Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Slow Food - Part 1

There was a time in my life where I really didn’t pay much attention to what I was eating on a daily basis. Not to say that I would always eat unhealthy, fried, greasy foods or have a diet rich with only one type of food group (i.e. bread, pasta, fries, and cookies anyone?), but I would eat things that were quick and convenient.  Unfortunately, there is often a trade off between these quick, convenient foods and the amount of nutrients you are getting.  However, I didn’t gain any weight from my food choices at the time so I didn’t really think anything of it.

For example, there was a time where I would heat up one of those microwavable frozen entrĂ©es you see in the frozen food section at the grocery store about 3 times a week at work. I was so busy that I would bring one of those frozen entrĂ©es to the office, and wolf it down in minutes before continuing on to the projects that awaited me.  I do remember feeling slightly guilty at times only because I had a colleague who would lecture me about all the sodium and preservatives I would be putting into my body every time he saw me eat one of those. Then I would look at his delicious, home-cooked-leftover-from-dinner-the-night before lunch with envy. It looked so healthy and his lunch always had some sort of protein, small amount of carbs and lots of veggies in a nice Pyrex container.  But I was so busy during that time, that I didn’t really make it a priority to set aside 10 minutes the night before to pack a nutritious lunch for the next day.

Then one day I heard someone say something that really resonated with me. Do you know how Oprah has those ‘A-ha’ moments? Well, I had one of those moments when I heard someone say something along the lines of, ‘Every time you put a piece of food into your mouth, you are making a choice about what direction your body and your health will take.’

Around this time, I started reading up on Slow Food. Slow Food is defined as food that is good, clean, and natural which preserves the long standing culinary traditions of where it came from and how it is prepared.  It really tries to prevent the disappearance of these food cultures and traditions that have been used for generations and instead, has us celebrate or embrace them. It also encourages discussion and awareness of what food people are eating, where the food came from, and how our food choices impact our community, environment and the world.  Slow food is the alternative to fast food, which unfortunately consumes many of our diets today because we are so busy and it is quick and convenient. 

Slow Food typically uses high quality, locally sourced, seasonal, and simple ingredients and is made with care the old fashioned way. There is an organization here called Slow Food Vancouver, and they hosted a Slow Food Bicycle Tour which allowed the public the opportunity to meet with several farmers and learn more about agriculture and where our food comes from and how it is grown. The tour was approximately 25 km on bike and it was a great educational experience and it made me appreciate the food I was eating.

At the cheese farm and watching how local cheese is made

One of the vegetable gardens we saw on the tour

A delicious afternoon snack purchased directly from the farmers
The beautiful scenery surrounding us on our bike tour
The idea of Slow Food and the Slow Food Movement began in Italy at the Spanish Steps in Rome and is now a global initiative with millions of participants from all over the world.

Spanish Steps in Rome!
When I went to Italy , I was so excited to learn more about Slow Food and experience it first hand at the country it originated from. More information about my direct experience with this will be forthcoming in my next posts!

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Drinks

My drink of choice right now is definitely a nice glass of wine.  Wine isn’t something that I’ve always loved but over the past 10 years, my taste has changed quite a bit and now, it’s something I drink several times a week and absolutely love. I usually don’t drink on weeknights, so on Friday afternoons, I look forward to the evening because I know I’ll be sipping on a wonderful glass of wine! My favorite wine and food pairings are:

A good Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer or Riesling with raw oysters or pate.




If you are looking for an amazing white wine, I highly recommend the Eroica Reisling.  It is an elegant Washington Riesling with a mouthwatering acidity balanced with a sweetness that makes it extremely versatile. 

A good Italian wine like a Chianti Classico with a charcuterie or a nice steak.




A good vacation getaway to me is to visit several wineries to meet the winemakers, understand how their wine is produced, what makes their wine unique, visit the cellars, ask questions, and then do a tasting.


I even got married at a winery so I am a little obsessed…


Rewind about 10 years earlier and before my love affair with wine, I was really into pink drinks. Maybe it was my obsession with Sex and the City and watching all the girls drink pretty, colorful cocktails and laughing in some type of glamorous environment. And during that period, bridal showers and stagettes were the norm in my life, so the parties I went to had a real feminine flare with pink decorations, pink flowers, and pink girly drinks.  A good Cosmopolitan, or a vodka cranberry cocktail on ice, or anything with Chambord Royal in it was my drink of choice.

