Tip of the Week - Iced Coffee

stacy reynaud
Put your left over morning's coffee in an ice cube tray in the freezer. The next time you have an iced coffee it won't get watered down with regular ice cubes.

Essential Coffee Information

Now wouldn't this be a cool poster?

source Helen K

Coffee

Some of these new spots [artisanal coffee shops] have a way of making you feel not cool enough--like you're dressed inappropriately. Patrick Dempsey on the artisanal coffee shop scene.

Dempsey just bought Tulley's coffee (the Peet's of Seattle). Weird.

Any Portlandia fans out there? Anyone been to JJ Bean Coffee in the Woodward's building? Check it out. You'll see what he means.


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Bad Companions...

So unrelated to fashion, design and architecture but hey, make a shirt out of it on Zazzle. In case you were ever wondering which plants to plant together, here's a vegetable companion planting guide from a great site I found via Tumblr. For the larger, clearer image go to their site

How to Choose Wine with Food

I know there's an app for how to choose wine but this one you can hang on your wall, or laminate for your wallet, or give as a gift as a gentle reminder. Click to enlarge.
  via Wine Folly

The Business of Bourbon

My parents were Scotch drinkers. Which meant that if I ever wanted to have a few shots of liquid courage before going out I either had to grow a fondness for scotch or figure out some way to get into their unopened vodka bottle without being noticed. To make a long story short, my Dad approached me a few years ago expressing his embarrassment when he poured his friend a vodka soda only to have his friend politely comment on the lack of actual vodka in the soda. Now who in their right mind would've thought my Dad still would have had that same bottle of vodka that was watered down weekend after weekend in 1989? We both laughed about it. That's all we really could do.

Remember New Coke?  I always question brands and their ulterior motives - even if in reality they don't have one. Last week when I heard that Maker's Mark had 'underestimated' the demand for their bourbon five years ago, (barreling less of it for the five year aging process), and had in turn decided to water down future batches, (to ensure supply met demand), the first thing I smelled was foul play. To make matters worse, to state that no one would even know the alcohol content had been lowered from 90 to 84 proof, (an overall decline of 7% in alcohol), the company, that thought it was being transparent, actually made it sound as if Maker's Mark drinkers were without palette and therefore it was without consequence if they watered the booze down. In no way am I accusing Maker's Mark of anything dirty, (no publicity is bad publicity), however the Maker's Mark brand equity is at stake and I find it hard to believe a company could be so blatantly dumb unaware of the damage such a move could have on that equity.

Always the entrepreneur, I'd planned to head right to the liquor store to stock up on 90 proof Maker's Mark for resale at a later date. But wait, could this move on my part actually be the desired end result of a marketing tactic?

Tip of the Week - At the Table

Clyde Common, Portland

• Napkins should be unfolded after everyone has been seated. 
• Place your napkin neatly over your thighs, never tucked into your collar. 
• At lunch, unfold only half the napkin; at dinner, unfold the whole thing. 
• If you need to leave the table, do not place your napkin on the back of the chair; alternatively, place the napkin on the seat of your chair: servers will know you're returning and will not clear your plate. 
• At the end of the meal, place your napkin, lightly folded, to the left of your plate.

The Whiskey Advent Calendar - an early gift

No more cheap chocolate! Behind each of the 24 doors is a 3cl sample of whisky - including a 50 year old Scotch (full bottle worth $560). Get it here. Prefer gin? Go for the Ginvent calendar

Vancouver's Best Veggie Burger with the Best Deck to Enjoy It On

Numero uno in my books! Venture across that gorgeous Lion's Gate Bridge of ours and head West to Whytecliff Park. I've found a lot of places are swapping their veggie patties from healthy veggie based ones to sodium salt lick soy patties (ie The Galley at Jericho) - gross. The concession at Whytecliff serves up a juicy old school patty fully loaded in a fresh kaiser bun - and with the option of yam fries. The concession is only open weekends from 10-3 so hurry up and go before it starts to rain. Mind you, even in the rain you can't beat that view.

October 8th update - took my parents there on the weekend and, to my chagrin, the concession is now closed for the season.

4 Good Things About Last Weekend

  Capilano Canyon hike

  Finding The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes at the library


   paying a whopping $1.75 for a vintage Coach bag, an antique Dietz lantern and a 1926 Vogue poster at a church flea market

mastering the recipe for this sweet potato burger (I baked it at 450 for 20 minutes on each side)

How to Make Cedar Plank Lobster Tails

45 years is a long time. That's how long my parents have been married. This August, we took a drive up to Kelowna to make them a special anniversary dinner. I chose cedar plank lobster tails with roasted radishes because my Dad loves lobster, and my Mom loves radishes.

