Roasted - A Montreal Food Blog, Montreal Restaurant Reviews, Montreal Food Resources

No-Knead Pizza Dough

2012-03-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of make your own foods as even casual readers of this blog will notice, and pizza dough is no exception. It's been a while since we made pizza, which is a shame because it's pretty fun and easy. I was happy to see this recipe for No-Knead Pizza Dough in the March issue of Bon Appétit magazine which I have to say I am impressed with every month. The quality of photography and recipes are really great. Although I may not make every recipe (last month's focus on Southern Food was a bit of a miss for me) there is plenty of inspiration and this month was no exception.

This recipe makes six large individual pizzas. Looking at the article it seems the recipe was meant to be used at a make your own pizza party. Instead my husband and I ended up making all six but giving away two to neighbours, saving two for next day's lunch, and eating two that night. It was great, but my only gripe was with each pizza cooking 15 minutes, we ended up having the oven heated at 500F for over an hour. Next time, I'd try cooking two at a time or during the summer I'd try and use the barbecue. I'd also try halving the recipe to make it more manageable.

This is a recipe that has to be started well in advance. I started mine the morning before the day we wanted to eat.

No-Knead Pizza Dough

from Bon Appétit's March 2012 issue

Makes six large individual serving pizzas

Start making this recipe the day before you intend to eat!

7 1/2 cups (1000 grams) flour

4 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp active dry yeast

The Dough

Whisk above three ingredients in a medium bowl and slows add 3 cups water
Stir until well incorporated
Mix dough with hands into a rough ball. Dough will be pretty shaggy still. Don't expect it to be smooth.
Put into a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until surface is covered with bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size. This is 18 hours minimum (I left mine for over 24 hours)
Transfer dough to a floured work surface, shape into a rough triangle and divide into 6 portions.
Working with 1 portion at a time, gather four corners to centre to create a ball. Turn upside down so seams are on the bottom, set on a floured surface, and continue with the rest of the portions doing the same thing.
At this point you can let the dough rest another hour and then continue with the pizzas, or you can wrap each doughball in plastic wrap and chill for up to 3 days. If you are going to chill, let the doughball come back to room temperature before trying to shape it (around 2 hours to come back to room temperature)

To Cook

Heat oven up to it's hottest setting (500F - 550F)
Put the rack in the middle of the oven
Working with one doughball at a time on a floured surface, gently stretch the dough into a 10" - 12" circle
Place on baking sheet, top with your favourite toppings and cook for 15 minutes.

Notes: I did chill the dough in advance and it worked out fine. Bon Appétit suggests cooking for 10 minutes, but we found 15 minutes worked much better. We topped our pizzas with toppings from our favourite Italian store here in Montreal which is The Italian Pantry in NDG. You could go a whole lot healthier though with a pile of veggies. My pizzas were roughly oblong which was fine. I just pulled them apart to shape them - no rolling pins were used.

Quebec Producers: Monsieur Félix & Mr Norton

2012-03-05T07:30:00.001-05:00

What: Monsieur Felix & Mr. Norton new Chocolate Chunk Cakes in the flavours Ménage-à-Trois and Ebony & Ivory

Where: I received a free sample, but you can pick yours up at the Bakery Section of all IGA grocery stores in Quebec

Cost: $14.99 per 400g cake

Verdict: Wow is all I can say. These all butter cakes are made up of generous portions of three layers of gourmet cookies and butter cream topped with generous chunks of chocolate. These are super rich and super decadent and the small cake is meant for six servings. As soon as they were delivered, I dove right in and was instantly in heaven. I would definitely buy this product, but as they are so luxurious would save it for a special occasion.

I had heard of Felix & Norton but never tried their products before. They also have frozen cookie dough (available at IGA & Sobey's) and you can buy their cookies at retail outlets. They are based in Montreal and have been around for 27 years! I do love supporting superior locally produced products, and the quality of the cake is definitely top notch. If you are looking for a treat, I encourage you to check it out!

Food Events and Restaurant Openings for Friday, March 2nd

2012-03-02T07:30:00.021-05:00

Food Events

Dishcrawl Special Event - Absinthe Tasting and Dinner at Hotel InterContinental, Tuesday March 6th, 7:00pm, Hotel InterContinental, 360 Saint-Antoine Street West, Montreal QC H2Y 3X4. $79 The evening will include absinthe tasting, a three course dinner and wine pairings. http://dishcrawl.com/dishcrawl/210

A Food Styling and Photography Workshop with Cannelle et Vanille, June 16th or 17th, 9am - 4pm, SAT's FoodLab. $300 for the 6 hour workshop (includes lunch). An amazing chance to work learn from a beautiful food stylist right here in Montreal. Workshop will be in English.

Her website here: http://www.cannellevanille.com/2012/02/save-date-food-styling-and-photography_27.html

To register please see Will Travel for Food's website here: http://willtravelforfood.com/2012/02/27/food-photography-styling-workshop-montreal-aran-goyoaga/

Pointe-à-Callière's Cultural Feast, May 26th (11am - 7pm) - May 27th (11am - 6pm), Point-À-Callière Museum, 350 Place Royal, Old Montreal. From the website, this outdoor event includes food kiosks, lectures and demonstrations by food enthusiasts and children's activities.
Event website: http://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/calendar-of-activities/cultural-activities/pointe-a-callieres-cultural-feast

Week-Ends Gourmands at Parc Jean-Drapeau, March 3, 4, 10 and 11th. A gastronomic fair with more than 20 Quebec producers. This will be set up at the Jean-Drapeau Metro exit.
Event Website: http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/253-Week-ends_gourmands-event.html

Blueberry Muffins Deluxe à la Ottolenghi

2012-02-29T09:07:00.002-05:00

Warning: These blueberry muffins are neither quick, nor healthy. They are just really good blueberry muffins to serve to someone special.

Ottolenghi is a café/bakery/restaurant located in London, England focused on serving fresh ingredients and bakery products with a Middle Eastern influence. Alas, even though it was located very close to where I lived in London, I did not end up going that often as the line ups (and prices) often drove me off. However, walking by and checking out the window display of food and baked goods was always a treat. Just before I left, I bought Ottolenghi The Cookbook which has yet to disappoint. The recipes may be on the long side but they offer interesting, fresh and unique flavour combinations. I had been cooking regularly from the savoury section of the cookbook, and completely forgot about all the baked goods in the last third of the book. Talk about inspiring photos! There's so much I want to make! I settled on these blueberry muffins, which I had made before and were a great success with my work colleagues. They are a little bit more effort than your typical muffin, but worth it if you have the inclination. Moist, with a little crumble on top - yum!

Blueberry Muffins with Crumble
adapted from Ottolenghi The Cookbook

Makes 18 muffins

540g plain flour
5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
340g fine sugar
140g melted unsalted butter
380 ml milk
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 granny smith apple unpeeled and minced
300g fresh blueberries

Crumble:
150g plain flour
50g fine sugar
100g cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes

To make the crumble:

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands until the mixture has a fine breadcrumb consistency. Alternatively, use a stand mixer on low and mix until a fine sandy mixture is achieved. Do not overmix or you will get dough :)

To make the muffins:

Preheat oven to 350F
Line muffin tray with paper cases
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
In another bowl mix butter, eggs, and sugar. Whisk in the milk and lemon zest and then gently stir in the fruit.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together gently. The mixture should just come together and will remain lumpy.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases to the top. Generously cover with the crumble.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the muffin comes out clean.

Note: I had lots of leftover crumble but this can be frozen for another time, or alternatively pour a little over some berries, heat it up in the oven and make yourself a little crumble!

Quebec Producers: naturSource Nuts

2012-02-27T08:40:00.001-05:00

What: Nut Mixes from naturSource
Where: I received mine as a free sample, but they can be found at Sobey's, IGA, health food and natural stores, and Costco. A store finder function will be up and running shortly on their web page.
Cost: $3.99 - $4.99
Verdict: These nuts were great! They did not feel overly processed, and went down a treat. I liked the large variety they offered from trail mix to more inventive granola. They also had some new twists like Tamari Almonds which I loved (not so salty which was good) and Rosemary which had a hint of a kick.

I was sent the above range of nuts to try by the very enthusiastic son of the founders of this Montreal company. They have been family owned for over 30 years and you can feel the belief and love of their product. They are conscious about their sourcing and when possible they try to purchase ingredients locally. I am always one for supporting local, especially when I feel their products are superior to mass produced brands and the price point is similar. I really urge you to try them out next time you are looking for your nut fix!

Montreal Restaurant Openings and Food Events for February 24th, 2012

2012-02-24T07:30:00.003-05:00

Food Events

La Cabane, March 8th to April 15th, 2012, Scena, Old Port of Montreal. $59 for adults, $20 for children. Reservations required. The classic sugar shack meal is revisited in Old Montreal with Chef Martin Juneau. http://www.lacabane.ca/

Cupcake Training Camp Montreal, Sunday March 4th, 1-5pm. Coeur des Sciences, UQAM, 175, avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montreal, QC H2X 3P2. Advance tickets $20 plus service charges. Includes 6 cupcakes and 1 beverage. This is a cupcake training camp leading up to the real deal next fall. Last years Cupcake Camp raised an amazing $34,500 with over 20,000 donated cupcakes! The organizers are also looking for local bakers to donate anywhere from minimum 24 cupcakes and up for this March 4th event. Pledge forms can be found on the website. http://www.cupcakecamp.net/

Restaurant Openings

Smoking Valley, 4370 Notre-Dame West, St-Henri 514-932-0303. They are officially opening on February 27th. I reported on this back in January but it seems I was a bit ahead of myself. As per a Twitter post from @mayssamaha

Chez Bouffe, 4316, rue Sainte Catherine Est, Montreal, QC H1V 1X9, 514-252-5420. A new restaurant for the Hochelaga area. From Chowhound

It appears that Grumman 78 is opening up in the Faubourg and it is not a rumour. I read it on another blog just recently (sorry - I forget where). I assume that it was verified direct from the source.

Thanks to Janice from Kitchen Heals Soul for helping with the event listing!

Granola - Super Easy, and Super Satisfying (just don't burn it)

2012-02-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

This was my granola attempt number two. My first attempt was a big fail due to me being too lazy to move the rack in the oven, a lack of faith to deviate from the recipe cooking time (despite a distinct burnt smell), and a twisted thought that semi-burnt cereals might actually taste good. Well, the response to all that is trust your nose, move your racks if necessary, and semi-burnt cereal, as my husband put it, tastes like coal. But, granola is so easy to make I didn't hesitate to whip up another batch.

I used an article from Chatelaine where Josée di Stasio shares here favourite Christmas foods. It's from 2009, and I don't know what took me so long to finally make it. Her version is quite Christmas-y so I've omitted the ginger and nutmeg, and frankly took quite a few liberties with it. The beauty about granola is you can pretty much do what you want with it. The only thing that I can see being a constraint is the syrup to dry goods ratio so just watch that. This makes quite a bit (1L plus some).

Granola
Adapted from Chatelaine Magazine, Holiday 2009 edition

1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned large flake oats (don't use the instant stuff)
1 cup oat bran or wheat germ
1 cup nuts or seeds (I used almonds with skins on, flaked almonds, pecans, and pumpkin seeds)
pinch of salt

Syrup:
2/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil (canola)

1 tsp almond extract
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F
In a large bowl mix the oats, bran, nuts/seeds, cinnamon, and pinch of salt
In a small saucepan over low heat mix the maple syrup or honey with canola oil just until it's been warmed up
Add the syrup mixture to the dry mixture along with the almond extract and stir so everything is coated
Spread out mixture on a large baking sheet
Bake until golden for 30 minutes stirring every 15 minutes
Let cool and then add cranberries

That's it! I eat mine with yoghurt, and you can also add a touch of maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter taste.

Montreal Food Events and Restaurant Openings for February 17, 2012

2012-02-17T07:30:00.001-05:00

News

Laurier Gordon Ramsay No Longer with Gordon Ramsay

According to this Gazette article, the owners of this revived institution were unhappy with Gordon Ramsay's involvement (or lack of) and have decided to end his involvement with the chain. Gordon is "surprised and saddened" according to this article but let's be honest, I doubt he will lose any sleep. Was this chicken restaurant ever going to be a priority for him? Unfortunately, the owners really pushed the Gordon Ramsay association so I wish them all the best now that they have dropped him. It will be interesting to see what happens now.

Food Events
Cookies Unite at Nouveau Palais: Julio & Kate (Tuck Shop), March 5th, 2012, 7pm - 3pm, Nouveau Palais, 281 rue Bernard Ouest, Montreal, QC H2V 4K8, $30. The latest in the Cookies Unite series showcasing talented local chefs. https://www.facebook.com/events/336571883054235/ As a note, Nouveau Palais has tons of fun foodie events going on - check out their Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nouveau-Palais/142738069105086

Brome Lake Duck Festival, September 22-23 & 29-30, 2012. The Brome Lake Duck Festival promises to celebrate duck, wine and all things delicious! Put it on your calendar now!
http://www.canardenfete.ca/indexEn.html

Winter Warmer Beer Festival, February 23rd, 24th and 25th (15h00 - 1h00), Théâtre Plaza, 6505 rue Saint-Hubert, Montreal, QC, $95 + taxes for one of the three days, includes unlimited beer and food, a glass and a souvenir program. Saturday is already sold out. From the website: expect new beers brewed especially for the occasion, oak-aged specialities, outstanding vintages, or specially conditioned beers designed only for WInter Warmer Montreal.
Event website: http://www.winterwarmermontreal.com/wwm2012/home.cfm
Voir article (in French): http://voir.ca/pierre-luc-gagnon/2012/02/11/winter-warmer-montreal-hivernale-des-brasseurs-2012/

A genuine event with chef Michael Schwartz, Tuesday March 1st, 2012 at 6PM at Appetite for Books, 388 Victoria, corner Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Qc. $46 includes signed copy of Michael's Genuine Food, glass of wine and hors d'oeuvres. Call 514-369-2002 to register. Chef Michael is a Slow Food advocate seeking the freshest local ingredients possible. He is also a James Beard award winner and former Top Chef judge. This event will give you the opportunity to meet Michael Schwartz, ask questions, and get a copy of his book signed. http://www.appetitebooks.ca/AppetiteBooks/EVENTS.html

Restaurant Openings
Café Pavé - 243 Notre-Dame O., Montreal, QC H2Y 1T4
This Old Montreal place looks fairly recently opened, and will be a nice option for sandwiches in Old Montreal. Reviews on Urbanspoon seem to be very positive. Looks like a good location for tourists who want to get a good lunch, and avoid the traps.

Park Restaurant, 378 Victoria Ave (corner Sherbrooke), 514-750-7534
There appears to be tons of buzz around this new restaurant featuring market food with Japanese influence. I will be ecstatic if this Westmount restaurant turns out as good as the buzz. Follow the chef on Twitter for details: @ChefAntonioPark

Thanks again to Janice of Kitchen Heals Soul for help with the events. You can follow her at @ktchnhealssoul

Make Your Own Butter - Laura Ingall's would be proud

2012-02-15T07:30:00.002-05:00

I have a distinct memory of myself growing up in the prairies in kindergarten class at our annual Pioneer Days (yes, we all dressed up as pioneers complete with bonnets and pinafores). Cream was put into a mason jar and passed around from child to child who shook it like crazy to make butter. It's a very clear memory (perhaps a hint at my future love of making food?), but alas was my last attempt at making butter.

Fast forward many years, and I downloaded a sample of the book Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese on my Kindle. In it, she makes butter (which she promptly explains you are best off buying). The book itself looks great, and I plan on buying the paper version (somehow a recipe book on Kindle just doesn't seem to work as well). Despite her telling us to make the butter, I remembered that I had a half pint of whipping cream in the fridge which I meant to use on a desert, never did, and it was all going to go to waste. So, I thought what the hell I'll make some butter. Unfortunately, the next day when I went to check out her recipe again I realized that Kindle samples are a one shot deal, so instead I used a recipe from this website instead. I am sure there are much more sophisticated butter recipes out there (this one from The Guardian definitely looks a little more intense) but I just wanted to do a little bit of experimenting, use up the cream and well, I think it turned out pretty darn good.

Butter
adapted from The Instructables - How to Make Butter website
makes a little ball about the size of a tennis ball

1/2 pint whipping cream (35%)

Put your cream into a stand blender (I suppose you could use a hand blender but it would be a bit exhausting). I recommend using your splash guard.
Whip on high with the whisk attachment. Cream will whip into whipping cream, then eventually start separating. I suggest that after it is whipped into firm peaks you change from your whisk to paddle attachment just because the butter caught in the whisk attachment will be a nightmare. Every once in a while stop the machine and scrape the sides. I actually found it quite difficult to tell when the cream had turned to butter and separated. You can use a spatula and push the solid product to one side and see the liquid buttermilk and then you will know it is ready. In the video, he states it takes 90 seconds to go from cream to butter but it took me more like 10 minutes.
Push the butter to the side and drain off the buttermilk (you can use this in cooking if you like).
Clean the butter to remove the buttermilk and allow it to last longer. This is done by adding fresh very cold water to the butter and mixing. Squeeze the butter to the side and again drain off. I did this twice. The water will not blend into the butter.
Take your butter and form it into a ball (or whatever form you want). That's it!

The Cream has Separated!

Tips:

When draining off the water, I found quite a bit of butter bits escaped into the sink as well. Next time, I would probably drain the product into a strainer to both recuperate the butter and prevent my sink from being coated in a slick of butter.

You can make salted butter too. I believe you add it after you drain the buttermilk, about 1 tsp.

Food Events and Restaurant Openings (and Rumours) for February 10th, 2012

2012-02-10T07:30:00.001-05:00

Food Events

Recipe to Riches Auditions - February 25th in Montreal
If you have the desire to bring your favourite recipe to this show, this is your opportunity! You could win up to $250,000. You must submit your recipe in advance, so get cracking! Recipe to Riches website is here: http://recipetoriches.ca/ and I found out about this via the blog Suzie the Foodie where she also interviews Laura Calder.

Portes Ouvertes sur les Fermes du Quebec, 9th September 2012, various farms. This is a family friendly event where you can visit farms, and taste local products. Personally, I think it sounds fairly intriguing and I will be interested to see the farms that can be visited. OK - I know it's a bit in advance, but just mark your calendars now. Website here: http://www.portesouvertes.upa.qc.ca/

Restaurant Openings

Gryphon d'Or in NDG is now serving breakfast on Sundays only from 9am - 3pm. You can find a write up on the breakfast on Chowhound here. I am quite happy about this as I find Gryphon d'Or to be very good, and it will be a great alternative for brunch.

Station Epices - OK, I know I've already reported on this one, but I just wanted to mention that this NDG location is now open for business, and it is pretty awesome. They have virtually every type of spice you could want, a variety of chillies, sugars and teas. Plus, the guy working there is super knowledgeable and friendly and it is really inexpensive. Way cheaper than Loblaws, where a little container of spices or herbs that was packaged who knows when usually goes for between $4-$6. Most spices at the shop are between $2 - $3 per ounce which I think is amazing. Plus, an ounce doesn't sound like a lot but it actually is enough to get you going. Check it out and get cooking!

Rumours

Sale of Schwartz's - OK OK this isn't going to be a regular section, but how can I not mention the rumours flying all over Twitter and Chowhound about the sale of Schwartz's? Even The Gazette and CBC had big articles on it. Reportedly, it is being sold for a cool $10m to a business consortium. Talk of the consortium including Celine Dion and franchising is causing a stir. Maybe this is the push I need to finally go for a visit!

Grumman 78 is opening up in the Faubourg of all places in March. The Faubourg is a very average looking food court (I'm being kind) located at Ste-Catherine and Guy that has a few gems such as Bangkok thai food and Yuki Ramen with hand pulled ramen noodles. With the addition of this popular taco truck, the Faubourg may just end up being a destination food court? From Chowhound This so far is unverified, but we can all cross our fingers!

