Sushi

Photos: July 18, 2016

Dinner with hungry friends
Growing girls
Delighting in exotic tastes

In this global world
We share our foods
Our cultures



Blending flavours
Remixing to create
New combinations

World news
Highlights anger
and difference
Let food be our guide
As we remix
Build on
Share
To create an
...even better

This week I'm building and creating with others in CLMOOC. Online communities can be very powerful catalysts of creation.

I had dinner with a wonderful friend whose daughters are of two racial backgrounds. They, too have been remixed - creating a combination that is more than the sum of their parts. Looking at them, I have hope for the future. We shared food of another culture, music of a time long ago, spoke two languages and smiled and laughed and look forward to next time... à la prochaine.

Ready to Serve

Ready to Serve, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Believe it or not, this was made mainly from leftovers. We made a Chinese fondue on New Year's Eve - a great way to slow down a meal and savour every morsel. We had a bit of leftover beef and lots of vegetables. We enjoy cooking together - we chopped and talked and then sat down for a feast.

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You may notice a few changes on the blog - I have decided to keep a record of the books I am reading this year - with a few short annotations (there is a link at the top) and this month I am participating in a Mindful Writing Challenge - taking a few moments each day to be mindful about something and write about it. Comments there are welcome too!

A Birthday Celebration

Duck, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos do not do justice to the meal we ate at Tuck Shop to celebrate (only a bit belatedly) my son's birthday. Each dish was beautiful and delicious. The duck, seen above, served with a pomegranate sauce with a variety of vegetables, a variety of textures and the sensuous burst of flavour as a pomegranate seed exploded in one's mouth - was one of the best meals I have ever eaten.

This salad, which included beets and goat cheese was one of the starters.



My spouse and I shared a portion of smoked salmon croquettes - a melt in your mouth experience. Years ago I tried making the Dutch equivalent (bitterballen). One attempt was enough!




I had a taste of this dish of lobster, chanterelles, pasta and other goodies. Another mouth-watering masterpiece. This was truly Foodie Heaven.

Preparation

What would food be like without such tasty delights as onions, garlic and ginger. My spouse and I chopped, sliced and diced in preparation for a stir fry. Not seen here are the broccoli, oyster mushrooms, snow peas, peppers and chicken. A nice light meal to eat outside on a summer's evening.

Designer Potatoes

Designer Potatoes, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Have you noticed how many foods now come in designer "models". Coffee is labeled not just be the kind of roast, but by country of origin. Packaging describes the taste and aroma with words like fruity, spicy and nutty. Wine claims to have hints of citrus and after tastes of whatever. I have seen olive oil and chocolate with flavours attributed to them that have nothing to do with the ingredients. Now I have found designer potatoes. Some adjectives here include: creamy, sinfully smooth, deliciously different, refreshingly rare... And, of course, there is a designer price to go with these things. The more adjectives there are, the higher the cost.

Ready to Eat

Ready to Eat, originally uploaded by susanvg.

While I enjoy cooking, the day to day regularity gets me down. So it is always nice to meet a friend and enjoy a meal cooked in a restaurant. Both of us can relax, select what we want and leave without having to deal with the cleanup. I always enjoy a meal that combines lots of vegetables with whatever protein I choose. Add some fresh ginger and my palate is pleased. This Vietnamese restaurant provided just what I wanted. Pleasure on a plate and good conversation.

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.