Ordering out is a must, sometimes we opt for ribs or chicken but a great deal of the time our thoughts turn to that yummy wheel of crispy dough slathered in sauce, meat and ohh so sticky cheese.  Of course I’m talking pizza, and one of our all time favorite pizza joints is just a five-minute drive from our home in the French enclave of St. Boniface.

Chez Sophie is a thriving bistro in the heart of the district sandwiched between a French university campus, residential housing, and the spiritual center of the district the St Boniface Cathedral.  Chez Sophie is a bistro first serving a classic spread of impeccably prepared French classics such as  Steak sauce au poivre (Steak in Peppercorn sauce), Boeuf Bourguignon (Casserole of beef), and Moule et frites (Mussels and fries).

The tiny bistro at 248 avenue de la Cathédrale

But when the current owners moved in they also discovered that they had a pizza oven at their disposal and began to take full advantage of that fact. Drawing on their French heritage they not only make one, if not the best, traditional red sauce pizzas in Winnipeg but also specialties from the Alsace region of France.

I’ll let them describe those pizzas themselves, “An Alsatian specialty similar to the famous Flammenküechen. Taste this wonderful pie and see another side of Pizza like you never had before!”.  Although I have never actually tasted this pizza from reading the menu the traditional tomato sauce is replaced with a savory crème fraîche sauce on a paper-thin dough cooked at extreme high heat to blister and crisp the crust to perfection.

I must admit that I am a bit of a pizza traditionalist, I enjoy a nice thin crust, a hearty tomato sauce and a scattering of toppings and cheese as not to over weigh  the crust and make it soggy.  To my utter delight when Dar introduced me to the Chez Sophie pizza experience a few years ago my tongue and taste buds were treated to pizza Nirvana.

I literally could not grab my camera before half of the pizza disappeared!

The first thing that hits you as you grab a square slice is the aroma, this pizza was created with love.  Your mouth begins to water as the scent of fresh cheese and home-made sauce tempt you closer.  Then as you bite into it, the rush of flavor hits you.

What I managed to save for myself!

Fresh fresh fresh, the tomato base tastes like they are growing a vine right in the kitchen, full and chunky not over processed or canned.  Tomato, garlic, sweet basil flavor dances on your tongue, the thinly sliced meats then add the baseline to this symphony everything tastes of artisanal quality.  The cheese sourced from a nearby Trappist Monastery where actual monks still make cheeses in the traditional manner. The crisp almost cracker like thinness of the blistered crust snaps off in your mouth begging urging you on to take another bite.

This is not your bargain basement 3 for 1 pizza joint, but surprisingly it is extremely affordable.  Most weekends they run buy one get one deal that simply cannot be beat.  Two piping hot, screamingly fresh large pizzas normally only runs us in the neighborhood of $25.00 or so and with them located almost literally around the corner from us is an extra bonus as I get to pick it up myself and bask awhile among the diners in the tiny bistro as I try to brush up on my conversational French.  Almost no one here, diners or staff speak English as a first language, but I the lone Anglo in the room am welcomed just the same.

For a nice night out dining on fine French cuisine or just picking up a delicious pizza for a night at home you can never go wrong with Chez Sophie, C’est si bon! (It’s so good!)

It's So Good!

Author’s Note: Don’t just take my word for it check out these other fantastic reviews.

Winnipeg Free Press: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/food/restaurants/delicieux-oui-oui-chez-sophie-134896583.html

Where.ca: http://where.ca/listings/listing_detail.php?slug=chez-sophie-wh

Trip Advisor.com: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g154954-d812636-Reviews-Chez_Sophie_Bistro_Pizzeria-Winnipeg_Manitoba.html

It is just simply over the top with imagery, too messed up for words. Check it out for yourself.  There is a closed caption option for those who do not understand the language.  Click the tiny ‘cc’ button on the bottom of the Youtube player.

Yes winter finally has decended, it's only 5 pm.

Women, let’s face facts you all like men that can cook.  Not only can this Bobby cook but he does a freaking fab ass BBQ and as time went on I’ve become a one woman man and now she gets all the good that I have to give.

Using a 4 grate and two zone set up for my charcoal maximizing air intake.

Anyhow, when this week Dar started on a mid winter meat craze I got thinking full on BBQ.  To the south they call it Grilling and that is correct, but what I tend to do is kind of hybrid of BBQ and Grilling.

