14 August 2008

OK, I'm in love

Julia Child - could I love her more?

It's Catch-Up time!

Ok, it's been busy!

I've got houseguests - family, in fact. My mom and my cousin Deborah are in for two weeks :) It's a good thing, I've been having a great time and am so glad they're here! And of course, as you know, family means food...

August started slowly enough - quiet shopping for furniture (driving P crazy...) and looking for an iPal. We were doing REALLY well with eating sensibly, so we know we can do it. Salads with all kinds of things on top. I've kind of fallen off of the wagon again with the family visit, but at least I know I can do it... BBQ at my cousin Dars' place - as always a terrific spread and tons of fun. A friend of hers had made these little phylo thingies with stuff in them (I'm kidding, it was sundried tomatoes, leeks, etc. Delicious!) that went really well with our family shooter... Some folks have tartans, family crests or islands - we have shooters.
The main course was a kick ass salmon on the grill with a maple glaze. I'm not a maple fan, but this was incredible.
A great dinner, followed by some chocolate covered baklava from Select Bakery on Donlands. Love that place.
A nice day in the market on the Sunday, the guy and I went to the Hair Place (which shall remain nameless) for a sandwich - it was all right but the company was great :)
And an impromptu picnic in Kew Gardens with some friends and the dogs! Sake in the park,
with psycho lawn bowlers trying to take us out. When you're fabulous, sometimes people get weird around you. There were banh mi,
timbits
some vegetarian spreads, and of course - great people.

The next weekend, my guests arrived! Deb knows her wines, and both she and Mom brought some great vintages from BC to try - it's really hard to get good BC wines by the bottle here in Ontario because of the LCBO, you have to order by the case and for most people it's just crazy to do so. Some great grape on my back deck.

The weather SUCKS, but we haven't let that stop us. Brickworks farmers market in the morning for some organic greens and those amazing burritos
Taste of the Danforth in the rain where I introduced everyone to the wonder that is a Melona bar, then a family BBQ here - made 11 billion kinds of sausages and we ate like kings. Trixie grabbed them right off of the plate. Anyone want a dog? Anyhoo... Celebrating Sandy and Deb's birthday, so of course there was a cake.

Dars is an amazing baker, so needless to say (but I will) it was scrumptious.
A trip to Kensington Market meant coffee and cookies at Wanda's Pie in the Sky, and then home for buffalo burgers and salad,

more wine, courvoisier and coconut cake (somehow it all worked!) The cookies were chocolate almond, and really soft and rich - I loved them.
And a day on Centre Island,
walking around and enjoying the sunshine. A great lunch at the Rectory Cafe,
where we tried to share desserts :)
We'd run into a new Ethiopian restaurant near my place so we tried it and I'm happy to report GOODNESS! Go there and order. It was really tasty, and very reasonable. When I say reasonable, I mean cheap in a good way. The Flamingo, it's called.
And yesterday was another visit to Kensington to check out Sandy's studio. We wound up having amazing gelato on College St. at Dolce. Well worth a trip, that's for sure.
The Pistachio Siliciano is great, and the maracuya and pink grapefruit makes me swoon. Then home, where Mom cooked a great Thai green curry with prawns!
Today is the ROM, tonight is Avenue Q, and we're off to the old Movenpick Marche (now Richtree) first. Tomorrow is the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and the Textile Museum with assorted eating - more as it happens!

13 August 2008

Waaaay overdue!

Fret not, dear reader - I'll be back! Out of town guests have driven me from the computer screen. But the good news (or the bad news) is that I've been eating a lot and want to tell you about it :) 

Talk to you soon, promise!