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The Blessings In My Life

May31

I turn 58 today.  I am going to celebrate by writing and gardening and then have a glass of wine with my precious husband and our kids.  I have a very early morning (3:45 am) so it will not be a late one.  But I want to also spend the day counting my blessings. Here goes (from my stream of consciousness, that is to say in no particular order):

  1. For the simple luxuries of my home-a hot shower this morning in a brightly illuminated room.  With Daughter #2 just having returned from Central America I know that this is truly is a luxury.
  2. For social media, especially Facebook.  I woke up to so many birthday greetings that there are 35 waiting for me, that I can’t even see.  Sometimes I get frustrated by not being able to figure these little blips out, so I suppose FB is a bit of a curse too.  But suffice it to say, the birthday greetings make me feel remembered and loved.
  3. For the internet so that I could file a story and photos due this morning, before I even had my second  cup of coffee or walked the dog.
  4. For my good health-for normal blood pressure and cholesterol and blood sugar.  For clear mammograms and colon screens.
  5. For still being able to work in my garden and then run over to J1 and J2’s and do some weeding for them too.  My hips do sometime get sore but perhaps that is from sitting rather than exerting.
  6. For our first grandbaby who will be welcomed into our family this July.
  7. For having a modest income that allows us to contribute to the post-secondary education of all three of our adult children.
  8. For my husband.  He is such a good man for so many reasons.  He has spent this week running around trying to find the hard top gazebo that he knows that I would love for our deck at the lake.  He is also trying to replace our lawn-mower because he knows that all the time that I spend in our gardens is not showcased until the lawn is cut and neatly trimmed.
  9. For my Mom who at 86 sits and waits patiently (ususually) for visits from her family.  She gave me birthday money that I spent on bedding plants and an extra little something because she knows that our big old hairy dogs needs to spend hours at the groomers.
  10. For my sisters.  There are my very best friends.
  11. For our little beach house.  I will be away in the Sates this weekend and not able to be there but I will imagine it the entire time that I am away.  I sleep better there, than anywhere in the world.  I get more sunshine and the most exercise there.  It is the epitome of who I am and what I cherish most.  AND I LOVE THAT WE FINALLY HAVE AN INDOOR BIFFY!
  12. For the fruit tress in our yard and next door that always seem to bloom on my birthday.
  13. For my perennials that appear every spring to remind me that it is not my doing but God who brings life.
  14. Specifically for my “forget-me-nots” that were gifted to me when my dear friend Melinda moved away from Winnipeg, some 20 years ago now.  We are still close friends and she remembers the colours that give me joy and we share an obsession with hearts.  Her birthday package arrived yesterday-a glorious scarf in turquoise and pink and a hand made card with a wire heart on the front.
  15. For my work.  Tasks that excite me and some times stress me out but always something new to think about and learn and exercise that muscle called my brain.
  16. For the creative aspect of my work too.  I did not even know that I loved to write until this blog created a forum for me to do so.
  17. For the gift of travel-sometimes mind-boggling; to be able to awake in my own bed and be on our precious Isla Mujeres for a late lunch.  I leave for Philadelphia in the early morning and have the adventure of Tuscany this fall.   I could never have dreamed of a life this full.
  18. For my Dad, gone now, but the lasting memory of his love for the soil and the ground.  He was the gardener in our family and I think of him whenever I plant annuals along the edge of a sidewalk or path.
  19.  For thrift shop stores.  I love a good deal like the never been worn Clark’s sandals that I got today for $4!
  20. For the spring rain.  I know that it means that mosquitoes are coming but I transferred a whole bunch of perennials this morning and now I know that they will flourish without my extra attention.
  21. For the free things that I am sent as gifts because of the work that I do.  I received a $500 Delta handsfree kitchen faucet this morning!
  22. For friends that share their recipes and food with me.  Yesterday Lori brought be a forcocia starter.  We had it for last night’s dinner with soup and I just toasted a couple of slices now.  Oh my.
  23. For Daughter #1-an amazing person from the instant that she was born.  An inspiration to me and so many people, every single day.  I am humbled to be here Mom.
  24. For Daughter #2.  She is my baby girl no matter how grown up and worldly and savvy she becomes.  She has such an enormous heart for the suffering in this world and she is going to make a difference, some way, some how.
  25. For our son-  He is the most fascinating person that I have ever met.  How many people can say that about their own child?
  26. For Daughter #3-she isn’t really my daughter as most of you know, but I love as if she were.  Thank you for loving our guy as you do.
  27. For the Frenchman.  You are a significant member of our family and I don’t know what life was like before you joined us.
  28. For the access to healthcare that we have in this province and this country.  Spending a couple of hours each week at the children’s hospital, I see miracles occur.  The system is far from perfect but I would not live in any other country in the world.
  29. For the babies that I cuddle each week.  This week I spent two whole hours gazing into the navy blue eyes of a 23 day old baby girl.  They give me, more than I could ever give them.
  30. For PBS-I am serious.  We love Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey.  The writing, acting and art direction is absolutely stupendous and we are hooked.
  31. For books.  I have two currently on the go and another downloaded to my tablet for this weekend’s trip.  My Mom quotes her Dad when she says: “You are never alone, if you have a good book”.
  32. For my big brother who is awaiting knee surgery.  I can’t wait until he can cross country ski again.  His courage in pain and patience in anticipation of the surgery, is an example of endurance for us all.
  33. For my “little” brother who works so hard with such cheerfulness.  I get to holiday with him every year and I do wish that I could spend more time with him.
  34. For my sister-in-laws.  Thank you for putting up with my brothers, I know that it is not always easy to live with one of us, but you would never know it by your grace and patience.
  35. For my Sister #2’s husband.  He mentors and supports me in so many ways.  I love him like a “real” brother.

