Street Noms

Asia. Home to billions and a haven for the hungry.  If you ask people who have traveled to Asia what their favorite aspect of the culture is, most people will have the same answer. Street Food. Street food may not always be the most sanitary or healthiest option, but without a doubt it is the most delicious.

Many of my favorite memories of Shanghai revolve around food. One in particular was watching dozens of foreigners and locals alike stumble out of bars and night clubs and begin the weekend ritual of an old fashion mao-down. Vendors would line up anticipating the hungry customers and would sell kebabs, noodles, satly pancakes, sausages, tofu, fried rice, and really anything else you can ever imagine.

Support

Although I adored street food while I was living in Shanghai, I only came to thoroughly appreciate it once I had returned to Canada. Only in Asia can you find foreigners and locals sitting on a curb enjoying a bowl of noodles, and discussing how this food beats out a five star restaurant any day of the week.  However; there is more to street food than just deliciousness.

Street vendors seem like the most practical of ideas. Merchants prepare certain quantities of food, prepare them in front of the customer ( grill, fry, steam, etc. ) and within moments, serve it up to go. Prices are reasonable, costs are minimal, and clients are over-joyed. Seems like a pretty simple business concept. And it is. From an economic stand point, the financial support street vendors  receive from customers is imperative.  In a study done in the late 80’s, it was estimated that the country of Malaysia generates over US$2.2 billion annually on street vendors alone. Additionally, the same study concluded in one small Malaysian village, employment had grown over 26% due to the increasing popularity of street food to visitors. To many, an economic view may be the last thing to consider when hungry, however, its important to keep this in mind when choosing fast food from major corporations over local vendors. Not only is the food indisputably more delicious, fresh, and interesting, it is helping families survive.

Buying Local

The first time I ever explained the expression “buying local and seasonal” to a Chinese friend, she looked at me like I had two heads.  The concept that Westerners could buy food from anywhere in the world, during any season and have it in our kitchen’s was more than she could understand. In most of Asia, all food and produce is seasonal. If it isn’t the season for mangoes or bananas, tough, you weren’t going to eat mangoes and bananas. Eating “local and seasonal” is not a trend, it a normal way of food life. Another reason to love local vendors. Every morning people of all ages and backgrounds shuffle their way to the closest wet market ( produce, meat, everything) and buy their day or weeks supplies. Hundreds of stalls are set up by local farmers who bring in fresh and ripe ingredients. This is how Asian’s shop. Farmers grow produce, they sell said produce directly to customers, and then customers use the produce.

Its simple, fast and everyone wins.    Not only do the farmers produce fresher and higher quality items, but they are also substantially cheaper than buying from supermarkets.  Due to the lost costs, it is only natural that street food vendors purchase their ingredients from wet markets. Which means that when you choose to buy BBQ tofu and vegetables, you are eating local and seasonal ingredients! Gasp!

So, to wrap up, if you are ever so lucky to travel Asia, never count out trying local street food and visiting wet markets. Little heads up though; Wet markets CAN be overwhelming at first. It is busy, smelly, and sometimes a bit much. Keep an open mind and just go with  it. For street food, use common sense. If its 30 degrees out, and it looks like meat has been sitting our for hours, don’t eat it. The vegetables and tofu products are generally better anyways. If you have a sensitive stomach, tread carefully around oily and spicy dishes until your system has gotten accustomed to the new food. If not, eat to your hearts desire and then write me and tell me about it so I can live through you!

25/25

In honor of it being my 25th birthday today, I decided to write a special entry describing 25 things that make me happy and might make you happy.

1. Buy a scooter – it will make you feel free as a bird while laughing your ass off

2. Quit a job that makes you unhappy

3. Adopt a kitten

4.  Eat traditional Chinese Hot Pot – it will instantly cure you if your sick, and make you feel like Popeye after all that spinach.

