CANDY CORN PIZZA

My daughter and I have watched every Nerdy Nummies episode ever made. But sometimes we actually make the recipe!

This was an Halloween inspired pizza that is meant to mimic the classic candy I like but is not so popular now that chocolate is ubiquitous. As a pizza, it was perfect for both of us!

Ricotta center, orange cheddar and a ring of gouda

Looking like the candy corn with a side of sweet yellow pepper.

CREEPY CHOCOLATE CARAMEL ALMOND CLUSTERS FROM VIRGINIA

It was about to be Halloween and my uncle found these delicious creepy treats in Carytown, Richmond, Virginia at a store called For The Love Of Chocolate. They were delicious! They came from SWEETSHOPUSA.COM.

ZOOBOOMAFOO

Every five years, my daughter decides that she needs a costume that cannot be bought or simply put together. This time, she wanted to be Zaboo, a sifaka lemur. So I went to the fabric store and found this, and got permission with modifications to use two soft furs to recreate the beloved beast.
So I cut out the pieces and the entire room was covered in fine fur. I added to my skills by reading the manual for my zipper foot.

I made a few mistakes, most late at night and a waste of time, but fixable.

In the end, she was happy and warm. I even managed to suspend the tail in the manner of a wedding train with a button when the coat hanger and stuffing failed.

I wonder what her next idea will be?

The first pattern I have bought and cut out for decades!

Pieces cut out and ready to sew

Fuzz everywhere!

Coming together

When I knew it was getting late! I sewed the ears together! I should have stopped there, but I proceded to rip the seams apart, only to discover that it was of the part I had done properly! The next day, it came together quite easily, and no further errors!

A zipper foot

My first zipper!

The final costume, mitts and gaiters included!

RASÖI

Once in a while I get out. On this occasion it was with MAD, so we closed down the place and still ran out of time! We are getting smarter, so we booked the next meeting before the end of this one.

We had decided on Rasöi, an Indian fusion restaurant recommended to my friend. They had a original pricy list of cocktails. They did not go lightly on the alcohol. It was interesting that the waitress recommended differenty drinks based on our gender. In the end I chose a mango mojito which was simple (rum, lime, mint, mango nectar) but satisfying. My friends tried the Brownskin Jabro (Amrut Single Malt Indian Whisky, Campari, Averna, saffron rosewater syrup) and the Broken Rickshaw (El Tinieblo Mezcal, Raynal VSOP Brandy, Cynar, Khalua, orange bitters) and seemed to enjoy them both, but I think they were jealous of my drink and my gender!

The food was not amazing for the cost. I am quite spoiled for great Indian food nearby with Sahib and Pushap making me very happy. The one standout dish I would recommend is the Chicken Biryani, which was not fusion but a great traditional dish. We tried the Aloo Ghobi, butter chicken and Palak kale paneer. They all fell short of the traditional fare.  I had the coconut shrimps and scallops which were quite good. They did have a nice fresh naan also.

So go for drinks, expect to pay a lot, and order the biryani. But for the same money, I would recommend enjoying 2 buffet lunches at Sahib, and a thali plate with a box of takeaway sweets from Pushap.

Street Cart Spring Rolls, Onion Bhajuis, and Venison Samosas

Light and crispy spring rolls stuffed with cabbage, peppers, eggs and cilantro, served with a sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce. Nice presentation and perfect for three.

Flaky pastries stuffed with lightly spiced ground Venison served with an okra infused mustard, mango chutney and  "Kachumber" salad. Unfortunately devoid of gamey flavor and the texture of ground beef.

Lightly spiced onion fritters served with a tamarind and date chutney and cilantro chutney. I liked the serving dish, but they were not special in any way.

BYRIANI show stopper - Curry chicken fried rice served with masala dusted tiger prawns, crispy fried onions and a medium boiled egg with a side of cucumber garlic raita.

