Cheese School 101: Part Duex

Come here you little stinker and get in my belly!

So, you love cheese. You know how to make the perfect cheese plate. You know the proper way to serve, store and eat your cheese. You even know about knives.

So, now what?

Well, what about those change-your-life strong cheeses?

That's right how about a cheese plate for brave souls that will blow your mind (and stink up your living room).

Can you handle it?

Overall rule of thumb: Typically it's alright to eat the rind of any cheese, as long as you can handle the stronger flavor (exceptions, of course, are cloth-bound or wax rinds). I personally just don't like the texture. But then again, I have also eaten wax rinds on error so I think I'm just extra careful these days.

Monte Enebro. This quirky Spanish goat cheese is covered in ash and mold. The flavor is creamy and salty on the inside, and then gets spicy, damp and acidic as you get toward the rind. Its overall funny appearance is said to resemble the leg of a mule!

Quadrello di Bufala. This gamey cheese is made in northern Italy with water buffalo milk. Two SUPER cool brothers took over their father's farm (their dad had started the farm in 1968 and tragically died the same year). They wanted to do more than just make mozzarella, so they created a bunch of different funky cheeses. This cheese is very barnyard-y; you can taste wet straw, a bit of stink and sweetness at the same time. Tangy, meaty, very rich. Washed in brine.

Epoisses. There are two ways to serve this runny cow's milk cheese--cut it like a pizza or cut the top off and scoop it out with a spoon (or dip your bread in!). After four weeks of aging in France, this cheese is rinsed in French brandy--and once it crosses the pond, Murray's washes it in brandy again in their cheese cave to kick up the intensity. Very strong, gooey, stinky. (In fact, it's so stinky that there's a rumor that it's banned from French public transportation.) Like a salty pudding. Fun fact: Napoleon Bonaparte was a huge fan!

Pecorino Foglie de Noce. This raw sheep's milk cheese is buried in barrels full of walnut leaves while it ages. You can taste the walnut flavor in the cheese, and the rind is grassy and herbaceous. Milky, nutty, sharp and very salty. Great with fresh grapes, since it's so salty that you need that refreshing palate cleanser. (Fun fact: Did you know that the word "pecorino" doesn't actually connote a specific cheese, but simply refers to any Italian sheep's milk cheese?)

Caveman Blue. This blue cheese is made with raw cow's milk in Oregon. (The Pacific Northwest is a big blue hotspot.) Really fruity and spicy, the flavor is right up front. Has nuances of beef and bacon and grass. Not for people who are timid about blue cheeses! The name "Caveman Blue" is a nod to the nearby town of Grant's Pass, which is overlooked by a huge hulking statue of a caveman.

So, recently my boyfriend went through a Blue Cheese binge. It wasn't until a few years ago that I actually wanted to put it in my mouth, and then... with JP's insatiable nature I found myself putting more blue in my mouth then I would usually. I don't mind it but I'm picky. I would rather have the my Cambozola then my Caveman Blue. But when I go for cheese with the girls (remember, I said my dream would be to live off of cheese and dessert plates- i eat a lot of both) I always end up getting banished for ordering the stinkiest cheese in the place. I don't mean to, it just kind of happens. Pungent, earthy and bitter. Why does it taste so good at times?

What do you think, my lovelies? Do you dare? How bold are you when it comes to cheeses?

Inspired and pictures by Cup of Jo

The Opera: Aida

"In your looks I trace a joy unwonted"

Before the grand pageantry of Hollywood’s Cleopatra or The Ten Commandments, there was Verdi’s Aida. Set in the Egypt of the Pharaohs, this vast, sweeping saga of love, loyalty and treason is an operatic tour de force which stirs the emotions like few others.

Tonight is the last opera of the 2010/2011 season. As always, Calgary Opera is ending on a bang with the famous story of Aida by one of my favorite classic composers, Giuseppe Verdi. The season always starts and ends strong with the middle performance always being something a little experimental and painful to sit through (My dad and I have gotten into the habit of leaving at first intermission if it's terrible).

Aida, an Ethiopian princess, is captured and brought into slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. To complicate the story further, Radames is loved by the Pharaoh's daughter Amneris, although he does not return her feelings.

I'm interested to see this production because, as I mentioned before, Verdi is a favorite composer of mine and his arias tend to be uplifting, captivating and catchy. He's romantic and full of energy, both dark and light. He sets the mood so well for celebration. This should be fantastic.

I took a peak at the 2011/2012 season and it looks good. I am aware though, that I have been going to the opera a long time now. Well over 10 years... three operas a year. La Boheme is coming back to close up the season. That has to be one of my top five favorite operas of all time (another favorite composer,  Giacomo Puccini).  I'm not sure where I will be this time next year, life seems to be leading me towards adventure and there is a plan that I might be on one of my greatest adventures ever... this time next year. Which I want to be, I want to be on the adventure. So, we will see.

But, see La Boheme next year. Make a point of it. And see it with someone speical.

Your Secrets are Coming to Calgary

Post Secret

It's coming to Calgary...

My Best Friends Happiness

She found happiness

It wasn't until early this year that my best friend found her soul mate. It renewed my faith in finding a love so special that it could change your life. I stopped believing in that a little while ago. I became disenchanted with the hope that I would find someone who would be my match. I figured that I had missed my boat and that I was past my prime and had to basically accept that I was going to either be with the wrong person for the rest of my life or be alone.

In turn, my best friends journey to connection shifted my own paradigm resulting in it's own series of events.

To see her fully immersed in her life, being herself, giving and receiving love- was so special. I was moved. Love is always moving for me, making me a little misty eyed with happiness and to see someone who means so much to me just enveloped in such adoration and emotional intimacy, it's spectacular.

And I started to beleive that there might actually be that perfect match out there for me.

