Archive for the ‘Canada’ Category

• Piggy Market

  Date: 2010.03.20 | Category: Canada, ottawa, sometimes I ramble | Response: 1

  As far as Lee is concerned some of the scariest words I can utter are, “So, I was thinking…” He knows that whatever comes next has the potential to be a crazy scheme. So when I said those words this morning he wasn’t sure what to expect. It was quite tame though, I asked him if he’d like to go on a field trip to Piggy Market. I’ve never managed to make it to their store, though I remember when they used to be at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market (for which I can now count the opening Sunday in weeks instead of months). Clearly Lee agreed because hello, it’s food. We like food in this house.

  When we got there I promptly went to the cheese display. Y’all know I love cheese (as does the fake cat). Hardly shocking that I’d gravitate there.

  

  Fromagerie Les Folies Bergeres Cheese Curds

  How can I resist a. cheese curds and b. a fromagerie named Les Folies Bergeres? (I’ve been there…well I’ve seen the outside at least. We didn’t go to a show. We just kind of accidentally stumbled on it.) The cheese curds were an easy choice but I wanted to grab another cheese as well. With some help and after determining that I didn’t care if it was sheep, goat or cow’s milk, that I shouldn’t eat blue cheese (I have a penicillin allergy though it won’t really hurt me to eat a bit of it, it just doesn’t make me feel great) and that Lee is not fond of stinky cheeses we ended up with L’Apprenti Sorciere.

  

  Les Folies Bergere L'Apprenti Sorciere

  L’Apprenti Sorciere is a mix of sheep and cow’s milk that is light, creamy and yummy. It took about 2 seconds after tasting it to add it to our slowly growing pile.

  At this point, Lee who had not yet had lunch, snagged a molasses cookie with cranberries in it. Even if I had not forgotten my iPhone in the truck I never would have gotten a photo of it. He inhaled it, impressive seeing as he doesn’t really like cranberries. (And then we almost forgot to pay for it, oops. But we did remember. Eventually.)

  It was a no brainer to add a loaf of Art-Is-In bread to our selection either. And while they make many yummy kinds of bread this quickly caught my eye.

  

  Art-Is-In Beau's Beer Sourdough Miche

  That’s a loaf of Beau’s Beer Sourdough Miche. It will be our snack today and perhaps be used for french toast tomorrow morning. And maybe there will even be a bit left to make coutons with. Don’t you think croutons made from this bread would be great on French onion soup?

  They were having a chutney tasting today. We’re pretty much incapable of having a taste of anything and not buying it. We sampled a couple of different kinds but I left the final decision to Lee.

  

  Major Craig's North India Chutney

  I was kind of surprised (but not displeased) when he chose the North India Chutney. He tends not to be a big chutney fan and I didn’t expect him to go for the more traditional option. It’s tucked away in our pantry until we decide what we’re going to use it on.

  That decision made I moved over to scope out the Cabane du PicBois maple vinegar.

  

  Cabane du PicBois Maple Vinegar

  It’s the product on the Piggy Market website that I was most interested in. No, it’s not maple-flavoured vinegar and I have no idea how they make it. I believe that you’d use it much the same as you would a good quality balsamic. I haven’t figured out what we’re going to use it for but if I like it I just might bring some to BlogHer Food with me for some of my foodie friends.

  Lee could not resist the meat samples.

  

  Ottawa Smoked Meat

  It’s nothing like it’s Montreal relative. It’s drier and spicier. I think also leaner (but then I am a “medium” fan when it comes to Schwartz’s). It melts in your mouth.

  Lee likes coffee. Lee really, really, really likes coffee. It took him about as long to pick up a bag of coffee as it did for me to go to the cheese display.

  

  Prince of Darkness Coffee

  Piggy Market carries Ideal Coffee beans and well, who can resist a coffee named Prince of Darkness? Apparently not us.

  Once we had this neat little pile we ran away before we caved to the Pascale’s ice-cream selection. We’re big fans of it but we didn’t want to go home right away. We’ll be picking some up soon. We also resisted the frozen tortiere. Barely.

  All field trips should involve yummy food. Thankfully, most of ours do.

