Tag Archives: soup

Edible ornaments, chestnut smoke…

Posted on December 30, 2008 | 2 Comments

(This is my last Christmas post of the year, I swear.)

While snowed in this Christmas, I was lucky enough to catch Heston Blumenthal‘s Christmas special on TV. I’m already a huge fan and can think of nothing better than having dinner at The Fat Duck, but had I not been a fan before, I would have been converted. Blumenthal is one of the few people (aside from the Adria brothers) who can get away with the wacky stuff he does.

For instance: bacon ice cream. In a normal person’s hands, it’s probably disgusting. In Heston Blumenthal’s hands, it’s probably pure bliss.

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Posted in Food science

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Top five food moments: #5

Posted on December 28, 2008 | Leave a comment

I thought I’d talk about my favourite food moments. I don’t mean specific moments or amazing meals, but snippets in time that occur with some frequency. I’ll just dive in, and hopefully it’ll become clear what I mean.

Five.

I love the split second before I lift the lid on something that’s been cooking away in secret. Sure, I know exactly what’s in that pan: it’s a rich and tasty tomato sauce, a comforting soup or a batch of caramelized onions – but magical things happen to food in a matter of minutes, and I’m never fully prepared for the sights and smells of transformed food.

No matter how many times I’ve prepared something, I still get a giddy, excited feeling just before I lift the lid. And I’m always delighted with what I see and smell.

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Posted in Confessions

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It’s snowing cats and dogs

Posted on December 24, 2008 | Leave a comment

I haven’t seen this much snow, or snowflakes this size, since my first year living in Kingston. And that was Kingston, not Vancouver. Crazy.

Apparently, grocery stores are running out of food. We’re definitely getting creative at my house. With the Christmas party (and turkey) cancelled, this might just be the year to start a new tradition: Christmas pizza.

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Posted in Homemade

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Thank goodness for old habits

Posted on November 19, 2008 | Leave a comment

I used to make big vats of soup on Sundays and then freeze individual portions for when things got crazy.  It’s more of a winter thing than a summer thing, because when things are crazy in summer I eat salads or scrambled eggs. 

I came home tonight starving and in no mood to cook (rare, but it happens).  Thank goodness old habits die hard, because I had one portion of butternut squash soup left in the freezer.  Five minutes later, I’m transferring it from saucepan to soup bowl, and I’m happy again. 

Incidentally, it was a butternut squash and potato soup, with nutmeg.  I’m telling you, squash and nutmeg is a beautiful combination.  You can’t beat spaghetti squash with a touch of maple syrup and lots of nutmeg.  It’s great for rainy days, pajamas and movies.

Also, did you know that it’s Joe Biden’s birthday tomorrow?  I didn’t, but I’m glad that Barack Obama remembered.  (Check out the picture in the article.  Biden looks so pleased with the cupcakes!)

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Posted in Homemade

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Burgoo: there’s lots of cheese

Posted on November 16, 2008 | 2 Comments

If I were to open a restaurant, I would have opened Burgoo.  It’s comfort food from all over the world, but done properly and with a gourmet twist.  The presentation is beautiful but not pretentious, the food is simple but well executed, and the prices are excellent.  Best of all, the menu changes seasonally to reflect what’s available, and what people normally crave in certain seasons.

Their current menu has a heavy emphasis on cheese.  Their grilled cheese sandwich is no ordinary grilled cheese.  Rather, it’s four giant slabs of bread sandwiching four kinds of cheese, and the whole thing is grilled to perfection.  It’s ever-so-slightly greasy, and your cholesterol will probably be through the roof for the next few days, but it’s worth it.  I suggest splitting the order with a friend so that you can also try something else – eating both sandwiches would probably be overkill.

They also make a mean macaroni and cheese.  It’s even better than mine, and it takes a lot for me to admit that. 

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Posted in Restaurant reviews

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