Viola da gamba

Oh word. Or the people who insist they're allergic to garlic but take garlic pills. Bleh. Sorry Arne - waaaaay, waaaay OT, I know.

Aaand ... that would be about when I left Vancouver. Perfect timing, I guess. We used to go to Jeremiah's a lot when I worked at Jericho Sailing Centre - great sandwiches, and I seem to remember good fries? It was also one of the few places you could guarantee had the America's Cup races on - I think they even used to get special dispensation to be able to open beyond licensing hours to show them. 3 hour lunches, anyone?

When I lived in Vancouver we regularly went to two places - the Lennox (Robson & Granville, by the Burger King) & Stamps Landing in False Creek on the other side of the Cambie Street Bridge. The Lennox was on the way home (good old #15/17 bus) and Stamps was a nice walk. My Dad still hangs at the Lennox when he's in town. The food's not bad, and the selection of beer is quite reasonable. It can get noisy on Fridays, but there's usually seating at the back & up the stairs - and they've never raised an eyebrow about sitting there with a pint & a book. Now - Smithers - not a lot of choice - either the Fireside Pub in the Hudson Bay Lodge or the Alpenhorn. Better food at the Alpenhorn, cheaper (and great lunch specials during the week) at the Fireside.

Hear, hear! I have a couple of bizarre allergies - fermented peppers (bye bye tabasco and similar hot sauces ) & walnuts/pecans. No, I'm not going to die if I eat them, but I will suffer some really unpleasant effects at around 2 o'clock in the morning - and yes, I underwent the full skin-testing thing (oh that was a fun 24 hours) to find this out. So yes - I do accept food allergies exist and yes - I too really appreciate going places where the restaurant not only takes note, but takes pride in being able to accommodate any such mention. But any bonehead who makes a reservation and then states just as they're ordering that "oh, by the way" - should be shot. Or made to wash dishes. Or have all their tastebuds removed & be forced to eat soft tofu for the rest of their lives. Don't get me started on the restaurant at Butchart Gardens.

How about a sponsored issue of cattle prods to every DOV restaurant? I'm sure there's a niche market in there somewhere ...

It's true! Once you've eaten it, your life becomes a junkie's nightmare, dreaming of the blissful dish, trying to get all your friends hooked so you'll have more opportunities to go, compulsively planning your next fix... I'm gonna regret posting this ... This Gingerbread addiction has to be a chick thing. Don't get me wrong ... it's awesome. One of the best desserts I've ever enjoyed. But an addiction? Not for me at least. Get a grip girls A. ← Come on, you are amongst friends here, embrace your inner girlie man and declare your undying love for the gingerbread. The gingerbread know you love it. The gingerbread loves everyone. All hail the gingerbread. ← I liked the gingerbread, but me? I'm a hanger junkie. No steak will ever taste quite the same again - so - not quite the sugar high, but Neil still retains his power Oh - and I'm a chick.

Add me to the list of people who would have suggested putting the Cool Whip (shudder) in a bowl for people to eat if they dared my wrath.

I'm with Rebel Rose on the NW oyster thing - I really don't like the big ones - the smaller, the better. Oh - and I really don't like cooked oysters at all. Raw & fresh or nothing. So sad that I no longer live in Vancouver ...

I love hot/spicy food but this has been a problem - I'm allergic to tabasco (it seems to be the fermented-ness of the peppers that is the problem) - so have to read ingredients VERY carefully - commercial curry powder is also difficult. My SO, however, can eat everything - his current favourite is "Lawyer's Breath" - given as a joke gift by my mum, but now a staple in the house.

Mais bien sur, Papa. Of course, I might always try to be sufficiently law abiding to do it in accordance with the new policy...

I'm starting to think we should organize a pity party event for those who had to miss either this one or the AB Big Night. I'd certainly be on board.

What about those of us who consider it the appetizer and main course as well? Cheeseheads, I guess. ← You mean cheese isn't a dessert? Crap. When you and your SO have a close-to-relationship-ending-fight because someone forgot to keep the sourdough starter alive. Oy.

Homemade peanut butter/choc chip cookies - and coffee. I need to start planning the start of my day better.

My dad has one - we don't - he uses it to reheat coffee & to reheat soup. Otherwise, he insists it's the only way he could get an effective fan/light over the top of the stove. I too prefer the convection/toaster oven - best way on earth, IMO, to do baked eggs!

We have been doing this since the temperature first went below freezing back in October. Raccoons aren't a problem up here, but the dogs, squirrels & foxes get to be an issue - so we keep everything in various and assorted cool boxes. Worked really well until the temperature got to around -40 (okay - I exaggerate - it was only -35), at which point everything in the cool boxes went solid. The cream, when defrosted, was butter - the celery was only fit for stock, and the beercicles made the dogs woozy. Note to self - if it's below -20, put things in the unheated garage.

Hot, homemade potato bread toast with VERY COLD butter - and coffee.

Thank you for that evocative yet disgusting mental image. Now I'm absolutely certain that I'll never, ever try that. Ick.

I don't think this is it - but has she really nicknamed her piece "Nat Decants"? And who knew there was an award for "World's Best Wine Writer"?! OT - my vote's for every 2 weeks for the WOW - please? Wallet still feeling a little tight from Christmas, and it may take a little longer to get things sourced up here ...

To fully enjoy the milkshake with crepes as dessert, you must first have consumed a large Japanese meal, complete with fish nuts (i.e., soup to nuts). Stovetop, the other kids must have been jealous. Having a tick in Edmonton - at least you had something to do! ← Every boy needs a pet ...

This may be a particularly Canadian point of view - but having looked at both Joy of Cooking & the others mentioned, I still prefer my old stand-by - the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book - absolutely basic, very easy to follow, and it's got all of the equivalence measures which are so useful if going from British to US to Australian recipes. Sadly out of print is the Sunset Basic Cookery book - one of the best I've ever found for such helpful hints as to how to deal with a split hollandaise. I also put forward Larousse as an option? Still working my way through the "eggs" section ... Congratulations! And welcome to a new addiction - cookery books are a wonderful way to spend money. Now just wait until you discover Donna Hay ...

Oops - sorry - my bad. I blame the fact that I was always on foot when I went there. I'm sure that's relevant somehow. Does anyone else on Vancouver Island think fondly of Thrifty Foods' cheese selection? They used to get the most wonderful selection of French cheese - sufficiently detailed that you could select by French postal code (how to tell if a brie was REALLY from Normandy ...). And in Nanaimo, McLean's specialty foods is a good place to go for English cheeses.

I too haven't tried the MRE's, but apparently these were served to the US Forces in the first Iraq war and the consensus was that MRE didn't stand for "Meals Ready to Eat", but rather for "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians". Personally, I'd probably go for packets of Ichiban - but then I like eating the noodles uncooked (appears to be the week for embarrassing food admissions). Chef Fowke - hope things are okay - I heard on the news this morning that they expected things to be stabilized soon - hope you found somewhere for the dog!

Thanks for the link - I'd forgotten how funny that was. I can second Fortune Garden - not the best Chinese Food I've ever had, but we always enjoyed it (and it was close) - good szechuan ginger beef.

I think the one at 4th and Alma is (or used to be) Les Amis de Fromage - the one shop everyone agrees is great - but I believe they've moved since I was last in town.

Avocado & plain potato chips mushed between two pieces of sliced white bread spread with mayonnaise - Hellmann's full fat for preference. Oh - and the best bread for this is store-bought potato bread or buttermilk bread. I'm so ashamed.