A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

Labels: food

Today was busy. We got up and did shopping first. On the way back we travelled via Lougheed Mall and picked up the Mexican Cruise tickets for the February 10th, Long Beach departure. After that, we decided to make use of the limited-time coupon for a free buffet mentioned a while back.

I'm not so sure that a quick drive across the border is worth the effort nowadays. Even though we got to the Peach Arch Border Crossing in the early afternoon, the lineup started well before getting to the park. Things went fairly fast, but it still took more than thirty minutes. Coming back into Canada was just as long, if not a few minutes more. An hour's drive hardly seems worth an hour's wait. As well as the simple questions one may expect, both sides wanted to know where we worked, the exact reason for our crossing, and of course couldn't fathom we weren't carrying newly-purchased merchandise. I hate being made to feel guilty or fearful for nothing. I mentioned as we were going south that we were going for lunch and she wanted to know where and if we were meeting anyone.

In Europe borders are disappearing. Here, I feel just like in my early days of work when trying to enter or leave Saudi Arabia. The myth of the longest, unprotected border is nothing but a distant memory these days. It's a shame, eh?

Labels: Canada, food

Okay, eating is no longer listed as a favourite hobby on my resume but I'm still a sucker for a good buffet.

Back before Christmas, on our way to visit Seattle for a few days, we stopped in Bellingham, Washington which is the first city along I-5. Bellis Fair Mall abuts the freeway and is a popular place for British Columbians in search of bargains when the dollars are near par. We weren't searching for a deal on clothes or electronics. We simply wanted a place to get breakfast as we were on the road early.



I'm a big fan of buffets. Rather than focusing on simple quality, it becomes all about the potential for massive quantities. Gobs of food are required to get my nod. The Country Buffet in the mall met the criteria. It reminded me of a Vegas hotel or even a cruise ship breakfast. We filled out some sort of membership card that included our email addresses. Today, I received an e-coupon for a free lunch or dinner buffet with the purchase of one. Unfortunately it is due to expire on February 5th, so we'll have to take a trip to Bellingham just to make use of it. Oh yeah .. all you can eat ham .. is so worth a thirty-five mile trip. (That sentence was said while drooling like Homer Simpson.)

How does all this rigmarole mesh with the fact, for the first time since purchasing the bathroom scales in October of 2006, I weighed in at under 200 lbs this morning? And this weight is down from nearly 240, mind you. These facts aren't connected. My words and deeds needn't be consistent nor connected in any way.

Labels: food, weight loss

It's a really good thing that one grows older just one day at a time. It'd be quite a shock if one were to have a mirror which showed our image ten or twenty years down the road. The fact those wrinkles develop so slowly is a real blessing. There's nothing better than meeting the future in tiny increments. As common wisdom maintains, growing older is enormously better than the alternative.

I never took a supplements until a few years ago. Who'd have thought that at this stage in my life, my breakfast would start by swallowing the following:

Coated Aspirin: 325 mg

Fenofibrate: 200 mg

Fish Oil: 1000 mg

Folic Acid: 2 mg

Hydrochlorothiazide: 25 mg

Multivitamin: 1 tablet

Niacin: 2500 mg

Vitamin D3: 1000 IU

Zinc: 25 mg

It's little wonder I do not eat a big breakfast anymore!

Labels: food

The subject of toasting came up among friends at dinner last night. It is a rather strange ritual if one stops to think about it. There are all sorts of habits whose origins are often lost in antiquity. For example, I cannot, for the life of me, avoid saying the obligatory "Bless You" phrase after someone sneezes.

In a nutshell, a few common themes crop up during Internet searches on the topic of toasting. First, there's the common notion that hosts, both ancient Greeks and later Romans, publicly tested the beverage to show guests there was no poison. Apparently, having an extra ingredient in the wine was a common way to rid oneself of enemies. The clink, under this theory, came to express camaraderie. A second common urban legend simply proposes the the clink of glasses was supposed to drive away evil spirits and initiated the idea of drinking to one's health. Or was it done to simply to add the fifth sense to an evening already containing sight, smells, touch, and taste?

The truth probably has more to do with roots in by-gone rituals. Okay, let's move on to the word toast itself. Could it have been the burnt bread put into slightly off ancient wine to make it more drinkable?

Do a little searching and you can decide by yourself. If you wish, you can read a more scholarly explanation here. Leave a comment below if you find something which has to be included.

Labels: food

In Canada, we celebrate a few weeks ahead of the fifty states. Still, the meal remains pretty similar and I suppose often depends on family traditions.


We're heading to Richmond to have some bird later this afternoon. Going there for the special day is our tradition now. This photo is Shinji's effort from back in 2002.