5. Drink chateau barbebelle rose

6. Move abroad

7. Dance to beyonce and rihanna with your friends until your legs want to fall off

8. Learn about where your food and ingredients come from

9. Eat Peka ( meat and potatoes made in old school oven)

10. Visit Koh Lanta, Thailand. It is the most peaceful place on earth. Dont bring anything that can connect you with the outside world.

11. Hang out with your family

12. Travel with your best friends, and laugh even when you have trained half the country in the wrong direction

13. Work with children – they are tiny Buddhas whose advice is always under appreciated.

14. Organize dinners with your friends which last hours and hours.

15. Support local anything. For Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries try to shop at local, independent shops.

16 .Eat bacon and date wrapped sausages ( Ottawa ppl – Town’s are amazing)

17. Eat Japanese food as much as you can. Especially lunch sets. ( Rice, salad, dried tofu, pickled vegetables, miso soup, grilled mackerel.) Then read Japanese women don’t get old or fat

18. Hunt down your family roots, and visit your homeland. It makes everything clear.

19. Love someone who stays up with you when your sick, makes you laugh, and motivates you to be better.

20. Eat vegetarian, vegan, organic, etc. for a period of time and experience new dishes that you have overlooked.

21. Drink good wine that doesn’t break the bank. e.g) Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile  Concha Y Toro Marques de Casa Concha ($19.95),  Chardonnay, France, Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay 2008  ($19.95), Riesling, Niagara, Cave Spring Estate Riesling 2007 ($17.95), Sauvignon Blanc, France Les Fumées Blanches ($11.95)

22. Read books which make you laugh out loud ( When You Are Engulfed in Flames – David Sedaris)

23. Save your money and eat at GOOD restaurants. For people living in Ottawa region, visit this site for the years best spots. http://www.ottawamagazine.com/tag/best-restaurants/

24. Support people around you who are making their own path. http://www.handdownyourpants.com/

25. Be healthy, happy and stay posi.

Sink or Swim

Toronto became the first major Canadian city today to ban the sell and use of shark fin. Hooray!  Shark fin soup, a delicacy among many Asian cultures, particularly Chinese, has come under intense fire over  recent years due to the cruel and inhumane ways shark fins are obtained.  I’m sure many of have seen the awful video’s, sharks being pulled onto boats, their fins being sliced off, and then left to slowly bleed out or be eaten by other animals in the ocean.  It’s gross. It’s awful, gross and completely unnecessary.

Shark fine soup is an extremely pricy dish which combines shredded fin and a gelatinous broth. Unfortunately, I have eaten this dish, before ever realizing what it was.

While living in Shanghai, I accompanied my boyfriend on several business dinners. Ordering shark fin soup is a quick way to show colleagues and clients that A) you have great taste, and B) you can afford to spend almost $100 CAD on a small bowl.  Once figuring out what I was spooning into my mouth, I was immediately grossed out, and did something I almost never do. I was rude and refused to eat anymore, in front of my boyfriend, his family, and co-workers. At the time, I’m quite sure he was pretty pissed. I agreed to finish the broth providing he ate the rest of the fin.

From my experience, most Chinese were unaware and uneducated on how sharks were killed. They did not know that 99% of the sharks body was not used, nor did they know that over 70 million sharks are culled annually, despite the fact that 30% of shark species are on the brink of extinction.

With major celeb powerhouses like Richard Branson and Yao Ming supporting the cause, Chinese citizens are becoming increasing aware of what they are eating. Yao Ming (one of the most respected Chinese celebrities) released an anti-shark fin commercial this past year which played in taxi’s throughout China.

Even though China and Hong Kong will remain the dominant population of shark fin consumption for the time being, I managed to convince my boyfriend’s family to quit the fin, so yay for my small victory.

I am very happy with Toronto’s decision to ban the soup. I know from a restauranteur/ business perspective, yes businesses will take a hit. I also understand that yes, it is a part of Chinese culture, and this ban infringes on their history and cultural freedom.  I can’t debate those facts. All I can say is face the facts.

