NFDI Style Magazine | Fall 2023

PICKLING SEASON, GETTING READY FOR SWEATER WEATHER

& more!

Brianna Powell CONTRIBUTORS Ava Free | Danita Kellough

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

My hope in writing the editor's note is that it comes from a place of honest feeling. With this, I try to write it fairly close to the time we launch the magazine so it’s as true to those emotions or speaks to a connection in my life at the time. That being said, this note encapsulates far more than my present feelings, rather a core value I’ve had from the start of my career. Over the last year, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the WHY in my business, even after almost 22 years, and what brings me joy.

Relationships are the main reason I do what I do. I love the creative process and the outlet that interior design is for ingenuity, creativity, challenge, and the feeling it brings to our clients when their home is transformed, however building connection is what roots me in my profession.

The home is a vulnerable space. A personal place where the inner workings of a life are exposed. The home is an anchor point for the comings and goings. To be invited into someone’s home is a privilege and it must be greeted with a posture of gratefulness. I do my very best to walk into the spaces I’m welcomed into with utmost gratitude, gratitude for my client's vulnerability and willingness to partner with me in the endeavour of transforming their home. That’s what it is really, a partnership. A commitment that was more than a contract. Oh, how the relationship grows when you approach each relationship with your client as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to collaborate and connect. It is then that the real creativity and passion flow.

With this approach, our relationships often find themselves extending beyond interior design, Dinners over wine, great stories and connections, weddings, and even celebrations of life. Since our summer issue, I’ve experienced all of these, alongside clients, friends, and meaningful people in my life. I'm so grateful to have the privilege to know.

Last week I turned 50, which comes with all sorts of emotions. It’s been a sort of “coming of age for me”. Not in the way of becoming an adult, but rather a renewed perspective and confirmation of where I am at half a century, and my why in life. My path of building relationships through my role as an interior designer has never been more clear.

So cheers to 50 years. I’m humbled by all the blessings, learnings and amazing people who have been part of it so far.

Autumn

“The sun is warm, the air is soft, there’s comfort in grey skies. Rain patters on so steadily days slip before our eyes. Now here we are-- untouched-- while autumn steals all that we know. Yet unlike flowers, through the seasons, we may live to grow.”

Ellis Nightingale

C

OMEON OVER

a home for hosts

Twenty years ago I was part of a book club alongside seven other women. This group was a lifeline for me during the early stages of motherhood and while I settled into a new city. It was about community, connection, entertainment and fun; things all of us moms craved. Sometimes we talked about the book. After moving away I lost touch with most of the girls but they’ve always had a special place in my heart.

Fast forward to a few years ago when one of those seven ladies reached out to me with plans of building a new home and an interest in working with me. I was excited to rekindle our friendship and connect on a new, and creative level. We worked well together and it pushed both of us out of our comfort zones. I’m excited to share the home tour with you!

INTERIOR DESIGN | Nyla Free Designs Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHY | Michelle Johnson Photography BUILDER | Larkaun Homes

We wanted to build a house for family and friendship. We wanted a home that our family could come back to and feel like – even though they’re grown adults, they’re home – they have a place. And then we wanted a place that we could have friends come and settle in, and not want to leave.

How would you describe your personal aesthetic?

Whatever Nyla told me to do. Let’s be honest! No, I think Nyla would agree with this, I either have very strong feelings about things or I have no feelings about things. So we liked a fairly clean and modern, warm look and then a lot of it was just trusting Nyla. There were lots of things she wanted to do, and I’d be like ‘oooooooooo’. Some of it, a lot of it is trust. She knows what we’re looking for and who we are, what our goals are.

WHAT WAS THE OVERALL FEELING YOU WANTED TO CREATE IN YOUR HOME?

IN WHAT WAYS WERE YOU PUSHED OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS?

The dark on the stairs, I didn’t love and now I love it. The original paint colour in here [kitchen, living room area], Nyla had [chosen something] a lot darker and I just went back to her and said ‘It’s just a little bit too dark for me’ and she said ‘not a problem’ and we lightened it up one shade. In the bathroom, we had a miscommunication about the drawings of the front and I thought it wasn’t done until I looked at the drawings and said ‘Oh shit, that’s the colour they’re supposed to be!' I texted them and said ‘Guys they screwed this up, they didn’t –’ and Nyla said ‘Let us finish the room, if you don’t love it, we’ll change it’, and when the room was finished I was like ‘Ya she was right’.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ROOM IN THE HOUSE?

