Are You a Couch Foodie, Garden Foodie or Stove-Top Foodie?

Jack’s homemade crepes with rhubarb, blackberry and raspberry compose are always a crowd pleaser.

Recently in a cycling forum, a question floated over the Internet: “Do you have a discerning palate?” That got me thinking about foodies, people who pride themselves as food connoisseurs, worldly arbitrators of food dishes from a dizzying array of cuisines.

Just a Stove-Top Foodie: Homespun Knowledge
I fancy myself as a foodie. Not a complete foodie addict, but more a casual stove-top foodie than a Food Network TV couch foodie. In fact, I’d rather not be part of the cursed couch foodies that sparks the ire of some Vancouver chefs. According to the restaurant industry, the Food TV Network, has changed the culinary scene. As one local chef opined:

“.…What makes Vancouver restauranteurs’ and chefs’ jobs challenging is today, everybody believes they’re an expert when they don’t have enough background.”

Indeed, this is the challenge or problem, these days for big city chefs anywhere in a competitive restaurant market.

Guavas on a tree at a guava plantation. Big Hawai’i Island 2002. Photo by J.Chong

Growing a Foodie
I’m a stove-top foodie, because my culinary palate was stoked decades ago, long before Food TV Network, and before I knew how to read cookbooks. As any Asian kid raised on a traditional Asian cuisine, will tell you, babies and children learn to eat all sorts of weird, mostly wonderful stuff without even knowing the English translation for every ingredient or the cooked dish itself. Sometimes I still don’t even remember the proper Chinese name for the dish. But I eat it anyway.

Dinner at one of many Chinese-Japanese restaurants. Toronto, ON 2011.

It wasn’t until my teens I realized I was eating rehydrated lily buds in steamed Chinese meat dishes, bird’s nest soup at wedding banquets and wood ear fungus in Mom’s stir-fries. This was the early 1970’s, not today, when weird food reports have now penetrated globally via the Internet, tv and celebrity cowboy chefs, like Anthony Bourdain storytelling their culinary discoveries.

Children: Equal Partners in Food Discovery
It is children who sit equally at the table with their parents, at a feast or restaurant and gobble down, course after course, of less familiar foods, minus the tea and wine. These

Duck with berry red wine sauce and bowl of spaetzle on side. Strasbourg, France 2010. French Alsatian regional cooking has German influences. And vice versa also: southern German dishes are more delicate in taste and execution because of French influence.

children are not food-ghettoized to their own table of bland adult food versions.

This is how a child becomes a stove-top foodie: they are expected to try a food dish, be a teachable guest, learn over time by taste, what makes the dish enjoyable or dull. Not by how a food dish looks. How else do you think very young children can happily eat tofu, hot curry or sushi?

As I had explained in an earlier blog post, my palate and knowledge of cooking techniques was confined narrowly to Cantonese style cuisine until I left home. It was the regional cooking that my parents grew up and knew. That was my “restricted” culinary world living 100 km. west of Toronto.

Georgia Cannery, Richmond BC. A historic site where there was once several major salmon canneries along the British Columbia coast that employed aboriginals, Japanese and Chinese Canadians. Part of understanding local food heritage.

I didn’t scratch the surface or even know about Malaysian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese as well as South Asian fare, until I earned enough money to eat in restaurants. I actually considered (and still do) cheaper just to cook Chinese food at home.

Later, I layered my stove-top palate, with a few seminal cookbooks and literary foodie books on long, diverse gastronomic history of Chinese cuisine, lore and technique. Fuschia Dunlop’s Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Chinese Cooking, as well as  books by Chinese cookbook authors from disapora, — U.S. and Britain, who went to visit motherland to document and photo -shoot their culinary connections and discoveries.

Typical home-cooked meal- stir fried veggies that includes fresh water chestnuts, daikon and wood ear fungus

Refined Tastebuds Discern Gastronomic Nuances and Innovations
A well-tuned palate for at least, one complex cuisine, can quickly distinguish between the canon of restaurant cuisine and home-cooking, along with nuances of quality and inventiveness.

Now, with East-West fusion cuisine, it does tease your tastebuds out of complacency. But there are some no-no’s to me, no matter how innovative: raw bok choy just is so …wrong.

Ice cream sandwich vendor pedals her handmade goodies by bike. Farmers’ market by Vancouver railway station. 2012 Photo by J. Chong

But last year, for the first time I had raw, fresh kohl rabi slices. It was delicately crisp and lovely. I was more familiar with kohl rabi soup from childhood or Jack’s German dish of sautéed kohl rabi with a white sauce.

Happily my stove-top palate is enriched with exposure to finer German cuisine. I don’t mean just beer, bratwurst and sauerkraut. I’ve written about my cycling adventures on spargel (white asparagus), multi-layered cake tortes and dumpfnudel, the German cousin of Chinese bao.

No doubt, I have yet to fully know, the spicy nuances for all regions of India or miso differences favoured in Japanese and Korean cooking. But I could tell you that won ton or gyoza like wet dumplings shares similarities with Ukranian perogies and Italian ravioli. It’s differences in cooking technique, fillings and sometimes sauces and dips.

Café sign beckons with beer, meat dishes and kugelhof cake in heart of Strasbourg, France. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

As for ever becoming a garden foodie, nah. I’ll leave it to the patient gardeners and farmers.

Some of My Favourite  Foodie Blog Posts and More: 
Come and Get Your Dumplings: Some West-East Comparisons.

Cycle-Adventuring for Fun, Low Cost Food at Ethnic Grocery Stores and Supermarkets.

Easily Drunk on Cycle Touring in Wine Regions.

Home baked salmon fillet wrapped in phyllo with leek in white sauce on side.

Growing Up and Cycling Through the Years to Farmers’ Markets Home and Abroad.

Kicking Up Schiacciata Con Frutta: Grape Focaccia My Way with Ginger Root and Spices.

Lotus Flower: From Root to Flower to Seed, It Feeds Our Senses.

Romanticizing the Best: Asian Craze for European Desserts.  See under Site Index at the top of this blog for more foodie blog posts.

Da Silva, Michelle. How Food Television is Changing the Way We Dine. In Georgia Straight. Mar. 12, 2012.

Bike tire garden trellis at Mount Pleasant community gardens. Vancouver BC 2012. Photo by J.Chong

Easily Drunk on Cycle-Touring in Wine Regions

Blasted Church Winery.Okanagan Valley. Near Oliver, BC. 2005. Tasting room is housed in an old church that was carefully dynamited in the 1920′s in order to relocate it at that time. Photo by J. Chong

It’s annoying to have my  health problem whenever we go cycle-touring in the wine regions of Canada, U.S. and Europe: I get easily drunk on alcohol.
 
You could say I am afflicted by a common problem that isn’t just confined to some Asians (although there is that stereotyping). My ears become quite red: fast like a supremely over-exerted cyclist after  less than 6-8 sips of wine.
 
Either Red Ears or Tone Down Wine Sips
By drinking more wine, just to “harden” my sensitivities to the fermented grape, is not a solution. Not when already, I’m into my fifth decade in life.  I still want a liver and control over calorie intake. Drinking wine often means drinking in more calories too.

My seafood salad lunch. Muse Winery Bistro, Saanich. Vancouver Island, BC 2011. Photo by J. Chong. Local fresh seafood is common on an island winery bistro menu. Food sometimes is just as good as the wine from their barrels.

Nevertheless, we have sallied forth by bike into the wine regions of  Niagara-on-the-Lake region, Ontario; Okanagan Valley in interior British Columbia and on Vancouver Island.  We have yet to taste the recent wines from eastern Ontario in Prince Edward County or south on Pelee Island. These areas developed their vineyards after we moved to British Columbia.

Spring time at Saltspring Winery. Saltspring Island, BC 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 Wine Regions- A Heady Bouquet of Memories
We have touched down on some great routes and wineries with  creative tasting rooms, good wines, restaurants and ambience that sometimes tie together the local experience into a lovely bouquet of memories.

At a winery in Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island 2003.

