Review: Sweet Shop of Dreams

I enjoyed this quick read where a London gal moves to the countryside to help her ailing aunt out with a sweet shop. The plot is very straight forward as most major plot points are guessed light years before they occur but the writing is fast paced and interesting so I enjoyed the book. 

There are flashbacks from the Aunt's POV which are fine but written in a very difficult to read scripty font which is very tiresome. Additionally, there are sweet based chapter openings that are written in yet another font and seem very out of place but half way through the book I realized that they are supposed to be excerpts from the Aunt's sweet shop book. 

There are some problems with this book but overall I enjoyed it! 

Check out my Goodreads page for more food themed fiction! 

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Review: Beet Juice Powder

I've finally joined the 'green juice' campaign. I've jumped on this trendy bandwagon because due to some health issues last winter I was unable to eat anywhere near the 'proper' amount of food. I picked up a Magic Bullet and have been happily juicing kale and spinach and adding either oranges or fresh pineapples (dear gawd - don't forget to add some sweet fruit!) to help me eat more each day. 

I received a free jar of Pines Beet Juice Powder and added two teaspoons to my kale and orange smoothie this morning. It does add some of that great 'earthiness' that's associated with my love of beets and makes the drink a deep red colour. It seems a bit pricey for a dried product but does contain mostly beets. This product is also raw, gluten free, non-gmo, and USDA Organic so overall it's a pretty slick way to get some beets into your morning smoothie. 

I wonder if it would make a good 'red velvet' cake? hmmmm. 

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Review: Forbidden Flavours

Forbidden Flavours is a local Brandon/Shilo chain and I love supporting them for that reason. The location on 18th is my favourite as the physical space is large enough to accommodate plenty of folks and there are some great comfortable chairs and couches. The staff never try to rush you out the door so you can really tuck into a book or work on some homework at this location - the free WiFi helps too! Coffee shops in a small town like Brandon are weird because it only takes a few loud/annoying folks to really ruin the experience and I find that a comfortable visit to Forbidden Flavours isn't guaranteed due to this. This is, of course, no fault of the establishment but it bothers me all the same. 

According to their out-of-date website the 18th Street location once held a used book store which would have been pretty cool! They have the standard coffee items and a few speciality drinks - I usually order the green tea frappé which is always great. They also specialize in ice-cream (which I've never had) and have a few cakes and cookies on offer. I would avoid the bakery section as everything I've had has been stale, mushy/dried out, and just icky. The bagels are good so order that if you are hungry! I've never been able to have have a sandwich/panini from Forbidden Flavours as they do not offer vegetarian options.  

Overall this is a nice, usually quiet, cafe that I love supporting because its locally owned! 

 

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Review: Brew'd Awakening

#LWA #onlinebookclub #bookclub #lovedit

A photo posted by Sarah (@wingedsnail99) on Apr 25, 2015 at 10:31am PDT

I finally managed to get out to this cafe. It has been on my 'to-try' list since I first moved to Brandon but the Internet Cafe part of this establishment scared me off. I am not interested in the type of cafe that an 'Internet Cafe' calls to mind - dark, dingy, with rows and rows of computers from the 90s. Thankfully I gave this place a shot because it is nothing like the Internet Cafe's of old.

This cafe is bright, clean and cheerful. The decor reminds of 1950 Rock-a-billy with bright teal vinyl bench seating and primary colours. The music playing fit the theme as well. The computers available are in a circular desk and there are only about five of them. The tables are clearly designed to accommodate laptop computer users as one is board room style and almost all the booths would fit 6-8 people. There is a comfy leather couch in the back and some bistro-style metal tables near the front.

The menu is pretty standard cafe fair with the full range of espresso machine drinks available. I've been trying to limit my caffeine intake lately so I noticed that there is not much choice with regard to non-coffee 'fancy' drinks. There wasn't very many vegetarian food choices either. However the iced tea and cheese cake I had were both very good.  

However, the staff was quiet but very polite. Good service is ridiculously hard to find in Brandon so I am very glad to have had a good service experience at Brew'd Awakening. I will return!   

