Omnivores among us

 fig. a:  aaah! they're back!!

They're back!  That wacky band of Parisian bon vivants has returned to our fair city to put on another food festival, Omnivore Montreal 2013, and, once again, they've not only tapped many of Montreal's best chefs, they've brought along a whole bunch of talented friends as well.

 fig. b:  maudit barbu!

Participants in their tag-team-style Maudits Soupers include such vedettes culinaires as Jeremiah Langhorne of Charleston's legendary McCrady's (tonight! with Derek Dammann!! at Maison Publique!!!).

And, once again, the Société des arts technologiques' Foodlab is right at the centre of the action.  The SAT is where all of Omnivore's cooking demos will be taking place (in the tripped-out confines of the SATosphere, their multimedia dome).  The SAT is where Saturday night's Omnivorious bash will be held.  And the Foodlab will be the site of the festival's closing night Maudit Souper on Monday:  a collaboration between Michelle & Seth, and Nicolas Darnauguilhelm of Brussels' highly acclaimed Neptune.

 fig. c:  buchty, mmm...., buchty!

Both Michelle and Seth will be giving demos this weekend, with Michelle's covering the use of cheese in desserts (including her remarkable farmer's cheese- and fruit-filled buchty,* which you can see pictured above, fresh out of the oven).  You can catch Michelle's demo on Saturday, at 3:40 p.m.,** while Seth's will take place on Sunday at 12:20.  Demos run from 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Omnivores of Montreal, unite!

aj

* If you haven't had the pleasure, buchty are traditional Czech yeasted buns that are stuffed with fruit or cheese, and sometimes (as in this case) both.

** BTW, she's making enough buchty for everyone who attends!

Elegy for Cosmo

  fig. a:  Tony & co. 1

There's a void in Montreal at the moment, and it has nothing to do with the city's mayoral woes.  We lost a great one last weekend, and in the most tragic of ways.  Tony Koulakis, the legendary founder of Cosmo Snack Bar, Montreal's most legendary greasy spoon, was stabbed to death last week at the age of 86 years old.

 fig. b:  Tony & co. 2

Already, that was enough of a shock.  Then came the news that the suspect was Koulakis' 40-year-old son, Johnny, who lived downstairs from Tony.  The circumstances remain unclear, but the word is that the suspect had a history of disturbed behaviour.

We've been enormous fans of Cosmo around here for years.  I had my first taste of Cosmo over 25 years ago, and it forever redefined my understanding of Montreal.  It was like happening upon the Northwest Passage and discovering a New World--in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, of all places.  The breakfasts, the banter, the style of the place, the scene.

There was never any place like it, even after Tony retired around 2002.  Tony's two Nikis--his son Niko and his daughter Niki--kept the Cosmo tradition running strong.  After that, Tony was only around infrequently, but the breakfasts and the repartee remained just as memorable as ever, and the place had character to burn.  We were lucky enough to see Tony there on a couple of occasions, and he hadn't lost any of the old charm.

The last time we tried to go to Cosmo was just a few weeks ago, but it was a Monday, and we'd forgotten that it was their traditional day of rest.  We haven't had the courage to pass by since the news broke, but we understand that Niko was manning the griddle again last weekend--after the tragedy--out of some kind of compulsion to work.  The storefront has reportedly been closed for the last few days, though, and it's unclear when, or even if, Cosmo will reopen.  It's hard to imagine how it could.

We'll miss Tony greatly, here at "...an endless banquet"--there really was an aura that surrounded him, and it wasn't just the patina of all those supremely greasy greasy-spoon breakfasts.  I mean the man was a true Montreal original, a man who arrived here from his native Crete in 1954, and who helped change the city's food culture when he founded Cosmo in the epochal year of 1967.  If he'd only invented the Mish Mash--a famously gargantuan 4-egg omelette that came stuffed with four different types of meat, plus tomatoes, onions, and cheese (widely imitated, never equalled)--his place in the culinary firmament would have been secure.  But he also concocted The Creation--our personal favourite--a breakfast sandwich whose combination of egg, salami, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheese was a true work of art, especially if you chose the right bread for it.  It was--it is--a sandwich so great, it once inspired me to come up with a commemorative t-shirt idea:  an image of The Creation, in all its glory, proudly emblazoned on the front, along with the caption "I'm a Creationist."  I never got around to making that shirt, but I promise I will.

