The need for urban agriculture being championed by Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Premier François Legault means more people will be growing plants and gardens at home this year. Even now that community gardens have opened with special rules in place (it was iffy for … [Read more...] about The Return of the Victory Garden
Even During COVID-19, we all Scream for…Ice Cream!
Summer came with a wallop last week as a heat wave sent Montreal into a renewed panic. Not one based on contagion, though, or at least not primarily. Playgrounds reopened their water play areas so kids could cool off and people with respiratory diseases were told to stay inside … [Read more...] about Even During COVID-19, we all Scream for…Ice Cream!
Sweet Miso Eggplant and Rice Noodles
I have a new favourite recipe. It's for pretty much any vegetable cooked in a mixture of sweet white miso, vegan fish sauce (or real fish sauce, or soy sauce) and enough water to make a paste. I use my homemade miso (the recipe was a mix of the one in Miso, Tempeh, Natto … [Read more...] about Sweet Miso Eggplant and Rice Noodles
Black Chickpeas: Kala Chana and What to Do With Them
Have you ever heard of black chickpeas? They're completely natural. There's no squid ink involved. And they're a bit of a misnomer. They're actually naturally dark brown (not black) on the outside and yellow like regular chickpeas on the inside. And they have a slightly nuttier … [Read more...] about Black Chickpeas: Kala Chana and What to Do With Them
I Love India Cookbook Review: Tandoori Sea Bream, Zucchini and Curry Leaf Cornbread, Bengali Stir-Fried Prawns and Mustard
When it comes to Indian cookbooks, I've long been a devotee of Madhur Jaffrey. My dal-splattered pages of her original "Indian Cooking" cookbook are accompanied by memories of flavour revelations and culinary triumphs: simmered chicken and lamb curries, my first homemade chicken … [Read more...] about I Love India Cookbook Review: Tandoori Sea Bream, Zucchini and Curry Leaf Cornbread, Bengali Stir-Fried Prawns and Mustard
Covid-19 and the Etiquette of Buying Watermelon
I should have known better than to only bring four bags on my one trip to the grocery store last week. My pulse quickened as I saw the large container of watermelon. I'd normally pick through them, melon after melon, until I found the roundest, heaviest, most hollow-sounding … [Read more...] about Covid-19 and the Etiquette of Buying Watermelon
Coronavirus Diary, Part 3: All the Food
I admit I've been a reluctant cook during these days of social distancing. I usually don't have a problem cooking for one since I love having leftovers to stick in the freezer. But these days, with eating being one of the highlights of the day, it's a little less exciting to eat … [Read more...] about Coronavirus Diary, Part 3: All the Food
Private Import Wine Agencies Can Now Legally Sell Mixed Cases
Cheers to this! In a huge turn-around on the part of the SAQ, private import wine companies can sell mixed cases now in Quebec. They have to have a minimum of three bottles of each wine in a case (so two types in a case of six, or four types in a case of 12), and the agencies … [Read more...] about Private Import Wine Agencies Can Now Legally Sell Mixed Cases
Open That Bottle: Glutenberg 2014 Saison Froide (and Some Other Gluten-Free and Gluten-Removed Beer Reviews)
This might be the first time I've ever written about beer, gluten-free or not, in my decade-long career as a food writer. But in this COVID-19 world of being stuck at home, we might as well find some joy in, well, something...so lots of people have been opening those bottles … [Read more...] about Open That Bottle: Glutenberg 2014 Saison Froide (and Some Other Gluten-Free and Gluten-Removed Beer Reviews)
Perfect Fish in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot: Like Sous Vide Without the Plastic
In the recently released cookbook by Nicki Sizemore called Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker: Reinvent the Slow-Cooked Meal; 77 Mouthwatering Recipes, I learned a technique that has changed how I will forever cook fish. It's almost idiot-proof, meaning you might never overcook … [Read more...] about Perfect Fish in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot: Like Sous Vide Without the Plastic