Tomato Cobbler

...yeah, I'd never heard of it, either.

Its finally come to the time of year where if you're not getting your produce from local farmers at a market like St. Lawrence, there's something seriously wrong with your modus operandi. End of summer is fantastic - peaches, plums, cherries, zucchini, tomatoes and herbs...


And it just gets better from here on out. I'm thrilled that fall is noticeably on its way (more cloudy days, cooler nights, and a teeny drop in humidity), and that means harvest season is almost here - my favourite market-shopping season, of course. Recipes get better -warmer, thicker, more complex flavours.


But for this weekend, I wanted something that tasted really fresh. There's a website I found a while ago, that I consult when I know I'm on my way to the market - The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association (PCFMA) website. The org is based in San Francisco, and they have some fantastic recipes on their site (I've hotlinked the title of this blog if you're interested in checking them out).


And I found something I'd never heard of - Tomato Cobbler. As ususal, I figured that this was a common thing that was new to me, but when I spoke with the Mom (far more worldly and experienced in the kitchen than I), she admitted this was a new conept to her, too. Well, turns out, its a good concept!

You start by sauteeing onion and garlic (1 large and 2-3 cloves). While that's going, cut up tomatoes - lots of tomatoes. I used like three pints and wish I had more - they cook down like crazy. I also used red and yellow tomatoes - this time of year they're all so pretty, and the cooking is so gentle that they won't break down or lose their colour too much. Resist making the chunks too small - big works well! Also, if you have the patience, remove the pits and gooey gunk - it just adds liquid in the end result.

Mix the onion/garlic (once its cool) to the tomatoes. Add in 1/3 cup of fresh basil, one tablespoon of cornstarch, and salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.

I got to use my mixer! You need one cup each of flour and cornmeal, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 4 tbsp cold butter, and salt (don't be gentle with the salt, either!)

Mix it, though it will still look dry. To make it more dougy, add 1 beaten egg, 3/4 cup each of buttermilk and cheese - Gruyere and/or parmesan and/or asiago... (I used a combo of the first two). When that's all mixed, fold in 1 cup of raw fresh corn kernels. Yum.

So the rest is just the mechanics. Pour the tomato mix in a large casserole dish, cover it with the batter (the batter is thick, so drop it in glops and then spread them out to cover it). Don't spread the topping over the edges like a pie - steam needs to get out of the tomatoes when it cooks. Bake it for 35-45 mins @ 375 degrees, until its golden on top and bubbly underneath.

Let it cool a lot before you serve it - that way the tomato juice isn't all runny. I had it with breadcrumb and balsamic baked chicken and homemade Caesar salad. Yum!

Now I just have one question: what do I do with a litre minus one cup of leftover buttermilk? Any suggestions?

Travelling Home

The train is shaky, but i'm tired enough that it's not really
bothersome.
I'm on my way home. 'heartbeats' is playing on my Mp3, and it matches
my mood well.

I had a great weekend with Lauren. We listened to music, sat on
patios, laid on hot sand and swam in blue water for three days. We ate
food that was both good for us and not (we decided, in the end, that
we probably came out even), but it all tasted fantastic.
At the end of it, there was a bit of difficulty involving a closed
highway, a few kilometers if traffic, and my departure time, but VIA
was refreshingly helpful, and Laur is my saviour and a truly great
friend, and didn't grumble at all about driving me further than
originally planned. I owe her big.

It was good to get away, and it's good that the train has wifi so for
once I can blog exactly when the mood strikes me.
I know I have a couple of stressful weeks ahead of me, but at the
moment, that knowledge isn't touching me.
I hope you all had a lovely, destressing weekend like me.

Sent from my iPhone

Gettin out of dodge

So, I don't want to write a whole big thing about what's been going on, cause I hate blogs that are all about "I haven't written in a while, and I'm sorry..." Screw that. What's been happening? Summer, dude. Summer is happening. Get off the computer and go get some sun.

Having said that, I (very suddenly and impulsively) decided that that was exactly what I need to do this weekend - get my butt out of the apartment, forget the stress of work, forget the city, forget everything for a while and go lie on a beach. Which, somewhat to my chagrin, my long-ago hometown has the best of. So saddle up, me mateys, we're Sarnia-bound or bust!