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Review: Pie

I purchased this beautiful zine a few months ago. It was a little pricey for a zine but 100% of the proceeds go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank so it was worth it. This is a full color zine with two very interesting pie recipes (Chocolate Chess Pie and Cranberry-Pecan Crumble Pie) and a plethora of quotes, stories and beautiful photos about pie. There is even a pie chart! 

Order here.

A photo posted by Sarah (@wingedsnail99) on Feb 23, 2015 at 10:32am PST

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Ethiopian: Injera Recipe Review

Since I received Teff Love in the mail at the beginning of the month, I've been cooking all things Ethiopian. I've basically eaten nothing but Ethiopian food since this book arrived and it's been a deliciously good time! 

There are two recipes for injera in Teff Love and one in Vegan Eats World. I decided to try them all and give you the run down. 

Vegan Eats World, Ethiopian Savoury Crepes (206) 
Method: 1 hour ferment
Ingredients: common pantry items 
Difficulty: very simple
Taste: decent

While not an 'authentic' injera this recipe is easy, fast and reliable. It's perfect for the weekday injera fix. 

#injera #ethiopian #food #vegan

A photo posted by Sarah (@wingedsnail99) on Feb 16, 2015 at 10:24am PST

Teff Love, long ferment (Ye'tef Injera, page 30)
Method: 6 day ferment (if you have to make the Ersho starter, 3 if you don't)
Ingredients: common pantry items
Difficulty: moderate, as it takes a few minutes of upkeep each day)
Taste: good

While this recipe does take a few days to develop the flavor is there and it isn't really that hard to do - it just takes a little planning. 

Teff Love, short ferment (Quick Teff Crepes, page 33)
Method: instant
Ingredients: speciality items (vegan yogurt, carbonated water)
Difficulty: easy
Taste: After days and days of easy cooking injera, I was surprised to find that I couldn't make this recipe cook properly. It was failed crepe after failed crepe. After 1/2 the batter I simply gave up! 

Overall, I would make the Vegan Eats World recipe for week-day Ethiopian feasts and go with the long fermented version offered in Teff Love for dinner parties, special occasions, and weekend meals because it does taste better. 

Note: There is yet another recipe for injera in 'Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food' but I haven't tried it yet because it calls for urad dal which I haven't been able to source in Brandon yet.  

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Ethiopian Food

I moved to Brandon, Manitoba from the great cosmopolitan that is T dot and it has been quite the adjustment. For some reason my desire to cook and create in the kitchen was really affected by the move. However the forthcoming (and ordered) Kittee Berns cookbook, Teff Love, inspired me to create a huge Ethiopian meal. I followed the "Ethiopian Mesob Not be Missed" suggested meal plan from Vegan Eats World but included the Keysir Allecha (Beets) from Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food.

I really like how Kittee Berns uses traditional names for dishes and helps you learn a least a little about the language. Terry Hope Romero uses bland English names for all the dishes which is quite the disappointment. 

#ethiopian #food #cookbooks #cooking #yummers

A photo posted by Sarah (@wingedsnail99) on Jan 26, 2015 at 12:32pm PST

The menu:
Cauliflower and Green Beans in Berbere Sauce (Vegan Eats World, 288) - really made potatoes and kale in Berbere Sauce.
Seitan Tibs Simmered in Berbere (Vegan Eats World, 168) - I used pressed tofu. I liked this dish.
Fluffly Scrambled Chickpea 'Eggs' with Shallots (Vegan Eats World, 269) - Decent but the recipe in Papa Tofu is much better.
Saucy Berber Lentils (Vegan Eats World, 165) - decent
Ethiopian Savoury Crepes (Vegan Eats World, 206)
Keysir Allecha (Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food, 50) 

The injera recipe from Vegan Eats World was the best part of this meal. I couldn't find injera ready-made for purchase in Brandon and the last time that I purchased them (in Toronto) I got a stale batch. This recipe makes decent injera (better than stale ones) and is only a 2 hour wait! They are easy to cook up as well. They may not be 'authentic' but they will definitely do in a pinch! I still want to try the recipe in Papa Tofu but I like that this recipe can be cooked up easily and they do taste decent.

