Obvious Hiatus

Circumstances have resulted in me back burnering this blog; back in April, I embarked on what was to be a 3-4 month assignment in Ontario, a significant change for me. The 3-4 months is turning in to 7-8 months. This, along with plenty of Facebook and Instagram activity, has meant that not much blogging happens. I'm undecided about how things will unfold. Honestly, I've put plenty of things on hold. I'm hoping to return to some semblance of normal by December...

Is Charcoal "better" ?

I've always been a fan of charcoal, and over the years, I have gone through several different variations of charcoal grills. Cutting to the chase, I recently bought an Eco-Que from MEC. It's the 12" square version, so it does not really have tons of space. Nevertheless, I thought it might be interesting, and it sure was/is. The big claim to fame is that you only need to use 9 charcoal briquettes for each session. Also, there are 3 different methods of arranging the 9 that afford 3 different levels of heat. Recently, I employed the method of standing the 9 pieces up vertically, for the highest heat output;

As you can see, it's a neat and tidy arrangement, and with the pyramid shape, the heat is quite well distributed...

The foil liners are an available add-on that makes clean-up a bit easier. 

This method, however, produces too much heat for most cooking tasks, so I don't think I'll be using it again.

As you can see, it was difficult to keep the meat from burning. In future, I'll probably use the "middle" method, where you lay all 9 pieces down on their side. Actually, it's probably best to use a dozen or so pieces in this configuration, but it works well, with less intense heat.

Even with the high heat, the t-bones were quite "salvageable"  :)

The Que also comes with a nice cover, and with its ability to fold flat and store in a nifty carrying bag, I think it'll become a well-used addition.

 Pictures above and below show the medium heat method, which is by far the most suitable for burgers, steaks etc.

The only real drawback with this BBQ is the stainless steel grilling surface is difficult to clean. I think I'm going to try and fit some sort of replacement grill, consisting of several rods or something, in order to make clean-up easier.

For the low-heat method, you actually remove the holder that the 9 briquettes sit on, and place them on a lower surface. I used that method once but it took way too long for things to cook. I can't see a use for such a low-heat output...perhaps it might work for smoking something.

They also sell a 12" grill surface that can apparently be used to fry eggs and bacon etc etc. I'm a little skeptical of that, but mostly because I figure food will stick to it, but I might be wrong.

My final judgment is that this is a good unit, and while not light enough for a backpacking trip, this will easily find a home for car or canoe camping. The only real negative is that cleaning the grill requires work, but then again, most do.

Reorganizing...please excuse the mess...

...not alot of time, but I'm trying to change a few things.
stand by please...

A bit too short, but lots of fun !!

For your unwavering support all season long, we want to say THANK YOU! #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/JWBJrTNOEv

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 25, 2017

Snowshoes 2017

With over 80 cms of snow down, we just had to get outside. Most of it had vanished, and with a threat of heavy rain and +10c temperatures, it was now or never.

Debbie's in the lead

We have our usual spot close to the house so not much effort is required. The fresh air and the sun are very therapeutic this time of year.

Shine down on us !!

Since it's now March, time was of the essence. This was just a short outing, but hopefully it's not this season's last.

Snowshoe Model :)

Majestic...

and then there's me :)

I'm glad we got out there as I would not want to see spring arrive with no winter "stuff" under our belt. Living in these parts, you have to figure out how to embrace it all...til next time...

Work Holiday

I'm grateful for a fine position/job, so there's often a thin line between work and holiday. Last week, I escaped Halifax for the other coast, and collided with some great winter weather, all the while avoiding two separate snow storms that smashed into Nova Scotia. The first one on the Monday dumped 70+ centimeters of snow, while the second one, two days later, added an additional 20. From the hotel deck, it didn't really affect me...red nose notwithstanding.

I had three days of meetings, and as usual, dining out is all part of the experience, and getting to enjoy some of my favorites...

gotta have "Huevos". Underneath these 2 delightful eggs, there's a hidden assortment of black beans, cheese, and tortilla shells.

Then of course there's the Lamb. Every time I find myself out there, I MUST have a nice Greek Lamb wrap thingy...m-m-m-m-m...

Enough about the food. Here's a shot from the Pier looking back at the hotel...not bad for February in Canada !!

A walk along the water is always soothing...unless you plan on diving of course...

All in all it was a great trip and a much-appreciated diversion from the normal Nova Scotia winter...