One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2015 was to stop procrastinating when it came to Christmas gifts and I have about a month to make good on it. Seriously though, have you ever found yourself at Couche-Tard on your way to your family’s holiday dinner trying to pick out the perfect bag of mixed nuts or flavoured jerky to best suit our relative’s personality? Or debating whether the chicken or pork flavoured instant ramen would fully convey your holiday sentiments to your loved one? Me neither, I’m asking for a friend. I’m just saying, I made a promise to myself that if I ever wanted to be invited back to Christmas dinner, I better step up my gift game this year; there are only so many boxes of Merci or Bocci I can buy before the staff at Pharmaprix starts to feel sorry for me. So this holiday season I’ve compiled foodie gift guide of local goodies and products to bring holiday cheer to the ones you love and to possibly get an invitation for future family gatherings!
That dreaded time of year is approaching and I can literally feel it in my bones. A cold chill runs down my spine just at the thought of it. The anxiety of knowing that you’re going to have to brave through this just for a little while before it all passes and sunny skies return, waddling your way over ice as to not fall on your ass in public, trudging through 30cms of snow, boots that clutter the doorway… but enough about having to visit my relatives during the holidays and let’s talk about food. One of my most favourite things about the holidays is the food; it’s the time to chow down on recipes and dishes that make their once-a-year appearance and are then tucked away for another 365 days. A dish that our family sees only during the holiday is traditional Quebec Tourtière; a savoury meat pie notable for its rich combination of spices and a light, flaky crust.
Montreal’s pizza game is fierce. Recently there has been an influx of pizza places popping up around town that are all bringing different concepts to the table, from places that strive to bring you the most authentic of Italian pizza experiences to those who strive to deliver your pizzas with a bucket of chicken and a mixed-meat shwarma sandwich. Not that that’s a bad thing as diversity is what makes Montreal and dinner tables less volatile while satiating a wider variety of appetites. I love pizza. I don’t know many people who don’t, and if I didn’t, they wouldn’t really be worth knowing. I recently stopped by this cute spot, San Genarro in Little Italy for lunch.