Earlier in life I was treated to an excellent Webber Charcoal Grill, it has since been my go to for any thing small and quick. Now I have a bigger grill that does also an excellent job if tended to in the right manner.

To prepare my meats I like to use an herb and essence infused marinade. A vacuum sealer, was also used to get the flavors into the Rib Steaks in record time.

As for my BBQ method, I always like to use a two zone system, hot flame on one edge of the coal structure and a cooler zone on the other side.  Chefs may  disagree but I have found that when cooking a fatty cut of meat such as a rib steak that a hard sear is not always the way to go.

Four as Dar says Flintstone Steaks!

Yes you should always put a crust on the char but I find that if you move the meat back and forth from the hot zone to the cooler zone that the juices flow evenly and you will always end up with a superior product.

I find that using a South American technique that involves moving the steak from the hot to cold zone and basting it with a cool marinade it allows the meat to cook with out burning the outside.

When you are ready, to char the hot coals are available to use what ever sweet and sticky sauce you may have on your brush.  With any live fire BBQ always let the meats talk to you, do not poke them with probes or cut them to check the juices. Simple feel of the toughness will do. Just lightly check them from time to time with your finger.  Many guides are available online.

If anyone ever has steak issues, please feel free to comment or contact me.
Every man should be blessed with open flame and some nice meat to call their own.

Bob

For the record the normal temperature in Winnipeg, Manitoba for this time of year is somewhere around -15 C.  Not too bad for us hardened Canucks but generally this time of year dips to -30 are more than normal.

The temperature in Winnipeg today +7C.  Freaking unheard of, folks are golfing just south of us in North Dakota.  In January people!!!

If it keeps up like this Santa and his band of Elves are going to be melted out of a job.  Not to mention the Polar Bears who are being starved out of existence by the shrinking sea ice.

Yes I’m all for a nice mild winter in Winnipeg where by now we are normally up to our ball sacks in snow and frozen solid like those little Russian stacking dolls but this is freaking me out.

Ok. Santa if you’re listening give us a bit of snow, and turn down the heat a touch.

Thanks much

Bob

Related articles

• Winnipeg’s Winter Wonderland: The Assiniboine Valley Railway. (bahbs.wordpress.com)
• VIDEO | Winnipeg’s balmy winter weather (cbc.ca)
• Winter is coming (bahbs.wordpress.com)
• Where is the snow? (dianushkaphotography.wordpress.com)
• Warm weather prompts warnings in Winnipeg (cbc.ca)

Myan Calendar

Do I believe this for a drop dead second ? Hell no .  My creditors would have my balls for garter belts if they thought I was going to default on my Jeep before the end of days.

And really why would any of us think that the world is going to stop in a year hence. Have the Huns invaded anything lately?  NO.  Is Korea going to implode … Ok I’ll give you a maybe on that one.

But generally planet earth is doing right effin ok.

Yes we are a bit warmer, but is it a cycle, or is it man screwing with stuff? We still don’t know.  The earth does its’ funny bits and we humans tend to do stuff too.

Anyhow, I think we will make it till 2012.  Here is me wishing you the best and the brightest in the grand New Year.

Much love, Bob

Assiniboine Valley Railway Logo

In the early 1980′s Bill Taylor, a model train enthusiast with a large property in Charleswood was doing an expansion to his house and had a vision.  He dreamed of taking the 1000 foot HO gauge railway that he had in his basement and moving it outside to create a train mecca in Winnipeg.

Entering the Assiniboine Valley Railway

A train full of happy people zips by in the night

Unfortunately for Bill the recession of the early 90′s dried up funds for his dream but by 1995 he and his fellow enthusiasts began clearing brush on his extensive holdings of land that border the western edge of Winnipeg’s sprawling Assiniboine Park.  By 1996 the railway was in the testing phase and with deep snow on the ground some 500 adventurous Charleswood residents came by for the inaugural runs of the A.V.R. Boasting over 800 feet of track with approximately 600′ of that illuminated by arches of Christmas lights.

Entering a wonderland of lights

Magical Train in Lights

By Christmas of 2001, the railway and word of mouth had grown almost exponentially.  Some 12,000 people showed up that year for a spin on the train, through the winter wonderland and it’s now 48,000+ lights, all for the cost of a donation to charity.

Christmas reindeer greet the children

There's a small herd of the magical deer, one's jumping to take flight!

