A relaxing Fall Day

I took a day away from work. A lazy day waking up without the alarm the natural way. Sunrise is around 8am so no need to wake up with the dawn, or in the dark as on a work day. I was waiting for the sun to come out and decided to make my own breakfast with our new gas stove. Did I tell you that we love our new gas stove ? I decided to make one of my favourites . . .


(eggs benedicts)

It's a simple recipe but I am getting used to our stove and I am not sure what heat level to keep the water at. I have 1/2 cup of melted butter standing by in that clear dish. A pot of nearly boiling water on the front element with another container on top, being heated by the heat from the water, which contains the yolks of 3 large eggs.



I have another pan on the right element half filled with water ready to poach the eggs. I also purchased a bag of sourdough english muffins which I half toasted. I find that fully toasted is too hard, and not toasted the hollandaise sauce makes the bread go soggy.



You have to watch the heat or the sauce will overcook. You have to constantly stir the liquid (eggs yolks) until they thicken. I use a stainless wire wisk. As it thickens you have to add a bit of boiling water, perhaps a tsp or so, but I prefer to add the melted butter, very slowly at first, constantly stirring a bit at a time until it is all added. As the liquid thickens I turn down the heat a bit and add a bit more water (another tsp). This is when I turn the element down to low. My liquid has thickened again, so I add a bit more boiling water (from my hot pot), and then I add a TBsp of juice from a squeezed lemon. I like lots of tang so I add lots of lemon juice and perhaps just a pinch or two of salt

We usually have double smoked black forest ham on hand for sandwiches so I slice some up and get it ready for my benedicts, but you could just as easily use hand peeled shrimp or smoked salmon. You could pan fried the black forest ham or do what I do which is faster. I put it in the microwave to take the chill off



Eventually everything is ready and I have to start to assemble my meal. I bring over my plate with the lightly toasted english muffin, put the ham on top, then I add the poached eggs and pour my hollandaise sauce over it

Prepare my cup of Vietnamese coffee and I am set to devour my creation



One thing I find when we go out and order eggs benedicts, the sauce always runs out before the eggs are finished. Today I have lots of sauce with each mouthful and tangy just the way I like it. If you need more sauce to make 4 benedicts (for 2 people), then just use 4 egg yolks and another sliver of butter, it's not like I didn't have enough sauce, but I like my eggs smothered with it

I do have video clips to be edited if you want to see this cook in action

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After breakfast I got my bike ready and headed south to do a couple of errands before I could start my ride. I needed to buy another battery tender as one is flakey, first stop was to buy



some halloween treats, just in case I need some. It is best to buy candies that you want yourself, that way you won't waste the leftovers. Most of my rides are on repetitious roads but today I was looking for photos. Here is a Mike Simmon's inspired self portrait "shadow" photo


(overlooking the approach to George Massey Tunnel, Rice Mill Road, Richmond, BC)

Then I headed down to the Fraser River



then I stop again on an empty gravel parking lot to show you the Village of Steveston in the background



today it was very windy with wind gusts which nearly blew me off the road



it was a chilly 11°c and while the sun was out there was little heat


(Gulf of Georgia Historic site, Steveston, BC)

I have taken numerous photos of Finn Slough before but today I noticed the very high water levels, so of course I just had to snap another one



It won't be long before our Fall days turn into days of rain and gloom so you have to enjoy them while you can. I certainly enjoyed today. It was great to be out on two wheels