This was me three weeks ago. I flew through the air at Parc Jean-Drapeau on a trapeze set up for the Festival du Monde coinciding with Le Festival Complètement Cirque in Montreal. Definitions Festival du Monde: A two-weekend event celebrating the cultures of different … [Read more...] about Up In the Air: A Salad for Lightness
Vegetarian
On the Wonders of Pressure Cookers, Baking Soda, and Modernist Cuisine’s Caramelized Carrot Soup
Me: "When you add baking soda it speeds up the Maillard reaction! So you get this browned, caramelized, super rich carrot flavour!" My chef friend: "Uhuh." Me: "But don't you see how cool that is? You know when you brown duck confit or sear fish and it gets that great texture … [Read more...] about On the Wonders of Pressure Cookers, Baking Soda, and Modernist Cuisine’s Caramelized Carrot Soup
Raw Chipotle Tacos with Sprouted Mung Beans
Executive chef Barry Pall of Crudessence gave me a tour of the raw food restaurant's commercial kitchen space a few weeks ago, way up in a loft in one of my favourite areas of Montreal. I figured it'd be nice and cool, not needing air conditioning because Crudessence is a "raw" … [Read more...] about Raw Chipotle Tacos with Sprouted Mung Beans
Maple-Candied Pecan Salad with Arugula, Raw Sheep’s Milk Cheese, and Quebec-Bottled Moroccan Olive Oil
I'm an olive oil snob. It's not my fault. It's this darn lactose-intolerance. At restaurants (before I became gluten-intolerant...) I always had to request olive oil instead of butter for bread, and a good olive oil made me feel almost as though I wasn't missing out, especially … [Read more...] about Maple-Candied Pecan Salad with Arugula, Raw Sheep’s Milk Cheese, and Quebec-Bottled Moroccan Olive Oil
Juicing with Greens and Cheating on Raw: Apple, lychee, kale, quince, peach, spirulina
Raw and I were never exclusive. In fact, a friend of mine in Peru would say there's no need. We're wired to polygamy and monogamy is learned. I've also heard that pheromones make us calm so that we simmer down when we're around someone we're attracted to, making us less likely … [Read more...] about Juicing with Greens and Cheating on Raw: Apple, lychee, kale, quince, peach, spirulina
Making Friends With Salad: Du Puy lentils with red wine-maple vinaigrette, candied pecans and grilled endive
This is a salad that will make you enjoy eating: A. Lentils B. Salad Both, I believe, are important in life. Both, however, can be horrendously disappointing. I get why carnivores who only know romaine lettuce and Kraft Caesar dressing from a bottle stick to steak. I can't … [Read more...] about Making Friends With Salad: Du Puy lentils with red wine-maple vinaigrette, candied pecans and grilled endive
Arugula: My Garden’s First Bountiful, Nibbled-On Harvest (plus lots of recipes)
I've been pruning my basil plants. That means pinching off the little suckers (that's actually the name of the new leaves that try to come along where big leaves are already trying to grow. You pinch them off to encourage large leaf growth) and the flowers (same justification). … [Read more...] about Arugula: My Garden’s First Bountiful, Nibbled-On Harvest (plus lots of recipes)
Andalusian Green Grape and Almond Gazpacho: A taste of summer
A little while ago a friend of mine sprained his wrist falling off his bike after hitting a pothole on a poorly-maintained Montreal street. This significantly impaired his ability to chop vegetables, open packages, and wash dishes, resulting in a slew of lackluster - and … [Read more...] about Andalusian Green Grape and Almond Gazpacho: A taste of summer
Vegan Comfort: Brown Rice Pilaf with Fava Beans, Sauerkraut and Seaweed
I have a feeling this might be macrobiotic in addition to vegan, but I confess to not knowing for sure and I don't want to make any false claims. Still, it was warm, soft, and savoury, full of nutrients and deep, earthy umami flavours. Did I also mention it was simple? And a … [Read more...] about Vegan Comfort: Brown Rice Pilaf with Fava Beans, Sauerkraut and Seaweed
Summer Nights Sweet-and-Sour Chipotle Slow-Cooker Chili
There are two schools of thought on chili: 1. It's a winter-only food, meant for heating you up from the inside out 2. It's a year-round food, meant for heating you up in winter and cooling you down with mind-numbing and shiver-inducing sweating in summer. I fall into the … [Read more...] about Summer Nights Sweet-and-Sour Chipotle Slow-Cooker Chili