A Life, Lived

Do These Cupcakes Look Racist to You?

Are Duncan Hines’ cupcakes racist?

To some viewers, however, the dressed-up vanilla cupcake characters in this ad looked a little too much like performers in blackface.

“Those ‘Hip Hop Cupcakes’ just make me sad.... Clearly there are no minorities in the board room where they work on advertising at Duncan Hines,” one commenter wrote on the web site. “If the icing was in different flavors, or the lips weren’t so big and pink maybe we could give the ad a pass, but as it stands it’s a pretty poorly constructed and potentially racist ad,” states a post on The Source music magazine web site.

(Beyond the blackface resemblance, The Source writer had another bone to pick with the cupcakes: “[T]hey aren’t even rapping! If you’re going to have inanimate food objects make music then they should at least have a real song or beat.”)

Duncan Hines has since pulled the video from YouTube, but you can still see it here, along with the company’s news release about the campaign.

Offensive? You be the judge.

Pizza?

One of the exciting things about Naples is that it is the undisputed home of pizza. Thin crusts, simple fresh toppings, incredibly soft cheese, and vine ripened tomatoes all combine to make a delicious treat famous the world. Food lovers like us can't help but be excited at the prospect.

One of the most famous is the Margherita - a concoction of tomatoes, basil, and pearly white fresh mozzarella cheese (the colours of the Italian flag). First made for Queen Margherita in 1889 it has become synonymous with pizza in Italy.

A few weeks ago we were out and saw this pizza on a menu . . . I hope we don't get THAT in Naples!

 
That would be an Italian translation fail!

Our Rick Mercer Report Taping

I mentioned last Friday that we were going to see a taping of the popular CBC show - Rick Mercer Report. Rick is a Canadian funny man whose show is a great combination of political satire, rants (which I am particularly partial to), and funny segments. Some is live and some is pre-taped.

The show that taped Friday night aired last night.

When we went I was so hopeful that Rick would take whatever opportunity he could to savage Stephen Harper. Thankfully he DID. My friend, a Stephen Harper fan, was decidedly uncomfortable. Mom, Paul, and I were giddy.

Rick was as short as everyone says he is. He was also wickedly funny off the cuff. I would pay to have a wit as quick as that.

I really appreciated how Rick interacted with the audience. His producer started with the'rules'. rick came on and basically said 'ignore them'.

When the taping was over (with only one retake needed) we joined a line to meet Rick. He had a nice chat with mom. He looked askance at my friend when he was told what a Stephen Harper fan she was. Then he had a picture taken with mom, Paolo, and I. Of course I hadn't brought my camera but my Conservative loving friend quickly snapped a pic with her cell phone.

Here is a wee bit of history here on the blog . . .

 

the first picture of someone famous  . . . perhaps the first time I've allowed my pic on my own blog . . . the first mom, Paul, and I have been in a pic on the blog.

Travel Tuesdays - Acqui Terme

It's time for another edition of Sandi's blog 'event' - Travel Tuesdays. It's easy to play (I like THAT!) all you need to do is to post one of your travel pics (and who doesn't have a gazillion of those) and then pop on over to Sandi's blog to join her Linky.

Last week I posted about Pienza, a small Tuscan town where we will spent a portion of our trip. When we load up the car to leave Pienza we'll be driving to Acqui Terme in Piemonte. The hot, thermal waters of this area were discovered over two thousand one hundred and fifty years ago by the Romans. It is still known for its spas but also for its wine and food. In Acqui we'll be staying at the lovely Baur B and B owned by our friends.

 
This area of Piemonte is known for its fortified castles and churches.

 
When we were last in thearea we didn't have much of an opportunity to explore Acqui Terme - we hope to correct that this time.

 
   
I love being pampered at the world famous Baur B and B!

 
We'll be about an hour from the famous Barolo vineyards. I'm really excited about THAT!

Cashew Chicken

Paul and I love stir fries - the intermingled flavours, crisp vegetables, and the speed with which they arrive at the table are all wonderful. The secret to stir fries is having EVERYTHING chopped, measured, and ready to go because they cook so quickly - just cooking for a minute or two longer then needed while you slice up an onion is the difference between a well prepared dish and, well, mush!

Cashew chicken is one of our favourites. I guess that is why this is the third time I have posted a recipe for it . . . yes, they are all different. This recipe, from the folks at Cooking Light, has only 257 calories per serving. I made a few changes - I had a can of bamboo shoots so I tossed them in. I also didn't think the recipe would have the level of heat we enjoy so I tossed in some chili peppers. I doubt either would have a huge impact on the calorie count.

This was a great recipe - perfect for a weeknight meal after a hellish day at the office.

Cashew Chicken

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews

Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews.

A Sunday in Stratford

Last Sunday we had a lovely day in Stratford - a town about 80 minutes from us. Stratford has become known as the place where Justin Beiber was raised. We go there in SPITE of that!

Both the city and the river were named when it was first settled in 1832 after Stratford-upon-Avon, England, of Shakespearean fame. The swan has become a symbol of the city, with 24 white swans and two black swans released every year into the Avon River.

The city changed forever in 1953 when the Shakespearean Stratford Festival was formed. The annual festival now brings hundreds of thousands of theatre goers and tourists to the area. Celebrities such as Alec Guinness, Christopher Plummer, and William Shatner have performed at the festival. The festival is world renowned and takes place in four theatres throughout the city; the Festival Theatre, Avon Theatre, Tom Patterson Theatre and the Studio Theatre.