I could go on, in fact I thought that I might get to 58 to mark the number of years that I have been on this earth, but life is calling me to make a couple more phone calls and tidy up some loose ends.  Suffice it to say-I am blessed.

Have you counted (literally) your blessings lately?

Sister #3: Wine Tasting at De Luca’s Fine Wines

May22

I think of myself as someone with a pretty good palette.  I can usually identify the herbs in a sauce or what kind of nuts where used in a stuffing, but when it come to wine I have never developed a refined palette.  

In my early days in the restaurant business I was working with a new General Manager who had come to our family style restaurant from a very high end establishment.  He decided that we needed to change the house wine so he did his best to teach me to properly taste wine.  In my twenty year old (at the time) opinion all his sniffing, swirling and spitting seemed a bit ridiculous.   

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When it comes to wine I have always been one of those “I like what I like” girls; but I could never really tell you why I like it.  I’ve often been mystified by people who say they taste coffee in this wine and smell freshly cut grass in another.  Really? They don’t actually put things like coffee and grass in wine you know!  When someone asks me what fruit I taste in a particular glass of wine, I’m embarrassed to say “I taste grapes”.

Recently, I’ve been spending time with a friend who has a passion for wine; I decided it is time for me to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of various wines, and how you use my mouth to figure them out.  So when I was invited by a co-worker to girls night out that involved a wine tasting lesson, how could I refuse?

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A large group of us descended on De Luca’s Fine Wines’ on Saturday night for our private wine tasting.  Our instructor walked us through each step of how to asses the colour, clarity, smell (AKA nose) and taste (AKA palate) of our wines.  We learned how to taste a sparkling and a port as well as a variety of white and red wines.  We learned a bit about where each wine came from and how it was produced.  Certain wines were matched with certain cheese and chocolate to enhance their flavour.  And I am pleased to report that after learning the right way to aerate and sniff my wine, I smelt the illusive fresh cut grass in one of the night’s selections.  I even smelled leather and tobacco in another. 

It was a fun evening and I learned a lot.  I am still far from being a coinsurer. I still find it   a struggle to not giggle as everyone around me is slurping air through their pursed lips. But at least I am starting to get a feel for this thing. 

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I like wine, but I love food, so if nothing else this experience has caused me to be even more intrigued with the concept of pairing the right wine with my food.  I hope to do much more of that kind of research in the future.

Kath’s quote: “Everyone eats and drinks, but few appreciate taste.”Confucius

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Love-that is all.

