Enjoying the Bounty of the Market

Yesterday we enjoyed a great brunch made at home almost exclusively with what we bought at Marche Jean-Talon.  My friend Kelly who lives here in Montreal came to visit.  I came to know Kelly through Twitter some years ago and first met her IRL (in real life) when Jerry and I went to see her photography and art card work at a local art/craft market.  She's very talented (google "chickapug" or "pugadee" if you'd like to see one of her amusingly quirky creations).Well, here I'll post it:

by Kelly Brown available thru Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/listing/52363121/chickapug-or-pugadee-8x10-print

For brunch we served pan-fried arctic char and a starter of smoked trout that we purchased from Les Delices de la Mer.  I roasted brussel sprouts, "rainbow" carrots, and shallots.

 Jason blanched and then broiled asparagus (white and green) served w/ freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Kelly brought excellent fresh cut fruit from Eden (at Galleries du Parc).

Dessert was an EXCELLENT Tarte Tatin that Jason made with russet apples, ice wine (apple), and puff pastry dough from Pain d'Or

.

And we also had a plate of 3 excellent raw milk cheeses from Que Lait Cru w/ a few more russet apples.

We drank a Orvieto Classico and tried Jason's Honey Wine (or Mead) with dessert.  Both very good. A game of Rummikub and a spot of tea with more conversation capped off a delightful (and delicious) afternoon. And I just remembered...there is a little of the Tarte Tatin leftover. Bye!

Review: Montreal 24

We love Montreal.  Ever since our first visit in 2003 we have found the City inviting, interesting, eclectic, energetic (without being demanding) and delicious.  It didn't take us long to buy a small vacation apartment in Old Montreal (at the time we lived in Pennsylvania and was just a 9 hour drive, or short plane flight away).   We come up in all seasons, even winter. I always say I need at least 2 to 3 weeks of winter now that we live in Florida.  We love to explore Montreal on foot and by car.  We love our old standby places to eat but always want to try something new (new to us).  I've read history books of Quebec and Montreal.  I've tried, with limited, success to gain a bit of mastery over the French language. We've met a few people in our building and through twitter. And after 9 years of visits, we find we still have so much to experience and learn. and yet we feel oddly at home.

Montreal 24 is the most recent book on Montreal that I've read and it is wonderfully thoughtful and informative.  Written by Bill Brownstein a long time columnist for the Montreal Gazette commenting on city and cultural life in MOntreal, the book explores Montreal one hour at a time. Starting at midnight at the Garde-Manger he works around the city an hour at a time visiting such landmarks as Fairmont Bagels, Joe Beef, L'Express, Boustan's, La Banquise, Wilensky's and more.  He talks food: chicken schwarmas, poutine, grilled salami/bologna sandwiches and egg rolls.  He talks entertainment: Grumpy's bastion of bluegrass, Cafe Cleopatra's burlesque/stripjoint complete w/ dragqueens, Toyko's nightclub. But the best part of the the book is when  he talks about people.  Colorful hard-working, serious-eating, talented, off beat, and proud to be Montrealer people. The book is a window into the heart and soul of the City. A must read for anyone who loves Montreal like we do.

Tea: An Oasis on a Frigid Winter Day

Today was cold here in Montreal. Sunny. Pretty. But...cold, a high of 5 degrees Farenheit (-11 with windchill). That my friend is what I now call "eye watering cold". We went for a short walk (all bundled up like colorful Pillsbury dough boys) and most parts of us were warm (thanks to wool, down and fur).  Most parts except for that space between the top of the scarf and the bottom of the hat known as "the face". So the eyes watered and the sinuses complained a bit..ok a lot..  But our brisk (and thankfully) short walk was well worth the chill to get to Ming Tao Xuan Tea House (or Salon de The) at 451 St-Sulpice in Old Montreal.

 The Tea House is on a corner across from the Notre Dame Basilica.  The room has large windows and beautiful wooden display cases of tea pots, buddhas, porcelain figurines, bronze/brass deities, and more. Across one wall is a vast assortment of teas, one of the largest I've seen. By the windows are several comfortable tables for enjoying tea. We were seated and given an extensive and informative menu of teas with detailed descriptions that was very helpful in helping us choose our tea.

We chose two different kinds of tea. Jason had the Golden Water Turtle oolong tea. and I had the "medicinal" tangerine tea (I forget the exact name).  It was served in a traditional style with multiple pots on a small wooden tray.  Our server very carefully showed us the proper way to prepare, pour and serve the tea.  It was delightful.  We spent a long time enjoying the sun coming in through the window and talking and leisurely drinking out tea

Chips Anyone?

