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Daily Life

Foodie Television

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I make my living as one very small cog in a very large wheel of the machine that creates some of the shows you watch on TV.  I have been fortunate to work on some great productions, but I must admit that I really have little time for most of the modern North American programming.  When I have time to sit and watch ‘the box’, I tend to gravitate to programming from Britain, or Europe or Australia.  They offer shows that are based upon telling great stories, without leaning on crutches of explosions, car chases and shoot ‘em ups.

When it comes to food related entertainment, I am equally unimpressed with much of what is being peddled by the two major cable food networks.  The plethora of ‘cooking’ game shows with their contrived drama just is not my cup of tea.  I miss shows of old like Emeril Live and Good Eats.  Shows that both taught and celebrated the soul of food.  Shows that didn’t just treat the preparation of food as something that is a chore, but something that was an expression of love for those in your life and a celebration of it’s roots

Last week I decided to subscribe to Netflix again, having given up on it about a year ago when I found myself spending more time searching the guide than watching the programming.  I have been very pleased to find that they now have a full compliment of food programming, and much of what I am seeing is excellent.  There a great selection of shows that explore food, the people who create that it and often the places that have given birth to them.

As someone who is cursed with an emotional connection to food, the opportunity to learn about people around the world that have a passion for food in all its forms – cutting edge and traditional alike – is something that fuels both my brain and my heart.  To that end, I have decided to make a list of some of the current offerings that I am enjoying, in the hopes that maybe you my intrepid reader might want to spend an hour or three on a cold winters day enjoying some of this programming that I am finding so enjoyable.

Most of these programs are on Netflix, but I will list the network or service with the show below.  I will update the list from time to time, as I find new programming.

Netflix – Salt Fat Acid Heat

Netflix – The Chef Show (I suggest that before you watch this series, you watch the movie ‘Chef’ on Netflix as it is the foundation for the series)

Netflix – Somebody Feed Phil

Netflix – Restaurants on the Edge

Netflix – Chef’s Table (there are a few versions of this show, each wonderful on it’s own)

Netflix – Chef’s Table BBQ (my particular favorite of the group)

Netflix – Cooked

Netflix – Ugly Delicious

Netflix – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Prime Video – Anthony Bourdain No Reservations (only Season 8 at the moment)

PBS – Mind of a Chef

Google Play (Purchase) – Anthony Bourdain – Parts Unknown

Daily Life, Eating In

Great places to shop for specialty food in Kamloops

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As I start this post, this weekend marks the first weekend of December 2020, ahead of what promises to be a very quiet and different Christmas.  Work has been extremely busy for me, and the last couple of weeks before we break for Christmas promise to be more of the same.

Kathy was working today, and as it was a gorgeous day and I am spending FAR too much time cooped up in my basement office, I decided to make a trip out to restock the pantry a bit.  Coming into the colder weather, the food I cook tends to be a bit heartier and heavier, helps to ward off the cold.  So, while working to minimize my travels out and about, I did need to make a few stops.

Kamloops is actually very fortunate to have some truly hidden gems when it comes to places to shop for food.  Fresh St Market has just opened up, and they have some great ingredients that you won’t find at the major retailers.  They also have a very good online shopping tool and refrigerated lockers outside the store where you can pick up the order.  We tried that the other night, and it worked out great.

But today was about some of my favorite ‘mom and pop shops’.

My first stop was Fratelli Foods on Victoria St.  I picked up a few packages of gnocchi, but my main reason for stopping there was to get some San Remo balsamic vinegar.  I got onto this ‘high must content’ balsamic after a recent trip to Di Muzio’s Ristorante on Victoria St.  I will do a post on this kind of balsamic later but suffice to say it is completely different than what you will find on the shelf at any grocery retailer.

After Fratelli’s, it was off to one of my favorite specialty food places, 4 Oaks Oil and Vinegar.  I have covered 4 Oaks before here and I very much like their olive oils and vinegars, but they usually have a very good selection of a specialty pasta out of Oregon, Pappardelle’s.  These folks make some amazing dried pasta in all sorts of flavours.  4 Oaks carries a great selection, and I am quite eager to try the Hickory Bacon flavoured pasta!

In addition, I found they now have a great selection of different flavoured mustards being made in 100 Mile House by Wildcraft Organics, as well as several other products by small manufacturers from around BC.  I really encourage anyone go and check out 4 Oaks, you will be pleased you did.

I then popped in next door to Gourmet Greens Produce Market and took a quick wander.  There I came across some pickled Ukrainian sausages by ‘Two Pickled Uke’s Brand’ in Surrey.  I have to say that I got them more as a curiosity, but having tried them, I will definitely be back for more.  With those in hand and some Blackwells Eggnog for good measure, I was out the door and off to my next stop.