Labels: Canada, food

I'm still spending a little time here working on creating useful blog labels. Those are the little links you see beneath this and all entries. If you click one, it'll take you to a freshly-created page containing every entry containing that label. These might stretch from the present time through the inception of the blog in September 2003.

This morning is our typical grocery shopping time at the Canadian Superstore in Coquitlam. This made me wonder what I'd included under the topic of food. It seems to still be a favourite topic even though I've managed to lose 11 kilograms simply by trying to be a little more careful. If I am what I eat then lately I'm less. To see the food-related entries, just click the picture below or the actual label under it.



Or you may visit my Food & Drink collection on Flickr.

Labels: food

Earlier today, I was in the middle of creating a post entry and things went suddenly very quiet. For you see, the electricity went out. It went out at the PC, for every device in the apartment, all over my building, and as we later found out, the entire block. That occurred at close to 5:00 pm. By the time it got to be seven, we figured we should go out for dinner. It seemed too much of a hassle to locate the camping stove.

First, we walked around downtown and thought of reasons why we didn't want to eat at various places. Basically, we're cheap. Later, we jumped into the truck and went to our buffet place in Surrey. For the same price, we had so much more to choose from. Actually, due to how I'm feeling right now, I'm pretty sure I chose too much.

Major electrical connections from the province run through this area and we've never been without power. Today, most of the city wasn't without, but we were and life sucks without juice. I even saw kids playing in the street undoubtedly because their PlayStations weren't running. Imagine, that!

Labels: blogging, food

I've only a second today for an entry. I'm on break on my laptop. After my COMM 0004, I will head over to the office to eat and do a little prep for my evening COMM 0030/31 evening class. Wait, I forgot to bring along my salad from the refrigerator! I'll have to grab something from the cafeteria. The problem is it's much too tempting to pick out something greasy.

Labels: BCIT, food

The flyer came in the local newspaper. I noticed the PriceSmart foods name and expected that the closest one was in Surrey. I remember stopping at one on the King George highway and struggling with the self-service check out. I think we had to walk in through a picket line to get in the front door. The union was peeved that the parent company called the Overwaitea Food Group switched the premisis from its former Save-On-Food brand and fired all the senior, highly-paid workers.

I did notice that the flyer showed the grand opening of a store not far from here. We seldom have the need to cross into Burnaby on Marine Way. The brochure said it was at Byrne Road but I could not picture anything in that area. It was just industrial and agricultural land as far as I could recall. So, I drove only a mile and a half beyond the Queensborough Bridge and sure enough, there it was! There is a whole business development with a Canadian Tire, London Drugs, Mark's Warehouse and the small shops that surround anchor stores like calves to a teat.

I suspect the shopping area is targeted to those on Burnaby's south slope that don't wish to tangle with the crowds at Metrotown. Retail keeps getting larger and larger. It also continues to get closer and closer.

Labels: food

Next month contains an anniversary, of sorts. I remember it as the month I quit smoking. For many years I was a pack-a-day smoker. Although, it was easy to recall starting the habit, I was looking all around on my PC to figure out when stopped. I did know that it was after moving into this apartment. One February day, I stepped out on to the balcony and took my last drag. I just couldn't seem to recollect which year that puff took place.

I searched.

MS Money didn't have records of my buying nicotine patches and Zyban. Even though the data from closed, old accounts is still available, it lacks a search feature. I gave up.

Then, I went through some photos. I found the following picture in a series of a dozen photos entitled SMOKE FREE DAY. It was with friends at Uncle Willy's Buffet at Lougheed in Burnaby. I know this was when I offered to take people out on the anniversary of quitting. The photo was dated February 4, 2002. Yet, I was unsure of which year it was in celebration.



Finally, when looking at myhistory.doc I found the answer. I keep single word processing file that contains information in point form. For example, a large purchase or a vacation might be listed. In that file under February 1999, a single listing states, 'Quit Smoking'. I have not bought a cigarette for eight years! What have I done with the extra $20,000.00?

Labels: food, Tim

Last Monday, I had snapped at least one photo for every one of the previous 500 days. It's an image-journal, of sorts, found on Flickr. I can wax poetic about the distant past or the unforseen future in this blog. However, my finger had to press the shutter button in the thick of the moment so I could include something in my Daily Picture Parade.



It's rather nice to be able to check on a specific date in the past. For example, a year ago in this blog I was bragging about being listed as #396 on Feedster's top blogs.

Yet, the photo above shows something that happened that day. It was taken after returning home from shopping at a speciality food store in Vancouver. A year ago November 20th was a Sunday.