Today the Assiniboine Valley Railway takes families on it’s Christmas light runs on over 3,700 feet of track consisting of two separate train lines and through a light and music display consisting of over 100,000 lights shaped into almost every imaginable Christmas theme.  This display would be truly worthy of great honour in Santa’s North Pole kingdom, let alone in the rustic woodlands of Charleswood.

Map of the Assiniboine Valley Railway lines

Last night we waited with literally hundreds of others all shuffling in line with perpetual grins on our childlike faces. Even as you walk through the forested property the lights are simply outstanding.  As we got closer to the train station the strains of music greeted our ears as Christmas carols drifted through the birch and elms.

Hundreds of people in awe of the lights

Almost at the station

The train station came as a welcome sight after spending over an hour outside in the cold and snow.  I dashed forward through the line to purchase our tickets for the ride. A bargain at $2.00 per person and with proceeds going to charity I gave the conductor a 10 for the three of us and called it even.

Finally at the station house

A train load of happy passengers

Once in the boarding line, little Eric started to get really excited, we could see the trains entering and exiting the station each carrying some 15 or 20 Christmas passengers.  Soon it was our chance to board the tiny train.

Final boarding line

Each train only stands about 2 feet high and is electrically driven pulling some 10 or 15 wagon like flatbed seating stations.  The gauge of the railway is only roughly a foot across so balance is strictly enforced by the railway volunteers.  Darlene was seated first in our wagon like car, then Eric and myself rounding out the flatbed.  We were instructed to keep our selves balanced in the middle of the car at all times while also keeping our hands in as tree branches would be coming within inches of our bodies.

All aboard!

Leaving the station, a Snowman on the track

With that we were off, through the maze of deer paths and thickets now strung with glorious Christmas lighting.  We zipped through tunnels of lights, past candy canes and teddy bears.  A sea-serpent  crossed our path for an instant as it emerged from the snow and cold lit with Christmas cheer.  Eric was captivated, literally squealing with delight at the surprises that turned up around every corner. Past more boxes of presents and images of Santa Claus until at last the ride slowed to a halt back at the station house.

Starting our journey, though the first tunnel of lights!

Back after our journey, outside the A.V.R. station

Our ride was over for the evening but I know that the wonder that Bill Taylor and his crew of family and volunteers give to the community will last in Eric’s heart and the hearts of all the hundreds of other children this season the whole year through.

Thank you Bill and Assiniboine Valley Railway.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Bob

Check out these Youtube videos to help get your mind around the Christmas at the Taylor’s experience.

First from CTV News Dec 22, 2011

This one from Traingeek really shows the lights in action on the run.

Just a tad creepy.

In a nutshell it’s a little stuffed elf that you “adopt” much like the Cabbage Patch dolls of old but with a most nefarious aim.  To get your children to behave.  Let’s be realistic fellow parents we are already lying to our kids anyway about a fat bearded ol’ pervert that spy’s on the kids anyways why not give him an accomplice to make the rouse just a touch more believable.

Enter the Shelf Elf, who sits and watches the children silently during the day and fly back home to the North Pole at night to report to the bearded one about the children’s activities.  Hmmm, are they reporting to Lenin or Santa?

The real trick of the toy is to move the Elf every day, thus maintaining the illusion that the Elf is alive and actually doing the North Poles bidding.  The kids will by all account, jump speedily out of bed each and every morning to search for the tiny infiltrator thus releasing the parents from exhaustive morning wake up chores.  Also since the children are being watched by a magical apprentice they should behave for at least the Christmas season.

Also in the extra creepy girl elf version

Is this sneaky as hell, does it smack of McCarthyism?  HELL YA!  Am I for it, Boo-ya.

Lets face it fellow parents any edge us old geezers can have over our spawn is a welcome one, they are bombarded with commercials and peer pressure for toys and attention.  The over sugared lifestyle they live is out of control and if it takes a little subterfuge to get some control back into our back pocket I’m all for it.

So let’s join the Shelf Elf revolution, Viva Elves, Viva Santa.  Oh screw it I need an Egg-nog.

Merry Christmas to all my fellow parents out there.

Bob

Ten Commandments Cartoon

Let’s say for example you’re with the extended family over the break and your favorite uncle or auntie who has maybe had a few too many comes over and attempts to debate how wrong (value x) is.  Let’s also say since they are recently born again into the religion of their choosing, they start to fling bible quotes to back up this belief of hatred.

