All Stirred Up
Often I find myself engrossed in projects at work, eating my tupperware lunch at my desk, reading the paper, scouting online for new and compelling stories to read, glancing over the newspapers, fussing with papers and telephone calls, grabbing a book or 3 from my shelving unit, when the inside compression of hot air and the lack of clarity suddenly hits me and I know "I MUST GO FOR A WALK" now.
I work in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto which is a find and dandy place to spend my days since it's only a hop skip and a jump from my apartment and it's handily in walking distance from Bloor Street, Yonge Street, Kensington Market, Hazelton Lanes, the Ave and Dav flower markets and only a few blocks from where my sister teaches and my nieces go to daycare/nursery school. Soon my office will move but for now, even on the coldest winter day, I will put on my fur hat and my wrap around scarf and head out for errands, shopping, browsing, banking, flower gazing, baby visiting, fresh air fun.
The other day I walked over to Indigo Books on Bay Street just south of Bloor. It's a good time for a book worm to go book browsing in the big box stores because they are clearing out their holiday merchandise and putting the overflow on rock bottom discounts. I found a book called "All Stirred Up - Over 150 of the Best Recipes from the Women's Culinary Network" marked down to $4.99.
First a run-down on the Women's Culinary Network. Nettie Cronish is the chair and herself, Marilyn Bentz Crowley, Heather Epp and Elaina Asselin started the culinary network back in 1990 when they all worked together at the King Ranch Spa. The objective: to meet and work with other women in the food industry in a mutually supportive and goal-oriented environment. The network now has over 250 members including chefs, food consultants, cooking teachers, food writers, cookbook authors, home economists, product developers. I've been meaning to join the network (it costs around $70 per year which includes newsletters, access to their website, quarterly meetings, etc) and I've printed up their membership pamphlet every year for the past 3 years but never sent it in. Maybe now. The book's contributors are all well-known Canadian foodies: Naomi Duguid, Elizabeth Baird, Miriam Katz, Dana McCauley, Anne Lindsay, Christine Cushing, Regan Daley, Dufflet Rosenberg, Bonnie Stern, Daphna Rabinovitch... Each entry is prefaced by a short introduction by the author/about the author, a story that relates to the food, and then a few recipes; some are in thematic form i.e. preserves, but most are in an informal menu set up. The ingredients are accessible since the book was published in Toronto. It's not "The Joy of Cooking" with a whack of intimidating ingredients; the recipes are simple and straightforward. It's a great addition to any shelf of cookbooks.
My snapshot of cucumbers was not inspired by the cookbook itself or any of its recipes. I have not been taking many photos of my food lately because it all looks like mush - lentil dahl, chicken curry, tofu/shrimp coconut stew - none of it photogenic. I do however hate sacrificing anything fresh and crispy during the winter months so I'll usually side a main dish with something as simple as peppered slices of cucumber under a dash of tarragon vinegar. Just for the tantalizing effect it has on my dormant tastebuds.