Labels: Daily Picture Parade, Flickr, food

We spent the morning out and about. We spent most of it on the Hong Kong Island side and I snapped a few photos. We took the tram to Kennedy Town and back. It only costs $HK 2. It's slow but affords a nice view of the street scene.

We got back early to the hotel room so as to have an hour-long nap. We had set up our second appointment to meet with the Ryans. During the second night in the city we followed the directions to their apartment. We had a dinner with the family.

The idea tonight was to let us take them out to dinner. We'd chosen Friday as we wanted to spend time with them and the kids too. They chose to take us to their 'boat club'.

We got to the club as it was getting dark. It was superb sitting at the water's front where we could see the famous floating Jumbo Restaurant. It felt so very expat. The kids swam and played foozball. I had a few beers. There was a great selection of food and I had an Indian Madras chicken curry. Jay ate Indonesian Nasi Goreng. Yet here's proof that Anna had noodles!

Labels: food, Hong Kong, world

Today was low key. We didn’t have any trips. We didn’t even go to Minuwangoda’s Sunday Fair. Lots of vendors come to sell food and products in temporary stalls each Sunday. We had no need to go, as we’re planning to be gone for some of next week and there’s already enough food in the house.

As I’m typing this, it’s only a few hours short of our arrival a week ago. It surely doesn’t seem as if so much time has passed. Maybe this seems more obvious due to the fact we’re only to be here for four weeks!

I spent a lot of time today just doing the things that make up life. I washed a number of clothes by hand and hanged them out to dry. It takes things an incredibly long time to dry naturally here because of the humidity. Personal shaving and washing take time. Preparing food and snacks occupied a large part of the day too. It seems possible to get into true vacation mode here.

The benefits of an authentic vacation is one has to get back to basics. When hunting first for shelter and then for food, people are forced out of the routine of their normal lives. That is what makes these times extremely important. I will remember this evening, typing in front of music from the recent Sri Lankan Idol, longer than many of the other nights of 2006.

---

On another train of thought, I considered I was quite kind on the environment today. You have to remember I have grown up with criticism of North American energy use. I have always maintained that a little waste can keep things rolling. Furthermore, habits change quickest when they come up against economic realities. The most effective long-term changes will occur not through the signing of an international protocol, but from the point at which economics forces people to do things differently.

I could have used fewer calories of energy had I not frozen my freshly-pulped beli juice today. I would have not put it into the freezer had it been too great an economic cost. It wasn’t, so I enjoyed the luxury of using more energy than necessary. Maybe it’s the manipulation of the environment in pursuit of personal pleasure that separates us from the animals.

Labels: food, Sri Lanka 2006

Today started at 6:00 and actually I was again awoken by the coho bird’s morning serenade. The closest one started first. Others answered. For all I know, the calls continued to be telegraphed down the south coast.

Lal left to spend the night in Nugegoda. He can feed the cats and check up on the house. He’ll return tomorrow for Jay’s birthday. His sisters are making a big deal about it. Actually, his younger sister’s birthday was last month, so they’re sort of combining the events. It might means the opportunity for a few more drinks although Jay, himself, doesn’t partake in that vice.

After, the tuktuk arrived back. Younger sister, Jay, and I went to town to the Food City. They are a huge chain of small, super-efficient grocery stores run by Cargill’s. They are a very old name in trade here. The incarnation of Food City shops are just a sign of the times. All stock is computerized, which I’m sure helps them be quite efficient. They carry those things that people used to expect as gifts from overseas family members.

Since Middle East days in the 1980’s Jay’s always made a big deal about purchasing things for any trip home. All Sri Lankans did. It wasn’t just big ticket items like televisions and video decks. Lots of consumer items would be shipped or come as accompanied baggage too. In some cases the imported product probably WAS of superior quality. I’m sure Cadbury chocolates probably were better than those from Kandos. The people of many countries associate particular products as being the best from specific countries. So Swiss watches carry panache. However, Sri Lankans took this to the extreme. The assumption was, and to a small extent still is, if it comes from somewhere else it is probably better.

The Food City chain is probably reflecting the realities of the global market place rather than catering the whims of local consumers. Yes, the frozen, uncooked French fries came directly from the USA as did the fresh poultry. My deodorant stick came from the Philippines but the sponge wipes from Germany. Still there are lots of manufactured food products from right on island.

The thing that really shows economic change is now the closest Food City is about a kilometer and a half away. Being able to find a can of Quaker Oats on a shelf so close is undoubtedly development. Isn’t it?

Labels: food, Sri Lanka 2006

Yesterday's entry mentioned two things which proved summer was ending. Here is another one.

