Merry Christmas!

Season's Greetings and all the best for the coming new year, 2012!  Have a safe and wonderful holiday season.

That's a photo of a small cypress tree I have on my dining room table.  Its foliage is of a lighter green than the tree in the dining room window.  That one needs repotting and is from last Christmas.  I'll do both of them in January or February.

Back east in southwestern Ontario I bought a little Italian Cypress tree before Christmas in 1999.  The foliage was a blue-green colour but I haven't been able to find that colour here on the west coast.  The tree ended up being repotted twice before it was left with the new owners of the house when I sold the property.  Anyway, before all that I had the tree outside the front door from the spring to autumn and brought it inside in late September (the winters were too cold to keep it outside).  It was set in the front bay window over winter and even dressed up a bit for Christmas.

So, this afternoon its off to get some laundry out of the way, three loads of it, and then I'll start supper, which today is duck leg with cabbage along with some potatoes.  I've had a German recipe for goose legs with cabbage since the 1980s (perhaps earlier) and use duck legs instead since they are easier to find unless you purchase a whole duck or goose.

I start off by softening finely diced onions in a large pan using olive oil (this time it will be butter since I'm out of the other).  Then I brown the duck leg with the skin side down first and then brown the other side.  Then I add diced green cabbage (I am using Savoy cabbage this time but you can also use red cabbage).  I add freshly boiled water to that, enough so it doesn't burn  and then slow cook it on low heat until done.  This time round I am also added some Riesling wine, a white from the Mosel River in north-western Germany.  If the wine is good enough to drink, its good enough for the stew pot!  I am also adding a bit of honey and some white wine vinegar to make the cabbage dish sweet and sour.  If I had more coming, I would add more duck legs to the dish but since its only me this evening, there is only one leg.  I use sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season the cabbage and have salted boiled potatoes with that when its all done.  The German dish its adapted from is called Gaenseschenkel mit Schmorrkohl.

Enjoy the season.  Have a safe and wonderful time! - V

Sunday

Its Sunday evening here on the west coast. There's been some resurfacing of the main road being done outside during the evening hours (Thursday and Friday plus some this evening). Back east it would be done during the week days, not after hours or on weekends to save on premium costs of labour. Here I guess they're less concerned with the cost and more with keeping the traffic flowing. The noise just causes an slight issue but I guess that's how they prefer doing things here. I close the bedroom window anyway. Good thing its not as hot as it normally is this time of year.

I cooked up the chorizo venison sausages this evening and had some of them with the leftover rice from the previous night. The sausages are certainly tasty! Now as the evening draws to a close, its time for bed. A new workweek starts in the morning. Have a good night and an awesome week, guys! - V

only a little cloud, no rain, and a lot more sunshine!

Today was one of those days where we didn't have to concern ourselves with taking along an umbrella. The sun was out and shining brightly plus it was warmer. Tomorrow may even be better. Too bad the work week follows right behind that!

I spent my time indoors doing things there that needed doing, mostly at he computer. I had breakfast after my shower this morning and ate some sandwiches periodically through the day as I became hungry and then washed it all down with tea (Earl Grey but also some chai).

For supper I had some salad, a mix of romaine lettuce and pieces of tomato along with a simple wine vinegar and oil dressing. Later I was still hungry and cooked up some perogies (potato and cheese, though my favourite is potato and onion). Now its almost bedtime!

Tomorrow morning it time for getting the laundry out of the way once again. I'll do that after my shower and breakfast. Then I may be off to the grocery store before returning home and checking things out online.

Have a good night, guys! - V

P.S. - The image is from the film, "Heartbeats" (les amours imaginaires). If you haven't seen it, check it out! That's Xavier Dolan on the left and Monia Chokri on the right. - V

Sunday

The laundry was done earlier in the afternoon and now I'm busy cooking up supper. Seeing as its after 9 pm, its a bit late but still needs doing. Today I braised a duck leg on diced onion and then added diced red cabbage to cook slowly over low heat. Added to the cabbage after its cooked will be some honey and white wine vinegar, so that its sweet and sour in taste. I'll be off to bed shortly after its done. I'll have it tomorrow evening along with boiled potatoes. The potatoes taste better fresh and the cabbage is better the day after. In the latter case, it allows the flavours to mingle. Since I'm lactose intolerant, cabbage is a good source of calcium, as is anything in the cabbage family.

I know, its not a very exciting weekend but since its been raining, especially this morning, and so much needed doing, there was no sense in heading out any where. Have a great week, guys!!! - V

supper

Well, I've finally completed cooking supper and will have some duck leg with sweet and sour cabbage plus boiled salt potatoes shortly. I'm using a German recipe that calls for goose legs but since I'd have to buy a whole bird, I'm using duck instead since duck breast and legs are more easily found. From what I've tasted, its great! And its all washed down with Earl Grey tea, no wine or beer yet!

I saved photos I have of Brad on a CD and have been viewing the CD all afternoon and into the evening. He's got some awesome muscles. Its just a pity that I can post any at the moment, until he gives the word of course. In the meantime, you'll just have to take my word for it and salivate for a while longer. Hey Brad, if you have the time and can get to a computer, we'd all love to see what you have to say!!! Meantime, hope all is well in the work camp!!!

Its also nearing bedtime since I'll be up at around 5 am to get ready for work. Have a good night, guys!!! - V

supper

Nothing special this evening as far as supper is concerned, just some homefries, diced onions, backbacon and eggs that hit the stomach just nicely. Now I'm having a hot toddy (lemon juice, some honey and some rum from Barbados topped up with some freshly boiled water). That'll get me ready for bed if nothing will and perhaps put me in dreamland. All considered, there's much to dream about! Have a good night!!! - V.