I think it’s a bit contextual because if I'm by myself, I really like the four-season room. I like that I can open the windows and there’s all the airflow, or in the winter I can turn the fireplace on and the air in the room is cold but it warms up. But then, I love our wine barn in the context that when we have people over we have this beautiful space that we sit in that is specific to our passion.

WHAT WERE THE MOTIVATING FACTORS TO BUILD THIS HOME?

It was largely motivated by the fact that we needed more room for our wine, our house to renovate just wasn’t going to meet our needs to do that. We get itchy feet and we like the process but a renovation... I don’t think we’d still be married if we had a renovation.

HOW HAS YOUR NEW HOME CHANGED HOW YOU LIVE?

I don’t know if it has changed. We have so much more space that it may change how I organise my life but I don’t know if it’s changed how we live. We still like to have lots of people over. We still like to have our house full of family and friends and I don’t think we do that any more or less but it might be a little easier, how we do it, in terms of cleaning and those kinds of things. Other than that, I can’t think of any family cultural changes because we’re in a new home. I feel like the home was built to meet our family culture and who we already were. Those positive aspects that were in our lives were incorporated into our home.

AS A NATURAL HOST, WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU LOVE ABOUT HAVING PEOPLE OVER?

I am generally drawn to chaos, I like chaos. I think chaos is healthy, I love community and chaos and that’s essentially hosting. I believe in community in raising children, I believe in community in all aspects of life, friendship and family. Life is better when we’re in community. That’s what I like about it. I also like to cook and we obviously like wine and it's fun when those aspects become connected to hosting.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE WALLPAPER IN THE POWDER ROOM?

I am thrilled with it, I love not just the specifics of it and that it's a scavenger hunt while you’re in the bathroom but the fact that our house has a little bit of that feeling with its hidden tunnels and its hidden rooms. There is this general feeling of this ‘can you find it’ in the house, so the wallpaper carried that through, what can you find in here that you wouldn't have known was here without giving a really good look, it’s super fun.

WALLPAPER

House of Hackney

DID KNOWING NYLA BEFOREHAND HELP WITH YOUR TRUST IN THE PROCESS?

Oh absolutely. I think for sure. There are hard decisions and there’s often so much money involved and so many permanent decisions that feel bigger than they really are. Sometimes you just need someone to say ‘Nope, this is the right decision’ or you know, you have doubts and they’re like 'Ya, you’re right you should doubt that'. If I didn’t have the relationship that I do [with Nyla] it wouldn't have been quite as easy for me. Because we’re generally control freaks, this was the first time we haven’t contracted our own home.

WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR PROJECT NON-NEGOTIABLES?

For the building of the house, we were very hard on our timeline. We sold our house so quickly which left this pressure and stress. It made me feel like a nomad and that made it harder. There was a schedule, and I needed everybody to understand that. Even Nyla, our process, compared to what she’s used to dealing with in Calgary, was twice as fast. Our house was an 11-month build and she said that it would’ve been a 2-year project in Calgary.

Something we were really on top of was time. In terms of design and Nyla… I think this speaks to her ability to read the audience but I don’t feel like there was anything I was a stickler on because our communication was so fluid. We were back and forth and she understood early on what we wanted and our vision. As that communication went on, it never felt like I had to be a stickler about anything because it was a very natural flowing conversation.

If there was anything [that I didn’t like] and I said to her ‘I’m not loving that’, there was never any push back, or if there was, I knew that ‘this was pretty important’.

Welcome to the...

WHAT WAS YOUR VISION FOR THE WINE BARN?

The wine barn was originally born out of this idea I had when I was young. I wanted to own a party barn and I wanted to host events. Then I got old and I realised that I don’t want other people telling me what to do, so I don’t want to host events for other people, but I still wanted a party barn. We originally thought it would be detached from the house. Over time, the idea evolved. We knew we wanted a barn, so when we met with Nyla, one of our very first visits, she said ‘So what are you going to do in this barn?’ and we said ‘I don’t know, we just want a party barn’ and she said ‘Well, I think you guys should have some discussions about what the purpose of the barn is. What are you going to do in your barn?’.