Labels: food

We're hardly up with the birds this morning. There was no need. We soaked in various pools, both indoor and out, a lot yesterday evening. I'm sure my skin looks at least 20 years younger! (Would that mean I'd have to Oxy 5 acne medication by the drum?) The town is also cute and feels touristy.

We are going to breakfast soon. The second floor Lakeside Cafe looks out over Harrison Lake. What a nice place to have eggs and all that goes along with a breakfast buffet.

What a nice, one-night getaway this is! It'll have to become an annual event.

Labels: food, places

It's nice to have something planned. Last night we were provided the most delicious barbequed food and wonderful selection of wines. I'd like to thank the hosts in Richmond for having us all over.



Today, we'll be driving out the Fraser Valley to Harrison Hot Springs. We'll stay in the resort and see what's going on in town too.

Labels: food

In Canada, all food packages are written in English and French. I noted that Cole Slaw was labeled in French as Salade de Chou. That made be curious as to the origin of the English version. Thankfully, the Net is always open although yesterday, the municipal library closed at 5:00 pm. Here's some information I copied from www.foodtimeline.org.

---

We know from Apicius that Ancient Roman cooks prepared shredded cabbage dressed with vinegar, eggs and spices. Food historians generally agree the term "cole slaw" is of Dutch origin, implying perhaps that the true progenitor of modern coleslaw is most likely a Medieval creation with Roman roots. Mayonnaise is an 18th century invention, meaning the recipe (as we know it today) is only about 200 years old. The origin of the term "cole slaw' holds much interest for food historians. Notes here:

"Coleslaw means literally cabbage salad'. English borrowed and adapted the word from Dutch koolsla at the end of the eighteenth century, probably from Dutch settlers in the USA, and the first printed example of it shows its outlandishness tamed to cold slaw--a folk-etymological modification often repeated in later years. English does however have its own equivalent to Dutch kool, cabbage', namely cole. Like kool, this comes ultimately from Latin caulis, cabbage', whose underlying etymological meaning is hollow stem'."

---An A to Z or Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 85)

About cole slaw in America

"Coleslaw. Also, "cabbage salad," Shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, and seasonings, usually served cold as a side dish. The words are from Dutch koolsla, a combination of kool, "cabbage," and sla, "salad" a dish that was known in America in print by 1785. Because it is usually served cold, some call the dish "cold slaw" in contrast to "hot slaw," but there is no relation to the temperature in the etymology."

---The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 92)

"The earliest European settlers on North America's eastern shores brought cabbage seeds with them, and cabbage was a general favorite throughout the colonies. The Dutch who founded New Netherland (New York State)...grew cabbage extensively along the Hudson River. They served it in their old-country ways, often as koolsla (shredded cabbage salad). This dish became popular throughout the colonies and survives as coleslaw...By the 1880s, cabbage and its cousins had fallen from favor with the upper class because of the strong sulfurous odors these vegetables give off when cooking...But this sturdy and versatile vegetable never disappeared from middle-class kitchens."

---Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew F. Smith [Oxford University Press:New York] 2004, Volume 1 (p. 147)

---

Labels: food

I knew that today I'd just paste in a photo taken yesterday.

I had to decide between Granville Street after yesterday's St. Patrick's Parade, the Vancouver Public Library, the 'Q' at Lonsdale Quay, or this ...



Well, you can see that lunch won.

Labels: food, Vancouver

Generally, when I think of global trade, I always picture automobiles, electronics, or even textiles. Yet yesterday's trip to the supermarket proved otherwise. There's always been a demand for imported foodstuff, but I'm sure it used to be comprised mainly of canned goods or manufactured products.

I don't suppose bananas were ever grown in Canada. Yet, now it seems nearly any fruit or vegetable is available year round. The watermelons are from southern Mexico, plums from Argentina, and -- well -- California must cultivate everything. The local market recently had loads of Egyptian oranges. That seems like a long ways to send a fruit. Of course, all this is being written by a boy who'd never seen a mango or kiwi until nearly into adulthood.

Anyway, yesterday's trip to the Canadian Superstore provided me with something to look up on the Internet. This grain, while new to me, is apparently quite ancient. Have you every heard of quinoa (keen-wa)?

Labels: food

Living in this building is very convenient but it can be a bit of a curse too. I can walk to a convenience store without going outside. That sounds fine but you have to remember that it means I can buy junk food easily. It's probably not good that I can get a bag of potato chip in my slippers.

Canadians spend a great deal of time trying to figure out how we're different from the people who live to the south. Some compare our health care systems while others point to the difference in political views. At the moment now, let's focus on potato chips. I've heard that dill-pickle potato chips aren't available south of the border while it's a Canadian favourite. We'd much rather have 'em all dressed than settle for the boring, original flavour.

