Hey folksies! Today was such a gorgeous day, I cannot believe it! It is good and bad: good obviously because it was so warm that I got HOT in just my hoodie walking along the sun lit beach, and bad because it does not feel like Christmas at all today! Just look at this...I feel like it's summer!
Tatomme, Chloaye, Ian and I went for a nice little walk on the beach this morning (pretty shortly after I woke up, so I didn't have a chance to eat any breakky) and it was SO BEAUTIFUL!
Here's a little picture of my gorgeous cousins and I!
And here is a picture of my slightly "out of it" little brother and I...
And here is proof that I've always got my blog in mind! You have no idea how many pictures I take now a days (especially since I've over come my public photo taking fear)...today alone I took 245 photos!!!
This is my favorite beach in the whole world...mainly because there are SO MANY edibles on it! For example: it's a little chilly for wading in December, but in the summer when the tide is low you can wade right out and catch amazing, delicious dungeness crabs!
Also in the wonderful summer months, you can go clamming and fill bucketfuls full of these delicious little creatures!
And of course...oysters! But you already know all about these puppies! I am very happy that ONE of these three seafoods are easily attainable during the winter months!
Look at these girls...so incredible! And this beach and the weather!
Side note...I have recently taught myself to crochet...and I whipped up these little mittens on this little vacay! I am quite proud of them...
After our walk we headed back to the condo for a little bit of lunch! Aunty Daphne made this amazing soup, and I had it with a rice cracker with cream cheese, cucumber slices and salt and pepper! Delicious and filling, and good healthy fuel for the afternoon's busy schedule!
After running around doing a couple of errands, we finally got back on track doing some "food related" activities! We went to this great little fresh seafood place in French Creek to pick up some things for dinner...of course we have to have a huge seafood feast before we head off to Victoria! This seafood store is great, it's just tucked away in the marina at French Creek where all the fishing boats dock. It was so pretty there by the time we had gotten there! Industrial...but pretty industrial.
Here's the ocean view from the French Creek, just incredible.
This was a little spot of rust on a dumpster by the fish store...but it was so pretty I thought.
After we stocked up on HOARDS of seafood at the marina for dinner, we drove inland a bit to Cathedral Grove to go for a little walk amongst the humungous cedars! Inland there was a little bit of snow on the moss and trees which was a little bit of a surprise!
Here is the WHOLE Flan gang at Cathedral Grove...I love my family!
And the classic shot...
Our little walk really worked up an appetite, so it was straight home afterwards to cook up the feast! We started off toasting up a little bread with olive oil to sop up the delicious broth from the seafood.
Uncle Peter volunteered to cook up the seafood, so I helped out with salad duty. It was just a super simple salad: romaine, tomatoes, green and orange pepper, and parmesan.
The dressing was just olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a little dijon, salt and pepper and (this is weird...but it tasted really yummy...) caesar drink rimmer!
Tonight to drink there was more wine, more caesars, and the addition of some tasty vodka sodas!
Here's a shot of Uncle Peter (literally) whipping up some food...doin' a little deglazing.
I have to admit, us girls were a little worried about his cooking techniques at some points of the preparation, for example when we said "did you de-beard the mussles?" and he replied "what's debearding?!?!", but our insecurities in his seafood quickly vanished when we saw the final product...and then tasted it! Oh my god!
He presented us with a huge pot of mussels, clams and scallops steamed to perfection in a beautiful butter, garlic, red curry, coconut milk and white wine broth. It was the perfect combination of a little heat, richness and complexity...as well as montrous volume...there was SO much food!
On top of that he also fried up some halibut and snapper! It was equally incredible. He fried it up in sesame oil, and topped it off with a little more red curry paste. Wow.
Oh yeah...we had some crab steamed up too...Oh my god!
Look at this plate!!!
The feast of seafood was so wonderful...one of the most flavorful, delicious meals I have had in a while! I love seafood so much you have no idea. Especially seafood while in Parksville! With my amazing family.
Mmm...
Anyways, LOTS of pictures for today! I have many more to come too! I wonder how large the Christmas dinner post will be...I can't wait.
xoxo
Mariel
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