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Showing posts with label anecdotes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anecdotes. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Growing Chefs
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
England Part 6
Tewkesbury. After a rocky start, we were ready to explore the town... except there didn't seem to be a whole lot to see. The high street could be walked in five minutes or less and the surrounding streets that we tried out were devoid of anything of interest. I didn't mind, however as all I really wanted to see was the Abbey. I have an obsession with old buildings and the older and more majestic they are, the better. Tewkesbury Abbey did not disappoint. Preparations were under way for Easter Celebrations so the church was a hive of activity making sureptitious picture taking almost impossible.
We wandered the aisles, poking our noses in little nooks and crannies, running our hands over centuries old tombs. A chantry chapel drew me in, with unique detailing on the ceiling. As I stepped back to take it all in, my foot came down on 4 inches of empty air. There was some staggering backwards, some flailing of arms in a desperate attempt to stop the inevitable. I found myself flat on my back on the stone floor of Tewkesbury Abbey with a bruised elbow and ego. Yay me!
After righting myself , we made our way to the exits and walked back to the boat, keeping our eyes peeled for a restaurant or pub to eat dinner at. The selection was not ideal; a choice of "2 meals for 9.99" form the English Equivalent of Dennys or an outrageously pricey dinner in a tiny (and way more upscale than us) cafe. We settled on greasy fish and chips wrapped in paper from the local fish shop.
I just have to note that this was my first fish and chips of the trip, but I think it was Rob's 6th.
The next morning, we wandered back into town in the hopes of picking up a few groceries for the road (or should I say river). Somehow, culinary gold was struck. A local butcher shop AND a local greengrocer were open and we picked up a beautiful pork shoulder roast and some good looking produce before hurrying back to the boat so we could lock out of the Avon onto the Severn. A gaggle of eager power boaters, one other narrowboat crew and Rob and I were all clustered around the lock keepers shack in the hopes of being the first through. Somehow, the narrowboats won the lock lottery and we were sent down together.
The morning was clear and calm, sun shining. A short waterway lead from the last lock on the Avon to the junction with the Severn. The view of Mythe Bridge as we swung out wide on the river to avoid the sandbar was breathtaking.
This day rated as one of the most idyllic yet as we cruised calmly up the Severn taking in the sun, the wide calm water, the fresh air. I could hear birds singing, fish jumping. Once in a while, a boat would pass us going the other way, but we were largely on our own. This was also the day that I truly enjoyed driving the boat the most.
WE ate lunch on the run again and reached the first lock on the river sometime around 2, maybe 3. The gates were huge and incredibly daunting, the lock keeper's shouted instructions almost impossible to understand, but we made it up without incident. From there it was a few hundred yards to the bottom lock of the Worcester and Birmingham canal, the one we had started on 11 or 12 days earlier.
We locked up without incident, tied up near Diglis Basin and headed for the cathedral (see previous mention of obsession).
Worcester Cathedral was even more majestic than Tewkesbury and I managed to avoid any embarrassing incidents.
There was one small problem. I had done no research on the layout of Worcester, it was a Saturday afternoon and we had no idea where to find a grocery/liquor store. I got the pork shoulder roast started low and slow, with some onions, bay and Strongbow, left Rob in charge and set out. After roughly 30 minutes of walking, I found a Tesco Express. It would have to do. In hindsight, I should have done a little more sightseeing/tourist shopping, but I had no idea what day it was....
Dinner was oh so good (I heart British Pork)
Rob and I needed some exercise after that so we set off for a walk along the Severn to take in the amazing sunset.....
Next time: The bells! The Bells! Plus some dead rats. Also, taking our time drinking, some more drinking and Stoke Prior again.
After righting myself , we made our way to the exits and walked back to the boat, keeping our eyes peeled for a restaurant or pub to eat dinner at. The selection was not ideal; a choice of "2 meals for 9.99" form the English Equivalent of Dennys or an outrageously pricey dinner in a tiny (and way more upscale than us) cafe. We settled on greasy fish and chips wrapped in paper from the local fish shop.
The next morning, we wandered back into town in the hopes of picking up a few groceries for the road (or should I say river). Somehow, culinary gold was struck. A local butcher shop AND a local greengrocer were open and we picked up a beautiful pork shoulder roast and some good looking produce before hurrying back to the boat so we could lock out of the Avon onto the Severn. A gaggle of eager power boaters, one other narrowboat crew and Rob and I were all clustered around the lock keepers shack in the hopes of being the first through. Somehow, the narrowboats won the lock lottery and we were sent down together.
The morning was clear and calm, sun shining. A short waterway lead from the last lock on the Avon to the junction with the Severn. The view of Mythe Bridge as we swung out wide on the river to avoid the sandbar was breathtaking.
This day rated as one of the most idyllic yet as we cruised calmly up the Severn taking in the sun, the wide calm water, the fresh air. I could hear birds singing, fish jumping. Once in a while, a boat would pass us going the other way, but we were largely on our own. This was also the day that I truly enjoyed driving the boat the most.
WE ate lunch on the run again and reached the first lock on the river sometime around 2, maybe 3. The gates were huge and incredibly daunting, the lock keeper's shouted instructions almost impossible to understand, but we made it up without incident. From there it was a few hundred yards to the bottom lock of the Worcester and Birmingham canal, the one we had started on 11 or 12 days earlier.
