Urban Cottage Weekend ❧ December 6, 2015

Welcome to the weekend at the cottage! Here are a few things that have been happening around here lately, including some of what’s caught my eye out there on the internet. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for some reading and browsing.

Out and About, or Should I Say Up and About?

Since I turned 50 I’ve had the chance to do so many new and adventurous things, and not too long ago I added something else to my list … flying over the beautiful Ontario countryside in a small plane. I was a passenger in a four-seater Cessna and loved every single second of it. It was a beautiful day and the view from the air was spectacular. It gave me a new appreciation for having the good fortune to live here.

I could look at this picture all day; in fact, it’s the screensaver on my phone right now. The patchwork of harvested fields with different shades of stubble and soil, the promising green of fields of winter wheat, a small rural town and a patch of forest, trees dormant for winter but adding their own special beauty to the landscape — I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to see this.

Canola Oil Baking Demonstration #EatWellCanolaOil

My blogging friend Charmian Christie, the author of The Messy Baker bake book that I reviewed last year (get it!) invited me to a canola oil baking demonstration held at Olde Bridge Place bed and breakfast on November 15. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a wonderful afternoon of baking with fellow food bloggers, making some of Charmian’s delicious recipes featuring Canadian canola oil … fun, friendship, good eats, a hands-on lesson in measuring the oil content of canola seeds, and a wonderful view from one of the most stunning kitchens I’ve had the pleasure to work in. The fact that the property is next to an original covered bridge (known romantically as the Kissing Bridge) and gently slopes down to the meandering Grand River was a bonus. Thanks to the folks at Canola Eat Well for Life for putting on this event, and for the fantastic goodie bag!

Beautiful baked goods by Charmian Christie made with Canadian canola oil

Me with the incomparable Mairlyn Smith

A beautiful view from the kitchen

Is it possible to have a crush on a stove?

A fun afternoon of food bloggers baking with canola oil. Photo used with permission. Photo by Jeffrey Chan Photography, courtesy of Canola Eat Well.

Disclaimer: I was not required to write about this event on my blog. I do so because it was an enjoyable experience for me, and because I believe in supporting Canadian food producers.

Around the Web

Looking to throw a holiday cocktail party on a budget?

Just to keep working my theme here, how about getting creative with gingerbread with these amazing recipes from food bloggers across Canada?

Here’s something a little different for your inner artiste or if you’re looking for a gift for someone who likes to draw and colour. Melissa from Eyes Bigger Than My Stomach shares her favourite tools for colouring and doodling, and they’re broken out by price range too.

Recap

In case you missed any of my recent posts, why not check them out now?! There’s one about strawberry chia seed pudding and my experience as the neighbourhood oddball, another about broccolini and the bulge, and finally, a roundup of 15 sweet and festive recipes for the holidays.