Breakfast Sandwich

The early morning, pre-coffee even, is taken up with rescuing an errant chickadee chick that flew in through the open balcony door and wound up trapped behind the shelving unit filled with glassware and kitchen appliances. The bird is finally, after unloading and moving the shelving unit, wrapped loosely in a towel and released on the balcony where it happily flies away with no harm done except to R&D's nerves.

Breakfast has to be simple and fast. Raul fries two eggs over easy, toasts hamburger buns with melted cheese, and then layers on slices of capocollo. Drew gets a squirt of wasabi mustard and another of ketchup but Raul prefers his flavours pure, especially in the morning and after trauma.

The dog, whose job it is to keep the balcony clear of vermin such as pigeons and squirrels but has napped through home invasions by both of the aforementioned, sleeps through the bird incident but is up and begging the instant breakfast is plated. Plans to bbq chicken breasts are put on hold for the immediate future.

Tempeh and Noodles

The tempeh has been in the fridge for over a week while Raul mulls how best to deal with the impulse buy. The weather remains rainy and cool so he decides to make noodles in an Asian style. A bit of googling and he is ready to tackle the tempeh.

The marinated tofu is supposedly somewhat tasteless so must be marinated. Raul chops the tofu into quarter inch squares and immerses them in a marinade of soya sauce, hoisin sauce, a bit of brown sugar and a squirt of garlic paste. He lets it soak for 20 minutes and then fries until browned on both sides.

At the same time the noodles are boiling for seven minutes then strained and splashed with sesame oil so that they won't stick together when stir fried. Green onions, carrots (pre-microwaved for three minutes) and green beans are stir fried into the leftover marinade and stir fried for three minutes. The noodles and tempah are mixed in and the entire mixture is covered and left to steam for five minutes. While plating he stirs in copious chopped coriander, mint and basil. 

"I'm not sure of the texture," says Raul of his first bite of tempeh.

"It's not like meat," agrees Drew. "More sort of grainy. But it doesn't have to have a meat texture. I like it."

The abundance of herbs gives each bite a slightly different flavour and all of them are good so Raul comes around. However he does insist that next time he will use less tempeh or perhaps add another protein like shrimp. Drew just decides to up the texture quotient and sprinkles crunchy cashews on his portion. Perfection.

Waffles and Bacon

"One just does not tackle flyer day without a full stomach," says Drew. "We need to have breakfast before we set out."

"I have it all planned," says Raul. "Today is waffle day."

"Waffles and . . ?"

"Bacon?"

"You can never go wrong with bacon," agrees Drew.

On Thursday night the grocery store flyers arrive - Food Basics and Sobeys in a neat, for a few moments before the other tenants start gathering and scattering, pile by the front door; No Frills in the mail - along with all sorts of other deal offers from every big retailer in the area. The perusal is a complicated process: what is needed? What is a true bargain? What would be an affordable treat? What is the dog deigning to eat at this point in time?

A list is made by cross-referencing and the week's tentative menu (it will change according to the weather and Raul's whims) is planned. Because it is the first of the month the list is longer than usual - usually it is just the bargains - as some staples need to be purchased. The day is rainy and cool and as soon as their stomachs are full, R&D are ready for their expedition.

No Frills has the best deals and Raul is excited to find an unadvertised chicken breast special - $1 a pound - and elbows his way through the mob to acquire three packages. There will be much bbq'ed chicken over the next little while. Everything on the list is found - despite many specials being sold out despite arriving at the crowded store a mere 45 minutes after it has opened - except for the wish list: tarragon, coffee and prosciutto. With luck they will be in next week's flyer.

The fridge, freezer and pantry are full and Raul breathes a sigh of relief. "What's for lunch?" inquires Drew.

Empanadas Fagiole

"Sometimes you just need a home-cooked meal," says Raul.

"Amen," says Drew who is just back from an exhausting rehearsal.

"And it practically cooks itself," explains Raul. "Just leave it on low for three and a half hours or until you finally get home." Drew confesses to a beer and a shot of Red Stag but his praise of Raul's astounding concoction smooths over any hunger pang-induced annoyance at the dinner delay.

Raul has made a fagiole sauce - a can of tomato paste, a can of Romano beans, a can of kidney beans, chopped onions, celery and red peppers, a handful of Greek oregano, and two slices of pre-fried pork belly ("basically everything in the fridge," he says disingenuously) - that he ladles over the leftover empanadas that are heated on the bbq because it is still too hot to turn on the oven. A layer of mozzarella cheese cushions the empanadas and it melts under the influence of the bubbling fagiole sauce.

