Mooshmouse

Hmmm... Potato skins, baked with grated cheddar cheese then topped with sour cream, bacon bits and chives. Popcorn shrimp. Pretty much anything TGIFridays serves now... I know, no fork food, but fettucini alfredo was SO gourmet in the eighties. And ice cream mocha kahlua pie. And buttery, oaky chardonnay. How passe. Wow. It's only since you've forced us to actually think about it that I realize what a black hole the eighties were for good eats.

My husband certainly can cook and is pretty darn artistic when it comes to plating and presentation... it impressed the heck out of me when we were dating and it still does! However, unless I'm exhausted after an active day with our three-year-old son, I do most of the cooking because I enjoy it more. Nonetheless, he is an incredible sous-chef and takes care of all the mise en place as well as the cleaning up... who needs a Veg-O-Matic when I have my husband! These days, dinner in our household usually waits until he gets home from work because we try to make meal preparation a family affair and include our son Noah who absolutely loves to help in the kitchen. Noah takes care of things like washing veggies, ripping up lettuce for salad, prepping veggies like green beans by slicing the tips off, measuring and stirring. One day, he made his own scrambled eggs from start to finish... with a little help from Mom, of course.

Oooooh, I almost forgot how amazing spicy pickled beans taste in a Caesar (the drink, not the salad). Whenever I order one, I always ask for extra beans since one is never enough.

Yummmmy... green beans. Briefly steamed, then stirfried with sesame oil, an outrageous amount of minced garlic, finely sliced green or red chilies, sesame seeds, and then liberally salted. I could eat a whole pan full of 'em this way. But everyone else at the table has to have some too, 'cause the post-meal garlic breath would kill anyone who hasn't indulged themselves.

As Mom of of a newly-turned-three-year-old boy, I'm absolutely loving your blog, particularly the fact that you've made a conscious effort not to rely on quick-fix processed food to nourish your family. As evidenced by the mac 'n cheese, even the most diligent parents can't keep 100% of it out of the household... but, hey, if we indulge our own junk-food cravings every now and again, then why can't our kids! We've been pretty lucky with Noah in the food department so far. For the most part, he eats what we eat; given our broad spectrum of ethnic food interests, he'll happily chow down on anything from sushi to souvlaki, smoked oysters to smoked gouda, and lumpia to tobiko. Our eating philosophy is that you have to try everything on the table one time (and swallow it... parents of small kids know that this is key!). If at first we don't succeed in the new food tasting department, then it's try, try again another day. Keep up the great cooking and the great blog!

You must be channelling me... One thing about old-school Filipino Moms is that they don't consider meat cooked until it resembles a charcoal briquette. None of this pink-in-the-middle crap for them... that'll make you die of some fatal disease or something along those lines. Two of my absolute faves hit squarely on the head. Pork chops done in Shake And Bake and then popped in the oven until nearly every last vestige of moisture has been cooked out of them. And eggs "over hard", yolks broken and fried until they resemble a rubbery fake-egg puck that you might buy at a joke store. Don't get me wrong, I love me my "properly cooked" eggs now... poached, over easy, sunny-side up, you name it... but nothing says nostalgia like fried egg pucks.

As Johnathon so aptly put it, you can't really go wrong with any of these three. But, if I had to give a slight edge to one, I'd choose Cru. Rob Feenie is Rob Feenie. Fab, bar none. And all my visits to Parkside have been good; however, some visits have been decidedly better than others. I give Cru the nod for consistency over Parkside. Can't wait to hear about your choice and how your dinner went. Good luck finding that three-sided coin to flip.

In keeping with the ketchup popularity, which I still love by the way, I used to eat raw carrot sticks dipped in ketchup. And I would also squeeze ketchup out of those foil or plastic takeout packs straight into my mouth whenever we went for fast food. Then there was drinking cream right out of the tiny plastic containers in restaurants. Or eating teaspoonfuls of CoffeeMate. Sugar cubes. Mustn't forget sugar cubes, although I guess that's not too weird. An uncooked hot dog every now and again. And simultaneously munching from a jar full of dill pickles and a box of kiddie cereal like Captain Crunch or Corn Pops. Guess I was just nurturing that Asian sweet and sour thing.