 

 

 

 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Wings

February22

Earlier this week, we were invited over for dinner with beloved friends. At one time, one spouse from all three couples, worked with each at Winnipeg Harvest (in fact Lee was the founder of the amazing organization).  So once again in my life, food (and the sharing of it), drew me to loved ones.  I had been thinking about this particular appetizer recipe for as long as my count down of sleeps for Isla Mujeres, because Parmesan crusted fish is served a couple of places on the island.

The view from the corner table at the Co-op.

My favourite version is offered up at The Fisherman’s Co-op, right on the water and across from the little hotel where we typically stay.

In the end, D made this batch up and so they tasted even better than usual to me, as I didn’t prepare them.  I have posted this recipe today, in case you want to make them for an Oscar watching evening on Sunday.  In our house on Superbowl Day,  D plants himself in his football watching chair and I fix little treats for he and his quests.  On Academy Awards night, the tradition is reversed and he does the same for me.

Me on Isla (ha, ha, this is J2, my legs aren’t long enough to touch the sand).

This is really me on Isla (with Daughter #1)

Alas, this Oscar night I wouldn’t be with D as I will be spending my first night on Isla…


Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetiser
 
This is really an approximate recipe as it very much depends on your own inclination to Parmesan cheese which can be very rich when partnered with butter and chicken skin.
Ingredients
  • ½ c homemade breadcrumbs (I make my own in big batches and keep them in the freezer)
  • ½ c Parmesan cheese (buy from the deli/cheese section, not the shaker variety)
  • 1 T garlic powder (less if you have to kiss someone (anyone!) when Bradley Cooper is on screen)
  • ½ c melted butter
  • 1 lb. chicken drumettes
Instructions
  1. Mix crumbs, cheese and garlic in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  2. Dip drumettes into the butter.
  3. Press drumettes into the breading, coating all sides.
  4. Place on a lined baking sheet (important to have lined as these are very messy).
  5. Baked at 400 for 25 minutes turning once.

Kath’s quote: “GAWD! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!”-new Islaholic- Jackie Savoie

Love-that is all.

Siloam Mission-Love Beyond Imagining

February21

The weather had warmed up to -32 with the wind chill this morning. I was a little bit ticked when my remote car starter didn’t fire up my van for me. This meant that my toes were cold as I started it up in the old fashioned manner. I was so ashamed of my arrogance as I remembered this moment when I arrived at Siloam Mission. Imagine having to line up for a warm bed and a hot meal?  Hundreds of people do so each day at Siloam. I was there at Daughter #2’s urging as the Frenchman is now employed at Siloam and she had heard so many great things about volunteering in their kitchen.

And she was absolutely correct! From the moment I was greeted by a volunteer co-ordinator and introduced to Kitchen Managers Corrie and Chris, I was so impressed. The time passed so quickly as I learned new kitchen techniques and got to work alongside dedicated volunteers including an entire crew of students from the University of Western Ontario who had given up their reading weeks to spend the time as volunteer kitchen assistants!

As I arrived, the breakfast service was just commencing.  Because of the cold, Chris wanted all of the patrons to have a bowl of something hot so porridge was served with toast, peanut butter and fruit.  Hot coffee is unending.  Chris thought that French toast would be nice for tomorrow and he happily mentioned that there are times when he can serve the patrons scrambled eggs or omelets from Burnbrae Farms. I met the good folks from Burnbrae at a bloggers event in Toronto; they will be happy to know what joy ther donations bring.

I was on lunch detail with the rest of the crew.

On the menu was a choice of turkey noodle or mushroom potato soup, a slice of pizza (generously provided by Little Ceasars pizza), a freshly made ham sandwich and a sweet.  In the summer months, Siloam substitutes the soup with a salad.  One of the dessert choices was my favourite Mennonite treat of blueberry platz.   I was tasked with slicing the ham and then took my place on the sandwich assembly line.  The Western team made quick work of the sandwiches because Chris had promised them that he would teach them how to make pasta from scratch to be the “noodles” of the turkey soup.

