FOOD for the Holidays

Tags

Canada, champagne, Chestnuts, cuisine, dachshunds, Food, PEI, wines, World, XMAS

Recently a good friend and blogger asked me about food for the Holidays, what type of food did you have as a child for Christmas etc… So I told him, he was a little taken aback, suffice to say that I and my siblings did not have your conventional upbringing especially when it comes to food and drinks. So no it was not turkey and mash potato with gravy and green peas or ham or whatever is usually served in most households. Wine was also served on a regular basis to adults until I was old enough to have a glass. Cocktails and bubbly made their appearance as a matter of fact at the table. My father always chose the wines, he liked Montrachet.

During my professional life in the many countries we lived in, the menu varied a great deal, various cultures have various fare. In many countries, lamb is a regular staple with chicken a close second, pork is not available and beef is usually served stewed not as a steak. Same with vegetables, in some places root vegetables or squash of all kinds or potatoes are abundant, rice is a side dish with all dishes. So you have to get use to different culinary traditions. Per example in Greece, they will served grilled tomatoes, rice and french fries all together with lamb or fish. In many countries butter is replaced by Ghee butter which is highly saturated in fat but gives the most wonderful taste to food. Also the concept of dieting, allergies or vegetarianism or not eating meat or certain foods is totally unknown and people will enquire about your health, because such condition is associated with the sick and the dying.

So through the years we have modified our Holiday menu to a point where the conventional is not the first thing that comes to mind. This also includes desserts and any sweet. In one country candied whole fruits was a delight to behold, in others it was honey and nut pastries in phylo dough, in others it was rich cakes and specialty chocolates of the finest ingredients made in small batches.

The country I enjoyed the most for wines was Italy, every Italian region has vineyards and all produce regional wines, the volcanic soil of Italy and Sicily produces great wines, red of course but for the last 150 years white wines. Going to the wine merchant was a delight, you could always pair wines with your meal and given the reasonable prices buying several cases for Xmas was a given. One year I found a champagne I truly loved, Jacquesson from France, an exceptional Champagne. If you come across that name, you should get a bottle.

This year will be a quiet Xmas at home, Charlottetown is very quiet and it is pleasant. Christmas Eve I think 3 people are coming over for drinks. Christmas Day we are 7 for Lunch at home. Everything for the meal has been bought including the wines so I do not have to do any more grocery shopping.

While shopping for Chestnuts, I discovered that you cannot find it here anywhere because it is simply something Islanders do not know. A strange thing, but its like veal, you cannot find it, no one carries it. Why? It does not appear that there is any reason. I finally did find chestnuts and beautiful ones at GLOBAL MARKET on St-Peter’s road at Mount Edward. It is an Asian/African grocery store and they carry the most incredible array of goods, most Islanders have never heard of most of it. I was very happy, it’s the second time Global Market has saved my bacon, Mr Will has a knack for asking for the most obscure ingredients at the last minute. In the case of the chestnuts, he is making Chestnut Ice Cream.

Best Wishes to all of you for a Happy Christmas!

A picture of Nora and Nick, the Official Xmas Dachshunds.

Getting there

Tags

Biden, dachshunds, life, Neiman Marcus, news, ornaments, PEI, Vaccine, XMAS

Monday today some good news, first at the dentist, got x-rays and a good cleaning, I do this twice a year. My dentist told me I had perfect teeth and nothing to report. It has been like this for years and it always makes me happy to hear it. The second piece of good news was the start of the vaccination program in Canada. Everyone I spoke too wants the vaccine as soon as possible. Can’t wait attitude, it is almost as being liberated. It is very encouraging. By Friday on PEI there will be more people vaccinated than any people who got sick, again good news. The Prime Minister also announced that Canada will receive doses of the vaccine Moderna. So as it stands now all Canadians can be inoculated in a matter of a few months.

I also followed distractedly what was going on in the USA with the Great Electors voting to confirm Joe Biden as the winner of the national election in the USA and the next president. I also listened to the speech this evening by Joe Biden and found in it, the words and thoughts of past presidents, dignified, honourable, with empathy for people and a call to unity to all citizens. This is what a president does. In his speech the old America I knew came back. So happy to hear such words after four years of buffoonery.

After the dentist I came home and started to decorate the tree, which we will finish decorating tomorrow. It’s a big job, though the tree is only 7 feet tall. Like every year we said again, we need a second tree and given our very high ceiling it could be an 11 foot one.

