Drinks All Around: None For Gluten

It took almost three hours to drive from Rivière-du-Loup to Quebec City by coach, a ride which we filled with naps in recuperation from the busy week, including late nights and long days. Everyone on the bus had there own set of headphones plugged in, and we leant the chairs back as far as they would go to try and get comfortable for the journey. They tried to play music over the speakers, attempting to entice us to listen to the French radio with a promise of some English hits, but instead, I think a lot of people switched playlists to drown out the slow French songs or poppy English tunes. 

As everyone was given a packed lunch for the ride, I was was asked about mine before we left, to make sure I was okay with their gluten free bread and the little snacks that were added in. It was so thoughtful of the staff to pull me aside and explain what would be in my packed lunch the few days before the trip, as both an assurance and a comfort. The woman from the cafeteria used both short phrases in French and lots of gestures so I would understand, and she showed me a pack of gluten free muffins they had bought for me and then described the sandwich to be prepared. When I opened my brown bagged meal that Saturday, it was filled with gluten free snacks, and this lovely little bar which I saved to munch on later as we walked through the cobbled streets of Quebec City. 

It was so comforting to know they were taking care of me, and remembering at each turn that there were things I couldn't eat. So, when I started feeling tired and began to run out of enthusiasm for adventuring around the city and the shops, or could no longer focus on the french words written around the museum, I was thankful for the kind gesture of this little snack tucked away in my bag. 

The first day in Quebec City we headed out to des Chutes Montmorency, a massive waterfall just outside of the city. By bus, the small group of us travelled a little farther than everyone else, who had already departed their coaches to walk around the city, and we were then given freedom to walk around the falls, hike up the many stairs to the top, and traverse the bridges along the river which fell into the bustling layers of water down the side of the hill. To one side there were stairs, packed with tourists both English and French speaking, while to the left of the falls a cable ran with gondolas, stopping by a large chateau at the top equipped with an icecream window and two restaurants on either side of a small gift shop. 

It was fun walking across the falls, and looking down at the tiny little people scattered around the bottom of the river, some were fishing, some walked along the beach a little farther off, and many more walked the path to the stairs, or were screaming under the sprays of the waterfall, taking photos all the while at every angle. From up on the bridge we had the best view, and could even see out to Quebec City and the tall buildings jutting out above trees and hills in the distance. The sun poured down over us, and so water bottles emptied rapidly as we climbed and crossed the falls. 

By the time we reached the chateau, the top of the falls had heated up so much that most people were rolling shirt sleeves up, and I had my shoes off as we walked along the boardwalk. Ordering a round of waters to begin with, and to cool help off, we sat out on the patio under big umbrellas. I loved being in a relaxed and summery environment, amidst families enjoying the day at the falls, and among friends to laugh and take photos with, and share plates of fries and drinks. 

Although plates of fries and dishes of poutine have been delicious here in Quebec, something I can now say I've enjoyed, both in Rivière-du-Loup and Quebec City, I think I've begun to feel the effects of a pesky bit of gluten. I almost forgot that fries are often cooked with wheat flour to coat, most places (I've been spoilt with health-consious cafes or little vegan restaurants we've found in and around Vancouver, I suppose) have told me that their fries are gluten free. So, with a little summer relaxation and being in a completely new place, I completely forgot about gluten's sneaky little ways of finding its way into our meals, and have begun to feel both tired, a little moody, there have also been headaches these past few days, and a lovely little skin condition, one that never really likes to leave when it's favourite pal gluten is around, has come out again. 

That's lots of water for me, and luckily, I'll be eating from the cafeteria for a while now - something most people here would cringe about, but I've got lovely little dishes made fresh for me personally. Even if it does mean gluten free pasta for more than three nights a week and for lunches often as well, at least I know my energy will be back soon. My skin should clear up, the headaches should go soon too, and I'll have a better mood... For now, being careful probably isn't a bad idea. 

