soupnancy

Bits & Bites 2017

Squeaky cheese – a bonus of living in rural Quebec I don’t have access to highspeed internet but the freshest local cheese daily at the dep. FYI the best curds come from Fromagerie Champêtre in Repentigny. http://nationalpost.com/news/toronto/why-the-cheese-curds-in-toronto-dont-squeak-a-national-post-investigation

José Andrés, a U.S. chef and his non-profit World Central Kitchen serving 25000 meals a day in Puerto Rico - An inspiring story of disaster relief https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/food/wp/2017/10/18/post-maria-jose-andres-and-his-team-have-served-more-meals-in-puerto-rico-than-the-red-cross/

Seal meat is sustainable and humane, a Canadian industry to be supported. I just don’t like the taste personally. https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article/8qky73/seals-are-delicious-so-lets-kill-and-eat-them

L’Avocat le Maudit de Mexique – the downside to the avocado trend at the source: deforestation, crime etc. (Fr). http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1060574/avocat-fruit-plantations-illegales-production-mexique-michoacan-deforestation

A sharp article on the state of our food system and what needs to be done to fix it  (in French) A key problem is that no one wants to pay for food. http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/actualites-en-societe/509181/le-blues-de-l-agrobusiness

50 Old school cookie recipes that can’t be beat http://www.saveur.com/article/-/The-Best-Classic-Cookie-Recipes

Its time for a food/agriculture revolution; soil health=human health. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/23/farmer-wants-a-revolution-how-is-this-not-genocide

Restaurants outside Montreal worth the detour: https://montreal.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-near-montreal-laurentians-eastern-townships Happy to be on the list, however misleading the mention of wild edibles without added fat or sugar?? I do ‘cook’ after all; its forest gastronomy, as in foremost about delicious, not stranded in the woods eating weeds.

Know your Avocado varieties http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/10/18/know-your-avocado-varieties-and-when-theyre-in-season/amp/

Grow food instead of coal mine. Good idea, duh! http://civileats.com/2017/09/20/from-coal-to-kale-saving-rural-economies-with-local-food/

How big business got Brazil hooked on junk  Sad! Nestle is evil. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/16/health/brazil-obesity-nestle.html

The Great Nutrient Collapse Fascinating read, Scary stuff.. http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/09/13/food-nutrients-carbon-dioxide-000511?lo=ap_a1

Agricultural innovation in the Netherlands: Holland shows us how it can be done, productive AND sustainable farming http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/09/holland-agriculture-sustainable-farming/

The ethics of foie gras I’ve said enough on this over the years, no worse than chicken but basically we have bigger food issues to deal with. Someone else sums up this old debate.. http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/01/foie-gras-new-fire-for-an-old-debate.html

Michael Pollan on how screwed up the idea of NA lawns is  I agree, always loved a wild lawn. François just mows paths, and the birds and the bees love it too! https://films.radiowest.org/film/lawn

Looking for a new muffin recipe? https://food52.com/blog/18900-meet-the-three-ingredients-that-ll-improve-your-muffins/amp

Recuperating food at Jean Talon Market - it’s about time! http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1055191/recuperation-fruits-legumes-invendus-marche-jean-talon-montreal-depannage-alimentation-paniers

Everyone has got their own meatball: Meatballs from around the world: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/01/meatball-style-guide-varieties-around-the-world.html

Revamping our food system becoming more important than ever: How to feed ourselves in a time of climate crisis http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/just-transition/how-to-feed-ourselves-in-a-time-of-climate-crisis-20170908

Celery, the avocado toast of the Victorian era I love this. Makes you think about trends, and how celery is under-rated these days.. https://www.tastecooking.com/celery-was-the-avocado-toast-of-the-victorian-era/

Kernza A promising new crop? https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/urban-farming/2017/08/08/kernza-is-a-unique-grain-crop-to-really-root-for-the-new-farm.html

Alice Waters Respect. I look forward to reading it, although I know the story; have been inspired by her for over 20 years. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/dining/alice-waters-chef-author-book.html?referer=https://t.co/8vqeeO1GsP?amp=1

A personalized diet based on DNA However theoretically interesting, I’m out on any diet based on food as fuel/sustenance without the pleasures of the table https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/i-sent-in-my-dna-to-get-a-personalized-diet-plan-what-i-discovered-disturbs-me/2017/08/17/

Cava, the Catalan answer to champagne I love it! https://t.co/3VenvapENK
(https://twitter.com/guardianfood/status/899134917287698435?s=03)

