First Day on the West Coast

After a nice night out with Stephanie and Hazel last night I treated myself to breakfast at the Bread Garden.

It is so warm here I ate outside! Today I travel to Whistler and will update from the road.

Location:Bute St,Vancouver,Canada

Further Quest for the Best Pizza Dough

When I first started poking through How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman I got a bit frustrated. All of the recipes seemed so basic and I immediately felt superior for getting the book from the library instead of purchasing it.

Of course after further inspection I realized that it was probably the definitive kitchen reference for those people not blessed with a yellowing copy of The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook copyright 1959 such as I am (though dang, it is worth that kind of money?).

How to Cook Everything would be a great gift, particularly when someone gets their first apartment. I actually bought my brother the vegetarian version for his birthday and he says he uses it all the time.

After reading through my borrowed copy I realized that I didn't need to own it (my cookbook and cooking magazine collection is already quite large) but did photocopy (SHHH) one recipe which I now maintain is the best pizza dough/calzone recipe I have come across.

You can find a pretty close version to the book version here. In my infinite wisdom I only photocopied part of the recipe and neglected to include the cooking time so I used this one to fill it in. You could alternatively buy the book or get you buns to a local library.

I have made the dough a few times now, though when I do it I let the dough rise in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours. Each time it is a hit, so get mixing.

Back At It

This year was the first year that I didn't make any resolutions on New Year's Eve. We just plumb forgot. Then I was thinking today that perhaps I should make some cooking resolutions, like say, I resolve that this is the year I make pate at home or make my own marshmallows or something. But then I remember that others in this house don't really like pate and I don't particularly like marshmallows and I feel sort of bogged down by the whole thing.

That and the fact that this year I turn 30. A lot of people have been saying to me "Oh I hope you aren't the sort of person who goes all crazy when they turn 30, like have a crisis or whathaveyou." And I think, um, did you know me in my 20's? Those were the crisis years, the jumping around and wondering and hoping and such. While I am still not really sure where my life is headed and the words "five year plan" give me hives I have in a way steadied myself to accepting life a bit more in the moment. Which I guess is sort of the antithesis of settling since living in the moment implies constant change.

One thing I don't really live in the moment with is cooking, I am a bit of menu planner and this week we did a really good grocery shop and I had a nice little week of meals planned thanks in most part to Everyday Food. Homer bought me the subscription at a magazine sale since I always liked the recipes they had. Simple, practical and, this month, very healthy.

The meal below is under 300 calories and really simple; stir-fried turkey in lettuce wraps.

I adapted it to make it even easier, and it only took about 15 minutes to prepare. If you are eating with someone who may want something more substantial you could do the sandwich option they suggest and serve it on a baguette or maybe you make a little mango salad and serve it along side. But whatever you do, don't pair it with a wheat beer as I did, not a taste sensation.

Happy New Year.

Stir-Fried Turkey In Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4

Adapted from Everyday Food January/February 2010

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

4 tsp fish sauce

4 tsp Splenda (or sugar)

1 tbsp canola oil

1 large shallot (peeled)

2 tbsp minced ginger (I used the stuff in the jar)

2 garlic cloves (peeled)

2 tbsp chili pepper spice paste (you can find this in the produce aisle of any major store, and you can use to your taste)

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 head bibb or boston lettuce with leaves separated (you could use 2 heads if they are small)

1. First prep the garlic and and shallot by whizzing in the food chopper (or if you are so lucky, the Slap Chop).

2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and Splenda and stir until Splenda is dissolved.

3. Head a large skillet or wok over high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add shallot, garlic, ginger and chili paste and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through about 5 minutes. Add half the sauce to the skillet and stir until meat is cooked through about 2 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves with remaining sauce. (Full disclosure, I did not use the extra sauce since I found them a little saucy anyways, but again your call)

A Quick Test

A quick test of the Blogger Iphone app.

Also some cookies.

It's beginning to look a lot like...something

Maybe it is the lack of the white stuff but I haven't really been feeling the Christmas spirit this year. Oh, we have our decorations up and have been to a few holiday parties but something feels not quite there yet. All this is quite strange since for the first time ever I have finished my Christmas shopping well in advance of the mad holiday rush.

While I am not one of those virtuous souls who buys only handmade or gives only gifts they have made themselves I thought I might put forward just a few things that have caught my eye over the last week or so.

Over at a blog I really like called Orangette there is a pretty tasty looking recipe for caramel corn. While it doesn't keep forever and ever perhaps it would work for a holiday party hostess gift.

On another Canadian food blog called Everybody Like Sandwiches there is a mass listing of all her favourite recipes to make as gifts along with printable gift tags to attach. I used said gift cards to attach to gifts I am giving to my co-workers this year, homemade chutney.

