Defending Brunch

Do I really need to defend my decision to spend four hours on brunch?  Was it four or eight or eighteen?  Regardless, one should never have to justify taking a leisurely meal.  And I think last Sunday went rather well.
 

I unearthed last August's BAN BRUNCH (BANBRUNCHBLOG) by Alexander Nazaryan in which he calls for an end to brunch.  Mr. Nazaryan speaks specifically of the Sunday Brunch that takes place outside the home.  Nazaryan feels that we, humankind, could be so much more if we could just stop eating and drinking for nigh on four hours on a Sunday afternoon.  There was a call for a rational mind to reconsider brunch’s place in society.

I firmly believe in brunch (and leisurely breakfasts).  This afternoon delight can take place in your own home, too.  We have observed several versions of brunch.  Xmas, Easter, the Saturday leisurely paced/sausage laced.  The menu is not important.  We have run the gamut from the ubiquitous Eggs Benedict to Kedgeree to the Full Monty.

For your next brunch menu, please see BRUNCH 

Nazaryan’s argument is that our time could be better spent enlightening ourselves and others; better spent exercising the little grey cells, n’est pas?  I would counter that Brunch allows precisely this and that we are better off from having spent a few hours in conversation, observation or quiet contemplation.

Brunch may be the best thing you've eaten all week.  It may be the only time you've allowed yourself to ingest properly all week. Are you a ten-minuter? Do you balance the juice and toast on the bathroom vanity?  The soap and shaving foam adding another layer of taste? Do you swig coffee on the way to work?

Do you read the newspaper or scan? (Do people still read newspapers? I'm the only one in my neighbourhood.) Do you listen to your morning show? Really listen?  Do you stop to look out of the window? Do you linger at the window?  Try brunch.  It goes well with all of the above.  Do you share your thoughts with other beings? Conversation can be challenging when you are running around looking for that matching sock.
 
Ultimately, I don’t care what others bring to the brunch table, food or conversation wise.  The rush of the work week may mean you’ve exhausted your conversations cards.  David MacFarlane, who has been mentioned in these pages before, suggested doing just one thing at a time and eating may be that one thing.  Do you think you can?   Don't consider what you could/should be doing.  Focus on this one thing. Can you allow yourself a guilt free meal?

What is the gain from Sunday's brunch?   I learned to cook something new. I've expanded my culinary horizons. I supported the local economy. I educated the staff at the local LCBO on where to find product on their store shelves. No, the product line has not been discontinued. If you have yet to introduce yourself to Niagara wines, now is the time.  Apparently the Chinese love Ice Wine.  But, please don't buy the knock off; it contains glycol. Shudder. I learned how birds defend themselves against one another.  I got caught up on family matters, the state of European football, gardening tips.  I listened to The Sunday Edition in its entirety. People watching? Of course.  I felt good because I had managed to cut the grass and the neighbours just don't quite seem able to manage it. The whole experience was a great start to the day.

"So what?" you ask.

Brunch results in a healthy mindset.  A healthy mind results in a healthy body thus a more productive member of society. Psychology 101. The more productive you are, the less guilt about taking time out to eat, the more you can indulge in brunch! 

Lessons that could be applied in the workplace, no?  But, that’s another post.

 

Ah, Spring

You can stop all the bitching and moaning now.  Please don't start again when the humidity kicks in.

Today is our second full day without the furnace.  Windows open;  23C  Woo hoo!
So much easier to get out of bed when there is light, warmth and the prospect of warmth and sun at 6, 7 and 8 PM.

Tour of the garden in the early evening.  The ginger lives!  Now some of you got excited about The Leafs making the playoffs but the reappearance of the Wild Ginger trumps all that.  The plant was on life support late last summer and I thought the experiment was over.  Of course, the rabbit has been treating it as an appetizer to the tulip course.

Should I pull the dandelions?  I eat the leaves in salads but would I eat them out of my garden?  There is a couple down the street that can be found regularly pulling plants out of the ditches for their supper table.

Surveyed the lawn.  "What lawn?" I hear you ask.  Ok, it's maybe one third crab grass, one third clover and one third yet-to-be identified plants (which do look rather attractive, though).  Fiddleheads, Aquilegia, Periwinkle (spent quite a while watching a bee feasting on the pollen), Black Eyed Susan, Lamb's Ears, Foxgloves (such an elegant flower), Peonies, Maltese Cross and St. John's Wort all showing signs of life.

I wrote some time back about how we Ontarions get excited about plant life after Winter's long embrace. 

