Summer Vacation - Salt Spring Island

A summer vacation is always welcome.  Normally when the word 'vaction' is thought of, the word 'relaxing' comes to mind.  In fact I might even associate the two words.  However, for those who know me well, they might not think my vacations would be relaxing.  I did spend a few relaxing moments here and there, but I will admit it was a whirlwind, and now, the day before I have to return to work, I do feel the need for the proverbial 'vacation from the vacation'.

However I did maximize my vacation, and that is very pleasing indeed.

One day I do hope I discover how to live without sacrificing sleep. The obvious answer is to get a different job, then maybe also never to stay up all night just to make an early morning flight... But starting vacations late is simply implausible!

Salt Spring Island

Getting to Salt Spring from Toronto can sometimes be a nuisance, and there are many ways to go, but in consideration of time and ease my usual preference is to fly directly from Lester B. Pearson to Victoria International.  I like to be picked up from the airport by a suave male specimen and taken to Swartz Bay after making a quick stop for lunch at any of my favourite Sidney-by-the-Sea eateries, so I can catch the ferry to Fulford Harbour, where I also like to be picked up, but this time by my parents.  It is quite possible to take a bus in place of either or both of the pick ups, but it is easier (surprisingly) from Fulford, than from the Airport. 

I thought it couldn't get better than that.  

But when said suave male takes you from Sidney to Salt Spring by modest personal vessel on a spectacular summer day, it gets MUCH better!  

It really does!

I enjoyed barbecues, the company of numerous visitors and even the 30 hours I squeezed in gardening.  I worked a little on my photography homework, so that you may see some of the garden, too.  The only reservation I have is that I took no before pictures.  Nevertheless the face lift was certainly noticeable!

Colour photos are lovely for everything, though when it comes to taking photos of people, particularly for capturing the essence of humans in a timeless fashion, I do love black and white.  

Personally I may never be able to do quite that, but I am happy with this one:

 What do you think?

My vacation does not stop here, but I will have to pause for work.  I'll be back shortly with the next installment :)

A New Toy!

My New Red Salter Scale

I know it's not my birthday or a special occasion or anything particular for that matter, but I decided I had to have this Salter Kitchen Scale.

I have never had a kitchen scale before, so this is a new toy for me.  My mind is spinning just thinking about all the recipes with weight measurements I'll now be able to try!  And it's red... which means it matches my Kitchen Aid mixer, which is a nice bonus.  (I do believe it comes in black and white versions as well.)

I purchased it from Williams-Sonoma while in Portland, Maine. Although Williams-Sonoma is known for it's lovely, quality and innovative kitchen ware, it is also known for it's very high pricing.  Lucky me, I found it on sale!

Why I love this scale:

Clean, smooth glass surface that wipes clean

Weight can be read in pounds/ounces or grams

Easy tare function - use any container 

Slim and easy to store

And of course because it's red :)

A Chocolate Cake

Since I've been so excited about trying out my scale, I decided to start by making the Choco Choco Birthday Cake.  This is how it turned out:

This cake is not a super sweet cake, but it is lusciously moist, while also being quite light and spongy.  The frosting is so smooth it's luxurious!

By halving all of the ingredients the recipe produced this two layer 7" cake and there was plenty of left over frosting.  Both layers were baked as one cake and then sliced horizontally.  Normally I'd have baked them separately, but considering the heat on the day I baked, I just couldn't stand to have the oven on any longer.  I was pleasantly surprised with the consistent texture throughout the cake, though I did have to bake it for longer than expected.   

Thank you Sweetapolita for delicious cake number two!  

I will be trying another soon!

Portland, Maine...

... Not to be confused with Portland, Oregon on the other side of the continent, which is also nice and I may talk about at another time, but this small city is a less well known gem found on the East Coast.  If you've never heard of it before, not to worry.  I hadn't, either, until I was sent there for work.  

My vantage point is from the Double Tree hotel, where happiness starts with a warm cookie and continues through the night under a comforter and your choice of four different pillows.  I think Sebago, a local brew pub, named for a lake in the area, is a great place for food and a drink in the evening.  Maine Mall is directly across the street and it offers a few shops we don't have in Canada such as Macy's, JC Penny and Anne Taylor LOFT.  It's a good place to spend the afternoon if it's rainy, especially because it seems to be one of the only moments I seem to find for shopping.  

