Maybe I’m old fashioned or maybe
I’m just lucky, but having the ability to have a meal at home with family or
close friends is one of life’s most amazing joys! I understand that not
everyone has the opportunity to be able to do this, but if you’re one of the
lucky ones, you should make the best of this opportunity.
Food is the most universal means of
communication. Sharing food around a table is what makes us who we are and is
what helps us share our stories. Remember, you are what you eat. Taking the
time to make it happen shouldn’t be an afterthought, and it doesn’t matter
what’s on the table either. We should all take the time to get together. Even
order a take-out pizza a step in the right direction to bring a family and
friends together especially after a week of life’s ups and downs.
If you’re planning on getting a
family dinner night going, or just want to get a group of good friends together
on a weekly rotating basis, I suggest keeping it simple. Even the most talented
career chefs do it this way, plus no one likes a show off! Do a simple, quick
and economical dish like pasta. This can feed a large group of people with a few
ingredients. The use of 2 pots, a strainer, cutting board and a knife, as well
as a serving dish, and a few plates are all it takes.
How about pick a recipe from a
cookbook or recipe online? Also, you can assign jobs such as the chef, sous
chef, dish, waiter and bartender (for the adult crowd). Then every week change
the order of the jobs. The chef this week, is the dishwasher next week, and the
next week chef is in charge of getting the menu together and so forth. Think
about all the great photos you could take for your social media. It’s just some
food for thought: take time to make time for food because rich or poor, time is
the one thing we all have, so make the best of it!
This got me excited! Lately, I’ve been lucky enough to have
a little extra time on my hands! This gave me a change to dive into making
batches of all grain beers at home.
They are small 1 gallon batches of beer mostly ales. I might try my hand
at a lager eventually when I have more space to store it. Also, I would love to
be able to have a sampling of my beers available for my own personal dining
club. That’s something I’m looking forward to. It would save so much money and
it’s a fun thing to do on a Saturday night, especially when the days get
shorter and nights get colder! I would almost set it up like a dart league.
Yeah! A diners league and we would have a season! The season would run from
September to April and don’t ask me why!! But that’s just a thought!
On another note: What have I been
reading this week? I took a trip to a flea market the other week in search of
some records and cookbooks. I came up lucky on this book called, ‘The Gourmets
Canada’ by Sondra Gotlieb. It’s an older
book printed in 1972. It has been quite an interesting read especially, for
being 43 years old.
Before I begin, I must mention an
interesting quote in the book. With most vintage books having a sort off a
price tag on them, this one says quote “what with the galloping inflation, all
the prices cited by Sondra Gotlieb are probably even now a thing of the past!”
That should give you an idea of the style of writing in this book before even
reading it! Basically, its about Sondras’ travels from coast to coast eating,
and learning about Canadian restaurants and culture in a time when Canada
really didn’t even have one! She’s kind of like the ‘Diners, Drives-Ins and
Dives’ of her time. She even goes on to critique restaurants on décor and menu
pricing that from today’s standpoint have long been closed and forgotten. I
must say its a pretty interesting read nonetheless. It’s almost like a ghost
book of restaurants past. It even has a wine list with prices, a Chateau
Rothschild being a very high-end bottle of juice for $9.45 Canadian, wow!
Imagine having that in a cellar stored away somewhere? The book shares a few
recipes from her travels as well. However, this book has more meaty reading
material, which I love! I would say check it out or yourself, but I am not sure
how you would find a copy. You maybe lucky and stumble across it just like I
did!
As for Beer, this week I was able to get into a couple gigs
for ‘Toronto Beer Week.’ I found myself wandering the same road, drinking the
same old favorites like Sawdust City, and Indie Ale House. I was at an IPA beer
event as well at the Lansdowne Brewery, which is not actually brewing their own
beer yet, but will be in the near future.
For those not familiar with IPA which
stands for India Pale Ale, a style of beer created in Britain which is stronger
in alcohol and hop taste, was a beer made for transporting long journeys many
years ago to British troops in India. I really wish I took a journal with me
some times when I am trying these beers, and going to these events, because for
some reason I have a hard time remembering them! Even the beers at the IPA
tasting event it was very hard to tell them apart after a while. But who wants
to be that guy in the corner taking notes when I should be enjoying myself?
I just wanted to take this time to
thank all my readers and lovers of food. Remember to:
“Inspire locally to create and let
the sound of music fill your plate!”
–
Chef HomieSmiles
Till next week, Cheers!!
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