MOVIE REVIEW: THE RACE

Since the movie Music and Lyrics came out, I have been much more aware at the art and craft of deciding the title of a movie. ( I dare you to watch the film, and try naming it something better. I still hate the title, but I have learned to respect the difficulty, and have yet to think of a superior alternative!) The movie title has two meanings, making it a homonym. Oddly, they chose it despite a solid French title of Dix Seconds de Liberté, and 2 other films in the last decade of exactly the same name! So I am speaking of the movie Race 2016.

Another interesting piece of trivia is that Jessie wasn’t his name. He was misunderstood when he said J.C. (James Cleveland) in his Southern accent when he moved to Ohio.

This movie was a unique story based in the reality of Jessie Owen’s Olympic wins at a time in history when two giant cultures were discriminating against different races. It explores the decisions Jessie would have faced before and competing in 1936 Berlin. The treatment of Jewish colleagues are touched on, and the freedom of black athletes at the Olympic village a sober reminder of the segregation that still remained in the US at that time.

I suspect many historical liberties were taken in the writing of the script, but if you accept the characters as the best version of themselves, it was a great story of raw talent in the midst of difficult times. It stands as a reminder of ongoing injustice, and how an individual has to swallow a lot of bile to be a difference the world can admire. It was inspirational, personal, and well worth watching!

MOVIES WORTH WATCHING

Race- Jessie Owen and the USA in 1936 Berlin Olympic Games
Now you see me- Fictional slight of hand and performance magic with a little long game
You've Got Mail - charming romance set in NYC in the fall
The Imitation Game - mathematician Alan Turing cracks the enigma code during WWII
Schindler's List - Oskar Schindler saves Jew from the Holocaust
Catch Me if you Can - the bold life of Frank Abagnale is better than fiction
A Beautiful Mind - an alternate life for John Nash living with schizophrenia
Erin Brockovich - a plucky single mom becomes a legal resource and environmental advocate
Flash of Genius - the story of the invention of the intermittent windshield wiper
Amadeus - the story of Wolfgang Mozart
To Kill a Mockingbird - Atticus Finch is a just lawyer and father in a terrible time of prejudice
La Dolce Vita - one man makes the Holocaust reality more than just survival
Harry Potter series - one the best fantasy junior fiction books brought to life
Inception - mindblowing cgi with a great soundtrack
Matrix - turned my world upside down
Iron Man - a great super hero flight of fancy
Mary Poppins - the combination of a great story and Disney magic
The Princess Bride - the best romantic adventure story ever told
The Truman Show - things are not as they seem
Groundhog Day - what would you do if your life reset every night?
Finding Nemo and Finding Dory - an adventure with two fish that help each other find their way
Spy Kids - every kid's dream adventure
The Sound of Music - a great musical from a blended family
Becoming Jane - if Pride and Prejudice was from real life
Night at the Museum - NYC natural history
Da Vinci Code  (Inferno)- run through Paris with symbolist Robert Langdon (run through Florence and Istanbul)
Can't Buy Me Love - before he was McDreamy, he was a geeky guy that had to grow into his own
50 First Dates - one of my favourite sweet romances
Shakespeare in Love - Where did you go Joseph Fiennes?
Narnia - beautiful rendition with an amazing CG Aslan
Prince Caspian - My favorite of the series
10 things I hate about you - shakespeare dummies comes to a high school near you
How to lose a Guy in 10 days - Funny and true
Moneyball - when you risk it all and win
Fool's Gold - a great adventure story
Jumanji - kid's adventure movie
Star Wars - I don't have to explain this one
Return of the Jedi - ditto
Pirates of the Caribbean - a great disney adventure
Sultan - bollywood - it has it all
Slumdog Millionaire - difficult life made beautiful
Memento - mind binding
Butterfly Effect - parallel lives
The Age of Adelaine - beautiful romance
Le Fabuleux Destin d' Amelie Poulin - Montmartre at its finest
Hidden Figures- what you didn't know at NASA
Lion - adoption story that is all heart
Dead Poets Society - education with soul
The Big Short - what you need to know about investing
Salt of the Earth - beautiful documentary of the world
The Social Network - the man that gave us Facebook
The Blind Side - heartwarming story of a supportive foster mom
Spotlight - true story of the Catholic church coverup in Boston (and the world)
Mr. and Mrs. Smith - my favorite date night
Date Night - when things go awry with the best comedians!
The Other Guys - I laughed so hard
Fun with Dick and Jane - it could be you and me!
Yes Man - what a relief from a world that too often says no
Girl on the Train - not the greatest thriller in book (Gone Girl wins my vote but movie is terrible) but the greatest book to thriller movie yet (not the grandeur of Da Vinci Code, but way more developed)
The Shape of Water- Oscar winning, complex, exquisite work of Art by Guillermo del Toro

