Snow Kitchen
March 17, 2008
I sit here in front of my office window on the second floor and I can't see out as there is snow on the car port that reaches almost up to the top of the window pane. It feels like I'm living in a vessel under the sea (what was that movie called when they lived in a house under the sea?) but it's snow instead and sometimes I feel like I'm living in an igloo or snow mountain.
I joked at my last cooking class that I should create a cooking class around snow and I would be a hit and we could make fun of all the snow we've had. Ok, here' how the class would go. First you need to find a bank of snow (and if you can't you certainly are not in Ottawa) and make your own "snow station kitchenette" For this, you'll need to make a ledge in the snow bank and dig a few places for different pots and bowls to sit. Recipe one, you turn on your pot and boil water, you blanch your vegetables in it, and then you take it out into a bowl that you bring outside to your "snow station" to "shock" or cool very quickly. See how this could turn out? Everyone cooking inside and out, just like you are living in one of those Mediterranean villas with the kitchens outside as well as inside, except there is snow and cold and you are wearing winter clothing, snow boots, toque, mitts, etc. So, besides watching the snow and shoveling and then watching the snow again, what have I been up to?
Well, I did another "Caroline no Kitchen" show on Rogers TV Contact Japan, this time on baked orange-teriyaki tofu that you could use as "steaks" or on kebabs. I made mushroom rice to go along with the tofu kebabs and lots of extra, as I know now that the production staff with run on to the set when we've done and swoop in to try everything. I guess it's a good thing, that they like my food and that I'm feeding the staff good food so I don't mind. Now, it's a challenge to bake something without an oven but I'm starting to get the hang of it and all those years of make-believe kitchen when I was a little kid really helps out. Though, I did have an Easy-Bake Oven so I can't say that I didn't have an oven. If we could only make baking fun for everyone like they did with the Easy-Bake Oven. Imagine having the Easy-Bake Oven in offices and someone would be responsible for preparing something everyday and be the leader of the tea party, of course with real tea and coffee. How fun would that be? I think we need to bring more fun into food and into our lives and offices. I've been there in those offices!
With the big snow storm here on March 8, the reception and food talk I was going to do at the Windhorse Yoga Studio (http://www.windhorse-yoga.ca)/ Wellington was postponed until March 15. It was held originally on March 8 in celebration of International Women's Day and to have a day where women could participate in a yoga class and then have a variety of things to pamper themselves and have fun.. mendi, Thai massage, head massage, belly dancing, and then there was me with my gourmet vegan hors d'oeuvres and the opportunity to speak to women about what I was serving and food in general. I was sort of like the kitchen in a house party, as many people congregated around me and my table, eating food and telling me they loved it, talking to me and one another. It was a good audience for ZenKitchen with most people eating healthy or trying to, as well as many vegetarians or those trying to incorporate more plant-based foods in their diet. Though, this seems like a theme where ever I go these days, and it does not necessarily have to be an obvious spot like a yoga studio. People are more interested and concerned about food and what they're eating these days in general, period.
I taught a class on March 12 at the Urban Element on Vegetarian Cuisine: New Frontiers, exposing people to vegetarian cuisine with a modern approach, incorporating global flavours and techniques with natural foods and as much local, organic and seasonal produce as possible. A vegan whole foods course and it was sold out, as almost all of my classes have been to date, and I've been putting front and centre in my promotions that it's vegetarian/vegan so people know right away what kind of class it is. By doing this, I have been getting more and more people that are vegetarians, some vegans, and those seriously interested in adding more plant-based foods in their diets and interested in eating more healthy.
The vegetarians at the class were thrilled when they heard people in the class saying that they took the class because they wanted to "become more vegetarian". This was thrilling for me to hear too. It's often the carnivores that rule and vegetarians are often a second thought or second class citizens when it comes to ordering at restaurants or being invited to dinner. How many times, I asked the class, have you received a vegetarian main course, even in a good restaurant, that wasn't balanced or even had a protein in it? Or if you're invited to dinner, the host has not a clue what to serve you except for some vegetable sides and the dessert, or they sound annoyed when you say that you are vegetarian/vegan.
