Longer daylight, warm breeze, lazy afternoon by the lake, al fresco dining, chilled white wine, colored toe nails, tank tops, backyard BBQ, roses in bloom, long road trips ....
Finally summer is here!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
{The weekend before last} @ The Brooklin Spring Fair
Colorful tents and stuffed toys, painted faces and screaming kids, ice cream and greasy foods, rides and games ....
there's just something about country fairs that made me come back again and again!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Father's Day
To my dear Papa,
I miss you so much. Not a single day passes without me thinking of you. Thank you for being the greatest father to us. I wish I can give you a big hug like I always do. But I know Jesus is doing it for me!
I love you Papa... always!
Your Ann
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Lilac Sugar
The subtle and sweet fragrance of the lilac flowers in our garden can't be ignored. Too bad the delicate blooms will only last for a week or so .... maybe, just maybe I can make it last by making lilac sugar.
It is as simple as adding dry and clean lilac petals in granulated sugar. Mix and put in jar. Let it stand for a few days and soon enough I will have lilac sugar for baking sugar cookies!
Friday, June 14, 2013
Father's Day "Big Breakfast"
Thinking of preparing something special for brunch to celebrate Father's day this coming Sunday? Here's a hearty, all-in-one meal for daddies to enjoy.
Father's Day Big Breakfast
Ingredients
2 pieces Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs olive oil
1 small potato, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
5 pieces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbs ketchup
leaves from 1 sprig of oregano
freshly ground pepper
1 bagel
2 eggs
Procedure
Split open the sausage, place the meat in a bowl and discard casings
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and crumbled sausage meat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sausage is lightly browned.
Add potato cubes and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add bell pepper and mushroom and cook for 1 minute
Seasoned with ketchup, oregano leaves and freshly ground pepper
Remove from heat and set aside
Preheat the broiler with the rack in the middle position
Place a bagel in the middle of a medium-sized cast iron {or ceramic baking dish}
Transfer the cooked sausage meat into the cast iron, surrounding the bagel
Crack eggs on top of the bagel and meat.
Broil until the egg whites are set, about 1- 2 minutes.
Garnish with oregano leaves.
Have a great Father's Day weekend!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Bites and Nibbles @ Europea
A trip to Montreal simply means indulging in one of my guilty pleasures - Je mange du foie gras!
During my last vist, my friends and I tried the Europea Restaurant at Rue dela Montagne. From the elegant atmosphere of the restaurant to the inventive presentations of delicious amuse bouces, it was indeed an excellent culinary experience.
The restautant host was so gracious answering all my questions regarding the food preparation and ingredients. He even invited me to peek into the kitchen with my camera ... even that was a sight to behold ... it was more of watching a maestro in a studio than a chef in the kitchen!
My taste buds was already in "gustatory ecstasy" from Chef Jerome Ferrer's samplers when our waiter informed us that the piece de resistance - the foie gras is ready to be served. A white plate with smokey hot stone in the middle covered in tall glass came in. The maple bark stewed pan-seared foie gras was served on top of the stone with ice wine, cloudberry and cinnamon reduction. It was really delicious.
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For dessert, the chef offered us mint mallows, petite apricot cake, macaron and something unexpected ... cotton candy!
Europea is not just fine dinning. This is a place where art meets culinary excellence.
C'est magnifique!
EUROPEA
1227 Rue de la Montagne
Montreal
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Country Roads ... Take Me Home
Two Saturdays ago, hubby and I drove an hour and a half north-west from home sweet home to the charming village of St. Jacobs. The downtown area was bustling with activities from the Farmers' Market to the quaint shops along King Street - people are either shopping, eating or just simply enjoying a perfect spring afternoon.
In the middle of the excitement particularly from tourists happily inspecting their recent purchases and children chatting in line while waiting for ice ream, my eyes were drawn to the market where a couple of teenage girls in braids wearing bonnets and printed long dresses who were loading some goodies on a horse drawn carriage. For a while, a scene from Little House on the Prairie flashed back in my mind - a picture of simplicity in a world long gone.
That's when I told my hubby I want to drive along the countryside of St. Jacobs for a glimpse of the Old Order Mennonites community ....
The more we see these lush rolling hills punctuated by red or gray barn houses, the more we realize that this is our ultimate dream - to. build. a. home. in. a. small. farm.
Where life is serene, simple and happy....
As we drove towards the direction of West Montrose, we saw "The Kissing Bridge", the last covered bridge in the province of Ontario. We parked the car on a nearby lot and crossed the bridge by foot, hand in hand.
On the opposite end of the bridge, this was the sight that greeted us!
We went home that Saturday afternoon with a happy sigh.. The last glimpse of the country road was full of anticipation. Someday, by God's grace, we will call the countryside {wherever it may be} OUR HOME!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
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