I bought a large box of mangoes in the summer and thought I'd be eating mango everyday and doing all sorts of desserts but things came up and suddenly these oval, fragrant fruits all seemed to get ripe at the same time.

Knowing I would not be able to use them up, I started sharing with my friends. I hate wasted food. We ate a few and then it came down to 3 left and I felt like mango ice cream. However, I couldn't make a typical custard based ice cream because I didn't have any eggs on hand so I scoured some of my cookbooks and the Internet.

I had a hard time finding something that fit the bill so this is where I decided to experiment. Every once in a while, I get the urge to do this and it takes me back to my days of being a lab rat and throwing chemicals together. Very similar practice, baking/cooking and chemistry, is what I say often to people.

The recipe turned out well enough, though it was really HARD to scoop. You have to let it warm up a bit from the freezer. Maybe another hit of vodka would have made it a bit easier. I'm talking about a shot into the ice cream, not for myself. haha.

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Mango Ice Cream
makes about 1 liter

600g (pulp of 3 mangoes) pureed mango
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup table cream (18% mf)
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp vodka


Puree the pulp of 3 mangoes in a food processor until smooth. Blend in the lemon juice. Set aside.

In a saucepan, dissolve the sugar with the cream over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add pureed mango, sour cream and vodka.

Chill for a couple hours or overnight. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

The frost that hit us the last week caused a big harvest of vegetables and fruit at our home. I thought I'd share the HUGE tomato my hubby grew.

And for your reference, that is a QUARTER in the picture. Not a dime or nickel. A quarter. Uh huh.

We're still eating that sucker!

At my home, the calendar is the boss. If an event or appointment doesn't go onto the calendar, it doesn't exist, at least to me, or until someone calls me up and asks "where the heck are you?". This has happened, unfortunately, one too many times. Sigh. I'm a slave to that dang calendar.

It was a Saturday and I knew we were visiting friends that evening. An hour before we are to leave, I walk past the calendar and noticed a "Bring Appetizer" note. Damn! I knew my fridge was low in terms of content too. Double damn!

Upon removing the first loaf from the bread machine, I thought, why is it shaped like that? It wasn't anything like the typical loaf of sliced bread you purchase from the supermarket, the perfectly rectangular block with no dents or grooves. But, I have to say I have grown to love my breads quirky appearance.

Just look at those sweet cheeks! I just want to pinch them!

I don't think I mentioned that I bought a bread machine. I bought it back in the spring and have been making a bread loaf once every week and a half or so. (We're not very big bread eaters at this home, though, now with school lunches, the consumption has risen.)

When I first brought it home, I was very excited. Read the manual, cleaned it out, plugged it in. Woo hoo, gonna make me some fresh bread. I measured all the ingredients, which took me 5 minutes, poured them into the bread machine pan, and then hit go and walked away.

It was all very anti-climatic.

This bread machine kinda took the joy out of making bread. I felt a little like someone who paid for an "escort". Yes, you get the goods but there is no romance.

I didn't get to feel the dough or knead it to get the right consistency. Didn't do peakaboo's under the dish towel to see how far along it was rising. Didn't get to poke it lovingly every chance I get during the proofing. I didn't feel that I could say that I made bread.

Now truth be told, before I bought the bread machine, I would usually use my stand mixer to knead the dough but it still is more hands on work. With the bread machine, there is very little clean up too. Felt so strange. As I said earlier, you get the goods, but there is no romance. No butterflies building along the way, no falling in love or getting-to-know your bread before you consume it.

I love things that are barbecued. The smoky flavor, that can't be reproduced in the oven, is what makes me fire up the BBQ time and time again. Spring, summer, fall and even in the winter (if it's not TOO cold outside).

This is one of my favorite recipes side dishes to make when I'm entertaining. I love veggies but when it is BBQ roasted, it is out of this world. The balsamic vinegar leaves a subtle sweetness and tang that goes well with the smoke and salt.

I use a variety of vegetables, whatever I have on hand. Onions, red peppers and mushrooms seem to be a staple. Slices of zucchini or asparagus, depending on what is in season, work really well too.

The key is to let it marinate for as long as you can before you barbecue. Trust me.

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Balsamic-marinated Vegetables Roasted in the BBQ

Your choice of vegetables:
Onions, Red or other color bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, etc cut into small bite size pieces into a bowl.