I'd rather have all that back for the last weeks of this camp, and especially for the time that I'm in Montreal after. While activities get more and more exciting, along with more work for our classes, I'd rather be able to keep up, and be able to enjoy everything without needing to take naps or find something to treat something else. It's no fun running around cleaning up after gluten. 

No more parties in this house, you! 

To be able to keep up with the memories being made, and the lasting friendships. Our names engraved at the falls is just one of the reminders of how important it is to have the enthusiasm and appreciation for everything that happens, and to make the most of each situation. Even if I can't have the poutine anymore, even if its something in the gravy or the fries that leaves me uncomfortable and grouchy, I can still munch on a delicious gluten free snack or enjoy a long refreshing drink while sitting around with friends and enjoying a beautiful day.  

And there were more moments during that weekend that we enjoyed drinks together. After a night out at Quebec's music festival, where we saw French singer Zaz perform at one of the street stages, we spent the next day enjoying old Quebec's shops and market stalls, and meeting both French and English speaking residents along the way. The day was hot, and by the time we were meant to depart for Rivière-du-Loup, we were all in need of a little rest, and something ice cold. 

There really wasn't anything better than a refreshing drink on the second storey patio of a restaurant-bar. Tucked away on a side street and overlooking the garden of a little chapel, there weren't many people on the patio, so the four of us found a table underneath an umbrella and quickly ordered some refreshing drinks for the last minutes of our afternoon in Quebec. The waiter madeus something  fruity on our request, mixing together flavours of lemon and lime, and pouring it over ice to serve with a wedge of lemon. It really was the perfect way to end the weekend. 

À bientôt mes chers amis!

The Moments This Summer

Being here this summer, among new people, in a new city, but with many of the familiar customs, if not the language, of Canada, is giving me a new perspective of travelling. I want the time to enjoy all the little things, the sunsets each night, and the changes of the clouds or the wind that can have such a drastic effect on the sun's descent.

Or, the music that plays from across the town, bouncing through streets and off of buildings, to echo down to the alleyways and fields where we sit, listening. 

I know that when I take time to travel next year I also want the time to build friendships along the way, because that's what makes the experience memorable and special, and most of all, unique. It's not going to a new location and capturing the store in a photo, or the statue built many years ago to represent a historic moment for the town, but placing yourself and friends in the frame, and filling up the empty space with memories. Those photos then becomes stories, and the stories hold each of you together in some way. 

We went for ice cream this week, at a place called Brûlerie de l'Est on la rue Lafontaine, and just sitting with the maple syrup flavoured dessert, and among both English and French speaking visitors, made me realize how unique and individual each person's travels are, from what they expect out of each day, to the kinds of limits or horizons they set with each new opportunity. It sounds too deep for a moment of icecream with friends, but as we all sat there, the sun just hovering above the horizon and the streets filling with those out for the evening, I enjoyed every moment that had passed even more, and excitement arose for those to come. The best was a man who passed by as we were discussing the pronunciation of "peace" en français, it is pronounced "pay" as we soon learned from laughter when we said "peace." The two have very different meanings. As this discussion took place on the patio of the brûlerie, a man walked by who spoke to us first in French, and then explained himself in English, waving the peace sign in the air and exclaiming his excitement for meeting us and adding a little bit of laughter to both of our evenings as we discovered the humour in miscommunication between the languages. 

After sitting outside with a cold refreshment for some time, the sun had hidden behind the horizon and we could feel the chill in the breeze that past by us. We thought of the warmth in a hot drink and comfortable chairs inside, and so departed the deck just as the staff began to take down the umbrellas and fold up the chairs around us, and left for the coffee shop just down the road. Van Houtte. It reminded me of an oversized Starbucks; there were more places to sit, larger tables, and higher ceilings, and the room had a relaxed and calm atmosphere. There were couples or groups that sat around with coffee mugs and a late night dessert, some chatted while others just enjoyed the company of others around. In the big chairs by the windows we sat, warmed by the room while telling stories and recounting some of the best moments in the past week and half. 

