Jerusalem in the window

Do you remember this beautiful representation of the City of Jerusalem in the centre of a ship's steering wheel?

In 2009, it adorned the front window of Romania Country Bread.



The bright splashes of colour and bold black strokes reminded me of a child's colouring book. I was so smitten that I had to take a closer look and take a couple of photos.

Years later, and long after the wheel had been taken down, I decided to recreate this image. It was then that I decided to see whether those tall towers, stately buildings, and endless walls really existed in Jerusalem.

After Googling various sites, I was delighted to recognize a few landmarks: The Dome of the Rock, the Tower of David, the quaint neighbourhood alleys and pathways - surrounded by the stonewall of Jerusalem's Old City. Of course, never having traveled to Israel, I was only guessing and if I have made a mistake, please correct me.

Jerusalem is probably on just about everyone's list of must-see places. I myself dream of packing my bags and catching the next plane out to this ancient city. Until then, I'll just take a peek at my picture now and then and imagine it coming to life once I set foot on this world heritage site.

Can you ever just walk past Nikaido in Steveston?

I would say "no."

What is it about Nikaido's window displays that seems to draw you in, root you to the spot, and transport you to ... elsewhere.

May be it's their maps of Paris, or books on London, or - your childhood favourite - adventure books of Tin Tin by Georges Remi.

May be it's the way they artfully arrange things in clean zen-like simplicity.



Or cluster objects of monochromatic colours to make you think of similarities instead of differences and harmony instead of contrast.



Or prop up whimsical posters like this one of a lady trying to escape the winter chills with seven pots of tea.



Whatever their formula is for this arresting experience, I can tell you that it works.

Just look around you the next time you find yourself gawking into Nikaido's windows. I did. And this was what I saw...

Bell's Bake Shop serves cups of sweetness to Steveston

Please welcome Jennifer Bell, who opened her cupcake shop in Steveston on December 10th, 2010.

Jennifer is a Richmond girl who left home to seek culinary adventures in Merry Old England. While living in the old country for four years, Jennifer immersed herself in the pastry world and her last three months abroad was spent in - yes you guessed it - a cupcake shop.

No wonder then that, when she returned home, she dreamed of opening up her own bakeshop.




"I was thinking of offering full size cakes that would be sold by the slice," says Jennifer. "But cupcakes are a lot easier. And there is less waste because I just hate waste."

Currently there are nine regular flavours on her display shelves. They stand in cozy - and creamy - clusters, sporting such dreamy labels as:
1-Devils food cupcake with dark chocolate frosting
2-Banana cupcake with butterscotch frosting
3-Carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting
4-Confetti cupcake with vanilla frosting
5-Vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting
6-Red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting
7-Rich chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting
8-Coconut cupcake with coconut frosting
9-Lemon cupcake with lemon frosting

"At the moment, I have one gluten free flavour that's available every day. In the future, I will be offering diabetic and vegan cupcakes as well," continues Jennifer.

And if you tend to think big, Jennifer can also whip you up a giant cupcake, which is available by pre-order only.



For the moment, Jennifer's nine everyday flavours would satisfy a heck of a lot of preferences, including the newly introduced maple bacon cupcake for those who like to depart from the strictly sugar and spice variety. My personal favourite is the lemon cupcake which is as light and refreshing as a burst of sunshine.



The next time you find yourself on First Avenue, why not poke your head in and pick your own favourite...like this irresistible lot!

Sweets Etc. adds homemade flavours to Steveston Farmer's and Artisan Market

I follow the Steveston Farmer’s and Artisan Market schedule religiously. The two weeks between events feels like an eternity to me. I can’t wait to ride my bike down to the village and meet those enterprising vendors who add so much colour and creativity to our community. On August 28th, I had the pleasure of chatting with Daisy and Precilla.



Sweets Etc. broke into the community event scene at the Vancouver Baker's Market earlier this year. Since then, it has been serving up baked goods that delight the eye and palate.

The chiffon collection:

A.Grand Marnier orange chiffon cake
B.Lemon chiffon cake
C.Key lime chiffon cake
D.Dark banana chiffon cake
E.Gateau Chocolat (lovely but not really a chiffon creation)
--Photos courtesy of Sweets Etc.--

The pound cake collection:

A.Madeleines
B.Mocha pound cake
C.Fig pound cake
D.Prune cake
--Photos courtesy of Sweets Etc.--

On May 23rd, Daisy and Precilla signed up for the Steveston Farmer's and Artisan Market and have been serving cookies, cakes, and bread a few times when I stopped by their tent.

So, what was on the menu that day?



Sweets such as:
· The citrus collection: featuring lemon, orange, and lime cookies
· The decadent collection: consisting of frostbite, mocha mocha, and cream drop dainties
· The heartwarming collection: offering apple cranberry and banana cinnamon buns

And savouries such as cheese knots, veggie curry buns, escargot, and other must-try creations.

According to Daisy and Precilla, their big movers include – not surprisingly – cinnamon buns and Fougasse Provencale, a type of bread that hailed all the way from Provence, France.

The ones being sold that day were baked with roasted garlic and olive but they can also come embedded with caramelized onion. Either version can be eaten by itself, or served with soup or stew as comfort food par excellence.

Such an eclectic menu reflects Daisy and Precilla’s ongoing experimentation to come up with a menu that pleases a wide range of tastes. Instead of focusing on a niche, they are still happily exploring what’s right for their customers. And it all comes down to giving people choices.

At the end of our informal interview, I turned my attention back to the display table and picked up a few treats to be enjoyed later at home, preferably with a cup of coffee. After all, shouldn’t an investigative blogger try out samples of what she is featuring on a post? It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it.

You can find out more about Daisy and Priscilla's baking by visiting them at www.sweetsetc.blogspot.com.