MaryIsobel

I'm starting to look forward to cooking a hot meal again - but not yet. Cold noodle salad with grilled terryaki chicken thighs, red pepper, cucumber, carrot, red cabbage, green onion, cilantro, peanuts and a (purchased) sesame ginger dressing. As with most noodle dishes, I ended up with about twice the amount I meant to make. Our twenty-something nephew is staying with us, so I'm sure it won't go to waste.

Fish tacos and our first local corn of the year. I think it was Kim that mentioned the Ultimate Fish Sticks from Costco. We were having some littles to visit for a few days and their mom said fish sticks were their favourite meal so... They are actually pieces of fish, not fish paste. Had some left so fish tacos it was. There is a lime crema and cilantro underthe fish, which is under the cabbage (I only had red cabbage) and pickled onions

Magnificent! Flawless looking frosting and chocolaate curls and all my favourite flavours.

Happy birthday to Charlie and wow - what a feast!

That looks wonderful and cousins whom we will be visiting live in Cumberland, on Cumberland Road in fact. What a lovely garden. Will definitely check these out. Thanks so much!

I have read great things about Hen and Hog, but my sis is set on Atlas (she is very unadventurous when it comes to food and likes to go with what she knows, but she was all over the Cuckoo so that's good.) We let everyone pick a restaurant or two or three on our sister's getaways but ever since she suggested the Spaghetti Factory in Kelowna, my other sister and I have gently told her that we will pick restaurants for her to choose from! Thanks for the rec for the Black Fin, as one of our afternoons we will be taking our 90 year old aunt (whom you would think is 75) out for lunch. She lives in Courtenay, so that might be a good option. I hear you on the understaffing and the current heat wave. We are going the 3rd week in August so hopefully it won't be as hot as it currently is. Thanks so much for all the great suggestions, lots of places I haven't heard of.

I always have an ice cube or two in white wine or rose when it's hot out. Didn't know I was cool! (When ordering in a restaurant, I always ask for a side of ice cubes as I don't want 6 ice cubes in it.)

Always have Bird's custard powder on hand for Nanaimo Bars (at Christmas) or a quick and easy trifle with any kind of cake and any kind of fruit. Good stuff!

Also going to try to go to Q Burger but admittedly I am not one to stand in line for anything. Thinking we might try mid afternoon for a late lunch/early dinner.One of my sister's must-go-to places is Atlas Cafe in Courtenay for Eggs Benny. Apparently they were featured on You Gotta Eat Here (as was Q Burger) so it may be busier than the last time we were there about 5 years ago. https://www.atlascafe.ca/breakfast

Your recommendations are much appreciated and I just told my sisters that we will be dining at the Cuckoo one night for sure. I wasn't aware of it. I haven't been to the Island since 2019 thanks to Covid. I know that the Coombs market is crazy but we are all early risers so plan to be there for the opening bell on our foraging for dinner day. We have booked at the Kingfisher for the hydropath and lunch on our last day.

Thanks - have been goiong to Qualicum for about 45 years. Cut my beer teeth at the Shady Rest! Years ago, there was a great place, right on the water in Nanaimo that served buckets of clams and/or mussels. I haven't found it by googling and haven't been there for a couple of decades so it may be no longer. I will check out the Shore restaurant for sure. And touristy or not, I love Coombs! We are staying in a place right on the water that has a kitchen, so the plan for one night is to go to Coombs and gather ingredients for dinner. With a few Fanny Bay oysters on the side.

Sorry - my phone and laptop are not cooperating today. I'm getting a weird file extension and when I try to save as a pdf, that's what happens. I will try again after some sustenance.

Will be heading to the Island, Qualicum in particular - would love to hear any suggestion you may have between Nanaimo and Qualicum.

We are home now but will be heading up Ashcroft way in September so will definitely plan to stop at Herbie's in Cache Creek. It has been around since 1957 and is another must stop place in the canyon. https://www.hungryherbies.com/menu I remember going there a few times as a kid, long before the days of the Coquihalla Highway.

Do buy flowers for yourself Shelby. I figure with what my husband spends on fishing tackle and truck stuff, I am fully justified.

(Which is Highway one from the Fraser Valley to the Okanagan or the Cariboo in B.C.) Two stops recommended; Big H's Fish and Chips, just as you approach the town of Clinton. Only open Friday to Sunday. Basically a food truck in an RV site but we make a point of going there whenever we are in the vicinity. "Big H" used to be a halibut fisherman but retired from that, bought an RV campsite and set up to supply the best fish and chips we've had. Further on, just at the far end of 70 Mile, the Sugar Shack. Authentic Montreal Smoked Meat, poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, beaver tails and many maple products. The owner is a French Canadian character with quick wit and an amazing way with smoked meat. The picture is my husband's half portion of poutine with smoked meat. The poutine is made with house made french fries, authentic curd and peppercorn gravy. Insanely good.

Local blueberries and Okanagan cherries. Enjoyed in what is currently the coolest room in the house, the master bedroom. It is the only room that has AC and Charlie (our dog) and I have been pretty much parked here for the last few days. Cherries.pdf

Hit up my favorite honour stand today, as I do weekly. This was my 21.00 haul. Gerbera bunches (7 to a bunch) and lillies (4 stems) were 6.00 each and the little hand tied posie was 5.00. Those posies are my go to hostess gifts. Your host doesn't need to find a vase and arrange them - just stick them in a highball glass or a coffee mug.

My dad loved Boston Baked Beans, which I was able to find for him now and again, also Chicken Bones, which were much harder to find, and Licorice Kids which were probably the easiest to find. The one thing I could never find locally for him was Redskin Peanuts. I did order them for him onlilne a couple of times but they are non-existant in these parts nowadays. I have had a similar problem this year finding salted peanuts in the shell which were always a go to camping treat for my husband. Lots of peanuts in the shell available, but I have not seen the salted ones anywhere I've looked. They were always right along side the unsalted ones.

I've made that recipe a few times and whether it ends up grainy or not really does depend on your feta. My daughter, who dislikes feta makes it with Boursin and that is a great variation.

That sounds very appealing in this horrific heat (36C today)

We call those Hello Dolly squares - no idea why but I agree - they are very popular.

That looks lovely.I'm envious as in our extended family the majority of birthdays are between November and January. So much baking overload given Thanksgiving and Christmas and birthdays!

We can buy what we call "cloudy apple juice" here. It is not froom concetrate and has great apple flavour. https://www.compliments.ca/en/products/juice-apple-not-from-concentrate-1-65-l/

I have heard the same thing, but you are right, I wouldn't leave a plate of devilled eggs out in the sun for hours. I make good use of the bags from "wine in a box." Once empty, refill with water and freeze flat and set your plate on top.