Worcester Cathedral was even more majestic than Tewkesbury and I managed to avoid any embarrassing incidents.
There was one small problem. I had done no research on the layout of Worcester, it was a Saturday afternoon and we had no idea where to find a grocery/liquor store. I got the pork shoulder roast started low and slow, with some onions, bay and Strongbow, left Rob in charge and set out. After roughly 30 minutes of walking, I found a Tesco Express. It would have to do. In hindsight, I should have done a little more sightseeing/tourist shopping, but I had no idea what day it was....
Dinner was oh so good (I heart British Pork)
Next time: The bells! The Bells! Plus some dead rats. Also, taking our time drinking, some more drinking and Stoke Prior again.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
England Part 5
Rob and I said our goodbyes to Louise and Lorna and headed through the bottom lock and onto the river for the last time. The weather was a little overcast, with spotty drizzle, but we were in good spirits. The very first river lock was less than five minutes from Stratford and as we approached, I realised that we were dealing with a whole new thing here. First, the weirs. The weirs divert the flow of the river so that the lock doesn't disrupt the normal flow of the river. They are large, and fast moving and all the guidebooks say that the current can suck you in if you aren't careful... Great, one more thing for me to stress about (needlessly). My favourite is when the weirs are not marked. Here is a picture that I did not take...
Then there are the river locks. These are twice as wide as the canal locks, allowing the wider river barges to navigate or for two narrowboats to go down together. Twice as wide means twice as challenging when there are just two of you. It also means that the gates were a heck of a lot heavier to open and close... Another picture I did not take..
Despite the challenges, we survived the first lock without any issues and I gradually relaxed into enjoying the river. I even sucked up the courage to try navigating the boat and I realised it was actually a lot easier to deal with on the river.
There are not a lot of places to stop along the river Avon, so we pushed through, eating a sandwich of VERY mature cheddar and ham on the go and drinking copious amounts of hot tea and coffee. Around 4pm, we passed through our first ever manned lock at Evesham. The lock divided the Upper and Lower Avon Navigation Trusts and the lockkeeper was a wealth of information (also, it was so nice not to have to deal with trying to man the lock by ourselves...) We were concerned about finding a secure spot to stop for the night and the lock keeper said we could go for another 2 or 3 hours to tie up in the one spot that was in the middle of nowhere or we could stop just around the bend in the river at Evesham. We opted for Evesham, worried that we might not be able to make the next stopping point before dark.
Evesham was a market town, but in the late afternoons watery light, it was a little depressing, evidence of economic woes everywhere (so many vacant shops). We walked for a good 20 minutes trying to find a pub for dinner. On the verge of giving up and returning to the boat for a dinner of soup and sandwiches, we finally found a place - the Royal Oak Inn. They weren't serving dinner yet, but we had a few beverages while we waited.
Rob had (surprise) fish and chips while I settled on local sausages and mash. OMG, the best sausages and gravy I have ever hed. Perfectly seasoned, perfect texture, abundance of gravy and good mash. Rob was so jealous, even though his fish and chips were the best ones he had enjoyed so far.
We stumbled back to the boat and enjoyed an evening of crib before tucking in early so we could get up early and make the final push to Tewkesbury.
We were under way with the dinner. THe day was even more dreary than the previous one and the locks seemed more challenging. We encountered a diamond shaped (!) lock that was a real challenge for us and the nerves were starting to fray. Rob stumbled on the roof of the boat, trying to jumb out at another lock and help me. I tried to push the boat off as I leapt on and almost got my leg caught between the wall and the boat railing. We were trying to reach Tewkesbury before nightfall, so it was another lunch on the go, this time a hot beef stew I had prepared the night before. It was cold, windy, the sky was heavy with threatening rain showers...
We reached the last lock before Tewkesbury (still at least an hour out) and there was a traffic jam of power boats ahead of us, then the exit of the lock was super awkward and we almost got stuck trying to get out. More fraying of nerves...
The threatening clouds made good on their promise and it started to rain as King John's bridge came into view. We had finally reached Tewkesbury, the end of the navigable portion of the River Avon. Just through the bridge was the lock that led out onto the River Severn, so we quickly attempted to tie up. Yeah attempted. The spot was just not quite the right size for our boat and we couldn't get both ends secured properly. The rain was starting to really come down and because 54ft and an engine seperated Rob and I, we were having communication issues. For the first time, we found ourselves snapping at each other. There were a few angry tears from me and we finally got the boat secured. Inside, out of the rain, we sank into our respective chairs, maintaining the angry silence for about 30 seconds before we started laughing hysterically at the ridiculousness of it all. Oh, and the rain stopped once we were inside...
We dried off, cleaned up, paid the lockkeeper our very small moorage fee for the night and headed out to explore Tewkesbury.
Next time, falling for the Abbey, Fish and chips, the River Severn and arriving in Worcester....
Then there are the river locks. These are twice as wide as the canal locks, allowing the wider river barges to navigate or for two narrowboats to go down together. Twice as wide means twice as challenging when there are just two of you. It also means that the gates were a heck of a lot heavier to open and close... Another picture I did not take..
