as New Year's Eve approaches...

As New Year's Eve approaches I've been thinking about what resolutions I would like to make and well...

Seriously, I guess I can come up with a few resolutions... 

1.  Try to be understanding (to right-wing conservatives) I guess they think they are trying to do some good no matter how messed up I think they are.  Okay, the new year hasn't started yet so technically I haven't failed this one.    

2.  Read more... borrow time from reading newspapers and tackle that ever growing pile of I want to read books.

3.  Exercise more... okay that is given since I have to get the knee back in shape post-op.  

4.  Stop drinking Tim Horton's coffee.  Heck, I don't even like it... it is just next door and sometimes it is just nice to get away from work and yeah, I have no idea why I drink bad coffee.  Gotta stop that.  

5.  Hug my parents everyday and let them know how much I love them.  I've gotta make up for those teenage years while we're still together.    

Okay, that's all folks.  Hope you have a great New Year's Eve.  Celebrate safely!    

Quinoa!

Always someone to try something new, I discovered Quinoa at my favourite local gluten-free bakery Lorenzos Specialty Foods.  And shortly thereafter I discovered Red Quinoa at the local Bulk Barn.  It kept popping up everywhere, how could I not try it?

I have to say that Quinoa is a new favourite.  It kind of has a nutty taste to it and it cooks just like rice.  I love it so much that on my next quinoa run I picked up quinoa flour and Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming's Quinoa 365 The Everyday Superfood.  This cookbook rocks!  

And so does their website Quinoa 365 which contains new recipes that are not found in the cookbook.

I love their recipe for Quinoa Pancakes.

I tweaked the recipe by adding about 3 heaping tablespoons of gluten-free all-purpose flour just because I found the pancake mix a wee bit thin.

I also made their Strawberry Banana Muffin recipe using gluten-free flour, and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum and substituting the strawberries for raspberries.  But even if you use the original non-gluten-free recipe you must try this recipe out--the quinoa adds an interesting texture.

Anyway, new favourite food and cookbook that I thought to rave about and share.    
   

I made a conscious decision to let my hair go grey.  I just happen to like it.  It is something different from the mundane brown hair colour that I was sporting to fit into my conservative suburban place of employment.

I love the new organic me!  My hair is free of chemicals and other artificial agents.  It feels healthier, and it is less hassle.  No more special shampoos and conditioners to help maintain the artificial colour.  No more spending hours at the hair salon.  Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of fun colouring my hair when I was in my twenties and even into my thirties.  But I've done that.  Change is good, right?

Not so according to some.  

When I asked my youngest brother what he thought about my new look his response was that I "look like an old hag".  Not that I really care what he thinks, I was just interested because of the reaction I have been getting from others that dare speak their uninvited opinion.  Not that I value his opinion, I just find him rather amusing.    

Is it sexism, agism, or grayism that motivated his observation?

Our hair, in Western culture, has become one of the principal reflections of ourselves that we make to the world.  Or should hair be viewed through the social and cultural settings that we are confined within?

Referring to someone as an old hag contains the tone of a misogynistic attitude when delivered from a male to female figure.  It refers to a woman who has been frightful in view of what is considered aesthetically pleasing within a culture.  Yet there is no cultural equilibrium distinguished between a man or woman exposing gray hair.  Yes, men are often seen as distinguished when they embrace their gray whereas women are viewed as old.

American make-up artist, author, and photographer, Kevyn Aucoin eloquently said "[y]ou can't put on make-up, or dress yourself, or do your hair with any sort of fun or joy if you're doing it from a position of correction".

I don't think that it is my hair that needs correcting, maybe what needs correcting is perceptions of beauty.    

      

  

Conservative attack ads and the Gun Registry Debate

Conservative MP, Shelly Glover sent off an attack ad flyer in the mail trying to promote herself and her government as the only option for keeping Canadians safe.  It reads "our Conservative Government is taking action to get tough on crime and keep Canadian families safe by proposing legislation that will..."

Someone needs to tell Glover and the Conservative Government that "proposing legislation" is the same thing as empty promises.  This is the same government that prorogued government not once, but twice, and in doing so twice killed several crime bills that were going through parliament.  These are the same proposed legislation that are continually being resent through the process...  

Unfortunately, the Conservatives like to talk about crime and keeping Canadian families safe more than they like to actually take any action on the issue.  

