by Krista | Mar 22, 2011 | Gulliver Tuesday
Once in a while life hands out little surprises that are so beautiful, so unexpected, they leave you glowing for days. I was given one this weekend.
Many months ago Canadian Breanne Mosher commented on one of my blog posts. I popped over to her blog http://thevintagebox.blogspot.com/and soon we forged an online friendship through our blogs and Facebook that grew to include her splendid hubby, Jared.
I liked them instantly as we connected over delicious food, great music, good books, and all sorts of adventures in travel.
When Jared contacted me last week saying he and Breanne would be in Vancouver, Canada for business, I was delighted to be his partner in crime in surprising Breanne with an evening of exploring, eating and talking in downtown Vancouver.
I was excited all week until Sunday arrived and little niggling fears crept in: what if they don’t like me? What if I don’t like them? What if our online friendship doesn’t pan out in real life?
I needn’t have worried. 🙂 Jared and Breanne were not only just as fabulous as they were online, they were better.
After hugs and smiling so big our cheeks ached, we secured scarves round our necks and headed out to explore Vancouver, talking a mile a minute as we walked.
We talked about their adventures working in orchards in New Zealand and mine as a nanny in Portugal.
We rattled on about foreign food and the scary things we’d made ourselves eat, and laughed about the marvelously quirky people we’ve met on our travels.
We’d be in an animated discussion of favorite authors when one or the other would stop mid-sentence and point out a gorgeous old building that we then would have to ooh and aah over.
I loved it. 🙂
Our rambles ended at Chambar, a splendid restaurant on Beatty Street that is so warm and cozy you want to sink down onto a leather banquette and stay for hours. So we did. Lingering long over Trapiste Beer and French wine, plate after plate of exquisitely prepared and presented food, talking about anything and everything that came into our heads.
At last it was time to head home. We moseyed through the lamplit streets, hugged good-bye, and went to our beds with memories of a beautiful evening spent with true kindred spirits.
by Krista | Mar 21, 2011 | Bootstrap Monday
Good morning, dear ones! Alas and alack my laptop is ailing and out of commission, so my posts may be sporadic and photo-limited until I can get it fixed.
How was your weekend?
Mine was the usual mix of wretchedly sick and sublimely wonderful. Even the painfully sick times were good though, because I got to rest, watch Cary Grant movies, and listen to Clive Cussler adventures on cd. 🙂
Yesterday was a splendid day though, a lovely day, all full of sunshine and dear friends and good food and glimpses of spring and strolls through a gorgeous harbor city. And tomorrow I shall tell you all about it. 🙂
by Krista | Mar 17, 2011 | Plucky Thursday
My grandfather was in line at the grocery store the other day when a woman in a red coat barged in front of him, plopping a large package of toilet paper directly on top of his groceries.
Startled, he looked up and saw by her animated gestures to the clerk that she was deaf. Not understanding sign language he had no idea what she was saying, but being the gracious soul he is, he let her cut in front of him without a word.
Soon it was his turn. The clerk rang up his few groceries and as he reached for his wallet she smiled and informed him that his groceries had already been paid for.
By the woman in the red coat.
It happened a week ago, but my grandparents still talk about it, smiling broadly as they shake their heads in disbelief.
It makes me smile too.
These days when it seems like the only news is bad news, it’s lovely to think of the lady in the red coat and know there are still beautiful people in this world showing love and generosity without a thought of reward or thanks.
Have you ever received an unexpected kindness from a stranger?
by Krista | Mar 16, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
I’ve been writing about my dear Culinary Experimentation Club for over a year now, and tonight I want to tell you a bit about this group of people who mean so much to me.
Once upon a time I didn’t even know these folks, but through one strange and hilarious tale after another we somehow found each other in this crazy world.
At first there were just a few of us, meeting once a week to cook and eat together. Over time more stragglers arrived, strangers for a little while, now beloved faces we can’t wait to see each Monday night.
Darren is our official host each week, granting us free usage of kitchen, pots and pans, dishes and wine goblets. Various roommates pitch in, sharing forgotten ingredients, dashing to the store for last minute items. We all take turns making messes and cleaning them up.