We send love and strength to the entire Koulakis family.

We feel quite certain that Tony is proudly manning the grill in heaven somewhere, turning all his fellow angels onto the unholy pleasures of his own brand of Cosmo-logy (quite possibly to the tune of, "I am the god from the potatoes!"), and simultaneously enjoying a cherished cigarette.

For more testimonials, check out this one in yesterday's Globe & Mail, or this one by Ezra Soiferman, who made a very touching (and highly recommended) documentary about Tony in 2000 called Man of Grease.

R.I.P.

aj

J'ai Faim... J'ai soif!!

 fig. a:  Hi!  My name is Savouré

Hey!  It's nice out there.  You're out and about.  And you're probably starting to get hungry, right?  And maybe even a little thirsty...

Well, keep in mind that the Salon J'ai Faim is taking place this weekend, May 18 & 19th, in the basement of the Église Saint-Enfant-Jésus (5035 St-Dominique), at the corner of St-Joseph & St-Laurent.

You'll find many of our favourite Montreal food & drink people, including

Dispatch Coffee! 

Preservation Society!

and our latest coup de coeur...

Savouré Sodas & Preserves!!

I mean, who couldn't use a small-batch grapefruit & tarragon soda on a day like today?

Check 'em out!  These sodas are truly amazing.

There's a price of admission to get into the Salon, but if you're smart you can opt for a ticket that comes with some delicious amuse-gueules.

Oh, by the way:  the entertainment lasts from 11am - 6 pm both days.

am/km

Omnivore! Live at Montreal!!

 fig. a:  Hello, Montreal!

Remember when we told you about Omnivore way back in July, and how Omnivore's World Tour 2012 was going to be blowing through town in mid-August, bringing their "join the young cuisine" movement and their appetite for creation-destruction with them?  Well, guess what?  It's mid-August, people, and that time is nearly upon us.  The Omnivore crew, and their entire cast of European chefs and other gastro-provocateurs, is just about to descend upon Montreal.

Still haven't acted?  Need some additional convincing?  Well, not surprisingly, there's been a rash of local press about this imminent invasion.  So if you don't trust AEB (?!), may I direct you toward the following two authorities:

--Ève Dumas, "Festival Omnivore:  Montréal à croquer," in this past weekend's La Presse [en français]

--Natasha Pickowicz, "Omnivore food festival goes global with stop in Montreal this weekend," in today's Montreal Gazette [en anglais]

Ms. Dumas' article is particularly extensive and includes all kinds of helpful tips, but my favorite quote shows up at the end of Ms. Pickowicz's article, and it comes courtesy of Michelle:

Unlike the Festival en Lumière, which takes place in the dead of winter, the Omnivore Food Festival makes its debut in Montreal right at the peak of the lush harvest season. “Festival en Lumière is such a well-respected and well-funded festival, but when the visiting chefs come and you have to show them your local products, you’re like, ‘I’m sorry,’” Marek laughs. ”This time, we can really show them what this region is all about.”

Indeed.  Any initiative that encourages visitors to come and visit our fair and frosty city during the winter, as well as Montrealers to stay put, is a good one in our books.  But it's one thing for local chefs to embrace our Nordic culture, it's a whole other thing to force visiting chefs to deal with it.

See you this weekend!

aj

Coq-la-la!, rev. ed.

What is up, Montreal?  Baby's on fire.

The momentum's been building for a few years now, but, rather suddenly, after years and years of outright persecution, street food is cropping up all over the place.  You could find it along Ste-Catherine, in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, during the Festival Juste Pour Rire, where it was getting star billing.  You can find it in Place de la Paix, where it's been accompanying a series of films and DJs (and will be until the end of August).  You've been able to find it at Parc Olympique where the Association de Restaurateurs de Rue du Québec have been holding street food shindigs on the first Friday of every month all summer long (check out the August edition, the last one of the summer, tomorrow).  You can find it in our food courts and at our outdoor markets.  And now you can get one of the classics of the global street food phenomenon, Vietnamese bánh mì, delivered right to your doorstep.

