she eats bears

Marysol is the über creative mind behind the she eats bears blog.  I really, really, really enjoy following her blog.  It makes me smile.  It makes my mouth water.  And I think Marysol is inspiring… Marysol can we be friends? :0)

Last week Marysol highlighted my blog and some others in a fun little award thingy… my reaction:  absolutely gobbsmacked!  How thoughtful and nice was that?! Amazingly exciting.  Yes – - I was stoked.  Seriously.  And then I wanted to play.

So the rules:

-  Thank the person who gave it to you:  Marysol MERCI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-  Say 7 things about yourself

-  obviously… the most important step – - nominate other blogs recently discovered or well loved.

About me.  Since you all already know how obsessive I can become about using lemons, chocolate, butter…I guess I can leave that little tidbit out.

1.   My road bike is my absolute favourite thing in the entire world.  Yes… I heart it more than my KitchenAid stand-mixer.  For realz.

2.  I love shoes.  I am a shoe whore.  I’m ok with that… and yes… even at almost 6 feet tall I will wear hells – 3 inch (+) and again… I’m ok with that.

3.  I can’t walk into a bookstore and not buy something.  I’m perfectly happy to sit in the fiction, non-fiction, travel-adventure or cooking sections all afternoon and browse.  And then buy.

4.  Paul Simon’s Graceland is my favourite album of all time.  I want diamonds on the soles of my shoes.

5.  I’d like to be in Mango Bay right now.  Click on the link and see how beautiful it is.

6.  My mother and I walked the Great Wall in China… and both of us forgot our cameras.  Lesson learned – never leave home without a camera.  FYI… Thanks mom for bringing me along on that trip.

7.  I get really really excited when people leave comments on my blog (like, ridiculously excited).  So thank you all for taking the time to visit… I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Now… the fun part.  My favourite blogs.  Some are my old classics – others new finds.  Obviously – - they involve food :0)

Joy the Baker. I think we would be friends if we lived in the same city.  Everything I make of hers turns out.  And she sounds like a super cool, super hip, and über fun chick… also her blog is a staple on almost all baking blogger’s sites.

Evil Shenanigans.  Recently discovered.  I heart this blog.  Just click and check out her chocolate cheesecake brownies – to die for.  Can’t wait to get in the kitchen and try those.

Smitten Kitchen – need I say more?  I am smitten with this blog – - the pictures are beautiful… and the food tastes good.  I know.  I’ve been using her recipes for a while now.  Just look up her chocolate peanut butter cake.  Sigh worthy.  Come be smitten with me…

FoodiePrints – I like to think that we have become friends.  All thanks to our blogs and mutual love of food.  Jenn and Don make me smile and drool as I scroll through their blog and ask for their recommendations.  Solid food blog.  Solid people.

Confessions of a bakeaholic – blogger from Vancouver (well just outside the city) – very newly discovered… and I love it!  Great pictures, awesome recipes… and… you can even order cupcakes.  yay!

the one non-food blog:

les adventures de rob et nadine - a couple who just moved to Dhaka, Bangladesh and are teaching English there.  I know them personally… so I can tell you – - they are ADORABLE.  I’m thrilled to be able to call them my friends and to follow their adventures.  When you read their blog – just imagine Nads giggling … that’s what I do and it makes me smile.

And lastly… I would like the following people to have blogs.  Because, quite frankly, I think that they would rock.

Katie Edwards. Yes KT – I’m calling you out on this one.  Start a blog.  You are witty, sarcastic and literate.  Do it.  Seriously.

Gongshow Tanya. Yes.  I just called someone gongshow.  Take your current (static) blog with you to Kazakhstan.  It’ll be hilarious.

Pierre & Lu. You two have the craziest, funnest adventures ever.  I wanna follow you around as you globe trot.  Please let me tag along… blog about it.  Pierre – I know that you are funny.  So write.  And Lu – edit him.  We all know it’ll be sympatico.

a night on the “town”

Ok… more like a night at Town Gastropub on Elgin Street.

It was… seriously incredible.

What started off as a meal between two friends ended up turning into a meal between 6 friends – Charlotte, her mother, Pascale (of the natural ice cream fame), Kailey, Anna (sous-chef of Farbs), and I gathered at Town on a Thursday night ready to enjoy some delicious food.

