Jan 28 2020 - What Flavour is Humble Pie?

I know this is a seldom-asked question:  What flavour is humble pie?  I got to thinking about that expression and wondered. Being that it is a forced apology with humiliation.  Eating humble pie would not be a desirable thing.  The Irish Times has addressed this question.   “In Medieval times,” explains Struthers, “The Church looked after people who were ill or didn’t have enough money to look after themselves. They would take the meat that was leftover from the end of the day from banquet or from high table, and they would give it to the poor in their parish. And the poor would take it to the pie shop where it would be wrapped in pastry and cooked for them.” What would be in the pies? Turns out it was offal, ingredients that become arguably more appetising once encased in a buttery pastry case. One particularly famous pie was made from the offal of deer, and it was known as umble pie. “The gentry would eat the venison but the servants would be given umble pie”, explains Struthers. And, yes, that is where the expression “humble pie” comes from. So, presumably, humble pie tastes rather gamey. I had to check out Quora's answers to "What flavour would you associate with humble pie?"  Usually the answers are 'sponsored links', on some other topic, or lacking in quality writing and content.  But here's a great response from Nataliya Cherednychenko:   Bitter, like the taste of my own medicine that has been spoon fed to me by someone craftier than I. Sour, like half a lemon eaten whole, causing acid reflux of my own ignorance to come up and sear my insides with shame. Sweet, like cough syrup, the consolation of a lesson learned and applied in hopes of never repeating said mistake again, becoming someone better than before, someone humbled. This is another images from the Mailchimp Archives.  It comes from the Canada Blooms show with its wonderful floral designs.

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Continuing Flower Week with an Uber Ride

The Canada Blooms Show in Toronto is promoted as the largest garden and flower show in Canada - Philadelphia's is the largest in North America.  The trend, however, is that it continues to shrink each year. We toured it in less than an hour.  There were still a few 'Wows!' at the entrance.  The positive news is that the floral design section expands each year.  We saw some familiar faces in the judges' groups and got to say hello.   I wondered what others thought of the show - there are no reviews, just promotional articles explaining what to see.  Theresa Forte's article in the St. Catharines Standard on March 8th listed the workshops and speakers and avoided commenting on how small the show is.  There doesn't seem to be a major sponsor this year, and there were no garden centres represented in the marketplace.  I guess the show has decided to focus on workshops for the family as its main feature, rather than a showcase of garden design.  These are expensive ventures - pools and patios all created in a week and then taken apart after the two week show. We went searching for the Butchart Garden booth to say hello, but it was not present.   I wondered if they might bring news of the Victoria Flower Count.  It completed yesterday, but the total hasn't been announced yet. Our own excitement of the Canada Blooms show this  year was getting to and from the show.  We took Uber rather than driving.  We had three trips - a mix of people and vehicles - we were driven home in a huge Ford truck.  I had to 'fall out' to reach the ground. And the highlight was the amazing tiny restaurant at Spadina and Queen - Aloette - sitting at the bar, watching the chef organize each dish - often with tweezers.

Half Empty - What are your personal beliefs?

"This page is not a forum for general discussion about one's personal beliefs about the glass". I wanted to know about the science experiments that explain the glass half full and half empty.  I remember a television science show that covered young children's cognitive abilities.  They looked at glasses that were tall and narrow versus short and wide, and had to say which glass had more liquid in it.  But alas, the "glass half empty" phrase has been hijacked by all manner of philosophical and religious websites and groups.  Hence the page on Wikiforum starts with the warning.   So while the age old question of half full or half empty is not being explored today, we can ask whether March is emptying out or filling up.  Let me know. We're at the Ides of March - that fulcrum day that the Romans marked as a deadline for settling debts.  That gave way to the 'beware' event that made Julius Caesar forever famous, but with us no more. Next is the Glorious Green of St. Patrick's Day.  What better progression could there be than to a celebration with plants that are intensely green. Shamrock derives from Irish for young clover.  It is referred to as "a young sprig."  A sprig is defined as a small stem bearing leaves or flowers, taken from a plant or tree. It can also refer to someone who is young and immature. And which plant is a shamrock?  This is a much debated question over the centuries. Today two clovers are considered the true shamrock: Trifolium dubium  (lesser clover) or Trifolium repens (white clover).  Then there are a few more three-leaved plants that are sometimes called shamrocks.  We tend towards wood sorrel (Oxalis) as the commemorative plant.  It is widely available in our garden centres and grocery stores - a marker that spring is upon us.  Another March milestone for us is the Canada Blooms garden festival.  Here are two pictures from our visit this week.  I saw a review from 2016 that called the show "Canada Glooms not Canada Blooms".  This tradition of low lighting continued this year, so there aren't many pictures to share anymore.  The floral displays remain the highlight - they are beautiful works of art from artists around the world.