In all of these cases, we're not talking about third-rate carny dreck (as much as I like a good batch of funnel cake)--we're talking about street food staples, both North American and international, that have been carefully sourced and prepared.  And the same holds true for this latest venture, the cheekily named Coq Asian, which pools the talents of a couple of local line cooks and one of our favourite local coffee gurus, to bring you the bánh mì you've been dreaming of all these years (you know, the one with the quality bread, the top-notch ingredients, and the ultra-fresh preparation) plus some pretty amazing iced Vietnamese coffee (made with locally roasted beans!).

 fig. a:  nice package!

We were pretty psyched by just the look of our duo of grilled beef, green peppercorn, and chilli bánh mìs with "white" cold-brewed Vietnamese coffees (which came in mason jars!).

 fig. b:  bánh me!

We were way more psyched when we actually bit into that bánh mì--the beef was plentiful, rosy, perfectly grilled, and spicy-tangy, the condiments were fresh.  And we were even more psyched when the jolt of that Vietnamese coffee kicked in.

Coq Asian is only in operation Fridays through Sundays.  You can get in touch by following them on Facebook and/or Twitter.  Place your orders early.  They sold out on weekend #1.  And keep in mind that their range is limited--we were able to get our order delivered downtown, but, for the moment, their focus is on the Plateau/Mile End.

Like the proverbial crooning rooster, we're proud to sing the praises of Coq Asian.

And keep the street food coming!  Who knows, maybe we'll soon have Tamale Ladies strolling through our late-night establishments and wood-burning pizza trucks popping up on our rues, avenues, and boulevards.  Maybe we'll start hosting full-on street food festivals!

aj

p.s.  Update:  you'll be happy to know that Coq Asian's quality control is excellent--we've only missed one week since they started up, and we haven't been disappointed yet.  Not even close.  And the next time they do their Vietnamese meatball sandwich, like they did this past weekend (Aug. 17-9), do not miss it!  That was by far and away the best meatball bánh mì I've had in a very long time.

Mark your calendars..., rev. ed.

Hot on the heels of a glowing review of Foodlab in this weekend's New York Times (!), it's another eventful week in the wonderful world of Foodlab/Michelle/AEB.  Check it!

 fig. a:  Zorba the sommelier

Wednesday, July 25:  Theo Diamantis and Team Oenopole will be descending upon Foodlab for a special Greek Grill Extravaganza, featuring grilled Greek sausages (loukaniko), Izmir-style kebabs, grilled sardines, and a whole mess of Greek wines, in addition to all the Greek delicacies already on offer.  The fun starts at 5pm and lasts till 10pm.  Bring an appetite, and a thirst!

 fig. b:  red menace

Sunday, July 29:  Michelle and "...an endless banquet" will be running yet another fruit social (the first one of 2012) at Parc Jeanne-Mance from 1pm until supplies last.  This one's a Strawberry Social, and, once again, it will feature beautiful Quebec strawberries, Michelle's famous shortcake, and lightly whipped cream.  Portions will be generous.  Payment is by donation only, with a suggested donation of $7.  And all the proceeds will be going to support Head and Hands.  Location is by the beach volleyball courts, as Michelle's stand will be there to augment Serve, Head and Hands' annual bars & restaurants beach volleyball tournament.  Come one, come all!

And don't forget about Omnivore, which gets underway on August 16...

aj

p.s.  kebabapalooza follow-up:

 fig. c:  foodlab + oenopole

What a night!  Such great wines, such awesome food, such a good vibe...

Omnivore's Dilemma

 fig. a:  Look! Up in the sky!

Omnivore is coming to Montreal, and the dilemma they're presenting us with is a schedule so jam-packed with tantalizing events, how can we possibly consume it all?

To celebrate the year 2012, these Paris-based culinary provocateurs and advocates of "100% young cuisine" have embarked upon a world tour encompassing 12 cities.  Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Istanbul, Moscow, New York, Paris, Rio, San Francisco, Shanghai, Sydney, and, yes, Montreal.  The road show pulls into town on August 16, and the next four days will amount to an intercontinental culinary powwow of the highest magnitude featuring 18 cooking & wine demos, 5 Maudits Soupers, and 1 major bash.  The dinners will take place all over town, but the base of operations and the site of both the demos and Omnivorious, the chef- and DJ-driven extravaganza that will likely be the highlight of the series, will be the Société des Arts Technologiques/FoodLab.