This evening, although I should have eaten an apple, I bought a bag of Lay's new Spicy Curry chips. They were okay but I thought I detected a chicken taste. If it's curry, I'd much rather mistake it for veggie than tandoori. I might return to bacon flavour next time.

Still, I will keep my eyes (and tongue) peeled for the rumoured Wasabi-flavoured bags and will let you know my opinion.

Labels: food

Okay, it's not exactly Vegas.

Every so often, we do go to Hara's Buffet for lunch. It's located near the Silvercity Threatres and the Wal-mart in the Whalley neighbourhood of Surrey, BC. They offer Western, Chinese, and Indian foods. I will always celebrate all-you-can-eat dining. We grabbed lunch there yesterday.

The restaurant doesn't seem to have a web site. After mentioning Hara's in the past, I've seen visitors arrive at my eJournal and images because they were searching for details. Here are some:

Hara's Buffet
100-15155 101st Ave,
Surrey, BC V3R 7Z1 tel (604) 589-1929.

Labels: food, Surrey, Walmart

You'd never find them when driving around. They blend in too well with the commercial environment of ethnic restaurants and businesses along Fraser Street in Vancouver.



Although in British Columbia over nine and a half years, we'd never gone shopping expressly for Sri Lankan food products. Yesterday, we found three, main grocery shops on Fraser Street in Vancouver, BC. These small markets carry otherwise-impossible-to-find items which are manufactured and exported from the island. We returned with a cache of goodies that I've not eaten since several months in Sri Lanka in the fall of 2004.

Labels: food

I've yet to meet anyone who's actually benefited much from Air Miles programs. I am not talking about a specific, frequent-flier program, I mean the loyalty programs that are offered by businesses such as Safeway and Future Shop. I assume most points go unused. I think it is just a lot of hype. People think they are getting something for nothing when in fact most get nothing.

We shop for groceries almost exclusively at the Great Canadian Superstore. There are several with convenient locations fairly close but we nearly always go to the recently-expanded one on the Lougheed Highway in Coquitlam. Even when camping across this country, we ended up buying food from Superstores and the affiliated Atlantic Superstores back east. Even Dominion markets in Newfoundland are connected. The prices are low and the range of products expansive.

The Great Canadian Superstore's President's Choice Financial credit cards make sense for us though. Every purchase within the stores earn PC Points but their Mastercard returns 1% in points on all purchases. If I drop next week's truck registration and insurance on plastic, then we're assured of about a month of free milk. By the end of the year we'll have received well over $300 in free groceries. Now that's a reward program that makes sense to me. After all, food is a necessity as well as a personal hobby!

Labels: credit card, food, money

Yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving Day, so I was thinking about the difficulty of serving food to a large group of people.

It's hard to make sure everything is completed at the same time. It's hard to remember to have all necessary ingredients on hand. It's sometimes hard to even find the room to cook for a large number of family and friends.

I realized I would have to include this photo taken a year ago in Sri Lanka. This is considered the location where Buddhism was first introduced to Sri Lanka around 200 BC. If you are interested in learning more about this place there's a good article here.

You many also want to go to entries from this blog which were written at that time.

These kids are standing in a rice boat in Mihintale. It was filled to serve bowls of rice to monks. See how much it might hold! There were known to be up to 2,000 monks at Mihintale at once. Can you imagine putting on a meal for that many people!

Now doesn't that put harried preparation for a holiday meal into perspective?

Labels: food

No wonder why the world's been agog over Flickr. I've been slow to investigate the service. Although initally started by folks from here, it's now a part of the Yahoo empire. Thankfully though, the new management doesn't make one jump through hoops to participate.



Here's a sample picture uploaded to Flickr. The photo was taken in the wine tasting section of the Burrowing Owl Winery. Luckily, Jay and I had just watched the DVD of Sideways (2004), so we were in the right mood.

Labels: British Columbia, Flickr, food

Sometimes making decisions is tough. I'm accepting recommendations as to which of the following options would be better for a weekly splurge.

Now that potato chips have practically become health food, I don't have to forgo the pleasure, right? Unfortunately, my typical serving size does not match Ruffles' skimpy calculation on the nutritional label. The side of their bag maintains there are five servings inside, while I'm hard pressed to find two!

Yet, if I can limit myself to half the package I will get:

Calories - 810
Total Fat - 51 g
Saturated fat - 4.5 g
Sodium - 1800 mg
Carbs - 78 g.

