soupnancy

Bits and Bites

July 29, 2007

At the height of the summer season, it seems like there isn’t as much going on in the city or in print with everyone either on vacation or working too hard.. Still, I managed to dig up some interesting bits and bites..

TV show L’Épicerie spotlights four young innovative Montreal chefs who run some of Montreal ’s best restaurants. http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/niveau2_16547.shtml

Another food film, No Reservations hits the big screen with Catherine Zeta Jones as a chef -a review: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-reservations_25jul25,1,7745124.story?ctrack=2&cset=true

-the official site: http://noreservationsmovie.warnerbros.com/

The Next Iron Chef America : a reality show with proper chefs that can actually cook! http://eater.com/archives/2007/07/food_nets_the_n.php

Get psyched for tomato season! http://www.landrethseeds.com/photos/Tomato/index.html

List of the 15 Greenest chefs by Grist to inspire us.. http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/07/26/chefs/index.html

What’s inside Red bull , for all you cooks that quaff this beverage all shift long on the line.. I could never stomach the stuff, and am thankful after reading this deconstruction of the ingredient list. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/15-07/st_redbull

Canned air : Maybe bottled O2 will be the next boost juice .. http://media.www.slccglobelink.com/media/storage/paper442/news/2007/07/11/Community/Air-Fare.Takes.On.New.Meaning-2922487.shtml

Garlic once again proves its benefits! Not only healthy for us, but also for cows and the environment! I wouldn’t want my milk tasting like garlic unless I was making brandade, but hey, I think they are onto something.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/6288012.stm

Corporate takeovers in the organics world –where are we going? Back to where we don’t want to be – BIG. No matter how good the guy sounds, I’m against it. http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2007/07/19/monopsony/index.html?source=food

Grilling fish responsibly : the things to consider.. Thankfully, I got to gorge myself on fish this summer when fishing and eating in Northern Quebec , which proved to be less of a headache then this. But here are the issues you might want to delve into if you want to be a responsible fish eater this grill season. http://www.grist.org/advice/season/2007/07/12/fish/index.html?source=food

Gourmet grows up . The spotlight on farms and the whole last issue focusing on sustainability shows that Gourmet is leading in the commercial food print realm in taking its food seriously. Gotta love Ruth Reichl. Gourmet is only getting better all the time, despite all the ads, thanks to her. http://bittergreensgazette.blogspot.com/2005/04/citizen-ruth-measured-defense-of-ruth.html http://events.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/books/review/10KAMPL.html?ex=1185336000&en=e08eb11d268b3293&ei=5070

Chick chefwear : I don’t know about this Maverick Chick chefwear on TV – certainly nothing like what one would wear in a real kitchen.. Frump-Free Cooking: The Look That Sizzles. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/dining/27scoo.html?ex=1340596800&en=d39798f002e25bd7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

I agree with no bulky sleeves in the pudding, but no hair net, no hat, no sleeves, a V-neck, it just doesn’t seem right. Then again, I don’t have cleavage and am not on TV. The one time I was, the crew was floored that I wanted to keep my hairnet and hat on. Even if I might have looked better without it, I didn’t feel like I could properly do my chef thing without it - it’s a matter of habit. And what if a hair fell into the food on air? In any case, when I put my chef whites on, I automatically transform into my professional persona, more efficient and focused. When I’m in uniform and on the job; its time to be serious, not pretty. I marvel at the TV chefs who can do both.

More bread wars in France : Poilane’s daughter fights for her father’s legacy and good old fashioned bread, dissing the fast-food baguette. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21965570-13762,00.html

This job stinks ! Talk about a crappy job, smelling noxious odours for a living.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070620/sc_afp/chinaindustryenvironmentpollutionoffbeat

Veggie tunes . Music with vegetables as instruments, unbelievable. I don’t quite know what to make of it. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/the_vienna_vege.php

Surprising new uses for mushrooms – check it out! Beyond food, mushrooms may prove to be an important eco-friendly tool of the future with the emerging field of mycotechnology. More reason to eat wild or cultivate your own..

http://www.fungi.com/index.html

Mushrooms to insulate your house. http://fe15.news.sp1.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070625/ap_on_sc/mushroom_insulation

Recent bites:

Toqué : I dined at Toqué and was as wowed as ever, with local, seasonal ingredients everywhere and the usual intense flavour and refined subtlety in balance, always surprising and impressive. Hit me – I was forced to order foie gras terrine because of the intriguing ‘salade seche’ of nettle, mushroom and strawberry chips with rose petals and basil, which was beautiful and amazing, an effective foil for the foiegras au naturel with honey-sherry reduction. We had a brilliant Gazpacho shooter layered with a lovage top that was smooth and richly textured but lively. I loved my mackerel, scallops and lamb too, but the stars were the vegetable sides which were varied, ultra seasonal (baby chanterelles, sea greens, rabioles, purselane, etc.) and the oyster amuse with radish, pickled day lily and wasabi foam. Oh and the strawberry dessert with a strawberry salad, sorbet and ultra light mousse/foam covered in dacquoise shards.

Thai son : I also discovered a new (well, to me) Vietnamese joint in Montreal to pick up a Vietnamese bun or Tonkinese soup on the run or to sit and sample a vast array of kick-ass/cheap Vietnamese/Chinese/Thai dishes in a very simple, but friendly setting: Thai Son on St-Denis just south of Jean Talon.

Great terasse at Limone : This joint has the best restaurant guacamole, and the margueritas are spot on too; as for the rest of the menu, you’re on your own. But this place has a number of things going for it besides the guac, there’s the terasse, the friendly service and the fact that its open on Sunday and Monday. On Notre Dame near Atwater market, in front of Joe Beef.

