2014/08/20

The First Grader

The First Grader
Based on a true story, The First Grader is about a Kenyan man in his 80's who is determined to learn to read after hearing that the Kenyan government is promising free education for all. The story is about Maruge (beautifully played by Oliver Litondo) an old Mau Mau freedom fighter who fought for the liberation of his country and now feels that he too is entitled of the chance of an education that was denied to him.

The movie takes place in a primary school in a small mountaintop village in Kenya. The school's head teacher Jane (played by Naomie Harris) is quite moved by Maruge's passionate plea and decides to help him to get admitted to the school.

The First Grader is quite a heart-warming, uplifting movie that explores the relationships Maruge develops with the young children at the school. Through this adventure we are taken back 50 years to the dreadful period of British rule in Kenya, when Maruge fought for his country and ended up in extreme and harsh conditions in the British detention camps.


The film is directed by Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) and written by Emmy-winner Ann Peacock (The Chronicles of Narnia).

The First Grader is an inspiring story of one man's fight for what he believes is his right.



2014/08/12

Brebirousse d’Argental

Brebirousse d’Argental is a soft-ripened, bloomy rind, pasteurised sheep's milk cheese made in the Rhône-Alpes region of France.

Brebirousse d’Argental

Brebirousse d’Argental is an eye-catching cheese, it has a bright orange bloomy rind, which has been tinged with annatto (roucou). The creamy buttery ivory-coloured paste is rich and sweet. Brebirousse is aged one month, but as the cheese matures, nutty, earthy flavours develop into a stronger more complex flavoured cheese.

Brebirousse is available in two different square shaped sizes; a small 125 g and the larger 1 kg format that you will find at your favourite cheese shop.

Brebirousse d’Argental pairs nicely with a Sauvignon Blanc or a more delicate light bodied Pinot Noir.

Brebirousse d’Argental is made exclusively for Fromi Group by Fromagerie Guilloteau which is located south of Lyon along the Loire River in the small town of Pélussin, La Fromagerie Guilloteau also produce Chèvre d’Argental another eye-catching hexagonal shaped goat-milk cheese and the popular Le Fromager d’Affiinois an excellent double-cream cheese.


2014/07/31

Evening Primrose

(Oenothera biennis)

Oenothera biennis is a species of Oenothera, an herbaceous flowering plant native to America which can be found from Newfoundland to Alberta. Common names for the Oenothera biennis include; evening primrose, evening star, suncups and sundrops.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)
Oenothera biennis is a biennial (as the name suggests) or short-lived perennial herb producing strong fleshy roots and a basal rosette of lance-shaped leaves in the first year. In the second year, the stems grow and develop beautiful yellow, tubular flowers.

The "evening" in the name relates to the fact that it is a night blooming plant that will produce a succession of short lived blooms from late spring until mid-summer if the dead flowers are removed promptly. The flowers are hermaphrodite, produced on a tall spike and only last until the following day. The flowers open-up visibly fast, every evening producing a lovely spectacle. Their flowers open in the evenings for night flying moths to pollinate them. The Evening Primrose isn't a "primrose," a name best applied to the genus Primula.

The Evening Primrose has eye-catching bright, lemon-yellow, cup-shaped, flowers that measure 2 to 3 inches across and have a mild lemon-scented fragrance. The glossy rich green lance-shaped leaves surround spreading red stems. The seed pods are 4-winged and 2 to 3 inch long and are often used in flower arrangements. It has a spreading growth of 6 to 12 inches in height and 2 to 3 feet wide. The evening primrose is a great plant for borders and rock gardens. It is hardy in zones 5 to 8.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)
The Evening Primrose prefers to be grown in full sun but will tolerate some light shade in the afternoon.
It is an easy plant to take care of; it spreads enthusiastically and might need control. The evening primrose attracts butterflies and birds.

Evening primrose extracts were used medicinally by both Indians and early settlers. The oil from the seed of the evening primrose plant is a gamma-linolenic acid, which is an omega-6 essential fatty acid. The oil is used to treat skin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Evening Primrose oil is also used for treatment of many ailments among them; rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, premenstrual syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome. In foods, evening primrose oil is used as a dietary source of essential fatty acids.