Wait. Those figures look suspiciously familiar. Now, let's compare them to a tried-and-true McDonald's Big Mac and medium fries:

Calories - 880
Total Fat - 45 g
Saturated Fat - 17 g
Sodium - 1450 mg
Carbs - 89 g.

Hummm? You can see my quandary, can't you?

Labels: food

This jar of Just Peanuts was purchased at the Canadian Superstore. The cover of the peanut butter reads:

"Oil separation naturally occurs with this product. Stir fully before use. Refrigerate after opening."

A few years back, it would have been nearly impossible to find this type of product at most supermarkets. Food manufacturers just assumed that customers preferred convenience over health concerns. Although hydrogenated oils prevent product separation, they dramatically increase the risk of coronary heart disease, breast cancer, other types of cancers.

Thankfully, making better choices is getting easier. Where we shop, people can now run around looking for the light blue labels!

President's Choice - NEW PC BLUE MENU!

Labels: food

Although I am loathe to admit it, I enjoy shopping immensely. I don't like ALL shopping, mind you. I think shopping for clothes sucks, I hate walking aimlessly around a mall, and I do not even enjoy visiting electronics retailers. (That's probably because there are far too many gadgets and toys I would like but have decided I cannot afford.)

I do like grocery shopping though. There is something satisfying about the search for useful items. Spending money on groceries seems like a very reasonable expense. For you see, few items are as useful to me as food.

I am constantly amazed by the selection and quantity. I pick up one and wonder how that plum from Chile ended up in a Superstore in Coquitlam, BC. I like pushing around the oversized cart, helping to pick out far too many oversized items, destined for consumption by a slightly oversized gentleman. Me.

Labels: food

I'm intrigued by how urban myths, hoaxes, and email humour circulate on the Internet. There are always some common elements but many portions eventually become personalized. The first occurs because it's so easy to select and copy; the latter happens as each contributor wants to make a better 'fit' for a specific audience.

Here is a well-worn version received by email yesterday. In order to view alternate copies, see what Google can offer. Strangely doing a search for God created green salad produced much more consistent results than God created yogurt.

---

In the beginning, God created Heaven and Earth and populated the Earth with
broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of
all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and
Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man
said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some
sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that
Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and
sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size
14.

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island
Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman
unfastened their belts.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in
which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and
chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more
weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and
said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's
Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those
extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not
have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried
before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with
nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy
center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still
satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double
cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes!
And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into
cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery. So, Satan created HMOs
and Canada's government-managed healthcare.

Labels: food, humour

I didn't beg. I didn't complain. I didn't even see the 2-for-1 coupons in the newspaper. So, it was quite the surprise yesterday when Jay suggested going to the River Rock Casino Resort's Runway 26 Buffet in Richmond. The dessert table is so good it would be worth ponying up at their standard pricing. We ate enough to nearly skip dinner.

Labels: food

It sounds like they're really working to make food healthier. Canadian McDonald's Toasted Deli Sandwiches premiered this weekend. Doesn't a New York Reuben sound better than a Big Mac? Let's take a diuretic and a closer look:

Labels: food

Although, plans for Portland were in the back of our minds, we procrastinated too long to venture far today. Besides, the weather was completely sunny and beautiful here but the forecast for northern Oregon shows rain every day through Tuesday.

We didn't need to travel a long ways to do something different. We had never been in the Aberdeen Shopping Centre over in Richmond (15 min. video [link has expired]). We wanted to visit the big, Japanese two-dollar store called Daiso [link has expired]. Richmond is the city where the Vancouver airport is and it's just down river at the mouth of the Fraser.

After, we went to the River Rock Casino Resort. Although we didn't put even a nickel in the slots, we did eat a $14.95 buffet lunch .. with, oh .. too many wonderful desserts. (He says this while typing with one hand and patting his stomach with the other.)

Labels: food

Hardly anyone admits to eating fast food nowadays. However, as I've not seen many restaurants going belly up, apparently folks are still making sufficient purchases at them. When trying to think of a simple way to determine the urbanization of an area, I think I've hit upon the Fast-Food Proximity Quotient. With sufficient data, I'm sure I could correlate North American population statistics to the answer to the following question:

How many McDonald's are within 5 miles of your home?

If you'd care to take the time to answer, I'll get right to work on the algorithm. Perhaps we could also factor in an added percentage for each Burger King and calculate each Wendy's with greater weight.

Labels: food

Posted by: Dennis S Hurd / 8:18 AM 0 comments

They're at it again -- making food that is! Jay's making a fuitcake. His sisters are preparing pickles, and a type of sweet dessert. This time the preparation is for tomorrow's dinner and Thursday's lunch. The one-year memorial for Jay's mother will take place here. There was a similar 3-month occasion that was very elaborate. This one will be smaller with just family members and a few neighbours.