• Petition against pelvic exams without consent

  Date: 2010.01.29 | Category: Canada, Health, Things I Don't Understand | Response: 1

  Catherine Connors, aka Her Bad Mother, has posted an open letter to protest the practice of pelvic exams without consent.

  Go read it. Sign it. Share it.

• NOT without my consent

  Date: 2010.01.28 | Category: Canada, Things I Don't Understand | Response: 3

  I was going peacefully about my day when a tweet crossed my path. It was a link to this Globe and Mail article (which will probably go behind a pay wall because that’s how the Globe rolls): Time To End Pelvic Exams Without Consent.

  Medical students routinely practice doing internal pelvic examinations while surgery patients are unconscious, and without getting specific consent, at least in Canada.

  Guidelines in the United States and Britain say specific consent is required but, by contrast, Canadian guidelines state that pelvic examination by trainees is “implicit.

  Implicit? IMPLICIT?

  No, I really don’t think it is. I think it’s called violating women while they are unconscious. And because it’s the way I roll I retwittered the link and asked women if they had undergone surgery in Canada. If they were unconscious. And if they weren’t sure they hadn’t gotten a bonus pelvis exam.

  The responses I got, from both women and men, were immediate. They were horrified.

  One woman had surgery two years ago at a teaching hospital.

  One just had surgery.

  Two women I know are scheduled for surgery later this year.

  One woman wrote the CMA, her MPP and her MP.

  The rest expressed their incredulity and outrage.

  Look, I know medial students need to practice procedures. I’m not against that and if I was asked if a student could perform the exam I’d let them. If fact, I have.

  I am, however,  against someone inserting a speculum into my body without my consent while I’m unconscious for practice.

  To be perfectly honest, I don’t understand how it’s not assault.

  It takes a lot to get me riled up to the point where I write letters to my MP or my MPP. Nothing has ever pushed me to that point before.

  This has. So as soon as I calm down enough to figure out what to say I’ll be writing them. And the CMA. And anyone else I can think of.

• Maple Syrup & Poutine’s 100 Canadian Foods to Consume

  Date: 2009.02.19 | Category: Canada, What's for Dinner?, meme | Response: 0

  I love a good food meme. Found via Confessions of a Cardamom Addict via Alanna.

