Summer Wednesdays Vol. 9

A lot has gone on since my last Summer Saturdays and I’ll maybe get into that at a later date. For now, I think this is the best time to say farewell to Summer Saturdays (and sometimes Summer Sundays and now Summer Wednesdays). I know that technically there are a few more weeks of the season left, but it’s September now and it really does feel (for me) that it’s time to let this season go off into the night. I’ve had this post in my drafts for some time now, but it’s all still relevant. Thank you for wanting to read these each week. Sometimes it feels like this is really just a journal for me, so whenever I hear that someone actually read some of it - you’ll never know how much that means to me.

COOKING

All I’ve made this month is buttered and salted corn-on-the-cob and open-faced heirloom tomato sandwiches. It’s my favourite produce time of the year and I can’t possibly eat enough of those two things.

CRAVING

Singapore noodles. I tried them at (the now closed) Thyme + Tonic, and I can’t get them off my mind so I’ll have to make them. Also this portobello patty melt sounds too good to be true.

DREAMING ABOUT

This poutine. Does it not look like the greatest one of all time?

EATING

So I’m going to miss the CNE this year, but I need someone to try 1) the butter ice cream 2) the lobster ice cream and 3) the butter tart funnel cake so that they can report back to me.

HATING

So many things this week:

1. The fact that The Body Shop discontinued my favourite tea tree body wash.

2. How ginormous the lettuce is cut in a wedge salad. It’s ridiculously hard to eat, but the accessories (blue cheese, tomato, onion, bacon) are so good.

LOVING

There’s something so nice about your mother-in-law caring/remembering your wedding anniversary. I’m in the camp that no one needs to wish anyone else a happy anniversary (other than the two people involved), but a mother-in-law is the exception because of how sweet it is.

NEEDING

These brand new Barbie stamps. (And still on the hunt for the Route 66 stamps.)

WEARING

The new Varland shirt I made for us.

Louis Varland shirt

WATCHING

The documentary Class Action Park. Honestly, the Wikipedia page about it is interesting but this is a rare case where the documentary really does paint a picture of what a horror show this place was. I did hate most of the interviewees who were pretty dismissive of the actual deaths that took place there, but other than that it’s a wild watch.

You can find last week’s Summer Sundays Volume 8 over here.

And again, thank you for being here.

Summer Saturdays Vol. 8

It’s been a busy travel week, but here’s everything that went down.

ADDICTED TO

Going to Spirit Halloween way too early. I can’t help it.

ANTICIPATING

The end of the summer is one of the most beautiful times of year. The produce is spectacular and everyone is making the most of these final days of warmth. This communal farewell can’t feel any sweeter.

COOKING

Absolutely nothing except boiled fresh summer corn doused in butter and salt.

CRAVING

I can feel there’s one more beach trip in me this summer.

EATING

Never even heard of a green mussel before, so we had to order them and surprise surprise they were delicious.

You can read the full (free) post here.

Summer Sundays Vol. 7

Full (free) post over here.

Summer Saturdays Vol. 6

The full (free) post can be read here.

Summer Saturdays Vol. 5

Full post here.

Summer Saturdays Vol. 3

Full post here.

Spring Sundays Vol. 13

The full post can be read over here.

Spring Sundays Vol. 9

Something about mid May feels great. No horrid heat yet, no jacket weather, everyone seems to be in a good mood - I’ll take it. I also love that it’s planting season. Not sure when I became this person, but here we are.

ADDICTED TO

The $2 coffee from Second Cup. Do not sleep on Second Cup.

BAKING

I made Ina Garten’s coconut cake for Mother’s Day and good god, that’s a good cake. I would absolutely make it again. Almond extract is so underused and I love it. But honestly the frosting especially stands on its own. I might make just the frosting next time and put it on banana bread.

Coconut cake

Frosting Recipe

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted (doesn’t matter if sifted or not)

6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Frosting Instructions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until just smooth (don’t whip!).

The next coconut cake I make (which will likely be in a year or so because I think I can only stand coconut once a year) will definitely be the Smith & Wollensky coconut layer cake. It’s on their dessert menu and it’s luxurious and perfect, but seems like a finicky recipe. Have to attempt it, though.

COOKING

Still making the blue sky bran muffins on a loop.

CRAVING

The sun. It’s finally warm today and I might just spend an hour on the lawn and read a book in warmth.

EATING

An incredible beetroot salad at Lobby in Hamilton.

Beetroot salad at Lobby in Hamilton, ON

EXPERIENCING

I know I won’t shut up about this tree, but look at it. She’s gorgeous.

Magnolia tree

HATING

Torrisi in the number three spot of the New York Times list of New York’s top 100 restaurants?! Get real. Overrated as hell.

LEARNING

I did that trick where you wrap fresh/warm cake layers in plastic wrap to lock in moisture before frosting a cake and I think it really worked! Love a new baking tip.

Wrapped cake layers in plastic wrap

LOVING

This article on Martin Short in the New York Times. Great idea from it:

“EVERY MONDAY, Short reflects on the week and gives himself grades in nine categories of life, including Career, Family, Friendship and Lifestyle. The fact that Discipline is one of the nine is telling. He’s done this for decades. Originally, it allowed him to feel good about himself during slow professional stretches. When his career wasn’t going well, he raised his score by working harder on something like Family. There’s clearly a best-selling self-help book here.”