Despite the challenges, we survived the first lock without any issues and I gradually relaxed into enjoying the river. I even sucked up the courage to try navigating the boat and I realised it was actually a lot easier to deal with on the river.
There are not a lot of places to stop along the river Avon, so we pushed through, eating a sandwich of VERY mature cheddar and ham on the go and drinking copious amounts of hot tea and coffee. Around 4pm, we passed through our first ever manned lock at Evesham. The lock divided the Upper and Lower Avon Navigation Trusts and the lockkeeper was a wealth of information (also, it was so nice not to have to deal with trying to man the lock by ourselves...) We were concerned about finding a secure spot to stop for the night and the lock keeper said we could go for another 2 or 3 hours to tie up in the one spot that was in the middle of nowhere or we could stop just around the bend in the river at Evesham. We opted for Evesham, worried that we might not be able to make the next stopping point before dark.
Evesham was a market town, but in the late afternoons watery light, it was a little depressing, evidence of economic woes everywhere (so many vacant shops). We walked for a good 20 minutes trying to find a pub for dinner. On the verge of giving up and returning to the boat for a dinner of soup and sandwiches, we finally found a place - the Royal Oak Inn. They weren't serving dinner yet, but we had a few beverages while we waited.
We stumbled back to the boat and enjoyed an evening of crib before tucking in early so we could get up early and make the final push to Tewkesbury.
We were under way with the dinner. THe day was even more dreary than the previous one and the locks seemed more challenging. We encountered a diamond shaped (!) lock that was a real challenge for us and the nerves were starting to fray. Rob stumbled on the roof of the boat, trying to jumb out at another lock and help me. I tried to push the boat off as I leapt on and almost got my leg caught between the wall and the boat railing. We were trying to reach Tewkesbury before nightfall, so it was another lunch on the go, this time a hot beef stew I had prepared the night before. It was cold, windy, the sky was heavy with threatening rain showers...
We reached the last lock before Tewkesbury (still at least an hour out) and there was a traffic jam of power boats ahead of us, then the exit of the lock was super awkward and we almost got stuck trying to get out. More fraying of nerves...
The threatening clouds made good on their promise and it started to rain as King John's bridge came into view. We had finally reached Tewkesbury, the end of the navigable portion of the River Avon. Just through the bridge was the lock that led out onto the River Severn, so we quickly attempted to tie up. Yeah attempted. The spot was just not quite the right size for our boat and we couldn't get both ends secured properly. The rain was starting to really come down and because 54ft and an engine seperated Rob and I, we were having communication issues. For the first time, we found ourselves snapping at each other. There were a few angry tears from me and we finally got the boat secured. Inside, out of the rain, we sank into our respective chairs, maintaining the angry silence for about 30 seconds before we started laughing hysterically at the ridiculousness of it all. Oh, and the rain stopped once we were inside...
We dried off, cleaned up, paid the lockkeeper our very small moorage fee for the night and headed out to explore Tewkesbury.
Next time, falling for the Abbey, Fish and chips, the River Severn and arriving in Worcester....
Friday, April 17, 2009
England 2009 Part 2
It is now Thursday April 2nd. We moored overnight near the town of Alvechurch, and in the morning we walked back into town to explore the local church, graveyard and butcher shop. Rob managed to score a beautifully aged spring lamb shoulder and then we returned to the boat. Or pace was much more leisurely than the first day, only 4 locks in the whole morning. Then I noticed Wast Hill tunnel on the map. I had to do a double take at the length ~ more than 2400 metres!!! That means 40 minutes underground, in the dark with only a weak headlamp and your interior lights to illuminate the situation. It was probably the least fun part of the whole trip. The ceiling constantly drips on you, the air is a little hazy from the diesel fumes of boats that were there before you...
Once we cleared the tunnel, we were on the distant suburbs of Birmingham. The canal was full of garbage, the occasional shopping cart and the views were none too picturesque. We waited until we were well away from the city before we stopped for a lunch of ham and mature cheddar sandwiches and beer looking out over the horses on Dickens Heath.
On with the day, we completed a few more locks before mooring for the day. Dinner was slow roasted lamb shoulder, minted potatoes and fresh peas.
The next morning, we decided we were going to change our plans slightly and veer off the Avon Ring briefly and onto the Grand Union, just for a few days. We tied up around lunchtime and walked into the village of Lapworth to get supplies. Everyone was so friendly; the owner of the village shop wanted to emigrate to Victoria, the woman working at the post office had to show me pictures of Grizzly bears from her recent trip to BC. We also scoped out the train station as our plan was to take the train the next morning to Warwick and visit the castle. Errands finished, we had a delicious lunch at the Navigation Inn, which featured a cozy fireplace. I had a ploughmans lunch and Rob had Fish and Chips.
After the hearty lunch, we needed some exercise, so I gambled a bit and used my canal map book to plan a trek to a local National Trust site, Baddesley Clinton.
We walked on a part of the Heart of England Way, a public right of way footpath that took us through farmers fields. The manor house and grounds were beautiful and the walk invigorating. Back to the boat and a simple supper of roast chicken legs, salad and potatoes.
Next time, Warwick Castle, missed trains and the ever exciting Laundrette....
