stacked eggplant salad with goat cheese, lemon + arugula

On the day I was born, my father bought me a short-haired, blond teddy bear with chocolate brown eyes and he has been with me ever since.
His wool nose has almost completely unravelled now, and bits of his fine hair have fallen off- leaving bald patches here and there. I didn't actually name him, which sort of makes him even cuter in my opinion. A nameless, bald teddy bear without a nose, and yet- he is a bona fide treasure for me. Something I could never part with.
 
It's hard to feel bad about the aging process when your children shower you with kisses and homemade cards. When your husband plans a lovely dinner and invites your loved ones. When your oldest and dearest and most cherished friends send you lovely little greetings from near and far. A charmed life without a doubt.

But like everyone else I suppose, I sometimes catch myself ranting to friends and feeling a tad unhappy about getting older.

I feel guilty when that happens.

I know that I am blessed to be celebrating another year of life.

Doing what I love.

In a city I love.

With the people I love most in this world.
(that’s a lot of love.)

I look forward to all of the amazing things the future holds. Both of my brothers are engaged to incredible girls and I feel ecstatic  about adding two more members to our expanding family. And this Summer, we are going to embark on a project I have dreamed of my entire life. And that prospect has allowed me to conjure up even more dreams.

And even more dreams.

And even more.

I don’t think I’d change a single thing about my life up until now. I know that sounds so incredibly cliché -and I am not really the cliché-type. But the truth is, every single moment, every single decision, every single experience- has brought me to the place I am meant to be.

Right here.

Right now.

I am not one bit sad to be celebrating another year on this earth. I feel happy and excited about what the year ahead will bring. About where we’ll go and what we’ll see and what we’ll do.

And so dear friends, today...

I will eat copious amounts of birthday cake

Drink champagne

Blow out 37 candles. Thirty- seven.

Be serenaded

Read homemade birthday cards by the two most amazing children in the world

Listen to my mother tell me about the day I was born

Say a little prayer for all the blessings in my life…

And be truly thankful for every single one.

I'm sharing one of my very favorite salad recipes. I don't make it as often as I'd like because it's a little more time-consuming than most other salad recipes- which only require light tossing. But I promise you, it's delcious and I just know you'll love it.

mothers day gift guide...

I am a chronic list maker. I make lists for absolutely everything. Guest lists. Grocery lists. Lists of possible menu items for a party. Lists on what to buy for the special people in my life. On what kind of floor tile I like best. On possible vacation destinations.

The list is endless (no pun intended.)

When something needs planning, you can bet I will come prepared with a pen and paper in hand to make a list about something. Even when I’m not making them, I always have a running list rolling rampant in my mind.

This post started off as a list of ideas on ‘what to buy my mom for mother’s day’ and quickly turned into a post about what I think a lot of my mom friends might like. I realize fully that a post about nail polish and stylish white denim have absolutely no place on a food and art blog, but it’s mother’s day in a few days, and I would be remiss if I created a gift guide filled only with muffin tins and fancy aprons. No stereotypes here. 

Mother’s Day is pretty special for me. Not only because I have two amazing little darlings, but because I also happen to have a pretty amazing mother.

When I think about my mom and all of the things she does for us, all of the ways she shows us she loves us, the many times a day she will call to check in, to offer a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, I am filled with emotion.

She’s always done what good mothers are supposed to do: Cheered us on at soccer games, attended ballet recitals and piano concerts. She enrolled us in ukulele knowing deep down we were going nowhere with it. (Do they even offer such a thing anymore?) She clapped loudly at my violin performances and gave me standing ovations at school plays. She sent me to school with healthy lunches and tender little love notes and she always made sure I knew she was on my side.

And even though she fought me tooth and nail about leaving home for a new city at the ripe age of 19, in the end, she conceded and accepted. Not loving the idea of course, but full of absolute trust in me.

Even though she was a super fun mom, mostly, she was a present mom. We knew we could call on her for absolutely anything and she would be there with open arms. Her message rings so true to me now:

 “I may not always agree with you and I can’t promise I won’t be upset, but I will always love you. No matter what.”

Isn’t that what a truly great mother is anyway? Present and available? 

And when I fought sleepless nights and complete exhaustion as a new mother, she stayed with me and held my hand and told me I was doing a great job. That my little girl was lucky to have me. That I was the best mother in the world. 

The best mother in the world.