You know, that's not far off the mark. One of my favourite things ever is still served at a popular Mexican restaurant here in town: deep-fried ice cream. I believe they pre-form the ice cream balls, roll them in some unbelievable coating that seemed to include, of all things, something like corn flakes, refreeze them until they're extra hard, and then quickly pop them in the deep fryer until they're just crispy without over-melting the interior. It's not runny when you cut into it, only a little bit on the soft side. Just think. How much better could it get? Ice cream deep-fried goodness. Oh great. Now I've gotta go out and get me some.

Lemme see. It isn't often that I indulge in a candy fix, but there are decided favourites when I do. From reading this thread earlier today, I started craving sweets and picked up a Hershey Smores bar from the gas station to try for the first time. Twix. Kit Kat (haven't tried any of the flavoured ones yet). Skor... but definitely not Butterfinger or Crispy Crunch. Reeses Crunchy Peanut Butter Cups even though I despise crunchy peanut butter itself (not sure if you can get the Inside Out ones here in Canada yet). And am I the only one who remembers those marshmallow strawberries that leave your tongue pink?

Mmmmm... Creamsicles... at least that's what we call them up here in Canada. They also have purple (and maybe red) Creamsicles with what can be construed as a vanilla-ice-cream like substance in the middle, but orange is definitely the best. That's why I love those Campino candies that taste like orange Creamsicles. The strawberry flavour doesn't even hold a candle to it. And here here for ice-cream sandwiches, both the insipid old-fashioned ones with chocolate cookies and the Chips Ahoy variety. Gotta eat 'em fast though and keep them in the wrapper, or else they come oozing out all over your lap in the last couple of bites. Licker or biter? I'm still mortified when my Mom bites her ice cream cones, but I'm definitely a biter when it comes to popsicles. But I can't bite with both upper and lower teeth; I push the popsicle against my upper teeth with my tongue and take a bite. It gives me the absolute heebie-geebies to see someone chomp on a popsicle with their upper and lower teeth... my palms are sweating just thinking about it.

Here, here on the reservations. Summer travel through the Gulf Islands on any reasonable schedule is impossible without them. Make sure to be there a minimum of 40 minutes prior to sailing time. We once made the critical mistake of showing up 30 minutes before and were told that we'd have to sail standby. Needless to say, that put a severe crimp in our plans as the party we were travelling with made it onto the ferry and we didn't... and we had the keys to the cabin! Thanks for that heads-up Daddy-A. I'll report back with my findings later in July and will watch out for the pizza. I did forget something. Whatever you do, make sure to pick up a dozen bagels from Gulf Island Bagel adjacent to the park square in downtown Ganges. If you're lucky, they'll have just pulled out a fresh batch from the oven. Our favourites are the cinnamon raisin and the onion, warm, straight out of the bag. You don't need any cream cheese to make these bagels taste good. Our son can polish off one whole one himself, and he always asks for seconds. Before coming back to Vancouver, we always make a point of buying a bag to bring home and freeze... I'm salivating just thinking about it! The Saturday Market in the Park will definitely be a highlight of your visit. Lots to see and do for you and the kids. With any luck, the marimba ensemble or the teenaged jazz ensemble will be playing. For a dose of grease, help yourself to an elephant ear... deep-fried dough slathered with butter and honey or jam, or dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Homemade fruit popsicles for $2.00 in a variety of flavours will help keep the summer heat at bay. Be sure to hit the cheese and baked goods stalls set up at the south end of the market... plenty of yummy free samples. There's lots of organic produce and fabulous garlic from the Island's garlic farm. And, if you're there early enough, pick up a bottle or two of Noot's homemade Thai sauce. Our friends here on the mainland always ask us to raid her stall on their behalf. Good Lord. Did I type that much? Sorry... 'nuff said. I just get really excited about the prospect of spending time on Salt Spring, and I'm sure that Daddy-A feels the same way.

