A land without billboards

Bon voyage to me! I'm off on a long-awaited holiday with some very dear friends. I can't wait to get in the car and drive up hills and down dales and just take a deep breath and think of nothing else besides where my next cup of coffee will come from, how many cows we pass and whether we'll try ALL the flavours at Ben & Jerry's factory.

Vermont, here we come!

12/10ths

Don't let your eyes deceive you. This is not a charcuterie plate. It is THE charcuterie plate. My tastebuds were the lucky recipients of this gastronomic bonanza a few days ago, for a birthday dinner (sadly, not mine) and I can still taste it. Even the accompanying pickle and mustard selection was a delight. But the crowning glory -- which you can see in the top-right corner of the board -- was the lardo.

What is lardo? I feel a bit sorry for you if you have to ask. Lardo is made from the thick layer of fat directly below the skin of a pig; the fat is carefully removed and cured in salt and spices. The result is something I can only describe as carnivorous butter -- it literally melts on your tongue, releasing the sweet, smoky flavours and seasonings. It changed my life (once I got over the fact that I was eating pure fat, that is).

The rest of the dinner was equally amazing, and recounting every detail would take far too long. Suffice it to say, I was in heaven. And in heaven, they serve asparagus.

Oh, but not just any old asparagus. Fat, juicy spears of white asparagus, simmered in a water bath flavoured with butter and a bit of sugar to counteract the natural bitterness of the asparagus. Then it tossed with lots (!) of juicy morel mushrooms and wild leeks (known as ramps). Honestly, I could've eaten nothing but this and been satisfied.

That is, until it came time for dessert:

Ah, lemon curd. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways: almost sour enough to make my lips pucker, yet not so sour that the flavours were lost. Topped with frozen raspberry bits and a sorbet made of buckthorn berries. Keep your molten chocolate clichés and your derivative crème brûlées. This is the way to my heart.

So after 2.5 hours of feasting, including many complimentary dishes that were kindly delivered to our table, we were stuffed. I mean, REALLY stuffed. Which is where the title of this blog comes from: for years now, my best friend and I have used this fractional system of measurement to describe our stuffed-ness after any meal. Generally, if we finish and still feel like there's room left (which is the responsible way to eat, I suppose), we are usually around 7/10ths or 8/10ths. Full to the brim? 10/10ths. 

This meal, my friends, put me joyously over the top to an unprecedented 12/10ths. I have never been so full, or so happy, after a meal. 

If you'll excuse me, I think I still need to digest....

Cheers to long weekends

I'm very excited to have the first long weekend of the summer just one day away!

Four whole days (most of which are predicted to be sunny and hot) to drink fair trade coffee, see blockbuster movies, catch up with favourite friends, eat too much good food, celebrate loved ones (happy birthday mom!) and wiggle my freshly-pedicured toes in the grass.

Life is good on a long weekend.

The art of relaxation

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go some more.

That's pretty much been my life for the past month. I supposed it's a blessing in this economy to have a job that keeps me busy. But burnout is always lurking around the corner, and sometimes you need a little push to help you remember to stop and smell the roses (and fresh, non-cubicle air). Or, in my case, how to chill out. 

Like this, preferably.

Signs of the times

When it comes to holiday photos, I am notorious for making sure I'm conspicuously absent. It's not that I don't enjoy seeing myself in exotic situations (ok, I really don't), but there are so many other more interesting things to capture. Beautiful sunsets. Imaginative architecture. Colourful locals. 

But most of all, I love taking photos of signs. Because signs, when done right, really give you a feel for what a place is really all about. Like this one, from my recent Hawaiian getaway:

How great is that? I mean, this is miles beyond a little yellow ticket stuck under a windshield wiper. This required EFFORT. And tape.

Then there's this one from a trip to London a few years back:

 

Who could argue with that logic? It's funny because it's true.

Speaking of logic, educational signs are often boring...but sometimes, you come across one that hints at the personality behind the copywriter (for whom I'll always have a soft spot), like this:

But this has got to be my all-time favourite. I passed it one day as I was wandering through the town of Byron Bay in Australia -- and it stopped me in my tracks (nearly doubled over with laughter). Its brilliance lies in the perfect marriage of brutal honesty and tongue-in-cheek self-awareness:

I coudn't have said it better myself.

Let them eat (cup)cake

Aren't these the prettiest cupcakes ever? Of course, I'm a bit biased in my observation since I helped make these for my best friend's bridal shower last year. They turned out great, if I may say so, and were the hit of the party.

They came to mind because I met said friend for brunch today, after she'd dragged herself out of bed on a lazy Saturday morning to snag some fancy red-velvet-with-cream-cheese-icing cupcakes at a local bakery. So in-demand are these cupcakes that no pre-ordering is allowed: it's strictly first-come, first cupcake.

But if you're not inclined to wait in line, or want to impress the pants off your friends and family, you can make them yourself. From scratch.

Hey, nobody said true love was easy...

Red Velvet Cupcakes
(adapted from simplyrecipes.com)

While most red velvet cakes get their distinctive colour from food dye, during World War II (when many foods were rationed) bakers used boiled beets to enhance the color of their cakes. I guess necessity really is the mother of invention!


Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/3 cups of cake flour
2 tablespoons of Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons of red food coloring
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar


Frosting:
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract


For Cupcakes:
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2 Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
3 In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring.
4 Add a fourth of the dry ingredients and mix, then add a third of the wet. Continue adding in a dry, wet, dry pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
5 Scoop into cupcake papers, about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking to ensure even baking.
6 Allow to cool for one minute in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes.


For Frosting:
1 Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
2 Add the vanilla extract and mix.
3 Add the powdered sugar, continually taste to get to desired sweetness. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Sweet beginnings

Freshly-made waffles with locally-grown macadamia nuts,strawberries and real maple syrup -- if this were my regular breakfast, it really would be my most important meal of the day!

Deeelish.