Trees talking No surprise to anyone in tune with nature, but I love that science is catching up, so fascinating.. (In French) but with link to English articles and Ted talk.. http://www.epochtimes.fr/les-arbres-parlent-comme-les-humains-26841.html

Wine irreverence à la Bill I agree, I hate snobbism when it comes to food and wine. If it takes an ice cube, well so be it. I don’t need fancy stemware, as long as the rim is fine enough and I can fit my nose in. Whatever works for you, follow your palette.. http://montrealgazette.com/life/food/bill-zacharkiw-when-it-comes-to-wine-irreverence-is-in-good-taste

An almost edible fruitcake and 100 yrs old! Fruitcake jokes aside, my mom makes a good dark one, but this is pretty cool.. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/08/antarctica-fruitcake-scott-terra-nova/

Charlie Trotter’s legacy  No doubt he made a mark. He was certainly influential and inspirational when I was a young cook, pre-internet, back when we shared cookbooks..  http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2017/Charlie-Trotter/

Do restaurant critics really matter? https://www.tastingtable.com/dine/national/restaurant-critics-pete-wells-adam-platt?

Always kind of sad when a restaurant’s time is up http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/farewell-to-frannys-a-perfect-brooklyn-restaurant

Substituting beans for beef to soothe eco-anxiety and reach climate change goals. I think it’s a good idea at least in part. https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/535536/

Butter shortage in France! Funny not so funny stuff, the price of croissants will have to go up. It appears to be due to lower milk yields and the hog cheese industry. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/14/sacre-beurre-fears-croissant-price-france-butter-shortage?

Handy Recipes for using left-over egg whites http://www.seriouseats.com/2017/02/what-to-do-with-leftover-egg-whites.html

Making socks and more with Mushrooms! (FR) http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2017/06/01/le-designer-qui-cree-des-chaussons-a-partir-de-champignons-pour_a_22120765/

Profile of Kenji Lopez-Alt of the Food Lab, ‘the man who conquered pie crust with science’ http://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/kenji-lopez-alt-profile-100-greatest-home-cooks-article?

A farmer’s wake-up call to stop developing fertile land (FR) http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/opinions/points-de-vue/201412/15/01-4828561-cri-du-coeur-dun-agriculteur.php

Chefs share their crazy customer requests – funny stuff! And I have a couple to add: Our annual special mushroom event menu without mushrooms! And my all-time favourite: ‘I’m not really a vegetarian; I just don’t eat anything cute!’ So beef, chicken and fish are fine, but not deer or rabbit. I had to ask her if she found mussels , shrimp and mushrooms etc. cute; no, yes, depends.. https://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/points-of-view/stupid-food-orders-list/

The real cost of ‘avocado toast’ Many good points. There is much more than people behind the price of a restaurant meal. https://sf.eater.com/2017/5/23/15677684/avocado-toast-prices-menu-costs-san-francisco

Queen Victoria’s appetites To think that it was frowned upon for a woman to have a hearty appetite http://www.historyextra.com/article/bbc-history-magazine/queen-victoria%E2%80%99s-appetites

Rethinking dessert on the menu Interesting! It’s true, why should a menu always finish sweet? Especially when you consider that before sugar became sweet, we didn’t eat dessert persay, just touches of sweet throughout the day or meal. Not being a sweet tooth, I wouldn’t miss it, but I know many who would revolt if you took their traditional desserts away. And if you’re going to put a sugar laden course on the menu, it only makes sense to put it at the end. http://www.mugaritzak.com/stories-without-a-sweet-ending/

Tomato paste: A scary fact of the global food industry I didn’t know about – almost all tomato paste (as in Heinz and co., what you find at the supermarket) comes from China, slave labour and a pesticide laden genetically engineered pulpy variety – ugh. Another reason to make your own in season with local tomatoes. http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/planete/20170516.OBS9479/concentre-de-tomate-made-in-china-bienvenue-dans-la-mondialisation-degueu.html#

Morels are spore shooters (you can see it clearly in the sunlight), but they remain a prize And yes they need to be cooked throughout. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/04/secretive-spore-shooter-prized-by-gourmets?

Historic food disasters https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2017/may/04/explosive-cheese-lethal-beer-and-poisonous-orange-juice-when-food-causes-natural-disasters?