If you have ever ventured to Salmon Arm to the Shuswap Pie Company for their awesome homemade pies, both savory and sweet, then you know how good they are.  But during this time when travel is being frowned upon, it is not the best idea to venture to the “home office” to get a fix.  Good news is, they have a place in Kamloops that carries a particularly good selection their pies in frozen form.  Twin Rivers Market is that place, and they really do have a very good selection.  They aren’t the cheapest pies, but they are well worth the money.  So, with a Raspberry & Rhubarb fruit pie, a Sausage, Apple & Sage Pie as well as a Steak and Stout pie in my hands, I was off to the next stop.

Last stop was Summit Gourmet Meats to order the Christmas Pterodactyl.  Not a fan of turkey personally, but the Chief Taste Tester loves it so I will do one for this Christmas.  While there I browsed the case, and noticed they had a tray of Mincemeat.  Now mincemeat tarts are my dessert crack, so was intrigued enough to grab a small container to taste test.  Suffice to say I will be going back with a bucket for more.  Summit has great meat, and I love being able to talk to the butcher and ask for specific cuts of meat cut to what I need for a given cook.  They also have great sausages, the Chief Taste Tester is a huge fan of their turkey sausage so it is well worth the trip.  With that I was loaded up and headed for home.

*A quick Christmas 2021 update:  I still love Summit meats, but they have changed the mincemeat for this Christmas, and unfortunately I am not able to sing it praises as I had last year.  It is suet free, so those who are looking for a vegetarian/vegan option may find it interesting however.

*An addition to the list

I was a bit remiss on not listing Gary’s European Sausage and Deli on my list.  I am a frequent visitor to Gary’s, they have a great selection of smoked sausages and deli meats.  They make much of their own product, and carry a nice selection of imported European foods as well.  They are now offering delivery service within the Kamloops area, which is a nice added bonus.   

More now than ever, if you have a chance to go past the regular big box grocery retailers and spend a few min checking out these great places owned by local folks, I really encourage you to do so.

Hopefully, this post will help give you with a few ideas of places and products to check out in our home town.

Stay safe and enjoy!

Scott @ SCK

Daily Life

A Fond Farewell

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A couple of weeks ago I finish my last day at CML Properties, before moving on (back?) to a position in the film industry.  I have called CML my work home for three and a half years now, and I have enjoyed a great experience with a super group of people.  Property management is a very challenging field, and Matt, Craig and Becky have always made sure that if we were going to do it, we were going to do it right.  The folks I was so fortunate to work with at CML are a diverse and talented group, and everyone contributed their professionalism and energy to the company.  In a challenging industry, I am proud to be able to say that I was part of the CML team these last few years.

As I take this opportunity to return to the film industry (it truly was an ‘offer you can’t refuse’), I do so with very mixed emotions – I am looking forward to the challenges of the project I have been asked to be part of, but I am also somewhat melancholy about leaving both my friends here, and many of the clients I have been so fortunate to work with.  Many of these great people are now friends, and I hope that as life winds and twist that I will be able to maintain the friendships that have been forged.  My time at CML has been rewarding, and it is with a full heart that I thank everyone associated with CML, as well as the folks I worked with at the properties for making the last three and a half years rewarding and fun.

For the residents at my properties, I leave knowing that you are in the best of hands.  I was but one small part of the team that made sure that the challenges of the day to day administration of your properties were met.  The great folks here will continue to serve you in the professional way that you have come to know.

As I turn the page to this next adventure, I wish to thank everyone who has been part of making this chapter of my work life a challenging and rewarding one.  I wish you all the best, and hope to see you on the streets of our great home town in the years to come!

Best regards

Scott Stewart

Daily Life

So long my friend…

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I started this story on October 5th, 2015. I have kept it to myself since then out of respect for the privacy of a great friend.

Tonight, sadly, I can now share this with the world.

Tonight I had a call from an old friend. When we left Vancouver for Kamloops, he and his wife were two of the people that we were sad to leave. He and I had spent quite a bit of time together, a lot of time thru work, and many more enjoyable hours as friends. We share an interest in motorcycles, boats and aviation, so it was easy to enjoy one another’s company.

He and his wife were very dear friends with Aniko and I, and they were amazing friends while we fought the losing battle with her cancer. We rode together and enjoyed many an adventure flying down the highway as well as sitting around the dinner table. They were a great support to me when Aniko was in her battle with cancer, and even bigger support after she slipped away from me.

