Secret / Not-so-Secret Getaway

Sebastien and I are going away for a getaway, just the two of us, this weekend. I am super excited.

This is a trip I thought about a lot when he went to California to work at Saintsbury winery for three months, three weeks after our wedding. If this is the first you are hearing of him working in the Napa Valley, my apologies. Let's just say that it was a great learning experience for him. For me - well, let's just say that I am happy he is back, and we aren't going to do that long of a stint again (at least not right after the high, high emotions of getting married!).

While he was gone, I thought a bit about the two of us going away to reconnect a bit, and have some relaxation time together. As it often goes, though, we put off the weekend because there were so many things to catch up on, around the house, with our friends, and in our lives.

So suddenly it is Christmas, and so I give Sebastien a weekend away voucher.


And so this weekend, as a "Welcome Back from California"/"Merry Christmas" present, I am taking him on a secret (not so secret) weekend vacation. He knows we are going away but doesn't know where. He did figure out we will be in Canada, though.... He was nervous about me leaving the country (I am waiting for renewal work-papers right now), and I didn't want him to worry about it, so I told him that yes; it was a lie when I said we needed passports.

I will tell you though - I think it is going to be nice and relaxing. I am very excited for the down time. Life around here has been hectic lately, to say the least!

I will be sure to upload pictures when we get back!

Holy Meatwad, Batman OR Very Busy Weekends

Disclaimer:
If you are vegetarian, you may want to wait until my next post to read my blog.

If you aren't vegetarian, I will share with you a few facts, and a conclusion.

1. It would be an gross understatement to say that I like sausage. I adore it, really. That also sounds a little gross to me, but so be it. It is out in the open now: I LOVE (definitely in caps) sausage.

However, there is a bit of a rub. I don't like to buy it in the store, because I have no clue what the $*@% is in the stuff you buy there. Use your imaginations, folks. Whatever gross thing you are picturing in your head is probably in most of the sausage at the store. Sorry - it is true. I would be a total liar if I said I don't eat the stuff though every once in a while. I do. (In fact, one of my favorite food venders here in Vancouver is called Japadog, and though I don't go there often, I do go there.)

2. Sebastien and I love to travel, and we love to cook, and we love trying new recipes. When we were in South Africa, we got really excited about boerwors, literally "farmer's sausage," that was served at every braii (barbeque) we attended. We had a really hard time locating some when we arrived in Vancouver from Cape Town, so we thought, "Hmmmn.... Maybe we could get our butcher to make this for us! We'll just give him the recipe." Then our thoughts changed to, "Why don't we just do it ourselves?"

3. For Christmas, Sebastien's sister gave him a sausage attachment to use on our Kitchen Aide (thanks, V!), so now there were no excuses.

In CONCLUSION, we are now sausage-makers. (The strange part about all this is that I don't think we cook meat more than once every two weeks, if that.)

We've done about 4 batches so far, and each one has been totally different from the rest.

We made a classic Italian sausage first (because it was pretty basic), and then moved on to boerwors (free range organic pork & beef, a little bacon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, garlic, and some chilis), then did a merguez, and the most recent one we made was pork with apples and leeks. All have been delicious, and all of them I can stand behind.

What has caught me by surprise is how excited people got when I told them what we were doing! So many co-workers were interested in getting some, and so now we are having a hard time keeping up with the demand! That isn't a bad thing at all. It seems like other people were also looking for quality sausages!

Because we've been making so much, this is an (almost) all-day process. We purchase the meat and other ingredients from the best suppliers we can think of (without a car, which makes bringing home 12-15lbs of meat home more interesting), and then prep the ingredients, chopping and grating (in the case of the boerwors, we had to grate a few tablespoons of nutmeg - you could totally taste the difference).

First we partially freeze the meat, to make it easier to cut into cubes and then grind. Then we season it all (which uses every large bowl we have, to make sure the seasoning is dispersed evenly). We put the ground, seasoned meat back through the stuffer, and load the casings onto the "nose," being careful not to tear it. After the casings have been filled, we make links and then dry them, in the refrigerator. The following morning is when we are able to cut them apart and bag them for our friends!

