B&B February 2009
Bits and bites February 2009
Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck closed due to health scare that appears to be no fault of his own, still a mystery.. What a nightmare, poor guy.
Montréal en Lumière festival reviews
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/food-wine/index.html
An inspiring interview with Gail Simmons, a little Canadian girl who made it big in the food world http://gremolata.com/Articles/534-Gail-Simmons-Rise-to-The-Top.aspx
Truffe – the movie, now out on DVD: I was psyched, a Québec movie with truffles as a main part of the plot (you see, with global warming, truffles start sprouting up all over the place and people are topping their poutines with them), I was ready to LOVE it, and I tried. But even with Roy Dupuis, I found it hard to love; in fact I spent the whole time waiting and trying to ‘get it’. I suspect there a lot of subtext here, playing with metaphors, or maybe they’re just having an all out stupid time, not sure. François kind of liked it. http://www.radio-canada.ca/arts-spectacles/cinema/2008/08/21/001-truffe_sortie.asp?ref=rss
A much more promising MUSHROOM MOVIE, ‘Know Your Mushrooms’,
Coming to Cinema du Parc in March.. http://www.cinemaduparc.com/english/prochainemente.php?id=know#top
Scotch and coffee tasting at Lenoir Lacroix Thursday 5à7
http://www.lenoirlacroix.ca/degustarium.html
New Restaurants to check out:
Mas cuisine in Verdun Chef Michel Ross 51..., http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?article=63011§ion=21
Greasy Spoon on Laurier, http://www.voir.ca/error/error.htm?aspxerrorpath=/publishing/article.aspx
Monsieur B. (old Montée) 371 Villeneuve E. (corner Drolet), 51..., http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=21&article=62668
Macaroni Bar 4448 St-Laurent, 51..., http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Dining+Macaroni+full+boil/1312491/story.html
Barroco in Old Montreal, I’ve heard good things, especially from the young set.. http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=21&article=63130
Contempory art meets gastronomy at the Jolifou Recession or not, cool things are happening in Montreal.. (this event Feb. 24,25)
http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=21&article=63010
Nadia G. book launch From the online hit cooking show Bitchinkitchen.tv, Nadia G., an Italian Montrealer with a following, has published a book, a very different one at that, subtitled ‘Rock your kitchen and let the boys clean up’. Definitely sassy and fun with some solid food tips and recipes (stashed behind the hilarious pictures, capsules and sexy photos). I really didn’t expect to like this book, but I did, not because I learnt anything about food, which could be besides the point, but I bet a lot of the young bitchin’ set would. If the kids are being nudged towards organic food and real cooking with a bit of witty rebel-sexy edge and silliness, than cool. We can all use a dose of it anyway.
Menus by Epynord – for restauranteurs and sommeliers, sharp options, take your pick.. http://www.menusderestaurant.com/
Garlic – the ultra anti-oxidant – that is real garlic, not supplements
http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2009/02/politics-of-the-plate-health-properties-of-garlic
The next ‘it’ ingredient – Black Garlic http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/24/AR2009022400755.html
Everything Chocolate:
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/chocolate/index.html
Top twelve aphrodisiac foods for Valentine’s.. Whether their powers are scientifically proven or not (hardly the point), folklore suggests they can work for you..
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/valentinesday/aphrodisiacs?mbid=e021009
Cuizine, The Journal of Canadian food cultures – our very own Canadian academic food journal on line, very cool. I remember attending a conference hosted by McGill and the McCord Museum years ago and listening to all these fascinating people presenting their theses and food related studies in English or in French and having the time of my life. I was floored that all this research and dialogue was going on in a separate world, parallel to mine as a chef. Now I am happy to know I have access to some of it..
http://www.erudit.org/revue/cuizine/2008/v1/n1/index.html
Rethinking allergy paranoia http://www.chow.com/media/7136
Vancouver is looking awfully good
Daniel Boulud’s Lumière
Jean George Vongrichten’s Market
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090204.wljeangeorges04/BNStory/lifeFoodWine
How Lobster turns from blue to red when cooked - has possible medical applications http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/science/03qna.html?ref=dining
French idioms relating to food: ‘Mi-figue, mi-raisin’, ‘s’occuper de ses oignons’ and etc.. Love em..
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/cat_french_idioms.php
Salon HRI restaurant show in Montreal Feb 8.-10. at Place Bonaventure
Montreal Highlights Festival: all kinds of events and culinary delights for all budgets, with Paris as the focal city, from February 19th to March 1st.
The guests: http://www.montrealhighlights.com/volets/table/invites_en.aspx
The events: http://www.montrealhighlights.com/volets/liste_eve_en.aspx?volet=table
Poor Restauranteurs, Lucky diners (in NYC): ‘When Restaurants stop playing hard to get’
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/dining/04note.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Customers here in Montreal already have a good deal..
Fresh Boxes I’m not a such a gadget person, but this looks like a good idea.. For those fragile items and pastry type things you can’t put sous-vide but aren’t made à la minute, sometimes necessarily a day or two in advance, to keep them fresher, longer ..
Nancy Hinton
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B&B January 2009
Bits and Bites January 2009
Food and Think, A Heaping Helping of Food Science and Culture: A new food blog from Smithsonian with topics like the archaeology of alcohol consumption in human history, tracing human evolution via stomach ulcer bacteria and the nomenclature of fish.. Very cool. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/
Playing with aromas as ingredients: trendy chefs turn perfumists http://www.gourmet.com/restaurants/2009/01/madrid-fusion-power-of-scent
Eat less, live longer, remember more Although I’m not too sure I would want to live longer and remember everything if I was starving.. http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=eat-less-remember-more-09-01-27
Agave nectar, the sweetener of the moment http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2009-01/agave-nectar-sweetener-any-occasion
Marion Nestle’s Fight for food safety No wonder she is wary; after writing so many books on food issues, and inspiring so many others, when as she says, we know what to do, we have the solutions, and still so little change.. http://gremolata.com/Articles/487-Marion-Nestles-Fight-For-Food-safety.aspx
Mark Bittman’s new book, ‘Food Matters’, a guide to conscious eating
Some excerpts: On the oil dependence of cattle farming, "A typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivalent, energy-wise, of driving around in a sport-utility vehicle for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home."
On the advantage of eating plants, "It takes 2.2 calories of fossil fuel to yield one calorie of food energy from corn; that same calorie of food energy from beef requires you to burn 40 calories of fossil fuel."
On the virtue of embracing a bit of hunger, "The three things people are most neurotic about are food, sex and sleep. Very few people, every time they want to have sex, go have sex. Almost no one goes to sleep every time they get tired. But people think 'I'm hungry' and they go get food right away."
Trying to recreate restaurant dishes at home: A journalist tests the recipes from three NYC restaurants and compares them to the real thing.. for the most unsurprising of results: Reminiscent but not quite as good, with out all the frills, and with a sink full of dishes. http://www.slate.com/id/2208787/
Trying to recreate restaurant dishes at home: A journalist tests the recipes from three NYC restaurants and compares them to the real thing.. for the most unsurprising of results: Reminiscent but not quite as good, with out all the frills, and with a sink full of dishes. http://www.slate.com/id/2208787/
David Suzuki’s Saving Green hot-list
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/newsletters/jan09_savinggreen/default.asp
And before the budget deadline, tell the government how important the environment is to you!
Made with crushed bugs. Why can’t they just say it like it is?
Beetle dye http://www.chow.com/media/7002
New FDA labelling laws http://www.cspinet.org/new/200901055.html
Explaining salmonella in peanut butter http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=salmonella-poisoning-peanut-butter
Everyone wants to know what the president likes to eat, hoping for a piece of the action too..
‘Chowbama’ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090114.wchowbama14/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/
Washington restaurants hope to make his dining out list http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/dining/14power.html
A blog devoted to the Obama foodscape http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/search/label/Cristeta%20Comerford
As this Gourmet article suggests, it would be nice that all this talk of change extended to the table. Especially that our food supply and eating habits are so intimately tied in with health issues, the environment, the economy and every citizen’s day to day, the president and the white house chef have the power to bring food issues mainstream, to bring real change..
http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2009/01/white-house-chef-wars
Top restaurants say ‘what recession?’ http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2009/01/top-restaurants.html
Meanwhile Spam (and co.) sales skyrocket
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090112.wllowbrow12/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
Saving a squirrel by eating one: British chefs and activists have made the North American gray squirrel a sought after delicacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/dining/07squirrel.html
Or how about a Raccoon? Another increasingly appealing choice for the times.. http://www.kansascity.com/living/food/story/977895.html
Looking back:
The best videos of 2008 at Serious Eats, notably the pig in boots
http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/12/the-year-that-was-on-serious-eats-videos.html
The best casual Montreal Restaurants of 2008: A whole list of new spots for cheap good eats – might turn in handy this year..
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/informal+eats/1117276/story.html
Kitchen science: some good, useful basic reminders http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/science/06cook.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Fat and booze: The latest best diet for women
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/dec/28/health-and-well-being-health1
B&B December 2008
Bits and Bites December 2008
Montreal en Lumière schedule is out, tickets go on sale this Saturday
http://nouvelles.equipespectra.ca/blog/?p=389&langswitch_lang=en
On Vegetarianism vs. Big Bad Meat, and the mistake we made in ditching traditional foods. This is a terrific article by Gremolata’s Loretta .. is an important read.. Accumulating evidence that we have it all wrong when it comes to recent thinking about eating meat and animal fats, the healthiness of a vegetarian diet, and the ‘new’ industrial food that has replaced traditional foods… The more I read, live and trust common sense, the more it becomes obvious that we shoud have listened to our grandmothers all along, as Michael Pollan so poignantly pointed out in his Defense of Food. The bottom line, eating meat and fat is fine, even best, when the meat is naturally raised, as a part of a balanced diet big on real food and scarce on industrial refined sugars, starches and vegetable fats. http://www.gremolata.com/Articles/386-Im-A-Natural-Born-Killer.aspx
The GM EnviroPig - A pig with a mouse gene that makes its waste less of an environmental hazard, and other scary food issues..
http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2008/12/politics-of-the-plate-genetically-engineered-animals
Epicurious predicts top 10 food trends for 2009
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/12/epicurious-pred.html
Top ten food trends from Time
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/article/0,30583,1855948_1864255_1864257,00.html
Cuisine du Quebec website is finally up and running with an impressive amount of content.. With the focus on Quebec, its products, artisans, chefs, a wide variety of recipes and food news, this comprehensive site fills a much needed gap on the Canadian culinary web. What is most refreshing is that it is information driven, not commercial.. http://www.cuisineduquebec.com/
B&B November 2008
Bits and Bites November 2008
Wild foods once a major part of Thanksgiving
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/opinhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/opinion/26beahrs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Matteo resurfaces in Vancouver
Oregon truffles - sounds like they areworth trying
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/2667777-35/story.csp
Another top chef, Oliver Roellinger, turns in his Michelin stars to cook more natural food in a simpler setting at Le Coquillage – no wonder..
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/dining/19chef.html?_r=1&ref=dining
Susur opens in NYC
Gourmet party pre-opening – the food looks great
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/11/gourmets_preope.html
Culinary sissies - No kidding! Slightly less so here with the francophone Quebecois, but still, this annoying trend seems to be getting worse all the time.. Not only do all these special requests complicate things in the kitchen, ultimately it’s the other customers who suffer (in delays due to scrambling, distracted chefs or in a simplified menu or increased pricing to make up for the extra work), which is all too bad when it’s unnecessary because it takes some of the fun out of eating for all parties. Then, there’s also the cry wolf phenomenon, which could be dangerous for the truly allergic if cooks start taking the many claims less seriously..
http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2008/11/a-nation-of-cul.html
Ginger Lore: As usual, the spice girl at Gremolata digs up some interesting tidbits on this beloved ancient rhizome.. Figging! Who would have thunk it? http://gremolata.com/Articles/391-Spice-Girl-Ginger-Up.aspx
Cuisine Canada Cookbook awards - The winners announced ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008, see below
An interview with Randall Grahms, the guy behind Bonny Doon, who is now making wines with Life Force http://gremolata.com/Articles/388-Randall-Grahms-Terroirism.aspx
EU relaxes rules on produce shapes and sizes, opening the door for 'imperfect' vegetables to market (Incredible that these laws existed, how about here? Something to look into.)http://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/whats_fresh/index.html
And check out the wine bag for travelling oenophiles on the food section shopping lis
t, useful indeed.
http://www.bottlewise.com/buynow.asp
Patrick St-Vincent, a familiar name in the Montreal wine world (formerly of Bu), reemerges on the scene on the internet in wine capsules on the Rezin website – very funny, as in strange-funny more than haha funny. C'est à suivre, I guess..http://www.rezin.com/telerezin/
Spanish cured Hungarian mangalica (or woolly) pig, the next big thing to add to a foodie’s ‘to try’ list - coming to NA in 2009..
Tougher than Ramsay and Marco Pierre white combined
Meet the Chef Who Can Skin, Carve, and Fillet YOU http://www.chow.com/media/6669
The Chocolate show (Chocolatiers et cie) at the Palais des Congres Nov7-Nov9 www.salonpassionchocolat.com
Tricks for a crisper roast chicken Like Head & Shoulders shampoo, you’d think we’d have it all figured out by now, but no, there’s always a new and improved recipe for the perfect roast bird in every other food publication at this time of year.. This one is simple enough, maybe I’ll try it with guinea hen..
