soupnancy

Bits and Bites

August 31, 2007

Opening and closing - Leslie Chesterman's scoop on the Montreal scene:  New chef in the old Cube space, the Joe Beef empire expands.. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/weekendlife/story.html?id=5b82be34-89df-407b-9d9a-49ce04eb3924

La Belle Excuse olive oil : This is an olive oil worth seeking out, made by a Greek couple from the Lanaudière. They have two oils, one made from green, and the other from black olives from their family’s estate in the old country. It is the black olive one that I particularly like - so smooth, rich and complex, and partly Québecois.. Available in specialty stores and at Marché des Saveurs.
La Belle excuse olive oil

A food and wine show in Ottawa Sept 14-15 featuring a TV celeb chef I don’t know, but my brother’s band will be playing..

http://www.teamredeye.ca/owad.html

Slowfood autumn events : Slowfood celebrated 75 years of local eating at the Marché Jean Talon last weekend, kicking off the fall schedule of festivities. There is a conference at Concordia on Irish cuisine with Darina Allen on Friday, September 14 at 20h00. This autumn, there will also be events on Mon, Tues, and Wed. (good for us restaurant people), including a session on special vegetables, one on mushrooms and one on coffee and cheese pairing. www.slowfoodquebec.com

Lenoir Lacroix coffee cheese tasting: Les pates fermes et leurs cafés

On Sept 5, 2007 at 19h00, at the Centre d’animation SAQ Selection Rockland, 2305 chemin Rockland , suite 502.1 , Mont-Royal. For more information or too reserve a spot, call 514-733-7843 or email s.larose saq.qc.ca

Anti-microbial films for food –scary! Why is the US government (may as well be ours) investing in this? More elaborate food manipulation than we are already bombarded with? It is just another way to make industrial food that will keep forever so that it can be shipped for miles, as opposed to supporting small farmers, sustainable and organic practices, promoting education and taste.. Which seems to be the simpler solution in securing a safer, tastier, healthier food supply? Take the chemists to a farmers’ market and treat them to a real meal, for fork’s sake. To think I was almost one of them. That’s harsh, it’s not the chemists - some of them might just be in search of the truth, caught up in their research and only happy that someone is willing to subsidize it. “This is not intended to make up for sloppy growing or handling or cleaning and processing,” Professor Krochta said. But of course, big agri-business has other less noble ends.

Edible films with superpowers. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/dining/29film.html?ref=dining

Alice Waters and Chez Panisse – a book I highly recommend to anyone interested in NA food history, or just a good story. It’s an authorized biography of sorts. I just loved it, but I am an Alice fan. In any case, it is a fascinating look behind the scenes of this infamous Berkeley restaurant (of 30+ years), with its huge cast of colourful characters, and their incredible journey in being the first to source out pure local ingredients and apply classic technique, all in an unpretentious setting. You meet the real Alice , not entirely flawless, but you can’t help but be moved and cheer her on. To see her determination, integrity and extraordinary vision translate to ultimate success and a transformation of the culinary scene in North America is inspiring. It is also disheartening, because it makes you realize how long it takes for things to change. She has been working her whole life to make a difference with Slowfood and related projects to promote better quality local food and knowledge, and twenty years later, so little has changed; these issues are just starting to enter the mainstream. The now ubiquitous ‘local, seasonal’ mantra among North American chefs, as well as the increasing popularity of farmer’s markets and organic food, talk of the environment and sustainability, and better food for kids are all very positive signs, and somehow linked to a set of principles that Alice and her protégés set in motion along time ago.

Groundbreaking pilot project in the townships: In the image of Alice Water’s Edible schoolyard project, a new non-profit Quebec organization dedicated to school gardens is off to a successful start in teaching kids about real, good food and sustainability.

www.jeunespousses.ca

Celebrating the tomato :

The history of the tomato:

http://www.saveursdumonde.net/?action=ingredientitem_show&id=33&lg=fr

NYTimes article with tomato recipes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/22/dining/22appe.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin

My tomato post last year:

http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/blog-journalessays/2006/9/30/birth-of-a-blog-and-tomatoes.html

Vegan-sexuals : a new breed of vegans who will not have sex with carnivores because for one, they stink?!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/AAMB4/aamsz=300x44_MULTILINK/4147483a6009.html