Tomorrow, in preparation, a monk will come in the evening for a sermon. Then on Thursday's lunch, seven monks will come for a big almsgiving. I don't feel out-of-place here but these days promise to be a new experience. I hadn't seen Jay's mom since my 1991 visit.

On a completely different note: I walked 5.7 kilometers around the neighbourhood here. Without my GPS, I'd have been royally lost. We're only about ten miles from the international airport but the roads and paths to home are pure jungle! Once I was only 570 meters from the house but walked a way which was impossible to traverse. I had to reverse back to another road. I saw, among other things: rice paddies, a swimming hole, a temple, and a school where little kids were anxious to try out their English lessons. The shouted, "What's your name?"

Labels: food, GPS, Sri Lanka 2004, temple

Many hours today were spent buying and preparing food. Jay and younger sister went to the Sunday Market this morning.

This afternoon everyone was cooking. Lots of food is needed as Jay's sister-in-law is going to work in Cyprus. This was a sudden opportunity and was not being considered even back when we all travelled to the elephant sanctuary. She is coming from Nugegoda and this house is directly on the way to the airport. Other in-laws will be coming, so there will be twelve plus the five of us.

The availability of convenience foods has exploded here since my last visit. There are individual packets and innovative packaging. I never realized the actual work involved between the tree and coconut milk for a curry! Now, however, there is instant powder that comes in boxes. Just like the allure of homemade food, doing it by hand takes a long time but is still considered the 'real way'.

As a general rule, if we spent less time saving time, we might enjoy the experiences of living life. Who wants to eat products that are untouched by human hands?

Labels: food, Sri Lanka 2004

Exciting vintages of Chateau de Hurd cannot be found on supermarket or liquor-store shelves.

It may have been nearly a year since I blogged about bottling wine, but this doesn't mean that the process has been, at all, suspended. In fact, just yesterday, I bottled a batch of Chianti. This was a bit unusual as I most always make a Barolo or Shiraz. What is it they say about variety being the spice of life?

Lest you think I have a special brewing area set up in this small apartment, I should mention that we have business establishments in British Columbia that take care of all the fuss and muss. The U-Brew companies let customers start off a batch and then return when the liquid is ready to be poured into bottles. In the interim, they do all the work.

My typical batches are about thirty bottles. I might add that the bottles are continuously recycled so my habit is fairly kind to the environment. In addition, I know the quality and content of the ingredients which is something one cannot say about most store-bought products.

My doctor suggested I drink a glass of red wine every day, and I'm hardly one to argue with professional advice. Salute!

Labels: food

I feel that it's probably time to write a rather, large blog entry. Nah, it's too hot out! The fan was running all day yesterday and last night and it's still probably 25C outside.

(Here I am bitchin' about the weather but plan to head to Sri Lanka during September and October where it is always 31 degrees. That's okay as when there are coconut trees, I find heat much more acceptable!)

I was going to say something about my birthday buffet of yesterday. Jay took me to Hara's, a place in Surrey because it was an occasion. You see, I am restricted in the number of times a year when I can be a pig. Hara's has three sections: normal, Chinese, and Indian food. Eating there were many people including Iranians and Filipinos. Welcome to the global village!

Labels: food, Surrey

Labels: food

Drinking straws are for kids, right? Look around at all the adults sucking their drinks from paper cups the next time you pass the food court in a shopping mall. It looks a little silly.

Labels: food

Honestly, the world is so much smaller than the first time I went overseas. Communication is so much easier and cheaper. There used to be a feeling of being elsewhere when it took several weeks for a letter to travel home. That meant it was an entire month for a round-trip message.

Now, people can live permanently in a virtual-halfway zone between two locations. I'm not exactly sure what this means for countries who accept immigrants. It used to be certain that a new comer was giving up the old life and was forced to embrace a new one. Now the dynamics are different. There are certainly advantages to these developments too. Jay's sister had a birthday last week. Rather than a mere phone message, Jay 'right-clicked,' ordered up a birthday cake, and had it delivered right to her house on the other side of the globe.

Sri Lanka Food - at Kapruka

If you can type in your credit card number nowadays, you can give almost anything to anyone anywhere. Relatives and families from away can provide so much more than just a cake!

Luxury Ballooning in Sri Lanka

Okay, that's what I want for my birthday!




