Everybody Likes Sandwiches

Why Kickpleat?
Originally it was an anonymous way for me to be online. My real name was hidden and I liked it that way. A few years down the road, however, I realized that I didn’t really care who knew my real name or not. Call me Jeannette or call me Kickpleat. Whatever, I’m easy that way.

Why is your blog called Everybody Likes Sandwiches?
It’s kind of a mouthful to say let alone type into a browser’s address bar. However, when I started this blog, I wasn’t thinking about practicalities. Instead, I flipped to a page in an old kid’s cookbook, saw a cute illustration of a girl yelling out “Everybody Likes Sandwiches” and that, my friends, is history.

Did you design & build Everybody Likes Sandwiches yourself?
Yes, with my husband’s help. Together we work as Matchbox Creative, so we’ve got a few web design skills up our sleeves. I did the design and illustrations while my husband created a WordPress template from scratch. Together we worked to not only make this site fun to look at, but also easy  to find that one recipe you’ve been dying to try.

Can I hire you to design & build my website?
Sure! Visit our  website and send us an email. We’ll be in touch.

Can we exchange links?
Nope. If I like your site I’ll add it to my blogroll and you can feel free to do the same. However, I do check out every blog from every commenter because I love discovering new blogs.

I’m a marketing guru / PR person / manufacturer / advertiser & would love you to write about / sample this totally awesome product…?
Sorry, not really interested. I almost never accept samples. That said, if you are looking to submit a book for review, I LOVE cookbooks and food books. I’d LOVE to review a book if it’s a good one – just email me the info and I’ll let you know if I’m interested.

Do you accept advertising?
So far, I haven’t felt the need to have ads on my blog. That may change. If you hate the idea of ads, let me know. If you’re supportive of them on this blog, I’d love to hear that too!

What camera do you use?
In the beginning, I didn’t use a camera. But then my husband gifted me a Canon PowerShot SD300. Five years later, I upgraded (another gift from my husband) to a Canon PowerShot S90. I LOVE this camera. It’s easy to use and it takes great low-light photos. But honestly, now I just use my iphone 5S because I usually have it around and it’s just so easy to use. Not all my photos are great, or even good. When my photos are good it’s because of good lighting, not because of what camera I use. That’s why my photos look better in the summer or when I take photos in the morning. Let natural light be your friend and eat all your meals by 3pm.

Your site is full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Don’t you care?
Sure I do, but the truth is that I’m rather a speedy blog writer and tend to dump what’s on my mind into my blog posts. I don’t go over anything with a fine-tooth comb or a spellcheck. I’m trying to work on it, so if you spot a mistake and you feel you have to let me know, send me a nice email.

You deleted my comment. Why?
Maybe you were rude or were completely off-topic or you spammed my post. If you leave your blog name anywhere other than the site url when you comment, I see that as spam and will delete it.

What happened to comments on your old posts?
Unfortunately, when we transferred from Blogspot to WordPress there were some casualties in the form of reader comments. That’s why a lot of old posts read strangely, comment-wise. Then again, my blog wasn’t nearly as popular in the beginning, so there just weren’t a lot of comments to get lost.

What does “T”, “t” and “c” mean in your recipes?
That’s shorthand (read: laziness) for the measurements. T = tablespoon. t = teaspoon. c=cup. Got it? Good!

This recipe didn’t work. What went wrong?
Honestly, I have no idea. When I write a recipe for this blog, it means that it worked for me and I liked it enough to post it. If the recipe didn’t turn out or was a disaster, maybe you measured wrong or your butter was too soft or maybe you substituted another ingredient. The list of ors could go on. This article from Cooking Light has some great tips and techniques for common cooking & baking problems, maybe it might help! Sorry. Try again? Move on?

Can I use a recipe from your site on my own blog?
Yes, please do! I love it when others make and post about my recipes. Please just add a link to the post where you found it. I’d also appreciate it if you put the recipe into your own words and that you use your own photograph. Thank you!

Do you have a recipe for…?
Take a look through my Recipe Index for all of my recipes. I try new recipes all the time, so who knows, maybe you’ll find exactly what you are looking for.

Just how big is your kitchen anyway?
Well, I guess it’s a pretty tiny kitchen: 8 feet long by 6 feet wide, measuring from wall to wall. But like they say, it’s not the size that matters. Sure I’d love more counter space, or more importantly, I’d love just one window! But all things considered, I do pretty well here, I think.

Are you a vegetarian/vegan?
Nope. I was a vegetarian for over 10 years, but that ended well before I started up this blog. At home I cook a lot of vegetarian and vegan meals and you’ll find that veggie recipes outweigh the meat dishes on this site. I have a few vegan friends which is why you’ll find quite a few vegan recipes and ingredients (like vegan margarine and almond milk).

