Saturday, December 06, 2008
Monday, January 07, 2008
Podcast!
Here’s my next podcast.
Route to Palm - white williams (2007)
All I Need - Radiohead (2007)
Miami - The Tough Alliance (2007)
Skinny Love - Bon Iver (2007)
Our Life Is Not A Movie or Maybe - Okkervil River (2007)
2080 - Yeasayer (2007)
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend to Dance - Black Kids (2007)
Good Bad Not Evil - Black Lips (2007)
Everyday Weapon - The Ponys (2007)
Baby, You're in Luck - Apostle of Hustle (2007)
My Moon My Man - Feist (2007)
Flume - Bon Iver (2007)
White Chalk - PJ Harvey (2007)
Paper Planes - M.I.A. (2007)
A Paw In My Face - The Field (2007)
Wet and Rustling - Menomena (2007)
Still Alive - Jonathon Coulton (2007)
To subscribe to the podcast, all you need to do is highlight this following link: http://www.switchpod.com/users/barbapapa/feed.xml and then copy it. Go to iTunes, highlight podcasts and then under “advanced” you can click on subscribe to podcast. Paste the link into the field and then click update to start downloading!
Here’s my next podcast.
Route to Palm - white williams (2007)
All I Need - Radiohead (2007)
Miami - The Tough Alliance (2007)
Skinny Love - Bon Iver (2007)
Our Life Is Not A Movie or Maybe - Okkervil River (2007)
2080 - Yeasayer (2007)
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend to Dance - Black Kids (2007)
Good Bad Not Evil - Black Lips (2007)
Everyday Weapon - The Ponys (2007)
Baby, You're in Luck - Apostle of Hustle (2007)
My Moon My Man - Feist (2007)
Flume - Bon Iver (2007)
White Chalk - PJ Harvey (2007)
Paper Planes - M.I.A. (2007)
A Paw In My Face - The Field (2007)
Wet and Rustling - Menomena (2007)
Still Alive - Jonathon Coulton (2007)
To subscribe to the podcast, all you need to do is highlight this following link: http://www.switchpod.com/users/barbapapa/feed.xml and then copy it. Go to iTunes, highlight podcasts and then under “advanced” you can click on subscribe to podcast. Paste the link into the field and then click update to start downloading!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Podcast!
Here’s my next podcast.
Collapse - Mutemath (2007)
I lived on the Moon – Kwoon (2006)
Irene – Caribou (2007)
One for You – The Knife (2007)
Jesus Saves, I Spend – St Vincent (2007)
After We Have Left Our Homes – Mutemath (2007)
Nantes – Beirut (2007)
Cold Days From the Birdhouse – The Twilight Sad (2007)
The Mending of the Gown – Sunset Rubdown (2007)
The Chills – Peter, Bjorn and John / Modular Remix (2005)
Girls Night Out – The Knife (2007)
Single Again – The Fiery Furnaces (2006)
Stars – Ulrich Schnauss (2007)
Melody Day – Caribou (2007)
Heartbeats – The Knife (2007)
Teardrop – Jose Gonzalez (2007)
To subscribe to the podcast, all you need to do is highlight this following link: http://www.switchpod.com/users/barbapapa/feed.xml and then copy it. Go to iTunes, highlight podcasts and then under “advanced” you can click on subscribe to podcast. Paste the link into the field and then click update to start downloading!
Here’s my next podcast.
Collapse - Mutemath (2007)
I lived on the Moon – Kwoon (2006)
Irene – Caribou (2007)
One for You – The Knife (2007)
Jesus Saves, I Spend – St Vincent (2007)
After We Have Left Our Homes – Mutemath (2007)
Nantes – Beirut (2007)
Cold Days From the Birdhouse – The Twilight Sad (2007)
The Mending of the Gown – Sunset Rubdown (2007)
The Chills – Peter, Bjorn and John / Modular Remix (2005)
Girls Night Out – The Knife (2007)
Single Again – The Fiery Furnaces (2006)
Stars – Ulrich Schnauss (2007)
Melody Day – Caribou (2007)
Heartbeats – The Knife (2007)
Teardrop – Jose Gonzalez (2007)
To subscribe to the podcast, all you need to do is highlight this following link: http://www.switchpod.com/users/barbapapa/feed.xml and then copy it. Go to iTunes, highlight podcasts and then under “advanced” you can click on subscribe to podcast. Paste the link into the field and then click update to start downloading!
