Montreal: An exploration of food: Part One - Joe Beef

We arrived in Montreal on Tuesday night and woke to fat-flake snow on Wednesday morning in what appears to be the last gasp of a relatively mild winter.  We've come up for a week hoping to catch a bit of snow (done) and eat well.  We have reservations at a Sugar Shack for Monday (la cabane de sucre) a maple sugaring tradition here in Quebec and in the maple sugaring regions of vermont, new hampshire, and Maine. We finally managed to get organzied enough to snag reservations at Toque (for lunch) and Joe Beef (for dinner). Hopefully, the rainy drizzles will let up tomorrow so we can walk off some of the calories we're ingesting!

So let's start with Joe Beef.  Last night we ate at Joe Beef at 2491 Rue Notre Dame West.  Located in a modest storefront in what has been traditionally a working class neighborhood (although that is changing), Joe Beef is an inviting, unpretentious, quirky set of rooms.  No fancy table cloths, a bison head in the bathroom next to the toilet, menu on a chalkboard, and books and odds and ends strewn on wall shelves.  It's a noisy, bustling atmosphere.  But despite the bustle, one is never, ever forgotten by the wait staff.  I watched them and they were in constant motion ALWAYS looking at tables and customers to see if water needing refilling, the table needing cleaning, cutlery warranted changing, dishes cleared.  The kitcehn prepared food so we didn't feel forgotten and yet didn't feel rushed.  Our waiter was delightfully helpful navigating the menu offerings for us, explaining them in great detail with considerable patience.  He made excellent suggestions for wine and was all together just a delight.

So Many Choices!

And then there was the food.  We'd heard we MUST HAVE THE OYSTERS, so, of course, we did  And they were indeed plump, firm, pieces of heaven on a shell.  Both types of oysters were from British Columbia: Beach Hardened and Golden Marina.  Beach Hardened you ask...well they pick the oysters, put them on a beach, and let the surf pound them.  I'm not sure who thought this up or why it's a good idea,  but they were spectacular.

Oysters: British Columbia: Golden Marina and Beach Hardened

After the oysters, Jerry had the cauliflower soup which was creamy but not too heavy and contained pieces of ham hock...It was delish.  I had the cornflaked eel fritters which were light and flavorful and not heavy or greasy. They were served with 3 sauces: dijon mustard, BBQ, and tartar.  All excellent, but my fave was the BBQ.

Our main courses were the Petit Bar: a striped bass served whole stuffed with rosemary twigs, lemon pieces and juice, and fat plump capers.  I think it may have been poached in olive oil...but I'm not sure.  It was spectacular.  Very fresh flavors and perfectly cooked.  Jerry had the Truck Stop Piglet...a "block" of shredded pork served with excellent mashed potatos and pineapple.  It was surprisingly rich.  And not surprisingly, VERY delicious.

Truck Stop Piglet

Petit Bar

Desserts were two concoctions made with the "soft serve ice cream" machine.  Who knew such fun and yet sophisticated desserts who come from a soft serve ice cream machine.  We had the tutti frutti creamsicle dessert made with oranges, orange slices, and bits of "tutti frutti".  And the Financier...ice cream served on a pistachio cake with ample pistachio bits as a topping.  Both were yummy.

Creamsicle Tutti Frutti

The Financier

We waddled out of Joe Beef quite content and happy to have shared the bathroom with a bison (not UP on the wall...but right NEXT to the toilet) and a pronghorn antelope (which served as the toilet roll holder).

You'll Never Be Lonely in Joe Beef's Bathroom

Clever way of making sure you have a second roll

By the Way...a recommendation for menu viewing.  There is only one blackboard in each room.  If you don't want to have to strain your neck to see the board from your table or get up and down to walk over to it....take a picture of it with your smart phone.  Made it ever so easy.  And reservations are available through Open Table as well as direct with the restaurant. 

Next time.....Toque.

Where to stay in Old Montreal

I had a twitter friend ask for information regarding where to stay in Old Montreal when she visits later this spring.  I'm having difficulty getting my email through to her end.  So I've decided to post the info instead.

We've been going to Montreal for about 8 years and have a small apartment overlooking the Old Port of Montreal.  It is one of our favorite cities in the world for many reasons. We stayed at a number of different places when we first were going up to Montreal before getting the apartment and we still have friends and family stay nearby when they visit.

All these recommendations are either on Rue St Paul or within one block. 