A view from the south end of Promenade Park

However, if it's a nice day downtown is the place to go.  It's quaint with all the old brick buildings and cobbles and has an artistic and earthy flare which mirrors the flavour of the people.  The picturesque harbour has numerous restaurants serving lobster pretty much on the water, or you could catch a hockey game at the arena, Cumberland County Civic Center, home to the Red Claws, and watch future NHLers play.  I particularly like Bintliff's American Cafe, where breakfast is served late, Reny's, KnitWit, a yarn shop where the entire line of Quince & Co. Yarn can be found, Eastern Promenade Park and all of the art galleries and interest shops along the way.  Catch the bus there - it's about a 40 minute ride and $1.50 each way.

I haven't had the opportunity to drive around to explore in the area, but the view from the plane makes me think New England is probably a really lovely outdoor vacation spot.

Cool Food for Warm Nights

Summer is a wonderful time for carefree entertaining.  To me that means make ahead dishes and nothing that needs to be warmer than the air temperature, unless it came from the barbeque, of course!



I realize that I had a plan for two menus, but since I was truly chanelling carefree-entertaining-on-limited-time rather than stiffeling-kitchen-before-even-heating-the-oven, I really only managed to accomplish the first one.  However, the good news is this means I'm ready with ideas for the next dinner party in the back yard.  And there's always a next time!

Appetizers go well with drinks, drinks go well with summer, 
and they all go so well with my back yard! 
(Okay so really it's not mine, per se, since neither of my thumbs are green, but mine to use and to enjoy)

Pink Punch

This is a non-alcoholic mix that will taste equally good with rum or vodka and still please those who are not drinking booze.  It can really be made out of whatever you have on hand (which incidentally is why mine happens to be pink, though any colour is just perfect) plus some fresh garnishes for the top.

A Pitcher, clear is best

Ice Cubes

Can of something bubbly

Juice or mix of juices

Lemon/Lime/Berries/Mint

Put ice cubes in pitcher, pour in the liquids to suit your taste buds brining the level of the ice near the top of the pitcher, then add the fruit and mint for decoration.

Tapenade and Appetizers

Tapenade, a tangy Kalamata Olive spread, is my new favourite condiment as it's simple, quick, fresh and flavourful!  It's made from scratch using a food processor and the recipe is based on that found in Martha Stewart Living June 2011, but with a few variations.  Everyone who tried it loved it, but then again they do all like olives.  Serve it with bread or crackers, soft cheese, pepper jelly, artichoke hearts, spanikopita... use your imagination, though it does tend to lend its self to mediterranean flavours...

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted Kalamata Olives

6 sprigs (or so) Thyme

1 Colve Garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Capers

1-1/2 tsp Anchovy Paste

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Chop the capers, remove leaves from thyme sprigs and add everything except the oil to the food processor.  Whiz everything around until it's all finely chopped and well mixed (scrape sides as needed with spatula between pulsing) and then add olive oil.  Whiz this around and it will make the spread creamier in appearance.  That's it, just watch out for pits that may have found their way in.

Main Course

Quiche has remained on my mind since I made it a few weeks ago.  It is great served cooled or warm and is a perfect make ahead item since it only gets better by the next day.  And the crust, pâte brisée, is delicious.  See recipe from Cooking and Baking on Salt Spring Island.  Personally I think salad and quiche really make a lovely pair.

Tiramisu-like Dessert

Using the traditional flavours of this creamy, coffee-flovoured and boozey dessert, I've used cream cheese in place of marscapone cheese because it's almost always available right at home, in my fridge. My booze of choice is rum, though that's just a suggestion.

Clear glass shows off this pretty dessert best. Serve in individual glasses or in one large dish with berries on top.











Ingredients:

250 mL soft cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cold strong coffee
2-3 tbsp whole milk
(1-3 tbsp flour)
pinch salt

250 mL whipping cream
1 packet stabilizer
1 tsp vanilla

Rum for dipping

Lady Fingers

Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder and berries for garnish

Whip cream, using stabilizer and vanilla.  Set aside. 

Beat cream cheese until fluffy, then add sugar, salt, coffee and milk beating gently until incorporated.  If you think it's too runny add a little flour.  Stir whipped cream and cheese mixture together.

