Stone Soup

Home again, home again, dancing a jig. (or, jiggity jig) ~Mother Goose

Markets charm me, they are exciting places. I love the crowds, the bustle, the sights, the smells. The fruits and vegetables are fresher, the meat better in quality, the coffee more fragrant and there is more variety in everything.

Last Saturday I went to market, St Lawrence Market, downtown Toronto. The north building, a farmer's market, is open Saturdays only, in summer full of local produce but this time of year there are fewer stalls and the produce is imported. The south building, what you see below, is home to hundreds of permanent shops and it is open every day. I made the trip to pick up some Montreal bagels, Kozlik's mustard and a nice thick slice of Cantenar cheese.

It was almost lunchtime when I arrived, the bread bakery shelves were emptying quickly. They would be empty by 1:30 PM.

I walked by the Italian sandwich stand and considered stopping for a bite to eat...no. I knew what I really wanted...bagels.

Eve's Temptations, guess what they sell here? Still not what I wanted though.

I stopped to enjoy some flower and tropical fruit displays. Spring flowers make me feel hopeful!

Next stop, Kozlik's Canadian Mustard, more than 35 varieties. Anton Kozlik was frying and chopping Canadian bacon as fast as he could, people were spearing it with toothpicks and dipping in his wonderful mustards. It was so hard to choose just one, it was hard to choose only four! I bought 4 for $20, settled on the one I made the trip for Niagara Classic (it has ouzo in it), Fig and Date Mustard, Bordeau mustard and Amazing Maple Mustard. All are hot, even the sweet ones, they travel to your nose with a slight burn as soon as they enter your mouth. They loose some of their heat when you store them in the fridge.

Next stop was St Urbain Bagel. They sell the only authentic Montreal bagels in Toronto, from a few locations. They line up (at all locations) for these bagels, and yes they're worth lining up for. Boiled in honey water, then baked in an open wood-fired brick oven, at this location right before your eyes! These bagels are small, dense, slightly sweet and very chewy. I like them best toasted with butter. They are also great cold with lox and cream cheese. I am originally from Montreal and when I moved to Toronto could not find a good bagel for a long time.

Next I moved over to Alex Farm Products, a cheese shop, one of the very best I have come across in this city. I always look forward to a few samples when I come here...I pretend I don't know what I want and they offer me all kinds of things! Finally, I select Cantenar cheese, the one I came for. (naughty hmm?)

We were getting tired, I had what I came for and we pushed on through the people, down the worn stone stairs, but stopping to admire the fish monger's display and the butcher's beautiful standing rib roast...I thought the prices were pretty good on the roast.

Bouilliabaisse anyone?

That was my visit short version. If you would like to see more photos, click on any one of the photos here and you will land at my Webshots album where the rest of them are.

Another notice about the upcoming Earth Hour came to me today. We are supposed to tell ten of our friends to to to the site and sign up...it doesn't cost anything, well just a little commitment. You can sign up here if you haven't already. http://www.earthhour.org/signup/ March 28 we will all sit in the dark for an hour...I sure hope the weather is nice that evening so I can go for a walk--an hour passes slowly when you are sitting in the dark. I hope everyone is going to participate, turn the lights out and sit in the dark with me!

I received this lovely bouquet of flowers last Friday at the office from my boss who was away at our National Sales Meeting in Mexico. It was a thank you for work I did on the meeting...a kind gesture but gee...next time it would be even nicer if he would bring me along to the meeting! Since it was Friday afternoon I brought them home to enjoy over the weekend.

I spent the week catching up on everything I had thrown aside to work on the meeting. Oh yes, I also came in late a couple of mornings and took one long lunch.

Mid week I attended a hockey game at our executive suite at the Air Canada Centre. Is that ever a nice way to watch the game! Catering supplied pizza for the kids, steak sandwiches, caesar salad, sushi, beer and wine for the adults. Huge warm from the oven chocolate chip cookies came later along with popsicles (for the children) and Haagen Dazs ice cream for everyone.

Mmmm, what a treat!

And this was a treat too!

The food was better than the game. Leafs and Rangers were tied 1:1 at the end of the third period--very little scoring = very little excitement. We didn't want to stay later just to see them blow it (as they usually do, they are the worst team in the NHL) and it was a long walk to the car so we left. I learned next day that the Leafs won! C'est la vie!