Les Passants du San Soucu  This is a charming little 9-room inn/B&B in the heart of Old Montreal near the Place Royale.  The inn is in a restored 18th century warehouse with beautiful wood floors and stone and/or brick walls. Jerry and I stayed here once and loved laying in the bed listening to the jingle of carriage bells below on the streets. The full breakfast was excellent. Two heads up.  It is VERY popular and is often booked...so plan ahead.  And it also doesn't have an elevator imporant for those who have difficulty with stairs. 

http://www.lesanssoucy.com/

Auberge Bonaparte. This was my mother's favorite place to stay when she came to MOntreal.  The 30-room inn is housed in an 1886 stone building with  large wood floored rooms, attentive staff, and a very nice breakfast included which is served in the restaurant on the  first floor.  Before we had an apartment in Montreal we stayed here several times and always had a very pleasant stay.  My mother liked the rooms on the "back" side because they have a view of the private gardens of the Basilica de Notre Dame.

http://www.bonaparte.com/en/auberge/

Mariott's Springhill Suites is probably among the most budget friendly hotel within Old Montreal.The rooms are large and most are "mini-suites".  My brother in law often stays there...the mini-suites are nice if you need a bit more room. It's on a very quiet side street

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yulsh-springhill-suites-old-montreal

If you'd like to splurge....we'd recommend the  Hotel Nelligan which is in a series of beautifully renovated warehouses into. It has it is both warm and homey and yet elegant.  We stayed there when it first opened years ago.  There is a nice bar and breakfast.  

http://www.hotelnelligan.com/

Another hotel we've heard good things about  is the Auberge Vieux Port (I think its owned by same group that owns Hotel Nelligan).  It faces directly onto the Old Port. 

http://www.aubergeduvieuxport.com/

There is a new boutique hotel called Le Petit Hotel on Rue St Paul...but we haven't stayed there.  It is in a good location but that's all I know.  http://petithotelmontreal.com/

There are of course hotels like the Westin and the Intercontinental (and I think the new Hyatt is open now) that are close by but are on the "edge" of Old Montreal and tend to cater to the business crowd (they are all near the Montreal Convention Center.

Enjoy Montreal wherever you stay...it isn't difficult.

Italy, Travels, and Game 162: Memories in the Making

I’ve had recent conversations with my family and acquaintances about “Game 162” the spectacularly historic Rays-Yankees game where the Rays’ come-from-behind win earned them a wildcard berth in the American League playoffs. My memories of The Game are intermingled with those of our trip to Italy which is where we were on that momentous evening.

My husband Jerry and I flew to Italy on September 21st for a month’s slow travel on the back roads of Italy. We had found happy homes for our season ticket seats for the games we knew we’d miss and crossed our fingers that we’d have post-season games to follow via twitter and MLB.com. However when we left the Rays only had a small glimmer of hope to make the playoffs which would require winning almost all of the remaining eight games and for the Boston Red Sox to lose most of theirs.

Unbelievably, each day as we drove through the Dolomites and the Friuli region of northeastern Italy, that glimmer of hope got a little brighter. On the morning of September 22nd we headed north up the western shore of Lake Garda up into the Dolomite region of Italy, We spent our 26th anniversary at Pa’ Khraizar a lovely chalet styled inn in remote Sauris, a village famed for it’s Prosciutto di Sauris a savory smoked ham aged for at least 10 months. We ate a lovely anniversary dinner of local specialities, in a cozy honey-colored, pine-paneled dining room. We woke on the 23rd to a misty, stillness only broken by the sounds of the town bells and roosters. And the news that the Rays had beaten the Yankees 15-8!

Lake Sauris at Dawn: View from our Room

The mist lifted and the sun came out as we drove through mountain tunnels and narrow canyons leading from the mountains into the valleys of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region of northeastern Italy. We lunched in Udine at Al Vecchio Stallo and then continued onto Cividale del Friuli where we stayed three delightful evenings at La Cjase dai Toscans a small B&B in the heart of the old city. We rambled about the cobblestone streets of Cividale and explored nearby towns and villages of the rich wine country. During which time, the Rays managed to win 2 of 3 games against the Toronto Blue Jays.




Cividale del Friuli on the Natisone River

From Cividale, we headed to Trieste to meet up with friends from St Pete, Florida for a couple of nights. We stayed in the lovely and historic Savoia Excelsior Palace Hotel where from our balcony we had an expansive view of the Adriatric Sea and the historic port of Trieste. We ate VERY well in Trieste, enjoyed drinks in an ooen air café on the historic Grand Canal, walked up the hill to view the Duomo and marveled at the views over the city to the sea. And while we were enjoying the treats of Trieste, the Rays won two more games against the Yankees.

The Grand Canal of Trieste

We woke up on a bright sunny fall day in Trieste on the 28th realizing that the glimmer of hope that the Rays could make the playoffs was almost as bright as the sun shining on the Adriatic Sea below our balcony. That night’s game could decide it all, although the Boston Red Sox were still in the hunt.




View of the Port of Trieste from our window at the Savoia Excelsior Hotel

That day we drove south from Trieste through the relatively developed Veneto region to the expansive Po River Valley for a 4 day stay at Le Occare an agriturismo (farm stay) in a rural area about 15 miles east of Ferrara. Once we passed the outskirts of Venice we quickly entered the flat lands of the delta where agriculture, lagoons, and wildlife reigns supreme.

