Perfect Summer Snack? Chips and Guac.

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Maybe it’s because of the fact that Cinco de Mayo was yesterday, or maybe it’s just because of the fact that the warm weather means spring is officially here, but I’ve had a serious craving for chips and guacamole all weekend! I didn’t get to indulge, but I am planning on making some this week. Guacamole is so easy to make and almost requires no recipe – just some basic ingredients and your own flair.

My Take on Guacamole:

Ingredients

Avocados (3-4, ripe)

Lime juice (fresh squeezed, or you can use this Lime Juice that they sell in grocery stores)

Corn (canned)

1 ripe tomato, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the avocados in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl.

2. Mash the avocados using a fork until you reach your desired level of chunkiness (I prefer it a bit chunky, but it’s a complete “to taste” thing)

3. Add about 2 teaspoons of the lime juice, and a handful of the corn and diced tomato

4. Mix together, adding salt and pepper to taste

5. Enjoy!

Normally I would just crack out some store-bought chips to go with that delicious guac, but I recently found a recipe that I can’t wait to try out for homemade, bistro-style chips! The thing I like about this recipe is that it uses simple ingredients, and you can fry it or bake it (if you’re going for an extra-healthy option). These chips remind me of the kind you’d get in Mexico proper – crispy, tortilla-y and so perfect for scooping!

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These go great with a refreshing cerveza, like maybe a Corona.

Gingham Style

Ok, so I’m fairly sure that the “Gingham Style” joke has been made before…a lot. That aside, I’d like today to talk about that ever-popular pattern – gingham. I have kind of a love-hate relationship with it. On the one hand, I love how some of it looks. On the other…it seems to be everywhere, which given the boldness of the pattern, can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. But I’d like to start embracing it a bit more as part of that “rustic chic” I love so much. It reminds me of The Wizard of Oz, and it’s so classic vintage.

Gingham is typically found in clothing (like these men’s shirts or this woman’s skirt), but in the last while, it’s making a big debut in homes, too:

Couch: bold gingham against a muted, neutral background, via CB2

 

Tea Towel: picnic-in-the-park feel, all the time, via West Elm

 

Table Runner: looks so great against a wood table, via Pottery Barn

 

Storage Basket: adds a pop of pattern to ordinary storage, via Bed, Bath and Beyond

 

Plates and Cutlery: perfect for springtime and backyard dining, via Elle Decor

While I’m still looking on how to best add a splash of gingham to the apartment, I think it’s a perfect spring/summer pop of colour that brings to mind barbecues and picnics in the park. In my opinion, this pattern does well with subtlety so while I would likely not buy an entire gingham couch, I do love the idea of having some napkins, or a set of plates around for a bit of en vogue flash.

If you’re looking for some more ideas on decorating with gingham, you can read this article at Apartment Therapy, or check out the writeup in Elle Decor. I’m also sure your grandparents have some gingham hanging around that you can use (after all, what was popular once tends to become popular again at some point)!

Night Out: Spring Fling

Last night, my friend Allison and I had a night out (we have those with quite fervent regularity) and decided to try out an old classic, The Drake Hotel. Now that spring is officially in the air, we were ok venturing outside of our little respective nooks to Queen West. I’ve mentioned the Drake before (back in the early days of this blog when I talked about good gifts for the holidays from their General Store), and it’s definitely one of my favourite spots in the city. The Art Deco vibe, mixed with good music and great drinks makes for a fun night out, every time.

Right now through April 30th, they have a prix fixe special going on that just sounded too good to pass up. For $32, you get an appetizer + a main + a dessert. Bonus: they have a neat selection of spring cocktails to accompany your meal (like one of my favourites, the basil smash).

Allison’s Basil Smash and my (uber-strong!) bourbon-based “A Clockwork Orange” 

Dinner was, in a word, yummy. Between the two of us, we tried 4 dishes (we tend to think quite similarly when it comes to food). A really refreshing cucumber + mache + sorrel salad (with mint and feta) started the meal for both of us. I then moved on to a really crispy-on-the-outside-juicy-on-the-inside eggplant parmigiana, and she had a seared lamb loin with shallots, carrots, peas and chickpea puree (which was described as “melt in your mouth good!”). Dessert was my favourite, though. There’s absolutely nothing I love more in a dessert than blueberries, unless it’s wild blueberries smothering a vanilla cheesecake with walnuts. Mmmmmm….