Bits and Bites

June 14, 2007

Black and Gold: Wake up and smell the coffee! A documentary about the coffee trade that is being screened at Cinema du Parc in Montreal tonight.  Everyone who drinks coffee should see this film.  Whether you do or not, just take my word and buy Café Rico coffee, a fairtrade roaster in Montreal with several delectable blends at a very fair price thanks to the efforts of Coop Coffees who have knocked out the middlemen.  http://blackgoldmovie.com/

Top fair trade roasters in NA  www.coopcoffees.com

Café Rico:  http://www.caferico.qc.ca/

Where to buy fair trade coffee:  http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/food/coffee/greencoffee.html

Ratatouille: a kid’s movie about a rat with a fine palate and chef’s aspirations. The producer did his homework integrating true kitchen detail with the help of Thomas Keller’s consulting, promising to be a kick for the food obsessed and kids of all ages. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/dining/13rata.html?ex=1182398400&en=37124457824fd42e&ei=5070

Restaurant industry people and Food bloggers face off

http://eater.com/archives/2007/06/why_i_hate_food.php

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=sci_tech&id=5388017

Taste Quebec artisanal foods at a Slowfood event this weekend in Marieville (25 min. outside Montreal http://www.salondugout.qc.ca/

Meatpaper, a new print magazine about meat.  Explore both sides our relationship with meat, with articles celebrating meat, others questioning it and debating the ethical issues.. http://www.meatpaper.com/index.html

Tasty! 100 songs about food on AOL Radio http://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/2007/05/edible_audio_so.html

Just say no to bottled water . Batali follows chez Panisse, helping to spread the trend back to the tap. I’m all for it. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/no_bottled_wate_1.php

Frankensteer , a documentary on beef cattle I saw on the Passionate Eye (CBC) that you should keep an eye out for.. The film focuses on uncovering the huge mistakes we have made with our food supply, in particular, the feedlot system, which has resulted in food that is not healthy and out of our control. All the problems (BSE, Ecoli contamination, hormones, irradiation, unethical treatment of animals, poor nutritive quality, environmental damage) are a direct result of industrial production, ie. needing to produce more beef faster for cheap, and the influence of big American companies like Cargyll (Beware Costco shoppers). It’s incredible how slack our government agencies have been in the name of trade with the U.S. . And the E-coli problem is completely a product of a corn diet combined with mass production and improper cleaning of fecal matter off carcasses, and so avoidable. We need to go back, pay more and eat less, use traditional, more sustainable methods, with grass-fed, smaller productions that use no antibiotics or hormones, coupled with increased control and testing. In the meantime, we must try as much as possible to say no to feedlot beef. Encourage a small local farm. Or when at the market, start asking where your meat is coming from and how it was processed; show that you care, which will only pressure your purveyor to make better choices available.

Salmon Q & A : For those of you not bored with the ubiquitous salmon, here are some salmon facts you may not know, and the primo species to look for. http://www.epicurious.com/gourmet/features/rowley_salmon_exclusive

June 6, 2007

Finders Eaters  A write up in the Globe and Mail about Francois, me and what we do at the table champêtre..

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070606.wxlforager06/BNStory/lifeFoodWine/home

All in all, I think it's a great piece, and I am grateful for the exposure, of course.  I especially like the title.  Although François has been in the media extensively himself, it has been mainly in Quebec, and very little in the English media.  I do, however, have a few minor corrections to make..  Even if these are details that probably only matter to me, just for the sake of accuracy, I feel the need to qualify a few points..  

-I was 'executive sous-chef' or 'chef de cuisine' at L'Eau à la bouche, not executif chef; that title is Anne Desjardin's, the renowned chef owner, and a pioneer in Quebec cuisine. 

-I was indeed short-listed for the GG job, but although I have not heard anything since the last round of tests which was monthes ago now, I think I can safely assume I did not get the job, which I never expected anyhow.  I did not really want Rideau Hall mentioned, but I understand that with a national audience, it is a catchy, meaningful tidbitit that would be tempting to slip in for a journalist.  However, who I am as a chef is more properly represented by what I do at the table champêtre, my blog and my time at L'Eau à la Bouche. 

-The wild grapes in the 'balsamic type' sauce I make come from the Lanaudière nearby, while the wild berries in the vinaigrette come from Ungava Bay up north.  

-The restaurant belongs to François', I am just hired help.  But like any good chef and girlfriend, I boss him around a lot, which he puts up with in exchange for taking care of the kitchen so that he can spend as much time as possible in the woods.

-One last thing: François and I met 7 years ago while I was at l'Eau; we started dating 4 years ago, and only started working together on a regular basis 2 years ago..

Bits and Bites

May 29, 2007

Latest on the Montreal restaurant scene : a quick overview of what I’ve seen, heard and tasted recently..

New Restaurant ‘Dual’ to open in old Area location with an original concept: Chefs Laurent Godbout (of l’Épicier) and Chef David Biron (formerly of Yuzu in Quebec ) will face off Iron Chef style with customers dining on the results.. http://www.hrimag.com/spip.php?article2058

'BazAar’ open, Anise reincarnated : By now, most of you have certainly heard that Racha Bassoul has reopened the Anise location on Laurier O. as BazAar, a bistro-grill concept offering more casual, but equally interesting contemporary food with Middle Eastern influences.. http://www.anise.ca/

Cuisine Dependence : Sophisticated but simple French fare with flare, the talented chef Jean Paul Giroux of Le Saint Augustin opened this place last fall with Danielle of Le Club des Pins in the front. The décor is minimilast French bistro, the cooking is spot on, with clean flavours and good ingredients, definitely good value here. My favourite dish the night I dined was a mini pot au feu that stood out, utterly delicious and refined.

Bistro du Sommelier : Tasty, inventive bistro fare by a young Quebec chef with lovable (and knowledgable) Sommelier Guy Lelièvre running the room. They have changed their initial tasting menu format to a simpler table d’hôte with two courses for 25$ or 3 for 30$, offering a short but inspired list of entrées and mains, and some good wines by the glass. I enjoyed an asparagus, quail egg and goat cheese salad (decomposed) and an open ravioli of beef cheek and mushroom; the Caesar salad was also good. Right across from the Rideau Vert theatre, this unassuming little place is worth a visit, primo terrasse space on St-Denis too. http://www.lebistrodusommelier.com/

Limone: A welcome addition to the Atwater market hood on Notre Dame (in front of Joe Beef). This unpretentious neighbourhood restaurant is Mexican bistro style, casual and abuzz with 30+ professionals that live in the condos nearby. Go for the guacamole (best I’ve tasted in a restaurant in a while) and the quality margaritas if anything. The cactus salad was good and bright. I haven’t sampled many of the mains; I’m kind of scared of being disappointed, like in other pseudo Mexican places where everything is heavy and tastes like that same burrito taste.  Nonetheless, I will be back to venture forward but even before, just for a 5 à 7 and some of that great guac.

Lucca : My first time dining at a Montreal favourite. This charming, modern Italian bistro in Little Italy (on Dante just off St-Laurent) serves up simple yet elegant Italian classics with great service; overall a breath of fresh air in the sea of tired, over-priced, standard menu Italian restaurants in Montreal. A short menu but everything sounds good and out of the 8 dishes sampled, 7 were winners, not bad at all. The risotto was perfect, the calamari super crisp, and the tomato sauce is dynamite.

Watch François on La Semaine Verte On Radio Canada Channel 4 Sundays at 12:30pm or Saturdays at 18:00pm or on the internet.. where every Sunday, he introduces a new wild edible plant or two.