Fresh chives from the balcony garden are sprinkled on a side of sour cream to add a spark of pizzaz to the proceedings. "It's just tacos," shrugs Raul.

"But amazing ones," raves Drew. "Sometimes a home-cooked meal is just the perfect thing after a long, sweaty rehearsal." 

"Or a long, sweaty afternoon in the kitchen," notes Raul.

Breakfast Sandwich with Basil

Turns out that picking basil in the morning is better. On Google's advice, Raul is up at the crack of dawn and snips off three large succulent green leaves. He slices the leaves into strips and the fragrance fills the kitchen from the first incision. He stirs the basil into chopped tomatoes with black pepper.

Bagels are toasted and layered with bacon, avocado slices, mozzarella cheese and the tomato/basil mixture. "The basil is much tastier," raves Raul. "Worth getting up early to slave in the garden. Funny that three leaves have more flavour than the entire pesto last night."

"Now we know," agrees Drew, who is just happy to have breakfast all ready to go first thing in the morning.

"Tomato and basil always work together," says Raul happily. "And when you add bacon . . ."

Fusilli with Pesto

After a day of leftovers - partly because of the heat but mainly because of the lethargy brought on by the heat - it is time for a real meal. But what to have? "There are still empanadas," says Drew.

Raul, who is sweaty and recovering from road rage after being in the un-airconditioned car for five hours, is not enthused. "Too heavy. I want something light."

Drew offers to put together a salad but yesterday's burgers were sided with a salad, and it would mean a trip to Food Basics for some basics. Inspiration strikes when, sitting on the balcony enjoying the slight breeze with the dog baking happily in a patch of sun, Drew remarks, "I can't believe how large the basil leaves are."

"Pesto!" exclaims Raul.

Into the mini-Cuisinart goes 10 of the largest basil leaves from the balcony garden. Raul adds garlic paste, a handful of cashews, ground Parmesan and black pepper. A push of a button and it is pureed. He adds olive oil until the mixture is the consistency he wants. "We don't have enough penne," he complains.

"Shall I run to Basics?" offers Drew.

"It's too hot," says Raul, wiping his brow. "Don't leave the air conditioning. And it's not on sale this week."

"What about fusilli?" asks Drew. "The pesto will stick to the curlicues."

"We only have whole wheat fusilli," complains Raul. "But the sauce will cling to it." Raul has a preference for traditional pasta but has been converted to enjoying brown rice beyond its purported health benefits. "And I'll put on lots of Parmigiano-Reggiano."

The pasta is stirred into the pesto and ladled into bowls. It is delicious but, "It doesn't taste very basil-ish," says Raul. "Maybe because it was picked mid-day. I'll have to research the best time to harvest."

"Or maybe it's just a mild basil," ponders Drew. "It is Genovese basil. Is that mild?"

"I will find out," says Raul. "As soon as I finish eating."

BBQ'ed Chicken on Caesar Salad

The heat is overwhelming on the second day of a heat advisory: 29 degrees, feels like 37. Even a brief thunderstorm fails to clear the humidity and only the dog ventures out on the balcony to bask in the sun until staggering in panting to shove his entire head and paws into the water dish. The air conditioner is installed and is turned on but it is taking time to cool the sweltering atmosphere.

No-one is hungry, except for the dog, but nourishment is required before heading out for the evening (hopefully it will be cooler when the sun goes down) and heat-induced lethargy is not an excuse for eating poorly or dining without taste. Drew douses the herbs on the balcony with water - they seem to dry out every few hours - and decides on bbq'ed chicken. It is too hot to turn on the oven or even elements. Of course that still means Raul will still have to brave the heat briefly, and he is suffering the most from the barometric pressure. Fortunately he is a good, if melodramatic, sport and agrees.

Drew whips up a marinade of chopped basil, coriander, chives and garlic stirred into coconut water with a bit of red cider vinegar. The chicken breasts are cross-hatched, dropped into the liquid, sealed tight and placed in the fridge for four hours. Drew gives the breasts a good shake whenever he remembers to do so. The bed of salad is simple: romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, Caesar dressing and grated Parmagiana-Reggiano.