Once we cleared the tunnel, we were on the distant suburbs of Birmingham. The canal was full of garbage, the occasional shopping cart and the views were none too picturesque. We waited until we were well away from the city before we stopped for a lunch of ham and mature cheddar sandwiches and beer looking out over the horses on Dickens Heath.
On with the day, we completed a few more locks before mooring for the day. Dinner was slow roasted lamb shoulder, minted potatoes and fresh peas.
The next morning, we decided we were going to change our plans slightly and veer off the Avon Ring briefly and onto the Grand Union, just for a few days. We tied up around lunchtime and walked into the village of Lapworth to get supplies. Everyone was so friendly; the owner of the village shop wanted to emigrate to Victoria, the woman working at the post office had to show me pictures of Grizzly bears from her recent trip to BC. We also scoped out the train station as our plan was to take the train the next morning to Warwick and visit the castle. Errands finished, we had a delicious lunch at the Navigation Inn, which featured a cozy fireplace. I had a ploughmans lunch and Rob had Fish and Chips.
After the hearty lunch, we needed some exercise, so I gambled a bit and used my canal map book to plan a trek to a local National Trust site, Baddesley Clinton.
We walked on a part of the Heart of England Way, a public right of way footpath that took us through farmers fields. The manor house and grounds were beautiful and the walk invigorating. Back to the boat and a simple supper of roast chicken legs, salad and potatoes.Next time, Warwick Castle, missed trains and the ever exciting Laundrette....
Thursday, April 16, 2009
England 2009 Part 1
We arrived at Heathrow Airport 10:30 am on March 31st. A driver was there to meet us and he whisked us off to our B&B in Bromsgrove. Arriving at the Wellington Lodge at 12:30, we unloaded our bags, tipped the driver, waved him off and went to ring the bell. No answer. We are in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, no maps, no cell phone and no innkeeper. Also, no food and no toilet. After travelling for ten hours.... So we waited. And waited.
3:30pm, now almost 24 hours since we last slept, the car crunches into the gravel drive. Ros, our hapless host, is surprised to see us. "I wasn't expecting you till 4:30" she says. I am exhausted, so being nice is a challenge, but I do my best as I suggest that I may have made an email agreement with her for an early arrival, but perhaps there has been a misunderstanding. She immediately shows us to our (sumptuous) room and disappears. When I search her out to try and make a dinner plan, she is apologetic and completely mortified. Our email conversation had slipped under her radar. A taxi is arranged to a local pub serving food, she calls ahead to make sure that they actually are serving and we head off to find some eats. I can't say enough about how nice and friendly the driver was. But the good times were not to last. After being dropped off at the pub, Rob and I pushed our way inside and asked about having a bite to eat. "We don't serve food till 6" was the reply. I felt tears coming....
Another taxi was called and we ended up on the Bromsgrove high street. Our culinary options were seriously limited and we found ourselves at the Slug and Lettuce. I have no idea what I ate, Rob had fish and chips and we both had a pint ( Strongbow for me Guiness for him). The food was terrible, but the company was entertaining. I have to relate the conversation I had (remember, I am overtired, hungry and frustrated).
Bar Patron to me: "You look like you're from Redditch."
Me: "ummm, no, I am from a lot further away than Redditch"
"Really!! You look like you're from Redditch. Where are you from then?"
"Canada"
"Canada! Well, you look like you are from Redditch. Do you want to sit with us?"
"ummm no, I am actually here with someone." at this point I gesture to Rob sitting at the table.
"Oh, who's he?"
"my husband"
"really? is he from Canada too?"
"Yes"
"Well, he could sit with us too I guess."
Thank you, but we are really tired and wouldn't be any good for conversation."
"If you change your mind, we are sitting over there. You sure look like you are from Redditch..."
Back at the B&B, I was asleep before 6:30.
Up bright and early the next day, we enjoyed our full English Breakfast before taking a taxi to the Black Prince boatyard. The taxi driver was the same nice one we had from the day before. Our boat, Angela, was already for us and we got a quick tutorial from Tony the engineer before being turned loose on the unsuspecting English countryside.
Locks can be physically demanding to work and as I refused to drive the boat initially, I was stuck doing most of the grunt work. This would be a typical lock routine for me:
Check that the lock is in our favour. If it isn't, drain or fill lock as needed.
Open gates (gates could weigh anywhere from 1000 kilo to 4500 kilo, depending on their size).
Close gates after Rob pulls boat into lock.
Use my windlass to open paddles to drain or fill lock (this is a lot harder than it sounds, brute force was often required to get the paddles up)
Open top gate so that Rob can pull the boat out (see previous comment about weight of gates)
Close top gate behind him.
Repeat as needed. (after the first day, we had to rethink the routine so that Rob could help a little)
Our first day, we did roughly 37 locks. I spent more time on land than on the boat, as it is easier to walk from lock to lock when they are close together in a flight as they were that first day (Tardebigge flight and Stoke flight).
After finishing the lock push, we made our way through two tunnels and stopped at the town of Alvechurch around 5pm. Famished (breakfast was a long time and a lot of locks ago), we discovered the local pub didn't serve till six, so we hiked into the town centre first and bought some groceries for the next few days.
