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I must admit I鈥檓 often the last one in my family to catch the holiday spirit. But the Grinch in me always fades when I聽make my first batch of Christmas cookies.

Seal food in a package, let聽it cook and bubble with flavourings and before you know it something good will come out of the oven. That must have been what a French cook was thinking when first cooking food 鈥渆n papillote.

Every year, I receive numerous cookbooks from publishers for review.

The Grey Cup is Sunday and if you plan to watch the game and haven鈥檛 made dinner plans, you鈥檙e in luck. Here is a recipe for a satisfying creation you might get served at聽a聽football game, or at a parking-lot tailgate party before kickoff.

Sandwiches named 鈥渕elts鈥� are just sliced bread with a filling or topping flavoured with cheese that鈥檚 melted. Melts can be closed-faced or open-faced sandwiches.

Today marks the return of聽my Sunday Dinner column, which is what my聽Sunday food page was聽originally called when I聽started writing it back in聽2001.

Dear Eric: I鈥檓 about to try your recent recipe for cauliflower coconut soup with Thai curry paste and was reminded that I鈥檝e been meaning to ask you about curry pastes.

When I鈥檓 having guests for a meal and want to聽dazzle them even more, I聽sometimes make focaccia to聽serve with it. This Italian-style flatbread is easy to make and can be topped in ways that complement the meal, which is why I鈥檓 so fond of it.

Dear Eric: I enjoy dried apricots for many reasons. They are usually in聽an airtight package. My question is, when they are exposed to air and they turn black, are they still OK to use? I聽think they should be, but the colour is off-putting.

Many national food days have been declared over the years, such as national cookie day, national pasta day and even national greasy foods day. Today is national devilled egg day. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, I love devilled eggs, but Nov.