SushiCat

I'm fascinated by your blog - thanks for fitting it in! As one who feels I never have enough time in my day, I'm very impressed with your gardening - not sure when you find the time! Perhaps you don't need much sleep? Quick quesiton, as I'm ever searching for the right way to make cornbread ... can you indicate approximate cooking time for the bread after you return the cast iron skillet to the oven?

Reading this thread through tears, a grim reminder to all of us who suffer with excess weight to walk more, eat less, and try harder to figure out ways and means of avoiding such drastic procedures! FistFullaRoux, none of us can truly imagine what you and your wife are going through, but as you see, you have touched our hearts and we will all be sending thoughts of speedy and full recovery! I'll pass all the info. along to the person I know who has had a gastric bypass ... I'm sure to eat smaller portions as well! Remember the power of positive thought! Sivia

Chocolate / Orange / Coffee is a good combo! Also Choc. raspberry is very good. You could do a raspberry mousse-type filling and then a choc. ganache. If doing this, I would recommend a splash of framboise on the layers as you build it up. Yum, now I'm thinking I should make a cake!

I have an nearly exact replica of the knife slkinsey linked to above. It is excellent, I got it at MingWo in Chinatown ... so if you are in GVA you can get one there ... it was more than $ 12 US, but it is great! For larger breads I use a sword. Ok only my family calls it that, but is a super long thin knife with serrated edge, had it for many years now and paid about $ 30.00 for it. I think they have things similar to this at MingWo as well. Good luck - I never see knifes at Winners - but maybe Peppyre was out in suburbia.

PaoPao, or others - where/what is Westham Island? I want strawberries and I want them now, (along with summer tomatoes). I know it is too soon on the tomato front, so strawberries would help, but I guess today is not the day ... blasted rain! Everyone keep us posted on any good pickings!

Yes I'll weigh in on this topic, just don't make me get on a scale! I haven't been to Connie's and I have been wanting to try Szechuan Chili (perhaps a small outing soon!). Now that I have in my neighborhood a few good spots, and that I found my fav. Szechuan chef, I'm not hitting any westside Chinese haunts. Here is what I am into these days: Long's Noodle House - Main between 32nd and 33rd - try their wine soaked chicken, it is amazing! They are also good at a variety of fun items I like, rice cake one of them, some noodles, dumplings etc. Legendary Noodle as mentioned by others Mui Garden - great brisket curry and everything else I have had there has been good. They make a different style of dumplings, but the ones I had were quite delicious, filled with green veggies and kind of fresh and light tasting - yum. Shanghai Wind (Richmond on 3Rd. near Cook Street - across from Richmond Center). I have to go back, could only manage to try 5 dishes between three of us, so we need more! Ba Guo Bu Yi - you need to order without the menu to get the authentic Szechuan. Also, I don't know which days the chef has off, but let Yu know I sent you and that you want some real Szechuan, she will help ... or let me know when you are going I'm due for my next drive to Richmond! I haven't been yet to Shanghai Yan Yun on Main yet, too many drives to Richmond lately, and also have had a variety of non-Asian themed resto meals! Note to ilovelivarot, I don't like oysters, but if they are only part of your meal, feel free to PM me and let me know if you want some company on your Chinese dining experiences here in Vancouver. There are more places, many more places, and for me it depends on where I am in the city and what I want at the moment ... I'm more likely to opt for trying a Chinese place in whatever neighborhood I'm in than a Western kitchen ... unless reputation preceeds. now I want Chinese for my next meal (oh but wait, I always want Chinese for my next meal!)!!

Maxmillan, I saw the "concentrated stock". (The idea is that you dissolve a small amount into a larger amount of water.) They have a couple others besides beef - chicken and lobster? Anyway, my question is: how salty is it? Is it suitable for having in the fridge to make say a risotto or quick sauce, where the flavours are going to be re-concentrated? Anyone? ← DId either of you ask Zarko about this? He seems to me quite honest and I think he would probably know. I'm heading out that way tomorrow sometime, I'll try and check.

We make a variation on these in our family too, they are an essential favorite! My nephew, (who is 9) started to request these as his birthday cake many years ago ... budding foodie that he is! I think our recipe is pretty similar to one posted here, but if I can find it in long form I'll type it in, my short form is to make a sponge, make a symple syrup with lemon peel and add some rum (or usually brandy), then make a ricotta filling split into different flavors, some with candied fruit and a bit with chocolate ... then start layering. We usually top with whipped cream. My experience is that this is a cake that tastes better the next day, so is very useful for when you cannot fit the baking etc. into the same day as serving. Usually I'm quite fussy about same day baking, so I reserve this recipe for those times and also for any special occasions as it just sings out to all. mmmn, now I want cake!

