G is for Growing Things #AtoZChallenge

On April 7, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Adventures in Food, Gardening13 Comments

Last summer was the first year I had a garden, here at Chez Badass – my rooftop garden. My very expensive rooftop garden, when you consider I had to invest a couple hundred dollars in containers and soil to grow less than $10 worth of plants and seeds. But no matter, the enjoyment I got from it was priceless.

The Badass Rooftop Garden produced pole beans and cherry tomatoes until an overnight frost hit mid-October. This photo was taken in September.

I decided that I will focus on growing things that are hard to get at farm markets or from directly from farmers. Hence pretty much the only thing I want to grow is pole beans. Which I cannot easily source, otherwise! Why is that, I wonder? They taste so much better than bush beans.

Soon I’ll be ordering my seeds from this place:

I love this catalogue. It’s the promise of summer in magazine form.

I zone in on this page, and this page only.

And here is my pick for this year:

Hunter boots not included with seed order. Damn.

I’ll be plunking down $2.25 for these babies, plus some peat pots to start them in. Looking so forward to harvesting fresh beans most nights for supper, all summer long. Already dreaming about how good these will taste alongside my corn and tomatoes on a hot summer evening, on my rooftop patio, accompanied by a cold beer.

Do you grow anything to eat in the summer? Have you ever had pole beans?

Rock on,

The WB

Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!

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F is for Farm Markets and Farmers’ Markets #AtoZChallenge

On April 6, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Adventures in Food13 Comments

I’m lucky enough to be in very close proximity to both a farm market and a farmers’ market.

In the summer, my local farm market is open 7 days a week, and I hit it often on the way home from work to see what new local food is in season.

Ditto with the Friday afternoon Farmers’ Market set up a few short paces from my home in the Village. It’s a great start to the weekend. I park my car and grab my marketing bag and my cash, and head down the street to see what’s new since last Friday.

I especially love visiting both places in August. For years now, I have secretly thought of August as “the month of good eatin’“. Fresh sweet corn, field tomatoes, and peaches. All ripe and ready in August. A perfect trifecta for a summer meal, the best of the bounty of the summer season, starts arriving in August ’round here.

Of course I also love everything else grown around here – the asparagus, the berries, the peas, the beans, radishes, lettuces, cucumbers, plums, pears and squashes…oh those Kabocha squashes!!!!

But there’s something about August, when the corn, tomatoes and peaches are all available together, that is very special to me.

What do you look most forward to, at the farm market?

Rock on,

The WB

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D is for Dairy Queen #AtoZChallenge

On April 4, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Adventures in Food23 Comments

This post not sponsored by Dairy Queen, unfortunately.

I love Dairy Queen.

I come by my love of DQ soft-serve honestly. When my mother was pregnant with me, she craved Dairy Queen like nothing else on earth.

My dad tried hard to honour her cravings. She wanted DQ All. The. Time. Finally my exasperated father took a large cooking pot to the local Dairy Queen and asked the counterman to “fill ‘er up”. Can’t understand why I was only 6 lbs. when I was born near the end of July.

When I was a teenager, most warm summer nights would find me and my friends at some point sitting on the cement wall next to that same local DQ, sucking back shakes (always me, always vanilla) or Mr. Misty Slushes.

My son was born in August of the same year that the DQ Blizzard was ~~born~~ launched. (If that wasn’t a sign from the universe, I don’t know what is.) My lovely baby sister would bring me a Skor Blizzard every day that I was in the maternity ward. That was back in the days when you were expected to stay in hospital for a number of days after giving birth. I was there for 5 days. Do the math.

When I gave birth to my daughter my sister wasn’t around to bring me Blizzards. But a family friend worked in the hospital kitchen, and she added an ice cream sandwich to my tray for every meal. Which was super nice of her, but it was no Dairy Queen.

When they were much younger, I loved the infrequent opportunities to take my kids to DQ. On a scorching summer evening (when their ~~buzzkill~~ dad was not around to suck the joy outta life disapprove) I would drive us to DQ, where we would have Peanut Buster Parfaits instead of dinner, as a special treat. Because the peanuts make it worthy of meal status. Somehow. Work with me, people.

