World’s Weirdest Waldorf – I ate here!

On Wednesday night I was one of a handful of people to attend a one-night-only pop-up restaurant hosted by Bob Blumer, an event which promoted his upcoming new series, ‘World’s Weirdest Restaurants‘.  In his new series (premiering April 4, 2012 on The Food Network) viewers will be able to watch along as Bob dines in restaurants with rather strange and unique concepts in various countries across the globe.

Table settings at World's Weirdest Pop Up - TP, Blindfolds, and Clown Noses

The pop-up restaurant was set in the Tiki Bar (it was very dark, thus the poor photos) at the Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver’s Eastside, and event-goers were flashing their tickets and gleaming with excitement.  I attended the early seating at six o’clock because the later seating was completely sold out by the time I learned about it.  Once everyone was seated at their tables, Bob appeared and began showing us brief clips of himself on his escapades followed by a dinner course to emulate his experience.

'Monkey see, Monkey Do'

The first of four courses began with Bob recalling his experience at Kayabukiya, an izakaya in Japan where the waiters are monkeys, and his take on their izakaya style chicken karaage.  Before everyone wents paws first into their meal, we heard several loud monkey screeches.  No, there weren’t any monkeys, it was just Bob appearing in a monkey suit serving everyone a glass of beer.  Unfortunately, I have yet to acquire the taste for beer.  However, the karaage was my favourite course of the entire event because it had a crisp shell and came with a dipping sauce, which was delicately flavoured with ginger and mirin.

Here’s a Youtube video about the monkeys at Kayabukiya from three years ago:

Something I wanted to try for a long time was incorporated into our second course: dining in the dark.  Although we weren’t dining in the dark, we were provided with blindfolds to achieve the same effect.  For some reason, being blindfolded in a public place always makes people feel apprehensive, even when they’re perfectly safe.  The quiet murmur in the room suddenly graduated to loud chatter, as if people were talking louder to compensate for the lack of sight (strange that the outcome was opposite to what one might think).  Plates were placed before us, and we were instructed to carefully feel around for a small bowl and two Chinese soup soups containing two different kinds of croquettes and a cold vegan soup.  One of my croquettes actually had a piece of paper in it, which I’m pretty sure was unintentional, but did add another sensory element to my plate.  Not being able to see what I was eating definitely made it very difficult to decipher the flavours.

'Ling Cod a la John'

Our third course, the one I had been expecting, was a tomato based stew topped with ling cod served from a toilet bowl.  Upon tasting the dish, I didn’t detect any fecal aftertaste, so I am quite certain that the toilet bowl was new and fully sanitized before they used it for service.

Would you like a floater or a sinker?

Our last course was a take on the infamously addictive maple bacon doughnuts at Voodoo Doughnut.  In my opinion, this joint doesn’t exactly classify as ‘weird’ as it does ‘creative’.  But, there was a clip of Bob at the restaurant during a wedding ceremony, so I guess that’s a little strange.  This is when we had to put on our clown noses.  Not for any reason than to look silly and stupid–like the people in the video clip acted. The doughnuts were probably my least favourite course that night because the chef’s interpretation of a doughnut was a bit of a stretch.  The texture didn’t resemble any doughnut I’ve ever had and the bacon flavour wasn’t very prominent.  Completely different to the one from Voodoo.

'Glazed and Confused'

Me, Bob Blumer, and My Sister

The dishes that night certainly had its highs and lows, but aside from the food everyone was certainly entertained.  When Bob was up at the plate to entertain, he certainly had a knack for charming the audience.  I felt a little guilty when I asked to take a picture with him and interrupted his dinner (I didn’t realize he was eating when I tapped him on the shoulder).  But, I guess someone of his status has to expect those kinds of annoyances, especially if he’s the one hosting an event.  I’ve set my PVR to record Bob’s new series to find out if my face made it the small screen–and to find out about all those weird restaurants, of course…

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Dining Out For Life: Breaking Bread and Breaking the Ice

On Monday night, I had the privilege of attending Dining Out For Life, an event hosted by Fred Lee, and dined with the who’s who from different organizations in Vancouver.  My aunt happens to work with Fred Lee, CBC Radio One and the Vancouver Courier’s ‘Man About Town’, so I attended the event as my aunt’s plus one.  Fred isn’t able to attend Dining Out For Life on Thursday with the rest of Vancouver but still wanted to contribute to the cause, which is why he organized an early edition of the event.  Dining Out For Life is an event when local restaurants contribute 25% of their sales to A Loving Spoonful and Friends For Life, two organizations which provide support to people affected by AIDS/HIV.  This year, over 200 restaurants are participating in this event, including Society Dining Lounge, where Monday’s dinner was held (some photos on Fred’s Facebook Album).