The weather this week in the Maritimes is like living in Northern Europe, grey, foggy, low ceiling, clouds and wet and mild. Last night I walked Nicky around 10:30pm, the streets are dead quiet, no cars, no one anywhere. There was no wind and it was 45F, this is NOT normal we are in mid-December. There is snow in central Canada, Ottawa, Montreal, etc. not here. We have been promised a big storm, really, it is so mild it is impossible that we will get any snow at all.

Which reminds me of this little ditty, which is so very true of PEI.

Will it rain? Will it snow? I live in Prince Edward Island. I do not know!

Living here 5 years now I have come accustomed to the weather changing rapidly within 15 minutes on some days. Being an Island on the sea makes us susceptible to the prevailing winds much more so than people living inland. You would not want to be the Weather guy in PEI, it is a thankless job and more often than not you will be wrong.

The Christmas puppies, Nicky and Nora with their holiday scarves. They have quite the collection of scarves now, all made for them by a dear friend in Charlottetown.

As tradition dictates the first ornament is the oldest silver ball from Neiman Marcus of 1979, the year of our first Xmas together. The other 29 are distributed around the tree.

This and That…

Tags

dachshunds, Farms, life, markets, PEI, pumpkin, thanksgiving

Well we got our FLU shot, it can be administered by pharmicists, nurses at the clinics, doctors. It’s FREE and anyone over 65 yrs of age gets a super boost shot. The Government is really encouraging everyone to get their shot and it is so easy, it takes all of 15 minutes, no waiting. What I call civilized!

I also went to Mackenzie Farm across the river from Charlottetown, it is one of many farms selling fresh vegetables and pumpkins usually you can buy a small one for $2 and the big ones are $4. I also bought other produce, its fun and we have had a lot of really nice cool days with sunshine.

We still only have 3 cases of Covid 19 in PEI, all from travellers who came back from other parts of Canada and who isolated upon return, the Health Dept and our Health Chief Dr Morrison is in daily contact with them.

Pretty lucky when you think of Quebec with 1400 new cases today alone, Ontario with 600. Alberta is not doing much better. Canada’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tam says that some parts of Canada are in un-chartered waters and things could get really bad meaning that hospital system could be overwhelmed, Quebec is almost at that point in the Montreal region. Most cases are under 40 yrs of age and young people who a few months ago were laughing at the pandemic are now coughing. What is most disturbing in Quebec with a population of 8 million people, is the popularity of QAnon amongst certain segment of the population and the conspiracy theories. Anti-mask demonstrations in Montreal attracting 10,000 people when in the rest of Canada such demonstrations would attract at most 200. There is also in Quebec City the phenomenon of Radio poubelles (garbage) stations with their shock Jock hosts, one such station is CHOI-X who has for a long time promoted every nut job and conspiracy theory on the air. It got so bad 2 weeks ago that Mayor Regis LaBeaume pulled all City publicity from the station after CHOI-X refused again to air public health messages on Covid19, the owners stating it was propaganda. Now many other private sponsors have pulled their publicity. So the owners of CHOI -X are suing City of Quebec for diffamation instead of simply airing the public health messages. It shows a sad side of society and this anything goes attitude, selfish and self-centered, pampered society.

New Brunswick which has the border with Quebec unto the Maritime region has closed its border to prevent Quebecers coming in. As for the border with the USA it remains closed until 1 November but it is not likely to re-open before 2021 or until the USA has a firm control on the pandemic.

In other news: Thanksgiving weekend is coming, Monday 12 October being Thanksgiving. We had thought of doing a different menu this year for our Annual T-giving luncheon, but turkeys are on sale and I got a nice one, 12 lbs for $20. I think we will start with smoked Salmon and shrimp, for dessert, Monsieur Will is going to make is roasted bread and Irish whiskey ice cream and a bread pudding. It will be a small affair this year, we celebrate on Sunday.

Taking a lot of walks around the neighbourhood, in the last 3 years owners and developers have slowly but surely gentrified old Charlottetown. Many of the old homes built around 1820-1880 period are being renovated usually for $1 to 2 Million dollar budget. The area which is 9 city blocks by 6 city blocks is saturated with 825 Air B&B mostly illegal or under the radar., though this year many have been converted to long term rental. Several Bed and Breakfasts have also changed hands and bought by Chinese investors who cater mostly to Mainland Chinese tourists. This year was bad, no tourists and many businesses restaurants, bars, hotels are really struggling if not dying out right. Some hotels downtown and in the suburbs have closed until May 2021. It is going to be tough for the service/hospitality industry. If the cruise ships do not return in May 2021, and borders are still closed, PEI will have to think of a Plan B for tourism. The so called Atlantic bubble did not produce the economic results businesses were counting on. The Atlantic region in Canada has a total population of 2.5 million people spread over 4 provinces. It is not a wealthy area, the average income is about $40,000 per family or less, many are Seasonally employed. So the whole service industry sector needs out of province visitors, PEI alone gets one million visitors between May and October in a normal year. It does not affect us living here in retirement but I can see how anyone who is working now is worried. It seems however that dentists/doctors, our 2 plastic surgeons, our 2 psychiatrists, pharmacists are busier than ever.