They’re the sort of people you can be yourself with, the ones you can call in the middle of the night when something goes wrong, the folks you know will be there when you need to haul furniture or move apartments.
I wish I could gather them all in the biggest hug to thank them for their love, friendship, and never ending inspiration.
I love you guys. 🙂
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Although none of us are vegetarian, this week was Week Two of Vegetarian Month.
After the mutiny last week (click here for the Vegetarian Pot Roast Rebellion) everyone was in fine form and turned out a fantastic feast of vegetarian, gluten-free deliciousness.
I brought a Roasted Red Pepper Soup made with a chickpea soup stock instead of the traditional chicken broth. Thick, smooth and smoky, it was especially splendid with a dollop of goat cheese swirled in.
Kat and Selwyn prepared platters of marvelously stout Irish cheeses, chevre, and an array of gluten-free crackers. We cleaned them up in short order as we sipped red wine and waited for the rest of the dishes to be done.
Kat also brought an assortment of apple varieties and fresh strawberries which paired beautifully with the strong cheeses.
Cameron worked his magic with tofu turning out two delectable versions: simple smoked and Spicy Cajun Fried. While both were good, the Spicy version was my favorite and made me a true tofu fan.
After Darren’s rousing success with Lemon Risotto, he tried out his new risotto powers with a creamy spinach version that was both hearty and delicate.
Our newest Culinary Experimentation Club member Nicole wowed us with gluten-free Cajun Onion Rings, perfectly spiced then fried to perfection by Toby.
We ended the meal with slices of my Clementine Tart dusted with Kat’s raspberry sugar.
We closed our evening with great talks and rousing games of Uno.
Who are your favorite people to cook with?
Krista’s Roasted Red Pepper Soup
(makes one large stock pot full)
Ingredients:
olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1/3 cup minced garlic
1 Costco-sized can of roasted red bell peppers (capsicum), drained
12-14 cups stock
(I used chickpea: add 2-3 cups dried chickpeas to soup pot, add 1 quartered onion, 6 cloves garlic, and cover with water. Bring to boil, simmer for one hour. Drain, reserve broth. Use chickpeas for another recipe.)
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- Heat olive in large stock pot over medium heat, add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring often, 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, cook 5 minutes more, stirring to keep garlic from sticking to pot.
- Add stock and bell peppers. Return to boil, simmer partly covered 20-25 minutes.
- If you have an immersion blender, puree in pot. If not, let cool a few minutes then puree in batches in blender or food processor.
Nicole’s Gluten-Free Cajun Onion Rings
(Click here for recipe)
Note: to make gluten-free, substitute gluten-free self-raising flour mixture for the flour.
Krista’s Gluten-Free Clementine Tart
(Click here for recipe)
by Krista | Mar 15, 2011 | Gulliver Tuesday
It’s hard to write about beautiful places in the face of such devastation and loss this year in Australia, New Zealand, Libya, and now Japan. So much pain and suffering, such overwhelming destruction.
I’ve been thinking about how lucky I am to be able to take a shower and brew water for my morning coffee. To have the infrastructure in place to be able to contact the people I love and know that they are OK. To have a job, a town not flattened by an earthquake, a grocery store filled with fruit, veggies, and meat.
I’ve felt sad and helpless watching the footage coming out of so many countries around our world. I wish I could be there to protect, heal, and love. I can’t do those things but I can do something, even if it’s small.
Yesterday I used my cell phone to donate to the Red Cross. It wasn’t much, but it was something, and maybe if we all give a little something it will build to a great big something that will ease the suffering of someone. Even if our donation helps one person get a water purification system or a blanket or the use of a cell phone to find a family member, it is worth it.
I wouldn’t presume to tell anyone what to do with their money. I know we all have needs and people we already know and love who need our help, but if you do have a little extra somewhere that you want to share, please consider sending it to the Red Cross or another reputable organization.
Simple text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation that will be added to your monthly cell phone bill. You can make it larger if you wish.
Wherever you are today, I hope that you are safe. I hope you know that you are loved, that you matter, that someone’s world is more beautiful because of you.
xo