*Sorry for the poor photos–Dim lighting situation.

Cotton Candy Whisically Floated Above the Table Settings

The evening began with cocktails and plenty of mingling, which was a little awkward for me since I didn’t know anybody in the entire restaurant except for my aunt.  But, I met plenty of new people on Monday night, most of whom I vaguely remember the names of (forgive me), and received countless restaurant recommendations and tips for this blog.  One person who I did spot from across the room was Stephanie Yuen, who some of you might be familiar with from her work on the radio, published works, or my book giveaway.  Stephanie and I briefly chatted about her book and she also introduced me to her husband, Henry.

Shortly after we were all in our seats, we ordered from the prix fixe menu which had the option of two or three courses.  I ordered the surprisingly large tomato soup, which was served with miniature grilled cheese, as my appetizer.  I generally do not like prix fix menus because I find that the quality of the food suffers tremendously.  However, the kitchen and wait staff at Society were able to serve the entire restaurant at the same time without any salmon drying out or overcooking any steaks.  To say the least, the diners at my table and I were thoroughly impressed and thoroughly smacking our lips.

Desert: Crumbled Black Forest Cake

Since it was my first time attending such an event, it was a bit intimidating to try to socialize with such an elite crowd.  After getting to know many of them, it was nice to learn that even though we may all be from different walks of life we can make a significant difference in the lives of those in need by sharing in a common enthusiasm for indulgence.

Wiping Out in Whistler

This past weekend I went to Whistler for a double birthday and make my worldwide snowboarding premiere.  It was my cousins’ birthdays and my aunt had planned the entire trip, from accommodations to meals, and all the snacks in between.  We headed up Friday night, and I had mentally prepared myself for the pain that I knew was going to come as a result of my trials and errors after errors of trying to conquer the mountain.  In addition to my mental discipline, I had a secret defense strategy: knee pads.

Saturday morning, we rode the gondola from Whistler Village to the stop at Roundhouse Lodge (oblivious to the food court and restaurants on the slopes), and from there on it was a downhill battle.  As my uncle put it, I tumbled down the mountain for the entire morning.  My cousins, one barely old enough to get a driver’s license and the other who can still order off the kids menu, lapped me twice that morning.  Other kids who looked like they were fresh out of Pull-Ups were flying past me like I was part of the scenery.

When I got to the last slope before reaching the upper village my legs became unresponsive and it was as if my body was an anvil each time I tried to pick myself up after plunging into the snow.  Halfway down that slope I swear, I could smell the aromas of a thick glossy brown gravy stirring up in a pot, but my legs didn’t think that the smell or the thought of concrete were motivating enough to comply.  For the final metres of the slope, I had to walk down, with legs that felt just about as sturdy as Twizzlers, because the path was getting too narrow and I became a magnet for the trees on my right side.  My very first run was finally finished, and the mountain had me wiped like used toilet paper just in time for lunch which my aunt had prepared back at our rental condo.

Lunch was pork congee, three different kinds of fried noodles, and seafood patties.  Very homestyle.  Very comforting.

After lunch was a hot, hot, shower followed with a power nap before exploring Whistler Village.  The Village had lots of shopping and a fury of restaurants for mountain-goers to dine at, including a booming new gourmet hot dog joint, Dinky Dawgs.  Dinky Dawgs was one of the first places that drew our attention on our walk, so we didn’t immediately place our orders.  But after making our rounds in the village we got back to Dinky Dawgs just in time before they ended their daily promotional happy hour (4pm-5pm), when all dawgs are $5.00 each.

Saw the cutest egg server ever in one of The Village shops.

Duran Bodasing

I found out that international globetrotter, Duran (visit his blog here), opened Dinky Dawgs less than two months ago and is working on opening Vancouver location along with locations in three other cities.  Duran was the type of guy who posesses enough charisma and energy to rival Justin Bieber and dilithum crystals combined.  He has plenty of enthusiasm for his business and the organic hot dogs he serves, which you can top with just about anything under the sun.  We ordered two separate dawgs which included macaroni & cheese, truffle oil, nori, and croutons as the toppings.  We weren`t adventurous enough to top our dawgs with caviar, marshmallows, or the St. Patty`s special: Lucky Charms, but according to Duran one such braveheart named Kirby has ordered several dawgs with everything on it.  Our dinner rezos were less than two hours away, so we only allowed ourselves to have one bite each–just enough to avoid food regret.