Note: I just wanted to write that I am now 9 months pregnant, so if you don't hear from me for a while it is because my life has been changed forever by a little munchkin. I want to keep up the blog, and intend to use my time off before my due date to try and stockpile a whole bunch of posts, but obviously something like events and openings is quite timely and I can't really write it up a month in advance!

Montreal Food Events and Restaurant Openings for Feb 3rd

2012-02-03T07:00:00.031-05:00

Food Events
5 à 7 Slow Food Montreal, February 15, 2012, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm, Restaurant le Pastaga, 6389 Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC. $25 - $35 plus fee. A natural wine tasting night at the new restaurant from Martin Juneau, le Pastaga. There will be 7 wine import companies on site with their products for you to discover. Event Website: http://5a7slowfevrier-rss.eventbrite.com/

Speed Dating for Vegetarians, February 14, 2012, from 7:30 to 9:30, Le Jubar, 3863 St-Laurent, Suite 208, Montreal, QC. $20. From the Vegetarian Association of Montreal this is a chance for you to meet a fellow vegetarian! Website: http://www.vegemontreal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=523:speed-dating-vege-de-la-st-valentin-2012&catid=18:activitsociales&Itemid=155&lang=fr
From a tweet from @katerinerollet who also has a great blog.

Dishcrawl Special Event - Absinthe Tasting and Dinner at Hotel InterContinental, Tuesday March 6th, 7:00pm, Hotel InterContinental, 360 Saint-Antoine Street West, Montreal QC H2Y 3X4. $79 The evening will include absinthe tasting, a three course dinner and wine pairings.
Website: http://dishcrawl.com/dishcrawl/210

Thé Kiosque Montréal - Chocolate Tea Tasting Event, Sunday February 5th, 2012, all day. 1428 Rue MacKay, Montreal QC, H3G 2H7. Small charge. Try 6 loving teas and recieve a free gift and cookies! From their Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/thekiosquemontreal

Cupcake Camp Montreal - Cupcake Training Camp - Sunday March 4th, 2012 - OK I don't actually know what this means, but it seems to mean Cupcake Camp Montreal is coming up. Check out their website for details: http://www.facebook.com/cupcakecampmontreal

Grands Plaisirs pour Une Grande Cause, Thursday May 31, 2012 from 5:00 - 11:00. John Scotti Automotive, 4550 Metropolitain est, Montreal, QC H1S 3A8. A gala benefit for the Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine. Website: http://gpgc.eventbrite.ca/?ebtv=C

Restaurant Openings
Station Epices - 5610 Monkland Avenue (between Kidlink and Kaos Mineral Makeup). I am so excited this is opening up. I've been meaning to stop into the Mile End location ever since it opened up, but now this is on my doorstep! As at this past Saturday they were not up and running yet, so if you are making the trip I'd call to make sure they are open.

Le Couteau d'Argent - Montreal Location - A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that this acclaimed French butcher will be opening a shop in Montreal to be run by the original owner's 17 year old son. The shop will open in the summer, so this is slightly pre-mature but according to Chowhound chatter the location will be on Fleury Ouest.
Wall Street Journal article here

Montreal Food Events and Restaurant Openings for January 27th

2012-01-27T07:30:00.011-05:00

Montreal Food Events

Je t’aime en chocolat, February 11th and 12th, 2012, from 10AM to 5PM at Marché Bonsecours. Entrance is free. This market will feature chocolate brands like Cacao Barry and Callebault, and many chocolate makers and artists. With informative conferences and demonstrations held thoughout the week-end, Je t’aime en chocolat is absolutely a must-attend for chocolate lovers.
http://www.facebook.com/Jetaimeenchocolat

Dessert speed dating, February 10th to 12th, 2012, at NJ Mignardises. http://www.katerinerollet.com/boutiques-cafes/le-speed-dessert-pour-la-st-valentin/

Streudel-making class, February 5th, 2012 from 1PM to 5PM at the SAT FoodLab. $60. Learn to make streudel from Montreal’s expert, pastry chef Michelle Marek.

http://endlessbanquet.blogspot.com/2012/01/strudelwerk.html

La Renaissance des Appellations, February 29th, 2012, 17h30 - 21h00. Loft Hotel, 334 Terrasse St Denis, Montreal, QC H2Z 1E8. $38. A tasting of biodynamic wines. http://larenaissancedesappellations.eventbrite.ca/?ebtv=C

The Montreal Brewpub Experience. Every Saturday during the Winter, 2:00. Meeting Point: Brasserie Artisinale L’Amère à Boire. $49 plus taxes. A two km walking tour with a visit to three craft breweries. See website for more information: http://beertourmontrealwinter2012.eventbrite.ca/?ebtv=C

J’aime Sainte-Adèle. February 1st - February 12th. Ste-Adele, QC. There are plenty of food events going on here, in this small town located in the Laurentians north of Montreal. Events include a cheese tasting session, and a session on the regional cuisine. Ste-Adele has quite a large culinary school, so I would expect these events to be of a pretty high calibre. Note they will most certainly be in French. Please see their website for more information: http://www.jmsteadele.com/ateliers.html
Le Mondial des Cidres de Glace. February 10th - 12th. Rougemont, QC. A festival celebrating ice wine. Please see their website for more information: http://www.mondialcidresdeglace.com/

Thanks to my Food Bloggers of Canada Events Partner Janice for her contributions to the above! Check out her gorgeous blog! http://kitchenhealssoul.blogspot.com/

Montreal Restaurant Openings

La Pretzelleria - 25, av du Mont-Royal E, Montreal, QC H2T 1N4 A new gourmet pretzel place in the Plateau. Are pretzels going to be the new macaron?? Found via @erikadavidMTL Facebook page here

Quai No. 4 - 2800, rue Masson, Montreal QC H1Y 1W7 A new brasserie! Their website here
Found on Chowhound

Le Smoking Vallée - 4370 Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC H4C 1R8 514-813-7898 It appears the team behind Une Table à St-Henri has chosen this as their name! These guys have done a fantastic job marketing themselves on social media (@1tableAstHenri) and I wish them the best. Their facebook page here Another new restaurant in St-Henri on Notre Dame. Looks like this really is becoming a hot area for new restaurants! Their website here

Lucille's Oyster Dive - Great Food and Ambiance in NDG

2012-01-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Lucille's Oyster Dive is a small, atmospheric seafood focused restaurant located on popular Monkland Avenue. Their specialties are of course the oysters, but the other food is excellent too.

Lucille's Oyster Dive
5626 Monkland Avenue
Montreal, QC H4A 1E3
514-482-1471

Good+

Is it against some sort of food blogging etiquette to review a restaurant called Lucille's Oyster Dive and not even eat the oysters? In the pregnant state I am, it just isn't going to happen and my husband and dining partner is not an oyster fan. So alas, you will just have to try the oysters out yourself (or you can review other reviews here and here). However, I can report back that what we did eat was excellent!

Opened by the same people who run Restaurant Greasy Spoon on Laurier and Marché 27 on Prince Arthur, this tiny restaurant basically consists of a bar, and seating for about 30 people. In the summer and shoulder seasons they use the terrace space and can seat a few more lucky eaters. The restaurant is very atmospheric and the menu is interesting which is just what Monkland needs. Lucille's really feels like a destination restaurant and somewhere you can get excited about eating, versus many of the other restaurants on Monkland which are good but fairly standard.

Having eaten at Greasy Spoon before and expecting the same gigantic portions, my husband and I shared the Nasty Nate's buffalo fried calamari ($13) which was excellent. It was not greasy and crispy however those looking for a kick of heat would be disappointed as the buffalo flavour is fairly mute. My dining partner had the hamburger with salad instead of fries ($16). He declared the salad and burger one of the best he ever tasted and was blown away. I had the lobster roll and fries ($27). The two lobster rolls presented were excellent with big chunks of lobster served on two buttery rolls. The fries were good, but they were the very thin fries, and personally I prefer a chunky chip. My husband also a pint of the Lucille's Lager ($6) which he loved. Wines run from $35 - $180 with 6 reds and 8 whites sold at $50 or less.

The prices aren't cheap but you'll notice a common theme on this blog that I am always willing to pay a bit more for quality. We don't eat out that much and when we do I want it to be nice.

If you are on Monkland looking for a place to eat, this has got to be one of the highlights. I will definitely go back, and when I do I will be trying the oysters!

Decor: Think Maine without it being tacky. It can be loud, but I think that this adds to the atmosphere (for once). The music on the night we went was fairly rock and roll.
Service: Excellent, but we went early in the evening. I can't promise the same standard will follow when the place is at full capacity.
Prices: Fair for the quality and service. Drinks and food menu is found on their website.
Food: Excellent and tasty although to be fair I have not had a huge selection off the menu.
Good For: Anyone who loves oysters, dinner with friends, a date night or going to watch the game. I did see a couple with their baby but the baby was on the mother's lap so I am not going to label it baby friendly.

Montreal Food Events and Montreal Restaurant Openings for January 20th, 2012

2012-01-20T07:30:00.005-05:00

Food Events

Fou d'Ici, January 21th, 2012 and January 28th, 2012, 12:00. 360 Blvd. de Maisonneuve West, Montreal, QC H3A 0G6 (coin Bleury). On January 12th Fou d'Ici will be hosting a class on different ways to marinate Gravlax. On January 28th, the class will be on the art of making a dumpling. It appears that Fou d'Ici is now hosting classes so check back on their webpage regularly for more updates! To register for this event, leave them your contact information in-store. Space is limited. http://foudici.com/news_events.php?id=1

Restaurant Openings

Chocolats Privilège - A new bakery and chocolate shop opening up at the Atwater Market where the SAQ used to be. So new, it doesn't even appear to be up on the company website yet! Found via @Bouffevie http://twitter.com/#!/Bouffevie/status/157939737234112514/photo/1

Le Gros Jambon is now open for breakfast which is great as there aren't too many breakfast options in Old Montreal. Hours are Monday - Friday 7:30am - 3:30pm & Saturday and Sunday for Brunch only 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Website states this is pending a liquor permit... Found via @cathmaison

Baxo - 343 St. Paul Est, Montreal, QC H2Y 1H3. Tuesday - Saturady, 5pm - Midnight. A new restaurant located in Old Montreal. Looks like a great restaurant with French comfort food and I am interested to try this one out! Facebook page here

St. Cyr - 22 Sainte-Catherine Est - OK - not sure if or when this one is opening. I can't find anything on the web but if someone knows and wants to email me that would be cool. :)

Tourtière du Shack by Martin Picard of Au Pied du Cochon

2012-01-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

Bon Appétit's January 2012 edition featured a large article on Martin Picard from the restaurant Au Pied du Cochon here in Montreal. I was rather pleased to see it, as it talked about a local culinary force, and about sugar shack's - those much loved (or much dreaded) culinary wonders of maple syrup, pea soup, and lots of filling food. The Au Pied du Cochon Sugar Shack website (Cabane à Sucre Au Pied du Cochon) showed up a while ago, already stating it was fully booked for the 2012 season. You can see lots of chatter on Chowhound and Twitter about how to actually get a booking there - seems you just have to email them and hope for the best.

In the meantime, with no reservation, I might just have to settle for making the food at home and visiting other less illustrious sugar shacks which is a tradition in my husband's family around Easter. Thankfully, Bon Appétit has published several recipe's from Monsieur Picard's upcoming book - Sugar Shack Au Pied de Cochon. The mag says the book is available on the restaurant website, but I don't see it for sale yet.

For those of you who aren't aware of the famous restaurant it's definitely worth checking out. I went a while back with friends, and meant to write a review but never got around to it. It celebrates local Quebec foodstuff, in a rowdy, loud and fairly unique manner. The restaurant itself is nothing special but packed out every night (expect to wait even if you have a reservation) and the food comes in enormous portions and is very very rich and intense. Think poutine with fois gras, duck in a can (exactly as it sounds, they open the can and plop it on your plate), and enormous portions of everything. Go hungry!

On to the tourtière - which I have to say I have never actually had at a sugar shack and I don't think is actually typically found on the menu. This is usually traditionally eaten around Christmas time with a green ketchup, although we just ate ours with normal Heinz (I thought briefly about trying to find the ketchup but was exhausted after making the recipe!) The recipe is not for the faint of heart, and now I know why so many people buy their tourtière. Start early in the day (or the day before) and pace yourself. I would also like to add that like all of Martin Picard's dishes, this one is bordering on extreme with a full block of butter in the crust (hope my husband doesn't read this - he is continually alarmed at the amount of butter going through our fridge - sorry). It's also massively thick, and you really do need a large deep 9" pie plate - or make two smaller regular size pies.

Good luck and on to the recipe! Note that I have made some changes to the recipe.

Tourtière du Shack
adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine - January 2012

Crust:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups (1 block - 454g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tsp kosher salt

Filling:
2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 medium onions chopped and divided into the 1/2 onion and full onion
5 garlic cloves, chopped and divided into 2 cloves and 3 cloves
5 whole black peppercorns plus ground black pepper
5 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder (Boston Butt), cut into 2" pieces

1 tbsp unsalted butter
8 med button mushrooms (optional for mushroom haters!) stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 lb ground pork
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup grated, peeled russet potato

1 large egg yolk, beaten with a tsp of water to blend

9" diameter deep-dish glass or ceramic pie dish (I found mine at Loblaw's)

Crust:

Pulse all 3 ingredients in a food processor until pea-sized pieces of butter form.
Transfer to a large bowl
Add 1/4 cup of ice water and stir until just shaggy clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry (I added another 3/4 cup water in total). Dough should come together but should not feel overly sticky.
Divide dough in half
Flatten each half into a disk
Wrap disks in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours
Can be made up to 2 days ahead - keep chilled.

Filling:

Part 1 - Shredded Pork

Preheat oven to 325F
Combine broth, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves, whole peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves in a medium pot.
Add the pieces of pork shoulder.
Season with salt and pepper
Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Cover pot and transfer to the oven
Braise until pork shoulder is tender and shreds easily - about two hours.
Check level of water in the pot from time to time. If the liquid is running low top it up with some water.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Transfer pork shoulder to a work surface.
Shred meat with your fingers or two forks and transfer to a medium bowl.
Strain pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve.
Add 1/2 cup juices to pork and discard solids in a strainer.

Part 2 - Ground Pork

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add remaining 1 chopped onion and 3 chopped garlic cloves.
Cook stirring often until soft - 7 minutes (at least)
Add mushrooms and cook stirring often until almost all liquid is evaporated, 5 - 7 minutes.
Add wine and stir scraping up browned bits.
Bring to a boil and cook stirring often until there is almost no liquid left.
Add ground pork, cinnamon and cloves
Cook stirring and breaking up the pieces until pork is cooked through - about 5 minutes.
Add potato and cook until the potato is soft - about 15 minutes. Note: Test the potato to make sure it is actually cooked through. If the mixture is looking a little dry at this point, add some water (around 3 tbsp at a time).
Remove from heat and stir in the shredded pork with juices.
Season to taste.
Let cool and then chill until cold - about 1 hour.
Can be made 1 day ahead - cover and keep chilled.

Crust (again):

Roll out 1 dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12" round
Transfer to pie dish so that it is the bottom crust and leave the overhang.
Fill with cooled meat mixture
Roll out remaining dough into a 10" round
Place dough over meat filling.
At this point you might have quite a bit of overhang. Trim it so that there is only about 1/2" overhang all around
Fold overhang over top crust and crimp edges.
Brush crust with egg yolk
Cut three 2" slits in top crust.
Chill for 1 hour.
Note: The dough seems to be alarmingly thick, but in fact it is OK. I did roll mine out a little larger than above measurements because it did seem so thick and ended up with quite a bit of overhang and extra dough which was eventually thrown out.

Cooking (finally!):

Preheat oven to 400F
Bake tourtière for 30 minutes
Reduce heat to 350F
Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling - 40 - 50 minutes.
Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Note: Because there is so much butter in the crust it will boil over so make sure you sit your pie plate on a cookie sheet otherwise it will be all over the bottom of the oven - and may or may not cause massive amounts of smoke and a very upset spouse :)

Links:
Au Pied du Cochon's Sugar Shack
Au Pied du Cochon Restaurant
Chowhound link discussing the Sugar Shack

Montreal Food Events and Montreal Restaurant Openings for January 13th

2012-01-13T07:00:00.007-05:00

Montreal Food Events
Cookies Unite at Restaurant Nouveau Palais, ongoing with the next event on February 6th, 2012. 281 Bernard Ouest (coin Parc), Montreal. Cookies Unite is a monthly event that showcases young cooking talent and is a chance for line cooks to get recognition. Nouveau Palais has become a real destination for the cities foodies, especially since their collaboration with taco truck Grumman 78. 514-273-1180 http://lmqcooks.com/events

Hockey Night at Grumman’s, Habs vs. Maple Leafs, January 21st, 2012. Grumman headquarters, 630 Rue de Courcelle, Montréal, QC. $25 fixed price. Watch hockey and eat tacos at the Grumman headquarters. Please call or email to secure reservations. (514) 290-5125 or info@grumman78.com. http://grumman78.com/en/
Taken from the Food Bloggers of Canada website.

Old Montreal's Happening Gourmand Week, January 9th - 31st, Old Montreal, $23 - $27 fixed price. This January is the Montreal version of Restaurant Week. 7 restaurants with a fixed price menu which includes a choice of 2 entrées, 3 mains, and 2 desserts every night. Restaurants include Verses, Suite 701, Aix Cuisine du Terroir and Méchant Boeuf. http://www.happeninggourmand.com/

Val David Winter Farmers Market, February 12th, March 12th, April 16th and May 7th. 10am - 1pm. École St-Jean Baptiste, 2850 de l'Eglise St. Visit this farmers market and pick up some of the famous Gaspor pork sed in such restaurants as XO, DNA, Laurie Raphael and Toqué. The market is also held every Saturday during the summer from June 4 - Oct 9th. From the Gazette article on The Tastemakers of 2011.

La soirée CHOCO PORTO, February 3, 2012. 175 avenue Président-Kennedy, Montreal, QC. $27.49 - $20.19. An event about pairing sweets with Porto. http://chocoporto.eventbrite.ca/?ebtv=C

Caroussel Pop Up Brasserie, January 14th 5:30pm - 3am (dinner), January 15th 12:00 - 5:00 (brunch) Bistro Lustucru, 5159, Avenue du Parc, Montreal. A pop-up restaurant located at Bistro Lustucru. http://www.caroussel.ca/

Montreal Restaurant Openings
Galanga Bistro Thai - 1231 ave Lajoie, OUtremont H2V 1P2
This place has already got pretty good reviews on Urbanspoon. I would love to try it!

Ukrainian-Canadian Pyrogies - A Family Recipe

2012-01-11T07:00:00.005-05:00

Anyone from the prairies would be unsurprised that a prairie girl like me is of a Ukrainian background (and Norwegian which also features pretty largely out there). I grew up eating Ukrainian foods on special occasions - mostly Christmas. Of course, one of the big features of this meal or any Ukrainian meal is the pyrogies. My husband and I had tried making pyrogies a while back and it was a disaster - about 2 hours, a dozen pyrogies and they all fell apart in the pot. Having my mom visit over the Christmas period was a perfect chance for me to give it another go, and carefully take down all her tricks. It is still a slog (it took us 2 hours) but we had pretty much complete success. For anyone ambitious enough to make their own, here is a detailed instruction set on how to do it.

I enjoyed the process, but would only consider making these about once a year (just long enough for me to forget how long it takes!). If anyone knows of anyone selling decent pyrogies in Montreal, please let me know as I am sure these will run out fairly soon!

And thanks Mom for your tricks and patience!