NAMES THAT DON’T WORK IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Melina - a girl’s name, from the Greek for honey, phonetically identical to the medical term for black stool, melena, representing digested blood, and most often due to a stomach ulcer
Shaden - an Arabic girl’s name, meaning sadness in German
Becky - a young gay man in the Philippine's
Randy, Willy, Johnson, Dick, Fanny - self explanatory in English!
Randy - prostitute in Hindi
Laura - a dick in Hindi
Guy - cow in Hindi
Cecila - blind in spanish
Portia - pig
Molly - bitter
Mary - rebellion, bitter
Dolores, Lola - lady of sorrows
Leah - tired or weary
Lilith - ghost or night monster
Kennedy - deformed head
Emily - rival
Claudia - lame, disabled

KUMQUATS IN FRANCE

"FORTUNELLA"

We were walking down the hill from the train station in Nice, and my attention was arrested by a tree with a fruit I had never seen before. Coming from Quebec, and loving food, I have a pretty wide vocabulary for edible things, but when a friend French man noticed my interest, he told me the name and even wrote it down on my bag for me, but it was not until I came across the name again did I realize that the fruit was a Kumquat!

Maybe I should go to the fruit store in spring and ask for a fortunella, and see if that's what we call it here.

If I had had more familiarity, I would have picked one, ripe in the French Riviera springtime and eaten it!

The "fortunella" tree

The nice man about to give up in explaining what this silly tourist should understand!

ALL LIVES MATTER AND YOU TOO

We live in an unfair world. There are injustices everywhere. We are all benefiting from someone somewhere at sometime who spoke up on our behalf.

But it makes me cringe when those who speak up label themselves.

I suppose it began for me with feminism. I owe a great deal to the equality movement. I remember reading an excerpt from an Austrian Princess at the museum at the foot of Neuschwanstein who was ashamed to be allowed to study beside men. There was never any self-consciousness about me attending university. I am not sure that the reservations my parents had for me for medical school had all to do with my gender. But I will never in this lifetime be equal to my male colleagues, even often in nursing. If I stand at the bedside with a male nurse or 21 year old male medical school student, with my ID and uniform labelled as doctor,  I would estimate that the majority of time, my colleague is identified as the doctor and I the nurse. How much do my valid statements resonate when the patient is reoriented to me? Are they listening to me as a doctor, or as a female doctor? Why can't a just be the doctor, regardless of my gender? But what I see of the movement of "equality" is the tendency to want more than the other side. As though, because the pendulum has swung too far to one side, it is required to push past the middle and claw away something from the other side. But this is also not equality. So while the innocent child can say, "Anything you can do, I can do better", this is not what the disenfranchised can say to the other side. This is also why I hate to label the sides. We are all a complex mishmash of labels, but each one does not serve to unite us with others, but seems only to divide.

It is appalling what the colour of your skin can mean. I believe whole heartedly that black lives matter, and that atrocities are being committed everyday because of skin colour, and gender, and religion and orientation, and opinion. But if I am not black, I matter too. If I am not female, I matter too. If I don't adhere to your religion or way of thinking, I matter too. If I am not sexual, I matter too. If I disagree with you or you disagree with me, I matter too. But this doesn't help you understand me. And whatever your colour or gender or religious thoughts or orientation or opinions, you matter too.