I find it hard to believe that Shelly Glover, as she said in a recent news conference, became a Conservative MP so that she can change the laws to make it safer for her when she goes back to work as a police officer.  I don't see any of the proposed legislations outlined in the flyer that would make her position as a police officer any safer than it was before she left the Winnipeg Police Service.  Glover, a former police officer,s is backing the party line against the gun registry while many police chiefs across Canada have come forward in support of the gun registry as a valuable tool that save Canadian lives.  

Excuse me if I find it hard to believe that the Conservatives are serious about keeping Canadian families safe.  

Long gun registration has polarized Canadians on whether or not it violates privacy issues to the cost.  I really can not buy into the cost issue.  If you want to own a gun then I don't see why you should be exempt from the cost of registration of your firearm.  We're all expected to register our vehicles and you don't see anyone in an uproar about that.  Heck, in this province you can't serve alcohol unless you pass a responsible server program.  Get with the program Conservatives and long gun owners... no one is attacking or picking on you.  This is not a rural versus urban issue... it is about expecting everyone to behave like a responsible Canadian.  Suck it up!  You don't see the drivers and servers crying about being a responsible Canadian and doing their small part to keep our country safe.  

   

Apple Liqueur Update...

The apple liqueur is aging nicely... strained and chillin'

... until November ... should be ready for Christmas!

Apple Liqueur

It is raining apples in the backyard--three apple trees have been shedding their fruit.  Each evening some time is spent picking up most of them for the compost and checking out which ones are good for consumption.  Today with about three dozen (or so) ripe and ready apples at my my fingertips I thought that a trip to the liquor store was in order for the remaining ingredients for a batch of apple liqueur.

The apples are napping in a cool dark place right now.  They should be doing their magic over the next month and then the liqueur should be ready late autumn.  Can't wait!

About 20 apples washed thoroughly peeled, cored and roughly sliced
2 750 ml bottles of vodka (you can also use rum if you prefer)
750 ml bottle of brandy

Allow the above ingredients to mingle in a cool room away from direct sunlight.  Visit a couple of times a week to shake up the party that is happening inside the jar with a tight fitting lid.  In about a month, shake things up again by straining the liqueur through a sieve.  Add syrup made with 2 cups of brown sugar and 1 cup of water.  Add the water to a sauce pan and then the sugar, bring to a boil while stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Let cool before adding to the liqueur.  Return the liqueur to a cool room away from direct light to party a wee bit more until it has matured--one more month.

Enjoy!

Tonight's good eats!

There is nothing like fresh veggies from the garden... a selection of stir-fried summer squash, zucchini, sugar snap peas, bell peppers, shallots, anise.  Saute with sesame seed oil and season with salt and pepper.

Gluten-free Chocolate Banana Raspberry Muffins

Well with an abundance of raspberries it just makes sense to make a batch of muffins.  I've tweaked the muffin recipe from one of The Moosewood Collective Cookbooks http://www.amazon.ca/Moosewood-Restaurant-Cooks-Home-Recipes/dp/0671679929/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279930804&sr=1-2 to make it gluten-free and of course extra chocolatey!  

In a bowl combine 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.  

In another bowl mix the following dry ingredients:  2 cups All Purpose Gluten-free Flour (I like to use #209 from the Bulk Barn http://www.bulkbarn.ca/en-ca/index.html here in Winnipeg.  It is a mixture of Garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, tapica flour, white sorghum flour, and fava bean flour.  I prefer this flour over a rice based mix because I find the texture holds better and is not so fragile.), 1 teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.  Fold into the bowl of wet ingredients, careful not to overmix.    

Add 1 1/2 cups of bananas (about 3-4), 1 cup white chocolate, and 1 cup of fresh raspberries.  Bake in a 350 degree preheated over for about 25 minutes, testing the centre for with a toothpick for doneness.  

Enjoy!    

Broad Beans

The latest gift coming from the garden this week are broad beans.  As a wee little gal, I can not remember any enjoyment from picking these beans.  The experience was always marked with "stop picking the soft ones" as my father added, "pick the firm ones".  I wished that the crop would self-destruct but instead it is one of the easiest crops to grow being among the most ancient plants in cultivation.  As an adult, I have developed an appreciation for this richly delicious bean.  