I purchased the berbere spice blend and it wasn't very vibrant. I think a combination of the spice blend and the non-authentic nature of the Vegan Eats World recipes made the entire meal seem sort of... bland. I am glad that I tried the recipes from Vegan Eats World but I will be returning to the recipes in Papa Tofu and in the forthcoming Teff Love. 

The intention of the meal was to get me back into the kitchen as I had hoped that cooking a huge meal would get my culinary creative juices flowing and it has. I've been dreaming of a chocolate coconut carrot cake...

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Review: Wildflower Cafe

Brandon doesn't abound with choice when it comes to cafes but the Wildflower Cafe in downtown Brandon manages to be cute, tasty, and comfortable. They have a few vegan options and a few gluten free options which means that everyone can find something to eat. The staff is friendly and courteous. Sometimes the service is weird as the certain staff members aren't aware of what other staff members did but this is easily forgiven because the staff always have a smile on their face. 

(From UrbanSpoon)

They seem to do a brisk service all day but are especially busy on during the weekday lunch rush and Saturday morning brunch. I usually get a coffee and a sandwich during their down time and have never felt rushed out as I sit and enjoy my morning coffee with a book. I wish their weekday hours were longer as they close at 4pm and are not open on Sunday at all. 

While it doesn't seem like it when you walk in there is actually a lot of tables - as there is a second floor mezzaine and an outdoor patio so there are plenty of cute places to sit. They are pretty active on social media which is convenient for discovering the daily specials.

Overall this is the best cafe I've been to in Brandon and the service and food stands up to that served in larger communities. 

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Review: Teecchino

I have removed caffeine from my diet in an effort to get my General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) under control without the use of medications. However, I really enjoy iced coffee drinks so I picked up some Teeccino which markets itself as a 'herbal coffee alternative'. My local store only has the Hazelnut and Vanilla Nut Flavors. I found the ingredient list intriguing which is why I first picked this product up. The ingredients on the Hazelnut product are 'organic roasted carob, organic barley, organic chicory, dates, almonds, hazelnut flavour, organic figs'. There seems to be a lot of intriguing flavours available on the website. 

(Source)

The product presents surprisingly like 'real' coffee. I use a French press and have only had this product over ice as I drank 99% of my coffee that way. This product has eased my transition into a coffee-free lifestyle and has been a tasty substitute for 'real' coffee. I will be purchasing more flavours in the future! 
  

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Review: The Country Grind and Kombucha

I've been in love with The Country Grind since the first issue and even funded their kickstarter. I love the concept behind this quarterly paper and the content is usually superb. (In fact I'll soon be writing a complete review for my other-other blog Farm Dreams.)  

(Source)

However, Issue #3 has a full page article on kombucha entitled "Kombucha A What, Why and How-To" that includes some information that is contrary to my personal kombucha brewing experience. (Browse the kombucha tag for more of my experiences) 

For example, the author states that one should "be sure not to use brown sugar or honey." However, it is my understanding that a jun is a kombucha that is fed entirely and solely on honey and green tea. All of my reading on kombucha states that you can use any type of sweetener including brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup ect. 

Additionally, the author states that one should "never leave your mother out in the air. You want it to always be hydrated as it will die if it's dried out." Later on in the article she writes "Never allow your mother to sit dry; it can be in the air for short periods of time but leave it too long and the mother will die and you will have to get a new one." However, my experience with drying and then resuscitating a SCOBY opposes this viewpoint.

The actual brewing steps are presented in a clean, concise and easy to follow manner so I'm positive that a newbie brewer would have no problems brewing a basic batch of kombucha by following the directions presented. 

I really don't like the advice about mold as the author states "I have never experienced mold on my mother but it is known to happen. Just dunk the mother in some vinegar and rinse with water. Some molds can be dangerous, so using your judgement, decide if you should go get a new one or not." I always tell others to throw away a SCOBY if it presents with mold as I feel this is the safest and most responsible choice of action, especially given that SCOBY's are usually cheap/free.

Overall this is a good basic primer for a newbie kombucha brewer but I would suggest taking her points regarding drying and mold with a grain of salt. 

Issue #4 of Country Grind is now available for purchase!

