Craving Comfort

These days I am out of my mind craving fall comfort food. Since the first frost in early November I just want to dive into plates of comfort food to stay warm and cozy. I am craving short ribs in some kind of rich sauce with star anise over polenta. Cheese! I dream of all kinds of cheese, but mostly simple cheddar. Last night I went to a performance potluck and there were crock pots of awesomeness: pulled pork, hearty beef curry along with classic scalloped potatoes smothered in cheddar, an excellent coleslaw with pistachios, cous cous (not quite polenta, but still good) and a chocolate cake with raspberries and cayenne. Almost everyone did a "turn" in a kind of Victorian-style salon that included lots of solos, quartets, swing-dancing, a Leonard Cohen impersonator and yours truly singing a new song I wrote. The pianist who accompanied almost everyone was an incredibly talented sight reader and composer. But the one who stole the show was the giant black and white cat who strutted about deigning to received adoration. He OWNED that salon.

Boxing Day Comfort Food

Mr. Zucchini Mama is working on some braised bison shortribs for tonight. He's also baking bread and making up a batch of his granola. I am cuddled under a patchwork blanket with a cup of Shaktea's Five O' Clock Blend, which is my current favorite. This year I'm going to be doing a lot of ingredient-based research. I've decided that my approach to cooking is based on my love of key ingredients so I want to organize and focus my seasonal meal planning to try to stay inspired. These last few days, lunches have been tuna melts with tomato miso soup and perogies with winter salad. I bought some fresh walnuts from the Farmer's Market so I am researching walnut recipes. California Walnuts has a really good website with a ton of recipes. Savory scones, maple walnut pots de creme and banana caramel walnut squares are a few that captured my fancy.

I made a ginger pumpkin custard for Christmas Eve from Canadian Living. It's made with coconut milk, so Peter can eat it. I was very happy with the recipe except it has a creme caramel sauce base which I thought was finicky and not needed. I also want to cut back on the sugar in the recipe and try it again. It was delish, and we had leftovers for breakfast, of course! I'm not a big fan of baking in a water bath, but it's all right to do it for a special occasion. My three key words for the next year are Simple, Seasonal, and Sustainable. One of my favorite gifts was my friend's dried pear slices and toasted almonds. I've been snacking on them in between cookies and chocolate and I appreciate the healthy alternative at this time of the year. Next year's plan is to really get into dehydrating food.

More Reflecting

Hot Chocolate made with Cocoa West's Poblano Cocoa. Ules garnishes his with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate shavings.

What kind of year has it been for you? This year we didn't have a babysitter, so went out very little as a couple. Our dinner at Parkside and the Christmas party at HSG were two exceptions. I truly got stuck in my epicurean trifecta of Chutney Villa, Aphrodite's, and Trafalgar's. Strangely, I really lost my urge to cook or bake much this year. Too much to do and not enough downtime. Meals at our house became economical in terms of time, money, and effort.

This year I really indulged in my love affair with Indian Sweets. These saffron burfi are one of my favorites.

This year food became pared down and simple for me. It has become a mood elevator and means of sustenance rather than an adventure. I rely on food to keep me buoyant and energetic when I start to flag emotionally and physically. Food is medicine for body and soul. This year my diet has to become even more simplified as I struggle to lose some of "the weight." I plan on being more acetic with my food choices. We'll see how that goes, especially with my love for dairy products and sweets.

Making three nutritious meals a day is part of my job here Chez Zucchini, and I need to be more organized this year to create more variety in our diet. In a word, we've sort of been stuck in a rut, especially with regards to school lunches. I'm going to have to do some research on lunch ideas. Anyway, blah blah blah, that's my New Year's ramble on food!

Sweet Cherubim

A warm Saturday on Commercial Drive. Rose petal trails lead to flower shops.

Fallen leaves make an ephermeral carpet under vintage chairs.

Sweet Cherubim's kofta and chickpea subji's over brown rice and a mango shake provide a comforting, filling lunch.


Unique boutiques are great for puttering, playing Looky Loo and getting ideas. Unwinding on the Drive is one of may favorite things to do on weekends. I like to pop in at the library too, and search for novelty teas in the organic shops. I buy a container of green salsa, some locally made panir and a couple of pakoras to take home.

Okay--mini rant coming up here. I searched up and down The Drive for a cold glass of brewed iced tea, but no-one makes their own iced tea any more. We have this whole thing about not putting more plastic and glass into the garbage stream and the coolers in every shop are filled with heavily sugared iced teas. Make it stop!