Verrines

Last night Matt took me out for dinner! We went to a sushi place that sits on top of a hill overlooking the downtown core. I insisted we get a window seat :) We each got a "bento box" so you get to pick an appetizer and three main courses. I got the teriyaki chicken satays for the appetizer, assorted sushi and maki, assorted tempura and Korean BBQ ribs. We also got miso soup and a plate of their unagi maki. It was really good - although assorted tempura apparently means yams, squash, broccoli and zucchini. Also shrimp, which is why I ordered it, but the rest wasn't great. Then we went to Chapters - I bought a cookbook! Surprise! It's called "Verrines: starters and sweets in small glasses". Gorgeous, gorgeous presentation. I'm excited to make the Vanilla-Honey Pineapple confit with Marscapone Cream and the Delice du Cafe Noir with layers of chocolate-caramel mousse, white chocolate mousse and dark chocolate sauce. They also have a bunch of savoury items like stacked maki, layered dips and some sort of a coconut, avocado crab milkshake. My mom almost gagged looking through it.
After Chapters we went to pick up Gabe from my parents' place and we ended up watching a couple season finales: CSI and Bones. The CSI one freaked the heck out of me in the last scene (even though I knew it was coming) and even though I only watched one Bones episode all season the finale totally made me pumped to see what happens next season.
Tonight we're having dinner with my parents and my sister's family. My mom called this afternoon to see if I could make dessert. She recommended that I just whip up a cake mix but I really don't keep those in the house. So, I'm not sure what to make... I have strawberries in the house, and some whipping cream... Ooh! And sour cream! I think I'll make a strawberry sour cream pound cake. Well. That was actually quite easy.
Gabe is so adorable lately. He's picking up so many new words now. For instance, last night I was reading him a new book that Matt and I got for him at Chapters and when I closed it and said The End he said 'he en. Apparently he's been doing that for a while with my mom. He still thinks most every animal is a bear, except some dogs, and all cows and sheep. Oh and fish of course. He now does the actions to Itsy Bitsy Spider and Paddy Cake (somewhat, it's really cute because he just wants to get to the end so he skips some of the actions in between sometimes) and he prefers to pound it than to high five.
Anyway, I'd best get Gabe to sleep and go bake!

Mrs. Vander Leek ;)