soupnancy

Bits and Bites: December-November 2011

Charlie Trotter closing iconic restaurant after 25 yrs  http://www.suntimes.com/9725535-417/charlie-trotter-to-close-his-world-renowned-chicago-eatery.html

New York mag’s list of 101 best NYC restaurants updated http://ny.eater.com/archives/2011/12/platt.php

Sam Sifton’s top ten new restos in 2011 www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/dining/sam-siftons-top-10-new-restaurants-of-2011.html

Tendances culinaires de l’année: http://www.lemonde.fr/m/article/2011/12/23/snobismes-culinaires-de-l-annee_1621804_1575563.html

L’année de A à Z selon Marie Claude Lortie http://blogues.cyberpresse.ca/lortie/2012/01/01/lannee-gourmande-de-a-a-z/

Les cinq meilleurs nouveau restaurants à Montréal selon Katrine Rollet  http://www.katerinerollet.com/restaurants/5-meilleurs-nouveaux-restaurants-a-montreal-en-2011/

Macdonald’s farmwashing = false advertising Nothing makes me more mad than big companies corrupting terms like ‘farm to table’, ‘local’ or ‘sustainable’, ‘organic’, ‘artisanal’ and etc…  http://www.grist.org/food/2011-12-19-mcdonalds-rings-in-2012-with-farmwashing

Anthony Bourdain's The Layover in Montreal - 24hrs of indulgence and sightseeing with JoeBeef, Martin Picard & co..  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXki2s0E_HM

Dreaming of vacation: top restaurants in the world  http://www.wbpstars.com/top-60.html

Montreal resto and trend overview (in French) http://voir.ca/voir-la-vie/gastronomie/2011/12/22/bilan-2011-des-chefs-qui-bougent-qui-bougent/

L’Orignal team opens Le Gros Jambon in Griffintown  http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Casual+Dining+Gros+Jambon/5868075/story.html

Culinary Promise, despite everything – same in Canada..  Well said by Ideas in food: http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2011/12/culinary-state-of-america.html

Quebecois vodka a prize winner  - if you’re into vodka http://www.cyberpresse.ca/vins/autres-alcools/201110/11/01-4456139-pur-vodka-lune-des-meilleures-vodkas-au-monde.php

Stop thinking organic & sustainable farming methods can’t feed a growing world population, it’s simply not true! http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/12/organic-can-feed-the-world/249348/

Stelio at Sinclair in the St-Sulpice in Old Montreal, now open http://www.facebook.com/RestaurantSinclair

David Lebovitz’s cookbook list – I like – books that are more than cookbooks, that tell a story www.davidlebovitz.com/2011/12/best-favorite-cookbooks-of-2011/

And another holiday list of books about cooking http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/books/review/cooking.html

True that Que restaurant liquor licence laws are screwy and in Ontario, makes more sense http://www.montrealgazette.com/alcohol+conundrum/5804655/story.html

Mushroom benefits  Many jumping on the mushroom bandwagon for health benefits and natural msg..  Long ago turned on to mushrooms thanks to François’ foraging, but for me it was always about taste (and ie. the umami factor), all the medicinal/nutritional properties are just bonus!  We’ve been using (and selling) various mushroom (and powders) forever, so don't mind that people are getting into it.  http://www.cyberpresse.ca/vivre/sante/nutrition/201112/01/01-4473592-les-champignons-louanges-pour-leurs-bienfaits-pour-la-sante.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=envoyer_cbp

Gluten allergies on the rise, and two Gluten-free Montreal restos

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/food-wine/Gluten+free+easy/5714724/story.html?cid=TheGazetteFoodandWineNewsletter_December2011

An optimistic view of the local food movement and the mix of different models at work http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/making-local-food-real/

Terre Madre with Slowfood Montreal - Dec.10^th, a conference/potluck to mark the international Slowfood holiday  http://www.slowfoodmontreal.com/2010/12/jour-yul-terra-madre/