Here are some photos of the process (these are from the italian sausages):

Some ingredients - garlic, fennel, parsley, chili flakes, and casings.


Sebastien looking very intent on grinding the meat - this takes a couple of hours usually


Cutting apart the links - after putting the seasoned meat into the casings


The finished products

We've been making one batch per month so far, giving most of it away (well, not giving it away, but...). I am sure we will keep it up, experimenting with different recipes and ingredients. If you have any recipes you've tried, let me know!

What My Life Feels Like Lately....

I have really been craving more sun, now that it started teasing us every once in a while!

I had a bit of a tough day yesterday, so I wanted to share something that is fun and always makes me smile.

Here is a video Sebastien made last year, on our honeymoon. We did spend one day at Disneyland (I know, I know...), but it was SO much fun. We had a hoot! It makes me feel a little better that I did have a mini-meltdown while we were there, about consumerism! Ah well....

(Pause my jukebox for a full experience!)

CRAZY Busy Week!

Here are some of the things I have been doing this week:

1. Helping instruct architecture students for an urban design charette.
2. Celebrating a great friend becoming a registered architect (with a surprise party). Congratulations, Sarah!
3. Helping arrange said surprise, and making sure said friend got to said party without knowing what was going on.
4. Catching up a little bit with my sister-in-law about the goings on, on their side of the family.
5. Going to IKEA to get some lovely (and inexpensive) fabrics!
6. Wandering around Vancouver's Chinatown (although my mission was unsuccessful because all the shops apparently close early - I guess I'll have to go back!).
7. Curling-as-team-building for a project I am part of at work.
8. Lots and lots of paperwork (at work).
9. Wine Club.
10. Attending a lecture by a really cool designer.
11. Walking home along the seawall, and becoming awe-struck at the quiet.
12. Looking at dirty dishes in the sink, shrugging it off, and being okay with just going to bed.
13. Making plans (!!!! What am I doing!?) for this weekend.

What I haven't been doing is blogging. More to come!

I hope you have a great weekend! What are your plans?

A Glorious Vancouver Weekend!

I had been hearing rumors all last week that the weather was supposed to be cold and rainy. Needless to say, I was SO happy when I woke up Saturday morning, and the sun was up! I did a little sewing in the morning (working on the monsters), and then met Sebastien for a nice long walk along the seawall before dinner.


This is one of the first places we walked, I have always wondered about this installation. This particular quote reads fully, "Come to time where people talk different but good together." For a little insight...


My sweetheart, looking sweet.


Us trying to take a picture of ourselves lying on the grass together. I have to admit that I like the way it came out, anyway!


The concrete factory on Granville Island.


An art installation along the seawall. The bird's wings flap in the wind (the sails are a little worse for the wear right now though).


A very cute and VERY excited puppy we saw on our walk.


The floating ramp to the water taxis.


Logs on the beach.


Sunday we went to church, and then I met a good friend for an exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver, and then we went for a walk around our neighborhood with our friend and former professor, Stephen Duff, making a map of interesting restaurants and points of interest for a group of architeture students. The students are from the University of Oregon, and are doing a three-month study abroad term in Vancouver. I am very happy to say that I will be helping out with their urban design charette this week (giving the students design feedback)and then assisting through the term as well as an adjunct instructor.
These are just a few photos we took around our neighborhood:

This is a block or two from my office.


There are so many flowers in bloom!


Here are three trouble-makers, up to no good.

Spring Will Soon be Going to the BIRDS!

Yep. It is that time of year again. That time when the crocuses are just about past their season, and the hyacinths are in full bloom! The air has a wonderful smell of soil and grass. The animals are preparing homes for their soon-to-come young ones, and I will likely be running in terror on my way to work. Yes. It is (almost) that time of year when the crows get protective about their fledglings, who are just beginning to roam from their nests. It is that time of year when workers gather around the proverbial "water cooler" to exchange stories of people who've been dived upon. I am here to say that I am one of those people...


