Category: food

Christmas dinner – the MOVIE

On By Rick McIn food, McCharles familyLeave a comment

Yvonne and Rob hosted Christmas dinner 2020. AND served up the same meal for Boxing Day.

We all agreed, leftovers are even tastier than the original. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Christmas Eve dinner in Parksville has evolved into an annual burger bash.

Prime Rib with  Portobello mushroom

Maclaren’s Imperial Cheese

On By Rick McIn foodLeave a comment

As an old Canadian, this cheddar cheese spread is comfort food for me.

Warren and Sandy always have some in their fridge.

cheese

ALEXANDER FERGUSON MacLAREN b. 3 Feb. 1854 in Perth, Upper Canada, was a businessman and politician.

In 1920, his company was purchased by J. L. Kraft and Brothers Company.

Contagion (2011 film)

On By Rick McIn ethics, food, government, movies, travelLeave a comment

Contagion is a 2011 American thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Its ensemble cast includes Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, …

Jude Law is the conspiracy theorist flogging a fake cure.

… The film has received renewed popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are many parallels between the fictitious MEV-1 and COVID-19. 

But MEV-1 is much more severe. More like the 1918 Flu.

In a flashback, a bulldozer razes palm trees while clearing a rainforest in China that disturbs the natural habitat of some bats. One bat finds shelter in a pig farm and drops an infected piece of banana, which is eaten by a pig. The pig is slaughtered and prepared by a chef in a Macau casino, who transmits the virus to Beth (Paltrow) in a handshake.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Our NEW gas stove / convection oven

On By Rick McIn food, McCharles family, product endorsementsLeave a comment

My brother installed the same new stove in his house and my parents house.

  • GE’s Profile series
  • stainless steel knobs
  • 5 different sized burners
  • large LED display
  • extra-large integrated reversible cast iron grill and griddle

Profile 5.6 cu. ft. Smart Slide-In Gas Range with Self-Cleaning Convection in Stainless Steel

We like it so far. It simmers at every possible temperature.

We locked the electronic screen so you can’t accidentally start or stop something.

The app — SmartHQ — is hilariously poorly done. 😀  Don’t bother.

Not many people would use an oven app, even if it worked.

Click PLAY or watch a review on YouTube.

Inexpensive home delivered meals

On By Rick McIn food, McCharles family, product endorsementsLeave a comment

We joined a service called Better Meals out of Vancouver, Canada.

They offer free delivery with $30.00 minimum order to my parent’s house from an extensive menu. Cost is only CAD $7.50 / meal. Unbelievably inexpensive for what you get.

Main course with two side dishes. Soup. And dessert. 

sample $7.50 meal

Everything arrives frozen in recyclable containers. You can heat in the over or microwave.

You’d need trial and error to find the dishes you like best. 

For example, my Mom liked the Turkey dinner but did not like one of the chicken dinners.

For those not going out much, Better Meals saves shopping. Cooking. And cleaning. 

You could store some of the meals in the freezer, only pulling something out when it turns out you don’t have time to cook for yourself.

I’d recommend Better Meals. It’s available to anyone.  They deliver only certain days of the week depending on where you live in B.C.

Note that the food comes without seasonings. You’d add those to taste.

BetterMeals.ca 

related – In our town you can also get hot meals for CAD $7.50 from Meals on Wheels. But you have very little choice in menu.

 

U.S. States I’ve not yet visited

On By Rick McIn barbecue, food, travelLeave a comment

Years ago in a New Orleans restaurant, Dave Adlard pointed out the States he had already visited on a huge wall map. Most of them. Today he’s only missing one – Arkansas.

I’d been to only about 15 States at that time.

But today I’m only missing West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Maryland Connecticut — one road trip visiting Barbecue spots.

Rathtrevor Beach, Vancouver Island at dawn

On By Rick McIn food, health & fitness, travelLeave a comment

Most mornings I wake early. Head directly to Tim Hortons to pick up coffee.

Continue on to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, one of the most beautiful beaches I know in the Pacific N.W.

At low tide, it stretches nearly a kilometre out into the Strait of Georgia.

The park is an important stopover area for migratory birds, notably brant geese, which use the beach as a staging area from March 1 to April 15.

Birds stop in the spring for the annual herring spawn … which also attracts large numbers of seals.

There are plenty of friendly, feral rabbits too.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.