It had been years since I visited Whistler, and it was nowhere near as bustling last time as it was this past weekend.  We were all very lucky to have my aunt plan and organize everything for the family.  She doesn`t miss a beat.  Although my first time snowboarding left me stiff and strained, the pain I feel is gives me a sense of gratification knowing that I pushed myself.  Sure, my time was spent tangling myself in my own demise, but it was time spent working up my appetite.  Perhaps I am not ready for the challenge of Whistler, but I hope I can one day go back and triumph it`s slopes with both a board and my stomach.

Lonely Chicago π

Today’s date can be marked as March 14 or 3.14, which is the official day for the mathematical symbol π (pi).  In light of this mathematically significant day, I decided I would honor it by baking (what else of course?) a pie.  Waitress, my favourite movie, just so happens to have a plethora of pie ideas to choose from, and I have seen it too many times not to try to bake one of them.

Jenna, the main character in the movie is (surprise, surprise) a waitress at a pie diner, and she is also the person who bakes and creates the pies.  Throughout the movie she mentally bakes pies with unique combinations of ingredients and gives them names to reflect her mood.  The pie that I chose to make was ‘Lonely Chicago Pie’, made up of blackberries and chocolate.  There is a DVD set that comes with recipes for some of the pies she creates, but I sadly do not have that set.  Instead, I put my thinking cap on and created this recipe:

Lonely Chicago Pie (Inspired by the movie Waitress)

Makes 1 Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 Deep Dish pie shell (Recipe I used here)
• 5 Tbsp Dutch Processed Cocoa
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 50g Dark Chocolate
• 300 mL (1 can) Condensed Milk
• 4 Egg Yolks, beaten
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 340g Blackberries, washed and thoroughly dried

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly mash berries in a small bowl with a pestle or the back of a spoon.  Mix thoroughly with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, mix together cocoa, remaining flour, salt, and dark chocolate.  Add condensed milk, yolks, butter, and vanilla, then heat over medium low while stirring constantly.
3. Once the butter has completely melted, pour chocolate mixture into pie shell followed by berri es.  With a spoon, carefully blend the berries and the chocolate together making sure not to scrape the raw pastry.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the chocolate has centre has set.  The mixture will still be slightly wobbly.  Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Before making ‘Lonely Chicago Pie’, I watched and studied what Jenna did and added to the her pie to try to emulate her as closely as possible.  Jenna may have been a pie genius, but her pie baking methodology would not hold up without the magic of movie making, unless there was something I missed.  In the movie, ‘Lonely Chicago Pie’ is made by sprinkling brown sugar into the base of an unbaked pastry shell and topped with melted chocolate and mashed blackberries.  I wasn’t about to make a pie that was filled with straight melted chocolate–it would just turn out to be one big chocolate puck!

Even though I don’t agree with some of Jenna’s methods, my mouth still waters every time I watch Waitress.  This pie was sweet and velvety with a juicy burst of berries in every few bites.  I never was a very good at it, but math sure can be delicious sometimes.

An Ugly But a Goodie

On Friday, it was almost midnight and I had a slight itch for something sweet.  I thought about baking something rich and chocolatey, but it would’ve been a while before I would be able sink my teeth into it.  The ‘5-Minute Chocolate Cake’ recipe which is ever so popular in the blogosphere was one I had yet to try.  I was very skeptical about a cake “baked” in a microwave, and that was the main reason I hadn’t tried it.  But this time I couldn’t be bothered to bake a whole batch of something, and after looking at some recipes I really needed a dessert. Bad.

Okay, so not exactly a looker.   In fact, it looks like a creature from the black lagoon walked through the snow and showed up for dessert, but let’s get past all the superficial details.  I would say that the flavour of the cake was better than most cake mixes, even though it was a bit sweet.  I feared that it would’ve turned out very gluey and wet, but the cake was neither wet nor dry.  What it was lacking was in the structure.  It had rather large pockets of air (as it is clearly shown in the photo above) and was rather dense in some areas where a traditionally baked cake would have a fine and light texture throughout.  The centre of this cake was dry and hard, due to overcooking, but this was something that is likely to be solved by adjusting the cooking time.