I must mention that although I have a great group around me, I can understand French better with each day, and love being able to explore a part if a province completely new to me, its difficult to be away from home as well. There are times when the rules and the organized activities are just too much, especially after having such freedom when school was finally finished. I'm well fed by my personal chef, but pasta does get repetitive and so I enjoy it less and less despite his twists on the dish each time, including a gluten free cheese sauce with bow-shaped noodles. 

And then there's sleeping, which I can't do much unless I can cover my eyes from the bright sun, which rises up through my window, and can somehow block out the thudder of people up and down the stairs beside by room, or the twitter of students talking in French to the other side of my room in the little kitchenette. It's now that I rely on my tea addiction a little more, the perfect push to wake up in the morning, and now that I've found cups to use, a gentle ease into a better sleep before bed with some chamomile tea. 

À bientôt mes amis! 

xx

Je Veux un "Ice Lolly!"

Finally, popsicles, and finally, the summer weather to go with them. I was inspired to make a cool and refreshing treat with the first few days of hot weather last week, with trips to the lake and riding on the scooter in shorts and flip flops, but as soon as they were made, wrapped in parchment, and stacked in the freezer ready to be eaten, there were clouds filling up the sky. The day following, these same clouds broke, and for the days after, and continuing over the weekend, it was a steady stream of heavy rainfall. 

I was thrilled the "first" evening we could have our windows and doors open again, and finish a relaxing day with a chocolatey and delicious ice lolly that filled taste buds with as much satisfaction as knowing they were made from the same whole ingredients we could pronounce and hold in our hands during a trip to the grocer. No added preservatives, no refined sugars or fats. 

Real ice lollies? You might not feel like it with a bite through its coconut coating and into the creamy chocolate filling. However, you'll be sure once the cool taste of it will be just the refreshment for a hot summer's day. 

I'm sitting in Quebec City airport now, the beginning of my summer in Quebec only an hour away, to when we'll board the bus and make the final leg of our journey, a three hour drive to Rivière-du-Loup. Despite traveling across Canada together, and going to schools practically next door, I have only just met another girl from Vancouver while we gathered bags from the rotating carousels and found the sign held by an animateur which will lead us to our summer "home." 

I'm glad the plane ride was easy, because the anticipation and nerves that I built up about being away from family for so long were not. A couple of hours in the Vancouver airport left me drowsy and wiped out for the plane ride, causing me to sleep most of the way, but so did spending a full couple of days with my sister who had just arrived home before I was expected to set off. 

And those days were full of ice cream dates, which have been planned for years, and thus fulfilled only twice over two days, plus a series of hours spent sorting through old clothes, toys and photographs, and drawn out mornings together with teas and coffees, pancakes and eggs, all which were enjoyed in our pajamas and glasses - finally my sister and I looked similar in our differences, my hair in tight curls, hers long and wavy, to name only one. 

We also kept busy late into the evenings, mostly because I didn't want the day to end, and be left with one less day to spend with my sister. Even the first night she was home, catching the last ferry and arriving just past ten pm, we stayed up by a plate of cheese and apple slices, while my mum and sister sipped on wine and we felt the ease of being back together, and our relaxation showed as we poked fun of each other and laughed.

However, as Saturday came to an end, it was almost the time when I would be dropped at the airport and begin travelling Quebec and exploring en français. We picked my sister's boyfriend from the airport and drove out to the southern coast of Vancouver, the ever-growing popular fishing town, Steveston. The cannery has become a tourist attraction, and the park with its expansive field has become an attraction to young and old who enjoy letting their kites out to the wind and pulling the strings to hold them in place. We walked through these flutters of colours, and even stopped for our second round of ice cream amidst the heat and crowds of picnickers and cyclists who thought the five o'clock treat was just the thing. Finally, we made our way back to the center of the town, and sat on the pier to enjoy a dinner under the heat of the sun, and with the flurry of wind off the water to cool us down. 

