Beaching and Om Nom Noms!

No trip to Barcelona is complete without a trip to the beach!!

After sleeping in a bit, checking out of the hostel, we promptly headed to the beach. For some reason we didn't have the foresight to put bathing suits under our clothes, but we were perfectly content wading in the water getting splashed by the waves.

First of all...the water and the beach were sparkly!!! Black and gold flecks in the water coated us in sparkles, it was very pretty!! We spent a good couple hours catching sea shells and just enjoying the cool water in the 27+ heat. I think we got many odd looks...as everyone else was in swimsuits or tanning on the beach, while two obvious tourists are making a scene playing in the water fully clothed.

For the rest of the day, we basically got lost and wandered around. Really we were in search of the cathedral all day, and took many hours to find it. It didn't help that we kept running into these churches, thinking it was the cathedral, only to realize that despite being built before 1353, the lovely church we were in was not the cathedral. We did eventually find the real thing though.

Otherwise, the things I remember most is what we ate =) H and I have a tendency to just eat our way through attractions, and today was no acceptions. Here's a sample:

- croissants at the Sagrada
- Gelato whenever we wanted. Kiwi gelato, yum!
- went to the food market in the afternoon. We easily walked that place 4 or 5 times looking at all the food....we had mango/kiwi juice, sangria, chorizo, cheese, a cracker, chicken something that starts with an e, couchettes, and dragonfruit, yum! Honestly, the fact that the market was closing down as we got there is probably what prevented us from buying even more food...
- Back to the Harbour, where we had paella, lamb steak and fries, salad, and whiskey cake, with wine and sangria of course
- grabbing tiny, very very strong coffees without sugar


Then trudging back to the bus for the overnight back to Madrid. What an intense trip, I'll have to calculate how many kilometers we walked that day! My overall impression of Barcelona is very very touristy. Lovely and charming in its own way, but not what you think of when you think of classic Spain!

Currently I am writing this in Grenoble. More on my adventures, like missing my train, later.

- S

No Turning Back Now!

This it, I am in the airport, boarding in a hour. After two days of last minute purchases (and a new airport watch...) my backpack weighs 20lbs. At first it sounded so light, and then I put it on. Wow it was heavy!! Bleh. I am somewhat used to the weight now, but it definitely a good way to make sure I don't buy anything I don't need!!!

Waiting for the plane I notice two other backpackers, but everyone else checked huge luggage. Then there was the odd thing that my ticket and the tv screens all list a different gate number...but so far that seems to be the worst of it!

C was super helpful and found a Lonely Planet Western Europe Phrasebook at Chapters for me. Considering I made no effort to even dust off my French before heading to the airport, I think it will be worth the $13 investment. My friends in Europe already, such as J, have also been helpful in packing and figuring out what I needed to bring.

I called my

Right now I am definitely not feeling super confident, or confident at all. But my stmach is getting excited at the prospect of all the food!!!! My 20 mins of Porto research tells me the local speciality is tripe and wine...both of which I like =D

Goodbye Canada!! Portugal, here I come!!

Miscellaneous from Edinburgh

#1

There are some things that I can make do with ASDA Smart Price or Sainsbury's Basics products. Recently I learned that jaffa cakes aren't among them. At almost a third of the price of the original McVitie's brand, they seemed quite harmless to my budget... though after a month or two of indulging in at least two or three boxes a week of the original stuff, it becomes pretty obvious that the price difference is there for a good reason. Actually, just laying one of each other would already give it away, since the ASDA Smart Price jaffa cakes are significantly flatter and poorly shaped. Even the taste isn't quite the same.

#2

It seems that my neighbourhood is a favourite for ice cream trucks, some of which could possibly be ghost trucks at the same time. Since September, I'd hear the familiar sound of an ice cream truck at odd times of the day. 3pm, 7pm, you name it.... around 10.30pm seems to be a common time too. The oddest thing was that I didn't actually see an ice cream truck with my own eyes until February.

