Cooked to Perfection

My spouse cooks a great roast chicken. I feel truly spoiled when I sit down to his chicken dinner. He starts with an organic chicken. Aside from the ethical issues of eating organic meat, I do believe it tastes better. He bastes it with oil and herbs. Our home is filled with the tantalizing aroma of rosemary. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make a wonderful meal. Fresh beans, some quinoa and a salad rounded off the menu (and, of course, a bit of wine).

Exotic Chicken

Exotic Chicken, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

These were the lucky birds who were allowed to scavenge outside their cages. It was Agri-Tour Day in Eastern Ontario and we decided to set off and explore a few of the farms. This chicken was not on a farm, but was kept by some people who raised exotic birds. Most lived in enclosures that seemed far too small.

These alpacas had much more room to roam. They seemed content. They are raised for their wool which is soft and warm. There are a few alpaca farms in the neighbourhood.



Our last stop was on a goat farm. The animals were very gentle. This big fellow kept asking to be patted. Some of the goats were in indoor pens because it was the Agri-Tour day. The farmer explained how they are raised. On most days they have access to outdoor pastures where donkeys guard them. It seems that donkeys, dogs and llamas are good for guarding goats. They sense danger, warn the animals and the animals head back to the barn. We spoke with the wife of the farmer (who makes incredible sorbet and gelato). She felt it was important that people see where and how food is raised and to see where it ends up. They sell goat meat, eggs from their hens and rabbit from the rabbits her son raises. I must say, I would rather buy from small farmers who raise animals in spaces where they can live comfortable lives than to buy some of our supermarket meat that comes from animals that have been raised in crowded, uncomfortable situations. These animals were obviously loved, enjoyed the outdoors and the company of people.

Cold Day Warm Soup

Cold Day Warm Soup, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Slippery sidewalks make for treacherous walking. So today I stayed home and cooked and caught up on paperwork - but the food was more photogenic than the stacks of paper I sorted through.

The house smells wonderful with cooking smells wafting up the stairs to my office. When I was small, my mother sometimes served me soup with a whole chicken leg in the bowl "chicken in the pot", but since this photo, I have stripped the meat from the bones. I love to have soups- freshly made or defrosted from the freezer. They make a wholesome meal and warm you up on cold winter days.

Paperwork, on the other hand, doesn't quite have that same warming effect. As soon as I sort through one stack, the postman brings more to the house. There is a never-ending supply. Sometimes I feel like I am a processing plant taking mail in, sorting it for various recipients in this house, then dealing with my own, with envelopes in recycling and the important pieces on the continuously growing piles. At least I made a good dent today.

Jan 6/10: Cooking for Friends

Jan 6/10: Cooking for Friends, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Last night I had friends over for dinner. Once they were colleagues; now they are friends. Three bright ladies - conversation is always interesting and laughter accompanies every meeting. We usually meet in a restaurant, but last night we celebrated my new kitchen with a home-cooked meal.

Day 233: Barbequing

Day 233: Barbequing, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Summer is the time for the barbeque. The air conditioned house stays cool while the hot coals outside do the cooking. With the hot,humid air we have been having, it just seemed like the right thing to do. The cicada and cricket chorus serenaded us as our supper cooked.

We always start the fire with a chimney - a metal cylinder with air vents at the bottom in which we crumple up newspaper, followed by coals. Light the bottom and within a short period of time the coals are hot. Then we just lift the chimney and spread the coals. Years ago the local general store near our country place sold chimneys for about $5. A manufacturer fancied it up, added a handle and sells it for considerably more. Either way, it works beautifully without the addition of toxic firestarters.

Day 73: Sit down to dinner

Day 73: Sit down to dinner, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The end of a day and no photograph worthy of posting. Food always makes a good subject.

Sitting down to dinner is so much more than eating. Food is so essential to our lives. It gives sustenance and for those of us fortunate enough to live in places of plenty we revel in the variety of colours, tastes, aromas and textures. A meal shared is more than the food - it is the conversation, the sips of wine. Slow food. The stir fried chicken is in a pottery dish made by a potter whom I know. Each time I fill it with food, memories of shared times at CAMMAC, a music camp in the Laurentians escape. The items on the table add to the experience - their beauty, memories and even functionality create an ambiance which sets this time aside from the rest of the day.

So much more than the sum of the parts and so much better than fast food.