 My jumpstart into wineries, was over 16 years ago with our 120 km. cycling day trip from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake wine region.  Since then, we’ve done this trip several times different ways which included  a ferry across Lake Ontario that ran only a scant 2 summers.  We have also biked around the lake, as a hot humid bike trip in summer from downtown Toronto. Now, wine-thirsty cyclists can choose to roll on their bikes onto the popular  summer weekend Bike Train service passengers from Toronto.

The 50 km. 1-way bike route from Port Dalhousie to Fort Erie, past the roaring Niagara Falls and Butterfly Gardens, is easy, if not also crazy-busy during peak tourist season.  A more pleasant visit is early fall, with the blaze of autumn-kissed trees along the bike path. 

Local art work may be featured at various tasting rooms or outdoors at the site. Nk’Mip Cellars, an aboriginal winery run by the Osoyoos Indian Band. Near Oliver, B.C.2005. Photo by J. Chong. Not typically European in artistry but wine-making is embedded in European techniques.

 During various different trips across Canada, we’ve stopped to pull out our bikes and puff away on short steep hills in the Okanagan Valley, Canada’s near desert-like wine region in British Columbia.

Favourite Wineries Blend Spirits, Scenery, Food and Artistry
One of my favourite wineries for wine, great food and valley views, is Quail’s Gate in West Kelowna which overlooks gentle grapevine slopes dipping down to Okanagan Lake.   The winery’s location shows off the area’s sparkling waters, bright clear skies, undulating hills and winding roads.
 

View overlooking vineyards, mountains to Okanagan Lake, from Quail’s Gate Wines’ restaurant patio. West Kelowna, BC 2008. Photo by J. Chong

At Summerhill Wines, past its signature upended wine bottle sculpture, is a restaurant that offers relaxation for a lovely meal and shade from the sunny dry heat  –that is, if you can avoid the crowds during peak seasons. They once produced a white wine packaged in a blue glass violin shaped bottle which I’ve kept, after savouring its contents.
 
Though we have not yet travelled by bike to the following two Okanagan Valley wineries mentioned below, I can’t resist just mentioning them because of their unusual ambiance and effective marketing.

Antique wooden grape press by a French vineyard. Provence, France 2012. Photo by J. Becker

Blasted Church Wines are arresting just for its wine labels and its story of a carefully dynamited church in 1929 that was moved from Okanagan Falls to its present location that now houses the tasting room.

For innovative surroundings and something unEuropean, but deeply embedded in British Columbian identity, is Nk’Mip Wine Cellars which features aboriginal iconography and artwork in its restaurant, tasting room and grounds. The winery has been developed by savvy local aboriginal entrepreneurs from the Osoyoos Indian Band.

Mermaid in rubber boots is logo for Saltspring Island Wines. Saltspring Island, BC 2005. Photo by J. Chong. Winery as well as Cherrypoint Wines each produces blackberry wine.

Can’t Resist Local Seafood  and Blackberry Wine
What distinguishes British Columbia in vineyard visits and tastings, are also  local salmon and other fresh large local seafood featured on winery restaurant menus at reasonable prices for high quality.

Whenever I visit Vancouver Island wineries, like Cherry Point Wines, I savour the seafood entrees just as much as the accompanying wine from their barrels nearby.  Large scallops, spotted shrimp (unique to Pacific Northwest coast), various clam varieties and mussels, are often drawn from the Pacific waters.  This level of freshness and quality most definitely, is not featured much in Germany at winery restaurants.

Cycle-touring by Rhine River along the “Wine Route” in his birthplace area with vineyards, picturesque old towns and castle ruins. Black Forest Region, southern Germany, 2008.

Ideal frost-snow conditions in British Columbia and Niagara-on-the-Lake wine regions, also allow pressing of ice wine more easily than Spain, Italy or France.

For locals or visitors,  I cannot stop reminding people that Vancouver Island, is home of port-like blackberry wine varietals. Blackberry bushes bust out all over the land, if left unpruned, since they thrive in Pacific Northwest coastal balmy weather and rain –much to the curse of dedicated gardeners.

Wandering and Wine-Tasting Overseas
Further abroad, we have cycle-ventured  into the Napa-Sonoma wine region in California (though more him, than me), bike-touched the wine regions in Washington and Oregon. 

Since Jack’s family roots are based in the Black Forest region in the famed wine region by the Rhine River in southern Germany, we have cycled there for wine, food, and 

Chatting with farming couple at farmers’ market who grew cherries plus make and sell their own kirschausseur, “cherry wine”. Freiburg, Germany 2010. Photo by J. Chong. Wines were sold 4-5 euros per bottle. It is common that some German farmers in the wine-growing regions will make small batches of their own wine for sale. Not far from this market, was a retail store, showcasing and selling local, lesser known wines in this region.

picturesque villages while on our way to visit relatives.  His extended family still has a vineyard and hotel inn with restaurant since the 1700’s.  It is a region that other Europeans flock, whose home country lack wineries due to inadequate climatic conditions for grape-growing –ie. from Scandanavia, United Kingdom, etc.

Cycling by vineyards and winery in Aix-le-Provence, France 2012. Photo by J. Becker

I haven’t yet cycled France enough, to visit its wine regions.  However, last spring Jack rolled through the Burgundy wine region but was unable to stock up on wine due to his heavy packed bike panniers. He really wondered if he would be able to meet his 80-100 km. daily cycling goals if he stopped for a swig of red wine glory. So, he blissfully spun unaware through some French winery areas that produced famed red wines that cost over $120.00 per bottle in North America.

Vineyards surround centuries old town, Weingarten, Germany 2010. Area near where Jack was born and family members are still there. Photo by J. Chong. Approximately 15 km. southwest of the French border. Weingarten translates from German as “Wein” for wine and “agarten” for garden.

So touring wine regions by bike offers many gorgeous vistas, an outdoor Nature experience married with cultural refinement –even if you can’t pack in much wine in your tummy or in your bike panniers, from your favourite winery stops.

Cycling through picturesque old French towns in Champagne, France 2009. Photo by J. Becker. The region that certifies only certain vineyards for producing the real champagne.

 Reading to Entice You:
Tourism British Columbia. Includes information on its wine regions, map and winery links.

Chong, J. Cycling for Spargel, Kirsch and Blue Painted Bikes in Black Forest Region, Germany.  In Cycle Write Blog. Jun. 3, 2010.

Chong, J. Freiburg, Germany: Cycling Among Medieval and Renaissance Restoration. In Cycle Write Blog. Jul. 10, 2010.

Chong, J. An Idyllic Summer Escape to Vancouver Island for Maidei. In Cycle Write Blog. Jul. 3, 2011. 

Homemade focaccia-pizza with a Okanagan Valley merlot from Stag’s Hollow winery in B.C. Photo by J. Chong

Summerhill Wines’ patio wine bottle sculpture. Overlooking Okanagan Lake, Kelowna B.C. Photo by J. Chong

Cycle-Adventuring for Fun, Low-Cost Food at Ethnic Grocery Stores and Supermarkets

Large variety of freshly made sushi packs. Fujiya Japanese Supermarket. Vancouver, BC

Yes, I know: in major to medium sized cities, you can drop by big, non-ethnic supermarket chains and load up on fresh ginger, pita bread or curry paste. Heck, even a deal on bitter melon is even possible these days.

No Need for Food Coupons
I have not used any food coupons over the past 3 decades. Instead, I’ve relied on low-cost food discoveries in ethnic grocery stores, farmers’ markets and only 1-2 national mainstream supermarkets.

By the sushi, sashimi and miso soup counter. Fujiya’s, Vancouver BC.

I happily patronized 1-3 different ethnic grocery stores and supermarket stores when I have lived in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. It takes time to find them. But cycling does encourage me to explore, in search of food deals at a few select places that are kind to the food budget yet interesting places just to browse briefly.

