Zucchini Mama

The Bluewater Café is an upscale restaurant in Yaletown that has a sushi bar plus an amazing menu, including all kinds of cooked seafood. That way you can have the best of both worlds! Also, one thing that's great about being pregnant in Vancouver is that every time you have to find a washroom, lo and behold a Starbucks magically appears before you! Have fun!

Last night James McKinnon, of the 100 Mile Diet fame spoke to a class I'm taking on issues around food culture. He and his partner have just spent a year eating food sourced within approximately 100 miles of Vancouver. He had some interesting points, notably that in talking to local farmers they said they would grow more crops year round if their was a demand for it. They figure regular winter farmer's markets would not be popular enough to be profitable. I was also very surprised that farmers grow a tiny fraction of the kinds of plants that could grow in this climate, because of limited consumer demand. He was very interested in having locally grown hard beans, so a local farmer is going to grow an acre for a group of his friends to purchase-CSA on a very small scale. Now that the year is over, he and his girlfriend are still eating mostly local food, but adding in things like rice and pasta to make their lives a bit easier. McKinnon says he also is sneaking in chipotle peppers because he misses them. I asked him about Barnston Island-he says he has become very passionate about the ALR, and he urged us to cycle around Barnston and see how lovely it is, and what a shame it would be to turn it into an industrial park. He and his partner have just launched a web site and are working on a book--smart cookies!

I would be cautious about reccomending Feenies because it can be quite a tight squeeze inside. If you can get a seat on the patio, and if it is non-smoking, it may be all right. Having said this, sometimes you can dine at low density times-say in between lunch and dinner- what Trafalger's calls "Drunch", and you would probably be fine.

Yes, I think you would be most comfortable at Provence in Yaletown because it is roomy enough to negotiate a stroller and spaceous enough to give you some privacy in a corner, or you may be able to sit outside if weather permits.

I'm posting some info about this story here as I haven't heard much about it in the mainstream media. From a document I received by e-mail: "The End of Agriculture on Barnston Island? Over time, developers purchased land as it became available on Barnston Island. In November, 2003, applied (application # 35256) to have 1,100 acres of the island "excluded" from the protection of the Agricultural Land Reserve so that the area could be turned into an industrial development. In a report dated January 21, 2004, the GVRD reported that there are currently 8,615 acres of vacant industrial land in the region. Langley’s Gloucester Industrial park has a persistent 40% vacancy rate 3 years post-construction. Surrey’s 260 acre Campbell Heights industrial park is just being built. How many industrial parks do we need? At the expense of farmland? Let the Agricultural Land Commission know if you believe we should keep Barnston Island in the ALR. Provincial Agricultural Land Commission 133-4940 Canada Way Burnaby, BC V5G 4K6 Attn: Gordon Bednard Email: Gordon.Bednard@gov.bc.ca"

Personally, I like my opinions full bodied, aromatic and freshly brewed, with a only a hint of bitterness. Actually, just before I fell asleep last night I was thinking about all the great parks around Saints and now that it its picnic weather, you can grab a sandwich and something chocolate from Sweet Obsession, or kokopelli and enjoy the sun.

What, you don't like ten toddlers screeching while you eat your turket panini? Nixi on the Mexicali--go to Spice Islands and pop in the wine store a couple of doors down for a looksee.