The pub meal was delicious, but I think the Strongbow went to my head a little faster than usual because I managed to throw some in my eye.... Don't ask.
Next installment: local butchers, simple lunches and the tunnel of terror, plus much much more....
3:30pm, now almost 24 hours since we last slept, the car crunches into the gravel drive. Ros, our hapless host, is surprised to see us. "I wasn't expecting you till 4:30" she says. I am exhausted, so being nice is a challenge, but I do my best as I suggest that I may have made an email agreement with her for an early arrival, but perhaps there has been a misunderstanding. She immediately shows us to our (sumptuous) room and disappears. When I search her out to try and make a dinner plan, she is apologetic and completely mortified. Our email conversation had slipped under her radar. A taxi is arranged to a local pub serving food, she calls ahead to make sure that they actually are serving and we head off to find some eats. I can't say enough about how nice and friendly the driver was. But the good times were not to last. After being dropped off at the pub, Rob and I pushed our way inside and asked about having a bite to eat. "We don't serve food till 6" was the reply. I felt tears coming....
Another taxi was called and we ended up on the Bromsgrove high street. Our culinary options were seriously limited and we found ourselves at the Slug and Lettuce. I have no idea what I ate, Rob had fish and chips and we both had a pint ( Strongbow for me Guiness for him). The food was terrible, but the company was entertaining. I have to relate the conversation I had (remember, I am overtired, hungry and frustrated).
Bar Patron to me: "You look like you're from Redditch."
Me: "ummm, no, I am from a lot further away than Redditch"
"Really!! You look like you're from Redditch. Where are you from then?"
"Canada"
"Canada! Well, you look like you are from Redditch. Do you want to sit with us?"
"ummm no, I am actually here with someone." at this point I gesture to Rob sitting at the table.
"Oh, who's he?"
"my husband"
"really? is he from Canada too?"
"Yes"
"Well, he could sit with us too I guess."
Thank you, but we are really tired and wouldn't be any good for conversation."
"If you change your mind, we are sitting over there. You sure look like you are from Redditch..."
Back at the B&B, I was asleep before 6:30.
Up bright and early the next day, we enjoyed our full English Breakfast before taking a taxi to the Black Prince boatyard. The taxi driver was the same nice one we had from the day before. Our boat, Angela, was already for us and we got a quick tutorial from Tony the engineer before being turned loose on the unsuspecting English countryside.
Locks can be physically demanding to work and as I refused to drive the boat initially, I was stuck doing most of the grunt work. This would be a typical lock routine for me:
Check that the lock is in our favour. If it isn't, drain or fill lock as needed.
Open gates (gates could weigh anywhere from 1000 kilo to 4500 kilo, depending on their size).
Close gates after Rob pulls boat into lock.
Use my windlass to open paddles to drain or fill lock (this is a lot harder than it sounds, brute force was often required to get the paddles up)
Open top gate so that Rob can pull the boat out (see previous comment about weight of gates)
Close top gate behind him.
Repeat as needed. (after the first day, we had to rethink the routine so that Rob could help a little)
Our first day, we did roughly 37 locks. I spent more time on land than on the boat, as it is easier to walk from lock to lock when they are close together in a flight as they were that first day (Tardebigge flight and Stoke flight).
After finishing the lock push, we made our way through two tunnels and stopped at the town of Alvechurch around 5pm. Famished (breakfast was a long time and a lot of locks ago), we discovered the local pub didn't serve till six, so we hiked into the town centre first and bought some groceries for the next few days.
The pub meal was delicious, but I think the Strongbow went to my head a little faster than usual because I managed to throw some in my eye.... Don't ask.
Next installment: local butchers, simple lunches and the tunnel of terror, plus much much more....
Sunday, July 15, 2007
The dreaded veal
I had this fear of, or rather, aversion to, veal. Rob made veal chops for us once and I could barely eat them. My challenge this week was to make myself, at the very least, be able to eat them. I salted them very thoroughly before rubbing with garlic and allowing them to rest for an hour or so. Then I cooked them in a cast iron pan over medium high heat until they were a solid medium. Served with couscous and summer vegetable stew. The verdict? They were delicious!
We sipped a Spanish rose, recommended by the wonderful staff at Liberty Wines Granville Island. Possibly the new favourite of the summer.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Delfino Vineyards B&B
Back from Oregon and the most amazing B&B I have ever stayed in; Delfino Vineyards. Rob and I stayed two nights in the guest cottage here and did not want to leave!. As we pulled up the drive, I felt a wave relaxation pour over me. The cottage was spacious (bigger than our place) but cozy and homey with all sorts of little details that made it special. A bottle of wine was waiting for us when we arrived, along with the sweet and generous innkeeper Terri and four very friendly dogs. We poured a glass and then wandered down the hill past the vegetable gardens and the chickens to the pond. Rob took me for a canoe around the pond before we headed out to dinner and when we came back, we brought worms and I caught my first ever fish (and released it too). After the first fish, I just fed worms to them ~ I couldn't deal with the whole hook thing. Much later, we got in the hot tub with our glasses of wine and stared up at the stars.