Our family has a vacation property on Salt Spring, so we've had an opportunity to eat at quite a few of the island's dining establishments. In fact, we'll be on the Island ourselves for 11 days in July and are looking foward to trying out a couple of new restaurants. Additionally, we have a 3-year-old son, so all the restaurants we frequent have to be kid-friendly! For a nice lunch or dinner where people won't look down their noses at the little ones, I second Daddy-A's recommendation of the Oystercatcher. There's La Cucina e Terrazza on the boardwalk if you're up for Italian, and Bouzouki offers casual Greek fare. The Treehouse Cafe in the centre of Ganges is also a good bet for open-air dining... our son loves to eat at the picnic tables under the big tree. Fantastic pies and live entertainment every evening with a weekly Open Mike night for locals and tourists alike. My sister-in-law gave a very enthusiastic thumbs-up to the Raven Street Market Cafe in Fernwood; hence, we're chomping at the bit to sample some of the food from their wood-fired oven. And if you're in the mood for fish and chips or soup and sandwich in a different part of the island, try the Seaside Cafe in Vesuvius. You can sit on the deck and watch the eagles go fishing while the ferries come and go. If you're looking for a great cup of coffee, head to the Salt Spring Roasting Company... skip the Moka House on the main drag which isn't nearly as good. Barb's Buns has great vegetarian lunch and brunch menus, not to mention yummy baked treats. Not forgetting about the kids, they'll drool over the chocolates at Harlan's, and they won't let you walk past Miriam's without buying them an ice cream cone... or else stopping at West Of The Moon toy store just next door. I've omitted the restaurant at Hastings House from my recommendations. Although it offers fantastic formal dining, it's probably a bit too stuffy for the kids' liking. And I'm with Redhead with the dining room at the Oceanwood B&B on Mayne Island... excellent food but likely adults-only. Hope that helps. If I remember anything else, I'll post further. Enjoy the Islands!

Has anyone tried Pane From Heaven yet? It's 1 storefront north of The Smoking Dog on West 1st Avenue. I vaguely recall that the owner used to be a baker at either Ecco Il Pane or Terra Breads, but I could easily stand corrected. In addition to their wide selection of house-baked breads, there are a variety of hot lunch dishes, a fabulous weekend brunch waffle with fresh fruit for $4.95, lots of decadent dessert offerings, and miniature cookies. I personally love their raspberry mousse.

Mongo, from one charter member of the Anti Root Beer, Dr. Pepper and Van-Sassafrassians League to another, I wanted to chime in and congratulate you on this extraordinarily entertaining blog. I've been lurking through all 16... good Lord, 16... pages of it and have, like the Fanta channel, loved every word. Kudos!

Absolutely. All this talk about Ais Kacang makes me wish I had a tall parfait glass of Halo-Halo sitting in front of me right now. In Tagalog, the name literally means "mix-mix" for obvious reasons. Filipinos love it so much that there are vendors in mall food courts featuring various Halo-Halo flavour/ingredient combinations as the only menu items. In search for a definitive Philippine recipe, I surfed the net a bit and came up with the following link for anyone who's interested: Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Halo Halo And Then Some. To summarize, a typical fruit mixture can consist of jackfruit, young coconut meat, sweet kidney beans, sweet chick peas, sweet plantain, ube/purple yam, creme caramel/leche flan and sweet corn kernels. This is topped by shaved ice, evaporated milk or coconut milk, a scoop of ice cream and a sprinkling of pinipig (pounded roasted rice, almost like Rice Krispies). Wish I could comment on the history of Halo-Halo, but the foregoing article does make some links between the dessert and Philippine culture. Try and overlook the 'cheese' factor when you read it.

In addition to the usual suspects of finely chopped garlic, an egg and fine bread crumbs for binding agents, a little EVOO, bit of Worcestishire or dollop of smoky BBQ sauce, salt and pepper to taste, I like to add chopped fresh oregano, chopped fresh thyme, chopped fresh green onion or chives, and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 T per lb of meat). Makes for a different tasting burger.

I drank both Milo and Ovaltine during my early childhood in the Philippines, though I did prefer Ovaltine. And yes, I did like dipping a teaspoon into the tin and then eating the powder on it's own. ecr, to answer your question about Spam, Filipinos thrive on it and other tinned processed meats like corned beef. Haven't eaten it in years but would probably polish off at least half a can myself if my Mom made it at her house...

These must be the same people who are clamouring for the A & W to open up in the Granville Island retail space formerly occupied by Pastel's deli. Good Lord.

Try Phillipine mangoes, sometimes sold as Manila mangoes. Though I haven't checked any smaller Asian green grocers, they're available at an Asian supermarket called "T & T" as well as at Filipino food stores that sell produce. Unlike Mexican mangoes which are fairly large and quite fibrous, these are smaller in size and have very tender flesh. Exceedingly sweet and juicy. Personally, I only buy Mexican mangoes when I'm absolutely desperate for the mango taste and am willing to pay through the nose for them. If Philippine mangoes are in season... right now... I usually pick up at least half a dozen at a time as they don't last for long in our household. When I bought some on the weekend, they were $1.69/lb... now that's cheap, especially for Vancouver. Happy mango hunting and enjoy Vancouver.

