The Oscars are upon us.

I actually have a conspiracy theory about Event Planners, and their evil plot to take over the world by boring us to death with a seemingly endless number of over-produced awards shows, but I guess today isn’t the day to bring that up.

Instead, I’m going to plop myself in front of the TV with a bottle of bubbly and a bag of SmartFood and lap up all the red carpet pomp and circumstance in a blaze of brain-washed glory — so sue me.

While watching an awards show is one thing, receiving a Blog Award is something else all together!  I`m thrilled and thankful to my friends Stephanie from OkieDokieArtichokie and Elle from Bromography for bestowing upon me (both in the same week) the prestigious Stylish Blogger Award.  As a result, you get to learn 7 somewhat interesting things about me, and I get to pass this award on to 10 more deserving food bloggers.

Here’s 7 things you probably don’t already know about me:

1. William Shatner and Cybill Shepherd shot the bedroom scenes for their 1984 made for TV movie “Secrets of a Married Man” in the living room of the first apartment Howard and I shared — 11 years before we lived there.  The window behind Shatner in the picture above looks west over Jackson Avenue, towards downtown Vancouver (you’ll just have to trust me).
2. I hitchhiked across Japan (from Tokyo to Hiroshima and beyond) by myself when I was 18 years old.
3. The Island Vittles logo is the same one I used for my previous website — PropsForLife.com (no longer online) — where I sold my handmade yoga props.  My top-selling item was a silk brocade sleep mask filled with flax and lavender — it’s ability to completely block out the light made it very popular with the S&M crowd.  My parents were very proud.
4. I read a lot.  You have to have a pastime on a small island where the power goes out a lot.   I love a good escapist read — if BC Hydro can’t guarantee me reliable electricity, I figure I may as well just travel back in time.
5. I met my husband Howard in Leighton Buzzard, England after first meeting his good friend Yvonne in Dingle, Ireland.
6. In my teens, I was a member of the BC Girls’ Field Hockey team that won the Canadian National Championships 5 seasons in a row — 3 outdoor and 2 indoor titles.
7. I could (and would) quite happily talk about food all day — so can we get back to that already?

Also award worthy is this loin of troll-caught, sushi-grade Albacore, harvested by a family operation based on neighbouring Mayne Island, frozen at sea, then sold for a VERY REASONABLE price at Southridges grocery store here on Pender.

For today`s Tuna Tataki, I crusted the loin in a mixture of ground nori and black pepper, and then seared all three sides in a HOT cast iron pan that I had lightly brushed with oil.  Then I put it in the fridge to cool before slicing thinly.

What I love about tataki is the texture difference between the outside crust and the soft flesh underneath.  It’s the best of both worlds — and it comes with a tangy dipping sauce too.  I made a modified ponzu sauce by mixing 3 tble of soya sauce with 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp mirin, a little grated ginger, some chili flakes and some thinly sliced green onion.  A few drops of sesame oil is nice too.

I served the tataki with a bowl of rice and a mug of chicken stock, lightly seasoned with soya sauce and mirin, and garnished with some fresh nettle tips that I found in the woods behind our house.  Delicious!

And now it`s time to pass on the love.  Here are my 10 nominees for the Stylish Blogger Award.  I follow all of these blogs regularly, and I owe them thanks for inspiring me with their creative food ideas and writing everyday.

1. Ravenous Rowie
2. Kitsch in the Kitchen
3. I Make Pickles
4. Saving the Season
5. Tasty Trix
6. Cooking with Alison
7. Four Pounds Flour
8. All Day I Dream About Food
9. Zomppa
10. Koreafornian Cooking

Congratulations!