We knew aesthetically some of the things we liked because we were stealing ideas for Napa, we wanted a “Napa” feel such as a wood-burning fireplace, similar to things we had visited. Once Nyla asked us the question and we didn't have an answer, it just kind of forced us to have a conversation and it became our wine barn!

MANY ROOMS FEATURE BOLD PATTERN & COLOUR THROUGH DARKER TONES WHAT DREW YOU TO THESE SELECTIONS?

Nyla told me I had to have those. No, I think that we enjoyed the moodiness, we liked the contrast of things. I’m generally afraid of colour so the neutrality that the house is built on is good for me. I like that calmness – I think my wardrobe probably reflects that. I’m drawn to that but Nyla would say something would look good and it did.

Nyla respected Rob and I. We don’t like kitch-y stuff in our house, I don’t want something in my house that’s here just for the sake of it being here, something that I have to dust. If it has a place in my home, generally it is something that either has emotional value or I bought while I was travelling. It reminds me of somewhere I’ve been, of a happy memory and our wine collection is the same way. Our collection is generally based on vineyards that we’ve been to, the ones we’ve experienced with friends and family. We love wine that has a memory attached to it. Our house is a little bit like that too and Nyla was really good at taking those things and making sure [they were incorporated]. The old wood door that’s at the top of the stairs, it’s from my great-great grandparents' house when they immigrated here. Nyla made it look like it’s purposeful and intentional and that it was a design decision but it holds so much more than that.

HOW DID YOUR LOVE OF WINE INFLUENCE THE DESIGN OF YOUR HOME?

A lot of it is linked back to travel. Rob and I have spent lots of time in Napa, the Santa Barbara area, France and Italy so by travel I mean the places that we love and experiences we hold dear to our heart are linked to wine. Some of it was just pragmatics of how you’re going to store the wine and then some of it was determined based on asking – If the house was being dedicated to the wine, how do we showcase it? Hence, in the wine barn, the entire back of it is glass. Instead of it being closed off and separated it works its way into the entire space.

When it comes to the process, I would do everything differently. With Nyla, we created a culture and a feeling. I could totally see myself rebuilding and doing a completely different style or aesthetic while still accomplishing the same goals when you came into my house.

Reflecting on our build, the only thing I would change is to have made our breezeway longer and angled our wine barn further in, only because of the aesthetics from the outside. It has been difficult to soften the length of the house with landscaping and so many people come and gawk at it. It would’ve just shortened up a little bit of what they could see.

IF YOU COULD HAVE DONE ONE THING DIFFERENTLY, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?

Brianna Powell

Drink What You Love!

Wine is so much more than the act of drinking. Wine is about learning, travelling and meeting new people. It is both a science and an art. It is social and intimate whilst remaining personal.

Danita Kellough first took an interest in wine after watching her husband fall down the rabbit hole of collecting. “We’d go to liquor stores and I thought to myself ‘I can either sit in the car or I can participate.’” After acknowledging that she’d rather be involved than be a bystander, Kellough promptly decided to take part in the collecting.

“I always tell people to drink what you love. If that’s two buck chuck then drink two buck chuck, if it's 2008 Dom Perignon and you can afford 2008 Dom, drink away.”

WORDS BY: AVA FREE

“I didn’t fall in love with the drinking, I fell in love with the culture.”

As their collections grew, Kellough and her husband registered for a level one sommelier course.

“It was getting to the point where [our] collection of wine was so large that it was just responsible that you had some education behind it.”

Since then, the couple have completed the sommelier certifications that pertain to tasting, sensory and regional history, specifically France. Kellough is currently preparing for her Masters in champagne.

Wine can be linked to many things including family, friendship, entertaining and travel; it is so much more than the act of drinking itself. Ironically, Kellough highlights the fact that she tends to drink more like a college student; a twisted tea or a pina colada.

We have a friend who’s a doctor and he had an older gentleman come in who was unfortunately dying. One day they were talking philosophically and our friend said, ‘What’s one piece of advice you’d give me?’ and the man said, ‘Life’s too short not to drink good wine.’

… is a levelled process. Some sections are more extensive than others and like most things the further you go, the more commitment is required. Certain levels require blind taste tests and identifying varietals based on region. With that comes the added component of understanding the geography that coincides with different wines. You learn how to smell and how to taste. You learn about acidity and tannins. Becoming a sommelier requires significant attention to detail whilst embracing the harmony between science and art.