Pyrogies

Makes around 4 dozen

Dough:

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

1 cup hot water

4 cups flour

1 tsp oil for the bowl

Onion Mixture:

3 onions finely minced

1 cup butter

scant 1/4 cup oil

Potato Filling:

5 large Yukon Gold or Yellow Fleshed Potatoes

1/2 cup of the cooked onion mixture

salt and pepper to taste

To Prepare the Dough

Mix all ingredients at once
Using the dough hook in a mixer (or knead) mix until the dough is smooth. In my Kitchen Aid mixture it took about 30 seconds
Put the 1 tsp oil in the bottom of a bowl and place your dough in a ball in the bowl coating it in the oil so it doesn't dry out. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes.
Note - I doubled the dough recipe, but put through only one batch at a time in the mixer.

To Prepare the Onion Mixture

On low heat cook the butter, oil, and onions together. The onions should soften without browning if possible.

To Prepare the Potato Filling

Peel and cook the potatoes in boiling water until soft as you would to make mashed potatoes.
Mash and add the 1/4 cup cooked onion mixture.
Add salt and pepper to taste
More of the onion mixture can be added if it feels necessary. The potato mixture should taste pleasant but not have an overwhelming taste of onions.

To assemble the Pyrogies

Roll out the dough quite thin as once cut it will contract back again. Try and roll the dough into a rectangle.
Trim away any funny edges from the rectangle.
Cut squares from the dough of about 3" by 3". You could also punch out circles, but this seems easier.
Place a bit of your potato mixture in a bowl and using a teaspoon scoop up a SMALL amount and place in the middle of the pyrogie (see troubleshooting below for the reason why).
Using your index finger make this mound of potato into a compact ball.
Using your thumb and middle finger pinch together two opposite corners. Push in any potato coming out either side with your index finger, and continue to pinch along each side with your thumb and middle finger slowly enclosing the pyrogie.
Don't be afraid to really pinch the sides together well so that there remains no trace of the connection between the two sides.
If you get any potato in between the dough, the pyrogie will not seal.

To Cook

Carefully lower the pyrogies one at a time into a large pot of boiling water. Let the pyrogies cook for 4-5 minutes after the water starts boiling again.
Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and let drain.
Put in a container to store, layering pyrogies and the onion mixture. Let cool shaking every once in a while to make sure the pyrogies are not sticking.
Make sure the pyrogies are well coated in the onion mixture otherwise you will have one large mass.

Freezing and Reheating

To freeze make sure the pyrogies are well coated in the butter mixture or a little extra oil.
To reheat take the pyrogies out the night before to thaw.
You can heat the pyrogies up in the microwave or the oven (I suggest 350F). Take them out every once in a while to SHAKE (not stir or the pyrogies will rip apart).
Add a couple tablespoons of water to the container when you reheat.

Eat your pyrogies with sour cream, or even some fried bacon would be good (these are not low fat!)

Other fillings can include sauerkraut, cottage cheese (dry curds) or fruit filling (prunes is usual).

Troubleshooting

My pyrogies are falling apart in the water!

Make sure there is NO potato mixture in the seal
Really pinch and roll and pinch to make sure it is a good seal
Use less potato mixture so it doesn't overflow
Perhaps your dough is too thin and it is ripping? Take a look

All my pyrogies have stuck together in a mass!

Really make sure your pyrogies are coated in butter or oil and shake them as they are cooling off to make sure they don't stick.
You need to shake quite often as they are reheating as well.

Montreal Food Events and Montreal Restaurant Openings

2012-01-06T07:00:00.015-05:00

Montreal Food Events
Fiesta des Cultures - 24 - 26 August, Saint-Rémi, QC
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/fiestadescultures?sk=info
A rough translation/summary from their Facebook Page:
Inspired by the presence of foreign workers in our beautiful area we invite you to discover the tastes of Latin American food, dance, music and art.

Elise Wims from Hell's Kitchen at Moomba in Laval - January 20th, $45. She will be cooking and preparing a three course meal with the Moomba kitchen staff. Please call 514-249-4375 for more info. Thanks to @djsteviev for the info.

Montreal Restaurant Openings
Goosto - Corner of Parc and Mont-Royal. This appears to be a caterer/lunch to go type place.

Poutine en Folie - 4147 St-Laurent I guess it will be poutine...

Le Fixe - 5985 rue St-Hubert A new café and caterer in Rosemont. From the blog of Katerine Lune Rollet.

Epiphanies 514-266-1265 - Monkland between Beaconsfield and Hingston - The sign for this one has just gone up, and it looks like they are opening on January 6th. The sign says they are a caterer and food to go emporium.

Quebec Producers: Myco Sylva

2012-01-04T07:00:00.003-05:00

What: Labrador Tea by Myco Sylva

Where: Bought from Fou d'Ici, 360 de Maisonneuve Ouest (coin Bleury)

Cost: $8.49

Verdict: As mentioned on an earlier post on the store Fou d'Ici, this product is from a company based in Mont-Saint-Michel. They forage for local ingredients including mushroom and tea, including this little dandy. I expected this tea to be bitter but in fact there is a smooth almost sweet quality to it, and I have been enjoying it regularly. I have already made about three pots and not even put a dent in the bag, so I would suggest you could get quite a bit from one box. I would definitely buy it again.

2011-12-31T17:52:00.000-05:00

Montreal Food Events and Montreal Restaurant Openings

2011-12-30T07:00:00.011-05:00

Again, another week of just restaurant openings!

JoBlo - 3807 Wellington, Verdun, QC 514-508-9178
Described on their facebook page as traditional Quebec cuisine, and classic cocktails.
Their facebook page is here!

La Recoleta - 6707, boul. St-Laurent (coin St-Zotique) 514-507-5597
Described as an Italo-Argentine Restaurant
Their facebook page is here!

Patisserie Al-Baghdadi - 1624 Lincoln Av., (coin Guy) - Near Concordia 514-939-9777
Their facebook page is here!
Their website is here! (their website didn't work for me...)

Amaranto - Fresh Mexican Food on Monkland

2011-12-28T19:43:00.001-05:00

Amaranto is a small Mexican restaurant offering a variety of fresh, tasty food on Monkland Avenue in NDG. Located in a basement, this casual restaurant also has a small selection of groceries and is easy to miss. However, if you are in the area it's worth a visit!

Amaranto

Epicierie et Cuisine Mexicaine

5974, Monkland

Montreal, QC H4A 1Q5

514-510-1225

Excellent

Amaranto is an excellent fresh casual Mexican restaurant located in the basement of a series of commercial buildings on the quiet end of Monkland. Unfortunately, it's all too easy to walk past and miss which is a shame because this family run joint is serving up some excellent fresh food.

The restaurant itself is very casual, and I wouldn't be intimidated to bring toddlers here. There is a rather steep set of stairs leading down so a stroller may be a bit more tricky. As you walk, in to your left are a few tables casually placed. On the right is a selection of Mexican grocery products such as chiles and beverages.

The star of the show is the food which is not your typical tex-mex heavy affair. There are usually 3 daily specials, and one of them is typically always mole which I have yet to try. We usually have the carnitas tacos which are lovely pork in a taco with cut up onions and cilantro. We have also had the excellent tostados, beef tacos, sopes, quesadillas and I am sure a few which I am missing. Tacos are served with a green and more fiery red salsa which are fantastic. Their guacamole is also excellent. Prices are fair for something that is made to order fresh. For the two of us we often order two mains, split an order of quesadillas, an order of guacamole and a side salad of radishes and cucumber (which is not on the menu) and this typically comes to around $40. Tacos (you get four) are between $7.74 and $9.75 and the quesadillas (you get two) are between $4.50 and $5.75. We tend to eat out less these days, so when we do we are happy to pay for a quality meal. We call ahead and they are happy to have it to go for us if we want.

At first glance, NDG does not appear to offer up that many truly memorable eating experiences but dig a little deeper and there are a few hidden gems not to be missed. Amaranto is definitely one of them.

ps As you can see, I am getting into the graphics a bit more! Hope you enjoy!

Decor: Very very casual. Picture a couple Ikea tables scattered in a room.
Service: Good, but all food is made to order so you may wait a bit.
Prices: It is not dirt cheap, but I feel the price is commensurate with the quality.
Food: Fresh and tasty.
Good For: Dinner to go (call ahead and you can pick it up), or a casual meal.

A new look for Roasted!

2011-12-27T08:18:00.000-05:00

So, I've made some major changes to the look of this blog as you regulars will see. Hopefully it looks a little more professional and a little less Blogger Template. I relied heavily on the website Pugly Pixel which is an excellent resource for updating and upgrading your blog!

I hope that you enjoy the new look as much as I do!

Montreal Food Events and New Restaurants for December 23rd

2011-12-23T07:00:00.012-05:00

Here are my Montreal Food Event and New Montreal Restaurants listings for this week!

Sorry - not a lot of events this week!

Restaurant Openings
Ferraro Restaurant Authentic Italian - 254 Bernard Ouest, H2V 1T5 514-750-1377

Julieta Cuisine Latine - 67 rue Beaubien Est, Montreal, QC H2S 1R1 514-507-5517
Found via the blog Will Travel for Food

Yangtze will be taking over the now closed Tchang Kiang location on Sherbrooke and Hampton. The Yangtze location in Outremont appears to have burnt down, but there are also plans to re-open there. Plenty of chatter on Chowhound over this one.

Les Soeurs Grises - 32 McGill, Montreal, QC H2Y 4B5
Described on their Facebook page as an artisinal microbrasserie.
Apologies if I've already posted this one - I feel like I am having déja vu.

Le Morgan - 4316 Sainte-Catherine Est, Montreal, QC 514-252-5420
Not sure how long this one has been opened, but it appears to be new.

Melina's Phyllo Bar - 5573 Avenue du Parc, Montreal, QC H2V 4G9

Note: Most of these are taken off of the Chowhound website.

Please note that all restaurant openings are not necessarily brand new, but may have been opened a couple months. I am but one person!

Williams Sonoma Cookie Press - Spritz Cookies

2011-12-19T07:00:00.005-05:00

Last year for Christmas my mother bought me the Kuhn Rikon Cookie Press from Williams Sonoma. In fact it is a bit confusing as the instructions inside say Kuhn Rikon and the packaging says Williams Sonoma? Anyways, a cookie press is basically a cookie dough gun which presses out cookies in whatever shape that you choose from a selection of shaped discs. I always assumed all the shapes were Christmas related, but in fact there are 12 shapes varying from hearts, stars, pumpkins, crackers and Fleur-de-Lys (useful for Quebec).

I approached the press with a bit of trepidation. The FAQ in the instructions manual is quite long which led me to believe my odds of success would be pretty low. In fact, this was one of the easiest and quickest batches I've whipped up in a while and I had virtually no issues.

I chose to go only with one shape, although it appears I could have switched discs mid-way through. I used the Spritz Cookie recipe supplied with the press, and made the entire thing in my mixer even though it recommends mixing by hand at the end.

The cookies are tiny and do not really grow so do not be afraid to crowd them. In fact, they are so tiny I picture them being the perfect size for kids. You could make a variety in all sorts of colours and all sorts of shapes and I can see them being very attractive.

The actual taste was OK - I mean it was a pretty plain cookie. The fact that it is in a shape is definitely the highlight. I coloured mine using gel food colouring as one of the no-no's appears to be using liquid food colouring which dilutes the dough.

One last tip, the dough does not fall off the price but rather sticks to the cookie sheet. This means that you set the press right on the cookie sheet, pull the handle, and then pull up releasing it from the press.

I recommend you carefully follow the instructions, and you should be able to whip these cute little cookies up in no time. I think it took me about an hour from start to finish including cooking time!

Note: I had to reduce my cooking time from the recommended 10-12 minutes to around 7 minutes. I have a new oven which I am starting to believe is quite hot, but my oven thermometer still read 375F. Check your cookies as you cook.

Spritz Cookies for a Cookie Press

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Gel Food Colouring if desired

Preheat oven to 375F
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy
Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, cardamom and salt and gel food colouring if using.
Mix in the flour
Grab a clump of dough and shape into a tube shape. Pack it into the cookie press fitted with the disc shape you want.
Press the dough on an ungreased baking sheet
Bake until lightly golden 6-8 minutes (actual recipe recommends 10-12 mins but I found this too long)
Store in an airtight container 4 days or I bet these cookies would be fine frozen.

One last tip: Make sure the cookie sheet is cleaned and cooled if reusing otherwise the dough will not stick.

Idea for a Business Lunch in Downtown Montreal

2011-12-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am in an industry where I eat out a fair amount for lunch in downtown Montreal. If you checked out many of my London restaurant reviews, you may notice that many of them were also business lunch type places!

Here is my top list of downtown business lunch restaurants. All of them are what I would describe as fairly reasonable in price - ie you aren't going to get a talking to from your boss about your expense account.

1. Dominion Square Tavern (Metcalfe & Ste-Catherines) 514-564-5056 - A fun resto from the owners of Baldwin Barmacie and Whisky Café. Good food, service and a nice atmosphere. Not very formal, but definitely filled with suits at lunch.

2. Shodan (Metcalfe & Maisonneuve) 514-987-9987 - Excellent Sushi. Everyone loves their special rolls section, and the popularity of this place is evident.

3. Bistro Beaver Hall (Beaver Hall & Belmont/De La Gauchetiere) 514-866-1331 - Loud and buzzy with a nice selection of bistro food.

4. L'Aromate (Mansfield & Maisonneuve) 514-847-9005- Slightly classier than the first 3 but still affordable.

5. Le Brasserie le Pois Penche (Maisonneuve & Drummond) 514-667-5050 - A classic French Bistro. I have always had a good lunch here with good service, and it's got a nice atmosphere inside.

6. La Cupole (Rene-Levesque & Montagne) 514-373-2300 - Despite the fact that they once had Chilean Sea Bass as their special of the day (me to waiter: you mean the endangered chilean sea bass? waiter: ummm... yes) this is an excellent choice for lunch. I believe their lunch time table d'hôte is $25. They also have a pre-game table d'hôte for $35 which is a classier option to the local St-Hubert or Cage aux Sports (reservations essential).

Do you have any favourite business lunch places?

Chewy Gingersnaps for the Holidays

2011-12-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

These chewy gingersnaps will always be one of my favourite cookies. In fact, gingersnaps is a bit of a misleading name as they are in fact chewy and with none of the 'snap'. They are what I chose to serve at my bake swap this year. I think this recipe may have originally come from Company's Coming - a wildly popular recipe series out on the prairies. I haven't even seen any of these in Quebec though. Unfortunately, I cannot confirm the source as I have it on a piece of paper in a recipe book!

Chewy Gingersnaps
Yield: 6 dozen if you stick to the 1 inch dough ball size

Butter or Margarine, 3/4 cup, 175ml
Granulated Sugar 1 cup, 250ml
Egg 1
Molasses 1/2 cup, 125ml

All Purpose Flour 2 1/2 cups, 600ml
Baking Soda 2 tsp, 10ml
Ground Ginger 2 tsp, 10ml
Cinnamon 1 tsp, 5ml
Salt 1/2 tsp, 2ml

Granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls in

Pre-heat oven to 350F
Let the butter sit out at room temperature so it softens
Cream the butter and first amount of sugar well. Beat in the egg and molasses
Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Slowly add to the wet ingredients.
Mix well
Shape into 1 inch (2.5cm) balls
Roll each dough ball in sugar and place on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes
Let cool slightly and then let fully cool on a cookie rack.

I did not stick to the 1 inch dough ball rule, and only ended up with 4 dozen first time around with 1 dozen burnt (new oven and now I know not to put cookies on the bottom rack!). But guess what - the burnt ones got eaten anyways :)

My New Year's Resolutions - Published to the World

2011-12-11T21:04:00.001-05:00

I thought it would be a good idea to publish my New Year's Resolutions to the world so that I really have to accomplish them. Kinda like Julie Powell finishing the Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook. Of course, I will be a new mom too, sometime in the early months of 2012 so this could all go out the window, but you never know!

1. Start taking better food photos. I can take good food photos (see examples here and here) and I certainly have the equipment to do it (although the 'studio' has now been turned into a nursery). I think daylight time will be on my side, so I think this one has a good chance of success.

2. Bake a croque-en-bouche - I don't know why but these have always intrigued me! They look like the height of pastry making. To me, it says if you can do this you can do anything.

3. Bake a macaron that works. I actually have a post started about attempting macarons and then successfully baking one. I have not yet got to the successful stage yet....

4. Eat a smoked meat sandwich. Yes - I have never had one. Something about them just grosses me out. I know that saying that is sacrilegious for a food writer in Montreal!

5. Cook a successful curry. Despite taking an Indian Cooking course in the heart of London's Indian Community, they are all still crap. I am hoping a borrowed copy of Vij's cookbook will be the solution.

6. Eat lunch at Toqué - or dinner!

7. FINISH the National Dish project. Yes - a bold statement but I think I can do it. Sorry husband... I'll make them for lunch though!

8. Make Danish rye bread from scratch. I had Danish rye bread a while ago at the Danish Bazaar in NDG and forgot how good it was! I'll use this recipe here from the Danish Open Sandwiches blog.

Do you have any New Years resolutions?

Montreal Food Events - 9th December 2011

2011-12-09T08:38:00.013-05:00

Montreal Food Events

Ongoing

Les Givrés: Dessert Tastings, Thursdays - 3807 St-Denis - 514-373-7558 - $10

Like their Facebook page to receive updates on their tasting evenings. It looks delicious!

Found via the lovely blog The Gluttoners who has pictures of his evening!

December

YUL Terra Madre Day - December 10th - $45

A conference on the the theme the culture of taste. A more detailed description (in French) can be found here.

Old Montreal Christmas Village - Dec 9 - 24 - Place Jacques Cartier
Not a food event per say but there will be food on hand including a tent dedicated to Fluwein tasting, and a shack dedicated to Alsacien gastronomy

January
Whisky Tasting - Friday January 13, 7-9, 11 rue Roy Est, $30

Restaurant Openings
Le Pastaga - 6839 St. Laurent See a write up on Will Travel for Food here

Five Guys - Opening another spot in Montreal on the corner of Ste-Catherine west of Amherst

2011 Christmas Cookbook Wishlist Roundup

2011-12-08T20:46:00.001-05:00

Wow - it's been over a YEAR since I bought myself a cookbook (husband are you reading this?) This was partly due to a serious run on cookbooks before we left London to move back to Montreal. It's also partly because I continue to get monthly inspiration from my magazine subscriptions. Oh yeah, and I also have a ton of cookbooks already.

But alas, it may be time for something new. This year, as usual there is a plethora of good stuff out there. What to choose? Well, if I had my way, these would be my top picks based on reviews and my personal interests. Again, I do not actually OWN any of these!

The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria

Accessible food from the guy behind El Bulli? Apparently so. I for one am curious as to see what he brings to the table.

The Boy Who Bakes by Edd Kimber

We started watching The Great British Bake Off 2010 on the BBC before we left for London, and I guess Edd was chosen as the winner! I've seen a few of his recipes published in my BBC Good Food magazine and they look divine.

Market Chronicles: Stories & Recipes from Montreal's Marché Jean-Talon
(French version pictured - available in English in Bookstores)

Jean-Talon Market is the largest open-air market in North America and a great place to visit in our city. This book will take you behind the scenes to get to know the market and it's people better as well as providing recipes using the markets produce. I've browsed the book and it is certainly pretty. However, if you are looking for a book of purely recipes, this is not it. This is a book to be read and enjoyed as well as cooked from.

Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi

I have the first Ottolenghi book and loved it. This one focused on veg appears to be just as good.

Don't want just my opinion? Check out these other lists:
Epicurious - The Best Cookbooks of 2011
The Guardian - The Best Chocolate Cookbooks
Cuisine Canada - Canadian Culinary Book Award Winners 2011
Time Out New York - The season's best cookbooks
Simple Bites - 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: My Top 10 Cookbook Picks
Blogue de Julie Aubé - 10 suggestions de livres gourmands (2011)
HuffPost Food - 11 Best Food Books of 2011
New York Times - The Year's Notable Cookbooks

Montreal Food Events - 2nd December 2011

2011-12-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

SAT Foodlab - 5 @ 8 Aperitivo - October 21 - December 23

From their facebook page here: From Wednesday - Saturday from 5 to 8, the chefs Seth Gabrielse and Michelle Marek invite you to a culinary art experience! The wines and menu are available on their facebook page or here on their website.
November 30 - December 3 is a Viennese inspired affair with dishes including mushroom strudel, spaetzle with cheese and lardons, Hungarian goulash and sachentorte.