Most of our favourite Montreal food and wine people will be participating, but the series is meant to put these New World practitioners of "100% young cuisine" in conversation with some of their Old World counterparts.  As a result, it will also include a number of notable European talents, such as Gregory Marchand of Frenchie (Paris), Peter Nilsson of La Gazzetta (Paris), and Jérôme Bigot of Les Grès (Lindry, Burgundy).

Michelle will be doing overtime that week, giving a demo on August 19, cooking a Maudit Souper with Seth Gabrielse and Jérôme Bigot, and playing a central liaison role throughout the entirety of Omnivore Montreal.

The thing is, the line-up is so good and the prices are so reasonable, that you might just want to take in the whole maudite thing.  You can catch demos by Patrice Demers (Les 400 Coups), Alex Cruz and Derek Dammann (Société Orignal), Stéphanie Labelle (Rhubarbe), Samuel Pinard (La Salle à Manger), Cyril Kérébel (La QV), Michelle (!), and many other stars of the Montreal culinary scene, in addition to all the distinguished European guests, and prices are just $40 per day, or $100 for the full-three day demo schedule.  Prices for the Maudits Soupers have yet to be announced, but I've been told that you can expect remarkable value, and, in the meantime, you can find the whole schedule and the numbers to call for reservations here.  And, finally, a ticket for Omnivorious will only set you back $40, and it includes a drink, special canapés prepared by a Dream Team of contemporary chefs (Patrice Demers and Marc-André Jetté, the Grumman 78 crew, Petter Nilsson, Samuel Pinard, Simon Mathys, Gita Seaton, Jérôme Bigot, Martin Juneau, and John Horne!), and a whole mess of other entertainment that's guaranteed to derange the senses.

For full details, check out Omnivore's complete rundown of its Montreal festivities here.

aj

Grand succès

 fig. a: ail, ail, ail...

Last week's Grand Aïoli event at Alexandraplatz was a labour of love that brought together the energies, talents, and vision of Michelle, Theo Diamantis and the Oenopole crew, and Natasha Pickowicz and Popcorn Youth, along with a number of other local and regional producers and creators, like Caroline Boyce of Floralia and her extraordinarily beautiful flower arrangements, the Birri Brothers and their expert produce, bread from Kamouraska's famed Niemand Bakery, cheeses from Chèvrerie Buckland and Fromagerie Mouton Blanc, and Bernadette Houde and Team Alexandraplatz.

The evening consisted of three courses:

 fig. b: "A Provençal Summer Feast"

"Le Grand Aïoli":  roughly 15 different vegetables (including turnips, carrots, wild asparagus, new potatoes, cauliflower, beets, green beans, artichokes, and squash blossoms) prepared in a variety of ways (blanched, boiled, roasted, braised, sautéed, and au naturel), all of them served with a heaping quantity of freshly made aïoli


the cheese course:  Tomme de Marechal and Tomme de Faisal from Chèvrerie Buckland; Tomme de Kamouraska from Fromagerie Mouton Blanc; fresh figs, dried apricots, honey, and blossoms; and a selection of breads from Kamouraska's Boulangerie Niemand

the dessert course:  a fresh Quebec strawberry tart made with a crème fraîche- and chamomile-infused crème légère


the wines:  Domaine du Gros Noré rosé 2011; Domaine d'Alzipratu Cuvée Fiumeseccu Corse Calvi rouge 2010; Domaine d'Alzipratu Cuvée Fiumeseccu Corse Calvi blanc 2011

 fig. c: flower child

The floral arrangements of Caroline Boyce adorned the tables.  They also adorned our hosts.

 fig. d: dynamic duo

Garlic and artichokes figured prominently--both on and off the menu.

 fig. e: first service gets underway

As the first seating got underway (just moments before the first platters began to be served), things looked like this.

 fig. f: insta-grand

And as the aïoli platters began to materialize, they looked something like this (as captured by Instagram).

Between the food, the wine, the ambiance, and the assembly of enthusiasts, something magical happened that evening.  Somehow Montreal's natural joie de vivre merged with a sense of Provence's.  One terroir (the one that produced our vegetables, flowers, cheeses, and breads) was united with another (the one that produced the wine).  And the vehicle for this experiment in teleportation was as honest and elemental as they come.

Bravo!

aj

Springtime in Montreal

fig. a: lamb roast, Mtl

For those of you who're discovering us for the first time thanks to Donna Nebenzahl's profile of "...an endless banquet" in the Spring 2012 issue of Urban Expressions, welcome!