27 Mai, Hémérocalles, monarde, chou gras: http://www1.radio-canada.ca/actualite/semaine_verte/reportage.aspx?idDocument=37966&idItemMenu=31

20 Mai, ortie: http://www1.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/semaineverte/archive63_200609.shtml

Flaveurs newsletter highlights new products of interest on the Quebec market, notably Green&Blacks fair trade organic chocolate, the new Quebec spring water Eska, and a new line of sauces from La Maison LeGrand, who make great pesto and tapenade, handy home staples. http://www.flaveurs.com/INFO%20lettre/InfoLettre_mai_2007/InfoLettre_mai2007#ActualiteGastronomique

Ecoholic, by Adria Vasil , my new favourite book, and a must-have reference book for any Canadian household. This is a guide to the most environmentally friendly information, products and services in Canada : useful tips to help you green your home, your body, your pet, or when it comes to renovations, clothes, electronics, food, even your sex life.. This book is chalk full of surprising information about the products around us, what about them is bad for us and for the environment, what companies offer what solutions, etc. I had no idea how many things I could potentially change or phase out with very little effort or sacrifice. I encourage you to take a look. With educational tools like this, we have the power as consumers to make more sensible choices and actually make a difference.

Corn ethanol, a growing debate. Read 'Family Feud': Why agribusiness giants are facing off over corn ethanol in the U.S. This is a no win situation: cheap food or cheap fuel with industrial corn at the center, ruling our lives, and this is just as much an issue here for us as Canadians, btw. http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2007/05/24/ethanol/index.html

Being egg-savvy: a little help when shopping for eggs http://www.culinate.com/cook/food_features/The+eggsentials

Harold McGee explores the 5 second rule.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09curi.html?ei=5090&en=241e6e22e405bc24&ex=1336363200&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

A terrific quote by Marian Burros on Over-salting "In the current culinary mode salt is making too much of a statement. A couple of weeks ago I had dinner at a new restaurant and I have no idea how the food tasted because each dish was sprinkled with coarse salt like so much white confetti. If under-salting is the sign of a timid chef, over-salting is the sign of an arrogant one."

Chefs are getting skinnier This struck me as funny since everyone else seems to be getting fatter..

http://www.waitrose.com/food_drink/wfi/foodpeople/chefs/0705064.asp

New culinary website and blogs that I’ve recently discovered:

www.grassrootsstore.com A Toronto store and leader in offering a wide range of eco-friendly products.

www.culinate.com A content rich site for foodies with columns, interviews, articles, and a good blog feed..

www.obsessionwithfood.com A very thoughtful blog by Derrick Schneider, a computer programmer, food writer and wine teacher. (He writes for the Art of Eating.)

www.gastroville.com A pair of passionate food and wine enthusiasts rate restaurants around the world.

www.forkandbottle.com About artisanal food, wine and cheese by Jack and Joanne in San Fran.

Bits and Bites

April 25, 2007

Top 50 Restaurants in the world: El Bulli reclaims the number one spot on S.Pelligrino’s annual list of the top 50 Restaurants in the world.. Spain has the most in the top ten, France the most overall, with the U.S. better represented every year. The French Laundry is fourth and top in the Americas , Jean Georges is in 18^th and Trotter in 30^th, with Alinea climbing fast. Whatever any of that means.. Not that I wouldn’t mind dining in any or all of them.. http://travel.guardian.co.uk/article/2007/apr/24/restaurants

Chinese Penis restaurant: Yes, dozens of varieties of penis of all sizes, simmered, sauced or sushi style, with the supposed effect of boosting vitality and sexual performance. I heard a reporter who visited the infamous restaurant telling his story on CBC; he didn’t seem sold on the eating of the penis part, but who knows what it might have done for him in the bedroom..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/17/wfood17.xml

Corn the culprit: Corn, so innocent looking, but so evil (in the wrong hands). It is in so much of our food, it is the reason our food is so cheap, and so bad for farmers, bad for the environment, not to mention bad for our health, a leading cause of the obesity epidemic… quelle scam. If you haven’t read about this already (Michael Pollan..), look for the documentary, King Corn. View the trailer at:

http://www.kingcorn.net/trailer.html

Heirloom tomato windowsill kits – Cool! Also tomato growing tips and paraphernalia..

http://www.windowbox.com/store/category/Heirloom+Tomatoes.html

Farmed sturgeon caviar from New Brunswick : A promising Canadian replacement for real caviar.. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/weekendlife/story.html?id=8ee0ae8a-6dc6-455c-af4b-0eb499cb8354

Fair Trade: I saw this heart-breaking documentary on PBS about the coffee trade. Parallel to my reading Carol Off’s book Bitter Chocolate, it is all almost too much to take; capitalism can be so cruel. Many of us are aware of the exploitation and outright injustices associated with our beloved java, but not enough of us are doing something about it. All it takes to force change is spending your money in the right places. Fair trade should not be a choice. Check this film out, and your coffee will never taste the same again. Or just do it - buy fair-trade already. It would make my Mom very happy (this has been her cause for over 15yrs). http://www.independentlens.org

La Quinzaine de l’Equitable: Events marking 15 years of Fair trade..

A fair trade wine tasting is being held at Dix Mille Villages in NDG.

Wednesday May 2nd, 2007 , 7:00 – 9:00 PM , 10$

The wine is from Paarl , South Africa , called Winds of Change. There will also be a screening of the film Aftertaste. To reserve or find out more about this or other events, please email dixmillevillages@journeymontreal.ca or phone 514-483-6569 or visit the store at 5674 Monkland Avenue .

Going Carbon Neutral. Everyday, another big gun jumps on the environmental bandwagon, weehoo! Now, it is Yahoo and Lancome going carbon neutral. Good for publicity, good for guilt and good for the environment, a win-win situation. Compensating for your own carbon emission footprint by reinvesting in global sustainability projects, planting trees and so on, is a great concept, as long as everyone reduces and reuses FIRST. Then, why not take the next step?

http://www.fashionweekdaily.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=399693&itype=8486

http://yodel.yahoo.com/2007/04/17/dont-even-leave-a-footprint/

To make your own contribution, go to http://www.carbonfund.org/site/ or listen to David Susuki. He tells you all you need to know about going carbon neutral with links to different carbon calculators and offset companies..