Becoming a Sommelier Why Collect?

For most, collecting wine is based on your attachment to each bottle. For others, as Kellough’s husband notes, “the act of [collecting] is not without an ego in mind.” Others have cellars that reflect the life they’ve lived. Whether that means purchasing a bottle in the year your child was born, or when they graduate.

Danita's 'Aha! Wine Moments'

According to Kellough, an ‘Aha! Wine Moment’ can vary from person to person. It's the moment you fall in love with a particular varietal or bottle. It’s when you taste a wine that hits you on so many different sensory levels. A wine that touches your mouth in the ways it’s supposed to. Other people have ‘Aha!’ moments that relate to an experience or relationship they associate with based on what they were drinking at the time.

“We used to go to this outdoor patio for a fall harvest and you sat outside, there was live music, there was a person there hand stretching mozzarella, someone was walking around pouring wine while we overlooked the vineyard; for me, that’s an aha wine moment.”

These moments create nostalgia, a unique feeling and cause you to feel the utmost reminiscent every time you take a sip.

Do's & Don'ts of Collecting

There are wine collectors and there are wine drinkers. It is important to recognize the difference before outlining what people should or shouldn’t do with each bottle. Collecting wine typically comes with an incentive and interest in educating yourself.

QUESTIONS TO ASK:

What is the varietal?

What is its drinking window?

How are you going to organise your wine?

How is the vintage? Is it worth purchasing again?

drinking window

A drinking window identifies the intended time for your wine to be consumed. It’s there to ensure you don’t drink your wine too soon or too late and miss its sweet spot.

NOTE

Many collectors use cellar tracker apps that help organise and keep track of your bottles. It manages your inventory and what you have left.

VERTICAL

A collection of wine from a particular vineyard that spans a continuous period.

Decanting

Not all wine needs to be decanted. As wine ages with time, it oxidises. So how do you know which varietals may need to be decanted? Kellough offers up a couple of different ways of thinking:

NAMING

For example, a cabernet is a big, bad, nasty lady. You’re going to want to soften her up and make her more approachable. You can think of decanting as a way of quickly ageing her.

SHAPES

Certain wines sit in the mouth like a square or triangle, as opposed to others that are more round like an oval. The sharper edges of the ‘shape’ often bite in the corners of your mouth. To round them off, you decant!

In other instances, a wine may not be within its drinking window. Decanting the bottle will round it off, age it up and soften its edges, allowing it to breathe and become even more drinkable.

On the contrary, if you decant certain wines you’ll kill them. Take white wine for example. It doesn’t generally have the structure that requires additional oxidising.

So you’ve determined your wine needs decanting. What do you do now?

“For the most part it doesn’t matter what the decanter looks like,” says Kellough

Some people simply open the bottle and leave it open overnight. It’s the same philosophy but with a decanter, the amount of wine that’s exposed to air determines how quickly it will oxidise.

Understanding the Vintage

The vintage corresponds with the year the grapes were picked. A nonvintage means they’ve kept reserved juice/ wine from the year before to replicate it in the current year. This allows them to ensure their bottles taste consistent.

A 2017 vintage means every grape was picked in 2017 and then was on the yeast for a minimum of three years before it was bottled. This process is regulated in countries such as France and Italy.

APPELLATION D'ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE

Also known as the AOC, has rules in place for vineyards and the vinification process. They determine the days in which the grapes are picked. For example, if a particular champagne has any grapes picked before or after the specified date, it is not allowed to be called a champagne and is instead called a cremant.

Pairing Wine

When you have a good pairing, it doesn’t just change the wine, it changes the food and ultimately enhances your dining experience. Here are a couple of quick and easy tips that can be really helpful:

High Fat = High Acid

*Pair a high fat cheese with champagne. The fat in the cheese will coat your mouth, as you drink the champagne, the acid will slowly break down fat allowing a lot of explosive flavour.

Anything with truffle = A Pinot

*You don’t want tannins. Pinots are delicate in nature, high in acid, medium body and low in tannin.

Spicy Food = Sweet Wine

*The sweet calms the spice. Never have spicy food with a big, bold red; it will make things taste grossly bitter. Try a Riesling with Thai food, “that will blow your mind”.