P.s. Dig through that mire of colloquialisms, I dare you!

Family Reunion!

Its my family reunion this weekend (strange to be writing about it, since like 90% of my readership is here with me).
The Mom and Calgary Aunt arrived yesterday. The brother and I gathered them from the airport and we all went out for the brother's ambrosia - shawarma. After hugs and conversation, I subwayed it home, cause I had to work today.
But work is done! I have Friday and Monday off to spend with the fam, hooray!
After work I met the Mom and Calgary Aunt and her friend Mary at the shi-shi mall just north of my office, and we window shopped. Then more shopping, then dinner. Much fun.
Tomorrow the Mom and Calgary Aunt are coming here for breakfast, then more shopping will ensue. Think I can make *real* poached eggs on my first try ever? We'll see...

Earthquake

So...Toronto just had an earthquake. I'm at work and the whole building shook. Honestly, I don't know if I'm okay with this, and I think I'd prefer if it didn't happen again.
Thanks.

Beach Ready!

Check out my beach ready self!

I've spent the last few days gathering those essential last-minute items everybody needs on vacation: sunglasses, earrings, hair defrizzer. And I'm pleased to say that everything is coming up Bethany, cause the sunglasses I wanted were 40% off when I went to lay down the plastic for them, the lapis I thought I would get for the earrings didn't actually match the bracelet I'd made, so instead I bought great blue Czech beads for much less moola (and they look great), and don't tell the drugstore, but they really really screwed up on the price of their hair defrizzer. Was supposed to be $7.99 - a savings of $1.67...instead, they charged me $1.67. The moral Bethany would have gone back and corrected the mistake, but the cash-strapped Bethany who is going to the very humid southern destination killed her.

Besides, this is just the Universe reimbursing me for the hair it gave me.

WIN!

Life isn't fair, but sometimes it gives you good movies...

My friends' cat is dying. He's young, and she loves him, and its sudden, and it isn't fair.
So I went to her place after work, for takeout fast food and movies.
And the weather, which has been icy and wretched for days, turned sunny and breezy and nice.
And the food was unhealthy and good.
And the movies were unexpectedly wonderful, enchanting stories.
And the walk home was dark, and quiet, and there was wind in my hair and I picked lilacs for my desk.

So there's that.

Day off

First, how cool is it that I am in the middle of Yorkdale mall, blogging?

I took the day off work. I didn't really have a good reason, just that things have been busy and stressful for a while, and I wanted a bit of a break. And yeah, I have that trip at the end of the month, but I just couldn't wait.
Besides, I've spent my day off hunting down necessities for said trip. Like flip flops. Flip flop necessities.

I got shoes to match my dress for the wedding, and a wrap, too. It's been a good day, the hunter is victorious, and now she will head home with her bounty.
And she won't think about her bank account balance. No, she won't.

My Saturday

Saturday was unexpectedy busy. Erica and I met in the morning to pick up her race package for the marathon she'll be running tomorrow (I will dutifully be on the sidelines cheering her on), and then grabbed delicious Thai lunch before going out shopping.  I freaking love Joe Fresh clothes. I got a new bathing suit and a little pullover dress for my Dominican trip, and a sun hat. I wasn't sure about the purchase of a large straw hat, but Erica declared "If you're getting anything, you're getting that hat."

I'm having a blast with her. Next week we'll be shopping for beads - she wants to hire me to make necklaces for her bridesmaids. 

As for now, I'm on my way home, and loving that I can write a blog on the subway before I get anywhere near my computer. Viva la iPhone!

Sent from my iPhone

Cat sitting for the Robins

...is a totally sweet deal! Their place is much nicer than mine, though I must admit, my place has been looking better lately, especially with the nice new TV I recently treated myself to. Until I get back there, I'm amusing myself. I used some of Robins nail polish on my toes. It's silver grey with sparkles. I'm calling them my cosmonaut toes.

Work on the jewellery for the Distillery portfolio is progressing well. I have four new bracelets done, so I think I have to start focusing on necklaces and other things.