I have been attacked five times by the crows in front of my office. There have been five times that I've been on my way to work and felt a thud or a set of talons on the top of my head. Once, a crow swooped on my head, grabbed my hair, flew off and before I knew what hit me I saw his buddy coming down to finish me off! -And so, I am starting to get a little bit paranoid about my safety, anticipating fledgling season. I think I am also a bit nervous because I've had my suspicions confirmed that crows never forget a face, and even if I knew what I did to offend them, there is nothing you can do to get back into their good graces.

It makes me feel like Tippi Hedren, running away from the flock of crows in Alfred Hitchcock's classic film The Birds. Ah well.... How did that movie end? Only one person died, right?

Maybe this year, I will bring seeds and corn with me to work (and old Chinese food - they seem to like that). Until then, I am going to follow some of these guidelines I found:


What to do in case of a potential swooping bird attack (taken in its entirety from the Compleat Wetlander):

1. Avoid the “swoop” area—this is an open area between stands of trees, like a marsh, a wet meadow, but could also be a recreational park area.
2. If riding a bike, wear a helmet, and if birds begin to swoop, get off the bike and walk it to safety. Swooping birds can cause a cyclist to have an accidental injury.
3. Warn others. If there are others who might be unaware of swooping birds, such as children, let them know to be observant or to avoid the area, especially during certain birds’ breeding seasons.
4. Travel in a group. Most birds only swoop down onto individuals.
5. Be confident and face a swooping bird. Like tigers, birds tend to attack prey that are facing away from them.
6. Do not panic and run. It will only encourage a bird to continue its attack.
7. Wear a hat in the area where there are swooping birds.
8. Paint “eyes” on the back of your hat. Wearing sunglasses on the back of a hat has the same effect.
9. Holding a stick or umbrella over one’s head will deter a bird attack.
10. Do not harass, interfere or throw stones at birds. This only makes them more aggressive and defensive, especially if they have nests nearby.
11. Do not destroy nests.
12. Do not feed or try to befriend swooping birds.

-List adapted from the Department of Sustainability, Victoria, Australia

Good luck, and for your own safety, please wear a hat.

Sneaky Peek(y) Monsters

These aren't finished yet (one still needs his back/front sewn together), but I will likely send these little monsters off in the next week or so. They don't quite have names, and I need to take pictures of them hanging out yet, but here are little bits of the little guys! Just think of it like Highlights for Children, but fun.

For Thom:


For Samson:


For Henry:


I hope they like these sweet little toys for three sweet little boys!

Happy Easter!

We have a busy day lined up for Easter this year: breakfast with Sebastien, church this morning, wine tasting this afternoon (with some people from Sebastien's wine education course, so it is technically "studying"), hors d'œuvres with friends, and then off to dinner with different friends!

I wanted to bring something special for our friends who are kind enough to share their Easters with us. That is why I was so busy yesterday in the kitchen!

One of the treats I made is pulla, a Finnish cardamon bread. I grew up eating it, with Raili and Carl, and their kids, whose home served as my "second home." I love this bread, and it isn't too complicated to make; it just takes a bit of time (it usually takes me extra time, too because I inevitably forget one of the ingredients at the store).

The recipes I've found online are all relatively similar to one another. I have been looking for good recipes for years, and have never tried a "bad" one, but definitely some are nicer than others, in how the bread turns out. I use bits and pieces from many to cobble together my pulla. As a rule, any recipe you find online is lacking in the cardamon department. That is what makes this bread so complex and tasty. However much they call for, I use about 5-7 times that amount. Trust me on this.


Pulla (my cobbled and adjusted recipe):

Need:
3 Tbs ground cardamon (Two of the best recipes I've found use 1-2 teaspoons - too little!!)
5 or 6 cardamon pods, if you have them around
2 c milk
2 pkg active dry yeast
2 eggs, beaten
1 c sugar
1/2 c melted (unsalted) butter
3/4 t salt
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

For glaze:
1 egg, beaten
sugar (I use pearl sugar, but it is a bit hard to find - I've heard Ikea has it though!)
maraschino cherries (just on special occasions - usually they are too sweet for me, but they are so pretty and festive.)

