Pique managed to rouse herself from a nap and jumped up onto the dining room chair. Her nose must have told her something.
A little nibble....
A little sniff....
The cat always wins.
The Coquitlam Farmer's Market
I have lately become more aware of food systems and food security (especially through work). It is really important to support local growers, and with this in mind, we decided to get some groceries at the Coquitlam Farmer's Market today.
The market is located in the parking lots of the Coquitlam Recreation Centre, and continues until the end of October. There are a lot of produce growers, a few bakeries, a handful of meat sellers, and quite a number of crafts/arts stalls.
I am a huge fan of Gary's Kettlecorn. It is the best popcorn I've tasted: sweet, slightly salty, and most of all, tasting a lot like corn.
Here are our spoils: cauliflower, organic swiss chard and carrots, beats, heirloom tomatoes.
Green figs, cleverly stored in an egg carton. The inside is beautiful, almost like a pink sea anemone. 
East is East - Main St.
Located at the corner of Main St. and 28th Avenue, East is East is centrally located right in the middle of the Main St. bustle. This location offers both a take out option (with a take out window), and a sit-in restaurant experience. The cuisine is Middle Eastern/Indian/Silk Road inspired, and is quite popular with the locals.
Stepping inside the restaurant is an unexpected experience. The walls are hung with darkly colourful Afghan carpets; cushions are placed all along both walls, and the seating is close to the ground, behind low, wooden tables. It was like entering an Arabian Nights fantasy. The only off note was the heavy aroma of burning incense which was smoky and overly sweet.
Upon our arrival for lunch, we were warmly greeted, and were immediately brought glasses of water and a sample of chai in a tiny while espresso cup. The chai was wonderful - sweet, milky, and with an intense spiciness that was unusual. It may be the best chai in the city (sharing the honor with Granville Island Tea Co., perhaps). Of course, the little sample made us want more, so we ordered a whole cup of the beautiful chai.
Both of us ordered the roti wrap. Shane ordered the Peas and Paneer wrap, which came with a side of salad and a portion of the dhal soup. I had the Afghan Nomad, a curried lamb wrap. The Peas and Paneer roti was good and mildly spiced. The lamb was absolutely tender and well seasoned with just enough spice. The rice with raisins gave a wonderful sweet accompaniment to the lamb. The side soup was hearty, and had an unexpected hint of tangy flavour. It was very good. The only misstep was the lack of dressing on the salad, although the greens and beets tasted fresh.
To be honest, I was not expecting to like this place, but the food and decor lured me into its charms. Top that with a world shattering spicy chai, and the restaurant had me in its embrace.
Main St. and Wool
Yesterday we went up to Main St. I grew up in that neighbourhood and we lived right on Main and 12th in a crappy, infested apartment for two years a few years back, so it holds a special place in my heart. However, these days, the main purpose of visiting the area is the wool shops. My favorite wool place is Three Bags Full, between 28th and 29th Avenues. It's a cozy place with a great selection of wool (including Cascade 220 and all sorts of Noro).
I bought quite a large quantity of Drops Alpaca - 4 balls of ruddy cinnamon, and 10 balls of a medium gray. My plan is to one day knit the Still Light Tunic, a wonderful, simple tunic with front pockets. It looks easy, and best of all, really comfortable to wear.
Veera is a genius for making up this pattern. It's beautiful!
Everything in Moderation
Hi folks - I've been awfully lazy with the blog lately. But I will try to do better. Meanwhile, here are a couple of pictures of Pique, doing what she does best.A note on commenting on this blog: I've had a lot of SPAM posts - weird proverbs and comments in foreign languages, so I've put a moderating function on the blog. If you try to comment and your comment doesn't show up right away, it is in my inbox awaiting approval. I normally don't like to do this kind of thing, but it's gotten to a point where it's become necessary.
Thanks. Keep reading and more to come. Promise.
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