Toronto Blooms in March at Canada Blooms

The Canada Blooms and Home Show was on last week, and I had a chance to visit.  While there are still landscape planting displays, the overall trend has transitioned to luxurious outdoor living rooms and outdoor kitchens with built-in barbecues, etc.  Water features are very popular in the landscaped areas. My favourite part of the show is the floral display competition featuring international artists and their creative arrangements. There are always so many people in these areas and the overall lighting isn't that good.  As a result, I don't get too many pictures.  Here are the few that worked out. I've included the last picture of Ranunculus.  Each year there is a mass display of Ranunculus flowers in vases.   It is another lovely part of the show, and a welcome sign of Spring.

Canada Blooms 2014 is here

Hi everyone,

Canada Blooms opened on Friday. It's one of the largest flower and garden shows in North America.  I was there yesterday.  In the past, I've been able to register as Media and get into the show in the mornings before it opens to the public.  This year I joined the Garden Writers Association as a garden photographer.  Our section met at the show for seminars and networking, so I had a double event this year.    

The Canada Blooms show is excellent.  I was surprised to see innovation in the landscape designs.  Landscape Ontario, with its bee theme had some attractive beehive-inspired structures.  The floral design displays showed a sense of humour this year - bikinis created from flowers.  

It is quite a contrast to photograph the show before the crowds surge in.  I got a view of the show from the podium of the main stage.  This may spark a reaction from some of you - fear of public speaking is the number 1 fear.

Spring Blossoms on the Way

It may be snowing right now in Grimsby...yet this beautiful Japanese Cherry tree in the Royal Botanical Gardens Cherry Grove, will be blooming in a few weeks.  

The signs of spring are here:  Canada Blooms starts this week on Friday March 15, 2013 in Toronto, and there's an opening of my floral and marvelling the mushroom works at the Toronto Botanical Gardens March 14 - June 13.

Canada Blooms as Great as Ever!

Debbe Shannon was there with her collective and interactive art, and I participated in the mural, contributing the landscape curl.

And lots of fun and creative garden and floral displays.

July's Calendar

Here's the July Calendar.  This was taken at the Canada Blooms Forcing Greenhouses in February.

Daffodil Days

The Canadian Cancer Society raises funds every March through selling daffodils.  This year at the Canada Blooms, the daffodil theme was everywhere, and I took this image as a touching tribute to the fight against cancer.

Canada Blooms a Great Success in the Direct Energy Building

The show moved this year to the Direct Energy Building on the CNE Grounds.  For the first time the show was on one floor.  Those beautiful Ontario Flower Grower displays were a beautiful sight and formed a nice transition into the Marketplace.  While the hall is still a 'hall' with that industrial sense of concrete, exposed ceiling structures, and industrial style lighting, it seemed a great improvement.  It was easier to get to and get in and out of.  The entrance is architecturally wonderful and enjoys the bright sunshine and waterfront views.  Parking was plain easy and there were street cars and the GO station right nearby.  In fact, I walked through the underpass to Atlantic Avenue, and made my way to Mildred Pierce's Temple Kitchen and had a birthday celebration with Brian, my brother.  


In terms of the show, the show stopper for me was the Urchin sculpture display.  Here's my interpretation.

 

Canada Blooms - Inspirations of Spring

Canada Blooms was so inspirational last week.  The perennial greenhouse was a delight of flowers, grasses, and fern leaves unfolding.  I took my favourite images and have made a set of greeting cards.  Here they are:

Can't Wait for Spring

Charlie Dobbin, the horticultural director of Canada Blooms spoke at the Etobicoke Horticultural Society last year about the Canada Blooms show.  I was fascinated by the forcing greenhouses and the work it takes to get the materials ready on schedule.  I asked to visit the forcing greenhouses and this week had the opportunity to see the large greenhouses with trees, shurbs and perennials leafing out. 


Here's what the balled, bagged trees look like.

Of course, here's what's coming out.

And here is a sour cherry in bloom.