breakfast at Nora and Anahid's

on my last day in Vancouver my great aunt and uncle Nora and Anahid invited me for breakfast at their house before my flight back to Toronto.

when we arrived they had the whole table set up with an assortment of cheeses, homemade jam (rose petal, cherry, apricot) eggs and soujuk, fresh herbs from their garden (mint) olives, honey, and fresh fruits and veggies (tomatoes and cucumber always).

their breakfast set up really made me think about how important breakfast is to Armenian families. it's always an elaborate spread of fresh and delicious ingredients. eggs and bacon or oatmeal sounds way too boring compared to their table.

it was the perfect end to my trip back home in Vancouver.

aren't they cute? they've been married for 50 years.

morning smoothie

this morning I made a smoothie on the go.

1 ripe banana

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter

sprinkle of cinnamon

blend

i've also made this with 2 dates but i didn't have any and the banana is quite sweet enough.

i find this smoothie to be really filling and perfect for a rushed morning. 

my go-to salad and sumac love

my go to salad: kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, raw white onions, lemon, olive, salt, sumac (my favourite) and sometimes parsley if i have it.

it's kind of like a fattoush salad without the pita chips. this is our favourite salad. it's so tart and delicious. sumac is probably my favourite spice. sumac grows in subtropical and temperate regions in Africa and North America. they start as shrubs and small trees (apparently Toronto has wild sumac!!!) the fruits are then dried and ground to produce a tangy crimson spice. it has a lemony taste and i could probably eat it in on anything. another way i love using sumac is sprinkled on homemade popcorn drizzled with olive oil and nutritional yeast, yum!

armenian apricot and walnut jam

on our little trip to the Armenian grocery store we picked up apricot jam and walnut preserve.

they were both delicious. the apricot jam is slightly tart and really fresh. i wish i could afford some really nice cheese to have it with (it didn't really work well with the Armenian string cheese). i imagine a parmigiano reggiano would go perfectly with the apricot jam or even a nice goats cheese.

the walnut preserve is also really special. they're whole, cooked and spiced with cinnamon and cloves (note: they are fresh walnuts baby walnuts, not in their shell). again, these would go really well with a nice sharp cheese. they look like little plums, dark and gleaming. the taste is unlike anything i've had before, i've had this with thick greek yogurt (or labneh) and it is sooo good. 

i look forward to breakfast just knowing i have these sitting in my fridge.

armenian string cheese

we came across a little Armenian fine foods grocery store on a bike ride a bit north of us! it was a nice surprise. we got some Armenian string cheese, apricot and walnut jam and sumac. i'm so glad we now have a place close by to pick up our favourite treats.

Armenian string cheese is a typically made from unpasteurized goat or sheep milk. it's semi-soft and has a creamy, smooth and springy texture. it's usually quite salty and sharp. it reminds me of my childhood whenever i eat this. it goes well with Armenian easter bread and jam.

homemade raviolli

homemade pasta has always been on my to do list, but i've never gotten around to doing it. it always seems a little overwhelming, but with a little patience and some upper arm strength anyone can do it.

i started with the pasta dough. the ingredients are very simple. 3 eggs, 2 cups of flour, a bit of salt and olive oil.

i made a little well in the flour and cracked the eggs inside. you can also do this in a bowl.

i then whisked the eggs till they were incorporated and slowly mixed in the flour

after everything was incorporated i was left with a big ol mess. after maybe 10 minutes of constant kneading and forming with my hands i was left with a cute little ball dough. i let this sit for an hour covered in a clean tea towel.

then came the filling. i had a ton of mushrooms and kale so that's what i did. i bought a small little log of goats cheese to bring it all together. after sautéing the mushrooms (finely chopped) with the kale (also finely chopped) and 3 cloves of garlic it was ready to be mixed in with the goats cheese. the filling along was to die for, i could've eaten the whole filling simply spread on some nice bread. ugh so delicious.

after the dough had rested for an hour it was time to start filling the pasta.

i used a tall drinking glass to roll out the dough (after I cut the ball in quarters) and made four sheets. this part was really fun, i felt like an italian grandma. after i made little balls of the filling i put the second sheet of pasta over the filling and made little sections with wet fingers. it also helps to wet the edges of the pasta before you place the second sheet over it to help it stick. 

once i cut the ravioli and sealed them with a fork i boiled them for about 5 minutes just until the ravioli rised to the top

we had the pasta with a salad and it was the perfect dinner. i drizzled a bit of garlic olive oil, pepper and parsley

enjoy

homemade stock

i've been making homemade stock for awhile now ever since i started living on my own. it's surprisingly easy and saves you a bit of money in the end. 

if i'm feeling lazy i'll buy a ready rotisserie chicken for dinner and it'll last us a few days. after we've picked away at the all the bones i usually keep the carcass, bones and skin frozen until i'm ready to make it. i'll also freeze onion skins and left over scraps from veggies that i would otherwise compost. 

when i'm ready i'll place the chicken, bones, skin into my cast iron pot along with 2 onions sliced in half, 2 carrots, 4 whole garlic cloves, herbs (today i had a ton of cilantro and parsley) and some salt and a few peppercorns. i filled the pot with cold water until it covered the chicken and put the stove on high. just as the water starts to boil i turn it down to simmer and let it sit there for at least 4 hours. 

my secret ingredient is a cinnamon stick

the longer it sits the more flavour the stock has, but the liquid also evaporates more so you'll have less. after about 4 hours the veggies are wilted and the bones are soft. i tasted it and it was delicious. 

the last step is straining it into a jar and it is literally liquid gold. if i know i'm not going to use it in the next 3 days, i pop it in the freezer after it has cooled down. 

i usually use the stock for soup, risotto or rice. it's always better than the bouillon cubes or the carton stock. if you have a cold, drinking this on its own is simply so nourishing and healing.

enjoy