Pasta with Pesto, Salad, Roasted New Potatoes and Kale Chips
The mornings are the best part. Invariably tired (there are no early nights in Tofino) there are boys padding around in their PJs, excited to be in Tofino, wanting pancakes or poached eggs on toast.
Some mornings we take Lou alone to the beach, but there is also the lure of the boathouse, set on stilts two flights of stairs below the house, just above the rocky inlet. I go down in the cool air with a new cup of coffee and a book to sit in one of the pair of pale green Adirondack chairs (not so comfortable, but well-suited to this particular scene) overlooking the water. Lou follows me down and dozes on the warm wood in scattered sunlight. Crows caw testily at me (or at Lou, for being a dog and snoozing rather than pay attention to their presence a few feet away in the branches?) and wildlife goes about its business of living.
Meares island sits quietly across the water as it always does – there are cows living on Meares, their descendants having swum to shore from a sinking ship in the 1800s with sailors who were later rescued by another ship that didn’t have space for cattle. The tide is out, leaving the mudflats an open buffet for sea birds and buoys left sitting on the muck. Sometimes you can see the tide turn, and barely-there waves tentatively begin to tiptoe back toward the shore. Today, it made me realize I had promised the boys we’d drop the crab trap – best done at low tide, and pulled up when it’s high, the ocean having brought crabs along with it.
I stay down as long as I can, resisting thoughts of the boys and what they might be up to – what plans are being made – everyone else must be anxious to start their day, to go on outings. Sunscreen and towels and dry clothes and snacks and bottles of water must be packed. Eventually I go up and we head to the beach, or the park, or the little aquarium in Ucluelet.
Today ran long, and by dinnertime after too much sun and sand no one had the gumption to come up with a meal plan. There was enough in the fridge, so we steamed corn, cooked spaghetti and tossed it with pesto from the beach grocery, made up a salad from the head of lettuce the 90 year old next door neighbour offered from her garden, peas in their pods, slivered purple onion, strawberries, avocado and crumbled feta, toasted kale chips and roasted the tiniest potatoes we bought at the Saturday morning market. Creamy yellow and red the size and colour of radishes – some as small as peas.
All they needed was to have their dirt rinsed off and to be tossed with canola oil and salt, then roasted at 450F for 20 minutes, until tender inside and crispy out.
I’m hooked, in case I haven’t told you this already, on kale chips.
To make kale chips: wash, dry well and tear kale into big bite-sized pieces, tossing out the thick stems. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with canola oil; toss with your hands to coat them well, and sprinkle with salt. Rearrange in a single layer and roast at 400F for about 10 minutes, until crisp and starting to turn golden. (Watch them closely – if your oven is too hot they can burn quickly!)
July 26 2010 11:44 pm | cookies & squares
Angela on 27 Jul 2010 at 5:12 am #
What a beautiful setting Julie. I have such great memories and feelings of contentment when spending every prescious summer weekend at my parents cabin in sask. Enjoying simple food, evening walks and afternoon boat rides with stops for ice cream
Hope your enjoying The Hours. It’s such a wonderful book watch the movie when your done it they did a fantastic job with it
Lana in South Mountain (ON) on 27 Jul 2010 at 7:49 am #
That meal look awesome. My sister raves about kale chips but I have yet to make them. Maybe this is the week! Sounds like you are having a wonderful time.
Ann on 27 Jul 2010 at 8:40 am #
Thanks Julie!! I love hearing about your Tofino adventures. Your dinner looks and sounds marvelous!
I must make those kale chips . . .
Sue (London, ON) on 27 Jul 2010 at 9:01 am #
I love it when you’re in Tofino and you tell us all about it. Someday I’ll get there myself but in the meantime, living vicariously through you… again!
JulieVR on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:09 am #
I’m glad you guys are enjoying it! and Lana – YES, you must make kale chips! I can sit down and happily eat an entire bunch of kale to myself. Miraculous!
Erica B. on 27 Jul 2010 at 11:39 am #
Sounds like bliss
I keep telling T we need to plan a vacation out there but over the last few years weddings & christenings back east and a big move have gotten in the way. For now I’ll have to settle for living vicariously. Thanks for sharing
clea on 27 Jul 2010 at 4:28 pm #
sounds lovely Julie. have you read Mrs. Dalloway? So fun to read right before/after The Hours.
JulieVR on 27 Jul 2010 at 5:55 pm #
Clea – it’s sitting here right beside my arm. My dad is reading it, actually, having just read the Hours. We’re doing the book swap thing as soon as everyone is finished their reads.
Carolyn on 27 Jul 2010 at 6:31 pm #
Your description is poetic. I’m so envious. It definately sounds like you’re recharging your batteries and savouring these precious vacation days. THanks for sharing your piece of paradise with us.
Lynne @ CookandBeMerry on 27 Jul 2010 at 7:28 pm #
Your dinner looks so delicious, especially those little potatoes. My family had a cabin in Northern Minnesota, and I remember that even the food tasted better when we were there. Thanks for the memories.
Robyn in Mountain (Ontario that is) on 28 Jul 2010 at 3:28 pm #
Kale Chips, gotta try! Thanks, Julie!!
Barb on 28 Jul 2010 at 4:23 pm #
What a perfect place to vacation….. are you ever coming home?
Katharine on 29 Jul 2010 at 10:24 am #
Wow…… I’m with you right now. And incredibly jealous of your crabs.
Sara on 29 Jul 2010 at 5:32 pm #
I love your posts and your recipes. So inspiring. One question though, at what temperature do you roast the kale?
JulieVR on 29 Jul 2010 at 7:32 pm #
Oops – sorry! I’ve seen all sorts of methods at every temperature, but I’ve been doing it at 400F lately.
Sara on 30 Jul 2010 at 12:54 pm #
Thanks!
Honey on 30 Jul 2010 at 3:52 pm #
Simple and delicious!
Janice on 30 Jul 2010 at 8:52 pm #
I have let more kale rot in my fridge while waiting to make kale chips. I just need to do it already!
I want to go to Tofino.