This young fellow in our suite certainly enjoyed the game!

The light show on the ice was pretty.

Above and below, singing of the national anthems.

The Leafs are a terrible team but fans keep coming out to see them anyway. The Air Canada Center was full! They have won a few games since last week but that is not a good thing; it is just enough to move them up a wee bit in the standings so they will loose first draft choice and boy do they need that!

I had a wonderful Valentine's Day, dinner at a nice restaurant and then saw The Colour Purple. I loved the show, although my companion did not. There were a few times my eyes welled up with tears, it was wonderful! I didn't take my camera out during dinner but did manage to catch a shot of desert...the lighting was poor in this restaurant. I used a 3200 ISO setting and brightened it with Picassa...still struggling with Photoshop and probably always will. That little flat spoon is a sweet crisp cookie! The sorbet was intense and refreshing...mango, raspberry and something I didn't recognize.

I drove to Montreal next day, saw my mom again, took her out for lunch, we had my favourite Montreal smoked meat sandwiches at my favourite deli. She told me next time she would prefer clam chowder and good bread like we had last time in that lovely restaurant with the view of the pool. I will be happy to oblige...next time. Her mind is clear sometimes and other times she is in a heavy fog and quite confused. This visit, she was pretty good.

I am going out for dinner tonight and then to see The Colour Purple. It is a musical but I am not familiar with the music however, looking forward to it all.

We have reservations at a Portuguese restaurant. A private alcove table and one of my favourite dishes is on the menu--all very special. I love their Grilled Squid, they char it nicely but it leave it tender and add a squeeze of lemon or maybe lime.

Sunday I am going to Montreal and I'll drive home Monday afternoon. The weather promises to stay clear so that is a relief for the long drive. Monday is a holiday here in Ontario, Family Day. It is nice to have the holiday to break up the month of February but I think and extra holiday in June or July would be nicer!

Every first Friday of each month, Picture of The Month will take place here.

Choose one picture that best portrays what you’ve been up to that month.
It can be an artistic piece, a non-artistic one, an abstract, a landscape, titled, untitled… feel free, but tell us the little story behind it –why you chose that specific shot, how you took it, or any other aspect you’d like to share about it. Make sure you publish it for everyone and please leave the link to your post on Dani's and others' posts.

Ready? Set?… Shoot!!!"

Here is my entry for January, it was difficult to choose just one but I finally selected this swan I photographed at the marina near my house two weeks ago. January has been cold and snowy, we have more than normal. Ice is everywhere. This day I was at the marina it was sunny but there was absolutely no heat in that sunshine. The geese, ducks and swans huddled on the ice, pecking at it occasionally. Here under the bridge, this swan had found an opening in the ice and an opportunity to search under the fridig water for food. That is January to me--cold, icy, unfriendly, even the distant sun refuses to give any warmth.

From January at the Marina

I wanted to get out of the house today but it was too cold to do anything outside so I went to the mall. Enjoyed a nice trip through the shoe department then decided to look for long evening gloves to wear to the wedding. There were no evening gloves to be found anywhere but I did come across some wonderful hats and they were on sale too! Most of these hats were in the $200-275 range but were on sale up to 75% off. I tried them all on! It was like playing dressup!

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/pkPpBRAFuQ0atVg0W7AXrQ?feat=directlink

Yesterday was my oldest son Craig's birthday. I can't believe I have a 32 year old son! His younger brother and fiancee came for dinner. Craig is usually uncooperative about having his picture taken but I got a few shots. I served roast beef done to a perfect pink, with lemon horseradish roast potatoes and broccoli. I made peppercorn gravy with a good splash of cabernet saugivnon added. Craig is vegetarian so I made a pan of rolled crepes stuffed with ricotta, mushrooms and spinach, covered with alfredo sauce, for his main dish and we each had a little of that too. As a shortcut I used 6 inch whole wheat tortillas and they stood up under all that sauce very well. Mmm, delicious, I will make it again. Craig made off with all the leftovers.

I had 3 avocados that became ripe all at once so used them in a starter with warm roasted tomatoes, bacon, goat cheese fresh basil and capers. We drizzled a basil parmesan vinagrette over this salad.