However, I'm not so keen on the neighbour's Invasives tunnelling through four feet of earth to pop up in my garden. A Chameleon may look attractive but any plant capable of bursting through asphalt needs to be banished.  The tendrils  make it a touch challenging to eradicate. On the other side of the fence, the Wisteria has been left to do as it pleases and is in the process of murdering its fourth tree.

Something very refined about a tulip just before it's ready to bloom.

Someone asked, "Have we had enough of Daffodils, yet?"  I would argue no.  Look at the structure next time you're up close and personal with one. We have about a week and a half left of daffodil season.

Bird Song. Is there anything better? I can even tolerate the doves cooing now.

Robins.  It always seems to me that they know you're watching and they give you that knowing glance.  Maybe I'm reading too much into this.  My knowledge of birds ends with what's around me: sparrows, starlings, cardinals, jays, finches and orioles.

We've had a butterfly in the garden. Just the one but it was a welcome sight.

Favourite time of day for birds is early evening which reminds me of the UK after a little rain when the birds start up again before nightfall. People call it an excuse but there is a reason to leave the garden cleanup for a few weeks more. Birds are nest building and those leftovers from last summer provide the raw materials. So don't be too hasty to spit and polish the beds. I don't like a bed that looks too sterile.

And so, it is time to get the mower out.  Seven years and going strong with my reel mower.  You will not convince me to go gas.  Do you realize you're cutting it at least twice as much as I am mine?

My only regret is that we have such a short spring.  From a financial perspective, we never get our money's worth out of the clothes.  There just isn't time before we're perspiring heavily into something that's not breathing.  Neighbours emerge from their homes looking pasty after nearly seven months of indoor living and they return to their air conditioned environment soon after.  There is noise in heat that you don't get in Spring.

Important to stop and smell the proverbials.  Get out into your garden, your balcony or visit someone else's garden and watch the ever maturing delights.

Foodie Pen Pal-April

It was a dark and stormy day...

...until my favourite postman came by bearing a skillfully decorated box of goodies. Full marks for presentation.  Emily sent me my first ever food parcel and I knew I would enjoy it. Emily is clearly a woman of many talents. 

  

 

 

I had just brewed a pot of tea to ward off the cold. I carefully opened the box so as not to disturb anything. The flap included a hand written recipe for Zucchini Sauce. 

 

 

the trove

 

What a treat! Tamari almonds, fragrant spices, ginger & pumpkin rice noodles, a Chakra Bar and a sampling of macaron from Toronto's Ruelo. I allowed myself one macaron; it was tea time after all. Tried the caramel & sea salt. Delicious. Haven’t had a macaron in years.They always seem to require such care and attention.

Fired up the espresso after dinner and indulged in the two remaining macaron.  I sent my compliments to the patisserie.  The rose/lychee/raspberry is rather nice.  I must say they travelled well.  I think next time I'm in Toronto, I will have to pay pilgrimage in order to try the other flavours-all of them!
 

the blueberry/lemon macaron

Took some almonds with Friday's cocktail hour.  Crisp and flavourful.

 

The granola bar is chock full of healthy ingredients.  A nice chewy bar; good mid-morning snack which was quite filling so it served me two days.  Yes, the ginger is potent!

 

I wrote that I love noodles and I enjoyed the Pumpkin & Ginger.  I had one portion for breakfast with eggs and the flavours do come through. (Not very pleased with my photo so it didn't make it here.) I will try the recipe Emily provided when the veggies are in-season. Looking forward to it.

I will incorporate the spices into my next chicken or shrimp dish.  The almonds would come in handy here, too.

Thank-you very much, Emily, for putting this package together and for your beverage pairing suggestions, too. 

Hope you enjoyed your treats as much as I did mine.

I had the opportunity to put together a parcel for CeeCee in BC.  You can find some of the details at WithinTheKitchen



If you are interested in participating in a Foodie Pen Pal exchange sometime, please click on the Pen Pal icon on the side bar for all the details.*

 

*If  you are a UK/Europe resident, please use the following link:

 

FOODIE PEN PALS UK  (courtesy of thisisrocksalt.com)

 

Enjoy!

Tour of the Neighbourhood~The Ontario Heritage Trust~Doors Open

Hamilton hosts Doors Open this coming weekend~May 4 & 5.
Pay us a visit and check out some of our galleries, historic buildings and sites normally closed to the public. 

It's free!

For all the details, click below.

DOORS OPEN HAMILTON

And for the rest of Ontario, go to:

DOORS OPEN ONTARIO