To continue the description of the meal we had at Aurora: My dad had the Stone Ground Cornmeal Crusted Fanny Bay Oysters and he asked for them "crispy" like my mom makes them. They were cooked to order-a bit longer than Jeff usually cooks them, and my dad was a happy camper. Mom had the Halibut in Five Spice Broth, which she said was excellent. Peter had the 2004 Nichol Vineyard Capriccio, which is composed of a mix of Pinot Noir and Gamay. This wine is a favorite summer patio wine of ours. He ordered the pork tenderloin with maple and mustard seed glaze, Okanagan goat's cheese and apple crumble. I had a bite of his dish with a sip of my Joie Noble Blend and it really matched well-a real "Eureka!" moment. My dessert was the Vanilla Bean Pannacotta over roasted pineapple with the chocolate salad on top and fresh mint. I thought the mint really pulled this dessert together, brightened it up and married the ingredients together. I also kept sneaking bits of dad's dessert: chocolate paté with chipotle sorbet-a tango for the tastebuds. I had the seasonal mushroom risotto, which was made exactly the way I like it-very stock-centered, as opposed to cream-centered, with nice big shavings of zingy cheese and had an extra bit of sweetness from the caramelized shallots that brought out the intense flavors of the mushrooms. Jeff says the mushrooms will rotate as they come in season. Guess that means I'll have to go back every month and order the same thing. The truth is my online handle should really be Mycological Mama...the Fungal Fox. Or not. I'll stick with the zucchini. Since we're on the topic of "things to do with parental units", here is what we've been up to for the holiday: On friday we bought chocolates and desserts at Chocoatl, then took the aqua bus to Stamp's Landing. We had a nice quiet brunch at Ocean 6 Seventeen, then popped over to Granville Island on the aqua bus and picked up some Halibut cheeks at the Lobster Man, and then made a stop at Oyama. I bought some Landyaeger, and some really nice soft goat cheese from Agassiz made by The Farm House, St. George. It's very flavorful--sort of in a state between a chevre and brie. I also bought some lamb terrine, (made especially for Easter) which had briny, tender lamb, with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs in the center Saturday we went to Mix for lunch and brought back some apricot and white chocolate bread, which was amazing with the goat cheese. Our plans to go to the UBC Botanical Gardens were thwarted by the unseasonably cold weather, but heck, there's always shopping as an alternative form of entertainment! Mom had seen Lee's Chocolates on television, so we popped in and bought some treats for Easter. Can you believe the original owner is 100 years old this year! This week we're going to hunker down and so some home cooking and spring cleaning (to burn off all those calories) and then we're headed for a weekend on Saltspring Island. Papa and Mama Zuke are also going to take advantage of the free babysitting to go on a couple of dates. Yahoooo! I hope everyone had a good Easter. What's the cure for a chocolate hangover?

Hi Viola DG, My parents are in town this week and I have been taking them to places that I like that I think will suit them as well. Tonight we had a lovely meal at Aurora. My dad is a bit hard of hearing, so we went early to avoid the crowds. The music was very mellow and never interfered with our conversation, even when the place was filling up by the time we were leaving. The waitress and my dad got along swimmingly, and she was very good natured about his goofy prairie guy sense of humour. He asked her for a sugar substitute for his tea, and she was happy to oblige. Mom and dad were very impressed with the food and it was lovely to see them unwind, relax, and enjoy themselves as the sun finally made an appearance illuminating the cherry blossoms accross the street and casting a warm glow over the restaurant. We all loved Jeff's White Spring Salmon Pastrami, served under a potato salad and topped with a quail's egg. The tranluscent cut of fish packs a wallop of flavor in each bite, and this amuse had precisely the right amount of salt to make it harmonized and complete. Anyway, I will post more details tomorrow about this meal and others I'm enjoying with my parents on this trip. Right now, I've got to go help a guy with long fuzzy ears to do his annual job. Happy Holidays!

I know it exists. Any info should be kept discrete, and discussed through PM's only. Good luck!

News Flash! Themis is making his own desserts again! If you get a chance, try the cheesecake. I repeat, try the cheesecake. White, light, tangy and creamy cheesecake topped with ganache and tiny dark cherries. Tell me what you think.

Okay Fresser, you have my attention...but the bananas have to be deep fried, coated in a light crisp batter, the sour cream must be marscapone ice cream studded with candied ginger, their must be copious amounts of dark chocolate sauce spiced with chilies, and the whipping cream should be sweetened with maple syrup and bourbon. That's just to get the engine running...

I like those eggshells too, they look very sculptural, like enormous barnacles. Schlaf gut, sweetie!

I want to hear you. Will it be on "Sounds Like Canada"? Kosher buffalo sounds intriguing...let us know how it turns out!

Hey Pam! Looking forward to seeing photos of your new business. Oh dear, I see on the news that the Red River is rising again. Hope you are high and dry! Zuke

Get there early and buy the day olds.

Try the tiny chocolate cupcakes at Coco eOlive. They are exception--rated PG18 rather than general admission.

I stayed at the Sylvia for a week last spring, just around the corner from Cupcakes. We had them a couple of nights and they did call to me everytime I walked by the window. If the nanny (for nanny read conscience) wasn't with me I would have eaten them every day. Anything starting with chocolate or coffee was excellent. ← Kerry, you have an interesting fantasy life! Does the nanny put you in the Naughty Chair if you eat too many cupcakes? For my fortieth birthday party, which was a potluck, my friend brought forty of the little cupcakes, and if there weren't one, but two lobster-shaped chocolate cakes on the table, I would have eaten more than just one! They are little birthday parties in themselves.

Swisskaese, It's a case of six degrees of separation, being more like three or four here. My cousin may be your waiter.

Here is the first in a series of articles on GM Foods from the David Suzuki Foundation web site.