Nowadays I no longer prefer my DQ with a lot of add-ins and sugared-up, syrupy fanciness. My current favourite of All Things Dairy Queen is the humble chocolate dipped cone, size small. And DQ “season” (for me, anyways) is coming up soon.

Yeah, I know there is one in the mall, and it’s open year-round. But that’s not where I’ll go for my soft-serve when the temperatures rise.

This summer I’ll be heading back to that local, seasonally-run DQ that has been an ongoing part of my life, starting in-utero. It just reopened, for 2018. Exciting!!!

Do you DQ? What is your favourite DQ treat?

Rock on,

The WB

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C is for Corn on the Cob #AtoZChallenge

On April 3, 2018 By Widow BadassIn A2Z Challenge Post, Adventures in Food21 Comments

I grew up in a Dutch Canadian household, with my grandparents living in the other half of the big rambling farmhouse on the edge of town. My family brought with them a lot of Dutch traditions and ideas about food and cooking, one of which was that corn is for farm animals, ONLY.

Thankfully my parents were not so set in their ways as my grandparents, and opened their minds – and the cooking pot – to delicious Ontario sweet corn on the cob, dripping with butter and salt.

My mom and dad even became a bit of “corn gourmets” in their later years…only deigning to eat corn that was freshly picked. We’re talking less than an hour from the stalk…when they moved out to the countryside proper (and down the road from what became a favourite corn stand). In fact, the farmer they bought the corn from wouldn’t sell them corn that was more than 15 minutes off the stalk.

That corn never made it to the fridge. It was shucked and cooked immediately. In and out of the pot of boiling water in 3 minutes.

Is it any wonder then, that I’ve absorbed my late parents’ sweet corn snobbery?

The best fresh sweet corn is the stuff I can buy from the farmer on the way home from work – starting in late July – and have on the table within a half hour.

When I go to other peoples’ homes and they tell me they’re boiling the corn we’re having with our meal for 20+ minutes I want to weep. When I see that the corn they are serving came from the grocery store in a little styrofoam tray, and originated in the US, I want to scream. (But, being a good guest I do neither.)

I’ve met the couple in this video and they ARE sweet corn fanatics. They know to the hour when their corn is ready to be picked. In fact, their favourite variety has only an 18 hour picking window, according to Channing Strom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM38sojpG-E

Ignore the bit about 4 minutes. That is one minute too long, in my humble, corn-snobbish opinion.

How do you like your sweet corn?

Rock on,

The WB

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Kapsalon

On November 26, 2017November 26, 2017 By Widow BadassIn Adventures in Food, Good Times, NaBloPoMo, Village Life2 Comments

I saw a post this week on Facebook (where I get almost all my news and entertainment, these days) describing some popular Dutch food items. One of them was the glorious kapsalon, that Mizz J and I discovered on our last trip to the Netherlands.

Kapsalon covers all the ~~best~~ necessary food groups with its delightful mix of fries, cheese, garlic sauce, sambal, shawarma meat, and veggies. Hehehehe.

After experiencing this takeout food of the hedonistic gods, we were all fired up to bring this to Canada, the land where La Belle Province introduced the world to the wonder that is poutine.

But since we are not restauranteurs, the learning curve was very steep indeed and we soon ~~lost interest~~ abandoned our mission to bring this delight to the New World.

Until this week! There is a restaurant in the Village that would be perfect (IMHO) to introduce this tinfoil tub of deliciousness to North America. They already sell shawarma AND fries! So I contacted them (via Facebook, natch) this morning.

Let’s see where this thing goes, shall we?

Rock on,

The WB

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The Breakfast of Epic Proportions

On November 18, 2017 By Widow BadassIn Adventures in Food, NaBloPoMo2 Comments

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. But I only get to enjoy it to the fullest on the weekends, usually.

Weekday mornings I’m just not hungry enough before I have to leave for work, or otherwise too cramped for time to truly savour this meal.

But today is Saturday and once again I prepared THE BREAKFAST OF EPIC PROPORTIONS. Just a little name I give to the types of breakfasts I like to have…hehehe.

Behold:

This is everything I love about food, in one bowl.