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=12318&Extcode=L8KN5BA00
A hen laying eggs in the backyard, a sheep to mow your lawn - like in the good old days.. With the trend toward local, fresh food from a traceable source, the idea of urban farming no longer seems so backward. We might have to get used to some barnyard smell in the city, but at least, it would be good to see our local abbatoirs back.. http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=906894
Michael Pollan’s letter to the president, again, just in case you didn’t read it last month. Now that the president elect is a done deal, maybe Michael Pollan’s letter needs to be pulled out, in hopes that it will become a part of the ‘CHANGE’. This is a must read for all citizens and eaters, as it sums up the reality of our food system (in Canada too), all the problems and offers up solutions. And Andy Griffin (the Ladybug letter) reminds us of an important omission in his almost perfect piece, the farm workers on whom the food system absolutely depends but completely ignores. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?_r=2&ref=magazine&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
The Ladybug letter http://www.ladybugletter.com/
Cuisine Canada Cookbook awards - The winners announced ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008, see below
In the English Cookbook Category:
- Gold: Fresh: seasonal recipes made with local foods by John Bishop and Dennis Green (Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver)
- Silver: Dish entertains: everyday simple to special occasions by Trish Magwood (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., Toronto)
In the English Special Interest Category:
- Gold: Ultimate foods for ultimate health . . . and don’t forget the chocolate! by Liz Pearson and Mairlyn Smith (Whitecap Books Ltd., North Vancouver)
- Silver: The 100-mile diet: a year of local eating by Alisa Smith and J.R. MacKinnon (Random House Canada, Toronto)
English Canadian Food Culture Category:
- Gold: A year at Les Fougères by Charles Part and Jennifer Warren-Part (Chelsea Books, Chelsea, Quebec)
- Silver: Menus from an orchard table: celebrating the food and wine of the Okanagan by Heidi Noble (Whitecap Books Ltd., North Vancouver)
In the French Cookbook Category are:
- Gold: Stefano Faita, entre cuisine et quincaillerie by Stefano Faita (Editions du Trécarré -Groupe Librex, Montréal)
- Silver: Serge Bruyère: ses recettes originales et revisitées by Project Coordinator and Author Anne L. Desjardins, (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal)
French Special Interest Category:
- Gold: La chimie des desserts: tout comprendre pour mieux les réussir by Christina Blais and Ricardo (Les Éditions La Presse, Montréal)
- Silver: Les vins du nouveau monde, tome 1 by Jacques Orhon (Les Éditions de l’Homme, Montréal)
Cuisine Canada is a national alliance of Canadian culinary professionals who share a common desire to encourage the development, use and recognition of fine Canadian food and beverages. The University of Guelph has for more than 140 years contributed to Canadian cuisine in its programs in agriculture, food science, hospitality and tourism management and is the home of one of Canada’s best cookbook collections. For more information about the awards visit: http://www.cuisinecanada.ca/
Cuisine Canada Cookbook awards - The winners announced ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008, see below
B&B October 2008
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
B&B September 2008
Bits and Bites September 2008
Bottleshock the movie – a wino flick about the famous blind wine tasting in 76 that put California wines in the same league as the French .. Now playing at the AMC forum.
Food matters – a documentary about food to fight diseases such as cancer, heart disease and depression - nutritional tricks the pharmaceutical companies don’t want you to know about..
Playing at Cinema du Parc this week at 7:15pm, watch the trailer.
http://foodmatters.tv/trailer.html
6 Ways mushrooms can save the world: A Paul Stamets video – Take 20 minutes to get a glimpse of the power of mushrooms beyond being delicious to eat. No, apparently they can potentially save the world, from cleaning up soil to creating fuel.. Mysterious mushrooms never cease to amaze and inspire… http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html
Speaking of mushrooms: Our annual event begins October 17 at Les Jardins Sauvages 45min NE of Montreal, Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm, Sundays at 1pm for 3 weeks. 7 Courses, 20+ kinds of mushrooms from appetizer to desserts, 85$ BYOB. To reserve, call 450-588-5125. www.jardinssauvages.com
Disputing the 1500mile factoid (average distance from farm to plate)
http://www.slate.com/id/2200202/pagenum/all/#page_start – I find it interesting to know where that commonly stated figure comes from, and therein lies a useful reminder to be wary of the media, but still we shouldn’t allow such details to water down the value of eating locally..
For the same reasons mentioned in this article, (as well as the fact that I hate rules and absolutes, especially ones that want to take my olive oil and lemons away), I never liked the idea of artificial numbers, as in the ‘1500food mile cost’, nor all the ‘100mile food diet’ talk per say, even if I always and even more so now, stand by the locavore ideal. And of course, I credit the original 100mile food diet experiment in BC as valuable as an initial hook or wake-up call (in the late 90’s), mainly in that it alerted us to make us stop and think about where our food comes from and consider making more conscious, sustainable food choices, to pay attention to what we had in our own backyard. Even at the time, I was already cooking mostly from far within 100miles, but still the debate was no where close to being on the mainstream radar.. It was an exciting and energizing idea, but forget about the numbers. First of all, because nothing is black and white, or good or bad for us, or for the environment in the big picture. Of course, sometimes it makes more sense to buy something from afar (tropical fruit from a tropical climate where a developing country relies on it for example). Of course, it depends where you live, on what the foodstuff in question is, on your point of view. But no matter, most of the time, and common sense tells us this, it makes the most sense to buy local, for taste, freshness, flavour, community and traceability, if not for global warming or anything else..
Just what we need – a book on FAT and our misguided fear of it http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080917.wxlfat17/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080917.wxlfat17&pageRequested=all&print=true
Things parents do wrong with food for their kids
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/health/healthspecial2/15eat.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
In defence of water Michael Ruhlman (and Mark Bittman) remind us of the importance of water in the kitchen (better than canned stock in a soup).. I know I have had a squeeze bottle of water by my stove side for years now.
http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2008/09/in-defense-of-w.html
La Banquise vs. Patati Patata Poutine taste-off by two New Yorkers
Wait, what do they know? http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/09/poutines-montreal-canada-la-banquise-patati-patata.html
My tops goes to that roadside casse-croute in the Quebec countryside called Patate something or other with dark crisp fries, ultra squeaky cheese and super savoury sauce brune– you know the one.
Foods to fight bad breath http://cbs3.com/health/bad.breath.foods.2.813226.html
The El Bulli experience described by a ‘food virgin’ More beautiful, moving and to the point, than any account by a food critic, professional or ‘foodie’..
Sex, Death, Dinner http://www.nymag.com/restaurants/features/49921
63 foods on a stick at the MN State Fair! An old primary school friend now living in Minnesota alerted me to this stick festival tradition, and although I have to say some of it sounds scary (and what’s a Hot Dago or a Pronto pup anyway?) But I do love the idea, how fun! Deep fried pickles on a stick or anyhow – yum. I’m quite sure that some things were never meant to be served on a stick though (cheesecake, spaghetti and meatballs!?), but hell, there’s no harm in trying. http://redravine.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/mn-state-fair-on-a-stick-happy-bday-mn/
In photos: http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/09/in-videos-foods-on-a-stick-at-minnesota-state-fair.html
Yup, I’m a shoemaker, and proud.
Are you a shoemaker? An anecdote on the cook vs. pastry chef difference..
http://www.ideasinfood.com/ideas_in_food/2008/09/are-you-a-shoemaker.html
No matter how precise you are though, if you’re dealing with real food (and not powders and etc) which is organic and variable, you have to tweak and fine tune for the best results taste wise.. Besides, it makes no sense to weigh out ¾ of an onion, or measure out 10 ml of lemon juice instead of seasoning to taste - it kills me to see students doing that.. I do appreciate the use of scales, but I personally don’t want my kitchen to ever resemble a lab.. I believe in using your head and all your senses with each recipe and dish, never relying on a routine recipe or grams.. which is probably why molecular gastronomy is appealing to me less and less.
Listeria, salmonella, food scare this, food scare that
Why is everyone so shocked that tainted food is a new (although not really new) reality? Hello, food is perishable. Real good food does not normally have a two month or year long shelf life. I am surprised more people don’t get more sick more often eating Maple leaf foods and etc.. Imagine how much denaturing of food, not to mention all the additives and noxious cleaners they have to use to pull this off. A few people dying is sad, but to me, no surprise, and if that’s the kind of wake up call it takes for government and people in general to pay attention to the importance of their food, than so be it. As long as we rely on mass produced food that is convenient and cheap, this will be a recurring nightmare. Like the guy at Gremolata in the first article below, this did not wreak havoc in my world, because apart from the odd takeout sandwich I buy on the fly, I know where all my food comes from, even my bacon is homemade. I buy meat and poultry from small producers I know, vegetables from even closer, cheeses from the source or from a reputable cheese purveyor who is in direct contact with the maker; we get other stuff from the farmers’ market, but again, everything is fresh, unprocessed and from a traceable source. I do it for taste mainly, because I value food more than most things like Ipods and Nikes and window dressings, but it turns out that for health and safety, not to mention less stress, it’s paying off.. The Slow food nation fest in the US , timed with Barak’s rise (new hope), with all these food scares in the news might converge to really bolster the already growing trend back to more wholesome food values. It would only be better for us, both eaters and farmers, and for the environment.
Of course, I could still get sick from an artisanal raw milk cheese, or get hit by a car if I leave the house, some risks are worth taking. And besides, if you’re healthy and eat a varied diet including a bit of dirt, chances are a little food poisoning won’t do you in..
Where's The Good Beef? by James Geneau at Gremolata http://gremolata.com/goodbeef.htm
What's in your sandwich? Listeria isn't the only risk http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080827.LMEAT27/TPStory/
Is Slow Food Finally Picking up Speed in the US ? Alice Waters says despite elitist reputation, Slow Food movement revving up in US. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26378691/
Amy reports back from Slowfood Nation after a panel discussion with Michael Pollan, Dan Barber and co.. http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2008/08/slow-food-nation-report-from-day-1.html
Gremolata’s report back from Slowfood Nation 08 http://gremolata.com/slowfoodnation01.htm
Recently added links : some newly discovered websites of interest:
Salon Culinaire : An Australian e-gullet style culinary community for professionals
-of interest, check out ‘read the latest debate’
http://www.salonculinaire.com/
Phaedrus Consulting Detective : Finder of lost recipes among other things..
http://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/archives.htm
Stéphane l’Écuyer’s recipe video blog www.stephanelecuyer.tv
If this is your kind of thing..
B&B August 2008
Bits and Bites August 2008
Merlove – a documentary celebrating Merlot in response to Sideways
Low Lobster prices show that natural and regional foods make even more sense in this economic climate..
http://www.slate.com/id/2196990/
North Korea creates high protein super noodle
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7578231.stm
Gourmet visits Kujjuack to sample seal meat with the Inuuit, with a surprisingly generous review.. Even if I approve of a meal of seal over factory chicken or beef, I think you need to grow up on the stuff in order to be able to appreciate its ‘fish meets liver’ taste and smell. http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/08/seal-meat
Making the case for boxed wine: Drink outside the box
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/opinion/18colman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Bill touched on this topic too last Saturday in the Gazoo:
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/wine/index.html
Compelling food videos
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/08/top-10-most-odd.html
So it wasn’t a rumour, Julia Child was indeed a spy
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,403443,00.html
Bacon martini, c’mon Once a hugely vocal bacon fan, (my favourite slogan being ‘when in doubt, add bacon’), even I am slowly getting tired of all the bacon talk now that it is so trendy - Maybe there is too much of a good thing after all.
http://herenb.canadaeast.com/food/article/383714
Look for us in the media:
The Chef’s Domain, a new TV show on Discovery Travel (CTV Travel +)– The product of 4 days of filming at la Table in spring, the show featuring me and François airs on Sunday, August 10th at 8pm! On Bell ExpressVu, its channel 527, on Videotron, its 145.
http://ctvmedia.ca/travelandescape/releases/release.asp?id=10506&yyyy=2008
http://www.travelandescape.ca/shows/showdetails.aspx?sid=9999
In the Montreal Gazette travel section on Saturday August 16: Short hops with David Johnston
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/travel/story.html?id=ba5a574c-b050-4e81-acc3-d933bc260e6d
And for those of you who missed us on l’Épicerie TV show (the reason we are happily working soo hard now), you can view it on line..
http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/niveau2_liste87_200806.shtml
Pass the beaver ribs SVP : Quebec chefs would like to see wild game on menus
I’m all for it, but seeing the complex, messy situation with wild plants, in the lack of knowledge out there, how many idiots who are ready to exploit without any respect for nature, not to mention how out to lunch the government is, I have little faith in their enforcement of any such program.. Many of the plants they want to ban are not endangered at all if they are picked properly, but it is easier for the government to ban their consumption than educate and enforce. I think this is too bad, but I see the immensity of the undertaking, issuing permits, hiring inspectors. . However, maybe with game, it would be easier. It’s definitely something to look at. Afterall, it is a part of our heritage, and it’s a healthier, tastier, sounder source of protein than industrial feedlot beef or chicken.
Cool ideas – Harold McGee explains the ins and outs of ice and chilling – so very cool. Love his no-tech icecream, and of course, throwing salt into the mix makes for a more efficient ice bucket! And little did I know that that old contraversial discussion about hot liquids sometimes freezing faster was named the Mpemba effect; I was always skeptical; now I will have to look into that further..
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/dining/06curious.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
How values affect taste.. No surprise there – so many things affect our taste : mood, ambiance, mind set.. to name but a few.. But I think that values do too can only be a good thing..
http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2008/07/good_news_for_vegans.php
An interesting essay on the potato by Andy Griffin (The Lady bug letter)
Check out this old menu – very cool.. To think that as a kid, I thought I invented the double decker peanut butter, jelly, cheese and lettuce sandwich.
http://cookedbooks.blogspot.com/2008/08/kitchen-cabinet-of-curiosities.html
Their following post for horseradish vodka sounds so appetizing and I’m not a girl for hard stuff – perfect for caesars too.
P.S. Thanks to the Endless banquet for leading me to this site.
