BBQ in Ajax

sunflowers @ Ralph & Beth's

I don't know why my blog always becomes like a food diary. I think writing about food does not harm much people and also can make some people happy by bringing them to their imaginary restaurant.

The place this time I'll take you to is a BBQ, a representative of summer!!
While many of my classmates were in Niagara Falls (probably in the rain), Me and my husband Luke were having juicy, well-spiced stake and chicken breast with marinated salad, baked potatoes and beans, in a beautiful house with an air conditioner. Mmmm. (great meal + great temperature = heaven)

The hosts who invited us are Ralph, Luke's ex-coworker and has been a good friend, and Beth, his wife. They got married in 2005 and moved to Ajax in 2006. They used to live in Toronto until then and we had seen once a while, so Luke was very sad when he heard that they were moving.
There were also a couple invited to this BBQ, Rob and his wife Michelle. Rob is also Luke's ex-coworker and has been a good friend. They also used to live close to us, so it also seemed to hit Luke strong when they moved out. However, we all have been keeping in touch and have great meetings once a while.


On the way to Ajax
Ajax is a little far from Toronto so Rob and Michelle always offer us a ride, very nice of them. We went their house in North part of Toronto by TTC subway. Soon as we got on highway 401 east, rain started to hit us strongly. I guess I was very hungry at that time (Rafael always tells me that I always am), so I started to be afraid if we will be told there will be no BBQ, because I thought BBQ must be held outside like people's backyard, beach or park mainly, from my experience in my country. But I could not see those feeling in any of their face. I was going to learn that BBQ does not mean outside always.

The style of entertaining guests is different as Japanese way, I meant, it is great! Basically, amount of food is amazing. At the beginning you get a drink and healthy vegetables with dips and have nice and fun chatting to catch up with everyone.. I like this part. Although I always realize suddenly that I ate too much of them, next moment my hand is reaching more for corn chips and fresh veges. I know I should reduce the amount of appetizers to have beautiful main dinner after, but they are too good to resist.
Beth made three kinds of dips and my favorite was hummus (which I can not pronounce well), made of chickpeas, sesame paste, garlic and lemon juice, mainly. (In this picture, the right one on the bottom.)
I should make those sometimes.. this is the sentence I always comment and never going to perform. Having something nice which somebody made for me is always happier than making by myself.

While we were chatting with drinks, Ralph was grilling BBQ foods for us on the deck of his backyard. Having my own barbecue would be nicer if we had place to set up in summer or to put away when we don't use; however, we probably will never own one: I would be too lazy to clean up after we use. My husband? Well, he says he is also too lazy ;-)
Anyway, I took a photo of my dish. After this dish, I had another one with chicken, of course.

And you know what? You can also hear from me about the gorgeous dessert that I had AFTER all these nice meals - Chocolate Berry Cake!!!

Amaizing!! The presentation of this cake was so beautiful, I admired Beth a lot! Berries are sweet and fresh, so good with chocolate pudding and cinnamon tart underneath of them. Ralph cut them for us and gave me a big piece so it filled me up with the coffee he made. Why sweets and strong black coffee are so nice to be together - such a fantastic combination. Sweet-n'-coffee-holic me!


Not only gorgeous dinner, they are very good friends of us even though we all are spread to different ages (Luke is the youngest one) and different areas to live. The conversation with them teaches me lot of things, even if the topics are sometimes "men" things. They gave me a big, warm welcome three years ago when I moved to Canada and had no friends here. I felt bad that I was very nervous at that time by not be able to understand most of things they were talking about, and I pulled the bottom of Luke's shirt to ask him to explain to me. Now I am very happy that I can feel more comfortable to listen and talk to them in English, and see myself having fun for it. Someday I will invite them to our place and make dinner for them, just like they always do to us, at that time I will be more confident to entertain them.