Before my girly drink phase, I could really drink any type of cocktail.  Let’s see, anything from Baileys on ice, a Brown Cow, Vodka Paralyzer, Long Island Ice Tea, Blue Mondays, Electric Popsicles or Singapore Slings. Then one night, I had a really horrible experience with a milky drink accompanied by a glass of champagne, and from that moment on, those creamy cocktails I once loved would never be a part of my life going forward. 

During my university years, I wasn't aware of Red Bull or other energy drinks. And surprisingly, I wasn’t a coffee drinker back then either. So when it was mid term or final exam time and I would have to force myself to stay awake to study, a couple cans of Jolt did the trick. All the sugar and twice the caffeine!

I also enjoyed Orbitz (a drink from Clearly Canadian) every now and then, although the small tapioca looking balls floating in it confused me. Plus the drink sort of reminded me of a 70's style lava lamp in terms of appearance.

The drinks I was most fond of came from my younger years because I have such pleasant memories of that time.   I would consume these at birthday parties, at picnics, BBQ’s, at school events, etc.  It was such a treat to have these sugary drinks and some still exist today:

- Hi-C Orange Drink

- Orange Tang (I used to dip my fingers in the orange powder and just eat that sometimes)

- Orange Fanta, Orange C-Plus and Fresca

- Kool-Aid (original flavors include cherry, grape, lemon-lime, orange, raspberry, and strawberry)

Dr. Oh -  It wasn't around for very long but this is the drink I was most fond of. There were 4 flavors of strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, and banana flavored milk in Tetra Brik 250 ML box with a straw attached. It was a milk drink that was kept non-refrigerated, which completely would not appeal to me today.  

- Super Socca - it usually had a soccer ball on their juice box and it was another orange drink

- Tab Cola - everyone sing along to the jingle now... 'Tab Cola has a beautiful taste, so good for beautiful people, Tab Cola, beautiful to you and me cause every can has less than 2 calories ... lalala...' BTW, Elle MacPherson still looks exactly the same today as she did when she was in the commercial over 30 years ago so I want to drink what she is drinking!


After reviewing this list, I didn't realize how much I liked orange flavored drinks until now. :)



Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Hybrids

I read that recently, the creator of the original cronut (the croissant-donut hybrid), Dominique Ansel, has created another original hybrid, the cookie shot.  It is a cookie shaped like a shot glass with milk inside. Not only does he think of these great ideas, but he also executes them extremely well as shown by the long lineups outside his shop in New York. People anxiously wait hours to try one of his creations on a daily basis. I also hear that he has teamed up with Nutella to give away Nutella Cronuts Holes in celebration of Nutella’s 50th anniversary. I would call those ‘little drops of heaven!’

Unfortunately, I don’t live in New York and I’m not planning to visit any time soon.   Luckily I live in a city where several pastry geniuses have wonderful pastry shops (Thomas Haas, Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie, Beta 5, Beaucoup Bakery, etc.)  And speaking of hybrids, I did try the most delicious hybrid pastry right here in Vancouver at Swiss Bakery.  It was the Frissant (also known as the croissant-apple fritter hybrid), and after one bite, I was totally hooked!  The buttery, flakey layers from the croissant side, combined with the sweet, tart, apple taste from the apple fritter side, was an excellent combination which I highly recommend.


The Frissant!

While hybrids are definitely the craze right now, I have to say that the most delicious pastry I have ever tried in my life, and nothing has come even close to my experience with this, is the apple tart pastry from Poilane Bakery in Paris. Hands down, this simple, non hybrid, apple tart was absolutely extraordinary and you must try it if you are in Paris. It is sooooo buttery and flaky, and words cannot describe how good it tasted!


The famous apple tart at Poilane Bakery!


This is the most famous bread at Poilane Bakery made from stoneground flour and sea salt.

Thursday, 15 May 2014

It's Spot Prawn Season in BC Right Now!

If you have never tried a true BC spot prawn, you absolutely must try them!  Named because of the two distinctive white spots on each side of the tail, BC Spot Prawn season usually begins around mid May and lasts only a few weeks. This is the only time you can get them fresh and they have such a remarkable flavor and texture. So sweet in flavor and firm in texture. The taste and texture almost reminds me of lobster, except even sweeter and more delicious.   In BC, we even have Spot Prawn Festivals to pay homage to the delicate crustacean, and several fine dining restaurants offer prix fixed, seasonal menus centered around the spot prawn. So right now is the time to get them.  