Must see farming documentaries
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/08/four-must-see-f.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Alain Brumont at Auberge du Lac Morency in the Laurentians, with sommelier Guy Lelievre: a six course tasting menu featuring his fabulous wines from the southwest of France for 90$.. The wines: Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne, Gros Manseng-Sauvignon, Brumont 2007/ Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, Château Montus, 2000/ Madiran, Château Bouscassé, 2002/ Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne, Les Menhirs, 2003/ Madiran, Château Montus, 1996 (6 litres)/ Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, Vendemiaire, Octobre, 2000 http://www.lacmorency.com/
Quebec to allow raw milk cheeses. After a long battle, the 60 day rule is being lifted, opening the way for the production of the good stuff (full flavour French style young raw milk cheeses).. Looks like the Quebec cheese scene will only get more interesting.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080731.wcheese01/BNStory/National/
Dog off the menu in Bejiing Intent on getting the Chinese to behave better by foreign standards, their Govt is banning dog on restaurant menus.. They seem more worried about offending the world with their spitting and eating and placating the animal rights activists than addressing real human rights issues – bizarro.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/opinion/04dunlop.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
Food industry round up : The most stained cookbooks
All about Cilantro, aka Coriander I’m a lover, not a hater, but from experience, I’m not surprised by a ‘I hate coriander’ online club… However, I too believe that it is an aquired taste, not a ‘love it or hate it’ thing. Luckily, because it does enliven many a dish, and look how good it is for you too! http://gremolata.com/cilantro.htm
B&B July 2008
Bits and Bites July 2008
Quebec Capitale Gastronomique by Anne L. Desjardins (not Anne of L’Eau à la Bouche) – a cookbook to look for celebrating the chefs and producers in the region around Quebec city, leaders in our cuisine du terroir http://www.librairiepantoute.com/fichelivre.asp?id=pzyabsajuug&/quebec-capitale-gastronomique/anne-l-desjardins/9782923194684
Abundant weeds spells summer Yes, purselane, and many more
http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/07/purslane
Vegetable paper – very cool!
http://02a9443.netsolstores.com/vegetablefruitspapyrus.aspx
Food movies : an updated list
http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2006/04/30/food-movies/
Fried milk : old recipes that seem fresh
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/09fried.html?_r=2&ref=dining&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Tofu makes the sperm go away
And other things that suddenly may be bad for you like marble counter tops, jalapeno and tilapia.. just like reading too many headlines and too much worrying.
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/07/culinary-trivia.html?mbid=rss_epilog
More soy trouble – a revealing report on the truth about soy
We have been misled to believe it is a super healthfood consumed widely by Asians when in fact, most of the soy we eat is a product of the sketchy manipulations of food industry, with questionable effects on our health. One thing for sure, there is a strong link to thyroid problems, and that in its unfermented or raw state, it is difficult on our system. So not only is it not a health food, it is potentially toxic, not to mention all GMO and everywhere, so difficult to avoid. How the soy industry craftily pulled off the con and more..
Spilling the beans http://gremolata.com/soytrouble.htm
The ultimate chocolate chip cookie From Tollhouse to today’s top chefs, David Leite combines their tricks in one perfect recipe : Beyond the usual, the key is resting the dough (36hr) and adding salt (of course!). http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/09chip.html?pagewanted=all
The Ideas in food team have also found that vacuum packing the dough has beneficial effects in speeding up the hydration process..
Cucumber kimchi - a less stinky source of Lactobacilli delights http://sacurrent.com/dining/story.asp?id=69043
Locavore not only the best new word, but an official trend as people who don’t want to get dirty gardening outsource.. At least, it shows they value real food and are voting for a saner food system over the industrial one with their food dollars; even if it’s to be trendy, it’s a good thing. Like Barbara Kingsolver says, “I can’t tell you how joyful it makes me to hear that it’s trendy for people in Manhattan to own a part of a cow.”
"A Locally Grown Diet With Fuss but No Muss,"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/dining/22local.html?ref=dining
In response to Kim Severson’s article:
Is eating local earnest or elitest? http://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/2008/07/op-ed-elitism-a.html
How to make jam as the summer berries come in.. http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/07/tuesday_jammaki.html
For a more complete Jam Session, go to ever reliable Canadian Living team http://www.canadianliving.com/food/menus_and_collections/jam_session.php
How to kill a lobster more humanely Although the evidence in so far indicates that the cook is most affected by the cooking of the lobster..
http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/the-back-story-shell-shock/?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
Walmart branches out into local, now that it is convenient for their profit margins.. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ghQqDXMxs1hrKN5FHcgclPZy5msQD91LHT980
The 11 Best Foods you aren’t eating
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/the-11-best-foods-you-arent-eating/index.html?ref=dining
B&B June 2008
Bits and Bites June 2008
Finding grass-fed beef in and around Montreal http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/greenlife/archive/2008/06/24/searching-for-grass-fed-beef.aspx
Stellar local products: a few Quebec favourites most of us are familiar with, but in case you're not.. http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=21&article=59024
Upcoming books on Sousvide http://blog.khymos.org/2008/06/25/upcoming-books-on-sous-vide/
Turtle soup: I don’t know anyone who grew up eating turtle soup, but it sounds good with the meaty broth and the sherry on the side, even without the turtle.. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08178/892555-34.stm
China makes ‘kung pao chicken’ official for the Olympics, in an effort to make the names of many traditional dishes more inviting to visitors. Out with ‘Chicken without a sexual life’, ‘bean curd made by a pock-marked woman’ and ‘ants climbing a tree’..
http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/goodbye-to-chicken-without-sexual-life/2008/06/20/1213770880006.html
What’s up with Chinese menus? http://www.slate.com/id/2194074/
A fantastic, important article by Tom Philpott: How the organic movement can regain its relevance
Organic being the new place of worship for white people who just want to feel better has meant an increase in organic farming but not a rosier big picture. So much for the ‘Law of Return’. Even if we’re buying organic more, the corporate giants (Mosanto, Cargill, Potash) are still making gains, to the detriment of the environment and our food supply. Why? Because 1% of want to get our hands dirty farming, and less than 1% of the agro land is managed in an organic, sustainable manner. How do we change that? (We don’t have to take up farming) By making smaller diversified farms more viable; Tom Philpott has some good ideas for government. For us, it’s all about opting out of the mainstream industrial food chain that promotes ignorance and deceit for the bottom line.
I don’t only buy organic, but mostly from small and local enough producers that I know I can trust; that’s what’s most important to me. With time, and article after article like this one, I am becoming more convinced that it is better to buy from small and not necessarily certified organic rather than big, corporate and organic.
His conclusion to the article sums it up : ‘As our globe lurches into a period of ecological and economic crises -- not least, the food crisis -- what we need is less ignorance about food and more people with their hands in the dirt producing it. If we can't achieve that, than the Tysons, Cargills, and Monsantos will retain their grip over food production, and organics really will amount to some "stuff white people like" -- a soothing room within a sinking ship.’
http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/06/27/index.html
Grilling season: Some hot recipes - Spatchcocked chicken (chicken grilled flat under a brick), Naked ribs and Lamb roast http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-calcook25-2008jun25,0,7195219.story?page=2
Basted eggs - a cool looking recipe http://www.cheftalk.com/content/display.cfm?articleid=252
Katahdin lamb A new breed of lamb to look for http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080625.wllamb25/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080625.wllamb25
Menu fonts I absolutely don’t agree with fussy fonts to sell fancy food.. But I’m a no frills, no bullshit - Arial, Times New Roman kind of girl anyway, and I’ve always believed in minimizing a customer’s annoyance with clarity above all. Besides, with all my weird sounding wild ingredients, no matter how straight-forward I want to be, my menus can’t help but sound convoluted - the last thing the customer needs is more confusion..
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1813950,00.html?CFID=7382408&CFTOKEN=90008197
Copyrighting and patenting in the food world: For chefs, protecting your intellectual property is no easy business, not that I really believe in it. For sure, copycats are frustrating, but since food and restaurants are so much more than a script or ingredient list, the whole idea seems pointless. Besides, chefs are naturally always in motion, just keep on moving and ‘creating’, I say.. http://www.chow.com/stories/10708
Holy trios by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Some three-ingredient summer dishes to inspire you.. It’s a helpful hint when building menus and recipes that I go by too, whether cooking at home or at the restaurant. First you, decide on the three key ingredients that will provide the structure and theme of the dish, then you decide on the form and direction (seasoning), and fill in with supporting minor touches.. At the restaurant, a few extra steps in method or a few extra supporting ingredients might add a certain complexity or subtle layers of flavour, additional flash or texture, but the main players should be shining in the forefront (and what’s mentioned on the menu), the rest there to boost and show them off..
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/foodanddrink/hughfearnleywhittingstall/story/0,,2285202,00.html
Le Locale - An attractive new Montreal restaurant with personality and attitude. First of all, for the ‘locale’.. What a great spot! A beautiful terrasse, a hot lounge, an airy artsy cool big dining room with an open kitchen.. Then there’s a very enticing menu with a mix of low brow –high brow offerings: an array of composed salads, with poireaux vinaigrette, the ubiquitous beet-goat cheese thing, but more surprisingly one with brussel sprouts, and there are poached eggs everywhere (a good thing); tartares seem to be a popular item; hot entrées include escargots, pork belly, crabcake, foie gras, and the mains feature big meat: pork ribs, blade roast, ribsteak, pork ribs, the place smells like a bbq (another good thing). More up my alley, there were fish offerings too (the mackerel sounded good, as did the halibut and tuna, but they’re off my list).. My dining partners had calf’s liver, a main course tartine (there’s the lowbrow.., alongside the ‘hangover’ tart featuring smoked meat) and I had a nordic shrimp chorizo risotto. All were satisfactory, but not as good as the entrées (salads, escargots).. I’d be curious to try so much more because I do sense a passion, a certain seriousness and an authentic style.. Besides, this place is beyond seductive, both ambiance and food wise, not to mention the terrific people watching. Although the service was good when present, it was scarce, and the food was very slow. We didn’t mind, but couldn’t help but notice how obviously juiced the staff was.. Considering that the restaurant was packed, with an added private party upstairs, I can understand, especially given that this is still a very young restaurant.. Perhaps, it’s by nature too big and busy to ever expect perfection, but I’ll be back nonetheless. 740 William (on the western border of Old Montreal just west of McGill..), 514-397-7737
Bottlemania – A book about water How it happened that we tragically bought into bottled water, the ensuing backlash, and the issues surrounding water, from the fight over its privatization, to the safety of the water we drink, how we drink it, and how much we actually need to drink..
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/books/review/Margonelli-t.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
White pepper bites I’ve never been a fan, and I never adhered to the rule that you can use white to replace black in light preparations.. Because they don’t taste the same - black pepper tastes great, white pepper doesn’t, especially when over used. It often came up with my students when I was criticizing their seasoning (usually saying there was too much white pepper, who told you to use white pepper anyway?!), and they would be ‘like, but like, chef, I barely used any like at all’. Well I could taste it, and didn’t like it. Now I know why. http://news.curiouscook.com/
Kasu – a novel unami rich ingredient to play with
Where are the women? I’ve obviously thought and talked about this before, and I think this article says it pretty much as it is, but my feeling is that nowadays, most women simply opt out because cheffing at the highest level does not ultimately suit them in their lifestyle choices.
http://www.gourmet.com/restaurants/2008/06/womenchefs
Bacon salt : ‘You won’t believe it isn’t bacon!’ Then what is it ??!!, faux bacon bit powder mixed with salt? Bad slogan, I say. I can understand wanting bacon taste everywhere, but I’ll stick to more natural ways like smoked salt, or real bacon, thank you.. http://www.idahostatesman.com/life/story/405785.html
Best Vegetarian recipes : A round-up of the best sites for Veg-heads
James Beard Awards (the Culinary Oscars) : Grant Achatz takes the top chef prize, Gavin Kaysen of Café Boulud the Rising Chef award; Gramercy Tavern is outstanding Restaurant and Central Michel Richard was awarded Best New Restaurant.. The Top Cookbook Prize goes to The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. http://jbfawards.com/content/2008-nominees#books
Mexico City smog hurting people's sense of smell http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0430376020080604
Attack of the killer tomatoes, another chapter in the industrial food disaster
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/6/5/91413/99653?source=weekly
McDonald’s and Tim Hortons pull tomatoes from their menus
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gHOS5aiZzMkus0JnifVP8PDokb4gD916TIDG0
Michèle Formeman’s new cookbook on the Lanaudière – Look for it in Quebec bookstores for a glimpse of our region’s underrated bounty, for a couple of my recipes and a surprisingly good photo of François and I with sun in our eyes.. http://www.lanaudiere.ca/fr/index.jsp?numPage=425&numFiche=1054
François on La Semaine Verte Catch the last of François' five week series of clips on wild edibles on the fantastic TV show La Semaine Verte, on Radio Canada (Channel 4 in E, Channel 2 in W) on Sundays at 12:30pm or Saturdays at 6pm.. Whoops, it appears I'm a little late; the last one airs Saturday at 6pm (a repeat of this past Sunday's show)..
Seratonin levels as important as blood sugar in affecting reasoning, emotions and decision making We've heard of the effects of 'nature's tranquilizer' with tryptophan and turkey soup, but it turns out that cheese offers more of a tryptophan boost, and that not only can it make you feel good and sleepy, it can do wonders for you at the office (if you can stay awake, I guess..) I've long gathered that I had low seratonin levels due to my insomnia and inherent madness/moodiness, but I also tend to think my decision making is more rational than emotional, and I sure do eat a lot of cheese.. My present decision making leads me to the conclusion that the human body is evidently far more complex than that..
The cheesy secret behind good decision making http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-cheesy-secret-behind-successful-decision-making-841419.html
There will be chicken blood! I know I won’t ever relish being at any slaughtering, but I do think it’s important to be near enough to at least be aware; it is a part of being an omnivore. Or as Martin Picard said albeit less delicately, ‘If you’re going to eat it, well ben ?$%?&*!, you have to kill it!’ Or it was something like that on English TV, very funny..
http://www.slate.com/id/2192934/?from=rss
How About Slaughterhouse Tour Before Supper, Food Lover? The issue comes up in a real way at Blue Hill, Stone Farms, where Dan Barber wonders how connected to their food his customers actually want to be.. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/nyregion/06bigcity.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
I LOVE this chandelier!! http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/06/a-bright-lighti.html?cid=117621764
The World According to Monsanto – An ABSOLUTE MUST SEE! Now playing at the AMC Forum in English and at the Ex-Centris in English and French with French subtitles, this is a deeply troubling documentary about the sketchy ethics of the corporate giant and their horrifying, monstrous, detrimental influence on the world food supply and on our health with their GMO program. Solutions seem daunting and far-off in face of this monster but mainstream information as provided by this film is some kind of a start. Awareness is the only seed of hope for change in this David and Goliath battle between good sense, small farmers and agri-business profits.
