12/24/11
12/23/11
Food and Drink
I think that most people look forward to the Christmas season for reasons such as spending time with family, going to Christmas concerts, a break from work, opening presents and cheesy, yet heartwarming, ballads sung by the torch singers of the 1950s. But I also think that most people look forward to the tastes of the season— things that, for some reason, we only get to eat and drink at this time of year. You know… candy canes, mulled wine, mince tarts and GINGERBREAD!
I love gingerbread— it is definitely my favourite Christmas cookie to bake and eat. This year, I made a few batches of different kinds of cookies, but I chose to make gingerbread as a gift for my coworker, Chris. Like one of my former coworkers at SNAP, Chris is a huge basketball fan… and therefore he is a big basketball shoe fan as well. So I decided to make some Christmas Nikes for him.
First, I googled 'Nike hightops' and drew up a pattern for a shoe cookie and a sole cookie. I laid the carboard patterns on the dough and used a butter knife to cut out the shape. After they were baked to perfection in the oven, I iced and decorated them. I think they turned out pretty well, what do you think?
Unfortunately, winter also brings along things like colds, flus and, for me, chest infections. I'm not a huge fan of cough syrup; medicine just doesn't do much to suppress my cough (unless it's a prescription syrup containing codine). Recently, one of my fellow choristers suggested I make myself a hot toddy to help me sleep— and it certainly did. After some additions to his recipe, I came up with this:
1) Brew a cup of decaffeinated tea
2) Add 1 shot of whiskey (I've had both rye and scotch— I preferred the rye)
3) Squeeze in the juice of 1/4 lemon
4) Add honey to taste
5) Shake in some cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for a festive scent
6) Cuddle up in bed with a good book
If you have the sniffles , have one of these before you go to bed tonight and you'l be nice and rested for your Christmas Eve festivities.
I love gingerbread— it is definitely my favourite Christmas cookie to bake and eat. This year, I made a few batches of different kinds of cookies, but I chose to make gingerbread as a gift for my coworker, Chris. Like one of my former coworkers at SNAP, Chris is a huge basketball fan… and therefore he is a big basketball shoe fan as well. So I decided to make some Christmas Nikes for him.
First, I googled 'Nike hightops' and drew up a pattern for a shoe cookie and a sole cookie. I laid the carboard patterns on the dough and used a butter knife to cut out the shape. After they were baked to perfection in the oven, I iced and decorated them. I think they turned out pretty well, what do you think?
Unfortunately, winter also brings along things like colds, flus and, for me, chest infections. I'm not a huge fan of cough syrup; medicine just doesn't do much to suppress my cough (unless it's a prescription syrup containing codine). Recently, one of my fellow choristers suggested I make myself a hot toddy to help me sleep— and it certainly did. After some additions to his recipe, I came up with this:
1) Brew a cup of decaffeinated tea
2) Add 1 shot of whiskey (I've had both rye and scotch— I preferred the rye)
3) Squeeze in the juice of 1/4 lemon
4) Add honey to taste
5) Shake in some cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for a festive scent
6) Cuddle up in bed with a good book
If you have the sniffles , have one of these before you go to bed tonight and you'l be nice and rested for your Christmas Eve festivities.
12/2/11
Friday, December 2
My coworker, Chris (who has recently started reading this blog), kept saying 'TGIF' today. I had to agree with him. It feels like it's been a long week.
I love the tone of Jill Barber's voice and her slight, wavering vibrado. She kinda reminds me of Edith Piaf, but maybe that's because she has recently begun to write and perform songs in French in appreciation of her growing French audience.
Here's another one, just 'cause.
This is the first Friday night in a few weeks that I've had free and I didn't really know how I was going to spend it. I have been spending a lot of time alone recently so, naturally, I wanted to go out with some friends. The hard part about that is that many of my friends live in the city or Ottawa and it's just not convenient to call them up last minute. Most of my friends that do live in town were either busy, working or in Jamaica. I've just read this paragraph back to myself and it reads as a long list of excuses for being a loner… well, that can't be helped…
Anyway— I decided to take myself out on a date. I put on a bit of extra eyeliner, I put on my new cape coat thing and I picked up a Grande Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte at Starbucks on my way to the movie theatre, where I broke into my stash of movie passes. I went to see Scorsese's new film: Hugo. I didn't really know much about the film except for what little my parents told me after they saw it a couple of weeks ago.
But today has been quite nice! I finally finished making a Christmas gift for one of my cousins today— I've been working on it for ages. Also, that cousin and his lovely girlfriend dropped by for a quick bite at lunch time. And on my way to work, I heard a CBC Radio 2 Canada Live set by this talented woman:
I love the tone of Jill Barber's voice and her slight, wavering vibrado. She kinda reminds me of Edith Piaf, but maybe that's because she has recently begun to write and perform songs in French in appreciation of her growing French audience.
Here's another one, just 'cause.
This is the first Friday night in a few weeks that I've had free and I didn't really know how I was going to spend it. I have been spending a lot of time alone recently so, naturally, I wanted to go out with some friends. The hard part about that is that many of my friends live in the city or Ottawa and it's just not convenient to call them up last minute. Most of my friends that do live in town were either busy, working or in Jamaica. I've just read this paragraph back to myself and it reads as a long list of excuses for being a loner… well, that can't be helped…
Anyway— I decided to take myself out on a date. I put on a bit of extra eyeliner, I put on my new cape coat thing and I picked up a Grande Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte at Starbucks on my way to the movie theatre, where I broke into my stash of movie passes. I went to see Scorsese's new film: Hugo. I didn't really know much about the film except for what little my parents told me after they saw it a couple of weeks ago.
It is a beautiful movie— and clearly Scorsese's tribute to one of film's original auteurs: George Méliès. I highly recommend this film! It's been billed as a kid's movie, but it is definitely not just a children's story. Beyond being visually stunning, the music really makes the atmosphere of 1930's Paris come to life and the story (which is always my favourite part of any movie) is exciting but also emotionally sweet and tender. See it!
Have a great weekend! Go do something Christmassy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)