My husband loves fish and chips.  He is always trying to find the perfect Fish and Chips spot. And we came pretty close to it last night at Brit and Chips on McGill in Old Montreal.

Brit and Chips serves Cod, Haddock, Salmon, Hake and (sometimes) a fish of the day in various different batters. I had the Haddock in a Maple Syrup Batter, Jason had the Cod in the Burgundy Lion Batter, and Jerry had the salmon in the Guinness Batter.  All the fish was moist and flaky. Jason thought his was a bit too greasy.  Jerry's and mine were fine.  I loved the slight sweetness of the Maple Syrup Batter but I think Jerry's salmon was the best tasting fish.

The chips (fries) were excellent.  Flavorful and served piping hot. Jerry had the mushy peas which he said were good, but Jason and I just can't get into the concept of mushy peas to begin with so no opinion from us.  Jason refused to eat what looks like "baby food" and they remind me to0 much of the canned green peas I grew up on and hated.

Jason also ordered the Tandoori Popcorn Shrimp, small shrimp in a Tandoori flavored batter.  Very good. The short beer selection was a good selection.  They have our new favorite Newcastle Brown Ale which was as good with Fish and Chips as it was the other night with Indian food at Gandhi's. 

The room is a pleasant,well-lit,  long skinny room with an open kitchen and a high top counter and a number of small (mostly two person) tables. Take Out is available.  Brit and Chips is located at 433 Rue McGill in Old Montreal.  They are open 7 days a week.  Website: www.britandchips.com

Review: For 91 Days in Savannah

My husband and I often drive the 95 corridor between Florida and the NE and we make it a point to stay a night (or two) in Savannah (or Charleston). Up until now we've never had a lot of information to help guide our short stays. This book solves that problem. It's easy to read and well laid out. It has gorgeous pictures. And if you are reading it online or on Kindle Fire (like I did) where you can link to the Internet, you can click on embedded links to their original blog posts with more pictures (and reader comments) or on links to places they've visited or eaten at.

The EBook  is a compilation and refinement of the writer's blogposts and photography published over the 3 months they lived in Savannah.  It isn't an exhaustive source for hotels, which is fine since we have our favorites.  But they provide quite a lot of interesting details into the 24 squares of Savannah, graveyards, tours (kayak, dolphin, trolley), quirky restaurants and a few outlying towns (such as Beaufort).

I look forward to our next visit to Savannah and will be sure to have the book on my Kindle to help guide us and enhance our stay. Well done, guys!

New Year's Eve in Montreal

We had a cozy and relatively quiet New Year's eve, we three.  It was lovely.  The day broke with a freezing rain and gray skies with warmer temps (mid 20sF) than last few days.  We chose to spend the day reading, working on photographs (I still haven't gotten through all my Italy photos), computering, listening to music (Adele, Nat King Cole, Hugh Laurie) and napping.  We had an early dinner at Gandhi's our favorite local Indian restaurant in Old Montreal.  After Butter Chicken, Chicken Korma, a lamb dish I can't remember, samosas, aloo gobhi, and vegetable biryhani with naan and mango chutney, well we're were almost in a food coma. We wondered through Old Montreal as people started drifting in for the celebrations later in the evening. We re-assumed our positions on couch and chairs with champagne at the ready.  Around 11 we started to celebrate with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin on CNN and at midnight the fireworks went off over the Old Port right outside our windows.  I bundled up and threw open the windows, drank champagne, and took these photos smiling as I listened to happy revelers below our windows.

A Snowy Wednesday in Montreal

Word yesterday was that the storm headed up through the NE of the US was possibly going to dump 5 to 7 inches of snow overnight. It rained. We woke to snow flurries and bare pavement. We had counted on being "snowed-in" being ready to bake and cook all day. 

So instead we lazed about reading until finally the snow started to fall and just simply shouted at us to get off our lazy as&es and go for a walk.  Never ones to ignore shouting snow, we bundled up and went for a walk in Old Montreal.  We poked about a few new stores, escaped a sudden gusty winds by ducking into  Marche Bonsecours, ate yummy crepes with hot chocolate at Creperie St-Paul,  and dawdled in the snow taking pics. 

Now back in front of the fire getting ready to read (the cooking and baking is going to wait until tomorrow) here are a few snowy photos from today's walk.