Japanese Supermarket for Fresh, Cheaper Sushi
In Vancouver, we occasionally cycled over to the Japanese local supermarket chain, Fujiya near the Adanac bike route. If you want competitively priced, freshly made but packaged sushi and sashimi combinations, this is the place. Along with a tray or two of sushi, is their bowl of miso soup for a simple, cheap lunch at their little eating area inside, at the front of the store. Fujiya has some outlets in Metro Vancouver. Not surprisingly, the multi-generational local Japanese-Canadians go there and everyone else.

Chinese gunpowder green tea –with trilingual packaging from a Middle Eastern store.

At minimum, I usually end up buying a big pack of green tea or buckwheat noodles. But there is a diverse selection of Japanese teas, miso pastes and dried seaweeds. I don’t buy much from this suite of Japanese staples, but it still is interesting just to look at the differences in Japanese teas versus the Chinese teas.

A slice of historic Chinatown. Vancouver, BC. 2010. Mural reflects some aboriginal imagery, indigenous to northwest coast cultural history.Photo by J. Chong

  More Rice Diversity at Chinese One-Stop Supermarket
Maybe I’m not remembering correctly, but Fujiya doesn’t offer the same diversity of rice in sacks compared to some Chinese grocery stores. I do shop at the Chinese mega-chain (at least for North American Chinese supermarkets) at T & T’s — more for convenience instead of continuously great deals. Some of their prices are higher than independent Chinese grocery stores. Annoyingly, sometimes large bunches of Chinese greens are bundled  in plastic and sold by  weight. Not practical when buying for only 1-2 people.

At Byblos wholesale bakery outlet and a bike ride stop: Middle Eastern phyllo pastry made of custard-like cream, sprinkled with pistachios.

But still, it’s just easier to manoeuvre around in wider shopping aisles.  The shelves are filled with a mind-boggling variety of foods that either I’ve never tried (and some I never will, since it’s processed and packaged junk food a la Asian-style) or my decision-making is challenged on which brand to try.  It used to be rice. But since I don’t eat much rice anymore, it’s Chinese noodles now –certain types of noodles. T & T has spread its supermarket empire across Canada. There are some differences between Vancouver stores and the single Calgary store. Vancouver locations offer a lot more fresh seafood and wider range of locally made fresh Chinese noodles.  I haven’t visited Calgary store often enough to see if they’ve gone as far as to introduce bison or venison to their customers. But it’s only a matter of time when they do.

Stacks of large couscous sacks and different types at Middle Eastern shops. Calgary, AB

 Piles of Middle Eastern Couscous Sacks
For Middle Eastern groceries, we have the easy convenience near a bike route to access Byblos, a Middle Eastern wholesale bakery outlet in Calgary which also supplies Western Canada. It’s typical to see customers sail out of the store with over 10-20 packs of pita bread for their families or more likely, their own restaurants.

After packing away pita bread, some phyllo pastries with pistachios, hazelnuts and thankfully, less syrupy than Greek versions and freshly made hummus, we settle down for a sumach spiced flatbread, a pastry and drink before climbing back on the bikes.

East Indian tea brands with British colonial branding. Basha Foods International, Calgary AB.

Just a block away is Basha Foods International, a large Middle Eastern supermarket that has instead, sacks of rice varieties with Middle East or Indian brands as well as whole aisles devoted to diverse selection and large volumes of beans, millet, couscous and barley.

Colonial Tea Branding in South Asian Teas, Not East Asian Brands
Packaged tea has Middle Eastern script with branding that reflects British colonial past — totally different from Chinese tea branding which retains more often, Chinese imagery and logos with no reference to British connections. But then except for Hong Kong and Macau, China was never colonized. Same for Japanese teas and their branding.

Giant moon cakes for Chinese mid-Autumn festival –enough to feed a whole party for dessert. T & T’s supermarket. Calgary, AB

Someone mentioned to me that it would be cheaper and more satisfying that I made my own hummus. Sure, but there are limits how far I will go the homemade route. I shop at these favourite food stores in lieu of visiting many different mainstream supermarkets for good prices and fun while browsing different foodstuffs.

Oh yes, I forgot: they are fun cycling destinations while I also get a great work out to haul the goodies homeward.

Asia in My Dreams: Romanticizing the East

After half a century, I still haven’t been to Asia yet.  Being Canadian-born and resident in Canada all my life ( Huron-Iroquois native Indian for “Kanata“, meaning village), I have only impressions and tenuous connections to ancestral land of China.

Statuary on top of temple. Hsinchu City, Tawain 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker. An Asian interpretation of baroque-like detail.

As Asia hurtles along in the 21st century to remake itself, I have had to rejiggle my perceptions about this diverse area and simultaneously, my hopes of ever visiting there.  By now, I’m wondering if I will ever be motivated to visit at all. Let me explain.

Mother and I at home in southern Ontario, Canada. Beginnings of my reality, dreams and identity.

 Dreams Start in German-Mennonite Ontario County Area
While growing up in a small southern Ontario city, I had visions of a land with ancient pagodas dwarfed by sheer rocky mountain spires,  blue Mao-suited residents shuffling in black cloth Chinese slippers who were eating food that was more deeply layered and diverse in taste, compared to the fare served up in diner woks across North America.

These images were reinforced by my parents’ collection of older Chinese pictorial magazines that I later plundered photos to illustrate my school projects and ace some high marks. (I think the marks were for the amount of  information I enthusiastically shared in the project.)

Cycling in an enclosed village area, Changzhi, China 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker.

Also my half-baked impressions, were fed by letters with Mao and Communist peasant inspired stamps on letters from relatives in mainland China, during the 1970’s.

Dispatches from Other Canadian-born Chinese
Later, in the 1980’s when other Canadian-born Chinese friends went overseas to live and travel, there were stories of being tracked occasionally by Chinese authorities, some travel restrictions, difficulties of learning Mandarin as adults while savouring both, delicious and lousy cheap food, sights of  rural poverty, crowded cities, some magnificent scenery and architecture.

It was mostly foreign to me.  But still, wonderful to hear tales both great and not so great.

In a mountain park. Seoul, South Korea. 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker. Ideal, tranquil image of Asia.

Finally a sister and I had vaguely entertained the idea of a trip to China. But that same year later,  the 1989 Tianamen Square massacre of several hundred student protestors in Beijing and terror,  forced us early to switch our sights to Europe.  We spent three weeks bopping around in 10 European countries.

She however did embark a few years later, on a memorable trip with her husband for several weeks in China and Thailand.

Expanding Asian Dreams-  Moving to Toronto
Meanwhile my childhood romantic thoughts were crystallizing with greater clarity when I moved to Toronto to find work after university. Here was one of Canada’ highest proportion of Asian-Canadians where suddenly, I wasn’t noticed as much by racial ethnicity.

Spicy Korean seafood noodle soup with condiments 2012. Calgary, AB. Began exploring other Asian cuisines, outside of Chinese Cantonese food starting in my mid 20′s.

For the first time in my mid-20’s, I started to taste the fiery kimchee soaked condiments and egg smothered bim bap in Korean restaurants, as well as barbecued eel,  sushi and sashimi from Japanese restaurants  and curries from Malayasian eateries.  Yup, that was how “narrow” my experience of  just Asian cuisine.  What do you expect from a kid who  grew up in a German-Mennonite city and then, spent a few years buried in her studies in the conservative, Caucasian dominant city of London, Ontario?

My Asian dreams got wider geographically  –through food as a touchstone.  Thai food stoked the golden visions of the Royal Palace in Bangkok and skinny market boats floating down canals, loaded with fresh produce.

Cambodia 2007. Photo by S. Chong-Purvis

Too Lazy to Learn, Globalization of Asia: Other Excuses Not to Visit
Yet, increasingly I was focusing more on the history of the Chinese and Japanese in North America.  Not only was it more relevant, but it was simply easier and less to read.

Laden cyclists and motorbikes compete for road space. Vietnam 2007. Photo by S. Chong-Purvis.

As a hobby, it was too much effort for me to figure out  over  3,000 years of Chinese dynastic history prior to the Opium Wars in the 1800’s.

