65 ~ Mich's West Coast Journal

Come with me on a magic carpet journey while we travel at lightening speed away from the Canary Islands and Spain for a quick visit to the west coast of Canada and the island where I was born...Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island Rainforest
Michelle has a lovely blog about her bucolic life there on the Saanich Peninsula, where she lives with deer in her garden, raccoons on her porch, stellar jays and bald eagles nesting in her trees: Mich's West Coast Journal.

Michelle & Richard walking in woods near their home
She's just come back from a day trip to neighbouring Salt Spring Island, a short ferry hop away, which is an even more laid back island where organic agriculture, artists and craftspeople are highlighted in their weekly Saturday markets held in the town of Ganges. But on October 4th there was a special event, the annual Apple Festival where 350 varieties of island grown organic apples including heritage apples were on display.

Michelle has taken some lovely photos of the island and the apple festival, posting them to a slideshow on her blog. She's still becoming accustomed to her new camera, and doesn't do any post editing on her photos, so I think she has done very well in her portrayal of the spirit of the island and the Apple Festival!

North Saanich woods on Vancouver Island

Hasta la vista!

64 ~ World Cheese Awards

A Canadian goat’s milk cheese is crowned 2009 World Champion in Las Palmas at the world’s largest cheese competition. Canadian goat’s milk cheese, Le Cendrillon, saw off nearly 2,500 other competitors to take the title of World Champion Cheese 2009– the second year in a row that a goats’ milk cheese has taken the top spot.

The annual competition, run by the UK’s Guild of Fine Food, was staged this year in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria on October 1. It was only the second time the awards have been held outside Britain in their 21-year history and it attracted cheeses from 34 different countries.

Last year a Tenerife goat cheese won the award and I have since bought it in our local supermarkets and do appreciate the flavour. The video here starts off with a brief view of last year's winner, which was coated on the outside with pimento and gofio (a local toasted cereal) which gave it a brown appearance.

If you have 20 minutes to spare, here is a very good video of the cheese fair held two days ago on the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria, in the city of Las Palmas, showing the cheeses and how they are judged, as well as the presentation to the Quebec winner.

Here is the video link. It's in English and you can watch it HQ and full screen. It will make you want to run and get a piece of cheese to nibble on while you watch!

Here is a page link to an article from the Guild of Fine Food written about this year's contest.

63 ~ The Sea Within

Mar Adentro

Last night the Spanish Television channel TVE featured a rerun of Alejandro Amenábar's magnificent Oscar winning 2004 movie Mar Adentro, known in English as The Sea Inside or The Sea Within.

I have seen this movie a couple of times and know the story of Ramón Sampedro upon which the movie is based. But I was again so very impressed with the original soundtrack music composed by Amenábar, the young self-taught composer and director.

The thrilling sound of the recorder and gaitas, the bagpipes from Galicia, a province in the north of Spain, played by one of the world's best, if not the best gaita player, Carlos Nuñez, prompted me to include a clip in my blog sidebar of the theme music from this film.

And so stirring is that sound (I have some Scottish blood in me, you see) that I'm putting a full-size clip in today's post just so you won't miss it or the haunting melody and magic of Carlos Nuñez playing the recorder.
Click HQ quality and turn up your volume!



Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) played an amazing portrayal of the real life Ramón Sampedro, a young fisherman and sailor who was confined to bed as a quadriplegic for the rest of his life after a diving accident.

Alejandro Amenábar was born in Chile and has lived in Spain since childhood. His 2004 film Mar Adentro won the Oscar for best foreign film.

Carlos Nuñez was born in Galicia, Spain, and began playing the gaita when he was eight years old. More about him on the link.

Have a good weekend!

62 ~ Sunday Flea Market

South American pan pipe player

Every Sunday there is a flea market held in the parking lot of one of the local supermarkets.


So far I have seen only one stall that sells what could be called 'flea worthy' since it's the only one that sells second hand goods.


The rest sell inexpensive tourist oriented souvenirs and clothing, handcrafted and new costume jewellery, and inexpensive handbags.


However it is interesting to drop by there on my way to pick up a loaf of bread at the bakery to see if anything new has been added.

South American wooden dolls and artifacts


Some of the silver and mother of pearl shell jewelery is quite attractive.

I've read about Argan Oil from Morocco. It's one of the world's rarest oils and its production is labour intensive, extracted by hand by Berber women. I wondered though how authentic this bottle of oil could be seeing as it was being sold in a flea market. Hmmmm.

There's never a shortage of T-shirts to buy in Tenerife!

Nor is there a shortage of handbags made in all materials.