  1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
  2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
  3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
  4) Post a comment here linking to your results
  Maple Syrup & Poutine’s 100 Canadian Foods to Consume
  1. Arctic Char
  2. Ketchup flavoured chips
  3. Wild Rice Pilaf
  4. Caribou Steak (I’ve had caribou but not a steak)
  5. Gourmet Poutine (I really want to try the foie gras poutine…)
  6. Screech (shockingly no…)
  7. Beaver Tails
  8. Maple Baked Beans
  9. Bison Burger (make them at home with local bison often)
  10. Bumbleberry pie
  11. Nanaimo bar (I don’t like them…does that make me unCanadian?)
  12. Butter Tarts (yum, yum, yummy, yum)
  13. Cedar Planked B.C. Salmon (had B.C. salmon but not cedar planked)
  14. Wild Blueberries (Many memories of picking them while being ravaged by black flies)
  15. Pure Local Cranberry Juice (I’ve had local cranberries though)
  16. Chocolate from Ganong or Purdy’s
  17. A cup of warm cider from your local orchard
  18. Caesar (yum, yum, yummy, yum – also good if you use gin instead of vodka)
  19. 4 of the following types of apples (Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Spartan, Greensleeves, Liberty, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Golden Russet, Idared, Gala)
  20. Freshly foraged mushrooms
  21. Dinner cooked by Michael Smith, Susur Lee or Rob Feenie (Susur Lee  at Susur December 2005)
  22. Fondue Chinoise
  23. Dish created from a Canadian Living Magazine recipe
  24. Peameal Bacon Sandwich from St. Lawrence Market in Toronto (Carousel Bakery how I miss you…)
  25. Lobster bought directly from a boat in a Maritime harbour
  26. Handmade perogies from your local church or market
  27. Alberta Beef at an Alberta Steakhouse (the beef yes, but not from an Alberta steakhouse)
  28. Leamington Tomatoes (I think I have but cannot unequivocally say yes)
  29. Roasted Pheasant
  30. Wild Game hunted by someone you know
  31. Ice Wine (recently discovered ice cider – recommend it too)
  32. Habitant Pea Soup – entire can
  33. Any Canadian Artisinal Cheese
  34. Bannock (Mom used to make it)
  35. Tourtiere (yum, yum, yummy, yum – can still remember the first time I had *real* tourtiere)
  36. Flapper Pie
  37. Jellied Moose Nose (sorry, but the thought of it grosses me out)
  38. Saskatoon Berries
  39. Fish and Brewis
  40. Screech Pie
  41. Fiddleheads
  42. Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich (Chant with me now – Schwartz’s, Schwartz’s, Schwartz’s)
  43. Flipper Pie
  44. Montreal Bagels with Smoked Salmon
  45. Toutins
  46. Jam Busters
  47. Bakeapple Pie
  48. Bridge Mixture
  49. Canadian Style Pizza (bacon, pepperoni. Mushrooms)
  50. Shreddies
  51. A cone from Cow’s Ice Cream (yum, yum, yummy, yum – best waffle cones)
  52. Lumberjack or Logger’s Breakfast
  53. Jigg’s Dinner (had very similar dinners but not this specifically)
  54. Rappie Pie
  55. Pemmican
  56. Lake Erie Sturgeon Caviar
  57. Belon Oysters (I’ve had Malpeque’s…)
  58. Brome Lake Duck
  59. Beer from a stubby bottle.
  60. A beer from Unibroue or Phillips Brewery.
  61. Salt Spring Island Lamb
  62. Fry’s Cocoa (is there another kind really?)
  63. A bag of Old Dutch Potato Chips
  64. Every Flavour of Laura Secord Suckers
  65. Chicken Dinner from St Hubert’s or Swiss Chalet
  66. Hickory Sticks
  67. An entire box of Kraft Dinner
  68. Candy Apples (NOT caramel apples)
  69. Corn from a roadside stand
  70. A meal at Eigensenn Farm (no but it’s totally going on my wish list)
  71. Okanogan Peaches
  72. Berkshire Pork
  73. PEI Potatoes
  74. Something cooked in Canola oil
  75. Figgy Duff (I think I have but can’t say for sure)
  76. Blueberry Grunt
  77. High Tea at the Empress Hotel
  78. Fresh maple syrup hardened on the snow (I know, shocking but I haven’t done it)
  79. Oreilles de Christ
  80. Nova Scotia Beer Warmer
  81. A cheese plate containing Bleu Bénédictin, Friulano, St. Maure and Oka.
  82. Black or red currant jam (mmm red currant jam)
  83. Maple glazed Doughnut from Tim Horton’s with a Large “Double Double”
  84. A glass of Mission Hill’s “Oculus”
  85. Alberta Pure Vodka
  86. Chokecherries
  87. Canada Day Cake
  88. Boulettes
  89. Canadian Iced Tea
  90. Mead
  91. Fricot
  92. Grandperes
  93. Local honey (have some in our pantry)
  94. Creton on toast (yes and would prefer not to again)
  95. Glen Breton Rare
  96. A whole box of Smarties, where the empty box is then used as a kazoo (Forgot you could do that!)
  97. Grilled cheese made with Canadian Cheddar
  98. A meal from Harvey’s
  99. Lake Erie Perch
  100. Red Rose Tea
  If you are unsure of what the item is, look it up! Please pass the list on to your friends and fellow bloggers – whether they are Canadian or not.
  Not bad…it’s interesting that most of the baked goods I had growing up but most of the other items I’ve only had in the last ten years or so.

• It’s going to be a long fall

  Date: 2008.09.02 | Category: Canada | Response: 5

  A very long fall.

  In case you haven’t heard (um, that would be most of you that are American and don’t follow me on Twitter) there’s going to be a federal election in Canada this fall. We’re probably heading to the polls on October 14 despite the fact that it’s a Jewish holiday and hello? Are there no damn days in October that are not religious holidays that you could hold it on? (No, I’m not Jewish but it annoys me all the same.) Also, it would mean we’d be going to the election the day after Thanksgiving, something that I’d most certainly not be thankful for unless all the politicians walked around on thanksgiving with turkeys on their heads ala Mr Bean (because that would just be awesome). I won’t be in Canada in the days leading up to the election because I’m going to BlogHer Reach Out tour stop in Boston and can hide from election news (of the Canadian type at least, sigh).