I have been posting a lot on Instagram and enjoy this new medium much more than Facebook.

Here is our Nora enjoying the deck this morning.

Here they are Nora in the background and Nick, waiting for their dinner, it’s the look dachshunds are known for, where is my dinner!!!!!

Love this view of the Hillsborough river from the boarwalk looking towards the opening to the Strait of Northumberland and Nova Scotia coast beyond. On the right is Rocky Point and Port LaJoye the original French fort. On the left is Keppoch (pronounced Keppick) both are affluent out of town areas.

some old photos

Tags

dachshunds, life, Montreal, Ritz Carlton Hotel

Will has revived his old giant screen computer and found an incredible amount of photos from before 2011 even some videos of our first two dogs Bundnie and Reese. Seeing such photos bring back so many memories of events and where we were then.

This photo of my mom and dad in their home in Montreal in 2007. This was the Summer I was back in Canada for a few weeks before Will and I would depart for Rome for our next posting. My parents invited us to dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Sherbrooke street, at the Jardins du Ritz, this was before the rather disturbing modernization of this great hotel. It was a hot summer day and Les Jardins du Ritz was the garden restaurant with the famous duck pond. It was all very elegant and European. I did have a jacket with me, dinner with Dad never meant without a tie and jacket. Though that night we did not wear a tie. Mom was already affected by Alzheimer at this point and within a few months would be going to a care centre where she would live another 6 years with greatly diminished faculties. This was really the last time we would be together for dinner on the town.

Here is Nicky and Nora lounging on a pillow bed we got them, one of many as they love to destroy them. In our den in Rome on Via Dei Villini.

Love Nicky looking at the camera and Nora half asleep, they are I guess about 1 years old on this photo. We had an excellent groomer in Rome who specialized in wire hair dog coats. Wish I could say the same for PEI.

Grooming day

Tags

cuisine, dachshunds, Food, Italy, Vet

Well Monday 15 June is grooming day for our little Dachshunds, it has been many months since the last grooming and we are happy they can get it done. Next week we are going to the Vet Clinic for their annual shots and physical exam. Both are 11 and half years old and in good health. Though we have noticed that Nick is becoming anxious if I leave the house and he does not like to be left on his own.

Nora now barks at the smallest noise, which is annoying but she looks around and seems nervous. She also had another episode of what could be described as some kind of stroke, though it was short and quickly resolved itself. But we took her to the Vet Clinic immediately and within one hour the Vet told us that she was stable and could come home. We don’t know exactly what happened. But we do realize that we have two old dogs who are used to their daily routine and as long as it is not disturbed all is well. It has to be said that they are spoiled and like good Dachshunds always try to control what is going on, just too clever I think.

After Nick’s grooming and a snooze, so stressful, even a cookie does not compensate enough. He has the most beautiful colouring, old gold and dark chocolate. 

Nora, back at home and resting in Nick’s kennel, which annoys him but he puts up with it. Though she is one week older than Nick, same colouring but tuffs of grey hair here and there.

Today Tuesday 16 June, the Art Gallery of the Confederation Centre re-opened after 3 months of closure due to the pandemic. We were the first to arrive and the new sanitary procedures are in place, the exhibits are those of March since the gallery closed a few days after they were unveiled. They will now be on show until September 27. The 2020 Summer show has been postponed until next Summer 2021.

Lemieux, Fathers of Confederation

Many stores in town have closed permanently due to the pandemic and no tourists. Many restaurants will not open while other did open with a new menu and new Chef. One such place is Terra Rossa on Queen Street, new (well known) Chef, and a newish concept returning to the original idea for this Italian regional cuisine restaurant, sorry no pizza, no spaghetti. A grocerant/eatery with lots of specialty products like fresh anchovies in oil or burrata or N’Duya sausage, charcuterie from various regions of Italy and cheeses, most if not all unavailable in PEI up to now, so you see a refinement of gourmet offering. Fresh Anchovy as a fish is very delicate in flavour and can be eaten as is or on toast or in pasta or salad. This was a real find. A wine bar is also part of the establishment.  We were at Terra Rossa this morning and am very impressed with the place. Happy to see they have returned to the concept of four years ago which had been abandoned by a previous owner with little success and now re-instated with this new owner.