Place Jacques Cartier, Old Montreal on a Snowy Day

Whimsical Christmas Decoration outside the Ville de Montreal (City Hall)

All Bundled Up

On Rue St Paul in Old Montreal (Dome of Marche Bonsecour in distance)

Rue St Paul (Marche Bonsecours)

Notre Dame Bonsecours

Walking on Rue Notre Dame in front of Ville de Montreal (City Hall) in the snow

Darwin Slept Here

Darwin didn't actually sleep HERE, with me (I'm not THAT old).  Rather I READ Darwin Slept Here which proved to be a great, snowy day,couch read, shining a light on Darwin as a young man before the "book", the fame, and the white beard. It also provided glimpses into parts of Brazil, Argentina and Chile both in Darwins time and the 21st century, as the author, Eric Simons attempts to retrace Darwins journeys up and down the coast of South America.  The author has a wonderful zest for travel and discovery, a shared passion with Charles Darwin. The book is well written and well paced and paints a clear picture of both the young Darwin and the land that at times fascinated and at other times confounded him.

A Love Letter to a Market

Market Chronicles: Stories & Recipes from Montreal's Marche Jean Talon by Susan Semenak is an affectionate, insightful, inspiring and beautiful portrait of the largest open-air farmer's market in North America (est. 1933). 

It is a love story of the market that is near and dear to thousands upon thousands of Montrealers.  It is a story of the seasons of the market, the people who make the market and the delicious bounty of the market. And it provides delicious recipes utilizing the treasures available at Marche Jean Talon.

The photography by Albert Elbilia of farms and fields, stalls & stores, people and animals, and food prepared from the bounty is beautiful.  I especially love the portraits of those who work to bring such wonderful goodness to those of us who shop at the market.

We visit Montreal 3 to 4 times a year.  And we never quite feel at "home" until we've been to Marche Jean Talon so it is usually on our "first day" list.  Yesterday we shopped there and bought cabbage, basil & thyme, onions, strawberries, fresh apple juice, and apples.  We nibbled on sausage made from white boar (sanglier) and deer (cerf) as we walked around.  And, of course, I had a crepe with butter and sugar...I always have a crepe avec buerre et sucre. It was snowing outside and I wandered past the last of the balsam trees covered with snow while Jerry bought the hot off the grill sausages.  We will be back every 3 or 4 days while we're here in Montreal.  For fresh eggs, many turnips or parsnips next time, and more apple cider. Now with this wonderful book I have a great appreciation for and understanding of the merchants I meet and buy from.  

The book is available on Amazon, at Costco, and I'm sure at the wonderful Librairie Gourmande located, of course, at Marche Jean Talon.

A Snowy Wintry Day in Montreal

Yay!  It snowed all day today. So we will have snow on the ground for Christmas after all.  I woke early and saw the snow falling gently out the window and heard the sound of the Hotel Nelligan's empty wine bottles making their way into the bottom of their trash bin. I decided to roll over and soak in the sheets.  But pretty soon it was time to hop out of the red flannel PJs and head out to Marche Jean Talon for early lunch and fruits & veggie shopping.  We drove up St Laurent in the falling snow, ate crepes and sausage (boar and deer) at the market, bought apple juice, herbs, strawberries, cauliflower, cabbage and onions and people watched.  Oh and took some photos.  Here are a few (the complete set is at my flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/abaesel/

Blueberries and Oranges at Marche Jean Talon

Bundled up for Marche Jean Talon

Chocolat Store in the Snow

What the heck am I doing in the snow???  Dinosaur at the Old Port Science Museum

Flowers at Marche Jean Talon

Santa? Nice Ferrari Jacket there.  Shopping at Marche Jean Talon

Stocking up for the holidays at Marche Jean Talon

Snowing on Rue St Denis

Best Bagels EVER!

We arrived in Montreal last night in a freezing rain and under a low cloudy sky.  But our apartment was in perfect shape, warmed up quickly, and after a run to Costco for supplies we snuggled down for a long nights sleep.  We woke to sunny skies (and slightly icy sidewalks).

After an excellent chicken and irish cheddar cheese omelet prepared by Chef Jerry, we were off to the movies (i love the holidays and afternoons in the theatre).  Enjoyed Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (best of the franchise I think).

Then in close to rush hour traffic we snaked our way across Montreal making reservations as we went. Stopped at the Kitchen Gallerie (http://www.kitchengalerie.com/) on Jean Talon and scored 9pm reservations for tonight (the last night they are opened before their month long vacation).  Got reservations for my birthday on January 8th at Au Pied de Cochon (http://www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca/).

