When I arrived at Chuuk Kay, I settled in to recreate the fun times that we have experienced every time we have gathered there.

The food is always first class (I have even enjoyed New Year’s Eve dinner here), the service attentive

and the beer, lovely and cold.

Add to that, the surprise of seeing Jackie and Julie, whom we asked to join our gang.  Everywhere we go turns out to be a party.  So you can understand that I was content to stay put and perhaps order a second bucket of cervezas for the table.

When I saw this beautiful lady, who is not only a talented singer in her own right but the owner of Budget Isla Rentals, she asked why I had not yet checked into Luna D’Miel.  What-I thought that I was supposed to check in the next day?  But, I was wrong!

I had been counting the hours until my move because in spite of how cozy and charming Casa el Pio is, the beach along the airport strip is my favourite place on the island.

I could have spent the entire afternoon, scouring the beach, lying in the hammock

or perched in the shade watching the world go buy with the sea

and Cancun in the background.  I am not a spontaneous person and I don’t care for surprises. I like to know exactly what I am doing on an hour to hour basis.  Once I realized my mistake, I could not relax and enjoy myself.  I had to get back to Casa el Pio to pack up, so that I could settle into my new digs at Luna d’Miel as soon as possible.

But before my brother-in-law offered to give me a lift back to Centro on the back of his scooter, I walked the gorgeous property at Chuuk Kay to see the start of the sun’s decline in the sky.

I must have been highly motivated because I made good time.  There was still light in the sky when I took this shot from the front door of my suite at Luna d’Miel.  I settled in and had an early night, certain that I would be awake with the sun.

Here’s one of the many reasons why I love Luna d’Miel: watching the sunrise without leaving my bed.

These are some of the other reasons:

D was arriving that morning so I walked into town and boarded the ferry to meet him on the Cancun side.

I am usually too excited to get off the boat when I arrive on Isla and don’t take the time to savour the surroundings of the island from the ferry.  I recorded in my journal that morning:  “I thought I was happy before, I am ecstatic now.”

Kath’s quote: “Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think.  Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.”―A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Love-that is all.

Day 7 turns out to be another predominately pictorial rendition of my lovely time.  My husband was arriving the following day and I was moving to another favourite little hotel on the airport strip.  So, knowing this, I soaked up all that Centro had to offer.  I started with a wander up along the north east side of the island.

Then back past Roca Mar

and back to Casa el Pio.

Early that afternoon, I found a low palm to relax under and take some photos of the west shore of Centro.

The time came to meet our gang at Chuuk Kay to see our friends Javi and Marla (engaged since our return home) and “The Band with No Name”, always one of the highlights of our time on the island.  But I was in for a big surprise (well “big” in my world-I prefer “sure things”).

Stay tuned.

Kath’s quote: “What I love about cooking is that after a hard day, there is something comforting about the fact that if you melt butter and add flour and then hot stock, it will get thick! It’s a sure thing! It’s a sure thing in a world where nothing is sure; it has a mathematical certainty in a world where those of us who long for some kind of certainty are forced to settle for crossword puzzles.”-Nora Ephron

Love-that is all.

When spring arrives, you know it on the Canadian prairies-the food trucks and hot dog carts start to line Broadway in Winnipeg and the parking lots of the burger joints are lined up with weather-worn vehicles.  The mercury is predicted to dip mighty low again tonight so even though the calendar says it is spring, we are all waiting for the sun and earth to follow suit.  Well at least the spring food offerings will sustain us until summer picnics can commence.

In Thompson, where I am teaching for a couple of weeks, April means that Popeye’s is open again!  I understand that Allison, the owner, has a green thumb and in the summer months, the gardens are overflowing with blossoms.  Right now the snow banks still cover the flower beds and the bubbling fountain.  But the snow is melting on the front path and we had the choice of a couple of inside tables or dining in the car.  We chose the former.  Many other vehicles were pulling in and picking up their “to-go” orders, including one in front of us that drove away with literally bags of burgers.

No wonder so many people make the drive out of town to this tasty little spot.  The burger is made with a hand-formed seasoned patty and even though I ordered mine “loaded” the quality and deep taste of the beef, shone through.  I understand that the recipe for the patty is a trade secret along with the oil blend that the amazing French fries are cooked in.

This overflowing boxful provided two people, two helpings.  I can’t imagine anyone order a large order.

