soupnancy

Bits & Bites November 2013

Tofu bad for you!? Good thing I never started eating it.. http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/09/10-reasons-to-avoid-soy-at-all-costs.html?m=1

Cookbooks  - a list among many for the holiday season  http://www.goodfoodrevolution.com/deans-holiday-list-cookbooks-2013/

Bugs hit Paris menus http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24912602

Women chefs and the glass ceiling; Yes! it’s a boy’s club, yes it’s tough, and most women opt out because of that, and often because they want to have more of a social/home life, more stability and usually babies (just when they’re reaching the sous-chef/chef-de cuisine stage). Not in my case and none of that ever bothered me, yet I ended up choosing a path on the fringe doing my thing, so I don’t know how I would have made out long term in the city circus as a hardcore female chef. But that’s the thing too, I was happy to carve out my niche off the radar, outside any club and true to me – like so many women naturally do by going into pastry, catering, stylism, etc.. http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Lesley+Chesterman+Critic+Notebook+Will+female+chefs+ever+break+through/9170642/story.html

No doubt that food writing is more abundant than ever, but there was a time when ‘ Less was more’ .. The price to pay for constant updates and photos, if that’s what people want.  I miss Gourmet, more in-depth pieces like in the Art of Eating today, more than one serious article to hope for in a local paper, a good book.. Without having to wade through all the rest. More journalists than bloggers, say. http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2013/11/food_writing_newspaper_section.php

A 6min video on food The point of this video might be to make you a vegetarian, but it doesn’t need to be that way, just avoid industrial everything as much as possible and it isn’t so bad!  http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/without_saying_a_word_this_6_minute_short_film_will_make_you_speechless/

A profile on our beloved Anicet and his bees (in French).  I wasn’t into honey until I met his family through Anne at l’Eau à la Bouche in 2000.  http://www.lapresse.ca/vivre/gourmand/cuisine/201209/18/01-4575156-miel-des-champs.php 

Guide Resto Voir’s ad campaign with ‘sexy food’ not appreciated by all. Big deal, I say. There’s lots more to worry about.. http://www2.infopresse.com/blogs/actualites/archive/2013/11/14/article-43008.aspx

Ten reasons you can’t be a pro chef even if you make good lasagne. I like it. http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2011/05/10_reasons_you_cant_be_a_profe.php?

James McGuire, a Montreal icon and treasure – as master baker and teacher, source of classic French technique and inspiration.. http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/meet-montreals-gastronomical-secret-weapon/article15377908/

Time article on important Chefs of today, referred to as ‘the Gods of Food’ to subsequent controversy.. http://time100.time.com/2013/11/07/coming-to-you-from-a-restaurant-far-away/

Major backlash due to no women on the list, why the Boy’s Club..  Because it’s just the way it is, and it isn’t the hugest deal. Bottom line, most of the time, the women are just opting out (of the industry 5-10 yrs in and if not, afterwards from the biz and boys club that gets you on lists). The guys care more about the lists.

Gabrielle Hamilton is called to tune in after Barbara Lynch, among others..  http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/11/11/why-do-female-chefs-get-overlooked/women-chefs-escape-the-leash-its-time-the-master-howled?smid=tw-share

Barbara Lynch http://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/blog/2013/11/11/barbara-lynch-responds-times-gods-food-feature/

Alan Richman isn’t surprised http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/11/11/why-do-female-chefs-get-overlooked/macho-men-in-the-kitchen-keep-women-down

Kudos for Elizabeth Baird and her contribution to Cdn food (Canadian Living +) http://themessybaker.com/2013/11/12/a-canadian-food-hero-elizabeth-baird/

You wanna be a chef? By Anthony Bourdain. Bang on. http://ruhlman.com/2010/09/so-you-wanna-be-a-chef%E2%80%94-by-bourdain-2/

A restaurant critic’s top 20 gripes I agree with all of these, although I have to say a couple are hard to solve completely on the slim profit margins typical today in restaurants in this economic climate without upping prices – say the reservation clerk, the freebies, tables that are less coveted than others.. http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/food-wine/Lesley+Chesterman+Twenty+grievances+about+restaurant/9132873/story.html

R.I.P Charlie Trotter – A chef that influenced a generation of chefs (mine), those who lead another generation in kitchens and cooking schools today.. Don’t forget that back then, we weren’t on the internet, there weren’t many big glossy books, just his – before Thomas Keller!  http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-11-05/news/chi-charlie-trotter-obit-20131105_1_charlie-trotter-cuisine-great-success