Contrast is the easiest way to pair wine, especially for beginners.

“There’s a reason you pair big, bold reds with steak. The tannins in the red fight with the proteins in the meat. The protein in the meat cuts the tannins in the red, bringing out the notes of fruit which allow it to all come together very harmoniously,” says Kellough.

Additional Notes

WINE & SENSES

Swirling your wine is a quick way for it to oxidise. Allowing air into the wine opens it up and brings out new flavours and notes to smell.

Note: You have one nostril that is stronger than the other. After three smells your nose is blind, it’s tired. All you need to do is smell your skin to recalibrate it.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DRINK

If you decide you want to play the game of guessing what a wine is, think about shapes and colours, don’t think about whether you smell strawberries or raspberries. Think ‘Do I smell red fruit, black fruit or blue fruit? Do I smell an oval or triangle? Where does it touch in my mouth? If you stop trying to get so specific and start broader, you’ll find that you’re able to identify details much easier.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

For beginner wine tasters, start with white wines and then move into their reds. New World Zinfandels and Pinots are a great place to start for reds before you get into French wines that can smell like manure, barnyard and tobacco.

‘Sweata Weatha’. We all know the skit… where Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler graced the stage of SNL and established a moment in pop culture that continues to surface every year the first leaf drops.

Sweater Weather

I think the presence of sweaters is one social queue that indicates the seasons changing. They say more than simply ‘I’m cold’ or ‘I need an extra layer’. They say ‘the leaves are bursting with colour! Get out and watch them fall!’, ‘hold tightly to the sunshine for its warmth is fading’, and ‘wear me while you can before I become but a layer underneath your overly cumbersome hooded winter coat’. Autumn is a time for sweaters to share the spotlight with pumpkin spice and apple pie.

WORDS BY Ava Free

All of that’s to say the almanack of sweaters boasts years of knitting, weaving and sewing beautiful colours, patterns and material together. Below are a few of our favourite sweaters, from our closets, with a detailed biography so you too can let them keep you warm against the brisk autumn air.

Sweater Glossary

ALPACA WOOL

Alpaca wool is a natural fibre harvested once a year. Similar to that of sheep, alpaca wool is thicker and offers significant insulation. Furthermore, it is known to be silky, durable and less itchy than sheep's wool. Depending on its quality, alpaca fleece can be warmer than merino wool and is perfect for rough and long-term use.

CASHMERE MERINO WOOL MOHAIR

One of the world's most luxurious wool, Cashmere originates from Kashmir, India. The hair is collected from Kashmir and Pashmina goats which are generally native to the Gobi Desert and Central Asia. Their hair is grown in a soft undercoat throughout the winter months for warmth and is collected in the early spring. Based on its finite supply, cashmere is highly priced and sought after; however many companies blend the wool with other fibres to lower the garment price.

Mohair comes from the fur of the Angora goat. A luxury textile, mohair is elastic, nonflammable, breathable and crease-resistant. The fur is sometimes referred to as “diamond fibre” based on its sheen and radiance. Beyond clothing, mohair is commonly used for climbing and skiing skins as well as various high-end interior fabrics.

Considered a luxury fibre, merino wool is found commonly in sweaters, socks and outdoor clothing. Its breathable, lightweight, odour-resistant and moisture-absorbent properties make it a notable option for apparel. In addition, merino wool is naturally produced and harvested and is noted to be more expensive than regular wool due to its rare commodity.

WOOL

Deemed one of, if not the warmest fabric, wool sweaters are tried and true for fall. Whether they’re layered or left on their own, there’s no doubt they’ll find purpose in your wardrobe.

Note:

the lower the quality of the wool, the itchier it will be! (Larger diameter strands = lower quality whereas smaller strands = softer)

TR A DITIONS

FROM THE KITCHEN OF Stacey Schartner

Dill Licious I '

M

sure lots of people know someone or 'is' someone who steps foot in a kitchen once a year to take on the joys of pickling. For some, it's a family affair, with recipes passed down through generations. For others, it's a chance to kick everyone out of the house while they immerse themselves in the process. Whether you're the first or the latter there is both routine and tradition at the very roots of it all. This year a close family friend offered up her recipe for us to venture into the pickling world.