Here below a local Canary woman demonstrates the typical open-stitch embroidery of the island.



This girl is selling jewellery.
Notice her beautiful long hair.



As I leave I stop to take a photo of one of the beautiful little Flamboyant trees (Delonix Regia) with their wide, horizontal spreading branches.

Well time to get that bread and return home to start on our Sunday dinner. Hasta la Vista!

61 ~ Bibi & The Dove

Bibi was sitting on my printer watching the birds outside visiting the bird feeder in the tree, but she didn't notice that one dove was keeping an eye on her as she gazed out the window. The dove sat for the longest time observing her but didn't dare fly down to visit the feeder.

And finally we did have some rain. Not too much but enough to freshen the air and the garden. It rained again during the night but the days are still warm.

And totally another topic: Today I was given a couple of homemade Cornish Pasties by my English friend Brenda who has been in the catering business for years and is known for her breads and pastries. They looked so lovely I took a photo and will print out one in colour for her. Don't they look good! (click to enlarge)

Just a couple of random photos from today.
Hasta la vista!

60 ~ Summer is Ending

Here it is nearly autumn. The sun sits a little lower in the sky but the days are still warm and golden.

We're waiting for some much needed rain which has arrived in torrential fashion to the Spanish mainland, where there is serious flooding.

But here in Canaries, we look at the sky, ask our old gardener if he can interpret any signs from the cloud formations, as most local people who have worked the land here are able to do, but with a glance skyward and a shrug of the shoulders he shakes his head. No, hoy no va llover. Quizás mañana. Not today, perhaps tomorrow.

So we put the sprinkler again on the lawn and hose the dust from the car, then take a little walk around the garden with the camera and Bibi, our new Siamese cat.

The warm weather has caused her to moult, losing much of the dark brown hair on her back, exposing some of the lighter hair underneath, and in places looking almost like pale stripes.

The mandevilla blooms well at this time.

We even have some dried leaves, but miss the autumn chill in the air that goes with raking them into a pile for the composter. The Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium Lamerei) is still putting forth white flowers on that one stem I photographed earlier.

Is this perhaps the last red rose of summer? In a few days it will be autumn, but the rose bushes are all putting forth new growth and many flower buds. It's not yet time for them to have a rest.





Hibiscus blooms most of the year; this one has just had a watering from the hose.





The hedges are growing rapidly now we have cooler evenings. There is always something to prune or trim.

A blackbird sits outside my window, waiting for the doves to vacate the bird feeder. They seem to find it a convenient place to dine, much to the dismay of the smaller birds.

Yes I see you watching me. Now move out of the food tray and let the smaller birds have a chance please!

Well I guess I'd better go now and make our dinner. Hasta la vista!

59 ~ Dining in Tenerife

Ensaladilla Rusa & Croquetas de Atun
(Russian salad & tuna croquettes)

(All photos will enlarge with a click.)

Eating out while living or holidaying in Tenerife is a pleasure, especially when one is familiar with the local cuisine, and knows what to look for.

Here are some well-known dishes which I've tasted and learned to love. Photos were taken in the restaurants where the food was served:



The famous wrinkled salty potatoes are served with two mojo sauces:


Here a local fish is served with potatoes and green cilantro mojo

Morcilla (Canary blood sausage with honey and almonds)

The well loved Canary mixed salad has everything in it:
Ensalada Mixta

Sopa de Pollo (chicken noodle soup) is a favourite here in most Canary restaurants, and usually comes with a green mint leaf floating in it.


Rabbit or goat is often stewed in Salmorejo sauce :
Tuna or chicken croquettes served with garlic ali oli sauce and a red piquant mojo

Another ensaladilla, made with potatoes, tuna, vegetables and mayonnaise:
Chocos (squid) Pimientos de Padrón, fried mini peppers from the north of Spain encrusted with sea salt



Puchero Canario - a stew of several meats and chicken with vegetables. A meal in a dish.
Gofio...the staple food of the Canary people made from toasted corn and grains and mixed with broth, milk or water.


Chicken from the grill in garlic sauce

The local wines are much appreciated, winning international prizes

A serving of mixed salad

Frangollo is a typical Canary dessert made from corn flour

Chocolate mousse, puddings and flans are seen in most Canary restaurants

Here a flan with caramel swirls


And to finish off a meal, it's customary to have a cafe cortado leche leche. An espresso coffee with a bit of milk foamed on top and a dollop of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom of the cup! When it has a dash of Licor 43 or Tia Maria and cinnamon, along with a twist of lemon, it's called a barraquito.

¡Buen Provecho!