A little weekend chit chat.
One of the first things G and I did when we moved back to Toronto was buy all the ingredients to make a Ceasar--it's the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary but 10 times better.
There I said it. Don't make me come over there.
I once walked into a bar in San Francisco, and as G made his way to the loo he overheard me ask the bartender for a Ceasar. My request was met with a look of confusion: "We don't serve salads here."
Sometimes I forget. Silly little Canadian.
*******
G and I have put in a good effort trying to decide which pub will be our "local". We were wooed when one night we walked into one in our neighbourhood called the Old Nick and were treated to a night of 80s music. We sat there nursing our beers while reliving our youth and trying to beat each other to 'naming that tune'.
The next time we went, it was all vintage Depeche Mode. Just saying vintage in the same sentence as Depeche Mode makes me feel really old.
But either way, it sure made for a fun evening.
*******
I haven't been cooking much these days. Our stuff has still not arrived from the UK so while you may imagine we are well settled in, we are actually functioning with the bare minimum in our apartment. This includes all my kitchen things including our knives, my spices and my beloved teas. People, we don't even have a couch. Just 2 chairs- one of which folds up, while the other is on loan from a friend. It's been 6 weeks, enough said.
BUT I did make a trip to the St. Lawrence Market recently and I gotta tell you, that place can sure put a spring in my step. I picked up some red lavender strawberry jam and a blood orange and cranberry marmalade. I mean really, I can easily be wooed by a good jam combo. That night, with all my other purchases, I made beef tenderloin with a rosemary port sauce, buttermilk mashed potatoes and roasted golden beets. It felt like the first real meal I had cooked in over a month. But it was worth it. It kind of felt like I was getting my groove back. It might be an 80s groove, but whatever gets your motor running, right?
*******
Cream of Wheat has featured prominently in our household this past 10 days. While G fought the flu (as bad a case of it as I've ever seen) it was about the only thing he would eat. Which is basically just like eating a big bowl of flour drowned in milk. And because my G has a sweet tooth the size of Texas, he would then empty the sugar bowl on top of it. It was the stuff of my nightmares, I could feel my jeans getting tighter just watching him eat it.
I like the old school box.
*******
In a weird twist of fate, my upstairs neighbour revealed that not only has she lived in both Paris and Heidelberg as I have, she was also working at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. at the same time as I was volunteering there.
How unusual is that? It's kind of Twilight Zone-ish, but in a good way. Plus, when I invited her down for tea, she brought me an apple-berry crumble. This is what it means to love thy neighbour, I'll tell you what.
*******
So that's it, until next time.
I do like to ramble, huh.
There I said it. Don't make me come over there.
I once walked into a bar in San Francisco, and as G made his way to the loo he overheard me ask the bartender for a Ceasar. My request was met with a look of confusion: "We don't serve salads here."
Sometimes I forget. Silly little Canadian.
*******
G and I have put in a good effort trying to decide which pub will be our "local". We were wooed when one night we walked into one in our neighbourhood called the Old Nick and were treated to a night of 80s music. We sat there nursing our beers while reliving our youth and trying to beat each other to 'naming that tune'.
The next time we went, it was all vintage Depeche Mode. Just saying vintage in the same sentence as Depeche Mode makes me feel really old.
But either way, it sure made for a fun evening.
*******
I haven't been cooking much these days. Our stuff has still not arrived from the UK so while you may imagine we are well settled in, we are actually functioning with the bare minimum in our apartment. This includes all my kitchen things including our knives, my spices and my beloved teas. People, we don't even have a couch. Just 2 chairs- one of which folds up, while the other is on loan from a friend. It's been 6 weeks, enough said.
BUT I did make a trip to the St. Lawrence Market recently and I gotta tell you, that place can sure put a spring in my step. I picked up some red lavender strawberry jam and a blood orange and cranberry marmalade. I mean really, I can easily be wooed by a good jam combo. That night, with all my other purchases, I made beef tenderloin with a rosemary port sauce, buttermilk mashed potatoes and roasted golden beets. It felt like the first real meal I had cooked in over a month. But it was worth it. It kind of felt like I was getting my groove back. It might be an 80s groove, but whatever gets your motor running, right?
*******
Cream of Wheat has featured prominently in our household this past 10 days. While G fought the flu (as bad a case of it as I've ever seen) it was about the only thing he would eat. Which is basically just like eating a big bowl of flour drowned in milk. And because my G has a sweet tooth the size of Texas, he would then empty the sugar bowl on top of it. It was the stuff of my nightmares, I could feel my jeans getting tighter just watching him eat it.
I like the old school box.
*******
In a weird twist of fate, my upstairs neighbour revealed that not only has she lived in both Paris and Heidelberg as I have, she was also working at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. at the same time as I was volunteering there.
How unusual is that? It's kind of Twilight Zone-ish, but in a good way. Plus, when I invited her down for tea, she brought me an apple-berry crumble. This is what it means to love thy neighbour, I'll tell you what.
*******
So that's it, until next time.
I do like to ramble, huh.
