RIP Michael Bond,

I was so very sorry to hear of the passing of Michael Bond the author of the Paddington Bear stories plus his Monsieur Pamplemousse and his dog Pommes Frites stories which were such fun to read if not as famous. His daughter is a close friend of mine and my heart goes out to her and her family. This photo appeared in the Guardian who published an article about Mr. Bond. His obituary is here.

At bowling on Wednesday it turns out we moved from 5th to 4th place although we only scored three points. Long may it last. Thursday I won the first game, we tied the second game and Matt won the third game, so he was happy. The younger owner of the alley is on vacation from now. He takes the whole of July off. His dad takes June off and the grandson/son fills in the blanks. Really nice family.

Just finished watching Episodes 3 and 4 of Poldark. I am really enjoying the series. Glad I started last week.

Today, Friday, going to the farm to get my last batch of asparagus for the season and then I will be all miserable when it has gone. I've frozen a lot but it isn't the same. Ah well.

Grilled Asparagus with Pepper Zabaglione

3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3 Tbs vin santo or other lightly sweet dessert wine
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbs heavy cream
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt
2 lbs large asparagus
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the egg and vin santo. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water and vigorously whisk the eggs over moderate heat until the sauce holds firm peaks, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl of sauce from the heat.

2. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the heavy cream and pepper. Whisk the cream mixture into the sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Season the zabaglione with salt and keep warm.

3. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred all over and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to plates.

4. Set the bowl of sauce over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk over low heat until thick and just heated through, about 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Servings: 6

Author: Mario Batali

Have a great day
 

Balconies. Bowling, Desserts,

Not a lot happening today. They have finished building the scaffolding, but I still have no idea how and what they are going to do with it.

Bowling was somewhat disappointing, but what else is new, it's a league day. I got one reasonable score. So did Matt. We started late because there were school parties taking place. Matt and I got to the alley whilst they were still bowling both downstairs and up. What a noise. Don't know how the owners can stand it. Maybe they hear the sound of chinking dollars I guess. Would drive me bonkers.

After that we went to the store for a couple of things Matt couldn't get this morning and I decided to buy a proper carrot cake. Haven't had any for a while. We cut it and put it in the freezer. I don't really know why I don't try and make one. I might have some trouble avoiding it of course. As it is, I will allow myself one piece a week, on Saturday. Matt's favourite is Cheesecake, perfectly plain with nothing on it at all. So I bought one of those too. Roll on Saturday. No idea what we are going to have first mind you. I have a recipe I would like to try with steak and asparagus, maybe that's what I'll do. Then share it of course.

So, not a very exciting day.

I have never actually tried this recipe, I guess, as I have been posting it every year for a while, I should do so. I must confess that grilled asparagus is not my first choice, much prefer it boiled or steamed.

Grilled Asparagus with Pepper Zabaglione

3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3 Tbs vin santo or other lightly sweet dessert wine
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbs heavy cream
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt
2 lbs large asparagus
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the egg and vin santo. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water and vigorously whisk the eggs over moderate heat until the sauce holds firm peaks, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl of sauce from the heat.

2. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the heavy cream and pepper. Whisk the cream mixture into the sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Season the zabaglione with salt and keep warm.

3. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred all over and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to plates.

4. Set the bowl of sauce over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk over low heat until thick and just heated through, about 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Servings: 6

Author: Mario Batali


Have a great day
 

Storm Warning, Whale Eye Sockets, Bowling.

We were under storm watch for a few hours this afternoon (Wed) and I saw something I liked “When thunder roars, go indoors” good advice I thought. n fact the severe weather seems to have passed by and we still do not have any rain. Pity Texas can’t share some of theirs with us and California. According to the forecast Oklahoma and Texas are still in for more problems.

Most of you will have read,  yesterday, that the whale eye sockets

sold for about £170 at the auction in London. Now I want to know who bought them and why. I could, possibly, understand a museum, but why my cousin had them in the first place I cannot imagine. Most of the things went for similar prices to those estimated by the auction house, but apparently one lot, estimated around £150 actually went up to £2,200 and as far as I could see from the list, there was not much in it at all. It contained mugs, maybe there was something special there which hadn't been noticed by the auction house, but that doesn't usually happen.

Wednesday is bowling of course and I am pleased I had some good games, not brilliant, but above my average which means it has gone up a tad. Matt, on the other hand, only had one good game, one moderate and one lousy. Guess what happened to his average!  At the beginning of a season, one's average jumps around all over the place anyway until it finally settles down to a regular average which doesn't change much week too week.

One of my favourite TV chefs is Mario Batali. This is his recipe for asparagus.