And broad beans are highly nutritious.  They are rich in protein, phosphorous, and vitamins A, C, P, E, K.  Fresh broad beans have also been credited with helping to keep cholesterol levels low.   

When picking these beans, the pods should be pale green and feel full, soft, and tender.  The beans, ideally, need to be eaten within a couple of days and should be stored in the refrigerator.  Otherwise the carbohydrates in the beans turn to sugar therefore altering the flavour of the bean.  If you are unable to use the fresh beans within this time they do freeze well and should be frozen soon after gathering.  Shell the beans and place on a cookie sheet to freeze just as you would with berries.  

 

Young broad beans can be cooked whole, rinsed and boiled for no more than 5 minutes until tender.  However, as the beans become older they tend to develop a tough outer skin.  If this is the case boil the beans lightly, then remove the outer skin when cooled.  

Here is my favourite recipe for using fresh (or frozen) broad beans.  

Broad Beans With Chourico

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan.  Add 5 3/4 oz sliced chourico and saute for a few minutes.  Add one small chopped white onion and saute for a few more minutes until the onions begin to get soft and the chourico starts to brown.  Add 3 cloves of garlic, and continue to cook for a minute more.  Season with black pepper and a small chili pepper.  Add 1/2 cup of white wine and allow to cook until some of the wine has reduced a wee bit.  Add 2 cups of fresh (or frozen) broad beans and allow to cook on high heat for a few minutes until beans and tender when tested with a fork and until the flavours have been allowed to mingle.  There should be just a bit of sauce at the bottom of the pan at this point.  Stir in a handful of fresh parsley and a couple of splashes of red wine vinegar.  Season with salt and black pepper if needed.  Serve warm with grilled Portuguese bread.  

  

Serves 4-6.

  

Trudeau: Long March & Shining Path

Trudeau--Long March & Shining Path
by George Elliott Clark
Gaspereau Press Ltd.  




George Elliott Clarke crafted a lyrical poem in an imaginative and beautiful way to capture the mythical persona of one of Canada's political figures.  Trudeau:  Long March & Shining Path imagines the missing details of one of Canada's flamboyant and controversial hereos.  Clarke takes liberties in filling in the blanks that headlines failed to fill in.  
     
     Reporters when will you stop
     scheming up nightmares from ink and scotch! (Clarke 97)


Trudeau is a fast-paced jazzy number that is written as the libretto for a new opera by Canadian jazz pianist and composer D.D. Jackson.  Trudeau, as re-created by Clarke, is all about jazz in the sense that Trudeau and jazz have a special relationship to time.  Jazz, like Trudeau, eludes a strict definition and has the ability to absorb and transform influences.  


     Damn each history!  Each bio!
     There can be but the one "Trudeau"
     But your Trudeau?  And my Trudeau? (17)


Clarke cleaverly suggests this connection to jazz not only with the musical genre but also the key scenes, timelines, and influential figures that Trudeau encounters.  It is a beautifully written exploration into the juxtaposition between jazz and the mythical and historical Trudeau.  


Well worth the read.      

Portabella Mushroom Burger

Portabella Mushroom Burger, today's good eats.  Using grilled Portabella Mushroom caps instead of hamburger buns was an idea from one of The Biggest Loser episodes.  And it is tasty too.  I don't think that the show would approve of the bacon and cheese stuffed beef burger with extra cheese.  On the episode they suggested using lean turkey for the burger.     

Raw Video: Oracle Octopus Picks Spain

We're coming up to the final game of the World Cup this Sunday with a match up between Spain and the Netherlands. Yeah, Spain knocked out Germany out of a spot in the final match.  I have to admit that my favourite player in this event has to be Paul the Octopus.  Haven't heard about Paul?  Seriously?  Paul has been attracting a great deal of media attention for his prediction of Germany's world cup matches. 

And today, despite what most were anticipating a German win over Spain, Paul proved once again that he has the inside scoop [no pun intended].

Rumor has it that they are going to eat Paul for predicting Spain's win.  I just happen to have a great recipe for the occasion.  Now they can go with a traditional Spanish Octopus recipe but that might be too hard for the German team and we all know the Portuguese make the best!  


Polvo Guisado

Cook octopus (in this case fresh).

Some Portuguese people, when cooking their octopus, like to beat it with a stick to tenderize it.  This might help the German team get their fustrations out.  

