Three citrus marmalade...looks very pretty, but the jury is still out on whether a set was truly achieved.
Worked from home on Friday, due to inclement weather. Actually, it was very inclement. We had a snowstorm, the like of which we haven't seen in Toronto for several years. It reminded me of the first few winters when I arrived in Canada in the mid-nineties. Deep snow, and even deeper snow-banks! It was however very nice to have a morning where all my time was spent productively working, and not being stuck in traffic with thousands of other commuters.
Stayed close to home all weekend....by the fireplace! Eating hearty soup, watching Monty Don wandering around beautiful gardens in France, and breathing deeply of the smell of marmalade boiling in the kitchen. I deviated from my penchant for Seville oranges this year, and went for a three citrus recipe of grapefruit, lemon and orange from "Food in jars". Although I diligently monitored the temperature achieved with a thermometer, and double checked for a set with the old frozen saucer test (and did seem to have a good "wrinkle" going on), the jars don't seem to have much of a set at all. Am hoping that a day or two for rest will be enough....will be very disappointed if a need to reboil.
Lake Shore Boulevard, Mimico...February 8th, 2013. A good, old-fashioned snowstorm kept much of the traffic at bay. I decided on a walk to the store to gather provisions....pretty at first, but exhausting overall.
This picture was taken about half way through the storm...even at this stage you can get the sense that we had quite a depth. In the end, about 25 centimetres.
It's been a few years since the window ledges have been piled with snow.
My turn to host, for the 6th Thursday of 2013. I have realized after 6 weeks, the immense skill of food stylists and photographers in the magazines I love to browse. No matter how delicious or fragrant the food we have eaten on Thursdays thus far in 2013, the photographs do very little justice.
This week, we dined on:
"toast champignon", inspired by my trip to Leuven the previous week (De absolute bistroklassieker is een smakelijke toast champignon), washed down with a little bubbly to celebrate the recently completed country house purchase of Bobby and Mr. N......a dream regency cottage in Hastings county, which will only be enhanced by it's new owners.
Abbachio alla Romano (Roman roast lamb).....I've been making this easy-peasy Valentina Harris iteration of a Roman classic for years. This week, it was made with little lamb cutlets, as I couldn't find a roast to cut up into chunks. Results equally gusty and dee-lish. It only contains 5 ingredients - a case of brilliant simplicity.
Meringue gelato cake. This one came from "Nigellisima". It's also very easy, and takes the prize for fewest ingredients, at a paltry four (cream, shop bought meringues, a dash of rum and some slivered chocolate). Although not the most sophisticated dessert in the world, it went down very well, and the fact that it only took about 10 minutes to make mid-week, was highly appreciated by myself!
Toast champignon - recently consumed in the Flemish town of Leuven.
Roman roast lamb, with roasted potatoes and green beans. This is a hearty, delicious and extremely easy meal.
Not exactly the "Belle of the Ball", but it was rather tasty.....Nigella's Meringue Gelato Cake. The speed of preparation on a weeknight scored it some bonus points.......just need to work on the presentation!
I had to forgo normal service last Thursday, as I was in Belgium for work. The meetings I attended were held in the lovely Flemish town of Leuven, which I had not previously visited. We were housed at a very smart hotel, the Martin's Klooster, a former convent which has been very stylishly re-purposed as a hotel. I had the good luck to be in one of the rooms in the old part of the hotel...lots of exposed beams, high ceilings and leaded windows. Although the days were fully scheduled, I arrived the day before the meeting started and managed to get out whilst the sun was shining for a good walk around the city centre. It's a very charming town, and I am pleased to say that in the couple of restaurants I visited, I was met with very attentive and pleasant service, and lots of help with the Flemish menu. If you ever want a nice homely meal in the centre of Leuven, in a quiet and cozy spot that's obviously popular with the locals, try the Brasserie Foyer.
This church was adjacent to Martin's Klooster, and I love the highly decoratively pollarded trees, which were found in various locations with the city.
A lovely baroque church in Leuven
Beautiful turreted buildings
Look at the golden boy, striking the clock bell.
This church had beautiful clean lines and delicate decoration.
There were some very stylish shopfronts in Leuven. Here, a lovely flower boutique.
Same flower boutique, different window. A real visual feast.
Further down the street, another florist, with a wide variety of spring treats to tempt shoppers,
Wish my neighbourhood shops looked this cute!
I loved this display of hellebores and other hardy plants, that can survive in the relatively mild winter climate in Belgium.
