About
Janine grew up on the island of Cape Breton on Canada’s East Coast. As a young girl, she would traipse around her family farm and spend hours hunting frogs, salamanders and minnows.
At 18, she moved to Wolfville, Nova Scotia to attend Acadia University. Four years later, equipped with a degree in Political Science, a minor in Music and a bit of life experience, she moved to the other side of the world to teach ESL in South Korea.
It was in South Korea where she met her future husband, Patrick Kennedy – a young man from a tiny farming community in Tipperary. They spent nearly three years living and travelling throughout Asia, and then decided to move to Toronto so Janine could pursue her dream of attending culinary school.
She enrolled in George Brown Chef School in Toronto and soon discovered she was quite useful in a professional kitchen. For the next few years she worked for Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants and took on the role of Food Columnist and Canada’s Top 50 Restaurants Chairperson for Vacay.ca.
She and Patrick now live on the family farm in County Tipperary, Ireland with their two little girls, cat, dog and 60 head of Fresian dairy cattle.
All photos are her own unless stated otherwise. Janine only reviews/mentions products she really, truly likes – not because she’s getting any freebies!
Jennifer Mott Photography
cookingwithcraic 
My hubby and I are headed to Ireland for 3 weeks on July 20th. In my research to find places to eat and stay I came across your blog and really enjoyed it.
Thanks, Shonda, how lovely! Hope you have a wonderful trip to Ireland; the weather has been glorious so let’s hope for more of it for your trip!
Hi
We just spent 10 days traipsing around NS and fell in love with the Herring Choker oat cakes (never had anything like it). After that introduction, we tested oatcakes all over the island but found that the HC with flax seed were the best. You’ve mentioned them in your blog — do you have a recipe to share? There’s nothing like them in New Jersey! Thanks and am enjoying your blog. Wish I had seen your restaurant recs before we went but we hit a lot of them before we left via the chowhound bulletin board.
Hi Sarah, thanks for your comment! The Herring Choker makes amazing oatcakes (I am also addicted to their multigrain bread and veggie sandwiches, among other things). My oatcake recipe is slightly different but you will find it under “recipes”. If you want to add flax seed I would recommend grinding 1/4 cup and mixing it in with the flour. Hope this helps you out!
Looks like you had a gorgeous wedding! Any chance your red barns are available for a wedding? My friend is on the hunt for a barn venue for her september 2015 wedding. Closer to Sydney is preferable. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hi Elsa, the barns are lovely backdrops for photos but are about an hour from Sydney, sorry! They’re also not so ideal for a wedding ceremony (unless it’s an outdoor thing) due to the lack of space on the inside. They haven’t changed much on the inside over the years. Best of luck with your search!
What a lovely blog!
Hi, I was just looking for a Cape Breton oatcake recipe from SF and yours was the first that came up, and as I went through the rest of your blog I was pretty surprised to recognise you in the photos! Your daughter and life look lovely, congratulations! And your recipes look delicious, I can’t wait to try these oatcakes. I have the Sweetie’s recipe somewhere but it’s probably at my parent’s house so that’s not much use. I hope all is well, I’m going to bring some of these oatcakes to Michelle next week so we can get homesick together:)
Fellow Middle Riverian, Evelyne Aikman
Evelyne, your mom made a beautiful blanket for Maeve when she was born – she is so thoughtful & lovely. So glad you stumbled onto the blog & say hi to Michelle for me! Hope the oatcakes turn out well 🙂
I’m looking forward to following your blog. I have Irish heritage and am hankering to get over there but the airfares are quite exy from Australia. We had an Irish food night to commemorate 160 years since our John Curtin, a sailor from City of Cork, County Cork, arrived in Sydney. We had Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread and for dessert we had the Aussie Classic: pavlova, which is my signature dessert. xx Rowena
I am Canadian with an Irish maternal Grandmother so I love your blog! I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for a “Blogger Award”. I really enjoy your blog. If you want to know what it is all about, check out my latest blog, about my award.
Cheers Lydia, so glad you enjoy the blog! Have you been over for a visit? Will check out your blog for sure.
“Good on ye!” from the Irish American guy with Acadian roots in California! 😉
Ouu an Acadian! With roots from Louisiana or the East Coast?
If it was Louisiana, I’d be Cajun! 😉 East Coast Canadian, though Irish in origin. (Faux Acadian.) 🙂
Same same but different 🙂 they all come up for the Acadian Fete every year. I’m an 8th Acadian so it doesn’t really count.
But now you’re REAL Irish. 😉
Janine — I can’t find the recipe for making brioche without a mixer. Both your recipe and the link you provide require one.
Please let me know if you would at emailkatz@yahoo.com
Thanks!
Steve
Sorry Steve, the point I was making in the post said that I had also wanted to know how to do it without a mixer and my pastry instructor basically laughed in my face when I asked. When I wrote this post (over a year ago) I found a no-mixer recipe on La Tartin Gourmand, but it looks like it may have been changed, or who knows, maybe I just made a mistake (though I do remember reading a no-mixer recipe!). If you find a great brioche recipe that doesn’t require a mixer I’d love to see it!
Hi Janine, just stumbled on your blog. Dragged my American wife and kids first to Nova Scotia on tidal projects (Wolfville in fact).. then over here to Ireland in 2013 (my family is from Ontario/Saskatchewan but my grandfather was from Cork). Currently working on the big tidal turbines for Minas Passage this summer … Great to find your blog as we all like to cook .. Jamie
Thanks so much for commenting Jamie! I love the valley… and I remember having a very interesting geology class that took us to the Minas Basin a time or two – a gorgeous spot to be working! Hope you keep planning visits to Nova Scotia and Ireland in the future – keep me posted!
Hi Janine, I live in South Africa and I think we are distantly related. My husband is the first cousin of Matt laird from Australia. We got your contact from him. My husband is Jim Harrington, son of Marie Kennedy and Peter Harrington in Sydney. Grandson of Ned and Alma Kennedy who had the farm Templemore and great grandson of Paddy Kennedy that came to Australia and founded a farm in Aust named Lisdeleen in the late 1800s. It would be lovely to catch up. We are coming to Ireland in July and wanted to visit you all. Hoping I have the right person! 🙂
Hope we catch you this July Solange! Keep in touch 🙂
Hello
I came across your blog looking for an oatcake recipe.
I am also from cape breton and just moved to belfast.
Wondering if you have any ireland or blog advise.
Talk soon and take care.
Hi Mareah! Welcome to Ireland – so nice to see another Caper making the move! There are a few of us spread out over the country, believe it or not – we’ll have to start a Cape Breton Support Group!
I just got home from Cape Breton and I am excited to find your oatcake recipe. I can’t wait to make them.
Thanks Ann! I hope they turn out well for you and I’m really glad you enjoyed your visit 🙂
HI Janine – We recently moved to Cape Breton from Toronto. I tried your recipe for Oatcakes and they the best. Using the right oats (i used instant oats) is definitely a key to success Very yummy. We recently purchased a log cabin bed and breakfast in Judique, NS and i’m going to have these a treat for our guest on a regular basis. I’m going to do an Instagram post and mention these and will hashtag @siucrashack in my post
That’s great to hear, Laura, and welcome to Cape Breton! I will be home in August and will pop in for a taste if I’m near Judique 🙂