Ok, here's another thing while I'm at it... why do servers and the kitchen staff in normal restaurants get annoyed when vegetarians come into their restaurants? I haven't figured this out yet really. Are they annoyed because they just don't think you should be vegetarian and should be eating meat? Are they annoyed because they have to make something special that's not on the menu, but then you may ask, why don't they have something on the menu then? With the trend towards more plant-based meals and healthier meals, why can't menus have at least one good vegetarian option? I just don't get it. These restaurants often have great chefs that know how to cook almost anything under the sun and can cook up things with incredible speed and ease. Perhaps they just don't want to, is that it? They just don't agree with you being vegetarian, never mind vegan. They want to cook meat and fish and that's it. It's also what they love and know best. Anyway, food for thought. I'm delighted that my classes are filling up quickly - they offered vegetarian classes before and they were always cancelled from lack of registrations - and they are being filled up with many people who are truly interested and enthusiastic about learning, eating better and doing good by their eating and food purchases. How wonderful is that? That really is rewarding and inspires me to continue to do what I do.
I just continue to do what I do, and I continue to enjoy it and people are attracted to what I do and support me, and then I know I'm on the right path. But now there are numerous people attracted by what I do, and pulling me in different directions, and it's hard to walk just one path, so what I've been trying to do lately is just focus on my heart and passion, do what I love to do most of the time, stay present and centred as I can, and I'm hoping this presence will lead my in the right direction. So far, so good, though I do get lost at the best of times. Why can't we have a "google" for our lives. Just google ourselves a question and then then a map or answer magically appears. Well, we sort of have this in that when we ask ourselves a question, there are sometimes no answers or matches, and other times we have 10,000 possible answers and matches, and probably the answer and match you most want is at the end of course...
I sit here in front of my office window on the second floor and I can't see out as there is snow on the car port that reaches almost up to the top of the window pane. It feels like I'm living in a vessel under the sea (what was that movie called when they lived in a house under the sea?) but it's snow instead and sometimes I feel like I'm living in an igloo or snow mountain.
I joked at my last cooking class that I should create a cooking class around snow and I would be a hit and we could make fun of all the snow we've had. Ok, here' how the class would go. First you need to find a bank of snow (and if you can't you certainly are not in Ottawa) and make your own "snow station kitchenette" For this, you'll need to make a ledge in the snow bank and dig a few places for different pots and bowls to sit. Recipe one, you turn on your pot and boil water, you blanch your vegetables in it, and then you take it out into a bowl that you bring outside to your "snow station" to "shock" or cool very quickly. See how this could turn out? Everyone cooking inside and out, just like you are living in one of those Mediterranean villas with the kitchens outside as well as inside, except there is snow and cold and you are wearing winter clothing, snow boots, toque, mitts, etc. So, besides watching the snow and shoveling and then watching the snow again, what have I been up to?
Well, I did another "Caroline no Kitchen" show on Rogers TV Contact Japan, this time on baked orange-teriyaki tofu that you could use as "steaks" or on kebabs. I made mushroom rice to go along with the tofu kebabs and lots of extra, as I know now that the production staff with run on to the set when we've done and swoop in to try everything. I guess it's a good thing, that they like my food and that I'm feeding the staff good food so I don't mind. Now, it's a challenge to bake something without an oven but I'm starting to get the hang of it and all those years of make-believe kitchen when I was a little kid really helps out. Though, I did have an Easy-Bake Oven so I can't say that I didn't have an oven. If we could only make baking fun for everyone like they did with the Easy-Bake Oven. Imagine having the Easy-Bake Oven in offices and someone would be responsible for preparing something everyday and be the leader of the tea party, of course with real tea and coffee. How fun would that be? I think we need to bring more fun into food and into our lives and offices. I've been there in those offices!
With the big snow storm here on March 8, the reception and food talk I was going to do at the Windhorse Yoga Studio (http://www.windhorse-yoga.ca)/ Wellington was postponed until March 15. It was held originally on March 8 in celebration of International Women's Day and to have a day where women could participate in a yoga class and then have a variety of things to pamper themselves and have fun.. mendi, Thai massage, head massage, belly dancing, and then there was me with my gourmet vegan hors d'oeuvres and the opportunity to speak to women about what I was serving and food in general. I was sort of like the kitchen in a house party, as many people congregated around me and my table, eating food and telling me they loved it, talking to me and one another. It was a good audience for ZenKitchen with most people eating healthy or trying to, as well as many vegetarians or those trying to incorporate more plant-based foods in their diet. Though, this seems like a theme where ever I go these days, and it does not necessarily have to be an obvious spot like a yoga studio. People are more interested and concerned about food and what they're eating these days in general, period.
