soupnancy

Bits and Bites October 2008

Events to support our local artisanal cheesemakers (in face of the listeria scare and their subsequent losses):

 -At the ITHQ on October 20, Slowfood Montreal presents the documentary ‘Ces fromages qu'on assassine’ on the plight of artisanal cheesemakers vs the agribusiness giants. At 6pm, there will be an artisanal cheese tasting, and after the film, a debate will be held with the cheesemaker from Le Gré des Champs, cheese shop owner, Yannick Achim, a food scientist and a representative from industry. For info on how to reserve, go to http://www.slowfoodquebec.com/index.htm#fromage

-In the Lanaudière, Stephane Morin, beer master and editor of Effervescence magazine, and Genviève Longère of the Relais Champêtre team up for a beer and cheese tasting menu, a 6 course meal featuring the region’s cheeses paired with beers from the Alchimiste. Saturday November 8, 2008, 18h30, Reservation only, 450-839-2754, 60$ including tax. To secure a place, mail your cheque to:

Relais Champêtre, 398 Grande-Ligne, Saint-Alexis-de-Montcalm, Québec J0K 1T0

The Lanaudois cheeses on the menu:

Chèvrerie Barrousse de Saint-Cuthbert

Fromagerie champêtre de Le Gardeur

Fromagerie Couland de Joliette

Fromagerie du Domaine féodal de Sainte-Geneviève-de-Berthier

Fromagerie du Champ à la Meule de Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes

La Suisse Normande de Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan

Les Folies bergères de Saint-Cuthbert

-Lenoir Lacroix hosts premium coffee and cheese 5à7’s on Thursdays: visit www.lenoirlacroix.com

Sun food (was the past) and is the future; Michael Pollan makes the case for the shift from a fuel based food system, and is as convincing as ever; if only the president-elect and our politicians would listen up.

Farmer in Chief, By MICHAEL POLLAN: Dear Mr. President-Elect: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Escoffier’s Peppers at The Wednesday Chef : a sweet and sour bell pepper condiment with raisins - a recipe worth trying, put the ketchup or chutney aside… http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2008/10/auguste-escoffi.html

Rosemary – all about it at Gremolata  I love the stuff, but for birth control, who knew? http://gremolata.com/Articles/342-Spice-Girl-Rosemary--Baby.aspx

Sausage art http://englishrussia.com/?p=2073

A Ferran Adria interview with Malcolm Joley of Gremolata: What a great dialogue – fascinating, he IS just fascinating. All the ElBulli hype (and backlash) aside, there is no denying he is a master, a king in the modern culinary world. What true creativity, what passion, what talent, what vision.. He never ceases to amaze me (and the rest of the world). Imagine a waiting list of 2 million people in a season. And he’s not opening another restaurant. http://www.gremolata.com/Articles/335-Ferran-Adria-Interview.aspx

5 à 7 Coffee and Cheese with Lenoir Lacroix October 9

Enjoy great coffee, farmstead cheese from Fromagerie la Station, explore thepairing idea,and show support for our local cheesemakers at the same time. For reservations and info: www.lenoirlacroix.com

The Canadian Chefs Congress – Read about it on Gremolata

Ivy Knight definitely makes us feel like we missed out on a great party, as chefs from across Canada met at Stadlander’s to share their dishes, dish and hang out, all while tackling the issues of the day with some more serious conference action on the side. Sounds like a great thing they got started, and something that the culinary world in Canada needs to unify forces, for fun if anything else..

http://gremolata.com/Articles/327-Canadian-Chefs-Congress.aspx

Mushroom Mega Operation – A Japanese corporation plans on making Maitake, hon shimejji and co. mainstream – the next portabellos! Which is all good and fine, I love all of ‘em, but cultivated mushrooms should never be confused with wild mushrooms, which could never come as cheap because they can’t be controlled and mass produced, and they have to be found, at just the right time. However, nowadays on menus everywhere, anything vaguely exotic (as in everything but button) is referred to as ‘wild’, so now there will be even more confusion as these ‘new and exotic’ mushrooms are called ‘wild’ and no one knows the difference.. Even if I wouldn’t mind having Maitake at the supermarket, I’m not sure it’s a good idea; this is still industrial food..

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-calcook1-2008oct01,0,985392.story

Why Calories Taste Delicious

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=why-calories-are-delicious

The Last Supper uncoded : in Davinci’s fresco, the actual meal is thought to have been eels with orange

http://www.thefoodsection.com/appetizers/2008/09/the-last-supper.html

Another great ‘quotable’ thanks to the Food Section , Julia Moskin on Toasted Rice

"The unwanted crust left stuck to the bottom of the rice cooker is called okoge -- the same word used as slang for a single woman who spends a lot of time with gay men."