This site has information on organic/ local/ fair trade issues: daily granola Organic food is better for the consumer, the soil, the ground water, air, and the health of wild and domestic animals. However, you must figure in the fossil fuels used to transport organic foods from a long distance into the equation. Organic standards have their own set of controversial issues, which will differ in the U.S. and Canada. I eat as much local organic food as possible, because I believe in protecting the planet for future generations, and because I believe that organic food is more nutritional and flavorful, therefore can be better value for the money. The issue of the human treatment of animals is an issue I won't get into here, but it factors in as well. David Suzuki is a brilliant Canadian scientist who has many intelligent things to say against GM food. I will dig out some references. Aside from the science, I don't want these huge corportations patenting the food chain to make themselves rich, while they deplete our environment and endanger our food security. Talk to the twenty-something generation: many of whom are very aware of these issues. Thank God.

I just want to be clear that I stand by everything I've written on eGullet, especially about Rare. I do not choose my words so that I'm not invited to a chef's birthday. Pan, I don't tell my friends about mediocre meals I've eaten unless they ask my oppinion about one place in particular. Most of my friends are not foodies and their eyes tend to glaze over when I talk too much about food anyway. Like I said, I post and read on eGullet to unwind. Perhaps I do a disservice to myself not to post every evil thought that lurks behind the closed curtains of my laboratory. In my real life, I Lori have a dark side, yes it's true. If I revealed my dark side on eGullet, I would be booted off before you could say tuna melt sandwich with a side order of cole slaw, ma'am! So keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side. Or not. It's your choice. We can agree to disagree, and if you're in town I may still invite you to my birthday. But you'd better hurry, 'cause it's tonight! I've got a cake to ice.

Participating in the eGullet discussions is totally a relaxing hobby for me. I'm in it for the joy. I am not a food critic, nor do I pretend to be one. If I feel enthusiastic and inspired about something I've eaten, I will post it. If I have a mediocre meal, I might take the fifth. Why waste the time and energy to write about something uninspired? I know there's been some snarky comments lately about unbridled enthusiasm on eGullet-I've always preferred life without a bridle, and I have crafted my online persona from the more positive dining experiences I've had. I have also posted when I have had extremely negative experiences, but since I read eGullet to keep informed about what restaurants are offering, and I'm very choosy where I spend my money-bad dining experiences only seem to happen once in a blue moon. (Knock on wood.) We censor ourselves every day on some level in order to interact in a socially acceptable way. If I'm going to say something negative I try to be as articulate as I can. I try to separate my personal tastes from the flaws in the meal itself. The same is true when I'm being positive. You know, I have a relative who is a retired plastic surgeon. He is proud of the fact that he talked many of his patients out of cosmetic surgery. He tried to show them how little flaws can make us more beautiful. He points out that many beautiful people don't have perfect teeth or noses. Even when meals I've eaten have little flaws here and there, I can taste the passion, the depth, the chef's willingness to take risks--such is the case with meals I've had at Aurora and the meal I had at Rare. In the same way I can look at the whole face, not just the minor flaws. Some critics only see the blemishes. What a shame that they miss out on so much beauty. I will not post a "meh" revew if I think a chef is going to go all postal, whether I know him in real life or not. I just don't want to go there. I don't think negative reviews show be censored, but I also can't stand it when people say a meal is bad, but they can't articulate why they feel that way. What's the point? Finally, I do get suspicious when people are promoting food they have had some kind of creative input into without a full disclosure of this fact. Once you're creatively involved, there are certain blind spots that tend to manifest in the perception of those products. Chances are most other people on eGullet will point out those blind spots pretty quickly.

I just received this e-mail from a friend I had a cat. It was named Simon. Simon was a real trollop. He went from restaurant to restaurant begging for table scraps. When he came home, he'd tell me all about them-which ones were his favorite, which ones had his favorite fish, which staff treated him nicely, and others who were rude and disrespectful. I'd go and check out these places for myself, and form my own opinions. A national newspaper asked me to review restaurants. It was a blast, because I got paid to eat. I could be as rude and silly as I liked. In other words, I could just be myself. However, some days, I just wanted to write about Simon. Simon's always there when I need him. When I need a quick list of Mexican restaurants--he comes through. When I'm craving casual Italian, Simon gives me a few tips. Lately though, Simon's been bothering me. I don't think he's being completely honest with me. I don't know what to do. Perhaps my therapist will help me out with that-but wait, I don't need a therapist, I'll just write about it in my column. Thousands of Canadian citizens will help me figure this out. Phew! Maybe I should start an advice column where people can pay me to solicit advice for my own shortcomings. What a scam! I wonder what Simon will say. Life is what happens when you go off topic.

For desserts, try the seafood buffet Fridays at PICA. PICA CHEW!!!!! Sorry--mom humour.