Over time, the lure of a different place untouched by Western consumerism and individualism, was losing its exotic veneer : family members told stories of occasional breathing problems in polluted, humid Bangkok or Beijing, nearly blind consumer worship of McDonald’s, Louis  Vitton and cars sweeping across at least, urban Asia, or news reports on gross occupational hazards where locals died or were injured while labouring under dangerous conditions.

Commuter train crowds in Taipei, Tawain 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker. Similar scene at rush hour in Vancouver, however with approx. up to 60% Asian faces.

 Need Asia Anymore?
Now the latest, is that some streets in Shanghai core areas are just like any North American yuppified area.  Do I need to experience that when I can get a similar experience just by wandering down Robson St. in Vancouver, BC with over 30% Asian-Canadians in the city?  Or in the suburb of Richmond where the population is now 60% Asian-Canadian.

I probably have it all wrong –again.

Canadian Living a Fragmented Mosaic of Asian Influences

Halong Bay, Vietnam 2007. Photo by S. Chong-Purvis. Another tranquil Asian image.

Yet, I know my romanticizing of the East, is not the same as those who don’t have any family members from Asia.  The photos of my mother, still young and pretty in  her cheong-sam and striking a pose with her babies in Canada, is the beginning of why my dreams aren’t out to lunch.

The fact is  that I can see English script and often, can guess the original writer, began life by learning Chinese ideograms.  A tell-tale sign:  there is a certain consistent neatness in English handwriting. Or the fact, like a lot of Asians raised on home-Chinese cooking, we enjoy steamed fish in a bit of soy sauce, ginger root slices, green onions and oil.  To us, that’s highlighting quality fresh whole fish.  However a lot of non-Asians just see this steamed fish dish, as a boring, less dynamic  dish.

Steamed savoury egg custard with slices of beef flavoured with soy sauce, ginger root & onion. Dish seldom served in North American Chinese restaurants. But known & enjoyed by those born / raised on home Chinese cooking world-wide. 2012 Calgary.

Or that I enjoy savoury, steamed egg custard as comfort food for supper.  It has bits of sliced meat marinated with soy sauce cooked in a tasty, slightly watery custard.  Lovely with rice on the side and simple stir fried veggies.  But this custard dish rarely makes it to restaurant menus in North America.  Probably because it’s puzzling and not  as colourful as a heap of artfully stir-fried seafood with veggies.  Eating a wide range of Asian cuisines means appreciating a diverse range of food textures, contrasting flavours and colours in one meal.  My father’s favourite dish was steamed, lean pork slices with abit of salted fish to flavor the pork. We enjoyed it also –several times per month for dinner.

Like ordinary life, not dreams, I learned to cook rice in the pot over stove as a teenager. Electric rice pots only entered my life in my early 30’s.

Burning incense swirls around in temple. Changzhi, China 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

No wonder why my Asian dreams confuse me. These life memories are like colourful glass fragments in my shattered mosaic of understanding that I have had to piece together thoughtfully, over a long time.  These  experiences fused with dreams, probably only makes sense to me and others who bumble along in life.

But as time marches on and our world shrinks with personal blogs popping up from all over the globe, Asia looks less and less romantically exotic.  Globalization is making gelatos, sorbets and coffees popular in the big Asian cities. Even the Chinese and East Indians who have money are jumping on the European wine kick  –their romanticization of the West.

Or am I wrong?  Maybe it’s just me. I should just hop onto a plane and get to the truth of my arms-length, or ocean-length view of Asia. My parents have never wanted to return to China. For them, they probably rather keep the dreams of how it was before the Chinese-Japanese war and Communist takeover.

For now, I’m just content to explore Canada where I can still get lost in its vastness.

Further Reading:
Chong, Jean. Romanticizing the West:  Asian Craze for European Gourmet Desserts. In Cycle Write Blog, Feb. 2, 2012.

Seoul, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

Cesky Krumlov: Czech Interpretations of Medieval and Renaissance Architecture

Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO heritage site. View from its castle promenade. Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 For another architecturally rich visit in a quieter, smaller town beyond the hustle and bustle of Prague, is the town of Cesky Krumlov.    It is 180 km. southwest of Prague  –a pleasant train ride in old, but clean Czech trains.  We stowed our bikes into the bike train car and settled into our seats to watch the green countryside roll by, dotted with red roofed farmhouses.

As soon as one leaves the train station and rides into town, the preserved walls of the town begin to appear shortly and then you’re pedaling along cobblestone. The town was established in 1302 and ascended in its development to 1602.  During this time period, Cesky Krumlov lay near the juncture of Czech, Austrian, Bavarian (German) and Italian lands.

Looking up at Castle Watchtower from lower town of Cesky Krumlov. Tower has some triumph d’oeil painted on its facade to mimic brickwork and windows. Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Our overnight stay was in a historic guesthouse, Castle Stairs which was tucked under the spire-shadow of the Cesky Krumlov’s Castle Tower.  This was the same place where U.S. television travelogue broadcaster, Rick Steeves stayed.  The owner also ran a souvenier gift shop downstairs.  He generously allowed us to gingerly store our bikes inside the shop among some breakable knickknacks and glass display cases.  If there was an alternate bike parking spot in this historic medieval section of town, we certainly would have used it!

The castle promenade bridge was built later on top of the town’s Roman aqueduct. Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J. Chong

To explore  Cesky Krumlov, we spent the rest of the first day, walking. With the town split between an upper plateau level where the castle was located overlooking the lower level where the the townsfolk lived for centuries, it was just easier.  Otherwise, we would be grinding up and shaloming down slippery, cobblestone streets.

Trompe l’Oeil Without Being Cheesy
What was striking in the castle compound, was the use of trompe l’oeil on the building fascia and on the Castle Watchtower, or painted images to masquerade as bricks and stone. Now, to some visitors, this is cheesy but for a country like the Czech Republic, which already has numerous historic heritage buildings in Prague and elsewhere, it’s just abit more economical and practical.  After all, when I wandered about Prague, I kept wondering how could the city sustain the long-term cost of architectural restoration even with support from other external funding bodies. The Czech Republic has only recently embarked enthusiastically on the road to free-enterprise.

Castle’s gardens were located at the bottom of the hill. Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 Within half a block of our guesthouse, there was a centuries-old, walled royal bear compound where yes, two bears roamed around.  It was for the narcissistic pleasure of the royalty where ‘bear’  in part of the family name, Rozmburk  (or Rosenburg, depending how you transliterate it) and featured in the town’s crest. After touring the castle, I couldn’t help but wonder it was a luxurious, but lonely life in this rural part of the country for the Rozmburks.

Marionette peasant couple. Puppet Museum. Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 An amble along the covered stone bridge down into the lower Cesky Krumlov, offered splendid panoramic views of Cesky Krumlov’s churches,  neatly kept homes below, the Vtalov River, undulating  green pastures and forests.  Here, the bridge is on top of a Roman acqueduct.

At the bottom of the castle, there were gardens and small fountains that mirrored very humbly to the more fabulous French Palace of Versailles-style gardens and topiary. 

Our meals were punctuated with gargantuous Czech dumplings that I wrote earlier in a blog post and the ubiquitous apple strudel. On the second day, we did some simple cycling around the edges of town before hauling ourselves and the bikes with panniers back onto the train.

Strolling and exploring Cesky Krumlov.Czech Republic 2010. Photo by J. Chong. The town has 300 buildings as part of the UNESCO heritage designation.

Cesky Krumlov offered us a relaxing, UNESCO designated historic ambiance of Czech expression for medieval and Renaissance architecture and art, in both high style as well as  burgher style where shopkeepers, tradesmen and workers lived.  It was seeing the best perserved slice of these architectural eras, outside of Prague.

Further Reading and Photos:
Cesky Krumlov’s official web site.

Chong, Jean. Come and Get Your Dumpling: West-East Comparisons. In Cycle Write Blog, Jul. 25, 2010.

Spa Pampering in a Dog’s Life: Bakeries, Bike Trailers and More

This gallery contains 6 photos.