Try Okonomiyaki, a Japanese comfort food that sounds so good right now http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/05/okonomiyaki-japanese-pancake-cabbage-soul-food-osaka-comfort.html

Fun article about Mtl Chefs’ Signature dishes http://montrealgazette.com/life/food/local-food-reviews/lesley-chesterman-12-signature-dishes-from-top-montreal-restaurants

Cheap meat over Vegetables We don’t need to become vegetarians! Why can’t we all just eat less better meat, offal too? It comes down to cost and people disconnected from where their food comes from; progress is slow. Truth: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/admit-it-if-price-is-an-issue-youll-choose-cheap-meat-over-vegetables/article34796062/

Food, Sex and Silence: On James Beard’s missing story I loved him. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/04/22/opinion/sunday/food-sex-and-silence.html

How Expo 67 helped shape Canadian cuisine https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/contemporary-canadian-cuisine-can-trace-its-roots-back-to-expo-67-in-montreal/article34769872/

Caterpillars that eat plastic  Promising. But we first need to stop our plastic thing. (Fr) Fr) http://www.courrierinternational.com/article/environnement-des-vers-mangeurs-de-sac-plastique-reperes

Indigenous food scene in TO https://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2017/04/19/despite-new-offerings-indigenous-food-still-hard-to-come-by-in-toronto.html

The Patent that could kill Mosanto and change the world I don’t know but there’s no doubt he’s onto something with his mushrooms, very promising.  But like with pesticides, it won’t be one mega solution, just a lot of small changes. All but Mosanto. http://www.ecosnippets.com/environmental/patent-that-could-destroy-monsanto/

David Chang on the reality of the restaurant industry and challenges ahead, spot on.. http://www.businessinsider.com/david-chang-on-the-restaurant-apocalypse-2016-3

Go University of Guelph, key to our agri-future! I've visited and been a witness over the years to how much UofG does for food in Canada, impressive. They deserve it. http://www.goodfoodrevolution.com/university-of-guelph-gets-a-20-million-dollar-gift-for-its-agri-food-program-from-the-arrell-family/

‘The 50 Best Restaurants in the world’ for 2017, for whatever it's worth: http://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50-winners  They are all no doubt worth visiting.

What's wrong with this list http://www.eater.com/worlds-50-best-restaurants-awards/2017/4/6/15197286/worlds-50-best-snubs-restaurants-analysis

The ‘granola’ trend is stronger than ever Looking back to Moosewood which was one of my first cookbooks! https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/dining/health-food-hippies-restaurants-vegetarian.html I’m all for vegetable based cuisine but that remains hedonistically deliciousness, so not vegan.. ideally with a natural meat garnish/sauce, and never! eliminating cheese, eggs etc. I think it is much more important to eschew industrial food and factory food, especially meat, rather than draw the lines at animal products (Less but better).

The true cost of seafood It’s been 15+ years that I have been awakened to sustainable quality fish and seafood in general, and careful about shrimp in particular, opting for local seasonal nordic shrimp only at the restaurant. But its crazy how this is still largely not on many average eaters’ radar, as in most of what is in supermarkets and mainstream restos is cheap and crap. Not to mention terrible for the environment and workers. We need to make informed choices and pay the price. https://www.foodism.to/guest-column-true-cost-seafood/

Cabane à sucre/ Sugar shack ideas (and maple themed menus like ours) in Lanaudière where there is a shack every clic https://lanaudiere.ca/fr/blogue-lanaudiere/ou-aller-et-quoi-faire-pour-le-temps/

Ten Organic Wines under 20$ http://montrealgazette.com/life/bill-zacharkiw-10-great-organic-wines-under-20

A wine primer - kind of like a ‘Wine for Dummies’ that covers all the bases https://cooking.nytimes.com/guides/41-how-to-drink-wine

Is eating fruit responsible for our bigger brains?  Fruit eating seems to at least in part be linked to a cognitive leap in our evolution http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/03/eating-fruit-fuels-bigger-brains-primates

Anti-bacterial-Biodegradable chitosan based food wrap made from crustacean shells – very promising! Emballage de demain fait à base de carapaces de crevettes http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1022852/emballage-alimentaire-bioplastique-bacterie-conservation-biodegradable-udem-polytechnique-chimie-gaspillage

The evolution of chickens http://luckypeach.com/the-evolution-of-chickens/ An interesting article from Lucky Peach, which sadly is rumoured to be folding..

Quebec’s Cider industry has come along way http://montrealgazette.com/life/quebecs-cider-industry-needs-to-realize-that-it-could-be-the-next-cool-thing I love the Domaine du Minot’s products to sip but especially to cook with..