Boil whole.  When the octopus is done let it cool and cut into bite size pieces using kitchen sears.  Set aside octopus and reserve the cooking liquid.  

By the looks of that YouTube video Paul is a big octopus.  So use a large pot.  Pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.  Saute two large onions that have been coarsely chopped.  When caramelization starts to happen add two heads of coarsely chopped garlic and a coarsely chopped bunch of parsley.  Yes, I said bunch... gotta have a good deal of parsley.  

Add the chopped octopus, cooking liquid, salt (coarse sea salt if you have it), a teaspoon of paprika, about 5 heaping tablespoons of Portuguese Pira Pira sauce and a bay leaf.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep an eye on it over the next 20 to 30 minutes, you may need to add more of the reserved cooking liquid.  Add about 5 medium to large potatoes that have been cut into bite size pieces.  Continue to cook for about another 30 minutes.  Test the octopus, if it is still chewy or tough, let it cook a wee bit more.  Thicken the octopus with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a bit of the cooking liquid, if you like.  

Enjoy!

Urganda Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tiramisu

Here is my gluten-free version of the classic Italian dessert.  Enjoy!    

Beat 6 egg yolks with 6 tablespoons of sugar until it reaches a pale yellow colour.  

In a separate bowl, beat 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. 

Gently fold in egg whites into the bowl with egg yolks and sugar.  Add a 475 g container of mascarpone cheese, gently scrapping it out of the container with a fork and gently folding into the egg mixture.  

 Set aside.  

Now the good stuff:

  Take 1 1/4 cups of cooled coffee.  You can use espresso or any strong coffee.  I like the deep rich chocolate flavour found in Rwanda coffee beans.  

Add your favourite liqueurs to taste.  

Here are my favourites when making tiramisu.  

Dip lady finger cookies in the coffee-liqueur mixture, just long enough for a short dip for both sides of the cookie.  You can find gluten-free lady finger cookies at speciality stores like Lorenzo's Specialty Foods Ltd. http://www.lorenzosfoods.ca/ here in Winnipeg. 

 

Layer the lady finger cookies in a baking dish.  

Cover first layer with the egg-cheese mixture.  Top with a layer of raspberries and then a layer of shaved Uganda (80%) dark chocolate.

This chocolate has an excellent cocoa taste with a subtle smokey flavour.  I found this at the downtown Hudson Bay grocery department.

Add another layer of lady finger cookies that have been dipped in the coffee-liqueur mixture.  

Top with the remaining egg-cheese mixture and more chocolate shavings.  

Chill overnight to allow the flavours to soak into the lady-finger cookies.  Trust me, it is worth the wait.  

  

Don't forget about the left-over coffee-liqueur mixture--excellent in your coffee!

Winnipeg's Mayoral Race...

Many Winnipeggers are patiently waiting [myself included] to see who will step up to challenge Sam Katz as he seeks the mayoral seat for a third term.  Earlier this weekend Transcona Councilor Russ Wyatt stepped aside in anticipation that now former Federal NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis will challenge Mayor Katz.

Mayor Katz has not only assured Winnipeggers in media reports that that Wasylycia-Leis will run against him, he also ranted about a NDP take-over of city hall in the works.  It made for great comedy in a sad sort of way.    

So far there has been no media reports that Wasylycia-Leis has officially declared her intention to run.   Regardless, speculation is high since she had confirmed earlier this year that she has been considering the city's top job when she was first approached with the idea.  

I hope that she runs.  I love this city, I think that it is a city that has a lot of potential and needs some care.  Mayor Katz has not been taking care of the city.  There is no vision for the downtown which is crumbling.  Many downtown businesses have been leaving to be replaced by discount stores or for lease signs.  And that is only one of the disappointments that I have since Mayor Katz took office.  

In the Winnipeg Free Press http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/grading-katz-the-politician-the-mayor-92574934.html Gordon Sinclair Jr. took a look at Mayor Katz's past six years in office and printed a Top 10 List compiled by the mayor's own office.  

I have a few issues with the Mayor's perceived list of achievements.  

The boasting of "improved roads and bridge infrastructure"... not according to some city councilors during the budget debate over the police helicopter.  Some councilors expressed concern over the cost of the helicopter and whether the money would be better spent on battered roads http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/12/15/mb-budget-helicopter-council-winnipeg.htm   

Why was the police helicopter rushed through city hall without much consultation?

