Where are we?: Germany
countries Visited: 9
Days on the Road: 111

Monday, January 31, 2011

say goodbye to your plastic hand held friends!!!

Not Only is bottled water more expensive then tap water but it is also terrible for the environment. Yes they can be recycled, but the manufacturing process in melting down billions of these bottles is an insane energy consumer. Think of it this way Toronto has a population of about 2,503,281. If everyone had just one bottle of water a day that means that the city of Toronto alone would have to recycle 2,503,281 water bottles. That's  913,697,565 a year that just the city of Toronto has to deal with. Imagine the world!

so take a step back and think about how hard it would make your life to get a reusable water bottle. It is cheaper for you in the long run, so what is stopping you?

your challenge of the week....change old habits... get a water bottle you can fall in love with :)

Sunday, January 30, 2011

motivation

" I am loyal and constant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless new born baby- I just don't care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because its mine. Because it looks exactly like me. It can barf all over me if it wants to- I just don't care. "

The photo was from last summer, when I was driving Canada's East Coast in Alma, New Brunswick. Hours after I had read this quote in " Eat, Pray, Love" and really felt that the author captured my feelings entirely

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Must Read

I have been following his blog since he started, and his music since I can remember...check out this post and all others he has writen...he brings light to the world...he is the kind of person that will make it all right!!!


http://freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com/2011/01/youre-invited-to-our-wedding.html

Traffic Jams and Jerk Crab

so since I was so glued to season 3 of nip/tuck last night and didn't have a spare moment to look away from my TV to write a restaurant review....i will roll yesterdays and today's blog into one!

Driving to Montreal from Toronto isn't to far of a drive, 6-7 hours tops. My friend Sarah and I were headed to Old Montreal for a night before heading off on a road trip around Canada's east coast. we were making it there in such good time and right as we are about 15 min away from our hotel (says my IPhone GPS) and BAM traffic jam....we still had 3 hours before our dinner reservation so we were both at ease thinking that we could still check into our hotel, shower, nap and get ready with plenty of time to catch a cab and hit the restaurant. I have never been more wrong...we were stuck in the same kilometer of road for 2 hours and 53 minutes before we finally got on our way. We ran into our hotel threw on our dresses and heals and flew back out the door to catch a cab to the restaurant.

Apparently catching a cab in Montreal is not as east as catching one in Toronto...it took us 15 minutes to catch a cab for a 4 minute cab ride.

the cab dumps us off on a busy side road and says that we are right outside the restaurant...we pay our fare hop out and he speeds off. but where is the restaurant? we look up and down the street, pop our heads in and out of multiple restaurants ask dozens of non English speaking folk where this place is and still we have no clue, almost ready to give up we try one more door...from the outside it looks more like a pub but we think what the hell we can grab a beer instead....defeated we walk into this pub and what do we see? the sign for "Garde Manger"  the place we had been searching for all along.

We are welcomed with smiles and sat at our table, our server was so pleasant and welcoming I wish I could remember her name. The atmosphere is rustic, dim lighting and very laid back. chalk board menus and a partial open concept kitchen.

She brings us bread and dip while we decide on our dinner selections. We decide to share the Jerk Crab Legs as a starter. Let me tell you the next morning Sarah and I left Montreal and spent the next 15 days traveling Canada's seafood abyss....and not one place on the east coast came close to the pleasure I felt when I ate the jerk crab at Garde Manger, the seasoning had the perfect tang and heat and the crab was cooked to perfection, so moist, it danced in your mouth. 

After finishing up what we thought to be the climax of the meal we received our mains. we ordered the duck breast with fois grais that was impeccable. The duck itself was bursting with musical notes but then the fois...perfectly pan seared and complimenting the duck amazingly, I now cant imagine those two being eaten separately, it would be like taking Kurt Hummel from the Glee Club...it just wouldn't work. And then the second main, a perfectly light pink bone in pork chop served with braised cabbage, apple and a potato latka. Now I wouldn't normally order a pork chop at a restaurant, to be honest most places don't put them on the menu...so I was intrigued...I had to know what was so special about this dish that Chef Chuck Hughes had to put it on the menu. I am so glad he did. I keep using the word perfect but there is no other way to describe it.

For dessert we shared a deep fried mars bar which was goopy, and melty and messy and a perfect way to end this impeccable meal.