In the past few decades, a mini boom of small businesses has sprung up to serve dogs and their dog lover-owners.  At least in some major cities. Bakeries for Dogs I got whiff of the dog bakery business over 15 … Continue reading →

Romanticizing the Best: Asian Craze for Gourmet European Desserts

Popular European style bakery chain in South Korea, Paris Baguette Cafe. Changwon, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker. Changwon has population of over 1 million.

Romanticizing either one’s own culture or another culture, can be as simple as introducing a foreign food dish, which becomes wildly popular over time.  Popular, because not only the dish tastes great, but the consumer purchases and enjoys the dish as partaking in a refined, higher class or more worldly expression of their personal taste.

Before you jump on me for being critical or elitist, especially for preparing your treasured family heirloom recipes, sit down and have a café with me. Hear me out.

Fine chocolate ganache cake at local bakery cafe. Seoul, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

Asian Crazes:  European Gourmet Desserts
Traditional Asian cuisine is not known for baked elegant desserts at all.  Whatever desserts offered now in Asian bakeries, are an influence of a country’s European colonial past (ie. egg tarts in Macau are a Portuguese legacy; Filipino pastries, a Spanish adaptation) or simply a local baker, restauranteur who loved European desserts and understood their patrons’ need to end a meal with a sweet, elegant flourish.

More upscale local bakery cafe with European pastries and ambience. Seoul, South Korea 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

Last autumn, Jack sampled both  Asian street food and some gourmet European cake slices when he was in Taipei, Tawain and in South Korea on business trips.  On both occasions, he found the bakery cafes when he wandered around in the cities’  core shopping areas.

Petite four desserts with a coffee or tea. Strasbourg, France 2010. Photo by J. Chong. Little tartlets and squares with some made from marzipan (almond paste).

The cakes were quite good which is a compliment from someone raised by a German mother.  His mother loved preparing elegant multi-layered cake tortes, linzertorte (hazelnut tart with raspberry almond filling), plum kuchens and wonderful cookies by using traditional techniques.  Not surprisingly his maternal line, has pastry chefs and restauranteurs back to the 1700’s.

Former Chinatown Desserts: Chiffon and Sponge Cake-like Creations
Over 25 years ago, the few Asian bakeries that I knew in Canadian Chinatowns, offered very limited desserts that were primarily egg or coconut tarts, buns filled with whipping crème, and savoury fillings such was ham, barbecued pork or even (gasp), wieners. The cake and bun crumb tended to be primarily sponge or chiffon cake-like textures –safe, bland, simple ingredients and not too sweet for Asian palates.   Strangely, I never saw muffins nor pies in those bakeries at that time.

German pastries at local outdoor farmers’ market. Freiburg, Germany 2010. Photo by J. Chong. Not all are commonly found in North American bakeries but for local Germans are low-cost, but freshly baked dessert snacks.

Now, in bigger Canadian cities, Vancouver and Toronto, there are more Asian bakeries and large Asian supermarkets that will offer a bit more  –such as mousse cakes and fruit tartlets along side the egg custard tarts and savoury buns. I’m not sure how many have jumped onto the phyllo pastry bandwagon but it’s just a matter of time:  phyllo pastry is so easy to work with and bakes quickly.

Elegant cake choices at Ganache Patisserie in chic Yaletown. Vancouver BC 2010. Photo by J. Chong

The greatest compliment for adopting a foreign dish, occurs when a  chef or baker embraces traditional techniques, transforms the dish into several different unique variations and creates a business that garners fans.

Ganache Patisserie, a gourmet cake bakery café in the hip Yaletown, Vancouver BC offers walk-in  customers a fabulous range of different elegant cake slices and if needed, customized wedding cakes. The pastry chef is Henry Hwang who picked up his skills in France.

Mango creme puff, one of several flavours at Cruffs. Calgary AB 2011. Photo by J. Chong. Bakery was started up by 2 brothers from Indonesia where the pastry chef previously ran a bakery for 4 yrs.

Meanwhile in prairie city of Calgary, brothers Mario and Ignas Adiwibawa from Indonesia,  launched their crème puff bakery , Cruffs two years ago  in the trendy Mission area.  Mario, the baker added more baking skills to his culinary arsenal after attending a culinary school in Vancouver.

Previously he ran a bakery for 4 years in Indonesia.  They offer their crème puffs with choice fillings which include:  Irish Crème Baileys, pistachio, hazelnut chocolate, mango, lemon and green tea.   Recently they offered a blueberry creme puff.

In 2012 they are venturing into a version of an Indonesian pastry, roti, a Dutch colonial by product.  Their Indonesian coffee based roti, will be rebranded with a different name to avoid confusion with Caribbean and South Asian spicy curry savoury rotis stuffed with sauce, veggies or meat.

Edible dragon pastry decorates a bed of creme puffs. For Year of the Dragon, Chinese New Year 2012 celebrations. Cruffs Bakery, Calgary AB 2012

For those whose cultural heritage includes these fine dessert inspirations, it is simply a wonderful memory and casual touchstone to enjoy a dessert well executed even if the chef came from a  country located far from the dessert’s origins.

Stay tuned for romanticizing a culture feature of the East by the West.

Lake Louise Snowshoeing: Snow Glazed Mountains, Ice Castles and Bison Reuben Sandwiches

Like every mountain snow-starved urbanite, we head to our choice mountain area for some snowshoeing.  This time after an overnight stay in Banff, Alberta, we went to Lake Louise to explore both some familiar and other new trails.

Snowshoeing on the Tramline trail between village of Lake Louise and Chateau Lake Louise. Alberta 2012. Photo by J.Chong

I last visited Lake Louise twelve years ago in the fall, when we were travelling across Canada from Toronto in a small moving van when Jack first relocated to Vancouver.  On earlier trips, I had seen Lake Louise, dazzling in her turquoise bejewelled summer waters when 2 years prior to my move, we cycled on the Continental Divide route to the town of Field.

Area becomes a mecca for hiking, mountaineering and winter sports –as promised by vintage poster. Archival display at Lake Louise Visitors’ Centre 2012. Photo by J. Chong

Along the way, we spied a baby bear playing by a stream.  That meant mama bear was near by. We scrambled onto our bikes and spun as fast as we could up a hill along with an overly ripe banana inside my pannier.  Another time, when we cross-country skied the Continental Divide for 18 km., I recalled a nagging fear as the wind blew slanted with snow falling steadily:  we saw no one for over an hour while we crossed the snowy foothills under towering mountain shadows.  I wondered if I would finish the route before nightfall.  I was not a good cross-country skier.

Cradled Among Snow-Draped Evergreen Forests
Between the village of Lake Louise and the world-famous iconic hotel, Chateau Lake Louise by the lake, it was a perfect 11 km. snowshoeing round trip with some gradual hills, groomed trails flanked by snow-draped thick evergreen forests and rising mountains ahead at each bend.  Every winter, I always forget how much snowshoeing energy is burned up, especially when I suck in dry, fresh and pure air.

On High Line snowshoe trail. Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta 2012. Photo by HJEH Becker

While traversing through these soaring forests topped with snowy creaminess, you are cradled along Nature’s protective snow forest canals, away from harsh winds.

To avoid the avalanche of tourists and higher accommodation prices, we were there a week after New Year’s Day.  Perfect, since we had the trails to ourselves, and attentive restaurant servers.

This time the Chateau Lake Louise had its first  ice castle sculpture of the year, planted at the lake edge where skaters swirled around it.  In a few weeks, there will be more ice sculptures to draw more visitors until the icy creations melt down.

Lovely lady figurine chandeliers in different areas of Chateau Lake Louise, Banff National Park. Alberta 2012. Photo by J. Chong

Though I had been in the famous hotel, Chateau Lake Louise, I had not seen it since its last major retrofit.   The hotel is a historic evocation of Canadian Pacific Rail’s few deluxe, luxury  hotels along its main railroad across Canada. It was first built in 1890.

