TIFS

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T18:14:00.001-06:00

From this big little fluff monster and a super chill kitty to EVERYONE!

Christmas Crack

2011-12-23T14:02:00.000-06:00

If you know, you know. If you don't, I'm sorry.

Seasons Change

2011-12-09T07:39:00.002-06:00

I get a hankering for chocolate covered pretzels pretty much all the time but only act on it at this time of year. I had a few people do me some huge favors and I figured why not repay them with delicious treats? Exactly. Here is one broken up to see what we're working with.
Now here is a container that is about to be bestowed upon some lucky human being.
Also, who wouldn't want to watch a movie starring Stevie Janoski that was made by Mr. Oizo?

Thank You CFL

2011-12-04T11:06:00.003-06:00

I'm sure pretty much everyone has seen the video I posted here, but I still felt the need to post it since it may very well be the greatest thing to happen in CFL history.

I have also recently been called out on my serious lack of ice cream makeage, so I used Grey Cup weekend as a chance to rectify that situation. To all the fans of delicious home made ice cream...I give to you...mint cookies n creme made with coconut milk. Thanks for the motivation.

Lazy Blogging

2011-11-22T17:54:00.003-06:00

Terius makes a video for my other favorite song on 1977.

Gangsta Gibbs and Madlib team up for a project and here is the first leak...it just happens to be a good one.

Now go support independent hip hop and grab Doomtree's new record No Kings that came out today. Here's a little taste.

In Case You Forgot

2011-11-06T09:16:00.001-06:00

Nothing Promised is having their first drop 11/11/11 so support the homie Robbie Tibbs.

Important Things

2011-10-23T01:14:00.003-05:00

Knowledge that makes you money.

Knowledge that Thursday is not the best thing you've ever lived.

Lulled

2011-10-23T01:03:00.004-05:00

Updates severely lacking. Reason being.
My two favorite Frank Ocean songs visualized in poorer than great videos.

A banger from The-Dream's latest mixtape that was crack to my ears for a bit...or maybe still is.

Secret(s)

2011-05-31T00:05:00.002-05:00

Secret spot, secret food.
I've been to many places in the last two weeks, so it's pretty much your best guess as to where this delicious plate is from. Only thing I'll say is that the green salsa was pretty much the best I've ever had. Not seen are horchata and mandarin Jarritos.

How The Gods Chill

2011-05-26T13:41:00.001-05:00

This song seems to get better every time I hear it and it is a relatively fun video.

More actual content of adventures and such upcoming. Patience may be the ultimate virtue.

Soft Launch

2011-04-22T11:58:00.003-05:00

It has been rather quiet around here lately due to me being injured and sitting was nowhere near the top of my list of things to do and that got followed up by OT at work since my elongated summer holidays are looming. I will now attempt to make up for the slacking but a long weekend getaway is not going to help me with that. I'm a little late on posting this but Cam recently launched his Pancakes and Skateboards brand, so go buy something.

I have also really been feelin the Soft Kill LP
It isn't something I wouldn't normally be drawn to but they have done it. Really though, can you go wrong with Based Goth? Also, yes the title of this blog was a beautiful combination of both situations contained within the post. Have a great weekend.

Bakesale Success

2011-04-02T17:52:00.004-05:00

The bakesale to benefit Japan was held today and it was a great big ol success! This is the only picture I took as I was busy taking people's money and giving them delicious treats.
This table plus some other stuff helped raise just over $1000 in 2 hours!!!! How amazing is that? So many thanks need to handed out now. A big thanks to Sam and The Albert for letting the sale happen in their establishment. Thanks to Scott for designing the poster and Ruben for putting the facebook event together. Thanks to everyone that helped with the online promotion of the event and all of the stores and restaurants that were nice enough to have a flyer on display in their business. A huge thanks goes out to all the people that contributed the baked goods: Tracy, Rachel, Heather, Lorraine, Caitlin and all the people that brought baked goods to the sale of which I didn't catch your name. It was all so very appreciated. Now onto maybe the biggest thanks and that goes out to everyone that dished out their hard earned cash for some treats and to help the people of Japan after a natural disaster. I am done with the excessive thanking for this blog post, but I am just very stoked on what a success the event was. Have a great rest of the weekend.

Live From The Lab

2011-04-01T01:52:00.003-05:00

Oh my, what do we have here? Vegan butter tarts fresh from the oven? I do believe that is the case.
That could very well have been the last preview of what's in store for this Saturday. So, if you want to know what else is going to be there or to take part in what you've seen here...make your way down to The Albert between noon and 2pm. This is me thanking you in advance.

One Day Closer

2011-03-30T23:23:00.003-05:00

A quick one today. I just finished wrapping up my strawberry white chocolate chip rice krispie treats and here they are.
The info once again, in case you forgot.
Spread the word and help some people in need.

Lastly, why not get some new Hodgy Beats of OFWGKTA fame into your ears?

More Info Plus More Intrigue

2011-03-29T22:51:00.004-05:00

Here we are, another day closer to THE EVENT, so tell a friend or all of them with that link if you mess with FB. Onto more visually intriguing things like another teaser of what will be available on Saturday...and that is caramel apple spice cupcakes.
Now, since that is out of the way, let me move onto something that has been infecting my ears for the last week and a half. The Weeknd are pretty much all I listen to lately. They have me completely hooked. Great songs, great cover art and an air of mystery about them.
Do yourself a favor and check them out.

Fundraiser Alert

2011-03-29T00:30:00.003-05:00

This Saturday it just happens to be going down. Bad things happen and then good people have to get together to try help others. Here is where you can do that if you live in Winnipeg or feel like making a trip for delicious treats.
Just a little sneak preview of what is going to be available on Saturday. Raspberry chocolate chip blondies.More previews as the week progresses.

A big thanks to Scott for doing the flyer for this event. A big thanks in advance to everyone that is contributing something to the sale. If you have the time, please come out and support the cause.

BINGO!!!!!

2011-03-14T23:26:00.005-05:00

It has been a long long time since a real game of bingo has happened and blingo at the triple rock just doesn't really count. I'm pretty certain you can guess what I did tonight from this picture.

The Beast was all over the place at his first real bingo experience, very enjoyable to watch a man bite off more than he can chew.
See you every Monday?

On a completely unrelated side note 5th Column just released their spring line, so go and cop some new tees.

Oh Gala La

2011-03-09T23:05:00.003-06:00

Friday marked the Canadian Hemophilia Society - Manitoba Chapter's 8th annual Gala Dinner of Culinary Inspirations. I didn't capture too many pictures myself, only of a few of the courses that were enjoyed, but a bevy should surface soon enough and be posted on the event's website. If you didn't this year, make sure you plan on attending next year as we only plan on getting bigger and better as the years go by. Now onto two of the courses that I snapped pics of. First off is sesame crusted tofu served with asian slaw and tropical salsa.

