eat: it’s phở friday!

Phở is one of my most favourite things to eat. I’ve been a fan of the tasty Vietnamese noodle soup ever since my first spoonful.

It's hearty, bursting with flavour, cures whatever ails you and is extremely affordable. I can't think of a better way to combat a cold winter’s day than with a piping hot bowl of phở.



A typical bowl of phở consists of rice noodles and slim cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket) swimming in a steaming hot, aromatic beef broth. I usually order a small bowl (large = a cauldron) with thinly sliced rare steak (the beef cooks in the broth) and additional items that some people might classify as "exotic," like beef balls and tripe. I love me some tripe.

For freshness and added zest, phở is garnished with fresh bean sprouts, basil, cilantro and lime wedges. 

Sriracha (hot chili) and hoisin sauces are also found at the table, but I prefer to enjoy my phở as is, in all its flavourful glory. My husband, on the other hand, is a lover of spice and invariably adds a few generous squirts of hot chili sauce directly into his bowl to heighten the heat.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.



Want to try this noodle soup bliss for yourself?

Check out one of these slurp-worthy Edmonton restos:

• Tau Bay (phở-only): 10660 98 Street
• Ninh Kieu: 10708 98 Street
• King Noodle: 10613 97 Street

Are you a phở enthusiast? Is there a place you frequent? I’d love to add a few new places to our list.

My next culinary challenge is to try to make phở at home. I’ll let you know how it goes, no matter what happens.

Have a phởbulous weekend, friends! (;

Dajana

p.s. Wondering how to pronounce phở? This post will teach you in mere seconds.

eat: valentine's sweet treats

The boyfriend and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day; although I have requested bbq'd tenderloin wrapped in bacon for dinner that night. Nothing says romance like bacon, right? (;

Our plan is to have a cozy, cuddly night in - watching New Girl and devouring seasonal sweet treats from two of my favourite bakeries, Crave and Duchess. If those names sound familiar to you, it's because I've extolled their delicious virtures: here, here, and here.

Both shops are offering an assortment of mouth-watering delectables that I'm not about to pass on (no matter how I feel about a day that seems to force romance on the masses.)

Prepare to drool, peeps.

Crave Cookies and Cupcakes

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I warned you about drooling, didn't I? The choco-tarts are filled with vanilla bean infused caramel topped with Valrhona Caramelia milk chocolate ganache and finished with a pinch of sea salt. And the cupcakes? They're Crave's take on black forest cake - chocolate cherry cake with kirsch ganache. I'll take one of each, please!

Crave has other delicousness up their sleeve. They're offering sugar cookie "love letters" with custom messages written on them.  I'd get "Ja te volim" and "Ko te pito" written on mine - which mean "I love you" and "Who asked you?" in Croatian. Two of the first phrases I taught Scotty to say.

Duchess Bake Shop

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The pink delectables directly above are the appropriately named, L'Amour. They're macarons filled with raspberries, rose ganache, lychee buttercream, raspberry jam and lychees. Can you say heavenly? I've already pre-ordered mine. You probably should, too.

And the sweets in the tea cup? Remember eating Red Hots as a kid? They're cinnamon heart meringues!

So, do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Will you and your sweetie be out on the town or are you staying in and canoodling? I'd love to hear your take on the day between February 13 and 15.

Hope you're having a fantastic Wednesday!

Dajana (:

my favourite eats: duchess bake shop

I'm stuffing myself with a raspberry white chocolate scone from Duchess Bake Shop. 



I'm also enjoying a tartiflette - a recent addition to the pâtisserie's offerings. This savory wonder includes layers of potatoes, onion, thyme and Gruyère on olive oil brushed focaccia. I swear to you, after my first bite of tartiflette, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  I was literally transported to a magical potato-ey cloud, and my taste buds have never been happier.

I could eat this every day, it’s that good.



And the word nerd in me just loves the word tartiflette. Might be 'cause I'm in a French sort of mood after seeing Midnight in Paris last week. Oui, c'est ca!

Hope your Sunday is filled with all kinds of deliciousness too!

Dajana :)

p.s. Duchess is open on Sundays, so go!