I feel strongly that you and I are best served to meet simply as humans. It is natural that the next question you ask after meeing someone new, will result in a label. What do you do for a living? Where are you from? I get that we relate when we find commonality. But why can't it be that we relate over our concerns for our children, or the state of the world, or how we can respect each other and live at peace with each other. If we each did something positive for each other, we could take care of each other so easily.

Assassins lose count of their kills, if the spy novels are to be believed. Others lose count of how many people they have sex with. I have lost count of the number of people I have met dead, or dying, but every single one was a grief. Most people have no idea at how incredibly fragile our human body is. One stab to the flank. One high velocity car crash. One gunshot to the head. One cross walk ignored. One bike lane veered into. One irregular beat of the heart, and it's over. Human life is what we must protect. At all costs. It is precious, and precarious. We only get one opportunity. For all people, whatever label.

So if your label is on the wrong side of history, fight for equality. But don't take more from the other side, because that has never worked. Bring the pendulum back to the middle, but don't try and push it, to steal from the other side, or you just become a taker of equality from someone else.

My life, as privileged as it is to be living at this time in this beautiful free country, is never going to be equal to all. But that cannot be my focus, or I will take from someone else what is equality to them. I encourage you to see others as your equal, as human, with incredible potential, and a very brief lifespan. Be vigilant to the human fragility and wonder, and protect each other to your dying day.

FRIED TOFU IN DIPPING SAUCE

Tiny miscalculation in not having an egg. Cornstarch and bread crumbs are not quite enough! But it was a great lunch , and leftovers were plentiful since I was eating on my own. Check out the recipe at Season With Spice.
It was a Pinterest fail on appearance, but very decent taste. I was expecting a sweeter lighter sauce, which I love at Kanda, so I would maybe lighten up on the soy, and consider more sugar depending on taste. I used chili garlic paste instead of fresh garlic and chili pepper. Travelled well to work the next day. Used one pound of firm tofu, and found it a bit much for one person. Isn't it always better to share?

CHEESE FONDUE FOR TWO

Carrot pumpkins and baguette

HOW (NOT) TO REPLACE A TOILET SEAT

My toilet seat was old and gross, and I couldn't remember why it hadn't been replaced before. I even had bought the new "whisper close" seat. So I set out to take it off but it was rusted and not easy.

With a crowbar and hammer (yes, I really did use a hammer on a screw!), I managed to take off the old seat! Thanks to youtube, I was advised to pour H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) on the rust, and hammer until it loosened. I was worried that I might find the porcelain more fragile than the rust, but the plastic gave way before either.

Wire cutters and visegrips were required! The rusted washer gave way!

Sadly, porcelain did lose out, but at least it wasn't the toilet!

Ta da!

BLACK FOREST BETTY

Canned cherries on the bottom, chocolate cake mix on the top. A little dry, but easy and tasty.

PRACTICE. PRACTICE. REPEAT.

VEGAN GLUTEN FREE COOKIES BAKED BUT NOT EATEN FOR THANKSGIVING

Porcupine and Squirrel cookies

When the dough was too crumbly, I pressed it with my Pampered Chef tool into mini muffins. 

FALL WAFFLES IN QUEBEC

Orchard sliced apples and maple syrup on waffles

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

I love harvest season! One head of cauliflower, roasted, in soup broth.

Puree! It tasted a lot better than it looks!

THE LAST FALL WITH MY MAPLE TREE

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP FROM MARTHA'S MEATLESS

It had a beautiful Quebec butternut squash and I felt like soup. I found this simple recipe and made a batch while listening the fourth part of the BBC Reith Lecture to a CBC radio program about an obscure Polish writer named Stanislawa Przybysweska, who wrote fifteen hour plays about the French Revolution. It was piping hot, and sprinkled with dried sage and ritz crackers, filling and fragrant. It was maybe a little bland, especially with the adjective "spiced", but I do love butternut squash and sage. Maybe I'll try rosemary next time. Check out this option for another time with another squash. Maybe at the farmer's market tomorrow!

