Procrastination

Sometimes, procrastination is a good thing.

I made these sandwiches a few months ago, at the beginning of summer.  I loved them and knew I wanted to post them, but other recipes kept pushing them aside.  Some were recipes that used seasonal ingredients (like Blueberry Lemon Bars), some had seasonal associations (S'mores Ice Cream), and some had to be posted right away because of the story that went with them (Black Bean Burgers).  And all that time, the photos of these sandwiches sat on my desktop, patiently awaiting their day.

That day has arrived.  And here's why procrastination is a good thing: because if I'd posted the recipe right away, I wouldn't be staring lovingly at the photos today and remembering how awesome these sandwiches were.  And I wouldn't be drawing up my grocery list and adding ciabatta, arugula and goat cheese.  A word to the wise though – don’t wait too long before trying the recipe yourself.

Caramelized Onion, Arugula and Goat Cheese Sandwich

(adapted from Simply Life)

Makes 2 – 3 sandwiches

2 or 3 small ciabatta or sourdough buns

2 – 3 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

4 large button mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 handfuls arugula

2 – 3 ounces goat cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook about 5 minutes, until browned.  Add mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes.  Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, sprinkle with sugar, and mix together.  Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook about 5 additional minutes.  Set aside.

Slice buns open down centre.  Spread goat cheese on the bottom half, then top with arugula and caramelized onion mixture.  Wrap entire sandwich in foil and bake about 8 minutes.

Thursday's Child: Stockholm, Sweden

When I think of medieval cities, I usually think of ones that are in central or southern Europe, like Prague, Mont Saint Michel or Carcassone, France.  When we visited Sweden a couple of years ago, I was surprised to see the large, beautifully-preserved medieval section in the centre of Stockholm.

Gamla Stan is Swedish for "the old town", and that's the name given to the medieval area in Stockholm.  Cobblestone streets, narrow alleys, and the abundance of buildings with character made this one of the loveliest cities to explore on foot.  It was almost destroyed, however.  Until the mid-twentieth century, this section was allowed to become rundown, and a number of buildings were even torn down to build the Swedish parliament.

Storkyrkan is the oldest church in Gamla Stan.  It was built in the thirteenth century and, because it's so close to Stockholm Palace, it has accommodated many of the Swedish royal weddings  and coronations.

Across the square from Storkyrkan is the Old Stock exchange, which houses the Swedish Academy, where the announcement is made every year about the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The German Church (Tyska Kyrkan) was built to serve the religious needs of the large number of German merchants and craftsmen who had settled in Stockholm.  Until the mid-sixteenth century they had no place to worship.  But in 1558, King Gustav permitted them to hold sermons in the German language, and soon they built their own church.  The German Church is dedicated to Saint Gertrude, the patron saint of travellers.

After watching the changing of the guard, we were ready for lunch. We chose a small cafe in Gamla Stan, just outside of the palace courtyard. The Swedish meatballs with lingonberries were fabulous! 

Even street art reflects the beauty of the old town.

If North American phone booths looked like this, they never would have gone out of style.

TIFF

This is a great time of year to be in Toronto.  Not just because of the warm days and cool nights,  but because it's the annual Toronto International Film Festival.  If you don't live here, it's hard to describe how TIFF takes over the city.  Streets are closed off, crowds gather downtown to cheer appearances by Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch, even the most staid newspapers offer breathless tips about where to see the stars.  For ten days, the film festival overtakes talk about our mayor as the number one civic discussion.

I'm into it in a small way, having tickets for three movies.  (We saw Hateship Loveship on Friday, which was based on a short story by Alice Munro.  Kristin Wiig and director Liza Johnson were there afterward to answer audience questions.)  But some of my friends are seeing eight or more, and we met someone in line on Friday who had flown in from Victoria, B.C. to be part of the festival.

With all the excitement, I considered posting a recipe fit for the stars.  Something ornate that requires a lot of steps.  But my favourite movies about food or meals - like Big Night, My Dinner With Andre or Ratatouille - demonstrate that if you truly love food, it's about passion and not pretension.  So I chose something simple.

I found this recipe when I was searching for a way to use a jar of pesto in the fridge.  These flavours come together beautifully, and show that sometimes the simplest food is the best.

What are your favourite movies about food?