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Review: Salt and Slush

Salt and Slush - Winter Recipes Nova Scotia was produced in 2001. This simple zine, with well-placed winter inspired graphics and classic winter dishes makes me want to start a pot of chili, wrap myself up in flannel and curl up with a hot beverage. This zine is full of soups, stews, and roasted dishes. The Parsnip Pie intrigues me!

Salt and Slush #2 Winter Recipes was produced in 2007. This zine doesn't invoke the same sense of winter as the first zine does. I believe that this is due to the collaborative nature of the second issue. It's a nice zine but most of the features feel like filler around a small core of recipes that are similar in style to those that appeared in the first zine. The second zine includes recipes with meat which also limits the appeal of this zine.

I would skip #2 and pick up the original.  

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Review: A Practical Guide on the Consumption of Human Flesh

This is a very graphic zine... it's not filled with pictures of people eating human flesh... I meant that it's written and illustrated almost exclusively with a sharpie, so all the lines are thick and graphic. This zine includes simple instructions (start with limbs) and very useful advice (start with your family and friends so you ensure un-diseased flesh). This is a fun zine. 

No contact/author information presented.

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Review: Make your own Damn Alchohol

I only own a handful of zines but for some reason I have two copies of this zine. The approach to brewing is very causal which is a nice different from the dogmatic approach that usually appears in main-stream literature on the subject. Sometimes publications with a causal approach to brewing neglect the most important, at least to me, aspect of brewing - the taste! The recipe for Wine Cooler acknowledges that it probably won't taste good but mixing it with lemon-lime soda will improve the taste. Some of the methods seem weird (like boiling mead for 2 hours) but there are some interesting recipes (like the Rose Brew). Overall a nice introduction to brewing.

Systemsuck 

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Review: I'd Rather Be Baking

As someone who loves to bake and cook when anxious or upset I really appreciate this zine. The tagline says it all 'Baking escapism to fill your tummy and soul where applicable.' While not a vegan cookbook (as it uses eggs), there is some good information here, like the article on pie crust and the interesting apple-mango pie recipe. The recipe for bread seems very forgiving and easy to approach. 

Here is my favorite quote from the zine... "Baking to me is creating, shaping, forming, it's a way to turn feelings of uncertainty into tangible, useful things."

ratherbebaking.blogspot.com

James Crawford 

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Review: Fermentation Blogs

I've done my fair share of fermentation experiments over the years, including from kombucha, kvass, and kimchi. I have all of Sandor Ellix Katz's books which are great resources but I also like to delve into the world of fermentation blogs for inspiration and innovation. 
Here are a few of my favorite fermentation blogs:

1. Phickle is a great fermentation blog that has beautiful photos as well as great information. The header is well organized and recipes and information are easy to find. Check out this post on Microbial Terroir. 

(Source)

2. Fermup is a blog/podcast combination. The dynamic between the two podcast hosts is a bit... forced but the content is usually interesting. The blog is infrequently updated but the quality of the information presented in the podcast makes this site worth a look.   

3. Home Brew Forum is the first place I check for home brew information as well as kombucha and soda ideas. There is a breath of knowledge here, especially in DIY brewing and gluten free brewing but you'll have to search for it! 

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Review: Cheese Bike

This zine is visually pleasing - with a flip out page and a full color photo that describes a summer of making and selling grilled cheese off the back of a small gas scooter. The biggest negative for this zine is the odd writing voice which makes it difficult to determine exactly what is happening. This zine is fun and inspirational but not informational. I like the spreadsheet of sales and the cost of the materials. 

'Born to Kill Zine'

Cheesebike #5  

Fall 2011

New York City  

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Review: The Dock on Princess

Menu: Standard pub fare. We had nachos (which were passable but nothing special) and fries (which were passable but nothing special). 

Vegetarian Options: A few things but the menu is heavy on traditional meat items. 

Quality: The cover the menu states that their beef and chicken is made in Manitoba. The company names of the providers of bread and coffee are listed. This suggests that the meat is not ethically sourced but is only locally sourced. This omission/discrepancy is something to be aware of. 

Cost: Average. Suits the quality of the food. 

