$1 Sate, you can't go wrong!

Where to go on a Sunday night when you don't feel like cooking or spending a fortune? A small little place on Cambie Street in Vancouver called Sate Satu. It's specialty is Indonesian cuisine and it is amazingly tasty. On Sunday nights their special is $1 sate's. Load up on pork, chicken, beef balls, veggie or tofu but don't forget the side of roti and curry sauce it's a real treat. As my brother says, the curry sauce is good with everything. Looking for something that will fill you up a little more, the Rendang curry is unbelievable and the Nasi Goreng is delicious to the last bite. The friendly staff and extensive menu make this hidden treasure a must visit! Sorry I was too involved in the yummy food to take pictures, maybe next time!

Aftermath of a wine and cheese

It began as always, with the best of intentions. A small little get together with the opportunity to taste a few new wines. The usual suspects: wine, cheese, bread, good friends all made their appearance. The theme of Australian wines was almost exclusive and the cheeses ranged from goat, smoked Gouda to French Brie and Port Salut!

We began the evening with a 2008 Marsanne from Tahblik, light fruity and it would be excellent with a fresh fruit salad in the summer. It paired nicely with the sweet mellowness of the fruilano cheese.

Next on the list was the 2008 Viognier by Yalumba. The herbaceous undertones were not received well by everyone but the lively flavour would pair well with a spicy Thai meal. Curry anyone?

Not quite Australian, the 2008 Grey Monk Pinot Gris is always a favorite. A refreshing and sweet wine that when paired with the goat cheese and apricot jalapeno jelly made fireworks in your mouth.

The reds were kicked off with a 2006 Jacob's Creek Shiraz Cabernet. By this point in the evening the smiles were abundant and the portions got progressively larger. It was discovered that this wine made the french brie mellow and sweet however the cheese had exactly the opposite effect on the wine. The order of consumption was set as: friulano cheese, wine, brie then repeat. This way you got the most of both the wine and the cheeses.

Next on our menu was the 2006 Razor's Edge Shiraz Grenache. Purchased by a friend because of the name and the $5 discount, this wine surprised us all. We agreed that it was an "I'd buy this" as compared to an "I'd drink this" or a "this would be good after a few bottles". Tasted lovely with the Port Salut cheese which contrary to the strong stinky feet smell is quite mild in flavour.

Last on the list but certainly not least a young 2009 Layer Cake Shiraz. Full glasses served and the single origin Tanzanie chocolate pulled out of the cupboard for this one. Like a dessert in a glass it was the perfect ending to the tasting.

Now the fun began as the bottles circulated the table, topping up glasses and hollering at the hockey game in the background. Where in all this hilarity was my 16 month old you ask? Sleeping as peacefully as the cats! By the end of the evening there were 6 empty bottles and one full bottle of 2008 Bitch, Grenache. It is a birthday present for a friend that couldn't make it and bottle survived the evening only by the strength of our will power. That and the fact that we're getting a little older now and all night benders just aren't that appealing when you have a alarm clock that won't snooze and is permanently set for 7am......

Sushi

I have eaten sushi at many restaurants, food courts, and take out stands.... Where was the best? A tiny little place in Richmond, BC called Maruwa Sushi has been my favorite so far. If you didn't know about it you could pass by it and never have the pleasure of dining there. The tables are too close together, there is not enough seating and people waiting to get a seat will often file in and crowd the only entrance/exit. Once seated and you start to eat you'll know why none of that matters. I can compare this to Nobu in Las Vegas and say by far a better meal for a fraction of the price. I had lunch there recently and enjoyed a Chirashi Bento or as I would like to consider it a gift box of splendid delicacies. The first course is a perfectly seasoned miso soup and of course the traditional green tea. This bento comes with a lightly battered appetizer tempura including 2 prawns! Once you have finished the first layer, you lift the section of the box off to reveal an assortment of fresh sashimi beautifully arranged over sushi rice, sliced tamago, seaweed and shitake mushrooms. Nestled amongst the fish are slices of cucumber, salmon roe and delicate sprouts making this as pleasant to look at as it is to eat. All this for $11.50, a great value for the quality of the food. Other items on the menu worth trying, ebi sunomono, daily fresh grilled fish, and when in season the divine and indulgent"otoro" (as far as tuna belly goes this is the one to have). Don't take my word for it, take the trip and try it out.

Salt - Fleur de sel

Guess how many types of salt find their home in my cupboards? My current count is 7. Why do I have so many varieties? The better question is why don't you? There is the perfect salt for every dish and every occasion and the key is experimenting.

I started with the famous Fleur de Sel hand harvested from the Brittany coast of France. Directly translated "Flower of Salt" these grainy thick crystals often have a slightly darker almost dirty look to them. Do not be discouraged by the appearance, this salt can add life and energy to your dishes. I often add it to my fresh salsas and salads as the grains don't completely dissolve and linger longer on your tongue. Use sparingly as a little often goes a long way. The increased interest in fine foods has made it easier to find ingredients once almost impossible to locate and most specialty food places will carry this amazing fleur de sel. I usually pick mine up at The Gourmet Warehouse in Vancouver. I encourage anyone who has not tasted this salt to try it out and tell me what you think????

When I have some free time I'll write about my trip to the salt mine, a truly amazing experience and I have the pictures to prove it!

Pizza Oil

It was Friday night and the plan for dinner was pizza. Not just any pizza but Me N Ed's perogy pizza! A break from cooking provided a chance to try out something I had not heard of until this past December. Pizza Oil. The bottle caught my eye and the sales lady's description of it drizzled over a hot pizza twisted my "rubber" arm into purchasing it. The pretty bottle sat on my counter taking up valuable space for the last 4 months until the opportunity to try it out presented it self last night. The smell of fresh pizza filled our average sized 2 bedroom condo and we almost forgot about the pizza oil in favor of inhaling our dinner as soon as it came through the door. We restrained ourselves long enough to cork the pizza oil and take in the sent of herbs and peppers that escaped the long elegant bottle. The question now was drizzle or dip? Choosing more even distribution we opted for dipping. The choice was definitely the right one. The silky oil with a hint of heat from the peppers was the perfect complement to the crisp and delicate crust Me N Ed's was famous for. On my list of items to have again this had earned its place. Maybe even for lunch today.

Other ideas for this yummy oil was to add a nice italian balsamic vinegar and use it as a dip for foccacia or turkish bread.... More to come another day!

This is my answer:

My first attempt at blogging comes inspired by the movie Julie and Julia. I watched this for the first time this week. I was intriguied by the enthusiasm and recipes. For as long as I can remember I have been a food enthusiast, trying out new restaurants and recipes. I shop at specialty gourmet stores and have a pantry full of unique ingredients. Those who know me often ask for my opinion on where to eat or how to prepare something and I usually have an answer. This blog is my answer to those who have yet to ask me for my opinion and those who do. Here goes nothing!