Ironically, I could easily have been working for Monsanto if I’d continued down my original chemical engineering career path – looks like the seductive kitchen aromas saved me from a destiny of sure hell.
Recipe deal breakers ?? A funny article about what line, ingredient or technique will stop you from doing a recipe. I can relate; there are certain things I would never do in my home kitchen or in any kitchen for that matter, but I would never hesitate to substitute or not follow the recipe altogether. In fact, those are the kinds of recipes I like to read. It’s like food porn. I would have liked to see that fleur de sel recipe, but I would have used bought salt for the dish. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/dining/04recipes.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
New Cookbooks to check out
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/books/review/Sifton-Cooking-t.html?ref=review
Eating weeds. I guess you have to start somewhere, but if only people knew there was much tastier weeds than dandelion out there (which is barely edible unless very young). I do however support the idea of most wild greens with bacon, with cheese and in quiche. http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080603/FEATURES17/806030313/1034/FEATURES17
Leading Spanish Chefs scrap - Santi Santamaria, the traditionalist, attacks Ferran Adria for his use of questionable chemicals and techniques. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/1955806/Famed-El-Bulli-chef-Ferran-Adria-accused-of-'poisoning'-his-diners.html
B&B May 2008
Bits and Bites May 2008
Look for us on the the Radio-Can food show, L’Épicerie on Wednesday June 18 at 7:30pm !! http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/
Tongue tripping with the Miracle fruit.. I am hardly turned on by the idea of a mouth puckering fruit that screws up your taste buds and makes everything taste sweet, but people seem excited, the food web has been crazy over this story.. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28flavor.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
Imagined tastes falling short. I love this tale because I totally relate. Maybe because I travel more through books than across continents in real life. For me, the best example of this is in a childhood memory of Turkish delight from the Narnia chronicles.. I was sooo disappointed when I actually tasted Turkish delight. ‘Pot luck’ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/magazine/25food-t-001.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
Head and shoulder Martin Picard and Fred Morin make a splash at a TO fundraiser with a dish of Pig head and shoulder http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080523.wlbeard23/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080523.wlbeard23
Ivy Knight’s more colourful ‘behind the scenes’ account of this dinner – I love the way she refers to the ‘French guys’ all the time; apparently it takes a Montreal crew to spice up a TO shindig.. http://gremolata.com/ivybeard.htm
No farmers, no food: A wake-up call from a young American farmer who sees clearly what needs to happen for us to have a sustainable food future, same goes here in Canada.. http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/5/19/8032/52484?source=food
‘To truly create a sustainable food system, we’ll have to face the farm labour crisis’. Tom Philpott on the same vein: Farm hands down http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/05/30/?source=food
Hangover history – the truths and mystery surrounding this global ailment including regional remedies, all to say there’s no real cure yet.. Interesting read nonetheless. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/26/080526fa_fact_acocella?currentPage=all
Salt, not the evil enemy – Ie, For most of us, no worries. So, Go ahead, salt your food, your taste buds will thank you http://www.esquire.com/the-side/MARIANI/mariani-salt-essay
Celery! I’m only happy and proud to see one of my favourite foodstuffs get some press. Not only is celery necessary in cooking (mirepoix), and indespensible in spring (with lobster, crab, shrimp..), it turns out it’s also good for the brain – I like that. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aq8CCEQcmg8s&refer=home
Monkeys snack on junkfood when stressed out too, but only the monkeys it seems, actually find comfort in comfort foods.. Comfort food for monkeys http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/science/20tier.html?_r=1&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Scary how ‘awful’ our Canadian food labeling laws are
The 25 People who changed food in America , a slideshow by Gourmet
http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/05/25people?slide=1#showHeader
Some sustainable fish talk
It is quite unbelievable that Las Vegas has a daily diet of 60 000 lb of (unsustainable) shrimp.
http://fromartz.typepad.com/chews/2008/05/las-vegass-dail.html
Chicago repeals foie gras ban
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/05/lobbying-on-foi.html
http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2008/05/chicago-repeals.html
Restaurant notes:
Pop (Laloux's wine bar next door) sounds amazing! Read L. Chesterman's review, http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/weekendlife/story.html?id=d40167b9-f4b1-473b-93e5-bf611f225d25
Graziella, 116 McGill, 514-876-0116
In a nutshell, I LOVED it. I was a huge fan of Il Sole, and in this space, her version of modern Italian food seems even more beautiful and refined. She has an artful, clean and elegant style that is also flavour forward with good quality EVO and sea salt everywhere. Reading the menu, everything sounded appealing. Everything I tasted was delicious - simple, pure tastes and presentations, perfect cuissons - I especially loved the pheasant ravioli, my carpaccio with caramelized endive, and my dining partner’s Fontina studded veal. The wine list is interesting too with a broad cross-section of selections from Italy and France . On McGill in Old Montreal, this is a must for a special occasion.
If the service had been even slightly warm and more attentive, I would have no problem putting this restaurant among the top in the city. I’ll be back.
Bon Appetit launches a new website with a highlight (apparently) being Project Recipe, their 100 top recipes in detail http://www.epicurious.com/bonappetit/ Good idea, I suppose, but it will never match Gourmet.com for content..
Could you be a supertaster? http://www.thetasteofsweet.com/quiz.html
Packaged goods: Which are the best containers for storing our food?
http://www.culinate.com/articles/features/food_storage
Everything Asparagus , including confirmation by Harold McGee on the peculiar scent it can give to one’s urine – the culprit is also a component of skunk spray.. http://gremolata.com/asparagus.htm
Farming in the city, an inspiring story of progress in New York .. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/dining/07urban.html?_r=1&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Celebrating the potato - I’m all for it!
The International Year of the Potato http://www.sabrosito.ca/archives/106
Five books a farmer thinks we should read – I plan on heeding his recommendations. 4 out of 5 to go..
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/05/five-books-you.html?mbid=rss_epilog
A great article about wine, how taste is obviously altered by perception and context etc. which is all fine. That doesn’t mean fine wine is a hoax. But it doesn’t mean an expensive bottle is always better either.. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/dining/07pour.html?pagewanted=2&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
More worries about sugar - Much of the world’s sugar source is in pesticide heavy GM beets.. http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2008/05/politicsoftheplate_05_09_08
Eating greens to live long and strong – I’ve seen it and believe it!
Eat Herbs, Live to Be 256
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/05/eat-herbs-live.html?mbid=rss_epilog
On la Semaine Verte, ‘Le Potager de La Nouvelle France ’ , a special on Quebec ’s 400 years of culinary history.
http://www1.radio-canada.ca/actualite/semaine_verte/reportages.aspx?IDItemMenu=-1
Futuristic kitchen designs for the home
http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/05/kitchenshow
Royal reds, a wild American shrimp species
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042900518.html
Surely better than the ubiquious Asian pond shrimp, but how sustainable this catch is, is unclear (deep waters, fuel costs, bycatch etc). Still, I would love to taste the suckers some day.. Luckily I have my beloved nordic shrimp for a couple more monthes.
B&B April 2008
Bits and Bites April 2008
Dairy farmer arrests in Quebec and in Ontario; are these purveyers of unpasteurized milk artisans or criminals?
Inside the raw-milk underground http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/04/0081992, an indepth article on pasteurization, grass-fed cattle and the realities of the industry.
GinaMallet on the Schmidt case in Ontario (Friday April 22 post): http://blog.ginamallet.com/blog
To save a species, serve it for dinner
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/dining/30come.html?_r=1&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss&oref=slogin How nice when doing the right thing and good taste come together. It seems that that is how it often happens in nature - species thriving and co-evolving because they need each other.. Nothing is natural in the balance of things and the food chain anymore, mainly due to the unsustainable ways of our food industry. If we didn’t mass produce and mass consume everything...left the fishing to little fishermen not big trawlers, educated more and acted more like stewards on this earth, it would all just take care of itself. We took away the biodiversity, now we have to bring it back?!
Speaking of sustainable fish choices, Taras Grescoe has a new book out, Bottomfeeders, which can only help since in Quebec, we apparently need to be hit over the head a few more times before giving up the big fish faves..
He will be at Bon Appetit Cookbooks in Westmount for a book signing on Saturday May 10th at 2PM . Call 514-369-2002 to rsvp.
Ban bottled water already ! Since Alice Waters took a stand a year or two ago and a few chef-restaurateurs followed, there has been much talk in the media, and little action. Here in Montreal , despite wake-up calls from a few including Lesley Chesterman, it’s still water-list snobbery reigning over eco-sensibility. What kills me is that restaurants are pushing imported bottled waters too boot! Including the American tap water Aquafina and all those fancy European brands flown and trucked in from miles, when we have the best water in the world right here! It’s not just the shipping footprint and recycling issue, don’t forget the footprint behind just making the plastic.. Bottom line - completely unnecessary, in fact outrageously stupid, as Amy makes clear in her blog with some good examples of stupid waters http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2008/04/ban-bottled-water.html
A year ago: Restaurants making changes in CA http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/21/FDGU1OMMT61.DTL
Here in Quebec, filtered tap water is the way to go..
Water filters: Cheap and easy for the home or business http://www.greenerchoices.org/ratings.cfm?product=waterfilter
Aquaovo, a filter system with an eco-design (no electricity): http://www.aquaovo.com/
Quebec waters to support: If you must do the bottle, from local springs, try Plus 1 (bonus bidegradable bottle) or Amaro, and St-Justin for bubbles http://www.plusonewater.ca/en/our_water.php
A comprehensive list with links for all your local water info needs (in French) : http://www.toile.com/quebec/Commerce_et_economie/Produits_et_services/Alimentation/Eau_de_source/
As Daniel Boulud and JG Vonghricten hit Vancouver, and Susur leaves TO for NYC, Vancouver and TO rival for Canadian food city status (outside Quebec of course)
Van City sizzles, T.O. fizzles’ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080423.wvancouver23/BNStory/lifeMain/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080423.wvancouver23
Newfoundland cod stocks show signs of rebounding, BUT..
‘Not so fast for cod’s sake’ http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2008/04/politicsoftheplate_04_22_08
Boy or Girl? The Answer May Depend on Mom’s Eating Habits
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/boy-or-girl-the-answer-may-depend-on-moms-eating-habits/
The Pope’s risotto – he’s wilder than we thought; ramps play an integral role..
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/dining/231rrex.html?ref=dining
ElBulli tops the 50 Best restaurants in the world (S.Pelligrino) list once again http://www.theworlds50best.com/2008_list.html
Just as Ferran Adria plans on downsizing . So much for ever getting a rez..
http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/item/1559/pg_dtl_art_news/238/pg_ftr_art
Natural, ‘ethical’ foie gras in Spain , Dan Barber describes it as the best culinary experience of his life..
http://www.lancasterfarming.com/node/1197
Unbelievable! Heinz introduces gourmet ketchup to much ado
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/04/heinz-introduce.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Manufacturing meat (cultured meat cells) – sounds like science fiction!
Montreal hotspots in the New York Times travel section: The usual suspects, Pied de Cochon, Joe Beef et co. and Gardemanger impress a visiting New Yorker.. http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/travel/06choice.html?ex=1365220800&en=ca50a815e615af18&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
From the food scientists:
Caffeine helps protect against Alzheimer’s in a fat heavy diet http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2008/04/03/adding_coffee_to_doughnut_protects_brain/4996/
Research says: water is no miracle cure. Good thing, because I could never do the 8 glasses a day, and it just doesn’t seem right to be spending so much time, energy and money on my pee.
Raising food costs might be a good thing, because it’s only the commodities and all that it is heavily reliant on petroleum (for fertilizer, pesticides and transport) that will significantly increase. This could be the quickest way to a more sustainable food system, and hurt the fast, processed food the most, in effect levelling the playing field (between industrial food and small farms). This would automatically force us all to think about where our food comes and make more regional, sensible choices. Those of us priveleged enough to have the choice should be eating real food, and paying the real price. Wouldn't opting out of the industrial system take some pressure off the global food system, leaving more wheat, rice and corn for the rest of the world? Now, if only we would stop using it so much to make ethanol (hardly the best solution). http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/dining/02cheap.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=dining
Then again, it's not so simple. From Grist, the story on what's behind rising food prices.