Service: We ate an early supper at the non-bar tables near the door. Our service was horrible - truly horrible. In addition to having to wait for items (missed order of fries, empty drinks) she engaged in ridiculous conversation (like asking us if 'We wanted to get going' when she had only moments before given me a second beer), constant interruption for no reason (30 seconds after asking my dining companion if she wanted another drink, she returned (or should I say swung around the booth to ask her again) and overall inappropriate behaviour.  

Atmosphere: This bar boasts a 'Husband Daycare' which is extremely sexist! You know - because men can't like shopping and women can't like beer. The bar area seems like a nice place to watch the game and get a pint of beer, unfortunately only 6 of the 14 taps are Canadian craft beer. The existence of the Husband Daycare, combined with the shoddy service already experienced and the mediocre food and limited craft beer selection makes me want to declare that I will never return to this establishment - especially because they aren't open Sunday. Lazy Sunday afternoon beers are the best! However, as it is one of the only places to get draught craft beer in Brandon it seems inevitable that I will return. That is until I buy a second fridge with which to stock craft beer and start my home brewing hobby with full force. 
   
Favourite Item: Canadian draft beer. 

The Dock on Princess
1133 Princess Ave

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Review: Blu Kitchen Bar

Menu: A little bit of 'big city prejudice' is going to show through in this post. This place is trying very hard to be a high end restaurant but the 'cutting edge' menu has become standard fare in the restaurant industry. This would be fine if the quality of the food was up to par but the food was bland, greasy, and unappealing visually. The beer and hard liquor selection is very 'bottom shelf' and I found it difficult to find something I wanted to drink

Vegetarian Options: A few salads, a wrap, a few pasta dishes. Nothing inspired.

Quality: I wasn't too impressed with the food here.

Cost: A touch expensive given the taste but not too bad. Drink and food specials. 

Service: This restaurant was extremely well staffed and the service was pleasant, friendly and fast.

Atmosphere: Besides the annoying loud club music, the atmosphere at Blue is pleasant. The dominate colours are dark brown/black and silver. The lounge side of the restaurant has several bar style tables and deep circular booths. It's clean and well lit with several large televisions that seem perfect for watching hockey games. The atmosphere (combined with the service) is the primary reason that I would return.

Blu Kitchen Bar
1630 Park Avenue

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Review: The Magic Bean

Located in small, aggressively friendly Carberry, this little coffee shop is the perfect anecdote to big city living. It serves all the standard cafe fair (espresso/cappuccino/steamer) but the staff seems genuinely friendly and helpful, especially to older customers. The locals come out in force to consume soup and sandwich lunches and to engage in the traditional small town gossip. The decor is a mix-match of styles but because they had a comfy couch and armchair in which to read I didn't mind. 

There are two big grievances I have with this coffee shop. To get to the washroom you have to walk by the kitchen, through the office, and past a storage room. Then to add insult to injury the washroom ceiling isn't completely closed in but at least they had a low-flow toilet. The other issue is more serious as the milk for any steamed milk beverages is stored in the fridge, taken out to be steamed and placed back in the fridge while still hot to be re-steamed for another beverage. This seems gross and unsanitary as well as resulting in a watery beverage. 

While not a must-visit, The Magic Bean is a nice place to meet friends for lunch, or to stop for a coffee while on the way through town. 

The Magic Bean
48 Main Street, Carberry Mb
8:30-4:30 Monday - Friday

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Review: Wok Box

Menu: Order and pay at the counter, take a seat and your food will magically (and quickly) arrive in front of you. Drinks are serve yourself. This is a fast food system but efficient.  

Vegetarian Options: All the main dishes can be made with tofu which results in this restaurant being very vegetarian friendly.

Quality: I've ordered many dishes but cannot distinguish their flavour from each other. This is not to say that the food is bad, it's just not memorable. I do like the multiple choices of noodle available.   

Cost: Affordable. The cost is consistent with the quality and the food is okay which makes Wok Box a nice place to go for a quick meal in Brandon. 

Service: The food arrives very quickly and is always piping hot. 

Atmosphere: Standard Family restaurant

Favourite Item: None.

Wok Box, 930 D 18th St

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