Monday, October 08, 2007
The End of the Season
May 19 to October 6 is not a long run for a farmer’s market and the Trout Lake Market doesn’t compare to the great markets of the world. In fact, it doesn’t even compare to most outdoor markets in North America. It might be the difficulty of our cloudy, wet climate which limits the range of produce we can produce. This is probably why so much is trucked in from the interior. However, as a way to get real local produce straight from growers, there’s nothing else really like it.
Every Saturday morning, it has become my ritual to head out to Trout Lake, dog in tow, and pick up a few choice items for the week. I chat with the growers and producers while watching the year progress with the change in product. Potatoes, carrots, beets, greens, cheeses, breads and fish come and go with each passing month. The quality and abundance will vary depending on the conditions we are having. For instance, this year, the heirloom tomatoes were very late and strawberries had a short run. However, the mushrooms were outstanding! Chanterelles, Morels and Pine Mushrooms arrived in great numbers and in a steady stream. They became a weekly treat for me-all thanks to the wind storm earlier this year coupled with a cool summer.
Often, you’ll find some interesting strain of fruit or vegetable which warrants further investigation and I sometimes find that curiosity will dictate my cooking for the week. Zucchini flowers are just begging to be stuffed with ricotta cheese, battered and deep fried. A wide variety of beets are ideal for a colorful beet salad. Of course, if you are too hungry to wait, and you can handle the long line ups, Bohemian Crepes serves some stellar crepes that are easily folded and eaten one handed. Which is good seeing as you’ll need your other hand free for groceries.
May 19 to October 6 is not a long run for a farmer’s market and the Trout Lake Market doesn’t compare to the great markets of the world. In fact, it doesn’t even compare to most outdoor markets in North America. It might be the difficulty of our cloudy, wet climate which limits the range of produce we can produce. This is probably why so much is trucked in from the interior. However, as a way to get real local produce straight from growers, there’s nothing else really like it.
Every Saturday morning, it has become my ritual to head out to Trout Lake, dog in tow, and pick up a few choice items for the week. I chat with the growers and producers while watching the year progress with the change in product. Potatoes, carrots, beets, greens, cheeses, breads and fish come and go with each passing month. The quality and abundance will vary depending on the conditions we are having. For instance, this year, the heirloom tomatoes were very late and strawberries had a short run. However, the mushrooms were outstanding! Chanterelles, Morels and Pine Mushrooms arrived in great numbers and in a steady stream. They became a weekly treat for me-all thanks to the wind storm earlier this year coupled with a cool summer.
Often, you’ll find some interesting strain of fruit or vegetable which warrants further investigation and I sometimes find that curiosity will dictate my cooking for the week. Zucchini flowers are just begging to be stuffed with ricotta cheese, battered and deep fried. A wide variety of beets are ideal for a colorful beet salad. Of course, if you are too hungry to wait, and you can handle the long line ups, Bohemian Crepes serves some stellar crepes that are easily folded and eaten one handed. Which is good seeing as you’ll need your other hand free for groceries.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Restaurant Review!
Sobo l 1084 Pacific Rim Highway l Tofino
Yes. It’s a trailer off of the highway. Yes it’s in the parking lot of a botanical garden. And yes, it serves some of the best food in the province. After hours of surfing or staring off into miles of beach, there is nothing more satisfying than lunch at this stand out eatery.
The seafood chowder is an absolute wonder. Never have a run across chowder with nothing but spoonful after spoonful of seafood. The fish has the moist rich taste of meat that’s been taken close to the bone. It’s sweet and perfectly balanced by a bit cream, dill and spiciness. The fish tacos must be eaten quickly before the incredibly fresh mango salsa sogs the tortilla. It gets messy but it’s worth it.