This could very well be the best dish I have had at any of the gala dinners. The flavors were just damn near perfect in this dish so I couldn't argue with its greatness. It could be because of the whole vegan thing and this was the first year that they incorporated a protein into the dishes to make it more substantial for people who stray from the old meat eating path. I also understand that it isn't going to be a vegan gala dinner and that is fine but I like to see the chefs taking some pride in what they send out and accepting the challenge. The biggest gripe I used to have was getting a fruit plate for dessert but this year that all changed when chocolate ice cream and a mixed berry sauce showed up in front of me. It was a breath of fresh air to have an actual sweet dessert to finish the meal with.

I can't wait to see what magical culinary creations the chefs bring to the table next year!

PS. the lighting in the room is just horrendous in regards to taking nice food related pictures so please offer me a little forgiveness if these photos aren't up to the usual caliber.

PHANTOM

2011-02-26T16:08:00.003-06:00

Baby Beast turned me onto this video in regards to my rant about the NBA slam dunk "contest".

This video makes me realize how unreal that dunk actually was as well as provides some new entertainment, read: classic onlooking smile.

More Music

2011-02-24T23:11:00.007-06:00

Apparently I just can't get enough of Odd Future and I saw this video today and instantly felt like reblogging it. It also just happens to be the two dudes that are on my favorite track from BLACKENEDWHITE. So...enjoy this video and then DL that record and proceed to enjoy that.

Now let me say that I don't listen to strictly hip hop as the last however many music related videos and songs posted tend to make you believe. Here is an example of a little jam that is also good...although it is merely an interlude off a great record and a promo vid for the homie Jay 5th.

I will get right back on the hip hop train now with some of my all time faves doin it up right and still being amazing/relevant to this day. So stoked on Rae's new record coming out next month and Ghost's record from last year was a surprise banger that let me know he isn't going anywhere. Could have done without Officer Ricky though, but sometimes ya gotta take the bad with the really really good.

Let us now finish it off with some Killa and Vado. Dipset all day!

Burn It Down

2011-02-21T23:46:00.004-06:00

Things just happen to be moving along over here. Computer situation is getting right, some delicious meals have been eaten and some pictures have been taken. (un)fortunately today none of the above happened so I'm handing in my late pass on the release of Sims new record "Bad Time Zoo". I've always loved what this Doomtree MC had done in the past and this record is more of the same and then some. Entirely produced by Lazerbeak, amazing producer name, and doing the independent thing. Peep this vid and then show him some love.
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A little secret, mildly bummed that I missed his record release show in MPLS on the weekend. Hopefully I'll be fortunate enough to see him in the near future though. More soon.

Sunday Brunch

2011-02-20T22:39:00.002-06:00

Now that Sundays happen to be freed up, not sure if I'm glad or just waiting until they are just permanently booked for a portion of the year, I have some time to do such things as make brunch for friends. Oddly enough, that happened today. The recipients of the southwest scramble topped with cilantro lime cashew sour cream and served with guac and fresh fried tortillas aren't pictured, but rest assured that they enjoyed what you are looking at.One day I will recipe out this scramble since it is my go to savory brunch staple but I really just throw a bunch of stuff in and it always tastes great. This was the first time the cilantro lime cashew sour cream made an appearance with it and will not be the last.

On a completely unrelated side note, this right here is why I get enraged at the NBA slam dunk contest.

The last two years DeMar has gotten screwed due to the popularity contest when he had the best dunks. That one right there will go down as an all time great in my book. Mini rant concluded.

Lazy Saturday

2011-02-19T18:47:00.002-06:00

This could also be a combination of too much to do on a Saturday as well as actually getting some rest. Let's just say that the laziness is only in regards to this blog post. Here is Kanye's latest video of his phenomenal record, My Dark Twisted Fantasy, and it's for my tied for favorite song on said record. Beware of seizures and boobs.

OFWGKTA

2011-02-18T01:00:00.004-06:00

Since I recently posted Tyler, The Creator's new video, I might as well follow suit and post their performance on Fallon from last night.

I can't lie, I was more than impressed for what you can do/get away with on network TV. This just makes me realize that I need to see OFWGKTA live very soon.

Goodnight Born Bad

2011-02-15T23:35:00.010-06:00

Well the reason for all those beautiful faces from the last post is now upon us. Born Bad's last show happened on Sunday night and the show was at War On Music/The Death Trap and it's been a while since I have seen a show there and maybe even longer since I've taken pictures at a show. First off we got one of Winnipeg Hardcore's newest bands and that is Isolation. They played a great set, stoked to hear more from them.
So dissonant...
Along with some smiling faces.
The next performing artists were White Wash and there is a familiar face.
The second best sweater of the evening.
Now the reason that this evening was happening, a little send off for Born Bad in the fashion that only Winnipeg Hardcore can do. Again, great gloves.
Stevie Motherfuckin D!
A fitting way to end the evening.
Pretty much a great show all around and good times were had. Even the lengthy delays didn't put too much of a damper on it. Made for quite the late Sunday night and a sleepiness induced haze filled Monday. Goodnight Born Bad.

I was going to wait and use another post to do this but I don't feel like waiting and this way you'll get to bump it quicker. New Das Racist jam for your earholes. Enjoy.

Some People I Saw Last Night

2011-02-15T00:45:00.004-06:00

Neighbor Friends.Spencer, just doin him.
Riley, in possibly the best hoodie of the night/all time.
Mike, with an amazing glove on.
The reason for the culmination of these faces soon to follow...

Last Minute Creations

2011-02-13T21:23:00.004-06:00

Sometimes you have a potluck at work and don't know what to bring and other times you just plain don't want to be involved with them. I recently had one and was both of the latter statements. I decided however to try an idea out that clicked in my mind and use the people I work with as guinea pigs for said creation. The kinks aren't all worked out yet but it was a pretty good first try. Hopefully the final touch will be put on this soon and I'll even post a recipe so that you can go and get your hands dirty and make some delicious treats. What I made was chocolate orange cupcakes with cream cheese whipped cream cupcakes. I even put melted chocolate in the batter for that extra chocolatey taste.I felt like a little something more could be done to these so they then got dusted with cocoa powder for a little more of a chocolate touch and to cut through the zest of the citrus flavor.
I think one more try should have these where I want them to be. It will also give me another excuse to learn how to pipe icing better. That right there was my second time doing it if I'm not mistaken.

Now it just happens to be time to dust the old camera off and go take some pictures so hopefully tomorrow or the next day there should be some fun here.

Goblin

2011-02-11T23:48:00.003-06:00

I'm certain this has been reblogged about a million times today already but I obviously don't care. This shit is yonkers.This is the first track off Tyler The Creater's upcoming record Goblin and it marks the first record from OFWGKTA that won't be free but since they've dropped so much free music it shouldn't be a big problem to actually dish out a few bucks for one record. Mark your calendars since OFWGKTA is playing Jimmy Fallon on Feb 16th backed up by The Roots, should prove to be more than entertaining.