2014/07/11

Club des Belugas featuring Brenda Boykin - Straight To Memphis

Club des Belugas

Club des Belugas is one of Germany's leading Nujazz projects.

They combine contemporary European Lounge & Nujazz styles with Brazilian Beats, Swing and
American Black Soul of the fifties, sixties and seventies using their unique creativity and intensity.

The core of Club des Belugas consists of Maxim Illion and Kitty the Bill; they are supported by various jazz singers and instrumentalists; including the German trumpet players Reiner Winterschladen (Nighthawks) and Thomas Siffling. Guest vocalists include Swedish singer Anna.luca, London based Jazz singer Iain Mackenzie, Anne Schnell from Germany (Jojo Effect), Ester Rada from Israel and San Francisco Bay Area’s Jazz Lady herself, Brenda Boykin a masterful interpreter of jazz and blues.

Club des Belugas - Straight To Memphis featuring Brenda Boykin

It's fresh, it’s fun, it’s infectious!


Straight To Memphis appears on Club des Belugas album Forward released in 2012 on ChinChin Records.


2014/06/19

Frittata

Frittata is an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette but with added ingredients such as cheese, meat and vegetables. The word "frittata" is derived from fritta and roughly translates to "egg-cake". It is also very similar to the Spanish 'tortilla de patatas', which is a thick egg omelette made with potatoes and onions.

Frittata (with asparagus, potatoes and goat milk cheese)

The difference between a frittata and a traditional omelette is the frittata is served open-faced like an egg-pizza. It is not folded over like an omelette to enclose its contents, but rather it is either turned over or even baked in the oven. A frittata always contains additional ingredients that are cooked in the skillet and combined with the raw egg mixture, rather than being laid over the nearly-cooked egg mixture before it is folded as in an omelette. Also, a frittata is cooked over a very low heat, slower than an omelette and is usually also baked for several minutes or grilled briefly to set the top layer. Unlike an omelette which is served whole, a frittata is served divided into sliced wedges and can be served hot, warm, at room temperature or even cold.

The range of possible ingredients for a frittata is limitless; from broccoli, potatoes, zucchinis, onions, asparagus, mushrooms, leeks, peppers, spinach, etc. A frittata is quite the versatile dish as it can be served for breakfast, lunch or for dinner accompanied with a salad.

A frittata is also an excellent quick meal, as long as you have a few vegetables and any cheese on hand. It's also a great way to use up leftovers, from cooked pasta to any cooked or raw veggies to throw together in a skillet and you have a frittata on the table in 20-30 minutes.

One frittata makes roughly six servings.  Don't worry the leftover frittata is nearly as good as when it's straight from the oven. Many people actually believe that the flavour of a frittata improves as it sits. 


Below is a recipe for a potato, onion, asparagus frittata using one of Quebec's finest little artisan goat-milk cheese, the Chèvre À Ma Manière. I love it. Hope you like it.


Chèvre À Ma Manière, Potato & Asparagus Frittata Recipe

-  2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound of potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/4-to-1/2-inch cubes)
- 1 small onion, or more to taste, chopped
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
-  4 to 6 eggs (depending on how many servings you need, or if you prefer more veggies than egg)
- 1 Chèvre À Ma Manière cut into small cubed pieces (if substituting with another cheese you can use 1/2 cup to 1 cup of grated cheese)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- For additional flavour to your frittata you can add fresh herbs or spices. Either chopped fresh basil, parsley, rosemary, turmeric or tarragon can be added to your vegetables when cooking.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably non-stick or cast-iron, generously with oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. It is recommended to use a cast-iron pan or an oven-safe non-stick skillet. If you are using a stainless steel pan, you'll need extra oil to make sure the eggs don't stick to the pan, but remember it must be oven safe.

Peel potatoes and cut them into 1/4-to-1/2-inch cubes.


Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the cubed potatoes in the hot oil until the potatoes begin to brown lightly, about 10 - 12 minutes. Add your onions and cook another 4 more minutes. Season the frittata with salt, pepper and herbs. Add the asparagus and continue cooking until the asparagus is tender, another 5 to 7 minutes;


If you're in a rush you may want to shred your potatoes instead of cutting them in cubes, to save time on cooking the potatoes in the skillet. Or you can also save time by boiling your potatoes.(Put the diced potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, about an inch above the top of the potatoes. Cook over medium-low heat, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and pat dry. If using boiled potatoes you will add the cooked potatoes to your frittata only after any uncooked veggies that you include have been cooked. Add potatoes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown slightly, cook about 4 minutes more in the skillet.) You will be saving time but your potatoes will be missing that little crispy crunch.


Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, herbs or spices (optional) in a large bowl. Eggs for frittata should be beaten vigorously to incorporate more air than traditional omelettes, to allow a deeper filling and a fluffier result.

Evenly pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture in the skillet. Cook, over medium heat, tilting the pan and lifting the edges with a spatula to let the uncooked egg flow underneath. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat and cook, covered, until it appears mostly set with a moist center and top. Add cheese to top of frittata and cook covered for 3 to 5 minutes more. 


Remove lid and place the skillet in the pre-heated oven for approx. 5 to 8 minutes. Until the eggs puff and are set in centre and the cheese is golden brown.

Remove from oven and cut in 6 to 8 wedges. Serve straight from the skillet.

2014/06/12

Le Moutier

Le Moutier is a ripened, firm, pasteurised goat-milk cheese produced by the monks at Fromagerie de l'Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac located on the picturesque lake Memphrémagog in Québec's Eastern Townships.

Le Moutier

Le Moutier is a Swiss-type cheese dotted with small openings in the cooked paste. What distinguishes this cheese is its pristine white colour, due to being made with 100% goat-milk. Le Moutier has a firm yet flexible and elastic paste. It has a light springy texture and a delightful sweet goat-milk taste and aroma. Le Moutier cooks well; it melts and browns at high temperature. Le Moutier is an ideal choice to introduce to a child or adult who is new to goat-milk cheese.

Le Moutier is produced in a small round wheel, this firm goat-milk cheese looks identical to St-Benoit cheese, a cow-milk version that the Abbaye St-Benoît also produces.

Le Moutier is appropriately named after the town and abbey located in the Jura Bernois district in the Swiss canton of Bern. 

Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac

The Fromagerie de l’Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac which is directed by Brother Patrick Flageole, is the only cheese dairy in North America that is run by Benedictine monks. The first cheese created at the Abbey in 1943 was the famed blue Ermite cheese, which is still a celebrated cheese. The Bleu Bénédictin has also picked up several awards, including the Grand Champion in 2000 and the Champion in the blue cheese category in 2002 and 2006. In 2010, Le Moutier won a gold medal in its goat milk category at the World Cheese Awards.

Fromagerie de l'Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac

The monks of the Abbaye Saint-Benoît-du-Lac make their living from their cheese-factory, an apple orchard, a cider-factory, a farm and a store where their products are sold.

Le Moutier pairs nicely with a sparkling apple cider from Cidrerie Abbaye Saint-Benoît.

Try Le Moutier cheese in this delicious Onion Soup with Apples  recipe courtesy of Wikibouffe.iga.net.


Photo source: http://www.lapresse.ca/

2014/06/04

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers is a firm, raw goat-milk farmer’s cheese produced by the Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion located in Québec's Estrie region.


Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers (which translates into The Happy Cheesemakers Cheese) has a firm, washed rind that is ochre in colour with white brushed highlights. The 2 kg  (4.5 lbs) round wheels of Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers are aged from 60 to 90 days. The wheels are washed in brine, which promotes the establishment of brevibacterium on the rind, giving the orange hue to its crust.

The beautiful ivory-white coloured paste is firm, yet elastic, with small perforations. The cheese has a creamy texture with a well-balanced, long-lasting distinctive flavour with hints of floral and honey and goat milk.

Alain and Isabelle of Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion

Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion is operated by Isabelle Couturier and her partner Alain La Rochelle. Their cheese-making premises and goat farm are located in St. Ludger near the Appalachian foothills between Lac-Mégantic and Saint-Georges de Beauce. At Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion all the processes of transforming the milk into cheese are done by hand; mixing the milk, cutting and stirring the curd, molding and brushing and salting the wheels are all done in the traditional manner by hand.

Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers pairs well with a Québec cidre de glace (apple ice-cider). The Chèvrerie Fruit d'une Passion suggests trying slices of the Tomme des Joyeux Fromagers melted over sliced pears that have been braised in maple syrup. Delicious.


2014/05/27

Cheech & Chong - Dave's Not Here

Cheech & Chong are a comedy duo consisting of Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong who had a phenomenal success in the 1970's and 80's with their no-holds-barred stand-up comedy routines.

Cheech and Chong

Cheech & Chong gained popularity with the release of many successful comedy record albums and starred in a series of low-budget films which were all based on the hippie and free love era and their love for cannabis.

Perhaps their most famous line is "Dave's not here", from their 1971 self-titled debut album.

No matter how many times I've heard this routine through the years, whenever I hear it, it still cracks me up.


2014/05/22

Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin de Chavignol (also known as simply Chavignol) is a very popular soft-ripened, raw goat-milk cheese produced in France's Loire Valley. Crottin de Chavignol received its name from the French commune Chavignol, where the cheese was first produced in the 16th century. Crottin de Chavignol received its AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlée) designation in 1976.

Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin de Chavignol is a very small goat-milk cheese that can be enjoyed at various stages of maturity. When it is young, 2-4 weeks old, it measures about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in height and 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter and weights 115 grams (4 oz). At this young stage of life, it has an ivory-coloured rind with a distinctive crinkly surface due to natural yeast and geotrichum bacteria. The white cream coloured, uncooked, unpressed paste is compact yet soft, with a lovely creamy, nutty taste. 

Crottin de Chavignol is an ideal cheese as it can be enjoyed during its various stages of maturity; from a couple of weeks to 4 or more months producing a range of very different flavors. As the cheese ripens, the paste becomes crumbly, then turns dryer and more brittle and as the rind becomes dryer and rougher it also changes in colour from golden to a bluish gray colour, it also shrinks down in size to 40 grams (1.5 oz). As Chavignol matures, it turns into a much richer cheese, with a more pronounced flavour that is more robust, but never sours.

Alpine Goat
Crottin de Chavignol cheese is produced with the raw milk of the Alpine goat.

Crottin de Chavignol is a nice addition to any cheese platter but it is perfect when warmed or grilled and served over a salad. Crottin de Chavignol pairs beautifully with a white wine from the Vallée de la Loire such as a Sancerre or a sparkling Chenin Blanc or a Pouilly Fumé.



Alpine Goat Photo Source: www.wikipedia.org

2014/04/18

John Cabot Rose

(Hybrid Kordesii Rose - Rosa 'John Cabot'; Hybridized by Dr. Felicitas Svejda in 1978)

The John Cabot Rose is surely one of my favourite plants in the garden. It is a beautiful easy to grow winter-hardy climbing rose.
John Cabot Rose
Today we can appreciate the John Cabot Rose thanks to Agriculture Canada, who began a rose breeding program in the 1960's. Their plan was to cross roses with new developed roses from Europe and create a series of roses that would be easy to grow, hardy, disease resistant, repeat blooming and easy to propagate from cuttings. The result of this program has forever changed our Canadian rose gardens. The roses that were developed from this program are known as the Explorer series.

The John Cabot Rose has large, semi-double blossoms that are soft-red in bud, opening to the deepest orchid pink. The flowers, borne in clusters of 3 to 10 blossoms have a slight fragrance. The rose bush is covered with blooms from June with repeat flowers through to fall.

The John Cabot climbing rose can attain a height of 10 feet (3 meter) tall and easily spread to 8 feet (2.5 meter) wide within a couple of years. It is ideal rose to grow on a trellis, fence and arbor or as a hedge. The John Cabot Rose needs full sun (minimum of 6hrs.) and well-drained soil. This rose has healthy glossy foliage that has good resistance to black-spot and powdery mildew and is very winter hardy. It can be grown in Zones 2B to 9.

The John Cabot Rose is an easy care rose that's great for all gardens.

Also check out the William Baffin Rose another hardy climbing rose from the Explorer series.