I think I'm pretty lucky that I get to call a country such as Canada home. Beaches, mountains, glaciers, fresh lakes... you name it, we got it (there are even a few deserts if you look hard enough.) To go to every province and territory in this great nation is definitely a goal of mine and I am currently at 5 out of 10 provinces, though standing at an unfortunate 0 for territories visited.
A few days ago I got back from a visit to Vancouver, BC to see my friend Sam. This was not my first trip to British Columbia as I had gone on a family vacation to Big White, the ski resort on the mountain next to Whistler, when I was much younger. The mountains were gorgeous and the views were breathtaking but I didn't see much more on that trip than the airport, the resort and drifts of snow that reached up to the second story balcony. Since then I have been wanting to get a better knowledge of the rest of the Vancouver area. The idea for the trip had been prodding at me since the Winter Olympics and pre-Games coverage started this past February. It seemed like every single television channel showed a little vignette showcasing the city and the surrounding area and I was so proud of the piece of our country they highlighted. I wanted to experience the region for myself, to see and touch what I was so proud of, so I bit the bullet and booked the ticket. Now, I may still be paying my mom back (thanks Air Canada for your multiple and neverending service fees haha) but I wouldn't trade the memories there for anything. Put together a city that I've longed to see and a best friend that I miss dearly and you have an instant recipe for a fantastic time.
If you've never been to Vancouver, what are you waiting for? There are not many other places where you can stand on the edge of the ocean with a range of mountains at your back. Sam's apartment is on the West Side of Vancouver and faces east so you have a terrific view of the mountains from her balcony. I can't wait for the day I can live in a place with a view as gorgeous as that ( my windows right now look out on the church parking lot, though I can see my mother's garden if I angle myself the right way.)
The keywords for the city seem to be hip, laidback and fresh. Vancouverites put a pretty heavy emphasis on anything local, organic and fresh and the city/people definitely have a unique vibe to them. Sam promised to show me the best of the best in Vancouver and she certainly didn't disappoint.
Some Vancouver gems
1. Granville Island : Granville Island is this little peninsula under the Granville Bridge, directly across from downtown Vancouver and is a must see for any tourists. There you can visit any number of boutiques, art studios, restaurants, a brewery, totem pole carving shop and a gorgeous public market, among other things. In my opinion, this market is better than both the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto and the Byward Market in Ottawa in both selection of product and price. Sam and I loaded up on fruits and veg, and debated on some fresh salmon one of the stalls had just gotten in but decided against it in the end. We got some pizza and gelato to go and sat out on the sprawling patio/walkway that is sandwiched between the market and False Creek/English Bay. Though my hunt for lemon gelato wasn't as successful as I had hoped (searched 4 stalls in a 50 metre radius and couldn't find any!), I had lots of delicious flavours to choose from. Lunch's redeeming quality? The Margherita pizza. Mmm mmm mmm. Seriously, how had I never tried this kind of pizza before? I have found a new favourite (sorry Hawaiian) and its given me an idea for a series of cooking experiments I will try in the near future called "DIY." Also fun: watching children running at seagulls who were the size of beagles, expecting to scare them. Who got scared in the end? The kids, when the seagulls turned the game around and started chasing them.
2. The Local Public Eatery, Kitsilano Beach: Love this place... and yes, that is the official name. If you want to sit on the patio to get a great view of Kitsilano Beach, go earlier rather than later. Sam and I showed up at 6 and were told it would be a 90 minute wait for patio seats... but we could be seated right away if we wanted to eat inside. My empty stomach won out over the promise of a good view, and once inside you realize you don't need the view at all. It's classy and laidback at the same time with, as they say on their menu, "common food done uncommonly well" and a fantastic beer menu. I wholeheartedly agree. We had calamari to start and it came with the best tzatziki I have ever tasted (and coming from a girl who is part Greek, that's a pretty bold statement.) Rich and creamy with a heavy shot of dill and lemon, made fresh to order (no store bought crap here), what more can you ask for? For dinner I had the Islander Burger (burger with Vancouver Island goat cheese and grilled mushrooms) with yam fries. *drool* The burger was huge (they don't skimp on portions) and the patty was 1/2 pound of ground chuck; since I don't have the ability of a boa constrictor to unhinge my jaw, I had to dismantle my burger and eat it with a knife and fork... doesn't matter, it was still delicious. Check out the website and check out the restaurant if you're ever in town. http://www.localpubliceatery.com. (My blog and I are currently fighting on inserting links into the entries. I ask it to do it, blog says ok but then is actually lying to me... so if you want to check the link out, you'll have to do it the old fashioned way and type it.)