The chicken breasts have absorbed a good quantity of the marinade so they are plump, tender and flavourful. Straggling herb pieces crisp over the flames to accentuate the grill marks and crunch. Eight minutes on the bbq and they are done to perfection. Raul wipes his brow, dreams of a mint julep but settles for a cold Coke, and digs in. The dog dances with excitement but the high level of garlic renders his portion negligible. He pouts but is soon asleep in the sun again. R&D stay inside on either side of the humming air conditioner.

BBQ'ed Steaks with Salads

The first day of summer brings an invitation for a bbq at the home of Bern, the chef at Park Snacks and former chef at the long gone but still missed Piggies. The steaks and burgers are provided by Richard who has just gleefully purchased an entire cow that was divvied three ways. Bern grills the steaks just as they are, in fact a guest who inquires about HP Sauce receives a glare that silences him for the rest of the evening and possibly until fall, and they are tender and delicious. Bern does sprinkle his with salt, insisting it needs it for tenderizing but that may just be a dig at Richard who is regaling all with stories of the cow and the resulting value (approximately $2.50 a pound for over 500 pounds of meat), but everyone else is quite content and most have seconds. The eating experience is so immersive than even when Richard's grandson arrives and non-discreetly vomits from car sickness at the head of the table, there is nary a pause in the chewing. The offending puddle is washed away with a couple of buckets of water from the fish pond and the child is given a burger.

Richard also provides salads: a three bean salad that also includes pearl onions and olives; a fruit salad with a dominant flavour of mango; and a variety of greens topped with mushrooms, avocado, sliced tomato and cucumbers, and fresh plump blackberries.

More than sated the guests settle in for cocktails and conversation while the sun sets and heat lightning decorates the sky. It is going to be a good summer.

Empanadas and Guacamole

"They're gluten free," says Raul.

"Does that matter?" asks Drew.

"Not really," says Raul. "I love gluten. It's how you get lightness and air pockets. But these shells are made of two cups of Instant Corn Masa Flour with one and half cups of hot water and a half teaspoon of salt. They're basically Doritos with meat sauce."

The resulting dough is rolled into balls, covered with saran wrap and left to sit for an hour to reach room temperature. Raul presses each ball into a flat disc using the six-inch tortilla press he found at the thrift store for $5. The press is also used for oatmeal cookies because there isn't enough space in the kitchen to roll out the dough properly. And it means no extra flour is needed. "It's all about process for me," says Raul. "Getting the maximum uniformity out of repetitive efficient actions."

Empanadas can be filled with almost everything and every culture has a variation. Though the Portuguese variation often contains fish or seafood, Raul goes with a Columbian theme and uses ground beef. First he dices onions, celery, green and red peppers, carrots and garlic. All is microwaved for three minutes to soften and then sauteed. He spices only with salt and pepper to keep the flavours neutral as he knows Drew will go overboard with toppings, sides and/or dipping sauces: guacamole, salsa, sour cream, peanut sauce and wasabi mustard have already been floated as ideas. Raul then puts the vegetable mixture into the mini-Cuisinart - another gift from Drew's niece and nephew - and blends it into a puree. This idea came from the big girls small kitchen site and it works wonderfully. A pound of lean ground beef - to make eight empanadas - is browned and then stirred into the vegetable puree.

Raul places the filling in the center of the pressed dough discs and then folds them into a half moon shape. They are baked for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Fortunately, despite being gluten-free, they do not crack as he feared. No air pockets are needed, just a satisfying crunch.

Drew is entrusted with making the side and, after several discussions, guacamole is the compromise. Drew dices two ripe avocados and mixes and mashes them with a commercial salsa and lime juice. Then he adds a squirt of wasabi paste, a spoonful of horse radish, a squirt of hot sauce and three diced green onions. A mixture of coriander, basil and chives from the garden also go into the bowl. "That doesn't look very traditional," complains Raul.

"It's mamacita opera singer Helene Ducharme's flawless recipe with Crackpuppy guitar-slinger Patricia Wilson's accents," says Drew defensively. "And maybe a few flourishes of my own."

"Basil? In guacamole? It's unusual but it looks . . . delicious," says Raul diplomatically.

The results are delicious and Raul not only eats his words but an extra empanada because he can't bear to see his helping of guacamole go to waste or to the dog.

