Thursday, July 16, 2009

Scenes From Fairburn Farm

Water Buffalo



The Chicken House







The view from our window


We can't wait to return. The Sunday Lunch was amazing. Four hours of lovely local food and wine, at a communal table with wonderful company. If any of you are ever in the area, you really do have to have a meal there at the very least. But we slept well in one of the beautiful rooms and woke to the sound of a rooster. Love it! Try to spend a night or two if you can.
Now we're off to make more memories in the Okanagan, then on to our most beloved of places: Parksville!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Jelly Jar Cocktail


Fill a jelly jar with crushed ice.

I am using my Grandma's vintage ice-crusher from a-way-back. It has gathered dust for a good decade in my storage room, but now I have discovered the wonder of it. No more dusty shelf for this baby! (until winter perhaps...)

1 ounce rum

1 ounce lime juice

1 ounce mint syrup

Pour over ice and top up with sparkling water or club soda. Very mojito-ish in flavour, but quick if you make a mint syrup and have some squeezed lime juice in your fridge. I do because I need quick access to mojitos once the mint is up in my garden. Isn't that why everyone grows mint? For mojitos? Anyway, this cocktail must be served in a jelly jar on a sunny porch, preferable with a breeze. If you love mojitos but don't like the mint leaves in your drink (I do, but perhaps I'm odd that way) try this. And you will thank me as all your worries melt away...

PS: I throw about a cup of sugar and 1 1/2 cups water into a pot, bring it to a boil, throw in a handful of mint leaves and let it steep off the heat for a while. Maybe 20 minutes? Don't recall. Then strain and keep in a jar in the fridge, ready for a cocktail at a moment's notice!

PPS: Terrible photo, but I keep drinking them too fast to take a better shot...

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I Heart Cowichan


Wow, a photo that I am in, not just taking. Here we are at our most favourite place in the world, Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville. What, you haven't been? What are you waiting for???
We celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary a couple of weeks early with a three night getaway all ALONE! We spent Friday night in Parksville at our family home there, then Saturday morning hit the road toward the Duncan Farmer's Market, and the rest of the Cowichan Valley.
What a weekend. I HEART the Cowichan Valley. We've always wanted to go and we weren't disappointed. We ended on the highest of high notes with a Sunday lunch at Fairburn Farm, and a night in one of their lovely rooms. After a farm-fresh, organic (and delicious!) breakfast Monday morning, we were ready to return to the land of parenthood. And what should await us upon our arrival?
Lice. Two of the kids infested. Good times, good times. What a way to "ease" back into it.
I can't figure out how to intersperse photos and words on this blog. Any help in that direction would be most helpful. I will post more about our awesome travels over the next couple of days.
In the meantime, check out Fairburn Farm. No, really, right now. And then go there. Do not hesitate. If you are someone who enjoys and appreciates the Slow Food movement, farm-fresh food, simple and relaxed livin', you simply must go as soon as you can. We want to move there. Just to pitch a tent and help them with the farm chores if nothing else. And cook pizza in the firewood oven. All pizza should be cooked that way.
Now, back to hair combing/picking/etc...