For those of you who haven't seen the article in Urban Expressions, but would like to know more about springtime in Montreal à la AEB, check it out!   You'll find us waxing poetic about a number of our favourite rites of spring, as well as a number of accompanying photographs by Yours Truly.

You'll also find two springtime recipes:  the Hummus Sardwich with fresh chick peas, and the Gin Tonic.

And if you're interested in some related links, here you go:

ramps 1 & 2

snow crab 1 & 2

fresh chick peas

maple water

sugar shacks 1 & 2

artichokes 1 & 2

Spring came early this year.  Let's continue to make the most of it, Montreal.

aj

The horror! The horror!

fig. a: icon

Oh, that makes me feel a lot better.

Apparently, René Angelil and Céline Dion are only part of the investment group that has purportedly purchased Montreal's greatest culinary icon: Schwartz's. Bill Brownstein of The Gazette reports, "the kingpin of the operation, according to several sources, is Paul Nakis, who is involved with the Bâton Rouge chain and the Sir Winston Churchill Pub, among other interests."

Any way you slice it, this news makes a mockery of Schwartz's: The Musical (which was based on Brownstein's book Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story) and its "this is Montreal, not Toronto"*/"no sell out" moral.

Save the deli, indeed.

Stay tuned...

aj

* i.e., culture vs. commmerce

Back in Blue

You asked for it, you got it.

fig. a: back in blue

This Saturday, August 27, Michelle will be hosting the last social of the summer social season: her Blueberry Social.

It all goes down at this week's Marché de FoodLab in Place de la Paix, off St-Laurent Boulevard, between René-Lévesque and Ste-Catherine, and adjacent to the S.A.T. (La Société des arts technologiques), from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

Like our earlier socials, Blueberry Social will be a by-donation-only berry extravaganza ($10 suggested donation, but any amount of money will be accepted), this time featuring blueberry cobbler with lightly whipped cream, iced tea, and rhubarb lemonade, with all proceeds going to our friends at Dans La Rue.

Blueberry Social will be just one of the attractions at the S.A.T.'s Marché de FoodLab. There will also be plenty of organic farmers on hand selling fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as other products.

Come down and say 'hello.' Eat blueberry cobbler till you're ready to burst.

fig. b: "I feel funny!"

Think about it: this is our chance to take back the Quartier des Spectacles! In the most delicious way.

aj

Raspberry Social!

fig. a: best event ever

Raspberries are here!  We're on! And you're invited!

That's right, AEB's Summer of the Social continues:

fig. b: QC in the house

Raspberry Social
Sunday, July 31st
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Parc Laval (avenue Laval, 1/2 block south of Laloux, between avenue des Pins and carré St-Louis)

gorgeous, height-of-season Quebec raspberries served with Michelle's sponge cake and whipped cream

rhubarb lemonade, iced tea, and iced coffee by our friends at Myriade

live music by the Better Late Than Never String Band

fig. c: BLTN

$10 suggested donation

all proceeds go to Santropol Roulant

See you on Sunday!

aj

p.s. If you missed our Strawberry Social, this is what it looked like!

Winesdays

One Wednesday evening, a few weeks ago now, a friend of mine launched into a theory of hers:

"Wednesdays are the new Thursdays!"

I was a little skeptical at first, but then I looked around me. We were standing in the middle of a gorgeously appointed gallery in Montreal's west end. There was a vernissage going on in full effect and the place was buzzing. A DJ was spinning tunes and the bass was rumbling through the cavernous space. And representatives from Rézin, the local wine importation house, were serving up generous pours to lubricate the proceedings. And, like I said, it was a Wednesday. Maybe she was on to something.

fig. a: winesdays @ La QV

Fast forward a week, and I found myself at La QV--"votre caviste"--on Beaubien, where Team QV was hosting another installment of their 20-week extravaganza, La QV Été. You've heard of a "cinq à sept"? How about a "cinq à dix"? That's right, 5 hours of wine & beer tasting (mostly wine), nibbles, socializing, and shopping (wine, beer, charcuterie, etc.), all in the cozy confines of La QV. Sound like fun? It is.