Pasta Fagiole

Pasta fagiole is Raul's favourite comfort food. It has now become one of Drew's favourites. The tomatoes are simmered, as per Julia Child's admonishment, for at least an hour and a half to achieve the height of flavour. The romano beans grow soft and tasty thanks to the garlic, onions and a dash of chili peppers and cinnamon. This batch is made, again on Julia's advice, using pork belly instead of bacon. The result is sweeter, subtler and less salty than when using the smoked version. Raul is not sure at first, but decides he likes it even though it is tampering with family tradition.

"The beans really benefit from the pork fat," says Raul. "It really permeates. I read in a Portuguese recipe book that beans should always be made with pork belly or pork fat. They just complement each other. Beans absorb fat and cholesterol, even when you've eaten them, but in this case it's just for flavour."

The new $1 hard-cheese grater works just fine and when chopped parsley from the balcony garden is sprinkled on top the lunch is complete. And comforting.

Pork Loin with Noodle Stirfry and Watercress Salad

Raul rubs the pork loin with Chinese Five-spice then sets it to marinate for eight hours in soya sauce and chopped garlic. A quick bbq to 165 degrees, five minutes on each side, and it is ready for Raul. Drew's half takes another five minutes on each side. Despite having bravely enjoyed pork tartare, "Weird texture but delicious taste," the specialty of Zum Schlüssel a brewery/restaurant in the Altstadt in Dusseldorf, Germany, Drew still prefers his meat on the well done side. Raul indulges him with only a mild eye roll.

Pre-cooked Miki noodles are stir fried with chopped onions, carrots and red pepper. The pork loin is sliced and layered on the resulting noodles. The bowl is then smothered with chopped watercress, mint, coriander and chives, before being dressed with Nuku Cham Vietnamese Salad Sauce.

The pork loin is tender and succulent with lingering hints of cinnamon and pepper. The noodles are thick and the hint of salty fish sauce in the dressing gives the watercress a mild bite. A great blend. "You are the king of pork," says Drew though the words are almost unintelligible because his mouth is full.

Raul only nods. He is too busy chewing and savouring to bask in the compliment.

Chocolate-Chip Drop Cookies

"These are the very first cookies I ever made," says Raul as he looks up from the Joy of Cooking that he has been reading. "I was just reading all your mom's notes in the margins and came across this. I must have been seven or eight and I borrowed the school's copy of the Joy of Cooking over the summer. Somewhere I found enough money for chocolate chips and we had the rest of the ingredients in the kitchen. I made them and ate them before anyone else got home that day."

"Just make sure you use real chocolate chips and not those chocolate-flavoured waxy ones," suggests Drew.

"Where do I find real chocolate chips?" asks Raul.

"If they don't have it at Food Basics," suggests Drew. "Just get a dark chocolate bar and I'll break into little chunks."

"Too much work," says Raul skeptically.

Fortunately Basics does carry real dark chocolate trips and no smashing and bashing is required. The only recipes Drew could find online were from the newer editions of the Joy of Cooking and they just are not the same. The edition that R&D have was Drew's mother's treasured copy that she gifted Drew when he was browsing the margin notes, they are fascinating and a mini-family history and they had a bonding nostalgic moment. Or perhaps she was just tired of answering phone calls about basic cooking questions - the original edition does really cover everything and in simple, plain language - the "what does one do with squash?" question being the breaking point.

In the absence of a link here is the recipe though Raul warns that although it states that it makes 45 cookies he was only able to stretch it to 43. Fortunately they are a delicious 43.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream:
1/2 cup butter
Add gradually and beat until creamy:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
Beat in:
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Sift and stir in:
1 cup and 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon soda
Drop the batter from a teaspoon (Raul uses the small ice cream scoop that he acquired to create photo-perfect mashed potato mounds), well apart, on a greased cookie sheet (Raul uses parchment paper to save on washing up). Bake for about 10 minutes.

The cookies - the ones that aren't eaten instantly - cool, and Raul gets to work on Drew's mother's classic oatmeal cookies which are a story for another entry.

Frittata with Waffles

Eager to avail himself of the newly sharpened knives, Raul is up at the crack of dawn. He slices and dices gleefully, hips swiveling in time to the beat-heavy sounds of Cha-Cha De Amor Volume Nine. Red peppers, mushrooms, onions, jalapeno havarti and strips of bacon fall beneath the blades to be transformed into tasty, perfectly cubed nuggets of flavour. The onions and peppers are carmelized, the bacon is fried and all is mixed with eggs and poured into the cast iron skillet and placed in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

He decides that instead of toast, there will be waffles. Raul uses The Best Ever Waffle recipe from Food.com and the results are always crispy and tasty.