When I was growing up, I don't think I ever saw or heard an ice cream truck after 5pm. Do kids in this area actually buy ice cream at such a late hour? Especially when the area has a reputation for being a little dodgy?

#3

Recycling seems to a relatively new thing here. Most houses don't have recycling bins. And the ones that do, there are two options: 1) cardboard, and 2) glass and tin. As an unintentionally avid user of plastic containers in various forms, my heart breaks every time I have to throw a plastic bottle into a regular rubbish bin. Given the abundance of plastic out there, it's a pity that the option to recycle domestic plastic waste doesn't exist yet. Unless, of course, I bring in a bunch of bottles to campus, where there do exist recycling bins for that very purpose.

#4

In a fair number of cities, public transportation stops running after a certain hour, somewhere around 2am in general I believe. Edinburgh has night buses that run through the night, though even with a bus pass, there is an extra charge. A flat fare of £3 for a ticket that works on all night buses on that same night, £1.50 (half price) for those that have a bus pass. With a few late nights out every week, that quickly adds up to a fair amount of money on top of what I already pay for my bus pass. And the night buses start leaving the city centre just after midnight, which is still very early for a night out. Oh well, us students (and most other bus riders) suck it up because it's still cheaper than taking a taxi.

#5

Despite the fears at the beginning of the academic year, haggis is quite tasty, and a lot of people seem to agree with me. Just avoid the canned stuff like a plague. No comments on deep fried haggis yet, that's still on my list of foods to try.

#6

To quote Granny Weatherwax from Terry Pratchett's The Wyrd Sisters, "Things that try to look like things often look more like things than things." And sure enough, apparently Glasgow looks more like Edinburgh than Edinburgh itself. The movie Trainspotting, based on the novel of of the same name by Irvine Welsh, is set in Edinburgh, but was mostly filmed in Glasgow. Only two scenes were filmed in Edinburgh. No wonder I couldn't recognize much more than Princes Street!

#7

Scotland isn't exactly known for its ethnic diversity. And most of the Asians in this town are clustered around Edinburgh University, not near Heriot-Watt. So is it a surprise that someone like myself is a rare sight in my neighbourhood? Once in a while, little kids (maybe around 10 years old?) walk up to me and say "Hi, how are you?" or "Hi, my name is Larry." Now that's still cute. But when kids see me and start saying "Ni hao, ni hao" in a disdaining manner, I start wondering what will become of these ignorant brats.

Not all Oriental people are Chinese, and even if they were, it just doesn't sound nice when kids say that the way they do.

Curry Call!

Ah, reading week.

The one time every two years where I refuse to look at homework, midterms, or course material and spend the week either eating, shopping, or lying on a beach. Despite my hatred of all things cold, this year I opted for a Montreal/Ottawa trip. Needless to say...I ate and shopped. It was heaven.

After my week of real poutine, crepes, chocolate, and different food varieties, the one thing I didn't get was a curry. Now, I LOVE curry. But the problem I have with it - no matter how many times I try, I can't seem to make a curry that tastes as good as it does in a restaurant.

I remember the first time I did a butter chicken. It was yummy, but the amount of oil I scooped out before eating it was...yeah. Then, the first time I did a 'basic' yellow curry, I kind of burnt the curry powder (yes, lol, just the powder itself), and the place smelt like it for weeks. In fact, my boyfriend's parents came and visited us the week afterwards, and his mother asked if we made curry recently (this was a full week later =P). I've tried the store bought curry jars and stuff...but they just don't taste the same! The one time I made a decent curry, was when I found a random on sale spice pack at Winners, of all places. For $2 + cost of chicken and coconut milk, it was yuuuuummy. But I would love to be able to create that without 'cheating'. =P When I say cheating, I say I'd rather mix the spices myself, then using a spice packet with unidentifiable yellow and redish powders.