Weekend Expansion

2011-02-08T00:30:00.005-06:00

To shed greater light on the last post, I present to you this post. I didn't take any pictures besides the single picture located in the last post at the Call*Response book launch. Luckily, the roomie came out and snapped more than a few. Very quick highlights here since you can just as easily click the link and show homie some love. Riley doin what he does best in Still Fighting and letting people know who is playing next by some silly, free shirt giving away, chance.
This right here is a rare occurrence but I'm making an exception since The ALX hasn't played in two and a half years.
All in all the night was really fun and a huge success and I'm glad I was a part of it.

Now onto Sunday, super bowl Sunday with very little sleep and always running behind in prep for the big dance. Things got kicked of with some cinnamon buns that were french toasted with my coconut milk and banana recipe. No need for syrup or margarine or jam or peanut butter on these when they came off the flat top. Just pure deliciousness.
That was followed up with a nice 6 layer dip. First layer was homemade refried beans topped with a jar of a fire roasted veggie nacho cheese sauce and then taco style ground round followed by some freshly made guac that was then topped with a jar of salsa and FINALLY finished off with some cashew sour cream. This was basically a meal in itself, an unreal meal in itself.
Lesson learned, make this in a wider dish as to not have to hire an excavation specialist to get down to the bottom layers. Oddly enough, it was my first time making a layered dip. The halftime treat didn't make it onto the camera but it was bacon cheeseburger pizza. I sauteed onions, cremini mushrooms and green peppers in worcestershire sauce and cooked them down till they were all nice and soft and then threw in the veggie ground and some locally made tofu bacon and cooked it all together. The pizza dough was rolled thin and then placed on the all too integral pizza pan and topped with pizza sauce, the ketchup on the burger if you will, and then the sautee mixture and topped with both mozza and cheddar Daiya cheese. Turned out so well, so at least you have the idea should you want to fool around with it. Now, onto dessert. Here we have lime coconut cupcakes topped with whipped cream with the essence of coconut.
What better than some homemade real vanilla bean, yeah the one from last post, ice cream to go with that cupcake? Not much!
One of the many treats that didn't get dipped into due to the over indulgence that happened throughout the day were chocolate dipped strawberry marshmallow hearts. They were a tasty treat...but better to be enjoyed when you're not already in the grips of a diabetic coma.
Lastly, Green and Yellow $$$ great game.

Recap/Preview

2011-02-06T15:59:00.002-06:00

Here is pretty much the most important thing about last night and you'll never be able to get your hands on this.
This is what's in store for later today.
Done.

This Is What I'm Saying For The Weekend

2011-02-03T23:23:00.010-06:00

First Off, if you live in Winnipeg you need to go to at least one of the Call*Response book launch shows. There is obviously something for everyone when you look at all three shows. I may not attend them all...but I do know which one I'll be at for sure.
I hope this poster is right and has all the bands. haha

That takes care of Saturday and now on to Sunday. You should know by now that it is Super Bowl Sunday and that means an over indulgence on some delicious treats, some which cost an astronomical amount, and slight diabetic comas. There will also be glorious sports gambling taking place. Oh yeah, how silly of me, there is also a football game on! I am really excited to watch this game, not only because I have some cash riding on it, since both of these teams have been playing well with their starters in the lineup. I will say that it is Aaron Rodgers' time to shine and I'm rolling with the Pack this year. Feast your eyes on this warrior and then listen to Weezy's pick in this year's game.

Since I don't have anything amazing to post for Friday, I will make up for an omission in an earlier post.

*Mixtape Post Addendum*

Mishka Zombie Rave
I honestly have no idea why I like this mixtape. I never got huge into the whole witch house scene, but I did appreciate the unique niche it created and the over the top visuals that accompanied them. Oddly enough though, I find myself spinning this averagely regularly. Sometimes parts of it just pop up in my head and I have to listen. The whole darker aspect and the slowed down/dragged beats duped me here, but it seemed unlike many other witch house stuff that came out. I could be wrong or whatever but give it a spin as it is pretty dope.

Enjoy the weekend.

Gaze Upon The Future

2011-02-03T00:11:00.001-06:00

In more ways than one...Saturday, it all falls into place.

It's New Book Day!

2011-02-01T00:37:00.004-06:00

This has been a little while and coming. Ever since I heard of the whole Call*Response project I was intrigued. I submitted a few photos to the project and was lucky enough to be selected as a participant in said project. From presales to teasers it all ends here with a contributors sneak peak at the book and a chance to leave with our very own copy. The fellows behind the project organized a little thank you evening for all of those participating and it was a nice touch and a good chance to relax and chat with some of the others that were involved. Here is the man, Nathan, himself standing in front of the setup with the books and the promo and the upcoming shows to support the launch of the book.
I must say...looking good! Yeah, that's the money on the table since he's already doing business.

I'm not going to pretend like I'm some fancy photographer and all that when these two gentlemen, disregard the center aka focal point of the pic, are in the building. Act natural.
As you can tell, Cam is just plain talking too fast to act natural, all the while engaging Jon in conversation who just happens to be so chill that he is forced to be natural. Go ahead and click the Call*Response link and order the book and then just look at what those two guys can do behind a camera.

To end this post I would just like to say that it is so amazing to see people come together on a project for a good cause and see it through and have a finished product in your hand that just looks completely amazing. Once again, unreal work done on this book, Do yourself a favor and check it out in person, you will not be disappointed.

Something In The Meantime

2011-01-31T01:59:00.002-06:00

Well my new compubox has arrived but fate has seen to it to leave me injured and not in the shape to get things to where they should be and thus I shall leave you with a taste of one of my favorite records of the last year. Enjoy, if you can.

He's Still The Best Mayne

2011-01-26T00:45:00.003-06:00

If you've been coming here for a while, you would know that I pretty much can't not post any new Eli material. This is no exception.

And So It Begins (Mixtapes)

2011-01-25T00:25:00.003-06:00

I made a promise to get my best of 2010 record list(s) up earlier this year. My hands are kind of tied at the moment as I'm sans computer and thus can't analyze the records of last year. What I do know for sure is that these two mixtapes were the best that dropped last year. There is only gonna be a #1 spot and there are two occupants of said spot. First off is Odd Future and I got introduced to them by a few blogs and I haven't been able to stop listening to them ever since. Young kids doing something new and being relatively ignorant while doing it. All of their other projects have had my interest peaked in the same fashion. When they drop an actual record it is gonna be game over.Next up is J. Cole. I slept on his first mixtape and still have yet to listen to that record. From the first spin of this tape I was hooked, great beats and a chill flow did it. Dude seems a little more real life and relatable so that helps as well. There is a good chance that will change soon as he's fittin to blow up. I don't doubt that his actual debut is going to be mindblowing if this tape is a forecast.The rest of the lists will soon follow as the computer situation is on the mend.