To keep visitors entertained and satisfy their adventurous spirit, both Lake Louise and Banff  became a mecca for hikers and mountain climbers.  In the late 19th century, Canadian Pacific Railway hired Swiss guides to develop its network of trails. In the Chateau, at Parks Canada visitors’ centre and at the Whyte Museum in Banff, the mountaineering , backcountry skiing and hiking legacy is highlighted.

Bison reuben sandwiches with red cabbage slaw and handmade aioli — elegant fireside culinary grubb at the Chateau. Lake Louise, Alberta 2012. Photo by J. Chong

 Evocation of Refined Adventure Travel And Grub
Chateau Lake Louise has some lovely figurehead chandeliers, wild animal taxidermy pieces (or simulations) and occasional curious wall tapestries to emulate baronial furnishings. By the third floor entrance stairway landing, is a wall hanging that is a tongue-in-cheek Canadian  parody of the renaissance pastoral vision:  a caribou or deer  seems to be swimming through the lake.

Curious tapestry with mock renaissance pastoral visions with deer (or elk) swimming in lake. Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta 2012. Photo by J. Chong

In the Lakeview Lounge, we munched happily through the restaurant’s signature bison reuben sandwiches with delicately grated red cabbage and their house aioli. Surely, the

Mountain ice climber spotted while snowshoeing around Lake Louise. 2012. Photo by J. Becker

finest interpretation of the local fireside grub.  A memorable lunch with a lakeside view of Temple Mountain, its glacier, ice castle and horse drawn sleigh before we hit the downhill Tramline snowshoe trail back to the village.

Further Reading and More Adventures:
History of Chateau Lake Louise.

Chong, Jean.  Canadian Reindeer Look-alikes:  Caribou, Elk and Mule Deer.  In Cycle Write Blog. Dec. 26, 2011.

Chong, Jean. More Snowshoeing for Snow Mountain Addicts and the Vertigo Inclined. In Cycle Write Blog. Feb. 12, 2011.

Ice castle at edge of Lake Louise in front of the Chateau. Lake Louise, Banff National Park 2012. Photo by J. Chong

Chong, Jean.  Rocky Mountain Cycling Interlude:  Bighorn Sheep, Ragged Peaks and Turquoise Waters.  In Cycle Write Blog.  Aug. 4, 2011.

Chong, Jean.  Roaming Around for Bison:  Distinctly North American, Lean and Maybe Gourmet. In Cycle Write Blog. Dec. 17, 2010.

900 Years of Architectural Legacy: Why Prague is a Royal Empress

Some art work on building facades. New Town, Prague 2010. Photo by J. Chong

I had heard of Prague’s splendid old World charm.  But I was unprepared for the city’s dizzying variety and historical compression of architectural centuries at each street corner and with each turn of my head.  Good thing we could explore its astonishing richness of Romanesque, medieval, baroque, renaissance, gothic and art nouveau building wonders, by bike and on foot.   Of course, we could not miss out on some of its stunning cathedrals and museum collections.

During Peak Tourist Season and IFA Soccer Craze
We were there last year for 4 days with an interlude of another 2 days at the UNESCO Heritage site, the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov.  Not only were we in Prague during peak tourist season in June, but also in the midst of IFA soccer fan crowds glued to  jumbo tv screens mounted in old public square, to watch championship playoffs.

St. Wenceslas Square with some manicured gardens in its central boulevard. Prague, 2010. Photo by J. Chong

  Though we stayed in staid sounding Best Western Pave, the hotel was also plunked in a historic neighbourhood. Just next door was a pub with gold filigreed sign, where we heard at night, the raucous cheering and conversation. There must have been also an IFA tv screen tucked somewhere at the bar.  Clean and modern with a curving iron wrought and wood rail and pseudo-marble steps, this chain hotel suggested a previous independent hotel of some vintage.

Panoramic view of Old Town Prague, from Prague Castle 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Lost in Wonder –Literally
It’s amusing to see Prague’s official tourism web site which emblazons one of its information sections:  “How Not to Get Lost”.  Obviously we weren’t the only ones.  Normally, Jack has good wayfinding  geo-spatial sense in strange cities and places where we’ve travelled far and wide.  However in parts of Prague’s Old Town and New Town, we did get slightly lost since neither of us could even guess at Czech letter script to  memorize old street names properly.  But getting occasionally lost for fifteen minutes or so nearly daily, was negligible time lost for seeing along our cobblestoned way, fantastic decorated building facia, gargoyles, stained glass, mounted sculptures, murals –it’s an architect’s, art lover’s and historian’s dream.  If not that, 

Abbey section of St. George's Basilica. Old Town, Prague 2010. Photo by J. Chong. Romanesque paintings. Rare to see paintings depicting abbesses, nuns or any female church order in many well-known European churches that I visited during my trip. However a greater likelihood sometimes in very early medieval liturgical art.

 Prague is a beguiling teacher on over 900 years of European architectural history, just by wandering around slack –jawed in area of less than 10  square kilometers.

How could any ex-Prague citizen find any of our North American cities as artfully intriguing?  There was the Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Square Tower where upon the strike of clock tower bell, the painted and gold figurines of 12 apostles moved.  The Tower dates back to 1338.  We would pass by it  several times, to walk from one pedestrianized street,  old square to another.  Cycling in an enjoyable way, was abit useless among these crowds. Besides, you would miss out on seeing the city’s building splendor up  close. 

Note: To slow down automatic slideshow, pass your mouse cursor anywhere over a slide photo. You will see control buttons, at bottom of slideshow frame. 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

When we had one of our first dinners outside in a public square, St. Nicholas Cathedral  loomed above us, less than 10 feet away. Unfortunately it was closed and somehow I forgot to revisit the place when it was open since I got distracted by the magnificence of St. Vitus’s Cathedral (which I described earlier in another blog post with photos of  its  dazzling stained glass art).  Or another nearby  church-convent, St. George’s Basilica where to the one side was St. George’s abbey dating from 972 with preserved Romanesque mural paintings of several abbesses, a rare thing to see a female church order painted on a large scale inside churches.

Cubistic contemporary building complex amongst heritage buildings. New Town, Prague 2010. Photo by J. Chong

Another time, as we strolled yet another narrow, clean street, we passed by suddenly some Cubistic-like buildings.  Prague was like that:  frequent, unexpected delight of structures from different eras intermixed along the same street, as well as sculptures, carvings and fanciful metalwork adorning building entrances, windows or roof eaves.

I wondered how on earth the city secured the funds to restore its national heritage buildings. It must be an ongoing process of grant applications and lobbying funding bodies and philanthropists.

Silver liturgical art work. St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 Evening with Baroque Music
To lure tourists with its cultural arts, nearly every day there were a few classical music concerts. How could we as baroque music fans, resist?  So we treated ourselves with tickets, to a live chamber concert of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Pachabel’s Canon at Municipal Hall.  The Hall was a stodgy shaped building but was wonderfully embellished with art nouveau art pieces both inside and outside its walls. That evening  less than 100 people attended the concert in a cavernous musical hall that could seat well over 800 people.  But no matter, the soaring music lifted us along with also distractions of the building’s interior.

Fierce protectors guarding at Prague Castle's gates. 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 In tune with the spirit of cultural arts, we winded through the Museum of Musical Instruments, Prague’s City Museum, National Museum and a building near St. Wenceslas Square which I cannot remember its name, that featured soaring ceiling and wall art nouveau murals in expansive public meeting rooms.

We did the slow typical stroll across Charles Bridge, first built in the 14th century with over 12 statutes which are now replaced with copies. After drinking in the panoramic sight of terra cotta roofed buildings and winding narrow cobblestone streets, we spent time at the Prague Castle, Sternberg Palace and the cathedrals mentioned earlier.

Stroll along in Prague 2010. Photo by J.Chong. Notice on halfway on right, a deer sculpture ready to leap out of a window.

