Archive for the ‘World Travels’ Category
Bed, Breakfast & Bill
August 2nd, 2010 | 
Author: Kalispera my once-again neglected blogloves,
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Bed, Breakfast and – Bill -? I thought the MMboyfriend was called Andrew? Well, I’ve got to say, this weekend I had eyes for another gentleman who also makes me swoon on a regular basis. And, to be fair, Andrew was right there with me and if he’d really had issues with my obvious appreciation he’d have said something. I am, of course, talking about William; specifically, William Shakespeare. (Clearly we’re tight enough to be on a nickname basis ^~ he calls me Steph, when he’s not calling me his muse.) Also, he’s got an irresistible franchise going:
Writing quill & pouffy pantaloons included!
This weekend Andrew and I went to beautiful Stratford, Ontario as a much-needed retreat after really intense workweeks. Both of us ended up burning the midnight oil (he at his job, mine at, well, mine;) so we didn’t get to see each other at all. This weekend was perfect. We stayed at a charming bed and breakfast, and ended up seeing my favorite Shakespeare play: The Tempest, starring Christopher Plummer (of Sound of Music fame) as Prospero. The performance was fantastic; they interpreted the script in a very unique, entertaining way, and the special effects were stunning – Ariel sprouted these enormous, moving wings! We both loved it, which is wonderful, because I want to see as many plays as I can!
Christopher Plummer as Shakespeare's Prospero
The rest of the trip was great, we wandered through the sleepy little town, and even stopped to buy some fresh corn from a local farmer we saw signed on the side of the road. He actually went out to the field to pick it for us, which was amazing. He gave us over a dozen for $5.00, and promised us that we’d never taste corn like it. It lived up to the hype.
The only problem, is now I have six ears of fresh fresh corn that I don’t know what to do with! I need your help, bloggies <3 What is your favorite way to use fresh corn?
- Salad ideas: Fresh corn salsa… Mango + Corn + Avocado + Lime ?
- Fresh corn bread? Corn fritters? Add to my list <3
Some of the corn went to immediate use yesterday evening, when a bunch of Andrew’s family and I (lucky girlfriend that I am) got together for an impromptu, colorful feast:
It was fantastic. Everything was market fresh, or from Andrew’s Nono’s garden. The tomatoes were some of the most incredible things I’ve tasted – I would happily have made a meal of just them. There were also homemade roasted peppers, a fantastic beetroot salad, and fried zucchini and zucchini flowers that everybody -raved- over. Oh, and some grilled tenderloin, but it paled in comparison to nature’s beautiful bounty. The zucchini was the hands-down favorite, although I was unable to give the gluteny bites a go.
“These are beautiful,” Andrew’s nona was insisting. Her method is as follows, although she works a magic that surpasses ingredients, so nothing I can share with you here will be as good as what she makes. Isn’t that a nona thing, though?
Nona’s Fried Zucchini & Zucchini Blossoms
- Begin with two or three fresh zucchini picked that morning from your husband’s lovingly-tended garden.
- Slice the zucchini thinly, preserving the flowers, and salt to remove excess moisture
- In a bowl, combine flour, eggs, oil and salt (no exact measurements here, of course!)
- Combine zucchini with batter and set to fry in a pot of (“not too hot”) olive oil
- Fry gently, (“gently!”) until the color changes to a beautiful golden brown.
- A quick flip, and they’re ready to be devoured by anybody within smelling range.
My gluten-free loves, I promise I’ll experiment with this until I have a recipe with exact, GF measurements to share. It smelled to good to be deprived of!
This week/weekend was the type of thing that would have worked me into a frenzy in my disordered days. I was exhausted at work, and so didn’t force my body through any rough exercise. In addition, I allowed myself heaping servings of everything I wanted this weekend. I had desserts, Andrew and I shared a bottle of wine on Sunday, and I probably ate a day’s worth of calories in olive-oil alone. As a result? Tonight I feel thoroughly rejuvenated and ready to face a new week, even though I was dead on my feet just three days ago, on Friday.
A delicious bottle of wine: Ray's Station Cabernet Sauvignon. A glass of California red wine paired with fantastic company is one of my favorite ways to unwind.
Your beautiful bodies need breaks. It’s so fair to indulge, and to enjoy doing it! Savor every sip of wine, bite of dessert, lazy morning in when you would otherwise have been working up a sweat. I know that tomorrow’s run will be all the more enjoyable because it will have been the first in almost a week.
- How do you pamper yourselves, bloggies? What are your favorite foodie treats, or ways to relax?
I’m lounging with some hot chocolate and The Bachelorette, so I’m off!! I’m on team Roberto all the way. The dimple, the dancing, I mean – come on ^~ Who are you rooting for?
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