Sunday and Saturday we met with friends we had not seen in the last 3 months and it was so nice to actually see people in person, to talk and enjoy sweets. This is one thing that this pandemic has made us realize, the importance of friends.

 

 

 

 

 

Nick and Nora – The Early Years – II

Tags

dachshunds

Our two little Dachshunds Nicholas (Nicky) and Eleonora (Nora) now some 11 years old have brought us much joy. Here are films of their early lives in our apartment in Rome. Please enjoy!

 

via Nick and Nora – The Early Years – II

Two dates

Tags

Capena, dachshunds, dogs, Giorgio Porcino, life, Rome, Tiziana Tola

The 19 and 23 February is the 11th Birthdays of Eleonora (Nora) and Fantastico Nicky (Nicky) born in Capena, Italy in 2009 at the Casa degli Orsi owned by Tiziana Tola and her husband the celebrated veterinarian Professor Dottore Massimo Buzzanca.

Both are known in Italian as Bassotto Tedescho (German Bassett hound) or Dachshunds. All of their dogs have won numerous trophies and honours in Italy and in Europe. They usually have only one or two litters per year. We came upon their farm on the recommendation of friends who lived near them in the countryside. A very beautiful place with lots of mature trees and a big pond with giant Koi fish.

We had a contest on the internet to name them and settled on Nick and Nora from the film series Nick (William Powell) and Nora Charles (Myrna Loy). Nick and Nora Charles are fictional characters created by Dashiell Hammett in his novel The Thin Man. The characters were later adapted for film in a series of films between 1934 and 1947; for radio from 1941 to 1950; for television from 1957 through 1959; as a Broadway musical in 1991; and as a stage play in 2009.

We first saw them in late February, still very small with their mother and other siblings. We returned to pick them up some 7 weeks later. The road back to Rome to our home on Via dei Villini was only eventful in the fact that Nora looked afraid but quiet and Nick was whimpering all the way. They were sitting in the back with Will.

In Rome they were used to their walks in the centre of the City around our home, a quiet leafy area. Nora loved to put her head under the Nassone which is a drinking fountain with continuous flow of water coming from the mountains around the city. The water is very cold and she loved it. Then in July 2011 they flew to Canada with us as our time living in Rome ended with regret. Arrivederci Roma!

Nicky and Nora are always with us, if we travel we have a babysitter to look after them at home.  Tiziana Tola and many friends including our Vet in Rome, Giorgio Porcino told us be careful because they can be controlling, always pushing the limits to see who is in charge. Nora thinks she is in charge and can be very demanding and at the same time plays coquette. Nicky on the other hand is a cry baby, it was funny when he was a puppy but not at 11 he is an old dog but hey it works and he knows it. We are certainly at their service.

That day at the Farm Casa degli Orsi when they came with us to Rome. Nora (L) Nick (R). By law the owners have to have microchips for each dog upon purchase and they are also registered with the Italian Government for identity purposes.

Nick enjoying the sun in our Roman living room, to this day he enjoys sleeping in full sunlight.

Nora learning to type at 3 months. She is good at sending E-cards to people.

A three tier birthday cake with marzipan. Since birth and being with us we have spoiled them with pieces of celery and carrots, pieces of gouda and cheddar cheese and in the morning sometimes Will will give them a small piece of his bagel with cream cheese. Nora loves Espresso but we do not give it to her, she still tries to but her big nose in the cup.

They also get regular check ups at the UPEI Vet College. The Vets know them quite well to a point where if we call the clinic, the staff know their names by heart. Our old vet from the time we had our first two dachshunds Bundnie and Reesie said to us that when he died he wanted to come back as our dog because we took such good care of them.

Nick (L) and Nora (R)

Events and things

Tags

dachshunds, dogs, Events, Holiday, hounds, life, sleep, XMAS

First this photo of our Nicholas or Nicky for his friends. Every morning same routine, Nick loves to get up at 7:30am to go out for a short walk and then quickly in for his breakfast. Then he looks for a spot of sunshine and will lie in the sun like any hound loves to do. If there is no Sun well then he will point me to my chair in the living room by making funny little nasal growls, softly, plaintively and moving or jerking his head to indicate over there. I go sit down with my morning Espresso and he comes to sleep by me. Nothing complicated and it makes him happy, just snoozing away, such a good boy.

As we come to the end of the Year 2019 and Christmas is just around the corner, I looked at my calendar for the past year, counted 85 events attended during the year. I also did at least 60 coffee mornings with various people, many with local politicians one on one to talk about issues. I am not counting all the other general activities on any given day like looking after Mr Nicky and Ms Nora.