They are nothing like a farmed tiger prawn. It is like night and day. Tiger prawns are what I grew up eating when I was living in Calgary and I didn’t know what a spot prawn was back then. When I compare the two, I find farmed tiger prawns to be a little mushy in texture, and there is not much flavor to them. That’s why I normally cook them with some type of sauce so then it takes on the flavor of the sauce.  

I went to the local seafood store recently and saw the live, beautiful, bright colored, spot prawns for the first time this season.  You can eat them raw or cook them. I normally just steam them as they are, and they are so flavorful that you don’t really need to do anything else to them.


Fresh, live spot prawns at the store!
Live spot prawns that are just about to be emersed in their steam bath
Can't wait to eat these! Look how big they are...
The spot prawn is almost half the height of the wine bottle. So plump and juicy!


Raw spot prawns
Deep fried spot prawn heads

B.C. spot prawns are a good choice for consumers as they are caught using responsible, sustainable fishing practices so you can feel good about eating these delicious delicacies!

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Coffee

When I moved to Vancouver from Calgary in early 2006, there were 2 things that were a shock to my system:

1. The amount it rained in Vancouver

People were telling me that I moved to Vancouver at the worst possible time because it was almost record rainfall for Vancouver . There were 40 straight days of non stop rain. Which means 40 straight days of dark, grey, cold, depressing days.  Although Calgary has temperatures that drop to -35 degrees Celsius at times, at least it’s sunny and bright outside and Calgary is one of the more sunnier cities in Canada . To this day, I would rather take a sunny cold day, then a rainy warm day. On the bright side, all the moisture and humidity in Vancouver did wonders for my skin and I've never seen it look so dewy before!

2. The amount of Starbucks in Vancouver

I noticed there was a Starbucks on every corner of the street when I first moved here. Ok fine, not every corner but it certainly felt like every corner.  I remember I walking by a Starbucks downtown and contemplating if I should get a coffee but I kept walking. Then I changed my mind a minute later so then I was going to walk back to that Starbucks, but wait, I was now standing in front of another Starbucks so there was no need to walk back.

Although I am a big fan of my Starbucks drink (grande, extra hot, half sweet, hazelnut, soy latte), I am a bigger fan of the smaller specialty coffee shops in Vancouver.   My favorites include:

-          Matchstick Coffee in Mount Pleasant
-          Revolver Coffee in Gastown
-          Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar on Commercial Drive


The 'Pour-Over Coffee' at Revolver Coffee 
Their coffee is so crisp and clean in flavor, and you can tell the quality of the coffee beans they use are excellent. I especially love the cappuccinos they serve at Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar, an Italian coffee shop.  I know Italy is known for their coffee and coffee culture, so I was excited to experience the coffee on my visit there. 

Italian coffee is wonderful. It tastes so smooth and it seems slightly stronger and rich in flavor. Every time I see pictures like the one below, it puts a smile on my face and makes me wanting more. The espresso, the warm milk, the foam, the taste, the aroma, the cute spoons and cups, and I could go on.



There are so many different coffee beverages in Italy that you can order. The ones that I tried while in Italy were:

o       Caffe – a shot of espresso
o       Caffe Ristretto – a more concentrated form of the regular caffe
o       Cappuccino – espresso with hot milk and foam (my drink of choice)
o       Caffe Macchiato – an espresso with just a splash of milk or ‘stained’ with milk
o       Caffe Americano – espresso with hot water added
o       Caffe Latte – hot milk mixed with coffee and served in a glass
o       Caffe Con Panna – espresso with sweet whipped cream

The size of the beverages are much smaller than in North America. You would never see a grande or vente size drink at a coffee bar. Also, the coffee machines are unreal. What I mean is that the machines look so sophisticated, so fancy, so beautiful, so shiny, so powerful and so big.
Look at this beautiful espresso machine! I wonder if it will fit on my kitchen counter...
What makes coffee in Italy so good is that they seem to have the right formula for the perfect cup of coffee. The perfect roast, the grind of the beans, right temperate of the milk steam, right ratio and quantity of coffee grounds, and of course, a sense of pride for their coffee. I was also told that the milk they use in Italy also contributes to the delicious taste of the drink. Similar to how the water in New York is one of the factors that makes a New York pizza taste so good and distinct.

