Something cool for these hot nights

image copyright saikofish on flickr

It must be indicative of my state of mind these days that I came up with the idea to write a blog post about an alcoholic drink. But I’ve fallen in love with the mojito – during these “dog days” of summer – and it seemed appropriate to write about something cool, delicious and refreshing, if only in the hopes that if I think about something cool it will actually make me feel cool as well. (And I’m talking the cold kind of “cool” here, not the hot kind!)

And so, the mojito. I don’t know where I got it into my head that this was going to be “my drink” this summer, but I had one at the Canoe Brewpub a few weeks ago while sitting divinely on the patio with my husband - sans fille, I might add – and it was quite tasty. I took a picture of the menu with my iPhone so I could remember the ingredients of it but later still had to tweet @canoebrewpub to get the exact recipe. They replied:

I was happy that it took less than 140 characters and probably only seconds for them to make my day! (They got back to me very quickly too). We had already purchased Apfelkorn and dug the spiced rum out of the hiding place in our liquor cabinet, figured out how to make simple syrup and purchased a bag-full of “mojito mint” and their tweet was the last piece of the puzzle. Yum. Another one of those “little things” that I can take so much pleasure in sometimes, the mojito’s minty goodness is here to stay in my books.

Unfortunately it doesn’t come without its price though, as I am currently finding that all alcohol exacerbates my recently-diagnosed affliction of excema on my palms, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay. Not that I couldn’t get through a day without a drink of course – I’m not loving them that much! - but I think the appeal lies in just drinking something different, something laced with green leaves that slides down nicely.

Something cool. On a very hot night.

Salud!

 

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A house for Gingy

I realized tonight that I hadn’t yet posted a photo of this year’s gingerbread house (yes, it’s a family tradition) so I thought I better rectify that situation right away, in case people were on pins and needles about it. Hee hee.

Well I think this might be the best of the last three years, if I do say so myself! After the pitiful excuse for a house that I put together in 2009 (where I broke my rolling pin making it) there was nowhere to go but up. Although I do admit that the photo above is showing this version’s good side! I sort of muffed up the other roof side, trying to put my daughter’s initials in Smarties on it and still trying to have the “eaves look”.

Maybe next year will be the keeper! (Not sure what I’m worried about though, we do end up smashing them all to smithereens in the end … and they all taste the same!)

Check out 2009′s version and 2010′s version and let me know what you think – which is the winner? Mmm, can’t wait to get at this one on Christmas eve. My favourite part is the Smartie-laden edges…yum!

 

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The “Bare Bones” Dinner Party

I’m wondering today why people don’t invite each other over for dinner very much anymore. Is this just happening in Victoria, or is it happening everywhere?

I love to host and entertain and I love to go to other people’s houses too. But getting an invite seems to be a rare occurrence in this town, people seem so busy. My question is, is everyone as busy as they look, or are we all sitting at home alone at night wishing to be somewhere else, wondering why no one has asked us over … when we ourselves have never extended an invitation?

As people who know me know, I’m an organizer. I love to plan and organize events for other people to come to. This can involve entertaining others for dinners and other events at my place, or somewhere else. But you know what? I have realized that I don’t do this very much anymore because getting a return invitation is pretty rare. Living in a city where I actually know a fair amount of people and have friends, this is pretty sad! It’s time to turn over a new leaf. Will you help?

To spur on the practice of inviting friends over for dinner, so they can actually – gasp! – see where you live, I’ve come up with some instructions on hosting a “Bare Bones” Dinner Party. There are only ten things to do.

Go forth, dinner hosters! Maybe, if I get lucky, I’ll be on your invitation list soon.

Instructions for Hosting a “Bare Bones” Dinner Party

1. Make friends (or hopefully you already have some)

2. Send an email to one or two (or more) friends, asking them over to your house for dinner

3. Work out a time on a night in the future (2-3 weeks in advance might work) that works for all of you

4. Tell the friends that you are going to make the “main” dish and ask them to bring something. Literally, tell them what to bring, as in, “I was hoping you would bring a salad.” Make sure all the courses are covered. If they offer to bring wine or something else, say yes (if you like wine or “something else”). Ask your friends if they  have any dietary issues that you should know about.

5. A day or two before the dinner, buy the ingredients for your main dish. If you don’t know how to cook, Google “how to make a pot roast” (or similar) and follow the super-easy instructions. If you or your guests are vegetarian, Google “how to make something vegetarian” (or similar). If you do know how to cook, get out your recipe books and plan something creative and yummy. (My default cooking site is always CookingLight.com.) Preferably, make a dish that you put into the oven to bake, not something on the stove. This will allow you to visit more with your friends when they come over.