They were an enthused bunch and kept remarking how they couldn’t believe that they were in a “soup” kitchen and not a multi-starred restaurant.  This is what I was most impressed with.  Chris could cut cooking corners and used packaged stocks filled with additives and excessive salt but he painstakingly made the stock from scratch to ensure the quality.  In addition, from scratch cooking is truly the best use of food and monetary donations and Chris and the folks at Siloam must intrinsically know this.  Of course, “from scratch” methods cannot occur every day, but as often as Chris has the volunteer resources to do so.  Everything is carefully used BUT when I say everything, quality is never compromised.  A volunteer preparing the lettuce for the sandwiches asked Chris if she should use the lettuce if it was discolouring and he responded “the rule of thumb is-we don’t serve it to our patrons, if we wouldn’t eat it ourselves”.

Another of my tasks was slicing up pulled turkey for the soup.  Chris explained how the roasting of 150 turkeys has already commenced for Easter dinner and that every single bit of the bird is utilized.   Turkey necks and wings had been roasted the day before to make the nutritious (and tasty) stock.  When the sandwich line was cleared away, Chris began his pasta making session.

All of these steps went in place, to produce this delicious and nutritious soup.  Why go to this much trouble?  Because food=love and the patrons of Siloam are loved beyond their wildest imaginations.

Our Frenchman and Chris.

Do you have a not-for-profit food focused charity that deserves a special mention in this blog space?  Let me know and I would be happy to visit them.

Kath’s quote: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” –Matthew 25:35

Love-that is all.

A Foodie’s Serendipitous Life

November27

The last 24 hours have been a long, winding strand of spaghetti.

The first time I ever ate a fresh oyster was when a friend and co-worker (actually my boss at that time) taught me the fine art on a Saturday afternoon at the Norwood Hotel here in Winnipeg. Now this was some 30 years ago so imagine my surprize when I went to create the link to the hotel above to see that Seafood Saturdays are still going on (from September to June) at the hotel dining room.

My instructor that afternoon was an oyster aficionado, showing me how to douse it with various sauces (my favourite being lemon and Worcestershire), how to cup the shell in your hand, how to tip it into your mouth but first tilting your head back slightly, so as to open the back of your throat.  I have enjoyed many an oyster, ever since.  My oyster mentor was Doug Stephen creator of Wow! Hospitality and many wonderful Winnipeg restaurant institutions.

Last evening, he greeted us at the door of Terrace in the Park in his robust manner.  Together with Chef Simon, the story unfolded that WOW! believes that the city needs a fish and seafood house and that the beautiful atrium which holds the restaurant formerly called Terrace 55, is just the place.  When the room was filled with invited guests who are friends and suppliers of WOW!, sipping on fine wines and sampling little tastes from the new menu, the room was literally vibrating with warmth and enthusiasm.  If last night was any indication, the concept will be a resounding success.

I limited myself to a single glass of wine because I knew that I had to get up very early this morning to work as a food stylist for The Best of Bridge Slowcooker Cookbook tour.  The publicist is a fellow that I have know even long than WOW!’s Doug, having met Rorie over 35 years ago when we both worked in the book department at Eaton’s.  Ron Robinson (of McNally Robinson fame), another “bookie”, worked there as well.  Years later when I was full time at The Keg Steakhouse and Bar, Rorie and his bride Sally asked The Keg to cater their wedding reception (not something they were asked very often) as they had sentimentally enjoyed many favourites from the appetizer menu together.  (Gord Howard, the owner of the Winnipeg Kegs was at the reception last evening too).

Sally Vaughan Johnston, who is the cookbook author, has been touring Canada to promote the book and when she and Rorie were chatting (as I put together the food set) they found that Sally’s stylist in Regina was a Chef by the name of CJ Katz who I will be food styling for next week when she starts her tour for the cookbook entitled Taste-Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table.  If she were to include Edmonton on that tour, Sally would style for her!

Shortly, I will head out the door to meet Sally and Rorie again, this time at the Prairie Ink Restaurant at McNally Robinson Booksellers (there, it is happening again!)  I have had a long and lovely career in the restaurant and food business and in the last 24 hours I can see so clearly how it is all woven together into a never-ending loop.  I love my work and my life as a foodie.

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

Love-that is all.

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