After my trip to Belgium, I was able to fit in a flying visit to see my Mum and family in Scotland, which was fantastic.
For this weeks Thursday extravaganza, we had a super quick dinner of spanish-inspired chicken stew (think smokey chorizo, white beans and tomatoes) and portuguese custard tarts, before rushing out to the movies. We saw "Quartet", with Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins heading the cast. I have to say it was quite charming and very entertaining. Highlights were audience reactions to the gardener (whose name was Nobby - much hilarity for middle aged same-sex couples in the audience apparently), and to a couple of choice moments of "language", which seemed much less shocking to me given my British up-bringing. I was rather surprised to be likened by my peers, to the Michael Gambon character (named Cedric.....and most definitely pronounced "Ceeedric"!). He spends most of the movie wondering around in various kaftans, kimonos, turbans and the like, screaming orders at people and visibly squirming at anything outside the spectrum of classical music.
Spanish chicken - white beans, smokey chorizo and succulent chicken pieces in a delicious, herby tomato sauce.
The Portuguese custard tarts were so good that we devoured them before I remembered to take a photo.
Lamb tagine, heady with fragrant spices, meltingly tender, and presented splendidly.
On the "third Thursday" of 2013, Bobby hosted for the first time this year. When Bobby hosts, it's always a treat. Not only is he a prize winning pie-maker (I kid you not....look at the winners at the Rockton World Fair, under "P" for pies), but he is the consumate host, even on a mid-week, "work next morning" occasion. Last night we were treated to a fabulous lamb tagine, served in the beautiful golden-ochre tagine that he found in a market when we were vacationing in Provence with twelve of our nearest and dearest, a few years back (imagine fragrant spices, sweet dried fruits and meltingly soft pieces of lamb). This was followed (after much banter and a bottle of Bevmo-winning Chilean red) by an apparently simple (according to Bobby) olive oil cake, light as a feather, and rich in flavour, accompanied by a delicious "fruits du bois" compote.
I can only apologize for the fact that I fell asleep on the couch, immediately after dinner.....I had a very early morning.
Next week.....my turn to host.
Olive oil cake with Fruits du bois compote. Simple but "oh so delicious"!
It's mid January. I'm in Toronto. There is no snow on the ground. It is FOURTEEN DEGREES CELCIUS!
When I first arrived in Toronto, almost 18 years ago, we had snow on the ground from late Nov/early December, until March. January temperatures were frequently in the range of -10 to -20, even worse with wind chill. Snowstorms would be so bad, the mayor would call in the army for help. Well, actually, scratch that last comment, because the one time that happened, it was very dubious as to whether military intervention was truly warranted.
The weather this weekend is warm enough for Mimico residents to go out on Lake Ontario in kayaks.....typically at this time of year, the shoreline is thick with ice, and marinas are frozen over.
These guys were getting in a spot of fishing....and not even ice fishing! This was happening just off the Mimico shoreline
In any case, I don't normally expect to see unfrozen, bare earth in my garden at this time of year, and I certainly shouldn't be flinging open the windows of the house to let in a balmy breeze. However, that is what I did yesterday. I was shocked to see crocuses already poking through the ground, and it looks as though the hellebore I planted last year is very close to blooming. I know we are about to see temperatures plunge towards freezing again this coming week, but hopefully these wild swings in temperature will not have overly damaging effects on my plants, who should be in deep slumber right now!
These ornamental cabbages have that sort of "bloom" of fresh growth, and were bejewelled with rain drops. Very pretty.
Crocuses have broken through the soil surface....about 2 months earlier than they should.
Plenty of flower buds are visible on this hellebore.
On another note, if you ever have the opportunity to hear violinist Augustin Hadelich in recital......you must jump at the chance. I heard him playing Mozart with the Toronto Symphony last night, and it was a truly breathtaking performance. Attached is a very interesting short biography on this highly gifted performer.
Host: Kitkat Menu: Pepperoni Lasagna (you may laugh, but reserve your judgement until you have tried it. I have never eaten a more delicious lasagna, and of course the pepperoni was an accent, not the main feature). Individual lemon curd pavlovas, served with berries and mint. Very refreshing. Wine: If only I could remember. France and South Africa Viewing pleasure: Herb and Dorothy - fascinating documentary about two very ordinary people (or at least "seemingly ordinary"), who collected one of the most significant collections of late 20th century American art, which is now housed at the National Gallery in Washington D.C.
Pepperoni lasagna - certainly a new recipe to me! But delicious!