Double Dining Hobbit Style

breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and (later in the evening) supper- a Hobbits life for me!

I often joke that I am part Hobbit. Mostly my size in comparison to others, what my feet look like and how I like to eat.

For as long as I can remember, I've always had double breakfast. I have first breakfast before 9AM and second breakfast comes before 11AM. It's just how I am and my body loves it. Then, when I went to Quebec in 2006, I started having first and second dinner. My partner at the time and I were so inspired by the food that we didn't want to waste our 10 days on just 10 dinners. So, we doubled up and literally almost busted at the seams and it was so worth it.

Since then, I don't do double dinner as often now unless I am on holidays. But I do double up on my early morning and afternoon snacks. I'm lucky to have a metabolism that reacts well to high quantities of food. My favorite is double dessert. Sometimes it ends up being triple dessert!

I'm also lucky right now to have a partner in my life who enjoys eating just as much as I do and meets me at my metabolic rate. It's common for the people I eat with on a regular bases to gain about 15-20 lbs which isn't always appreciated by them. On Saturday I had an amazing day with JP as we went for first breakfast right at 9AM, then explored the museum (before, having a snack of cookies with cheese and crackers), walk down 8th Ave and stop into a restaurant to have a glass of wine and pulled pork sandwich, make our way down to 17th ave (stopping for more cookies and cheese) to wander in and out of different shops and stopping at a bakery to buy some buttery flaky treats. This all on the way to farm to share a cheese and meat board. Delicious...

Not only does my schedule match up with that of a hobbits, so doesn't my preference for delights. Bread (actually ANY carb- mmmm), meat, potatoes, tea, and cheese always sit well on my tummy. As do sweets, wine (though a Hobbit does prefer ale) and butter. I have a special passion for french food though, which I don't think Hobbits really like that much.

Because I am working on trying to gain the weight back I lost over Christmas (I dropped 15 lbs which put me at a frightening proportion, in my eyes) this kind of eating is helpful but doesn't produce the quickest results for me.  I've just hovering under 90 lbs which my goal right now is just to get out of the 80's and back into the 90's. It's took me about 5 years to get past that mark but maybe, things will be different this time.

Yes-o, Yes-o, a hobbits life for me!

So, do you think you can eat like a hobbit?

Greece from the Water

It's the time, it's the place, it's the feeling

I keep a Bucket List of places I want to travel to in the next 10 years. Yes, I agree- 10 years is a long time but I want to be realistic and I also want to savor.

A while ago I saw a movie called The Big Blue. An inspiring film, superficially about diving. Metaphorically about search for love, family, "wholeness" and the meaning of life and death. Most of it was filmed in Greece (as well as Peru- another bucket list place) which opened my eyes to the grace of the land.

It was then that I decided that Greece and the Greek Islands were a place I needed to see.

There are so many ways to get around and though I tend to steer clear of cruises, boats are a different story.

How does chartering your own yatch with your own private skipper sound? Stopping when you want to swim and dive, never have to move your luggage (though, ideally... I dream of not having any luggage, unrealistic but a dream), and being able to to jump from place to place with built in down time.

It's cheap too.... $230/per couple total a night which includes 2 meals (eaten on land), a little tour guiding, lodging plus transportation.

I don't like the idea of having to bounce from place to place at the mercy of another persons guided tour. If I want to stay in an area for more then a day, let me. If I want to get out of another place in 4 hours- please... let me do that too. If I want to pop over to Italy for lunch and then back to Greece for dinner, life is good.

So who knows, this was just something that I stumbled across when I was looking at pictures of the Greece Islands this morning. Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, just to list a few... There is so much, and my I understand why my sister took 6 months to travel between Greece and all the Islands. I still want to do it, just to get a taste.

Christmas with Steve

DYI: Steve Style

I once had a roommate named Steve, he was fantastic and I was sad the day he moved out. Sure, his furniture wasn't my style and he never ate the food I cooked. But we were good friends and those were good times.

Our first Christmas together was interesting. He asked me if I wanted a Christmas Tree and I said No. What's the point? We have nothing and we weren't allowed real ones in the condo (fire hazard) and I just didn't think we had room to store a fake one. Plus, we had to buy ornaments and there was a big computer desk taking up the whole front room. I just wasn't in to it.

One day (maybe a Sunday??), I was playing one of my computer games (which, I must add I had been playing for the whole day) and Steve came home. I noticed him walk in the door, I said "Hi" and just kept playing. He had bags of stuff, I think he had gone to Zellers and bought a bunch of cereal for the Mustard Seed (Steve had a charity at the time called Zombie Squad and he would do all kinds of wonderful, good karma things). I remember Steve moving about and doing stuff but that was about all I noticed until about 4 hours later when I lifted my eyes from the computer screen and noticed...

A Christmas tree had been set up and decorated in the front room. The same room that I was in playing my computer game. It's not that I couldn't see, of course I could see. I was just really into my game. I yelped at Steve but I guess he had also left for the night (This is why I need to be careful with how much computer game playing I do, I could loose a whole weekend and not even notice). Upon further inspection I noticed that it had been decorated with those little Winnie the Pooh cellphone charms that you get from the dispensers that are always sitting at the doorways of any department store. The star was Kane's mask from one of Steve's WWE toys. Or maybe it was Demolition's.. I don't remember because I use to change all their clothes around so it's all one big cross dressing mess in my mind now. I think there may have even have been a set of ear phones draped across the tree as garland.

CORRECTION: They were Ear Plugs and he also put a Count bookmark on the tree. But that was a the year after. See picture. One was never taken from the first year.

It was funny and so tacky but I loved that he did that even though I said "No Christmas Tree". A few days later when I was working on wrapping my Christmas Presents (it's an all day event that includes a glue gun and all kinds of bits) and took what I had left over and decorated the tree properly. Leaving the Winnie the Pooh ornaments in place I added colored balls, glittery stars and beaded garland making it actually look like a Christmas tree.