They were wonderful in how they accepted Kathy into our friendship, and we continued to live life to its fullest, adventuring together on land, sea and in the air. He is a special person, who has always lived life to its fullest, and has so many adventures and stories to tell. I was gifted on more than one occasion with his tutorage on things, his guidance kept me out of the weeds with my 40’ toy hauler trailer, and he lent me as much of his marine experience as I could absorb whenever I was curious. He pushed me in my motorcycle riding ability, the friendly rivalry to be the best WE could be riding was always as pleasurable as it was educational.

He lives life the way that I can only strive to. To never leave an experience untried, to never let a dream pass put on the shelf for another day. He believes in being true to his friends, because he knows how important they are to ones quality of life. He is a combination of friend, brother and in some ways a father figure to me.

Tonight he called me to tell me that he will be going to see Aniko sometime far too soon. I am devastated at the news, but equally amazed at the peace in his voice. He is amazingly at peace with the news, something he chalks up to having made sure he packed his life full of every experience that he could. He takes great comfort in having lived life fully, and having chalked up so many experiences. He told me that while would have liked to have had more time, he is at peace that he was able to do so much in the years that he had. As I sit here with deep sorrow in my heart, I keep hearing his voice in my head as I replay the phone call and I am in awe of how at peace he sounded.

There is such a lesson in how he has lived his life, something that I am wanting to share with everyone. Life is an all you can eat buffet. It is expensive, and wonderful, and completely up to you to make sure you get your money’s worth. We can’t live life like every day is our last, that is a self-fulfilling prophecy. However you have to live life like tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, because it isn’t. Live your life to its fullest, be true to your friends, family and never, never pass on an experience because you can ‘do it tomorrow’. If all of the sudden your tomorrows run short, make sure you have done everything you can to be in a place where you have no regrets for experiences lost because you put them off. I live with the hope that when my time comes, I can have the peace in my heart and voice that he has now.

Out of respect for his privacy, I am purposely not using his name. One day if you read this and you see his name, know that we have said goodbye, and this tribute to a friend and how he lives his life has become a tribute to the memory of a friend gone to ride across the sky with Aniko.

This afternoon Len’s wife Kelly called me to tell me that he had left us on Tuesday to go be with Aniko. Tonight I am writing this with tears of sadness, feeling the pain that we that are left behind must accept so that those we love can be free of the pain they can’t otherwise escape. My heart aches for Kelly, but she is surrounded by the love of family and friends, and we will be there for her. Even in the sadness of Lens passing, the lessons he left behind on how to live life resonate in my soul. Thanks to Len, I have another goal to aim for, and a lesson to work into how I live my life.
When I look at the sky at sunset, I know that Aniko rides on the pink clouds across the sky, but now with Len on the blue ones watching over her for me.

Len Lambert was a great friend, and someone I am so much the better for knowing.   I will miss you very much my friend.

Until we ride again…
Scott

Daily Life, Eating Out

Food Trucks in Kamloops

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Hi all!

I know it has been a bit since I have been in the kitchen, life has been busy with work, spring landscape, house projects and working on a new home automation project for the house.  I have a number of things on the go for the site, but need some time to finalize recipes before I can put them on the site.

Tonight I have my dander up a bit, and while I don’t really want to engage in political discussions in the kitchen, I guess the privilege of being the Chief Cook is you can break your own rules – even if it is just this one time.

Tonight is the 1st Annual Food Truck Festival here in Kamloops.  It is a fundraiser for the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association, and features a number of local and out of town food trucks assembled for some great eats.  It is an awesome idea and cause, so Kathy and I headed down to check it out.

Wow…  We headed down about 6:30 PM, and you couldn’t get near the event.  It has had an AMAZING turnout, there were people everywhere and traffic was lined up trying to get a spot to park.  I am thrilled that the weather has been cooperative, and that Kamloops residents have come out in droves to support the cause and check out the trucks.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints we had to bow out and make an alternate plan.  Hopefully a ‘next year’ will happen and we will try again with more time to hang out and enjoy.

Now, the purpose of this post isn’t to congratulate the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association on the success of the event, although that is something that I heartily do.  This event has poked a real sore point with me regarding the City of Kamloops, and its complete and total mismanagement of the Food Truck scene in Kamloops.  The throngs of attendees to the event tonight demonstrated the support that Kamloops residents have for the idea of food trucks.  However, through either incompetence and/or political idiocy,  the Council and staff of the City of Kamloops have decided (yet again) to demonstrate that they couldn’t organize a duck drive down a ditch.