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/carbon_neutral.asp

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/10/10/gies/

http://carboncounter.org

The Experimental Cuisine Collective kicks off, a NY association of cooks, scientists and artists with big goals. They will be meeting regularly to brainstorm and work on projects, all towards pushing the boundaries of cuisine. I bet it will end up being more about a bunch of crazy guys hanging out with some food, some beakers, protein powder, and lots of wine, with everyone just having a good time. Sound like fun.

http://starchefs.com/features/plating/vol9/index.shtml

Back to the tap: Good on Leslie Chesterman for bringing up the water issue in her Saturday column and challenging restaurateurs to put some thought and effort into the water they serve. Following Alice Water’s lead and serving filtered tap water sounds smart to me, as opposed to encouraging the wasteful snobbery of ‘specialty’ imported bottled water lists.. Not only because of the hazardous effects on the environment with all the plastic, glass, and carbon miles, but afterall, we are the water capitol of the world, so why aren’t we drinking our own? Especially, if all it takes is a wake-up call and a slice of lemon..

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/columnists/story.html?id=686ed37d-79f0-4118-ade9-433881220d34

Curing an egg yolk looks like an interesting activity, to do ONCE, maybe, when you have lots of time to waste in the kitchen..

http://www.starchefs.com/events/studio/techniques/PRudolph/index.shtml

Bittman’s ‘The Best Recipes in the World’: This website is a great source of reliable recipes from around the world, an electronic version of Bittman’s book, ‘The best recipes in the world’. http://www.randomhouse.com/broadway/bittman/main.php?p=recipes

“The Best Recipes in the World” is also a celebrity chef/travel/cooking show featuring Mark Bittman, whom you might know from his column in the New York Times. Although he regularly pairs up with celebrity chefs, he remains a very down to earth guy and cook. I’m a fan. His recipes are generally seductive and simple, and he always throws in some interesting tidbits of information. His recipes are known to be reliable, although I think they often need some jazzing up, a splash of wine or lemon or spice. Then again, I can’t follow a recipe for the life of me. ‘They’ say his recipes work. Any of his books are indeed a good buy even just for inspiration, and although I’m not a big food network connoisseur, I’m sure his show is better than most of the stuff on there.

The 100 mile diet, a movement that is really gathering steam.. I think it is just good in that it makes us stop and think about where every bit of what we eat comes from, which inevitably leads you to make some different choices, cutting out the unnecessary, and buying local when you can. Baby steps count.

http://www.100milediet.org/

Bits and Bites April 2007

April 5, 2007

Time to sugar off

You can go to your favourite sugar shack nearby for the regular deal, or you can go upscale..

Join Slowfood in Bromont on the 14 or 15^th of April ( 11:30am ) at le vignoble Domaine les Brome, a tradition cabane à sucre and also a winery who will present a fancied up sugar shack menu with their wines. Also on the bill will be La Ciderie Fleurs de Pommiers from Dunham who produce cider and ice cider.

For reservations: call 514-282-5162, Cost: 25$ for member, 30$ for non-members.

Before the season draws to an end (or when it resumes), you should really get out to the country and partake in that intoxicating old Québécois tradition. From the small ‘friends and family only’ type of operation to the bigger touristy one, there are tons of options out there, mere minutes from Mtl. (even if you don’t eat pork!). Although I have to admit that for me, the sugar shack is very much about the pig in all its forms, it is perhaps more about the fun, the country air, the folk music, and the maple syrup of course. Personally, I don’t like to eat so much before sun-down, but I do make the exception when at the cabane à sucre.

Mostly, I like sitting around watching (and smelling) the process, the sap before it’s boiled down completely, sampling it at multiple stages with a mini hit of cognac, chatting with all the weary people who worked all day lugging the buckets of sap to the tank, who are now enjoying the fruit of their labour. I listen to their stories of the day, the 4-wheel breakdowns, the back-breaking work on snowshoes, the unpredictability of the weather and the trees, their speculation about how long the season will last, how good the syrup will be, where the prices will fall, etc. It all sounds so exotic to me, the city girl with country sensibilities, who knows so little about this world. I love the way everyone in the vicinity stops everything for ‘le temps des sucres’; it’s a celebration of community and our love of the sweet stuff, forcing this communion between us and nature, a natural rite of spring in Québec not to be missed.

Les Halles wine cellar auction was held last week… If only I had the cash…sigh. Did anyone score?

Raclette de Joliette from Martin Guillebault (Fromagerie Champs à la Meule)

Look out for this new cheese, the first Québec Raclette style cheese, which arrives on the market this spring. I was lucky enough to be paired up with this producer at the Banc d’essaie de la Lanaudiere last month, an event that brought together chefs and producers from the regions, along with students, to come up with dishes and new ways to use their products, from duck to condiments and olive oil, to cheeses. Together we put together a 7 course meal for 50 highlighting the artisans of the region. My contribution was the second course: I made a salad using the Raclette, hot, in a buckwheat crepe crust, alongside a parsnip, celery and apple salad with arugula and a cider vinaigrette with François’ boletus oil. Yum.

I encourage you to seek out or rediscover Martin’s cheeses at a store near you: Victor & Berthold, LaRacam, le Fétard, and now La Raclette de Joliette. He is also working on a Comté style cheese, as well as Suckling pig (to make use all his milk by product).

Chef turned Dominatrix: The story of Susan Winemaker

Channel surfing at 3am, I came across the preview of an interview with this chef turned dominatrix from London who had just written a book on her life (5 years) as a dominatrix. It all sounded very interesting, but soon became incredibly so, when I saw that the girl in question was Susan Winemaker, my best bud in cooking school. I lost touch with her several years after cooking school (probably somewhere around the time she went off to London to work as a private chef), and had often wondered what had become of her, if she was still cooking. Now I have my answer. She certainly made the case for openness towards the Dominatrix thing. She was smart and human, describing it all in a very basic, engaging, but un-sensational manner. And it got me thinking.

It appears that the qualities of a good dominatrix are the same as for a chef. Control freak meets giver of pleasure. Being strong, taking charge, being creative while in tune with people and the senses in general, caring for people, having that innate desire to please, all while being somewhat ego-centric and living a marginal lifestyle… It all sounded strangely familiar. So, I guess the leap is not such a stretch. I’m happy for her. She probably made a lot more money as a dominatrix, and besides, she was always the literary type. So, she got her book, and found her path albeit in a round about way, and cooking was a part of that journey. Cooking seems to always open a lot of doors, and can introduce all kinds of twists to a life, just with the characters you meet in a kitchen alone. Myself, I’m happy behind the stoves, but I did find her story inspiring in a sense, and I hope to meet up with her again. Maybe for a themed dinner of sorts, but I would stick to the beating of the egg whites, she could take care of the rest.