I'm also starting to look forward to May. My friend Mark is getting married and a large group of us are flying down to Punta Cana to be there. I can't wait. Work has been busy and stressful enough lately and I'm dying for a break.
I bought a great new dress, and now I need to hunt for shoes and jewellery. Good luck for me that I'm right in the middle of shop central!

March Madness

I'm aware how arbitrary it is to be writing about March halfway through April, but lets just say that March contained so much crazy, it spilled over into the next month. Things still haven't truly settled down.

Work was the worst culprit. March is always one of my busier months, but this one stands out among the crowd. Not that it was bad; just, well, a bit much, is all. And the time crunch (or, more accurately, the not-enough-me-to-go-around-ness) was increased when the company sent me to Vancouver to run a meeting near the end of March. Not that I'm complaining! It was actually nice to get away for a couple of days, focus on one event that I could prepare for, handle, wrap up, and forget about in a short, finite time frame. Plus, I got a free day and a half to spend with the Mom, who ferried in from the island just to see me. We had one great, grey day together exploring Granville island in Vancouver, bookended by an evening and a morning of blearily hunting down dining establishments and lots and lots of talking.

I loved Granville. I think the best part was coming across a fenced-off space (call it an open-air studio?) full of in-progress totem poles. I took pictures through the fence:

...and two days after getting back to my city, I was away from home again at another meeting. Like I said, madness.

But things are starting to calm down (I hope). We have an intern at work, who I am in charge of. Very helpful, but it surprises me how much work I'm putting in, managing another person. New perspectives.

April is calmer. April is getting downright...indulgent. March is when tax returns and work bonuses roll in, so April is when I SPEND! I have a couple of new toys - lets say I've become technologically impressive. Yay me. I feel a little more like a grownup. Except that I don't. Ha!

Okay, it's not that late, but I'm obviously getting punchy nonetheless. G'night folks!

Knocking things off my list

Listmania!

I am enamored with the list idea. First, I made minestrone:


...it turned out damn good, and it was a lifesaver on Monday after the snow-induced busstop nightmare. So nice to come home from a cold and wet and sucky day to beautiful homemade soup!

Also, I got to working on #13- make something with the wool I bought in Victoria. I am so freaking happy with the outcome of this project! Not only did I knock an item off my list, and make something cool, but I learned a bunch of new knitting techniques (check out the round needle AND double-pointed needle action I got up to- go me!).

Casting on

Halfway done!

Double pointed needles - I actually know what to do with these!

Hat!

I AM CANADIAN

Left work: 5:45pm
Stopped at the grocery store
Got to the bus stop: 6:25pm
Bus arrived: 8:11pm

Stupid snow, really stupid drivers. But I survived, so I call it a win.

List

So, my friend Victoria started the year off with this list. It wasn’t a resolutions list, it was more like a goals list, mostly aimed at her artistic interests. Her list intrigued me, but I wasn’t about to go out and compose my own list…or at least, I hadn’t intended to.

But I think we all have a few ideas rolling around in our heads of things we want to do, dream of doing, keep intending on getting to…and it seemed natural to gather these persistent stray thoughts and set them down on paper (or at least in a word file). My list is neither as long nor as ambitious as Victoria’s (you can take a gander at her list here). It's not so focused on art (though it certainly includes some projects therein). Some things are beyond the mundane (check out #6), and it may be an embarrassingly short list (especially compared to Victoria's). But they are goals, and I do intend to get through them, within the year. At the very least, it’s a way to get some stuff done.

1. Make Minestrone soup
2. Upgrade blog template
3. Visit Textile Museum
4. Complete and submit Distillery collection
5. Create ‘frame’ print series
6. Make appointment with new dentist
7. Clean out closet, donate clothes
8. Bring books to used book store
9. Buy and install new shelves in hallway
10. Plant garden (sugar snap peas, green onions, lettuce, tomatoes)
11. Wallpaper closet doors
12. Take a looong walk at night with a friend
13. Use wool I got in Victoria

Meet Esme!

The good thing about my birthday is that, hello- it's my birthday. The bad thing is that (though I love February), its always cold, always grey. When I was young, this meant a decided lack of pool parties, as an adult, this means that I (and everyone else) is most interested in celebrating through hibernation.
Of course, hanging about the house (or apartment), no matter how cozy, sucks without a cat. So on my birthday we rectified my situation and got me a cat!