Sticker shock! What's causing the sudden run-up in food prices?http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/4/25/74229/2816
Why the ethanol as biofuel solution is not: Rex Murphy's end of the ethanol dream http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/rex_murphy/end_of_the_ethanol_dream.html
A really great interview with Anthony Bourdain if you have an hour.. Not so different from the one in Mtl. but he’s undeniably authentic, witty, and entertaining, even wise at times.. http://gremolata.com/gfr.htm
One of my favourite quotes by the late physicist Nicholas Kurti.. At a presentation for the Royal Society of London in 1969 he lamented, "I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus, we do not know what goes on inside our soufflés." See the article below. Although there seem to be some errors in this article (sodium alginate and calcium inversed in sphere making, confusing making spheres with foams, mixing the processes etc..), it's a good overview of food science, and I love the mention of the ouzo effect, still baffling to food scientists.. http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080329/bob10.asp
Almonds extra good for you! Of course I know to take all nutritional information with a grain of salt now, but still I like to cheer on one of my favourites.. http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080331/LIFESTYLE/803310312
B&B March 2008
Bits and Bites March 2008
A stand for cheese on seafood pasta – a funny article that digs into this old controversy. I never agreed with the rule anyway even if I rarely put cheese on my pasta. Sometimes it goes, sometimes not, so I go on a case by case basis, and if someone wants to put cheese on their pasta, let them. But like they say, ‘When in Rome ..’ If I was in Italy or in the company of a chef who felt that the best way to appreciate his/her food was sans fromage, I would listen. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/magazine/30food-t.html?ex=1364616000&en=6eff2a1b6911d702&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
The dirty dozen – top 12 foods to eat organic
http://green.msn.com/galleries/photos/photos.aspx?gid=164
More reason to avoid farmed salmon, especially from Chile
Iron chef Montreal, Monday April 14th at the Queue de Cheval
A charity event for Nourrir un enfant. Tickets range from 350 to 1000$, 514-390-0090
Chefs involved : Marino Tavaress, Richard Bastien, Olivier de Montigny, Lindsay Petit, Jérome Lefil, Chuck Hughes, John Zoumis, Fred Morin
Judges : Patrick Huard, Ginette Reno, Maire-Josée Taillefer, Jonas, Annie Villeneuve
Cooking beaver, raccoon and squirrel – looking back to some old recipes from Gourmet archives :
http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/menus/2008/01/varmints
Leave my bacon alone! Just feed the pigs better, ie. Allow them to eat a more natural diet. I’m leary of the food industry fortifying everything with Omega 3’s even if they are so good for us. As M.Pollan reminds us in his In Defence of food, it is important to remember that nutritionism is a most imperfect science, and has been most misleading in the past, in effect screwing up the way we eat. Like Joe Schwartz says, adding DHA to pork doesn’t make it fish. Whole foods are more complex and better for us than nutrients, the ‘greater than the sum of its parts’ phenomenon. So keep the fish oil out of my bacon I say, I’d rather get my Omegas from my fish, from my leafy greens and from animals that graze on leafy greens. But it seems that others may want bacon with benefits..
Bacon with Benefits : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080319.wlomega19/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080319.wlomega19
Pacific wild salmon season maybe cancelled
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/12/MNSLVHTM5.DTL
Mushrooms offer low cal nutrition and flavour - Good news for us
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/5623902.html
The Potato famine, the reason we have a St-Paddy’s parade, the story behind it and other repercussions on world trade economies - fascinating stuff.
The Fungus that conquered Europe http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/opinion/17reader.html?ex=1363406400&en=adc85a65affdc0d1&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
Cold water does not boil faster than hot water –duh? Someone told me this once, and I thought they were whacked; it went against everything I ever learnt in my many years of science. I was equally skeptical about the reverse effect, and this discussion animated many kitchen ‘in between rush’ moments over the years. Reading up on it then, I found out that hot water can freeze faster than cold in certain conditions, but in a normal kitchen scenario, this isn’t the rule.
My latest discoveries in Quebec cheese :
Terre Promise , a Suisse style cheese from Fromagerie « Du Champ à la meule » by Martin Guilbeault, north of Joliette (already known for his other cheeses Le Victor et Berthold, Le Laracam, Le Fêtard)..
La Brise des Vignerons, a raw cow’s milk artisanal Brie style cheese from Farnham (Fromagerie des Cantons)
Cheddar des petits vieux, an aged raw milk Cheddar from Lac St-Jean
L’Alfred, a firm, washed rind raw cow’s milk cheese from La Station in Compton. It has a honeyed taste, nutty too, mild but super complex in taste – I LOVE this cheese. I discovered it at a tasting where it was paired with coffee(!) and have had it many times since, wow.
Le Bleu d’Élizabeth, a Roquefort type blue from St-Elizabeth de Warwick (Fromagerie le Presbytère), a Quebec blue for afficianados looking for more blue than the other Quebec blues typically offer.
Le Grand 2, a raw goat and cow’s milk firm washed rind from near Quebec City (Fromagerie Les Grondines)
The Baluchon Reserve (Fromagerie F.X. Pichet), organic raw cow’s milk (washed rind, semi-firm) from St-Anne de la Pérade, an aged version of the classic Baluchon, making it more complex, and more nutty than the fruity..
Other local goodies to get to know :
Le fou de la Gaspesie : a store selling everything from the Gaspésie
1253 rue Beaubien E , 514-656-1593
Products from La Terre Sativa, Terre de cultures in St Alban 418-268-4499, terrasativalobetrotter.net.. Organic herbs, plants and tisanes and their derivatives. I love their flavoured salt (and I generally hate flavoured salts) probably because it’s heavy on the anise scented herbs (lovage, dill, tarragon etc)..
Cochon tout rond at Marché Jean Talon (4ieme allée) : Artisanal charcuterie (or salaison) using all parts of the pig, no nitrites and less salt than most commercial charcuterie, this is the labour of love of a chef Patrick Mathey, and a cheesemaker Vincent Lalonde from Fromagerie Pied de vent fame in the Magdalen Islands. The star is their dry ham (proscuitto), I also like their lonzo (cured and dried loin) and the chorizo.
Les Serres Stéphande Bertrand in Mirabel – I came across these beautiful, and surprisingly tasty off season tomatoes the other day, better than everything else on the market and certainly better than no tomatoes at all.
Maple eau de vie La Gelinotte, true maple taste in a liqeur for those who like something sweet to sip. I mainly like to cook with it, available at most SAQ’s.
Big news in Vancouver : Daniel Boulud coming to town to revamp Lumière and Feenies
Chefs as waiters : Featuring Momofuku in NewYork and Montreal’ Kitchen Gallerie, a new concept for a certain type of chef, and a certain type of client, which also allows the kitchen to get a fair piece of the pie..
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/dining/12waiter.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
Another interview with Michael Pollan, the ever fascinating common sense authority on the story behind our food, http://gremolata.com/michaelpollan.htm
While on the subject of Michael Pollan, I strongly urge you to read his latest book, In Defence of Food, the follow up to His Omnivore’s Dilemna. It is a wake up call on crisis that is the Western diet and a cry for us to eat real food, revealing where we went wrong and the misguided notion of nutritionsim as the basis of our food culture.
Bacon chocolate chip cookies I do believe that just about everything is better with bacon, although I must say this is a bit over the top; I dare you.. http://neverbashfulwithbutter.blogspot.com/2007/12/experiments-in-deliciousness-bacon.html
In denial over MSG : the truth in a New York times article
Yes, MSG, the Secret Behind the Savor http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/yes-msg-the-secret-behind-the/
An all coriander restaurant http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,23317469-5014090,00.html
Top food trends this spring http://gremolata.com/danastoptrends.htm#trends
A newly discovered blog I love for seriously curious chefs
Ideas in food : http://ideasinfood.typepad.com/
Maple gone wild: A menu inspired by the sugar shack tradition at Les Jardins Sauvages the first weekend in April, 55$ BYOW Friday and Saturday night, Sunday lunch. Call 450-588-5125 or goto www.jardinssauvages.com
The menu in English to download: http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/menus/
In May, it will be lamb and suckling pig on the menu and of course, the first of François' pickings - stay tuned..
Thanks to fellow bloggers who have shown me some love :
Looks like I have a new fan in Chef Jonathan Strand http://cheffyboy.vox.com/library/post/higici-part-doux.html
Another blog I have discovered because they had me on their ‘crush list’ - meet Shuna Fish Lydon, a pastry chef in SanFran : http://eggbeater.typepad.com/
Chatter on Chowhound about female chefs : http://www.chowhound.com/topics/491775
Montreal en Lumiere 2008
Festival Highlights
The Gazette festival food diary for numerous reviews of dinner events
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=bd588cef-c163-4c14-94bb-abeeba7f5396&k=97279
Montreal is surprised that TO might have something to offer (from La Presse) http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080223/CPACTUEL/802230953/5050/CPPRESSE
Mathilde Singer at Le Voir on the Renaud Cyr dinner at Toqué, Thierry Marx at the Beaver Club, and the Quebec city chef event among others.. http://www.voir.ca/blogs/mathilde_singer
Quebec cheese at the festival by Catherine McPherson (The Hour) http://www.hour.ca/food/food.aspx?iIDArticle=14094
La Grande Bouffe An overview of the festival by Heather Sokoloff at the Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080227.wxlhighlights27/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
My notes: Two dinners, two hits
Perigee (Christopher Brown) at Vertige, Monday Feb. 25
A surprise menu with wine pairing
Roasted almond gelée with white chocolate foam, Abitibi sturgeon caviar (Prosecco, our choice)
Testina (Italian head cheese), seared with poached egg, truffle sauce, frisée (Sancerre rouge)
Arctic char, radish consommé, cabbage, orange confit (Cotes du Rhone blanc)
Foie gras, chestnut purée, fig compote, espresso froth (Juraçon)
Seville orange sorbet, lime, green olive
Smoked venison filet, rapini, gnocchi poached and fried, jus with balsamic (Chateauneuf du Pape)
Steamed chocolate cake with coconut sorbet, meringue, coconut water, pineapple (Pineau de Charentes)
Very nice and definitely interesting. Tasty, clean, carefully crafted food, with a few surprises here and there.. The wines worked, nothing more. The main could have been hotter, and I always want more sauce than most modern chefs like to give, but these are minor quibbles. Although I never fell off my chair, I loved it all. I have to say, it was pretty flawless. It was playful and daring without being out there, and precise. Maybe I would have been more liable to swoon at this beautiful food if I hadn’t been scrapping with my boyfriend (sacrilege I know). My favourite was the sea trout (char I think) in a succulent (but no meat!) radish broth with cabbage and orange. This dish was absolutely stunning, both deeply savoury and delicate at once, truly outstanding. Next best, I loved the Seville orange-olive entremets and the pig, egg and truffle entrée.. I am dying to visit his restaurant in TO for the full on experience, perhaps with a different date.
Jamie Kennedy at Jolifou, Thursday Feb. 28
Ontario on the menu
Mixed hors d’oeuvres: Niagara Proscuitto, fresh sheep’s milk cheese, smoked duck, a trio of smoked and cured fish canapés, chicken liver mousse, assorted garden pickles and condiments (Henry of Pelham Brut rosé)
Oyster chowder (Charles Baker Riesling)
Splake poached in Pristine soya oil, soubise, beet reduction (Cave Spring cellars CSV chardonnay)
Ontario cheese platter: Thunder oak gouda , Highland Blue, 5 yr cheddar, Tosano
(Chateau des Charmes Late harvest Riesling)
Crepe with sour cherries, maple walnut ice cream
(Pilliterri Cabernet franc icewine)
I am naturally drawn to Jamie Kennedy’s style given that he is a long time proponent of local foods, and happily, the meal at Jolifou did not disappoint. His food is product driven, straight forward, flavourful, more rustic than fussy, more fun than serious. The only showing off going on here was with respect to the many special Ontario ingredients he brought with him. I especially loved the Proscuitto (Mario Pingue), although all of the little bites on the starter plate were bright, the pickerel gravelax, all his house pickled vegetables. The New Brunswick oyster soup was the unanimous winner of the night, like a refined version of the best New England clam chowder, as was the accompanying Riesling from Vinemount Ridge. The wine pairing was very good across the board, all the wines were from Niagara and the sommelier (another Jamie) was charming and funny (I’m not accustomed to Scottish sommeliers). I also enjoyed the fish main (Splake? A Georgian Bay variety of lake trout according to the waiter), reminiscent of our doré, which was meltingly soft from the confit treatment in a cold pressed Ontario soy oil, alongside the savoury, comforting winter flavours of caramelized onion and beet. I was happy to be introduced to some new Ontario cheeses too.. The mood was relaxed and they seemed to be having fun in the kitchen which translated into a feel-good dinner overall, not to mention that it was all at a very reasonable price.
B&B February 2008
Bits and Bites February 2008
Renaud Cyr awards (celebrating Quebec regional cuisine): François Blais wins best Quebec chef and Anicet Desrochers-Dupuis takes the artisan category (for his organic honeys), two of my favourite food professionals.. Way to go guys! http://www.cuisineduquebec.com/blog/?m=200802
Who is Renaud Cyr? http://www.lerenaudcyr.com/
See the ketchup crapper video with Martha Stewart and other more intelligent food news at Gremolata http://gremolata.com/gfr.htm
Michael Ruhlman on our AFU relationship with food, part of a recurring theme on this blog (real food good, industrial food bad), but he says it all so clearly..
Food rant: America's fat problem http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2008/02/food-rant-ameri.html
Martin Picard and co. in the NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/magazine/02Food-t.html?ex=1362114000&en=16d9ea0cb542f98a&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
Preserving biodiversity in face of climate change :
Near Arctic, Seed Vault Is a Fort Knox of Food http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/world/europe/29seeds.html?ex=1362027600&en=81961bd6351ee212&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
My kind of TV reality show - About wine http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080227.wldecanter27/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080227.wldecanter27
Momofuku Ssam Bar’s Frankensteak http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/44204/
Pot cave for making cheese makes for a good story http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/02/pot-cave-turns.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Deadly delicacies: http://www.trifter.com/Practical-Travel/World-Cuisine/Seven-of-the-Deadliest-Delicacies-Come-Dine-with-Death.84785
Pasta with bones by Bittman: I agree, but vote for some pig bone. http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/recipe-of-the-day-pasta-with-bones/?ex=1204088400&en=66f6cc5136df9624&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Oldest woman on earth, thanks to a glass of olive oil a day? http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jTWCmWUVtw2vA5wPeUcDfYzK5HYAD8UQBMUO0
Rediscovering the Forgotten Crops: Over the last century about 75% of the world's crop varieties have been lost, data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) suggests. Replanting millet in India is one effort to reclaim biodiversity and encourage reliance on locally grown food in the face of a potential global food crisis. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7247218.stm
I love you, but you love meat An article on the complications of inter-dietary dating.. I can’t sharing love without sharing meals, but I’m in the aforementioned Chowhound camp that sees ‘picky eaters as remarkably unsexy’. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/dining/13incompatible.html?ex=1360645200&en=cf90a3362f36fbc9&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
Baconizing desserts – a trend?
http://www.doriegreenspan.com/dorie_greenspan/2008/02/bacon-make-mine.html
A Bacon scarf! I want it!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9330217
Double dipping, Harold McGee weighs in. Too funny. I just love that George Castanza created a term for this particular form of obsessive fear of contamination. Of course, double dipping is sketchy bacteria wise, but whatever.. we should all just chill out, we’re too clean as it is, we should be kissing the neighbours more, or just eating more dip - for the sake of our immune system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/dining/30curious.html
Pasta isn’t so evil after all . It has a relatively low glycaemic index, and nutrients to boot. Plus, as Josée Distasio says, it just makes us happy.
http://www.culinate.com/articles/opinion/pasta_myth
A man and his pet ham . ‘Some of us are cat people. Others are dog people. Lesser known are ham people, a cult whose mere existence makes potbellied pig people twitch and stammer .’ I choose a ham over a dog or a cat any day.’ http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/01/ham
Beef, bacon and eggs used to deliver Omega 3’s before we started mass producing our food. This article explains how it is the balance of Omega 3’s and 6’s that matters, and how to get that nowadays, because getting it from food is always better than from supplements.