Apple Packercakes

2011-01-24T00:57:00.004-06:00

Or something like the title! ha. It was conference championship games this Sunday in the glorious world of the NFL so food and friends were combined to celebrate this occasion. Here is a little more dressed up pic of the aforementioned pancakes, as compared to the one in the link. These are really apple cinnamon ginger pancakes. It was a basic pancake recipe, that served 4 people really well, with two granny smith apples grated into the batter along with about 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, a teaspoon of cinnamon and some fresh grated nutmeg to taste. They were then topped off with some whipped cream I came across in a local organic food coop that was almond and cashew based and it turned out amazing. Pour a little pancake or maple syrup on there and you are living your life.
After seeing the outcomes of the games, the Super Bowl looks to be an exciting game in which I may or may not need the Packers to show up and win me some cash!

Nostalgia/Hilarity Overload

2011-01-22T13:34:00.001-06:00

This was just something I could not pass on posting. I doubt it needs more explanation than just taking the exact time alloted to watch the video.

$5 Lunch

2011-01-14T01:18:00.002-06:00

It is pretty rare to get a combination of a cheap and delicious lunch sometimes. I have cracked the code to this particular safe at a hole in the wall joint nestled in the corner of a shit strip mall with nothing else good around it. Luckily they had signs by the road or else I never would have dreamed of investigating this particular location. What I'm talking about here is Desi Pizza & Sweets and it just happens to be one of my favorite lunch spots now. I get the same thing every time I go and it's under $5 with tax. Can you go wrong with that? Nope! My meal of choice is the 2 samosas with chickpea curry and I included it in a beautiful take out container for your viewing pleasure.
I am completely convinced they have some sort of magical spice that both fills you up and makes you crave the food at Desi. It doesn't look like a huge meal but it is always more than enough for me. The fresh veggies and tamarind on this concoction make it damn near perfect and the spice it has rounds it off quite nicely. If you happen to be in the mood to spend a touch more than the aforementioned $5, you could grab a can of Dr. Pepper to go with your meal. The research on this combination of products have deemed it to be the dynamic duo with a 100% success rate upon replication. Enough rambling though, I think the Desi sweats are talking...

Time For Some Of That Sticky Icky

2011-01-12T00:51:00.002-06:00

But I'm not putting anything like that in the air, more like in my stomach! My cousin took part in a business venture of supposed tasty proportions and I had no choice but to sample her wares when vegan cinnamon buns were on the menu. It's not everyday that you run into an all cinnamon bun spot, but Jonnies Sticky Buns is just that so why not check out the menu and indulge your sweet tooth? I know that I certainly did today and a vegan sticky bun just happened to be on my personal menu.
It is not every day that one can find a cinnamon bun that fits the vegan lifestyle here in Winnipeg so this is a great new option and they have many other buns as well for those that have a wider breadth of consumption, if you will. If you're looking for something to do on January 29th, why not look for this?
Why? Well, obviously you'll be attending their grand opening and supporting a good new local bakery.

I'm At The Pizza Hut, noooooo

2011-01-09T22:53:00.004-06:00

I'm at the Taco Bell, what? Well, Taco Bell was the inspiration for this post and it was a great excuse to quote a really fun song. It is the first weekend of the NFL playoffs and I thought it was the perfect time to veganize a burrito I had been seeing on Taco Bell commercials, ad nauseum, leading up to this glorious first weekend. It looked extremely simple as it was ground beef, nacho cheese and corn chips. I merely took veggie ground and cooked it up with some onions, jalapeno and red peppers, cumin, chili powder salt and pepper then added some canned tomatoes and finished it with some fresh cilantro. Some Teese nacho sauce and some crushed up corn chips and we were officially in business. The outcome
just happened to be so delicious. Loved this due to the relative ease as well as the serious lack of clean up. Don't get me wrong, the flavor was first and foremost but I was merely adding other benefits to get you in the mood.

On another note, Ukrainian xmas came and went and didn't get documented. It was great as usual and a good time spent with friends. It might just be bigger and better next year so throw your name in the hat and maybe you'll happen to partake in a traditional meal of eastern european greatness.

Tonight

2011-01-03T22:19:00.004-06:00

New SnacksNew vid
And more of my favorite new to me show
A pretty nice way to end the new year holiday weekend.

Happy New Year?

2011-01-01T20:49:00.003-06:00

Well this may seem like a recurring theme here, but this is how my 2011 started en route to Babylon.
The Beast was slightly worried
Made it to the border, went through the usual song and dance of questioning only to find out that the roads were closed and that if we continued on we would be fined. Needless to say, the return trip home was much the same. I know it's the only the beginning, but fuck you 2011!

Merry XXXmas

2010-12-31T21:26:00.003-06:00

Sure it's a week late, but it is what it is. Here is first a picture of my voyage to the homeland.
And now a picture of my return from the birthplace.
Safety first in all matters of picture taking is what I always say. I hope everyone had a great time with family and friends over some delicious food during this season. Now, let's make the most of the oncoming new year and do big things in all facets of our lives. Stay safe. Eyes peeled.

Question

2010-12-24T00:00:00.000-06:00

Where have you been all my life?

Call*Response

2010-12-19T00:26:00.004-06:00

Well I wasn't even expecting something like this to happen but I am going to get some of my photos published in a book. The book is called Call*Response and to sweeten the deal it is a fundraiser for kids help phone. I suggest you take a look at the link to see what its all about. Right after you finish doing the checking out portion of your time on that website, you should preorder your copy of the book as it is a very good price until the end of 2010. Do something good for someone one last time this year and then have a great gift for someone.
You're gonna have to buy a copy for yourself to see what pictures of mine made it into the book. The whole project is being done by a great group of people doing positive things, so this will be my last time trying to get you to buy a copy BUT you should really pick one up. Thanks in advance.

A Rememberance of Warmer Times

2010-12-17T00:29:00.003-06:00

Now, I will start off by saying that this post isn't a cry for summer or me longing for the warmth of summer. I, in fact, love winter and everything that comes with it. It can provide a great mood and allow you to be very productive depending on how you work. This is more of a make up post since I didn't get around to it when it actually happened. I had an idea at the time that smoky tofu in nachos would be a good idea. I then set about making a dry rub and working it into some tofu and letting it marinate for a while. It has been a while so I am having a hard time remembering what was all in the rub, but I'm sure it was a basic one containing ground black pepper, kosher salt, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano and brown sugar. I fired up the Weber and got some wood chips smoking and then laid the tofu to rest for about 4-6 hours. Here is what it looked like just under an hour into the process.The finished product containing the chopped up smoked tofu, two kinds of tortilla chips, fresh onions, peppers, tomatoes, cheddar and mozza Daiya.A crying shame that I didn't take advantage of the smoking capabilities of the BBQ more this summer. At least now it isn't quite as long until the next time I can pull the BBQ/smoker out.

