Beyond The Gray Skies

Monday. The final hours countdown from this long Victoria Day weekend and I start to once again think about what my workload will be like tomorrow. Not that I dread my job in anyway, but switching gears from relaxing cold beers on a patio to the office setting will admittedly take a little bit of extra gusto once the alarm goes off tomorrow morning. That being said, as I look out the window into the park nearby and think about how my weekend was spent and how the summer months will hopefully shape up, I am suddenly inspired to write about nothing.

It's been a little over a year now since The Locale first started, and through the seasons there have been some fairly memorable adventures, both indoors and out. Guelph has certainly proven to me that no matter what Mother Nature throws down, there is something that can be found to take advantage of it. And while winter offers cross-country skiing, autumn allows for beautiful walks through arboretum, spring sees the first real temptations set out on the tables at the farmers market, no season gets me more excited to be here than summer. Granted, it's not here just yet, but just thinking about it and all the things I loved so much about last year, as well as those events I unfortunately missed out on, puts an inspiration and excitement in my thoughts to what great things I will be able to soon experience.

Driving back into town from a road trip this afternoon, the windows down and the sun streaming across my already slightly burnt arms, I drove by The Boathouse, packed with people enjoying an ice cream, the company of friends, the scenery of the park and the joy of a kayak, and I thought to myself "I can finally call myself a full-time resident. I can truly appreciate this scene for what it is. I can proudly call this place my home."

Okay, so that may sound a little dramatic for a simple drive down Gordon Street, but it certainly affected me; made me truly realize that, be it the memories of my first experiences of the fresh baked bread at With The Grain, a stroll through Goldie Mill, cycling along speed river, or discovering The Red Brick Cafe on a sunny afternoon, there is no ignoring the fact that Guelph offers so much to its residents, and it's truly nice to see a city full of people who appreciate that.

Beyond the physical structure of the city itself are its inhabitants; and with summer on the brain and patios opening up, people seem to be smiling just a little bit more, Frisbees are being tossed around, home owners are tending to their gardens and lawns, the streets are that much more travelled with amicability, and there are just so many more reasons to get out of the apartment and explore all those hidden trails, side streets, and treasures that got me going on this little rant in the first place. I've already set in my goals to take advantage of the volleyball nets on Wellington and Edinburgh, kayak a little further than last time down the river, and, of course, experience the legend that is Hillside Festival. But, of course, the list of "to-dos" is ultimately a never -ending one, so, on my list of summer time goals, I've barely scratched the surface. Nevertheless, it is with and open heart that I say to all the readers out there that, whatever your plans may be, I hope the months to come are full of new experiences and revisited memories.

Yes, for me this past year has been a lesson and a pleasure; and I sincerely can't wait to see what the next one will bring. So, on the topic of nothing at all, I wrap up by saying that I hope you were all able to enjoy this beautiful long weekend, and enjoy even more the days which lie ahead.

Phil

Dad's

Who amongst us dares to state they don't like a good ol' fashioned chip truck? That nostalgic setting by the road side where only the true artists of the potato can really deliver to us the tidings of a piping hot, fresh cut fry is a truly remarkable epicurean experience. I can remember one such place where I grew up that served some of the best malt vinegar wedges and emu burgers I care to remember. Of course, the interesting thing about reflecting is that things often times appear in our memory as a cruel tease; nothing we come across today will match that perfect image in our minds. That being said, however, there's no reason I can't create a new experience today that, 20 years from now, will only have me writing a passage that reads much like this one. Enter Dad's.

I stumbled upon Dad's little food stand only by happenstance; my employer had moved locations from the downtown core to the south end where tasty lunch experiences aren't quite so handy, local or delicious. It was within the first week of driving by this curious little truck on the corner of Laird and Southgate that I wandered in and experienced my first of many breakfast sandwiches. Now, I know what you may be thinking, that breakfast sandwiches aren't usually things we write about or hype up to friends, I mean, there's not much to it that we can't make at home, save for the convenience of not dirtying a few dishes; however, this beautiful morning creation is indeed deserving of much praise, recognition and a salivating mention on The Locale.