Pickling is social, gratifying and an opportunity to harvest the goods from a garden and repurpose them into something delicious! So this year we too stepped foot in the kitchen, stunk up the place, prepped far more than just cucumbers and had fun while doing it.

We’ve compiled our thoughts along the way in case you too want to take part in this dill-icious tradition.

WORDS BY Ava Free | ILLUSTRATIONS BY Brianna Powell

VEGGIES TO PICKLE

CUCUMBER ONION

CARROT BEETS

RADISH

CAULIFLOWER

ASPARAGUS

PEPPERS

ZUCCHINI

JALAPE Ñ OS

BEANS

GARLIC

INGREDIENTS

TO PUT IN THE JAR

ITEMS TO BLANCH

Blanching helps to ensure i) that the vegetable is soft enough to absorb as much of the brine as possible and ii) that it retains its natural colour during the pickling process.

GARLIC

ASPARAGUS BEANS

BEETS

CAULIFLOWER

CUCUMBERS

¼ Litre SMALL

CARROTS

REGULAR Extra Large Jar

8-10 sprigs dill

7-8 cloves garlic

2 tsp peppercorns

2 tsp mustard seeds

REGULAR Extra Large Jar

8-10 sprigs dill

7-8 cloves garlic

2 tsp peppercorns

2 tsp mustard seeds

SPICY

Large Jar

5-6 sprigs dill

5-6 cloves garlic

2 tsp peppercorns

2 tsp mustard seeds

2-3 chili peppers

SPICY Extra Large Jar

8-10 sprigs dill

7-8 cloves garlic

¼ tsp chili flakes

1-2 chopped chili peppers

SPICY

Large Jar

5-6 sprigs dill

5-6 cloves garlic

2-3 chili peppers

REGULAR

Small Jar

2-3 cloves garlic

½ Litre MEDIUM

JARS

¾ Litre LARGE

PEPPERS

WHOLE Extra Large Jar

4-5 sprigs dill

7-8 cloves garlic

2 tsp peppercorns

2 tsp mustard seeds

GOLDEN

BEETS

SLICED

Small Jar

3-4 sprigs dill

2-4 cloves garlic

1 tsp peppercorns

RED

ZUCCHINI

CAULIFLOWER

ASPARAGUS

EXTRA LARGE

Medium Jar

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp mustard seeds

GREEN Extra Large Jar

8-10 sprigs dill

7-8 cloves garlic

2 tsp peppercorns

2 tsp mustard seeds

SPICY Medium Jar

1-2 chopped chili peppers

¼ tsp tumeric

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp cumin

SPICY Extra Large Jar

6-7 sprigs dill

7-8 cloves garlic

2 tsp peppercorns

1-2 chopped chili peppers

Medium Jar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

YELLOW

Medium Jar

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tsp peppercorns

¾ tsp coriander seeds

SPICY

Small Jar

4-5 hot peppers or ¼ tsp chili flakes

1 small sweet red pepper sliced

REGULAR

Small Jar

2-4 garlic cloves

1 tsp peppercorns

REGULAR

Small Jar

3-4 sprigs dill

¼ tsp chili flakes

1 tsp peppercorns

PREP

Cut, core, slice and peel your vegetables accordingly. Determining which vegetable will go in what size jar is best to do beforehand, ensuring the best fit. If any of your items require blanching, specifically garlic, do so now.

Sterilise your jars before pickling. Boil water and let it sit or steam them in the oven for up to 10 minutes.

Be sure to follow the recipes accordingly, especially for your brine! Adjusting or mistaking measurements can mess with the taste and success of your pickles.

TIP

Preheat your oven to 180°F

Place silicone seals and glass tops in hot water and let sit while your jars are filled.

FI LL

Place dill and additional or desired spices at the bottom. Add your vegetables and don’t be afraid to squeeze in bits where you can, your vegetables will shrink as they pickle!

Save time by boiling your vinegar while you finish up your veggie prep so you have it ready to pour. Add your liquid to the jars, leaving approximately 1 inch of space at the top as certain vegetables may pressurise once sealed.

If you’re using WECK Jars, you’ll know the jars are sealed if the triangular portion of the silicone ring is pointed downwards. If you choose to use mason jars, each lid will make a distinct *pop* once sealed.