The brother and his roommate kindly drove me all over the GTA hunting. Well, not the entire GTA, just the downtown Humane Society and then the THS cat adoption centre out in Scarberia. The adoption centre was great! The cats weren't all shut up in cages, and there were cat toys and beds and scratching posts everywhere, and you could actually interact with the animals, which is the best (read: only) way to choose a new pet.

I chose a little 3 year old Tortie they called 'Oaks'. She's small and light (I'm actually guessing she might be less than three), and she's got zero fear. The car ride didn't bother her in the slightest, and when we opened up the cage in the apartment, far from hiding under the bed as I'd expected, she strolled out and started looking around immediately. She examined nearly everything, even ate a little, and then settled onto the couch for the brother to pet while we had dinner.

I discovered the next day that she likes to be up high! She made her way onto the tall shelf in my hallway, and she spent the next night curled up on top of my bookcase. I'm going to get a kitty mattress for up there (the book case is tall, but probably really uncomfortable).

After careful deliberation, I've decided to name her Esme. I think she likes the name- her cuddliness is improving!

Beads!

So, this one kind of came about in a roundabout way.

For Hanukkah, I made my aunt a bracelet, and she got me a purse - it's a gorgeous, very unique stiff-felt purse she got in the Distillery district. I'd admired those purses before, so when the holidays rolled around, she went back there to get me one (thanks!). The problem was the store was low in stock, and they didn't have any of my colours. My aunt got me a purple one.
It was lovely, but it was purple.
In its defence, it wasn't pink.
But still...purple.

So a few weeks after Christmas, when we each had a spare day, my aunt and I and the purple purse went back to the Distillery district, back to the hip, unique little boutique from whence it came. And they had a pile of new stock! Gorgeous neat purses in all the good colours of the rainbow. It was hard, but eventually I settled on a heather gray purse with cobalt and grass-coloured dots. Sounds weird, looks unbearably stylish.

While we were there, we did some browsing. The shop features mostly jewelry, mostly very unique, elegant but edgy stuff that both my aunt and I admire (she buys, I don't). While we're walking around the glass cases, admiring the shiny wonderfulness that is being sold there, she speaks up, saying that the bracelet I made her would fit in well with the store's inventory.

Now, I'm a bead artist. Its just a hobby, but I have developed a few skills, though I've never made any real profit off of it. Selling has never been a big priority of mine. But the guy running the shop comes over with a business card and tells me how to submit images of my work for evaluation by the owner.

And I love this idea! I've been working a lot on new projects, trying to get a portfolio of sorts made up, to show the type of stuff I'm interested in making for them. Very sleek, simple, elegant, with a little fun thrown in. Beads, strung by hand, but no single-string silliness (the type of thing I dislike seeing in shops, cause it's so easy to make it yourself, often better, and probably cheaper). My friend Victoria (of Sonnet & Mayhem fame) gifted me with a new notebook so I could keep track of new ideas (which for the last month have been pouring out like water) and important facts on current pieces (time involved, prices of materials, etc). I've been beading up a storm. I've visited Sassy Bead Store four times this month, and the brother drove me out to Bead FX last weekend. I RAN OUT OF BEADS (seriously!) and had to special-order more. At this point, it's becoming obvious that if this venture goes forward (and I'm aware that there is no guarantee of it doing so - I am trying not to count the chickens, I swear!), I might have to start ordering my beads online, in BULK. I've never created pieces like this before, and I'm loving it.

I really hope the shop is interested in my stuff, if only because at this point, I'm having so much damn fun!

Empty home

It's sad coming home to an empty house.

I spent the day with my aunt, and we did some shopping, and eating of cupcakes, and watching of movies. It was a good day, and a good way to spend my first day back home after a week in Texas at a very busy sales conference.

But while I was away in Texas (and I feel very guilty for being there and not here at the time), my cat Punkin passed away. It was sudden (he had a stroke), though not entirely out of the blue (he was 19 years old, at least). Still, it was hard to come home to my brother and his dog waiting for me, rather than loud and insistent meowing. I regret that it was the brother who had to deal with all of that, without help. I regret that my Smelly Old Man (as I'd taken to calling him) was alone, even if it was for a short while. I loved him, and I'm going to miss him.