I found a recipe on Ye Olde Interwebs earlier this week and vowed to make it at my earliest opportunity.

Paleo Oven Pancake with Bacon – makes 4 ~~generous~~ epic servings

You know breakfast is epic if it can carry you through to supper.

Rock on,

The WB

If It Lasts That Long…

On November 14, 2017 By Widow BadassIn Adventures in Food, NaBloPoMo4 Comments

Last night I made something new. Something I’ve been wanting to make for a few years’ now.

Every year I would read posts about this stuff and vow to make it the next year. Only to be reminded too late in the season to have it ready in time for guests and gifting.

But not this year! 2017 is gonna be the year of Alton Brown’s Aged Eggnog.

This is what’s left over for ~~personal use~~ valuable research on aging nog, after I put 3 pint jars of this boozy deliciousness away in the fridge.

I had thought I had more glass jars available than I in fact did, so I ended up putting the rest of the nog into an ancient indestructible juice pitcher that used to belong to JD’s grandmother. I will find it a more suitable container or two today – one that doesn’t take up quite so much valuable fridge real estate.

I don’t like store-bought eggnog – with or without added booze – since I’ve become an adult. And I’m not one for sweet alcoholic drinks, normally. (I will make an exception for Bajan rum punch though, heavy on the lime.)

I still have the bottle of Baileys Irish Cream I bought for Mom to enjoy and she’ll be gone 2 years this December. I have to move it around the fridge every now and then to make space for something else and I never think to pour myself a glass. Talk about taking up valuable real estate! Does it even need to be kept refrigerated? I must check.

When it comes to things alcoholic, give me a dry wine (red or white) or a crisp lager or an ultra dry vodka martini (with olives) and I’m a happy camper.

So it doesn’t make sense that this recipe has captivated me. I must say though, the nog IS mighty tasty already (think liquid premium ice cream with a kick) and is supposed to get even more so the longer it sits. It’s gonna be amazing after 1 year.

Rock on,

The WB

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What’s Rocked My World This Week – January 29th Edition

On January 29, 2017January 30, 2017 By Widow BadassIn Adventures in Food, Badassery, Goals & Dreams, Health Transformation, Hmmm?9 Comments

For me, the world has become a much scarier place since January 20th. Here in Canada, I am disturbed daily by the things happening south of our border.

It’s hard not to feel powerless at this time. However, the good news is that people are not taking this shit lying down. Nosirree! The Women’s March has started something great – something that promises to continue in other marches and protests. So there’s hope.

For my own mental health, and maybe for yours too – I have decided to round up a listing of things that excited or inspired me this week. Something to change my focus from obsessing solely on all that is going south*, south of the border and other places. Like an online gratitude journal of sorts.

So here goes – the inaugural, “inaugurally-inspired” post:

The amount of silver/white I am seeing in my hair – I have been (not so) patiently waiting for my head of hair to turn a glorious white, as per the females in my family who have come before me. It seems I have inherited my dad’s type of silvering – mostly temples and a sprinkle throughout every where else, unfortunately.
Lots of white happening here in Temple Land!

