrhavenBites (ON)
• Alyssa Luckhurst (ON)

Business Members

• Loaf Bakery (BC)
• A Taste of Burlington (ON)
• Ketchum PR (ON)
• Maple Leaf Foods

Alberta Weekly Farmer’s Markets:

Times, locations and dates of all Farmers’ Markets in Alberta: http://www2.alberta.com/guides/farmers_markets/ab_markets.html

Alberta Food Festivals & Events

An Evening to Remember Charity Gala, 6 PM, May 3rd, 2013, Calgary Petroleum Club, 6 PM, 319 – 5th Ave. SW. Presented by The Little Black Dress Affair for Your Life Counts. Black-tie dinner, dance and silent auction in support of Your Life Counts. Information and tickets, $150, at yourlifecounts.org

AGCCooks Culinary Competition Fundraiser, May 8th 2013, Calgary, AB. AGCcooks is an annual celebration showcasing Calgary’s top chefs in a friendly culinary competition. On Wednesday, May 8, 2013 six of Calgary’s hottest restaurants will gather at The AGC to compete against one another for the hearts and taste buds of Calgary’s foodies. Each chef will create a superior four-course feast designed around a secret ingredient disclosed to them only days before the event. Guests dine on one of the exceptional meals, each course paired with fine wine expertly chosen by each restaurant’s sommelier. http://artgallerycalgary.org/fundraisers/agccooks/

Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, May 10 – May 11, 2013, Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB. A great escape for a weekend of great food from Banff’s most popular restaurants, local and international wines, premium spirits, and import and micro-brewed beer. Make it a gourmet getaway with special hotel packages. For details and tickets, visit rockymountainwine.com

Intro to YYC Gardening, May 12th, 2013, Calgary, AB. A course to help you grow vegetables in Calgary’s erratic climate, offered by Tinyplots owners Jordan and Justin Brown and Benny Lin, registration and details at tinyplots.com

Calgary Street Food Festival at the Kingsland Farmers’ Market, May 17th 2013, KFM, 7711 Macleod Tr. SW, Calgary, AB. Featuring 12 Food Trucks and market food vendors serving up the latest and greatest in street food from all over the world, 5 – 8 p.m.  Night market, music, entertainment, prizes and celeb judges deciding on Calgary’s best street food.

7th Annual Celebrity Burger Cook-Off, Noon – 4 PM, May 25th, 2013, The Main Dish, Bridgeland. In support of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta. Eat great burgers cooked by The Main Dish chefs assisted by our famous local athletes, like world cup champ bobsledder Kaillie Humphries.

4th Street Lilac Festival, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. May 26th, 2013, 4th St. SW from 13th Ave to Elbow Dr. Calgary, AB. Local musicians, more than 500 vendors from artisan crafts to imported wares to community organizations, plus a Food Truck Lane. Don’t miss it!

Ethnic Themed Friday Lunches, May 31st – August 31th, Beaverlodge, AB. Are you an adventurous diner? Try a different ethnic inspired lunch each Friday between 11:30 am & 1:30 pm, then check out our working steam powered farm equipment museum. http://www.spcm.ca/whatsnew.html

Pumpkin Growing Contest, March 23rd to September 07, 2013, Berwyn, AB. Pick Up Seeds at Spring Farmers Markets and grow them at home. Judged at September 2013 Farmers Market – Judged for weight. http://www.albertaagsocieties.ca/

Saskatchewan Farmer’s Markets

Times, locations and dates of all Farmers’ Markets in Saskatchewan: click here.

Saskatchewan Food Festivals & Events

Vesna Festival, May 11, 2013, TCU Place, Saskatoon,  SK. The traditional Vesna Festival Cabaret will once again feature locally and nationally recognized dance groups, bands, choirs, performers, and entertainers. Ukrainian culture abounds at Vesna! Enjoy traditional Ukrainian home-cooked favourites from the Vesna kitchen or relax in Cafe Kyiv where a variety of tortes, cakes and specialty coffees are available. Spend time meandering through the Vesna cultural and art gallery or boutique where Ukrainian artwork, souvenirs, and music can be enjoyed or purchased. http://www.vesnafestival.com/

Manitoba Farmer’s Markets

Times, locations and dates of all Farmers’ Markets in Manitoba: click here and here