We put all our presents around it (Steve went to Kelowna for Christmas, I went to my parents) and I made sure my Menorah was close by (yes, I light one every year- and it's not because I am Jewish). The following year was much the same. I came home from work one day to find that fake Christmas tree set up in the front room in all it's delight (see picture) letting me know that Steve wanted to set up Christmas. I'd take it all apart and decorate it my way and start putting presents under.

This year I didn't bother with a tree, I made Steve take the tree with him when he left and I have all the Winnie the Pooh cell phone charms handing on my wall at work. I'll do the tree thing later, when I have a place that I am sharing with someone. Maybe it will be a mini tree or a real tree or a fake tree or one I have made out of hangyballs from the ceiling. Doesn't matter. The whole thing makes me laugh and is a fond memory in the back of my mind and I don't know WHY I am talking about this now, in April with Christmas no where in sight.

Eggs 101: Hard Cooked Eggs

Martha, you were a bad egg!

Here I go talking about (please choose one of the following):
a) Eggs
b) Silly stuff
c) Food (this isn't a food blog, remember?)
d) all of the above

I pick: d) all of the above

Easter Sunday is fast approaching, at least it is to me. I need to buy my eggs. It's my duty to bring the eggs in all their smashing glory, to brunch (as well as be the chemist with my Dad on Good Friday when we make the Easter Breads).

I take great pride in everything that I do so when over the years I have learnt how to make a perfect hard cooked egg and now I'm going to teach you.

First of all, they are not called Hard Boiled Eggs because you shouldn't be boiling the egg at all. I'll explain later.

Tip#1 ensure that your eggs have been sitting in the fridge for about a week. The fresher the egg to harder it is the peel because the albumen looses some of its moister and carbon dioxide through the shell. This doesn't change the taste or nutritional value of the egg, just makes it easier to peel (5 points for that!).

Tip#2 make sure the egg is at room temperature before cooking. This creates an more even cooking temp inside the egg as well helps to prevent against cracking.

Now that we have the tips out of the way, here is the method:

1. Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling. Remove from burner immediately and cover pan.
2. Let eggs stand in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (12 minutes for medium eggs; 18 minutes for extra large) *be sure to set your timer!
3. Drain immediately and serve warm. Or, cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water, removing only when egg is completely cool to touch. Refrigerate.

The cooling of the egg is just as important as cooking technique if you plan to serve the eggs at a later date. This helps prevents that unsightly greenish ring around the yolk that occurs from a reaction between the sulfur in egg white and the iron in the yolk.

Hard cooked eggs obviously keep for a long time when kept in their shell (up to 4 weeks, but in my books... that's a little scary! I'd try to use them within in the week). I usually decorate them the day before brunch- last year I hot glued little cotton balls on the backs and googly eyes on the front with little pink noses and ears. They were so cute! I had a picture but it was on my phone and I lost my phone at the start of the year.

This year, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the eggs to make them pretty. Any ideas? I've often toyed with the idea of making natural dyes for the eggs but I'm not Martha Stewart (though, at times I wish I were... pre-jail) and I don't have the time or the patience for that. I like hot glue guns right now. So, maybe I'll just bedazzle them with all kinds of bits I can find at Michael's. Or even taking a napkin with pretty designs, splitting the layers and decoupaging little designs on them. Easy to get into and no one will complain about their newly dyed hands. Hmmm... I might be on to something here...

anyway, this was my Hard Cooks Eggs class. May you never have rubbery, greenish eggs again!

Accio New York

Stop fooling around Snape!

Okay, so a summoning charm to New York isn't really going to work and if it did, a lot of people would be very cross with me. It's just better to fly there and do my thing. My thing being... eating, shows, adventure, learning AND... (wait for it... wait for it...)

Harry Potter, The Exhibition at Discovery Times Square

"Stroll into Hogwarts (OH MY GOD!), visit the Gryffindor common room and see Harry Potter's bed in the dormitory he shared with Ron Weasley (OH MY GOODNESS!!) in a new exhibition at Discovery Times Square.

The hundreds (HUNDREDS??) of artifacts, dozens of costumes, props and furniture from the film franchise used in "Harry Potter, The Exhibition" will transport fans of the boy wizard to the world where Harry, Hermione and Ron battle the evil Lord Voldemort (HELL YAAAA!!!).

Stretch out in Hagrid's oversized easy chair (OH PLEASE!!) in the hut he shares with his dog Fang before creeping into the Forbidden Forest inhabited by unicorns (UNICORNS!!), centaurs (CENTAURS!!) and Thestrals (I just don't want to see Argon, that HUGE spider and all it's spider friends, thank you).

Sit beneath the floating candles of the Great Hall, where the sorting ceremony, feasts and Yule Balls are held. (Can I PLEASE have some Butter Beer???)

Even those visitors not familiar with the J.K. Rowling books - a publishing phenomenon credited with introducing a new generation to reading - and the blockbuster film franchise based on them, are bound to be impressed by the artistry and detail of the more than 200 artifacts and props in the show.

"It's like your day at Hogwarts," (OH MY GOODNESS!!!) said Eddie Newquist, the chief creative officer for Las-Vegas based Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES).

"You feel like you stepped into the movie."

The exhibition, which was years in the making and includes items from the final film, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" which is to be released in July, is in New York until September 5, the final stop on its U.S. tour before moving overseas.

"We wanted to give fans something they have never seen before," said Newquist. "There is no better way to celebrate the imagination and creativity of the Harry Potter film series than to actually walk among the iconic costume and props that helped bring the world of the film to life."