Fishing Nets & Huts with Comacchio in Background (Po River Delta)

Le Occare is a 68-acre farm and B&B that has been in the same family for three generations. Once a hemp and tobacco farm it now boasts acres of nut trees which are tended as much for the truffles that grow beneath them as for the bounty of nuts from the trees. The owners also grow vegetables, herbs, and berries in a kitchen garden, have an apple orchard and fields of corn and soybean, and make their own honey from their own bees & hives. Le Occare provides large and charming rooms for guests, deliciously prepared meals (breakfast and dinner), comfortable common areas for relaxing, trails for strolling and birding, good advice on places to visit, and a warm welcome to all guests.

Jerry walking at sunset at edge of Le Occare orchards

Le Occare is a two story ancestral stone farmhouse which is covered by vines and surrounded by pomegranate bushes, pine and nut trees. It is home to a lovely bunch of truffle hunting hounds who are more than happy to go for a walk with you or sit by your side as you enjoy a quiet afternoon in the garden. The home is charming with stone floors, thick walls, heavy doors, warm colored walls, floor to ceiling book shelves topped with a collection of old stoneware pots, and a huge welcoming kitchen where all the magic happens. One of the reasons we chose Le Occare was for the food and Cristina did not disappoint. We stayed 4 nights and ate every breakfast and dinner there.

Le Occare with a wonderful truffle hunter standing guard

We arrived at Le Occare late in the afternoon on the 28th. After a short walk with the dogs and a nap we settled down to a spectacular dinner served on old family china and linens. A big dinner and a bit of wine after a long days drive did not bode well for the idea of staying up to follow the game in the middle of the night. But I was determined to follow t at least the first few innings. So I read until 1am when the game started. I hadn’t figured out the WiFi yet, so I used my Blackberry and followed my St Pete twitter “list” which as expected was lively and informative. However, after several innings of “watching” David Price struggle and no score for the Rays, the need for sleep got the better of me and I decided to just catch the recap in the morning…with coffee.

Past Le Occare dogs kept me company in my rocker

Just before 4 a.m. I woke up for a wander to the WC. I thought, “I should check the final score” (figuring the game would be over and the Rays would be headed home for the winter). As I got out of bed, I saw much to my surprise that the game was still going with a score of 7-3, but groggily I figured the season was about to be over. Then just a few minutes later on my way back to bed, my twitter stream literally exploded as Evan Longoria hit the 3 run homerun and the score was now 7-6. So there I stood in the middle of a darkened room in my cotton nightgown and with bare feet on a cold stone floor saying to myself “well, I can’t go back to sleep now”.

So I sat down on the edge of the rocker in the corner of the room, shivering just a bit, to see what would happen next I held my breath Out 1, Out 2….I’m beginning to think I’ll get back in bed where it’s warm for the last out. Then I see that Dan Johnson is up to bat and there I hear the collective groan of resignation across the twitterverse. Echoing that sign, I headed back to the warmth of the blankets. And WHAM BAM….my twitter stream exploded for the second time of the night as Dan Johnson hits the homer that ties the game. TIES the game! Hubby woke up on that one, because, no, I just couldn’t keep silent.

Jerry rolls over to look at me with that resigned look only 26 years of marriage could produce as he sees me sitting up in bed staring intently at the screen on my blackberry. “What’s up?” he asks. “We’re tied 7 -7 in the 9th”, I say. “Wow, what time is it?” he mumbles as rolls back over.

My blackberry screen can produce an amazing amount of glow light, so I retreated back to the corner of the room in the rocker, this time with socks on and a blanket wrapped around me. I now knew I’d be up until the game was done and that might not be anytime soon.

Play by play, tweet by tweet, we (my twitter friends and I) crawled through the 10th inning then 11th inning. There was a lot of “breath holding” and rocking on my part….lots of rocking. 12th inning and Evan was up again. Finding it hard to believe lightning was going to strike twice in one game, I kept rocking figuring we were going to see the 13th inning.

Then a there was a mini eruption on twitter as the rain-delayed Boston Red Sox game resulted in a loss for the Red Sox and we all realized that even if the Rays lost we’d get one more chance in a tie-breaker game against the BoSox. The just a 3 minutes later and for the THIRD The Rays had won on a homerun by Evan Longoria. Once again a squeal escaped my lips and Jerry once again rolled over “what happened?” We won, We won, We won!

As I climbed back into bed, I realized that the sky was starting to lighten over the fields of the Po River Valley. Birds were rustling in the bushes outside my windows and I could hear the stirring of the truffle dogs. The Rays had won in a spectacular fashion showing the grit and discipline many of us admire them for. And there would be more games to follow on Twitter from the back roads of Italy. It was now time for sleep…and later a celebratory coffee, maybe two.

(portions of this story will soon appear in an e-book written by Paul Kocak (@kocakwords) about Game 162.  I'll keep you all posted when his book is available)

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