When I look at my young children and don’t always feel confident in my own parenting, when I question my decisions or wonder how to handle a certain situation- she is the first one I turn to. For advice. For peace of mind. For support and encouragement. 

I feel so blessed that she is mine. That my siblings and I have had the good fortune of having such a devoted and amazing and perfect mother. And no gift seems adequate enough. No sentiment worthy. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating the special mom in you life and all of the amazing mothers you know. The gift guide below was just written in the spirit of fun.

All your mother really wants- is you. ( cheesy but true.)

Oh and if you're planning a special brunch, be sure to include this nutella banana brioche bread pudding adapted by Anne Thornton. It's amazing.

1. Summer Flip Flops. Old Navy

2. Butter Nail Polish. Wildflower Clothing

3. Citrus and Ginger Root Body Wash. Burt's Bees

4. Crochet Clutch. The Gap

5 + 6. Espadrilles. Aldo Shoes

7. MAC Coat. Joe Fresh

8. Nutmeg and Ginger Perfume. Jo Malone

9. Classic Aviators. Ray Ban

10. Gauze Maxi Dress. Old Navy

11. Soft Draped Blazer. Smart Set

12. Pantone Nail Polish. Sephora

13. White Denim Work Jean. Joe Fresh

14. Leather Belt. Joe Fresh

15. Metal Earrings. Aldo

16. Saddle Bag Purse. Old Navy

17. Two-tone silicone watch in White and Rose Gold. Michael Kors

18.  Wilfred Amalfi Blouse. Aritzia

19. Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker. CB2

20. Cucina Cookbook Stand. All Modern

21. Stainless Steel Perculator. The Bay

22. Gal Costa Jazz CD. Amazon

23. Magazine Subscription. Bon Appetit

24. Chevron Throw. H+M

25. Your Love. Free. 

coffee with a touch of whipped milk

roasted tomato soup with ouzo + smoked paprika

I realize that tomatoes are not in season at the moment so dedicating an entire post to them might seem a tad premature. Last week however, I came across Canadian-grown, vine-ripened tomatoes that smelled of summer soil. The sweet aroma of tomato harvest made me nostalgic for my childhood, as my grandfather had a vast garden filled with various kinds of tomatoes. The sight and smell of these ones brought me back to his garden.

I bought a copious amount -much more than I really needed but they were so incredibly succulent and gorgeous, I truly couldn’t help myself. My little son and I weren’t sure what to do with so many tomatoes. We thought about making tomato sandwiches. We contemplated stuffing them (he wanted rice, I fought for couscous.)  We considered a simple tomato salad (with lots of crusty bread for sopping up every last bit of olive oil and vinegar.) But none of it seemed quite right.

But then dear friends, I learned that it was National Grilled Cheese month. 

National Grilled Cheese month.

An ode to grilled cheese every day for 30 days?

Why was I just learning about this now? 

The choice was obvious. What could be more perfect than grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup? Absolutely nothing.

I recognize that roasted tomato soup with ouzo and smoked paprika sounds rather ‘loopdidah’, but this the simplest soup you will ever make. Its thickness is only a result of the lovely tomato pulp – no cornstarch or flour. And I only added ouzo at the last moment-mainly because I regretted not adding a bulb of fennel to the roasting pan. But here’s what I discovered quite by accident: Ouzo is what takes this soup from ‘pretty good’ to ‘super fantastic.’ It adds that special little something that leaves you desperately wanting to decipher the ingredients. Fennel maybe? Crushed anise seeds? Both? The flavors are so pure and modest and the technique is remarkably simple. Absolutely anybody can make this soup, as its completely foolproof.

I understand that not everyone has ouzo on hand but if you can get your hands on even a tiny little bottle, it’s well worth it. You can roast some fennel with the other vegetables and then add a splash of vodka at the end if you don’t have any but again, get yourself some ouzo if you can.

We made mini grilled cheese sandwiches with applewood smoked cheddar, dates and caramelized red onions. We made plain ones too of course because frankly, nothing tastes as pure and wholesome as traditional grilled cheese sandwiches. I used cookie cutters to cut the bread into little circles and then proceeded with the traditional method of grilling them on the stovetop.

Bite sized anything is ridiculously charming don’t you think? Kids are naturally drawn to tiny versions of main dishes as they are completely fascinated with anything miniature. They held the mini grilled cheese sandwiches like they were porcelain dolls. Careful. Meticulous.

And they ate.

And ate.

And ate.