Especially when I come home, even after good days, to a very quiet apartment.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

After much too little sleep, I'm up again bright and early Christmas morning...to clean. There are no presents, yet. Santa did not visit. But the Mom arrives in eight hours, and by then I should have my apartment looking presentable.
I'm joking, of course, if only a little. Mostly I'm just too wound up to sleep. I keep making lists in my head, of things still to do (put away that load of dishes, clean the mirrors...), and when I tell myself to stop, I end up with excited thoughts (Boxing Day sales? I want to buy boots! Black ones, tall, not thigh-highs though...) so finally I decided it's better to get up and be productive. If I get enough done, then I'll take a nap later.
I really shouldn't be spending my time blogging, but I decided to put on the TV, to that channel with the fireplace that they play all day- and there's two of them! How does one choose between 'Yule Log Carols' and 'Christmas Fireplace'? And I thought this day was going to be so simple!

Merry Christmas, all - from one who doesn't celebrate it (much)!

Busy holidays

So, this week is so busy that I actually had to make a list of the days and outline my activities for each one. And revise said list. Over and over again.
Keep in mind that I also use the outlook calendar on my work computer, and I have wall calendars at the office, and at home. Yes, they're all the same- its just how I roll.
So when I add to all those a list of daily activities, you know I've got a lot on my plate.

Lucky me, it's almost all really fun.

Saturday was my work holiday party. Kev went with me, and we sat at a table with a bunch of friends of mine from work. The dinner was good, the talk was good, and we left after a few dances. For once, there was no major winter storm the night of the event, as there has been the last three years running...that was nice. Did I win anything, I hear you ask? No, for the third year in a row, I did not. Planning for rigging next year's prize draw starts now.

Sunday I went shopping with Erica, a friend from grade school whom I've recently(ish) reconnected with. I love introducing people to fun shops and things I know about that they've never been to or heard of. We went all over Yorkville, and had a pretty productive day. Then I went to the Robins' place to hang out for a bit, and they let me borrow a mixer.

This morning was the one un-fun part of my week. I got to go to the doctor! I had to get a Havrix booster (protection against Hepatitis-something you get for vacations to places like Mexico). While I was there, the doc offered an H1N1 shot (that I've been meaning to get anyway), so I got that, and then she wanted to send me for blood work (basic stuff), and since I hadn't had time for breakfast I was good to go to have blood taken just then and there. So basically I spent the first half of my day impersonating a pin cushion. Woot.

But then I came home and finished a beading project (yes, its a gift), and made shortbread cookies, with the mixer I borrowed, which made it super fast and really easy. I decided to save the dishes for tomorrow, when my arm doesn't hurt so much.

Tuesday I get to go to the mall! after work to shop! for presents! YAY! Then I'm going to come home and maybe I'll make meringue cookies...I haven't decided yet.

Wednesday I have a holiday party and gift exchange with a bunch of girlfriends. Its a potluck and I'm bringing puff pastry onion tart I made, and some of my cookies (and maybe meringues).

Thursday Erica has invited me over to her place for dinner. I get to meet her fiance and her cat (though strangely I think she's more excited about me meeting the cat). Should I bring something?

Friday I have more baking to do (in case you have yet to realize it, I've set myself out to be everyone else's worst influence this year!), and then the weekend is brunch and more shopping and more baking, and another holiday party and everything is just so much fun!!!

...if only my arm would stop hurting. Damn shot.

Yay Christmas!

So, Hanukkah is very early this year (like, it starts on Friday), and the Mom is coming to visit on the 25th. This means that presents (which would normally be shipped across the country) are being delayed. It means that the finger food night (a tradition from childhood that the brother and I have kept going) is being delayed. In fact, all the usual festivies are being timed to the Mom's arrival. And since she arrives on the 25th, that means that for the first time in years I'm kind of doing Christmas.

And its fun.
And totally going to my head.

I made cookies, with food colouring in them, and those little edible metallic balls on top. I'm planning menus. I've even bought those little LED lights and strung them up...on my potted palm.

I'm still lighting the candles, of course.
It's just the opening act to, well, a whole lot of cookies, as far as I'm concerned.

Yay Christmas!