Where to find Omega 3’s: http://features.us.reuters.com/wellbeing/news/EF6A7FC2-D5BE-11DC-A508-2A9415A4.html
B&B Jan-Feb 2008
Bits and Bites January/ February 2008
With Valentine’s coming up..
My menu at les Jardins Sauvages : http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/menus/
Les Devins Chocolats de Sandra : A local artisanal FAIRTRADE chocolatier in Terrebonne with high quality chocolate that really tastes good! Available at Dix Milles Villages and at La Maison Verte.. http://www.ethiquette.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1206&Itemid=57&lang=fr
Nathalie Maclean reccomends wines for a first date or for a mature relationship.. I pick ‘endless love – celebrating the one you’re with’..
http://www.nataliemaclean.com/book/interviews.asp#110
Her favourite wine pairings for Chocolate
http://www.nataliemaclean.com/book/interviews.asp#103
Valentine’s Day Aphrodisiac foods with recipes from Epicurious
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/valentinesday/aphrodisiacs
Bittman's new blog for home cooks
http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/
From Gremolata.com
Grass fed beef tastes better – It’s not just the eco-choice
http://www.slate.com/id/2152674/
Celebrity chef elected as prime minister in Thailand
Suggestions for an American chef-pres http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/01/president-celeb.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Mars/ Venus and taste : Waking up to the fact that women taste more and differently than men, some wine and food companies are starting to market to female tastebuds.
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/01/chick-licks.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Susur at Otto? In Toronto, they seem equally puzzled by some of the Montreal Highlights Festival chef pairings. There’s a whiff of wierdness to it all, which might be understandable as Montreal and To do make awkward bed fellows. I wouldn’t know where to put Susur either. It doesn’t help that many of the city’s top chefs aren’t participating. Even if it looks like Mtl doesn’t want TO to be a smash hit, there’s certainly enough going on to make a festival, and I’m sure many great meals will be had.. But I hope the To crew rises above the difficult set-up and surprises, making it hard for those Montrealers who are waiting hungrily for a juicy round of TO bashing.
http://gremolata.com/montrealhighlights.htm
Rethinking the Meat Guzzler – A terrific article about the real cost of eating meat.. Some excerpts :
‘livestock production generates nearly a fifth of the world’s greenhouse gases — more than transportation’
“When you look at environmental problems in the U.S.,” says Professor Eshel, “nearly all of them have their source in food production and in particular meat production. And factory farming is ‘optimal’ only as long as degrading waterways is free. If dumping this stuff becomes costly — even if it simply carries a non-zero price tag — the entire structure of food production will change dramatically.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1
The bottom line : we need to choose to eat less meat and better meat. 30g per day is enough nutritionally, even 100g instead of the twofold NA average.. And I think meat should be expensive, reflecting the real costs and only sustainable practices should be subsidized.
Eating meat is only human, Bittman qualifies. http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/eating-meat-is-only-human/#more-105
European retailers boycott bluefin tuna, leading the way. Chefs need to follow and stop serving an endangered species.
http://www.panda.org/index.cfm?uNewsID=123320
High Mercury Levels Are Found in Tuna Sushi
The Tuna Backlash Backlash - Another point of view
http://www.chow.com/grinder/4736
Killing chickens for a cause: Jamie Oliver pulls a few stunts to remind people where their food comes from, and what buying cheap food means. Good for him! Sales in the UK already show a shift in buying patterns. More and more, chefs are trying to educate people to care enough about the animals they eat to give them the best life possible and show the difference in quality.
Chef’s new goal – to look dinner in the eye
Clones as food – This was the story of the past few weeks
BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7190305.stm
FDA says clones are safe for food http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402941.html
For me this excerpt says it all : ‘we conclude that meat and milk from cattle, swine, and goat clones are as safe as the food we eat every day’
Because the thing is.. by the minute, that isn’t safe at all! That’s the point. We should be moving towards more natural and sustainable food sourcing, not expanding and complicating the industrial supply. As the mainstream food supply becomes scarier, the case for buying organic and local only gets stronger.
I don’t want to be anti technology.. I’m the girl who studied biotechnology at McGill (it was my minor) back when it was a new exciting field, all hype and no bad wrap, also before I had any notion of food ethics. It’s not as if I think that cloned meat will be any different, but I just don’t see why we need it, and I’d rather not think of where it could lead us. When it comes to the motivation behind it, am I missing something? Why is it exactly that we want cloned meat? Only because we can do it? Or is the prime goal to select for certain characteristics to later facilitate mass producing those special beasts for big business lucre? Even if production goes ahead, the idea of Not labelling it in the US is unbelievable -how can that possibly fly? This would just make for a trade mess with obligatory labelling in the EU. Besides, the consumer has the right to know and choose. The origin of anything should be on the package, whether it’s a farm or a lab.
French minister says no to cloned bifteck http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080117/sc_nm/cloning_france_dc_4;_ylt=AtoZzzWMZyrZ5sxlSoJk_.L0kPUI
Commentary on Grist with links to more: http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/2/6/83532/92532?source=food
CBC's report with Canadian feedback http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/01/15/cloning-food.html
The super carrot: More fiddling with food, this time in the name of medicine. The latest controversy over GM Crops involves a super carrot..
When a carrot isn’t a carrot http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/01/14/scicarrot114.xml
Again, why do we need this? Through industrialization of our food, we’ve diminished the quality of our food, so now we need to be boosting it – how backwards.. When we can easily enough eat healthily by choosing to (by avoiding processed and fast food, shopping at farmers markets, buying local and organic and consuming a varied diet).
A larger portion of our food supply is already GM since corn, soy and wheat are largely GM and they are in everything (a conservative estimate in the US iso ver 60%, here ?), so lets protect the rest!
Again more fiddling with the food supply - Mosanto.. While we weren’t looking, big companies like Mosanto cleverly sneaked GM traits into the mainstream while they took control of the commodities, in effect forcing farmers to plant their seeds (that are resistant to the pesticide they sell) for competitive yields.
Going against nature in everyway way, farmers are required to buy the seeds annually, because Mosanto owns this genetic material. Completely AFU (All fucked up) - it makes me sick. Tom Philpot explains it well here :
http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/01/17/?source=food
The anti-locavore : A very tongue in cheek article dissing the ‘eat fresh and local’ movement.. Even if I don’t agree, I appreciate original opinions, and this writer is witty, and quite amusing..
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1702353,00.html
The Power of Suggestion : High price makes wine taste better
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article3177658.ece
B&B January 2008
Bits and Bites January 2008
Our annual duck dinners at Les Jardins Sauvages!
Seven courses of duck with wild things, 75$ BYOW, 45 min NE of Montreal.
As of Jan. 18, through to Feb. 3, Friday and Saturday nights at 7pm , Sundays at 1pm .
For info and to view menus, visit www.jardinssauvages.com.
To make a reservation: 450-588-5125 or submit an email to me.
To download English menu and wine picks: http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/menus/
More bits and bites
The Saveur 100 2008 – Lots of intriguing entries on this list of what’s hot, including exotic ingredients to discover (a Mayan corn beverage, Balkan sausage, dried yogurt and an Indonesian honey-soy condiment, heirloom beans), kick-ass kitchen tools (steel pans, the Wusthof bread knife) and cool people (Les Blank, independent butchers) … Gotta love that Montreal chefs got a mention along with the honey bees, the Canadian Big Turk Chocolate Bar, and my favourite flavour – liquorice!
http://www.saveur.com/back-issue/miscellaneous/2008-saveur-100-21046800.html#muff
Bacon jokes – check out this video, it’s too funny.
http://www.seriouseats.com/required_eating/2008/01/in-videos-jim-gaffigan-on-bacon.html
Salt blocks.. After reading a blog post by Traci DesJardins about a meal with chefs featuring sashimi on a salt plate, I couldn’t help but be intrigued and read on.. Mainly, these blocks are just beautiful, but many culinary possibilities beckon too – to use as a cooking tool or a hot serving platter, or even throw chunks into your mortar and pestle or into your bath!
http://www.saltnews.com/cooking-with-himalayan-salt-plates-blocks-bricks-platters/
‘What a 265$ steak tastes like’ .. Tasting Kobe and Wagyu beef, the luxury meat ‘must’ on every high end menu nowadays – is it worth it?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080105.wxkates05/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
I don't know now.. Here's the scoop on how they are actually raised.
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2007/12/kobe_beef_estabrook
Ducasse is trashed in London . Yikes.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,2232167,00.html#article_continue
No, not another great Michael Pollan article, but another book – In Defence of Food
And an interview with Michael Pollan at Gourmet’s Choptalk on the point of the book, which is that we should pay more attention to culture and a little less attention to science, when it comes to food and a nutritious diet. As in look to the old cuisines of the world, and to our grandmothers..
Beyond his trademark three phrase motto, ‘Eat Food . Not too much. Mostly plants.”, MP always offers up more words of wisdom always put so simply. Here are excerpts from the interview:
‘ it would be fine to have French fries, as long as you're willing to cook them yourself. So then how often would you have French fries? Maybe once a month, because it's a real pain, and you've got to clean it up.’
‘You should eat mostly plants, but if you're going to eat meat, your meat should eat mostly plants’ as in the wild, not a cocktail of corn, antibiotics, and hormones as in the industrial meat of the Western diet..
‘Yeah, we've been suckers for scientific eating in this country longer than anybody else. I think it's because we have not had a strong culinary tradition’
The only belief of his I never liked, however valid, was, ‘Eat until you are 80% full.’
http://www.epicurious.com/gourmet/blogs/foodeditors/2008/01/keep-it-real.html?cid=96360634
What’s Organic? A promising film to look out for.
http://www.whatsorganicmovie.org/
Wine labelling, Bonny Doon leads the way . I agree that it might cause some unnecessary alarm initially because the truth is we don’t know much about what goes into our wine, but I think honest information and education is always the way to go. And I’m all for replacing all the useless descriptive blah-blah for some real information.
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/01/ingredient-labe.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Don’t forget - The Montreal Highlights Festival takes place from Feb.21 to March 3rd, and so it’s time to book before everything is sold out. The featured city is Toronto , with Susur (at Otto) leading the pack of To chefs, Anthony Walsh at Decca 77 and Jamie Kennedy at Jolifou. The country in the spotlight is Chile with top chefs and winemakers visiting Raza and Madre, as well as Decca 77 and La Chronique. Quebec City ’s 400th is also being marked with a special gala at the Queen E that is sold out. There are demo workshops at Jean Talon, lunches and wine tastings at various bistros to round out the busy schedule. The only puzzling and disappointing thing is the absence of many of Montreal ’s best chefs on the roster of hosts.. Still, there’s a lot to choose from.
For the full schedule: http://www.montrealenlumiere.com/volets/liste_eve_en.aspx?volet=table
B&B December 2007
Bits and Bites December 2007
Two terrific quotes to inspire you in the new year..
“ Work is about daily meaning as well as daily bread. For recognition as well as cash; for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying... We have a right to ask of work that it include meaning, recognition, astonishment, and life.” - Studs Terkel
" The secret to longevity is to decide early on what one does well and then do it relentlessly, fanatically well, never wavering, never letting things slide, never allowing oneself to lose sight of one's original standards and intentions, and not falling victim to trends or unreasonable fears." Anthony Bourdain
http://www.chewswise.com/chews/2007/12/workin-in-the-n.html
Food trends for 2008
Offal, small plates, dessert restaurants, ethical eating.. nothing all that new, just some of last years’ trends becoming more established.
From Hotels magazine : http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=616&topicId=12552&docId=u:711874309&start=1
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=81699-datamonitor-flavor-trends
Entrepreneur.com’s 2008 hot list:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22217181/
From Gremolata , Malcolm Jolly’s predictions for 2008:
http://gremolata.com/trends2008.htm
Top tens and trends of 2007
Lesley Chesterman’s fine dining top ten in Montreal..
I like her picks, although I have yet to make it to a couple of them..
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=229c7c36-d357-455a-8308-dadc4a089aab
The best and worst trends of 2007 from Epicurious
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/12/best-food-trend.html
Casual fine dining is where it’s at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/dining/26year.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
The food sections says that ‘2007 w as the year that cauliflower was cool , meatballs were the new black, the eat local movement got zeitgeisty, square tarts intrigued Parisian chefs, and brunch was big in South Korea.’ See more of their top food stories in 2007.. http://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/2007/12/2007-the-year-i.html
Articles that caused a stir:
Our decrepit food factories : Michael Pollan’s article on the consequences of unsustainable food production, sick bees and antibiotic resistant bacteria – a must read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/magazine/16wwln-lede-t.html?_r=1&ref=magaz
Lessons from the oil patch, A related article from Grist
http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2007/12/20/?source=food
Is the entrée heading for extinction? How small plates have taken over.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/dining/05entr.html
Frank Bruni defends the entrée
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/in-defense-of-the-entree/
More great articles :
We are rat obsessed. There was Ratatouille, and now stands up for the rat. Or at least brings the overblown fear of them near our food into focus..
The right stuff and the right touch : For great food –which is more important, good ingredients or cooking skills? Both, obviously.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw12162007/2004063614_pacificptaste16.html
I refuse to tolerate food intolerances – Yes!!!