This is where you come in. Does anyone have any good curry recipes? I'd love to try them, and post the results. Since curry is a lot of work, I might eventually end up just resorting to spice packets in the end...but not before saying I can cook a decent curry from scratch!!

Either post in the comments or e-mail me at foodmathlife.s@gmail.com. I'm looking forward to it :)

-S

Food!!

Mmmmm food. If there is anything in this life that I love other than kitty, it is eating. I'll admit, when I was a first year student contemplating the idea of cooking for myself, I figured that macaroni and cheese, eggs, and noodles would become a staple.

Little did I know that I would come to enjoy cooking, and that cooking really isn't as hard as I thought it would be. I think the whole idea of a 'stove' and 'oven' and 'raw food' and huge grocery stores was just intimidating.

Anyways, when I have the time, I love to cook. I always try to aim to try cooking something new every week. Among the things I've attempted lately: Sweet potato soup with a Thai twist, Slow Cooked pulled pork, and butternut squash fries and glazed salmon. Photo of my sweet potato soup:

Now that was fun. With the help of some spices, limes, cilantro, and a blender (thanks C =P You will get it back eventually!), yams turned into a creamy, Thai inspired soup that was surprisingly filling. Yum...of course, recipes available upon request.

Pulled pork = amazingly easy. I can't believe I pay 9.99 or greater for this simple dish. In short, a slow cooker is AMAZING, a good BBQ sauce is key (I'm partial to Bull's Eye), and sales on pork shoulders help :)

My venture into the butternut squash was interesting, to say the least. Growing up, my mother and I would always admire the squash this time of year, but we had no idea how to cook it. I actually think I remember a year where my mom bought some as decorations for two months. The closest we came to actually cooking it is when my mother tried experimenting with pumpkin. In my case, squash was super cheap at the store (something like 39 cents a pound), so how could I resist? Picked up the smallest one I could find, and decided to do squash fries. Have you ever had yam fries? These are just as good, if not better =P Ridiculously easy to make as well! Oven at 425, cut squash into desired shape, take off the skins, coat with oil + salt + whatever you like (I went for a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and garlic salt), stick in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, flipping midway.

Hmm. Now I'm hungry again. Time to go look for a snack...

- S

Cupcakes

It all started one day in June. I had met up with a friend I hadn't seen in over 5 years, and she was delighted to be able to show me around her favourite area of Manhattan: West Village. Being my newbie self to NYC, I willingly complied.

After a delicious brunch, she mentioned that there's a really good cupcake place nearby that's a must-go spot for visitors to New York. I wasn't a particular fan of cupcakes -- the only cupcakes I'd seen in recent years were the "Lil' Cakes" that are sold at virtually every Canadian supermarket -- but at the words "must-go spot", I couldn't object. (I also really, really like baked goods.)

A few confusing roads and old buildings later, there we were, at the famed Magnolia Bakery. This bakery is best known for the scene in Sex and the City, in which Sarah Jessica Parker is seen walking out of the bakery, eating one of their would-be famous cupcakes. The friend bought me a red velvet cupcake, citing it as her favourite. I had never seen such a bright red cake before; I couldn't even guess what it would taste like.

Yet, I don't complain about gourmet baked goods, especially not when they're recommended to me and I am not paying for my own. I happily devoured the sugar-filled treat in a mere few bites, without even realizing that a subtle hint of cocoa was the key thing about this particular kind of cupcake.

Admittedly, at the time I was eating it, the cupcake didn't quite taste as great as the hype. But little did I know, I would develop a huge craving for cupcakes that very night, and the one trip to the Magnolia Bakery would mark the beginning of the cupcake spree I was to embark on over the next few months...


USA

Crumbs: Massive cupcakes, and such a wide variety of flavours! Don't let the 3.75 USD price tag scare you - the cupcakes here are massive. There are also regular sized cupcakes at 2.50 USD for those that can't handle a jumbo cupcake.