Which fruit and veg to buy organic first : Survey a list of which fruit and vegetables have the highest pesticide load, and so should be made priority when buying organic.. http://www.foodnews.org/

A new kid on the block . Check out Nathalie Spielmann’s blog and sign up for her monthly newsletter, ‘A Palatable Report: Gastronomy from an amateur perspective’ for her food discovery notes, restaurant and wine tips out of Montreal . http://foodwithapoint.squarespace.com/

Way to go Joé , mon joueur d’hockey preferé, who is embarking on an adventure to Kujiuack with his family in the name of a school-hockey project for the kids. I expect feedback on the culinary front, and if we’re lucky, maybe some fish, berries and wild mushrooms sent back? Forget the seal. I’ll keep you posted.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/08/06/juneaus-goodwill-odyssey/

For Champagne lovers , a benefit evening event for La Fondation des Amis de l'Art culinaire will take place on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 , 19h00, at the Marriott Château Champlain Hotel. For information, call M. Jean-Claude Phisel, 450-476-1895.

Yes to Local labelling! We already do it somewhat in Quebec , but the feds getting involved could only be good..

http://gremolata.com/chongsegal.htm

Then again… Doing right is ever a complicated affair..

Organic farmers in Africa fear for their livelihoods as U.K. frets over food miles

‘Kenyan fury at threat to organic trade’: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2126614,00.html

‘African farmers fear impact of U.K. supermarkets buying local’ : http://www.grist.org/news/daily/2007/02/22/4/index.html?source=weekly

Valuable cork : I have come to like the screw caps myself, but don’t diss the cork altogether! It turns out that cork isn’t so bad after all, the industry playing a positive role in the ecosystem. Again, there’s always another side to a story..

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/corticeira_amor.php

Weird meat: a blog about one guy’s adventure eating all kinds of ‘weird’ meat, but what I like is that the slant is learning about different cultures with an open mind - its not only about pure shock and ooh-factor driven boy stuff. http://www.weirdmeat.com/2004/04/weird-meat-master-list.html

A closer look at some of our favourite ingredients .. A little knowledge on where your food comes from makes you less likely to take it for granted. A terrific example of this is the ubiquitous vanilla..

A vanilla primer: http://www.chow.com/stories/10439

Brown sugar: the difference between the different kinds: http://www.chow.com/stories/10674

Bison – the national meat we almost lost: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=c1426340-4315-46c8-9277-13681053f06d

Stealing staff in Vancouver, poor Lumière

Poaching restaurant employees has become the last resort amidst a shortage of skilled workers, specifically in Vancouver where there is a restaurant opening every minute. There’s always been a fine line between outright fishing and crossing paths with a disenchanted individual who is seeking to make a move, especially when the market is tough and given the fact that restaurant employees are by nature antsy and often underpaid, always looking for greener grass.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070820.wlrestowars20/BNStory/lifeWork/home

We can do it too! Ten easy steps towards a more sustainable kitchen :

http://starchefs.com/features/trends/sustainability/index.shtml

Unfair trade . Regulating our own farmers and artisans more than imports just does not make sense. Only more reason to buy local:

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=f46a8178-8b67-4af1-9816-e73b7961027b&k=59194&p=1

A great quote that could me my motto for life, as written by

Laura Shapiro in describing Julia Child in her new book.

‘Use all your senses, all the time. ... Take pains with the work; do it carefully. Relish the details. Enjoy your hunger. And remember why you’re there.” That could be a recipe for life.’

JULIA CHILD

A Penguin Life. By Laura Shapiro. 185 pp. Lipper/Viking. $19.95.

Another book out on Julia Child :

BACKSTAGE WITH JULIA, My Years With Julia Child. By Nancy Verde Barr. Illustrated. 285 pp. John Wiley & Sons. $22.95.

Behind the scenes on the set of this summer’s food movies, Ratatouille and No Reservations.. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/food/20070809_Film_food__No_faking_it.html

Bits and Bites

July 29, 2007

At the height of the summer season, it seems like there isn’t as much going on in the city or in print with everyone either on vacation or working too hard.. Still, I managed to dig up some interesting bits and bites..

