Keep Right!

I have explored much of the city on foot, yet much remains to be discovered. What I find most interesting is my sub-conscious desire to keep left – in a country where everyone else keeps right! I’ll start out perfectly, but when I look again I have steered towards the left of the path without realising. I don’t think I should try driving for a while! I dare any South African to take up the challenge of keeping to the right of a pathway… just try it!

I’m also sure I’m a Vancouver-driver’s nightmare. I’m conditioned to waiting for any cars to pass before crossing a road on foot. Here the cars wait for you!! More than once I’ve hesitated, perhaps to check if they’ll really stop – and they really do!

Today I visited Granville Island. (It’s not a real Island, but a small stretch of land that joins the main part of Vancouver with Downtown.) It’s a tourist hotspot, and has quite a number of artistic / creative stores. From beautiful stationery to blown glass, books to hand-dyed fabrics, live music to fresh vegetables… quite the way to spend a morning! I loved finding a fresh red Dahlia – a flower I have never seen before J

The past week has been lovely. I have been able to be a tourist, with no agenda, and time at my command. Soon the studies start. Some good hard work and lots to learn, but with it comes a whole lot more friends, the joy of discovery, some fast walks to school and some slow walks home, and later the inevitable blushing of the trees as the Fall decides to paint her colours.

Recipes

It seems as though many families make the most of the in-season fruits and berries by buying bulk and canning / making jams / anything else you can do with fruit. Yesterday I was very intrigued to help and learn how to make blackberry jam and can peaches.

 

 

Recipe for Blackberry Freezer Jam

Recipe adapted from Bernardin Pectin box

Makes about 5 x 250 ml jars.

 

1½ cups sugar

45 g Freezer Jam Pectin

4 cups blackberries (washed and crushed)

Sanitized jam jars

 

Tip: For less seeds, press some of the blackberries through a sieve.

Combine pectin and sugar until well blended. Add fruit mixture and stir well.

Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1 cm space on top. Wipe jar rims removing any residue. Apply lids tightly. Allow to stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, freeze up to 1 year, or serve right away.

 

 

Recipe for canning peaches (tinned peaches, in SA terminology J)

 

About 30 ripe peaches

1 ¼ cups white sugar

3 cups water

6 glass quart jars (1 litre each)

Water for blanching and processing

 

Sanitise the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Keep lids hot until used.

To make the light syrup, boil the water and dissolve the sugar completely. Once fully dissolved, keep it hot, but not boiling.

To remove the peach skins, blanch them by placing them in boiling water for about a minute. Immediately transfer them to a basin of ice water (including ice cubes!). Pull the skin off. Remove the pip and any bruised spots, and slice (halves or slices).

Tightly pack the peaches into sanitized jars. Cover with the hot syrup, leaving 1.5cm space at the top. Use a rubber spatula to remove air bubbles. Do not use a metal implement, as a scratch may weaken the glass and cause it to crack during processing.

You can sprinkle ½ teaspoon Ascorbic acid on top before sealing, to prevent fruit from browning.

Wipe rim and with a clean damp cloth. Add lid, screw band and tighten firmly. Do not over tighten.

 

To process the jars

Place the sealed jars in a huge pot of boiling water, covering them with at least 2,5cm water. Boil covered for 20-30 minutes (more if you are above sea level).

Remove and cool sealed jars overnight in a draft-free area.

 

 

Terminology 101 for the CanAfrican Novice

Braai                                      Barbeque
Biscuit                                   Cookie                 
Jam                                        Jello (or call it jam if you like it chunky)
Robot                                    Traffic light
Ja                                            Yeah
Cell phone                            Mobile 
Slops                                      Sandals
Takkies                                  Sneakers
Zebra crossing                     Cross walk
Two dollar                            Toonie 
One dollar                             Loonie                 
Lollipop                                 Popsicle
Fizz drink / soda                  Pop       
Shop                                      Store                    
Trolley                                   Cart       
Rubbish bin                          Trash can
Peanut Butter                     Peanut Butter, of course!           

Vancouver: First Impressions

So begins a new chapter of my story. I’m a South African way on the other side of the world in Vancouver, and I’m making it my new home. While I can, I’m going to join the rest of the Vancouver student population and walk around in a t-shirt and shorts. The sun goes down quite late, and I think I might have even caught a slight sunburn the other day (which is not particularly difficult for me to do!) The leaves have not turned yet, and so the vibrant green is just as beautiful as I imagine the fall will be.

I think of those back home who would love to be here too! The city life offers just about everything you could want; the wild beauty is as good for the soul as it is for the environment; and the benefits and minimal responsibilities of student life are almost too good to be true.

There are many new places to explore. Every corner I turn beckons me in three different directions and I have enjoyed every step of my way so far. The other day I just walked up and down the aisles in grocery stores, a stationery shop, a $1 shop, just about anywhere! Everything seems cheaper… until I remember that it’s dollars and not rands!

So many things are different from home. The trees are huge (no wonder there are so many children’s books about the Firwood forest creatures). Groceries come in huge containers: jam, toothpaste, milk, sugar, and of course, peanut butter! Many terms are to be relearnt: takkies-sneakers, biscuit-cookie, nappy-diaper, slops-sandals…

When people have commented on my accent, it’s to say that I don’t really have one! So far one person even thought I am Canadian! As a friend says, I’m going to meet lots of Canadans in Canadia! There are students from all over the world everywhere, many of whom I’d like to get to know better. And I have discovered sooo many more books that I want to read - I don’t actually know where to start! Where am I going to get the time to do all this?!

In a way Vancouver is for me at this time a kind-of land of milk and honey. I am going to live in it to the fullest potential of the word – exploring the new and not forgetting the old. Thank you God for guiding me here at such a time as this!