Stuffed peppers with new potatoes, feta and pesto

(adapted from River Cottage Veg Everyday)

200 g small new potatoes

2 – 3  red peppers

1 Tbsp olive oil

200 g feta cheese

4 Tbsp pesto

A small handful of basil leaves, shredded (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and boil for 8 to 12 minutes, until just tender.  Drain and cool slightly.

Halve the peppers lengthways and remove the seeds and pith.  Brush the outsides with olive oil, then place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Chop the new potatoes into large cubes and place in a bowl.  Cut the feta into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the potatoes.  Toss both with the pesto until well-combined.

Spoon the filling into the halved peppers and bake for 40 – 45 minutes until browned on the top.  If using shredded basil, scatter over the top before serving.

Thursday's Child: Tallinn, Estonia

Some of our best memories on holidays have been the city tours we’ve taken, either as part of a group or on our own.  This month, I’m going to share some of my favourite city destinations and what we saw there.

Tallinn, Estonia was a port on a Scandinavian cruise.  We visited it immediately after spending two very full days in St. Petersburg, Russia, and we were happy to take a relaxed tour with the help of a guide book.

Visitors to the city are greeted by the Tallinn Town Wall.  It’s one of the best existing medieval walls that still remain in Europe: nearly two kilometres of wall still exist, and about half the number of original towers. For that reason, and because it is such a well-preserved medieval city, it has been given World Heritage Centre designation by UNESCO.  

The most sensational part of the city was the scene from the Patkuli viewing platform.  With a panorama including St. Olav’s church, the towers, and the city roofs, it's one of the loveliest views in Europe.

Views of the town square and the city from Tallinn Town Hall Tower were pretty great, too. Looking into the square, it wasn't hard to believe that merchants have been selling their wares there for hundreds of years.  It took a little more imagination to picture the knights that held tournaments in the centre of town to win honours.  In fact, it was a group of knights that led the bid to build the city walls in the fourteenth century to protect Tallinn from neighbouring Toompea. 

Tallinn is the birthplace of marzipan, and we enjoyed watching a local expert practice her talents.  She told us that during the Soviet era, most artistry was banned, but the local officials turned a blind eye in exchange for an occasional delicacy.  I’ve written elsewhere about the marzipan museum and its fantastic exhibits.

Speaking of local food, we had a great Estonian lunch at Hell Hunt (it sounds ferocious, but actually translates as “Gentle Wolf”).  Garlic bread made from rye is an Estonian specialty.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a stunning Russian Orthodox cathedral, built to honour a military hero of the thirteenth century.

And Andrew did his best to hunt down the Blue Jays' box scores in that well-known Estonian sports publication, Eesti Paevaleht.

The end of summer

Labour Day weekend always seems like the end of summer to me.  Regardless of how warm it is today or it will be in September, Labour Day is like New Year's Day - saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new.  My youngest daughter begins grade 11 on Tuesday, and my oldest daughter is moving into an apartment this week for her second year of university.  (Andrew and I spent most of today building IKEA furniture for her.  This falls so far outside of my skill set that every contribution I made was reason for celebration.)

With both of the girls having enjoyed wonderful summers at camp, I couldn't resist making my own version of s'mores.  I have a few recipes on this blog that are variations on s'mores, including a pie, cookies and bars, and I think it's because of my own happy memories at camp.  I spent four great years as a camper and another four as CIT and counsellor.  The best camp food I ever ate was s'mores by the campfire.  Toasting the marshmallow perfectly was tricky but, as I grew older, I finally developed the patience to toast it slowly instead of sticking it directly in the flames.

Most of all, s'mores are wedded in my mind with ghost stories, singing songs, and sharing jokes with camp buddies.  This wonderful ice cream represents the very best of childhood - s'mores, ice cream and summers that feel like they'll last forever.

S'mores Ice Cream
(adapted from Brown-Eyed Girl)

For the Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
1 10 ounce bag large marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 cups whole milk
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the fudge swirl
2 Tbsp butter
3 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped graham crackers

For the ice cream:
Spread the marshmallows in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Place them under the broiler for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until toasted.  Take them out, and flip them over.  Put them back under the broiler for another 30 seconds, until the other side is toasted.  Set aside.

