With the onset of colder weather, we have all taken to our kitchens to cook and bake more. It's that time of year to make the best pies from the fall harvest... apples, pears, and pumpkins. If you have always wanted to try your hand at baking pies but were afraid to, join Julie Richardson of Baker & Spice as she teaches you all the tricks to baking the best pies. And, if you've ever eaten one of the pies from her bakery or the farmers market, you'll know what I mean about the best pies! Click here for details on her class.

Our winter catalog has been finalized and the January calendar is now online. February and March will soon follow.

All of us at In Good Taste wish you a happy Thanksgiving. May your turkey be the best ever!

Shannon created this delicious dessert with this time of year in mind. The recipe calls for canned pumpkin becuase that is the most convenient way to make it most of the year. But now, you can use any of the lovely pumpkins available at the farmers' market.

Last month we celebrated Diwali - the Indian festival of Lights - a week early at In Good Taste. Leena Ezekiel, cooking teacher, led us all in a culinary exchange during a fascinating cooking class.

As everyone arrived, the ladies were painted with henna by Raina Imig, a local henna artist. For days afterward, we would look down at our hands and see that beautiful artwork and think of the wonderful evening we shared.

The evening started with a traditional Indian dance by Veda Imig. It set the tone for the festivities to follow.

Leena and Raina had decorated the room with a number of traditional pieces, including a rangoli (art piece created with coloured sand that is laid out in the doorway of peoples' homes), good luck pieces, lamps lit with ghee, and lots of flowers. The room glowed in the lamplight and looked extremely festive. Leena took the time to describe each good luck piece and it's symbolism.

Back at the stove, Leena stepped us through the menu and the traditional recipes. The food was superb - as always - and I know I will make many of the recipes at home. Leena's ability to blend spices together in an exciting way always amazes me. Her food packs a huge punch of flavour that is both complex and addictive.

The Canal Lateral a la Garonne winds its way through some of France's loveliest countryside, the source of foie gras, strawberries, mushrooms, wild game, and other delicacies prized throughout Europe. Dotted along the canal, medieval villages offer traditional patisseries, shops and markets that one dreams of finding on a French vacation. This is Southwestern France, the region that Kate Hill has made her home for the last 16 plus years.

Kate Hill - cook, traveller, and author - runs her own canal-side cooking school in Gascony where she shares her knowledge of the local foods. She has written a book of recipes and local tales, A Culinary Journey in Gascony.

Kate will join us in December for a very special cooking class. We have recently added this class to the calendar; it is not in the printed catalog. So, mark your calendar now for a special treat for cooks and armchair travellers alike.

Kate's menu makes my mouth water every time I look at it.

This month, Judith turns her attention to baking as she is drawn into Dorie Greenspan's new book. If you aspire to being a better baker, read more about this book in Judith's review...

The Sili Sling is perfect for roasting turkeys, baking or poaching fish, and a variety of other baked or roasted foods. You bake/roast your foods directly on the Sling and then quickly transfer your foods from the pan to the platter or cutting board with total ease, and little mess! The Sling can hold up to an 18 lb. turkey, is dishwasher safe and heat resistant to 600 degrees.

We also have the food loops in; these are the silicon loops that make easy work of trussing your turkey. No more figuring out how to tie the bird securely.

To ensure that your turkey is properly cooked, we have a large selection of thermometers including a laser thermometer.

And, needless to say, we have a wide selection of cookbooks to instruct you on the art of Thanksgiving cooking and carving.

We have all the latest new cookbooks in stock; come and check them out today. Our favourite? That's like asking us to choose our favourite child but near the top of the list would have to be "Starting with Ingredients" by Aliza Green.