1. Sharks take up to 20 years to reach sexual maturity, and produce very few offspring. Meaning sharks cannot repopulate as quickly and we are ripping off their fins.
2. Changes in shark populations alter the ecological dynamics within the entire ocean. Sharks work as one of the most important ecological stabilizers.  For example, lower numbers of sharks = lower numbers of shellfish ( who filter our water) = lower quality water.
3. Finally, why we shouldn’t eat shark fin soup. It isn’t good! The broth allows the soup a great deal of flavor and intensity, but the fin itself? Nadda. No flavor, weird consistency, nothing to write home about. Trust me.

So, embrace the ban, and get on board with trying to encourage those around you to stop consuming this dish.  As Yao Ming says, “When the buying stops, the killing can too.”

You go Yao.

I can’t breathe

still gets me every time.

Keep on Truckin’

Street vendors have a tough gig in Canada. In other countries (mostly asian) eating on the street is more common that going to a sit down restaurant.  Yet due to dated and unclear regulations, vendors in Canada are constantly getting shut down, fined and pushed around.

You can understand my happiness and surprise when my sister introduced me to this little gem.  Stone Soup Foodwork is the brain child of Jacqueline Jolliffe, an avid food lover and environmentalist. In February 2011, with help from friends and family, Jacqueline revamp an old chip wagon truck into a styling, take-away resto on wheels.

Jacqueline’s food philosophy is simple; make good quality, fresh, interesting food, and people will come. And so they have.  Located at the back campus of Ottawa U, students have been raving about their new favorite go-to spot.  With food options including vegan, gluten free, and organic, there really is something for everyone. In keeping with the seasons and harvest, Stone Soup’s menu is constantly changing. Year round menu items include both vegan and meat soups, tacos, salads, drinks and more.

 

 

There are so many things to love about this venture.

• Awesome female entrepreneur? Check.
• Locally harvested, seasonal ingredients? Check.
• Understands her market and clientele? Check.
• Has gluten free and vegan products so my sister can eat here too? Check.

So, my dear local readers, put down those nasty processed foods, and get real…food.

Open 10 am – 4pm for breaky and lunchy at the corner of Marie Curie and the Transitway.

Side Bar – Alyson Rowe

There are very few people in my life who I am in complete awe of. People who understand that hard work matters, and that nothing worth doing comes easy.  One of my closest friends whom I met while at Bishop’s University works like a hog for one of the best NGO’s in Canada, War Child.

In the past year alone, Aly has traveled to the Congo, Ethiopia, and South Sudan with War Child to assist and survey new projects developed by this NGO. For a detailed and heart wrenching report of her field work, visit her blog at http://peaceninja.tumblr.com/.

One of the reasons I love Aly is because of the size of her heart and the abundance of energy, patience, and realism she has in her tiny body.  She has witnessed horror that most Canadians couldn’t fathium, yet she continues on knowing that her efforts are never in vain.

This month, Alyson has been nominated for The Notable Awards, which highlights outstanding members of the Canadian community in many different fields, including community impact.

For those of you who are lucky enough to know Aly personally, I’m sure you have already voted for her. For those of you who have not, I can only say this to persuade you; Alyson is the most selfless, compassionate and driven person in my life. She works in a field the vast majority of us could not stomach. And she does this job exceptionally well without being angry, jaded or cynical. I know I speak for everyone in Aly’s life when I say that she deserves this award, and also a trillion dollars.

To be super awesome and vote for my dear friend, please click here. It takes seconds and I will buy you a present.

I Love you Aly!

 

 

Love Thy Neighbor – Harvest Noir

Last Saturday I had the privilege of attending the first ever Pop up picnic in the Nation’s Capital. Combining the trends of flash mobs, pot lucks and old-fashion-Fashion, Harvest Noir was quite the success.

To give a brief background, Harvest Noir was organized by Greg Searle and Samantha Biron, to kick off harvest season with a grand dinner and dance party. Attendee’s were not told until the day of where the location would be and were asked to bring a dish which was made from locally-farmed, seasonal, fresh ingredients.