We made an excuse to eat lunch in Richmond yesterday, and did our time in line at Shanghai Wind. I thought the xiaolongbao were excellent, as were the green onion cakes (best I have had in our city), our other dishes were ok - house fried noodles and we had to have dan dan noodles (even if we should not have ordered them there, they are a must try at any new spot), unremarkable. We shared a table with two other parties - no reason not too. One of those parties was eating something I want - someone help me out. It looked like a cake made from rice, not Chinese 'rice cake' which is a noodle in my book, or what others may think of as rice cakes - puffed and eaten when looking for that oh so tasty styrofoam! Mostly used as bread substitutes ... This looked like some leftover rice mixed with other white ingredients, shaped into a square or possibly a rectangle and then fried or baked (possibly with a coating). It looked like the right thing to order. Next time I will consider the public market, or Aberdeen, only because of just re-reading this thread. Bill's aunt who lives in Richmond and only really eats Chinese when I force her too, was spotted pocketing a take out menu for future reference ... clearly a good sign!

Wendy, you are not alone. Those flowers on cupcake cafe's cakes are amazing. I do think that part of it is the overall design and the colors they use, but am not sure with just a cursory look. I wish you luck and time to practice, I think those are the two key factors. On a side note, on Sat. I was offering to make a wedding cake for a casual wedding, now I am shaking in my boots! If they take me up on it, I'm going to need a lot of advice !

As Pam mentioned, it should be the start of summer, it is cool and wet out here in the west, but some people still barbequed ... lucky for us our friends were willing to do it! I too have no incentive, not even to plan an indoor party. However if the rain holds, we can do some more outside garden work! Happy Birthday to queen victoria, nice of her to leave us a holiday ... even over here in Canada!

Just had to add this - although many of my points have been made. I did a lot of prep for my in-laws 50th several years back, and just recently someone commented lovingly about one of the dishes. In our house it is called 'odd flavor chicken' Some internet recipes call it millionares chicken (PM me if you want me recipe). It is easy and always loved and better than wings because it is toothpick friendly and therefore can be eaten while walking aound holding a drink. I also made some great crostini last year for new years, they were steak that stretched very far ... a mango relish on top, very easy and all done in advance - the only relatively last minute item was the grilling of the meat, but that could have been done much earlier if the need had been. I second or third or whatever the dips and cruditee type idea, I have an arsenal of things like humous or white bean dip etc. and these are always well received. And if you need anyone else telling you to make lots - I'll oblige. Nearly everyone will arrive hungry and plan to eat enough to not need dinner! Plan something fun for yourself and the other 'kids' some stress relief like a bike ride or something cause you will likely need to refresh - enjoy and happy golden to the lucky couple!

Fifi, awesome blog! The things you find are near and dear to my heart ... I love finding berries and making jams etc., never thought of making fritters/pancakes with berry bush flowers! so cool. Very much enjoying your blog had to write in as I lived in the Clear Lake area when I was six ... can't tell you exactly when that was or suddenly everyone will know how old I am! Last time I was in Houston, there were some giant 'chia' pets in a boulevard area - one of those things we remember...blog on!

I think it is very interesting to hear people's comments on what can survive if competition comes in... my opinion is that there is room for most if not all of these places in close proximity. Cambie and Broadway is a VERY busy junction in our fair city with tons of traffic both pedestrian and car, with RAV it will increase accessibility. What we now have in that area is one of the lamest Safeway locations (in City Square), the worst of the Choices chain (I mean I shop there, but only because it is close) and the next closest grocery store is at Main and 14th ... well ok, maybe the downtown ones are closer! In other cities where I have lived, there is MUCH more competition and yet everyone survives. I'm not sure we have room for all 5 in such a short radius, but why is it not good to see them all come in and battle it out. Whole Foods and Capers are both US based, with WF it kind of bothers me - I might be extra sesitive, but I stopped in during the week as I was in West Van, bought a few items on sale (those were the ones I could afford ) and when I asked for paper bags at the checkstand had this bizarre conversation about how they CANNOT get them imported to our country for a cheap enough price! Hello, everyone should know that paper shopping bags are so much better for our environment than plastic (yes I should have had cloth, but didn't) Anyway, I'm off topic. I say, good news if they all come into the area and I hope there is some parking for those of us who no longer live in easy walking distance to that hood.

Just had to throw my hat in here ... dessert and after dinner drinks at West would be sublime, I am hoping I get this for my birthday - or something equally worthy! So, I would be inclined to follow the concept of name on list at Vij's, walk around / drink somewhere either West or Cru (hint cocktail at West or glass of wine at Cru) small plates at either to stave of hunger then Vij's for the main event etc. If you are having cake chez Cat with friends, that is planned ... depending on numbers you might want to just move that down to West. If they have resurrected the passion fruit suffle (sp?) then this should be on your list! p.s. if you are coming to this chez Cat can you let me know which night so that I can bake the requisite birthday cake?!