Cuisine More Heartiness than Gastronomic
No doubt we were in heavy tourist areas which most likely obscured whatever better Czech cuisine we could have had beyond dumplings, meat, strudel and  heavier cakes than what we had in southern Germany.  Or just mediocre Italian or even Asian cuisine. Only pure pragmatism of cycling with double pannier weight, prevented me from buying tempting Czech wine since we still had over a week in Copenhagen ahead of us.  After all, Czech wines are not often found in Canada.

Stained glass art. St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 Jewel that Survived War and Revolution
It’s even more astounding that Prague’s architectural and artistic magnificence has survived several waves of political revolution. Most  recently after World War II, the Czech Republic was part the Soviet Communist bloc before its final dissolution in the early 1980’s.   Not surprisingly, in 1992 the whole historic city core of over 800 hectares, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Contemporary sun dial art installation in the midst of medieval and Rennaissance era buildiings. Old Town, Prague 2010. Photo by J. Chong

 Prague overwhelms you with her magnitude of visual history, time layers of artistic inspiration and craftsmanship, all  jammed side by side, along its narrow cobblestone twisting streets.  Even after 5 days there, we knew we had not seen all of this wonderful empress of European cities.

Further Reading (and Photos):
Becker, Jack. Cycling in Prague.  In Third Wave Cycling Blog, Jun. 26, 2010.

Chong, Jean. Come and Get Your Dumplings: Some West-East Comparisons.  In Cycle Write Blog, Jul. 25, 2010

Chong, Jean.  Stained Glass Art: A European Sampler of Refracted Light and Colour. In Cycle Write Blog, Jul. 17, 2010.  More photos of this artwork in St. Vitus Cathedral and in Municipal Hall.

Official Prague Tourism site.

Cycling For Favourite Foods To Devour at Farmers’ Markets

Peameal bacon sandwich slathered with Dijon mustard. St. Lawrence Market, Toronto 2011. Photo by I. Yee. No comparable sandwich at markets in Vancouver nor Calgary --yet.

I tend to be a goal-oriented cyclist –I have a destination in mind. Sometimes that turnaround point involves food.
 
Now any diet-conscious cyclist would admonish my attitude:  to maintain a healthy weight, do not reward yourself by eating calorie laden food.  True.  The reality is at least a snack at the market, is a fabulous carrot stick motivator for me.  I food shop at markets and often slug along back home with my 10-20 lbs. of food in my bulging bike panniers.

So here are my favourite local ”snacks”  for 3 Canadian cities where I have lived:  Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

Toronto: Peameal Bacon Sandwich
When I lived in Toronto, at least once a week I had my peameal bacon sandwich fix with a 

Peak hour morning line-up for Toronto's famed peameal bacon sandwich. St. Lawrence Market, Toronto 2011. Photo by J.Chong. A favourite with some firefighters and cops (see handcuffs).

coffee, from Carousel Bakery at the St. Lawrence Market. This sandwich has put them on the map for local food fare as witnessed by the newspaper and magazine testimonials that are plastered on their signage. Notably, sometimes there are firefighters and cops who also line up for this hearty sandwich (instead of doughnuts).  At least one can justify, it’s low-fat pork.

I have introduced friends and visitors to this food gem, which by the way, is difficult to find in an accessible way, in  Vancouver and Calgary where I lived later on.  For Calgary, a veritable carnivore capital and producer for quality beef, bison and pork, it’s hard to understand this omission.

Granville Island Market, Vancouver BC 2011. Photo by J. Chong.

 Now I have to settle for having this peameal bacon sandwich only whenever I visit Toronto, which is rare now. 

Vancouver, BC:  Apple Focaccia or for Thrifty Foodie, Almond Anise Biscotti
My first exposure to Terra Breads. was at  Vancouver’s Granville Market before I increasingly switched to their bakery outlet on 5th St.—only a 15 min. bike ride away. My favourite item is their apple focaccia.  A mini round focaccia embedded with slices of apple  baked with a very thin caramel-like glaze. Or their red grape bread with pine nuts, which both desserts have inspired me enough to make my own plain dough for a homespun dessert focaccia with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or grapes.

Apple focaccia. Granville Island Market, Vancouver BC 2011. Photo by J. Chong

 However if I wanted to save money, then it was their handmade almond anise biscotti or chocolate almond biscotti.  Artisanal baking at its best, with no use of shortening and a much lighter hand with sugar.

Calgary: Chocolate Sourdough Bun
At Calgary’s Farmers’ Market on Heritage Drive, I gravitate towards at YUM’s Bakery for their chocolate sourdough bun.  Again, maybe it’s a bit delusional, but the bun genuinely tastes not sweet, very little fat if any and no use of eggs.  This delusion can morph quickly into an addiction for the 

Chocolate sourdough bun --addictive delusion of eating healthier dessert / snack. Calgary Farmers' Market on Heritage Dr. 2011. Photo by J. Chong

next two days if we buy half a dozen or if there are no buns left, we buy a loaf.  Good thing the Market is a good 15 km. bike ride away.

Ah, what would a good bike ride to the market be without a favourite local food delight.

What’s your one favourite food in the city where you live or have lived? 

More Delicious Reading:

Violin-player buskers at St. Lawrence Market, Toronto 2011. Photo by J. Chong

 Chong, J. Growing Up and Cycling Through the Years to Farmers’ Markets.  In Third Wave Cycling Blog.  Dec. 3, 2010. Covers also farmers’ markets in Kitchener-Waterloo, Hawaii, France, Germany and Saltspring Island, BC.

Chong, J.  Kicking up Foccacia (Fruit Focaccia): My Way with Ginger Root and Spices.  In Cycle Write Blog.  Jun. 20, 2011.

Lotus Flower- From Root to Flower to Seed, It Feeds Our Senses

Freshly cut and peeled lotus root should be used within the hr. Otherwise it will discolour. Photo by J. Chong

 To me, eating lotus root, is akin to eating water chestnuts.  Either cooked or raw, they add a slight sweetness and abit of fresh, crunchy fibre to a dish.  If eaten cooked, lotus root must be sautéed or cooked not too long, or else you’ve lost that crunch.

One wonders who took the gamble to discover that beneath a beautiful lotus flower and its leafy pads, was an edible root firmly embedded in the lake bed.  It must have been a moment of plain hunger. Again, it must have been human ingenuity to use the lotus leaf as a natural food wrapper to steam packets of sticky rice with dried sausage or meat, some beans, a boiled egg or other steamed goodies. Its seeds are also used to make a sweet light brown paste filling for Asian pastries.

Freshly prepared for supper: stir fried noodles with snow peas, peppers, lotus root, onion and tofu.

 Stir Fried, Steamed or Boiled –Savory,  Dessert or Medicinal Dishes
Once you understand the right vegetable combinations and some meat, sliced lotus root completes a stir fry,  a steamed dish or a consommé noodle soup, without adding much bulk and adds aesthetic interest to a dish. 

Once sliced open, you must use within an hour or so since it discolours. Any cut edge for a leftover root, must be protected with a little plastic Saran wrap  and stored in the refrigerator. Use within a few days.

Steamed beef marinated with a bit of soy sauce, oil and onion. Lotus root mixed in with marinated meat just before steaming this dish to cook. Steaming meat is more common as a homestyle Asian cooking technique --a healthy approach.

 I usually find the easiest and quickest way to enjoy fresh lotus root at its best, is to throw in a couple of thin slices into a stir-fry –about mid-way through the cooking dish.  I have yet to see and eat an entire dish of lotus root:  I’m not so sure that is really recommended from the standpoint of traditional Chinese medicine or healthy eating.  It is not a starch.

A baton of fresh lotus root. One just breaks off each piece to use.

 Fresh lotus root from the store must be dry and firm in touch. If you have a choice, buy the rhizome as two connected pieces, instead of broken or half sliced. As long as the uncut ends look fresh, not mouldy, buy it. Canned lotus root is tasteless and should be a last resort. (Same thing can be said of canned water chestnuts.)

Because of its neutral taste and low calories, a few slices might be simmered in an Asian dessert soup –more as an aesthetic garnish with some minor nutritional benefit.  Frankly I’ve never made such dessert soups.

