Yet Another Reason Vancouver Rocks

This afternoon, under cool, grey skies, Yoo-Mi and Ellen rolled out the driveway on bicycle; and I launched a sea kayak from the beach in front of the house. Roughly an hour later, we rendezvoused on the dock at Granville Island, and began combing the aisleways of the Public Market for the makings of dinner.

Not a bad way to “run to the store.”

With wonderful butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, bakeries, and specialty food merchants, shopping at the Public Market is an exercise in excess. Accordingly, our dinner menu consisted of moules à la marinière, served with a sourdough batard from Terra Breads to sop-up the broth; grilled ribeye steaks with sauce bordelaise; Yukon gold potatoes oven-roasted in duck fat; and broccoli rabe sautéed in olive oil and garlic, with a splash of balsamic vinegar; and Ellen’s carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

I paddled back home, and Yoo-Mi and Ellen returned by cycle. Once showered, we baked, cooked, and ate for the better part of the evening. And, between dinner and dessert, we went for a long walk along the beach in time to catch the orange glow from the just-set sun over Vancouver Island, returning home with the downtown city lights as our beacon.

After a big meal like that, you might expect us to fast a little tomorrow. No dice. In our culinary fervor, we also made several hundred gorgeous shrimp and pork wontons, some quantity of which will help make-up tomorrows lunch, when our friend Zen drops in for a quick visit.

Food, friends, and a little outdoor activity. Sounds like summer in Vancouver. Now, if only the weather would cooperate.