Tomato soup in little glass mugs and tiny grilled cheese sandwiches. I overheard my daughter calling it a tea party. A tea party with grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup? I would be up for that (and I can think of a few friends who would want to be a part of it too.)

easter bread

I have a confession to make: I detest complicated dessert recipes. I don’t fare very well with painstakingly precise recipes (which is obligatory for desserts,) and since I am an impatient person by nature, convoluted dessert recipes really rattle me. As I’ve mentioned in the past, baked goods demand meticulous measurements and I’m more of a  “little pinch here and little dollop there” kind of gal.

When I come across a dessert recipe with the descriptions, time-consuming, complex or difficult anywhere in the text, I turn the page. It's not that I don't welcome a challenge, but when it comes to whipping up a dessert, I just want it done.

Immediately. (Impatient. I told you.) 

If fancy equipment or elaborate materials are required, I roll my eyes and move onto recipes with texts that read: simple, easy and no-fuss. Sadly it’s hard to find a dessert that isn’t finicky without compromising taste. 

I became particularly frustrated once when I attempted a 'no-fuss' dessert only to find that it was in fact, quite fussy. And long-winded. And in the end, I was so annoyed, that I rushed through the final steps only to have my sweet tidbit flop. Literally. Honesty needs to be at the forefront of all recipes don't you agree? Especially ones that promise ‘no-fail’ results.

The only dessert-style recipe exempt from this madness, is homemade sweet bread, which by its very nature demands a lot of time and consideration. And since some holidays warrant such attention to detail, I’m happy to participate. 

Laden with braided little cookies and sweet, brioche-type breads called tsoureki, Easter is the most celebrated feast for Orthodox Christians.
My mom has sort of adapted her own recipe for the tsoureki - which is really just years of trying and testing and combining various family recipes into one. 

We spent most of today dying our eggs red and making our Easter bread in preparation for Sunday. It’s an all-day event as we usually make at least a dozen loaves and it’s not something that can be rushed. Nothing is worse than digging into a golden loaf of bread, only to find the middle raw and ‘doughy.’ 

Over the years, I have enjoyed tsoureki on its own- because it is quite delectable, but I've also loved it dipped in coffee, or with hard, pungent cheese on the side. I've even toasted it and had it with a drop of butter and my Godmother’s homemade quince marmalade. When it gets stale, I chop it up and make nutella bread pudding (now that's easy.)

If you don’t have homemade tsoureki, brioche or challah- style breads on hand, use the store bought variety as it will work perfectly. I’ll be sure to post the recipe for the pudding in a couple of weeks after we’ve had our fill of Easter bread. Until then, a very happy and blessed Easter to all those celebrating this Sunday.

I’d also like to leave you with Rita Wilson’s detailed account of Orthodox Easter, as I always have friends asking me about our celebrations and her narration is so eloquent and moving.

Kalo Pasxa everyone!

asian slaw with toasted almonds + ginger-lime dressing

We received a small gift a couple of weeks ago.
Summer.
All wrapped up in sheep’s clothing: full of warmth and sun and pure unequivocal delight. For two days we basked in the sultry summer heat and it felt good. So good in fact, that the  reemergence of winter has a lot of us feeling downright awful. Cruel joke mother nature. Cruel joke.

I dusted off my summer sandals, knowing deep down this provisional warmth wouldn’t last. I wanted to soak it all in. Drink it. And deep down, I wanted to embrace it for what it really was; not a merciless hoax, but rather a taste of things to come. 

We made white wine sangria and savored a simple asian-inspired salad. I felt at that moment that life was as it should be: blissful. Filled with smiley little faces begging for ice cream sandwiches and a drive to the beach. We really should have gone as I know it will be many months before we will feel the sand between our toes and the warmth of sun on our faces.

What better way to celebrate the spirited emergence of summer than with a crunchy and delicious salad and refreshing cocktail?

As you may have already suspected, I have a thing for salads. And by thing I mean, I eat them nearly every day. I’m always trying to find new ways to reinvent them; by adding beans or quinoa or bits of avocado or fruit. I love adding pungent cheeses for the perfect addition of tang but nuts and seeds are also a big hit. And good salad has to be crunchy and fresh.  There’s nothing worse than a salad that is droopy and lifeless.

This salad can be enjoyed any time since cabbage is available locally year-round. I love this guide which outlines seasonally available produce in Nova Scotia. Tag it as a favorite as it’s wonderful reference.

I hope you enjoyed our short-lived glimmer of summer (and that it’s left you yearning for the real thing.)