I was quieter and quieter over the time we sat there, the anticipation and emotions rolling over me and blocking my view of those last hours with my family. Mentally I was checking I had everything, and whether I knew exactly what I was going to do in order to avoid confusion in the airport as I boarded or went through security. 

I've found my way here though, made it through two flights and a bus ride. I've met people, and can manage the language with a little patience and perseverance. I'm sure that with a few more days my jetlag will have subsided, and I'll have settled in to a new routine, new classes, new people, and a whole new culture and environment, but with it a whole new excitement for the summer. Until I take a train in the middle of the night to visit my sister in Montreal that is. 

Avocado Chocolate Ice Lollies 

For a rich and creamy treat while sitting on the beach, or while enjoying the sunny weather as afternoon fades, plus the delicious taste of cocoa, these are the perfect refreshment to be taken straight out of the freezer! Simple preparations make these ice lollies quick and fast to be ready when you need them during busy summer plans.

To make the ice lollies raw, substitute the maple syrup for agave.  

{Makes 6 small ice lollies}

{Ingredients:}

2 ripe avocados

1/2 cup cocoa powder, raw and dairy-free

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup water 

75 grams coconut oil

4 tablespoons heavy coconut milk, from a can

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

{Directions:}

In a blender, pulse pitted avocados until smooth. Add in cocoa powder, maple syrup, and water, and blend until fully combined. 

Transfer mixture into popsicle molds, inserting sticks on top and place in freezer. Freeze overnight. 

To make coating, melt coconut oil before stirring in coconut milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Allow mixture to cool slightly before coating ice lollies. 

In a tall and skinny glass, just wide enough to insert the ice lollies, pour in the coating mixture. 

With squares of parchment prepared for each ice lolly ready, dip each lolly one by one into the coating, allowing it to drip off and harden slightly before wrapping in parchment and placing back in the freezer. Continue with all ice lollies, and repeat again to thicken the coat. 

Enjoy! 

xx S

 

A Few Huckleberries From the Trees

Berry picking nearby our house is something that I've always enjoyed. From heading to the little trails that make up our backyard with towering huckleberry bushes which my sister and I would have to pull down to reach the juicy berries, to spending hours reaching the best salmon berries with dad and collecting them in doggy bags because we didn't expect to find so many so delicious and ripe at that time of year.

I took the dog for a run today, and as we walked back home under a sky which sprinkled rain lightly down on us, I just left thoughts behind and looked around. Little tiny droplets of red scattered the bright green bushes, and birds chirped and chimed as they fluttered unseen behind a wall of green leaves and the trunks of trees. I noticed this wallpaper of green dotted with red as I passed through a tunnel made up of huckleberry bushes, and finally reached my hand to pull one berry, juicy and swollen, which nearly fell from the branch as I knocked the surrounding leaves.

Holding the berry between my thumb and index finger, I instantly thought of all those times when my sister and I would fill buckets, bowls, and later our pockets, with these tart little berries, ecstatic by our achievement when they were brought home and compiled into one huge bin. We would sit there and sift through the bugs, leaves, and stems that were also brought in with them, and sneaking many to eat throughout the process. Eventually, we would make pies using the berries, a tradition that lasted through to when my sister left for university and no longer came home during the berry picking season. Instead, I would bake up a pie using a mix of huckleberries and salmon berries, never quite

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Twin Comfort of Dessert

I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to be sitting here, enjoying the Indie music and being around busy people, chatty people, groups of people slumped over coffees with their heads bent towards each other and deep in conversation. I haven't bought anything; I sought refuge from the rain outside. As I passed by the huge windows of this rustic coffee shop, I felt the pull of just sitting and spending time at a table situated in a corner. I love to watch the people that come and go, each one with a story which I attempt to discover. Each person has a distinguishable taste, noticeable by their sense of style as they walk from the door to the counter and order their choice of drink, sometimes pairing it with a muffin or scone, at the coffee bar.

