Chinese Dumplings

   Terrible weather yesterday - drove out to Markham in a blizzard to look after the grandkids and had a tricky drive home around midnight. But all's well that ends well and I was glad to sleep in my own bed!

Chicken and cabbage filling

    While at the Athertons I had the kids help me make Chinese dumplings to celebrate Chinese New Year. The kids were great helpers, even James (for a while) but not so keen on the finished product, although Elliot ate a few. I cooked the filling beforehand - didn't want the kids working with raw ground chicken - so we just had to fill the won tons. Then they were fried slightly and steamed. Unfortunately I let the pan dry out so they stuck quite badly. However, adding a little more water loosened most of them.

   Today I woke up to a winter wonderland, everything coated with snow. I spent the day shovelling the driveway in installments and finally finished the upper half by 4:30. The snow was very wet and heavy so I had a good workout.

A wonton with filling

 


Ready for cooking

Ready to eat with plum sauce

A Funny Book

   My current reading material is a very funny book I got from the Public Library. It's called "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion, an Australian writer. It's a good weekend to have something amusing to read as we are expecting a heavy snowfall tomorrow (5-10 cms. of wet heavy snow). I will stay inside, nice and cosy with the fire burning away cheerfully. Once the weather has improved, I guess I will be out shovelling again!

Portugese -Goan Food

   Goa is a province on the west coast of India. Formerly a Portuguese colony, it differs quite a bit from the rest of the sub-continent. Christianity is the main religion, and Goan cooks are sought after in India as they have few restrictions, unlike Hindus and Muslims.

   Last night I attended a cooking demonstration of Goan-Portugese recipes and enjoyed some wonderful meals. First samosas, then paelha (a type of paella) and pickled eggplant salad, and finally a rice and fruit pudding. All cooked from scratch before our eyes. Quite delicious though a bit spicier than I am used to.

Celebrating "The Bard"

    It is Robbie Burns birthday today and last night I attended a Burns Supper at Westview Church. No dram to toast the bard but I indulged when I got home.

   It was an extremely cold, blustery night and a few faces were missing but on the whole a good turnout. The evening began with the haggis being piped in, followed by "The Address to the Haggis"     "Fair fa' your honest, soncy face,
                  Great chieftain o' the puddin' race. (etc.)

 Next was the "Toast to the Haggis" (apple juice I believe, although it should be whisky). Then the great pudding was returned to the kitchen to be prepared for serving.

   The minister led us in the "Selkirk Grace"
                      "Some hae' meat but canna eat and some wad eat that want it.
                       But we hae' meat and we can eat and sae the Lord be thankit."

   The meal followed - roast beef (I brought my own horseradish), haggis, 'neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes) and peas and gravy. Very satisfying, plus we were invited to fill our plates a second time which many of us did. An apple turnover and shortbread with tea or coffee completed the meal.

   While we digested all that food we were entertained by more pipe music and Highland Dancers. Then it was our turn to strut our stuff - The Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant, and St. Bernard's Waltz. After the big meal, this was just too much for me so I headed home. The snow and wind were becoming worse so I was glad to have left early.

   Today the weather was more of the same but not quite as cold. It actually got up to a balmy -6C by this afternoon! Just my usual Saturday chores, laundry, shopping, errands, but I had to be home by 11:00 a.m. as a bloke was coming to measure my basement floor for a new installation. I also shovelled the driveway but that was fairly light as most of the snow seemed to have been blown away. Now time to light the fire and settle down to a night of TV!