MaryIsobel

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.

I have two devilled egg plates - one is a hideous hand painted one ( gift) and one is plastic (that I bought at a dollar store to display dyed easter eggs when the kids were wee.) So I usually use kale (or iceberg torn into large chunks - if I'm camping) to keep the eggs upright. This has reminded me that my aunt used to do devilled eggs by cutting the eggs aross the equator rather than pole to pole. A tiny sliver off the pointy end and the eggs stood up nicely by themselves. Don't know why I didn't remember this until this minute! I have never owned ice tea spoons, nor has anyone I know but I can certainly see their usefulness.

I also use the Kuhn Rikon jar opener. Works well for me when my t&t method of turning the jar upside down and giving it a thump on the counter fails.

Thanks Blue Dolphin! I tried to make baked ones once and it was an abyssmal failure, but toasting the breadcrumbs first is a brilliant idea which I shall try. We are looking at temps of 34-36C for the next week so my mindset is on salads and cold meals but once it cools down a bit, I see risotto and aranchini in our future.

Aranchini are something I love to eat but have never made. Do you deep fry or shallow fry? Deep frying is not something I ever do. I love the result but not the process. My husband loves to make fish and chips but I insist that he does it outside because I swear the smell of deep frying lingers in our house for days.