guilty pleasures #3

Yessir, that's right...dinner for two on a Monday night!

A small cheese from Pizza Gigi, just covered in a mountain of shaved summer truffle.



Oooch, so good it hurt.

in the kitchen: gnocchi

A few fun shots from some gnocchi action going on...

a day in pictures

From the outdoor art festival at Nathan Phillips Square, to strolling down Queen Street and a little dinner at Terroni....

favourite things

One of my all-time faves, the sexy little chanterelle mushroom...uummm.

When I'm lucky enough to get a few of these babies at home, I don't usually do too much to them. A light shred and we're ready to go...

A quick fry in a (generous!) dab of butter, some sliced garlic, salt and pepper, and hey - found a bunch of thyme in the fridge, so threw a twiglet in - wow, I just wish you could smell the deliciousness in the air!

I'm making these for a late breakfast today, so I'm thinking these lovely buttery goodies will be just perfect with some soft scrambled eggs. With a great snowfall of parmesan shavings on top....

Honestly, I wish I could start more of my days off like this!

on Springsteen and spring training

(So I originally wrote this post in March - just goes to show how I like to start lots of little things, and then promptly forget about them - but happily I've got more to follow on this train of thought...)

Recently I've started to wish that I was just a little bit more trampy...in the free-wheeling, train-hopping adventurous way, of course. Maybe it's that mischievious feeling in the air that spring brings (new adventures! daffodils! puppies! cleaning!), turning my mind towards all sorts of new daydreams and fledgling projects.

Mostly though, I like to think it's because a man I call Boss said it best: 'cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.

Oh, how the fist gets pumping just thinking about that dancey-dance tune....

So start running I did.

And while I don't disagree that some of us truly may have been born to run, I, clearly am very happy in my natural habitat of couch, tv and remote, making relocation to the wild just a wee bit traumatic.

So, a few weeks and several ice packs later, I now find myself equally inspired and bewildered by the idiotic challenge that I have set for myself. You see, I have been gently coerced into training for a freaking half-marathon. That's 21. 1 kilometers to run. In a row.

Holy cow, what am I thinking?

Boss man, I feel what you're saying. I'm just gonna have to think trampy thoughts for the next little while...

guilty pleasures #3

Another secret cheesy spot: the Milestones rooftop patio at Dundas Square. Hey, if you can't beat 'em...

Bellinis and brain freeze, hooray!

happy days #9

Looking at these remind me that it's time to visit the farmer's market at Wychwood Barns again soon...

Homemade jellies and sauces.






Sweet potatoes for sale. (They made a great soup, mmm.)





Oyster mushrooms, from the Fun-Guy.






Arts and crafts, and duck eggs too.











Sampling the hand churned hot cocoa.





Sneaking a view from above.

Maybe tomorrow?

mid-week ode

If the mood is right, you could skip the spaghetti,

(even if it’s covered in cheese.)

But I’d certainly be sad if I lost you, dear meatball.

Especially to a sneeze.

All the essentials: ground beef and veal, egg, breadcrumb, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper, parsley...and just a touch of cream.

Mix, slap, roll...












After searing...

...and dousing with the world's easiest sauce. And then bake the whole deal until bubbly and done!

Dear Meatball,

Sure looking forward to those sammies for lunch tomorrow...