Alice Waters , my hero, with another great initiative in food.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/edible_schoolyard.php

Hungry for the truth’, by Anne E. McBride, An interview with my other hero, Michael Pollan, whom you should meet, if you haven’t already..

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/writings/interviews/pollan.html

Excerpt: My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the information, they will make better ethical choices. Whatever those choices are, they'll be better than eating in ignorance, and shopping in ignorance, which is what most Americans today do — because it's very hard to understand anything about your food. The food chain has gotten so long, so intricate, and so opaque that most people have no idea what they're eating.

The first step towards solving the omnivore's dilemma is knowledge: eating with full consciousness. When that happens, I have a lot of confidence that people will make good choices.

Bistro du Sommelier They’re getting pretty creative at the Bistro du Sommelier, the latest Italian inspired menu is looking good, I must check it out.. www.lebistrodusommelier.com

Bits and Bites March 2007

March 16, 2007

Toronto ’s turn next year . On the heels of New York as the spotlight city for the Montreal Highlights Festival, Toronto is announced to be next year’s city vedette from February 21- March 2, 2008 , with Susur Lee as honorary president. Should be interesting. Will it be another channel for the TO-Montreal rivalry to play out? Or just warm and fuzzy fun. Hopefully, it will be a surprising and bridging experience, and good for our culinary Canadian identity. I think it’s about time both chefs and eaters foster more connections Canada wide.

Bacon popcorn . Everything is better with bacon, as I’ve been saying for years.

http://nosheteria.com/2007/02/snacking-thy-name-is-decadence.html

Popcorn with truffle à la Thomas Keller, now popcorn in bacon fat; why not popcorn with truffle AND bacon? Over the top.

'The truth about saturated fats’, speaking of fat. Most of us are screwed up about what is good and bad when it comes to fat. Now trans fat is the enemy and olive oil is holy, margarine is bad and butter coming back. Is it really Ok, and how can it be? What about all the different vegetable oils that surround us? Many don’t know that these can be as dangerous as heart clogging animal fat was supposed to be. Don’t you want to get to the bottom of this? Well.. This is long and detailed, but when you have the time to read, it will give you the lowdown. In the mean time, don’t judge bacon too fast. See misc. article, ‘The truth about saturated fat’..

http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/the-truth-about-saturated-fat/

Truffles in Tenessee , the real deal… Very interesting! See misc. article, Cultivating truffles.. http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/cultivating-truffles/

Epynord . Finally.. The ‘cordonnier mal chaussé’ gets a neat pair of shoes.

Check out some friends’ new company website, Graphic and web design for restaurants.

http://www.epynord.com

Forbes food trends . Forbes cites the 10 most influential chefs in America today, and the trends that follow, nothing new but a good overview..

http://www.forbes.com/wineandfood/2007/03/13/tastemaker-chef-food-forbeslife-cx_mm_0314chef.html

Kitchen Gadgets. I’m not very into gadgets, but I kind of like this work-table scoop, although I could never actually rationalize buying it. It’s just a fancy dust pan, but it’s nice. There are some other cool things on this site too.

http://www.chefsplanet.com/prep_taxi.shtml

Jeffrey Chodorow , a NYC restaurant magnate, took out a full page ad in the NYTimes in response to his zero star review by Frank Bruni.. Good on him for speaking out, not because he is ‘right’ but because he can, and we rarely hear the other side of the story. I don’t know how many stars his restaurant deserves; who can say what he’s really like or what the critic’s experience was. There are always many sides to any one story, and a review is a very subjective thing based on a particular performance. The critic is doing his job by picking things apart based on his knowledge and experience, and the restaurateur is doing his job by trying to make a living by making his clients happy. You’d think this would all come together, but it doesn’t always. What matters to the critic might not make a difference to the devoted diner. What creates fireworks for ‘M.- Mme. Tout le monde’ that don’t get out much, is boring, passé for the critic. Friendly for one is unprofessional to another, and on and on. A restaurant is always many stories, like a movie with parallel plots, their lives converging, diverging, many happy, others annoyed or oblivious. It’s hard to make generalizations, to find the truth. But critics are more schooled in this than most of us. However, critics do seem to take on a disproportionate importance, mainly because we hear their stories more than any others..

I’m all for dialogue. http://gawker.com/assets/resources/2007/02/pete_wells_ad1.php

Chefs work hard for their money in case you didn’t know..

For salary averages in the U.S. , see the A Star chef’s salary survey lists averages in the U.S. , much higher than here: http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/salary_survey/2006/index.shtml

But before you follow the doctors, don’t forget that cooking school and the cost of living are significantly higher in the States..

Calling on Chefs to do their part to support sustainable fish and seafood , (60% of fish is consumed in restaurants).. http://www.starchefs.com/features/sustainable_food/html/2007_02.shtml

And by the way, here in Montreal, ‘on fait dure’; there is swordfish and tuna, Chilean Seabass and every other endangered species on menus about town, and no one seems alarmed!

Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires –the movie . This book should make a great movie.. and I think Julia Roberts would be right. http://www.adweek.com/aw/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003553495

I’m a fan of everything she’s a part of, can’t wait.

B&B February 23, 2007

In Montreal :

The Montreal Highlights festival is underway! All kinds of cool things cooking through until next Sunday.. www.montrealenlumiere.com . 

The Gazette's notes from the festival:  www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=24f53c61-77b3-4d96-8ac4-806a322e4cee

Bofinger Smokehouse & BBQ is a new casual eatery in NDG ( Sherbrooke W. and Oxford ) that specializes in hot-smoked meats, run by Kyle Kerr and Stephane Nanny. More than just chicken and ribs, you can get pulled pork, wings, smoked turkey and brisket, all with a selection of house sauces and sides, not to mention terrific fries. It is counter service only, but you’re welcome to linger, with beers on tap, wine by the glass and plasma TV screens. The food is finger licking good, cheap, and the décor clean and comfortable. My bet is that this place will do rocking business, especially on game days.

From all over:

Almost Foie gras : Gourmet reports back on a new product, a goose fattened liver that is not force fed. A compromise for the ethical foie gras lover? Not quite the silken decadence that is foie gras, but still apparently quite delicious. There’s hope yet that efforts in ethical eating won’t stamp out all our pleasure. http://www.roastgoose.com/ordering.html#Goose%20Livers

Anne Sophie Pic wins top award, which is a big f-ing deal in the old school macho world of French gastronomy and Michelin stars.. I love her style.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,2018534,00.html

Check out the Cheese freak: A queer story of a bloke that lives on Cheddar alone. http://tinyurl.com/yqz7mu

Another reason to love cocoa – the flavenols . (Sorry, no link - I heard this on CBC.)