"The saltiness of the bacon accentuates the sweetness of the waffles," he notes. "Syrup and bacon and all things Canadian."

The stereo cha-cha chants that, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets," and Mickey impatiently whines, out of key, for at least a few scraps. And whatever Mickey wants, Mickey gets.

Teriyaki Shrimp on Garlic Rice with Vegetables and Mango Salad

While out and about their individual days R&D acquire more kitchen accessories. Raul scours a thrift store to find a $1 Parmesan cheese grater and small mason jars, 49 cents each, ideal for filling with spices (an entire cupboard is filled with spices and condiments in varying packaging and with even more erratic forms of identification). Drew finds an authentic Japanese knife sharpening stone (made in China) to hone the edges of their hodge-podge selection of cutting and chopping implements. The night before R&D had been reminiscing about the not-so-distant time when the older man towing a knife sharpener had worked the streets by ringing a bell. Rather than replacing the knives R&D own, a motley but high quality collection, they can now, well now Raul can, turn their blades into razor sharp slicing tools. "It really makes a difference," enthuses Raul after a YouTube tutorial on the proper technique of utilizing the stone. "And it's actually safer if the knife is sharp and cuts instantly into the object instead of slipping and severing a finger."

Drew is busy googling street knife sharpeners, wondering where he has gone and what he used to charge, "Is the $11 for the stone actually a bargain?"

Once the knives are ninja-worthy, Raul begins to repackage the spices and reorganize the cupboard. "What is this?" he asks holding up a metal container. "It's called 'The Ultimate Garlic Seasoning for Rice & Pasta' from a company called The Garlic Box."

"That was a Christmas gift from my niece and nephew," says Drew. "They know I love garlic. It's spices that mix with rice or make a rub."

"We'll have to try it," says Raul. "What should we have with it?"

"It's summery today. Something light. Shrimp? Tandoori shrimp?"

"Tamarind shrimp sounds too sweet."

"Tandoori," says Drew while googling. "Here, tandoori shrimp with mango salad, there's about 30 variations but there's a jar of tandoori sauce in the fridge somewhere."

"I just reorganized the spice cupboard," notes Raul. "We'll have shrimp but the spicing will be from scratch."

Raul marinates the shrimp in a mixture of soya sauce, Hoisin sauce and a touch of green Thai curry. The rice goes in the rice cooker with two teaspoons of The Ultimate Garlic Seasoning. He slices a mango, the newly sharpened knife vivisects the pulpy fruit with ease, and sprinkles it with diced red peppers, diced green onion and coriander from the balcony garden. The vegetables are of the frozen variety but the steaming is done with TLC. Once everything else is prepared the shrimp are dropped in a pre-heated cast iron skillet for a minute each side.

"Delicious!" enthuses Drew.

"What I love about it is all the different flavours mixing flawlessly," says Raul. "And now that the spices are organized and accessible we can experiment. I don't know why we don't have tarragon though. Maybe tomorrow while I'm out and about I'll pick some up"

"Or we can grow some on the balcony," muses Drew.

"There is no more room on the balcony," asserts Raul. "One more pot, one more gnome, and it will explode."

"The gnomes protect the plants from the squirrels!"

"That should be Mickey's job," reminds Raul. "You wouldn't want me to not be able to get to the barbecue . . ."

"We'll get a little jar of tarragon," acquiesces Drew. "There's room in the cupboard now."

Breakfast Sandwich

Drew departs for the weekend to visit his mother for Father's Day while Raul putters around the apartment waiting to receive accolades for his ace job of parenting. The banter and cooking extravaganza is put on hold until Monday morning when, sleepy but content after the emotionally satisfying celebrations, breakfast rolls around.

Raul has been up a good part of the night reading the vintage copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, that Drew's mom has given them from her vast collection. "It's funny, you can almost hear her voice as you read," says Raul. "I have to dig out that enamelled frying pan so I can cook without affecting the colours of the food. Very important for the photographs."

"And I had no idea that I was supposed to wait until the butter started to foam before browning meat or cooking eggs," muses Drew. "That's when it apparently reaches its maximum heat. Julia does love her butter but then so do I."