However, lately I have noticed the silvering is accelerating. Excited!!!! I can notice the silver strands quite clearly in my hair’s part now. It didn’t photograph so well otherwise I’d show you. I am sick of touching-up roots at my temples. I think the time may be right to let it grow out au naturel and see what my real hair really looks like. I may decide to go back to colouring for a bit and try again later. Or I might not. Stay tuned.
Invisalign – Remember that episode of the Simpsons where Lisa is told she needs braces? And she is shown how her teeth will look as she ages? I feel that is going on with my teeth. They seem to get crookeder the older I get. So when I come back from Barbados I am going to begin using Invisalign trays to fix my smile. I have paid off Edward II (my 2nd “Blizzard White” Prius) so those $$ have been freed up for another purpose! Very happy to be starting this journey, even at my advanced age. I’ll be damned if I live the rest of my life with these crooked teeth if I can afford to do something about it. Again, stay tuned. No doubt I’ll have plenty to say as I go through the next 2 years of this particular adventure!
My car’s namesake. My Edward sparkles just like this when the light hits it. If it’s clean, that is.
Physiotherapy – Since the beginning of the year I have been working steadily away at regaining my long-lost flexibility via yoga and barre exercises. I’m making good progress! However, no matter how diligent I am I know I need more help than this to regain range of motion in my left arm – an ongoing problem I have noticed for about the last 6 months. I was thinking I had strained something and that it would heal itself but that’s not happening. So last week I saw my doctor and got a referral for physiotherapy. So far my homework is a set of exercises to perform 4 times a day. And they hurt! But I am keeping my eye on the prize – 2 fully working arms!
Pussy Hats – I missed taking part in the Women’s March for a multitude of reasons including a long-standing prior commitment for that date and not knowing until way too late there would be Canadian marches to take part in. And I feel really bad about it. So I made myself feel a bit better by at least knitting some pussy hats. I have finished one and am about to finish another (for my cousin). The way things are going, there should be many opportunities to march and wear pussy hats, unfortunately.
First pussy hat on the needles!
Rogue US Government Employees – I think the rogue or alt Twitter handles/postings that have sprung up in the past week are just brilliant. I can’t stop reading them. Between these and the organized protests, it makes me feel there is some hope of getting through this shit show the US/World is in, after all.
March for Science – If I have any say in the matter, I won’t be missing these upcoming marches. Our last prime minister muzzled our scientists like Trump is doing now. During this dark time in Canada, I was otherwise preoccupied in Crazytown (i.e. OCD/MBA Land) and dealing with a dying husband/subsequent widowhood so I missed out completely on this issue and its protests. Looks like I’m getting a second chance to chime in and make my little voice heard. Why does this shit keep happening?!?!? Rhetorical question…I know why it keeps happening.
My new pan – A couple of weeks ago now I bought a pan at the local Dutch store, very similar to one that I learned to cook in as a young girl. Dutchies call it a “braadpan” – simply put: a frying pan. It is enameled steel and cooks and cleans like a dream. The high sides keep the mess in. And the heavy lid makes braising a snap. Safe for stove-top or oven use. And induction-friendly. I love it.
Think Le Creuset – only lighter and 1/3 of the cost. And without the sexy colour choices, unfortunately. Your choice is any colour so long as it’s black, with an ultramarine blue interior.
My new GoPro camera – During Boxing Week, I pulled the trigger on a Hero 5 Black – a camera I had been eyeing for quite a while already. So far I love the features I have been discovering. I’m busy learning how to use it in advance of:
50 Years of Friendship Trip – by this time next week I will be snorkeling and relaxing with a good friend, down in Barbados. 2017 is the 50th anniversary year of when we first met and became friends – partway through Grade 2 – when she moved to Preston. To commemorate our first 40 years of being friends, we spent a day together at the Elmwood Spa in Toronto. That was a great day, and now this looks to be the makings of a great week. All I can say about this is WHEE!!!!!! More to come later…

Rock and Resist on,

The WB

*That Canadians like Kellie Leitch and Kevin O’Leary are threatening to bring to our great country as well.

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Sunday Night Follies

On November 27, 2016November 27, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Adventures in Food, Artistic Endeavours, Health TransformationLeave a comment

Dear Blog,

OMIGAWD, why didn’t any one tell me the Flower of Life was going to be so fucking hard to draw? I mean, it’s just a series of circles you don’t even really draw because the compass is supposed to do all the work for you? Okay, technically Julie did say it was challenging. But I didn’t really believe her. Or I thought yeah, “challenging for other people”. Not I. Hah, I was born with a compass in my hand, or so I thought. (Ouch, sorry Mom).

Bloggie, it took me 4 attempts to get the damn thing drawn. Four. And did you know that if you don’t hold this compass exactly right, the circles can get bigger or smaller because the fucking pencil lead magically starts moving from its predetermined length and suddenly your circles are off-kilter and not matching up any more after the second or third rotation?

Maybe I just do not have a good compass. Maybe. It looks like a good compass. See:

Prevents inadvertent setting adjustments, my ass. — This is my compass. “Prevents unintended setting adjustments”, my ass.

By the 3rd attempt I tried holding the compass differently – very lightly, by the very top of it only – so that my apparent death grip on the compass would not change the size of the circle’s radius inadvertently. Success!