However, I have saved the best for last. This is of course something that is so perfect that anytime you order the dish elsewhere, you will face nothing but disappointment. I am talking about their polenta fries with a spicy Caesar dipping sauce. Fried to crisp perfection on the outside yet creamy and smooth inside, I cannot think of anything that I have craved so much in the last few months. I scalded my tongue trying to take as much in with each bite. A week ago, I tried to convince my manager to let me go to Port Alberni to replace some of our equipment. I don’t think that I’ve ever been so heart broken about not being allowed to do my job.
Sobo l 1084 Pacific Rim Highway l Tofino
Yes. It’s a trailer off of the highway. Yes it’s in the parking lot of a botanical garden. And yes, it serves some of the best food in the province. After hours of surfing or staring off into miles of beach, there is nothing more satisfying than lunch at this stand out eatery.
The seafood chowder is an absolute wonder. Never have a run across chowder with nothing but spoonful after spoonful of seafood. The fish has the moist rich taste of meat that’s been taken close to the bone. It’s sweet and perfectly balanced by a bit cream, dill and spiciness. The fish tacos must be eaten quickly before the incredibly fresh mango salsa sogs the tortilla. It gets messy but it’s worth it.
However, I have saved the best for last. This is of course something that is so perfect that anytime you order the dish elsewhere, you will face nothing but disappointment. I am talking about their polenta fries with a spicy Caesar dipping sauce. Fried to crisp perfection on the outside yet creamy and smooth inside, I cannot think of anything that I have craved so much in the last few months. I scalded my tongue trying to take as much in with each bite. A week ago, I tried to convince my manager to let me go to Port Alberni to replace some of our equipment. I don’t think that I’ve ever been so heart broken about not being allowed to do my job.
Restaurant Review!
The Crow and Gate l 250.722.3731 l Cedar
It was with utter shock and joy that I found the most authentic English Pub outside of the British Isles. Stuck in the middle of nowhere on Vancouver Island, there lies the quiet English pub, the crow and gate. I had come here hoping to have some excellent local cider but found so much more.
What makes the place so astounding are not menu items such as the Melton Mowbray or the Cheddar Ploughman. It wasn’t the fact that everyone had to queue up to order both their food and drinks. It wasn’t even that fact that the place looked perfect, right down to the uncomfortable booths. No the beauty was the fact that they had somehow captured that atmosphere of ease and comfort. You felt that all these people were just here to whittle away a few hours just like you were. You felt that this was the place that everyone congregated to after a long’s day work. I marveled at it all and drank it all in. That and my fantastic Merridale Estate cider.
The Crow and Gate l 250.722.3731 l Cedar
It was with utter shock and joy that I found the most authentic English Pub outside of the British Isles. Stuck in the middle of nowhere on Vancouver Island, there lies the quiet English pub, the crow and gate. I had come here hoping to have some excellent local cider but found so much more.
What makes the place so astounding are not menu items such as the Melton Mowbray or the Cheddar Ploughman. It wasn’t the fact that everyone had to queue up to order both their food and drinks. It wasn’t even that fact that the place looked perfect, right down to the uncomfortable booths. No the beauty was the fact that they had somehow captured that atmosphere of ease and comfort. You felt that all these people were just here to whittle away a few hours just like you were. You felt that this was the place that everyone congregated to after a long’s day work. I marveled at it all and drank it all in. That and my fantastic Merridale Estate cider.
Restaurant Review!
Boneta l West Cordova St 604.684.1844 l Vancouver
One muggy July day, I sat at one of many freshly minted tables in this stark establishment. The high ceilings were laden with menacing mirrors that made my friend think ominously of Superman II. Yet, the room was light and seemed to embody the possibilities of a brand new summer.
The cocktails let us unwind, my favorite being the aptly named Devine. The drinks were named after friends and family of the owners. The Devine was an elaborate mix of vodka, rosewater, espresso vodka and cassis. The upfront splash of floral rosewater and cassis faded, I was treated to the wonderful punch of espresso that both woke my senses and begged me to take it for another spin.
After a number of drinks, we felt set for some fare that would give our stomachs some much needed protection. My grilled artic char with lentils was perfectly done. It had a crisp skin that still illustrated the fish’s vibrant colors while the flesh remained moist and just cooked. Simple and unfettered, the dish was well executed though a bit Spartan for the price.