"And she says to use lardon [pork belly] instead of bacon. If you want your dish to taste of bacon, use bacon. If you want it to be accented by pork, use lardon." The very idea of pork belly takes Raul back to his childhood in the Azores where the entire pig was used - the memories are bittersweet befitting post-Father's Day. "You use pork belly for the fat, from the days when you cooked everything in lard. Fat tastes good and some foods really benefit from it. But this whole pork belly craze is actually decades old. Julia was ahead of her time again." Raul has just bought bacon on sale at Food Basics, "It's a little bit fatty but you get what you pay for," but an expedition to T&T for pork belly is looming. "What do you feel like for breakfast?"

"I'm not awake enough to be hungry. A bagel with avocado?"

"We're out of avocado but I can put together a heart attack on a plate."

"Sounds delicious. And I can't wait until we have one with a la lardon."

Raul substitutes sauteed mushrooms for avocado, bacon for lardon, and rye bread for the bagels that have gone stale. The flavour is robust enough, yet subtle enough, to make Julia proud.

Burgers

"That bitch of a Gordon Ramsay is always bitching about everyone's burgers and praising his own so we'll just see," says Raul while up to his elbows in ground beef. "He claims his always hold together but we'll just see. Most people claim it's just meatloaf in a patty but we'll just see."

The recipe Raul chooses is gordonramsaysrecipes.com's "Lela's Famous Hamburgers,"that are memorable, not only for taste, but also from being the centrepiece of a Kitchen Nightmares segment. Drew has a complete aversion to reality TV of any sort so he isn't even sure who Gordon Ramsay is but apparently Lela, whoever she is, believes he is the devil incarnate. And Raul is feeling competitive which will only be good for dining. "There's a lot of stuff in there besides meat," notes Drew, "Do we even need toppings?"

"I think toppings would be a good idea," replies Raul. "I left out the sun-dried tomatoes because apparently you can't taste them anyway. And we don't have any in the cupboard." Five varieties of cinnamon but no sun-dried tomatoes, the heartbreak of having a small kitchen.

In order not to overwhelm the true taste of the burgers - and noting that Ramsay himself suggests using only fresh tomatoes and lettuce - Drew goes easy in his selection of toppings and opts for the basics: cheddar cheese, ketchup, corn relish, sweet pickle relish, Miracle Whip, Dijon mustard and a bit of horse radish.

One of the four burgers does crumble on the grill, much to Mickey's delight. Raul is unsure why, "Perhaps we used too lean meat? Perhaps Gordon Ramsay used a $10,000 grill." R&D's bbq did not cost a fraction of a fraction of that, the budget and the size of the balcony would not bear it. "Or maybe he actually does sneak in bread crumbs or uses even more expensive meat."

The burgers are meaty and juicy and utterly delicious. They are messy but Raul speculates that he is just not used to homemade burgers, the taste difference makes the minor disintegration a welcome trade-off. Mickey is in a frenzy of excitement and is exiled to his bed and admonished to semi-silence - whimpers of starvation instead of barks of desperation - until the dining is finished. Because of the garlic and onion he is only allowed a few scraps but he scarfs them down with even more enthusiasm than R&D. Score one for Gordon Ramsay, whoever he is.

Couscous with BBQ'ed Chicken

An early breakfast to prep for a busy day is a mini-cheese omelette, prosciutto and avocado on a bagel - Raul's gussied-up gourmet variation on Park Snack's notorious Bundalicious Bundle of Joy breakfast sandwich or, his own invention and Justin's favourite, Heart Attack on a Plate. Full stomachs naturally lead to a discussion of dinner. "What do you feel like eating before rehearsal?" queries Raul. "You'll need your energy to rock. And you'll need a full stomach to keep up with Patricia. There may very well be shots."

"She did get a fresh bottle of Red Stag," agrees Drew. There is salmon in the freezer, it would be great bbqed."

"No fish on the bbq," interjects Raul. "We don't have a hose so I'd never be able to get it completely cleaned. It will smell."

"Then we could have burgers. Very summery."

"We just had burgers and I'm not totally happy with those ones we bought."

"We can disguise them with multiple toppings."

"Your topping combinations are the best but I was thinking chicken."

"I like chicken. Especially bbq'ed."

"With pasta or rice?"

"Rice sounds delicious."

"I'll make couscous then."