Divided into several sections, the 14,000 sq ft (1,301 sq metre) exhibit covers all aspects of Harry's magical world and his adventures with Ron and Hermione.

The portrait gallery where the painting of The Fat Lady guards the entrance to the Gryffindor common room is recreated and the contents of Harry's trunk - his glasses, family photo album and acceptance letter to Hogwarts - are displayed.

Interactive displays in the Herbology class and in the section on Quidditch, the most popular wizard sport, also enable visitors to feel part of Harry's world.

"It is all real. They are all the things used on the sets," Newquist said. (It all REAL?? OH MY GOODNESS!!!)

© Copyright (c) Reuters"

OH MY GOODNESS! I had expressed at an earlier date how much I just LOVE Harry Potter (Oh my GOD! Harry Potter!!!) and well, I mean... I've been meaning to take a trip to New York this year and this exhibit is on until September (lots of time for me to get my butt down there) and well... maybe I just need to make a point of going. And while I'm there, why not take a little flight to Florida and take in Harry Potter Land as well ( I really really want to be outfitted with my own wand. Really, I do).

So yes, this is all very exciting to me. Though I admit, I wouldn't fly to New York just to see this... I mean, there is so much more to that city that I wouldn't even be heart broken if I didn't get to see this (okay, a little heart broken) but it's an awesome motivator to me. Go on a nice week day when all the kids are in school so I can just chill and play my little Wizarding Games.

Expelliarmus!!!!

Okay, I am done. I will not return to the adult muggle I was born (okay, I wasn't born an adult but you get what I am saying) and stop getting over excited over Harry Potter (OH MY GOD!! HARRY POTTER!!!).

*ahem

Need Want Like

A few years ago I created a spreadsheet of what I required from a partner in a relationship- that's right. A spreadsheet. I just found it on my computer at work when I was cleaning up my documents.

It's interesting as I look at it, I can see the characteristics of the different male influences in my life. Both the positive and the negative and how they have influenced the idea of what I need from a partner. I even see influences from female friendships.

It was last saved in December of 2009 and as I look at it now, April 2011... not much has changed.

I might add a few things here and there and higher the value content on the a few things that I want in a partner but the core of my ideal partner is outlined here. I remember when I made it, I sent it to my good friend Spaceman Spiff. I asked him if I was being unreasonable in any of these things and he told me no. Too demanding? He said no. Looking at it now, I see why.

It has nothing to do with if these things are right or wrong, I just know that they are things that I personally know that I require so I can effortlessly be myself and be happy therefore having a fulfilling, meaningful relationship.

That is my goal? Correct?

I can deal with everything else as long as I follow these guidelines.

Do you have a list of what you Need, Want, and Like? Care to share some or even all?

What are your deal breakers?

The Climb

there she is, down at the bottom! That is my dog, Dinner.

Nothing ever stays the same. And it shouldn't. Going through life with the same patterns, everything predictable just isn't really living. Coming into January I was flooded with a feeling of accomplishment, I've described it as feeling as though I completed a complicated level in a game. I entered, I faught, and finally I completed everything to be rewarded with a bonus level. Life was suddenly slippery, easy and safe. Everything packed away in little boxes. And now, I'm ready to move forward with the next level. As it has been my experience with most games, the beginning is often free of unexpected surprises (usually). They lay of the land is unknown and you just never really know what might be hiding behind the next corner; demon or treasure?

I guess I wasn't expecting to start playing again so quickly. I feel disoriented a little and a little under protected, like I need to upgrade my armor. My allies have changed and finding my rhythm is throwing me off the most right now. It's only a matter of time till I find my footing and get a decent grasp on my journey, I guess I just wasn't ready to jump back into my game so soon. I was enjoying the soft glow ambience. Life doesn't wait for anyone and I guess now that I see that it's time to get moving again, I have to pick my direction and just go.

This is silly, I'm writing this blog post from my phone. I don't really know if this makes any sense of if autocorrect has gotten the better of me. I should post it though, just to put it out there. Things are good, I'm just looking for my new role, my new direction and then, as it usually does, things will start to move like clock work.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

First of all, this is not a food blog. Why? I don't want to commit to just one thing. I just want to talk about whatever the heck I want to talk about and not have to worry about direction.

Second of all... I am obsessed with food. I look at pictures all day long. Well, maybe not all day but if I am laying in bed waiting for something more than likley I am looking at food pictures or places to eat. My Twitter account is mostly all food, weather and news. Plus a little bit about local events in the city. Oh and science. I like science. And space. Anyway... back to food.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.

That sentence alone is amazing and then pair it with this:

Amazing!!! Oh my god I need to go home right now and make these.

Why didn't I think of this? Maybe because I don't usually buy store bought cookies (except for baby cookies of course. Nummy-num-num) but.. wait.. I'm distracted, I forget what I was talking about. That picture is making my mouth water like the rainy season in Indonesia.

So yes, here is the method and the madness to this cookie:

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe courtesy of Picky Palate

Ingredients:

•2 sticks butter, softened

•3/4 cup packed brown sugar

•1 cup white sugar

•2 large eggs

•1 tablespoon vanilla extract

•3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

•1 teaspoon salt

•1 teaspoon baking soda

•10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

•1 package Oreo cookies – I used Double Stuffed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer), cream together the butter and sugars. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add to the wet mixture and combine thoroughly. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for 15 minutes to make it easier to work with and to keep the dough from spreading when baking.

Using a cookie scoop place one scoop of dough on top of an Oreo cookie. Place another single scoop on the bottom of the Oreo to create a cookie sandwich. Seal the edges together to completely close in the Oreo.

Place the balls of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 9-13 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Photos & recipe courtesy of: Picky Palate

oh my goodness... Delicious!!

