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.

Jamie Oliver is my kind of guy-his recipes use affordable ingredients, he is an ambassador of “real” food, he loves his kids and his wife, his success has apparently not changed his wardrobe and he writes his recipes as if he were standing in the kitchen next to you:  “don’t worry about technique, just chop away until fine”, “if you’re ready to tuck in,  just drape the warm slices over the lettuce and serve” , “it would be lovely if everyone had a go at making things like tarts, tortes or pastries at home…..”

My prized “Food Revolution” Cookbook was a gift from my son and daughter (in law) #3.  This past Sunday dinner (mandatory) I prepared a big batch of spaghetti and then sent everybody home with left overs.  I added a couple of my own modifications and the kids had their own improvement as well.  Here is the result:

2 slices of bacon, chopped

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

olive oil

2 heaped t of dried oregano

1 lb good quality beef pork or (even better) a mixture of the two

28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

s&p

a small bunch of fresh basil

4 oz. Parmesan cheese

1 lb. dried spaghetti

I doubled the recipe and used a lb. of ground pork and a thinly sliced flank steak from the freezer.  I soaked both in milk before cooking (a technique I had seen in another Bolognese recipe) and then finely chopped up the flank steak.

Saute bacon with oregano and cook until golden.  Add veggies and stir every frequently until softened and lightly coloured.  Stir in the meat (drained if soaked in milk) and tomatoes.  Now Jamie adds a can of water but the kids think that this makes the sauce too soupy, so go by your own preference.  Let simmer until veggies or to your desired firmness (approx. 20 minutes).  Add S&P to taste.  Add freshly torn basil leaves.  Cook pasta to your liking and when it is el dente, drain and stir into the sauce.    Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Kath’s quote: “The strands of spaghetti were vital, almost alive in my mouth, and the olive oil was singing with flavor. It was hard to imagine that four simple ingredients [olive oil, pasta, garlic and cheese] could marry so perfectly.”-Ruth Reichl

Let love be multiplied.

Hu’s is a favourite of many of my favourite people and it had been all too long since my last visit.  It was also been too long since my last encounter with this particular and special friend.  So this became a perfect time over lunch in the best ways.

We started with crab rangoon which I couldn’t assess from the menu description but turned out to be a kind of spring roll.  They were recommended by the waiter and okay.

He made up for the mediocre choice with his Chicken Pad Thai suggestion which we thought was outstanding.  We continued to take one “last” scoop way after we were full.  Kinda like the eating peanuts I guess and that presents the perfect segue.

Also suggested was the peanut crusted Pickerel.  My readers know that pickerel is my favourite fish and this recipe was outstanding.  The fillet was substantial and held up well to the powerful tastes.  The fish was laid upon a bed of edamame and string beans-also lovely.

The place was bustling when we arrived at 12:30 but had thinned out by the time we left.  So if you are looking for a quieter lunch, wait until the noon lunch crowd heads back to work.  I would call the decor “upscale” for an Asian experience as I am accustomed to the more Mom and Pop local restaurants.

Kath’s quote: “Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven’t yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food?”-Bill Bryson

Let Love be multiplied.

 In case you missed my column in the fall edition of Dish Magazine, here it is for your reading pleasure.

We call it “soup” weather when the sun sets earlier and the evenings are cooler.  Our meal planning naturally transforms with the colours of the leaves from salads and grilled items to savoury soups. 

Bernstein’s Deli has a huge selection of frozen soups that have been made for their restaurant patrons -10 varieties on the day that I was shopping.  The Chicken Noodle was just like Momma used to make.  For a special treat, I’ll stop at the Little Saigon Restaurant and order their Deluxe Beef Rice Noodle Pho (soup) which comes in two very heavy containers-one holding the mound of noodles, crisp bean sprouts and thinly sliced beef and the other, the rich dark broth with spring onions floating on top.  A trusted foodie has also recommended the rare beef soup at Binh An on Main St. (she swears it has healing powers).

I often choose soup for lunch and love the magenta coloured beet borsht at Alycia’s, the hearty pasta soups at De Luca’s, or the brandy flavoured French Onion soup at the Keg with the gobs of cheese crusted on top. 

A Chef’s skills are very apparent by the soups they serve.  I commend the stock makers at Bread and Circuses Bakery, The Fyxx, Dandelion Eatery and Prairie Ink.  Special accolades go to the Tallest Poppy where their daily, from scratch soups focus on local and seasonal ingredients.  A Facebook friend also praised the Pernod Chowder at Fude.

For supper soups the Lobster Bisque at the Promenade Bistro takes top stars as well as Spicy Peanut Soup at Saucers and the Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Soup) at Magic Thailand Restuarnt, Sukhotai and Sawatdee Thai Restaurants (I can’t decide which one I like the best).

Kath’s quote: “Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to leave you when you are impoverished and stretches its resources to give a hearty sustenance and cheer? Who warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer? Yet who also is capable of doing honor to your richest table and impressing your most demanding guests? Soup does its loyal best, no matter what undignified conditions are imposed upon it. You don’t catch steak hanging around when you’re poor and sick, do you?”-Judith Martin

Let love be multiplied.

A little gift bag was hanging on the back of each of our chairs last week at The Food Studio.  The evening was already perfect without a parting gift-but who am I to refuse the gift of chocolate?  There were three biscuits which I shared at home and this recipe to make my own batch.

2 c flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c butter

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla (almond or lemon extract will do)

2 c nuts

Toast nuts in oven for 8 minutes at 350 then finely chop.  Beat shortening and sugar until light and fluffy .  Mix in eggs, one at a time, beating after each one.  Add vanilla.  Mix together flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Add to liquid mixture.  Before completely combined add nuts and mix completely.  Divide into two and form into two logs with wet hands.  Pat down slightly.

Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until firm to touch.  Reduce oven temperature to 350F.  allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Slice at an angle with quick firm strokes with a sharp knife.  Return to cookie sheet , standing up, and return to oven for 10 minutes. 

Kath’s quote: “As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate.”-Sandra Boynton

Let love be multiplied.