Dip lady fingers in rum, arrange as desired, pour cream mixture over, garnish and refrigerate until you want to eat it.

Some New Ideas

Oscilloscope Off the Needles

Hotel rooms are great places for blocking.  There's either a huge bed, or an extra one which is a perfect surface for pinning.  There are plenty of towels.  The humidity levels are very low and the room is temperature controlled.  Ideal blocking conditions at your whim...

This cozy shawl looks even better blocked.  A little photo shoot is planned and I am beginning to think about a location and what to wear with the shawl.  More on this later.

This pattern is from Knitscene Fall 2010, by Kate Gagnon Osborn.

A Photography Class

I would like to improve my ability to take quality photos of my creations.  When a project has turned out well it is very nice to have a few photos of the finished item that capture the essence of it as a whole, the fit and function, as well as the details.  That is why I signed up for an online class with Craftsy. The best part is that it's online, available anywhere I have internet access, any day, any time.  And that really works with my schedule! It's interactive, simple to use, lasts forever and well organized.  

My hope is that I will have better photos for you in the future!  It might also get me interested in a new camera as well... !  Currently, any close up photo seen here is taken with my iPhone as it takes far superior shots to that of my regular Sony Camera.

Entertaining Menus (Don't Laugh!)

With four whole days off in my future, I see myself testing out some new recipes, which I have incorporated into two menus.  

Sweetapolita: Cake number two... a chocolate sensation!

Martha Stewart (or perhaps the creative people behind the name): Sauces... I am very intrigued by sauces as of late... they can really add a special touch to a dish.  Tapenade, a classic Vinegrette and a Grapefruit Coulis.

Miss Rose: I called it Tiramisu, however not a classic, more my own take on a layered, creamy, boozy dessert ideal for warm summer evenings.  At least that's the idea.

I hope I can cook and bake and make my way through all of this, and that we can eat it all, too!  Not that I'm against leftovers, especially good ones left in my fridge, it's just that I like trying it all out and having everyone else's opinions about the results. 

Button Inspiration!

These certainly do not complete my entire button archive, however I do enjoy looking at them displayed as such and thought even if buttons were not your thing, it's still an interesting picture!

Cooking and Baking - July 2012 - Salt Spring Island

Cooking and Baking
          July 2012
   Salt Spring Island

Sunshine in the kitchen

Recently, due to many influences, I have had the desire to create in the kitchen.  What more perfect opportunity in which to attend to my current culinary obsession, than in an enormous kitchen in a beautiful house overlooking a breath taking view, surrounded by air that breathes the calm anticipation required for exploratory artistic endeavours?  

Oh, and perfect summer has just arrived!

 

It was all that, plus a few mouths happy to taste-test the results.  

Seriously, food is for sharing!  

( I hope everyone likes their stick human representation!)

                                                                            

                                                                                                     The captivating setting where my creativity simply belongs 

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And so my endeavors began: 

I wanted to concentrate on presentation to encourage mouthwatering before tucking in. 

Why not use the fancy dishes and accessories?  

They were gifted or purchased to be used and admired after all!

See! Presentation is FUN!!!

     

Ode to Tools, Marvelous Tools, Accessories and Appliances:

What a wonderful feeling to unpack my Red Kitchen Aid.  I added a small off-set spatula to my collection of baking tools and found it to be an excellent addition to my larger flat spatula.  My cake carrier also came out... Perhaps not the best looking presentation, but the cake makes it there in one piece and it's so simple to store the yet-to-be-eaten part.  Function is always a winner with me.

But where has my piping set disappeared?  Oh! Moving! ...

Other notable stars of the kitchen:  

The silicone spatula, the always handy whisk and the smallest of the three nesting spring form pans. Also, Kitchen Aid wins again when it comes to convection ovens.  The outside is rather pretty, which counts for something, too, but inside is where it really counts.  Energy efficient and versatile.  Every kitchen with an amateur chef or pastry artist deserves one of these beauties!

What I desire? A cake stand with a turnable top.  I believe it would be the icing on the cake.

(Ahem, Dad?)

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Delicious food, Real Food                                                                      take time to prepare, time that is pleasure

Midday Mediterranean Repast

Tapas

• Tapas                                  
• Caramelized Onion Quiche 
• Chocolate Hazelnut Torte

Tapas - Tasty Morsels I Adore

A selection of olives with feta and fresh tomato and cucumber, served cold alongside warm home made croutons, drizzled with balsamic reduction.