3. Library Square: So named because it is located next to the Vancouver Public Library, this public house features a 90's dance party every Friday night. Moderately priced drinks and a DJ spinning a mix of Run DMC and Backstreet Boys. Gotta love it.
4. Celebration of Light: Originally called the Benson & Hedges Symphony of Fire, Vancouver has been hosting this international pyro-musical fireworks competition since 1990. Each year, three countries compete for the title, unveiling new materials and innovative techniques. I was in Vancouver the night China put on their display, and as Sam's apartment is on (well technically just is) the top floor, we had easy access to the surrounding roof. Sam wasn't too keen on that but that might just be due to the fact that we had all been drinking and were using rickety ladders to get to floor 4.5. But I guess that's what you get for hosting a beer pong tournament the same night as Celebration of Light and then let people know that you can clearly see the fireworks from the roof.
To thank Sam for putting me up for a week and showing me around Vancouver, I wanted to make this Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Mint Cream recipe I had found in an old issue of Food & Drink. I had never made it before, and despite the recipe requiring time and heavy manipulation of puff pastry, I was motivated by Sam and her housemate Laura to try it out... oh, and the huge basket of fresh strawberries from Granville Island might have had something to do with it. Was the recipe successful? I'd give it a 8/10... do not use whole wheat flour instead of regular flour when rolling out the pastry dough. I'm sure you're thinking that that's just common sense but sometimes you're in a pinch and think whole wheat flour will be fine. Well, you'd be wrong. Would I make it again? Hells yes. The whipping cream is infused with just enough vanilla and mint which is such a treat when combined with the strawberries. I'm actually going to make it again tomorrow, substituting biscuits for the puff pastry so I will let you know how it goes. I haven't delved far enough into the LCBO website to deduce if I am allowed to reprint the recipe in full here so I won't gamble on it right now. However, here is the link to the recipe on the site: http://lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/RecipeController?language=EN&recipeType=1&action=recipe&recipeID=3663. Or you could just go to www.lcbo.com and click on Food & Drink > Recipes > Food and then type Strawberry into the keyword finder, after checking off the dessert option. You know, whichever seems less complicated.
Just a note: this recipe needs proper flour and time management skills. You'll know why when you read the recipe. I didn't start it until mid afternoon and since we left midway through to see a movie, we weren't eating the finished product until 1 am.
My trip to Vancouver was all that I could have asked for. I got to see one of my best friends, met her adorable and fat cat Fergus, made new friends, ate great food and worked on my tan. I would go back in a heartbeat if my schedule and bank account allowed. My only complaint was that my time there was too short as there was so much more to see! I thought I would feel guilty seeing as I left Ontario only hours after our house flooded but I was relieved to be out of the mess... and I think my parents were appreciative of having one less person underfoot as scores of contractors descended on the house. I came home to great news: the contractors would be starting work within days and would be finished in two weeks. Two weeks! In two weeks we will have a new kitchen with yards of counter space and new appliances and lots of cupboards/drawers so everything will go where it belongs. Say it with me: whee! I predict my DIY series to take off in a big way. Now that's the way to christen a new kitchen: experiment with messy complicated recipes that should not be attempted outside a professional culinary arena. But then again, that's what a challenge is all about.
Until then, may your food stay fresh and your beer stay cold... and may my future entries not ramble quite so much as this one.
Lisa
No comments:
Post a Comment