Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Sometimes life is just about trying things even if they aren't good for you. Spaghetti alla carbonara is one of those examples. The sauce consists of bacon, bacon fat, butter, egg yolks, cream and parmesan cheese. The only good thing in the sauce is some garlic. The thing of it is I have always wanted to try it. I had heard about it but never tried it - plus the added challenge of not scrambling the eggs but instead creating a creamy rich sauce using egg yolks.

It turns out there wasn't really any challenge to it at all. The entire dish is actually extremely easy. The sauce was rich indeed - almost too much so given how rarely one eats such a food these days. And the funniest thing was Andy said it was good but he would much prefer "regular" spaghetti. I guess the good old meat and tomato sauce wins again.

Old Friends New Times

Last night I had a friend, Alex, over that I hadn't seen or talked to since grade eleven. We went to Maxwell together from grade 9-11 and had lost touch after he left the school during grade eleven. We re-met through facebook. It is the oddest thing getting an email from someone you haven't talked to in over ten years and yet it is strangely exciting.

There is something about the knowing that they are doing well. That life is unfolding for them in whatever manner it is. Perhaps part of that is in knowing that not all the people I went to school with are still around and that when you reconnect with someone you know that they are okay. It is nice knowing what people are doing, where they are focussing their energy, what has become important to them. Are they pursuing something, a passion, a belief, a calling of sorts. What values do they hold close, what experiences have occurred for them.

I made pizzas for dinner, apparently homemade pizza was a novelty for Alex which made the preparation even more fun. BBQ shrimp and pineapple pizza, balsamic mushroom pizza and pesto chicken pizza were the options of the night. No recipes to start with as I made them up with what I had on hand - monteray jack cheese, red peppers, red onion, black olives, etc. The pesto chicken was a completely new trial and it was delish! I think some toasted pinenuts and green olives would have made it even better. Definately will play with this one some more.

It was a lovely evening and makes me realize how important it is to keep touch with people you care about and how easy it is to renew a friendship that may have been lost.

Loafing around

This past weekend was one of those weekends were life is truly at it's best. I took a course on saturday - Artisan Baking. Bagels, challah, ciabatta, sweet and sour rye, focaccia, cinnamon buns and a multi seed bread were the spoils of the days. It was a day of being immersed in something I truly enjoy. Measuring, mixing, shaping, baking. The textures, smells and sight of everything going on in the kitchen was amazing.

Andy and Todd did a taste test of all the different breads when I got home that night.

On Sunday morning I came downstairs to this sight.

Andy was already outside cleaning out the gutters. Hadn't even stopped to have breakfast yet. After breakfast- yes he did come in - I helped out with the gutters and did some garden cleanup. Andy power washed the sidewalks after cleaning his "fleet". He wrote me messages in the sidewalk before cleaning them completely. Every once and awhile he does the sweetest things - never the typical flowers and chocolates which makes it all the better.

We went for a belated Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's. Nothing says yummy like turkey dinner.

Curled up in bed last night (Sunday) I couldn't help but think about what a relaxing and enjoyable weekend it had been. If only everyday was that relaxing and enjoyable. If only.......something to think about.

This morning as I was enjoying my last cinnamon bun I watched a little bird fly to our back door and perch on the wood frame that holds the glass panes. It sat there for a minute or two until Andy walked out the garage door and it flew away. It was one of those moments were you truly realize how two people can be in almost the exact same location but have completely different experiences. I sat and watched this bird completely immersed in the shape and colour of it's feathers meanwhile Andy probably didn't even see the bird as he walked out the garage door. Every moment of life is truly unique to each person on Earth.