This is the season when I find myself making meals out of whatever comes from the garden, no recipes needed. Steamed chard or runner beans, slices of cucumber and yellow zucchini, whole radishes – mostly topped with nothing more than salt and pepper and perhaps a little olive oil or butter. Why muddy the flavours of such fresh produce with anything more? This week’s dish fits right into my late summer eating habits. The corn is roasted in its husk in the oven (or on the barbeque, for those who live in hotter climes), then dressed sparingly. We opted for a butter, salt, and pepper. I’ll use this method again, especially when the weather is as mild as it will be this week. I’ve got more of the sweet Chilliwack corn my mother dropped off for us just waiting in the fridge.
All that vegetable goodness doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about other treats, though, and yesterday I got to sample some lovely pastries at Beaucoup Bakery with Mardi of eat. live. travel. write. We’re the only two active Canadian participants in French Fridays, so I was glad she was able to fit me in during a very brief visit to Vancouver. I enjoyed our visit.
I don’t make it out to the Fairview neighbourhood very often, perhaps because there are too many tempting shops there. I managed to avoid Books to Cooks this time, for which my groaning cookbook shelves will thank me. I missed my bus, though, so ended up doing a little shopping at Murchie’s and Cookworks while I waited for the next one to show up. There are a lot more shops and restaurants worth visiting in this district, and I’m adding Beaucoup Bakery to the list. Their croissants alone seem worth another trip.
The Fairview district also includes Granville Island and Gallery Row, so there’s a lot to see. Perhaps I’ll spend a day there soon and make a full post of it.
You can find many other blogged descriptions of this week’s FFWD recipe here: Boulevard Raspail Corn on the Cob
One Wet Foot 
Such fun!!! I’d love to meet both you and Mardi!!! Those croissants look worth the trip to Vancouver! Glad you enjoyed the corn, too 🙂
I’d love to meet you, too! (And I’m looking for an excuse to go back and get some of those croissants.)
Thanks for sharing the wonderful pictures. Glad you had a good visit with Mardi. This corn recipe was one of my favorites.
It was fun. And the corn method is wonderful. I’ll be using it again tomorrow.
Sounds like a wonderful meet up! Your photos are just beautiful. Glad you enjoyed the corn…I really liked this technique for cooking it!
It was really fun – just wish the rest of you could have joined us!
Yay it was SO fun to meet you Teresa and I am still dreaming about those wonderful pastries 🙂
Me, too – it’s definitely worth a trip across town (or, in your case, across the country).
How wonderful that you got to catch up with Mardi! The religieuse pastry has my mouth watering. Your corn also looks mouth wateringly good, and I am with you on cooking simple fresh produce and eating it as is.
The sesame filling in the religieuse was fantastic – I’m going to have to find an excuse to head back to that neighbourhood, soon.
Teresa, I’m not sure which is more enticing – the pastries or the corn! How wonderful to have garden fresh produce right now. I’m always jealous in the summer of everyone’s fresh produce, our heat in the Palm Springs area prohibits summer gardening and since we don’t get a lot of tourists, our markets aren’t abundant in fresh produce. How great to meet Mardi in person, or any of the FFWD group. If you are ever in the Palm Springs area let me know –
Vancouver has a long growing season, luckily. But, I know a lot of people go to places like Palm Springs to escape our winter rains, too. And same goes if you’re ever in Vancouver – let me know!
How fun. I think we need to do something similar for the european contingent, since I’m pretty sure that most of us are going to miss next month’s big meet up.
That sounds great – I’d love to see the photos if it happens.
Corn or croissants? Tough choice!
Hoping we can align things to meet up when I’m in Vancouver next month.
Yes, I’d love to meet you!
The corn looks delicious, Teresa. And, your glimpse of the Fairview neighborhood is so enticing. I’d love browsing around there, though I’ m sure to get myself into big trouble in Books to Cooks, the tea shop and the bakery. Uh-oh. I’m glad that you and Mardi were able to meet up. I wish you were able to come to Seattle, so I could meet you too.
Well, I’m on the waiting list, so we’ll see. I just wish I’d been able to commit earler. 🙂
Um…earlier…
Now I’ve been to both Mardi’s and your sites and have totally forgotten about the corn because the pastries look so fabulous and delicious. You live in such a great city so I hope you keep writing about it. I enjoy those posts also. I’m not familiar with Books to Cooks but I get what it is! Yeah, dangerous place to stop and browse…… I am crossing my fingers that you can get into the convention. I just have good feelings that you’re going to be there. You have all our information so keep in touch.
Books to Cooks is VERY dangerous! I hope I can make it to Seattle after all – I’ll let everyone know if it works out.
Teresa, your corn looks picture perfect and unbelievably fresh and the bakery looks like a wonderful place to visit!
Thanks, Andrea – it’s a lovely bakery, though a little out of the way.
I’ve always wanted to go to Vancouver, and your bakery photos (and a store devoted to cookbooks!) only made me want to go even more. Hopefully one day….Your top photo of the corn is also lovely.
Thanks, Jora. Vancouver’s a nice town to visit, even in our (very long) rainy season.
Oh it is so fun to read about the Dorista meetings when they happen – love it and that neighborhood you shared. The pastry looks as fab as that coffee. And glad it was all rounded out by the uber healthy garden fresh corn. Great week and great pics – thanks for sharing them all ! Tricia
Thanks, Tricia! I’m looking forward to hearing all about IFBC.