Cheese School 101

Una fetta della Buona Vita

When I grow up I want to be a cheese monger. For real. I love cheese. I love anything associated with cheese. I could live on a well dressed cheese plates alone... cheese, wine, fruits, preserves, meats and little bits of bread or crackers. Oh and of course... a little chocolate. No meal is complete without something sweet.

That would be the life (mental note, must move to Europe). The good life.

I've had bad platters and I've had amazing platters... the bad ones are not worth mentioning mostly because I've blocked them out but there are simple steps that can be made to ensure that your cheese plate is up to par.

Rules of Cheese:

*When you invite friends over, buy one ounce per person per cheese; and stick to five to six cheeses total.

* Choose a fun variety of cheeses: different textures, countries, and all three milk types (goat, sheep, cow).

* Serve all the cheeses on one big board. You want your guests to start with the mildest and work up to the strongest (ie: Don't start with the Monks Head), so place the cheeses in "clock order"--12 o'clock being the mildest and 11 o'clock being the strongest.

* Take the cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before serving. Cheese should be eaten at room temperature, when it's at its full flavor and texture.

* Put out a few different knives. Goat and blue cheeses crumble if you use a regular knife, so cheese wires are the best thing to use--if you don't have one, you can use dental floss (not the flavored kind boys and girls)! Softer cheeses work best with a butter knife. Harder cheeses, like Parmesan, are good with a triangle-shaped knife. Cut circular cheeses in wedges, like a pizza.

* If you have leftovers, don't store the cheese in Saran Wrap, which will make the cheese sweat and leave a plastic-y taste. Cheese is living and needs to breathe, so wrap it in parchment or wax paper, and keep it in the most humid part of the fridge (usually the vegetable drawer).

 

Joanna from A Cup of Jo  recommends the following choices which are shown in the picture above (she was the inspiration for this post)

 

Six cheeses for the perfect basic cheese plate:

(pictured clockwise from top)

1. Cremont is a bloomy, rindy, mild cheese, which debuted last year in Vermont. (The name "cremont" is a mix of "cream" and "Vermont"!) The cheese has both cow and goat milk. Luscious, coats your tongue, fudge-y, cake-y.

2. La Tur is the little black dress of cheeses! Everyone loves it. It's a mix of goat, sheep and cow--which is is pretty unusual. Flavorwise, you get a hint of all three animals--tang from the goat, lingering buttery fat from the sheep, milky sweetness from the cow. The texture feels almost whipped, like savory ice cream! At a party, this insanely popular Italian cheese will disappear first.

3. Pyrenees Brebis. Every single person I've has ever met loves this sheep's milk cheese. It's a huge crowd-pleaser. A lot of flavor, but very harmonious. Nutty, salty, floral, semi-soft. From the southwest region of France, where there are huge herds of sheep.

4. Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Cabot makes lots of cheddars, but this is their artisanal (read: fancy!) line. What's cool about this cheese is that it's a partnership between Cabot and the Cellars at Jasper Hill--Cabot makes the cheese, which is then aged in the Cellars at Jasper Hill. There's actually a staff of guys (football-player size!) who flip these cheeses everyday, so they'll age evenly. The cheese is wrapped in cloth, which is a more English style of making cheese. Super strong cheddar; you get little crystals. You'll taste peanuts, caramel, earthy flavors. Eat from the inside out; then take the cloth off and then eat the rind--it almost takes like dirt, but it works so well with the other flavors. (P.S. It would make the best grilled cheese you'd ever have in your life.)

5. Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Made with raw Jersey cow's milk in Wisconsin. Very fruity and smooth. The American Cheese Society just named it "Best in Show" for the third time (it's the only cheese to have been awarded Best in Show more than once!). You've gotta try it.

6. Cambozola Black Label is a very, very delicate blue cheese. Just a tinge of that mineral flavor; very buttery with a bit of a cashew flavor. A great beginning cheese for people who think they might not like blue cheeses. (Once you put it on bread and add a grape, it will mellow out, if you’re feeling timid!) Blue cheeses and chocolate also go together really well--a great balance of salty and sweet. It's also epic with pineapple of all things and something a little salty.

And then obviously, the pairing... you can get creative with this... nuts, home made crackers, good dark chocolate, french bread, preserves (sweet and savory), dried and fresh fruits,  curred meats (that is a whole other post!) and of course keep the wine flowing.

Delicious...

So, what is your favorite cheese? Do you prefer a soft, mild cheese or something with some bite?




Post and Pictures borrowed from: Cup of Jo

Being Human: Part III- The tragedy of first position

With the theme of my previous post, here is a little video of a little girl who is trying so very hard to get things right. She keeps trying and doesn't give up.

It was good for a giggle this morning:


If on Facebook and can't see the video, please follow this link:
The tragedy of first position

Being Human: Part II

being not perfect is often perfect.

last year in August I wrote a little post about being human. I was reminded of it on Monday when I was sitting having "late night" soup with JP and we were talking about stuff. We danced a bit around the subject of perfectionism (which is something I have been working on not having for the last few years) and how it effects out lives. Some people embrace it and try their hardest to show the world how good they are and others (like myself) retract from it, scared to even try for fear that I won't even live up to my own expectations.

That hasn't been my life story for a while, I left that when I left school and learned how to get messy in life.. but every once in a while I see it and I am reminded that it is a part of my default belief system. Like when I am learning to play guitar, it's bad... awkward and just not pleasant to the ears as my chords hiss against the action and my fingers ache to press even harder. Without witnesses I am free to be ugly and unattractive and bad at what I am learning but as soon as I know there is an ear tuned in on me I freeze-up and stop.

