In theory, we are approaching spring which brings the maple thaw and the subsequent lust we develop for the sweet free flowing liquid gold that is maple syrup. But by the looks of it, that won’t happen until one more heaping dose of powdery white stuff that will or will not paralyze the city. Luckily I started my maple sugar shack tour early this year and managed to visit a unique one. What do you get when you mix an Italian restaurant and maple syrup season? That’s right an Italian inspired cabane à sucre. I know what you’re thinking, “what does that even mean?” My thoughts exactly when I visited Aux Délices des Sucres, a sugar shack by Les Délices De Rosa located in St-Lin-Laurentides.
Last week I shared my recipe for Beef and Coriander Dumplings with Spicy Chili Oil as a part of the www.thinkbeef.ca “Rethink Beef Global Recipe Swap Campaign”. Bloggers from across the country swapped original recipes featuring beef to showcase its versatility. The recipes needed to reflect our cultural background, or a culinary adventure. A family favourite or a dish that we sampled while traveling that we just couldn’t forget. This week, I made my swap partner’s rendition of moussaka!
I was recently asked by www.thinkbeef.ca to help them show our fellow Canadians how deliciously different, yet uniquely Canadian, our nation’s kitchens are. What makes Canada one of the greatest countries in the world? Besides giving the world hockey and poutine, it’s our multiculturalism and ethnic diversity! It’s in the kitchen, where stories from generations past come alive. Going from all cultural backgrounds, it’s where we create and recreate dishes using a harmonious blend of memories and flavours that connect us with family past and present.
I was challenged to take part in their #RethinkBeef Global Recipe Swap Campaign. Bloggers from across the country swapped original recipes featuring beef to showcase its versatility as well as each blogger’s motivation and inspiration that makes our recipes uniquely Canadian. It needed to reflect our cultural background, or a culinary adventure. A family favourite or a dish that we sampled while traveling that we just couldn’t forget. But it had to hit home. Here’s my recipe Beef and Coriander Dumplings served with Spicy Chili oil!
I had a friend the other day come up to me and say, “hey did you know it’s only 318 days until Christmas?” … HAD. Are you sick of winter yet? I am. We live in a place where the air literally hurts your face, the fucking AIR. Our winters are long and tedious but Montrealers are resilient and soldier through it. As shitty as our winters are, there is that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Summer and more importantly what’s the best part about summer? Short skirts and crop tops? Sure, but let’s be honest here, I’m talking food festivals. There’s no denying that our city revolves around food. Our gastronomy scene is second to none. Being said, food festivals aren’t unique to summer. The hyperborean months between Christmas and Easter are host to some of the year’s best food festivals like, La Poutine Week, and Happening Gourmand.
I had the opportunity to check out the Happening Gourmand festival and experience one of the city’s happening restaurants. Wait, I know what you’re thinking. “Great, you jerk, don’t tell me you’re going to write and tell me about some food festival after the fact. What is that going to do for me now that it’s over?” I knew you’d say that. But you can still go! Here’s how!
What do you consider a comfort food? What is comfort food? Comfort food is a food or dish that provides the eater a sense of nostalgia that he or she may hold a sentimental value for. Something that transports you back to a specific time and place and evokes warm fuzzy feels the moment it touches your lips. I was born and raised in Montreal. I was fortunate enough to be exposed to the vast variety of different kinds of food our multicultural city has to offer. Needless to say a lot of foods that hold a special place in my heart are bagels, steamies and poutine, pho, smoked meat and Portuguese chicken. I guess I developed an emotional attachment to the former through my CEGEP and University days. A quarter chicken combo box topped off with fries and extra spicy sauce and salad set you up for a relatively healthy meal for an affordable price. I recently visited Campo, a new spot serving Portuguese chicken bidding to tug at my heartstrings.
Every culture has certain traditions and customs: taking off your shoes when you go into the house (or anyone else’s house,) being conscious of furniture placement in your home in accordance to the practice of feng shiu, the disappointment of failing to meet parental expectations of being a doctor or a lawyer and forced involuntary Chinese school on Saturdays. These are things that you learn when you grow up in a Chinese family. These customs are just rituals that groom you for the Super Bowl of days where all your training will come into play; Chinese New Years.
Yes, it’s that time of year again where I start a blog post with “it’s that time of year again”, and look back at some of the awesome meals that I’ve eaten in the past 12 months. If you’re a local or a visitor to our great city, there’s one thing you should know about the dining scene in Montreal; it’s fucking awesome. Almost any kind of food and cuisine you can ever want readily accessible by public transit or short car ride. From fine dining to casual, international cuisine to domestic terroir, we truly are blessed. We are also fortunate enough to be called home to some of the world’s best culinary talent as well that fosters such a great restaurant scene. 2016 has been a year full of delicious food and amazing experiences, so in no particular order here is my best of the past year!
When a restaurant describes themselves as “simply the best Syrian/Armenian food you could ever find in Montreal”, you investigate. Yes, it’s common for restaurants to make grandiose claims for serving the best whatever or being the most authentic such and such, or like when that barbecue place in Laval declared to be the best Southern Barbecue restaurant in Montreal. A lot of these claims are unfounded. I checked out Restaurant Zenobia in Ville Saint-Laurent and prepared myself for the Syrian/Armenian food that would surely blow my socks off.
The holidays are almost here and that can only mean one thing, FOOD! And lots of it! One of the things that I look forward to the most during the holidays is the food. Yeah sure, the people I spend time with are cool too, I guess. If you like to entertain during the holidays (or any other time of year) keep certain go-to recipes in your back pocket for those impromptu gatherings or times when you need to whip up something quickly. One of my favourite recipes can be made in literally less than a minute – restaurant salsa!
With so much media coverage and critical acclaim, it’s safe to say that Montreal is an eater’s city. From low brow comfort food, casual cuisine to upscale fine dining, we have it all. Like any other big city, we have almost any kind of cuisine that you can ever want. But what’s most impressive about Montreal is the accessibility to these kinds of restaurants. Regardless of which neighbourhood your in, walk 5 minutes in any direction and you’ll be bombarded with enticing dishes from some of the city’s best restaurants that will guarantee to stop you in your tracks. Montreal’s Mexican restaurant representation is modest but steadily diversifying. The newest player in the game is Emiliano’s in old Montreal upping the Mexican food scene.