If you’ve been around my blog long enough, you’ve no doubt noticed that my posts are quite seasonal (and often begin with a mention of the weather, which got quite cool last week, then warm again, and has evened out now). As a result, there tends to be a theme over the course of any given few weeks. Stone fruits in the summer, greens and such in spring, and right now? Apples.
The weather has been beautiful. Warm days, very few of them truly hot, and cool nights, perfect for sleeping with the window open. This is how I like my summer (partly because I hate how much it costs to use the air conditioning). I know, I know, it’s not technically summer yet. I’m not trying to rush things, honest (never mind that the year is almost half over already).
This weather has been perfect for our spinach. The leaves have remained tender and vibrant, with no signs of bolting. My daughter and I planted it several weeks ago. It was the first thing to go into the ground, and one of the first edibles from our garden this year. Continue reading
Well, “sprung” may be a bit of a strong word. Spring has shown up. Kind of. The robins came back, if only because they’re programmed to. We still had snow on the ground last week. But at the moment the small amounts of warmth and sunshine that we’ve been graced with have produced soft buds on the raspberry canes, tiny, grassy stalks of pungent chives poking out of the leaf litter and an abundance of bunnies, which last year ate our peas down to stumps before they ever had a chance. Hmmm…
We were housebound yesterday, in the grips of yet another “winter storm” (I remember when this was just called “winter”). A lot of snow fell! The birds were frantic at the feeder (oh! A robin!), flapping against the wind to get some much needed nourishment and even the dog didn’t want to venture more than a few steps from the door to do what she needed to. Continue reading
Meyer Lemon SeasonIt’s that time of year again. Meyer lemons are everywhere. Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter… Oh, and in grocery stores. Thought to be a cross between a lemon and possibly a Mandarin orange, Meyer lemons are a delight. They are less tart than their pure counterparts, and have a delightful floral quality that brings so much to dishes that they’re used in. Continue reading
My first January through December of blogging My Edible Journey. There were some definite hits (wow, do you all love ham soup!) And a few misses (so maybe I’m the only one who thinks that cabbage and kale pair well with honey and Feta). And in between there have been seasons of incredible local bounty, delightful new tastes and a few surprises, good and… not as good. There have been photos that I have quite loved, only to be panned by foodie link sites, and at least one I really didn’t like, but put up anyway and then had those same sites love them. Go figure. Continue reading
I *think* it’s safe to say that the weather is turning cool. It sure looks that way this week. We’ve turned on the furnace. That means something, right? Though I do hope that it is still nice enough for a pleasant evening of Hallowe’en trick or treating.
It’s natural that when the weather turns cool, one’s culinary thoughts turn to things like warm breads, hearty stews and crunchy coleslaw. Wait… what? Continue reading
It’s officially summer. To celebrate, it’s become muggy and unsettled, with the threat of storms all week. Hubby and I rang in the solstice at a Pink Floyd (cover band) concert in an open air amphitheatre, under the (bright side of) the moon. Continue reading
What’s in a name?I’d love to call this just “Thai Salad.” That would flow better. But I can’t. I can’t because, while this recipe certainly borrows from some Thai flavours that I love, it’s not authentically Thai, and it bugs me to no end to see things labelled a certain way, and then include ingredients that make it more generic. Or even totally wrong. Chain restaurants are notorious for this. Your chicken burger is not Thai just because it has peanut sauce on it. Your salad is not Greek because you added Feta and black olives to a bowl of iceberg lettuce and mealy, out of season tomatoes. And that “Mexican pasta?” With the stringy chicken and Tex-Mex pre-shredded cheese blend doused in insipid salsa? Not even going there. /rant Continue reading
What a weird week. After the chill of Mothers’ Day, we moved into high heat and humidity for Victoria Day (the unofficial kick off weekend of summer and gardening in Canada). Then we had some unstable weather, with storms. Today? The furnace has been running, we’re in long pants, and my toes are trying to convince me that they need socks (I refuse to give in). Continue reading
My Edible Journey 