7.28.2006

tOwN & CouNTry #1






There's been a lot of lamping in the Laurentians going on this month and I should have some photos of blueberry bushes (as well as a recipe for a five o'clock apéro) up sometime early next week.

Here are some photos from our last weekend's trip.
Miam...merguez.

7.08.2006

...LiMeSoDA...




Ingredients: limes, sugar & club soda

1 lime for every 8 ounces of club soda
1 tsp.-1 tbsp. sugar for every 8 ounces of drink

Squeeze limes into a pitcher or cup.
Stir in desired amount of sugar and allow to dissolve.
Pour in club soda.

Try again with lemons, grapefruit or oranges.

7.06.2006

..cRuMbLers...



Flour, brown sugar, butter and the fruit(s) of your choice.
That's how the crumble crumbles.

The key is to take a 1/4-1/2 cup of butter out of the fridge before you get crack-a-lacking, as it's ideal to make your crumble with softened butter. This should take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

Once the butter has mellowed, take a bowl and mix together, with one hand (so that your other hand may add the following ingredients as you go along), flour (about 1 cup) and brown sugar or white sugar (1/4-1/2 cup) until you have a crumbly and sandy mixture. Other things to consider adding to the crumble include: vanilla bean, cinnamon, dried coconut or nuts.

As for the fruit...any fruit will do: peaches, apples, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and all other fruits I've forgotten to mention make for a fine crumble...used alone or in combinations. Some people sprinkle sugar on the fruit before covering them with the crumble topping; however, if you're looking for tang, you won't need to do this. Just make sure you grease your baking dish or ramequins before adding the fruit. Once that's done cover them with the crumble topping and bake in an oven set to 250 degrees.

Allow to bake for 30 minutes, or until you see that the fruit has cooked well and the crumble top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Crumble is delicious served with vanilla ice cream or crème anglaise.

The ones in the photograph are peach/blueberry.
If you looking for ramequins you'll find them at the Dollar Store.
4 for $1.oo?

7.04.2006

...L'aCe de PiC qui PiQuE MoN CoEuR...



The Chi-town princess flew into town the other day to find herself a flat. And, after a day of hunting, joined us for dinner with tickling stories (of applying to over 60 medical schools) and this lovely box of chocolate "shooters"...

"Cause chocolate should spend more time with alcohol, especially the Jack Daniel kind," says she.

I hear they make mayanesque hot chocolate and remarkable gelato, too.

Suite 88
3957, rue St. Denis (between Roy and Duluth)
Montréal, QC H2W 2M4
tel: 514.844.3488

Merci, Caro.

7.02.2006

...eYE cAnDY...




...ChAiNed tO thE sToVe...




I look forward to the day when I will be able to waltz into a shop like this and buy one of these bad boys.

The Ketchup Kid endorses all gas ranges made by Miele, Viking, Gaggenau, Aga and DeDietrich.