Despite the cold, looming clouds, and minutes of rain, over 700 of Ottawa’s brave and outgoing foodies gathered for the first ever pop up picnic in the region. Dressed from head to toe in black, guests made their way to the Museum of Civilization prepared to eat, dance, and be merry.  With guests ranging from tweens to grandparents, it was a scene to been seen.

Homemade dishes ranged from quinoa salads, roast beef, stuffed red peppers, beef curry, chicken noodle soup, apple pie, and much more.  The diners ate to their hearts desire and then worked off those calories on the dance floor.  The evening included circus performers, dj’s, and of course a giant dance party in one of the most magical buildings in Canada.

As many of you readers may know, Ottawa has not had the best reputation for the past several years. In areas of food, design, and fashion the city has rated unarguably low.  That being said, in the past 5 years Ottawa has made some giant leaps forward to erase this stigma and be put on the map for something other than politics and bad fashion.

Harvest Noir was the perfect event to get people within the Ottawa community to come together. Strangers ate, drank and danced together all with the sole intention of having fun. When was the last time you saw a mid 60 year old couple dancing to Sean Paul “Get Busy”?

Although the event came with a $40 price tag, many people were just happy to be involved in an event which promoted togetherness, local eating, and of course, dancing.

Now the biggest question is, how can we keep the momentum going?  For many people, good food, good wine, and great company is an equation necessary for a healthy lifestyle. From what I’m noticing in the Ottawa community many people love to be social, helpful and outgoing – given the right opportunity. Organizers are already speaking about next fall’s event, hoping that the number of guests will dramatically increase.

So, Ottawa people reading my blog, make it your responsibility to get involved in the community. Whether your passion be food and wine, fashion, art, animals,  sports, nature etc. , find a way to branch out to others and get your own party started!

For more info regarding future Harvest Noir events (which will be sure to take place) visit www.harvestnoir.com. Another great source for those of you in the area who want ( and should) support local farmers, shops, sources, visit http://www.justfood.ca/buylocal/index.php. This site lists all the wonderful local venders that Ottawa has to offer!

 

For a great slideshow of pics, visit http://www.apt613.ca/2011/10/18/harvest-noir-the-photos/

What the French are hiding

During my travels this past summer in Europe, my friends and I uncovered a secret the French had been holding out on North American’s for centuries. Something that changed my mentality and beliefs forever, something that really shook me to the core…

Rosé wine isn’t gross. In fact, when made properly, it’s amazing.

For years and years, North American’s have been duped into consuming cough syrup; watered-down, and marked up. Bittersweet, florescent pink, vile rosé has become acceptable in Western culture. And the worst part of it is, WE let it happen.

Years of choking down rosé had lead me to swear off this drink for life. That was until I had the privilege of spending a week in Aix-en-Provence, in the south of France.  Here I tasted the most clean, elegant, refreshing, tantalizing (yadda, yadda, yadda) glass of rosé in my life. The aromas of strawberry, melon, orange, mix with a slight floral scent and a high acidity to give your palate one heck of a taste sensation.

Although I could talk about my week in Aix for the rest of my life, I’ll cut to the chase. Why in the year 2011, are so few  North American’s producing a quality rosé?!  Is it because the market isn’t there? Because North American’s don’t enjoy a good quality rose? Because it’s too difficult to grow a half red have green grape? (Ha ha?)

The only rational explanation, is that so many other North American’s shared the same naivety as I did about what a real rosé should taste like. So, here are some tips;

If you are buying rosé that looks like this, then stop immediately. If your rosé resembles cough syrup, food colouring, or Halls cough drops, its very, very bad.  This is not to say that you should judge a wine’s quality on its colour, in fact that’s not true at all. However, a real, delicious scrumptious rosé should never, ever, be this hue of red.