We finished our meal with one more glass of wine and stuffed like Cornish hens, we made our way back to our hotel.

I will say that the pictures below do not do the food justice, I am in no way a professional photographer, but if it means anything I would drive all the way to Montreal and sit through 3 hours of bumper to bumper traffic to have dinner there again.

Way to go Garde Manger



Until tomorrow readers :)







Tuesday, January 25, 2011

why do queer people have to flaunt it?

Sometimes when I am out with my friends they ask me why LGBTQ people flaunt their sexuality, why does everyone need to know that they are gay, why cant they just act normal?? I guess trying to see it from both sides is kind of difficult for me because I am part of the LGBTQ community, but I also in some small way understand where they are comming from.

Gay people don't really flaunt it...seeing two men/women holding hands is not flaunting it...straight couples hold hands, kiss goodbye, cuddle in theaters and show affection in public all the time, why is it so wrong for queer people to do the same?

I think because being queer has been so hush hush in the past years makes it an odd sight, or at least this is the point of view the questioners are comming from. I feel like this shouldnt be a question at all, considering I live in the most multicultural, "queer friendly" city in the world, gay marriage is legal, full benefits for your queer partner or spouse is not only common but expected.

I guess no matter where you go you will find people who dont agree with who you are, it just goes to show that the LGBTQ community has come so far in the equal rights movement, but we still have so far to go.

Keep pushing on!!

Equal rights is a slow movement but we will get there, and I cant wait to see the day :)

Monday, January 24, 2011

Enviro Mondays (1)



 Switch to 100% recycled paper towels

Seventh generation is the brand I use and I find them wonderful. I try my best not to use paper towels but when I need to I always go for the recycles ones. Seventh Generation is 100% recycled with a min of 50% post consumer. They list all of their ingredients on their website so I think its worth checking out. I also think its worth saying that going to use a paper towel for all cleaning needs is also not the answer either. reusable cloths are still key in saving more trees, but for those times when only a paper towel will do...recycled is the way to go!!

Check out the link below and see for yourself :)

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Recycled-Paper-Towels

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Free For All Sundays

This person shows me non judgemental love, innocent and pure untainted love. No one has imprinted their brain with reasons to judge or to be jaded. When I see their picture my heart melts and it sometimes makes me cry. This person has breathed new life in to myself and into my family just when we needed it the most. Their curiosity makes me smile. Their smile makes all of my worries and problems disapear if only for a moment. When they are not with me I miss them, and when they are with me I soak up every moment. This person always has a home with me. This person has changed the way I view and value life with out knowing or doing a thing. This person hasnt even said their first word yet....he is only 10 months old, he is the most inspirational person in my life!

Nathan I love you


Friday, January 21, 2011

New Recipe Fridays

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    2 cups unbleached flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 cup raw sugar
    1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    1/4 cup water

- in a mixer whisk together the oil, sugar, and vanilla
- in a separate bowl completely combine flour, baking powder and salt
- mix dry into wet ingredients and then add the water slowly  just till combined
- scoop out into equal sized balls and bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes

I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian but these cookies are delish!

Enjoy!!!!!!!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Welcome

I guess my first post should tell you a bit about myself.

I am a pastry chef in down town toronto as well as a butcher at ethical and sustainable shop. I live in the west end of toronto in the apartment next to my best friend. I have been infected with a disease since as far back as I can remember... its called the travel bug. Don't worry... there is an easy cure.I have an amazing family and am a new aunt to the cutest baby boy on the planet earth.

I often find myself thinking about food. especially the food we get here in the western half of the world. walking into my local metro kind of makes my stomach turn. I am a firm believer in local and seasonal produce, meat,and grains. while it sure is wonderful to be able to walk steps out my door and be able to grab a pineapple i cant help but think about how far this had to travel to get into my hands.

I am a huge coffee and tea fan but only fair trade and organic. I worked on a fair trade coffee plantation when I was in Nicaragua and the work was back breaking, I cant imagine putting someone through so much hard physical labor for unfair wages....I think its bull shit. (kitchen worker sorry I swear sometimes)

I have lots of stories, travels, recipes, books, photos, opinions and love to share with you... come back for a visit sometime... Until next time and remember when laughing make sure not to be drinking/eating anything it could end up in some mighty fine pain for your nostrils.