MPLS via BB

2010-12-15T22:20:00.004-06:00

Sometimes you snap some very quick pics with your BB and they get forgotten. Here are a few from my recent trip to Minneapolis. Man on the horse on the bottom more than likely, HUH!
A little Blingo while enjoying a nice meal at the Triple Rock.
Some street knowledge.
A special treat for me and some friends found on the return home.

K, Love.

2010-12-13T01:13:00.005-06:00

This last week/weekend included a little Minneapolis getaway. The trip started with an early morning departure and testing the new whip out on its first road trip. It did us well and got us to MPLS in comfort. A Twolves game against the Oklahoma City Thunder was what spurred this trip and coincidentally it was the first thing that happened on said trip. I'm passing the picture duties off for the basketball game to Rob Tibbs, so enjoy this pics and head over to his blog for more coverage of the experience of sitting 2nd row behind the visitor's bench. One of my new favorite players to watch, Kevin Love.
My first overall fantasy basketball pick and one of the best players in the league currently, Kevin Durant. Unreal player to watch do his thing this close and just gives you an even greater appreciation for the dude's skill.
The man who gets more than his fair share of assists from KD's greatness, Russell Westbrook. Oddly enough, he also happens to be on my fantasy basketball team. Enough talk of that kinda nonsense for now though.
After that it was a fairly relaxing trip with not many pictures taken. Only picture regret is missing getting Rob's straight shave in action but I'm sure there will be another chance for that. The USA always surprises me with a new treat and this time it took one of my favorite flavor combinations and put it into a delicious soy based beverage. I need this to be available near me and always.
The trip was cut short and Doomtree in their hometown was missed when a few friends advised that a snow storm was on its way into the Twin Cities. We did a little research on the forecast and highway conditions and the Friday night overnight drive was put into effect with a 10pm departure. I'll let the metrodome do the talking as to why I am quite pleased with the decision we made to leave when we did.

Ch Ch Changes

2010-12-07T22:26:00.003-06:00

Yeah, time for change also known as an actual blog post! I've had tons of stuff goin on which have kept me from this but that should be the past now. Let's quickly take care of my last TO trip. Walking to my sleep spot the first night I ran across Poutini's and fortunately it was open til 3am and had vegan poutine which just happened to accompanied by a nice soda.I actually learned something when I was there.Another stop was at Crow's Nest, and yes they have better pictures on their site than the ones that follow, which is a nice spot where a friend works. This is where the hairs get cut and that's the fridge that houses the cane sugar Coke and PBRs.
This is where Hambone gave me my first straight shave and I enjoyed it. Very very relaxing and if you're anywhere nearby go experience it and enjoy a delicious beverage.
On a quick bathroom break at the barbershop I noticed this and couldn't help but take a pic. Not too much football related goodness on here, but this was a fun way to display a serious interest of mine.Alright it is time to get ready for another trip and hopefully more good stuff to document. Hope anyone who is still checking has been well.

Unreal.

2010-10-14T23:39:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow Night aka Friday Night

2010-09-09T07:24:00.002-05:00

Now you know.

Crime In Stereo Is Dead

2010-09-05T10:32:00.001-05:00

RIP

One Cuisine, All The Time

2010-08-30T00:42:00.005-05:00

Well, I hope this isn't getting boring due to every meal that's been up here in the last while has been of the Mexican persuasion. Maybe that's due to the lack of great restaurants in Winnipeg that serve this particular cuisine or just based solely on the fact that it is delicious. This time there was one minor difference...the BBQ was involved. The Baja styled grilled tofu tacos from Veganomicon were made last night and it was a joint effort between Chill and myself. I basically manned the BBQ and she took care of the rest. Tofu was marinated, grilled and then "shredded" to make the taco style very easy. Homemade slaw, homemade lime-cilantro-creme sauce, avocado and salsa were all put in with the tofu on some grilled corn tortillas. Serve that with a little black bean and corn salad and you have yourself a plate something like this.
If your dinner is that delicious, why not follow it up with some homemade ice cream of the mint cookies n creme variety? Pretty much a rhetorical question on this particular evening as you can see.Summer is officially I over and I already miss Sardé.

Top 10 of 2009 (Latest Ever Edition)

2010-08-26T01:01:00.006-05:00

This essentially gets funnier to me every year and it's a running joke every year. I had this list ready for so long but neglected to post it, so here it is in all of it's late glory. No write ups this year or even record names or bands, just a couple choice quotes. This will make it more of a game for anyone who doesn't know a record by its cover.
"I want to kill and eat my young"
"It's the end of Law & Order, Dick Wolf"

Next year MAY actually be on time. Who knows?

Halloween

2010-08-24T17:46:00.002-05:00

Bestows the premier of this little gem on us.
Very stoked. Haven't been able to stop reading it as of late.

Shhh...It's so quiet...

2010-08-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

And this is why.

Taco Time

2010-08-16T12:22:00.005-05:00

Well, well, well look who made it back in the kitchen...even it was for some quickly made tacos.
These are nice and easy and gave me an excuse to use some of my soy curls and have a great meal. Fastest instructions on how to make these. Sautee a medium onion, add as much garlic as you like and then toss in the soy curls and some soy sauce and get them nicely browned. Then add some cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Give that a minute and throw in some canned tomatoes, splash of agave nectar and the juice of one lime and cook till all the liquid is absorbed. Put that in a taco shell with some daiya cheddar, garden lettuce, tomatoes and avocado and KABOOM you're eating a relatively healthy meal. Game over.

La Bamba!

2010-08-15T10:26:00.003-05:00

Once again, another delayed post. Sometimes I just get behind on this and that is just a fact. I got a compliment on this blog last night so that gave me the ambition to actually get another post up! Here is the late celebration dinner at the new mexican spot La Bamba. We started off with a little bean dip app which was simple but delicious with the house cut and cooked tortilla chips.
The main course was an enchilada with a chipotle sauce amongst other things. I didn't write it down and do not feel like waiting on the menu to load currently. The homemade tortillas were great and the sauce complimented it well. The only thing I found to be weird was that they used tofurky deli slices as the "meat" in the dish. I could be wrong, but smoked veggie turkey doesn't seem like the most common item in mexican dishes.
All in all it's another option for a nice meal in a good atmosphere and Mexican food in general is hard enough to find in Winnipeg. I would return as there is another item on the menu that I really want to try. Another scintillating restaurant review for all of my faithful followers out there! I didn't take my camera to the other new Mexican joint in Winnipeg, but that may have been my first actual bad review of a place I have eaten at...so watch yourself.

Quiet Times

2010-08-05T16:15:00.002-05:00

You may ask why times have been quiet around here. Well, there has been quite a bit of this happening.Questions answered!