Canadian food history in a few dishes https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-150/we-are-what-we-ate-canadas-history-incuisines/article34289538/

Where so called ‘natural flavours’ come from: ‘Grapefruit’ does not come from grapefruit; the line between natural and artificial is blurry.. http://www.popsci.com/what-are-natural-flavors#page-4

Hang-over cures: Yuck! But whatever works for you, I guess. http://luckypeach.com/recipes/collections/15-recipes-cure-hangover/

On Fine-dining, a conversation with top chefs:  http://luckypeach.com/state-fine-dining/

How about vegetarian being the default, and meat the add on or exception? I hate strict food rules and diets, but this general approach makes sense. Without being a vegetarian, this is pretty much how we roll with lots of veg, fruit and grains with natural meat and sustainable fish as garnishes. (French) http://fr.chatelaine.com/sante/nutrition/et-si-les-plats-veges-devenaient-loption-par-defaut/

The Reverse Sear – best way to cook a big steak?! http://www.seriouseats.com/2017/03/how-to-reverse-sear-best-way-to-cook-steak.html

Lichen – It doesn’t taste like much but potentially loaded with medicinal properties and we have lots of it! (French) http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1020157/grand-nord-amazonie-lichen-mousse-compose-medecine-therapeutique-medecine-changement-climatique

The forgotten story of a historic French chef of Michelin starred La Mère Brazier http://www.eater.com/2016/8/12/12382076/eugenie-brazier

Podcast with Normand Laprise of Toqué: A good listen; His story with perspective on Quebec’s cuisine du terroir https://thegrilledproject.com/2017/02/16/toques-normand-laprise-on-changing-the-face-of-quebec-cuisine/

Hawaiin food – a profile in 6 dishes http://firstwefeast.com/features/hawaii-food-history/cake-noodle

Wine and Sex – How wine is an aphrodisiac http://winefolly.com/update/wine-sex-drive-match/

Sometimes fussing and writing over Food & Wine seem silly or a luxury. But no, it is ok, if not essential. For comfort and happiness, togetherness, the celebration, expression and exchange of terroir, art and culture. Why Wine Matters http://winefolly.com/update/wine-sex-drive-match/

Bits & Bites April 2015

Les meilleurs fromages Canadiens 2015 – Laliberté (Fromagerie Presbytère) takes the top Canadian prize http://lynnefaubert.com/fr/2015/04/26/the-best-canadian-cheeses-2015/

The list of 35 Food Trucks on the Montreal circuit this summer http://tvanouvelles.ca/lcn/infos/regional/montreal/archives/2015/04/20150424-180331.html

Yes! Forget the nutritionists, follow flavour http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-flavor-drives-nutrition-1428596326?KEYWORDS=Flavor+drives+nutrition

Jackfruit, an exotic fruit/veg that is gaining favour (especially with vegans) I only tried it once and was not impressed.. I’d definitely give it another go if I was on spot, preferably not out of a can, but I’m in search of a pulled pork replacement either. http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2015/apr/12/green-jackfruit-vegetable-pulled-pork

Two Farmers’ stories – The big guys control the market, the small farms get the foodie love, here’s why we should care about the mid-sized farm http://grist.org/food/2-farmers-stories-the-fall-and-rise-of-the-mid-size-farm/

Freeze-Fry Steak  If you feel like fiddling with your steak for supposed great results.. http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/clap-steak-ideas-in-food

Rene Redzepi meets a Japanese master https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/14cbaaae5353c03c

Thomas Jefferson, a real original NA foodie Inspiring. I remember falling in love with him through a few of his food quotes, reading about his food ventures and musings, my kind of politician. http://www.brainpickings.org/2012/11/16/thomas-jeffersons-creme-brulee/

A new Montreal delivery service for fine foods http://montrealfrais.com/landing-page/

Montreal food critics discuss what makes the perfect restaurant following up on the article in Caribou magazine http://ici.radio-canada.ca/emissions/medium_large/2014-2015/chronique.asp?idChronique=368979

More reason to consume less plastic http://gizmodo.com/why-the-plastic-recycling-market-just-crashed-1694804237

Classic French food hits the spot  Especially today, the classic French restaurant experience is refreshing amidst the hip scene of creative n’importe quoi and accompanying pretension.  Funny how what seemed fancy and snobby 20+ years ago now feels comforting.  Maybe its just for people my age?  Like L’Express, how we all love it and return for good food, solid classics no flafla, professional service that remains warm and knowledgeable, perfectly satisfying!  when you think it would be staid. Reminding us how it should be.  Love. http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-02-13/classic-french-restaurant-paris-food-allard-la-fregate

