About
Hello!
I am Bear Hands, and this site is a collection of my adventures with two favorite pastimes: food and film:
Food
Every recipe I share is something I actually cook and eat. Some are traditional classics, and some are my own creation. I tailor each recipe to match my family’s taste and dietary needs—which lean pescatarian/vegetarian and gluten free. All recipes can easily substitute meat or gluten if that is your preference.
Film
I do short movie reviews, where I channel Frasier Crane (from the self title 90’s sitcom, Frasier, that I watch almost everyday as a way to unwind). I enjoy writing them, and hopefully you enjoy reading them. We also share our watch list which I will explain more in the next section.
1. Recipes
As much as I love cooking, I don’t enjoy recipe creation. Furthermore, I don’t even really use recipes. When exploring a new food, my process is usually to read as much about it as I can, modify the ingredients based upon my taste, and then I throw it together. But how do I bring you these delicious recipes? That is where my husband comes in. Working as a Drafter by day, he uses his proclivity for precision to help me dial in all the important aspects of a recipe.
He takes recipe creation very seriously. You know how you often see a “jump to recipe” button on every recipe blog? Well, we got two 😎
As an avid reader of recipes, he has assured me that others will appreciate this:
The four sections of my site
Detailed Recipe: The standard, narrative style with context and a longer explanation.
Easy‑Follow Recipe: A table format, designed for quick glances while in the cooking process.
2. Movie Reviews
My husband and I watch a ton of movies. As mentioned before, I write them in the voice of Dr. Frasier Crane for the simple fact that it brings me joy. If it brings you joy, please read them too. If it does not bring you joy—you don’t have to read them. Or as Dr Crane might put it: My dear listener, I shan’t foist my musings upon you. If my cinematic ramblings delight, then by all means, indulge. If not, I implore you to exercise that most noble of freedoms—and off you go.’”
You will also occasionally see reviews by my husband. Those are done in his own voice.
3. The Movie Tracker
We used to track movies we watched with Chrome bookmarks, but that eventually became unmanageable. In 2024, My husband built a Movie Tracker web app — a searchable archive of everything we’ve watched. It helps us remember films because we are often like, what was that movie we watched a couple of days ago..? With that guy..?
Feel free to take a look. It includes our ratings and links to reviews when applicable.
4. The Gallery
Just a collection of photos we have taken. Some of have links.
About us
About Bear Hands
I grew up on my Grandma’s farm in rural Canada where I ate a lot of food that was grown or hunted by my family, and cooked by my grandma for our house of seven people.
I’ve cooked at many levels: as a chef in high‑end Chicago restaurants, a cafeteria cook for a grade school, and — my favorite — as a home cook. Here’s what I believe about food:
Anyone can cook. It’s how we feed ourselves and our families.
Recipes are guidelines, not rules. Your taste and intuition are your best tools.
Food is one of the most powerful forces on earth. Sadly, media and society often turn it into a status symbol — something “fancy people” do better than the rest. But if you’re feeding yourself and your family in a way that works for your life, you should feel proud.
Cooking is therapy. It makes my back hurt, and I occasionally get a burn or cut, but it puts my mind at ease.
Most importantly: There is no singular or correct way to prepare food. As home cooks, we do what works for us. I’d move mountains to feed my loved ones, but there is only so much time, energy, and ingredients in a day.
About Hubby Bear
My husband grew up in the suburbs of the US, and was addicted to Taco Bell as a kid. Over time, he’s grown to appreciate home cooked meals.
He is in charge of all things technical. He often doesn’t understand my relaxed approach to things and I often don’t understand why he is so anal retentive, but together, it works out. If you see any cute drawings on this site, he did those too 🐿️
About Haunches
Haunches is cute, but makes everything more difficult.
Us Together and “Taste”
Taste is subjective. My husband and I often don’t agree on things, and it’s hard to believe sometimes, “you actually like that ingredient?!”
That’s the heart of this site: taste is personal, shaped by upbringing, biology, and experience. Media may try to convince us there’s a “better” taste, but in reality, there’s only your taste.
This blog celebrates differences in taste and how we compromise, share, and come together — whether it’s dietary restrictions or flavor preferences.
The takeaway:
People have different tastes — no one is more right or wrong.
Everyone should enjoy what they enjoy, without judgment.
Food is nourishment, love, and sometimes entertainment.
Cooking can be as simple as microwaving canned goods or as elaborate as crafting a whole‑foods recipe that leaves every utensil in the kitchen piled in the sink. It’s all valid.
In the end, I love being a home cook. Even if we had the budget to eat out, I wouldn’t change anything. I try to make cooking easy and fun, but also challenging in the best ways.
This site is our celebration of food, film, and the many ways taste brings people together. We hope you find joy, inspiration, and maybe even a little peace here.