A couple of weeks ago, Daniel (a.k.a. Montreal Oyster Guy) brought a selection of popping-fresh oysters from New Brunswick, Massachusetts, and Washington, and Team QV matched it with a crisp Sancerre. Ten days ago there were pickled pigs' tongues paired with an Austrian urkorn beer. This past week there was a beautiful terrine aux poireaux served with a lovely sylvaner.

And this coming Wednesday, July 20th, there'll be another collaboration going on: Team QV will be providing chopped liver plus samples of a Côtes du Rhône (Domaine de la Roche Buissière's Petite Jeanne, in magnums!) and AEB's very own Team Švestka will be providing a selection of summer pickles, along with our famous oignons confits, all of them for sale at near-wholesale prices.

I should add, Team QV knows their Côtes du Rhônes, and Domaine de la Roche Buissière is an outstanding producer. Their 2007 "Flonflons," which we had the pleasure of having at Lawrence one night last year, was one of our top three bottles of 2010--utterly enticing, and a remarkable value (Thank you, Etheliya! Thank you, La QV!). It would be an understatement to say that I'm excited about their latest vintage.

fig. b: Švestka Summer 2011

So come by, have a glass of wine and a nibble, and say "hello." Here's what you'll find on tap:

--Domaine de la Roche Buissière's Petite Jeanne
--Julie's chopped liver
--Švestka Preserves Inc.'s oignons confits, spicy carrot pickles, gingery pickled beets (red and gold), zucchini pickles, and pickled radishes
--and a selection of Quebec cheeses

plus

--Domaine de Pervenches lamb
--organic sausages by Fou du Cochon
--beautiful petits chèvres from the Eastern Townships
--and a juice-of-the-week selection*

Anyway, I'm still not 100% sure about this "Wednesdays are the new Thursdays" business, but with La QV Été going on well into October, I'm positive that for the time being, at least, Wednesdays are my new Winesdays, and I like it.

Santé!

Salon de dégustation de La QV, 29 Beaubien Est, 504-5082 (Little Italy)

aj

p.s. To keep abreast of the whole La QV Été schedule, contact "info at laqv dot ca"

* To pre-order the lamb, the sausages, the chèvres, and the juice, please contact Julie ("julierondeau at laqv dot ca") by Sunday.

Strawberry Social Wrap-Up

fig. a: exterior decorating*

We're a little exhausted, and our hands are still deeply stained with strawberry juice, but--oh, man!--was it ever worth it.  We honestly couldn't have been happier with the results.

Perfect size, perfect weather, perfect setting, perfect ambience, perfect company.  And the strawberry shortcake tasted pretty good, too.

For those of you who couldn't make it:

Silk-screened strawberries helped soften the look of The Wall.

fig. b: The Wall

Seth & Michelle were in charge of serving the strawberry shortcake.

fig. c: S & M

Michelle shows off a portion of her lovely strawberry shortcake.

fig. d: strawberry shortcake!

The view from the street.

fig. e: AEB street view

Michelle was pretty pleased with the results. She was simply beaming.

fig. f: triple strawberry

Matt and Max, a.k.a. The Better Late Than Never Band, had some attendees dancing up a storm.

fig. g: get down!

Thanks to our friends at Laloux and Myriade for all their assistance (especially Melanie and Seth!). Thanks to Matt & Max for providing the sweet sound of music. And thanks especially to all of you who joined us and helped bring the time-honoured tradition of the strawberry social to the streets of Montreal.

aj

p.s. Interested in getting your very own AEB limited-edition silkscreened strawberry social print or t-shirt? Drop us a line at ajkinik at gmail dot com.

* Photo courtesy of Mark Slutsky.

AEB @ CBC, Summer Strawberries Edition

fig. a: Quebec strawberries

Michelle was back on the CBC with Jeanette Kelly again today, this time on Homerun, and this time the topic was strawberries. She had all kinds of things in mind to talk about (like where to go strawberry picking, helpful hints for preparing your strawberries simply, strawberry socials, strawberry gazpacho, and strawberry smackdowns), but these radio interviews go rather quickly sometimes, so, really, mostly what she talked about was pairing strawberries with herbs (plus a really sweet childhood memory of strawberry picking with her Mom and her sister).

fig. b: Michelle @ CBC

That was because she'd shown up with a sour cream panna cotta that she'd topped with strawberries and a herb granité, and Jeanette and the rest of the Homerun crew were understandably transfixed. It's a pretty delicious combo, and it's pretty too. But, best of all, it's pretty easy--especially the strawberries and the herb & lime granité.