The Nutcracker Market - November 24th - December 4th, Palais des Congrés de Montréal

Not a purely food event, but a market selling all sorts of unique gifts including food.

Colutta - Wine and Food Tasting - Bu Bar à Vin - Friday, December 2nd, 5:30, $40 - $50

Degustation of 5 Plates from the Ferran Adria Appreciation Night - December 1st onward, no more details available
Restaurant de l'Institut - 3535, rue Saint-Denis
The Restaurant de l’Institut will be revealing 5 plates that you can try from December 1st, 2011 onward that are from the Ferran Adria appreciation night. The plates will be revealed on November 29th, 2011.

Bite Me with Guest Authors Lisa and Julie - December 3rd, 2:00, Free, Call 514-369-2002 to register - Appetite for Books, 388 Victoria Avenue, Westmount, QC H4A 2N4

Yves Thuriès at Café Birks - December 8th and 9th from 2:00 - 5:30

1240 Phillips Square, Montreal, QC

An open door event where you can meet Yves Thuriès

Souk @ SAT - December 8th - 11th, Foodlab, 1201 St-Laurent Blvd, Montreal, QC 514-844-2033 - A Central and Eastern European Christmas Market which will include gluhwein and Czech and Viennese seasonal treats.

Restaurant Laurier Gordon Ramsay, Laurier BBQ - Rotisserie Chicken in Outremont

2011-12-01T07:30:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, despite the Gordon Ramsay association, Laurier BBQ is still a rather average meal and none of the dishes really stand out. However, it is a welcome family friendly restaurant on Laurier for those with little ones.

Restaurant Laurier Gordon Ramsay, Laurier BBQ
381 Laurier West
Montreal, QC H2V 2K3
514-273-3671

Average -

I perhaps was one of the few who somewhat regularly ate at Laurier BBQ prior to the big renovations. My husbands family has a soft spot for it, and we would regularly go for large family get togethers. I never thought it was very good (sorry guys) but it was a fairly low key atmosphere and expectations were not high. Plus, it was one of the few family friendly joints in the neighbourhood so I understood why we went.

Now, Laurier BBQ has been renamed Restaurant Laurier Gordon Ramsay and renovations have been completed to spruce up the space. The yellow and green facade has been painted white, the inside is much more modern feeling, and there is now a bar area & upstairs area. The renovations at first glance seem pretty impressive, but the floor is the same, and the upstairs space has zero atmosphere.

For my first meal here, I went with a group of girls and we were seated in the aforementioned upstairs area. It really reminds me of the upstairs of someones ski chalet, and it has about zero atmosphere. Things didn't start well, as when we saw people downstairs had pickles we asked for some and were told they were not for upstairs guests (what!?) The only plus I can see to being seated upstairs is that there was room for a baby stroller, and because it feels like a rec room kids are pretty free to run around (it's pretty spacious). There were 8 of us and I can confirm that every single one of us felt our meal was pretty poor to average. On top of that there was a series of service disasters - champagne but no glasses, and no one bothered to open the bottle for us, they forgot cutlery, our orders took forever, and the pickle incident. All my friends urged me to give a nasty review, but diplomat as I was I wanted to give it another shot. As we walked out of the restaurant past the long line of people waiting I am sure we all wanting to tell them to stop wasting their time and that Lémeac is just up the street.

Second attempt was with my husband. Seeing Gordon Ramsay on the restaurant name leads to some sort of expectations but alas, it was all a bit depressing. We were able to sit downstairs which definitely feels nicer but why the TV screens? Why the old floor? Our service was excellent this time around, so I can't really argue with that. But the food, well, was really whatever. My husband had the rotisserie chicken. The sauce is pretty much the same - which I never liked and still don't. The fries were nice - spiced and crisp. The rotisserie chicken was also reported as very good. I chose the hot chicken sandwich. I don't know why, because I knew I didn't really like the sauce which it was covered in. It was OK but I wouldn't choose it again. It was the classic hot chicken sandwich - two pieces of sliced white bread, chicken, covered in gravy and peas.

To end it all, of course we had the Petit Mocha chaufée (heated) which was the exact same as prior to the renovations. Apparently Gordon slammed this one, but frankly it was the best thing we had that night.

I can honestly say the only reason I would ever go back is with children. As grown adults choosing to go out to eat I don't know why you would choose to eat here with so many other amazing options so close. OK, it's not as expensive but I'd rather pay a bit more for something memorable than a bit less for something so-so. I kept wondering what Gordon would think if he came into the restaurant himself. I don't think he'd be very happy either.

The technical bits:
Rotisserie Chicken - Prices range from $15 - $36 for the entire chicken
Appetizers - $7 - $14 (examples of Appetizers include French Onion Soup $8, BBQ Chicken Wings $13, Tuna Salad $13/$16)
Mains - $12 - $28 (examples of mains include Smokey Ribs $18, Porchetta Sandwich $14, Steak & Frites $28)
Sides - $3 - $9 (examples of sides include coleslaw $3, Smoked Meat Mac n Cheese $6, Hand-Cut Fries $4)
Desserts - New Desserts are from $6 - $12 (examples of desserts include Bread Pudding $7 and Banana Split for 2 $12), Classics (all $6) include the famous Moka Cake $6, and Sugar Pie $6
There is also a $19.95 lunch menu and a $21.30 after 21h30 menu.
Bar Menu ranges from $4 - $18
Wines by the glass range from $7 - $12.50
Full menu on their website here
Reservations are now taken for groups smaller than 5. You must call by 5:00 on the day of.

Decor: Good for kids but less atmospheric upstairs (think ski chalet), cozy downstairs
Service: Ups and Downs. Our most recent meal had spot on service, one before with a group was horrible.
Prices: It's fair, especially for Laurier, but I don't think that the quality is there.
Food: Just average.
Good For: Out with the kids. I cannot think of any other reason to go there considering the other options in the area.

Memory Lane via Food

2011-11-28T13:02:00.000-05:00

Ladies selling insects to snack on in Phnom Penh

Sometimes a certain song will bring me screaming back to a specific time and place in my life. Moby reminds me of my semester of university in Bangkok. I can listen to Kid A by Radiohead and I am immediately back sitting on top of a boat cruising down the Tonle Sap river in Cambodia. Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap? Junior High on the Prairies....

Food can do the same thing for me. The other day I went to the Danish Bazaar here in NDG and had that peculiar no sugar added whipped cream icing that the Danes are so fond of eating. I was immediately an exchange student again living in Denmark and speaking Danish. Papaya salad? Bangkok. Perogies? Back on the prairies. I imagine if I made myself a sticky toffee pudding I'd be back in London. Even eating mangos reminds me of Mexico where they were cheap and plentiful.

Do you have any food memories that bring you to a certain time and place in your life?

Montreal Food Events - 25th November 2011

2011-11-25T07:30:00.012-05:00

A rather small selection of upcoming events here!

November

5 à 7 Slow - Slow Food Montreal - Wednesday 23rd November, 5:30 - 7:00 - Appetite for Books, 388, Victoria Ave, H3Z 2N4 - Click here for tickets and more info. A panel of cookbook authors will be present to share their experiences with you at this Slowfood Montreal event.

Wine Workshop at Les Cavistes - November 27th - 4115 St-Denis, Montreal H2W 2M7 514-903-5089 Tickets $38.61 Taste Six Wines each paired with a tapas course. Found via wine blog girl on wine and more info here

December

Dishcrawl - Atelier de Dégustation du Chocolat - 4th December

Réveillon 2012 "Mad Men" at Chez Victoire - December 31- 1435 Mont-Royal Est - A New Year's Eve event including tasting menu, oyster bar, etc.

Restaurant Openings
Le Gros Jambon Diner, 286 Notre-Dame W

Quebec Producers: Fou d'Ici - New Food Store in the Quartier des Spectacles

2011-11-23T07:00:00.005-05:00

What: Fou d'Ici - A Food Store focusing on Quebec Producers
Where: 360 de Maisonneuve Ouest (coin Bleury) (metro: Place des Arts)
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am - 8pm, Sat-Sun 10am - 6pm
Cost: OK - I wouldn't do my weekly shop here but I would certainly stop by for a special occasion or buy some treats that really spoke to me. For example, I bought a box of hand foraged Labrador Tea for $8.49 and a bar of fair trade fondue chocolate for $7.99 both of which I felt were reasonably priced. They also have a bakery and take away food counter although I don't know the prices there (note to self: update this section!)
Verdict: A welcome newcomer to the Montreal food scene. A grocery store which is passionate about quality, has an excellent selection, and is interested in sourcing direct from small scale Quebec producers (which is no easy feat!) Definitely one to check out, and if I lived in the area I'd be there all the time!

I have ~~ranted~~ mentioned on this blog before that despite how proud Quebecers are of all things Quebec there is a lack of focus on Quebec Products in grocery stores in this province. I decided that part of my blog would be to focus on Quebec Producers that are easily accessible to the larger public. The problem is that the vast majority of Quebec products can be found at either of our two public markets which are Jean-Talon or Atwater. Although these places are fun, they are not always convenient.

Finallly (finally!) another option has opened up! Fou d'Ici (clever name, huh!) was recently launched in the Quartier des Spectacles and I was pleased to have been recently invited to their media night.

Fou d'Ici's vision is to offer you a convenient shopping experience while showcasing the best Quebec has to offer. They have products across the entire spectrum including a butcher, seafood, cheese and deli centre, fresh produce, a bakery and a coffee and tea counter. I obviously loved checking out all of these amazing products but what I find often most compelling is the story behind the product itself. For example, Myco Sylva is a company from Mont-Saint-Michel who forages for local ingredients including mushrooms and tea. With the big hoo-haa over foraging lately and the desire to try some locally foraged products I found the story behind the company fascinating. Another producer on hand was La Fourmi Bionique working out of Pointe-Sainte-Charles manufacturing lovely granola. Pointe-Sainte-Charles! (BTW I'll be reviewing both products later).

I spoke with the owners Alex Simatos and Christina Nacos about their shop and their enthusiasm was infectious. They were interested in the history and background of each product and told me how they worked to directly source from around 200 Quebec Producers. That's amazing - 200 Quebec Producers! Can you imagine all the different products there are to try, from right here in Quebec! And not all of them involve maple syrup - I promise! After travelling the world and seeing all these amazing grocery stores (Dean & Deluca, Whole Foods, even dare I say Waitrose?) they knew Montreal deserved it's own place to showcase their best.

I found the store itself spacious, well organized and well designed. I would probably not do my weekly shop here, but the ready meals and bakery certainly looked enticing. However, I would come by say once a month to check out what new products were on offer, or to stock up for a special occasion. They also do gift baskets, which would be an amazing gift for any food lover. (hint hint...)

Check it out and pick up a few products that speak to you. There really is so much to discover from right here in Quebec. Personally, I can't wait to try more!

Photo Credits Vadim Daniel

Call Out for Food Events in Quebec

2011-11-22T18:05:00.000-05:00

Do you have a food event in Quebec for the upcoming months that you think would be of interest to the members of the Food Bloggers of Canada and their readership?

Janice from Kitchen Heals Soul and myself are collecting events to be published on the Food Bloggers of Canada website.

If you let us know about your event you will have access to over 200 Food Bloggers. In turn, they have the potential to let their readership know all about your event!

Please email your events asap as the December version is due this weekend!

My contact details:
Michelle - mmlrenault@gmail.com
@roastedmontreal on Twitter

Events are welcome in English or French

Food Trends - Foods from our Past

2011-11-21T07:00:00.002-05:00

I was recently out for dinner with a couple of the gals, when the topic of passé food trends came up which was sparked by mentioning my absolute disgust for any sort of balsamic vinegar dressing which developed when I overdosed on salad with balsamic dressing from Chop'd in London. Turns out I wasn't the only one who was over balsamic vinegar. The other big pet peeve was sun dried tomatoes which wasn't the first time I'd heard from someone who couldn't stand the sight of them. We all agreed they were too 90's (or even too 80's but listen I doubt they were available in the town I grew up in on the prairies then!). Other things we were over were parsley as decoration and decorating a plate with a squeeze bottle. Even california rolls were considered uninteresting anymore.

Is there anything that you think is passé in food, or that you think in ten years we will look back and roll our eyes at?

A word about my National Dish Project

2011-11-18T19:11:00.000-05:00

Some of you keen readers may notice that the National Dishes of Europe project has been put on hold for a while. I know it's causing a lot of you a restless nights sleep from the slew of mail I am receiving on the subject (ha!) but.... (husband are you reading this?) - it's not dead!

Unfortunately, it turns out that most National Dishes are quite gross. They are loved by people who grew up on them - something like Laurier BBQ's Petit Mocha or Kraft Dinner which frankly if you were presented with nowadays you probably wouldn't covet quite as much. My poor husband was having to put up with all sorts of disgusting meals once a week, and while supportive overall, he put the stop on this one in particular.

However, I have a plan for when I am on maternity leave and it involves a National Dishes of Project Lunch Edition. I don't know when exactly I will be able to put this in place but I am hoping Spring 2012.

Unfortunately, for the next National Dish (I already picked the country out of the bag) I have to cook rabbit which just makes my stomach quease... At least I have the winter to try and get over it!

Until Spring!
Michelle

Restaurant Pilote - Great food in a relaxed atmosphere in Old Montreal

2011-11-18T07:24:00.000-05:00

Restaurant Pilote offers some fantastic food in a warm and cozy atmosphere where you can relax and unwind. A great option when you want to catch up with friends, and want a quiet atmosphere.

Restaurant Pilote
160 Notre-Dame East
Montreal, QC
514-508-3883

Good ++

I have to admit, Restaurant Pilote wasn't my first choice for dinner. I had reservations at a trendy, of the moment restaurant which I was excited to try out. But then, I kept reading over and over how loud it was and the thought of another meal screaming at my dining partners (see my Liverpool House review) just made me depressed. I wanted somewhere quiet, where I wouldn't be bumping my neighbour all the time, and where I could speak at a normal level in order to have a great conversation with friends. So on to Pilote! It seemed quiet, and it had some great reviews. The old hard fought for reservation was cancelled, and we were off to Old Montreal!

Previously occupying the space inhabited by Cavo, and before that Love Hate (a roses and leather themed club I was told...), Pilote is housed in one of those super old stone buildings in Old Montreal across from the court houses. It was very atmospheric, and cozy. We sat downstairs, but they also have a dining room upstairs and a terrace which looks very promising. The owners and staff were very friendly, and the service level was great. We were not rushed, but nor did we wait for our food.

The menu features dishes like Salmon Tartare ($12), Belgian Endive Salad ($10) and Cured Duck Carpaccio ($16) as starters. I chose the Pulled Pigs Trotter Raviolo with Wild Mushrooms and Truffle Milk (a foam) for $10. It was amazing! I am not usually a fan of foam but the whole dish smelled and tasted great. My partners chose the Butternut Squash Soup with Bee Pollen and Peppered Marshmallow ($10) which they were also raving over. Entrées feature Prosciutto Wrapped Monkfish ($24), Cornish Hen ($24) and Cauliflower Risotto ($22). I chose a Venison with Braised Barley, Petits Legumes and Chocolate ($30). I have to say, I don't remember tasting any chocolate but the dish itself was outstanding and I really loved it too. Just great food. One dining partner chose the Bone In Filet Mignon with Fondant Potato, Maple Glazed Parsnips and Rosemary Jus ($38). The portion of meat was absolutely massive and perfectly done. The whole thing was fantastic except the Fondant Potato which she described as 'not good'. A fairly minor detail, I suspect. My other dining colleague had the Halibut with Walnuts, Romaine, and Cauliflower Puree ($26). She also said it was fantastic, but in contrast to my venison and the filet mignon, the portion of fish was tiny and she was still hungry after. So we ordered desert! Many of the desserts looked amazing (Deep Fried Maple Ice Cream, Millefeuille..) but we settled on a S'More which fit the cozy atmosphere. Unfortunately, this was probably the biggest disappointment of the night. It was good, but the marshmallow had not been heated enough and was not nearly melted enough. Just a bit more time please! I was told the above menu has not yet been finalized for winter, but it will probably be very similar to that through until Feb 15th.

Wines by the glass range from $8 - $14. I am afraid I did not take note of the prices of the bottles.

Overall, the experience was exactly what I wanted. We were able to chat, relax, have great food, unwind and dine in a cozy atmosphere. The eclectic music (George Michael to Jane's Addiction) was fun, and the staff were friendly (but not too friendly which is annoying!) Overall, the food was great besides the uneven portion sizes and the s'more (which we still finished). The restaurant itself was not that full which is a shame. I wonder if it's the slightly out of the way location, or if it is just not as known. Regardless, people are always asking me for recommendations for restaurants which have great food and are not loud. Here you go people - here's your restaurant!!

Decor: Cozy and warm, housed in one of the old stone buildings in Old Montreal. Well decorated, without being old fashioned and still being true to the building.
Service: Friendly and prompt. Staff were more than willing to answer our questions.
Prices: Our bill came to just below $60 without tip. We had what is described above plus a glass of wine. I imagine if you had a bottle it could easily come to closer to $75 per person which is slightly pricey, but worth it in my opinion.
Food: Deep flavours, and excellent food. I loved it.
Good For: A quiet dinner unwinding with friends and family. I wouldn't necessarily choose this place to start the party night off. This place doesn't scream trendy so I wouldn't take someone expecting a scene.

ps. Sorry - I am really getting horrible with my restaurant photos. I usually visit these places at night so photos of outside will not turn out, and I hate taking photos of food. The reason is for one that I like to enjoy my dinner and not be bothered about taking photos (plus I always feel a bit awkward about it) and two I find food photos do not always turn out great when they are taken on the fly. Does this make a difference to the review? Do you readers care?

Liverpool House - The Other Joe Beef Restaurant in Little Burgundy

2011-11-13T09:02:00.009-05:00

Liverpool House is right next door to Joe Beef and is owned by the same people. The ambiance is a little chalet-outdoors, with a major buzz and a focus on meat and fish. The food is great, and the decor is great but unfortunately there are a few issues such as noise level and service.

Liverpool House
2501 rue Notre-Dame Ouest,
Montreal, QC H3J 1N5
514-313-6049

Good

Liverpool House is the easy to miss sister restaurant next door to Joe Beef. In fact, we drove past it about 3 times while looking for parking and I only was able to find it on foot following along the street numbers! Inside the bar and restaurant are split up. The bar is tiny, and well, so is the restaurant! I think there were about 40 people in total (although I could be wrong!) The feeling is chalet-chic with a stuffed animal head (I think it was a deer) and a canoe strapped to the roof.

We were seated and our drink order was promptly taken. I was not drinking (preggo!) so my husband ordered a glass of wine recommended by the waiter which ended up at $11. The wine menu is listed on a huge blackboard. The cheapest wines are $45 per bottle (two types), and then $50 per bottle (2 types) with prices going up to $135 per bottle. They also have a special selection of wine - La Reserve - which starts at $100 per bottle up to $330. In addition, they have their own Joe Beef Pilsner which seemed fairly popular at $9 per bottle.

The menu is on a blackboard and we were encouraged to check it out before we sat down. It is all in French (just a note for out of towners) and is pretty vast. I found it difficult to remember everything and actually had to right it down (is it just the pregnancy??). A selection of the plates on offer the day we visited includes the following. For entrées there was a Gratin d'Homard ($24), Smoked Salmon ($16), Cavatelli with Duck Ragu ($14). For mains there was a Doré ($28), Côté Levée Liverpool ($28), Lobster Spaghetti ($45), Jeaux de Veau au Curi ($30), and a couple sharing dishes including a Jarret de Porc for 2 people at $25 each which looked very popular.

