Tournament, Reality TV, Flight 447,

I am not sure, but there may not be a blog from me in the morning as we are bowling in New Hamburg at 9:30 a.m. in the Senior Summer Games tournament (a good distance away) we have to check in about 9 a.m. which means we will be getting up pretty early for us. Not that we are slugabeds but even so, we don't usually get up at 6 a.m. Keep your fingers crossed for us. Maybe, despite our recent record of not bowling very well, we will be able to pull something out of the bag tomorrow morning. There seems to be a lot of controversy, particularly in Britain, about Susan Boyle and whether or not she should have been allowed to perform at the finals - I think that would really have upset the poor woman. Not to mention whether the show producers gave her enough emotional support. Marilyn of French Marilyn's Blog (see link this page) steered me to an article in Britain's Daily Mail on line click here to read which details the whole situation. I don't think its the fault of the show that their participants can't handle the pressure it is more the fault of the media in general for applying such unbearable pressure. As I said a couple of days ago, they already killed a princess. I personally feel very sorry for Susan Boyle who, coming from a small Scottish village, would never have been exposed to anything remotely like this. I do hope she manages to feel well enough to go on and make her record deals. I guess we are all contributing to the pressure by writing about her although somehow, I don't think Susan will be reading my little blog. Coincidentally, or maybe not, there was a programme on TV last night about Paul Potts who won a couple of years ago and went through the same kind of pressures. He appears to have handled it OK, but maybe he was better adjusted. Since he won, he has met the Queen and Britain's Prime Minister who presented him with a 2 million record plaque and gave him a cuppa. He has travelled all over the world and been #1 on the charts of many countries. It may help that he has the support of a wife although Susan Boyle does have brothers to support her. On the programme we saw, I got the impression Paul is thoroughly enjoying his fame and fortune although he has some very strong opponents in the opera critic field who say he wouldn't get past the first interview with Covent Garden or La Scala. Maybe not but he is still introducing operatic songs to the masses much as Russell Watson did a year or two ago. A lot of people are listening to music which would never have come their way without people like these two. Not much news on the missing plane today, I am not sure how they are going to find out what happened as where they think it went down it is extremely deep water - I don't know if they will go as far as sending down deep diving machines to try and locate the wreckage. Some of it will eventually float of course. There are all kinds of people with all kinds of theories as to what may have happened but no-one really knows. I must say, some of the speculations as to what happened make you wonder about flying again. Nobody, so far, has thought there could have been a bomb. I wonder why this has not come into the equations so far. If they do find any wreckage, it will take a year or two before they can piece together any kind of a result. I don't know if you realise, but I like chocolate *g* I also like meringues, so when I saw the following recipe in Eating Well, I couldn't resist it. I haven't made these yet, but I will. They are not to high in calories either although they do, of course, contain sugar. Dark Chocolate Meringue Drops Makes about 40 (2-inch) cookies 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-75% cacao), divided 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process), sifted after measuring if lumpy 3 tablespoons cocoa nibs (see Shopping Tip), optional ⅓ cup egg whites (about 3 large), at room temperature ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup sugar, divided (use 1 ½ teaspoons less if cocoa nibs are omitted) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray. 2. Coarsely chop 3 ounces of chocolate and place it in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until mostly melted. Stir until the remaining chocolate melts completely. 3. Chop the remaining 2 ounces chocolate into pieces the size of mini chocolate chips. Combine in a small bowl with cocoa and cocoa nibs (if using). 4. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, then at medium speed until soft peaks start to form. Immediately add about 2 tablespoons sugar; beat for 1 minute. Slowly, about a tablespoon at a time, add the remaining sugar, then vanilla, continuing to beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, opaque, glossy and thickened, about 2 minutes longer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, raise the speed to high, and beat for 30 seconds more. Lightly fold in the chocolate-cocoa mixture and the melted chocolate just until evenly incorporated and no streaks remain; do not overmix. Immediately drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. 5. Bake the cookies, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until just firm when gently pressed on top but still soft inside, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let stand for 1 to 2 minutes. Then slide the paper from the pans to a flat surface and let the cookies cool completely, about 15 minutes. Gently lift the cookies from the parchment paper using a wide-bladed spatula. Tips These are best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored flat with wax paper between layers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Thaw before serving. Tip: If you add the optional cocoa nibs to the batter, the flavor-texture combination will be even more interesting and complex. Nibs, which are bits of roasted and hulled cocoa beans, are crunchy and have a pure (unsweetened) chocolate taste. Some brands of nibs are coarser than others. For these cookies, the nibs should be the size of finely chopped nuts. If necessary, simply chop them to obtain the right consistency. Have a great day.