Want to try it for yourself? Here's Michelle's recipe:

Sour Cream Panna Cotta with Strawberries and a Herb and Lime Granité

For the sour cream panna cotta:

150 ml cream
40 g sugar (2 ½ Tbsp)
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and added to sugar
1 1/2 sheets gelatin, soaked in cold water
250 g sour cream

Heat cream, sugar, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Turn off heat, wring out extra water from gelatin and add it to the cream. Stir to dissolve and pour over the sour cream. Whisk together to combine. Pour into glasses or small bowl and place in fridge to set at least 3 hours.

For the herb and lime granité:

2 sprigs basil
1 sprig mint
1 sprig lemon balm
1 sprig parsley
lime juice to taste
light simple syrup (one part sugar, two parts water) to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until quite green. Adjust sweetness by adding more syrup or water. Add more lime juice if needed. Strain into a container and freeze until hard. Scrape with a fork until fluffy and soft.

For the vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp lime juice
black pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

To serve:

1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered

Toss strawberries in the vinaigrette and divide between the panna cottas, arranging the berries on top. Add granité and serve immediately.

The resultant panna cotta has a pleasant tang and a silky texture; the herb and lime granité brings out all the depth and natural sweetness of your farm-fresh strawberries; and the vinaigrette makes the whole ensemble sing.

Want to see a "Hallway Interview" with Michelle on the topic of strawberries? Check out Homerun's post on Michelle's visit here.

Want to see photo documentation of Michelle's visit? Check out Homerun's Facebook page here.

Want to make the most of Quebec strawberry season? Head on down to your nearest outdoor market, or, better yet, pick a nice day after we've had 2-3 straight days of sun, and make your way to a local u-pick.

Never had the pleasure of attending a strawberry social? Most of the Quebec strawberry socials have already passed, but you can catch a combination strawberry social/horse & buggy parade (!) in Vankleek Hill, ON, this Sunday, July 3, beginning at 1 p.m. You can find more information here.

aj

fringe festival 3: Momesso

Fringe festival: a continuing series covering deliciousness on the edge of town.

Momesso hardly qualifies as being "on the edge of town"--it's in NDG, for crying out loud*--but our last visit was the culmination of an excursion on the city's outskirts, so there you go...

fig. a: deceptively calm

You see, we'd gone out to Lasalle to take a walk along the Lachine Rapids.

From a distance, they look pretty calm, and there's little sense that the Lachine Rapids were a major natural impediment that severely restricted the amount of shipping that could flow along the mighty Saint Lawrence, a major natural impediment that forced the city fathers to construct the Lachine Canal as a bypass.

fig. b: Lachine Rapids 1

Up close, however, they look, sound, and feel quite a bit more treacherous, and it's clear just how much of a challenge they posed to river traffic. It's also clear just how exhilarating it must have been when the first steamships began taking thrillseekers through the rapids,

fig. c: S.S. Corsican, 1891

piloted by gentlemen like Jean Baptiste Rice, a local Mohawk captain.

fig. d: J.B. Rice

These days, there are still boats that take daredevils through the Lachine Rapids, but, unfortunately, they're jet boats and not wooden steamboats, so you miss out on that wonderful Fitzcarraldo vibe that you got back in the 19th century. And, frankly, most of the thrillseekers we spotted on our walk were bird watchers armed with powerful binoculars and photographic contraptions of all types.

fig. e: bird watchers, unite!

We saw lots and lots of beautiful birds, but, sadly, we never did spot a Hooded Merganser.

fig. f: Lachine Rapids 2

Afterwards, we made some pretty interesting discoveries in parts of Lasalle that were new to us, like the poetic Avenue du Trésor Caché and the Whiskey Tower,

fig. g: Whiskey Tower, Outer Lasalle

but when it came time to eat (and after our long walk along the river, we were hungry), we found ourselves craving one thing, and one thing only: a hot sub from Momesso.

Partially, it was because of Momesso's classic "neighborhood joint" atmosphere.

fig. h: diner

Partially, it was because the Canucks had just been humiliated for the second time in three days, and we figured that making a pilgrimage to Momesso--where numerous relics pay homage to that combination of soft hands and tough-guy attitude that made Sergio such a mercurial force and an important part of Vancouver's 1994 playoff run--might actually give the Canucks the spiritual boost they so desperately need.

fig. i: Sergio!