 

A real rosé will be a light salmon colour, with a hint a pink.  Never amber, ruby, or garnet. If you can’t tell the difference between a rosé and a red wine, dont buy it!

My recommendations are to try the best rosé’s the world has to offer, and as of now, those are coming out of France. My personal fav is Chateau Barbebelle. Light, refreshing, mildly sweet, and overall an amazing summer drink. Aix is famous for their rosé, so it would be a safe bet to say most rosé’s coming out of this region are fantastic. (http://www.barbebelle.com)

For those of you who want to want to try the best rosé’s North America has to offer, give these gals a try.

• – Quail’s Gate Rosé – (British Columbia, Canada)
• – Robert Sinsky – (Napa Valley, CA)
• – Hamacher Wines ( Oregon)
• – Copain, Le Printemps Rose ( California)

So, to wrap up, even though the vast majority of great rosé’s are coming from France doesn’t mean that us North Americans are doomed. The more and better quality rosé’s we consume, the higher the demand will be for local wineries to produce. So get out there, drink good quality rosé and remember, We Can Make A Difference!

The Flying Pigeon Wine Saddle

Say goodbye to transporting wine in that super classy paper/plastic bag.  The Wine Saddle, offered by the great minds at The Flying Pigeon have released a product which gives a whole new meaning to “travel mug”. Made with leather straps and brass clasps, the wine saddle is so practical, it’s hard to believe anyone would bike without it.  When does an extra bottle of Cabernet not come in handy?

At $40.00 CAD it may not be the cheapest accessory, but it sure is the snazziest.

Thanks to the ever growing bike-friendly regions across North America, The Flying Pigeon has landed at the right moment. Based in Vancouver, Canada, this small locally run business has been gaining a great deal of buzz in the community and net alike.

The iconic and traditional design may be over 60 years old, but this bike is anything but dated. The minds at The Flying Pigeon have done an exceptional job propelling this bike into the 21st century by adding features such as leather seats, Dutch-style parallel handlebars and modern tires and pedals.  Visit their site (http://www.theflyingpigeon.com/) for more pictures, details, prices and history of their product. Be sure not to miss the beautiful video directed and produced by Adrian Buitenhuis.

As mentioned on their website, this bike is hardly your grandfather’s bike. I think the wine saddle says it all gentlemen.

Kudos.

 

 

Merch of the day

Just came across this beauty while scouring the internet… introducing, the revolutionary Wine Glass Holder Necklace.  Ideal for people who have so much going on, its impractical to hold your own glass in your hand.

“Keep your hands free at parties by keeping your wine close at heart! This clever little clip with adjustable strap holds a regular-size stemmed glass to your chest, giving you the freedom to snack and socialize as you sip!” (http://www.wineenthusiast.com/)

Ok. 2 things need to be mentioned here.

1. If it’s not practical for you to hold your own glass at  a party due to your high frequency of snacking… there’s a problem.  Human beings evolved to have 2 hands and opposable thumbs for a reason. One hand for snacking, the other to hold a glass.  Everyone knows this. So, if your rocking this wine necklace to a party with the full intent of double-fisting the snacks all night long, you might not be invited back. Or invited anywhere for that matter.  No one wants to talk to the kid knee deep in party mix and hummus. All while having red wine bounce around their neck.

2. If you need to “keep your wine close to you heart” by wearing your glass around a makeshift shoelace, we have another problem.  Double-fisting snacks is something that I could maybe get on board with, but hanging your alcoholism around your neck for the world to see… I mean come on.  Can’t you just see it? Drunk, staggering woman, eyes half closed, makeup running, weave looking a mess, teetering over 4 inch heels, searching for her glass of 12 dollar depanneur chardonnay. Bobbing through people, pacing around, a woman on a mission, just dying to find where she put that last glass of wine.

Oh wait, its around my neck.

But hey, I went to a university where this little number would have sold like hot cakes. A place where double fisting  snacks and having a drinking problem was normal sauce. I guess everything does have a market.