Boiled Leather and In the News Today.

I woke up this morning thinking about boiled leather, practically any fantasy book you read has soldiers wearing boiled leather and although it kind of seems obvious what it is, I suddenly realised I wasn't sure. Turns out that boiling leather makes it hard and brittle and whilst it was still in its 'just boiled' state it was made into scales from which armour can be formed. Funny really, something you read about and kind of accept without really knowing much about it. I don't know, but am assuming it was cheaper and/or more available than metal armours plus being easier to use although whether its protective powers were so good I don't know. Today being the 1st of June is, apparently, the beginning of the hurricane season. The big concern these days is about what they call pop up storms. Once upon a time, all Atlantic storms began by tropical waves off the coast of Africa, now because of warmer waters, they are finding storms beginning much closer to the American mainland and therefore not giving forecasters much warning of their existence. There are lots of innovations to strengthen buildings against these winds - for a number of years they have been building mobile homes which had storm ratings, we lived in a category 4 home. In our case it wasn't so much the home itself as all the trees which had a tendency to snap in a storm and therefore became a great danger. Sam Champion, the GMA meteorologist, was at a Florida hurricane experimental station where they test new ways to keep buildings in one piece during such storms. One of the news headlines this morning is about the missing Air France jet which took off from Rio de Janeiro headed for Paris and which seems to have completely disappeared - the last message received talked about turbulence and electrical shorts and that was it, it just vanished from both radar and radio contact. They have already been looking for wreckage and so far have found nothing and no-one has any idea what has happened. Apparently radar cannot follow a plane across the Atlantic, but radio communication can and that just died. There were 228 people on board. The French say that the jet would have run out of fuel by now so that wouldn't give much hope. So Susan Boyle came second which in my opinion was wonderful. She is set for life if she can handle the pressure. However, the news this morning says she is in a clinic resting as the strain has been too much for her. Piers Morgan, one of the panelists, was interviewed on GMA this morning and says she is doing well; he talked to her for a while yesterday. He also says a lot of the press reports about her were false publicity - I tend to believe this as I know from experience how press reports can totally change and exaggerate something trivial. There are video clips on YouTube if you want to see her finals' performance, she went back to I Dreamed a Dream which she sings beautifully and I believe has more confidence with. I sympathise with her greatly, I know I couldn't take that pressure. Just got this recipe from Mushrooms Canada today and it struck me as somewhat unusual so I thought I would share it. Bistro Mushroom and Salmon Salad Mushrooms Canada This recipe is an Excellent Source of Protein and a Source of Fibre. A new version of the classic Niçoise salad, which is lower in carbohydrates because mushrooms replace the potatoes. Serve with a whole wheat baguette for a light meal or luncheon. Dressing: 1/2 cup olive oil 5 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp Each salt and pepper 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill Salad: 1 lb. fresh Mushrooms, thinly sliced 8 oz. green beans, halved 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced 12 Romaine or Boston lettuce leaves 2 cans (213 g) red sockeye salmon, drained 3 hard cooked eggs (optional) 1/2 cup slivered black olives (optional) 1 large lemon, cut in wedges Fresh dill sprigs (optional) In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and dill together. Place mushrooms in a large bowl; pour ¼ cup dressing over and stir to coat well. Marinate at room temperature 15- 60 minutes. Meanwhile add beans to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp about 4-5 minutes; refresh under cold running water and drain well. Add tomatoes, beans, onion and remaining dressing to mushrooms; toss to mix well; arrange lettuce on large platter or on individual plates. Spoon mushroom salad onto lettuce leaves; remove bones from salmon, breaking into chunks and place on top of salad. Slice eggs or cut into wedges and arrange on top of salad if using, and garnish with olives if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges(to squeeze over salmon) and dill sprigs. Serves 6 Tips: * Substitute 2 tsp dried dill weed for fresh dill and add 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley to the salad. * Kalamata or Nicoise olives cured in oil or brine are more flavourful than canned. Variations: * Omit canned salmon and top salad with grilled fillets of salmon or cold poached salmon. * Substitute canned or grilled tuna for salmon and replace dill with tarragon. Have a great day.