The cupcakes at Crumbs in Stamford, CT

BOSTON

Francesca's Cafe: A nice little cafe serving all day breakfast, sandwiches, and salads. Cupcake selection is rather small, but the few they have are delicious! I had a chocolate one, which tasted like a huge brownie when eaten with the topping. Topping is in two colours, reminiscent of swirly ice creams from good ol' ice cream trucks with half vanilla and half chocolate. Cash only.

Even comes with a little container when it's to-go.

Sweet: One location in Boston, and another at Harvard Square. Girls will love the interior, it's so pink and pretty! The cakes are so dainty looking too, with their perfectly shaped toppings that somewhat remind me of those old Dairy Queen ads, where they say this ice cream will not fall even if you hold it upside down. 3.25 USD per cupcake.

Sweet at Harvard Square

NEW YORK

Babycakes: My personal favourite! This place specializes in allergen-free cupcakes (gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.). The vanilla topping is to die for - it almost has a caramelly taste. At 3.25 USD for a spelt cupcake, and 3.95-4.25 USD for a gluten-free cupcake, the prices are steep, but it is well worth the money.

Yes, I was this happy to find dairy-free cupcakes in NYC, I bought an entire box.

Gluten-free banana carrot cupcake

Magnolia Bakery: One of the most famous bakeries in NYC. So popular that there is a large lineup outside of the store most of the time, and there is a "12 cupcakes per customer" limit, unless you pre-order for your party. Also sells cheesecakes, banana puddings, and more.

View of the inside from the waiting line around the corner

Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery: Oddly enough, the best part about this bakery's cupcakes is that they aren't sickeningly sweet. And at 1.50 USD for a cupcake in Manhattan, really, what more could you ask for?

a Sexy Velvet

Tonnie's Minis: I stumbled on this little gem by chance, while roaming around West Village on a Thursday afternoon, looking for what was to be my first bite of the day. I had initially walked into the store upon seeing the sign "cheese-steaks", but walked out with one of their just-baked cupcakes instead. A melt-in-your-mouth experience!


SEATTLE

The Yellow Leaf Cupcake Co.: Just a 10-15 minute walk away from the Greyhound station. Not as much variety on a given day as some of the other cupcake places I have been to, but they carry some unique ones, e.g. the kinds I tried - green tea berry, raspberry white chocolate. Nice atmosphere, too. The one downside is that the bakery closes at 5pm on most days.

Raspberry White Chocolate, Green Tea Berry

STAMFORD

Located in Connecticut, halfway between NYC and New Haven, Stamford is "the town that works". This is where I spent my most recent summer, as an intern on weekdays and a tourist on weekends.

Matthew's Bakery: A small family owned bakery that feels homey from the moment you step in. A wide variety of baked goods are sold here, but what stood out for me were the cutesy Muppet cupcakes. 2.50 USD each.

I bought an Elmo and a Cookie Monster, but I eated the Elmo before I had a chance to photograph it.

WASHINGTON DC

Sticky Fingers Bakery: So good, you won't even believe their cakes are vegan! Located right by Columbia Heights metro station, this is what I would call a must-try spot for any cupcake lovers visiting Washington DC. 2.50 USD for each cupcake. I had an "orange popsicle" and a "cookies and cake".

Orange popsicle, Cookies and Cake

In-flight Food

If one were to ask me about my fondest memories of flying, I'd probably reply, "Food." In other words, flights themselves are pretty boring. Just about every flight I have been on has provided 1) pretzels, peanuts, or a snack mix, and 2) a choice of (or rather, the lack of choice) juices. Due to sheer boredom, this distribution of miniscule edibles becomes an event to look forward to.

Though, to be fair, I've had more than pretzels and juice. My first real memory of plane food dates back to April 1996, on a flight from London to Seoul, which was also my only time flying business class. It was a grueling 14 hour flight, and in the middle of the night, I woke up to find myself and my brother the only two passengers that weren't completely passed out. It's fascinating to see what privileges come with being children -- we were offered sweets, as well as stick biscuits with cheese dip. By no means are these special items in everyday life, but in the confines of a plane, these were rare delicacies to be savoured and talked about for years to come.