Scientists are finding more and more to like about chocolate. We already know that it has anti-cancer effects in being high in anti-oxidants, the cocoa bean being a fruit like the super-food blueberry. They’ve already proved that certain chemical components are good for the heart and blood pressure, but now it appears that the flavenols enhance brain function too. At least, a diet rich in flavenols make mice navigate a maze better, and allows them to remember how to for a week as apposed to a day. Another scientist has found that a certain South American tribe who consume crazy amounts of pure cocoa because they flavour their drinking water with it are ultra healthy, free of any of the age related diseases we know, dying only of injury or infection, no strokes, no dementia.

Unfortunately, we can not go out and gorge ourselves on chocolate as we know it to see these benefits. The problem is that our chocolate contains a whole lot of sugar and fat, ie. too many calories, of which we already consume too much. What you want is the unprocessed cocoa powder which is hard to find and quite bitter to our palate.

But still, it’s good to know that quality chocolate is loaded with health boosing chemicals, and potentially good for you beyond the positive physiological effects derived from the pure pleasure of eating it. In theory, you can feel better about indulging in the occasional bitter chocolate, and more importantly, expect to see flavenol boosted foods on the market soon.

Synesthesia and Heston Blumenthal

http://www.starchefs.com/features/heston/html/index.shtml

Beyond classic ‘molecular gastronomy’, Heston is now focusing on psychological factors and contextual triggers to forge the ultimate dining experience..

He cites the sound of bacon sizzling as making bacon taste better, and a bottle of a certain wine tasting better on holiday than on some mundane day at home as examples in how sensory input can overlap and synergize. Inevitably, this opens doors and gives an experimental artist like him an extended canvas. Targeting all senses, and paying more attention to the setting is only natural in trying to please your customers. And Restaurateurs have been doing this for centuries with nice décor, attractive smiling waiters. However, taking it to the extreme seems overly manipulative, beyond just being a good host and cook. Like superstores shooting aromatics in the air to influence the shopper. By blatantly taking advantage of your lower brain influence, you can more easily be led down whatever path they’ve set out for you, that is, to be enchanted by whatever they’ve decided they will make you want, all so that you happily spend a lot of money.

We all know that more is at play than your taste buds when appreciating a meal. Now scientists are trying to measure this. In fact, the Journal of Neuroscience did an article in December that showed anxiety can lower your sense of sweet by 30 percent and increase your sense of bitterness and acidity by 50-something percent. As stress diminishes taste and a good time, good company and a gorgeous setting enhances both.

But when you try to fiddle too much with all these elements, bring an iPod to my table, order me to sniff things, and explain how to eat a certain dish off a new-fangled utensil and so on, somehow, I can’t help but think of sensory overload, and how I might be distracted from the actual morsel of food.

If you’re going for theatre, then fine, it’s all a part of the composition. If I was going to the Fat Duck, I would probably be in that frame of mind and welcome it. But don’t ask me to say a prayer, do a somersault, and eat the wrapper before I put the candy in my mouth on any other day. Food is just food. The restaurant experience is more than that and magical, but overworking it seems counterproductive. Especially for most of us North Americans who are not fussy people, too much of this would not fly. Then again, m aybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m just getting old.

Heston Blumenthal is an original thinker and groundbreaking chef no doubt, but he seems to have his feet still planted on the ground at least some of the time. I like what he has to say about food and kids here; I found this quote in Bill Buford’s book, Heat:

‘It is important that children make their own decisions about what they will and won’t eat, whether this is on moral or taste grounds. It should be our as responsibility as parents to make sure they have all the information they need. We must not pass on any of our own eating hang-ups. I have always made our children aware that when they are eating beef, for example, they are actually eating a cow. There is nothing wrong with this as long as the animal has led a good, healthy life and has been killed humanely. The quality of the meat is directly influenced by the quality of life of the animal itself. After all, evolution has designed us to be carnivorous both in the way we eat and the way we process our food.

Unfortunately, supermarket price wars have resulted in all food prices coming down, including those of meat. If we would only stop to think: how is this possible? Land and property values and wages have been increasing. Inflation still exists. How then can meat and poultry prices fall?’ Heston Blumenthal, Family Food

More fiddling with food. Cool innovation or tiresome gimmick?

A new thing in Texas , David Gilbert plays with food. http://www.starchefs.com/features/luqa/html/index.shtml

B&B January 24, 2007

 Who said January was drab?

Not this year. Maybe it’s just me who is particularly busy, without enough time for all the interesting bits and bites crossing my path. However, it does seem like there is an awful lot going on for January. Maybe we never went into hibernation because it wasn’t cold. Funny how everyone bitches about winter until it doesn’t show up, at which point, we realize how much it means to us. Thankfully, it is finally here, and it feels good. Maybe too, some people got some rest over the holidays and so are now all revved up with sober new years resolutions and new ideas. For whatever reason, there is much activity, both in print and on the street. Some restaurants did close for a bit in January, but all are busier than usual for this time of year, chefs are moving around, restaurants are opening and closing. Not all the news is good; for example, Leslie’s scoop about Les Chèvres made me very sad.. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/weekendlife/story.html?id=fceb8042-e7aa-4c29-be7b-26a3dde9a6e2

Bill is back. Forget about the Porto and cheese combo.

http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/

Ten surprising restaurants in the world.. Thanks to Rob for this link to restaurants across the globe who are doing something different. Besides the technical acrobatics of guys like Achatz and Adria with their liquid nitrogen, melting mango, and edible menus, there are others that are doing the extraordinary with weird props (ninja magic), weird ingredients (roadkill) and in weird places (dinner in the dark, dinner in the sky or dinner in an igloo).

http://www.forbes.com/wineandfood/2006/12/18/most-unusual-restaurants-forbeslife-cx_ls_1219mostunsusualrestaurants_slide.html

Fuel from Chicken fat!? Controversial but at least people are getting creative with respect to the environment. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/schmaltzmobiles.php

Spice it up! Not only because it is cold outside, and that a bit of chile makes just about any dish sing, but pump up the heat for the anti-cancer effects.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6244715.stm

Watch out for cloned food coming to a store near you. The FDA claims that it’s safe enough.. Perhaps our thickening border is not such a bad thing after all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/29/business/29fda.html?emc=eta1