The City has paid little more than lip service to the food truck operators here in Kamloops.  It is a classic example of “we’re saying yes, but really mean no” governance.  They recognize a desire on the part of the populous to embrace the trucks, but for political reasons they have pandered to the brick and mortar restaurants and created a regulatory environment where it is completely impractical to operate a food truck in Kamloops.  I listened to a manager with the City of Kamloops discuss on CBC Daybreak how he couldn’t speak to what other cities have done, because they haven’t bothered to check.  It was embarrassing to listen too, and all too indicative of why the Kamloops Food Truck scene is a massive failure.

It is a completely missed chance to bring foot traffic and customers to the downtown area during the summer.  There are many evenings when we like to take a walk, and aren’t in the mood for a full sit down meal.  We won’t come downtown on those nights, as there isn’t a quick and creative option available.  There are some great restaurants, and on nights when we do want a sit down meal, we can be found at Dorian’s, Mitz’s or Tokyo Sushi among other (non-chain) restaurants.  However, on nights when we don’t want that experience, there are no options – so we stay away from downtown and do something at home.

Food trucks have the potential to increase business for the brick and mortar restaurants during the summer months by increasing the number of trips to the downtown core that residents take.  Realistically, the Food Truck season is maybe 5 months, and then only weather permitting.  The rest of the time, the brick and mortars have the town to themselves.  If you get folks downtown on the idea a food truck meal, there will be some people who will decide that roadside food maybe isn’t what they are after when they arrive, and they may then hit one of the restaurants.  More resident traffic downtown in the evenings is something that the City should be promoting, and this is a great way to increase that traffic.

Tonight has shown that people want food trucks – they are interested to try the unique and creative fare that the trucks can offer.  But instead of listening and embracing the wishes of the electorate, the City has (again) followed its patently flawed logic and said no without saying no to food trucks.

Whether it is food trucks, wine sales, unenforceable smoking bans in parks or an ill-conceived pesticide bylaw, this current council is establishing a track record of making the wrong decisions for unsound reasons.  I don’t put forth that there is dishonesty or malfeasance on the part of council – just monumental lack of vision and common sense.  Perhaps Kamloops residents will remember these decisions when the next civic election comes around.  If we can’t get council to change their ways, then perhaps we can change the council.

In frustration

Scott @ SCK

Daily Life, Miche

Miche Bags Available to Amercian Customers!!

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Kathy is please to announce that with the closing of Miche USA, Miche Canada has stepped up to fill the void and keep the awesome Miche Bag products available to American Customers.

You can see her post in the Miche Bag area of the site right here:

Miche Bags for US Customers Announcement

 

 

Bloggers Blog, Daily Life

A labour of love

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As I sit here tonight having just assembled the Pantry Chicken Stew recipe, I am reflecting on my time working on the site.  When I started this project, web blogging was a total unknown to me – the coding, the writing, the design – it has been a real learning curve for me.

I am really enjoying the process.  I thrive on learning new things, and this has really fed that need.  It has gotten me to record some of my food creations, which even if I am the only user, it is nice to have them where they can be accessed weeks/months/years down the road.

It is also a time consuming process.  This I think I underestimated greatly.  Because I think I lead a fairly average life, I don’t feel a need to prattle on about having done the laundry on the weekend (ok, Kathy doing the laundry on the weekend), or going to McWhereever for food on the fly – it just isn’t that interesting.

Because of this, my posts are for the most part recipes, and each recipe page is the culmination of hours of work.  I love the time spent doing it, and having a finished page for the site is rewarding for me creatively.  But because it takes so long to work up a recipe from an initial creation on a plate to a recipe ready for the site, I find it taking me considerable periods of time between posts.   I have a few recipes I am working on, and hopefully they will be ready for the site before too long.

I think that I will stick with the quality over quantity approach to the site.  Gradually I will build up content, and hopefully some of my faithful readers (one of the two of you anyway) will find time to recreate a recipe or two.  I am always interested in feedback, and I hope that somewhere along the way you will find something of interest and value here on the pages of Scott’s Country Kitchen.

Until the next time!

Scott @ SCK

 

Bloggers Blog, Daily Life

Major Announcement – New Site Feature!

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Well, it has been a busy few days here at SCK.  One of the things that has been on my ‘work in progress’ list for the site has been to make it an interactive experience, instead of just a place to read and maybe comment on what I have posted.  I wanted from the outset for this to be a truly interactive site, where anyone and everyone who wishes to come visit has an opportunity to share and interact, sharing the diverse knowledge that we all bring to the kitchen table.