Instead of a birthday card I gave him a 6/49 ticket, the draw was for 43 Million last night, hope he remembers to be good to his mom if he wins!

I must say, I have thoroughly enjoyed the festivities south of the border these past few days. I think we Canadians have been as excited as our neighbours in the USA. Boardroom televisions made it possible to catch glimpses of the inauguration yesterday, then we watched the highlights all evening. I enjoyed the balls, especially the first one, the first dance and Beyonce was incredible. The president is a better dancer than he said he was. I didn't care for Michelle Obama's dress either in the daytime or in the evening. That gown looked like she had bits of tissue stuck all over it but each to her own taste I suppose.

I really enjoyed Aretha Franklin's hat, WOW! No ornament on her lovely grey coat, scarf or dress, she saved it all for that splendid hat! Wasn't it wonderful?

My son is getting married in May; it is almost time to send out invitations. They asked me about wording I would be comfortable with and I have been considering what is appropriate...and pleasant.

I am divorced from Glenn's father, Glenn lives with his dad, Grace lives with her parents. Glenn's father is unlikely to contribute a cent towards this wedding, I have agreed to help with the cost. I am not even sure Glenn's dad will attend; he has been difficult to approach on anything concering the wedding and yet he likes Grace. I am resigned that he won't put in his share but the question is what do we say on the invitation?

Here are some of the choices but if you can suggest others I would be happy to hear them:

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
and
Groom's name
son of "My name and Father's name"

after all we are still both his parents even if he is not involved in the wedding

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
to
Groom's name
son of "Heather XXX and leave father's name out"

reasoning here, he is being ugly about it, won't pay a cent and probably wont go.

You are invited to the wedding of
Bride's name
daughter of
NS
Groom's name
son of

or WHAT??? I need help. What other options are there? Bride and Groom invite and leave all parents off? Her parents invite and leave his parents off?

My son is getting married in May; it is almost time to send out invitations. They asked me about wording I would be comfortable with and I have been considering what is appropriate...and pleasant.

I am divorced from Glenn's father, Glenn lives with his dad, Grace lives with her parents. Glenn's father is unlikely to contribute a cent towards this wedding, I have agreed to help with the cost. I am not even sure Glenn's dad will attend; he has been difficult to approach on anything concering the wedding and yet he likes Grace. I am resigned that he won't put in his share but the question is what do we say on the invitation?

Here are some of the choices but if you can suggest others I would be happy to hear them:

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
and
Groom's name
son of "My name and Father's name"

after all we are still both his parents even if he is not involved in the wedding

Names of Bride's parents
invite you to the marriage of
Bride's name
to
Groom's name
son of "Heather XXX and leave father's name out"

reasoning here, he is being ugly about it, won't pay a cent and probably wont go.

You are invited to the wedding of
Bride's name
daughter of
NS
Groom's name
son of

or WHAT??? I need help. What other options are there? Bride and Groom invite and leave all parents off? Her parents invite and leave his parents off?

Loblaws, a major grocery store here, started charging customers for plastic grocery bags today. I am sure the other large chains will follow soon.

I have quite a few reusable bags and I try to keep them in my car, even in the door pocket of my car, so I will remember to bring them in but I usually end up at the cash without my bag...and I buy another one, which is why I have so many of them. The other problem is remembering to put them back in the car when I empty them in the kitchen.

Nevermind that I have so many reusable bags, I like them for other things. The Loblaws one above, the black one, is quite nice for carrying my daytimer, lunch and shoes from my car to the office. I use one to carry my water bottle, shoes and exercise suit to the gym. Many uses for these handy bags, but so far just not too often for groceries.

And, I used to use those plastic grocery store bags to line my kitchen garbage, so easy to tie up and bring to the outdoor trash bag. When I run out of my supply of plastic grocery bags I suppose I will have to buy plastic bags for the garbage? I would like to be "greener" but this is a problem...how does one dispose of garbage without plastic bags?

And how come I have to pack the green bags by myself when the cashier, who is so much better at it, used to do it for me with the plastic bags? I am so slow, and clumsy at bagging my own groceries...but I suppose I will learn.