The first morning, we had to leave very early, so Terri dropped off Fresh Blueberry Muffins the night before, along with some bread, butter, milk, strawberries (local) and eggs from their chickens and Rob and I made ourselves a breakfast. The second morning, we had breakfast delivered ~ fresh cut fruit and warm delicious dried cranberry scones (I can smell them still). After That amazing breakfast, we took a short hike through oak trees to high wild rose meadow and on to the vineyards. When we finally said goodbye to Terri and Jim and took off for Portland, I did not want to leave.
I will be back, but in the meantime, I hope that if anyone is heading that way, they look this place up; a true gem and worth every penny and more.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday
Sometimes I am so happy with the crazy things I think up. Last night was no exception. I had a vague image in my mind of halibut, poached, a mushroomy broth, rice noodles, chinese broccoli. And I made it happen. I made a broth from chicken stock, water, sake, rice vinegar, tamari, flowering chives and dried mushrooms. To this I added the most beautiful fresh shiitake mushrooms, then poached my halibut gently. I purchased fresh rice noodles from South China Seas, sauteed them in garlic, ladle a small amount of broth over them and popped them in the oven to continue heating through. I sauteed Chinese broccoli with fresh ginger and more sake. Everything came together in a bowl with a garnish of fresh cilantro. Quite possibly the best fish dish I have ever made. And thanks to another educated recommendation from Liberty Wines, the Mas Rabell white wine I sipped was a perfect match.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Fun with Air Canada
Back from Edmonton and still trying to catch up on my sleep. Air Canada is on my bad list right now, although my air miles are with them so there is not much I can do about it. Let me tell you a non food story.
Leaving Edmonton I was already sleep-deprived and cranky; 6 hrs of sleep in two days will do that to you! I went to auto check in, punched in my info, printed my boarding pass. Wait! What's this?? The BOARDING time on my pass was showing up as 8:35pm, a full hour and a half past when my flight was supposed to DEPART. I was changing planes in Calgary, so my new arrival time in Vancouver was 11:30pm... not good. I went over to the Air Canada desk and explained the situation to the nice young man. I was polite, but there was a definite note of hysteria in my voice (just want to go home and sleeep). He very graciously explained that my flight was delayed by two hours, but he switched me to a direct flight to Vancouver. I loved Air Canada at that moment. I had purchased this ticket with airmiles and they didn't bat an eye about giving me a new one.
My Euphoria didn't last long. I had a bite to eat, then proceeded to my gate. Wait! What's this?? Now my flight departure time has been pushed back half an hour. I called Rob to warn him. Then, the board changed it to 8;30, now delayed by an hour. The Air Canada agent was adamant that we would depart at that time and arrive in Vancouver in plenty of time for everyone to make their connecting flights. The plane landed at 8:05. They unloaded. They loaded. We taxied out of there so fast, the inflight safety video was still running as we headed down the runway. In an effort to make up for the extreme delays (now an hour and a half) the flight attendants offered us drinks on the house (or plane). We finally landed in Vancouver at 9:30 local time. Wait! What's this?? Our gate was occupied, we had to sit on the tarmac waiting. The passengers bound for Kamloops on the last flight of the night were told that a representative would be meeting them at the gate (in other words, you missed your flight). Someone started crying.
Finally liberated from the plane, I stormed off to baggage claim where Rob was waiting. Had been waiting for an hour. The luggage came. The luggage stopped coming and 3/4 of the passengers were still standing there waiting. An announcement was made that the plane had to be offloaded by hand and would take a while. We settled back to wait. The carousel started up again, a few more bags came out. Then lights started flashing. Wait! What's this?? Now the baggage chute was jammed and they had to clear it by hand.
It was midnight by the time we arrived at home.
Oh and to make things extra sweet, I dropped my camera on this trip and seriously damaged it. If I squeeze it together as I press the on button, the lens comes out, accompanied by a high pitched buzzing noise. I can take the most basic of pictures, but zoom and macro are out of the question. "sniff"
Leaving Edmonton I was already sleep-deprived and cranky; 6 hrs of sleep in two days will do that to you! I went to auto check in, punched in my info, printed my boarding pass. Wait! What's this?? The BOARDING time on my pass was showing up as 8:35pm, a full hour and a half past when my flight was supposed to DEPART. I was changing planes in Calgary, so my new arrival time in Vancouver was 11:30pm... not good. I went over to the Air Canada desk and explained the situation to the nice young man. I was polite, but there was a definite note of hysteria in my voice (just want to go home and sleeep). He very graciously explained that my flight was delayed by two hours, but he switched me to a direct flight to Vancouver. I loved Air Canada at that moment. I had purchased this ticket with airmiles and they didn't bat an eye about giving me a new one.
My Euphoria didn't last long. I had a bite to eat, then proceeded to my gate. Wait! What's this?? Now my flight departure time has been pushed back half an hour. I called Rob to warn him. Then, the board changed it to 8;30, now delayed by an hour. The Air Canada agent was adamant that we would depart at that time and arrive in Vancouver in plenty of time for everyone to make their connecting flights. The plane landed at 8:05. They unloaded. They loaded. We taxied out of there so fast, the inflight safety video was still running as we headed down the runway. In an effort to make up for the extreme delays (now an hour and a half) the flight attendants offered us drinks on the house (or plane). We finally landed in Vancouver at 9:30 local time. Wait! What's this?? Our gate was occupied, we had to sit on the tarmac waiting. The passengers bound for Kamloops on the last flight of the night were told that a representative would be meeting them at the gate (in other words, you missed your flight). Someone started crying.