The reason for which we were encouraged to check the blackboard menu before being seated is because the seating is very tight and the table must be moved in order to get in (and I'm fairly thin - even with the bump!) Be prepared to be fairly close to your neighbours.

The bread came fairly soon afterwords - one piece each of a fairly standard sourdough and butter. Yes, - one piece. Considering the long wait for the food, I am surprised that this was all that we were offered. We did ask for more and received it but it just seems a wee bit stingy. Or perhaps they don't want people filling up on bread considering the portion sizes?

The food itself was good. My dining companion had the cavatelli (pasta) with duck ragu and a fried egg which was deep and meaty. I had the smoked salmon starter which consisted of layers of potato, sour cream, salmon, and cornichons. It was very nice and light.

For the mains, the meat/fish was definitely the star of show. I ordered a pork chop (carré du porc) which ended up being a double pork chop smoked, and then braised in a light barbecue sauce with pasta. No veg for you veg lovers (I guess you have to get them in the entrée). Considering that it was a pork chop which are usually pretty dry this one was lovely. It was so large though it literally had to be carved. My partner had the doré and he got the entire fish - two filets. He even had trouble finishing them because it was so large! He said it was lovely as well.

But because a restaurant is about so much more than the food, and especially at this price, I have a few more comments. For one, the restaurant is LOUD. I literally had to yell at my partner to be heard which is not great. You are also seated very close to your neighbour, who is naturally yelling too, so if you get some shreaker next to you (like I did) it is pretty unpleasant. Second, the service was not great. We sat down at 7:00 and received our mains at 8:30 which is pretty long in my opinion. And my last gripe is the whole blackboard experience. It is super long, and really hard to remember if you have a few questions. Plus the restaurant is so small it must be a pain for those people seated near the blackboard to always have people standing huddled around them.

Overall, the food was good, the decor was great, but overall the experience was somewhat lacking. I would go back, but at that price perhaps once a year for a special occasion. I am not going to run back. Our bill for two with one glass of wine, starters and mains was $111 before tip. If we had a bottle of wine we could have easily paid upwards of $100 each and I just am not sure it is worth it.

Note that reservations are taken for two services - 7:00 and 9:30.

Decor: Love it! Cozy chalet-chic.
Service: Very friendly and knowledgeable but long.
Prices: It's pretty pricey! Out bill came to $111 before tip for two mains, two starters, 1 glass of wine and a sparkling orange drink. With wine it could easily run up to $100 per person.
Food: Excellent! A focus on meat or fish on your plate so if you love veg get the massive starter salad beforehand.
Good For: A special occasion or night out with friends. The food is great, but for many people the lengthy wait for food, noise, and crammed restaurant would be a major turn off.

ps I know - a big boo to me on the lack of photos.... I decided to review this restaurant when it was already too dark out for outside photos and have yet to head back. If I do head back in the area I will add them to this blog post.

Montreal Food Events - 13th November 2011

2011-11-13T07:00:00.010-05:00

December:
Smart Design Mart - December 2 (5-9), December 3 (11am - 6pm), December 4 (12 - 5), 160 St. Viateur Est. I didn't really think this event would fit until I saw these amazing kitchen tools and spice kits made locally in Montreal from Purpose Design. Love it!

Thé Kiosque - Tea Tasting - December 4th (ongoing event - every first Sunday of the month).
During the tea tasting event, people get to try 6 different teas with full description, and eat a small cookie in between each tea. They may also get a free tea gift to bring back home. Total cost is $9 taxes inclusive which seems like a major bargain to me! Each month there is a new theme.
You can add the Thé Kiosque on Facebook for the latest!
Discovered via the lovely website The Gluttoners.

Favuzzi Warehouse Sale - December 9th (12h - 21h) & 10th (10h - 17h) - 540, Avenue Beaumont, H3M 1T7
Once a year Favuzzi opens it's warehouse to the public where you can find more than 1,000 imported products for sale at wholesale prices. Excellent for hostess gifts or Christmas presents!
Thanks to the blog La Pantry where I basically copied her post :) She also has the actual invite there.

Other:
Casting Call for Food Network Season 2 of Sweet Genius - OK I have no clue what this show is nor any desire to appear on TV but perhaps this may interest some of you out there!

La Grande Dégustation de Montreal - For those who didn't make it (or were pregnant) here's a nice short little round up.

Restaurant Openings:
Sinclair - Looks like a new restaurant on St. Paul in Old Montreal opening up soon!

Ettinger's Deli - Lasalle - Follow the talk on Chowhound if you want to know more. They describe themselves as a modern deli with a twist.

Spanel - Little Burgundy - They've been open around 3 months. They are definitely into their crepes which I am all over! Can't wait to try.

Quebec Producers - Biodélices

2011-11-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

What: Organic Maple Spread by Biodélices
Where Bought: Loblaws, Monkland Avenue, on a special stand at the end of one of the aisles
Cost: Umm... I don't think this was scanning through at the grocery till and I think I saw the guy just pass it through as it doesn't seem appear on our bill... As you can see I chose the mini taster version so I can't imagine it was too expensive.
Verdict: Well, it was waaay to sweet for me but I certainly don't think that's the fault of the product. It is a maple spread after all! Perhaps, I was just eating it incorrect? I was spreading it on toast, but perhaps it should be on a crepe or waffle or something? Can anyone clarify?

Out of Thetford Mines (!) this company offers organic maple syrup products from their own sugarbush in St-Adrian-d'Irlande. I have to admit, this is not something I would normally buy as I am not that into sweet, but it makes a nice treat. As you can see I just chose a very small sample!

ps sorry about the semi-blurry photo. That's what you get using a macro lens at f2.8 without a stand....

Deville Dinerbar - Great American Diner food in Downtown Montreal

2011-11-06T07:00:00.006-05:00

Deville Dinerbar is a new American style diner located on Stanley and Ste-Catherine serving high quality large portion sandwiches, salads, burgers, pastas and cocktails. A great option for a lunch with friends downtown or drinks after work!

Deville Dinerbar
1425 Stanley
Montreal, QC
H3B 5K2
514-281-6556

Good ++

Good places for lunch with friends downtown are surprisingly difficult to find. The range of options usually goes from food court to business lunch. There are exceptions, but they are usually very poor in my opinion - St-Hubert (sorry - I don't love it!), Cage aux Sports, Trois Brasseurs... you get the picture. I was therefore pretty excited to try out this new restaurant for lunch with the girls.

This is an American diner type restaurant. I immediately cringe when I hear that, as I think we all expect something extremely kitsch, and it was a little bit kitsch but I definitely did not feel embarrassed walking into the place. In fact, it is pretty smooth and upscale and actually fairly spectacular. Perhaps this was due to fairly low expectations!

Reservations are only taken for groups over 5, and as this restaurant has only been open for 4 weeks the three of us were promptly seated. The menu is pretty large with mains coming in between $19 - $30, pasta from $16 - $29, Burgers from $16 - $35 and Sandwiches from $15 - $23. They also have a salad section but I forgot to write prices for that. They have an extensive cocktail menu which includes wines by the glass between $8 - $15. I didn't see any wines by the bottle but I can't imagine that this isn't offered? Cocktails were around $12.

Our drink order and food order were promptly taken. We were short on time so all just took a main dish. We were in complete awe once they were delivered to us. I order the Deville Burger which is their basic burger coming with two patties, and it's pretty much fully loaded. It's so big, I had to remove a patty and a tomato just to get it into a more reasonable eating size. I tried to eat it by hand but it was so big I gave up and turned to a knife and fork. It was excellent but I thought the patty seemed a bit dry? Needless to say I ate the entire thing. (BTW - I'll be interested to see what Mr. Lew the great Montreal Burger Reviewer has to say on this one!) The fries are mini and were great. My friend had the club which was MASSIVE with fresh pulled chicken, and avocado. It looked amazing but I don't know how you could even attempt to eat that thing. The third plate was a huge salad which was also very good. The food was so impressive looking I actually took photos of it which I never do!

Service was prompt and we were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. It is a tad expensive, but considering my club sandwich (with questionable chicken) and salad from a food court comes to $10.75 I'll gladly pay $16 for a burger there.

Other fun stuff I just have to mention includes an option to choose the music played in the restaurant through your iphone! In addition, they have a really nice looking terrace in a courtyard so it is out of the traffic and commotion. It is going to be covered, heated and fully licensed so come spring I think I know where I will be heading for lunch (oh yeah... I'll have a newborn.. nevermind!)

Decor: Americana diner which sounds horrible but isn't so bad.
Service: Friendly, knowledgeable, and brisk.
Prices: I think they are fine for downtown. I would gladly pay for the quality of food here considering what's on offer downtown.
Food: Surprisingly good! I guess we were just expecting average stuff because of the type of restaurant but it was really good! Massive portions!
Good For: Lunch or drinks with friends. I would only go for a business lunch here if you really knew your contact and you were OK with them seeing you struggle to stuff a massive sandwich in your mouth!

ps sorry about the quality of the photos at the end.... iPhone at work.

Food Events Update - 5th November

2011-11-05T07:00:00.069-04:00

Fall Fairs
The Gazette has a VERY comprehensive link to Fall Fairs. I have only published a handful here that I feel are a bit more relevant or interesting but I am not showing 80% of what is on offer!

November

The Modern Baker with Pastry Chef Nick Malgieri - Saturday November 5th, 2:00 at Appetite for Books

Christmas Bazaar, November 5th, 10am - 3pm, St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church, 4020 Grand Blvd. - Pate, cheeses, canned goods, baked goods, danish crafts and food specialties including open faced sandwiches and layer cakes.

Annual bazaar, November 5th, sponsored by the Sons of Scotland Benevolent Association, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Scottish Centre of Montreal, 1610 Stephens Ave. Plaid Pad, baked goods, Kopper Kettle. Lunchroom.

Bazaar, November 5th, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. John's Lutheran Church, 3594 Jeanne Mance St. Handicrafts, baked goods, noodles, sausages. German style lunch.

Bazaar, November 5th, sponsored by Swiss Women's Club Edelweiss, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 375 Louise-Lamy, Dorval. Swiss baked goods and culinary specialties, crafts, handknits. Light Swiss style lunch.

Polish bazaar, November 5th & 6th, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., St. Antonin Church, 5361 Snowdon Ave. Serving hot and cold Polish dishes and desserts, amber jewellery, folk art, cosmetics, books.

Les Soirées Vino Mtl - Tuesday 8th November at Confusion Tapas du Monde

Vanishing of the Bees - Nov 10, 6:30 - A film presentation from the Concordia Food Studies group

Norwegian Christmas Sale, November 11th 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. & 12th 11am - 3pm., Norwegian Church, 5065 Sherbrooke St., Lachine. Norwegian foods, sweaters, cheese, chocolates. Cafeteria.

Christmas shopping sale, November 12th & 13th, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hungarian United Church, at Jean Talon and l'Acadie Blvds), Hungarian cuisine (eat in or take out), preserves, antiques, household items, jewellery.

Choc'Arôme - 19 November 2011, Centre Communautaire Notre-Dame, 655 rue Rilion, Saint Jérôme, 10:00 - 18:00

A chocolate exhibition including demonstrations.

Odd Bits with Author Jennifer McLagan - Saturday November 19th, 2:00 at Appetite for Books

Odd Bits n'Bites - Sunday Lunch - Sunday, November 20th at Grumman 78 HQ

Bazaar, November 26th, sponsored by the German Society of Montreal, noon to 6 p.m., T.M.R. Town Hall, 90 Roosevelt Ave., T.M.R. Christmas decorations, wreaths, cakes, torten, raffle. Hot meals.

Christmas bazaar, November 26th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Finnish Church Home, 1500 Dr. Penfield Ave. Baked goods, crafts, Finnish delicacies. Light lunch.

Tibetan bazaar, November 26th & 27th, sponsored by the Canada Tibet Committee and the Montreal Tibetan community, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Santa Cruz Church Hall, 60 Rachel St. W. Traditional arts ad crafts, Buddhist literature, clothing, jewellery and Himalayan cuisine. Admission: $5

Craft and food sale, November 27th, sponsored by the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, 1 to 4 p.m., 8155 Rousselot St. Handicrafts and food made by local Japanese artisans and bakers. Tearoom.

Bazaar, November 27th, sponsored by the Tekeyan Cultural Association, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 825 Manoogian St., St. Laurent. All new jewellery, coats, knitwear, clothing, baked goods, Armenian specialties. Lunch.

December

Tampopo - 1st December, 6:30 - A film presentation from the Concordia Food Studies group

Christmas bazaar, December 3rd, noon to 4 p.m., St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1720 Décarie Blvd., St. Laurent. German Christmas specialties, tombola, baked goods. Refreshments and lunch.

German Canadian Christmas market, December 3rd and 4th, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hemmingford Elementary School, 548 Champlain Ave., Hemmingford. Paintings, cards, jewellery, alpaca wool items, maple products. German style lunch.

Ukrainian bazaar, December 4th, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Pierrefonds Cultural Centre, 13850 Gouin Blvd. W. Frozen food, crafts, jewellery, baked goods, Ukrainian food specialties. Lunch.

Other:
Here's an article on the SAT's FoodLab for those who were wondering what it is! And here's another.

The Dinner Rush - Saturday's at 4:00 - a new Radio show on CJAD 800 AM with Joe Beef owners David McMillan and Frederic Morin

Musée de la Femme - various dates - 460, rue Saint-Charles Ouest, 4ième étage, Longueuil

Various exhibits going on celebrating women and food.

Restaurant Openings and Happenings:
GUU Izakaya is opening up next April at the U&Me Noodle location on Ste-Catherine and St-Marc

Fou d'Ici - 360 Maisonneuve - a new grocery store featuring local foods has opened up near Place des Arts Metro (Bleury and Maisonneuve). It looks promising but I haven't visited yet.

Sparta Rotisserie & Grill - 4024B Ste-Catherine West - not sure this city really needs a new rotisserie chicken place but apparently it's greek style.

Dishcrawl - Rosemont Style (aka Discover a Neighbourhood!)

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, ok, so I've been to Rosemont before but I signed up to the Rosemont Dishcrawl to learn more about the restaurants in the neighbourhood and walk around and discover an area I probably wouldn't have really visited. And that's the entire purpose of a Dishcrawl isn't it? Discovering new restaurants, meeting new people and checking out the 'hood!

So back to the beginning... a Dishcrawl is an organized event where you sign up online and then meet at a location which is revealed a couple of days in advance. From there you visit 3-4 restaurants all within walking distance tasting the food, and having a drink if you so choose (not included in the price). It really is a way to try out some restaurants that you would not have known about, and try some food that you may not have tried before. The menu is set before hand, but if you have any special dietary concerns (for example - I am pregnant) the organizer is happy to look into it.

We started at Avocado Traiteur which presented us with some nifty little appetizers. They specialize in catering and event planning and I certainly would consider them for my next event after the food we had. Next up we hit Silex Bistro du Monde which was a lovely little neighbourhood restaurant I would certainly visit again. Their gazpacho was amazing! Our third restaurant for our main dish was Le Cochon Braisé which served us a lovely grilled pork loin. We were surprised with a chocolate maker from Kanouga who offered us some very unusual chocolate combinations such as a very spicy poblano, a bloody mary and others. If you are looking for chocolates that are far from the usual, this is definitely it! Last up, the Dishcrawl hit Les Petits Gâteaux de MarieJo for cupcakes, which I heard were lovely. Unfortunately I, the pregnant and tired one, had to head home after the event filled evening.

It was a great evening, and I really got to explore an area I probably would never have visited. If you are keen on checking out some restaurants in a neighbourhood you are unfamiliar with, I urge you to check out Dishcrawl!

For more info on this event and others see the Dishcrawl website.

Quebec Producer: Brome Lake Duck

2011-11-02T07:30:00.001-04:00

What: Boneless Duck Breast from Brome Lake Ducks
Where Bought: Loblaws Cavendish, the meat section
How much: Each duck breast was between $6 - $6.50
Verdict: Good! I mean - if you cook it poorly, it ain't going to be any good is it?

Of course this one was going to come up! Brome Lake Ducks is a well known Quebec producer of all things duck including fresh meats, ready to eat meals, and rilettes in a jar. They even have what looks like duck jerky - smoked, dried and sliced duck breast.

Brome Lake Ducks has been in business since 1912 in Brome Lake. It isn't a tiny operation, and the website lists 200 employees, and in 2006 they raised 2,000,000 ducks (source here). I can't really comment on the way the ducks are raised. The website says the ducks are raised in optimal conditions, but I am not sure if these are optimal conditions for the duck or for the company. They appear not to be force fed, and the ducks also fatten naturally which all seems like good things.

I used this recipe to cook the duck which I would definitely repeat. I found it lacked a little sweetness so doubled the honey.

Food Events in Montreal - 31st October 2011

2011-10-31T07:00:00.044-04:00

A few more to add to the list!

November
Marché de Noël Alsacien - 24 November - 18 December, Sainte-Thérèse (See note below on Christmas Fairs!)

SAT Foodlab - 5 @ 8 Aperitivo - Friday October 21 - December 23
From their facebook page here: From Wednesday - Saturday from 5 to 8, the chefs Seth Gabrielse and Michelle Marek invite you to a culinary art experience! The wines and menu are available on their facebook page or here on their website.

Baking Demo and Book Signing with Nick Malgieri - Saturday November 5th, 2:00 - 4:00 Appetite for Books (Westmount) - See the facebook event page here

Le Tablée des Chefs - November 7th, (Quebec City Dec 6th)
7 Montreal chefs cook a 7 course meal for you with wine pairing. Tickets are $250 and all profits go to charity.

December
December has a plethora of Christmas Fairs. Please note that these are NOT necessarily food focused events, but there may be food sold or local artisans. If you are looking for purely a food event, these are not it!

Puces POP Craft & DIY Fair - December 10 & 11th, Saint-Enfant-Jesus Church, 5036 Saint-Laurent (between Laurier & St-Joseph)

January 2012
Montreal Snow Village - Complete with a restaurant and bar to open on Ile-Ste-Helene! See article here

Other news:
Chuck Hughes opening a new restaurant in Toronto? I know there are ALOT of Chuck Hughes fans from the traffic I see on my blog, so perhaps Torontonians will get their own resto!

Not an event but an offer - Auberge sur la Route is selling these cute chocolate christmas ornaments which you can personalize. There is a special offer if you order before 18th November.

En Route magazine has come out with Canada's Best New Restaurants for 2011 which I see was written by Sarah Musgrave who is the casual dining reviewer for the Gazette. It features Le Comptoir, Van Horne and Les 400 Coups. I note that one of the restos in Vancouver is called L'Abattoir which means slaughterhouse in French... a bit of an offputting name. In addition, in the UK people use the term abattoir in their regular English use so I can't imagine that it would be that attractive to the Brits either...

Christmas Hampers and Edible Gifts - Planning and Packaging

2011-10-30T07:10:00.000-04:00

Have you started thinking about your Christmas hamper and edible gifts? Believe it or not, it's already time to start planning. The best packaging is often found online which takes a while to deliver (especially around Christmas), and it's time to start collecting jars. In this post I am going to offer some planning and packaging ideas, with recipes to follow.

Last year I gave away quite a bit of food, and it was a real hit, with recipients quite frank in advising their favourites, and not so favourites. I was living in the basement of my husband's Aunt and Uncle at the time as we had just moved back from London, and I pretty much took over their kitchen going through an entire bag of flour, and sugar too! It was all worth it in the end, and despite some planning obstacles this year (like my sister getting married across the country a week before christmas!) I plan on trying to do my best to make even more. I'll redo a few favourites (fudge, toffee) and might skip some (marshmallows). I'll be sure to post recipes for the very best!