Place the milk in a medium saucepan and add the vanilla paste.  Set the pan over medium heat and bring mixture to a simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a large, heatproof bowl.  Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.  Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, using a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture from the bowl back into the pan.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly with the spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  (It should be between 170 and 175 degrees on a candy thermometer.)  Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl.

Let the mixture cool for about 15 minutes, stirring it every few minutes to help it cool faster.  Put the toasted marshmallows in the blender, then pour the custard in the blender too.  Puree until the marshmallows are broken down and the mixture is smooth.  Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and blend again for 5 to 10 seconds to combine.  Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

For the fudge swirl:
Melt butter in a small pot.  Add cocoa and stir to blend.  Add sugar and half-and-half, and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens.  Chill before using.

To assemble:
When the custard is ready, make according to the ice cream maker's manufacturer directions.  If you're making it without an ice cream maker, use David Lebovitz's guidelines: pour the cooled mixture into a baking dish and put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes.  Then stir it very thoroughly, so any bits that are beginning to harden are completely mixed through.  Repeat these steps every half hour until the ice cream is thick and creamy, about 2 to 3 hours.

When the ice cream is made, gently fold in the chopped graham crackers.  Place some of the ice cream in a storage container, then spoon some of the fudge swirl on top.  Continue, alternating a layer of ice cream with a layer of fudge until finished.  Do not stir the fudge into the ice cream as it will make the ice cream muddy-looking.  Freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 2 hours.

Blue Cheese, Fig and Arugula Mini-Pizzas

You know me.  I’m the one who sits beside the fig jam at book club and glares at anyone who helps themselves a little too enthusiastically.  Because really, it’s mine. 

And hopefully, that fig jam is perched next to some blue cheese (in a perfect scenario, it’s Saint Agur, but I’ll happily eat whatever you’re serving).  While the rest of you are discussing the book, I’ll be eating for three.

So you can guess how I reacted when I saw this recipe for blue cheese, fig and arugula mini-pizzas.  Yup, it makes a recipe out of things I normally just dip into, and it tosses in my beloved arugula.  The beauty of this recipe isn’t that it’s so easy, or that it’s so good: it’s that now I can make it, and call it dinner.

Blue Cheese, Fig and Arugula Mini-Pizzas

(adapted from Canadian Living)

3 Tbsp fig jam

12 mini whole grain pitas

1/2 cup crumbled Saint Agur, or other blue cheese

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (optional)

1 cup arugula, chopped

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon juice

  

Spread fig jam on each pita; top with blue cheese and thyme.  Bake on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer to serving platter.

Meanwhile, toss together arugula, oil and lemon juice.  Arrange over pizzas.

Thursday's Child: Destination Pittsburgh

Destination: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

When we visited: February 2011 and August 2013

Why to go:  Pittsburgh is a great destination for anyone who loves sports and culture.

What to see:

We've been to Pittsburgh twice in the last couple of years: two years ago to see a hockey game, and this summer for baseball.  Both venues were terrific, but PNC Park gets high grades for a retro-style stadium, great city views, statues honouring team heroes (Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski) and post-game fireworks.

Roberto Clemente, great ballplayer and humanitarian

Pittsburgh is much more than sports, though.  The Carnegie Science Center was fun, and its SportsWorks exhibit brought out the competitor in my daughter and husband.  The Andy Warhol museum pays tribute to the father of pop art, who spent much of his youth in Pittsburgh.  Phipps Conservatory was full of stunning plants and flowers, with one room dedicated to butterflies.  And one of my favourite stops was at the Mr. Rogers' statue, dedicated to another famous Pittsburgh native, Fred Rogers.

Where to stay:

On each visit, we chose a hotel as close as possible to the sporting venue we were visiting. Cambria Suites are located next to the Consol Energy Center (where the Penguins play), and the Pittsburgh Renaissance is directly over the bridge from PNC Park.  They were both excellent choices.

Breakfast at De Luca's

Where to eat:

Cherries Diner in Market Square and De Luca's in the Strip were awesome choices for a diner breakfast.  Il Pizzaiolo, also in Market Square, served great Italian food for dinner.  And whether you enjoy it at the ballpark or one of their restaurants, don't miss a sandwich from Primanti Brothers.

Our final stop, the lovely Phipps Conservatory