We gathered recently for a good old fashioned working bee.  Daughter (in law) #3 had made too much perogy filling for another get together that she had hosted and invited a gang over to use it up.

We set up different work stations: one to stir the dough for the outside, another to cut the dough, a multi-person station to fill the wrapper and another to package the finish product. 

Not what ours looked like

Son #1’s first ever home-made perogy!

Now here’s where we went amiss. I had a whole stack of won-ton wrappers at home in my freezer and I brought them along to speed the project along.  Had we also set up a boiling station, I think the end result would have been more successful because my perogy portion got overly soft and a bit gummy before I could serve them as a meal.  Hindsight is 20/20 as they say.

We even got out our Baba aprons.

What a lovely way to pass an evening.  Son #1, Daughter #1, Goddaughter #2, Sister #3, Daughter (in law) #3 as I had mentioned and me.   There was pizza, wine,  good conversation and great laughs and we all went home with a packet of our accomplishment.  I’m thinking they knew what they were doing in the “olden days”.

My Mom is the Peroqy Queen-ask anyone who has ever tasted her’s.  Now I am pretty sure that everyone thinks that their Mom holds this title.  If so, send me your Mom’s recipe and I’ll test against my Mom’s:

2 1/2 c flour

1/2 t salt

3/4 c warm water

2 T oil

1 well beaten egg

After mixing, let the dough to rest in the fridge or an hour or so before rolling out.  I have also used a pasta roller for this process with great success. 

Kath’s quote:  “Food is a subject of conversation more spiritually refreshing even than the weather, for the number of possible remarks about the weather is limited, whereas of food you can talk on and on and on.”-A.A. Milne

Love endures.

When I worked in Osborne Village, the Spicy Noodle House was a particular favourite of mine.  I would almost always decide upon a soup but if I was there with someone willing to share and my office gang almost always was, we’d share soup and another of their many stellar dishes-Shrimp Foo Young, Fried Vermicelli and Egg Plant with Black Bean Sauce stick in my memory even now.

On this day I was meeting a friend and colleague for “just soup” before a business presentation.  Their Spicy Peanut Noodle Soup is a classic.  It is a perfect blend of my fav firey spices-cumin, cayenne and red chili powder but you can still taste the heartiness of the broth.  If you want to be crazy decadent -order it with the Deep Fried Pork Chop.  The tender yet crispy strips are tasty on their own but even better floating in the soup. 

Now it would come as no surprize that I am an enthusiastic eater.  I can be dainty enough with the spoonfuls of broth but the noodles posed a real dilemma.  I suppose I could have requested a knife and cut the noodles into spoon size but where would be the challenge in that?  So I persevered and did my best to get the firm and delectable noodles to my mouth- but alas.  Two splatters of spicy broth landed on my white suit jacket.  I had hope that the people we were presentating to were food appreciators as well.

Kath’s quote: “Good manners: The noise you don’t make when you’re eating soup.”-Bennett Cerf

Love endures.

In the last hand full of years we (the Sisters) have lost two amazing friends to breast cancer.  They were younger than me and in their passing I got two whacks on the side of the head to be more careful with this precious gift of life.  Yesterday we received more bad news and this has effected me in a new way.  The passing was of a young Mom and I am profoundly conscious of the loss.

I have always known what foods I should avoid but am appreciating again what foods I should include in my diet to maintain good health.  Perhaps if I was more focused on what I should be consuming and not finding ways to treat myself with what I should not be eating, the waist band on my jeans might be a little friendlier to me too.

So here’s my personal (but pretty public pledge):

1.  Include more fish espeically those species high in Omega 3

2.  Include more whole grain foods especially flax seed. 

3.  Choose brown over white rice and noodles. 

4.  Select low fat dairy options.

5.   Include nuts and beans in more recipes.  I hate beans (please send me your favourite bean recipes).

6.  Increase fruit and veggie servings to 9+ per day especially broccoli, sweet potatoes, berries, spinach…..you likely know the list.  The brighter the colour, the better is my general rule of thumb.

8.  Liberally use garlic and other fresh herbs.

Food like all other precious gifts in our lives is meant to nourish and sustain not clog and corrode and so we need to do our part and make smart choices.  This sound like a commercial?  Maybe, but it is sent in love.

Kath’s quote: “l’chaim (to life)”

Love endures.