Planning

1. Start thinking about what you want to make and when you can make it. Some things can be made well in advance (freezer cookies that can be kept in the fridge up to 3 months and taken out at the last minute to cut and bake), while others keep only a few days.

2. What will your family and friends actually eat?

3. Who are you going to give your gifts to? Figure out quantities, and how many recipes you need. I suggest doing large batches of the recipes vs. many different recipes. For example, instead of making 10 recipes for 10 people, what about doing only 4 recipes but of larger quantities and dividing that.

4. Look at packaging early. Honestly, it sounds a bit crass but it really makes a gift great if it's nicely decorated, and it certainly does not need to be expensive. For example, start collecting jars for re-use. See below for ideas!

Packaging

1. Use jars for cookies, granola, etc.
To sterilize jars wash in hot soapy water, rinse well, and dry in the oven at 375F/180C for 10 minutes. To remove the smell from jars I put a little vinegar and a little baking powder in the jar (maybe 1tsp each). Fill the jar half up with water, shake and let sit overnight.

I think it's very cute to hide a lid with some brown paper, and then tie it off with twine or ribbon. You could use brown packing paper from Bureau en Gros, or Canada Post, or use parchment paper. See photo above!

2. Decorate paper bags with rubber stamps! Get creative! There are stamps available online at etsy and around town.

3. Martha Stewart has a great range of packaging materials that I found online at Golda's Kitchen (link below).

4. Use candy paper to wrap toffees and decorate with washi tape, available at Japanese stores, or Omer DeSerres. See this blog post here to see what I am talking about!

5. Last year I simply served my cookies on a green disposable plate, but used cellophane wrap (the kind that you often see around flowers, not Saran Wrap) and ribbon to wrap and create an elegant display. Available at Omer DeSerres.

6. Take advantage of free online printables for gift tags. See my resources below.

Resources
Bakery Twine:
Available in an array of colours from this Edmonton based Etsy shop, and really not expensive! I bought two 10 yard rolls and with shipping (within Canada) it was a total of $4.20. So many uses! See the shop Custom Cotton Etc

Stamps: I just used Etsy to search, but if any cute ones come up elsewhere I'll post them.
Old Island Stamp Company
Paper.Fruit.Hair
I also love these stamps from Yellow Owl Workshop and I know they are available at shops in Canada.

Washi Tape:
Omer Deserres
Try Japanese stores in your hometown (in Montreal there is a Japanese bargain store on Decarie south of Sherbrooke but I don't know if they carry Washi Tape)
Omiyage
Hach

Free Printable Gift Tags for Christmas:
I love these cute gift tags for Christmas!
Check out these ones from Wee Birdy
Check out these cute ones from Orange You Lucky
and here from Design*Sponge

Now you just need to make sure you have printer ink!

Packaging Supplies
Golda's Kitchen - sells toffee wrapping paper, Martha Stewart packaging, boxes for cookies and a whole plethora of other packaging supplies. I've ordered from them many times and had no issues.

All online shopping links are in Canada.

Quebec Producer - Le Coin Gourmand - Serge Boursier at Atwater Market

2011-10-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

What: Frozen Onion Soup from Serge Boursier
Where: Atwater Market (the stand with all the preserves next to the main stairs)
Cost: $3.50 each
Verdict: Surprisingly nice. I just put each of these into an oven proof container for about 30 minutes at 375F and they came out a charm. Not too salty, and I am pretty sure they were vegetarian with no beef stock added.

I actually found it harder than I thought to find Quebec products at Marché Atwater. Of course there is tons of produce and meats, but actual products was harder than I thought. I debated hard about getting a $10 box of tea, and then in a kind of panic bought these two onion soups for dinner which I admit are a bit of an unusual choice. I seem to recall M&M meats does something similar so I'd be interested to know the price there. Honestly, it was pretty good and I would buy these again.

Cooking Club - A good way to explore new food!

2011-10-24T07:00:00.009-04:00

I have been participating in a cooking club for the past year.What is a cooking club? Well, it's a pretty simple concept (although not always so simple in it's execution!) Essentially, around 8 people gather once a month (for us it's every first friday) at one of the members homes, and we all prepare a meal around a theme which we then eat. Sounds fun? It is! There are some rules though! As well, I have a lot of tips to make your cooking club run smoother. When we started out we were pretty much all new at the entire concept, which was pretty clear! Lots of running around and stress and calling out for ingredients. Now, things are smoother and much more fun! Just as I am about to retire for the life of a new mom... (for a few months anyways!)

Cooking Club Rules:
-The host cannot have ever made any of the recipes before
-The host most supply a copy of all recipes to each of the guests
-The host must supply all ingredients including alcohol or drinks
-The host does not cook. The job of the host is to find ingredients, cooking utensils, clean up, and fill drinks :)
-Each participant must give some money to the host to cover the cost of the evening. Our club is $30 per person but I can tell you that usually does not cover all the costs of the evening. I think $40 is more realistic. This may seem high, but the host will be sourcing all sorts of new ingredients, and supplying quite a bit of alcohol and the costs can really add up.
-8 people max. You'll see that 8 people cooking in your home is quite a bit!
-Usually each team of two has two recipes to make.

Format:
When guests first arrive, pre-prepared hors d'oeuvres should await them to eat right away. There should also be alcohol or some sort of drink readily available. :)
Participants are paired off and work together making the dishes in a team.

The whole night should revolve around a theme which is revealed to the cooking club members in advance. Some of our themes this year have been Peruvian, French, African, Turkish, Thai and most recently for halloween - black and orange foods (see photo above!). Themes do not have to be geographical. Other examples could include cheese, cooking with alcohol, seafood, comfort food, or raw. The opportunities are endless! It is also fun if the host decorates the home in this theme, or plays music related to it. You can see our host in the photo above really played up the theme and even asked us to come in costume.

The job of a host is a lot more difficult than you might imagine. It definitely takes some planning to have the evening run smoothly, and source all the ingredients. Do not leave it until the last minute as you will have a load of panic and unhappy guests on your hands!

After a year of participating I definitely have a few tips to make the evening run smoother! These were all learned through trials and tribulations:

My Cooking Club Tips for a Fun and Successful Evening!

Planning

Think about your recipes carefully! I cannot stress this enough!

Do you have some mains and some lighter sides? You don't want to end up with a bunch of mains. Not everything has to be fancy. A side of vegetables cooked a new way is just as good!
Do you have too much food? We often end up with extra food, which we will sometimes send home with guests.
Are your recipes using more than one method to be cooked? Five mains that need to be cooked on the stove is not workable. You will have way too many people crowded around the stove and not enough room. Try to have some raw dishes (salads, etc.), some in the oven, some stove top, and some even on the barbecue.

Your home - is there enough room for all 6-8 people?

We have had people host at a friends as they knew their home would be too crowded. Is there enough workable areas? Use all spaces - dining room, kitchen, and even outdoors if possible. Fighting for space to chop is often the largest issue.

Do you have enough cooking tools? Not enough chopping boards is a classic example. Almost every team will want to chop. Other things to watch out for is knives, and pots. Make sure you don't have 4 pasta recipes, and only one pot to boil pasta!
Do you know where everything is?
Do you have all of your ingredients? Have you double checked to make sure you have everything you need? Running out of flour or milk is a panic.
Do you have all the appliances and tools? If the recipe asks for a food processor or steamer do you have one? Do you have enough serving plates?
Easier recipes are better. Cooking club is about fun, not learning to become a master chef. Even a recipe which looks simple will take more time than you think. I feel that's always been the case for our club. Plus, people enjoy a bit of downtime to chat and catch up.
Do your recipes use many exotic ingredients which you will never use again? It's fine buying rosewater for that 1 tsp you need for a recipe, but will you ever use it again? You will inevitably end up buying a few of these types of ingredients, but if you have to buy 2-3 for every recipe your costs will easily start to skyrocket.
Do you know about everyones allergies or food issues? For example, now that I am pregnant I would certainly not participate in a sushi or oyster tasting night. We also have a girl who is allergic to peanuts.
Invite people over earlier rather than later. Our meet time is 6:00 - 6:30 and we realistically end up eating usually at 10:00.

Cooking Club Day

Set out all your ingredients grouped by recipe so they are easy to find. Also set out any obvious tools such as cutting boards, knives, measuring spoons and cups, mixing spoons and bowls.
Group your recipes so that they can be assigned to a team. Try and choose an easier recipe and a more difficult one to assign to one team. It's also good to assign recipes in a different timeline - for example a starter and a main, or a main and a desert.
The host should try to clean as they go. This is difficult as the host will literally be run off their feet, but helps with space and at the end of the night it will be easier to finish up the cleaning.
A big garbage bag well placed is essential.
Encourage your guests to taste as they go. No one will have probably ever tried these recipes before, so you never know what you are going to get. If something tastes bland, encourage your guests to use their judgement to jazz it up. At the end of the day, you want the food you eat to be tasty. This may seem to go against the grain of trying and following a new recipe, but these recipes can be pretty random and are not always great. That's just the way it is.

That's it! I encourage you to try it out as it's a fun way to get together with friends, try some new stuff out and have a good time. Pictures included in this post are from our most recent black and orange food cooking club!

If you are looking for a list of resources where to source your specialty ingredients, please see my Montreal Food Resources page.

ps On a personal note - today we find out if we are having a little girl or a little boy at our 21 week ultrasound! Ultrasounds are always super fun, and I can't wait for this one!

Montreal Food Events - New Events (23rd October 2011)

2011-10-23T07:59:00.001-04:00

As this is my FIRST Montreal Food Events post, I have quite a few, but I imagine after this it will slow down... Again - if you have any events you want included please let me know! It will reach an audience of millions! (OK - maybe not...) As you can see, I mostly have big name events, but I am also keen on smaller neighbourhood events so if you know any let me know. Email me at mmlrenault@gmail.com

2011
October
Salon des Vins et Fromages du Québec - 21, 22 and 23 October 2011, Complexe Desjardins

La Grande Dégustation de Montréal - 27 - 29 October, Palais des Congrés de Montréal
Showcasing 250 vintners, distillers and brewers - so a pretty massive event! This year the country of focus is France.

November
The Nutcracker Market - November 24th - December 4th, Palais des Congrés de Montréal
Not a purely food event, but a market selling all sorts of unique gifts including food.

December
Salon des Métiers d'Art du Québec - Dec 2nd - 22nd
A professional craft sale showcasing 450 exhibitors including some food exhibitors.

2012
February
Montreal High Lights Festival - February 16 - 26, 2012
Unsurprisingly, the program is not out yet... but watch this space! A major event on the Montreal Food Event Calendar.

Mondial de la bière - Montreal Beer Festival - June 6 - 12

March
Expo Manger Santé et Vivre Vert - March 16 - 18, Palais des Congrés de Montréal

May

Table of Hope - 22nd May

Raising money for disadvantaged school aged children and eating great food! There are 40 restaurants with food available to ticket holders.

Summer

Diner en Blanc - sometime in the summer of 2012

This is a crazy event where you wear white, bring a picnic and dine under the stars with thousands (yes - 2011 had 3000 people). There is a waiting list, so check out the website for details!

Watch this space for more info!

August
Montréal's Italian Week - August 10 - 19, 2012

September

Festival Oktoberfest des Québécois - 7 - 9 September 2012, Repentigny

November

La Grande Dégustation de Montréal, November 1 - 3, Palais des Congrés de Montréal

Ongoing
Local Montréal - Montreal Brewpub Experience & Montreal Pubcrawl

Dishcrawl Montreal
A hugely popular monthly event to discover some new food and make some new friends!

Food Events in Montreal

2011-10-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

One of my goals when I started this blog was to get more involved with food events in Montreal. It was also to have a blog which consolidated all food events so that they were easy to find. When I was in London trying to find Montreal food events back before we moved, I could find no major source. And now I see why! I have been less than successful in posting (and attending!) Montreal food events this past year. The reason is mostly because frankly, it is not as obvious as it looks consolidating Montreal food events, and second, well I am busy and can't always attend!

However, I hope to change all that and be a bit more on the ball. Plus, I hope to be able to attend more events (I say that as I am nearing my 6 months of pregnancy...! ha!)

I hope to send out an email once a week with any Montreal food events I find, plus have a page at the top which keeps track of all these events. Time, and actually finding these events is of course my enemy but I will do my best.

In addition, if you have any events you think Montrealers would enjoy, please send my way! Email me at mmlrenault@gmail.com (it'll make my job easier!)

And lastly, me posting these events of course in no way qualifies the quality of them - I post as I see it!

Kitchen Renos and Restaurant Reviews

2011-10-22T04:30:00.002-04:00

Wow - I haven't been very good at restaurant reviews lately, which I know is one of the main reasons many of you read this blog. Personal circumstances I am afraid were at play. While I have been pregnant my appetite, and taste buds have been off. I recently threw up after visiting a well known restaurant, but did not feel it was fair to provide a poor review just because I couldn't handle the food (although the food was average). In addition, we have had other personal circumstances which means that our nights and days were taken (my mother-in-law recently passed away).

However, that is about to change and I have a bunch of reservations on the books. Plus, we are redoing our kitchen! Starting Monday! Yikes! Restaurants here we come!

We hired a very well known and established interior designer (OK - she's a friend but she's excellent! let me know if you want her details!) to basically do our entire kitchen renovation (SOO worth it!) One of the first questions she asked was what our wish list was. Holy - what do you say to that? I suppose I never really thought of it! In the end we decided on some open shelving, high cabinets (although they will not be totally to the ceiling), and a black board on one wall. I don't think things like more counter space and room are really part of a wish list - it's more stuff that should always go along with a new kitchen - no?

What would be on your dream kitchen wish list? A high end oven? A special drawer for spices? Built in speakers?

BTW on our chalkboard we are going to have these decals - aren't they cute?

ps Can you say pregnancy burst of energy? I think I've put out more posts in the past week than all summer!

Quebec Producer: Les Delices de l'Ïle d'Orléans

2011-10-20T07:00:00.002-04:00

What: Cornichons à l'ancienne by Les Delices de l'Île d'Orléans
Where Bought: Loblaws Cavendish, in the deli section
Cost: $6.99
Verdict: The mini-est cornichons I've ever seen! A lovely taste, and certainly something you wouldn't get from one of the industrial producers. As they are pricey, I would save them for guests (I am thinking raclette, or as an hors d'oeuvre), or they would be lovely in a gift hamper.

As promised, I am going to try and start showcasing local producers and ingredients. I am going to try and focus on products that can be found in the larger supermarkets, as realistically that is where most people shop. However, I do believe in supporting independents and I will be of course visiting those too.

I thought it would be harder to find local ingredients at my Loblaws but in fact it was fairly easy. I found these pretty quick in the deli section. There were quite a few products available from these producers including mustards, and looking on their website (French only) they offer a very large range of products from vinegars to terrine. As you can imagine, they are based our of the Île d'Orléans, and have been in business since 1996. After tasting these, I am tempted to try out some of their other products too.

Embracing Montreal and It's Food

2011-10-19T07:00:00.006-04:00

I originally started this blog because I wanted to embrace local food and experiences here in Montreal and Canada after having them while living in London. This includes local restaurants, ingredients, recipes, cookbooks and foods. The Brits have really embraced and brought back British cooking and local ingredients. I am seeing this attitude in Canada too with local cuisine, recipes and ingredients shining through. We also have a whole host of local cookbooks - the Marché Jean Talon cookbook is the latest example (Christmas gift for me anyone?)

I was thinking last night about how I could focus more on this here, when I read a post from the blog Ici et Here on Finding Sustainable Food in Montreal. I love the article, and will be incorporating some of her ideas on my Resources page, but I wish that these goods were also found in some of the bigger chains like Loblaws where, let's face it, most of the population shop. I'd love to head to Atwater every weekend, but it's just not going to happen. Therefore, one of my goals is to feature an item or ingredient of note that fits into one of the local/sustainable/ethically sourced criteria but can be found in the larger chains in addition to featuring goods found in the smaller independent retailers.

In the meantime, I will try and continue to offer what I hope to be interesting and useful articles and in addition to try and promote more of Montreal and local food. I have some ideas that I will be trying out and in addition I welcome your ideas.

If you know of any local ingredients, retailers, or food which you believe should be featured let me know. I am pretty wide with my local, and will be looking at products from across Canada and even the North-East USA.

For more info check out The Mindful Table for some great articles on Sustainable Food and Dining in Canada!

Also check out the website EatLocal which is not yet launched but certainly looks promising!

Fresh Tomato Sauce Pasta - A Wonderful Way with Tomatoes

2011-10-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

I love fresh tomatoes, although I think I may have missed the boat a little on tomato season here in Montreal. If anyone still has fresh tomatoes to use up, this is a quick, fantastic and way more delicious than it looks recipe for fresh tomato pasta sauce. I use it time and time again and it never fails to wow. Don't be scared about the salt or oil content - it is amazing and doesn't taste oily. Plus I think the salt and oil help break down the tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Fine Cooking, August/September 2007, p. 39

2 lbs (900 grams) tomatoes (3-4)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Core and dice your tomatoes.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the ingredients as well as the cooked pasta.
Let the sauce sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to 3 hours. The ingredients will begin to breakdown and get all saucy so this is an important step.
Cook your favourite pasta and combine with the sauce.

So easy and so delicious! I've used any type of pasta with this, although spaghetti probably doesn't pick up the chunky sauce as well as a larger type pasta. I've also used dried spices instead of fresh and it was fine. Obviously just don't use 1/3 cup of dried basil - 1-2 tbsp dried basil should be fine.

ps I love my new Speedflash! I dismantled the 'photography studio' for the nursery which I used for all my previous natural light photos. I took these at night and I think they look pretty good - no need to wait until the weekend any more. Thanks to my wonderful husband for the gift :)

The Pregnant Food Blogger

2011-10-08T10:51:00.000-04:00

OK, so I am pregnant. 18 weeks to be exact. I've watched as other food bloggers who are also pregnant (Lake Jane, Under the High Chair, Strawberry Chic) have continued to blog away and even talk about how healthy they are eating, while I have been stocking up on all sorts of stuff I haven't eaten for the last 15 years such as Pizza Pockets, Eggos, and ice cream sandwiches. I am also spending a fair amount of time on the couch. and in bed... at 8:30...

I certainly couldn't review a restaurant during my first trimester considering the state I was in (I once threw up when looking at a chicken breast - sorry to my dear husband who put so much effort into making it), and I dismantled my photography studio in the spare bedroom to get a nursery set up. Needless to say, the experimental National Dish project took a back shelf pretty quick.

I am still not as energetic about it all even though I feel pretty fine now and am wondering about the direction of this blog... I certainly don't want to turn it into a mommy blog, but I do feel that as my life changes to focus around my new family so will my energies and interests.

I am just going to play it by ear and see how it goes. Hopefully I will be able to continue my one post a week, as I do enjoy it and getting the feedback that goes with it. I already have ideas for a few posts, and with this long weekend hopefully I will get something out.

In the meantime - Happy Thanksgiving!! And a big thank you to Jess from Bread & Molasses for encouraging me to keep going!

Sorry about the Absence!

2011-09-08T19:15:00.000-04:00

So, it's been a while since I posted anything which is down to stuff going on in my personal life. I will try and post something new soon, but I just wanted to put out the word that I haven't abandoned the blog!

Steamed Artichokes with an Easy Mayo Dip

2011-07-24T19:43:00.000-04:00

Artichokes are lovely, but many people are intimidated by cooking fresh artichokes and tend to go the canned artichoke route. I have to admit, they are large, prickly, and a little bit scary looking but they are also fairly easy and a great snack. In fact, I tend to crave artichokes and when I saw fresh ones for sale this past weekend, I couldn't resist.

First things first, those artichokes need to be trimmed! After thoroughly washing the artichokes, get yourself a good pair of kitchen scissors and snip about 1 inch of the top. I find this quite difficult and had to do a little bit at a time. Next trim the stem so it is flat, and remove some of the stray looking bottom leaves. As you are doing this, you are supposed to be rubbing the artichoke in lemon juice to prevent discolouration but I don't worry that much about these sort of things.