Then the true treat of the day?  Fresh warm bagels from Fairmount Bagels (www.fairmountbagels.com).  Located at 74 Fairmount West, this bagel bakery is the original bagel bakery founded in 1919.  The Fairmount bagel is chewier, less puffy, and slightly sweeter than the more commonly known New York Style bagel.  People line up all day long waiting to walk off with warm bagels in brown paper bags (with plastic bags for storage later).  Most people don't even get to the curb before they are biting into one of the heavenly halos.  When I walked out with my two huge bags, there were three clusters of people on the sidewalk hovering over open brown bags taking that first bite.  Bags of bagels are also available at Costco, IGA groceries, and other selected stores.  But really, if you have a chance to savor a warm bagel fresh from the bag...oh take it!

The New Year in Montreal

Jerry, Jason and I flew up to Montreal on the 30th of December for 12 days.  Our friends Jimmy & Cricket followed on the 31st to spend New Year's Eve and a few days more with us.

 Jimmy, Cricket, Annette & Jerry

We've had a wonderfully lazy time.  I think we've felt more like hibernating bears than anything else. The weather has been quite nice: a little snow, a little cold, a little sun, a little wind.  We've done a bit of exploring, showed off Montreal to Jimmy & Cricket, and eaten a lot...tried old places and new.  Haven't done as much walking as we normally do, something to do with that hibernating urge.  Naps have just seemed more appealing. 

 Rue St Sulpice on a Snowy Winter Evening (view from our apartment)

 

Holiday Decorations on Rue St Paul

As always we've made sure to get in at least one trip to Marche Jean Talon, one visit to Gandhi's in old Montreal for Indian food, several trips to Fairmont Bagels and one trip to Rue St Bernard (along w/ Drawn & Quarterly).  We cooked at home and made a new version of Hungarian Goulash with sweet paprika bought from Gourmet Laurier.  Jason experimented with emulating Gandhi's Chicken Korma with spices bought at Olive et Olivse in Marche Jean Talon. We bought baguettes and croissants at Pain Dore on Laurier (as Olive et Gourmande was closed, we're hoping just for the holidays). We celebrated my birthday at Moishe's on Rue St Laurent.  An old time steak house celebrating 75 yrs this year and which has according to my husband: the BEST Romanian dill pickles ever (and his Romanian mother made great pickles)

A Merry Assortment of Apples at Marche Jean Talon

On New Year's Eve we cooked at home with Jimmy and Cricket, and then wandered around the Old Port with other happy revelers and watched the midnight fireworks from our apartment windows.

The Magical Tree on Place Royale: My Favorite This Year

Happy New Year Eve Skaters in the Old Port

We discovered a new find (for us, not for Montreal, since its been in business since 1942) Beauty's on Mont Royal.  A wonderful diner serving great food for a reasonable price with good service, big windows, and Beauty himself sitting on a stool near the entrance to greet you and direct you to a table.  And of course, I can't forget, we made the pilgrimage to Juliette et Chocolate on Rue Laurier. As always I had my chocolate raspberry brownie balsamico and tried yet another hot chocolate flavor...this time Ghana...which so far is my favorite.  Is my favorite always the last one I tried?  There is a long list to come. 

My favorite, raspberry chocolate brownie balsamico and Ghana Hot Chocolate

Jimmy enjoying his Chocolate Chaud at Juliette et Chocolate

On Saturday we had the pleasure to meet up with Kelly and Tom at La Croissanterie Figaro on Fairmont in Outremont.  I met Kelly through Twitter (@misskitteh9).  Jerry and I had previously met her at a art/craft market last summer.  On Saturday we all met up at Figaro's and ate and talked for 2 1/2 hours in the back corner.  It was really nice to meet her husband Tom and to have the leisure to get to know them better. It was a delightful time. 

We ate at Laloux  (on des Pins) for the first time and had a delightful dinner with excellent service.  Jason had the Bream which he LOVED.  I had a very good butternut squash gnocchi.  Jerry had the steak on polenta.  Appetizers were excellent, the salads being the best.  Desserts were creative and delicious.  Our server made excellent recommendations regarding wines by the glass to go with our meals.