When I was taking dance classes in the summer (and maybe that was the motivation behind that post along with some work I was doing with a woman) I remember letting go and being bad at what I was learning. I was pretty sure I was the worst person in the class.. all awkward arms and legs jutting out at all the wrong times (I don't follow direction very well, I'm better at moving to the beat of my own drum- in case you haven't noticed already) but I was also pretty sure I was the one person who was having the most fun in the class. I was bad and I was celebrating my badness as I moved across the room in a solo performance; too jazz for funk.

In my job, I have been given the task of numbers. I am not a numbers girl... sure, I can make them grown and do things for me. I know how to manipulate them but to account for them in a precise matter- not my slice of cake. I can sooth the irate people, I can comfort the soul of the surviving dependants, I can create a bond of trust and tell people what they need to do to get the best results... but I can not make all the numbers make sense. I'm bad at it but I have to do it and I am making more errors then I have ever made in a job. My instinct is to leave it and pretend that it doesn't exist but that is not the responsible thing to do. Or the smart thing to do, I'll have to do it eventually. So, I've been messy with my boss. And stupid and just totally unaware of anything. We have had to start with the basics- which she laughed at when I looked at her puzzled when she said "It's just like balancing your cheque book Blanche".  "I just look online to see how much money I have." I replied ignorantly...

What I've noticed though, in her assistance in trying to get me to understand this new part of my job, we have become closer. We have developed a relationship which was something we never had before. I guess what I am saying is once again, I am made aware that being imperfect in things, even pertaining to my job, is okay. Mistakes happen, they can always be fixed and getting upset (raking myself over the red hot coals while beating myself up with a board with a rusty nail sticking out of it) over it doesn't do any good. And people like people who are human... who aren't perfect and can be a little messy.

Anyway, that's the thought of the moment. I'm sure I've written something similar before but I don't care. It's time for me to get some breakfast and get started with my day. I have reconciliations to do...


by the way, that mussy messy bun pic can be found here

Dreams

easy like Sunday morning...

I have these dreams. Not ones that happen at night when I'm sleeping but during the day when I'm working, or walking or just sitting looking out the window. These day dreams have been the same since I was little...

Sunday morning, sunny kitchen, sitting with my partner in the sun spot pouring over the paper after having made and devoured a homemade Sunday brunch. No where to go, nothing to do except sit there in the sun and read the paper together. It's not a perfect kitchen but a simple kitchen with a window over the sink and curtains. Comfortably small and perfect as the heart of the home.

Front porch, later afternoons and early morning. Sitting and watching the day settle into it's self. I'm old and satisfied, again with my partner by my side. Getting up only to tend to the garden a little, or perhaps go inside for things to eat but always ending up back outside, enjoying life at it's plainest.

Traveling to interesting places. Not on a cruise, not to an all inclusive resort but to little interesting places where you get swallowed up by the culture. Not being scared to drink the water or eat the food, just being free to enjoy. Not worrying about worry.

My dreams are fragmented and just little glimpses of what I want. It's unfair to expect that any of these will come true to being what I see in my mind but it's something I am working towards. The longest dream I've ever had was one of companionship. As a little girl I never imagined my wedding or who I would marry or any of that stuff that most little girls play around with inside their mind. I wanted to be a witch or maybe a gypsy and move to the ocean and just exist. I figured I'd have a companion and there would be love. I dream about the adventures we'd have and eventually it all ending as two pruney senior walking hand in hand in the rain with our rain gear on. 98 and still living together in our house which is of course is situated by the ocean and a rainforest. Still able to do things for ourselves and still happy, healthy and living.

Is it normal to want this? Or should I have my sight set on owning a Mercedes mall assault vehicle, a big gnarly vacation house in Beverly Hills and being married in a $60,000 dress at my $500,000 wedding celebration.

Does this make me unmotivated? Does this make me a low achiever?

Troll Food

Pocky is now called Troll Food. I was stuck in the parking lot at Chinook on Saturday.. yes, all the way down in the elusive section of new P2 and I was in a traffic jam. JP (thankfully) had a package of baby cookies in the car and a box of Pocky. I ate the cookies and drew on the box of Pocky. It was awesome.

You know what else was awesome, people were honking like they do on TV when everyone is stuck in traffic. Calgary isn't a honking city really... and when there is a traffic jam or some other kind of traffic cluster, no one really honks. I'm happy to say that because the random honking that occurs when no one is moving doesn't make any sense... but, when you are stuck in a hot ungrounded parking unit at a really busy mall on a Saturday afternoon and all you can see are tail lights coming from every which direction, honking becomes entertainment.

Someone had to start it and I hope it was out of joy and not out of anger because as soon as someone started honking EVERYONE else waiting joined in, for fun. It became an awesome game of honking together. I was so delighted by this. So much that it was a Facebook status changer.

When things finally started moving everyone was distracted enough to give up on the honking game and just try to get the hell out of there. There are unspoken rules of the road when it comes to traffic cluster-ups. If you are in the big daddy line that is on the way out and everyone else is trying to get in, you let a car in. Just one. If everyone in the big daddy lane lets one car in, we can all be happy, well... there was this one car that didn't get that. It was red and the people were trolls. How did we know that they were trolls, well... they had their whole house packed into the back of their steamy car. I think they might have been living in their car and were basically the trolls of the parking lot. So, I drew on the box of Pocky that I was decorating that it was Troll Food and showed it to them, but they weren't looking because they knew they were being rude by not allowing us to come into the big daddy lane. Then, they cheated and totally skipped the line.. those Trolls were on a mission to get the hell out of that parking lot. Jerks.

So anyway, the next day I went for Sushi and got my own box of Troll Food which I forgot about in my purse. I've been eating it all day and kind of feel like a troll. It's awesome. Awesome Sauce.

I also have a headache. Totally unrelated.

Hanna: The Movie

I got an email today from "the man", apparently I have advance screening passes to Hanna which is pretty exciting to me. I saw the preview a few weeks ago when I went to the screening of Unlimited (word of warning, don't waster your dollar dollar bills on that one- unless it's on the book) and thought to myself "That looks like the story of Heidi, on crack".

