Hot Shots - March 14, 2025

Hot Shots - March 14, 2025
Charmaine Yam

Happy March! The weather has been pleasant these past few weeks, aside from some scattered showers—and a wee bit of hail yesterday afternoon. I’ve always loved the rain and any kind of stormy weather. There’s something about being at the mercy of the ecosystem that I find oddly romantic. One item on my ever-growing bucket list is to observe a storm from a log cabin at the top of a mountain while spending time with friends and family.
 
When I mentioned this to Alyssa, her eyes lit up, and she said, “There’s a name for that—it’s called hygge!” Naturally, I rushed back to my desk to Google it, reenacting that scene from The Nightmare Before Christmas where Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town: What does it mean?! What does it mean?!
 
Turns out, hygge is a Danish word that comes from the Old Norwegian term hugga, meaning "to comfort" or "to console." It’s all about creating warmth, coziness, and contentment—finding joy in the simple things, seeking harmony, and embracing moments that make you feel safe and grounded. Picture a crackling fireplace, flickering candlelight, and a steaming cup of Gløgg (a spiced mulled wine or spirit of Swedish origin) in hand while the storm rages outside.
 
That’s it. That’s the vibe. Hygge has now officially been added to my “Words of the Week” list.
 
Speaking of words of the week, a few months back, Bill and I were refilling our coffee cups at the office watering hole, chatting about beans, brews, and flavour profiles. I can’t remember who said it first, but the coffee that morning was robust. And just like that, "ROBUST" became my word of the week. Now, every time I hear or use it, I think of Bill.

(From left to right, standing: Jessica, Bridget, Irene, Angela, Cindy, Kelly. Below: Viviana, Myself, and Mariama.)

Last Saturday was International Women’s Day, and I want to take a moment to recognize just a few of the incredible women at Discovery Organics that I have the privilege of working alongside. Every day, I’m inspired by the strength, dedication, and kindness of the women I work with. Whether it’s through problem-solving, leadership, or simply lifting each other up, you make a difference. It has been a rewarding experience, and I hope we continue to influence, support, debate, and advocate for one another. I see you. I hear you. I am with you. To those who couldn't make it for the photo, know that your presence and contributions are just as valued and appreciated—we celebrate you, too!

Let’s see what I have uncovered this week:

Brussels Sprouts from Covilli - Fair Trade and product of Mexico

Bunched carrots from Boskovich - product of Mexico

Sprouted black lacinato kale tops (aka raab) from Ralph’s Greenhouse - product of Washington

Blueberries from Ozblu - product of Mexico

Purple nugget potatoes from Fraserland - product of BC

Gold Nugget tangerines from Homegrown

Last week, I hosted a DIY sparkling water and soda party—with a side of Scrabble. My girlfriend has a machine that forces carbon dioxide under high pressure into regular tap water to make it fizzy (she also loves Scrabble). We set up a tasting table with homemade syrups and brewed teas. The syrup lineup included kumquat with mint, pear and loganberry with ginger, Sugar Bee apple, and smoked pineapple. For tea (sans sucrose), we had hojicha and hibiscus.
 
We also tested some competitor brands that claimed to have superior “micro bubbles.” After a highly scientific (ahem) voting process, the clear winner was… kumquat with mint syrup!
 
Oh, and speaking of scientific experiments, we tried carbonating tea, and—spoiler alert—it exploded. Everywhere. It was absolutely worth it, though. Note to self: next time, do it in the sink! If you’re curious about the chemistry behind it, shoot me an email—I’d love to geek out about it with you.
 
As for Scrabble, I took the prize for the longest word with Visited, while the most unexpected word went to the hubs for Limey.

Wishing you all an amazing weekend!

-  The Compliance Officer