I've Bean Travelling

Travel

Coming soon: Europe travel plans in 2026

Hello, I’m Jess.

Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and food adventures from around the world.

Recipes

Rosemary and thyme pot roast

According to my cursory research on Wikipedia, the concept of the pot roast is thought to have originated from French immigrants to New England, who brought their cooking method of à l’étouffée (braising) for tenderizing meats. The Americanized pot roast – sometimes known as the ‘Yankee pot roast’ – is a variation of the French…
Recipes

Rosewater meringue cookies

The first time I remember having a meringue based dessert was during a prix-fixe lunch, where the included dessert was a pavlova cake. Usually topped with whipped cream and fruit, pavlova is a popular dish in Australia and New Zealand (another place on my travel bucket list!) often served during celebratory and holiday meals. Meringue…
Recipes

Classic Thai iced tea

Today’s recipe is one of mine, so it’s super quick and easy. We may be in the dead of winter, but a sweet iced tea is always enjoyable in my books. The best Thai iced tea I’ve found in Toronto is at Pai, where I tried it for the first time. There’s also Nam Wan,…
Recipes

Heirloom tomato and prosciutto salad

One of our favourite new restaurants in town is Bar Piquette, which I wrote about in my post about what Mr. Chuckles and I have been up to in Toronto lately, in between our travels. This little neighbourhood bar restaurant specializes in small plates and wine, with a menu updated daily. A plate we really…
Recipes

Gâteau Basque with warm sherry cream

Gâteau Basque is a traditional dessert originating from the Northern Basque region of France, with a variation also common in the Southern Basque region of Spain. Constructed from layers of a wheat flour based cake, it is typically filled with black cherry jam or pastry cream. We were introduced to Gâteau Basque at Bar Isabel,…

About Jess

Hello! My name is Jess and I’m a traveller from Toronto, Canada making my way around the world and documenting my adventures for all to see. Also, I love to eat. (Read more…)