Raul makes the dressing first. In a mason jar he mixes a squirt of chili sauce, a bit of green Thai curry, a tablespoon of honey, two tablespoons of olive oil, juice of a lemon and a quarter cup of orange juice, and then shakes vigorously. He adds a cup of couscous to a cup of boiling water, slaps on a lid and turns the burner off. When the water is absorbed, it is ready. In a large salad bowl he mixes chopped celery, onion, olives, mango and red pepper, and the half can of garbanzo beans left from yesterday's salad. The couscous is fluffed with a fork and added to the vegetables and legumes. He stirs, adds the dressing, stirs again and lets it sit so the medley of flavours can blend. Just before serving he mixes in a handful of chopped basil, mint, chives, coriander and parsley from the balcony garden.

Because the couscous is so packed with taste, the chicken breast is simply sprinkled with salt and pepper before going on the grill.

While Raul is plating, the dog vomits; not out of criticism of the kitchen aromas, but out of excitement and for having basked in the sun amongst the herbs until he was overheated. Drew quickly removes the minute offending puddle but the damage is done.

"I think the couscous tastes of summer," says Raul. "It would be a light vegetarian meal all on its own."

"It would," agrees Drew as he digs in, even the olives he was skeptical about have blended in deliciously. "I think I'm going to add some cashews."

"I meant to do that," laments Raul. "It was the sick dog that threw me off."

"He's not sick, he's just a dog," shrugs Drew. "They puke. Look he's already begging for bits of chicken. It's a miraculous recovery."

Tuna, Garbanzo Bean and Potato Salad

"It's time to get off the meat trail," says Raul as he ponders what to concoct on yet another grey weather day. As the sun suddenly cuts through the clouds, inspiration strikes. "I do need to use up those leftover Greek potatoes . . ."

To Mickey's great disappointment the sound of the can opener being applied only leads to tuna and he decides to crawl back into bed - he has already eaten close to his own weight in actual dog food - until the dish is finished when he can be sure to scrounge something tastier.

Into a bowl goes the tuna, the Greek potatoes chopped into mouth-size bites, half a can of garbanzo beans, yellow pepper slices, diced celery, olive slices and cherry tomatoes. A quick toss with olive oil, lemon juice and black pepper and the results are ready to be laid out on a bed of greens.

"Sometimes it's just easier to go simple," says Raul apologetically.

"Sometimes it's just too delicious to even save a bite for the dog," says Drew between mouthfuls.

Sirloin Tip Steak, Greek Potatoes, and Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto

The grey skies have turned into a downpour but the steak was rubbed - simple coarse ground black pepper and a sprinkling of Mrs Dash - yesterday and is at its prime eating potential. "I don't know about bbq'ing in the rain," says Raul.

"We can always just broil it," says Drew.

"That would be wrong on so many levels," insists Raul. But upon venturing out onto the balcony he reconsiders. "There's a lake on the bbq side of the balcony. We may have to broil after all."

Drew investigates and then commiserates on the terrifying quarter inch deep and maybe a foot square puddle. "We'd better broil. I wouldn't want you to drown. Or I could run over the dollar store, I have been out twice already in the rain with the dog, and get a pair of water wings. Or are you afraid of melting?"

"I'll wear a raincoat," compromises Raul. Dinner is early today because Drew has a reading in the early evening so there isn't time to wait for the skies to clear or the balcony flood to recede.

The asparagus is blanched for five minutes before being dunked in cold water to stop the cooking. It is wrapped in prosciutto (that Drew ran over to Food Basics - in the rain - to pick up, along with more photogenic hamburger buns just in case the steak is postponed again) and is ready for bbq'ing.

The Greek potatoes have been in the oven for four and a half hours. "You can never cook them too long," insists Raul. "Best to have them soft and flavourful on the inside, crunchy on the outside." The recipe Raul favours can be found here: food.com/recipe/greek-potatoes-oven-roasted-and-delicious. Raul proudly uses authentic, "And the best," Krinos Pure Greek Oregano ($2.25 for a large 85 gram jar at Adventures in Cheese, 377 Danforth Ave) and garnishes with fresh chives from the balcony garden that Drew harvests, in the rain.

"Do you need steak sauce?" asks Raul. "It's a little overdone but I was thinking of you." Drew is not much of a carnivore and is physically unable to eat meat that is still bleeding even though he knows that is the proper way to enjoy a fine slab of flesh.

"No thanks," says Drew. "It's deliciously peppery. And done perfectly."

"And the asparagus has been perfectly salted by the prosciutto," says Raul with contentment.

And Mickey paces while he waits, with his usual utter lack of patience or manners, for the inevitable bits of steak pushed to the side of the plate for him.