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2007/11/i_refuse_to_tolerate_food_into.html
The rebuttal comments are just as good.
A whole other beast Inspired by Fergus Henderson or generations past, a reminder to be creative and not waste the nasty bits, be it with a pig or a head of brocoli..
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GourmetFoodEditors/~3/192407453/a-whole-other-b.html
Quote by Fergus Henderson (and added on to by the author):
This is a celebration on cuts of meat (parts of broccoli), innards, and extremities that are more often forgotten or discarded in today's kitchen; it would seem disingenuous to the animal (plant) not to take the most of the whole beast: there is a set of delights, textural and flavorsome, which lie beyond the fillet (floret).
Other bits of interest from December :
Blue fin blues In case you didn’t know, blue fin tuna is one of the least sustainable choices out there..
http://www.chewswise.com/chews/2007/12/safinas-blue-fi.html
Faux foie gras – reminds me of tofu dogs and ChuChai, oh boy
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2007/12/step_forward_for_faux_gras.html
Jean Beaudin in Mtl. Trusted sommelier and wine teacher from the Laurentians, Jean recently opened a Montreal wine tasting workshop where he will give classes, his specialty being food and wine pairing.
http://www.voir.ca/publishing/article.aspx?zone=1§ion=21&article=55690
http://francoischartier.typepad.com/laselectionchartier/2007/12/des-cours-de-dg.html
Bam! Emeril gets the axe . And I’ve never heard seen so many fans.. Foodies and restaurant industry people always loved to criticize poor Emeril and his show, but now that the food network has really gotten dumbed down, he no longer seems to be be such a clown. Afterall, he is a real chef unlike most of the others with big ratings now.. And now, he’s gone, the end of an era. http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/11/bam-emeril-gets.html?mbid=rss_epilog
B&B November 2007
Bits and Bites November (and end of October) 2007
Over the top: A 208 000$ truffle and a 25 000$ dessert !
The truffle, ok maybe. But the dessert? Cooking with the Guiness book of world records in mind just seems twisted to me.. Oh well, I guess it makes for a good story.
The truffle: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/world/asia/15briefs-truffle.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
White truffle prices go through the roof. I say big deal; there is so much else out there to cook with. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071121.wtruffles07/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20071121.wtruffles07
The dessert: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0753679220071107
Oops! That dessert had but a brief moment of fame. A rat in the kitchen did it in.. http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1531592620071115
Wine and music pairing. In the quest for the sublime, matching food and wine is not enough. Now, how about the music. Talk about adding more subjective layers to the ultimate in wine or food or life. Then again, we already do match food and wine to mood in the first place and music is a big part of mood, so.. Sounds like a fun thing to experiment with in any case.
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/11/music-and-wine.html?mbid=rss_epilog
It’s guide book season, and everyone is scrapping over the results
Only Keller nabs the top score in the San Fran Bay area http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/02/BAG93LGQUP21.DTL
And no three-stars for LA, only Joel Robluchon in Las Vegas . http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a8dbvj9bTMTw&refer=muse
An overview: ‘Who’s haute and who’s not’ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071121.wxlmichelin21/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20071121.wxlmichelin21
Puzzled in LA - ‘Its Amateur hour at Michelin’
In a witty article about non-local local cooking , Jon Fasman urges would-be smart American restaurants to offer more in the way of local cooking, and less of the Franco-Italian-Asian-accented stuff that you can find in almost every city of the developed world ... I have always been puzzled myself by the phenomenon of this one style of haute cuisine even if I do it to a certain extent. Most every high end place does the Franco-Italian-Asian thing while sourcing local ingredients, or at least pretending they do. I equally dislike the new preciousness of the locavore mantra, especially when it is superficial and marketing oriented as opposed to simply doing it.
D eracinated in DC: http://moreintelligentlife.com/node/445
Fergus Henderson on the mend. The guy known for cooking brains and strange things is now getting his brain fried as a part of his treatment for Parkinson’s. He good naturedly talks about the ordeal and how good food is helping..
http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL075802020071108?pageNumber=3
Bad service backlash: From a diner’s rights manifesto in the LA times to Frank Bruni’s whining about waiterspeak in his New York column and blog, the blogosphere heats up with other grumpy voices, and many defenders of the person behind the waitron.
Frank Bruni’s column: Tonight, Patronizing Language. Enjoy http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/dining/07note.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
His blog: http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/serving-in-tongues/
Cuisine Canada annual cookbook awards
Vij Vikram wins best Canadian English cookbook with his book of recipes from his popular restaurant in Vancouver , Carol Off wins for Bitter Chocolate bringing a bit of activism to the foodie world, and Martin Picard’s Album du Pied de Cochon takes the Canadian Culture prize in French. Cuisine Canada is a national alliance of Canadian culinary professionals who share a common desire to encourage the development, use and recognition of fine Canadian food and beverages. The University of Guelph has for more than 140 years contributed to Canadian cuisine in its programs in agriculture, food science, hospitality and tourism management and is the home of one of Canada’s best cookbook collections. For more information about the awards visit: www.lib.uoguelph.ca/resources/archives/culinary/cuisine_canada/index.html
Heritage turkeys: one guy who’s mission is to save the precious breeds
Despite the fact that eating turkey is a part of our tradition, we’ve somehow neglected turkey to the point of almost losing it.. The line of turkeys we now eat have been manipulated to the point that they are no longer able to mate, and we no longer know how to raise or cook a real turkey, let alone what one tastes like – a very sad story. Thankfully, a few dedicated people are doing something about it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/dining/07turk.html?ref=dining
Cooking heritage turkeys http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/11/heritage-turkey.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Dan Barber on turkey
http://www.salon.com/mwt/food/2007/11/21/thanksgiving_dan_barber/
Rob Feenie splits with Lumière http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071107.wlfeenie07/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
The Future of Food: A Popular Science feature on the latest kitchen gadgetry
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/technology/cc94d7f2faa85110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html
Foodie voyeurism: If you’re the type to walk into someone’s house and open the fridge, this quirky site is for you..
What’s new with Heston Blumenthal..
An ipod at the table, a new book and TV series, an upcoming menu featuring ancient British dishes – never a dull moment with England’s most cutting edge chef..
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071017.wlheston17/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
A conversation with Michael Pollan on Grist about the impact of Omnivore’s Dilemna, his new book and more – interesting as usual.
http://grist.org/feature/2007/10/12/pollan/index.html
Durs à cuire – a film documenting the lives of Quebec chefs Normand Laprise and Martin Picard opened October 19th
http://www.radio-canada.ca/arts-spectacles/cinema/2007/10/11/001-durs-festival.asp?ref=rss
Rare – an all female kitchen team in Vancouver
http://www.vanmag.com/foodanddrink/07oct/Food.shtml
Top chefs gather in Chigaco to celebrate Charlie Trotter’s 20th
A movie about Zen in cooking
How to cook your life http://www.cookyourlifemovie.com/home.html
A review on epi-log http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/10/how-to-cook-you.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Organic is better More proof roles in every day as science catches up to what we already intuitively know, that pesticide/fungicide/gm free food made by people who care, is better for us!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7067100.stm
Beware of labels like Product of Canada ! Like the Acheté au Québec logo, none of these are true local products; it is totally misleading and the government must change this fraudulent endorsement, or at least we can not buy the stuff.
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/24/product_of_canada_eh/
Hey, here's what Jonathan Bloom has to say - smart guy.
Waste not, want not. http://www.culinate.com/read/articles/wasted_food
Something Cooking podcasts : You know those videos I have been doing of chefs cooking? Well, the first of them are out on itunes: David and Laurent at Duel, Patrice at Laloux, and me at Les Jardins.. Check it out, and don’t laugh too hard..
http://somethingcooking.com/ Click on itunes or subscribe.
B&B September/October 2007
Bits and Bites September (and beginning of October) 2007
Lots going on on the Montreal Restaurant scene..
Dual finally opened in the gay village, Stelio has reemerged with his resto/épicerie, Conserves on Laurier and Papineau; there’s lots of buzz over Liverpool House , the Joe Beef group's new venture on Notre Dame, and Laloux officially opens the next door lounge Pop. In my recent outings, I went to the Dual opening, revisited Laloux, sampled Vertige on Duluth st., and tried the new winebar Vino on Monkland – See my detailed report below..
Is Organic better? Rats seem to think so.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/03curi.html?r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
A phenomenal year for Canadian wine. If only we got to see more of them here.. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071001.wwine1001/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
Bacon news: A new book ‘150 ways with bacon’ and a new condiment ‘bacon salt’ http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/09/pigging-out.html?mbid=rss_epilog
‘Salt’ – a new cheese and cured meat bar in Vancouver .. Sourcing top notch ready to eat foods and slicing them up – sort of like a deli with wine and ambiance or the ‘anti-restaurant’ as this article coins it – I like it. Its how I eat half the time anyway.. I bet it will be a hit with chefs after their shift.. They might not need a chef, but they still need quality and cost control for success, so employees who know and value food enough to take proper care of the precious hams, terrines and cheeses.. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070926.wlsalt26/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home
Anthony Bourdain’s overrated menu – I don’t agree with him in that I care about how my meat is raised and who picks the mushrooms, but I do appreciate his mockery of the ubiquitous fine-dining NA menu. I too abhor overly convoluted menus and cooking, especially when it is superficial and in the name of food snobbery. I tend to find his out-to-shock, cynical, bad boy machismo a bit tiring, but he often makes me laugh out loud with his undeniable wit.. Here’s a good example of that.
http://radaronline.com/from-the-magazine/2007/09/anthony_bourdain_overrated_menu.php
For a more serious side of Bourdain, view his ‘Decoding Ferran Adria’ available on DVD at Bon Appetit Cookbooks on Victoria . It’s an interesting overview of who M.Adria, ‘the most influential chef of his time’ is and what he does with his team at El Bulli. You see Bourdain in awe, as he tours the village, visits the lab, and samples a tasting menu of some of Adria’s signature creations at the restaurant. No details for curious cooks, but engaging nonetheless.
More satire on the business of food snobbery in a new book by David Kamp, the author of ‘The United States of Arugula’. http://www.randomhouse.com/broadway/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780767926911
On Service: Upon reviewing Phoebe Damrosch’s new book ‘Service Included’, Sara Dickerman on Slate sketches out the essentials of good service, an apparently increasing rarity nowadays (according to Frank Bruni’s blog).
Table Manners, http://www.slate.com/id/2174796/pagenum/all/#page_start
Frank Bruni’s blog (NYtimes restaurant critic), http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/
Since oyster ‘season’ is upon us.. An interview with Patrick McMurray who has an oyster restaurant in TO and a new book out, ‘Consider the oyster’: http://gremolata.com/mcmurray.htm
Ode to the oyster at Saveur http://www.saveur.com/web-exclusive/other/ode-to-the-oyster-21015424.html
Wines to go with those oysters.. http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2007/09/what-wine-goes-.html?mbid=rss_epilog
Environmentalists squabble over eating meat as PETA launches a campaign promoting vegetarianism based on the fact that meat production is the number one contributor to global warming. http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/9/12/9262/63548/?source=weekly
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/9/16/174625/254/?source=weekly
Gyweneth Paltrow the next celebrity chef? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20517192/
King Corn – a shock-u-mentary coming to theaters soon. Uncovering how we North Americans are made of corn, if the saying ‘you are what you eat’ is true. This documentary shows how this happened and how it has negatively affected our health, and that of the planet. http://www.kingcorn.net/
A review of the movie on Grist : http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/9/12/10919/0331/?source=food
Hog Futures - How the meat industry thrives, even as costs rise - Another disturbing article by Tom Philpott of Grist on the state of the American food industry, which closely parallels and influences our own. As corn prices rise due to ethanol, strangely the monolith producers are only doing better.. Because they are so big, and their costs superficially low, they control the markets. Thanks to a low American dollar, not to mention readily exploitable labour and comically lax environmental codes, they have managed to increase exports. This is bad news for all of us other people and for the environment. Philpot makes a good point in explaining the importance of a three pronged approach to tackle these guys. Beyond consumers shunning industrial meat, labour unions need support to organize and mobilize, and government needs to find some way to make them pay for the environmental costs. http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2007/09/13/?source=food
Being a restaurant critic: The new reality in the world of Google and bloggers http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-dish12sep12,1,136047,full.story?ctrack=3&cset=true
My Montreal Restaurant report - a non-critic’s view:
Dual - new ‘concept’ restaurant in the old Area location, 1429 Amherst (between St-Catherine E. and Ontario E.), 514-528-3278 www.restaurantduel.com
Something different on the Montreal dining scene, finally! It’s refreshing to see someone daring to do something else besides another haute-bistro.. This is a very ambitious project, and I shudder at the logistics of making it work, which gives me even more respect for the brave owners, Laurent Godbout (of L’Épicier and Version Godbout) and David Biron (formerly of Yuzu in Quebec city, Toqué..). The concept is based on a dual between the two chef’s styles, one more classic French versus the other which is Asian inspired. The restaurant is a 45 seater with a modern black and neon green color scheme, a gorgeous brick wall, and two looming giant posters of the two chefs in combat stance.
So.. 2 Chefs, 10 ingredients, 20 creations. The menu lists 10 creations by each chef, including starters and mains, each dish using one of the 10 ingredients. The waiters are on sides, trying to sell their respective chef’s dishes. Each waiter describes the menus they represent at the beginning and then show up to deliver the dish and explain it, emphasizing how much better it will surely be then the other chef’s dish being presented to your dining partner if he/she opted for the opposite side. You do choose whatever you want à la carte, and so you can take the dual aspect as far as you want.
