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With foodiePrints celebrating its third birthday - its first published blog entry, a twice re-written "hello world" and its first recipe, one for almond biscotti - I discovered that we have relatively few Christmas-themed posts. This post aims to slowly remedy this by compiling a selection of images from our archives to share some of our traditions.
Office Christmas Parties
Office Christmas parties are an interesting species of get-together. As Jack Knox wrote in his "Office Christmas party all about being inappropriate" for Canwest's canada.com, the general consensus from business leaders is to attend. For the organization, they provide management an opportunity to evaluate staff's soft skills for future advancement. Such includes appropriate dress, conversation skills, and showing discretion. For employees, they provide the opportunity to get to know each other in a relaxed setting and get a sense of the prevailing thoughts of management.
The party I attended with my better half's office was held at Ottawa's then Civic Centre (1015 Bank Street) at Landsdowne Park. There, I watched my first live hockey game, featuring Ottawa's 67's.
67's Game
Served was typical sport stadium grub.
Onion Rings and Chicken Fingers
Not Particularly Spicy Wings
Beer, Mexican Corona
Mine was held at La Boîte àChansons (444 Bd De l'Hopital) in Gatineau, a very large restaurant, whose interior is made to resemble a log cabin.
La Boîte àChansons
There, I ate a traditional Quebec feast:
Clockwise from bottom: tortière, meatballs, roast beef
Everything was smothered in gravy. Though, I was instructed the tortière, a revered meat pie dish, had to be eaten with ketchup.
Mini Tortière, properly served
Indeed, the tortière did well with some added sweetness and acidity to match the savory filling and rich pastry.
A week later, my team also bid farewell to our office assistant, a wonderful gal. She happened to be the person who ensured that I ate my serving of tortière without embarrassing myself. To celebrate her advancement, we took her out to lunch at Naples Pizza (70 Rue Montcalm), again on the Gatineau side.
While my colleagues each ordered great pizza, I went rogue and ordered the lasagna (spelled "lasagne" on the menu, cost: $9.95). Here is the oddity of pasta I was served. It still puzzles me today.
Chimney-shaped Lasagna
Filled with Pizza Sauce, Cheese, and Pepperoni
On Naples Pizza's menu, the lasagna was described as "a special blend of Italian Noodles, Pepperoni, selected Cheeses, & Meat Sauce." Lesson learned: When going to a renowned pizza house, order what it makes best. Comparison-wise, a personal combination pizza ("mushrooms, pepperoni, green peppers, bacon & onion") cost $9.75.
Christmas Baking
That year, Jenn and I baked cranberry scones and almond biscotti, batches of each destined for two potlucks and several close friends.
Regarding the biscotti, I followed the tried and true recipe that launched this blog.
One Batch of Almond Biscotti, drying
Though, whilst searching for that year's Christmas basket fodder, we came across these biscotti at the Dollar Store.
Dollar Store Biscotti
They were slightly more puzzling than the chimney lasagna.
Regarding the scones, their recipe comes from a baking course we took at Ottawa's Three Bakers and a Bike Bakery (1281A Wellington Street W.).
Scones Destined for Jenn's Parents
I am not at liberty to share that recipe, but here are hints that work with all tea-style scones recipes. When making scones, there must be enough fat to coat the flour mixture to form pebbles.
This is too dry
So add enough fat that...
...the mixture resembles this.
Bake six to a half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper
Cool on cake racks...
...and you will have great scones
A Toaster
That year, a dear friend gifted my better half with something she had been eyeing for a while...
A Hello Kitty Toaster
Naturally, it arrived boxed in pink
Interestingly, it makes pretty good toast...
...which we ate a lot of that Christmas
On a related kitty note, here is a mousse filled chocolate kitty Jenn's sister Jasmine received as a Christmas gift.
One odd looking chocolate cat
And, here is how we discovered it was filled with mousse...
One bisected odd looking chocolate cat
Speaking of tortière, the following is a twitter conversation I had on the subject this past weekend...
More after the jump...
Office Christmas Parties
Office Christmas parties are an interesting species of get-together. As Jack Knox wrote in his "Office Christmas party all about being inappropriate" for Canwest's canada.com, the general consensus from business leaders is to attend. For the organization, they provide management an opportunity to evaluate staff's soft skills for future advancement. Such includes appropriate dress, conversation skills, and showing discretion. For employees, they provide the opportunity to get to know each other in a relaxed setting and get a sense of the prevailing thoughts of management.
The party I attended with my better half's office was held at Ottawa's then Civic Centre (1015 Bank Street) at Landsdowne Park. There, I watched my first live hockey game, featuring Ottawa's 67's.
67's Game
Served was typical sport stadium grub.
Onion Rings and Chicken Fingers
Not Particularly Spicy Wings
Beer, Mexican Corona
Mine was held at La Boîte àChansons (444 Bd De l'Hopital) in Gatineau, a very large restaurant, whose interior is made to resemble a log cabin.
La Boîte àChansons
There, I ate a traditional Quebec feast:
Clockwise from bottom: tortière, meatballs, roast beef
Everything was smothered in gravy. Though, I was instructed the tortière, a revered meat pie dish, had to be eaten with ketchup.
Mini Tortière, properly served
Indeed, the tortière did well with some added sweetness and acidity to match the savory filling and rich pastry.
A week later, my team also bid farewell to our office assistant, a wonderful gal. She happened to be the person who ensured that I ate my serving of tortière without embarrassing myself. To celebrate her advancement, we took her out to lunch at Naples Pizza (70 Rue Montcalm), again on the Gatineau side.
While my colleagues each ordered great pizza, I went rogue and ordered the lasagna (spelled "lasagne" on the menu, cost: $9.95). Here is the oddity of pasta I was served. It still puzzles me today.
Chimney-shaped Lasagna
Filled with Pizza Sauce, Cheese, and Pepperoni
On Naples Pizza's menu, the lasagna was described as "a special blend of Italian Noodles, Pepperoni, selected Cheeses, & Meat Sauce." Lesson learned: When going to a renowned pizza house, order what it makes best. Comparison-wise, a personal combination pizza ("mushrooms, pepperoni, green peppers, bacon & onion") cost $9.75.
Christmas Baking
That year, Jenn and I baked cranberry scones and almond biscotti, batches of each destined for two potlucks and several close friends.
Regarding the biscotti, I followed the tried and true recipe that launched this blog.
One Batch of Almond Biscotti, drying
Though, whilst searching for that year's Christmas basket fodder, we came across these biscotti at the Dollar Store.
Dollar Store Biscotti
They were slightly more puzzling than the chimney lasagna.
Regarding the scones, their recipe comes from a baking course we took at Ottawa's Three Bakers and a Bike Bakery (1281A Wellington Street W.).
Scones Destined for Jenn's Parents
I am not at liberty to share that recipe, but here are hints that work with all tea-style scones recipes. When making scones, there must be enough fat to coat the flour mixture to form pebbles.
This is too dry
So add enough fat that...
...the mixture resembles this.
Bake six to a half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper
Cool on cake racks...
...and you will have great scones
A Toaster
That year, a dear friend gifted my better half with something she had been eyeing for a while...
A Hello Kitty Toaster
Naturally, it arrived boxed in pink
Interestingly, it makes pretty good toast...
...which we ate a lot of that Christmas
On a related kitty note, here is a mousse filled chocolate kitty Jenn's sister Jasmine received as a Christmas gift.
One odd looking chocolate cat
And, here is how we discovered it was filled with mousse...
One bisected odd looking chocolate cat
Speaking of tortière, the following is a twitter conversation I had on the subject this past weekend...
More after the jump...
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