The festival has given this city in the middle of rural southwestern Ontario a cultural uplift. The downtown part of full of galleries, fine restaurants, food shops, shops, and B and Bs. How many places do you know of 30 000 that have three independent chocolate shops? Needless to say we come here often to play.

We headed there last week because mom had given us tickets to see Camelot for our birthdays. Being us we had to build in a visit to the slow food market. Lunch at our favourite restaurant. A walk along the river (where they have an art show on the weekends).

The market is set up behind city hall. The building is a bizarre but lovely octagonal structure just south of the downtown core. We love how the town has managed to preserve so many of its historic buildings.

 
This area has a vibrant slowfood movement. The market is operated by Slow Food's Perth County Convivium according to the organization's guiding principles of "Good, Clean and Fair" food. The market features the best of local food, live music, and a gorgeous setting.

After we had filled the cooler we had wisely brought with us tasty treats we wandered around a bit before lunch. I love the main street with its beautifully preserved Victorian buildings and the interesting mix of stores, cafes, and restaurants.

We had lunch reservations at Bijou. One of four area restaurants included in 'Where to Eat in Canada' it is our favourite in Stratford. Tucked away off the Erie Street parking lot you MUST search this spot out if you're heading to Stratford. That is if you like elegantly prepared food made with locally sourced ingredients. If you'd rather go for something simple apparently Beiber's favourite restaurant in Stratford was a local Subway. We avoid it like the plague.

  
 
 
After lunch (I had a japanese eggplant salad with summer sausage and local cheese, pan-seared Lake Erie perch, and an Ontario peach Tart tartin with Black Pepper ice cream and caramel - YUM) we parked the car down by the river and wandered about before the excellent play. We were happy to see that the swans were still out enjoying the last rays of summer and the gardens in front of the Festival Theatre were still in bloom.

What a great way to spend a Sunday in early fall . . .

Photo Hunt - Yellow

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'yellow'.

Here are two shots from Italian markets

 

Rome

 

Torino

Only 2 weeks and we'll be back for more!

We're Heading to See Rick Mercer

I've never been to a live taping of a TV show. To be honest I never thought of it as something within the realm of possibility. Then my friend asked me if I wanted to go and see a Canada's funniest man - Rick Mercer tape his show.

Tonight's the night.

Rick is hilarious. His show is a funny 30 minutes of clips doing wacky stuff and biting commentary a la Jon Stewart. I've featured clips of him on the blog in the past. In case you missed them here is one from his show last week . . .

He and Jan Arden - who must be Canada's funniest singers, go out on the recently opened walkway around the top of the CN tower.

Methinks there will be lots of laughter tonight!

The Italian Male . . .

There are all sorts of stereotypes about Italian men. Lately the one that seems to be rising abve the rest is the Italian male as free loader. This story making the rounds today gives soem credence to that . . .

 

Italian parents call on lawyers to evict 41-year-old son

An Italian couple has elicited the help of lawyers to coax their 41-year-old son to move out, according to the BBC. The couple, who live in Venice and have not been named, said their son has a good job yet refuses to leave the nest. He reportedly even demands that his clothes be washed and his meals be prepared.

“We cannot do it any more,” the father told Italian media, BBC says. “My wife is suffering from stress and had to be hospitalized. … He really has no intention of leaving.”

Acting on behalf of the parents, lawyers from the consumer group Adico have issued a letter advising the son to leave home in six days or face legal action, BBC reports. According to Adico, theirs isn’t an isolated case. Hundreds of Italians struggle with persuading their adult children to strike out on their own.

Marinated Tomatoes with Pickled Red Onions & Gorgonzola

Sigh. Tomato season is winding down and we're running out of time to enjoy the culinary joy of a fresh, ripe, field tomato that is grown close to home.

SIGH 

Being from a family of gardeners, I was raised on the juicy beefsteak, plump cherry, and perfect plum varieties from my grandfather's garden during the months of August and September. Then they vanished for another year. 

Lately I have come to appreciate heirloom varieties with their fascinating colours and vibrant flavour.  I can eat them plain with a dash of salt, in a salad or in sauce and not much tastes better to me. One of my favorites ways to enjoy tomatoes is to eat them fresh from the garden or farm stand with cheese. Caprese salad sends me to the moon, but I really wanted to expand my horizons this season. This salad is a perfect example of this.

From the folks at Fine Cooking, this salad made with tomatoes, onions, and cheese, isn't as quick as some other tomato based salads but boy, is it good!

You might be tempted to skip the flash pickled red onions. Don't. That would be a sad mistake for you to make.

Marinated Tomatoes with Pickled Red Onions & Gorgonzola

1-1/2 cups red-wine vinegar
Kosher salt
1 small red onion (about 6 oz.), peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lb. ripe tomatoes, preferably heirlooms of various colors (3 or 4 medium-large)
3 oz. Gorgonzola dolce or other blue cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

In a medium bowl, stir the red-wine vinegar with 1-1/2 tsp. salt until it has dissolved. Add the onion. If the vinegar doesn't cover the onion, add water to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the chives, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Core and cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and then cut each half lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Put the tomatoes in a wide serving bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the tomatoes and marinate them for 15 minutes.

Drain the onions, pressing them lightly to squeeze out any extra vinegar. Rinse the onions quickly and then lightly squeeze again. Add the onions to the tomatoes and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper, top with the Gorgonzola, and serve.