Spelling Bee, Twitter, Susan Boyle.

We watched the Spelling Bee finals last night, they really are incredible these young kids. However, there were some words I didn't figure should be included, Neufchatel and Caerphilly which are both cheeses and Reykjavik which is apparently not just the name of the capital but a word derived from it. We found a lot of the earlier words to be comparatively easy too and they didn't seem to have too much trouble either. I was also interested to see how many of the young competitors were of obviously Indian descent. I don't Twitter although it appears that more and more people do. However, someone is using the author, George R.R. Martin's name and twittering with it. George emphatically denies being on Twitter see here and it must be very annoying for him when someone uses his name. I have been enjoying his books over the years and am awaiting the next in series with baited breath. Oops, searching for info I have just discovered that there is a new book in his Songs of Ice and Fire series which I haven't yet read, A Dance with Dragons. Also just read an article about Susan Boyle, the singer from Britain's Got Talent, sounds like she is reacting to the pressure of fame and perhaps not handling it too well. She even packed her bags and considered going home. I can't say I blame her - media pressure killed a princess!! There seems to be some doubt about whether she will win as there are two other acts which are very good. One a young boy singer and another a father and son act. I had to share this with you, it was in Karen Miller's blog this morning and I thought it was so funny. In one of my ezines I receive, Desserts du Jour, they had a dessert yesterday which really caught my eye and I will be trying for my very next dinner party. Orange Meringue Puddings 2 Tbs unsalted butter Zest of 1 orange 2 cups fresh orange juice 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 tsp salt 3 large egg yolks 3 egg whites 1 Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium saucepan over low heat melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, then whisk in the zest of 1 orange, 2 cups fresh orange juice, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn-starch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3 large egg yolks. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour into 4 ramekins or custard cups. 2 In a bowl, beat 3 egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves and stiff, glossy peaks form. Spread the meringue over the puddings. Bake until the meringue is browned, about 10 minutes. Set the puddings in a pan of ice water to cool, then refrigerate 1 hour or until cold. Servings: 4 Don't they sound delicious? Right, I am off to make what Matt, so rudely, calls meat pies. Tourtières sounds so much better. Have a great day.

Susan Boyle, N. Korea, Pay Day Loans

Good Morning America is delightedly reporting on the closure of Times Square to traffic. Great for them, not sure about the drivers. They do a lot of reporting outside anyway, now they have a bigger area for their audience. They are also thrilled with the latest performance by Susan Boyle. She started somewhat shakily, but ended up singing Memory absolutely beautifully. Susan Boyle in the semi-finals.

There is a lot of worry in North America at the moment because of North Korea's testing of nuclear weapons and missiles. They are totally ignoring calls from world leaders asking them to stand down. Where will this end I wonder. I naively thought the people of the world had realised the horrors of nuclear wars and stopped testing such things. Maybe I need to take off my rose tinted glasses.

This week at our apartment, not only did they turn off the water yesterday and several people got caught I gather, but they are also cleaning out the underground garage which means we have to go down early to remove the car and then put it back in the evening for three days running. We have found that parking spot to be a godsend, especially in the winter. After Matt slipped and ended up with a spinal injury, we prefer to pay for the garage rather than risk something similar happening again. Talking of paying for things, there was a segment on GMA about people having to borrow money when things like car repairs necessitated it. Apparently the companies who advance pay day loans (in the States anyway) charge 800% interest and its legal!!! There is an article and video at this site detailing how people can get on this vicious cycle and then how it is almost impossible for them to get off.

