Impromptu Kitchen Dance Parties

Steppin, the New Dance for 2010?
Practice starts right now!






I bet your feet are shuffling under the table? This dance is so sweet and so fluid, it is unbelievable. Let's all dance in the kitchen!

Kon Nichiwa!

Photo of the Sanko family by Kaori Furue

Sanko Trading Co.
730 Queen Street West
416-703-4550

Last weekend, my husband invited me to Sanko's groceries store. It was a first time for me! Sanko owners William and Kayoko, and their son Steve, have a vast knowledge of Japanese food and culture accumulated from working in the store since 1968.

I loved the experience! The food and packaging were intricately bound together creating a world of art. The wonder I feel towards Japanese food is total and genuine. I was so thrilled to see what Sanko had to offer that Mr Mizuno himself came up to me and started to show me around, pointing at everything that he thought could be of interest to me... I eventually gave him some guidelines: what are the best tea cakes in the store? Thanks to his suggestions, I chose a selection of tea cakes, a delicious green tea version, some chewy sesame and red bean ones,

...and some others filled with a cherry blossom paste.

I cannot resist the beauty and taste of Wagashi (和菓子), the traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits. Miam-miam!

A Chaya or traditional Japanese teahouse, offers tea and wagashi. This example is in Nara Park

Japan is really a culture of gifts, these impeccably wrapped-up cakes, teas or chocolates are all ready to offer. As we were planning to visit some friends that very night, we decided to bring them some tea cakes as an exotic gift. Rob and Trelawnie, our friends, loved them!

Now, before we left his store, Mr. Mizuno also wanted to introduce us to his favourite ice-cream, made with Jersey cows' milk. The specificity of this milk, he explained, is that it is tastier but less fattening than any other traditional milk. Jersey cows can be found on The British Channel Island of Jersey and ... in Japan. Ah bon! Marco and I regretted we did not have any cooler to bring this unique ice-cream back home with us, but that will be for another day!

In a nutshell, if in the neighbourhood, don't miss the experience. Go and pay a visit to Sanko, it will spice up your day with a zingy taste of Japan!

P.S: If you are curious about Japanese, you can learn a few words thanks to the shop's website.

Putting on the Ritz with the 1920s!

Mon cher Coco,

Spadina Museum will be opening its doors on Saturday, January 30 for one night only to celebrate the inter-war period restoration currently underway.

When I first visited Toronto in 2006, the authentic charm and beauty of the Spadina Museum (pronounced Spa-deena) was undeniably one of the reasons why I fell in love with the city, and decided to move here in September 2007.

So, if in town, you simply cannot miss that great 1920s party thrown in Spadina's elegant Victorian decor.
Pick up your phone and book your tickets NOW! It's filling up fast.

Costumes or glad rags from the 1920s are welcome! The museum plans to photograph participants during the event to keep our audiences up to date on restoration happenings and events. Fantastic prizes will be awarded for Best Individual Costume, Best Couple and Best Celebrity Impression.

PS: I still don't know what I will be wearing...But if like me, you need to polish up your retro look, you can find affordable 1920s clothes and accessories at Gadabout on Queen Street East, at Cabaret on Queen Street West, or at Courage my Love in Kensington Market, or again at Fashion Crimes (fake pearls and cigarette holder for next to nothing!).

Hope to see you there ;o)

Let's go Retro, Mon cher Coco!

Souvenir from our trip to St Lawrence Antiques Market last Sunday:
Two Italian postcards with hand colouring from the Fotocelere Studio, Torino (1910-1942).

Of Types and Personalities...

Click on the picture above.

Then enter your first name, surname and password (character).

P.S: I am Lettres Ornées, and you?

Leek & Potato Soup / Soupe Poireaux-Pommes de Terre: Délicieusement Terre-à-Terre

Two days ago, I made a very basic soup that everybody knows: the leek & potato soup.
It is unbelievable how flavourful that soup is! There seems to be something very comforting about the taste of leeks on a cold day.
This soup is a real winter warmer. It's smooth and tasty, and a simple way to a nutritious meal. ;o)

Here are the ingredients I used to make... a very basic Leek & Potato Soup:
2 medium red potatoes, quartered
3 medium leeks, diced
1,5L of water (I used water + chicken broth)
1 red onion
3 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1 hand-held blender

In a saucepan, heat the oil. Fry the onion, garlic for ten minutes until the onion starts to soften and go translucent.

Stir in the potatoes and leeks, and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the leeks and potatoes are soft.

Blend the soup until smooth. Season to taste using only salt and ground pepper.
Decorate the soup with a sprig of thyme. Then serve.

PS: Many options are offered to you with this soup!
-You can stir in some single cream (50ml) and milk (75ml), or coconut milk before warming through. I personally opted for a cream & milk-free version. Trying to reduce the waistline, remember!
-Before serving, you can also throw in fried bacon or blue cheese.
-Add cumin, coriander, and nutmeg.
But it really is up to you!

Happy Leek & Potato Soup!

New Index for Atelier Jacob!

Marco Jacob in "Poetics of Structure" by Anna Sulikowska, Slash Magazine (Summer 2007)

Last week, Marco Jacob, my husband, and I, celebrated the launch of his new homemade (so to say) website!
It took him some time to transfer the data and upload the new material, but the result is really interesting. Instead of updating his old website with the help of a webmaster, he opted for a format that is called Indexhibit. He researched a lot, browsed on many sites that had been built with Indexhibit, and learnt how to master this new tool. Being independent in how to display one's creative work is, I think, of paramount importance for an artist. It therefore was a huge step that this more user-friendly format enabled him to take. He now can go through the regular updates of his multidisciplinary work himself, which is revolutionary.

Marco and I would like to invite you to browse through his new website, so you can see some of the projects he has been working on lately:

www.atelierjacob.com

Identity design and stationery for Plutino Group. 2009.


Fabrication of maquette for artist Luis Jacob. 2009.
Used in a competition entry for a public art project.


Warp lounge chair. 2008.
Vacuum formed plastic. Prototyped by UB Signs.

Set design for photo shoot featured in Fashion Magazine. 2007.
Photography Miguel Jacob.


Temporary installation initiated by the studio. 2007.


Installation at the Gladstone Hotel's Come Up to My Room exhibition. 2007.
Photography Anna Sulikowska and Chris Curreri.


Louise armchair. 2006.
Baltic birch plywood. Prototyped by Matt Wood.

Hope you enjoyed the visit! Please, leave a comment to let us know your impressions.
We'll take good note of it!


Marco Jacob. Photograph by The Sartorialist.

Une Fleur à la Boutonnière!

Takashi Murakami - Flower Ball, 2004

Mon cher Coco,

First, I would like to apologize for having been kept away so long. I was quite busy researching and preparing resource material for my new French teaching position. I indeed started a new job for the Government yesterday, and as any job, it needs a certain input of time and effort to adjust!
But, here I am. I'm back!
I would like to start off this new decade with a Flower Power behind-the-seams story. As I was going through my jewels, scarves and other fancy accessories over the holiday, I fell on a felt boutonniere that I made a few years ago, when still in Lyon, France. It had fallen out of grace in my eyes, so I was going to discard it for good, when my dear husband said: "Wait a minute! You made it. I love it... I want to wear it!" Ah, love is beautiful! Since then, he has worn it on the lapel of his Yohji Yamamoto winter coat everyday, and I must admit that I am very proud when he reports to me the compliments he got along the way, with his new 'fleur à la boutonnière'.

I wish you all to start off this new decade with a lovely flower on your lapel - Flower Power all over the world!

Love,
Christine Rochet-Jacob