Whoever invented this recipe was either very smart or very desperate.  Overall, I think this is a great recipe for anyone who is in a predicament such as I was, but I wouldn’t serve it to The Queen or The Pope if they show up at my house for an impromptu dinner.  It was good enough to say that I would make it again with a few minor adjustments.  But, a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream is an absolute necessity to serve alongside this recipe.

5-Minute Chocolate Cake

Makes 1 Cake

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp Flour
• 4 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I used Dutch Processed Cocoa)
• Pinch of Salt
• 2 Tbsp Egg, Beaten
• 3 Tbsp Milk
• 3 Tbsp Oil (I used Butter)
• 3 Tbsp Chocolate Chips
• Splash of vanilla

1. In a mug, combine dry ingredients followed by egg, milk, and oil/butter.
2. Add chocolate chips, and vanilla and mix together.
3. Microwave on high for two and a half to three minutes on high.
4. Cool cake slightly before serving.

Long Way From Homemaker

Yesterday was International Women’s Day, an occasion which has been observed since the early 20th century.  On this day, rights and achievements won by courageous women are commended.  If women did not have the courage to fight the right to vote or become a part of the work force, the world would not be what it is today.

The night before, I watched a rerun of No Reservations, and in the episode Anthony Bourdain goes to Saudi Arabia, a country whose views on gender equality has been highly criticized.  Danya, Anthony’s guide in Saudi Arabia, has made a great achievement in her own right.  Even though she owns the first Saudi company allowed to be owned without a male business partner, she views women’s rights in Saudi Arabia as laws which help protect and emphasize the importance of women and families.

Although the episode only painted part of the picture, it seemed to me that the restrictions imposed upon women are generally accepted and aren’t as controversial as they would be in the western world today.  I am sure there are those in Saudi Arabia who oppose prohibitions such as women being able to drive or exposing more than her hands and face, but there may be more important rights to fight for such as independence and guardianship of their children.  In 2015, women in Saudi Arabian will be allowed to vote and run in their municipal elections, and that is something to celebrate.

I was looking at women’s magazines from the early 20th century, when the issues that women were concerned about were not entirely different from those of the modern world.  Women were concerned about how they looked, what their families ate, and how they should raise their children.  During that time however, the home and family were viewed as a woman’s priority.  Although the cliché of women in the role of the homemaker is still commonplace, our responsibilities have extended beyond the home and into the workplace.

We in the western world are not perfect, and it is not my intention to condemn the beliefs of other cultures or nations, but we have certainly come a long way in the last 100 years.  When I compare my the attitudes and rights women in Canada have today to those in the Middle East or from a century ago, I think I do take most things for granted, and I am grateful for being privileged enough to do so.

Salty Solution

Back in January, there were some eggs in the fridge that were about to expire.  Although I don’t often eat them, I do like salted eggs, which is why I took the opportunity to make them.  Making them was no more difficult than online shopping, and most recipes are fairly similar.  The recipe I followed said it would take a month for them to brine, but I found it took no more than two weeks.

Star Anise and Schezuan Peppercorns

The only thing I’ve made with them so far is a clay pot rice with chicken and mushrooms.  My favourite thing about clay pot rice is the crispy browned layer of rice that gets stuck to the bottom of the pot.  The egg tasted just like store bought, and since there’s always a fear about what chemicals are being put into imported foods, I would make them again.  The only problem is that I would have to plan really far in advance if I wanted to eat them and didn’t have any pre-made.

Groceries and Grub

On my mini excursion to Washington State, I made it to all the stops I had outlined for myself to buy groceries.  A small group of us went to Trader Joe’s, Costco, Fred Meyer, and a Walmart Supercentre.

We drove an extra half hour into Burlington to avoid the weekend Canadian stockpilers that hijack every grocery cart in Bellingham.  Which is why we were surprised to see so many Chinese shoppers at the Burlington Costco, until we realized that it was a shopping destination on a bus tour.  Most of the participants on the tour were part of the Geriatric Triad, and went armed with their own thermos’ of refreshments and purses filled with familiar foods.

We wanted to stop by Krispy Kreme and were hoping the ‘light’ would be on.  Not only was the light not on at Krispy Kreme, but the location had permanently closed altogether.  I remember how fanatic I was before they opened in Canada, making midnight runs to Burlington for donuts.  You’d have thought they put crack in the dough by the way people acted, myself included.  I hope the Krispy Kreme on our side of the border doesn’t go belly up too, but I might be a good idea for me to make a visit soon.