And seriously Mayor Katz who are you kidding when you try to sell the citizens of Winnipeg on the idea that there has been a property tax freeze?  You just cleverly found a way to generate revenue for the city without calling it a property tax increase.  What you did was underhanded and sneaky and very, very clever.  By raising the property assessments on Winnipeg home to such an over-inflated assessment you have easily raised city revenues.  I wonder how you sleep at night?  

And you are a very funny man when you believe that you have increased active transportation paths when all you have done is paint cycling images to magically make up a bike lane by taking away from driving lanes.  Trust me cyclists and drivers do not feel any safer than before the creative art project.  

Yeah, and thanks for modernizing the transit system.  Those digit time readers that tell me how long I have to wait for the next bus scattered around the city do make the city look like it is catching up with the modern world but seriously try taking the bus from the suburbs from one end of town to the next and see how much it "improved" the transit system on a cold winter day.  

I really do hope that you have a serious challenger this election.  Maybe it might challenge you to consider how little you have actually accomplished in the six years you spent in office. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5AacGXjkKE&feature=related 

Sam Katz's Top 10 List [taken from the Winnipeg Free Press]

The mayor's communications director was asked to compile Sam Katz's version of his Top 10 achievements since being elected in 2004. This is an edited-for-brevity version:
1. Improved roads and bridge infrastructure.
2. Implemented new crime-fighting measures, including CrimeStat, more police on the street and a police helicopter.
3. Finished amalgamating the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service while also extensively equipping firefighters.
4. Launched Red Tape Commission to streamline city's dealings with business and citizens.
5. Maintained a 13-year property tax freeze and reduced business tax.
6. Increased active transportation paths.
7. Improved and modernized transit system and initiated first phase of the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor.
8. Redirected funds to fix crumbling recreational facilities and created new facilities.
9. Approved creation of two new police stations, including moving central headquarters to the old Canada Post building.
10. Committed financing and collaborated with aboriginal groups that help youth.

Book Review

Book Review

Waiter Rant:  Thanks for the Tip—Confessions of a Cynical Waiter

Harper Colllins Publishers

Steve Dublanica chronicles his life in Waiter Rant based on his collection of observations and theories developed while working in an upscale Manhattan restaurant.  Dublanica stories range from being cute to funny to whiny to enduring, all the way to disgusting and back to funny.  Part memoir, part biography, part sociological and cultural study, Dublanica interjects his own fears and anxieties while he highlights the fears and anxieties of employees and patrons that fuel the restaurant business.   Warning:  If you have worked or eaten at a restaurant you just might recognize yourself in these pages.

The most appealing part of the book is reading how Dublanica ended up working in the restaurant business in the first place.  I don’t believe in all my years working as a server that I have met anyone who ever aspired to be a career server.  Who would aspire to working long hours for minimum wage plus gratuities until your feet ached?  I have yet to meet the person if one exists.  Most people working in the restaurant business do so because they are waiting for a break, going to school, or are just trying to make ends meet.    

I enjoyed Waiter Rant because he echoed my fears, desires, struggles, and feeling like an outsider from friends and families who had “normal lives” while I worked as a server.  I related to Dublanica’s description of his boss, Fluvio, secretly rooting for him to fail at getting a book deal.  I have had far too many restaurant bosses that tried every manipulative trick up their sleeve to keep you where they want you.  Bosses who play power trips with schedules when time off is requested by staff even if someone is available to cover the shift.  Only once have I encountered a restaurant boss who was ever truly happy at an employee’s success outside of the workplace while on their payroll.  
Dublanica is right when he highlights what keeps waiters going is a certain percentage of customers that eat out at restaurants who have the common sense and grace that fuel the belief that there might be hope for human kind.   

What I didn’t like about Waiter Rant is how Dublanica skirts abuses that occur in the business.  The industry is staffed with workers that are often taken advantage of and government regulatory agencies often turn a blind eye to the labour laws that are broken.  Dublanica seems to brush them off as that is just the way it is and moves on to another episode at table 18 and so forth.  
Many restaurant workers work long hours without ever seeing overtime pay or benefits.   Waiters are seen as easily replaceable they are often exploited and manipulated.  Dublanica instead of lobbying customers to tip more generously could have spend more time highlighting the labour issues and laws that are often broken and unspoken.