guest blog / Samantha Pynn: The juice and the soup

PART ONE - THE JUICE

Oh how exciting, this is my first blog post for my dear sweet friend Arren Williams. I realize this is the Arren Williams' Design Lab, but my post has bubkes to do with design, excepting the good looks and sleek lines of the Breville's ikon Hemisphere Blender and Die-Cast Juice Fountain Elite.

Arren's 'Lab', however, is of the utmost relevance.

I spend a good deal of time chez Casa Arren-Williams-David-Pimentel. Naturally, food and drink play a key role in our relationship. They are both great cooks and David is a master baker. In fact, one day they plan to open a bakery in Portugal. Coincidentally, I plan to have a small juice station in a bakery in Portugal owned by two handsome men, funny that. Do I hear the voice of Arren Williams screaming "stay on topic!"? Oh yes, the lab. So my contribution to our get-togethers is alkaline experimental juices made of organic cucumber, kale, parsley, ginger, lemon and celery (sometimes I treat them by adding a beet to the mix). I used to lug my juicer to their house and yell "surprise! I'm making you healthy tonight!" But now that they have their own juicer, I will only have to bring the veggies. If you're wondering what alkalizing is -- as my mother would say "use the Google" --there's lots to research. But in short, it's about eating a whole lotta raw vegetables.

If you're interested in alkalizing yourself, I highly recommend the book on my nightstand, Alkalize or Die by Dr. Theodore A. Baroody.

 

PART TWO - THE SOUP

Last week, Arren and David participated in my alkalizing broccoli and leek soup experiment. Let's use scientific methodology.

Problem: Arren and David aren't alkaline enough. I want to make a delicious soup that they will want me to make everyday.

Observation: Arren's grimace at the sight of the two giant heads of broccoli suggests he may only want the soup weekly.

Materials and Apparatus: Every bowl, spoon and pot in Arren's rockin' kitchen and Breville's ikon Hemisphere Blender.

Procedure: Wash veg. Lightly steam veg. Put in blender with veg stock. Blend.

Data and Work: I observed that Arren was quite bossy with me in the kitchen, but he did teach me that you must cut leeks down the middle and wash them. I also observed David laughing his head off at the giant pile of dishes, the green puree in my hair, all over my sweater and on the tile (hey, that's what backsplash is for). The soup tasted slightly bland until David fixed it with cumin and some other secret spice (likely butter and sour cream). I ate three bowls. Arren and David ate one.

Analysis: I shall make the soup weekly and they will grow to love it.

Conclusion: Soup is best when shared with friends.

(Click here to check out Samantha Pynn's new web series for HGTV.ca The Switch)