eG Foodblog: Daddy-A - Adventures in Lotus Land

[peppyre]

Ummm...you know, if you have any left over cheese, I will be just downstairs. Working. Unable to get away for food or drink

Seriously though, what types of cheeses are they? And yes, I know their french.

[Mooshmouse]

Man... Vancouverites sure know how to eat!

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That, Laksa, is the understatement of the day!

There really hasn't been alot rain Jen.  If it's any consolation, it was raining while we were eating lunch 

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Yeah, veritably pouring. About 4 1/2 drops of rain, now long since gone. And the sun's trying to make an appearance again.

[Safran]

OK, that's it! I want to pack up the household and MOVE. The pictures of that cheese shop were the last straw. What an absolutely GORGEOUS place!!!

Have fun tonight Arne and "J"!!

[Mooshmouse]

Seriously though, what types of cheeses are they?  And yes, I know their french.

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My cheese selections today were:  L'Edel du Cleron, Cantal and Fourme d'Ambert (the last two being from the same region ... learned something new today!)

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Okay Tricia. You were castigating Arne earlier?!

Have you started drinking already?

[peppyre]

Seriously though, what types of cheeses are they?  And yes, I know their french.

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My cheese selections today were:  L'Edel du Cleron, Cantal and Fourme d'Ambert (the last two being from the same region ... learned something new today!)

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Okay Tricia. You were castigating Arne earlier?!

Have you started drinking already?

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OK, let me clarify.... What style are these cheeses?

There, that better....the drinking doesn't start for another couple hours, wait, maybe I should have a glass of wine while I get ready...

[Jensen]

There really hasn't been alot rain Jen.  If it's any consolation, it was raining while we were eating lunch 

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Yeah, veritably pouring. About 4 1/2 drops of rain, now long since gone. And the sun's trying to make an appearance again.

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Could you at least LIE to me then? (pretty please?)

We lived on Burnaby Mountain when we first moved to Vancouver from the Island so the photos of the Heights were especially tough for me. Sigh.

[jgarner53]

Man, I thought I lived in a food nirvana! What a great blog!

[forever_young_ca]

Great Blog, Daddy_A. It is wonderful to see our fabulous westcoast shown off in a food blog.

Have fun tonight.

[Susan in FL]

Way cool, besides everything else in your blog, you have other eGers!

Hello, everyone, and thanks for your roles in this!

[Ling]

Okay Tricia.  You were castigating Arne earlier?!

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Oh my....when I was skimming this post, I thought you had typed "castrating".

[purplewiz]

Finally, my butcher block!  Not only usefull for cutting, but a nice backdrop for eGullet Dinner! photos!

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Could you maybe speak to this butcher block - brand, how well it works, etc.? It looks like exactly what I'm looking for and having a rough time finding!

And after reading your blog, I'm hungry. Again.

Marcia.

[Daddy-A]

Could you maybe speak to this butcher block - brand, how well it works, etc.? It looks like exactly what I'm looking for and having a rough time finding!

And after reading your blog, I'm hungry. Again.

Marcia,

I'm glad I'm making you hungry! The question is, am I making you want to travel to Vancouver??

I had the butcher block custom made for me, one of the advantages to having cabinetmakers at your fingertips. So unfortunately, there's nowhere you can buy it. It's 1.5" thick, 24" wide by 18" deep, solid maple. It took about a litre (1/2 gallon approx.) of oil to season it initially!

As far as how it works ... well I know this isn't the case, but when I first started using it I swear my knives were getting sharper. Previously, I had been using Corian cutting boards which I later discovered were dulling my knives. Doh!

Check with your local cabinet shops to see if they can make you one. Mine cost me about $100 when all was said and done. Money very well spent!

A.

[Daddy-A]

I had wanted to make this post last night ... honestly! And it's not like I wasn't sober enough to do it. In fact I dl'd all the pictures to my laptop before "J" and I crashed. It just didn't feel like the right way to end our evening

The 27th Annual Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival

The festival will serves some 1,100 wines from 174 wineries representing 17 countries over the course of the weeklong, 49-event homage to the grape.

"J" and I attended the public tasting last night at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre ... what locals still refer to as "The Sails". 700 wines are featured at this tasting as are about a billion people trying to taste!

The feature country this year was South Africa. Having just been to the Nederburg tasting at the Hamilton Street Grill last month, the timing couldn't have been better.

With over 700 wines to try, a little planning is in order. The book "J" is writing in is complimentary ... it includes the obligatory map, and space for note taking.

