You know what I like? I like that it’s 5pm and it’s STILL LIGHT OUT! I really like that.

Suddenly, winter doesn’t suck so much anymore. Except for that whole ‘hey, it’s -28 with the windchill thing’. That’s still pretty much a letdown.

It’s snowy here – and frosty – and cold. And we are loving it (except for our radiator-driven apartment, which was perfectly content with those crazy 0-degree days).

We were out for our first cross-country ski of the season yesterday. Beginner skiers be warned – don’t take the trail at P7 in Gatineau park. Unless you *prefer* to initiate yourself on a 1km-uphill slope (and then have nightmares about how you haven’t really figured out the snowplow yet for the 1km trip down). Because that’s what I did.

But to make up for my wussyness (and the spectacular wipeout I had yesterday afternoon) we went skiing at Mooney’s Bay tonight. 5K of blissful not-so-uphill glides and only one hill where I swore I was going to end up cosying up to a tree. Not the hardest workout I’ve ever done, but it went a long way towards helping get my ski legs back from last season’s solitary trip. I can’t believe that I’ve never learned to ski before now. I am a chicken.

This weekend we also discovered that Lucy likes Corona (boxes). Smart kitty!

I made laksa (with fresh green peppercorns, above) on the weekend from a recipe in “new vegetarian” by celia brooks brown – a book which, in addition to being almost heart-breakingly beautiful, has become my kitchen staple. Wontons filled with spinach and water chestnuts and ginger? yep. veggie sushi? where do you think I learned how? Potato latkes with avocado-ginger creme? Heaven. Pumpkin and tofu laksa? HOW COULD WE NOT BE IN FOR THIS?

I took no photos (the process was long, there were hungry people in our house, and well, there are loads of steps and more than one that involves hot oil), but based on the reactions of this taste test’s participants (and the thumbs up to the next day leftovers), there will be a next time…and next time? There will be photos.

Until then, yum! What are *your* must-have kitchen staple cookbooks?