I was trying to explain to my 10 month old what Christmas tastes like. It was a fairly one-sided conversation but I’m pretty sure she got the gist of it.
I was cutting pomegranate seeds in half for her like the paranoid mom that I have become and she was mmmm-ing as she swallowed fistfuls of them whole. These had been preceded by some sage-y buckwheat with mushrooms, all flavours that seem very Christmassy to me.
It’s that time of year again! Although it’s almost too late to start a batch of sauerkraut in order for it to be ready in time for gift-giving (or perhaps to mail a tea set to you niece in Amsterdam), it’s perfect timing to start thinking about most other gifts.
Last year we made bath salts for the people we love. The recipe is here along with a big list of other thoughtful ideas for people who may (or may not) be going through cancer treatment. We have a fresh new list of ideas this year too.
A few weeks ago we went to Tofino for the first time since our baby was born. It had a different feel than it used to. For starters, it was so fun to see our little girl watching the waves and squealing at (and terrifying) the birds and the dogs running on the beach.
We had to take turns surfing instead of surfing together. I was wondering if after not surfing for over a year, how much I might have regressed, and guess what?! I was amazing! Just joking, I was unfathomably terrible but no one I knew actually saw me, so did it even count? I figure between all of the time I spent under water and my long, stringy hair that hasn’t found time for a hair cut in 100 months, I was basically a mermaid, which is way more special than being a surf champion.
You will not really find this salad in Vietnam. This is the salad I wished was in Vietnam after I ate a bad grilled banana dessert and decided I would probably never eat (or travel) again. SOmething fresh and living and low on the food poisoning possibility scale.
I love Vietnamese food (and Vietnam! And the Vietnamese! So much!). I love the large amounts of greens and herbs and general freshness. I love how light and clean it all tastes. There would likely be ground pork and lots of fish sauce in this if it was more authentically Vietnamese, but this salad is just inspired by what I love about Vietnamese food.