Burger Baron

2010-07-25T14:35:00.004-05:00

Well it just happens to be that time of year again. TIFS is now officially 3 years old! Thanks for checkin this shit out! I'll mark this occasion with some pics of a new restaurant in the city, that I have been sleeping on actually taking pics of since I have eaten there a few times already. Boon Burger is a vegetarian burger cafe where everything can be made vegan. A nice concept if I do say so. I haven't gotten around to trying all the burgers yet but my latest selection turned out to be my favorite. The Thanksgiving burger is a breaded "turkey" patty with mayo, cranberry sauce, crispy onions, maple glazed yams, gravy and lettuce. The taste was unreal, but it fell apart like nobody's business. My only problem here is the squishiness of the patties and how they fall apart in your hands often enough. Luckily the taste made up for it on this glorious celebratory occasion.
Why not split some poutine, which is always vegan, that tastes great with daiya cheese? Plus oven baked fries to cut down on the deep friedness? Yeah, I can live with that. Takes a touch of guilt out of the guilty pleasure.
I gotta thank Puddy for this meal that you just looked at. Alright, another year done, thanks again, and back to livin.

FTW

2010-07-24T20:19:00.000-05:00

Butter pecan soft serve! Thanks Chill.

Machete!!!

2010-07-23T16:00:00.003-05:00

YES!

Now all they have to do is make Werewolf Women Of The S.S.
For obvious reasons! As always, click the vids and maximize them for optimal enjoyment.

Food Tour Stage 2

2010-07-18T18:47:00.002-05:00

The next and final stop on the recent food tour was Padmanadi in Edmonton and it blew my mind. I will apologize now if my diction regresses into blunt profanities and such but there is a reason for it! Started off with some apps then a couple mains and dessert. The mains were very very good but just didn't lend themselves to really nice pics in my opinion so I left them out of this post. If you hit this spot, I'm sure you'll be more than intrigued with the selection of mains on the menu and if you aren't sure hit me up and I will educate you! Now, onto the mains. Started off with salty "chicken" strips. These guys remind me of the dry ribs from Buddha's in Calgary and I absolutely adore those. Add some sweet chili sauce and they may have taken the crown for this particular appetizer!
Follow that up with some satay skewers and it's like a took a trip to NYC for some Red Bamboo at a much smaller price tag with all the delicious flavor. Just the memories alone were enough to make me fall in love with this app. Once again, all I can say is amazing.
Motherfuckin Strawberry Lavender Creme Brulee!!!!
CRACKED!!!
This dessert blew my mind and like I warned earlier, words escaped and profanities and shortness abounded. One of my favorite places to eat in Canada. Do yourself a favor and try it out if you're anywhere nearby. That brings the food tour to a close, hope it was as enjoyable as it was delicious.

Fuck Yes!!!

2010-07-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

You already know and its been a long time comin. FYI You give love a bad name was scorching the place when this photo was taken.

Food Tour Stage 1

2010-07-17T18:16:00.004-05:00

I recently had a little weekend getaway and here is a portion of the fruits of my so called labor. Regina was the first stop and it's somewhere I hadn't been in quite some time even though I have a bunch of good friends there. The food situation usually isn't the best thing ever in regards to the world of veganism, but we made it work this time around. Some people say to save the best for last, I disagree. Here it is!
Yeah, you already know that its Dylan's Famous Lemonade.
That was followed up the veggie burger, which was actually pretty good. A nice homemade patty with fresh veggies on a good bun and great sauce. Fries done damn near perfect as well. For Regina, I am not complaining and would return.
Thanks The Fainting Goat for a good meal, great atmosphere and a good time spent with some friends. The guilty parties are Juicy, Tommy and Emily(pics taken voyeur style while driving to the goat).
The next and final stage of the food tour is coming sooner than later and it's more than worth a wait!

Time To Bring It Back And Then Start Waiting!

2010-07-15T17:09:00.004-05:00

This is a piece of history in the making that will chronicle one of the best freestyle rappers of all time and give us a little insight into the magic that happened approx 7 years ago. I personally still can't get enough of the original vid and the dipset beat he rips. If you have a non-internet friendly memory, let's refresh it.As always, click the videos and take them in at the largest possible size for maximum enjoyment! Also, thank you Мишка for bestowing this knowledge upon me.

More Summer Treats

2010-07-13T20:38:00.004-05:00

Like I said in the last post, more summer treats are coming and here they are. Well, here IT is actually.Yes, that is homemade ice cream from the same strawberries I picked and made jam out of. Very rich and creamy thanks to coconut milk. If you want to know how to make great ice cream, pick up a copy of The Vegan Scoop, then enjoy what's left of summer even more!

We're Jammin

2010-07-07T18:31:00.002-05:00

I took summer and converted it into something that can be enjoyed all year round.
You might wonder what the acronyms on each jar mean. It only makes sense for me to elaborate upon them. The first is strawberry lime vanilla jam and yes it is those fresh strawberries I picked along with lime zest and the glorious insides of the real vanilla bean. Next up is strawberry white peach jam which came from being inspired while grabbing the ingredients for the previously mentioned jam. These are ridiculously easy to make with the help of instant clear-jel. That just means zero cooking, less sugar and the freshest flavors. Easy ratio:
1 cup fruit
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp instant clear-jel
Mash up the fruit til you get the consistency you like in jam. I like seeing chunks of the actual fruit so mine is a touch burly. Then combine the sugar and instant clear-jel. Whisk the sugar mixture into the fruit until combined and let sit for 10 minutes. Then pour into jars, freeze and proceed to enjoy! More summer treats upcoming!

SUMMER!!!

2010-07-04T11:08:00.000-05:00

Old And New

2010-06-24T20:58:00.003-05:00

I got a little package in the mail not too long ago. Inside there was an old classic...
holding a new classic...
and a little hidden gem if you look right.

Cuter Than All

2010-06-22T17:45:00.002-05:00

A little rural vacation happened about a week ago and I got to see these little guys for the first time! I was sore and they weren't too up for playing in the mid day sun. I can't blame them or me. A little bit of hiding?
From the other mother?
More hiding.
I'm sure another progress report will happen soon enough. Until then, Goodnight Greece HA!

One Love

2010-06-05T23:38:00.005-05:00

This could quite possibly be the most delayed post in the history of TIFS. I have slacked on showing my new favorite restaurant in Toronto some love. That situation gets rectified now. One Love is a small and warm welcoming spot that serves up amazing vegan Jamaican fare. I'm not going to waste any of your time and just go for the jugular with their famous corn soup. Unreal, is the only way to describe it.
Another seriously great dish which did not want to make itself look good is the jamaican pumpkin roti. So simple yet so delicious. Upon my last visit I found out that you can mix and match roti fillings and my life was changed, cannot wait for my next trip to TO.
Only because the photo turned out kinda nice was the bean curd and lima bean meal. It was my least favorite of everything in this post which is saying quite a bit. It was still great, don't be fooled.
BBQ tofu stirfry served with fried plantains and avocado. This dish is so simple yet so amazing. Nothing too fancy other than a good home cooked meal. Sometimes you wish you had a different home and this could be the reason why.
A little Razzle Dazzle to wash it all down. That would be an organic raspberry lemonade. I would in my top 3 lemonades of all time.
Coconut cupcake for dessert? Why yes, I will indulge.
Needless to say, Ben and I had a great meal and a rough walk home. One Love does not skimp on portion size or flavor so keep this in mind if you are fortunate enough to dine there at any time in your life. This place is on my "go there every time you're in Toronto" list and that's relatively high praise. Goodnight.