• Olives and Feta from Highland Farms Deli which has many fresh, well priced choices
• Next time more tomato in place of the cucumber as the texture was too crisp, or maybe use artichoke hearts...

Caramelized Onion Quiche

Caramelized Onion Quiche   *My Idea

A scruptious, savory pie with delicate and luxurious flavour, served warm, but not hot. 

Begin by making the Pâte Brisée dough and line your pie plate with a generous crust, decorating the edges as you like - set aside.  Next gently caramelize the onion rounds:  Preheat a frying pan with the a deep layer of olive oil mixed with the fresh herbs and a little salt.  Add rounds, being careful not to burn or particularly brown, turning to do the same on both sides.  Remove rounds with tongs, placing them in the crust.  Crumble feta on top.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then add milk and salt and pepper and stir.  Pour mixture over onions and feta.  Top with a few herbs and bake at 350 degree F until set, about 50-60 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool down, but eat warm, or reheat!

Ingredients

• Pâte Brisée, one unbaked crust in pie plate  *recipe to follow*
• Olive Oil
• Various Fresh Herbs, Chopped Finely
• 4 (or More!) Onions, Sliced 1.5 cm thick
• Feta Cheese 2''x2''x2''
• 4 Small Tomatoes, Sliced Thinly
• 3-4 Eggs
• 1 cup Milk
• Salt and Pepper

Pâte Brisée   *Martha Stewart

"Rich flavour, delicate texture and versitility"is the perfect description for this pastry.  Although lard pastry may be flakier, it can be frustrating to work with if the first roll out and kitchen temperature are not ideal, so I have been using this recipe, or a variation of, since I found it and cannot get enough of it's virtues.  (I have heard though, that you may get the best of both the butter and lard worlds by using half and half.)  Freezing and doubling the recipe are encouraged!

Ingredients

• 2 and 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour  (Cake flour if you are in Europe)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Cup Butter
• 1/4-1/2 Cup Cold Water

Make as you would any pie pastry:  Combine dry ingredients with whisk.  Cut in cold butter (or shortening of whatever type you like) and use pastry blender to reduce butter pieces to pea-sized or smaller.  Carefully add water so as not to add too much.  You may not need all, though at times I've used a little more.  Crunch up in a ball as you are adding the water until it can all stick together and you are done.  Easy Peasy!  Makes 2 shells or 1 top and bottom.

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte   *Always Order Dessert

Simple and quick, very moist flour-less cake.  

• No icing required - just a sprinkle of icing sugar!
• I am sorry I didn't take a photo, but perhaps that's a sign of how quickly it disappeared!
• The only thing that might bring to mind 'gluten-free' about this cake is the fact that it is a little pricy (ie. ground hazelnuts and olive oil).
• I found hazelnut meal at John Vince Foods in Toronto, North York, where I also purchased the dark cocoa powder I also used in the recipe.
• The recipe can be found here: http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/2008/01/flourless-chocolate-hazlenut-torte.html 

Triple Lemon and Blueberry Cake   *Sweetapolita 

Lemon Curd and Zest

• Lemon Curd from Scratch
• Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Lemon Icing

I had no idea I liked LEMON so much!

  

It is a refreshing summer flavour.  I'm so glad I've become acquainted with this yellow delight; blueberries and I go way back.

Sweetapolita's bolg is inspiring.  You can check her page out here: http://sweetapolita.com/.  This is the first of her cake recipes I've tried and because it turned out so well, it will be the first of many.

This was made for Anne's Birthday!!! 

Delicious Lemon Curd

Make the curd!  Really, it is amazing!  The recipe makes more than you need, but since it keeps well frozen, have it on stand by for other endeavors as it takes a bit of time to make.  I wish I'd had the piping bag and tips, but a ziplock had to do the trick.  The pan I used was the smallest of the nesting spring-form pans and I baked the three layers individually.  The icing was flavoured with the curd and it was the perfect amount (even though we ate some, too... well maybe a little more than some!)

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/02/triple-lemon-blueberry-layer-cake/

This cake cuts best just out of the fridge, but tastes great room at temperature.
I just want to dive in head first!!!!

I planned to make so many more things, 

but as usual there is only so much time and stomachs get full...