The menu is appetizing on its own, offering a wide variety of intricate dishes with exotic ingredients. If you do decide to play along, it can be pretty amusing. There is novelty everywhere, from the food to the utensils through to the service. Gimmicks and gadgets abound. There is a strong element of theatre here and the tone is very playful, leading to lots of oohs and ahhs, laughter and heated discussions about the food, especially at dual time. This is when the waiter surprises your table with amuses by both chefs and you vote.. There is no music, an open kitchen, and yelling out in favour of one side or another is encouraged, hence the ambiance is lively.. In essence, this place is not for the faint of heart, rather for the adventurous and the open minded diner looking for a good time and something new. Food-wise, the flavours are bold and surprising (especially on David’s side). It looks like Laurent’s menu is there for the more conservative palates, and to showcase David’s cuisine, as he will be the actual chef de cuisine in house.
Dishes we sampled (oversimplified in description): Three mini melon soups with a smoked duck, avocado, melon and ginger skewer. Foie gras from each side: one pan-seared with a date square, the other parfait style with crispy duck and mushroom jam. A ravioli from each side: scallop sashimi ‘ravioli’ with a pork stuffing, seaweed salad and a bonito caramel, up against traditional pasta stuffed with green peas and goat cheese with a garlic jus and apple juice. The dual amuses played on the pickle theme, with one being a tofu-daikon skewer, the other a proscuitto-fried cheese-pickle skewer. Both were delish, although the tofu one won out, the surprise factor packing extra umph. Mains included black cod with crispy pork and wasabi lima beans, monkfish with banana-bread and lemon (both from David’s side) and I had the lamb two ways from Laurent’s side. I liked mine the best, although both pieces of fish I tasted were beautifully cooked. As with the entrées, all dishes were quite successful; it came down to what kind of thing you prefer. Personally, I’m more conservative in my tastes, and often don’t take to preparations too crazy or too sweet, so I was more drawn to Laurent’s side. But the fireworks tended to come from the other side, and certainly the evening would not have been the same without the flare of David’s food in juxtaposition. Besides, many people love the salty-sweet thing and like to experiment and try bold flavour combinations and textures more than anything when they go out, in which case, David’s creations would take the cake. Here, there is something for everybody.
All we could handle for dessert was a peach maki (with pineapple skin) accompanied by grape coulis and fried sweet potato, a nice, light, fun dessert.
Naturally, two days in, there are still kinks to work out, and the menu format could be simplified to make the whole concept clearer for a smoother déroulement of the evening. With the energy and talent here, I’m sure they’ll get it down. Actual Iron chef style contests will take place once a month, and occasionally with invited chefs. Noteworthy is the beautiful wine-rack lined conference or party room downstairs available for groups or 5 à 7’s.. Bottom line: this is definitely a place to check out. Go to have fun, and to tickle the taste buds, not when on a schedule or with heavy conversation or business on the agenda…
The ‘new’ Laloux on Pine E, just west of St-Denis:
I love the classic French bistro feel of the place. The new fresh face is apparent in the menu that reads trendy fine dining, as opposed to Classic French, very appealing. I want to try everything on the menu. I am excited by the three fish option which is rare unless in a Greek restaurant - unfortunately only one is sustainable. Another disappointment: no Quebec bottled water, only imports! Back to the food: The amuse of wild mushroom arancini (fried risotto balls) were so crisp, light and tasty – they disappeared fast. An entrée of yellow beets and chevre was simply prepared and presented, and a simple salad was similarly minimalist consisting of only greens punched up with some fresh herbs and a mustardy dressing. Both dishes were elegant, balanced and delicious with clean flavours – perfect in my mind. My main of monkfish with white beans, chorizo, crisp fennel and green olives was pretty perfect too, although I could have used more of the fennel olive garnish for better balance. Minor squabble, I polished it off sans probleme. My dining partner’s main was less successful, an impressive chunk of filet mignon nicely seasoned but underdone, served with a less than inspired side of mixed greens, cold potato, and green beans drenched in more mustard dressing. The pleasant ambiance, a good Chateauneuf du Pape and most importantly, the brilliant grand finale that is dessert with Patrice Demers made up for any prior hiccups (like a forgotten appetizer). Not being much of a dessert girl, I knew it would be sacrilege to pass it up here. Patrice’s desserts are beautiful and scrumptious, often surprising, never cloying. I can’t decide which was better, the hazelnut cookie with tonka bean foam and apricot sorbet or the decadent chocolate wafer concoction, both were incredible.. The wine list is long and interesting when it comes to French wines. All in all, Laloux is a great restaurant revitalized, and remains a sure thing on the Montreal bistro trail.
Vertige 540 Duluth E. (corner St-Hubert), 514-583-0709:
With Thierry Baron as chef owner, this pretty little bistro borders on high end in many ways, fancy for Duluth in any case (and not Byob). The menu is loaded with special treats, very French in style with foie gras, truffle, veal cheeks etc., but with many sunny Provencale touches (sardine Pizzaladiere) and the odd international influence. The preparations were very savoury tending towards rich, the most successful dishes the perfect foie torchon with fresh fig, porto glaze and homemade brioche and his signature sweetbread dish (if you are into butter and cream rich). The crispy shrimp with coconut were also quite delicious. The service was warm and attentive, the wine list held few surprises, but more than adequate for most of us. All in all, this place is a good bargain for fine dining, with tasting menus starting at 39$, and especially on Mondays and Tuesdays when they charge SAQ prices for wine with only a 5$ corking fee.
Vino, a new resto-wine bar on Monkland (next to Maitre Boucher, beneath Dix Milles Villages)
This is a promising, cute little wine bar that is certainly a welcome addition to NDG. One thing is for sure – it is bound to please the neighbouring clientele. The décor is stylish but warm, the service eager to please and fairly knowledgeable about wine, and the food appears tailor made for the fussy, less than daring Monkland clientele. Hence the generic, predictable menu with fried calamari, crispy shrimp, salmon tartare, beef carpaccio, chicken, salmon, pasta etc.) . But since good is more important than groundbreaking, I say so far so good, because everything I tried was tasty, nicely executed and presented, not to mention generous. The wine list is conservative as well - no obscure gems here, but the offerings are varied and better than average. I can’t blame them for playing it safe and giving people what they want, but I can’t help but hope that once they are on sure footing, they might go out on a limb with a bit more personality. In the meantime, I will go back to sample more; it’s great to have another spot in the hood to go for a glass of vino and a bite.
B&B August 2007
Bits and Bites
August 31, 2007
Opening and closing - Leslie Chesterman's scoop on the Montreal scene: New chef in the old Cube space, the Joe Beef empire expands.. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/weekendlife/story.html?id=5b82be34-89df-407b-9d9a-49ce04eb3924
La Belle Excuse olive oil : This is an olive oil worth seeking out, made by a Greek couple from the Lanaudière. They have two oils, one made from green, and the other from black olives from their family’s estate in the old country. It is the black olive one that I particularly like - so smooth, rich and complex, and partly Québecois.. Available in specialty stores and at Marché des Saveurs.
La Belle excuse olive oil
A food and wine show in Ottawa Sept 14-15 featuring a TV celeb chef I don’t know, but my brother’s band will be playing..
http://www.teamredeye.ca/owad.html
Slowfood autumn events : Slowfood celebrated 75 years of local eating at the Marché Jean Talon last weekend, kicking off the fall schedule of festivities. There is a conference at Concordia on Irish cuisine with Darina Allen on Friday, September 14 at 20h00. This autumn, there will also be events on Mon, Tues, and Wed. (good for us restaurant people), including a session on special vegetables, one on mushrooms and one on coffee and cheese pairing. www.slowfoodquebec.com
Lenoir Lacroix coffee cheese tasting: Les pates fermes et leurs cafés
On Sept 5, 2007 at 19h00, at the Centre d’animation SAQ Selection Rockland, 2305 chemin Rockland , suite 502.1 , Mont-Royal. For more information or too reserve a spot, call 514-733-7843 or email s.larose saq.qc.ca
Anti-microbial films for food –scary! Why is the US government (may as well be ours) investing in this? More elaborate food manipulation than we are already bombarded with? It is just another way to make industrial food that will keep forever so that it can be shipped for miles, as opposed to supporting small farmers, sustainable and organic practices, promoting education and taste.. Which seems to be the simpler solution in securing a safer, tastier, healthier food supply? Take the chemists to a farmers’ market and treat them to a real meal, for fork’s sake. To think I was almost one of them. That’s harsh, it’s not the chemists - some of them might just be in search of the truth, caught up in their research and only happy that someone is willing to subsidize it. “This is not intended to make up for sloppy growing or handling or cleaning and processing,” Professor Krochta said. But of course, big agri-business has other less noble ends.
Edible films with superpowers. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/dining/29film.html?ref=dining
Alice Waters and Chez Panisse – a book I highly recommend to anyone interested in NA food history, or just a good story. It’s an authorized biography of sorts. I just loved it, but I am an Alice fan. In any case, it is a fascinating look behind the scenes of this infamous Berkeley restaurant (of 30+ years), with its huge cast of colourful characters, and their incredible journey in being the first to source out pure local ingredients and apply classic technique, all in an unpretentious setting. You meet the real Alice , not entirely flawless, but you can’t help but be moved and cheer her on. To see her determination, integrity and extraordinary vision translate to ultimate success and a transformation of the culinary scene in North America is inspiring. It is also disheartening, because it makes you realize how long it takes for things to change. She has been working her whole life to make a difference with Slowfood and related projects to promote better quality local food and knowledge, and twenty years later, so little has changed; these issues are just starting to enter the mainstream. The now ubiquitous ‘local, seasonal’ mantra among North American chefs, as well as the increasing popularity of farmer’s markets and organic food, talk of the environment and sustainability, and better food for kids are all very positive signs, and somehow linked to a set of principles that Alice and her protégés set in motion along time ago.
Groundbreaking pilot project in the townships: In the image of Alice Water’s Edible schoolyard project, a new non-profit Quebec organization dedicated to school gardens is off to a successful start in teaching kids about real, good food and sustainability.
Celebrating the tomato :
The history of the tomato:
http://www.saveursdumonde.net/?action=ingredientitem_show&id=33&lg=fr
NYTimes article with tomato recipes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/22/dining/22appe.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
My tomato post last year:
http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/blog-journalessays/2006/9/30/birth-of-a-blog-and-tomatoes.html
Vegan-sexuals : a new breed of vegans who will not have sex with carnivores because for one, they stink?!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/AAMB4/aamsz=300x44_MULTILINK/4147483a6009.html
Which fruit and veg to buy organic first : Survey a list of which fruit and vegetables have the highest pesticide load, and so should be made priority when buying organic.. http://www.foodnews.org/
A new kid on the block . Check out Nathalie Spielmann’s blog and sign up for her monthly newsletter, ‘A Palatable Report: Gastronomy from an amateur perspective’ for her food discovery notes, restaurant and wine tips out of Montreal . http://foodwithapoint.squarespace.com/
Way to go Joé , mon joueur d’hockey preferé, who is embarking on an adventure to Kujiuack with his family in the name of a school-hockey project for the kids. I expect feedback on the culinary front, and if we’re lucky, maybe some fish, berries and wild mushrooms sent back? Forget the seal. I’ll keep you posted.
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/08/06/juneaus-goodwill-odyssey/
For Champagne lovers , a benefit evening event for La Fondation des Amis de l'Art culinaire will take place on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 , 19h00, at the Marriott Château Champlain Hotel. For information, call M. Jean-Claude Phisel, 450-476-1895.
Yes to Local labelling! We already do it somewhat in Quebec , but the feds getting involved could only be good..
http://gremolata.com/chongsegal.htm
Then again… Doing right is ever a complicated affair..
Organic farmers in Africa fear for their livelihoods as U.K. frets over food miles
‘Kenyan fury at threat to organic trade’: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2126614,00.html
‘African farmers fear impact of U.K. supermarkets buying local’ : http://www.grist.org/news/daily/2007/02/22/4/index.html?source=weekly
Valuable cork : I have come to like the screw caps myself, but don’t diss the cork altogether! It turns out that cork isn’t so bad after all, the industry playing a positive role in the ecosystem. Again, there’s always another side to a story..
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/08/corticeira_amor.php
Weird meat: a blog about one guy’s adventure eating all kinds of ‘weird’ meat, but what I like is that the slant is learning about different cultures with an open mind - its not only about pure shock and ooh-factor driven boy stuff. http://www.weirdmeat.com/2004/04/weird-meat-master-list.html
A closer look at some of our favourite ingredients .. A little knowledge on where your food comes from makes you less likely to take it for granted. A terrific example of this is the ubiquitous vanilla..
A vanilla primer: http://www.chow.com/stories/10439
Brown sugar: the difference between the different kinds: http://www.chow.com/stories/10674
Bison – the national meat we almost lost: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=c1426340-4315-46c8-9277-13681053f06d
Stealing staff in Vancouver, poor Lumière
Poaching restaurant employees has become the last resort amidst a shortage of skilled workers, specifically in Vancouver where there is a restaurant opening every minute. There’s always been a fine line between outright fishing and crossing paths with a disenchanted individual who is seeking to make a move, especially when the market is tough and given the fact that restaurant employees are by nature antsy and often underpaid, always looking for greener grass.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070820.wlrestowars20/BNStory/lifeWork/home
We can do it too! Ten easy steps towards a more sustainable kitchen :
http://starchefs.com/features/trends/sustainability/index.shtml
Unfair trade . Regulating our own farmers and artisans more than imports just does not make sense. Only more reason to buy local:
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=f46a8178-8b67-4af1-9816-e73b7961027b&k=59194&p=1
A great quote that could me my motto for life, as written by
Laura Shapiro in describing Julia Child in her new book.
‘Use all your senses, all the time. ... Take pains with the work; do it carefully. Relish the details. Enjoy your hunger. And remember why you’re there.” That could be a recipe for life.’
JULIA CHILD
A Penguin Life. By Laura Shapiro. 185 pp. Lipper/Viking. $19.95.
Another book out on Julia Child :
BACKSTAGE WITH JULIA, My Years With Julia Child. By Nancy Verde Barr. Illustrated. 285 pp. John Wiley & Sons. $22.95.
Behind the scenes on the set of this summer’s food movies, Ratatouille and No Reservations.. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/food/20070809_Film_food__No_faking_it.html