TV show L’Épicerie spotlights four young innovative Montreal chefs who run some of Montreal ’s best restaurants. http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/niveau2_16547.shtml

Another food film, No Reservations hits the big screen with Catherine Zeta Jones as a chef -a review: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-reservations_25jul25,1,7745124.story?ctrack=2&cset=true

-the official site: http://noreservationsmovie.warnerbros.com/

The Next Iron Chef America : a reality show with proper chefs that can actually cook! http://eater.com/archives/2007/07/food_nets_the_n.php

Get psyched for tomato season! http://www.landrethseeds.com/photos/Tomato/index.html

List of the 15 Greenest chefs by Grist to inspire us.. http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/07/26/chefs/index.html

What’s inside Red bull , for all you cooks that quaff this beverage all shift long on the line.. I could never stomach the stuff, and am thankful after reading this deconstruction of the ingredient list. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/15-07/st_redbull

Canned air : Maybe bottled O2 will be the next boost juice .. http://media.www.slccglobelink.com/media/storage/paper442/news/2007/07/11/Community/Air-Fare.Takes.On.New.Meaning-2922487.shtml

Garlic once again proves its benefits! Not only healthy for us, but also for cows and the environment! I wouldn’t want my milk tasting like garlic unless I was making brandade, but hey, I think they are onto something.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/6288012.stm

Corporate takeovers in the organics world –where are we going? Back to where we don’t want to be – BIG. No matter how good the guy sounds, I’m against it. http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2007/07/19/monopsony/index.html?source=food

Grilling fish responsibly : the things to consider.. Thankfully, I got to gorge myself on fish this summer when fishing and eating in Northern Quebec , which proved to be less of a headache then this. But here are the issues you might want to delve into if you want to be a responsible fish eater this grill season. http://www.grist.org/advice/season/2007/07/12/fish/index.html?source=food

Gourmet grows up . The spotlight on farms and the whole last issue focusing on sustainability shows that Gourmet is leading in the commercial food print realm in taking its food seriously. Gotta love Ruth Reichl. Gourmet is only getting better all the time, despite all the ads, thanks to her. http://bittergreensgazette.blogspot.com/2005/04/citizen-ruth-measured-defense-of-ruth.html http://events.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/books/review/10KAMPL.html?ex=1185336000&en=e08eb11d268b3293&ei=5070

Chick chefwear : I don’t know about this Maverick Chick chefwear on TV – certainly nothing like what one would wear in a real kitchen.. Frump-Free Cooking: The Look That Sizzles. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/dining/27scoo.html?ex=1340596800&en=d39798f002e25bd7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

I agree with no bulky sleeves in the pudding, but no hair net, no hat, no sleeves, a V-neck, it just doesn’t seem right. Then again, I don’t have cleavage and am not on TV. The one time I was, the crew was floored that I wanted to keep my hairnet and hat on. Even if I might have looked better without it, I didn’t feel like I could properly do my chef thing without it - it’s a matter of habit. And what if a hair fell into the food on air? In any case, when I put my chef whites on, I automatically transform into my professional persona, more efficient and focused. When I’m in uniform and on the job; its time to be serious, not pretty. I marvel at the TV chefs who can do both.

More bread wars in France : Poilane’s daughter fights for her father’s legacy and good old fashioned bread, dissing the fast-food baguette. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21965570-13762,00.html

This job stinks ! Talk about a crappy job, smelling noxious odours for a living.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070620/sc_afp/chinaindustryenvironmentpollutionoffbeat

Veggie tunes . Music with vegetables as instruments, unbelievable. I don’t quite know what to make of it. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/the_vienna_vege.php

Surprising new uses for mushrooms – check it out! Beyond food, mushrooms may prove to be an important eco-friendly tool of the future with the emerging field of mycotechnology. More reason to eat wild or cultivate your own..

http://www.fungi.com/index.html

Mushrooms to insulate your house. http://fe15.news.sp1.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070625/ap_on_sc/mushroom_insulation

Recent bites:

Toqué : I dined at Toqué and was as wowed as ever, with local, seasonal ingredients everywhere and the usual intense flavour and refined subtlety in balance, always surprising and impressive. Hit me – I was forced to order foie gras terrine because of the intriguing ‘salade seche’ of nettle, mushroom and strawberry chips with rose petals and basil, which was beautiful and amazing, an effective foil for the foiegras au naturel with honey-sherry reduction. We had a brilliant Gazpacho shooter layered with a lovage top that was smooth and richly textured but lively. I loved my mackerel, scallops and lamb too, but the stars were the vegetable sides which were varied, ultra seasonal (baby chanterelles, sea greens, rabioles, purselane, etc.) and the oyster amuse with radish, pickled day lily and wasabi foam. Oh and the strawberry dessert with a strawberry salad, sorbet and ultra light mousse/foam covered in dacquoise shards.