How do you respond and what are you thinking?  Now before we all get our panties in a bunch I understand that people of all stripes read this column of mine.  My basic philosophy has always been to try to think independently of a central voice, (religious, political or social dogma) gather the facts and make up my own mind on the issue.

The reason that I am bringing religion into the picture here is that I can’t think of a force that has wreaked more havoc in the history of humankind.  Wars are fought over religion, countries are founded upon it’s tenants and wholesale persecution is often preformed in it’s name.

Yesterday someone very near and dear to my heart started up with the whole Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve rant against homosexuality.  She tried claiming that the bible was clean of such acts of “perversion” when in fact it is not.

I tried to explain that one of the central beliefs of the bible, to my mind anyhow is inclusion of all things into understanding and love.  I was raised Christian so I tend to think along Judeo-Christian  lines, although I do know that most other world faiths also have a bent towards inclusion over hatred at least in the scripture if not in application.

I guess that’s where I am going with this, if your holy book be it the Torah, Holy Koran or Bible commands you to love your neighbor as yourself why do we have all of this insanity going on in a benevolent creators name?  I can tell you with some certainty that from a historical point of view the answer is control.

Religion was and is certainly being used as a control method around the world today and this tendency is not linked to any one religious belief.   Most religious belief structures use a carrot and stick philosophy to guide their believers.  If you do as the clergy says and you’ll have a thousand joys in the afterlife go against us and you will surely burn or be tortured for all eternity.  Oh, and anyone that doesn’t believe what we believe is wrong and of course will end up on the pointy end of a pitchfork so let’s be mean to them now just for good measure.

Joan of Arc burned as a heritic

Of course this is an oversimplification but try telling that to the “witches” hanged or burned at the stake in Salem and throughout history.  The Jews, Muslims and Homosexuals put to the rack during the Holy Inquisition. Try explaining that to the Roma who wander Europe without a home or the young women who are mutilated or murdered in the name of Allah for trying to get an education and a better life.

Tell those targeted by a supposed holy man Fred Phelps and his congregation who proudly proclaim “God HATES Fags!”  Well Fred my God is a loving caring creator, my God made the world and loves everything about it.  My God is inclusive and does not know hate.  My God is above hate, my God is about Love.

Two young men get back at Fred Phelps

Isn’t that what this time of year is all about?

“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on Earth, good will to all men.”  Luke 2:14 King James Bible

Related articles

• Hate and Religion: Common Friends (fidlerten.com)
• Westboro Baptist’s heritage of hate passed to third generation (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Sometimes we all feel like that sad little tree that Charlie and Linus pick up in the crowded Christmas Tree lot.  You know what I mean, a little or a lot beat up, maybe feeling scrawny on the inside.  Unloved or just a bit crazy around the edges for the holiday season.

But you know what, that’s OK.  Let’s face it Christmas is a crazy time of year, everyone seems a bit on edge trying to be perfect, the perfect gifts, the perfect home, the perfect love to bring home to Mom and Dad.  The list goes on and on. I must admit I got a bit emotional tonight watching the program.

For the first time I am alone from my family for the holidays.  Sure I have spent Christmas alone but I was always safe and secure in the knowledge that Mom and Dad were just a few hours up the road and I would get there before New Years Day.  However this year is different, it’s just Darlene and I.

Her mother is working graveyard shift over the holidays and my family will be in Southern Ontario.  I am sure that we will put something together, and I know that life evolves and we must adapt. But I have always had a deep dark fear of the unknown, and this is unknown territory indeed.

I am going to miss my Mother’s exploding Christmas Tree, people who came to visit on Christmas Day would always sit in slack-jawed amazement to all the love that she put into the decorations and presents.

I guess that gets to the heart of the message of Charlie Brown, though.  It’s not about presents or money, like that sad little tree that gave so much life and love it’s about the spirit of Christmas.

It’s about knowing we are loved no matter where our family is, because family means love in so many words.  It’s about the knowledge that we can receive and that we can also give.  There is always an empty spot waiting to be filled at our table, a place to join in our fellowship and laughter.

So my friends the next time you feel down, just remember that little tree and how much love it gave.  How it was transformed by the charity of a few, from a tiny sprig into a wondrous joyful thing.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Bob