We were able to peak over the counter to see that the cut potatoes are plunged in oil twice.  I know that the best chips are made in this manner.  Have you ever wondered why?  Me, too and this is what I found out.  The answer was on a blog site that I have visited many times before, entitled Serious Eats.  “The key lies in the fact that not all water in a potato is equal. Some of it is bound within the potato’s structure more tightly then the rest, requiring more energy to expel it. During the first fry, some of the water present in the potato evaporates and exits, allowing the oil to enter the space it was taking, and come in direct contact with the potato’s cells. Meanwhile, water that is more tightly bound in the potato’s structure remains. Soon, individual molecules of starch break free from larger granules with the help of the energy provided by hot oil. These starch molecules then come in contact with the water still present in the potatoes, hydrating and forming a gel that acts as a kind of glue, reinforcing the structure of the cells around it. Over time, as the oil works its way into the potato, a relatively thick layer of starch-reinforced cells can build up around the exterior of the potato. This is the paper-like sheath you see around a potato that has been fried once at low temperature.”

I fly in and out of Thompson and so you may wonder how I was able to make this out-of-town jaunt.  No, I didn’t take a cab.  I was escorted by the Front Desk Agent from my hotel.  I am in town teaching a course in exactly this subject area.  The staff at the Lakeview take hospitality to an entirely new level.

Kath’s quote: “I would gladly pay you Tuesday, for a hamburger today.” Wimpy

Love-that is all.

D and I have a mutual bucket list of places in the world that we dream to visit. We are slowly checking off the most amazing places on earth: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Amman, Rome, Paris, Nice, Monaco, Athens, London, New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle and Washington, DC along with so many wonderful Canadian cities. Although we imagined that Portugal or Czech Republic would be next on our list, the history, art, beauty, romance and FOOD of Italy is calling us to return.

On my first sojourn to Italy, I threw my coins in the Fountain of Trevi with the hope that some way, somehow, I would return. In celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary, D and I stayed with good friends in Sicily and then took the train up the west coast of Italy hugging the Mediterranean, the entire length of the boot. We had an absolutely perfect trip (except for losing a bag at a train station) and never dreamed that we would have the opportunity to return.

D longs to visit Rome again and see the many sights that he missed during his whirlwind first visit. And although we have seen Viareggio and the other coastal towns of Tuscany, from a moving train, we have never set foot in Tuscany. Now an opportunity has presented itself that seems at first glance almost too good to be true. With perseverance and hard work, we will be able to make it happen. So this fall, we will be off to Montalcino, Tuscany as our base and then tour Pienza, Castellina in Chianti, Seggiano and Siena.

We’ll take photography and writing lessons, and be tutored by a private chef (who also owns the estate where we will stay). There are even plans to go truffle hunting. I only learned what a truffle was five years ago and now I get to forage in the woods of Tuscany for them! My life is rich. We are truly blessed and good things just keep happening to us.

I know that simplicity is central to Tuscan cuisine. Legumes, bread, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, fresh fruit, olive oil and white truffles are key elements and the focus is on the high quality of the ingredients more than the complexity of the preparations. And then of course there is the Chianti! As soon as we knew that we were both going to be able to take on this adventure, D started researching Tuscan wines and discovered Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, so samplings of these will commence immediately in our home.

Readers of this space know that I love the anticipation of a trip almost as much as the time itself.  I am going to get out my history of art books and dive into the Renaissance. I will practice hiking up hills (a tough feat on the prairies). I am going to reread my favourite stories of Tuscany Under the Tuscan Sun, Too Much Tuscan Sun, A Thousand Days in Tuscany: A Bittersweet Adventure and The Hills of Tuscany.  I will finally rent A Room with a View. Tuscany, here we come.

Kath’s quote: “Life is good-life is fine. Life is tremendous, all the time“. Source Unknown

Love-that is all.
 

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If you are at all like me, you sit and think about what you would do if you won the lottery: how you would buy each of your family members a beach house, tell the kids that they could finish university at whichever university they wished to attend, support your favourite charities and travel.  Ah travel.  There are so many places to see and taste! This is the stuff of many of my daydreams but because I never ever buy a ticket, it will never be.  I always talk myself out of making a purchase because I know that my odds of winning are miniscule at best.

Well, here’s a contest that you would really have a good shot at: Sobeys West Tastes of the World Contest is ONLY available in Sobeys Stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC!  All you have to do is visit our local Sobeys store to pick up game board and pieces.  The contest started this week but there is still plenty of time because it runs until May 16th.   There are a number of instant prizes and ways to win but shoot for the stars and picture yourself in one of these amazing culinary destinations:

Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Cancun or Bangkok!

We’re having a twitter party on Tuesday, April 16th at 8pm (in Manitoba) with more prizes to be had.  I’ll be tweeting from Thompson! RSVP below the heart at the end of this post.

For more information or to pick up your passport and game pieces, please visit your local Sobeys Store.

Kath’s quote:  “You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So… get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss

Love-that is all.