How do two foodies celebrate their last evening together before one of them goes on a vacation?  By finding a new restaurant to try of course.  We had intended to visit this establishment when it was Oui and almost went to celebrate our last wedding anniversary.  But the Urbanspoon reviews were not glowing and when we are acknowledging a special event, we want “glowing”.  So I am not surprized that there has been a change in culinary direction.  I understand that the previous menu was very daunting for the kitchen and this simplified version should ensure stellar dishes from the chef.  Some of the former favourites have found their way onto the Peasant menu.  Simple, well prepared, tasty food is what we are all about and looked forward to tucking in.

We were sat immediately by a really personable fellow and he accurately predicted that we would enjoy one of their round booths.  The decor has not changed immensely and we loved the high ceilings and two walls of windows.  A lovely glass of wine was recommended and a wonderful baguette basket was delivered.  Bread and wine, a simple and yet so satisfying combination that have sustained generations and indeed civilizations.

Thinking ourselves to be poutine aficionados, we couldn’t resist sharing an order.  My husband and I discovered cheese curds together at the Minnesota State Fair which does not just contain a food concession but an entire arena designated to local food preparation  (AND we saw Kenny Loggins in concert that night so I was in heaven).     

The Peasant version of poutine is authentic using a made from scratch gravy and a fairly generous numbers of curds.  But on this night they salted the fries before the toppings were added and even though I love salty foods, it was a bit much.  Next time I think we’ll try a pate.

Remembering my recent trip to NYC where I sampled the most amazing fried chicken at  The Redhead, I was excited to repeat the treat or at least determine if the dish lived up to my Grandma’s recipe.  I would crown her the Queen of Peasant Cookery. 

Although the chicken underneath the crunchy coating was tender enough, I guess my standards were too high as something was off.  The chicken seemed to have been braised or boiled first to tenderize it whereas in my mind a marination works best.  The coating was over salted and also seemed to be overcooked.  And even though I did not finish my portion, the two little drumsticks and thighs did not warrant the price tag (in our humble opinion).  The coleslaw was just okay and the warm potato salad had way too much mustard for our liking.

BUT D’s pork chop was divine!  Well trimmed,  juicy, tender and perfectly cooked to medium.  The accompaniments too were well selected and prepared and lucky for me, D was prepared to share.  I sliced the left overs up for a sandwich the next day and it too was delicious.

So I wish WOW! Hospitality all the best with this concept and know that having peeked into the wine bar and loving the ambience, we will be back.

Kath’s quote:  “A married couple who enjoy the pleasures of the table have, at least once a day, a pleasant oppurtunity to be together; for even those who do not sleep in the same bed (and there are may such) at least eat at the same table.”-Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin

Let love be multiplied.

D is away on vacation right (the secret to a fabulous marriage) and for some reason I always decide to take on a DIY project when he is away.  I suppose it is to prevent boredom which is crazy because I’ve got every available time slot booked up to hang with the kids, try new eating spots and get caught up with old friends.  And the refinishing project that I thought was going to take all week is already complete.  It was so much fun, I couldn’t stop myself.

I bought a dining room hutch a couple of years ago from a neighbour and the furniture style never worked in our house but because we entertain so many guests, I had to have a place to hold all our dining extras.  I’ve had an eye on distressing it for a long time and I’m crazy for turquoise.  The colour reminds me of the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas and having the colour surrounding me, does suppress the desire to live elsewhere.

If I were to do an inventory of what the hutch contains, you would know a great deal more about my family and me: 

-my first set of china acquired just recently and not purchased but handed down from Sister #2 who bought it at our favourite little second hand place

-huge wine glasses, at least a dozen for white and another larger size for red

-heart shaped rocks and shells collected from my favourite beaches

-hand-painted bowls made by Hortensia’s son’s in laws (my friend and one of my favourite inhabitants of Isla Mujeres)

-a set of flatware purchased at Dollorama because they contain all my favourite colours and look like they were hand made

-a set of Blue Willow dishes that I started saving when I was 17 and have just rediscovered

-the fixings for margaritas and martini’s

-a wine skin and wine decanters of all descriptions

-all kinds of colourful and mostly mismatched linen

So what prized possessions are hiding in your dining room sideboard?  Next project-the dining room table….. 

Kath’s quote:  “Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table.”-Charles Pierre Monselet

Let love be multiplied.