Jake’s Pub, Cowichan Lake

Next to pretty Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island in Canada, this classy pub is a great place for a good substantial meal and a refreshing drink.  My husband and I went there for a sunny afternoon drive about an hour south of our hometown of Nanaimo.20190320_154047.jpg20190320_160143.jpgStarting with battered and seared shrimp as an appy, we then shared a smoked salmon wrap. 20190320_162033.jpg20190320_162757.jpgThe wrap came with our choice of a side, so we took the asian coleslaw.  I had a glass of Merridale cider on tap and we also had fresh pure ice water, so refreshing!

My favourite item was the pan-seared shrimp with aioli dipping sauce.  Sid found the sauce too hot.  His favourite was the crunchy asian coleslaw.

The wrap was okay, but had a rather doughy texture, as the salmon was as raw as sushi and the goat cheese turned out to be cream cheese.  It also contained yams which added an interesting touch to the flavour but were soft-textured too, and then there was the large doughy whole wheat tortilla wrapped around it all.

It was lovely sitting out on the covered deck overlooking the lake and listening to the 60s music.20190320_162105.jpg

The service was good, and the bill came to about $35 Canadian.

Dining Reviews

We are not extravagant diners but we do enjoy eating out from time to time.  It’s fun to try new places to go for lunch or dinner or a drink and snack.  On this page I will write reviews of places we try.

Orange Cranberry Loaf

A zesty slice to go with your coffee!  Mmm, yum-yum!

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Ingredients:

  • 2 organic oranges
  • 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 teaspoons stevia (or sugar)

Method:

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.  Beat butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl.  Grate rind of one orange into the bowl and stir.  Squeeze the juice from that orange into a half cup measuring cup and add water to fill the measuring cup.  Add that into the batter as well and mix.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and dried berries.   Add to the other bowl and stir just until moistened.  Turn into the loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes, testing with a toothpick to see if it’s done inside.

Meanwhile squeeze the juice out of the second orange and stir the stevia into it.  Poke holes it the top of the loaf while hot and pour this glaze over.  It soaks into the loaf and makes it moist and delicious!  Let the loaf cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan.

This loaf can be wrapped in wax paper and stored in the fridge.  Great to make ahead of time when expecting houseguests!  Using stevia in the glaze keeps down the calories!

 

 

SISTERCHICKS Down Under, by Robin Jones Gunn,2005, Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

This light (235 p.) read takes the protagonist on a life-changing trip from California which is her home to New Zealand and Australia and back.  What makes it life-changing is not so much the places themselves but, as she puts it, “It’s the people, it’s the people, it’s the people.”

Not many books I’ve read are in first person, but this one is.  The effect seemed to make me wonder whether I could actually identify with her or not.  She is a light-hearted and compassionate middle-aged woman.  She has accompanied her husband who is working on a project in New Zealand, and initially she feels very bored until she meets another woman who is a widow and they have all kinds of fun together.

They inspire and teach and encourage each other, the whole while letting loose like a couple of kids and lightening up life for themselves and others.  It is an ideal healthy friendship of the type I do enjoy with several of my own female friends.

I also enjoyed learning bits about New Zealand and Australia.  Maybe I’ll get to go there someday too!