Le Marché de Solidarité Régionale en Estrie, a great example of a community project whose time has come: Last week, L’Épicerie reported on a coalition of producers and customers in the Townships that have set up a year round market idea to promote local, sustainable food buying, and they make it easy for consumers. The participants pre-order by internet, then go pick up their goods at the market on Thursdays (bringing their own bags) where they also get to meet the producers and artisans. The farmer is able to charge a lower price due to saving on shipping crates, packaging and transport, and the customer profits from quality local food at a good price. Not only is this set-up better taste-wise, it is also better for the environment (food miles, packaging), as well as for fostering community, bringing you in contact with the country and the people who grow or make your food. This project offers a new and more feasible approach to making a difference in the way we food source. They set a good example; hopefully we will see them expand, as well as copycats in other regions.

http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/v2/lepicerie/index.shtml

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, maybe you want to know the truth about aphrodisiacs.. It turns out that there actually IS a scientific basis for the arousing effects of oysters, and not much more than anecdotal evidence for many of the other supposedly sexy foods. Sometimes it is only because the food resembles something we associate with sex be it in appearance, taste or texture. I think we all know a big part of lighting fires is all in the head, relying as much on imagery and suggestion, as direct stimulation of the senses. A carrot might turn you on because of its phallic shape, or an avocado might get you in the mood because of its name (meaning testicle). Perhaps you find the perfume of ginger or the heat of chilli titillating, and are aroused by all of the above because you are told they are aphrodisiacs.. Whatever works for you, I say.. http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/food/story/0,,1986808,00.html

Our Valentine’s menu at la Table des Jardins Sauvages:   http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/recipes-and-menus/

Daniel Boulud, a top New York chef (who is also this year’s guest star chef at Montreal’s food festival this February) is in hot water over charges of discrimination in the running of his restaurant. Anyone who works in the restaurant business in a big city can relate to this delicate situation, as there are many talented, efficient, dedicated immigrants at work behind the scenes in many urban restaurants. Often they are overlooked when it comes to promotions or pay equity, due to poor language skills or a lack of education (in the food arts), or possibly discrimination. I’ve seen both, it depends on the individual and the context; who knows what the facts are at Boulud. It all comes down to fairness and respect being tantamount, then clarity and consistency in operational systems, while fostering an inclusive team spirit and good communication. Not always an easy matter in the chaotic restaurant business, but it is about time the debate of what is acceptable and what is not enters the kitchen, making it an issue as it is in the rest of civilized society. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/dining/17prom.html?ex=1326690000&en=36d91502886aefdf&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Chocolat: A Longueil cooking school tries to recreate the magic of the Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche film with an all chocolate gastronomic dinner, it is a fund-raiser for students going off on stages. The six course 'souper-chocolat' takes place Feb. 20 at CFP Jacques-Rousseau, 444, de Gentilly Est, à Longueuil.  For reservations, call (450) 651-6800, poste 2775.

Chefs speak out for sustainable food sourcing. Chef Barton Seaver (Café Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar in Washington DC) calls on chefs to be leaders on this front. http://www.starchefs.com/features/sustainable_food/html/2007_01.shtml

And Dan Barber (Blue Hill, NY) writes an effective, moving piece in the NYTimes in hopes of stirring up some change in agricultural policy as congress sets out to rework its food and farm bill. See below, Amber fields of Bland..  http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/miscellaneaous-food-articles/

Chow’s Molecular Gastronomy Cheat sheet in case you’re still not sure what this trend in cooking is all about, and not sick of hearing about it either..

http://www.chow.com/stories/10411

The best food reading of the month came via the 20^th Anniversary double issue of Edward Behr’s the Art of Eating. For those of you who don’t know this publication, there are no ads or 10 minute recipes here, just in depth, well researched, fascinating articles on a variety of food topics. www.artofeating.com For the serious foodie.

There was an interesting, thought provoking article on the future of wine that discussed how new technology is changing wine, for the better or for the worse. The question of what constitutes the essence of wine comes up in the battle between the traditional ‘let the terroir speak’ approach and the new manipulative approach. Which is more important, natural or good tasting? Paralell to the backlash to molecular gastronomy in food circles, winos are grappling with the mingling of tradition and new science. Of course technology brings useful new tools, but maybe we should beware of the dangers. This article introduces you to some of these modern techniques and the issues at hand.

James McGuire contributed a captivating article about the baguette, its colourful history, and the details behind the making of a proper baguette. I learnt so much! Not only do I better understand dough, but now the ‘no knead, let the fermentation do the work’ thinking behind that puzzling Bittman recipe last year makes more sense. And who would have known there was always so much squabbling among bakers over the course of the evolution of the baguette?!

Probiotics – the next health craze? See NYTimes article below, In Live Bacteria, Food makers see a Bonanza.  http://soupnancy.squarespace.com/miscellaneaous-food-articles/

The National Restaurant Association (US) is upset with Kevin Federline and an insurance company over a SuperBowl ad they find denigrates restaurant workers.. http://adage.com/article?article_id=114465 Since when are restaurant workers so sensitive?

I’ve been wading through my e-mails and tagged articles to read, finally taking it all in and responding. Here, I point you to some of the interesting tidbits I gathered in December.

Some interesting tidbits from the food media...

Carol Off’s book on Chocolate: This book seems like a compelling read about the history of chocolate, and how our favorite sweet is produced today. I was touched by her quote about the underage plantation workers, “I feel the profound irony before me: the children who struggle to produce the small pleasure of life in the world I come from have never known such pleasures. They don’t know what chocolate is.” And as the reviewer in the Gazette pointed out, it’s this confection – produced by uneducated, orphaned, starving, abused children – that we in North America use to say, ‘I love you’.

Bitter Chocolate: Investigating the Dark Side of the World’s Most Seductive Sweet,

By Carol Off, Random House Canada, $34.95

Trends of 2006: Starchefs sums it up well..

http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/trends_survey/index.shtml

What to expect in 2007: Frank Bruni and Zagat interview chefs and draw up lists of new food trends and things to look forward to in 2007. The results:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/?p=166

http://www.zagat.com/news/newsCUR.aspx?Art=Art_december_2006_2

Food Politics: A positive trend that is here to stay.. This is a brief overview of the progress we have made in our connection to our food supply thanks to the food scares, activism, books and movies that are eliciting a response on the part of consumers and big business. There is hope yet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/27/dining/27food.html?ei=5090&en=ab1ba1be34b60106&ex=1324875600&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

Illy takes on Starbucks: Coffee is now big business globally, and the big players are jostling for position.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/business/worldbusiness/26eurocoffee.html?ex=5090..