It has a Kill Bill meets X-Files feel to it without the yellow jump suit, Scully, and the Tarantino influence (that could be a good or a bad thing).

"The title character (Saoirse Ronan) is a teenage girl with the strength, stamina, and smarts of a soldier; these come from being raised by her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA agent, in the wilds of Finland. Her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding several agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative (Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces even more startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity."

Yes, Eric Bana- that threw me off too... isn't he exclusively into Chick Flicks? Well, I guess this kind of could be one as well, just not in the same way as The Time Travelers Wife would be. Hey, at least he's kind of pretty...

The director waffles a bit about how to describe the film because it's not exclusively one genre. It's a little action, it's a little thriller, it's a little dark and a little fairy tail. It also has the moody, dark tones of the Chemical Brothers setting the tone with their soundtrack made specifically for the film.

HANNA: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: Joe Wright, Hanna (film)

Moral of the story, can't beat a free movie so I'm going regardless and hopefully, if it's a good action movie... I'll want to wrestle after.

The Strongest Tree

If I really were a tree I would be a stunted one that grows in the bog in Tofino

Pine.
That is what I am.. I am Pine. Pining away.
This is so out of character for me I am border line annoying myself.
I am such a sap.

...at least I'm on the home stretch.

What the Hell Pancake Day

just call me captain space cadet pancake head

Did I seriously get Pancake Day screwed up??? I did. I really did... it kind of dawned on me yesterday when I was thinking about Mardi Gras but then... yes, it doesn't matter...

Happy Pancake Day everyone! Again...

Here is the post I should have written today but instead I was too drunk of sugar and other things...

Valentines Day vs. Pancake Day

So, go make some pancakes for dinner.

(Geez... I am so mad at myself! What the heck?!!)

Super Trampy? Super Lucky!

From now on...

I totally screamed when I went through my emails after lunch. Click, click, click- delete... read, sort Live Nation: Presale Code for Supertramp in Calgary and Edmonton...

wait a second...

Live Nation?

Supertramp?

Calgary? Presale Code?

OH MY GOD!

Supertramp... one of the last bands I have left on my bucket list of "greats" that I am able to see (no dead, not crazy and totally still playing music). The last time they were in town no one would go with me- this year, things are different. I have someone wonderful in my life who LOVES to do the same kind of things I love to do. It's magical, but that isn't what this post is about- this post is about SUPERTRAMP! In Calgary.

I've been called an old soul for much of my young life, though talking to me you wouldn't think so. I'm silly, playful and naive at times. But, I guess a lot of my thoughts and ways of seeing things were beyond my years and along with that also came a taste for music from before I was born. Good, gritty, classic rock- I love it. I should have been born in the 60's but I wasn't, I was born in the 80's.

I'm not really sure when I started to fall for Supertramp. I am pretty sure it was just after my ABBA phase, I had bought Crime of the Century and moved into Even in the Quietest Moments  and then into Breakfast in America. I was in love.

The song that I can play the best on the guitar is the simple little tune Surly from Supertramps self titled debut album. It's the first track and I've always loved it's simplicity.

Downstream comes from the album Even in the Quietest Moments which is by far, one of the most recognized Supertramp albums ever (in my opinion)- it's a small album with some heavy tracks. The song is just beautiful with it's moody piano and poetic words. It is one of my favorite all time songs ever.

Another favorite is of course Even in the Quiestet Moments- this song proves that any song that starts off with birds is a good song.

and of course, there are so many high energy songs that.. well, I just can't wait. I have my calander set and my presale code ready and I am determinded to see them live! Even though Rodger Hodgson has since moved on (well, a long time ago to be honest but whatever). I don't care. So many songs... so many.

Downstream by Supertramp

Tickets go on sale for Calgary March 11th, there is a presale as well on Thursday- if you want the code let me know.

Show Info

Beignets

Oh I wish I were a chunck of deep fried dough! That is what I'd always want to be!

Yes, I would go to New Orleans for the Crawfish and Beignets alone. Oh and maybe at the end of April to see Edward Sharpe playing with Mumford and Sons (can you imagine- good concert!). So instead of going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras by my lonesome (that would be some trouble if you asked me!) I have decided to make Beignets myself...

check it:

1 c. whole milk
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. table salt
3 1/2-4 c. all-purpose flour
1 scant tablespoon dry active yeast
1/2 c. warm (about 105 degrees) water
1 egg
Peanut oil for frying

Method:
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, 1/4 c. sugar, vegetable oil, and salt.  Heat over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan.  Remove from heat.

While the milk is heating, combine the yeast and 1 Tbsp. of sugar with 1/2 c. water.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until it’s very bubbly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the heated milk and 2 c. flour.  Mix, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth (about 2-3 minutes).  Add the egg and mix until well-combined.  Add the yeast mixture.  Add enough flour to make a soft dough that slightly sticks to your finger.

At this point, you can either place the dough in a bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and cover with a piece of sprayed plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough up to 1 day or you can roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface.  Either way, when you roll it out, roll it into a large rectangle about 1/4″ thick.  Using a pizza wheel, cut the dough into about 3″x4″ rectangles (accuracy doesn't matter, we are talking about fried pieces of dough with powdered sugar here).  Slightly separate the dough pieces and cover with a clean cloth.  Allow to rise for 30 minutes.

When the dough has about 15 minutes left to go, heat 2-3 inches of peanut oil in a large skillet or saucepan to 325 degrees (just use a candy thermometer).  When the oil is heated, fry the dough pieces for about 90 seconds-2 minutes per side or until they are golden.  Carefully remove from the oil and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. 