I Love Those Who Agree: Now Don Responds
And the result is, not only are we in touch at the click of a mouse button, but the world is becoming so similar. One can be away from home by several thousand miles and and a few continents, and still go to a cinema complex, watch "Mystic River", eat at KFC or Mickey D's, smoke Marlboro lights (or not), stop in at the local cold store and pick up a box of Oreo cookies and low fat milk to have on my Post Raisin Bran in the morning. Come in at mid-night, turn on a 29 inch TV and watch Will & Grace or Jay Leno, take a shower with Dial soap, and go to sleep on Martha Stewart K-Mart sheets. Am I in Vermont, Thailand, Bahrain or Sri Lanka?

A far cry from my Peace Corps days in a small village in Senegal.

Labels: Bahrain, Don, food, technology

Finally .... it does feel good to have them corrected and turned in. It was enough of an event to justify going out for lunch at Hara's Buffet in Surrey. They have Canadian, Chinese, and Indian food. I always eat too much, so going there is only permitted on special occasions.

Additionally, it was 13C (55F) degrees and sunny. The cherry and magnolia trees are near full bloom. Spring is always welcoming!

Labels: food, Surrey

Yesterday's jingle written for Burger King proposed that customers had a say in personalizing their burgers. They were suggesting that McDonald's, the arch rival (so to speak!) served just pre-manufactured, warmed-by-heat-lamp fare.

So, McDonald's ran the following campaign during the second half of the 70's. This particular ad strongly suggests that only McDonald's can provide that special taste for Georgia peaches or those on California beaches. More importantly, this 30-second, Quarter Pounder spot culminates with a counter argument that at McDonald's: "We do it all for you!"

.

Related Blog Entry: See private letter to Ronnie from October 29th of last year.

Labels: food, Mediaplayer

Simple chores, such as getting the groceries, took on added difficulty during the recent spate of bad weather. How do they cope in Winnipeg?

Labels: food, weather

Yesterday, I wrote about the country of Turkey. Today, I'm writing on a day when many birds by that name are eaten!

This year on October 13th, Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving. Now, we extend best wishes to those in the U.S. celebrating the day.

Labels: food

The quay is a type of open market where food is sold. There are also specialty shops such as galleries. It is on the New Westminster Waterfront and was developed at the same time as many condo and high-rise residences in the area. It's a convenient walk from the apartment.

Labels: food, New Westminster, Quay

I was horrified to receive this email in response to Wednesday's message to Ronnie:

Dear Dennis,

I just got home, at 2 AM, slinking into my building with a KFC Dinner Box dangling at my side, feeling like a drug dealer, and lo and behold, I opened your blog. Well, well. A fellow 'junkie'. I had actually stopped at the Colonel's for a Snack Box ("no fries, please") and coleslaw slaw, and was overcome by temptation. Throwing caution to the wind, I went 'all the way'. And when I got home, I even reached past the diet drinks, and grabbed a non-diet Pepsi from the back of the fridge!! Now, that's serious. Barely 15 minutes later, I sit here smugly, picking at the bones and eyeing that awful bun, wondering if I've got enough non-diet Pepsi left to wash it down.

What can I do?

Clogged Arteries

---

Dear C A ,
I guess your dilemma involves whether you have enough non-diet Pepsi in the house.

If you're really up that proverbial creek, just pop open a diet, pour, and stir in seven heaping tablespoons from the sugar bowl. (Note: Sweet & Low is NOT an option.) Be warned that it will not taste exactly as expected.. but until you hide a case of sugar-ful, fully-caffeined, way-God-had intended-it-to-be, classic Pepsi in the back of the frig... then this is merely a temporary solution.

Yours sweetly,
Dennis, spokesperson for THWAT (To Hell With Atkins Too)

Labels: Don, food

It was a pleasure stopping by last night. Lots of people tell me that I should be a little more discriminating. Yet it's hard to ignore you for long, considering we can meet at five different places within a 3-mile radius. I swear, I'd find myself in your company even more but it's too hard sneaking around and keeping secrets from family and friends.

Yet, there is a specific reason why I'm writing today. Sadly, I'd like to suggest that we seem to be on divergent paths lately. Are we growing apart?

Recently, you've started to hang up colourful posters of chicken fajitas and green (garden-fresh) salads. My tray liner extolled the virtues of your new light sesame Thai dressing. Your 'Outdoor Family Fun' brochure stated how the Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait would fit into my 'lighter choices' options. I even noticed the dreaded McVeggie burgers are still on the menu board.

ENOUGH ALREADY!

I went there last night for a mega GREASE FIX. That Big Mac Meal with a Big Mac on the side fit the bill perfectly. Please stop visually assaulting me with pictures of food 'for a more balanced lifestyle'. When I want to cut back, I'll just refrain from super-sizing my fries!

Yours always,
Dennis