Fred Morin (of Joe Beef) talks celiac,  and calls for more empathy towards customers   I agree, it seems that many chefs today are in performance mode with their tricks and hip factor, almost forgetting about the customer.  You need to want to please. And if you have lived a little, you know and love several people who would be 'complicated customers', who like their meat well done or the music not too loud, etc and you want them to be happy. I can get annoyed with the anti-gluten/allergy trend, but I take each one seriously out of principle, my mother's face helps, I have a family of celiacs.  http://luckypeach.com/the-art-of-gluten-free-living-according-to-joe-beef/

Normand Laprise’s Toqué cracks a top world restaurant list, a first for Montreal/ Canada   http://ottawacitizen.com/life/food/and-the-only-canadian-restaurant-to-crack-this-list-of-the-worlds-top-100-is

Terra Madre St.Lawrence, a Slowfood Event held April 22-26, 2015 in Montreal,  is the first regional meeting of food communities ever organized in Canada. The event aims to gather powerful organizations that share our mission for a good, clean and fair food system.  For the occasion, Slow Food Montréal will also be host of the Salon du Goût de Montréal – an event showcasing the products of the farmers, fishers and other producers of the communities we support, as well as the 10^th National Meeting of Canadian Convivia. With all these celebrations, we wish to highlight the food communities of Quebec and the rest of Canada and offer the participants and other organizations that share our goals a place to meet and debate. See programming: www.terramadre.ca.

What is Slowfood? A video of some of the people across Canada (including us cameo): https://vimeo.com/110986872

The decline of food journalism True. Driven by social media and the short attention spans of gen Y, it’s a new brutal reality of abundance of clips and n’importe quoi to wade through. I sometimes long for a simpler time of quality over quantity, when credentials and years of experience mattered more than marketing. I however, have pity for the ‘real’ journalists and I find it sad that there are fewer of them. Same goes for chefs and restaurants. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-vetri/how-food-journalism-got-a_b_6551682.html

Ethical foie gras  I have tasted a similar Que product and I loved the natural, less fatty, more meaty aspect of it, but it’s not what the clientele expects/wants when they treat themselves to foie gras.. I don’t even think said artisan survived because it’s great but not foie gras as we know it with less fat and more liver taste, your seared foie gras is more like a deluxe blond liver sauté, the makings for a rich terrine for sure, expensive though for that, so not attractive to most chefs and consumers, anyone who isn’t in it for the principles.. I’m all for this product, even prefer it, but customers aren’t there yet. And anyway in the meantime, traditional foie gras the way it is mostly produced in Quebec is not so bad or ‘unethical’ especially given that it is a treat, a micro blip in the market line of less ethical industrial food people consume without a thought on a daily basis at the cafeteria, supermarket, neighbourhood bistro or fast-food chain.. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/18/the-farmer-who-makes-ethical-foie-gras?

Essential oils to replace antibiotics in factory farming? Wow, there's hope. We could start with just feeding them the nutritional plants, but for sure essential oils provide natural medicine, many antibiotics, I'm all for it. At worst your chicken will taste like oregano?! http://grist.org/food/why-essential-oils-could-change-factory-farming/

MSG and the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome a whole lot of fluff that endures.. I thought this was over, with numerous studies and the notion of umami mainstream.. But no, we need Harold McGee to chime in again.. http://luckypeach.com/on-msg-and-chinese-restaurant-syndrome/

A French resume of what the English think will be hot food trends haha - like more kale and bugs, bitter things like grapefruit and brussel sprouts, kolache, and an African fruit baobab, birch sap.. http://m.slate.fr/story/96747/tendance-alimentation-2015

David McMillan talks Montreal food, always interesting and true http://www.afar.com/magazine/montreals-food-scene-is-better-than-your-citys

Broth is hot! No kidding. I kind of like this trend though, if only to see people waking up to the good things in life, not about me feeling trendy as a duck/rabbit/partridge broth fiend.. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/dining/bone-broth-evolves-from-prehistoric-food-to-paleo-drink.html

Foie gras ban is lifted in California http://four-magazine.com/articles/2453/fournews-foie-gras-back-on-the-menu-in-california?

Olive oil shortage will mean higher prices due to poor harvest in 2014 http://www.goodfoodrevolution.com/olive-oil-crisis/

Thieves take off with 300000$ of wine from French Laundry on X-mas day http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-french-stolen-wine-20141230-story.html#page=1

Bravo! Normand Laprise, chef owner of Toque, is named to Order of Canada for his contribution to Quebec  gastronomy http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=15922&lan=eng