I’d never actually had a sit-down meal at the Drake before (usually just appetizers/nibblies and drinks) but I’m so glad we did because it was all sorts of good. Plus, the service was undeniably good – our waitress was so attentive, without being overbearing, and it felt like our table was more than taken care of. The best part of the whole meal, though, was being up in the Sky Yard – the Drake’s rooftop, semi-covered (for now – in the summer it’s totally open and has one of the best rooftop drinking spots in the city) patio which was such a nice respite from the cold, cold winter over the past few months.

 

Flower Power

I will admit, I’m not the best at maintaining plants in my home. But that doesn’t mean I don’t absolutely love them. Now that spring is right around the corner, thoughts turn to blooming trees and flowers. On my list of homey things to become good at this year is creating (and maintaining) flower arrangements. In preparation for that, here are 3 easy steps to getting your home spruced up with flowers for spring:

The vase can easily act as an accent piece in your home (like the red and white poppy  vase from Anthropologie), it can be a more neutral choice with a pop of colour (like the Kauai vases from CB2), or it can be a simple clear vase that allows the flowers to pop on their own (like the Kanist vase from Ikea). Or, you can have a mixture of all 3 with different flower arrangements throughout your house.

Tons of gorgeous flowers come in bloom during the spring months – daffodils, peonies, orchids, freesia… Lots of colours, sizes and textures to choose from. My personal preference for flower arrangements is picking one main colour and working around that palette – for example, choosing a daffodil as your main flower means you can have other yellows (like a yellow poppy or a daisy) as well as whites and oranges (like an orange tulip or lily of the valley). Find something fragrant (but not too fragrant) and something that will live well indoors. Make sure there is enough light where your flowers will be, too – you don’t want your arrangement to wilt sooner than it has to.

Love the style of this arrangement from HGTV

As far as I’m concerned, there is no “right way” to arrange a vase in your home. Sure there are tips and tricks and professional opinions, but so long as the flowers speak to you and they show off your home style and personality, you can’t go wrong. My personal thoughts are to have one more “out there” arrangement at a focal point in a main room (accent vase with unique mix of flowers in complementary colours) then use more neutral arrangements throughout the home in places like your bedroom, dining room and even kitchen (particularly if you have an island). Make sure to trim your flowers before placing them in the vase, and switch out the water once a week to help keep them as fresh as possible for as long as you can.

For a bit of inspiration, you can go here and here to see some awesome arrangements. Now if only the weather outside would warm up…

Dangerously Cheesy

Via CBC.ca.

If there’s any food I love as much as bacon, it’s cheese. I absolutely love and adore it – stinky, soft, aged, fondu-ed – any kind will do. One of my favourite warm-weather Friday nights out is sitting on a patio somewhere (at home or at a restaurant), enjoying a glass of wine (white, pinot grigio ideally) and nibbling on a platter of cheese.

In preparation for spring and nights out on the balcony in our new place, I’ve tried to find a formula for the perfect cheese plate. A good cheese plate has a few key components: cheese variety (different flavours, textures and ripeness), fruits (I like apples, pears, and figs but it is all dependent on your cheeses), jam/marmalade/honey (I like honey with any cheese, and a light fruit jam with softer cheeses), and some kind of cracker/bread (the crispier and thinner, the better).

via blogto.com.

Toronto has some amazing cheese shops: Alex on Yonge, Global Cheese in Kensington, and Leslieville Cheese Market are among my personal favourites. When it comes to choosing the right cheeses for a plate, I often tend to select about one or two known favourites (a blue cheese, asiago or a sharp cheddar for example) then get a few more new flavours. I also try to have a nice mixture of hard, semi-hard, soft and blue cheeses as well as cheese from different milks (my personal favourite? goats milk, any time). The fruits and marmalade/honey/jam on the side for pairing, is key. I find these touches often bring out the flavour of cheeses in totally new ways. Finally, I like to cut up (thinly!) and toast some fresh baguette, as well as provide one or two store-bought cheese cracker options.

Cheese – like wine – has its experts, flavour profiles, and unique notes that you can learn about over time. If you’re ever looking to learn more (and make your friends happy with delicious cheese servings on balmy nights), here are a few places to go:

A Beautiful Mess’ simply elegant tips for creating a cheese plate

Real Simple Food has a more in-depth view of creating cheese pairings

Huffington Post’s guide to cheese (with video!)

The Kitchn has a great article on pairing wine with cheese

…or, just pair some cheese, wine and bacon bits and call it a wonderful evening!