Next step is to get about an inch of water and about 2 tbsp of lemon juice on the boil. You can either put your artichokes straight in sitting them on your bottom, or if you have a steamer basket place them on that with their stem end in the air. I also put a few squirts of lemon juice right on them for flavour.

They will need to steam for about 30 - 40 minutes and are cooked when a knife inserted into the base goes in easily.

Let these cool about before you dig in! To begin eating, take a leaf, put the bottom end in your mouth between your teeth and pull back retaining a little of the fleshy bit at the bottom. You will be left with most of the leaf and will have just scraped off the bottom. Continue all the way around working your way into the middle. When you reach the middle, you will have a center with a bunch of prickly hairs. Cut out all of these hairs from the centre and lightly trim along the bottom of the artichoke removing all leaves so that you are just left with the delicious choke.

If this all seems confusing, check out this pictorial.

For the dipping sauce, I just winged it and it was lovely.

Artichoke Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp of grainy mustard

Mix!

This should be good for around two artichokes.

Enjoy!

Le Bremner - Chuck Hughes new Seafood Restaurant in Old Montreal

2011-07-16T09:47:00.001-04:00

La Bremner is Chuck Hughes latest restaurant venture. Located in Old Montreal near the Bonsecours Market, it offers a wonderful atmosphere and some fantastic inventive food which is mostly seafood focused. Highly recommended.

Le Bremner
361 St. Paul East
Montreal H2Y 1H2
514-544-0446

Excellent+

Le Bremner must be the most low key restaurant opening in recent history. No web page, no announcement, and not even a sign on the restaurant. However, with Chuck Hughes successful restaurant Garde Manger, plus a cooking show on the Food Network, other televised appearances and a cookbook, he didn't need to go crazy on the marketing. I found it by doing a search on Twitter, and then having a colleague who lived nearby make a reservation in person. Annoying, but worth the effort. And the restaurant itself was about 90% full which is a testament to his popularity. Wondering how anyone would have ever found it, our waitress said a lot of the customers were people who could not get a reservation at Garde Manger.

The restaurant itself reminds me a lot of Garde Manger except it is in a basement. Stone walls, very small (I think inside sat around 40), and a buzzing atmosphere. There is a very cute covered terrace in the back that has it's own bar, so near fear of being abandoned by servers. The lamps are mismatched, and he threw in a few 80's chandeliers. Very cute.

The menu is amazing, and for the first time in a long time I was very excited to see what the food would be like. The menu is made up of different sections of plates meant for sharing. They are all the same size so no appetizers vs mains. The menu itself is split into Chilled Items (ex. raw albacore tuna), From Outside (ex. oysters), Bread & Cheese (ex. bacon cheddar focaccia with scallions), From the Stovetop (ex. naan pizza), From the Broiler (ex. spicy bass with edamame), Vegetables (ex. rapini with anchovies and chopped eggs) and Dessert. Items range from $10 - $40. In addition, the items under the From Outside section can be ordered in single units meaning that you can choose a certain number of oysters, scallops or clams. The cocktails are made using the restaurants own home made sodas which was a nice touch although we did not try them. The wine list was a touch on the expensive side starting at $40 up to $120, and the Sparkling Wine started at $35 up to $140. The Chenin Blance we chose at $53 was super. Our server recommended about 3 plates each, but we only had 2 each and we were full so the portions are substantial.

We started with oysters from Nova Scotia. I insisted on ordering only one as I usually hate oysters (something to do with a bad experience doing an oyster vodka shot I think) but they were so amazing I had 2 and could have probably eaten all 6. A-ma-zing. Next up was a Seafood Terrine served with a sweet relish to balance the saltiness of the terrine. The relish was a nice and necessary touch, and the presentation was lovely but the taste was not as amazing as the other dishes we tried. We then had the Focaccia with Bacon and Scallions (and cheese I think) which again was fabulous. To take something as simple as focaccia and make it taste that good was a revelation. I was expecting some focaccia with baked in bacon in a basket and instead it was a dish on its own. The mussels were excellent, although not as noteworthy, and the bass was good too but not really spicy (or did I miss taking an accompaniment from the dish?). We got some duck fat roasted potatoes which were good, but nothing too special. Surprisingly, the other stand out dish was an avocado, tomato and cucumber salad with buttermilk dressing. The vegetables were unbelievably fresh, and the dressing was perfect. We ended with the Tollhouse Cookie which is made to order (read: long wait) and was perhaps the only letdown as it was super salty (although I am sure some you salt addicts out there would be in heaven). We suspect they used salted instead of unsalted butter. I wonder if this was how it was supposed to be?

The service was faultless. There was a very high server to patron ratio meaning that you were never trying to chase anyone down. The waitress knew what she was talking about and could answer very specific questions which is pretty amazing considering they'd only been open a week and a half. Chuck was there working the room as well, obviously knowing many of the customers. The music was eclectic and amazing adding to the atmosphere. They played everything from reggae (Redemption Song anyone?) to Dolly Parton (Jolene - I was so happy when it came on!). Writing this, it sounds super cheesy, but it wasn't.

I am always a bit sceptical about going to places which are considered the next big thing, as so often the hype does not live up. However, I have to give credit to Chuck Hughes. The food was very well thought out, and he obviously cares about it. He is not relying on his reputation to draw in the crowds. The restaurant is still very small and cozy where I am sure he could fill a place 5 times the size. There were plenty of staff making each table feel very well served, and the atmosphere had an amazing positive friendly vibe. It was almost as if everyone knew they were trying something new and special and were privileged to be one of the first to try it.

My only gripe, and this is for all restaurant owners (and something I've been meaning to say for a while). The bathrooms are in the restaurant and open straight onto the room. The locks are those type where you just turn the button in the middle of the knob. I don't know about you, but I am always super paranoid the lock does not work and someone is going to open the door and the whole restaurant is going to see me on the toilet. Chuck, it costs about $1 to install a little loop and hook latch. Just physically seeing it is shut will be highly appreciated by your customers. Please consider it!

Wow, longest post ever. If you didn't feel like reading all that, just go and experience it yourself! Probably one of my top restaurant experiences ever.

Decor: Cozy and intimate. It was not yet as much of a bar vibe as Garde Manger but I can see it heading there.
Service: Faultless and friendly. I hope once the restaurant gets busier he can keep the service level to the same standard.
Prices: One of my friends who visited said for him it came to $75 per person for wine, food and tip and that is exactly what it came to for us too. So, not an every day outing, but I'd gladly pay that again for the quality of food and service. Granted, this could go up quite a bit depending on what was chosen on the menu and the choice of wine.
Food: Excellent. Some dishes shone brighter than others but the overall standard was very high.
Good For: Anyone. I did not find it too loud (although again it was not yet at full capacity, and the music got noticeably louder around 10:00), and it did not have a too trendy vibe. Large groups might be difficult as it is a small restaurant, but I am sure up to around 8 could be accommodated. As a note, I would say if you don't like seafood it may not be the place for you. There were a few meat items, but it was definitely not the focus of the menu.

National Dish of France - Crêpes

2011-07-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

So, I know everyone will not agree that the National Dish of France is crêpes but hear me out:

1. I have put my husband through food hell with these last few dishes, and I thought he deserved a break.
2. To be fair, crêpes did come up a fairly large number of times as France's national dish during my internet research, although perhaps Pot au Feu came up a few times more :)
3. It's hot - I don't really feel like sitting inside watching boiling meat.
4. Crêpes are a household favourite and we have them nearly every weekend. For once, this meal was a pleasure to eat and as a super bonus - it was my husband that made it!

If you talk to anyone who has had the pleasure of eating at our house they will tell you that my husband makes fantastic crêpes, and, alas, he does not reveal the recipe. So, I turned to my trusty Mastering the Art.

Crêpes

adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1

1 cup cold water

1 cup cold milk

4 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

4tbsp melted butter

Blend the first 4 ingredients
Add the flour, and then the butter and blend until there are no lumps.
Let sit for around 1/2 hour.
Oil or butter your frying pan and heat at moderately high.
When the pan is just beginning to smoke pour 1/4 cup batter into the frying pan.
Immediately lift the pan up and tilt it on all angles so the batter spreads out thinly along the bottom of the frying pan.
Cook for about a minute and check the bottom of the crêpe. If it is a nice brown, turn the crêpe over. You can do this with a fork, spatula, or as suggested by MTA your fingers.
Brown lightly for about 30 seconds on the other side.
Proceed one by one with the rest of the batter.

Notes: One side of the crêpe will be much darker than the other (as can be seen in the photo above). You can keep the crêpes warm in an oven set on low. According to the cookbook crêpes freeze but I've never bothered. As you can see from above, we eat our crêpes usually with maple syrup and strawberries. We have been also known to go for the ham, cheese and maple syrup option which is great too.

All links are part of Roasted's Amazon Affiliated shop.

Lithuania's National Dish - Cepelinai (Zeppelins) Potato-Meat Dumplings

2011-07-04T07:30:00.000-04:00

Lithuania's National Dish is Cepelinai (or Zeppelins) which are Potato-Meat Dumplings. This dish was cited pretty much unanimously on the web as the National Dish of Lithuania. Perhaps now everyone can see why I was putting this one off. On a hot summer day, heavy potato dumplings don't really come to mind. Plus, I am pretty sure I have eaten this exact thing already, except it was Norwegian and called Klub. So, I know what to expect!

Lithuanian Cepelinai (Potato-Meat Dumplings)
Adapted from an amalgamation of various recipes on the web but mostly from About.Com
This represents a 1/2 recipe

4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled, grated, and blended into a mush (applesauce consistency)
1 large Idaho potato, peeled, boiled and riced
1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp salt

Meat:
1/2 pound ground pork
1 small onion
1/2 tsp salt
little pepper
1 small egg

Gravy:
1/4 pound bacon, diced
1 small chopped onion
1 cup sour cream
pepper to taste

1tbsp cornstarch

Mix all meat ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.
Add a drop or two of lemon juice to the grated and mushed potatoes so they don't turn brown. Place in a cheesecloth or cotton dish towel and twist to get rid of excess water. Do this in small batches. I did about 1/2 potato per squeeze. Pour off water, and reserve the potato starch at the bottom of the bowl.
Unwrap cheesecloth and place potatoes in bowl with potato starch, riced boiled potatoes, grated onion and salt. Mix well.
Put a large stockpot of water on to boil.
To form Cepelinai, take about 1 cup of dumpling mixture and pat it flat in the palm of the hand creating a disk. Place 1/4 cup meat mixture in centre and using slightly dampened hands fold the potato mixture around the meat into a football shape sealing well.
Carefully lower dumplings into salted, boiling water to which 1 tbsp cornstarch has been added (to prevent dumplings from falling apart).
Make sure water returns to the boil and continue boiling for 45 minutes. Gently turn as they cook to try. Remove dumplings and drain on a clean dish towel.
While dumplings are boiling make the gravy. Fry the bacon and onion until tender. Drain and combine with sour cream and black pepper. Thin with 1-2tbsp milk if necessary.

Verdict:

Sauce 8/10 - C'mon, it's bacon, onion and sour cream!

Ceplinai 1/10 - Probably the least appropriate thing to make for what is so far Montreal's most humid day of the year - or does it just feel like that after standing over a pot full of boiling glutinous balls of potato? The texture is really horrific, and without the sauce I am going to say it is pretty much inedible. And yes, it's pretty much the same as the Norwegian Klub. It took ages and squeezing out all that potato water was an absolute mess. Never again...

Hakata Ramen - A New Japanese in Downtown Montreal!

2011-07-01T09:02:00.001-04:00

Hakata Ramen is a lovely Japanese restaurant mostly serving large bowls of Ramen - Japanese soup with noodles, and a variety of vegetables, meat or seafood. The price is very affordable for a very filling and pleasant Japanese experience.

Hakata Ramen
1216 Stanley, #200
Montreal H3B
514-759-6688

Good

I wanted to try this place out, and ended up going in a group with nine of my colleagues for my first visit. Hmm, probably dragging along such a large group to a restaurant you've never visited is probably not the best way to go about things, but the reviews seemed good and the suggested alternative could only be worse.

Located on the second floor in a building just down the street from Parée, the location is nicer than I was expecting. It is also quite large, and I must say that for a fairly new restaurant it was pretty full (the picture below was after everyone left!)

The speciality of the place is definitely ramen which makes up most of the menu. For non-noodle lovers, there is also regular dishes like Teriyaki Chicken, Chicken Skewers etc. We went with the lunch menu which is a pretty amazing deal. Two pieces of bonito crusted tofu (the tofu was amazingly soft), soup or salad and a main for between $10.50 and $11.95 depending on the main chosen. With tip it came to about $15 but when you think your average 'salad and two salads' deal in a food court is $9 it's pretty good.

I liked it but wouldn't say I fell in love with it. I had the crispy chicken ramen, and the chicken was amazing but I wasn't over the moon about the broth. I felt it could have had a little more oomph to it. It was still good though. My colleagues liked it (phew) with some of the pickiest eaters giving a thumbs up.

The service was just OK. My colleagues were all served about 10 minutes before me which isn't great. Hopefully this is a new restaurant thing, and they will iron it out. I'd like to go back and try some of the non-ramen dishes which also looked good.

Overall, I'd say that I would definitely go back as the price was right, the decor was nice, and the food was good. However, I would probably not run back :)

Decor: Better than I expected for a second floor restaurant in this area of Montreal. Pretty nice.
Service: Worse than average. Perhaps it was also because we were nine but I don't think this should be an excuse.
Prices: Amazing really. A good lunch time deal especially.
Food: Good. I only tried the crispy chicken ramen, but my colleagues all had a bit of everything and everyone was happy.
Good For: Tourists looking for a filling meal, lunch with girlfriends and colleagues. For a business lunch, it may be a bit awkward slurping all those noodles :)

Make Your Own Chipotles en Adobo!

2011-06-30T17:52:00.001-04:00

A while back I reviewed the cookbook Mexican Food Made Simple which is a great little book. Many of the recipes call for Chipotles en Adobo, and instead of buying the canned stuff I knew I wanted to make my own.

This isn't the first time I've made Chipotles en Adobo. I did so back when I was living in London and I ordered my peppers online from the South Devon Chilli Farm which I highly recommend. This time around I headed to Atwater market. I went into Les douceurs du marché hoping to find my chipotles, and I did. I took a double look thinking they looked strange, but it said chipotle on the bag so I bought them. As I was cooking, I knew something was not right. Turns out there are two varieties of chipotles - the meco variety which is tan or the morita variety which are more purpleish. I had always used the morita variety, and according to wikipedia almost all of the meco variety is consumed in Mexico. Somehow I managed to end up cooking with the meco though. I don't know if they are interchangeable (I couldn't find any info on it), but the morita is certainly more appealing visually and what I am more used to. In the future, I'll try and find the morita. But that's going to be a long time from now as this recipe makes a lot!

It's not too hard nor too long (although set aside about an hour). Unfortunately, you can't water bath can these due to the pH. I put mine in tiny jars and froze most of them, although I imagine they'd stay pretty long in the fridge as well. They also make great gifts, although I imagine most people would probably wonder what to do with it! You can use it in stews, pasta sauces, mayonnaise and even dressings.

Chipotles en Adobo
adapted from Mexican Food Made Simple

Makes around 1L

200g chipotle chillies (around 65 of the purpleish morita variety)
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
a head of garlic, roughly chopped
3tbsp fresh oregano or some dried oregano
2 tbsp thyme leaves
2 bay leaves (fresh if you can)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds crushed
4 tbsp olive oil
350 ml white wine vinegar
50ml balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp tomato purée
7 tbsp demerara sugar or palm sugar
2 tbsp sea salt

Wash the chipotles in cold water and drain. Do not forget this step, as you will be amazed how dark the water gets!
Snip off the stalk end of each chilli with scissors. This allows the seeds to escape.
Cover the chillies with water in a medium pan and simmer 30 - 40 minutes until soft. When soft, drain and rinse off any excess seeds.
Put the onion, garlic, herbs and cumin in a blend with 200ml water and 6 of the softened chillies. Blend until in a paste.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan until it is smoking hot. Add the chilli paste and fry for around 3 minutes. Remember to stir.
Add the vinegars, tomato puree, sugar, salt, and another 100ml of water. Cook for 5 minutes then add the rest of the chillies. Cook another 15minutes.
At this point I always puree the entire thing. You are usually asked to add pureed chillies en Adobo in a recipe anyways, so it's just as easy to do it at this stage.

Quebec Strawberries means Strawberry Jam of course!

2011-06-27T07:30:00.005-04:00

Quebec strawberries are out in full force and I intend to can as many as possible. These strawberries are just too good to not be able to have year round, so for me this means strawberry jam. Canning strawberry jam is not as difficult as it sounds, but it does take some time. However, for me the rewards are worth it.

Last weekend I made some Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam from the Bernardin website. While it was good, I wanted to make something a little less sweet and with a few more chunks of fruit.

I was constantly searching for canning recipes on my ipod, so I broke down and bought the Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. Unfortunately, I did not use a recipe from this book in the end (although I will, I already have tons bookmarked). I was wary of all the sugar, not simply due to the fact that it was a lot of sugar (in some of the recipes there is more sugar than fruit!) but I simply prefer less sweet stuff. Instead I turned to the trusty Food In Jars blog for my strawberry jam recipe.

Strawberry Jam (Liquid Pectin Method)
(adapted from the Food in Jars blog)

9-10 cups hulled and halved strawberries
A few drops of vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
5 cups granulated sugar (split into 2 cups and 3 cups)
2 lemons zested and juiced
2 packets liquid pectin*
8 250ml jars

Mix berries with 2 cups sugar and the vanilla bean (or drop a few drops extract) and mash a little with a potato masher. Leave overnight to macerate.
The next day, if using the vanilla bean, remove squeezing out the seeds.
Fill your canning pot with 2/3 water and bring to a boil on the stove top. Make sure there is a rack at the bottom of the pot so the jars are not resting directly on the bottom.
Put berries, the rest of the sugar (3 cups), lemon zest and juice in a different large pot and cook over medium-high heat for about fifteen minutes slowly bringing to a boil. Fruit should start to look syrupy.
While cooking, you can use the back of a spoon to crush some of the fruit, or an immersion blender but don't go overboard as you want some chunks.
Bring to a boil and squeeze in the pectin.
Skim off the foam with a large spoon.
Let boil for 10 more minutes. You should have such a boil that you cannot stir down for at least one minute. To test for doneness try the jam readiness test which in my case is to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Draw your finger down. If it doesn't fill again and leaves an empty space the jam is ready.
Lay out your clean jars. You will need approximately 8 250ml jars.
Put the lids of the canning jars in a saucepan of hot water to soften the sealing compound.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil in case you need to top up your canning pot.
Fill the jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace and wipe the edge with a towel dipped in boiled water. Top with lids and screw on rings. Place jars on a rack in the canning pot so they are not directly touching the bottom. Carefully lower jars into the water once you have all your jars full. At this point make sure your jars are topped by at least 2 inches boiling water. Top up with water from your kettle if need be.
Process for ten minutes in boiling water. When the time is up, turn off the stove and let them sit in the water for around 5 minutes. Remove and set on a folded towel on the counter. They should ping fairly quickly. If not you must refrigerate them and use them within 1-2 days.

*I read in the Bernardin book that the amount of pectin if it varied by a few grams (or ml) is not a big deal. I used Bernardin brand pectin which is 85ml a pouch.

Notes: I actually didn't use the full five cups of sugar, I maybe used only three because the berries were so sweet. However, sugar is a preserving agent so I feel that it is negligent to recommend less than the amount in the recipe. My jam still turned out fine, but for preservation sake you may want to go with the full 5 cups.

For more info on canning so my previous post here.

The link to the cookbook is part of our Amazon Affiliates shop.

Canning - A New Adventure

2011-06-20T07:30:00.007-04:00

First Attempt!