I’m going to be in Vancouver. Where should I eat?
While I have a few favorites, I feel a bit awkward about recommending restaurants. First of all I don’t know you and your tastes so I might steer you wrong. Also, I tend to go to certain places all the time because they’re close by or because they’ve got a great beer list. I like what I like and I’m guessing you are probably the same. So if you are in town start by checking out Yelp for your meal suggestions. If you are still reading, here are some old standbys within walking distance of my ‘hood:

• The Alibi Room for their GREAT beer list and beautiful room. They also have a good burger with a great sour pickle. This place is home. And they make a great caesar (the drink!) if you come here for brunch in case you’ve had your fill of beer (wait, is that even possible?)
• Bandidas is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant that focuses on fresh, good Mexican grub. They make lovely margaritas & on Mondays they’re on special. I always order a burrito but my husband goes for the tacos. Sadly, they removed my fave burrito – it had pineapple in it – from their menu. They serve all day breakfast & brunch too!
• Bella Gelateria is world-famous gelato (apparently). There’s always a line in the summer but it’s worth it. I always get a salty flavour, natch.
• Campagnolo & Campagnolo Upstairs. Downstairs is a modern yet comfortable setting for a great meal. They have a late night pizza & beer special and their crispy chickpeas are incredible. Upstairs is an almost secret cocktail bar that serves my favourite burger in the city. If they have their homemade pickles on special, make sure to get those too.
• Finch’s Tea & Coffee have great sandwiches. For under $10 you’ll get a great Pear, Blue Brie, Prosciutto, Roasted Walnut, Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Baguette. Worth every cent. 2 locations, but the one in Strathcona almost guarantees you a table.
• Guu in Gastown is great for bar snacks with a group of friends. Great atmosphere and tasty sharing plates – order enough for a meal! If you’re here on a hot summer day, sit near a window on the 2nd floor & enjoy the breeze.
• Kam Gok Yuen for pork and duck. Really, it’s all you need in an old-school, grimy Chinatown diner.
• Kim Saigon for Banh Mi Sandwiches. $3.25 for your most delicious lunch – I always get the veggie version.
• Le Bistro Wagon Rouge is probably my new favourite French bistro. Prices are reasonable, the decor is perfectly cute, service is beyond friendly & the food is super tasty. Great specials. Yum!!
• Nuba for great lebanese with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Try the Najib’s Special.
• Peaceful Restaurant another Chinese hole in the wall with great food. I always get the juicy dumplings and some broccoli dish. Everything I’ve had here is really good. This is inexpensive Chinese good eats.
• Phnom Penh for the best chicken wings in town. Sure they’ll give you the MSG shakes which you can counter with the caffeine fits from their tasty iced Vietnamese coffee.
• Pizzeria Farina Thank goodness that there is now good pizza in Vancouver. I love the fungi which is covered in bitter arugula to cut away some of that richness. The finnocchiona is tasty too.
• Six Acres is where you want to go when it’s raining out. Cozy, warm and a great atmosphere along with nice snacky bites. I always order the Goslings rum and coke here.
• Storm Crow Tavern is a total nerd bar, perfect if you want to cozy up to some beer and a board game. They’ve got a ton of awesome games on hand and their food menu is decent. They also make a great cocktail called “Release the Kraken”. I told you it was nerdy.
• Tacofino Commissary is just a few blocks away in the established Hastings-Sunrise ‘hood. Small plates of goodness & great fish tacos! Wonderful desserts too. Casual yet refined with seriously great light fixtures (really).
• Tangent Cafe has one of the best patios in the city. Well, it helps that it’s a close walk or bike ride to our home, is south facing, on a quiet street and usually has a table for us. But the main reason is that the beer list is great and their burgers are nothing to sneeze at. Get the truffle fries too. Great for an after work or afternoon meet up with friends.
• Terra Breads has two great locations nearby – one in an industrial wasteland and the other on the seawall. Guess which is more popular? I try to schedule client meetings here so I can nab some pizza blanco or granola with sour cherry compote and yogurt.
• The Union is right on the bike route in Chinatown/Strathcona & does a mean Vietnamese bun bowl, but sometimes the food & portions are inconsistent. Still, a lively place to meet up with friends.
• Via Tevere Pizzeria is my favourite restaurant in my new neighbourhood. It’s a comfortable neighbourhood joint with great pizza, wonderful arugula salad and if you’re still hungry, get the nutella fritter which is basically a big ol’ donut.