New Year's Fondue 2007

Tonight we'll be dipping, twirling and reminiscing around the fondue pot. This is a tradition that we inherited from Rich's family. I am pretty sure that we've had a New Years fondue for the last decade! This morning i asked Mina what she remembered from last year, she replied "lots and lots of broccoli." I remember the lovely cheeses.

A friend asked me for my cheese fondue recipe and so here goes. Laura, this is for you!

Basic Recipe from Fondues from Around the World by Eva and Ulrich Klever.

Neuchâtel Fondue

1/2 clove garlic

1 pound (450g) Gruyѐre cheese

8 ounces (225g) Emmentaler cheese

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons cornstarch (i use kuzu)

1 1/2 tablespoons kirsch (i skip - German brandy)

2 to 3 turns of the pepper mill

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Rub the inside of the fondue pot with cut surface of garlic. Coarsely grate the cheese and mix them in the pot. Add wine, lemon juice, and cornstarch and stir over medium heat until cheese melts (this should be done on the kitchen range). The lemon juice is important, as it gives a flavourful tang and encourages the cheese to melt quickly. Stir with a wooden spoon in a figure 8 motion to keep the cheese from getting stringy.

Stir in the kirsch, pepper and nutmeg, and cook a bit longer until mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer the pot to the burner on the table,where the fondue can simmer.

Enjoy! and follow up with a chocolate fondue :)

Wishing everyone a fun New Years eve! We'll toast to you all!

These are my favourite pictures from this night. Our chocolate fondue was amazing. Thanks to our new friends at Scharffen Berger. Don't you love how Rich is falling asleep at probably 6:30pm! :)

Top 90.3 Countdown 2007

KEXP's Top 90.3 Albums of 2007

Here is a fun little list to end 2007. KEXP is our favourite radio station. For the next two weeks, you can actually listen to the entire countdown on their streaming archive.


What a year of music! It was also a great year for Canadian bands. I was voting for Feist, who really didn't need any assistance. We were also cheering for Seattle's Arthur & Yu. We fell in love with Arthur & Yu when they opened a show for Toronto's Great Lake Swimmers.



Of interest, number 69 on the KEXP countdown is a one-man band (Caribou) who went to my highschool (Parkside, Dundas, Ontario, Canada). I only remember Dan Snaith as a guy who won math awards.


I look forward to more concerts in 2008. Mina is hoping to get out to see her beloved Dan Zanes when he is back in town this spring. Actually, Dan has a roughly 10 year old daughter who's first stringed instrument was a ukelele. This was partially my inspiration for Mina's Xmas gift.


Here are a couple pictures from Rich and Mina at the KEXP Father's Day Dance Party back in June. We look forward to the party in 2008! Hopefully Mr. Miles can skip his nap to show his moves on the dance floor. Perhaps Mina will bring her ukulele.























Happy listening!

(Not so) Blue Skies in Beijing...

The competitor in me always looks forward to the Olympics. The other day, i was watching Manufactured Landscapes and wondering about air quality for athletes. The film mentioned that seeing a blue sky in China was a rare sight.

Here is more than just a thought on that: Beijing May Green for the Olympics, but Long-Term Forecast Is Gray

Peace on earth and love to all

We are just winding down with a cup of tea after a wonderful Christmas Day. Joni Mitchell is playing on the radio and she matches the mood perfectly. Our day consisted of homemade cinnamon rolls, gift opening, phone chatter, a traditional xmas day run, lunch, more phone chatter, puzzle time, still more phone chatter, an ethiopian feast, ukulele concerts, dancing eggs game and now tea. Did i mention dishes? I think that we were on the phone for a good four hours of our day today, and still have plans for calls tomorrow! Now nearing the end, it feels like a very full day was had. It feels like the best Christmas day ever.

Here are Miles and Mina with their favourite gifts - a broom and a ukulele! We thank everyone who thought of our family by card, gift or greeting!

Wishing each of you lots of happiness, peace and love.

Waiting for the cinnamon rolls

It is very early on our Christmas morning. Rich and i are just about to organize some gifts under the tree. We've been relaxing for the last hour, waiting on some soon-to-be cinnamon rolls to rise in the oven. I'm trying a new recipe from "Laurel's Bread Book". These cinnamon rolls are balanced with eggs and cottage cheese. Had to try it!

Anyways, a couple of pictures from the last couple of days. These ones in particular make me smile.


Miles insisted that i take this picture of him in his new pjs. Thanks Ross, Rosana and Liam!


Miles would prefer to watch his train go around the tree.



Unsure and nervous...

As always, you can find more pictures on our main website. (I've included a link on the right side.)

We are thinking of family and friends all around the globe during this holiday season.

The dough is going in the refridgerator overnight, and we are tucking ourselves into bed. finally.

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Hungry Planet

Rich forwarded this to me in an email. The following pictures and information are taken from a book called "Hungry Planet" by Peter Menzel.

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide

Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina

Food expenditure for one week: $341.98

Japan: The Ukita family of Kodaira City

Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.1

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca

Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna

Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo

Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53


Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo

Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village

Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp

Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Candy Cane Cookies

Mina and i have fun making these this afternoon!

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. red food coloring

Cream together butter, shortening, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Add extracts. Gradually stir in flour. Divide dough in half. Add food coloring to one half and mix well. Wrap each half in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour (or you can freeze the dough at this point). Preheat oven to 375. Roll cookies to long ropes twisting together one of each color to form the candy cane shape. Bake 9-10 minutes.If desired, brush with egg white and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

picture from Alan and Liz's party

It was a wild party in Kirkland. Here we are, heading out the door...

Early Christmas in Vancouver

Seven cousins!

We drove up to Vancouver this past weekend to share some time with family. These are two of my favourite pictures from the gatherings.

stuff

it is christmas time. better get shopping...

the story of stuff
a 20 minute on-line film or a quick to-do list if you don't have the time


manufactured landscapes
we just watched this on friday. an amazing film. i'd love to see an exhibit by Edward Burtynsky.

time to celebrate with tea and oranges

Leonard Cohen voted in Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

Amazon Fresh

I've always secretly hoped that grocery stores would open a drive up option for shoppers who may somehow be challenged to make it into the store (kids, perhaps). Ahh. This idea sounds so American, and throws dirt in the face of someone who also loves eating out of the garden, etc.
AmazonFresh is a new delivery service testing out the market in our neighbourhood. I've just submitted my first order. When i wake up in the morning, there should be fresh milk waiting for my post-walk/run latte.

I'm currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." As a result, i'm debating the practice of home grocery delivery. I wonder on what side of the fence it would fall.
The place of origin isn't listed for the fresh produce, so i can expect those items are coming from distant and cheaper pastures. You can get organic produce but what about the idea of sustainability. With Amazon Fresh, am i using more or less gas? What about the juice to run all those darn servers?

Anyways, i guess i can ponder all this tomorrow morning, as i sip my latte...

Here are a couple of quotations from Kingsolver's book,

"The average food item on a US grocery shelf has traveled farther than most families go on their annual vacations."

"In the grocery store checkout corral, we're more likely to learn which TV stars are secretly fornicating than to inquire as to the whereabouts of the people who grew the cucumbers and melons in our cart."

p.s. Let me know if you have a milking cow for sale.

two feet, one belly

Best of 2007: Top 100 (Amazon) Editors' Picks

Go Feist!

2007

2006

2005

2004

Liner notes from Bonnie Prince Billy

Sweetener is off shelves at PCC

One more reason to love PCC.

Healthier foods getting more costly, study says

more?

The End of Cheap Food

Rich sent me this one...

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