I've decided to try my hand at canning (can you tell that I am putting off the next country for my National Dish Project?) It's a bit unfortunate that canning is a summer activity, as it's hot work. I made pickles today and I had to have two giant pots of water on the go (one to sterilize the jars and lids, and another to seal the jars), plus another to get the brine solution going.

As a first project, I probably shouldn't have but I winged it. I've been reading the fabulous blog Food in Jars but as a Canadian I am finding it very hard to get my head around all the measurements and brands. The references to pints and quarts are a little beyond me. All the jars for sale here are in millilitres whereas the recipes make references to pints which makes it tricky trying to find the right size jars. As well, I am nervous that the brands I am using will be slightly off as well. Is my packet of liquid pectin in Canada the same as that in the US? All this resulted in a lot of guess work for my first attempt. But, it was only 5 small jars so if it's disgusting it's not soo bad.

It looks like jam is a bit trickier so I am going to go straight to the source and the Bernardin website ('Because You Can') which is the brand of liquid pectin I already bought. The amount of sugar required in the recipes is a little shocking, but I don't think it's something you can really mess around with as apparently you need it for the pectin to work. Perhaps with a little more confidence I'll start trying to reduce the sugar. I was wondering why there were bulk bags of sugar below the canning jars at my local Loblaws, now I see!

I bought all my kit at Canadian Tire and frankly it's the only place I saw anything for sale (granted, I didn't check out Zellers). However, I see that as a tip on the Bernardin website instead of buying a circular rack for the bottom of the canning pot, you can just tie together a bunch of the metal rings to set on the bottom of the pot to elevate the jars.

I am currently on the lookout for a Canadian canning blog. Any suggestions? Or has anyone had luck using American canning recipes and Canadian brands? To add to this, I sneaked a home preserving book from my parents a while back. It's from 1984 (never used!) and is British.... I see that you aren't supposed to use any cookbook from before 1989 (apparently some rules changed then) so I'll be careful.

Useful canning resources I've found on the web so far:
Food In Jars
Bernardin
Simple Bites - 7 Ways to Get Yourself Together for the Canning Season
Hitchhiking to Heaven

Does anyone know of any good Canadian canning resources in addition to Bernardin?

ps If you are wondering what recipe I very loosely followed it's this one. I know, doesn't even remotely look the same, does it!

Cayman - An Island with Great Affordable Restaurants!

2011-06-14T20:29:00.002-04:00

Cayman is a fantastic, small Caribbean Island located just below Cuba. It has a reputation for being very expensive, and it can be, but with a little local knowledge I discovered that it has some fantastic restaurants that are very affordable. In fact, we chose to go to Cayman because we have friends living on island and we knew they would be able to point us in the right direction. Local knowledge can be everything, especially when you are visiting somewhere that has the potential to break the bank!

Here are some of our top picks:

Sunshine Grill

Located off Seven Mile Beach behind the Falls Shopping mall complex across from the Westin and just west of the Ritz (the largest hotel on Island - you can't miss it!). Go behind the strip mall to the Sunshine Suites condos and keep walking. When you see the pool it's just next to it. This was by far our favourite restaurant on island and was very affordable considering the quality of food. The menu is Caribbean in flavour and our favourites were the fish tacos, beef quesadillas and the Sunshine Snapper Sandwich (all at CDN 14). Really, don't miss it. And as a bonus they give you a mini ice cream cone with all sorts of original flavours, our faves were the pumpkin and chocolate/banana/peanut combo.

Calico Jacks

Located on Seven Mile Beach if you feel like having some seaside drinks. The best food on the menu is the quesadilla's and the wraps (which aren't actually on the menu - you have to ask :). A very chilled relaxed atmosphere that's got a great vibe. This is on the beach quite a bit west a bit before cemetery beach. Take the mini-bus or walk.

Yoshi's Sushi

Yes, I am recommending a sushi joint! A cool atmosphere you wouldn't expect on island, and some great affordable sushi. Our friends strongly recommended it and we were a bit hesitant but glad we went. This is located in the same complex as Eats (a diner), and Legends which is basically an expat bar. We went there to watch the hockey game and felt as if we were back in Canada. I didn't try Eats but it looked cute and was recommended too.

Deckers

A more upmarket choice, this one is located on West Bay road as well (the road running perpendicular to Seven Mile Beach) and was a fantastic treat for dinner one night. We had exceptional cuisine in a nice open air atmosphere.

Other recommendations:

Singh's Roti Shop - a local shop with fresh good local fare catering to the local Caymanians as well as expat office workers. This is a bright green restaurant on the way to the airport and has the nicest staff in the world.

Camana Bay Complex - a new complex that kind of reminded me of a Caribbean version of Canary Wharf. We had some wine in a local wine bar there and the restaurants are supposed to be excellent. We had private transportation, and it's a bit out of the way so I am not sure how easy it would be to get there though. I'd definitely recommend shopping there over shopping downtown.

Tukka - An Australian/Carribean restaurant on the East End of the Island (car required!). Beautiful views looking out onto the ocean, and some different menu options (crocodile/conch hamburger anyone?)

Roland's Garden - An authentic beer garden located in what used to be the butterfly preserve! A casual and affordable night out that is a little bit different and unexpected to say the least. I have to say, I don't really know how to get there except to say it's walking distance from Camana Bay and Aquabeach :) Their website says they are at 52 Lawrence Blvd. I'd ask around for directions. Definitely worth it one night for something different and some pretty good German food to boot served by Roland and his son Julien.

Other restaurants which were recommended:

Papermans Cafe at the Strand

Gino's Pizza

Luca

Hemmingways

Royal Palms

If you want to watch hockey:

Longhorn (outdoor)

Legends (air con)

Outdoor beach eating on Seven Mile Beach:

Royal Palms

Calico Jacks

Tiki Beach

Night out:

Aquabeach (classic!)

Karma is supposed to be good too

And finally, we ate an Italian restaurant that had great pizza's, but I just can't remember the name!

Caymanians - and I know there are some of you reading this - did I miss anything?

A massive thanks to my friend for hosting me THREE times!

And finally - how could I forget the Tortuga Rum Cakes? Best packaged cake ever!

A mini blogging break

2011-05-24T18:50:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone, just wanted to let you know that I will be taking a mini blogging break because... I am getting married! I might slip in a few posts, but it seems every day there is something new to do (what shall we name our tables? will my dress fall down?) and I just don't think I can pump anything out.

I hope the weather stays as lovely as it's been (although less humidity please!) and that darn volcano doesn't prevent all of my European based guests (including my sis) from making their way over.

In the mean time I'd love to hear if anyone's been to the new restaurant on Van Horne called... Van Horne Restaurant! I've been making to go but just don't think I'll be able to slip it in. Maybe in June after the honeymoon!

Wine to Go

2011-05-22T19:57:00.002-04:00

This one has been all over the blogosphere but just realized that it's out of Montreal. Saw via several sources but the Montreal connection came up from vitamindaily.

Available here from Oopsmark on Etsy

Fiddleheads - Tête de Violin

2011-05-20T07:30:00.003-04:00

Fiddleheads (or Tête de Violon to all you francophones) are in season at the moment here in Quebec, and when I spotted some in my local Loblaws I was quick to grab them. Being from the prairies, these are not something I grew up with as they are only available in certain areas.

There are some health warnings that come along with these, and in fact at the grocery store there was a large sign stating that they should be cooked for at least 10 minutes if boiled. It's the first time I saw a warning like that for a vegetable!

Some quick scientific internet research reveals that they were linked to some health scares in the early nineties, although the toxin was never identified. Canadian Living has a good little mini guide on these, and reveals that if undercooked they can cause all sorts of nastiness. I think I'll stick with the allotted time to be on the safe side!

Prepare the fiddleheads by washing them to remove any brown areas and get rid of the dirt. I also cut off the brown ends. I steamed mine for 20 minutes and then served with some butter, but you can also boil them for 10 minutes in lightly salted water. As you can see even though I've trimmed them there was still some brown that showed up after cooking. If you boil them, don't be shocked - the water will turn very brown.

They are a tasty change, and it's a shame to not have them at least once while they are in season so give it a try!

Sweden's National Dish - Meatballs

2011-05-18T07:30:00.001-04:00

OK, so I just assumed that meatballs were Sweden's National Dish. A quick tour on Wikipedia confirmed this, but then again this same webpage says Canada's national dish is Poutine and Butter Tarts.... Hmm.. Meatballs are probably as good a choice as any for Sweden's National Dish and frankly a lot better than the other suggestions of herring or a crayfish party...

I cheated and used probably a pretty non-traditional recipe out of Jamie Oliver's Cookbook Jamie Does which I reviewed here.

Swedish Meatballs
adapted from Jamie Does

A handful of Dill and Parsley finely chopped
300g minced pork
300g minced beef
1 large egg
100ml milk
75g dried breadcrumbs
salt and pepper

Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl.
Pat the mixture into balls about 1 inch wide.
Put them on a large oiled tray, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
When you are ready to cook pre-heat your oven to 375F
Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked throughout and not pink.

Note: The original recipe calls for these to be fried, and that is probably the correct way to do them but in my experience this takes a long time, is messy, and frankly not very convenient. I find popping them in the oven (while probably giving an inferior taste) is much more convenient and healthier!

Sauce

Juice of 1/2 lemon

300ml beef stock

1tbsp plain flour

60ml cooking cream (double cream)

1 tbsp lingonberry, red currant or cranberry jam

In a pot add all the ingredients and bring to a boil tasting and adding salt and pepper along the way.
You may want to strain this if the flour has clumped up.

Serve over potatoes and enjoy!

Verdict: 9/10 I love the hit of dill that these meatballs give. It's unexpected and freshens them up. Baking them makes this recipe a breeze, and the gravy is easy to whip up as well. You just need a veg and some potatoes or rice and it's a great meal.

All Amazon links on Roasted are part of our affiliate shop.

Roasted is on Twitter

2011-05-17T19:51:00.000-04:00

I kind of caved, and now I am on Twitter. So follow me! Link to follow me is on the side of my blog or you can find me under @RoastedMontreal. I will probably end up Twittering (is that the word?) on much more than just food, but I'll see... still in test phase.

FabFind - New Montreal Daily Deal Website

2011-05-17T18:48:00.000-04:00

FabFind has just launched in Montreal. It's similar to a group buying website, but from what I've seen so far it's got much higher quality deals. Already this week they've given away a $10 coupon to m:brgr and a free Express Manicure from Rouge Nail Bar, both of which are top rate places.

As I've already mentioned in my blog, I love these type of websites to try out new restaurants (and the free manicure isn't such a bad thing either!) and I will be for sure using my m:brgr coupon shortly. It'll be interesting to see what they manage to come up with next!

www.fabfind.com

ps It's also available in other cities across Canada from those of you not in Montreal.

Mexican Food Made Simple - A fab Mexican Cookbook from a Masterchef Winner

2011-05-16T07:30:00.039-04:00

Mexican Food Made Simple by Thomasina Miers is a fantastic Mexican cookbook highlighting authentic, easy, and tasty Mexican recipes.

I was looking out for a Mexican food cookbook and this one immediately caught the eye. First off, Thomasina Miers won Masterchef which is no small feat. For those of you not in the UK and without access to this amazing BBC show it highlights the plight of chefs trying to make it as the Masterchef (literally). Allthough it's not without it's drama, it isn't any of that cheesy crap you see on Food Network and is utterly engaging and addicting. However, I mostly chose this cookbook because Thomasina opened Wahaca, a fantastic, cool, authentic, cheap eats Mexican food restaurant in Covent Garden, London. I love that place, and I hoped that this cookbook would bring me more of the same. (Note: if you are with family and looking for a place to eat in Covent Garden that isn't a tourist trap eat there!)

I have cooked quite a few recipes from this cookbook and love it, although I think the 'made simple' bit is a slight exaggeration. Most of these recipes require a little bit of work but it's worth it. There is a wide range of recipes and some interesting unexpected flavour combinations. I'd say this is a cookbook you'll be glad you have when you feel like trying something different, but you may not be using it everyday.

Here is a simple salad recipe that I've made a few times already using, raw courgettes/zucchini! Who knew you could eat zucchini raw! I actually have written in the book - 'raw zucchini isn't weird'. The next is a sauce that you can put on anything really - fish, chicken, broccoli - but I cooked it on some trout.

Fresh Courgette/Zucchini and Tomato Salad
adapted from Mexican Food Made Simple

1 shallot finely chopped
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
pinch sugar
500g tomatoes
2 baby courgettes/zucchini
5 large mint leaves

Put the shallot in a bowl with the vinegar, sugar and olive oil for ten minutes to soften.
Put a small X into the back of the tomatoes. Pour boiling water over them and leave for 20 seconds. Remove from boiling water and let cool. Peel skins, and remove seeds. Cut roughly and add to shallot.
Cut the courgette finely and add to bowl.
Finely chop the mint and add.
Serve right away.

Nice, isn't it!

Rainbow Trout Baked with Chilli Cream
adapted from Mexican Food Made Simple
2 poblano chillies or large green peppers
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion sliced
2 jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
250ml double cream or creme fraiche
filet of rainbow trout
2 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup white wine

Preheat the oven to 450F. Cut peppers in half and roast for 10-15 minutes until blackened. Set aside and let cool. Turn down your oven to 375F
Heat olive oil in frying pan and add the onion and chillies. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, and then peel and cut the poblanos or peppers that you've roasted into strips and add to the mixture.
Stir in the creme fraiche.
Put your trout filet on some aluminum foil on a baking tray. Make sure there is enough aluminum foil to make a little bag.
Pour over the chilli mixture. Throw on the wine and some olive oil and seal so that it's a little aluminum container.
Cook for about 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

All Amazon links on Roasted are part of our affiliate shop.

Itsi Bitsi - Cupcake Heaven

2011-05-15T11:06:00.000-04:00

I was at a fun wedding yesterday where instead of a wedding cake, the bride and groom had a boxed cupcake for each guest on the table. I think you were supposed to take them home but of course we ended up eating them there and then. They were from the Montreal store Itsi Bitsi and were really really good (and I don't think it was just the booze talking!). The icing was amazing - not too sugary - and the cake was moist and delicious. I write this because I find more often than not the beauty of store bought cupcakes doesn't extend to the taste and they end up dry and crumbly. A good store bought cupcake is hard to find and this one is a winner.

I've never been to their store but am keen to check it out!

Itsi Bitsi

(514) 509-3926

2621 Notre-Dame West, Montreal

(one block East of Atwater)

ps The poster is from Westwillow's Etsy Shop. And yes, I have it on my wall :)

Neoprix.com - New Montreal Daily Deal Website!

2011-05-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

I just found out about Neoprix, a new website offering deals on everything from haircuts to most importantly restaurants! When you sign up, Neoprix will offer you a weekly email showing their deals. They will also post deals daily on their website . In addition, they select one of their Facebook fans from their Facebook page every week to give away one of their deals for free!

I think this is a great way to try new restaurants for a discount. There are lots of restaurants out there I've thought about trying but wasn't sure I wanted to pay full price. This way, I get to try it out and if it's good then I don't mind spending full price next time.

As a bonus, they are giving away an Ipad 2 if you sign within the week (the contest runs until Saturday, May 14th) so go and sign yourself up! www.neoprix.com

Britain's National Dish - Sausage and Mash

2011-05-08T07:30:00.000-04:00

OK OK OK, I know I am going to get flack for choosing sausage and mash as Britain's national dish. Having lived in the UK for nearly 4 years, I know that perhaps this isn't the finest representation of the country's cuisine, but there is no doubt that it's a popular and frankly quintessentially British dish. Plenty of sausage and mash shops have opened up in the UK recently (Mother Mash in the City, S&M everywhere) attesting to it's popularity. I could have really chosen amongst many things - roast dinner, English breakfast, but I love sausage and mash for it's simplicity and taste. And why not!

I turned to my Canteen: Great British Food cookbook (previously reviewed here) for the best gravy which takes a while, granted, but is fantastic and easy enough to make vegetarian as well. Start the gravy well in advance of the sausage and mash! (at least 2 hours or the day before)

Sausages & Mash
adapted from Canteen: Great British Food
6 Good Quality Pork Sausages
600g Flour Potatoes
Butter & Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Peel and slice potatoes into quarters and put into a saucepan. Bring to a boil for about 15 minutes until tender.
2. Meanwhile, put your sausages in a roasting tray and cook for around 20 minutes turning halfway through.
3. Drain potatoes and mash with a little butter and milk to get the consistency you want.
4. Serve with gravy.

Onion Gravy
adapted from Canteen: Great British Food

2tbsp Olive Oil
25g butter
800g onions thinly sliced (about 4)
200g shallots thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
10g fresh thyme, chopped
10g fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1L meat stock (or veg stock if making vegetarian)
a little salt
150ml red wine
50ml sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour

1. Cook butter, oil, onions and shallots on high heat for 15 minutes stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for about 1 hour until soft and carmelized.
2. Add garlic and chopped herbs and cook for another 15 minutes. Add meat stock and salt.
3. Put wine and vinegar in a SEPERATE small pan and bring to a boil until reduced by 3/4.
4. Add wine reduction to onion mix. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes stirring occassionaly.
5. Mix cornflour with a little cold water and stir into gravy. Bring back to a boil to thicken and then take off the heat.

Notes: This gravy can be made ahead and reheated and even frozen. I have made this gravy properly but I admit that the last time I made it, I skipped the red wine and sherry vinegar in a seperate pot step, and just added the sherry vinegar direct as I didn't want to open up a bottle of red. It was still fine. Make sure your cornflour is thoroughly blended first, as you can't strain this gravy to get out the lumps.

Verdict: 9/10 C'mon, it's sausage and mash! Of course it was going to get a good mark! It's just the best, innit!

Denmark's National Dish - Meatballs, potatoes, red cabbage and brown sauce (Frikadeller med kartofler, rødkål og brun sovs)

2011-05-02T07:30:00.000-04:00

Ahh Denmark. Meatballs (frikadeler), potatoes (kartofler), red cabbage (rødkål) and gravy (brun sovs). What a relief after all these weeks of bizarre food that I'd never heard of before. Way back when, I lived in Denmark so this was almost comfort food to me. Plus I knew what it was supposed to taste like so when I was presented with these vague recipes I was able to play with it a little.

Frikadeller (large meatballs) immediately came to mind. Oh the Danes love these things! I made normal potatoes, but at Christmas we had small candied potatoes which are one of my favourites (brun kartofler I think they are called).

The meatball recipe came from my Danish-Canadian cookbook. The red cabbage was a combination of recipes, as was the brown sauce which is essentially gravy with dairy added (I used sour cream). This one was a hit and reminded me why I gained so much weight living there!

I've only included the Frikadeller recipe because the Brown Sauce is essentially gravy with sour cream added and the red cabbage was really done one the fly so any attempt to recreate it in recipe format would be untested.

Frikadeller (Large Danish Meatballs)

Adapted from The Danish-Canadian Cookbook

1kg ground pork

1 grated onion

2 eggs beaten

3/4 cup milk

4 tbsp flour

salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients with your hands.

2. Shape into meatballs a little bit larger than the size of a golfball.

3. Brown in skillet until cooked.

A few notes here. First off, you can finish these off in the oven if you prefer but I always remember them being pan fried. Second, these are big meatballs and not the small compact ones we are more used to here in North American. They are meant to be eaten with a fork and knife. Also, this recipe asks for the mixture to be beaten (?!) but I think hand blending is fine and I don't think beating it would give a very pleasant texture.

For the gravy, I suggest you just go ahead with your own gravy recipe and add a bit of cream or dairy of some sort at the end.

Verdict 9/10

OK, so because I've had this one before I knew to adjust all the tastes and flavours to how it should be which is not an advantage that the other recipes have had. However, having said that you can't really go wrong with fried hamburger, gravy and potatoes. Plus, if you are a fan of red cabbage, like me, it is an added bonus.