036: kitchen is the cook, whoa-ey-oh

I seemingly decided I'd had enough of getting straight A's and decided to accompany my parents down to the States for our family's annual Thanksgiving affair right before exam week. The drive was lengthened because there was a whiteout in Buffalo so we had to traverse the east side of the lake instead. Not much better. The Syracuse area was particularly tempestuous. THNX "lake effect". We saw a dozen cars in ditches, some fully flipped over.

Here is a bridge over the 1000 Islands Seaway.


We stopped for eats at an adorable place called Shorty's diner. I was immediately taken with the quaintness of the place. Jukeboxes and Coca Cola fetishism everywhere.


by the looks of it, they have a nice local crowd


View from our booth




Papa bear got a pulled pork sandwich with slaw and fries


Mama bear was craving a western sandwich and this one hit the spot


Jill bear had some of a croissant with egg, bacon and swiss


Holiday decor?


Holiday decor.


And then back on the road. Sure beats fast food.

035: routine bites hard

The semester is about to come to a close. I don't like to talk about school too much but I'll say... this was the best one yet. I'll never have stellar grades but there is nothing better than feeling pride in your work. I may even be able to use some of it in my book in two years when I look for a job... which is the ultimate goal.

Anyway, I'm sure many of us can agree that we have fathers. Some are better than others and even great ones have their lows. Whatever. We're human or mammalian and imperfect and all that. My dad has been awesome at encouraging development of computer & photographic skills and while my food photos are low-end, using my shittier camera, he doesn't think it's lame. Well, we had a great night on Sunday, doing some bookshopping and dinner. So here are the photos.

Also, what's better than a dad you can spend an hour in Chapter's with and then he asks to borrow the books you buy when you're done with them?

Dear Onions,
Get the FUCK AWAY!
Love, Jill


Nice face, you goof.


Some pasta with clams and shit. Hell yeah.


Detail shots: the cheese looks a bit fucked.


And Papa Bear's ribs


I'm going to the States this week for Turkey. Consider it blogged to grandiose proportions.

034: i check chedda like a food inspecta

A Friday night in August, after all our respective jobs and a near drowning at College and Spadina....


We vamoosed over to Ms. Jenny's. I'm still not over her wicked light fixture


Steph made some caesers and we hit the porch to chill and listen to cassettes on the boombox, while watching helpless folk stuck on Bathurst in the rain.


The boys showed up and chef Matt cooked up a vegan storm


Our waitress Phil was tipped well


Some buck tasty stirfrys. There was a good amount of chilies in them and the sauce was amazing. Matt bemoaned the fact that he had to use rice from India rather than China but we were indifferent.


Here are the kids enjoying the grub:








Later, we munched some rad brocs and hummus. mmm


And played with Jenny's toujours classy porch decor


adios. x-posted from shared blog in the summer.

033: mass hysteria inside the cafeteria

These days, I have been known to eat 2 sandwiches a day, and a platefull of sliced veggies. Also, gallons of juice: either Orange, Apple, Grapefruit or Five Alive and cold ginger tea.

Here is a typical dinner. Grilled turkey wrap, etc.


Recently, we noticed mac and cheese was being served. Jenn and I felt obligated to dive in, right before one of our big presentations and felt elated, despite the spine-shattering stress of the last month.


In true food-blogger style, I bought this slice of pie for the sole purpose of photographing it and going "haw haw haw. the label says pumpkin. this pie is totally apple. or even pineapple. ha!"


On weekends, my parents take me out for bizarrely cinematic meals. Here is an asparagus eggs florry. The hollandaise reminds me of the pre-rendered fat in bags from Fight Club and I'm glad I got it on the side. Heaven forbid it snag on a fence and spill all over me!


***

Call me sheltered, traditional, or maybe just a fan of stovetops but I had NO IDEA it was possible to scramble eggs in a microwave. Steph, Diego and I came back from a night out and I see this bowl of yellow foam revolving slowly. What could it be? How is that an egg? You want me to eat it. It is ok to eat?
In one swift movement, Steph pulled the bowl out of the microwave, stabbing the ballooned egg in proper Bates fashion. Can you imagine my shock?


Draped sensually over top of the egg, a jalapeno havarti alighted the senses. Buttery toast held it all together. There is nothing like this after a night of pop-ins at random parties and sneaking cans of Stiegl. It tasted cozy.


Chef Steph chowing down on her toast.


and her assistant Diego aka. Lepos <= check it out.

And I LOLed at this a bit [click to enlarge and read].

I can't wait for the semester to be done so I can get back to work on my graphnov.

032: craft service got nervous

On Friday, after one of the most exhausting weeks, Katie and I felt a reward was in order: SUSHI!

Nota bene: the carrot flower. I've already broken into song.


Kayla and I nomed some tempura.


I taught her to use chopsticks pretty well.


Katie is so stoked to have a large plate of raw fish in front of her.


This is what she got. (big salmon fan)


Kayla and her friend got this MASSIVE platter of sush. And he wouldn't even eat any of it. Too funny.


I got a chirashi bowl. So delicious.


I've now got a big craving for vegetarian rolls. I'm gonna pick up some sweet potato, asparagus and japanese pickle for a sushi-making party we're having next week. It's gonna be chaotic.

-pause-

Official declaration of hiatus:

Jill, the food fanatic is too busy eating lemon & dill tuna from the can to blog right now. Ahh, how the mighty have fallen.
She is also vigilantly applying the principles of one of her favorite historical figures to school work.


Aleksei, you inspire me and Boxer the horse to work harder!