The FDA recommends both rubber and metal seals be used only once to maintain a proper seal however glass jars can be reused year after year!

POUR SEAL

Place the rubber seal on the lid before sealing rather than onto the jar first. We found this process yields a more consistent result.

The pickling process is quite potent, therefore pickling outside can help avoid a lingering vinegar smell in your home. Use a hot plate to boil the brine outdoors.

Once your vegetables, dill, spices and pickling liquid are together, remove silicone seals and glass tops from your hot water and place them atop each jar. Using two clips, seal the jar on either side and place it directly in the oven for proper sealing for no longer than 10 minutes.

50 thoughts

+

PHOTOGRAPHY | Phil Crozier

thoughts FOR

1. Travel with your kids.

2. Travel with your kids' friends.

3. Eat around the table as a family as often as you can.

4. Have Sunday dinners.

5. Be a house your kids enjoy bringing their friends to.

6. I don’t feel as old as I thought my parents looked when they were 50 :)

7. Allow your kids to figure things out themselves. It’s ok for them to make mistakes.

8. “Don’t lose a client over a lampshade”

- Bunny Williams

9. “If you’re life exceeds your expectations keep your mouth shut” - Guy Oliver

10. Terms of Endearment is my favourite movie.

11. My favourite band in Grade 8 was the Beastie Boys.

12. Do the fun thing, the work will get done.

13. Drive with your kids as much as possible. You get to know them in the car.

14. If your kids want to talk, set everythings aside and listen.

15. There’s something magical about the way sunlight pours through a window.

16. The ocean feeds my soul.

17. Stay humble.

18. Never stop communicating with your partner, even through tough conversations.

19. Compromise is the key to a long marriage (advice from my Grandpa married over 60 years)

20. Be present wherever you are.

21. The word ‘Hey in front of anyone's name drives me a little bonkers.

22. I’ve become the grammar and spelling police with no credentials.

23. Put your oxygen mask on first.

24. Embrace family heirlooms, they add soul to your home.

25. “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

- William Morris

26. Every experience is a learning opportunity.

27. Never think of your birthday as just another day. Celebrate YOU!

28. Congratulate other people's success.

29. When you say yes to others, make sure you’re not saying no to yourself.

30. Just because someone carries it well, doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.

31. Everything is figureoutable.

32. Creativity is never a straight line.

33. There’s no place like home.

34. Creativity is my therapy.

35. You get what you work for, not what you wish for.

36. Gratitude changes everything.

37. Celebrate tiny victories.

38. Bad days build better days.

39. Don’t forget to breathe.

40. I very much dislike the phrase “it is what it is”.

41. Move forward with grit, anchored in grace.

42. “Dreams” by The Cranberries is my favourite song.

43. Choose to walk through life with people you love.

44. “Love is a lifetime of coming back to the table. Nothing is irretrievable, nothing is unredeemable.” - Pink

45. Be accountable for your actions.

46. “fika”: a moment to slow down and appreciate the good things in life.

47. Another's success is not your failure.

48. My dear friend and I have been singing a rendition of “You Are My Sunshine” to each other every birthday for years, and it’s the most hilarious, soul serving, and tear jerking thing ever.

49. Say thank you after every compliment.

50. Tell people often, how much you appreciate them, and what they mean to you.

51. I can’t think with cold feet.

52. "I think everyone should get sacked at least once. It was definitely a good thing for what it taught me."

- Anna Wintour

A random collection of thoughts, advice, quotes and blessings I’ve learned along the way.

PUMPKIN EY H

Pumpkin spice and everything nice. A trademark to encompass the season, it seems as though pumpkins have become the official mascot of fall over the years. Representing harvest, Halloween, a favoured Starbucks drink, it’s the gourd we’re all talking about these days. Each October it finds its way into our decor, our recipes and our doorsteps. While the traditional Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin is likely what first comes to mind at the mention, there are actually a wide variety of species under the umbrella of cucurbitaceae which include pumpkin and squash, to name a few. We’re only just scratching the surface on this one.

Buttercup (1)

SQUASH

Sweet and creamy once cooked, buttercup squash are ready to eat when their caps are firm.

One Too Many (2)

PUMPKIN

With speckled veins of red and mid-ribbing, One Too Many pumpkins are used for decoration but are also perfect for carving.