Township Jive! By the end of the evening these guys had the whole room ... well, jiving!

Does someone want to tell me what that woman in the middle is wearing? Needless to say, it's a great place to people watch.

Now, I'm no oenophile, so I can't/won't waste anyone's time by sharing my tasting notes with you. I'll wait to embarrass myself in the Wine forum However, there was one winery last night that really caught our interest:

Sula Vineyards from Nashik, Indian (located just outside Bomaby) offered up a Brut Method Champagnoise, Blush Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and a Shiraz/Cab (80-20) Blend. A lot of potential here, especially the Blush. That bald head you see is the founder/CEO Rajeev Samant ... a former Silicon Valley engineer. Very nice man who is thoroughly enthused by his product. Note: This wine is carried locally by Liberty Wine Merchants

This dog was completely hammered by 10pm!

More bloody eGulleters! That's Tricia (peppyre) on the right with her mom on the left. Both were working the tasting last night ... not stalking us

Some older Italian gentleman (from one of the wineries) dancing(???) with my wife By the time the tasting ends (10pm) some of the people working have been there for 14 hours! Some of them are a little loopy!

Our night isn't over yet. Next, we're off to a dinner featuring Spanish Wines & Tapas. It's just a quick cab ride away ...

A.

[Daddy-A]

By the time we'd spent 3 hours tasting wine (and nibbling on a little bit of bread) we were somewhat famished. Believe me, if "J" says she's hungry, then I'm starving. Bravo Bistro - Amuse Bouche (1188 Davie Street) hosted an evening called Spain: Tapas and Wine.

A number of local eGulleters had already been to this restaurant with mostly positive reviews, but the chef has since "moved on" so I wasn't sure what to expect. Again, the wines were excellent, but I'll be adressing what I know best ... the food!

Towards the back: Marinated Albacore Tuna with Chorizo, served on cucumber. Once I ate the chorizo on it's own I really liked this. The tuna and the cucumber were awesome together, but the chorizo seemed like it was crashing the party. On its own, the chorizo was also excellent.

At the front: Jamon w/ Espelette Spiced Melon. Salty ham with melon! What's not to like?? Very refreshing.

This wasn't listed on the menu ... but it was Prawns coated with Spicey Nuts Went really well with the Tempranillo's they were serving.

This was my favorite of the evening: Fried Potato Cones filled with a Mousse of Salted Cod. Like high-class potato chips! Very adictive.

This rates as the cleverest dish of the evening ... Gazpacho of Peas with Mint & Dungeness Crab! A quick shot of flavour. IMO this dish could have been "improved" with tequila , but of course we were there for the wine.

Owner, Abdel Elatouabi ... and no the blurry-ness has nothing to do with my state of innebriation! A very gracious host who's very proud of the food he offers. When we asked him about an ingedient in the Crema Catalana (sorry, no pic), he ran back to the office to find the recipe. The ingredient was sherry

It's now 9:30 PST. Time for some REAL coffee. Back in a while.

A.

editted: To correct a factual error

Edited March 20, 2005 by Daddy-A (log)

[Susan in FL]

There's a thread about the foods and beverages that have been spilled on keyboards and how to clean it up, but what about all the drooling on keyboards that is going on as a result of seeing the good food in this blog?

[andiesenji]

That's my problem also. This is also making me want to visit the area again. The last time I was in the area it was so cold and wet the entire time that I huddled in my hotel, only venturing out for the specific event I was there to attend. My arthritis flared up and I was miserable for the entire six days.

The only time I ever visited Pike Place Market, I was knocked down by a guy pushing a dolly stacked high with a bunch of crates and not looking where he was going.

Needless to say, I have not been anxious to return to the Pacific northwest but this blog has given me a reason to change my mind.

[jamiemaw]

Good morning.  I've had a number of requests in this blog to discuss my kitchen.  Chef Neil and I were discussing this the other day ... the whole question of "what does a professional kitchen designer do for their kitchen?", is much the same as "what does a chef have for dinner?".  Often it's pretty ordinary.  Functional, but ordinary.

This is what "J" refers to as "The Bridge" (think Star Trek).  The raised bar is 1.5" thick maple butcher block. The bar stools are from Sears (of all places!).  Dishwasher:  Asko 1400 series. 

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Arne,

I am enjoying your personalized tour of Vancouver and its eastern sububurbs very much indeed. Did you happen to bump into Harrison Ford, Virginia Madsen or F. Morris Chatters last night at the Wine Festival? It's rumoured that they're here to film the sequel to Sideways, but this time it takes place in the Napa. The working title is Indiana Jones and the Valley of Gloom. I believe that's a reference to too much oak.