6. The day before the dinner, clean your bathroom quickly (toilet and sink at least).  Also, do a quick dust of the surfaces that the guests will see in your living areas on their visit. (Estimated time: 15 minutes total)

7. The day of the dinner, shower and wear clothes.

8. The afternoon of the dinner, tidy up a few things around the house like toys or whatnot. Don’t spend too long on this, your house doesn’t have to be spotless. Just make sure that your guests will have somewhere uncluttered to sit, a clean dining table, and a clear path to walk through the house.

9. Make the main dish that you planned, putting it either on top of or in the oven depending on the timing of things. Plan it so that the main dish is going to be ready about an hour after your guests arrive. Make sure you have enough clean dishes available for the food and the drink.

10. Sit back and relax. Wait for your friends to arrive. Whey they get there, welcome them, pour them a drink and DO NOT apologize for your house being too small, too cluttered, too dirty, too anything. Just BE. They are your friends after all. They are already predispositioned to like you and have a good time.

And, then, have that good time. Let me know how it goes!

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Pickle Processing

A few weeks ago I was at the market browsing in the vegetable section and I came across some yummy looking pickling cucumbers. My thoughts went right away to the pickle crock that has gathered dust in our garage for a whole bunch of years, and I knew that it was the right time again to make pickles. So home I came with a whole schwack of tiny cucumbers and pulled the family recipe – “Dianne’s Yummy Icicle Pickles”  - that was passed down to me years ago by my mother.

Yum. Let the pickle processing begin!

Aunt Dianne’s recipe

Now I remember making pickles on my own for the first time in 2002 (yes, I still remember the exact year because I know which apartment I was living in at the time) and part of the pickle process shocked me. A few days into the 11-day pickle-making process, I discovered mould on the cucumbers!  At that time my mom told me that it was “normal” and although it was fantastically gross and somehow seemed wrong, I kept on with the processing.  And, wouldn’t you know, those 2002 pickles were delicious in the end.

Was it the mould that kept me away from making pickles for nine years? Could be. This is the mould here, on Day 4 after the pickles have sat there for that many days in water, and yes, it still seems wrong!  (I’m sure someone will comment here if it is but hey, no one in our family has died yet from pickle mould.) Don’t be confused by the white upside-down plate and bowl holding the pickles down in the water, that’s part of the pickle submerging process.

Day 4

After Day 4, every day you have to drain the water out of the cucumbers and replace it with boiling water. You do this until Day 7. During this time period it pays to have a strong, dare I say man around (yes, they are still pretty useful aren’t they) or keep the crock in one half of your kitchen sink so you don’t have to lift it up off of the floor all the time to drain it. (Pickle crocks full of cucumbers and water are very heavy!)

Day 7

On Day 7 you drain the water out and replace it with a hot syrup of pickling vinegar and sugar and spices. For every day after that until Day 11 you drain out that syrup, heat it up and pour it back over the pickles. Oh, and you can add in a little green food colouring if you like. During this time that same strong man is very likely to complain just a wee bit about the tremendously pungent pickle-smell that is permeating the house!

On Day 11 you’re done all the hard work, and instead of whitish cucumbers you have green delicious, sweet and crunchy pickles. Then it’s just time to can them all in the (many) jars you’ve collected and washed and put them away for a rainy pickly sort of day. A day when a tuna sandwich with a side of pickle would go down just right. (I’ve been waiting nine years for that!)

Day 11

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Beauty in the mundane: coffee photos

One of the “treasure hunt” assignments of my Superhero Photo class that I took recently was to take a photo of my morning coffee. I had been feeling uninspired looking at my regular yellow Denby mug full of joe so hadn’t completed this particular hunt item yet. But then one day Chelsea and I stopped in to this modern little coffee cafe in Saanichton and I saw the perfect morning coffee shot display itself to me.

The Fresh Cup cafe has tables with inlaid coffee-themed burlap sacks, protected under glass. With a sprinkling of coffee beans included in each they looked like works of art all on their own. But then I placed my vanilla latte in its bright blue cup on top of it all and I was really inspired with the result. I took several shots to get the one I liked the best above.

I have always felt a bit funny pulling out my camera in non-touristy places like a small village cafe, but I’m trying to get braver about this. I’m sure I’m worrying too much (and needlessly) about what others are thinking. I can’t be the only blogger out there looking for an original photo and something to talk about! It’s just another exercise in noticing the beauty of the mundane.

If you get a chance, stop by this gem of a cafe in downtown Saanichton. They brew their beans on site and make a great – and picturesque – cup of coffee!

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