Finally liberated from the plane, I stormed off to baggage claim where Rob was waiting. Had been waiting for an hour. The luggage came. The luggage stopped coming and 3/4 of the passengers were still standing there waiting. An announcement was made that the plane had to be offloaded by hand and would take a while. We settled back to wait. The carousel started up again, a few more bags came out. Then lights started flashing. Wait! What's this?? Now the baggage chute was jammed and they had to clear it by hand.
It was midnight by the time we arrived at home.
Oh and to make things extra sweet, I dropped my camera on this trip and seriously damaged it. If I squeeze it together as I press the on button, the lens comes out, accompanied by a high pitched buzzing noise. I can take the most basic of pictures, but zoom and macro are out of the question. "sniff"
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Pork Fried Rice
Remember yesterdays pork roast? It has been reincarnated as Pork Fried Rice, another budget friendly meal. I used leftover rice, leftover pork and whatever vegetables and herbs were in the crisper. Add eggs and tamari and voila. Easy AND cheap. I served baby bok choy along side which topped out at a whopping 18 cents per serving.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Rob Cooks
I am a pretty lucky gal... on those days when I am too tired to cook, Rob picks up the torch and prepares an amazing meal for me. Tonight, I was exhausted. I worked a double yesterday, the second half of the day being an amazing VIP catered event. I was home around 12, got up at 5:30 this morning and left for work. I fell aleep on the couch this evening as Rob prepared roasted vegetables, sauteed spinach and trout.
Two days ago, he whipped up steaks with spinach salad and mashed potatoes. Tomorrow...who knows??
Two days ago, he whipped up steaks with spinach salad and mashed potatoes. Tomorrow...who knows??
Monday, February 12, 2007
Simple yet elegant
I actually made myself a nice dinner this week. Well, part of a nice dinner; the smashed potato cake was a donation from work. I bought two lamb chops and marinated them in red wine, garlic and herbes de provence. After a couple hours, I took them out of the marinade and seared them in a smoking hot frying pan 2 or 3 minutes a side. While they rested on the counter, I deglazed the pan with more red wine and let it reduce slightly to make a pan sauce. A few green beans, blanched cut and tossed with slivered almonds rounded the meal out.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Ladies Who Lunch
Today, I had a nice leisurely lunch with a friend I haven't spent time with in a while. We each contributed a part of lunch (and a bottle of wine) and it was so tasty.
My contribution was two savoury tarts pulled out of the crazy recesses of my brain. I rolled out two sheets of puff pastry, scored them to make an edge and docked the dough before eggwashing and blind baking. THe first tart started with Meyer lemon juice and zest, light ricotta, half a beaten egg and salt and pepper. I spread a layer of this mixture on the prepaked crust, then laid down lightly blanched asparagus spears. THe other tart started with 4 kalamata olives, chopped fin and half a teaspoon of garlic paste blended with a tablespoon of beaten egg. I brushed this concoction lightly over the base of the crust. Then I latered sliced tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese. Both tarts went in the oven for another 10-15 minutes before I packed them up.
Katie made a delicious warm lentil salad with olives, pomegranate molasses, orange, arugula, cinnamon and other spices. We sipped a nice riesling with lunch.
After, in light of the bleak Vancouver day, we curled up on the couch and watched Persuasion, following our Riesling with a Gray Monk Gamay Noir.
Of course, the star of the whole afternoon was the lovable and infamous George.
My contribution was two savoury tarts pulled out of the crazy recesses of my brain. I rolled out two sheets of puff pastry, scored them to make an edge and docked the dough before eggwashing and blind baking. THe first tart started with Meyer lemon juice and zest, light ricotta, half a beaten egg and salt and pepper. I spread a layer of this mixture on the prepaked crust, then laid down lightly blanched asparagus spears. THe other tart started with 4 kalamata olives, chopped fin and half a teaspoon of garlic paste blended with a tablespoon of beaten egg. I brushed this concoction lightly over the base of the crust. Then I latered sliced tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese. Both tarts went in the oven for another 10-15 minutes before I packed them up.
Katie made a delicious warm lentil salad with olives, pomegranate molasses, orange, arugula, cinnamon and other spices. We sipped a nice riesling with lunch.
After, in light of the bleak Vancouver day, we curled up on the couch and watched Persuasion, following our Riesling with a Gray Monk Gamay Noir.
Of course, the star of the whole afternoon was the lovable and infamous George.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Lazy Food
I had the best of intentions last night... I was going to come home and make myself a healthy dinner from a link that was given to me ~ Super Foods Super You.
I worked a catering job yesterday, 12-6pm, a 60th birthday surprise party in a cute house in the Southlands area. It was hard. The most demanding job I have worked yet! Tons of heavy lifting and stairs, people who want to be in the kitchen because that is where the action is, making it hard for me to move, etc. I actually slipped on the wet wooden stairs as I was caring something out to the catering van. Refusing to let go of the bin I was carrying, I fell on my side, wrenching my back and bruising my butt and ego.