Place some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and sprinkle the powdered sugar generously over the beignets.  Serve immediately (though, like pancakes, they are totally okay to eat when cold)

Makes about 24-30 beignets.

Princess and the Frog: Diner Scene

Candy Finnigan and Dagblog

It was either this or Chuck Norris. I'm so over Chuck- actually I don't think I ever started.

Natalie Dee on the other hand... fantastic!

It's 3:30pm, my boss went home about a half hour ago and I just finished a project I was working on. It's prime Internet time! I first Googled the name Candy Finnigan who is an Interventionist on A&E's reality TV show Intervention. I wanted to check the spelling of her name ( was writing something to my friend Laura) and I was also curious about her histry. A hit showed up for Wikipedia so I followed it. It sent me to Mike Finnigan's page where I learnt that Candy is married to a very well respect musician who has toured with the likes of Etta James, Lenoard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, Taj Mahal, etc... and somehow I ended up from there on this other blog called dagblog, actually...now that I think hard about it I think they had written a story about Candy on there which I found interesting.

So anyway, I just wanted to mention that I really like this blog called dagblog, I find that it resonates well with my own thoughts and opinions (which more often than not I keep to myself. I find my school of thought to be somewhat unpopular and there is always a time and place for challenging conversation- just often "right now" isn't the right time) as well as my sense of humor.

I was in a sharing mood and thought I would pass the link along to you. If you follow my own blog of hodgepodge and nonsense this may or may not interest you. But if it does, this is my Happy Friday gift to you. If not, then you can enjoy my previous post on how Honey is Bee vomit and if that doesn't do anything for you then well, let me know what you want to talk about and I will talk about it.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Hell Week is almost done (it actually got a lot better Wednesday and things have been looking up ever since!) so I might be more regular is my posts next week.

PS: I have no idea what image to put with this post so I might just Google "random image" and see what I come up with.  

Honey is Bee Vomit

I'm cute, pet my furry head.

True Story. If you think honey is made from flower nectar you are only partially correct. An important part of the process is what happens inside the bee. Bees use their digestive systems to process the nectar by swallowing and regurgitating it several times before finally depositing it into the honeycomb for evaporation and storage.

While this sounds gross, it helps remove some of the water and natural yeasts present in the nectar, which could otherwise cause the sugars to ferment. Ripe honey is shelf stable and never spoils. Honey comes in various tastes and colours, depending on the type of flower nectar the bees collected. For example, clover honey is mild tasting and light in colour whereas buckwheat honey is bolder tasting and darker. Honey may also darken or become a bit stronger tasting with age, but will keep indefinitely in a sealed container at room temperature. If older honey crystallizes, simply warm it up until it turns clear.

And that is all that you needed to know about Honey.




 Honey-Honey by Feist

Honey honey up in the trees
Fields of flowers deep in his dreams
Lead them out to sea by the east
Honey honey food for the bees

Honey honey out on the sea
In the doldrums thinking of me
Me on dry land thinking of he
Honey honey not next to me

Even if he wanted to
Even if he wanted to
Even if he wanted to
Do you think he'd come back
Would he come back

Oh no..

Honey honey out on the sea
In the doldrums waiting for me
Me in my boat searching for he
Honey honey food for the bees

It Will Be Okay, Just Laugh

Someone sent this to me at work today:
(if you can't see the video just follow the link)

Baby Laugh A-Lot commercial from Fail Blog



Scary. Actually, the doll isn't as horrible as the little girls whipping their heads around. *shudders

Welcome To Hell Week

Hell Day is when you show up to work in nothing but a ratty old slip when it's -30°C outside

Hell Week/ Day/ Month: A period in time when everything just goes through the shitter. Seriously. Gong Show meets Jersey Shore meets WCF meets The Office. Usually happens at work, at least it does for me. My life outside of work is magical and seems to be immune to Hell Week/Day/Month.

This week (today is Wednesday) I have so far cried twice at work; once on Monday and once on Tuesday (I blame that on sleep deprivation and a sinus cold). Today I have seen 4 out of the 6 people in my department break down in tears, 3 of which I was talking to at the time and consoled them with a bony hug and hair pat. Computer break downs, corrupt files, lost information, unbalanced reconciliations, Excel meltdown, lost connections, mystery spiders walking across my desk, broken thermostats, spontaneous popping balloons- it all happens now. During Hell Week.

The pants I'm wearing today are too big and my hair is staticy against my face. My eyes are heavy and tired and I want to pick at the calluses on my guitar playing hands

But even with all these frazzled nerves and mood swings, I still manage to make up songs as I work. I sing the numbers that I am balancing, the different divisions and the places where the Expats are working. I sing about how the employees should be on the health plan and how they are missing out on free money by not partaking in the RRSP plan and how some of the field employees have really really annoying wives. I sing about Hong's clicky fake nails on her keyboard and Lonnie's smoke breaks. I sing about how the one printer is a little bitch and only seems to work for me. I sing about my phone ringings and not answering it. I sing about the food I am eating and what I'm drinking. I also make up songs about how the VP of HR has girl sneezes and he's a boy.

How annoying of me! I mean seriously, I find the yogurt cup eater and the plastic bag wrestler annoying, someone is bound to find my simple little off tune songs annoying. Not to mention my constant self talk banter (Today I caught myself in the storage room saying "What am I doing here? Why do I feel drunk? Oooo Post-it Notes!"). Especially during Hell Week. I better watch my back!

Anyway, I really don't have time to write this, I just got an email that some stuff came in for me at reception so more work awaits for me. I love my job, I really do. But this week I don't like it. Maybe, I'm starting to out grow it or maybe I just need to hanker down and get the last 3 months of mess cleared off my desk. My mind has been a whirl of dreams so we will see where I am in 4 -6 months.

*deep breath* that was a good vent.