And, partially, it was just because we were craving their hot sausage sub--hands-down one of the city's most satisfying sandwiches.

fig. j: sausage sub

Michelle is partial to their Suprême, which comes with steak, sautéed peppers, sautéed mushrooms, melty cheese, and shredded lettuce, in addition to their killer sausage, but I'm still something of a purist: spicy Italian sausage with extra hot peppers.

Did our act of sacrifice work? I'm not sure (I guess we'll find out tonight), but it was oh-so tasty and it made us pretty happy (even if we had to suffer through the Game 4 "highlights" reel over and over again on the big-screen TV).

Momesso, 5562 Upper Lachine, 484-0005 (NDG)



aj

* Although, it is in a portion of NDG that's cut off from the rest of the city by the Décarie Expressway, Autoroute Ville-Marie, and the train tracks, so it feels more remote than it actually is.

Oh, yes, it's l'Eighties Night...

...what a night!

fig. a: Frankie says...

Some of you Eighties Revivalists out there are probably too young to actually remember the 1980s, but it wasn't all oversized slogan t-shirts and Wayfarers, fluorescents and Body Glove, underwear-as-outerwear and Sperry Top-Siders.

Sure, the '80s had some of this,

fig. b: slippery people

this,

fig. c: into the groovey

and this.

fig. d: power, corruption, & lies

But that's not all there was.

They entertained like this,

fig. e: luau!

they drank like this,*

fig. f: Campari!

and they partied like this.**

fig. g: Parrrr-tyyyy!

But what about the haute cuisine of the Eighties? What was that like? Can you even imagine an era before sous-vide, before the widespread use of liquid nitrogen?

Well, if you're having a hard time visualizing such a cuisine, now's your chance to experience it firsthand.

You see, this coming Monday, May the 23rd, Restaurant Laloux will be presenting a very special occasion in celebration of their 25th anniversary: Eighties Night! They will be welcoming special guest chef Stelio Perombelon (Les Cons Servent, Pullman) to Laloux for one night only to collaborate on an Eighties-themed menu inspired by the year 1986, the year that Laloux opened for business.***

What's in store?

to begin with, three types of canapés:

-tomates cerises antiboise, sablé et crème à l'oseille (cherry tomatoes stuffed with tuna, capers, and tarragon mayonnaise and served on a sablé)

-accras d'esturgeon fumé (smoked sturgeon accras)

-tartelettes de foie de lapin, brunoise à la crème d'ail (rabbit liver tartlets served with a garlic cream-laced brunoise)

first service: salade de crevettes nordiques, mousseline d'avocat, paris crus et huile de noix (nordic shrimp salad, avocado mousseline, raw Parisian mushrooms, and walnut oil)

second service: gougeonettes de doré, flan de courgettes, abricots secs et beurre de liquoreux (pickerel gougeonettes, zucchini flan, dried apricots with Condrieu butter)

third service: pigeonneau, crème fevettes, chanterelles, tartines d'abats au vert, pommes dauphines (squab, purée of fresh peas, chanterelles, giblets-topped brioche with herbed breadcrumbs, potatoes dauphine)

and, to close, a selection of three desserts by Michelle:

-citrons givrées, salade d'agrumes, sabayon (meringue-topped lemons stuffed with lemon sorbet, cirtus fruit salad, sabayon)

-éclairs au chocoat blanc et rhubarbe (white chocolate and rhubarb éclairs)

-crêpes Suzette (um, crêpes Suzette)

All this, plus service that wouldn't be out of place in an episode of Dynasty (please! no cat fights, though!).

1980s prices, too:**** the whole extravagant affair will only set you back $65.

Intrigued? Act fast, places are limited!

fig. h: ...Laloux

Restaurant Laloux, 250 ave. des Pins, 287-9127

aj

* Yes, that is Kelly "Weird Science/The Woman in Red" LeBrock, and, yes, she is wearing Valentino.

** In fact, they're the ones that first coined the usage of "party" as a verb.

*** Chef Perombelon has a baby face, but he claims to be old enough to have been trained in the mysteries of 1980s French cuisine. He's also one of the most talented chefs in Montreal, and a good friend of Team Laloux.

**** Adjusted for inflation, of course.