Cedar Plank Lobster Tails

What you need:

• 1 jalapeno pepper
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup good quality olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 6 uncooked lobster tails (7 to 8 oz each), halved lengthwise *
• 2 untreated cedar planks (7" x 14" or similar), soaked in water for 2 hours**

What you do:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the pepper on the hot grill and cook until charred on all sides, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then remove the charred skin from the jalapeno and cut the pepper in half, discarding the seeds. Finely dice the jalapeno.

2. Place the diced pepper in a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar; cover and shake well to blend. Add the oil and replace the lid. Shake the mixture again until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Brush the cut side of the lobster tails lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cedar planks on the grill, close the lid and heat for 4 minutes. Arrange the lobster tails, cut side down, on top of the planks. Close the grill lid and cook until meat is opaque, not transparent, and firm to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Serve the lobster tails with a drizzle of the lemon jalapeno vinaigrette on top and more on the side for dipping.

** I picked up the cedar planks at Rona. A pack of two was $5.80. You can also get them at William Sonoma - for twice the price

Roasted Radishes

What you need:

• 1-¼ lbs medium-sized radishes, trimmed and quartered
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups fresh watercress, washed and drained, thick stems removed
• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, toss the radishes wth the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Transfer to an oven-safe skillet and roast until golden and tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the oven, add the watercress and stir until the watercress is slightly wilted. Stir in the mint and serve immediately.

Tip: Roasting radishes sweetens and mellows their flavour. For best results, choose golf ball-sized radishes and quarter them.

recipe adapted from Style at Home

How to Make Steamed Spot Prawns

these guys could've been steamed 30 seconds less

Here's another easy one.

What you need:

• 1 lb fresh spot prawns - they really should remain in the shell (deveined) The legs and head creep me out though so we cleaned them.
• a bunch of fresh tarragon
• lime (optional)
• a bamboo steamer

What you do:

• lay tarragon in the steamer
• lay spot prawns on tarragon
• steam no longer than two minutes - not even two minutes for the guys without their shell

Serve with poached halibut topped with ginger, lime, and avocado. 

How to Make Thai Noodles

This was good, easy and even better cold the next day.

What you need:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha or Sambal oelek or Tabasco (we used Sriracha)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar (we used honey)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 8 oz dry spaghetti or vermicelli (we used vermicelli)
• 2 cups sliced tofu
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 long English cucumber, seeds removed and cut into thin strips
• 1 red pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts (we used sesame seeds and peanuts)
• 1/4 cup cilantro to garnish (we skipped this as I detest cilantro)
• Food processor or blender
• large bowl
• a pot to cook the noodles
• frying pan to saute the tofu

What you do:

• Combine the first eight ingredients (peanut butter through sesame oil) in a blender or food processor
• Puree until smooth - add more water if it seems to thick
• Set aside
• Saute the tofu and set aside
• Cook the vermicelli until Al dente, drain, rinse and let cool
• Combine the vermicelli, tofu, peanuts and vegetables in a large bowl
• Pour half of the sauce over the top, toss to coat noodle mixture - add more sauce if desired
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro
• Serve in a deep bowl

Makes four servings

adapted from Angela Shellard's Romancing the Stove Column -  North Shore News

How to Make a Sparrow Veggie Burger

I love sloppy food, particularly old-school vegetarian sloppy food. My love of sloppy food attracts me to the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. In Astoria, NY, this episode of The Sparrow Tavern and Chef Pablo Garcia's wicked Veggie Burger sent me off on a search for the recipe.

I found it!

Thanks to Yum Veggie Burger: Veggie Burger Reviews, Ratings and More reader Beth for posting the Sparrow Tavern veggie burger recipe.

What you need:

These are all approximate based on the video clip—toy around with them. 

Veggie Patties 

• 2 shredded carrots
• 1 large shredded zucchini
• 1 cup barley
• the corn off of one corn cob
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 large sweet potato
• handful of scallions
• Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 diced red pepper
• 5 large chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• pita bread
• lettuce or bean sprouts
• pickles (optional)

 What you do:

• mix all ingredients together and let sit for one hour
• measure out six-ounce portions - about the size of your palm - and form little patties
• place patties on a lightly oiled baking sheet
• cook in the oven till done in the center - worked out to be about 45 minutes on 325, but monitor them
• remove from the baking sheet and cook in a lightly oiled frying pan until crunchy on the outside
• drizzle sweet cayenne sauce in pita
• add lettuce (and whatever else you want)
• add pattie
• add more sauce

Sweet Cayenne Mustard Sauce

• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt (or mayo or Veganaise)
• 3 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup brown grain or Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup agave or maple syrup
• mix them together

Yield -  about six thick patties. Next time around, I'd make eight out of the same recipe.  

** We've done variations in a wrap with asiago cheese, bean sprouts and tabouli



Big thanks to Yum Veggie Burger: Veggie Burger Reviews, Ratings and More reader Beth for posting the Sparrow Tavern veggie burger recipe.