I taught a class on March 12 at the Urban Element on Vegetarian Cuisine: New Frontiers, exposing people to vegetarian cuisine with a modern approach, incorporating global flavours and techniques with natural foods and as much local, organic and seasonal produce as possible. A vegan whole foods course and it was sold out, as almost all of my classes have been to date, and I've been putting front and centre in my promotions that it's vegetarian/vegan so people know right away what kind of class it is. By doing this, I have been getting more and more people that are vegetarians, some vegans, and those seriously interested in adding more plant-based foods in their diets and interested in eating more healthy.
The vegetarians at the class were thrilled when they heard people in the class saying that they took the class because they wanted to "become more vegetarian". This was thrilling for me to hear too. It's often the carnivores that rule and vegetarians are often a second thought or second class citizens when it comes to ordering at restaurants or being invited to dinner. How many times, I asked the class, have you received a vegetarian main course, even in a good restaurant, that wasn't balanced or even had a protein in it? Or if you're invited to dinner, the host has not a clue what to serve you except for some vegetable sides and the dessert, or they sound annoyed when you say that you are vegetarian/vegan.
Ok, here's another thing while I'm at it... why do servers and the kitchen staff in normal restaurants get annoyed when vegetarians come into their restaurants? I haven't figured this out yet really. Are they annoyed because they just don't think you should be vegetarian and should be eating meat? Are they annoyed because they have to make something special that's not on the menu, but then you may ask, why don't they have something on the menu then? With the trend towards more plant-based meals and healthier meals, why can't menus have at least one good vegetarian option? I just don't get it. These restaurants often have great chefs that know how to cook almost anything under the sun and can cook up things with incredible speed and ease. Perhaps they just don't want to, is that it? They just don't agree with you being vegetarian, never mind vegan. They want to cook meat and fish and that's it. It's also what they love and know best. Anyway, food for thought. I'm delighted that my classes are filling up quickly - they offered vegetarian classes before and they were always cancelled from lack of registrations - and they are being filled up with many people who are truly interested and enthusiastic about learning, eating better and doing good by their eating and food purchases. How wonderful is that? That really is rewarding and inspires me to continue to do what I do.
I just continue to do what I do, and I continue to enjoy it and people are attracted to what I do and support me, and then I know I'm on the right path. But now there are numerous people attracted by what I do, and pulling me in different directions, and it's hard to walk just one path, so what I've been trying to do lately is just focus on my heart and passion, do what I love to do most of the time, stay present and centred as I can, and I'm hoping this presence will lead my in the right direction. So far, so good, though I do get lost at the best of times. Why can't we have a "google" for our lives. Just google ourselves a question and then then a map or answer magically appears. Well, we sort of have this in that when we ask ourselves a question, there are sometimes no answers or matches, and other times we have 10,000 possible answers and matches, and probably the answer and match you most want is at the end of course...
posted by Caroline at 10:13 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Caroline,
your friends from the branch in Kemptville say Hi and we're so happy you are doing well and keeping very busy!
Just discovered your blog; very insightful & fun!
Hope you don't mind if we also mention to your readers that there is a little organic restaurant in Kemptville that also knows a bit about vegan cooking and that always offers a couple of cool choices outside of the mainstream fare. Congrats again on your success, we'd love to come and try one of your dinners sometime...Maybe a collaboration?
Hi Bruce,
Wow, it's a surprise to hear from you and a true honour! I often mention to people the wonderful Branch Restaurant in Kemptville and the incredible chef there that wrote the wonderful The Artful Vegan cookbook with Millenium Restaurant in San Francisco and was sous-chef there for numerous years. There's also a link to The Branch Restaurant under Links on zenkitchen.ca. I would LOVE to collaborate on a dinner in Ottawa or in Kemptville. It would be an incredible honour! Let's talk!
Caroline
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