Supper!

                                             

FRIDAY THE 13TH, A REAL PERFECT DAY

Woke up with my daughter in the house.

Despite 5 days of fever, and exhaustion,  when the flu broke and it was time to go back to school, she got up with only one reminder, and we made it to the bus with time to spare.

I ate her leftover half a nutella toast, and found a crust end for a sufficient breakfast.

I had time to go number two!

I went for a run in the forest along the water, among autumn leaves, with a friend. We didn't get lost, and we ran 10k!

I met another friend, and we ate outside at Satay brothers at the beautiful Atwater market, walked along the Lachine canal, and sat on the chairs chatting.





After school, my daughter and I coloured and answered "Would you rather" questions.

Unplanned nap on the couch ending with a warm crushing cuddle on top.

Leftovers for supper.

Last minute ticket to Phantom of the Opera, with a seat so close to the chandelier, I nearly had a heart attack when it fell!



Bedtime in clean sheets with a warm comforter (ready for winter).

PHILOXENIA

Greek for the love of strangers. Also, hospitality.

WHAT WOULD YOU CALL A GROUP OF CHEETAHS?

My daughter taught me this: It's a coalition!

For other animal groups, check out The Almighty Guru.

HORNSWOGGLE

My friend Pria made me jealous studying for her GRE, because she had a great vocabulary. I don't know why I didn't just do it too. Okay maybe I haven't felt like I had time, but I am always trying to aquire new words.

This one came up in an animated conversation with a colleague, and I really thought she was making it up. It was maybe because I heard it "horn swaddle". Turns out she nailed it.

To be hornswoggled is to be tricked or hoaxed. She used it in the verb form, but it could also could be used as a noun.

So the next time you feel like someone is tricking you, think of it as being hornswoggled!

MASALA CHAI

A friend of mine and I were having a nice visit when she offered me tea. On offer was chai tea. I was pretty sure that chai meant tea, but I had forgotten that what I think of as chai is actually masala chai. Made with a black tea base,  the other four key ingredients are milk, sugar, cardamom and ginger. The usual tea base is referred to a "Breakfast" tea, originating in Assam, India (and according to wikipedia, traditional to Yunnan, China). Other spices used include cinnamon (one of my favourites), star anise, fennel, peppercorn, nutmeg, cloves, and, in the West,  allspice. Usually prepared with the spices heated through, and strained to serve.

One day I hope to drink masala chai from a chai wallah (tea vendor) in India. Until then, I'll make my own version in my kitchen or drink it with a friend on a chilly autumn afternoon. I like to eat with my eyes, but prefer to drink with my nose and hands!

This recipe was given to me so long I forget it's origin, but it's era was late 1990s.

SPICY CHAI
1 3/4 c water
1 inch cinnamon stick (a lot less good - 1/2 tsp ground)
4 green cardamom pods (omitted, or 1/2 tsp ground cardamom)
4 whole cloves or 1/2 tsp ground
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
2 tea bags (orange pekoe eg)
pinch of ground cinnamon for garnish

Bring water, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves to boil over high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, milk, tea bags and bring again to boil. Remove from heat. Strain and garnish with ground cinnamon.

TV SEASON BEGINS AGAIN

I don't watch much tv, maybe using the screen for a movie once or twice a month, or binge watching some trailers or a new series at the library. I do half watch online shows while I am doing dishes, making supper, answering emails, and writing this blog, as well as other mundane tasks. I have pretty much exhausted the online shows worth watching, but the season seems to have started anew.