In the Philippines, it's called pulutan. And no, I never ate it. Very popular there, though, especially as a bar snack. Also sold in bus stations as road food <shudder>. From what I can recall, it's called balut (it's pronounced like the "u" in "put"). Men consider it an aphrodesiac and verility enhancer... good Lord. As a child, I'd be getting ready for bed when I'd hear the street vendor shouting, "Baluuuuut, baluuuuut." Clearly sold at night for a reason... who wants to look at an embryo while you're eating it? I've always seen it semi-hard-cooked; in other words, when you crack the top of the shell open and sprinkle some salt in to taste, you tip the egg up to drink the broth before consuming the tasty treat inside... aaaaaaaaaack. And, no, absolutely no. I never ate it. Vaguely remember drinking the broth once but would've been completely horrified if the embryo had touched my lips. Edited to add that my food aversions can be summed up in one simple statement: No feet, faces, or organs. Especially at dim sum. Duck tongues. Chicken feet. Tripe. Not even a hope. However, I do love pate...

Word to that jgarner. Black licorice. Just reading your post made me get a faintly nauseous sensation in the back of my throat. My passionate dislike for black licorice was intensified by a former employer of mine who had a penchant for taking his executives out for egregiously expensive business dinners. Don't get me wrong. Never, ever would I turn down a gourmet evening on the house. The cuisine and copious quanties of fine wine were always outstanding. But he would end every multi-course meal with a round of flaming sambuca shots topped with the requisite coffee beans. The licorice lovers would always sip them. Those of us not so fond of this vile substance would throw the shots down our throats as quickly as absolutely possible. And pay for them in spades later on with massive indigestion together with an overwhelming desire to disgorge the evening's repast from my digestive system. Hence, every time I get a whiff of licorice or even think about it, it's reminiscent of that gross, too full on rich food, almost sick feeling. Blecch.

Here in Canada, one of my childhood memories was of a boxed gum similar to Chiclets called Thrills. They were purple, tasted like soap, and were absolutely horrid. For some reason, lots of the boys liked them but none of the girls ever did. As you had mentioned, maybe it was a taste hangover from cussing too much and having their mouths washed out with soap. Haven't seen them in the stores for years... gee, what a surprise. Putrid.

I'm a bit late boarding the cilantro lovers' train, but count me in. Whenever I buy a fresh bunch, I always take a big whiff before putting it in the shopping cart as I find the smell absolutely heavenly. Yes, I eat it cooked or raw. Shredded into a green salad along with some sliced raw mushrooms and raw bean sprouts and drizzled with homemade soy ginger dressing. Sprinkled on asian spring rolls or wraps with a little hoisin sauce and diced water chestnuts. And a key ingredient in spicy Thai stirfries with sweet chili sauce. Was almost afraid to admit this, but I too am a processed foodaholic. Guilty pleasures that I only indulge once in blue moon because I'm afraid that I'll shatter my body's chemical additive and sodium count. Rice-A-Roni, Alphagetti, Chef Boyardee Beefaroni, Stroganoff Hamburger Helper (just like Hannah), Creamy Tuna Helper, corned beef hash, Twinkies... my stomach is grumbling just thinking about it. But my two processed food faves are Lipton Cup-A-Soup and Campbell's Soup in Chicken Noodle flavour. Comfort food extraordinaire, especially when I'm sick.

Will you marry me?? If you're a man, that is. Well, given that I'm a woman, I'll at least sit in a soft comfy chair and have a cuddle with you! Really though, it's nice to have found a kindred spirit... I always get the weirdest looks from people when I tell them that I don't like root beer. Care to make your union polygamous? Or just let me squish into the chair with y'all? Cause I don't like root beer, never have. Makes my tongue numb. Dr. Pepper is just a big vanilla-y yawn. :::moves over to make space::: I'm in. No root beer, ever. [snip] *snuggles up to the root beer haters* :::checks the membership log and updates accordingly::: zilla, you're in. And you too mongo. Everyone's laminated membership cards will be in the mail shortly.