I mentioned that we are going in for a bowling tournament in New Hamburg next week. I think we may be wasting our money, we are both of us in a very bad bowling cycle at the moment. Matt is totally fed up with his bowling and I am not feeling much better. Very frustrating. Oh well, keep your fingers crossed for us next Wednesday. Maybe we will surprised ourselves. Mock Risotto Eating Well Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, diced ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups instant brown rice 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 ½ cups vegetable or reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, finely diced 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) ½ cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for passing, if desired ¼ cup minced chives or scallion greens eating well Mock Risotto Ingredients Cont. 1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and just beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add rice and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. 2. Remove cover and spread asparagus and bell pepper on top of the simmering rice do not stir into the rice mixture. Replace cover and continue simmering, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the liquid is almost absorbed and the asparagus is bright green but still crisp, about 5 minutes. 3. Add peas and cream cheese; stir until the mixture is creamy and the cheese is incorporated. Return to a simmer and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Asiago (or Parmesan). Serve topped with chives (or scallions) and additional grated cheese.

Have a great day.

Jamie Pugh - Britain's Got Talent, Bowling.

Yet another great singer from Britain. They really are finding them at the moment. This is Jamie Pugh from Wales singing Bring Him Home from Les Miserables. He made it to Good Morning America this morning and everyone is very impressed with his wonderful, if somewhat nervous, voice. There was also video of Susan Boyle singing other songs when she was somewhat younger. It was pointed out that people of this age group couldn't get on American Idol, or Canadian Idol, which is a shame because no doubt there are some good voices going unheard over here too. In fact the other day they had a segment about a bus driver who sings opera much to the delight of his passengers. I have a friend who can sing but is considered too old to appear on Canadian Idol, I don't know what the cut off age is, but although a young woman, she is past that age.

This weekend Matt made Saltinbocca Alla Romana which we haven't had for a while, I know I have posted the recipe before - October 6, 2008. There seems to be a problem some people say Saltinbocca and some Saltimbocca. According to an Italian friend of mine it means Jump in the Mouth in which case that would be the first spelling. We haven't made it since October so it was nice to have it again. Its such a simple little dish too.

Today wraps up our winter season of senior league bowling we do fun bowling for a while, including bingo which is very frustrating although I enjoy playing it. We are given a large sheet with various combinations written on it in squares and we have to get them so we all bowl as quickly as possible and sit down the minute we realise we are not going to get what is needed. One year we could not get a spare at all, another year something else. How about that, just took a pic of one of my balls and the colour has come out perfectly. After we have bowled, we then have the banquet which is provided by a local caterer who come in and set up and serve us very quickly. I seem to recall last year we had salads, beef and vegetables and then a selection of desserts. So we have no need to cook tonight although we may need a snack before the evening is through.

I promised you recipes from my latest copy of Food and Drink - here is the first one, it really appealed to me, but then I like chocolate and I like raspberries and I like............

White Chocolate Tart with Raspberries

The combination of white chocolate, raspberry and orange is sublime. This is the perfect dessert to show a mother how much you care.

1 pkg puff pastry

1/4 cup good quality raspberry jam

2 cups 35% cream

2 cups white chocolate, chopped fine

2 tbs orange liqueur

4 egg yolks

2 pints raspberries

Icing sugar for dusting Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut out a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of a 10 inch fluted tart pan. On a floured counter, roll the puff pastry into a circle that fits the tart pan. The pastry should cover the sides of the pan up to the rim. Trim away any excess pastry and prick the pastry 30 times with a fork all over its surface. This is called docking and enables air to pass through the pastry so that it remains flat. "Blind" bake the pastry by placing a sheet of parchment paper inside the tart shell and filling the parchment with dried beans or peas then bake in the lower third of the preheated oven for 20 mins. The beans weigh down the pastry, also keeping it flat. Remove from the oven, remove the beans and parchment and let cool slightly. Evenly spread the jam on the surface of the tart shell. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the cream, white chocolate and orange liqueur until smooth. In a medium bowl whisk egg yolks until smooth, whisk in warm chocolate mixture. Pour this mixture into the tart shell. Bake for 35 minutes or until just set. Let cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, top the tart with raspberries and dust generously with icing sugar. Serves 8. Have a great day.

Susan Boyle, First Dog, Cora's.