Some great shows I am looking forward to seeing the season play out:
CTV
This is Us
Once Upon A Time
The Goldbergs
Kevin (probably) Saves The World
American Ninja Warriers
GLOBAL
Bull
Madame Secretary
?Wisdom of the Crowd
CITY
Brooklyn 99
CBC
Schitt's Creek
The Durells

Some shows to pass the time:
CTV
Big Bang Theory
Me, Myself and I
?The Good Doctor (how many Asperger MDs are there in tv land?)
GLOBAL
MacGyver
Kevin Can Wait
Brave
Man With a Plan
CITY
Modern Family
CBC
The Rick Mercer Report
This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Hoping they come back:
GLOBAL
Timeless
Private Eyes
Ransom

VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS

Tofu, red pepper, shredded carrots, lettuce, vermicelli, chopped peanuts, mint and kid friendly peanut dipping sauce

The trick to these is to start wrapping when the rice wrapping is still a little crunchy.

PEANUT SAUCE (THAILAND) p 119 Company's Coming Asian

Kid version

1 tsp Hunan or soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1/3 cup peanut butter

3 T maple syrup

2T lime juice

1/2 cup broth or salted water

Heat ingredients in saucepan until stir until bubbling. Serve immediately. 

CRAZY COMBINATION MY DAUGHTER SWEARS BY

Cookie Dough with a sprinkle of nerds, at Wild Willy's on the last dog days of summer

HAPPINESS IS BEING CAUGHT UP ON LAUNDRY!

My sock drawer, a distant memory, but once upon a time, for a day, I was totally caught up on laundry. I'll try it again tomorrow!

UPDATE ON THE ALTERNATIVE TO GROOMING

It has been a strange experience growing out hair on my legs and underarms. It still makes me a bit shy to wear a nice dress, or hang out in my bathing suit. I still look at my legs and see the shaved leg as the norm of beauty, even if I was always very forgiving of days missed.

I still feel steadfest about the need to be an example. It is literally no where else that my daughter will see an example. From deoderant commercials to the local pool, women's underarms and legs are shockingly and unnaturally devoid of hair. It's a problem for me, because it would be literally be impossible for me to be hairless. I learned this after growing a few unfortunate dark mustache and chin hairs, and trying electrolysis, which essentially pulls out the hair and injects a current that managed to give me folliculitis each time without actually preventing regrowth. In fact, the act of pulling out the hair seemed to strengthen it. I considered shaving the moustache area, but my whole face is covered in fine hair, and I couldn't see it as a believable alternative for me and my Scandinavian fuzzy face.

There have been a few unexpected things that have happened. What I have enjoyed the most is the feeling of air moving through the hair on my legs. All those years, no guy has told me of the joy of running down the street with the wind blowing through all of their hair. I always knew the feel on my head, but it never occurred to me that it could be doubled by chilling my legs on a hot summer day.  I wonder what I cannot compare; what if I had never shaved, would the hair on my lower legs look like it does now, or would it be a lighter, finer version that my upper legs still sport.  I am surprised that I no longer have a memory of my legs before I shaved. I am surprised at how long I have looked at my legs and without even being conscious of it, considered them ugly if they were not shaved. I am enjoying putting less garbage in a landfill since I put down my razor. I use less water in my shower. I feel like I have more time! It can't be much, but it is a tiny reduction in a burden of daily tasks.

Sometimes my daughter strokes the hair on my legs. I don't know what she thinks, but it is pretty clear that she doesn't yet think it is not a sign of normality or femininity. This makes it all worthwhile. I have also been happily suprised to see a few internet examples of women sporting underarm hair, like Julia Roberts on the red carpet, circa Notting Hill, and Sofia Lauren, in black and white. I don't know that anyone else sees me as anything but a middle age woman unkempt and unfeminine, especially in this age of waxing and laser treatments, but I am starting to feel normal seeing hair at my ankles and under my arms. No one has been outright hostile, but there have been more than a few stares. Fortunately in the era of political correctness, I am free to make this as a personal decision. I seem to be alone, but for my daughter, I will be different so that she might have a choice. How many other things have I accepted as necessary for feminine beauty without thinking? Why are you working so hard to be unnaturally beautiful? Is it for you? Why judge me for my hair that grows naturally? I find it hard to understand why hairlessness is so pervasive. You don't need to apologize to me for not shaving today. I didn't either!