TO Time

2010-06-04T00:48:00.003-05:00

Ahhh yes, the lame post names continue. Who doesn't like a theme though? The long bus ride from Montreal to Toronto was so worth it to spend time with great friends and meeting some new ones along the way. I didn't really get to many new spots so I didn't bother with reblogging all the same stuff. I did however mobile blog the one raw spot not so long ago, which was the most timely post this bad boy has seen in a while. I'm sure you can understand that and appreciate only new stuff. One spot I had been dying to try for some time was Hibiscus. I was rewarded for my wait time, that's all I know. Here are the crepes with syrup, fresh fruit and pistachio (closest) and chai ice cream.This mid day treat was pretty much a meal in itself and affordable for the amount of things that came on the plate. I need to make it to this spot again. Now I figured we would use this pretty flower as a nice place to end.

Mtl Munchies

2010-06-04T00:20:00.004-05:00

It's been a minute so forgive me for that as well as my super cheesy post titling job! Let's recap the delicious treats I had while I was in Montreal a couple weeks ago. I started off with a nice long walk to Aux Vivres for what turned out to be the best BLT I have ever had.
Now let me break this down a bit, the B in this particular BLT is smoked coconut. Blew my mind. I couldn't just enjoy the sandwich, I had to let other people know how ridiculous that thing was. It is a must try if you enjoy delicious food. There was also some delicious roasted potatoes you might have seen hiding behind the sammie. Not pictured was the pina colada smoothie and the chocolate banana pie that I had. Both got the job more than done. Insert the bad part of the trip here. Now we move on to the next good meal which happened at Chu Chai and was a precursor to a bus ride to Toronto. I started off with some little wonton like apps that had a filling I can't remember and some standard dipping sauce.
Here is some salt and pepper mock duck. Very simple and to the point and very delicious.
I find that thai food in general doesn't carry over very well when I'm taking pics of it for this thing. I had one more dish that was a veggie chicken thing with eggplant and such but it just didn't look great as stir fries don't usually tend to. However, this isn't me complaining about the restaurant as it was a great meal. The only thing that you should be prepared to do if you eat here is spend money, since it is not cheap. Thanks for holding out for these oh so timely posts! Playoff everything is happening and the World Cup is ONE WEEK AWAY!

Dinner Live From TO

2010-05-23T21:52:00.003-05:00

Hit Live for dinner tonight had the infamous Ross fix us up something real nice. Grabbed some sushi filled with pecany goodness and yam "tempura" on top. Very delicious. Then there was tempeh crabcakes, but they were cooked. Not pictured are the raw soft tacos and raw cheesecake. I loved the raw stuff and have a new love for the stuff. Too bad I can't get this stuff regularly. Now back to the Lost series finale and an over abundance of commercials.

Dessa!

2010-05-21T17:36:00.002-05:00

Here is a video off one of my favorite records of 2010 so far. Obviously click it if you want to watch a bigger version
Doomtree!

Goodbye Montreal

2010-05-16T14:36:00.000-05:00

More Montreal

2010-05-16T06:24:00.000-05:00

Montreal begins

2010-05-15T10:17:00.000-05:00

Late As Per Usual

2010-05-02T23:17:00.003-05:00

As the title of this post suggests, some of my favorite records from 2009 are pictured below. I for some reason get preoccupied with all kinds of stuff and leave these on the back burner every year. At least this is coming together sooner than last year...but that isn't saying much. These are my 11-20 records of the year and in no particular order.***Bottom right is my guilty pleasure of the year.

Results of a Great Weekend

2010-04-28T21:21:00.004-05:00

More pics from a fun little afternoon in rural MN. Almost felt like we were in an amazing movie!
OH SHIT!
The other half of the family getting ready.
I am man!
Not for long!
Who said AK's aren't fun?
One Shot, One Kill. That's my lifestyle.
Goodnight.

Recipe For A Great Weekend

2010-04-25T20:46:00.002-05:00

Third Time's A Charm

2010-04-25T02:17:00.000-05:00

Take luck.

Wall Of Soda

2010-04-22T21:06:00.000-05:00

One of my new favorite places in Winnipeg.

More Goodies!

2010-04-13T21:44:00.002-05:00

There is another vegan bakesale for Chile coming up. I unfortunately can't be a part of it but if you like vegan stuff and live in Winnipeg why not do some good? All the details are right here.
AND...one last Crime In Stereo pic for fun.

These Troubled States

2010-04-12T22:14:00.004-05:00

Went on a little day trip to Fargo yesterday to catch Crime In Stereo play a basement show amongst other things. It's not every day that you get to see a band in such an intimate venue so the trip was made, as last time I saw them in Toronto they played in what had to have been an over 1000 capacity venue. I snapped a few pics, enjoy.
Winnipeg's hardest.On a completely unrelated note, I had an advance screening for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo for tonight and I went in with no expectations.I came out blown away. This is a pretty next level movie and well worth your time. That's it.

Kick-Ass

2010-04-10T18:06:00.000-05:00

Chile Results

2010-04-10T16:02:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday was my little Chile fundraising bakesale and here are a few of the things you missed. I missed a few things myself so please forgive! Some reverse Joe Louis or Whoopie Pies, if you will, which are vanilla bean cookie cakes with chocolate mousse filling. There are some earl grey and mint chocolate cupcakes in the mix as well as some chocolate chip toffee and some kinda nut cookies.
Next up we have some next level donuts. The picture doesn't do their size justice, trust me.
Here are some strawberry lemon-lime cupcakes with strawberry marshmallow brownies(there is something else in the brownies, I just forget what it was!).
A little easter egg hunt on the Saturday leading up to Easter...mint chocolate style.
Chocolate marshmallow and wild blueberry cheesecake ice cream. Technically not baking, but no complaining.
Some stranger happened to stroll in and buy a cinnamon bun that didn't get picture love earlier. As you can tell, they are as big as a person's head. That's fair.
When it was all said and done the sale raised $600 and I want to thank everyone involved from helping make the poster, to the venue, to everyone that helped advertise, all my glorious bakers for sharing their time with me and everyone who bought something from the sale! There is some extra coverage over at Pancakes and Skateboards!. Until next time, endless thanks and gratitude!

Chile Bakesale

2010-04-03T01:26:00.003-05:00

Alright, this is for my early morning/late night people that may have forgotten or just stumbled upon this blog. All the details are on the poster so come out, do some good and enjoy some delicious treats.
I am so behind on blogging lately as I have some pics of the treats from the last event amongst other things. In the meantime enjoy a few things that have been occupying my time or getting me stoked on the future.