I went to school today for a Provincial exam, and sat for three hours in the gym with all of the other English students writing three essays and answering 25 multiple choice questions. Afterwards, in our exhaustion and giddy perception of being free from the pressures of this exam, at least for a little while, some friends and I drove down the road for tea together. The woman behind the counter provided samples of aromatic tea leaves for us to smell, and help us to try and figure out which tea to make into a drink, until we all decided upon a black English tea, latte style.

So there we sat, all six of us, with twin lattes in our hands and perched in chairs situated around one small round table, legs intertwined. We went over the exam, exclaiming our surprise at some of the answers, and trying to figure out whether we had chosen the right one - if pre-exam chatter hadn't been stressful enough!

Our stomachs began to growl promptly, as our nerves settled down to make way for hunger, and our pack abruptly stood and left with the steam out of our hot mugs trailing behind. The smell of that little tea place was so calming and comforting, even if the white decor wasn't. And with a hot drink to sip I began to completely unwind from the buzz of sitting an exam.

Again we found an under-sized table to share, with nearly enough room for all of our lunches to share the space. Inside had been too busy, and all the tables were taken, so wrapped up in our fur-lined parkas and knitted scarves, and still huddled around lattes, we parked ourselves under a big out-of-place summer umbrella that dripped with the drizzling rain. There couldn't have been anything more Vancouver. Lunch was taken outside because its so beautiful, and we love it outside, but there we were wrapped up in big thick coats and leaning away to prevent being hit from the splatter of the rain.

So as I sit here, slowly warming with the steam of other's hot drinks rising into the space around me, I think of a decadent dessert to complement a peaceful afternoon. What better way to enjoy the fresh flavour of fruit with a sweet gluten-free topping than Twin Crumbles, have two for you and another, and just sit for a while.

Twin Apple-Blueberry Crumbles
Print recipe here.

The perfect complement to any meal, these little crumbles are quick to whip up when you have a craving for something sweet, and are light enough to leave your taste buds fulfilled without filling you up too much.

Fresh fruit sweetens the pots with delicious flavour, and be sure to serve them with a dollop of vanilla yogourt or ice cream for a creamy treat. This can be served as a summer or winter dessert, switching up the fillings for more seasonal fruits. Pomegranate and pear, anyone?

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 apple, sliced thinly
1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp gluten free oats
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp ground almonds (or almond flour)
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp cold butter

A pinch of cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Divide the blueberries among two ramekins, top with sliced apple and drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, ground almonds, and corn flour. Chop up the butter and add into the bowl, rub between your fingers until the mixture becomes crumbly, resembling bread crumbs.

Divide the crumble topping among the two ramekins, levelling evenly. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top of each crumble.

Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the topping begins to brown and blueberries begin to bubble.

Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving with a spoonful of vanilla yogourt or ice cream.

Enjoy the sweetness of this treat after a long day!
xx S.

Sitting Here

With the first rays of fall streaming in through the trees and reflecting on the strongest leaves still clinging to the branches of the alder trees, I reminisce to my holiday in England when, uncharacteristically, the weather was hot, and even the female statue in my aunt's garden was sweating in the heat.

Pigeons huddled on the low branches of trees, or hid in the clutches of fruit bushes to escape the heat, their presence only known by their constant cooing to each other, and once night fell, their rustled feathers could also be heard as they made their way across the grass in search of food or one another.

Now, bundled in a sweater and my feet cozied into slippers, I rush to each spot of sun that makes its way into the house, where its still warm.

In England, it felt like the south of France for those few days under the sweltering heat when we ate dinner outside under the trellis of vine leaves, and the adults drank southern wines. The table sat all nine of us, and my aunt cooked elaborate meals, which always included gluten-free foods for my grandad who lives nearby, just a short walk to pop by.