The real fun of plane food comes at mealtime. I'm sure anyone that has been on an intercontinental flight can recall receiving a tray with tiny plastic containers of bread, salad, and some not-so-aesthetically-appealing entrée. Or a tray with just an omelette, in the case of morning flights. The omelette I had on a domestic flight through the USA in September 2002 still holds the title of "Worst Omelette I've Ever Had", without a single contender, seven years later.

Fortunately, some airlines have introduced different items to make our tastebuds happy even on light. The two major Korean airlines (Korean Air, Asiana) introduced Bibimbap on flights not so long after the turn of the century, and from what I hear, it's been a smash hit. Sure, it's never going to come sizzlin' in a stone bowl, but with instant rice that tastes as if just cooked, pre-cut veggies, and chili paste in tubes not unlike those of acrylic paint, it was a refreshing change from the same old pasta. In 2004, my family liked it so much that we even came home with a box of 10 of those chili paste tubes.

Today's flight to London marked my first intercontinental flight in over 5 years, and my booking reference email also mentioned in-flight meals. Hooray! While I was fully aware that I'd be flying with a non-Korean carrier (read: no bibimbap for dinner), the promise of an in-flight meal was a reason in itself to be excited. Even as I was falling asleep by the window, I was telling myself not to sleep too soundly, lest I miss this rare opportunity.

After an hour or so, I woke up to the smell of food. Curried chicken, but not quite. Mmm... If the food tasted as good as it smelt, I'd be one happy traveller today. (I had also been blessed earlier with food that wasn't a pre-made, overpriced sandwich in layers of cling wrap) I saw one of the flight attendants serving dinner a few rows ahead, and sat upright in anticipation. When he got to about three rows ahead of mine, he went to the far rear of the plane with a non-empty cart. I was left staring at where he had been standing 15 seconds ago, sniffing other people's chicken dinners, and thinking that even within the same economy cabin, some people must be more equal than others.

A few minutes later, the same flight attendant resurfaced with a full cart. Now that he was closer, I could hear my dinner options: "Chicken or pasta?" After the lady in front of me got her chicken dinner, I was also asked the same question. I replied, "Chicken," waiting for a silver and green tinfoil wrapped meal to come out of the cart. But alas, the chicken was all gone! I was left with different dinner options now: Pasta or Starve? I am no fan of pasta, and in theory, I should not be eating cheese. Yet in situations like this, survival instincts trump all. In the mean time, a pasta tray had made its way onto my open-up table, and I found myself eating it without second thought. At least the salad came with tasty sesame ginger dressing.

In-flight dinner: Dinner roll, pasta, salad, and an "oatmeal chewie".

At the time of writing (on paper while in the plane), I have 2.5 hours left till my next in-flight meal: Breakfast. Maybe my omelette from 7 years ago will find a successor for its title, or solidify its position as reigning champion.

Though really, in-flight food isn't bad, given all the restrictions of a plane...


Epilogue: An omelette breakfast was actually quite a good in-flight breakfast. Today I got a small banana loaf and raspberry yogurt. Even that I got because the guy next to me was nice enough to hold onto mine while I was asleep...

Endangered Species

If there's one thing that University has taught us - in particular university mathematics - it is that we are rare.

There was a great effort to rope us all in and claim us, gems among the department, using lures of lasagna, pizza, and pop. It worked for a time, we even bought the math t-shirts. But we soon got tired of being constantly reminded that we were in the minority, and broke free.

Three years, three different paths, three different areas of study. Now we are going our own ways - Scotland, USA, Canada. (Ok ok, two of us are going different ways) What better way to tell our story but through a blog?

Welcome to Food. Math. Life. We hope you enjoy the adventures and mishaps of three girls in mathematics - and yes, we do exist.