  Of course, its just “probably” on the 14th at the moment. You see, the election hasn’t been called yet. But we’ve know for close to two weeks now that there would probably be one, and for a week that there *will* be one. Yes, the government can pretty much call an election any time they want to, which is something that I both love and loathe.

  Here’s the thing – I hate politics. I dislike politicians. And I really dislike the political parties.

  What all this means is that everytime that something about the looming election comes on – be it the news or a political ad – I yell at the television. Sometimes I yell at MacLappy when I see things on the internet. This means there’s a lot of yelling.

  Someone might want to send Lee some earplugs. Or permanently disconnect our television. Block all political stuff from MacLappy. And send me some wine. And cake.

  It’s going to be a long fall.

• True dat

  Date: 2008.02.06 | Category: Canada | Response: 3

  I’ve been watching BlogHer’s Election 2008 coverage with a twinge of envy. I don’t like politics. I don’t really follow politics. But here is a group of women who are really into it and involved and somehow they manage to make it interesting. And, dare I say it, kind of fun.  I can’t imagine being that engaged or involved with an election. Ever.

  Now, I highly doubt that Rick Mercer is reading BlogHer’s coverage of the election but dude hit the nail on the head in this post.

  Here we are, we think of ourselves as this progressive, diverse nation and yet there’s big bad backwards America and who’s running for the big job? A woman, a black man, a Libertarian, a Mormon with big hair, and some dude who was in a bamboo cage in Vietnam for five-and-a-half years. Meanwhile in Canada, we’re gearing up for yet another race between a pudgy white guy and a skinny white guy and some other white guy. Which may go a long way to explain the other big difference between Canada and USA politics these days: in America in this race, young people are engaged. In Canada – they’re choosing none of the above.

  (For my American friends, Rick Mercer is sort like Canada’s Jon Stewart.)

• Pissed

  Date: 2007.12.07 | Category: Canada | Response: 3

  I’m glad I didn’t see this CBC news article yesterday.

  Roses and ribbons mark Montreal Massacre

  Way to go CBC. Take a bow. I’m very impressed with how you named the gunman BUT NOT ANY OF THE VICTIMS your article was supposed to be remembering.
  Thank you for giving the motherfucker exactly what he wanted. You should be proud of yourself.

  For a calmer, more introspective and profanity-free remembrance of the day you can head over to my post a BlogHer.

  Remember the women, not the madman.

  * Geneviève Bergeron 21, civil engineering student.
  * Hélène Colgan 23, mechanical engineering student.
  * Nathalie Croteau 23, mechanical engineering student.
  * Barbara Daigneault 22, mechanical engineering student.
  * Anne-Marie Edward 21, chemical engineering student.
  * Maud Haviernick, 29, materials engineering student.
  * Maryse Laganière 25, budget clerk in the École Polytechnique’s finance department.
  * Maryse Leclair 23, materials engineering student.
  * Anne-Marie Lemay 27, mechanical engineering student.
  * Sonia Pelletier 23, mechanical engineering student.
  * Michèle Richard 21, materials engineering student.
  * Annie St-Arneault 23, mechanical engineering student.
  * Annie Turcotte 21, materials engineering student.
  * Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz 31, nursing student.

• hahahahaha

  Date: 2007.06.21 | Category: Canada | Response: 3

  This almost makes me wish I watched Canadian Idol.

  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYhmuN-AGX4]

• 90 Years

  Date: 2007.04.09 | Category: Canada | Response: 1

  I’ve tried to write a post about this a couple of times today.  Nothing is working for me. It just doesn’t sound right.

  But take a moment to read about Vimy and the Vimy Memorial. It wasn’t a battle that turned the tide of a war, but it changed a nation.  Vimy was myth-making.

• Awesome

  Date: 2007.03.22 | Category: Canada | Response: 2

  I love this idea. I wanna go too!

  I guess I’ll have to settle for picking up a copy of Vimy and rereading it.