Uncategorized – CocoaGirlinToronto

🐟 Pickled Fish, Easter & My Cape Town Roots

The tradition I didn’t always love, but never left me. Easter growing up in Cape Town, in a Coloured family(a South African cultural identity), meant one thing… pickled fish time. It wasn’t something we planned or questioned. It just arrived. And once it did, you knew Easter had officially started. This was a tradition thatContinueContinue reading “🐟 Pickled Fish, Easter & My Cape Town Roots”

Black History Month, Through My Own Lens

In South Africa, I am not racially classified as Black. I am a Coloured woman, a race and culture with its own complex identity, history, and heritage. Many of us are deeply mixed, like I am. Our identity is layered, shaped by Indigenous, African, European, and Asian ancestry. It carries its own language, humour, traditions,ContinueContinue reading “Black History Month, Through My Own Lens”

You Don’t Move a People’s History

Photo: “Kaapse Klopse 2011” by Felix König, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Growing up, Klopse was simply part of what we knew. I had family who participated, and it was woven into the background of our lives, even though I was never someone who marched in the streets or planned my yearContinueContinue reading “You Don’t Move a People’s History”

🇹🇼 Taiwan, One Bite at a Time

Back in 2014, I flew to Taiwan for a friend’s wedding, not knowing it would turn into one of those quiet solo adventures that stay with you for quite a long time. It began with celebrations. The pre-wedding dinner was at a seafood restaurant, I can’t recall the name now (it was 2014, and IContinueContinue reading “🇹🇼 Taiwan, One Bite at a Time”

Maple Almond Cranberry Biscotti with a Rusk Heart

This bake actually started out with me wanting to make rusks, that is classic South African hard, dry biscuit that’s twice baked and made for dunking. We call it “beskuit” back home. But somewhere along the way, I decided to make things a little easier for myself, and it turned into a rustic biscotti, stillContinueContinue reading “Maple Almond Cranberry Biscotti with a Rusk Heart”

From Cape Town to Costco: Easy Garlic Lemon Trout

A few days ago, I picked up some trout. Well, to be honest, I only did because Costco didn’t have the salmon I wanted (and I love me some Costco 😆). Trout is basically salmon’s meatier cousin, similar in flavour, just a bit richer, so I figured, why not? Growing up in Cape Town, withContinueContinue reading “From Cape Town to Costco: Easy Garlic Lemon Trout”