For some reason, You Tube won't let me embed the video this morning, but to hear an incredible voice go to Susan Boyle- Karen Miller (Karen's Musings) published this link yesterday and we heard Susan Boyle on Good Morning America the same day. Simon Cowell liked her as did everyone else. Hope you enjoy it. I love the song anyway, its from Les Mis it was sung by Fantine in case you had trouble remembering, we did. Susan Boyle was interviewed on GMA today, she is now at home in Scotland and is on top of the world at the moment I think.

There has been a lot on the news lately about the Obama's new dog, Bo, the Portuguese Water Dog, who, they said this morning, can't swim. Isn't it automatic with dogs, especially water dogs. Although admittedly I had one dog who would NOT go near water, not sure what she would have done if she had been thrown in. This picture is not of Bo but the same breed. The puppy was given to the Obamas by Ted Kennedy who has a couple of them. At $2,000 a pup, I don't suppose the breed will be over popular. At least I hope not. I saw pictures of Mr. Obama and his girls running around with the dog yesterday morning. Bo does look a nice dog.

We went for our lunch at Cora's click here to see their menu, and were delightfully surprised at the restaurant. Matt and I both had the Panini Crepe with Ham, Pear and Brie, it came with a bowl of soup or a glass of tomato juice. I was then tempted by a mini Banana Blast, as a dessert. I have always loved crepes anyway. There are no piles of fries or lots of hamburgers. The meals come with salads and or fruit and are light and healthy. We were in Cambridge to see our doctor and mentioned Cora's to her, she has been there several times and thinks it is a very healthy place to eat. Certainly a very tasty place. Our friends told us they had first come across a Cora's out east; we don't appear to have one in Kitchener.

This recipe came from Eating Well again. I love Bouillabaisse and this somewhat different version appealed to me. It looks delicious in the picture. Thai Bouillabaisse

This flavorful seafood soup combines elements of the famous French bouillabaisse with the distinct Thai flavors of lemongrass, lime, ginger and hot chiles. Use two chile peppers if you like heat. Be sure to simmer, not boil, the soup or the seafood will be overcooked. Serve with a crusty whole-grain baguette to soak up the broth. Makes 8 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each

Ingredients 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 cup diced shallots (5-6 large) 4 large cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1 5-inch piece lemongrass (see Note), cut into ¾-inch pieces, or zest of 1 lime 1-2 small chile peppers, such as serranos or jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 4 cups fish stock or seafood stock or bottled clam juice 12 ounces Pacific cod or halibut, cut into 2-inch pieces 12 ounces raw shrimp (see Note), peeled, deveined and cut into 1-inch pieces 8 ounces dry sea scallops (see Note), tough muscle removed, cut in half crosswise 16 mussels, scrubbed well (see Tip) 10 large shiitake mushrooms caps, cut into 1-inch pieces Juice of 1 large lime 1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves 1. Heat oil in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass (or lime zest) and chile pepper to taste; cook, stirring, until very soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour; stir well to combine. Add chicken broth and fish or seafood stock (or clam juice). Bring to a simmer; reduce heat and gently simmer for 15 minutes. 2. Carefully submerge fish, shrimp, scallops, mussels and mushrooms in the broth. Return to a gentle simmer and cook until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in lime juice. Serve garnished with avocado and cilantro.

Tips Ingredient notes: Lemongrass is an aromatic tropical grass used to add a pungent, lemony flavor to Asian dishes. It is available fresh at large supermarkets and Asian groceries. Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, "21-25 count" means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as "large" or "extra large" are not standardized. In recipes calling for a specific count, order by the count (or number) per pound to be sure you're getting the size you want. To peel shrimp, grasp the legs and hold onto the tail while you twist off the shell. Save the shells to make a tasty stock: Simmer, in enough water to cover, for 10 minutes, then strain. The "vein" running along a shrimp's back (technically the dorsal surface, opposite the legs) under a thin layer of flesh is really its digestive tract. To devein shrimp, use a paring knife to make a slit along the length of the shrimp. Under running water, remove the tract with the knife tip. Be sure to buy "dry" sea scallops (scallops that have not been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, or STP). Scallops that have been treated with STP ("wet" scallops) have been subjected to a chemical bath and mushy and less flavorful. Tip: To scrub mussels, hold under running water and use a stiff brush to remove any barnacles. Discard any mussels with broken shells or any where the shell remains open after you tap it lightly.

Have a great day.