After the evening ended we all somehow felt unsatisfied. The drinks begged for something somewhat substantial to help them along. Were we missing starch? Some sort of richness? Or maybe it was the simple fact that at 9:30, the sky was still light and night was still far from over.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Restaurant Review!
Tung Hing Bakery l 1106 Kingsway l Vancouver
Vietnamese cuisine has a strong French influence from its colonial past, but in many ways, it has developed a wholly unique approach. For instance, the beef broth with rice noodle dish that we all know as Phoa is actually derived from the French word Feu, as in the dish Pot-au-feu. The French dish of beef broth with beef and vegetables has taken on a new life with the Vietnamese classic and has become unrecognizable.
Then there is the Vietnamese sandwich known as Banh Mi. Tung Hing has amongst the best since it is, first and foremost, a bakery. The baguette is absolute perfection, a thin crackling crust yields easily into the soft white interior. It’s the perfect anchor for a sandwich with so many flavors. Each bite gives you the deep satisfaction of pate and pork loaf with the fresh sharpness of cilantro and the sweet crunch of daikon and carrots. Every once in while you get the heat of jalapeño to refresh your palate while the deep tone of fish sauce settles in the background. And always, there is that bread.
My favorite has always been the meatball or Siu Mai. It’s more of a soft paste of meat and spices than an actual meatball. I have no idea what’s in it and it almost looks raw but please, let’s not ruin the magic.
Tung Hing Bakery l 1106 Kingsway l Vancouver
Vietnamese cuisine has a strong French influence from its colonial past, but in many ways, it has developed a wholly unique approach. For instance, the beef broth with rice noodle dish that we all know as Phoa is actually derived from the French word Feu, as in the dish Pot-au-feu. The French dish of beef broth with beef and vegetables has taken on a new life with the Vietnamese classic and has become unrecognizable.
Then there is the Vietnamese sandwich known as Banh Mi. Tung Hing has amongst the best since it is, first and foremost, a bakery. The baguette is absolute perfection, a thin crackling crust yields easily into the soft white interior. It’s the perfect anchor for a sandwich with so many flavors. Each bite gives you the deep satisfaction of pate and pork loaf with the fresh sharpness of cilantro and the sweet crunch of daikon and carrots. Every once in while you get the heat of jalapeño to refresh your palate while the deep tone of fish sauce settles in the background. And always, there is that bread.
My favorite has always been the meatball or Siu Mai. It’s more of a soft paste of meat and spices than an actual meatball. I have no idea what’s in it and it almost looks raw but please, let’s not ruin the magic.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The Monthly Ritual
Three years have passed since I first walked into the powder blue Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Main Street and 11th avenue. It was quieter back then and along with the perogies, cabbage rolls and borscht, were home made church desserts. The perogies were potato and cheddar filled; drenched in butter. The cabbage rolls were filled with rice and meat while the borscht was flushed with beats and a brilliant red.
Every month, I would go back, fill in my little order card and line up to the cashier and was served by friendly, hard working Ukrainian church goers who seemed more and more surprised by their success with each passing month. The crowds ebbed and flowed but they were always friendly faces, surprised by the homemade prairie meal materializing on the wet coast. I’ve sat down at the communal tables and talked to young couples freshly established in the neighborhood or visitors from Montreal. All of them had come from word of mouth recommendations.
Now, they no longer make their own desserts and there are often line ups, but for me, it has become a monthly ritual. The write ups in local and national publications has failed to change the charm of the event nor the warmth that can only be produced by a home made meal.
Every month, I would go back, fill in my little order card and line up to the cashier and was served by friendly, hard working Ukrainian church goers who seemed more and more surprised by their success with each passing month. The crowds ebbed and flowed but they were always friendly faces, surprised by the homemade prairie meal materializing on the wet coast. I’ve sat down at the communal tables and talked to young couples freshly established in the neighborhood or visitors from Montreal. All of them had come from word of mouth recommendations.
Now, they no longer make their own desserts and there are often line ups, but for me, it has become a monthly ritual. The write ups in local and national publications has failed to change the charm of the event nor the warmth that can only be produced by a home made meal.
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