My aunt spent those afternoons painting in her conservatory, which was elaborately decorated and dotted with paint brushes and pots, and cooking in the sweltering kitchen. After a few days of the sun's persistent heat, she was forced to put up curtains to block the sun, and to keep the room cooler as heat from the oven always filled the room as well. Returning from exploring the nearby towns, one being the seaside at Lulworth Cove, where the beach was an endless expanse of families and children playing in the sun, aromas of home cooking would be filling the house as dinner cooked.

A large bowl of freshly picked berries sat on the table, covered to keep out the pesky flies who envied our delicacies that evening.

My aunt informed me that my dad had told her about a cheesecake I baked a few weeks before flying to England, made using a simple recipe, but with a wild berry coulis to serve, and with berries inside.

Since I had baked another pie for her when she came to visit us that spring, it was time for her to reciprocate.

The Dessert Competition had begun.

However, all competitiveness aside, her cheesecake was delicious, probably even the best. And since it was gluten-free, I decided to tweak my own recipe.

That evening, with the trill of pigeons to each other across the yard, and all of us laughing and enjoying each others company, I felt a sense of ease and familiarity of being around everyone so close to me. I loved being around family that holiday, and enjoyed every moment, bathing in the relaxed lifestyle of summer as I laid in the sun soaking up the heat.

I spent most of my time in my aunt's garden those few days as well, the grass, cut short by my uncle the day previous, rolled down in a slight hill ending at the rows of bushes enclosing the delicate flower beds and towering apple tree. Roses dotted the garden, adding delicate color, and creating the perfect English garden image I remember so clearly. On a beach towel draped across a lawn chair, I balanced a cold drink on the arm rest and a book in my right hand.

I tried doing this a few days ago here, however a steaming mug of tea replaced  my cold drink, and the towel was a blanket. With the falling sun across the sky, I was forced to move my chair after each page I read to avoid cooling off in the growing shade. The sun would dance behind the trees, or disappear behind a mass of cloud, formed from the evaporation of last night's rainfall.

Similar to England, I couldn't stay out long, but for a different reason. In England, the heat became too much and my mouth parched after I'd finished my iced drink, and the shade beckoned me in its oasis cool. Here, inside beckons to me in its comforting warmth and steaming kettle, a preferable alternative to the chill outside.

The Best Gluten-Free Berry Cheesecake
Printable version.

This cheesecake is best for the summer season, when berries can be picked and be used fresh, however, frozen berries can also be used. If you don't have any gluten-free shortbread cookies to make this crust, try my gluten-free cheesecake crust from almond meal, but without the ginger for this summer cheesecake. 

Makes one 9 inch cheesecake. (Serves 8-10)

Ingredients

1 c crushed gluten-free shortbread cookies
1/4 c brown sugar
2 tbsp melted butter

2 packets (250g each) of cream cheese
200 mL sour cream
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 - 2 c fresh or frozen berries (I like raspberries)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper.

Mix the gluten-free shortbread crumbs with brown sugar, and add the melted butter until combined. Press mixture into the pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and smooth. Add the sour cream, sugar and vanilla, whirling until well mixed. With the motor running, slowly add the beaten eggs.

Pour the mixture over the crust, making sure it covers evenly.

Press approximately 1 c of whole berries into the uncooked cheesecake, allowing them to sink into the mixture.

Place the cheesecake in a heat proof baking dish with sides, and fill the dish with hot water about one to two inches up the side of the pan.

Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and bake in the centre of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and run a hot knife around the edges before placing it in the fridge to cool completely, at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

To make the coulis, blend the remaining berries, saving some for serving, until pureed and add sugar to taste if need. Cover, and keep in the fridge.

Pour coulis over each slice of cheesecake, and top with whole berries.

It's really important to be very delicate with the cheesecake, as rushing the process can lead to the cheesecake cracking or not cooking properly. To prevent crumbling when serving, use a hot, clean knife to cut each piece, running the knife under hot water between each cut.