Food science is on every yearly trend list, and the talk probably won’t stop for a while, as molecular gastronomy becomes ultra popular in mainstream haute cuisine. Harold McGee’s article “When Science Sniffs Around the Kitchen”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/dining/06curi.html?ex=1167541200&en=d45588e3135c2096&ei=5070

gives you an idea of what is going on, the trickle down effects of ancient cuisine catching up with modern science... He marvels at it all, but he certainly had something to do with this, by getting people excited about it in his On Food and Cooking 15 years ago (this was the book that accompanied me in my transition from the world of science to that of food).

To see food science applications taken to the extreme, explore Grant Achatz’ crazy inventive menus.... http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.05/achatz_pr.html

I find all this stimulating (as a mental exercise to understand food), but personally, I have no desire to cook like that. Granted, a chemical is a chemical, whether it occurs in nature or is produced in a lab, but when you break down food and taste so elementally, it seems to me that you take the sensual magic out of it, like simplifying love to pheromones. I’m all for incorporating new knowledge into our methods, but while staying true to the traditional approach. What self-respecting cook wants to mimic big industry by using the same chemicals and machinery that they use in processed food anyway? Unless I was packing a picnic for a space shuttle trip, I would rather use a fresh egg and lemon, than lecithin and citric acid, not that there is anything inherently wrong with that.

With pure chemicals, you can select the desired effect by only using a specific proetin for example, without all the other stuff (other proteins, water, fat, sugars) when that’s all you want. But then, this is an entirely different approach to cooking as we know it. In effect, you’re also neglecting the natural complexity of natural foodstuffs, rather than truly knowing them and honoring them. This all too pervasive syndrome of wanting to control nature as opposed to working with it, is the source of many of our environmental problems today. Anyway.

I have no doubt that all this knowledge and these modern chefs’ experiments will ultimately change the way we cook to some extent, and great. This new field of science is a beautiful thing, we do need to evolve. But I think we have to keep our feet on the ground, and our taste buds alert.

There is also no doubt that I would have remained in science if I had known that I could have been studying cheese in the lab for a living back then. However, I would not want to be one of THEM (academics). Reading Harold McGee’s account of the conference, I was reminded of one I attended at McGill, where I sat there wondering if these academics were from Planet Mars where all they ate was KD. Only academics will sit through a 3hr presentation supporting the claim that a third smell sensation can result from two distinct smells! We all know that instinctively, think apple pie or poutine. When food chemistry meets brain chemistry, 1 + 1 does not equal 2, more like 10 or infinity. We can’t even think in terms of 1 and 2 given that your typical identifiable aroma consists of dozens of chemical compounds... Poor scientists, it is so complicated when you dissect it so, but someone has to do it, I suppose. On a visceral level, it is simple. That’s why I’m much better off as a trades person.

No fuss French bread: In the on line food world, there was much buzz in articles and blogs in early December about this apparently ground breaking, simplified bread recipe ever since it appeared in Mark Bittman’s NYTimes article…I haven’t tried it yet, but, if you’re feeling experimental... http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/dining/06curi.html?ref=

Sedna IV:  This is not about food, but provides food for thought. It is the official website for the unique Antarctica mission to study and document the effect of climate change on the south pole, of which the Québecois scientist, Jean Lemire, was the leader , returning in early December after 9 monthes. The site shows details about the crew, their journals, and the information they gathered. Go visit this website for the stunning pictures if nothing else.  http://sedna.tv/spip/sommaire.php3?lang=fr

29-11-06

Global food news:

Foie gras.  Please, can we cut the BS and look at the real food issues? Foie gras might turn out to be something we collectively want to phase out one day, but at the moment, there are many more pressing issues, like our whole industrial food mess; not what a few rich people eat once and a while, but what the masses eat on a daily basis. All the crap on the market that everyone gobbles up not knowing how bad it is, all the crap the government subsidizes, all the misinformation. etc. This post by Michael Ruhlman says it well.  http://www.megnut.com/ruhlman.html

Speaking of real issues, The Inconvenient Truth. If you haven’t already seen it, I urge you to see Al Gore’s documentary, now available on DVD; it is very well done. Smart and to the point, this is essential viewing for all human beans, and a good motivator to really get serious about our planet and our future.

Oldways : While reading another blog (101 cookbooks), I came across a link to an association that appears to do good work with respect to educating people about better food choices. http://oldwayspt.org/

As the reports come in from the mega Terre Madre Slowfood event in October where food communities including artisans, chefs, academics and activists gathered (www.terramadre2006.org), you can now read about all that went on. I would have LOVED to be there. In the same vein, you can read about the cheffy CIA conference “Spain and the World Table”, honouring the contribution of modern Spanish cuisine, where Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria and Harold McGee were all present. John Sconzo reports on the energy and excitement of the event with the spotlight on Ferran Adria in “Voyage into Creativity”on Egullet: http://forums.egullet.org/dailygullet/. Also, apparently much more from Adria’s extensive and expensive books is now accessible on his website, www.elbulli.com/.

In and about Montreal:

I was very sad to learn that Il Sole (an Italian restaurant on the Main) no longer exists. I had been encouraged to check out this nouveau French restaurant La Porte where the former pastry chef from L’Eau, Vincent now works, only to discover that it has replaced Il Sole. It had been one of my favourite restaurants on that strip, I thought the food was great, and it was classy, without the pretence of most St-Laurent joints. I had much respect for Graziella, the chef owner. Boohoo. I wish her the best.

An original new menu starts at the Bistro du Sommelier (Guy Lelièvre’s new resto on St-Denis) on Dec. 6. Get this: the theme is The Seven Deadly Sins and American trends in wine. The current menu finishing this week focuses on New Zealand and Australia, with possible packages with the Rideau Vert theatre where what’s his name’s 2006 review is playing.

We are deep into oyster season, so if you haven’t indulged yet, now’s the time.  There is an Oyster party this Friday night (Dec.2) at 10pm at the Tavern on the Square, I wish I could go..  I think they will be riffing with one kind of oyster, the Malpeque, but on your own time, feel free to explore the wonderful world of oysters:  at your fishmonger's, at la Mer, or at restaurants around town like Joe Beef for example.  My discovery of the season was the Moonstone from Rhode Island.  Here is an oyster primer from Gourmet.  http://www.epicurious.com/gourmet/features/oyster_primer

23-11-06

Things to check out this week....

Food ethics :  This article appeared in the NY Times a week or so ago – it is a good summary of the food ethics issues I find most important…

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/business/smallbusiness/15recall.html?ex=1321246800&en=cb95ab5b4157a753&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Chefs for peace:  Forwarded to me via Joel, this is a very cool, hopeful story about chefs doing their part for peace in the Middle East.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/a_little_peace.php

Food movies:  Here's a link to a complete list of food movies to see, Ange's contribution....

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004173favorite_foodie_movies.php