Remembering Marcella, who influenced more than a few chefs. One of my first cookbooks, a little stained purple paperback. I love her. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/magazine/remembering-marcella.html?hpw&rref=magazine&_r=0

Montreal spots to cure a hangover http://montreal.eater.com/archives/2013/10/31/le-lendemain-montreals-best-hangover-cures.php

Joe Beef’s manifesto 1879 – Fun snippets of Mtl history brought to light thanks to Joe Beef the restaurant (and McGill)  http://blogs.library.mcgill.ca/digitization/2013/10/30/joe-beefs-manifesto-from-1879/

Top ten food trends. Whatever.  http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ehlk45jhll/korean-flavors/

Chefs boycott the Cdn seafood industry to save seals and Anthony Bourdain starts a backlash (Thanks Tony, Dave) – completely ridiculous..  http://montreal.eater.com/archives/2013/10/28/bourdain-slams-chef-seal-hunt-pledge-canadian-seafood-boycott.php

It’s all been said, how misinformed and hypocritical this initiative is wrt the seal hunt, how small and controlled the industry is, how seals eat so much cod, how other fisherman have nothing to do with sealing.. But first and foremost, put your noses in your own back yard first and attack bigger issues like industrial chicken, feed lot beef, slave driven tomatoes and etc.. before talking about Canada, seals or even foie gras..

What is happening in France http://foodarts.com/news/features/28962/what-is-france

St-Hubert is starting to compost Yay. It might be marketing more than anything, and it will take til 2015? But if big companies like St-Hubert recycle and compost for real, it makes a big difference. http://www.newswire.ca/fr/story/1242049/les-rotisseries-st-hubert-devient-la-premiere-chaine-de-restauration-a-implanter-la-collecte-de-matieres-compostables-dans-ses-restaurants

En Route’s top ten new Cn restaurants http://enroute.aircanada.com/canadas-best-new-restaurants-2013/finalistes/

Food heists on the rise  We were bemused by the massive maple syrup theft here last year, but apparently this kind of thing happens regularly, even with perishables..  http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/oct/24/ten-impressive-food-heists-thefts-baked-beans

Van Houtte goes Fair Trade – it’s about time! Choose them. Maybe Starbucks and co will wake up too.. http://www.equiterre.org/actualite/equiterre-felicite-van-houtte-pour-son-virage-100-equitable

Love Barbara Lynch, Boston restaurateur/mover and shaker http://eater.com/archives/2013/10/23/eater-qa-barbara-lynch.php

Siracha, the guy behind http://qz.com/132738/the-highly-unusual-company-behind-siracha-the-worlds-coolest-hot-sauce/

Again a call to Be Afraid of Industrial Chicken www.salon.com/2013/10/19/7_horrifying_truths_about_the_chicken_you_eat_partner/

Paying to eat in silence (en français) I fully appreciate a nice meal alone, but I think most people go out to eat to commune and at at least be able to speak to their dining companion.. But I guess there can be a restaurant for every kind of person, mood and moment in NYC; it would never work in Mtl.. http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/insolite/201310/16/01-4700414-un-restaurant-impose-le-silence-pour-mieux-apprecier.php

Top chefs discuss the business http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/eat-out/dishing-the-dirt-what-culinary-superstars-discuss-behind-closed-doors-20131014-2vhh5.html

Cheap meat, scarier by the minute with the US shutdown http://otherwords.org/meat-cheap-die/

Cook it raw – a grouping of chefs and producers sharing, staging events, all to explore the possibilities of cuisine  http://swallowdaily.com/2013/09/cook-it-raw-is-not-a-raw-food-thing/

‘Is true happiness possible without gluten?’ I love Jeffrey Steingarten  http://m.vogue.com/magazine/article/is-true-happiness-possible-without-gluten/

Joe Mercuri (Bronte) to open two new restaurants in Griffintown (Montreal) http://montreal.eater.com/archives/2013/10/01/breaking-details-on-joe-mercuris-return.php

Eater , now in Montreal, does a top 38 list for Montreal (and environs). Happy that La Table des Jardins Sauvages is on the list but it’s just a list like another; there are so many other great spots and chefs! http://montreal.eater.com/archives/2013/10/02/the-38-essential-montreal-restaurants-october-2013.php  

Scary ingredients/additives hiding in your fast food, nuts! http://www.realfarmacy.com/mystery-ingredients-in-fast-food/