The only slight misstep of the visit was our meal at Serafim in Old Montreal (on the corner of Rue St Denis and Rue St Paul).  We went for Sunday brunch when we found Le Cartet closed for the holidays.  The owner chef seemed cranky and well...rude.  They sat us at a table far too small and too close to adjoining tables for a group of 5 adults.  When we asked to move to a different table, the server said yes (which given that the restaurant wasn't even 1/3rd full seemed the right answer.) We heard her get growled at by the owner and she attempted to find out if we were "just staying for coffee". Needless to say we didn't move.  One of the attractions of the place (besides it being open was that it billed itself as "organic" foods).  But organic doesn't mean uninspired or cardboard-like or just flat over cooked.  I mean, really, how can you make a pancake taste like overcooked cardboard? The vegie burger was entirely too dry.  The omelet with bacon was actually an omelet with bacon slices just plopped on top of it...not an omelete cooked with bacon in it...and although that may have been a translation issue, we asked specifically for cheese.  We were told that cheese came IN the omelet.  There was no cheese, in  (or on) either of the two omelets. Then when I went to pay for the bill which is at a register in front of the open kitchen, I got the dubious pleasure of listening to the owner/chef yell and harangue his waitstaff.  Whether they deserved the harangue was none of my business, but I shouldn't have to listen to it. Needless to say, we will not return to the Serafim anytime soon.

 Here we are, all bundled up for a New Year's Eve Stroll

nom.nom.nom. Elk & calf early evening Yellowstone

nom.nom.nom. Elk & calf early evening Yellowstone, originally uploaded by abaesel.

The light was poor but this was such a lovely sight. The young elk rose from a nap and bounded over to his standing his mother. And there in the lovely grassland along the Madison Valley in western Yellowstone....he had his snack.

Clepsydra Geyser, Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone

Clepsydra Geyser, Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, originally uploaded by abaesel.

Clepsydra Geyser is one of the most regularly "performing" geyser in all of Yellowstone. It erupts almost continuosly up to heights of 45 feet. It is located in the Lower Geyser Basin off the road between Old Faithful Lodge and Madison Junction. The Lower Geyser Basin has a number of beautiful hot springs, mud pots, and other geysers, easily accesbile by a series of boardwalks and paths.

That is clear, clear water of a blue & gold hot spring: West Thumb, Yellowstone

That is clear, clear water of a blue & gold hot spring: West Thumb, Yellowstone, originally uploaded by abaesel.

Our first day in Yellowstone NP we drove north from Grand Tetons and stopped for a walk around the West Thumb Geyser Basin that is located along the shorline of Lake Yellowstone. A series of boardwalks and paths wind through geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and geysers at and in the lake's edge. It was a magical introduction to the geysers of Yellowstone. This one here was steaming but the water was crystal clear magnifying the colors of the beautiful spring.

Smokey Sunset: Grand Teton National Park

Smokey Sunset: Grand Teton National Park, originally uploaded by abaesel.

Bull Elk and part of his harem: Grand Tetons near Lake Jackson (at dusk)

Bull Elk and part of his harem: Grand Tetons near Lake Jackson (at dusk), originally uploaded by abaesel.

This Bull Elk and his harem came out in the early dusk to graze in grassland along the Grand Teton park road near Lake Jackson. It was the first time we heard the enchantingly eerie "bugling" of the male elk. A truly memorable sound.

Autumn Splendour in Grand Teton NP

Autumn Splendour in Grand Teton NP, originally uploaded by abaesel.

We spent four days in the Grand Teton NP in late September of 2010. One afternoon we drove along the East Side of the Valley (along the Moose Wilson Rd & Teton Park Rd). We stopped for a short hike into the autumn colors and snapped this lovely picture

Oregon Trail Register Rock, Guernsey, WY

Oregon Trail Register Rock, Guernsey, WY, originally uploaded by abaesel.

Register Rock is a 100 foot sandstone cliff that sits back from the Platte River. Thousands of emigrants traveling the Oregon, California & Mormon Trails would camp at the foot of the cliffs. And many of them inscribed their names, place of origin (or where they were headed and dates on the rock. It was like a great big hotel registry for the campsite. A trail follows along the base of the cliff allowing a visitor to view the inscriptions. The day we were there, I was accompanied by a resident Corgy (probably from the local ranchhouse) who led me down the path and back to the parking lot.

Angry Skies over Fort Laramie, WY

Angry Skies over Fort Laramie, WY, originally uploaded by abaesel.

We visited Historic Fort Laramie on the Platte River on a day that started sunny and soon became gray and threatening. Fortunately this sky skirted north of where we were and just put on a great show for us. The Fort complex sits on the banks of the Platte River. It was originally built to serve the fur trade & fur traders. Once the western emigration began in earnest the US Army took over the Fort to serve the wagon trains on the Oregon and Mormon Trails. Its a lovely expansive spot with considerable amount of the buildings reconstructed. There is an informative film showing every 15 minutes or so in the visitor center. Well worth the drive to see.