Grilled Asparagus with Pepper Zabaglione

3 large egg yolks1 large egg

3 Tbs vin santo or other lightly sweet dessert wine
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbs heavy cream
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt
2 lbs large asparagus
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the egg and vin santo. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water and vigorously whisk the eggs over moderate heat until the sauce holds firm peaks, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl of sauce from the heat.
2. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the heavy cream and pepper. Whisk the cream mixture into the sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Season the zabaglione with salt and keep warm.
3. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred all over and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to plates.
4. Set the bowl of sauce over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk over low heat until thick and just heated through, about 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Servings: 6

Author: Mario Batali


Have a great day.

Trilliums, ISS, Canadian Commander.

I am not sure how many years I have been going to Barrie’s Asparagus Farm, but every year when we start going there, we pass some wooded areas which are full of Trilliums which is the Provincial Flower of Ontario. I keep meaning to take my camera with me in order to take some pictures, but every year I forget, yesterday was no exception. I strongly suspect that by my next visit they will be gone. They don’t have a very long life. One is not allowed to pick Trilliums although I believe you can transfer the whole plant. They are more numerous in the picture than they are on the road where we pass by them.

Monday the Canadian Commander of the ISS, Chris Hadfield, started his trip back to earth having been Tweeting for the 5 months he was up there and making a video of playing the guitar and singing a farewell song. This is the last video he made just before leaving the ISS and boarding the Soyuz capsule which will bring him back to earth. Canada is justifiably proud to have had a Canadian commanding the ISS for the last 5 months, he is the first Canadian to do so.

Today I go back to the sleep clinic for my assessment. It has taken long enough and I will be very interested to hear what the doctor says.

This is a recipe from Mario Batali who is one of my favourite TV chefs. I am not familiar with vin santo but there are many lightly sweet dessert wines which would fill the bill.


Grilled Asparagus with Pepper Zabaglione

3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3 Tbs vin santo or other lightly sweet dessert wine
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbs heavy cream
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt
2 lbs large asparagus
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the egg and vin santo. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water and vigorously whisk the eggs over moderate heat until the sauce holds firm peaks, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl of sauce from the heat.

2. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the heavy cream and pepper. Whisk the cream mixture into the sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Season the zabaglione with salt and keep warm.

3. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred all over and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to plates.

4. Set the bowl of sauce over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk over low heat until thick and just heated through, about 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Servings: 6
Author: Mario Batali

Have a great day

Gas Prices, Losing It

Hooray, gas prices have been dropping all over the continent lately. This surprises me as the summer season of travel is about to get under way, but I heard one report say that people just aren’t buying as much gas any more. Not surprising, particularly in view of the gas guzzlers so many people drive. SUVs seem to be the most popular vehicle around these days. I’m glad we only have a small, if somewhat old, car. Mind you, I don’t see how we could get a newer car, Matt would never cope with all this computerised stuff. He is definitely not into computers and electronics generally. I don’t actually know what kind of computerised dashboards are out there, I have never even sat in such an up to date vehicle. Going back to gas prices, I just saw a report that in the States they could drop by $3 a gallon by the fall. Usually Canadian prices follow. Alberta has its own gas, but it doesn’t make it any cheaper for the rest of us probably because they sell it all to the States anyway.

OK where were you Alex, I was expecting you for dinner. The fondue went down very well, our friends thoroughly enjoyed as did Matt and I. The meatballs were delicious as was the fillet and the shrimp, not everything was consumed by any manner of means. Soup maybe?

So, sorry, now I am tired and will be posting this. Talk to you on Monday.

A friend has been posting pictures of her mom on Facebook as she has recently lost 120 lbs. through Losing It for Canada, which weight loss has also cured her diabetes. Needless to say I am looking into it.

For those of you who don’t live on this continent and get to see our TV chefs, Mario Batali is of Italian descent (father was Italian) and many of his recipes have an Italian background. He is an expert on Italian cuisine. His signature is always wearing shorts and orange crocs. Being the asparagus freak that I am, when I saw this one yesterday, my eyes popped open. Very unusual sauce. This will have me rushing to the kitchen as soon as I can. I saw a heading ‘more asparagus recipes’ too so I will be hunting them up.

Grilled Asparagus with Pepper Zabaglione

Contributed by Mario Batali
SERVINGS:6

Mario Batali chars his asparagus on the grill, then serves it with a superrich zabaglione sauce spiked with black pepper.

1. 3 large egg yolks
2. 1 large egg
3. 3 tablespoons vin santo or other lightly sweet dessert wine
4. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
5. 1 tablespoon heavy cream
6. 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
7. Kosher salt
8. 2 pounds large asparagus
9. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10. 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the egg and vin santo. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water and vigorously whisk the eggs over moderate heat until the sauce holds firm peaks, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl of sauce from the heat.
2. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the heavy cream and pepper. Whisk the cream mixture into the sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Season the zabaglione with salt and keep warm.
3. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt. Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred all over and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to plates.
4. Set the bowl of sauce over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk over low heat until thick and just heated through, about 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the asparagus, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Have a great weekend.