Do:
1. Heat milk and cardamon pods on stovetop at medium heat until a skin starts to form on the milk and it bubbles slightly. This should happen around 115'F. Remove the cardamon pods from the milk with a slotted spoon.
2. Combine ground cardamon, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then add the scalded milk and stir.
3. When you put your finger into the milk (and it is just very warm; not too hot), add the yeast packets and stir to dissolve yeast.
4. Add the eggs and butter and mix with a wooden spoon.
5. Add half of the flour and mix well.
6. Add the other half and mix more.
7. Knead about 10 minutes, until dough is smooth.
8. Place mixture back into covered bowl to rise for a couple (or few) hours (until it doubles in size).
9. Cut dough ball in half.
10. Cut each of those parts into four pieces (or three if you aren't comfortable making 4-stranded braids - or MORE if you are a REAL fancy-pants!) and make into strands as long and thin as you are able to make, without having the dough break apart.
11. Braid loosely (ensuring your dough rises as much as it needs), and tuck in the ends. Place on parchment paper or rub your baking tray with a little butter or oil.
12. Let raise again for a few hours. It should look like this:


Mix the last egg and brush on the loaves. Use the pearl sugar on top, and if you like, the maraschino cherries.


As the Finnish would say, "Nauttia!" (or "Enjoy!).

Oh, Delicious Weekend

I am so in love with this weekend so far.

I had a three-day weekend from work, and it has been exactly what I needed. Yesterday I did little else than sleep in, read, and run errands. Last night, both Sebastien and I met up after we worked out (alright - confession: my gym was closed when I got there, and his class was cancelled, so neither of us actually did work out, but we had every intention). We went out for a drink and then dinner at a nice Thai restaurant, and then watched a cheesy movie with our good friend, Ramneet. We got home far too late (1:am), but it was great fun.

This morning, I slept in a little again, and read for a bit in bed (I am reading the Life of Pi - if you haven't read it, please do). My friend from work, Tamara, came over with her 3-year son Jamie so we could dye eggs. I loved it! He is very sweet. He got a kick out of making the eggs striped, but had a hard time controlling his compulsion to keep pulling the egg out of the dye to look at it! It was really cute. I wish I had pictures from the dyeing session, but here are some of the eggs we made.



I honestly spent most of the day in the kitchen, my favorite place to be if I have the time. I made some Finnish pulla (a cardamon coffee bread - every Finnish household has it on hand in case guests stop by), and some lemon curd. It was my first time making lemon curd. It tastes like summer, and that makes me happy. The recipe follows, and it was much easier than I would imagine.


Lemon Curd (Nigel Slater's recipe)

Need:
2 small jam jars (sterilized)
Zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons
200g sugar
100g butter (cubed)
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk (mixed lightly with a fork)
Do:
1. Combine lemon juice, zest, sugar and butter in a heatproof bowl.
2. Set over pan of boiling water (medium-high heat), but don't let bowl touch the water below - it would get too hot too fast).
3. Stir with whisk until butter melts.
4. Add eggs to lemon mixture, and continue to stir over the water.
5. Cook curd until it is getting thick (+/-10 minutes).
6. Remove from heat and continue to stir every once in a while until it cools down a bit (I put mine over a bowl of ice water, but I am impatient).
7. Pour into sterilized jars, and enjoy!
It should keep (in the refrigerator) for a couple of weeks.


When Sebastien got home from running more errands, we made granola with cranberries and almonds.


We have a packed day tomorrow, but I am looking forward to having pulla with lemon curd slathered on it, some granola with pears and yogurt, a nice cappuccino, and a hard-boiled egg. Here is a picture of the table, set for breakfast (of course I am not going to leave the eggs out until then, but they'll be out tomorrow! Can you tell I am excited?


Right now, I'm off to an Easter Vigil service, and am doing a reading. Until tomorrow then....!