We didn’t finish shopping until 7:30 that night, and we decided to head back into Richmond for Dinner.  We wanted to go to Nan Chuu, but I couldn’t remember exactly where it was on the Alexandra Road.  I thought another restaurant had taken over Nan Chuu, but after reading up on Urbanspoon, that isn’t the case.  Instead we visited Take Sento, another izakaya restaurant.

Gizzards! 🙂

Everything we ate at Take Sento was fresh and was prepared with care, but there were a few things that detracted from the izakaya atmostphere.  The most apparent attribute were the Chinese staff who were speaking in Cantonese and Mandarin.  Another thing I noticed was the absence of the shouts that izakaya staff greet you with upon entering their establishments.  One final observation was the spacious seating, not that I’m complaining, but I’m used to knocking elbows with the stranger next to me– it’s kinda what it’s all about.  These characteristics listed may be more appealing to those who want to try izakaya food, but forgo the loud atmosphere and “cozy” seating.  If your primary language is Cantonese or Mandarin, Take Sento may also make you feel more at home.

I’m relieved to know that Nan Chuu hasn’t sold their business to someone who is trying to duplicate the izakaya experience, but Take Sento really hit the spot after a long day of shopping.  I would’ve also been happy to explore the restaurant scene in Bellingham, but now I only have reason to make another trip south.

Vancouver Cookbook Giveaway: East Meets West (Closed)

For me, the most enjoyable part of travelling is sampling local flavours and cuisine because I think it is the best way to immerse myself in the culture of wherever I’m going.  Before I return home, I search high and low for local cookbooks to bring home, instead of key chains or flattened pennies, so that I can eat myself back into the memories of my vacation.  There are also cookbooks in my possession from continents I have never set foot on, and that’s where I have to fill in the gaps with my imagination.

Although I love to globe-trot and taste new exotic foods, I have always come to the conclusion that there is no place like home.  Vancouver has been voted one of the most livable cities, and it’s no wonder with our picturesque scenery, fresh air, and mild weather.  But, let’s not forget what I think are the most attractive aspects of the city: the food and culture.

Local veteran foodie Stephanie Yuen, who has the titles of publisher, editor, blogger, food, wine & travel writer on her resume has written East Meets West, a cookbook that paints the culinary canvas of Vancouver. (Find out more about Stephanie Yuen and her new book on her blog here)

“The first book of its kind, East Meets West is a celebration of the city’s Asian food and a mouthwatering compilation of distinctive dishes from its most talented—but often unheralded—kitchens. Veteran food writer Stephanie Yuen brings together a collection of recipes showcasing both traditional Asian foods made with fresh ingredients from the Pacific Northwest Coast and modern classics inspired by Asian flavours and techniques.

With an introduction to the history of Asian food in Vancouver, and profiles of the city’s most exciting eateries — many of them hidden gems, elusive to the uninitiated — East Meets West is a delicious glimpse into one of the most complex and fascinating culinary landscapes in the world.”

I will be giving away a copy of East Meets West to one lucky reader. To enter for your chance to win, all you have to do is tell me about a dish you’ve eaten which you think represents a place you have travelled to or the place you live and where it is from in the comment box below.  Additional entries will be given if you ‘Like’ my Facebook page or tweet the following message:

I shared my foodie wisdom with @foodieonthe49th 2 win East Meets West Book by #beyondchopsticks @ http://wp.me/p1I6KW-mr U can enter 2 win 2!

The deadline for entry is March 31, 2012, and the official release date isn’t until April 20, 2012, but Stephanie Yuen has provided me with a copy of East Meets West so that the blessed winner will be able to giddily thumb through the pages of the book before any other foodie will.

A North Road Less Travelled

A few weeks ago, I woke up and made myself a pancake breakfast using a Japanese pancake mix that I purchased from a Korean grocery store a while back.  The recipe and instructions are written in Japanese, but there are some easy to decipher pictures.  Still, I wanted to be thorough and get the actual instructions instead of my guesstimations.  Before I received the instructions from my friend’s Japanese co-worker, who was gracious enough to translate them for me, I tried to google them.  What I did find was a rather amusing interpretation of the instructions on another blog that gave me a laugh.  Might I add, the pancakes were the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made.