One of my favorite places where I enjoyed my morning cappuccino was at Sant Eustachio II Caffe which is just steps away from the Pantheon in Rome. I had read about this place beforehand and I noticed that it was packed with people when I walked in. The coffee here is incredible and I highly recommend this place. The way they make their crema, the frothy cream which tops their espresso, is unique and a well kept secret that they will not reveal.


Outside of Sant Eustachi II Caffe - you must come here if you are in Rome!

Of course I had to have a canoli with my coffee... I was in Italy after all.
And to think that when I first started drinking coffee, this is what I would drink along with 2 heaping spoonfuls of sugar and Coffee Mate.



Thursday, 8 May 2014

Retro Candy

One of my favorite childhood memories is going to 7-11 with my sisters and cousins every month and picking out my favorite candy, knowing that I would be devouring these sweet treats when I got back home. It was also so much fun to compare what my sisters and cousin picked out and what I would pick out, and trading pieces of candy when we got back home.

So you are probably wondering what the big deal is? You can go to any Walmart or Costco and get giant bags of candy to last for weeks. You have to understand that back in the 80’s, things were different and just the simplest things like buying candy from a 7-11 or Macs was such a treat.  In addition, we were so young that walking to the nearby 7-11 without our parents gave us a sense of independence for the first time.   There was such a large a variety and selection of candy back then, the packaging was so colorful and fun, and a lot of it was made the old fashioned way meaning the candy was hard, and long lasting in flavor. 

We were all given a crisp dollar bill each and off we went on a candy shopping mission! We would be in the candy section for quite a long time and the workers at 7-11 were always so nice to us.  You could actually buy a lot with a dollar back then:

- Mojos
- Fun Dip Lik-M-Aid
- Bonkers
- Chiclets
- Big League Chew Shredded Bubble Gum
- Nerds and Jumbo Nerds
- Gobstoppers
- Candy Corn
- Popeye Candy Cigarettes
- Pop Rocks
- Sweet Tarts
- Astro Pop lolipops
- Fizz Candy
- Golden Nugget Gum
- Nibs
- Root Beer and Cola Bottle Caps
- Bazooka Bubble Gum (the little comic strip it came with inside the wrapper was awesome!)






This was soooo not my favorite candy:
  

Fast forward to today and I very rarely eat candy now because I just never have that craving.  If I do want some form of pure sugar on that rare occasion, my candy of choice are the popcorn flavored jelly beans. It actually does taste like popcorn and it reminds of a savory sweet combination. There are some things that were much better in the 80s, and I have to say retro candy is one of them. 

Tuesday, 6 May 2014

Introduction

I live in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia which is constantly rated one of the top places to live in the world.  I grew up in the 80’s and 90's and have been fascinated by the evolution of food and food culture to where it is today and what it was back then.    Remember in the 80's movie ‘The Breakfast Club’ when Claire (played by Molly Ringwald) takes out her lunch and John (played by Judd Nelson) asks what she has for lunch? When she says sushi to all the blank faces and she has to explain it as rice, raw fish and seaweed, you see the look of disbelief on everyone’s face. Imagine if that scene occurred today? Sushi is so common today that almost everyone eats it or at least knows what it is.

Or before the explosion of the Food Network on television 10-15 years ago, the word celebrity chef was normally reserved for actors and musicians. Now, we see hundreds of chefs who have reached celebrity status and are now referred to as celebrity chefs. That didn’t exist when I was growing up. I recall watching only one cooking show in Canada on the Canadian Broadcast Public Television Network and that was called ‘Wok with Yan.’ I remember how I thought the chef, Stephen Yan, was so cool making all these delicious meals in his wok because his show was so unique and rare back then. BTW, Anthony Bourdain is my idol right now.

I also remember when I was in grade school, the snacks that all the kids would bring in their lunches were things like Ding Dongs, Twinkies and Wagon Wheels. I’m pretty sure that with all the emphasis there is on healthy eating, these snacks aren’t as common.  Nowadays, the term gluten free or dairy free seem to be everywhere or having bacon covered donuts, or bacon infused vodka or bacon ice cream seem to be the way to go right now.

Food culture has changed so much since I was a kid and I find some things are much better now, while other things were better then.  With that in mind, I do love discovering, eating, cooking and sharing my experiences on good food and wine, both past and present and analyzing food trends.  So grab a glass of wine (or Cherry Coke, or Tab, or Hi-C if you can find one), and I hope you enjoy my reading about my foodie evolution from my own experiences!