Burgers and Key Lime Pie

The rainy and unseasonably cold weather finally breaks, and a busy Sunday is spent in the sun (Drew) and on the road (Raul). The sirloin tip steak (40% off at Food Basics because it was about to reach its best before date but instead went in the freezer to be preserved for when desired) is already thawed but a more summery, lighter and simpler meal is called for. Burgers. And the Key Lime Pie made yesterday that has been setting in the fridge. A perfect sunshine combo.

While Raul does the bbq'ing, Drew improvises the toppings (it is important to make him feel he contributes). Lots of rummaging in the fridge pulls forth a combo that works and has a bite: slices of marble cheddar, chopped heritage tomato, minced garlic, Miracle Whip, wasabi mustard and corn relish. Slapdash, a little pretentious, but utterly delicious. And the combo redeems the slightly disappointing Selection quarter pound beef burgers that were bought speculatively on sale instead of the favoured Schneiders Beef Steakettes. Mickey, the dog, gets a third burger all to himself and gives it an unqualified rave before faking starvation and begging for more. Drew not-so-secretly hopes that Raul will get another dose of ambition and once again create burgers from scratch. The last batch, though they did crumble a bit on the bbq, were spectacular, meaty and juicy. Maybe the next time ground beef is on sale.

The Key Lime pie is a masterpiece: especially considering it began as a lark when the mix came on sale at Sobeys for 99 cents a box. While stocking up on Shirriff Lemon Pie Filling and Dessert Mix - Raul's lemon meringue pie with blueberries (idea courtesy of Drew's Mom's garden creator, cat nail clipper and all-round saviour, Dale) is a melt in the mouth taste sensation - a sweet little old lady eyed the overflowing basket and admonished, "You're ambitious." Her husband immediately retorted, "You should be so ambitious," and pointedly placed a box in their basket. Next time Raul intends to add some lime juice and, well who knows what else but his mind is whirring, to give the key lime pie it a bit more pizazz and enough bite to match Drew's carefully constructed burger toppings.

Though a sophisticated pre-Tony Awards dinner was considered de rigueur, the casual bbq'ed burgers and light-as-air but twice-as-tasty pie prove perfect for rejoicing in Andrea Martin's win. Raul tears up during a performance of "My Own Little Corner" from Cinderella because it reminds him of his childhood in the Azores with an actual hearth, Drew just gets annoyed because Harvey Fierstein never gives a speech. Another piece of pie cures both.

BBQ'ed Pork Filet on Thai noodles and broccoli slaw

After a lunch of homemade pesto linguine the grey day, and full stomach, drives Drew to a nap. When he awakens, the usual late Saturday afternoon dialogue begins. "What are you thinking for dinner?" says Raul casually.

Drew doesn't believe for a moment that Raul is being passive-aggressive, he is just trying to make Drew feel included in the culinary decisions. "I don't know, what do you have in mind?"

"I don't have anything in mind but there is pork marinating . . ."

The pork filet had been purchased on sale, Raul's Portuguese background is inexplicably more frugal than Drew's Scottish one, at No Frills because meat should never cost more than $1.99 a pound. Raul took the large cryovac packaged slab of meat and using a filet knife removed the silver skin - to avoid bitterness when cooking - and fat. He then cut the foot-long results in half to create portions for two which were then frozen.

After thawing the pork, Raul marinates it for four hours in a mixture of soya sauce, hoi sin, brown sugar, garlic and chili pepper. Sealing the filet in a airtight Ziploc bag means a small amount of marinade can infuse the meat completely.

In a mason jar Raul combines lime juice, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic paste, fish sauce and chili flakes. He adds the broccoli slaw (99 cents at Sobeys for a package he used a third of), shakes it vigorously and lets it sit while the pork is being bbq'ed for about 10 minutes. The pork is sliced against the grain in slivers and placed as the top layer over a bed of broad rice noodles (snapped into four inch segments before cooking to provide ease of eating) crowned with the now dressed broccoli slaw. The results are garnished with chopped coriander, mint, parsley and basil from the balcony garden, and cashews.

Two guys move in together in a working class neighbourhood. Correction: two guys and their neurotic dog. The kitchen is small but quickly whipped into functional shape. Raul is of a mechanical scientific bent - "Everything is triangles" - and Drew is haphazardly experimental but they both love to cook. And eat. The dog just likes to eat.

This is their day to day diary of the fabulous world of food.