Of the many intriguing stops on your tour, I couldn't help but be entranced by the spoiler in your kitchen. Less secure men typically attach these to the business ends of their Porsches or Trans Ams. So I was thrilled to see that you've taken it inside, the better to keep your counter under control when cooking at speed.

Edited March 19, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[malarkey]

This is what "J" refers to as "The Bridge" (think Star Trek).  The raised bar is 1.5" thick maple butcher block. The bar stools are from Sears (of all places!). 

I'm intrigued by the 'bridge.' What was the inspiration for this? Is it to maximize counter space? It seems to me it would be very awkward for the people sitting at the bar stools behind it, as it looks to be face level. But that just could be the perspective the photo creates.

I'm with you on the fridge. Freezer UNDER fridge, much better design.

[malarkey]

Patisserie LeBeau serves up some of the best Belgian pastries anywhere, but it's their waffles they're most famous for. 

I picked up a couple stuffed waffles (rice pudding & spiced apple) and a couple flavoured waffles (chocolate chip & white chocolate w/ almond).  No pictures right now ... we'll be enjoying those for breakfast!

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OH my god. I'f I'd known about LeBeau on my last visit I would have gorged myself. These look just outrageous. I ADORE gaufres

Needless to say, this is HIGH on my return list.

Excellent blog, Daddy-A. You do the PNW proud.

[jayhay]

I'm enjoying this too, Arne. I hope you ran outside & took a picture or two during our few minutes of sunshine this morning....

[Daddy-A]

I'm enjoying this too, Arne.  I hope you ran outside & took a picture or two during our few minutes of sunshine this morning....

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You mean like this?

This picture was taken from the "prow" of the convention centre. On the left is Stanley Park, and if you look really closely you can see the Lion's Gate Bridge in the disntance. The mountain in the middle is Grouse Mountain. Seems that the little storm that went through here last night gave all the local hills a dump of snow. Back to the left ... the construction you see is the expansion of the Convention Centre. We have to get ready for the Olympics you know!

A.

[Daddy-A]

Of the many intriguing stops on your tour, I couldn't help but be entranced by the spoiler in your kitchen. Less secure men typically attach these to the business ends of their Porsches or Trans Ams. So I was thrilled to see that you've taken it inside, the better to keep your counter under control when cooking at speed.

That's me all over Jamie ... secure in my manly speed!

I'm intrigued by the 'bridge.' What was the inspiration for this? Is it to maximize counter space? It seems to me it would be very awkward for the people sitting at the bar stools behind it, as it looks to be face level. But that just could be the perspective the photo creates.

Yeah, it's just the angle of the photo. The bar sits about 45" off the floor which is a little higher than standard bar height (about 3"). It's tough for really little kids, but nobody else seems to notice.

The other motivation for the design? It looks kinda cool And I really like butcher block.

A.

[Daddy-A]

Patisserie LeBeau serves up some of the best Belgian pastries anywhere, but it's their waffles they're most famous for. 

I picked up a couple stuffed waffles (rice pudding & spiced apple) and a couple flavoured waffles (chocolate chip & white chocolate w/ almond).  No pictures right now ... we'll be enjoying those for breakfast!

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OH my god. I'f I'd known about LeBeau on my last visit I would have gorged myself. These look just outrageous. I ADORE gaufres

Needless to say, this is HIGH on my return list.

Excellent blog, Daddy-A. You do the PNW proud.

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Thanks! The waffles were consumed this morning for breakfast. But first:

All hail the Pan Pacific Altar of Java! Gotta love getting out of the shower to the smell of coffee!

Man I love the gaufres from LeBeau! Clockwise from the front: Chocolate chip, White chocolate & Almond, Waffle stuffed with Rice Pudding!

After greedily consuming our breakfast, we waddled out into a cold (5C/42F) March morning. Being close to the water adds a certain dampness to the air that is not unfamiliar to Vancouverites. The plethora of tourists mingling about the front of the hotel couldn't say the same thing and sat huddled together to protect themselves from the cruel Vancouver winter!

"J" & I headed towards Hastings, and Cafe Artigiano. Artigiano has been offering up some of the best coffee in the city since 2000.

What sets us apart from other coffee shops is not only the ambiance and great food, but the passion put into each cup by the skilled baristi.

This is their newest store (or perhaps West Van is newer?). These shots give you an idea of the ambiance. I particularly love the way the paint on the Vespa and the Espresso Machine match!