Crown Prince (3)

SQUASH

Great for both eating and decor, a Crown Prince can last up to a year if kept in a cool, dark place.

Long Island Cheese (4)

SQUASH

When cooked, this East Coast squash boasts of a sweet and earthy flavour, great for pies.

Mellow Yellow (5)

PUMPKIN

Their striking skin makes them great for decor but don’t forget their flesh! Mellow Yellows are often used in cooking due to their tender consistency.

Lumina (6) PUMPKIN

Luminas are classic white pumpkins best for carving and decor. Their white skin boasts a blue cast and is often sought after by the Autumn bride.

Cinderella (7)

PUMPKIN

Also known as Rouge Vif d'Etampes but named after its fairytale-ish figure, Cinderella pumpkins are great for pies with their moist, fresh flesh.

Patty Pans (8)

SQUASH

Unlike most, patty pans are a summer squash. These little guys are full of flavour, vitamin C and look like ghosts when turned upside down.

Hubbard (9)

SQUASH

With a long shelf life, countless nutrition benefits and quirky decorative properties, you can’t go wrong with a Hubbard squash.

Musquee de Provence (10) PUMPKIN

Known for their flattened structure and deep, dramatic ribbing, Musquee de Provence is perfect for decor and great to eat.

Peanut (11) SQUASH

Also known as Galeux D’Eysines, this squash is known for its beige bumps that cover the skin, resembling peanuts. The "peanuts" are sugar deposits which help determine how sweet the flesh will be when cooked. Peanut squash is used in soups, sauces and sautéed.

Howden Biggie (12) PUMPKIN

A classic jack-o-lantern, Howden Biggies are taller than they are wide and are perfect for carving!

CARE TIPS

1. Watch their location. Frost, rain and too much sun will leave your pumpkin looking sad and mushy. Cover them with a blanket overnight, or bring them inside at night to help maintain longevity.

2. Bathe them! Using a bleach-water solution, rinse your pumpkins to keep them healthy!

3. Skin Care! If you purchase with the intent to carve, make sure you have some coconut or olive oil to rub around the carved edges. This prevents the pumpkin from drying out as quickly!

Pumpkin Red Curry Chicken

Let’s face it, temperatures are dropping and with colder seasons looming ahead, cosy comforts are a must these days. What better way to combat that dreaded chill than with a homemade comfort meal? Thai Chef Nitayapon *Nita* Taylor shares one of her favourite fall recipes that utilises none other than the star of the fall harvest. Simple ingredients and minimal prep are enough for this recipe to become a regular in this season’s dinner rotation.

Nitayapon Taylor | THAI ONE ON WITH NITA and THE COOKING ROOM

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp canola oil

1 1/2 tsp red curry paste

1 cup coconut milk (use a good quality brand such as Aroy-D)

½ cup water

1-2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cup fresh pumpkin, cut 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

2 chilli peppers, seeded and sliced lengthwise

¼ cup Thai basil, torn into small pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

In a wok, heat oil over low heat and add red curry paste. Stir Fry until the oil sheen rises to the surface. Increase the heat to medium, add coconut milk and water and bring to a low simmer. Add chicken, pumpkin, fish sauce, and sugar and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with chilli peppers and basil.

Olive

A more muted hue fondly recognized as both a staple colour and a martini garnish. Established in the world of interiors and fashion, olive is the perfect fall tone. Often paired with neutrals, olive brings forward a rich and earthy palette. To contrast, mix with pops of high intensity colour for a trendy pairing.

SOURCE

guide

Sweater Weather

PAGES 42-44

"Sweata Weatha"

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Hey Pumpkin

PAGES 57-62

MasterListofPumpkinVarieties

PUMPKIN PATCHES & MORE www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org

Olive Colour Story

FloralWallcovering ORGANOID www.organoids.com

Quilted Leather BARBAROSSA LEATHER www.barbarossaleather.com

Relentless Olive SW 6425

SHERWIN WILLIAMS www.sherwin-williams.com

LeopardFabric JAMES DUNLOP TEXTILES www.jamesdunloptextiles.com

Grid Fabric

PALLAS TEXTILES www.pallastextiles.com

Geometric Tile

PORCELANOSA

www.porcelanosa.com

Glass Cake Plate HOMESENSE www.homesense.ca

Houndstooth Fabric

ANZEA www.anzea.com