It was 9am on Sunday morning, and just as I was  starting to open my eyes and stretch myself awake, Mike was already spry and bushy tailed headed for the living room.  Before I knew it, the voices of pre game football commentary, that  I hadn’t heard since last September, were starting to re-establish their place back in my Sunday mornings.  As video reels of “I’m here so I don’t get fined” and the term “deflate-gate” bombarded my morning coffee, I sat there and mentally prepared myself for another Football Sunday season.  It’s here.

Summer’s ending brings Football’s beginning and as I had a full Sunday afternoon/evening of time to do what ever I pleased, I spent some of it cleaning, some of it shopping, and some of it compiling the last set of pics from our Prince Edward County [ PEC ] weekend.  So, before I bring you the first meal of FBS15, here’s the last post of The Off Season; as promised the details from our stay at the Drake Devonshire.

The Devonshire brought all the best of the Drake that you know and love set to the tune of a county lakeside b+b; punchy eclectic mixes of retro and modern popped with super cool art installations and nods to those old furniture pieces that cottage owners would lug up to their lake homes to live out the remaining years of their upholstered lives,  great food + cocktails + local wines, and friendly + caring staff.

After a morning of winery hopping, Mike and I made our way to the Devonshire to check-in.  Before heading up to our room, we had a plate of lobster nachos and sipped on cocktails lakeside on the patio.

Mini bottles of local wine greeted us not once, but twice during our stay.  The 1st was a ‘happy 3yr anniversary’ welcome greeting and the 2nd was a ‘thank you’ for sharing our parking spot.

Saturday morning yoga in the pavilion; windows open with the sound of crashing waves and wind blowing in the background.  

Though brunch was delicious, chicken + waffles to chicken + waffles, I prefer the CW at the Drake Toronto.  That cherry jam + creme fraiche gets me every time.    

Finally, our 3 year wedding anniversary dinner; oysters, duck wings, 32oz tomahawk steak, and a bottle of the Devil’s Wishbone cab franc.  

On our last night, after cocktails at the bar, the restaurant host managed to find us some marshmallows + chocolate; we got to make s’mores on the fire pit  lakeside [ my new favourite word…lakeside ].

Oh and they had a photo booth!  

The Devonshire met and surpassed my expectations.  There were eye catching details ’round each corner; the ambiance in every section of the inn was pleasurably cool; and the staff were all extremely caring.  I suppose our stay was well worth the 1 month + 19 day wait.

. . . F B S  D I N N E R . . .

With pork broth simmering for 24hrs and our condo marinating in the aroma, Football Sunday was in full force.  While the broth continued to simmer, pork belly braised in mirin + soy sauce + sake and Mike + Kial made Japanese street food style chicken wings; 2 Football Sunday classics – ramen + chicken wings [ well, I guess in our household they are ha ].

CHICKEN WINGS | Nagoya Tabasaki recipe from the book Japanese Soul Cooking

INGREDIENTS | serves 4

16 chicken wings [ about 2lbs ]
salt + pepper
1tsp tobanjan
2tbsp grated garlic
2tbsp sugar
2tbsp red miso
2tbsp soy sauce
1/4c mirin
vegetable oil for deep-frying
1/4c potato starch [ we used corn starch ]

cut each wing at its 2 joints | = 3 parts | discard the wingtip
lightly season with salt + pepper | set aside 
add tobanjan + garlic + sugar + miso + soy + sake + miring to saucepan over high heat
continue to stir until sugar is dissolved | transfer to large mixing bowl and set aside
fill cast iron skillet with vegetable oil [ @ least 1″ high ] heat oil to 350ºF
set up tray lined with paper towel to drain cooked wings
while oil heats toss wings in starch until evenly coated | shake off excess
when oil reaches 350º, carefully lay wings down in oil | don’t overcrowd, you may need to do batches
while cooking regulate oil temp ensuring it stays @ 350º
cook wings for about 7mins until cooked through and golden
transfer to lined tray to drain
add cooked wings to sauce bowl | toss for 1min until evenly coated 
transfer to serving plate + serve immediately

The perfect opening act for Mike + Kial’s ramen!

Ramen hit at the Dallas/Giants half time.  It was a quiet + peaceful break with only intermittent sounds of slurping.  By the time halftime ended, soup bowls were slurped and the silence was over.  The cheers went through valleys, peaks, and long lulls [characteristic sounds of a Dallas game I’d say] but in true Dallas form, the Cowboys came back to win the game by 1 point in the last 1.5 minutes of the match.  2 feet from the TV, the boys were on their feet: screams + cheers + slow claps.

It was an eventful and long end to the first FBS of the season; hopefully not a sign of Sundays to come.  When it comes to football, I’m all for the short and sweet.

Happy Sunday!