I was so tired by the time I got home, all I could do was heat up a can of lentil soup and a cute little screwtop of wine that was sent to me. I crawled into the recliner with my trashy supper and watched "Grease: the One That We Want" for three hours. I promise tonight's dinner will be more exciting.
Editing for the smart@&& in the comment section ;D
The menu at this birthday party consisted of:
Sablefish cakes with preserved lemon and porcini mayo
Parmesan Crisps with Zinfandel Poached Pears
Cucumber cups with Thai Spiced Beef
Lamb Lollipops with mint aioli
Ancho Chili Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Moroccan Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Quince and Pomegranate Molasses dip
Salad Rolls with Lime Chili Dip
There were assorted platters on the buffet:
Gourmet Meat and Cheese Platters
Market Veg Basket (VEggies and Dip)
Smoked Salmon and Smoked Trout platter
Guacamole, Salsa and Chips
Fruit Platter
Dessert was a Banana Chiffon Cake with Milk Chocolate Buttercream
Not a drop of tapioca to be seen ;P
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Dinner Delivery
My grandparents have been in town for a few days, attending a PAMEA conference and they very graciously agreed to keep me company last night. (It was my first lonely night sans Rob.) They had treated the two of us to dinner the night before, so it was my turn to provide the sustenance. Unfortunately, I was so caught up in serving dinner, I forgot to take pictures until dessert.
The logistics of the whole thing were challenging; they were staying in a hotel about an hour by foot and bus from my house. They had no microwave or any other cooking related device. I wanted to make a nice hot meal.
I settled on roasted chicken breast with Meyer lemon and basil, baked potato and salad. As soon as I got home from work, I cranked the oven, popped the potatoes in and filled a small cooler with boiling water. I then marinated the chicken in Meyer lemon zest and juice, fresh basil, olive oil and white wine vinegar. 20 minutes before departure time, I seared the chicken, then popped it in the oven. As it cooked, I packed a backpack with cutlery, plastic plates, sour cream and butter (in little jars), salt and pepper, salad and dressing, as well as the dessert requirements and a thermos of hot water for tea. As soon as the chicken breast were done, I wrapped them in heavy duty foil, lined with parchment. They went into the cooler with the hot potatoes, everything gut covered with a warm towel and I locked the lid down. Then I rushed out the door.
I made it to Richmond in just under an hour and the food was still piping hot!
For dessert, at home I took the Braun to a pot of ricotta cheese with honey and vanilla added. Once the grainy texture was gone, I packed it up. I also brought a can of tropical fruit (papyas, mangos, guava etc) packed in juice and some of Anna's Almond Thins. Onsite, I layered the ingredients to create the dessert below. I was pleasantly surprised by how well everything turned out!
On the bus home, I got stuck next to a drunk guy, but at least he was an entertaining one who shared his secret to Yorkshire puddings and his favourite red wine to have with roast beef dinner!
The logistics of the whole thing were challenging; they were staying in a hotel about an hour by foot and bus from my house. They had no microwave or any other cooking related device. I wanted to make a nice hot meal.
I settled on roasted chicken breast with Meyer lemon and basil, baked potato and salad. As soon as I got home from work, I cranked the oven, popped the potatoes in and filled a small cooler with boiling water. I then marinated the chicken in Meyer lemon zest and juice, fresh basil, olive oil and white wine vinegar. 20 minutes before departure time, I seared the chicken, then popped it in the oven. As it cooked, I packed a backpack with cutlery, plastic plates, sour cream and butter (in little jars), salt and pepper, salad and dressing, as well as the dessert requirements and a thermos of hot water for tea. As soon as the chicken breast were done, I wrapped them in heavy duty foil, lined with parchment. They went into the cooler with the hot potatoes, everything gut covered with a warm towel and I locked the lid down. Then I rushed out the door.
I made it to Richmond in just under an hour and the food was still piping hot!
For dessert, at home I took the Braun to a pot of ricotta cheese with honey and vanilla added. Once the grainy texture was gone, I packed it up. I also brought a can of tropical fruit (papyas, mangos, guava etc) packed in juice and some of Anna's Almond Thins. Onsite, I layered the ingredients to create the dessert below. I was pleasantly surprised by how well everything turned out!
On the bus home, I got stuck next to a drunk guy, but at least he was an entertaining one who shared his secret to Yorkshire puddings and his favourite red wine to have with roast beef dinner!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Food in Vegas
My Room service breakfast: corned beef hash with poached eggs
Clams in a marinara sauce. This was an appetizer portion; I finally figured out that in order to avoid insane portions, order appies.
13.95 prime rib dinner. Need I say more.
Breakfast buffet at the Bellagio.
Sandwiches from wichcraft; meatloaf and hot turkey and bacon.
Dessert from Bellagio buffet; chocolate jello, espresso cream.
Dessert from Bellagio buffet; apricot pannacotta.
Cinnamon bun from room service.
Country fried steak and eggs.
Rob's Bellagio room service breakfast; eggs Benedict
Oysters make him happy!
Mexicali burger from Margaritaville (can anyone say cheesefest? The restaurant, not the burger. The burger was quite good.
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