T&T Supermarket

Something we love about travelling to Vancouver, is that it is sort of like travelling the world. This supermarket is in our neighbourhood, and wow, is the food ever different. Or, at a minimum, presented differently. 

 The fish section alone is worth a trip. They ave more and more and more. Abalone, lobsters, crabs, live fish in tanks, goeduck (pretty damn ugly if you ask me, no clue how you'd cook it), but no octopus...

 Cases and cases of 'fish balls'. Lord knows what the real name is...

Saturday Winter Farmer's Market

We like to go to the Vancouver farmer's market whenever we get the chance. The climate here is such that things can and do grow all year 'round. We met up with Chris' Aunt Helen for the adventure this time. She is a great companion, always happy to try a new local adventure.

 We went even though it was bucketing down. I did think I was dressed for it, until the rain got in my boots. It is really hard to travel with rain boots - they are bit, breathless cumbersome things which are useless until you really need them.

We didn't want to end up with too much food this time. In the past we've occasionally bought enough to stock the fridge, which is a bit silly when you are only staying a couple days.

Rag Pickers Anonymous

I do so love a deal. Getting to the bottom of a bin to find that precious something lovely for 50 cents. Today I found the MOTHER LOAD of Harris Tweed jackets. That stuff Lasts. Forever. Christopher is a wonderful help-met and enabler.

Makin' Bacon

A local community butcher that has been in business here in the Downtown East Side since 1957 hosted a 'makin' class for bacon. I do love bacon, probably much more than is good for me, and I've had my butcher make bacon for me out of the local pigs we've gotten in the past. I thought it was high time that I knew more about the process. Our genial host and instructor, Colin, walked us through the process of making North American style smoked bacon (the kind that crisps in the pan), back bacon (or as the American's call it "Canadian Bacon") and porchetta. Good times were had by all, especially deciphering the phrased 'Poped Bacon'. I'm a brave woman, so, I asked whether it was Catholics in general, or just the Pope who made this style of bacon. Poped translates as 'pumped' which is the light

ning fast method used by commercial producers who pump, or inject, the bacon with the cure.

Manhandling the meat....

Indepth description of smoking the bacon.

Massaging the bacon some more... 

Bacon

Beginning the roll... 

Chris got pretty excited about tying up the porchetta.... 

Being instructed in proper tying procedure.... I think there's a few dirty jokes there...

Cinching the knots, nice and tight, under the eagle eye of Colin... 

My own attempt at the porchetta tie... 

The beast all tied up

Bao Bei Food

We had a great meal at this Asian fusion place on Keefer St. Great drinks too. Damn the cost!
OK, Chris's Blackberry camera sucks but boy was it a good meal with great drinks!

Downtown Eastside Photo Essay

We're staying in a lovely apartment in Chinatown, with a few of the science museum's golf ball (formerly part of the Expo '86 site). Before lunch I headed out to get some shopping done. There's this chocolate place that I just love, which is right next door to a vintage clothing shop. Then I also stumbled on an urban garden.

 I'm a big fan of urban gardens and honey bees. As soon as i figured out that honey bees = food I became a HUGE supporter. Hives for Humanity is such a heartwarming enterprise. There was a great little audio article on the CBC about it.

 Thunderboxes - relief to the people?! Totally cool branding.

My favourite Vancouver building through the fence of the garden. 

Just at the edge of Pigeon park is the Ranier Hotel....

 Coffee and chocolate, a match made in heaven at East Van Roasters.

What a tease!

Look what Christopher sent me last night;

He's at the Mineral Round-up in Vancouver, while I slave away at the salt mine in Whitehorse!