Kohl rabi consomme, noodle soup simmered with fuzzy melon slices (an Asian veggie), lotus root. Photo by J. Chong. Consomme was naturally sweet from slowly cooking kohl rabi.

  And yes, once upon a time, I did have a few slices in a Chinese medicinal soup that my mother prepared.  But I can’t recall much of the ingredient mixes and would not be comfortable giving it here on the ‘Net without understanding the soup’s real effect.  She only prepared 1-2 types of medicinal soups –a real amateur in this area.

I’m not a gardener but  after combing the Internet, it appears the sacred lotus, nelumbo nucifera, can become a pest  in its prolific spread and growth unless it is carefully cultivated in confined areas.

Lotus Leaf and Flower– A Pillar Watercolour Brush Stroke
The lotus flower as an aesthetic inspiration is not only noticeable in traditional Asian artwork and crafts, but also as a foundational brush stroke in Chinese watercolour 

Lotus flower --even the seeds in the stamen area are used. Or the stamen is dried for decorative purposes.

 painting technique.  

Years ago, I tried my awkward hand at classical Chinese watercolour painting in an evening art course.  There are several paint brush strokes that must be mastered over and over until you can impart the right hand pressure, brush stroke flair to execute perfect shading for: a  bamboo stalk, lotus leaf and flower, as well as a branch of  plum blossoms.

I never finished the course.  I felt perhaps I didn’t  know Chinese paintbrush calligraphy to help me.  But now, at least I can appreciate the mastery of single stroke painting style for Chinese watercolour painting when I look at such art work.  Execution of lovely lotus flower paintings within an hour is a serious feat, with only black ink, watery pink-red paint strokes and light touch of stamen yellow.

It’s a wonder that the lotus as the sacred flower in Buddhism, the national flower for India, Vietnam and Egypt, gives us a great deal beyond its shimmering floral brilliance floating on the  calm waters of a summer lake or pond.

Saskatoon Berries— Wild Little Berry with Potential

Fresh saskatoon berries. Not as juicy as blueberries but just as healthy and sustaining as they have been for North American aboriginal diet for centuries.

 Until I came to Alberta, I never saw containers of many fresh Saskatoon berries in either British Columbia nor Ontario.  Only occasionally, I saw saskatoons already processed in jams, jellies, salad dressings or pies at a  farmers’ market or at a gourmet food shop. I might have had a Saskatoon berry pie slice once upon a time.

Power Berry for North American Aboriginals
This tiny dark purple-blue berry does grow in both of those provinces also. But the  

Bison ready to serve, cooked in onions with saskatoon berry and wine sauce. Photo by J. Chong. Dish creation by HJEH Becker.

cultural lore of Saskatoon berries seem to reside most with the prairie aboriginals, the Cree and Blackfoot First Nations with some use by the Salish along the west coast who seem to have far greater access to different types of berries.

The berry’s name is derived from the Blackfoot, “misaskatomina”  or from the Cree, “misaskquahtoomina”.   Other common names are: serviceberry, juneberry or amelanchier (French).
 
Saskatoon berry bushes can grow in slightly dry or open forest areas, preferably with some soil drainage, sun, and can even withstand a bit colder temperatures in sub-alpine regions.

Unlike blueberries, saskatoon berries have a drier, slightly more earthy, yet still fruity taste. Perhaps one of the reasons why people aren’t scooping up handfuls of saskatoons to eat, 

Saskatoon jam and syrup -- first 2 products on the left. Calgary Farmers' Market 2011.

 is that they are abit more expensive.  However, they cost no more than raspberries during peak harvest  –at least, in Alberta.   Only within the past decade or so, some provinces now realize its market fresh value and have started to lay cultivated trees systematically for the berry hungry food locavores.  Most notably, Manitoba and Saskatchewan’s agriculture and agritourism divisions have paid attention by deploying more technical information for potential farmers and general public marketing campaigns.

Saskatoon berry scone at Wild Grainz Bakery, Calgary AB --just a short bike ride away from downtown. 2011. Photo by J. Chong

 One wonder about the gaps in knowledge transfer on a wide scale  where this berry and its shrub parts, were used for centuries in many different ways by the aboriginals –food, medicine and accoutrements, such as pipes. But such knowledge is becoming increasingly lost on how to even distinguish this berry, as well as other edible berries from poison in the woods.

We bought our first ever, overflowing box of fresh berries from Saskatoon Farms’ stand at the Calgary Farmers’ Market. 

Fresh salad at home with yogurt fig balsamic, saskatoon berry and Dijon mustard dressing.

 The saskatoons proved to be elegant when cooked into a dark wine sauce with our bison and sautéed kohl rabi on the side.  Also the berries complemented a balsamic fig vinegar and Dijon mustard salad dressing that Jack invented on the fly.   Then our remaining berries were frozen to lengthen our summer memories of sun-bright prairies and these twinkling wee berries of potential.

Interesting Reading:
Article by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests for details on ethnobotany of Saskatoon berries  and its different uses by the aboriginals. More extensive scientific information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Calgary Stampede Week: Cycle-Ridin’ Through Cowboy Hats and Pancakes

This gallery contains 9 photos.

  As a cyclist, you know the annual Calgary Stampede festivities have begun when cycling early morning on the popular Bow River bike-pedestrian path, suddenly there’s horse poop every 30 metres or so.   It’s just one time, when the horses, their … Continue reading →

An Idyllic Summer Escape to Vancouver Island for Maidei

Hanging out by vineyards at Muse Winery, Vancouver Island 2011

  After feeling the city vibe of downtown Vancouver, Maidei sailed off the next morning, on a B.C. Ferry across the Georgia Strait to Saanich, Vancouver Island. During this 1.5 hrs. long voyage, she was delighted by ever-changing panoramic views of rock outcroppings and lumpy green Canadian Gulf Islands while they plied the ocean waters.

These small islands are known for laid-back lifestyle where some people have their cottages and where artists have drawn inspiration. Some islands have a few hilly bike routes on narrower roads.

The ferry dock at Saanich is about 30 km. north of Victoria.  

Tiny Anna's Hummingbird variety, sits quietly above near our bistro winery table. Saanich, Vancouver Island 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

“Saanich”, is a Coastal Salish aboriginal word that means “emerging”.This peninsula area is quieter than Victoria, with small farms, parks, some bike routes and a handful of wineries. She found it lovely to cycle along the quieter roads with the smell of the saltwater ocean.   She cycled over to Muse Winery where she lolled around the bistro outside by the vineyards and a few glass art sculptures. Lunch included a glorious seafood salad with jumbo shrimp, lots of fresh 

Hummingbird's tongue pokes out in anticipation of an insect meal. Saanich, Vancouver Island 2011. Photo by HJEH Becker

crabmeat, salmon with avocado and sprouts over lettuce.

One of the lunch highlights, were the birds flitting around which included  hummingbird breed, Anna’s Hummingbird and  a bald eagle which had its nest up in a tree less than 500 feet away.

Later in the evening, she ambled over to the pier in the small town of Sidney where she was staying overnight. That evening the town was buzzing with a street festival in celebration of Canada Day weekend, July lst the next day which marks the creation of Canada as an independent country in 1867.  Unfortunately she didn’t buy any lovely cheeses from     

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

  Saltspring Island but she had a good look at the displays and joined the sampling along with many other shoppers.

On the second day on Vancouver Island, Maidei peeked into the Sea Cidery place, where hard cider was pressed from different local apples which netted a range of mild alcoholic cider varieties for sale.

The whole trip was sparkling, sunshine trip treat for Maidei –her island getaway on Canada’s Pacific west coast.

Kicking up Focaccia con frutta (Fruit Focaccia): My Way with Ginger Root and Spices

This gallery contains 5 photos.

 Ever since I discovered that Italians traditionally  studded their focaccia dough with red or green grapes instead of just  sundried tomatoes, I’ve been on the occasional focaccia con frutta-making streak. However the variations I’ve concocted, have morphed into flatbread closer … Continue reading →