Monday Musings – It’s Civilized

Happy Monday ladies. We spent a glorious weekend exploring Victoria and will be driving up island tomorrow. We made the rounds at Munro Books, Murchie’s Tea Shop, The Irish Times Pub, and tons of other great spots. The strange thing is, we didn’t visit the Empress Hotel.

We’d had high tea there two summers ago, and while it was fantastic, we didn’t feel the need to repeat it.

Here are a few things on my mind this week:

Tea

Everyone in my family drinks coffee. I would venture to say that several of them aren’t quite human until they’ve had their first or second cup in the morning. For me, it’s tea and I’m pretty particular about it. Darjeeling in the morning and Earl Grey, preferably as a London Fog, in the afternoon. We’ve been having afternoon tea and scones at Murchies more tmes than I can count this week.

A London Fog is made with Earl Grey Tea and Vanilla so imagine my delight to fine this Earl Grey Cream tea with vanilla already in it. I may need another suitcase to get everything home with me later this month.

I could spend hours (oh wait, I did) wandering around a tea shop. All the gizmos and accountrements for tea just delight me.

This little Hedgehog Travel mug is so stinking cute. I found a rabbit one here online which made me think I might want an entire set. I am that person who still has the entire Beatrix Potter Set of books from when the kids were little:) I’ve always used tea bags but this trip is making me rethink using loose tea, and since my pot does have an inner basket… What do you use, loose or bags?

 

Chowder

Good fish chowder is amazing. Outstanding fish chowder is worth going back for several times…and we did. The Red Fish Blue Fish Spicy Chowder is loaded with fish and veggies and satisfying enough to be an entire meal.

This one is from Red Fish Blue Fish on Victoria Harbour. When I taste something this amazing I immediately hunt for the recipe online. Here it is:

Ingredients

1 can (341 ml/12 oz) corn kernels

30 ml (2 tbsp) canola/olive oil blend

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) finely chopped onions

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) diced carrots

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) diced celery

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) diced parboiled potatoes

50 ml (1/4 cup) crushed garlic

10 ml (2 tsp) toasted ground coriander

5 ml (1 tsp) toasted ground cumin

5 ml (1 tsp) sea salt

5 ml (1 tsp) pepper

1 can (398 ml/14 oz) crushed tomatoes

3 cans (each 400 ml/14 oz) coconut milk

125 ml (1/2 cup) sweet chili sauce

50 ml (1/4 cup) chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped

30 ml (2 tbsp) hot sauce

30 ml (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce

Leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced

Sustainably harvested white fish or seafood (such as cod, halibut, shrimp, scallops, lobster), cut into bite-size pieces

Cilantro leaves and sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions

Drain corn, reserving liquid. In a large pot over medium-high, heat oil. Add corn, onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Saute until vegetables are soft. Add reserved corn liquid, tomatoes, coconut milk, chili sauce, chipotles, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and minced cilantro. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in fish; simmer for another 5 minutes or until fish is just cooked. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves and green onions.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: “Eat St.: Recipes from the Tastiest, Messiest, and Most Irresistible Food Trucks” by James Cunningham (Penguin, 2013).

Double Double

So here I am back in double denim and this time they’re the same blue! Fashion faux pas? Not to me but as they say, you do you, and I’ll do me. I spotted Oprah wearing a matching denim jacket and jeans on her magazine cover a few months ago and loved the look. So if it’s good enough for Oprah, it is certainly good enough for me:)

Are you enjoying fall weather where you are?