Enough Balsamic vinegar and olive oil to lightly coat all the vegetables.

Sprinkle enough salt, to your taste, to coat the vegetables.

Marinate the vegetables for a minimum of 1/2 hour, or more if you have the time. (I marinate sometimes for several hours). Roast the vegies in a proper grilling basket for the bbq, over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes or until the vegies are soft and slightly blackened. Stir the vegetable often. Remove from heat and serve.

I really, really wanted to mention Mario's Gelati. Hands down, one of the best makers of gelato that I have ever tasted. The texture is so smooth and the gelato has the perfect balance in that it is not overly sweet or heavy.

As I mentioned in my post before I left on vacation, I wasn't going to give one iota about how many calories I was going to consume. I can say, with all honestly, I stuck to that statement. I ate my calories as if "Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999". Go hard or go home.

One of my favorite places to grocery shop when are in Vancouver's downtown core is Urban Fare. My husband used to work in the Yaletown district, when we lived there, and we would buy fresh buns, meat and cheeses to enjoy for a little picnic next to the harbor. I'm always amazed by their vast amount of gourmet products, mouthwatering cheeses and plentiful fresh fruits and vegetables.

This time around, I could not go past the bakery without picking up some baked goods. My kids were quite pleased with that and with the large cookies (size of their heads!) that we bought them. Every bite was worth the sugar-high hyper moments.

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With a short ferry ride across the water, we arrived at Granville Island. We immediately wandered into the Public Market and perused all the vendor booths.

A visual frenzy for the eyes which will surely make a dent in the pocket book as one cannot leave without a purchase. Whether it's fresh fruit and vegies, a bouquet of colorful flowers, or an ample assortments of baked goods or kitchen goods for baking, you can find it here. Granville Island is a definite must when in the Vancouver region.

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Urban Fare -Yaletown location
177 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC


Granville Island Public Market
1689 Johnston Street
Vancouver, BC

Grouse Mountain Skyride and an Eagle during the Birds of Motion Demonstration



Grinder and Coola - Orphaned grizzly bears in their refuge atop of Grouse Mountain



Chair Lift



Eating Beaver Tails atop of Grouse Mountain


My fave: Seeing the amazing grizzlies up close and watching them play and occupy themselves in their habitat. But by far, most fantastic experience was being atop of the world with the chairlift ride. Peacefully quiet and the scenery is out of this world. It almost felt like an out-of-body experience. Highly recommend it.

YEARS ago, when I once used to live in Vancouver, this was my haunt. I lived in the west end, one block in from sunset beach and a short jaunt away from beautiful English Bay and a slight jog away from the amazing Stanley Park.

There is something about this place that totally captivates me. I shed a tear (or two) every time I arrive and leave the city. I called my mother to let her know that we arrived in the city safely and she asked me how I was liking it there so far.

"It's great. The ocean, the beaches, mountains, the amazing bridges, all the crazy tall buildings, so many stores and restaurants, the on-going hustle-bustle of this place..."

"You miss it."

"Yeah, I miss it."

We were told that if you are in Kitsilano, you must do breakfast/brunch at Sophie's Cosmic Cafe but you better get there early unless you like to wait in line.

They weren't kidding. We were lucky, there were only 2 groups ahead of us. But shortly after we were seated, there was a line-up, out the door and down the sidewalk past the front of the building. Unbelievable.

First thing you notice about the place is the decor. Let's say it's a hoarder's paradise but organized by an obsessive-compulsive with a very friendly, warm diner feeling. It's kitschy with every knickknack, trinket, chatchki, toy, memorabilia, vintage collectables, thingamajing, (insert your word for it here).

We ordered poached eggs, french toast and pancakes which came with plenty of hashbrowns, bacon and sausage. The portions were huge. The french toast alone felt like it was an entire loaf of bread, though the huge platter-like plates make it look a lot smaller than it actually is in the above photos.

We made a stop to the Othello Train Tunnels in Hope en route to Vancouver. The tunnels are carved into the granite Mountain terrain and according to the information board, the one section is considered the most expensive mile of railway track. The tunnels were pitch black (bring a flashlight!) and were carved mostly by hand. Can you even BEGIN to imagine that? Fantastic place to stop. My kids loved it.

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