And if you’re curious what all of the nine categories are, I looked it up.

1. Self: Your own personal physical health, mental well-being, and daily maintenance.

2. Immediate Family: The core of your daily life, including your spouse, partner, children, and pets.

3. Original Family: Your relationships with the people you grew up with, including parents and siblings.

4. Friends: The health, frequency, and attentiveness of your friendships.

5. Money: Financial security and stability, which provides peace of mind.

6. Career: How fulfilling and successful your daily work is.

7. Creativity: Your creative endeavors, outlets, and innate creativity outside of your primary work.

8. Discipline: The self-control and drive to sustain work toward your goals.

9. Lifestyle: Are you having fun, making a difference, and actively enjoying your day-to-day life?

God, I love this man. You should really read his memoir.

READING

I found an index of all of Ina Garten’s published recipes and I bookmarked all of the ones I want to try this year. I really can’t remember a time when I tried one of her recipes that fell flat, so that’s what started this journey. Some ones that especially stood out: Roast Chicken with Bread and Arugula Salad, Roasted Italian Meatballs, Maple Roasted Carrot Salad. Wait, maybe I just like roasted things. Also this potato basil puree looks nuts.

SHOPPING

This notepad was on sale at Indigo so I didn’t have a choice but to get it and it’s thick as hell, which is great. It’ll take me forever to go through it.

I also bought another bowl from Zara Home. No idea what I’ll use it for, but she’s gorgeous.

Rose bowl from Zara Home

WATCHING

We saw Hokum in theatres and wow. It’s almost refreshing to see such a laughably bad movie. Terrible writing, awful story, Zero respect for Adam Scott doing it.

You can read last week’s Spring Sundays Volume 8 here.

Spring Sundays Vol. 7

The full post can be read over here.

Spring Sundays Vol. 6

I’m never prepared for how much rain there is in April. The grass is growing so tall, I’m itching to mow it but I have to wait for a few consecutive dry days. What have I become? And why do I love it?

ADDICTED TO

Checking out cookbooks from the library and then photocopying the recipes I want to try. I came across Jennifer Emilson’s The Lemon Apron Cookbook and it’s got so many great recipe ideas. Some of the ones I’m going to make in the imminent future: pappardelle with fennel and italian sausage bolognese with ricotta, a cider sage gravy, italian sausage sourdough stuffing muffins and autumn sangria. I’ll always love a cookbook that’s organized by the seasons.

BAKING

Marla made me the incredible pistachio thumbprint cookies that are heaven on earth.

Pistachio Thumbprint Cookie

CELEBRATING

Arbour Day was Friday, why don’t we care about this holiday anymore? Did we ever? Can’t say ‘cause I really can’t remember. There definitely was this one teacher in elementary school who stressed how important a day it was and it’s just stuck around in my brain since then. I think because it’s so close to Earth Day - that must be why it gets no respect. Instead of planting a tree (which yes is a lot of work), I opted to mail plantable cards this year. Might make that the tradition. Need to bring back some respect for Arbour Day.

COOKING

Beef short ribs in a loaf pan for two? Nothing better.

CRAVING

A Dairy Queen cupcake. I found a location that does them, so it’s happening this week. I also really want to try the new menu at Spirit Tree Estate Cidery soon.

EATING

The at-home version of Earl’s hunan kung pao chicken with egg noodles (from their cookbook). It’s ridiculously easy to make.

EXPERIENCING

Sleeplessness. I refuse to use melatonin because it makes my dreams nightmares. I think I need to stop looking at my phone from maybe like 8pm onward, that might help?

HATING

The new Winners at Square One. First of all, the entrance makes no sense. The glass windows show you inside the store, but you have to walk all the way around to Uniqlo to enter. And once you’re inside, it’s wall-to-wall people. Sure, it just opened but it’s such a bad set up. Will never set foot in there again.

LOVING

Zara made a summer version of my wedding clutch and I love it.

Zara summer clutch

MAKING

My own return address labels (finally!), which is kind of really big news. For years I’ve been ordering seasonal labels from Zazzle, but when I saw recently that one sheet of 12 labels now costs $15 (American!) I had to find another way. So I bought a pack of 600 labels from Avery for $30 and I will now print my own. I don’t know if you realize how huge this is. I. Can. Make. My. Own. Seasonal. Labels. OF ANYTHING I WANT. Trademarked things, personal photos or things that I create completely on Canva. Life might begin… now?

SHOPPING

I bought this clover glass bowl from Zara Home, which is perfect for spring/summer hosting. Do not sleep on Zara Home.

WATCHING

I’ve been watching so much baseball because there’s cable at my parent’s house and it might be too much baseball because it’s infiltrating my dreams almost every night. The other night I had a dream where Springer was explaining to the media (haha the media, not even me) that he’s listed his Toronto house for sale because he just wants a bigger house and nothing more. I woke up and felt relieved?? I don’t know what to do. Don’t say stop watching baseball. Clearly not the answer.

WEARING

New purse alert. This Zara bucket bag. It’s so bland, but perfect. I know we’re supposed to hate Zara (and I do in theory), but I’m a weak person when I want something new.

You can read last week’s Spring Sundays Volume 5 here.