Today And The Future

2010-03-27T00:53:00.005-05:00

Just a reminder, this event is happening later today and if you're in Winnipeg you should check it out. We were hanging the art last night and there are some great pieces at more than affordable prices.
The following Saturday also has a great event taking place for the people who have been devastated in Chile. Come out and enjoy some "cool" treats. Make sure that you show up early and bring your own tupperware if you plan on buying a few things to decrease waste and your treat carrying life all the more efficient!
Hope to see a ton of new and familiar faces at both of these events. Please repost these posters anywhere you see fit to help get the word out. Thanks!

Wu-Massacre

2010-03-23T13:19:00.001-05:00

Three of Shaolin's finest have a record coming out at the end of the month and here are the first visuals.
So down.

March Madness?

2010-03-21T00:50:00.002-05:00

There was a nice brunch shared by some friends this Saturday morning and it looked something like this.
That is an omelet from Vegan Brunch that I hadn't made in a while. Inside of it were some sauteed red onions, homemade breakfast sausages(recipe in the same book, but free formed the flavors to suit my needs like using liquid smoke, maple syrup, thyme and a sprinkle of cinnamon) and Daiya mozza flavored cheese. That was topped with some fresh salsa that was made of fresh cut tomatoes, red onions, jalapeno, fresh cilantro, lime juice, a pinch of salt and a drop of agave nectar. Some regular and yam hash got put on the plate to make it feel even more like a great brunch. This was a great way to start the day that didn't see my March Madness bracket do to well. Oh well, at least we're only one week away from THIS!

Haiti Relief Round 2

2010-03-12T00:06:00.003-06:00

This poster is going to do all the talking. Show up if you live in Winnipeg and get some great art at great prices and liven up your living space. Why not enjoy some delicious baking in the meantime? Sounds like a good idea to me! There will also be some good music playing amongst other things. See you there!

Ps. There is a Chile benefit in the works and will be mentioned once everything is solidified.

You Want More?

2010-03-05T00:54:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I trade goods for services. Tomorrow just happens to be one of those days. This is part of the goods that is being exchanged.
Who wouldn't want smore cupcakes? That's the question I'm asking right now.

O Canada!

2010-03-01T00:02:00.002-06:00

Oddly enough, a little trip to MPLS to see Blacklisted and Harm's Way turned out to be oh so patriotic. First off, it happened to be Canada month at the Triple Rock and my favorite server hooked us up with free drinks!!!
Next up was the cake to commemorate the gold medal hockey game between Canada and USA. Emily did a good job of designating which half of the cake Nate and I could eat.
An OT goal set up by Iginla and put away by Crosby results in celebrations and sorrows behind enemy lines.
A different sort of patriotism happened on the way home, as my car hit the daunted 300,000km mark. Band of Horses was the band luckily enough to ease my ride into a whole new dimension.
That car has taken me to many places and enabled me to spend time with the people I love most and meet so many people that I would need to spend a day or two just to remember them all. What I'm trying to say is that I'm thankful that it has lasted me this long and word to everyone who has been along for the ride so far!

Addendum And Then Some

2010-02-20T10:59:00.003-06:00

Alright, in regards to my last post I have recently come in to even more information on the situation. Too good not to post really, so enjoy it. http://iamamotherfucker.com/ first and then listen to a few words from the man himself.. Thank goodness for the internet.

Harmony Joy Bus Ride

2010-02-17T21:59:00.005-06:00

Sometimes I/we find the stupidest things funny. This just happens to be one of them.

If you go here it will most likely make the above video numerous times more classic. I for some reason find this funny on so many levels. This right here is one of those reasons.

Super Bowl!

2010-02-08T15:36:00.005-06:00

That magical weekend has arrived again and you saw what happened the night previous. Now, for the festivities that surrounded the super bowl. This year, the deep fryer was added to the mix and that was the center of the majority of the things that were made for the big game. Chill was in charge of the majority of the snacks for today as I took care of last night so there won't be any real recipes found today. Why not start off with what everyone wants. Vegan donuts!!! Simple and plain with a vanilla glaze. Let's just say that I ate more than one.
Next up are some jalapeno poppers(not shown) and banana pepper poppers. They had the cream cheese and daiya cheddar etc etc filling with a nice light breading.
How about some breaded shrimp and cocktail sauce? A nice find in chinatown made for a tasty treat tonight.
Here are the wingz from Just The Food that I made for the evening. I found them to be a little rough to make with full fat coconut milk and the breading refused to stay on after they were cooked. If you can get past those two minor setbacks, they were pretty tasty.
A staple for any kind of food party, nachos. These guys had white and blue corn chips, vegan chili, italian and cheddar daiya, jalapenos and banana peppers and served with salsa, guac and sour cream. Still can't get enough daiya!
We'll end on a fancier note today with a little panna cotta served with mango,pineapple, blood orange and banana.
All in all there was too much food and we didn't even get to the corn dogs that we had planned for the night. A success I would say. Also, SAINTS SAINTS SAINTS!!!

Blue Bowls

2010-02-07T13:18:00.004-06:00

Twas the night before Super Bowl and all through the house, snacks were served in blue bowls so shut your mouth! First off, a little mac n cheese.
I will state for the record that I love Daiya cheese. It just make the best everything and this mac n cheese is no exception. I can't for the life of me remember which blog I got the recipe for this from but a rough recounting of the situation will get you more than on your way to making some deliciousness.

Mac n Cheese

1 pkg pasta (your favorite kind)
enough water to cook it
1 tbsp margarine
1 tbsp flour
1 cup soy milk
1 cup shredded Daiya cheddar

Boil water for the pasta and put about half the pasta in the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the package. Have a little saucepan over med/low heat and add the margarine. Once the margarine is melted add the flour and stir until a light brown roux is made. Whisk in the soymilk and allow to thicken slightly. Add the Daiya cheese and mix until melted and uniform. Drain the pasta and add to the cheese sauce and serve while warm. Amazing. *If you wanted to get crazy you could microplane a clove of garlic into the roux just before adding the soymilk.

Next up is a new ice cream creation for me. Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake!
Let me just say that this is one of the best flavors I have ever made and the consistency was easily the best I have made. A huge success. I just added a few things to the vanilla ice cream from The Vegan Scoop.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Ice Cream

1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
2 cups soy creamer
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup vegan cream cheese
2/3 cup strawberry rhubarb jam

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup coconut milk with arrowroot and set aside.

Mix soy creamer, remaining coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat. Once mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and immediately add arrowroot cream. This will cause the liquid to thicken noticeably.

Add vanilla extract, then whisk in vegan cream cheese.

Refrigerate mixture until chilled. Approx 2-3 hours or overnight. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions. In the last few minutes of freezing add the strawberry rhubarb jam a spoonful at a time(luckily I had some homemade stuff on hand).

There you have it, the method to the madness for a night of good snacking.