Our objective today .... latte art! Co-owner Sammy Piccolo is the Canadian Barista Champion, and placed second at the 2004 World Barista Championship. This guy is very serious about coffee ... and it shows in how Artigiano presents their product:

And it tastest pretty great too! Almost a shame to spoil the craftsmanship ... but not quite.

So after that it was back home. On the way we picked up supplies for this evenings "meal." Thanks to eGullet and a couple places in Vancouver, I have fallen hopelessly in love with pulled-pork butt. This year, I decided to learn how to do it myself. So I've purchased a Weber Bullet, and for your entertainment, am currently smoking a 4lb butt.

I'll have the early pictures up in a couple hours. Then "J" and I are off to a hockey game while the butt continues to smoke. Hopefully, I'll have the finished product ready at around 11pm.

Wish me luck!

A.

[Daddy-A]

I have found my entry into the "School of Q" an arduous one. This is one method of cooking that is as much about years and years of experience as it is about technique. In Vancouver, barbecue always meant burgers on the hibachi. This whole concept of smoking, rubs and sops is completely foreign to me. So as I began to search for information, I was definitely flying blind.

eGullet probably gave me my first glimpse at the inner workings of the pit. People like Varmint and Mayhaw Man posted a lot about barbecue and gave a great place to start. On a side note, is there a barbecue forum? If not, there easily could be. I've found two great sources on-line: National Barbecue News has great forums and articles, and a lists of a lot of suppliers (unfortunately most are in the US), and Virtual Weber Bullet which focuses on cooking with that particular smoker.

So on with the smoking! I started by rubbing a 4.5lb pork butt with this concoction:

Southern Succor Rub

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1/4 cup ground black pepper

1/4 cup paprika

1/4 cup turbinado sugar  2 TBSP salt

2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp cayenne

Unfortunately I lost the pictures of this, but just imagine a hunk of pork, really really red

Time to light the coals:

Using a lighting chimney really helps here. Once the meat was put in the smoker, I went and had a nap! Then I started on the sop:

Southern Sop

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Remaining Southern Succor Rub (there was about 1 cup left)

2 cups cider vinegar

1 cup water

3 TBSP ground black pepper  2 TBSP salt

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP paprika

1 TBSP cayenne 

Simmering the sop ... and I hope you like the smell of coder vinegar, because our kitchen is ripe with it! This is what the sop looks like:

The little brush and cup were a Christmas gift from my beautiful wife. Finally, I get to use it!

In addition to the butt, Chef Neil donated a chunk of brisket he was going to turn into pastrami to give me the opportunity to "try this at home"

Snack time ... "J" and I shared the last waffle from LeBeau. This one was caramel filled:

You'd think we never fed Ringo & Gromit!

After about 3 hours (should have been four, but we're going out at 6:30), I applied the sop, and turned the butt.

Ringo is not a patient animal!

So we're still smoking. The pastrami should be ready in about an hour ... we'll snack on that for dinner before the hockey game.

About the hockey game - this is WHL (Western Hockey League) action between the Vancouver Giants and last year's Memorial Cup (Junior Hockey Championships) winners, The Kelowna Rockets. Yes, food will be consumed just to keep this on topic. But since the NHL has cancelled its season, well, life has been pretty bleak. I'm pretty excited about tonight.

Oh, and about the pulled pork too!

A.

[purplewiz]

I'm glad I'm making you hungry!  The question is, am I making you want to travel to Vancouver??

That would be travel to Vancouver again . I've been twice, had a wonderful time and fabulous meals both times, and would love to go again (and if I do, I'm going to reread this blog to remember where to eat! Like those waffles.). It's a great city.

I had the butcher block custom made for me, one of the advantages to having cabinetmakers at your fingertips.  So unfortunately, there's nowhere you can buy it.  It's 1.5" thick, 24" wide by 18" deep, solid maple.  It took about a litre (1/2 gallon approx.) of oil to season it initially!

As far as how it works ... well I know this isn't the case, but when I first started using it I swear my knives were getting sharper.  Previously, I had been using Corian cutting boards which I later discovered were dulling my knives.  Doh!

Check with your local cabinet shops to see if they can make you one.  Mine cost me about $100 when all was said and done.  Money very well spent!

What a great idea - I would have never thought of it. I will have to call around - I'm having the worst time finding a cutting board that can even pretend to stand up to the dry air here (oiled or not), and I'll just bet the local cabinetmakers know how to work with the local conditions. Thanks so much - that's quite a reasonable cost for such a lovely piece of work that should last darned near forever!

Marcia.