Many Montreal restaurants do not recycle, absolutely pathetic but true..  And I think it's wierd not to compost.  Granted that's easier in the country (but on the other hand, no one picks up my oil) and the eco-centre is far.  We all have to do our bit, but it will always help if the municipality makes it convenient. http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/dirty+secret+Montreal+restaurants/5776377/story.html

An interview with Tom Colicchio – good little tidbits for young cooks, like how Patience is key, that it takes 10 yrs of working hard to be a ‘chef’.. among other reflections on the world of food and his history.  http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2011/11/tom_colicchio_o_1.php

There is such a thing as good Turkey  - With the holidays ahead, you might want to consider ditching the factory farmed turkey!  Plan ahead, find a small, local farm that does things right and order a heritage (real) turkey..  As with factory farmed chicken, feedlot beef and all that crap, it is sketchy from A to Z, from the methods of breeding and raising these big fat turkeys so unnaturally fast and the inhumane close confines (which is why they have to cut off their beaks and load them with antibiotics), then there is the horrific ways of transport and slaughter.  Stay clear of those bargain birds. http://www.ethicalocean.com/content/anatomy-genetically-modified-turkey

Ferme Morgan has wild turkeys available the first week of December.

On a more humorous turkey note, check out this video ‘Just put the f-ing turkey in the oven’  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foA0MGUbYH0

I agree with the message here.  But contrarily stand by the fact that there is such a thing as good Turkey, but no you don’t necessarily need to truss it or get all fancy or complicated.. 

Celebrity chef cooks his favourite pretentious foodie meal – I generally wince at digs at local & sustainable, but sadly, the way these terms are thrown around has become annoying in terms of marketing, so yes this is funny.  But the thing is, when for real, it isn’t all bullshit!   If you’re breaking your back growing/raising natural veg and meat, cooking and sourcing this way - for quality & taste, for heritage & community, for the environment, because it’s the way it should be, it should be noteworthy because it isn’t normal anymore.  Ingredients with a pedigree, a direct link to the producer, organic labels are signs of quality and food ethics – both important to me as a consumer. What kills is that those who are full of shit talk have made it all meaningless and brought on the cynicism.  So yes, have a laugh, but don’t forget about the real issues!  This kind of thing only encourages chefs to keep sourcing the industrial system, importing cheap shit as opposed to supporting their local growers and artisans, alongside customers that don’t value the difference.  That being said, nothing wrong with a good laugh..  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMUDw4_e93Y&feature=share

Dairy farmer Michael Schmidt and his battle for raw milk; sign the Slowfood petition

http://www.slowfood.com/rawmilk/eng/news/67/canadian-dairy-farmer-schmidt-strikes-to-defend-raw-milk

http://www.slowfood.fr/bulletin/manifeste-au-lait-cru.pdf

‘Best Before’ dates on packages to be used as a guideline for peak quality – not an absolute expiration date.  Take a sniff before chucking it out! http://www.grist.org/food/2011-11-18-use-by-dates-a-myth-that-needs-busting%22

Michelin leaves out Chicago restaurant Next – too complicated, their outside the box

http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2011/11/michelin_couldnt_get_next_rese.html

Seasonal veg tempura  I often like my veg straight up with a bit of olive oil and/or butter, s&p, but tempura is a good trick to pull out every now and again – it works with just about any veg (par-cook the tough ones) and everyone loves it!  It’s my goto for harder-to-love wild veg like milkweed broccoli which has great flavour but is mushy after the necessary cooking. 

Serve a dipping sauce if you want, but I don’t think it’s necessary.

http://leitesculinaria.com/77061/recipes-vegetable-tempura.html

Next New York Times dining critic is Pete Wells..  http://ny.eater.com/archives/2011/11/pete_wells_999_confirmed_as_new_times_critic.php

Torrisi branching out and doing history inspired menus – cool http://ny.eater.com/archives/2011/11/torrisi_4.php