Pumpkin Waffles

Raul wants to experiment for breakfast and there is leftover pumpkin. Lots of leftover pumpkin. He purees a half cup of the pumpkin and adds it to the best ever waffle recipe. It is an experiment - unlike Drew, Raul is not at ease just adding ingredients and hoping for successful results, science is crucial not whimsical notions - but one that pays extraordinary dividends. The waffles are crispy on the outside and thickly moist on the inside.

The pumpkin flavour is subtle but distinctive. "The best part," notes Drew, "is the bright orange colour when one slices into it. Vivid vivid vivid."

"And," comments Raul who refuses to be distracted by frivolous but happy Halloween haunting accidents, "the pumpkin isn't sweetened so the contrast with the syrup is perfect. And do you have to put so much butter on them? It's already moist enough."

"My bad," says Drew while licking his lips. "I like the pale yellow against the vivid orange and the smaller pieces melt too quickly. Are there more?"

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.

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.