soupnancy

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.