1) the new pizza steel

It’s always nice to be home. After a couple weeks on the road – visiting London and then Toronto (where it was 44C with the humidex I might add) – it is lovely to be back home on the ‘best coast’. To celebrate G and I ate, drank, spoke Italian and prepared home-made pizza on the new Modernist Cuisine pizza steel we purchased.  If you are not familiar with Modernist Cuisine, do go take a peek here.

The steel is essentially a solid steel plate weighing in at 22 pounds that you stick in your oven, heat the hell out of, and then bake your pizza on. It’s very cool and produces a fine Napoli-style crispy crust. It far surpasses any pizza ‘stone’ and even beats our goto pizza-making option – Mario Batali’s cast iron pan. We made two styles – one a classic margarita; the other bacon, mushroom and onion. Yummy!

2) the mat is readied for pizza crust making

3) G prepares the crust

4) double smoked bacon

5) mushrooms and onions await

6) fresh tomatoes and basil

7) the pizzas are ready

8) gorgeous!

9) oh so yummy!

While in London we celebrated my mom’s xx birthday.  Mom/papa and I headed to Stratford one day to picnic along the Avon which was lovely and then we gathered at my sister’s for photos prior to heading out for a birthday dinner. It was amazing as ever to hangout with everyone, and my, the niece and nephew just keep growing and growing.

10) papa and ma toast xx years

11) ma made salmon

12) and swan-shaped deserts of course

13) what a beautiful family – sis, hubby and the kids

14) and here we all are … including one dog

15) Happy Birthday Mom!

While in Toronto I managed time to meet-up with dear friend Kevin (thanks for driving all the way out to TO and good luck with the move!); dined with Cousin Richard and Blee at Rosedale Earth (it was just okay); and spent an afternoon lazing about the pool with Lady Sarah and Sir Henry at Gord and Ann’s.

16) moi and Kevin reminiscing about our journeys in Nice and Paris

17) most weekend mornings you’ll find G and I out on the Seawall cycling … this morning we stopped by these enormous Jurassic Park-like leaves

18) last week, the “Serene” yacht was visiting Vancouver Harbour – it is the 9th largest privately owned yacht in the world (owned by a Russian tycoon) … the wee door you see at the aft actually opens to release a smaller vessel