Labels: toronto, Toronto food shops
posted by Michèle at 8:35 AM
14 Comments:
Love your rambles!! :)
The flu season is truly awful. Wishing G a soon recovery!
Wow. You have an international neighbour-stalker! What luck!
Hope your stash of Mariage Freres and other belongings will come to Toronto soon :) And I hope G feels better soon!
I do believe a Caesar to be one of Canada's greatest contributions to the world of libations, along with beer and CC of course. As charming as they may be, there is just something missing with Ms. Mary, no matter how bloody.
Feeling old be damned, if they played "Somebody", I would have been happily sniffling into my sparkling water!
Hope G is on the mend soon, and that your stocks of Cream of Wheat never run dry. We'll have to get to St. Lawrence soon.
This drink is the one I miss the most from our canadian days. Back in France, everyone goes "Yuck!" when I explain the difference. And Bloody Marys just don't taste the same...
But there are so much more things to miss from Canada!
I hope you'll really enjoy it.
I totally had to re-read that thing about Ceasar's a couple times before I understood it - silly Danish girl. What exactly's the difference?
Love your rambles, too!:)
awwww, this is a such a sweet post...but I may never be able to eat cream of wheat again. Never thought about it that way, and now can't seem to figure out any other way to think about it. And where in the heck is you stuff????
Anya, I'm glad you do! Sometimes I'm just not sure when to stop, but it's all good. And G is now loaded up with antibiotics so he is definitely on the road to recovery. Thankfully!
Kevin, hmm, I hadn't thought of it that way but I'm tempted to think that I could handle a stalker that brings me apple-berry crumble!
Kat, I am waiting as patiently as I can but it is definitely not easy. And thanks, I will pass on your well wishes to G!
Tara, I think it may take some work on my part to keep us well stocked with Cream of Wheat, considering the rate at which he goes through it. But I intend to do my best! And yes, you and I have a date for some market shopping. Get your butt over here!
Anne-Laure, well I can only imagine they are saying yuck to the bloody mary part, right? Its that horseradish that makes me cringe!
Zarah Maria, ha! Sorry I should have made it more clear that it's a drink! So, a Ceasar has clamato juice (tomato and clam juice) vodka, worcestershire sauce, tabasco and the rim of the glass has to be salted with celery salt.
A bloody mary is plain tomato juice and usually has horseradish in it, and rarely do I ever see the rim coated in celery salt, which is a MUST. The horseradish grosses me out.
Alisa, do you even eat Cream of Wheat? I thought G was the only one- ha ha!
hey, you're back in N. America now. So you can skip that 'neighbourhood' stuff. It's 'neighborhood', girlfriend.
And as for Cream of Wheat, it rocks. Did you know that's my grandfather on the box?
(Long story...next time you're in the neighbourhood. Oops. I mean neighborhood.)
David, you silly bird. Canadians never spell neighbourhood without the u. Same with flavour, colour etc. Have you forgotten we are a commonwealth country? We write the Queen's English!
As for your grandad, I should have known because he looks so damn happy, like I just want to give him a big old hug. And I know how you love it when I hug you. ;)
Kiss kiss darling
Hey Michele, I've had my share of the flu this winter and I hope it was my last. Not sure if you've ever been to these pubs but they seem to be the ones my friends and I end up at most Friday's after work. Artful Dodger & House of Parliament. Love the food at House of Parliament. Let me know if you ever check it out. I definitely want to check out the 80's pub. I'll have to make a request for some New Order. Michelle
I'm sorry you're both battling this winter's bounty of germs. It's bad here in the West as well. I feel like I need to wear a bubble to go out to the market. Knock on wood.
I'm drooling just thinking about those jams. I'm a sucker for unusual jams, marmalades, chutneys. Anything sweet and spicy. My current favorite is jalapeno jelly and a mango peach salsa.
If you want to feel better about your Cream of Wheat, get yourself some whole grain. It's sold bulk and also under the name Bear Mush. You can also get it in brown rice instead of wheat varieties. Go even further and find yourself some multi-whole grain hot cereals. All these are really good for you and naturally a bit sweet so you might be able to convince hubby to put less sugar atop it. Although, I will admit I love me some brown sugar on mine.
Michelle, yes I know both those pubs well as I used to live in that neck of the woods. As for the Old Nick, I'm not sure it's intentionally supposed to be an 80s pub, but it seems that's the kind of music the bartender (owner?) likes to play. But hey, it works for me!
Laume, glad to hear you are charmed by unusual jams too. The jalapeno one sounds like a fabulous combination. And thanks, I will look for healthier versions of Cream of Wheat, if only because I like the term "Bear Mush" ;)
Hi, My discovery of your blog seems to have exactly coincided with your move back to Toronto, and even to my 'hood -- the east end. This coincidence is enough to pull me (part way) out of anonymity (I never comment!), along with the need to suggest the Only -- on Danforth at Donlands, if you don't already know it. Haven't read enough of your blog to get a sense of your taste, but it's my favourite 'local' in Toronto, and a significant factor in our decision to make the move across the viaduct this past summer! Looking forward to discovering Toronto food gossip through your blog...
A.
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