Thai son : I also discovered a new (well, to me) Vietnamese joint in Montreal to pick up a Vietnamese bun or Tonkinese soup on the run or to sit and sample a vast array of kick-ass/cheap Vietnamese/Chinese/Thai dishes in a very simple, but friendly setting: Thai Son on St-Denis just south of Jean Talon.

Great terasse at Limone : This joint has the best restaurant guacamole, and the margueritas are spot on too; as for the rest of the menu, you’re on your own. But this place has a number of things going for it besides the guac, there’s the terasse, the friendly service and the fact that its open on Sunday and Monday. On Notre Dame near Atwater market, in front of Joe Beef.

Bits and Bites

June 14, 2007

Black and Gold: Wake up and smell the coffee! A documentary about the coffee trade that is being screened at Cinema du Parc in Montreal tonight.  Everyone who drinks coffee should see this film.  Whether you do or not, just take my word and buy Café Rico coffee, a fairtrade roaster in Montreal with several delectable blends at a very fair price thanks to the efforts of Coop Coffees who have knocked out the middlemen.  http://blackgoldmovie.com/

Top fair trade roasters in NA  www.coopcoffees.com

Café Rico:  http://www.caferico.qc.ca/

Where to buy fair trade coffee:  http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/food/coffee/greencoffee.html

Ratatouille: a kid’s movie about a rat with a fine palate and chef’s aspirations. The producer did his homework integrating true kitchen detail with the help of Thomas Keller’s consulting, promising to be a kick for the food obsessed and kids of all ages. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/dining/13rata.html?ex=1182398400&en=37124457824fd42e&ei=5070

Restaurant industry people and Food bloggers face off

http://eater.com/archives/2007/06/why_i_hate_food.php

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=sci_tech&id=5388017

Taste Quebec artisanal foods at a Slowfood event this weekend in Marieville (25 min. outside Montreal http://www.salondugout.qc.ca/

Meatpaper, a new print magazine about meat.  Explore both sides our relationship with meat, with articles celebrating meat, others questioning it and debating the ethical issues.. http://www.meatpaper.com/index.html

Tasty! 100 songs about food on AOL Radio http://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/2007/05/edible_audio_so.html

Just say no to bottled water . Batali follows chez Panisse, helping to spread the trend back to the tap. I’m all for it. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/no_bottled_wate_1.php

Frankensteer , a documentary on beef cattle I saw on the Passionate Eye (CBC) that you should keep an eye out for.. The film focuses on uncovering the huge mistakes we have made with our food supply, in particular, the feedlot system, which has resulted in food that is not healthy and out of our control. All the problems (BSE, Ecoli contamination, hormones, irradiation, unethical treatment of animals, poor nutritive quality, environmental damage) are a direct result of industrial production, ie. needing to produce more beef faster for cheap, and the influence of big American companies like Cargyll (Beware Costco shoppers). It’s incredible how slack our government agencies have been in the name of trade with the U.S. . And the E-coli problem is completely a product of a corn diet combined with mass production and improper cleaning of fecal matter off carcasses, and so avoidable. We need to go back, pay more and eat less, use traditional, more sustainable methods, with grass-fed, smaller productions that use no antibiotics or hormones, coupled with increased control and testing. In the meantime, we must try as much as possible to say no to feedlot beef. Encourage a small local farm. Or when at the market, start asking where your meat is coming from and how it was processed; show that you care, which will only pressure your purveyor to make better choices available.

Salmon Q & A : For those of you not bored with the ubiquitous salmon, here are some salmon facts you may not know, and the primo species to look for. http://www.epicurious.com/gourmet/features/rowley_salmon_exclusive