I get a little excited about sake (jump to the Photo Gallery below to see exactly how excited). Now that I'm a grown-up, I made my first private import order of sake from Sébastien Langlois of Bacchus76. He's recently started bringing in a bunch of nama, unpasteurized sakes that … [Read more...] about How to Throw a Five Course Sake-Pairing Dinner: Nama, Junmai Daiginjo, Nigori and Aged
Adventures in Whole Duck Cooking (Aka How Not to Roast a Duck)
Don't let your eyes fool you. This was not an awesome roasted duck. It was my first one (see #2 below) and while it looks awfully pretty, what you don't see is the thick layer of un-melted fat under the crispy-skinned exterior. So when you crunch into it, instead of getting a … [Read more...] about Adventures in Whole Duck Cooking (Aka How Not to Roast a Duck)
The Best of Tucson Drinking and Dining: Tito & Pep, Villa Peru, Downtown Kitchen & Cocktail and Mezcal at Reforma
Tucson is humble. In my story for FineDiningLovers.com last year I called out its culinary highlights, from the genius of its indigenous peoples who were (and are) able to grow foods in the desert to the burgeoning fine dining scene that doesn't know how good it is. It … [Read more...] about The Best of Tucson Drinking and Dining: Tito & Pep, Villa Peru, Downtown Kitchen & Cocktail and Mezcal at Reforma
Where to Eat at Montreal en Lumières 2019: Dinners, Lunches, Brunches, Drinks, Food Talks and Free Samples
Montreal en Lumière, aka the Montreal Highlights Festival, can be a bit overwhelming. A Nordic style lunch, a Haitian brunch, an ice bar and some $300 three-Michelin Star cuisine? With so many dinners, invited chefs and special events, it's hard to know where to make a … [Read more...] about Where to Eat at Montreal en Lumières 2019: Dinners, Lunches, Brunches, Drinks, Food Talks and Free Samples
Hot and Spicy Montreal: Restaurants to Warm you up
Last week, I did a TV segment about hot and spicy restaurants. It's the time of year when we need all the heat we can get, I figure. And while Montrealers are notoriously hot pepper-averse, I'm not. So I found a local, high quality hot sauce maker and then hunted down … [Read more...] about Hot and Spicy Montreal: Restaurants to Warm you up
Portuguese Sour Cherry Booze, Gluten Intolerance and Cultural Heritage
I saw the hundreds of shooter glasses lined up on trays when I got the restaurant. the press event was just starting and servers were laying out the platters of creamy Portuguese cheese, baguette, silken and juicy Medjool dates and thick-cut fruit pâté. So I figured there were … [Read more...] about Portuguese Sour Cherry Booze, Gluten Intolerance and Cultural Heritage
Razor Clams, Crab and Sambal: Diving into Seafood at a Southeast Asian Seafood Cooking Class With Nantha Kumar
"Expectations are Boring," says cooking instructor Nantha Kumar at his Southeast Asian seafood class at the Centrale Culinaire a few weeks ago. It was a bone-chilling evening, but a class of eager students shlepped to the Mile-End shared kitchen space for a hot … [Read more...] about Razor Clams, Crab and Sambal: Diving into Seafood at a Southeast Asian Seafood Cooking Class With Nantha Kumar
Where to Drink Sake in Montreal (and why right now’s the best time to do it)
This morning on Breakfast Television in Montreal I actually made it through a taste test (well, almost) of six stellar sakes now available in Montreal! Did I even breathe? (See above.) I also talked about why the Montreal sake scene has recently boomed (shout-out to Viet … [Read more...] about Where to Drink Sake in Montreal (and why right now’s the best time to do it)
Dry Ciders and More Canadian Bubbles
I recently posted an article about sparkling wines made in Canada, but much more acknowledged is the cider-making industry, at least in Quebec, Ontario and BC. Generally, these are on the sweet side compared with French ciders. The non-sparkling ones have a much smaller … [Read more...] about Dry Ciders and More Canadian Bubbles
“I Love Montreal, But…” (Adventures in Three Toronto’s Food Destinations: Markets, Sushi and Gluten Free Baked Goods)
…there are great reasons to leave the city I call home, from the cold winters to the eternal construction – but most importantly, the food. Not that the food is bad here, but there's literally a world of flavours out there to discover and by which to be inspired. This fall, I … [Read more...] about “I Love Montreal, But…” (Adventures in Three Toronto’s Food Destinations: Markets, Sushi and Gluten Free Baked Goods)