Savouring: Tayberry Semifreddo

This week, after leaving our broken van in Hope and finally getting home from the Okanagan, we loaded up on the last of the u-pick strawberries, and also picked up flats of raspberries and tayberries. Tayberries are my favourite! A raspberry-blackberry cross, they are lovely and floral. They make a delicious jam with honey, so I froze some to do that when I have more time on my hands (after my sister's wedding!). Shea, however, knew exactly what he wanted with the berries - semifreddo! A family favourite for sure. I love the mousse-like texture of semifreddo. Easier than ice cream (at least you don't need a special machine), and hey, lower in fat, if you care about such things. So after making strawberry-rhubarb sorbet to use up the fast-approaching-death strawberries, semifreddo it was. Oh I love summer berry desserts!

Tayberry Semifreddo

3 cups tayberries (or raspberries, blackberries, or a combination)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

pinch of salt

3 large egg whites

1 cup whipping cream

Line a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with 2 sheets of plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on all sides so you can remove the semifreddo easily.

Pulse berries in a food processor until broken up, them push through a strainer to get as much pulp/juice as possible. Set aside.

Bring sugar and water to boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Beat egg whites in an electric mixer until foamy. With speed at medium-high, slowly, and carefully add hot sugar syrup, avoiding the beaters! Beat 8-10 minutes, until egg whites are cooled to room temperature. 

Beat cream until stiff. Fold berry puree into egg white mixture until almost blended, then fold in whipped cream.

Fill loaf pan, spreading the mixture into the corners. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

I usually have a bit of mix left over, which a put into some little dessert glasses. Jay and I enjoy them after the kids go to bed (shhhh!) Let's call it a taste test!

Flying!: Okanagan Lake

We spent the weekend at Sarah and Padra's in Kelowna. At one point on Sunday afternoon, their neighbour arrived in his helicopter. The kids have seen this before and thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Even cooler, though? This time, unbeknownst to them, he was touching down in order to take them up!

All the kids wanted a turn, even the smallest ones! That's six kids altogether. So sweet neighbour John took us up in 3 trips! An adult and two kids each. They were stunned.

Riding up front. She looks like a pro!

I love all the lines.

I didn't get a shot of it, but I was amazed at the amount of backyard pools in Kelowna! I guess it's the Vancouverite in me. I felt like I was flying over LA!

View of the dock, coming back home...

He won't forget this!

Gardening: Beginning of July

Boxes are filling in. These are taken from my porch because it's wet. Lots of rain and cool days lately.

The tayberry row looks so spindly, but it is loaded with berries. Can't wait!

Garlic scopes need to be harvested. Beans are starting to sprout around the bean poles, and the lettuce is beautiful, and delicious!

"Graduating": Preschool

Preschool is done. I'm sad about it, and I do believe Isla is too. She struggled through the ceremony, and, while she couldn't put it into words, I knew what she was feeling. Transition is hard.

At the end of the ceremony all the "Caterpillars" (the name of her preschool class) released butterflies as a symbol of their transition to kindergarten. It was so sweet.

Oh, and Hisae, her teacher, loved her shawl!

Celebrating: Our Baby is Five

Isla turned five! There is a part of me that cannot believe my little bean is "school age" and heading off to Kindergarten in the Fall. She has enjoyed preschool so much and made some sweet little friends. Fingers are crossed that she has as good an experience at the Fine Arts school as her siblings.

We had a Luau for her party, mainly because I wanted to use the leftover Hawaiian themed decorations, leis, and grass skirts from a party we had for her brother when she was a newborn! She asked for ice cream sundaes instead of cake, just like Faire did, and man, that makes it easy!

But the day after her party, when the house was finally quiet (we had an adult birthday party for her Dad later in the day/evening of her birthday - yes, we are ridiculous) I decided to make a vegan dessert that we could all enjoy. And we happened to have 5 ripe strawberries in the garden, ready to hold her candles. The chocolate cake recipe I often use happens to be vegan anyway, and I made chocolate avocado mousse for the icing. Delish.

We love parties, but having a quiet birthday cake together felt much more like "us".

Happy Birthday little Bean!

Harvesting: Lemon Balm

This year I am trying to dry the ingredients I use in my favourite tea blend, since many of them grow in my backyard. Buying raspberry leaves in the winter was driving me crazy, knowing I had an abundance all spring and summer and didn't do anything about it!

This morning I harvested the first basket full of lemon balm. It takes no time to dry in my second-hand dehydrator. I've already done a batch of raspberry leaves when I pulled out all the new shoots that appear in the spring, and mint. The mint in my pot is growing great this year, and I'm keeping it there for many a fresh mint cocktail (mojitos, anyone?). But the farm market I regularly visit has big bunches for a low price so I'm trying to bring one or two home each time and dry them so we have lots for winter tea.

Eating Vegan: Day 5

Well, we've had various detox symptoms. I was exhausted and angry on Day 3, but perked up yesterday. I thankfully haven't had any trouble cutting out eggs, meat and dairy. Jay has had some mega detox but is coming out of it now, wow! I am so proud of him for sticking with this, even after two 14 hour days on job sites with crews munching on pizza, timbits, and coffee. And I was easily able to handle a "single-parenting/school performance/dinner needs to happen immediately" scenario yesterday and felt just fine with my choices, or lack thereof. Great, actually. Sitting in a pizza place and watching your kids eat pizza,  moaning about how awesome it is while not partaking yourself is actually doable. Good to know.

I got Dreena Burton's newest cookbook in the mail so that will certainly inspire some meals. This week I've cooked a lot out of the Rebar cookbook. I love that book!

Dinner alone tonight. I promised the kids turkey burgers, but afterwards made myself Heather's easy fried rice (delicious!) and roasted sweet potatoes with orange-cilantro glaze. I was full and happy after the fact (the glass of black currant wine didn't hurt, I'm sure)