Today is Black Friday, essentially an American tradition which jumped over into Canada. We bought a new Dutch oven from Paderno a well known maker of Canadian pots and pans and a local company, huge discount of 75% on the price. This is quality stuff and is usually not cheap. Could not resist and went to Canadian Tire to get a 6 Litre Dutch oven.

I also went to buy our Xmas Crackers for the table, they are all made in England, I also got fancy little bags to given to each one of our guests on Christmas Day Lunch. We will stuff the bags with nice small gifts and things. Our guests love those and the surprise is different for all, no one gets the same thing, there will be a candy cane, some chocolates usually filled with liquor from Anthon Berg of Denmark, a small candle, a fragrant fancy soap, some nuts in their shell and I don’t know what else.

Our crackers will be colourful, I really like those ones and their contents. I don’t know if a lot of people do crackers. Do You ?

Today the weather is quite bad, high winds around 70Km, rain changing into snow squalls tonight. The Santa Parade has been moved to Sunday which is suppose to be sunny.  Horrors of horrors, I saw my first snow plow today, spreading salt on the road.

Oh well, it’s Winter or late Fall …..

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday!

Tags

Birthday, Capena, dachshunds, Rome, Via dei Villini

This week marks the 10th Birthday of Nicky and Nora, born in Capena, Italia in Febbraio   2009. Capena is a little town famous for a place of exile where the great Marcus Tullius Cicero wrote letters on Friendship and Old age in 58 BC. It is also the area where Livia wife of Augustus lived in old age in her great palace.

Nora was born 5 days before Nicky and they both have different sets of parents.  Nora comes from a line of European champion hunting/tracking dachshunds and Nicky from a line of champion show dogs like his father.

Here is Will in February 2009 in Capena in the room where they were born at the house of Dr Massimo and his wife Tiziana. See how small they both are, their eyes are still closed.

We saw them at 10 days and they came to live with us at 7 weeks. As we drove back into the City, Nicky was in the back of the car with Will and Nora and he was whimpering all the way.

They lived the first 2 years of their lives in Rome on Via dei Villini and then immigrated to Canada when we left.

Nicky on the sofa in our den at home in Rome

Nicky at 2 in the morning Sun on Via Dei Villini

Nora 

Nora in Ottawa, always keeping an eye out, just watching

Left to right, Nicky and Nora on the sofa

 

Left to right Nora and Nicky 

Getting ready, we are ready

Tags

Charlottetown, dachshunds, Food, gingerbread cookies, pasties, Seafood, thongs, Xmas tree

Well we are 9 days away from Peace of Earth day to quote Mel Tormé. We have our menu all figured out for Christmas day Lunch. Christmas Eve it’s drinks Chez Nous with select friends and for New Year’s Eve we are going to our Club for a drink and sit by the fireplace. That is it, simple no fuss.

Today Will made gingerbread cookies (male-female) for equity sake following the Justin Trudeau Ideology on the topic. I decorated them with icing and was immediately cited by the Morality police, can you believe it. Do I look like Michael Cohen to you? I was directed to decorate them. You be the judge I think they are lovely.

Later I put the star at the top of the tree as is the tradition in this last 40 years in our household. Same dollar store star which has graced all our trees in the best capitals of the World.

 

The Christmas Dachshunds with their home made Xmas scarves, so festive. Our friend Lori gave them to Nicky and Nora.

the ladies have pasties and the men wear thongs all in Xmas colours of course.

Will also made some wonderful sausage rolls, they are soooo good!

This picture is the taste test batch, we will be making more for Xmas Eve Cocktail party.

Will is also making a Tourtière for our Xmas Lunch and another friend is making Ragout de pattes de cochon avec boulettes de viande. (Ragout of pigs feet with meatballs) DIVINE! Typical French Canada fare. We will also have a breast of turkey just to say we have it. For dessert Mulled Wine jellies and Plum Pudding (home made). We will have our Christmas crackers as always. I am thinking of poor Duchess Meghan who will be introduced to this custom this year. Oh well it is all part of her becoming more civilized.

Finally last night after drinks at the Haviland Club where we go every Friday with the other cognocensti of Charlottetown, we had dinner across the street from our home at the Water Prince restaurant, it was their last night before closing for the Season, they will re-open in Mid-April. It is always fun to mark the end of the year this way and Shane Campbell who is the owner and his son are there. The fare is lobster, haddock, mussels, oysters and other seafood. I had oysters to start from Malpeque and grilled haddock, Will had a lobster and a chowder.

Maureen standing behind Will is the manager. The place is an institution in town, it is extremely popular in the Summer time. You can easily wait 45 minutes for a table.

Happy Christmas and Happy Festive Holidays to all!