Later that night I went out to dinner and browsed through the aisles of a couple in the Korean grocery stores on North Road.  At Hannam Mart there was an entire aisle dedicated to different types of seaweed.  Fresh sea cucumber, in water packs similar to what you’d imagine pet goldfish go home in, were also for sale– something I’ve never seen before.  When I asked the fish monger on duty how they were eaten, he briefly explained that they were eaten raw with a bit of seasoning.  I wouldn’t mind trying raw sea cucumber, but I didn’t want to taint my first experience being disgusted by improper preparation, and worse yet–getting sick as a result.  After picking up a few things, I went in search of a restaurant for dinner nearby.

An aisle devoted to seaweed

Fresh Sea Cucumber

It didn’t take very long at all to find a restaurant, because I immediately noticed a piggie logo on the same block which belonged to a downtown restaurant I had long been wanting to try.  The piggie logo was really the only reason that the restaurant stood out in my mind.  To be honest, I didn’t know what kind of food they served, but fortunately for one of my favourite foods was on the menu.

Some of you may already know about my minor obsession with hamburg steak and my previous posts here and here, and that was why I was so excited to accidentally stumble into Dae Ji.  Dae Ji’s signature item is actually their pork cutlet, so I was happy to find out I could order a combo meal that included both the cutlet and steak.  The combo was served with a coleslaw, corn, macaroni salad, rice, and miso soup(which I recommend upgrading to kimchi soup for an additional charge).  Everything was smothered with gravy, so there was plenty of flavour to lend to the steamed rice which I added a fried egg to.  The pork cutlet was crispy and tender enough to entice a rabbi to hang up his kippah.  The hamburg steak was thick, juicy, and flavourful, but after a few bites I realized that because they added so many flavourings to the meat, it more closely resembled meatloaf than it did hamburg steak.

(Clockwise from top left)Coleslaw, Macaroni Salad and Corn, Steamed rice with fried egg, Pineapple Hamburger Steak, Pork Cutlet.

The cuisine at Dae Ji is what I would consider yoshoku fare.  But if this type of food is common in Korea, perhaps they have their own name and variations on the dishes.  I had fun shopping in the grocery stores and Dae Ji was a delicious end to my evening of exploration and discovery.  While this was not the ideal hamburg steak, it was still pretty darned good.  Congratulations to Dae Ji on their second location, and I hope their success will result in third location closer to where I live.

*On a side note, fellow blogger, Photos by Foodie, claims that this is a good recipe for hamburg steak.  I haven’t tried it yet, but it looks delicious!

Dear Snap, Crackle, and Pop… Eat Your Heart Out

This whole 365 Days of Dining campaign from Tourism Richmond has had me watching my twitter feed like a hawk, which means I’m finally making (good?) use of my twitter account.  Tweets from myself however haven’t been so rampant because I haven’t really had much to say.  But, I have followed a whole new slew of tweeters, some of which have been kind enough to reciprocate.

I also found the time to make some triple turbo charged rice krispy cubes (not squares), which were easier to make than I thought.  Yes, it’s true that I’ve never made rice krispy squares before because someone else always made them.  Of course, when the thought of making these nostalgic bricks of youth crossed my mind, I couldn’t just do it the same old way the Bradys would make them.  ‘DING!’ went the lightbulb in my head.  Why bacon of course!  Bacon, peanut butter, aaaaand chocolate!

Turbo Charged Rice Krispy Cubes

I swear I did not intentionally create a strong subliminal message about my aspirations to become the 365 Days of Dining Richmond Blogger.  Those books are usually on that table, and I grabbed another one at random to make the picture more interesting.  But it’s funny that things worked out so well… heh… heh..

These little goodies will be accompanying me tomorrow on my mini road trip to Bellingham for re-stocking groceries and a much needed visit to Trader Joe’s (woohoo!).  Which reminds me…  I better start trolling Yelp and Urbanspoon for a good place to eat.  If anyone has some good recommendations, please let me know!

I dropped the jar and cracked the lid on my peanut butter jar.

Searching for the Golden Ticket

Tourism Richmond has made an open call for food bloggers everywhere, offering the chance of a lifetime to someone who think they can stomach 365 Days of Dining out at eateries in Richmond, BC.  It shouldn’t be any surprise that I think I’m perfect for the job.  After reading the twitter feeds and the Tourism Richmond Facebook page, I thought I reminded myself of Charlie Bucket amongst all the crazed mayhem in the streets.  The only thing missing was a boy on the street peddling newspapers headlined with “$50,000 A YEAR FOR FOOD BLOGGER”.