I want someone to bring me Venture Schulze Balsamic vinegar! Anyone tell me where to source this in Vancouver? Or Victoria for that matter, I think I am due for a trip.

Oh just happened upon this, but missed it while you were posting - looks like tons of fun! We had a similar trip a few years back but didn't save all the deatils and at the time didn't know of e-gullet. We will certainly use your info. on our next trip - and if I can find our travel log, will post on some great places we found in Rome (where we had locals to tour us around!). My SO wants to note that we obviously went to less expensive dining establishments, as we rarely got any bread that was salted!

my all time favorite is on a bed of arugula (or rocket, I always thought they were the same), layer some smoked beef tenderloin (avail in Vancouver at JN&Z on Commercial) with a few extremely thin slices of red onion and shavings or parmegian. Drizzle with balsamic vinegarette or just aged balsamico and some good EVOO. Lee, are you sure I can't book a table now for DOV in 2006!

Vengroff, great image - Dino taking over Safeco field - I love it! That would be a nice view when the roof is open! Went to Salumi today for lunch, I'm a first timer as I live in Vancouver BC. We managed to hit Salumi at the perfect time for lunch - my taste buds happily tickled with a cured meat platter strangely I hadn't seen this post although I knew about the prosciutto adoptions before hand, and somehow didn't taste any prosciutto today Guess I'll save that for next trip ... hopefully by then Safeco field will be filled with hanging pig's legs!

I am surprised by the amount of passion on this one. If a restaurant has good customer service, then maybe the point is moot - e.g. depending on if there is a pastry chef (or at least a chef who makes cakes) then the reservation call can discuss/offer/work with their client. If the establishment is not really one for desserts, they probably have fewer issues with people bringing in their own. All the discussion about charges etc. should be made up front along with the request to do it. For the restaurants that are surprised by their customers bringing desserts, this must be relatively infrequent and in my mind would be a good test of customer service to see how it is handled. As a customer I would both expect/plan to discuss this with the restaurant management/maitre d' and expect that they would be up front with me on cutting/plating costs etc. Then it is a decision that comes back to me the customer. In the end you have a choice - both as a restauranteur and as a customer - choose how you treat people and if you treat them well, it will most often come back to you as a reward. Happy cake eating all!

Does anyone know how these might be related to the Cranberry or the the German Preiselberren ?

Susan G and lauraf have the right idea, there is a time and a place, mind you as others have said it is a MUST to call ahead and discuss. I recently brought a cake to a restaurant, like Hue, it was an Asian place that doesn't have cakes (I thought they didn't do dessert - but they trumped me on that one!), but I would have asked to do it anywhere we went that night. Not only did I call and ASK (without assuming), but I also shared the cake with the staff at the restaurant. In this case it seemed everyone was happy. I have done it before and I am sure I will do it again - one of the big reasons has to do with ritual and symbolism. Each one of us (I'm talking about you!) have deeply routed cultural ties with food. As with communication so much is in addition to the words, it is the same with food and the symbolism connected to it. I think it is interesting that this thread is a) in the Vancouver forum and b) clearly spawned from another thread discussing how this happened and c) that our American posters are all so concerned about litigation. It is in the US where more litigation happens per capita - I doubt any Canadians would consider that near the top of the list of why not. I could be wrong ...

For those of us uninitiated, please post a photo of the bottle so we can ensure we are getting the right one (no immitations seems the rule from above). I wonder if it is as good as or better than El Pato Tapatio Sauce which is something similar but from Mexico as opposed to Asia (Thailand?).

Proportions? I somehow ended up with a large bottle of Aquavit after flying through Copenhagen last month. Haven't even started to think about what to do with it, but this sounds like my first choice based on a) liking lemon drops, and b) having the ingredients on hand. I'm also thinking a Negroni would work as stated earlier in this thread, but haven't got the right choice liquids in the cabinet.

Wendy, I was just catching up on your post and saw your note about feeling that you had failed - OH NO! I had to post immediately! Your blog is VERY interesting and I think everyone is in awe of your creatings, the amount you produce in a day/week as well as the very beautiful and inventive things you do for holidays! Us home bakers can only dream of having our baking turn out properly when guests are arriving for dinner ... It is a very different blog from some I have read where there can be more general discussion or just general posts e.g. flavors of Pocky or just 'chat' (banter, if you will) between the blogger and us blogees So from my perspecitve your blog is very successful as you are showing us so much of what is possible and what a blog is all about in my mind - insight into your day. Thanks again, so far it is great! I do think we should work on converting you to real coffee, it would go so well with your pastries! - purr