soupnancy

Bits and Bites July/June 2012

Montreal’s blossoming food truck scene (only during festival season for now..) http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/growing+street+food+scene+city+mobile+dining+scene+shifting+into+overdriveas+number+roadside+trailers/6993567/story.html

Eleven Madison Park takes a new turn and twist  Despite peak popularity in foodiedom, they are changing the format, taking it more high end and theatrical, to mixed reviews.  I don’t generally get into reading comments from who knows who, but in this case, yes.  It just goes to show how different everyone is.. There is room for all kinds of restaurants if they are true and well done, especially in NYC.  www.nytimes.com/2012/07/28/dining/eleven-madison-park-is-changing-things-up.html

How to picnic at the Olympic games..  I sympathize and totally dig the creative thinking here, finding myself doing the same anytime I stray from home and want to eat&drink well in face of regulations and constraints, be it at the Olympic games, at a convention or camping.. Hence the olive oil in my purse.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/jul/27/olympic-park-picnic-olympic-games

On milk and why we drink the milk we do  http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2012/07/why_don_t_we_drink_other_animals_milk_the_dairy_of_camels_buffalo_pigs_sheep_and_goats_.html

On the CA foie gras ban, a thoughtful article  But still, perspective is needed.  As I have often said before, this should be a non-issue in the big picture..  Given that it is a specialty item that few people eat a few times a year on tradition amidst the loads of feedlot beef, industrial chicken, eggs, and sketchy foodstuffs  that most people consume daily without a thought. http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/07/has-californias-foie-gras-ban-gone-too-far/259809/

Some questioning and backlash is necessary in this era of throwing food facts around, be it in championing some new berry or dissing dairy and gluten – all on heresay and marketing, without sufficient evidence or research.. No matter how much  I respect Mark Bittman, he’s bent.. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/culture-magazine/mark-bittmans-milk_b_1671505.html?utm_hp_ref=food

Marion Cunningham and Alice Waters, a conversation – fun reading if you know and respect these two new-world food icons.. RIP Marion.   www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/A-Cooking-Kinship-Marion-Cunningham-and-Alice-2915480.php

Winneburger (Nouveau Palais) joins the controlled but burgeonning Montreal food truck scene, no doubt worth checking out!  http://www.facebook.com/events/382759751779082/

We need dirt and the bio-diversity of micro-organisms that go along with it – more reason to embrace gardening and farm-fresh food!  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/opinion/lets-add-a-little-dirt-to-our-diet.html

Ten essential cookbooks - happy to see the new generation embracing the classics! http://www.food52.com/blog/3777_first_kitchen_your_10_essential_cookbooks_and_why_they_still_matter

Special diets make it a challenge to entertain Yes, it’s quite annoying that so many people seem bent on taking the fun out of eating.  When I’m convinced that simply avoiding industrial junk and favoring ‘real’ food and cooking is all most people need to not have to worry about the details..  http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/fashion/rsvp-ps-no-gluten-fat-or-soy-please.xml

Umami, the fifth taste we all know and love; if you need it explained or not, good piece to read http://www.artofeating.com/umami.htm

Sustainable fish& seafood – Taras Gresco (author of Bottomfeeder, a must read btw, more relevant than ever) simply reminds readers of the main points to consider when serving up fish & seafood for your summer feasts.  www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/a-canada-day-seafood-feast-from-the-bounty-of-our-own-national-waters/article4377902/

Super bugs from an (industrial) farm to you..  Cheap meat is just bad, people have to stop buying the stuff.  Wish we didn’t need simplistic/silly info-graphs like this, but anything to get the message across I guess.. Because all the published articles, books, documentaries, activists and chefs haven’t had much of an impact. www.foodandtechconnect.com/site/2012/06/29/infographic-of-the-week-superbugs-from-farm-to-you/
 

Fruit and Veg; If you’re worried about pesticide residues, these are the ones to buy organic.. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list/

Some bizarre menus out there - young chef owners trying to be cool no doubt.. http://ny.eater.com/archives/2012/06/9_weird_menus_floating_around_nyc.php

A call for a quality local food truck scene from Normand Laprise`; No doubt, it’s coming..  http://blogues.lapresse.ca/avenirmtl/2012/06/18/normand-laprise-%C2%ABosons-la-cuisine-de-rue-autrement-%C2%BB/

36 hrs in Montreal - a NYTimes article with a different take: variety and bargains on the food front and art, shopping, bars.. http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/travel/36-hours-in-montreal.html

Do’s and Don’ts in the food writing business from a sassy food writer shamelessly promoting her new book.. http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/06/ten-things-you-should-know-abo.html

Montreal Restaurant lists – here’s another one among many, not the most up to date, but certainly more so than my own, pretty basic, comprehensive.. http://pierre-bellerose.tourisme-montreal.org/2012/06/mes-30-restaurants-preferes-de-montreal-version-2012/

Acheter Local – tellement de bonnes raisons pour, mais ce n’est pas encore toujours une priorité pour les Québécois qui sont conditionné de regarder le prix avant la qualité, l’environnent etc.. http://blogues.journaldemontreal.com/benoitgirouard/actualites/lachat-localquossa-donne/#.T9X26O9X9sc.facebook

Previews from the new Maison Boulud in the Ritz  http://www.katerinerollet.com/restaurants/maison-boulud-et-ses-artichauts-croustillants-aioli-au-nipitella/

On playing with other cultures’ food in modern cuisine - an interesting, thought provoking dialogue between two ‘chinamen’ on a trend that isn’t going away in this global reality http://www.gilttaste.com/stories/5367-is-it-fair-for-chefs-to-cook-other-cultures-foods

Plus de ‘food-trucks’ à Montréal ici et là – vive l’été!  http://voir.ca/voir-la-vie/gastronomie/2012/06/07/vive-lete-nourrir-la-rue/

Clio, Bravo  15 yrs in the restaurant business on the high end, or on any end for that matter, is worthy of reconnaissance..  True to memory, this is a menu to make one dizzy, but no doubt delivers..

http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2012/06/clio-15-years-in-the-making.html

Transition to sustainable agriculture key to global food security, UN

(via Mindful Table):  http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/05/30-0#.T8bIESGVNac.facebook