Happy Valentine’s Day!
Vanilla Sablé Cookies; adapted from this recipe with cinnamon sugar hearts.
All packaged and ready for delivery.
Archives for category: Uncategorized
Valentine’s Eve breakfast this morning: homemade chocolate walnut sticky buns with cinnamon. I used this recipe for naan bread. I rolled out the dough after it had risen for about 2 hours, brushed it with melted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, toasted organic walnuts and chopped organic chocolate. After rolling it up like a jelly roll, I cut into 11 pieces and placed cut side down in a nine-inch round cake pan lined with parchment. The tops were brushed with butter and sprinkled with more cinnamon sugar. Very delicious and not too sweet!
Cat was hamming it up yesterday and GJ took some great shots of her. Our beloved kitty, Miss Rimpoche Taxicab II:
Today’s rain storm marks the end of a cold snap. The cold clear days were beautiful, but I’m sure hard on the little buds.
Small purple crocuses blooming in spite of the cold.
Lovely fountain in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria BC.
View from the top of Beacon Hill.
Coloured lights filtered through the icy fountain in Centennial Square.
Cute cat alert, sorry. My two best beloved ones.
GJ works on a new drawing for a book he hopes to publish soon and Taxicab helps.
Lack of a sunbeam means a warm human and lamp are required.
Popped into JagaSilk again today to see if they offered a chocolaty delight for my February blogging; of course they do! We enjoyed their Aztec Chocolate Drink: single origin chocolate from The Philippines, direct source cinnamon from India, a pinch of cayenne, a touch of penela (raw-unrefined cane juice) and organic milk. Truly divine! Miyuki and Jared are so knowledgeable and passionate about what they do and what they offer. They would love to tell you all about the magic of this drink and, of course, maccha.
Aztec Chocolate Drink at JagaSilk, Victoria BC.
Yesterday our neighbourhood of Chinatown hosted the Lion Dance celebration as part of Chinese New Year. Colourful lions, martial arts displays, drumming and fire crackers welcomed in the new year. It was a lively afternoon!
Participants and spectators taking part in the Lunar New Year Lion Dance, Chinatown Victoria BC.
Shops and homes along the lion dance route hang lettuce and red packets with money enclosed. Accompanied by drummers, the lion visits each doorway and accepts the packet and lettuce. Firecrackers scare away evil spirits and leave be behind good luck and good fortune for the year ahead.
Eight lions seen photographed through old wavy glass.
My favourite lion. The artistry is magical.
So many beautiful colours and costumes.
A colourful dragon waiting to come to life.
Dales Gallery ready with it’s offering for the Lion.
February on the south tip of Vancouver Island brings the promise of spring with early flowers. The snowdrops have been out for weeks now, and more blooms are bursting every day. Yesterday I spied this beautiful witch hazel:
February; winter is still here. Love and the promise of spring are in the air. So I will dedicate myself to my hot chocolate obsession, and look for other lovely things to photograph.
I begin with my enduring favourite: peppermint hot chocolate from Bean Around the World. Made with peppermint tea instead of syrup, it’s rich and satisfying, and always beautifully presented.
I want on of these right now!
Fun and eclectic, one of my favourite Chinatown hangouts.
Catalano Restaurant and Cicchetti Bar is the new restaurant at the beautiful Magnolia Hotel. Last weekend they began serving brunch. We couldn’t resist trying it right away, as brunch is the meal for us! It’s a pretty place with some cozy booths and some tables with a view towards the harbour. The coffee was delicious, service excellent and our meals were superb. There were so many mouthwatering choices, it was hard to decide.
Catalano Restaurant and Cicchetti Bar, corner of Courtney and Gordon streets.
The Magnolia Hotel, Victoria BC.
Yum! Clockwise from bottom left: The Weekend Crossword (creamed leeks and crispy prosciutto with truffled hollandaise benny), the Catalano Corn Cakes (with mascarpone cheese, caramelized apple and bacon), and the Tagine (a Moroccan vegetable stew with grilled lamb sausage and eggs).
From our table, the view past the outdoor seating towards the Empress Hotel and Inner Harbour.
Denisekathleen's Weblog 