Exploring Urban Gardening in Vancouver

Vancouver plays host to numerous farmers' markets which are lush with locally grown produce. It is amazing to have access to fresh locally grown produce and this year I wanted to try growing some of my own vegetables. Spring and Summer are generally warm and sunny in Vancouver making it optimal for gardening. We did have a couple of rough weeks of cold rainy days, but aside from them that, my garden has been thriving! 

I went with a diverse mix of vegetables for my garden. I opted for mostly little starter plants from Gardenworks and Home Depot because there is a higher success rate. I did plant some seeds, but it was a bit of a hit or miss for me. 

The vegetables I went with are:

Beta 5 Dessert Jars featuring my two favourite fruits, strawberries and mangos

In a bid to practice social distancing measures, I have tried to remain at home and leave only when it is essential. After weeks going on months of being stuck at home, my craving for sweets has exponentially increased. I guess with not much else to do at home, my mind just fixates on desserts. 

I have been trying my best to remain healthy and avoid sugary treats, but when I saw Beta 5's Dessert Jars menu for June 26 & 27th, I immediately caved and ordered the four-pack, which comes with two of each flavour. For the weekend I ordered, I received: 

Mango Milk Tea-Ramisu 

Milk tea custard/ brown sugar boba/ diced mangos/ Hong Kong-style milk tea-soaked sponge cake/ mango curd/ condensed milk Chantilly/ brown sugar streusel 

Strawberry Shortcake

Vanilla custard/ strawberry jelly/ macerated strawberries/ mojito-soaked baba sponge/ lime curd/ vanilla Chantilly/ vanilla shortbread cookies 

CANADA Day 2020 was super weird

HAPPY CANADA DAY eh! 

Can you believe it, Canada Day just happened, yet it does not feel like it. I guess without the parades, outdoor festivities, Canada Place concerts, fireworks and park/beach barbeques, July 1st just seemed like another normal day of the year. 

Canada Day is my favourite statutory holiday and is the only stat day I refuse to work. For me, Canada Day is a full day of fun. I head downtown early and wander the streets and seawall bouncing from one celebration to the next. There are so many fun and exciting things to do! If you ask me to name my one favourite thing about Canada Day, I would most likely prattle off an entire list because how can I just pick one.

Cherry Clafoutis with fresh cherries from my Cherry Tree

In our front yard - well our neighbour's yard - is a little cherry tree currently filled to the brim with shiny red juicy cherries! Now I am not about to sit back and watch all those perfectly good cherries ripen over and go to waste, so after the sun had set, I made quick like a stealthy ninja and picked my fill of cherries. I just like living on the edge, but full disclosure, my neighbour does not care and often encourages us to help ourselves to the cherries. 

I am not sure where I first heard of cherry clafoutis, but for some odd reason, I connect cherry clafoutis with the iconic French female cook - Julia Childs. Supposedly she was a massive fan of cherry clafoutis, but this classic french dessert can be made with a number of other stone fruits. 

Vancouver Mural Festival 2020 Spreads the Message of Unity and Physical Distancing

Artist: Benjamin T. Stone

I finally had a chance to head by Robson Street to check out all the murals for Vancouver Mural Fest 2020. Glad that I did because the next morning, crews had started dismantling the storefront covers in preparation for the reopening. In my opinion, Vancouver is lifting its social distancing measures in a haste. Vancouverites have already been the mockery of Canada for flaunting their freedom by flocking in troves to beaches and parks. With only warmer and nicer days ahead, I can only imagine the crowds that will be forming along Robson Street. I digress. 

I must say, the 2020 murals are by far my favourite. I love the colour choices and the collective message of strength and unity. This is why I am extremely bummed that these murals are not going to be permanent fixtures in Vancouver. I feel like a lot of the murals from years prior are too "graffiti" in style for me or strongly connected to Native American Art which I also do not relate with. This year's pieces we can all relate to and understand! 

Celebrate Mother's Day From a Distance with these Last Minute Vancouver Gifts

Mum's do a lot for us and they deserve to be celebrated and a single day in the year does not sum up how much they mean to us. Given the current state of the world and the restrictions in place in my own hometown - Vancouver, we need to celebrate our amazing mothers from a distance. I am lucky enough to live at home with my mum, so I will be spending Sunday, May 10th, annoying my mum with all my love hahaha. 

Most gifts are completely off the table because boutiques, malls and shops, for the most part, are closed. I tried to look for Vancouver-based local gifts for mother's day. This is also a great way to support local businesses and makers. The best places to look for a gift for your mum would be at local grocer-cafes, florists and patisseries. 

The French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake is Simply Delicious

I have been on a mission to find a cake recipe that is not only easy and quick to make but also delivers on flavour while remaining deliciously moist. After countless hours of research - yay for Google! - I came across The French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake. This lemon yogurt cake stands apart from others with its simplistic method and soft moist crumb. 

You might be wondering why it is called the "French grandmother's" lemon yogurt cake. the story goes that Grandmother's in France added yogurt to their cakes for added moisture and then measured their remaining cake ingredients with the glass yogurt jar. Unlike North America, yogurt in France is sold in adorable little glass pots. The yogurt is cultured in the little glass jars that they are sold in. Each little yogurt class jar is approximately 1/2 Cup in measurement. So one jar of yogurt, two jars of sugar, 3 jars of flour, 1 jar of oil etc!