Going into this I know that I am the only person in the office who will give everyone a gift (I was the only person last year as well). It is less because I am a nice person and more because I am a bit of show off (see how together I am! I made everyone a present! I have it all together!), and because damn if this isn't the easiest recipe ever. It comes from the gorgeous book Nigella Christmas which I got as a lovely birthday gift last year. Since many of the recipes are for 8-10 I really haven't had call to use it but then I remembered the section on handmade gifts and pulled it out for this office round.

I recommend the book particularly if you are hosting Christmas for the first time or starting your own new family traditions. It provides a step by step guide to the big day, along with a dessert section to be reckoned with.

In the meantime here is the chutney recipe found easily online or in her wonderful book.

It is hard to know where to start after being away for so long. People who read this blog sort of know where I have been and what I have been up to. For the most part it was work, but really just the last month and half or so.

During that time the cooking momentum stopped and I was basically eating things that could be defrosted or thrown together very quickly.

There were a few successes over the last few months. Notably in the area of croissant making and pizza dough making (I do love my carbs).

I also baked up some tasty gingerbread cookies, roasted a whole chicken so as you can see it wasn't all work and no play (as evidence by the photo below) but it felt like it sometimes.

The coming months are going to be even more interesting both personally and professionally as I head off to Whistler for about 2 months starting February 2. I am going to work on the Olympics taking a sort of leave from my normal job. I hope to keep up the blog during that time as well, though it will have decidedly different tone.

Instead of posting a recipe I thought I might just point you in the direction of a good book I picked up at the library called The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger.

Krieger has a show on the food network that I have enjoyed, which focuses on healthy revisioning of comfort food and classic dishes. I found her book really great with nice photos, easy recipes and full nutritional information on each one (something I find is missing in the GI diet books I have)

I don't have any photos yet of recipes I have made (the Bittman calzones above while tasty are not exactly figure friendly), they have all turned out quite well and I look forward to trying a few more before it has to go back.

An Uninformed Insider's Guide to St. John's

Part of really knowing someone is in fact, knowing where they come from, what their history is (or at least I think so). In Homer's case the majority of his history was spent in Newfoundland, primarily in Salmon Cove, but some of the more formative year (i.e. University) in St. John's. Having never been further east than Montreal, it was time to make the trek to land of the puffin (among other things).

While the majority of our time was spent in Salmon Cove visiting Homer's family it was St. John's where we did the most exploring. Since I seem to have a number of friends headed there over the next few months I thought I would mention some of my favourite places, though this is by no means a complete guide (so don't throw out those Lonely Planet guides just yet). But by the by, if you want a really great guide on where to eat in St. John's I highly recommend my friends Sarah's blog, she went in April 2008.
But while we are on the subject let's start with food. Our first dinner out in St. John's was at Ches's, Tristan's favourite fish and chips place (very popular with most locals actually). It was there that I tried a Newfoundland tradition, Cod Tongues (pictured above). Basically it tasted like any regular battered and fried fish, but when in Rome....

Another nice place was the Yellowbelly Brewery and Public House, what Mill Street Brew Pub should be, but really isn't anymore. Good food, decent brew and a really nice atmosphere. We ended up going twice because we saw the brunch menu when we were there for dinner and couldn't resist. Homer proclaims it has the best crab cake he has ever eaten.

If you want a fancy night out please go to Bianca's. It was one of the places that Sarah recommended and it really is fantastic, but I have no idea how they stay in business since we hardly saw anyone eating there. It is sort of like Canoe without the view (which is kind of ironic since St. John's has some pretty amazing vistas). The duck terrine pictured below is from there (and hilariously, without realizing it until I just re-read her blog, I ordered the same main as Sarah when I went!).

Oh, and if you are travelling with a vegetarian or just want to try something different from the other offerings in the city, try The Sprout (sorry couldn't find a website, damn hippies). Good food, but slooow service (however since they are licensed I am sure you can find a way to pass the time) Be prepared when we went they played the entire Bob Marley Legend Album (again, damn hippies).
Since my two favourite pastimes are eating and shopping, I found my way to few funky places. If you like independent designers (and perhaps need a new cool dress to wear to Bianca's) try Twisted Sisters Boutik. They have plenty of great labels, and Think! shoes which I love but cannot afford. Nice place for a special treat.

Perhaps you need to get a souvenir for your friends back home? Forget about those places with tacky tourist crap, and head to Living Planet. With local artists providing the designs you are guaranteed a unique find. I bought the Godzilla Vs. Puffin print for my home for $15. T-shirts run $20-$30.

On our second weekend in St. John's I stumbled upon Model Citizens, and dang I wish I had found it the first weekend. Wonderfully selected vintage/secondhand items at a great price. I tried on a cute casual Vera Wang Dress and a cool breezy Ben Sherman dress, both under $50. Seriously a great find and since stock is rotating constantly you best go often.

Not bad eh? Now if I could just get the hang of updating this thing more often.....