How to Make Sweet and Spicy Shrimp

I adapted this recipe from Skinny Taste (being a 'skinny' blog I don't understand why she didn't use nonfat plain yogurt instead of mayo). A big tub of cornstarch wasn't really on my shopping list so I thought I could try subbing it for something else - which didn't work very well. I used Panko because it was the only thing in our cupboard. Use the cornstarch.

This recipe is delicious. I can't wait to make it again.

What you need:

• 1 lb large peeled, deveined prawns
• 1 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 3 tbsp Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce
• 1 tsp Sriracha (to taste)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cups shredded ice berg lettuce
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 4 tbsp chopped scallions
• a large skillet

What you do:

• combine nonfat plain yogurt, chili sauce and Sriracha
• combine shredded lettuce and cabbage
• coat prawns with cornstarch and blend
• heat skillet and add oil when skillet is hot
• toss in prawns and chopped peanuts and cook for about three minutes
• remove from heat and combine prawns with the chili and Sriracha sauce
• spoon over shredded lettuce and cabbage

serve with a Phillips Hop Circle IPA

Last Weekend

Picked up this vintage silk screen for our washroom at the highly anticipated annual 

West Vancouver Seniors' Flea Market.

25¢ for a Kosta Boda Zoo owl.

I'm very happy with this score from the WVS Flea Market. The images were on opposite ends of the table, but I spotted them. Voila! A mountaintop panorama—and yes, they're real photos.

Wild Alaskan Halibut season has begun! We poached halibut with ginger and avocado and served coconut jasmine rice as a side. We paired it with a Pinot Blanc. 

More food goodness! The BCLDB released their Spring edition of Taste magazine. Who has picked this free magazine up? You know how good it is.

I first saw Bandit last Thursday night when we were walking home from dinner. He has the cutest sideways scamper. I was lucky enough to run into him and his pal taking a walk on Saturday afternoon. It turns out Bandit is paralyzed. He was trying to befriend a deer on Bowen Island when the deer stomped on his back, breaking it. That was four years ago. Bandit is eight. He can't move his back legs, so his paws drag, hence the booties. I hope to run into Bandit more in the neighbourhood. He has such a good spirit!

Bandit

vintage Pyrex percolator coffee pot and Pyrex glass teapot

If you've been reading Bijou Living for a while, you know how much I love my coffee and my coffee maker. Whenever I find these vintage Pyrex percolators, I have to buy them—just in case I break one of mine, I'll have a backup. I bought these two at a yard sale on Saturday. The teapot has such a great design. $20 for both.

Weekend listening. Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger, 1975. 

Favourite track? Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.

These two have been living in our neighbourhood for a few years now—actually, they live next door. Last summer, one scooped up a dog from the sea walk. On Thursday, I opened my curtains to see one dive bomb and fly off with an unsuspecting seagull from the building next door. It was not a sight I wanted to see. I've heard rumblings around the building within the last 24 hours that a dog may have been scooped up again last weekend. 

Great, now I'll have anxiety strolling the seawalk.

How to Make a Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich

What you need:

• waffle iron - we used our vintage Penncrest
• cake mix - we used Pamela's Wheat and Gluten Free Luscious Chocolate Cake Mix
• chocolate chips - we used Camino Fair Trade 71% Chocolate Chips
• ice cream - we used dairy free So Good Butterscotch Swirl. An espresso ice cream would seriously rock with these puppies.

What you do:

• heat waffle iron to medium heat
• mix up cake mix and fold in chocolate chips
• scoop in 1/4 cup of the delicious batter into each waffle square
• cook for 3 minutes
• gently remove from waffle iron
• let the waffles cool on a cooling rack
• add a scoop of ice cream
• eat
• left over chocolate waffles can be put in the freezer

* I adapted this recipe from Come Together Kids

Super Easy Food

stacy reynaud

stacy reynaud

Easy enough I even had time to make it for lunch just before I ran out the door. Not to mention, these goodies can hang out in your fridge all week for you to snack on.

What you need:
tortilla wraps
*red pepper/spicy hummus
**matchstick carrots
avocado (thanks Michael)
edamame beans
spinach

What you do:
1. spread the hummus over the entire wrap - all the way to the edge. It's the glue that holds the wrap together.
2. layer the rest of the ingredients over the entire face of the tortilla
3. roll it like you're rolling a hand rolled cigarette - roll a little, pull back, roll a little more, pull back. Rolling like this ensures the wrap is rolled into the mix (see the second pic).
4. slice the roll in half

*You could use any spread. How about Baba ganoush?
**I've also used a match stick beet and carrot mix. Cutting the veggies like this ensures a crunch.

adapted from Healthy Happy Life