It breaks away from the conventional form of a breakfast sandwich in that there are no eggs, but, to be honest, I'm not much of a fan of eggs anyway, but even if you are, I guarantee you wont miss them here. The bun is toasted to perfection, topped with a "house mayonnaise" (the recipe for which I am trying to crack for my home use) then you get a layer of tomatoes, lettuce, caramelized onions, cheese and finally, the crowning glory that is the Dad's breakfast sandwich, a giant heap of Canadian back bacon. It sounds so simple and perhaps like I'm going on about something mundane here, but therein lies the beauty in a place like Dad's over, say, a Tim's breakfast, he doesn't cheap you out on quality of ingredients and certainly not on quantity; so when you hand over your five-dollar bill and still get change back along with your monster of a day starter and a coffee, you know you've made the right meal choice. Compare it to microwaved eggs, frozen sausage patties and careless handling of a tea biscuit? It doesn't seem remotely fair to put any such thing in the ring with this contender.

Or course, Dad's doesn't just serve breakfast, that was merely my introduction (and many returns) to the business that is Dad's catering truck. From pulled pork sandwiches to smoked rib Fridays, foot-long hot dogs, burgers (the Enzo burger is a feat of glory if you can manage to get your hands on one) and, of course, delicious, fresh cut fries you can satiate all those chip truck memories in one convenient place. And as far as the fries are concerned: order them on their own or smother them in gravy and cheese curds, no matter how in ingest these wonderful potato sticks you will be happy.

I'm ever thankful that we moved our business those many months ago, I can't see myself not stopping by Dad's to get my taste buds fired up in the morning; and though he may not be on the main strip downtown, there's certainly no reason anyone can't stop by whilst on their travels toward the 401, or even just to see what the heck I'm raving on about.

Is Dad's building one of those memories I look forward to someday? Indeed, and they are keeping the chip truck dream alive for all those who crave a quick roadside snack without wanting to give in to those golden arches, fire engine pig tales or ruby red lips and crystal white teeth. Make a trip for yourself, see what it's all about, but allow yourself some time, the lineups seem to be getting bigger and bigger as the word gets out and the weather gets nicer.

Happy eating!

Phil

Filling The Craving

Ah, cravings. I wish I could say that I'm a stronger man than I am, armed with the ability to fight off the flavours that roll through my memory as I picture a dish in my head. It's sort of a catch 22 I suppose, to give in to these things so desired by the palette. I mean, on one hand I get to enjoy some often times delicious culinary endeavour, but at the same time I often delve further into the pocket book than I probably should; but that shouldn't always be the case. As I think about it, there's no reason you need to spend a ton of money to eat a delicious, bountiful, satitating plate full of that which you long for, and while splurging can, in itself, be an occasionally fun thing to do, I try hard to keep things within a budget without sacrificing flavour.

That being said, when I get a craving for, say, oysters Rockefeller, how do I keep the price tag reasonable? I get creative, and I put my own spin on a classic.

Oysters Rockefeller, Phil Bean style:

Before I get too far in here, I would like first to state that, though I absolutely love raw oysters and all their fresh sea goodness; those of you worried or leery on oysters should fear not, these are oysters of the cooked variety. And while they are tasty in their own right, there should really be no fear of digesting them straight from the shell. Go ahead, give it a shot, get to know your food at every step of the way, shuck 'em open and sip 'em back, it's really quite a treat.

6 fresh oysters

1 bunch fresh spinach, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp bread crumbs

3 slices of bacon

1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (ideally I'd use Parmesan, but that costs $$$)

1/2 tsp anise extract (traditionally you would use Pernod, but, again, because we are keeping this on a budget and good Pernod is $100+ per bottle, I have chosen to use what's in my cupboard)

1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

4 cups sea salt

Oven to 350 degrees

Rinse the oysters well and place into a sauce pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and then immediately drain and allow the oysters to cool. This process will make your job of opening the oysters a lot easier, as well as lessen the cooking time in the next step.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat fry the bacon until fully cooked and crispy. Lower the heat slightly and return the pan to the heat and add onions and spinach (stand back, spinach is full of water and, as well all know, oil and water don't like each other very much). Once the spinach has wilted and cooked add in the garlic and saute for a further 1-2 minutes.

In a large bowl crumble the bacon, add in the bread crumbs, cheese (reserving a tbsp or so for garnish) and spinach mixture, stir well and season to taste.

Open the oysters carefully, separating them gently from the muscle. Line the bottom of a baking dish with sea salt, place oysters (in a half shell) on top of the salt, spoon 1 tbsp of spinach mixture onto each oyster, top with a little more shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes. Switch the oven over to the broiler setting until the cheese has melted and turned a slight golden brown. Garnish each oyster with a lemon wedge and serve immediately.

Total cost = less than $15.00

Enjoy!

Phil