WELCOME TO MY KITCHEN...

 • Name: Corinna (Cori) Horton
• Location: Ottawa/Gatineau, Canada
• About: Food/Travel writer/photographer & cook
• Essential in the kitchen: A sharp knife
• Comfort food: Mac & Cheese
• Indulgence: Chocolate
• Red or white?: What’s open?
• Secret ingredient: LOVE

"Food, love and laughter have somehow become irrevocably entangled in my life.  Food is romance.  Food is passion.  Food is fuel.  Food is pleasure.  Food is life.  Do I eat to live or do I live to eat?  Who cares?!  Pass the wine, tell me a story and… give me this recipe!"

Corinna Horton is a food & travel writer/photographer based in Ottawa, Canada, writing about all things DELICIOUS!

But you can call me "Gypsy"...

Real food advocate.  Real wine... errrr... drinker.

In 2005 I left Calgary and a career in marketing, communications and radio (a decade at CKRYFM) and bought a big, beautiful bed & breakfast in the heart of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, creating The Dragonfly Inn.  Six months later, I suddenly found myself - alone - in the kitchen.

It was the journey I never expected.  I muddled through and soon found my own way.  The Dragonfly Inn, under my guidance, was then featured in Great Destinations Canada, A Complete Guide (Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island editon, 2009) by Nancy English.    "...and the expert advice of Cori[nna] Horton who provides all her guests with a detailed rundown of the best local restaurants."

Writing about and photographing food in my kitchen at the Dragonfly Inn delighted (and tortured) guests, family and friends for years.  Now delighting (and torturing) on a larger scale with Food Gypsy.

In March of 2010; I sold my life; my business, my home, my car (& my television) and began a new adventure.  Indulging my Gypsy self, I ate my way as a culinary tourist from Nova Scotia to New York City through Mexico, Belize, Cuba and Honduras then back to Canada for a taste of the Okanagan and the prairies, all before Labour Day (there may have been wine involved).  Along the way I gained admittance to many a kitchen and told a story or two.

What I call the 'Life from Scratch Tour'... 

That tour wrapped up in Ottawa at Le Cordon Bleu with a new (white) hat.  I learned to cook with greater expertise and higher standard of excellence.  Basic Cuisine - a certificate with my name on it - proudly hangs on the wall.  That expertize has yet to eliminate (some rather spectacular) disasters as I venture outside my comfort zone and tackle new ingredients, techniques and ideas.

Two years and 200 (+) posts later, Food Gypsy is taking on a life of it's own;

• Syndicated posts featured on BlogHer Food include The Girl with the Bacon Tattoo ,  Spicy Mulled Port - Mulled Wine's Kick-Ass Big Brother and Chef Stefan Matz - The Renaissance of Irish Cuisine
• Food Gypsy has also been added to the best of the best on All Top, under Food.
• Featured blogger on Natalie MacLean's Nat Decants, where you can find several of my wine reviews.

And now, for my next trick, this Gypsy's for hire!  Doing food & beverage marketing, communications, advertising, writing, photography, menu re-vamp, website content management (specializing in WordPress), as well  in-depth business strategy.  I particularly love working with small bushiness and entrepreneurs with vision who need an extra pair of hands or a few solid ideas to get them when they need to go.  it's like Restaurant Makeover, but at a fraction of the cost.  Put my experience to work, for your business.  Drop me a line, let's chat.

I made a whole life, from scratch.  Even met the most amazing man, over a pound of butter, my Fancy-Shmancy French Chef, Chef B.  Sometimes we play in the kitchen together.  He frequently insists I sample cheese that smells alarmingly like feet, there is often wine involved.  (Thank God!)

Now exploring Canada's creamy center filling (Ontario & Quebec) and new gastronomic adventures, wherever these Gypsy feet take me.

Corinna (Gypsy) xox
gypsy@foodgypsy.ca

IN THE GYPSY KITCHEN...

... the conversation is great. We laugh a lot.

In my kitchen there’s real food.  Honest to goodness real food.  If it doesn't have a mother or come from the ground, it’s not in my kitchen.   All the food you see here is REAL, in fact directly after we took its picture... we ate it!  There's no wax or motor oil on Food Gypsy, unless we're talkin' about cars.

Good food starts with good ingredients.  I wouldn’t dream of serving you anything less.  It’s the same with great conversations.  A measure of respect, a big handful of humor and a bottle of wine never hurt.  Food Gypsy is an ever expanding conversation.

Now we have some regular characters who appear in the Gypsy Kitchen:

Astrid:  Astrid Deslandes (aka: The French Girl) is our Food Gypsy Editor and best-est Gypsy friend.  Originally from Marseille, France currently residing in Calgary, AB Canada she is the source for fashion advice and Gluten-Free cooking.  We look forward to her posts on all things yummy and... 'pas de gluten'.

Chef B:  Chef Benoit Gelinotte, is excited to be the new Executive Chef in the brand new clubhouse at the Gatineau Golf Club.    Past Chef Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu, Ottawa (aka: The French Dude and 'the man in my life') also acts as the Food Gypsy Technical Advisor (which means he sometimes hijacks my plating).  Originally from Dijon, France he received his B.E.P - B.P. - B.T.S in culinary arts in 1991, relocating to Canada in 1992.  He's worked in several acclaimed kitchens,  in both countries indulging his great love - of butter and salt (and now GOLF). (More on Chef B)

Magnus: (aka: Mags, The Magzie) Fur kid, official gravy tester.  He has no opposable thumbs but plenty of opinions.  Opinion # 1:  there should be a special tap in the kitchen for gravy. Opinion # 2:  Broccoli, yuck.  He’s not fat… he’s a bulldog.  Fur kid #2, Miss

Teah (not pictured), resides with Chef B, frequent visitor to the Gypsy Kitchen.  Samples anything that hits the floor, is near the floor, or that she can snatch from the table while no one is looking.  Claim to fame: once consumed entire tube of CrazyGlue with no (apparent) effects.

Sandi:  Sandi Harrison (aka:  Miss Sandi Joy) - BAEd, MA is originally from Terrace, BC and currently residing in Kuwait City, Kuwait teaching English and exploring the world at large.  Sandi is also talented writer working on her first novel, avid traveler and our very first Food Gypsy Correspondent.       

Dr. Kubie: Dr. Josef Kubinec (aka: Dr. Joe), BPT, CPMA – physiotherapist, sports medicine specialist, acupuncturist, former organic farmer and restaurateur; currently based in Clementsport, NS, Canada.  Dr. Kubie's a busy guy but he’s promised to drop by on a regular basis and feed us some great food stuff to keep us healthy - between sticking pins in patients.

Oprah has Dr. Oz. this Food Gypsy has Dr. Kubie.

And then there was... YOU!  Tell us about yourself and your foodie frolics in our Foodie Forum.   Tell us where you’ve been, what you’re cooking, what you love.  Food is our greatest common denominator… what better way to get acquainted?

Come on in.  Let's chat.

Life is supposed to be FUN!