Today I completed the work on establishing this feature for the site.  It will likely need some adjusting over time, but I believe that it is good to go and ready for you to play with.  The new features include messaging as a group and privately between members, and a forum to communicate as a wider group.  While anyone can continue to comment on posts without registering as before, to participate in the Community requires registration.

On the top left of the screen you will find a Registration link.  It’s quick and easy, just your name, email and pick a user name.  Then you validate your registration by an email, and your all done!  You will then be able to log into the site and be part of the community.  My hope is that over time, with enough interest it will become a place where one can ask and answer questions, share stories, make friends and enjoy some company with like minded people.

If you have any issues with the process, please let me know right away.  As mentioned before, this is a learning process for me.  However I think that this will be worth the effort.

Thanks, and I hope to see all of you in the Community area!!

Scott@SCK

Bloggers Blog, Daily Life

I’ve been at it again…

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Hi all

I have been working on the site quite a bit the last couple of days.  I have revamped The Storeroom, changed up the format a bit and added some content that hopefully you will find interesting.

One of these changes is  the addition of information on some of my favorite publications and websites.  I have added pages and links for Cooks Illustrated / Cooks Country / Americas Test Kitchen, as well as Alton Brown’s Good Eats and books.  These are two of my most favorite sources of information and education on cooking.  I really encourage you to check out these sites / publications.

I have included links to these and a number of other items on Amazon.ca as part of the pages.  I hope that it adds some utility to the pages, making finding some of my favorite items online a snap.

As we recover from the Holiday season, and life begins to get back to normal, I look forward to continuing my work here, and I hope that you will continue to drop by.

I am interested in any suggestions, comments or questions you have for or about the site, and I hope to see you again many times thru the year.

All the best,

SCK

 

Daily Life, Eating Out

A great New Years evening

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For a second year, we had opportunity to ring out 2015 and 2016 in with our friends Elaine and Rob.  After completing our last day of work for the year, we met at Fiesta Mexicana for a nice Mexican meal.   We have been to this eatery on a number of occasions, and the dinner was very good as usual.

A wonderful creation of pâte à choux, carmelized evap milk, whip cream, bananas and chocolate. It was very nice!
A wonderful creation of pâte à choux, caramelized evaporated milk, whip cream, bananas and chocolate. It was very nice!

We then headed back to Rob and Elaine’s for drinks, a very nice dessert and a selection of baked goods from her kitchen and ours.  We played with their dogs, chatted and visited until we turned on the TV to watch the fireworks from the Seattle Space Needle.  10-9-8-7-6-5…

After 2015 moved into history, and 2016 was toasted into existence, we spent another couple of wonderful hours visiting and snacking.  We so much prefer quiet intimate celebration with friends, than loud bustling alcohol fueled events, and the time spent with our friends on this night again proceed this preference right.

Thanks to Rob and Elaine for a wonderful time, and I hope that everyone our there had an equally wonderful New Years Eve, however you chose to spend it.

All the best for an awesome 2016!

SCK

Daily Life

Happy New Year!

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Greetings all!

As 2015 comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our family, friends and visitors to the Country Kitchen a very happy New Year.

2015 has been great year, and I have really enjoyed starting this project.  I have appreciated the comments and feedback, and I look forward to talking to everyone more as the site develops and I try some new things in 2016.

On behalf of Kathy, myself and our K-9 Kids Eve and Harley, we would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016!!  May you find all the happiness you deserve!!

Happy New Year!

SCK

Bloggers Blog, Daily Life

Merry Christmas!

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Greetings everyone!

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My return to the website in earnest has been delayed again.  No sooner did I get the operating system software on my laptop re-installed and software back up and running, the computer itself decided that it had gone as far as it was prepared to and blew it’s cooling fan.  Due to age it wasn’t practical to repair, and the heat build up quickly ‘baked’ the machine.

That led to the search for a new laptop, which being the research junkie I am that took some time.  After securing a decent deal via Black Friday sales, I was up and running with a new laptop.  Well, running being relative, as out of the  box computers tend to not do too much.

After a number of hours getting everything reinstalled and set up, I am back in action.  Just in time for Christmas…

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I have been busy in the kitchen, getting my usual collection of Christmas baking laid up.  Tarts and cookies galore, enough to get thru the season and have a stock in the deep freeze for future enjoyment.

 

I will be getting back into the swing of things here shortly.  In the meantime, I will be spending time with friends and family over the holidays, and I hope that you will as well.

From Kathy and I, and our K9-Kids Eve and Harley, we wish you all a very happy holiday season (however you chose to celebrate), and a Healthy, Happy and Amazing 2016.