First off.  If you want to try a new restaurant this is the way to do it.  Why? Well… because Charlotte decided that we should order one of every single appetizer.  That’s right.   Every single one of the following appetizers was ordered.  Seriously.

authors note:  I don’t have pictures for every single appetizer – not because we didn’t try it – simply, the photos didn’t turn out well enough to publish on the blog.  As always… the photography is a work in progress… but don’t let this discourage you from visiting Town.  It’s so worth it.

tuna crudo / coppa / lemon / truffle oil / mint

mozzarella “en carrozza” / 10 year old balsamic / heirloom tomatoes / pine nuts / basil

olives / pickled fennel / citrus

perorino potatoes / rosemary / chili oil / lemon

chicken liver crustini / rhubarb / bacon

cod fritters / smoked pork ragu / lemon mayo

lamb ragu / parppardelle / oyster mushrooms / pecorino romano

ricotta gnudi / coarse pesto

ricotta stuffed meatballs / soft polenta / san marzano

corn in a bag / smoked tomato butter / cheese brodo

Brilliant idea!  We were able to sample everything and see which plate we enjoyed the best – and since 6 women are most definitely not completely alike – all of us had our favourites…  my personal favourite was… the ricotta stuffed meatballs! Who would have thought?!  Certainly not me.  Prior to ordering and tasting I had been particularly drawn to the lamb ragu; the parppardelle was light and silky… it was PERFECT.  The lamb (in my humble opinion) was a little salty.  But still delish.  I certainly would not have left anything on the plate if that had been my appetizer or main.

There was a little mishap… my piece of corn ended up flying off a plate, out the window (our table was right at the entrance) and landed on the sidewalk.  Seriously.  See…

corn on elgin street

No lies… that is my piece of corn.  Sigh.   To rectify the situation I ordered another bag of corn as my main… well worth the wait.  Salty, smokey, buttery goodness.

this is what it looked like when we’d finished the appetizers (GASP)

But don’t think we stopped at appetizers.  Oh heck no!  Charlotte wouldn’t hear of it.  So a couple of mains were ordered as well – again, shared among us.

dirty lasanga bolongnese / poached egg / swiss chard / garlic bread

Best way to eat this… after you’ve pierced the yolk and allowed it to run freely into the lasagna noodles and beef ragu… layer it on top of the garlic bread.  Seriously.  OMG.  That is how they should serve it – your piece of lasagna on top of the garlic bread… you would swoon.  SWOON.  It’s that’s good.

crispy trout / baby potatoes / fennel

Delish!!!! The crisp was just right – the fish wasn’t over cooked or dry.  It melted in your mouth.  The potatoes added that nice starch to the meal, and I heart fennel anyway, so I give this dish a bonus thumbs up for that too.

Do you think we were full yet?  Well… there is still dessert.

Arborio rice pudding / pistachio brittle / sun-dried cherries

That was my pick.  Doesn’t it look lovely?  Thick, creamy, seeped in vanilla… yum.  And then Kailey ordered the chocolate budino.  Yeah… thick, rich dark chocolate, topped with heavy cream.  See how it stands on the spoon?  It doesn’t run off?  That’s because it was so thick and creamy and perfect.  It was perfection on a spoon and in a jar.  BLISS.

chocolate budino on a spoon… yum.

Once all was said and done, ordered and consumed, I can admit that our gang enjoyed all but two things off the menu:  we didn’t try the half chicken under a brick or the buttermilk panna cotta for dessert.  After all… you have to leave something new to try the next time you go in… right? :0)

Town isn’t only about food.  It’s about the entire dining experience.  It’s a fun, hip place to be – you can chillax over a glass of wine or a pint of beer… you can linger over your dessert… and just take in the vibe: it’s the place where the cool kids hang out.  At least… I think so.  I know I want to hang out there more often.

wordless wednesdays: shake shack, NYC

The Shake Shack- this week’s wordless Wednesday entry (or according to @Nat – my lazy Wednesday entry).

A New York staple – The Shake Shack is known for serving the “most delicious burgers, hot dogs, frozen custards…”

I won’t say it’s the most delicious burger (or hot dog) that I’ve ever had… but it is a solid, roadside burger and mediocre hot dog.  Real meat.  Real pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo.  Not dressed up with fancy extras.  What you see is what you get.  It reminds me of my yute (yes…please imagine My Cousin Vinney saying “yute” rather than youth… I am in NY after all).  Two thumbs up for this solid burger.

classic shackburger: american cheese, lettuce, tomato, shack sauce, pickle

abigail & my order: shackburgers, new york hot dog to share & black and white shake to share

katie’s choice: shack-cago dog – mustard, relish, cucumbers, tomato, pickle, pepper and celery salt

crinkle fries… perfectly fried.  all of us enjoyed sharing this

The Shake Shack is also known for its custards (similar to soft serve ice cream) and its shakes.  That my friends, is the real winner of this meal.   Hands down – the hand spun shakes are HOLY HECK AMAZING!!!! Abigail and I shared the black & white shake – creamy, smooth, thick… hard to drink through a straw.  Amazingness.  An absolute must when in NYC.  Don’t let the line outside the place discourage you.  Seriously.

katie & abigail enjoying their shakes: chocolate shake & black and white shake

a view of the line from our seat… up and out the door and around the corner.  for realz.