…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)
How to Make Vegan Sushi at Home: Jackfruit and Avocado Maki
People often ask me where I go for sushi in Montreal. Most of the time, I don't. The variety and often the quality of fish just isn't that good. I refuse to eat farmed Atlantic salmon unless the farms are closed containers and the restaurant can tell me about the sustainability … [Read more...] about How to Make Vegan Sushi at Home: Jackfruit and Avocado Maki
My Best Meals of 2018 (and Restaurants to Try in 2019)
My year in Montreal restaurants started with a short list: Mon Lapin and Pastel. But as the year went on, it turned into a lengthy one, and I'm afraid I haven't quite caught up yet. Which is fine, because that's what 2019 is for. Why try to overstuff restaurants into 12 … [Read more...] about My Best Meals of 2018 (and Restaurants to Try in 2019)
Cheater’s Paella, or Fake and Cheap Rice and Mussels
Spanish people are going to hate me. I accept that. In fact, I deserve their shaken heads and disapproving frowns, because this paella is not paella. It's basically spiced rice with mussels. It's more like Peruvian arroz con mariscos, but cooked so that you get a bit of a … [Read more...] about Cheater’s Paella, or Fake and Cheap Rice and Mussels
Roasted Porcini Mushrooms and Cherry Tomato Cucumber Noodle Pasta with Dijon-Tarragon Vegan Cream
I love this dish because it combines a super light noodle made from cucumbers (the new zucchini?) with a rich and indulgent sauce that I'd normally find too heavy, then adds some roasted vegetables for a powerful umami kick that you just don't get with a fully raw pasta dish. … [Read more...] about Roasted Porcini Mushrooms and Cherry Tomato Cucumber Noodle Pasta with Dijon-Tarragon Vegan Cream
On Mistake Broccoli, Bad Gardening and Thai Green Curry
People often think that because I garden I'm a go-getter. You need lots of energy to water your plants all summer, pull weeds, transplant things, fertilize, harvest, prune... But it's a heck of a lot easier than having a pet. My plants never bark. They don't smell. I don't … [Read more...] about On Mistake Broccoli, Bad Gardening and Thai Green Curry
Made With Love: The 2018 Montreal Recap and Winners
Made With Love was another grand success, this being its tenth year of cocktail competition mastery in Montreal. The two big winners were: Public's Choice: Jérémie Dussault - Mile Public House Blainville and Judges' Choice: Alexandre Lindsay … [Read more...] about Made With Love: The 2018 Montreal Recap and Winners
Gluten Free, Vegan Coffee Cake with Candied Ginger and Almond Milk
I've been on a mission to clean out my cupboards. I could probably eat for months on all the dried gluten free pasta, flour, canned beans, spices, honeys and pastes in there. It's ridiculous. And don't get me started on my freezer. Making ice cubes and placing them in my freezer … [Read more...] about Gluten Free, Vegan Coffee Cake with Candied Ginger and Almond Milk
Bourbon Whiskey + Mangoes, Peaches and Lime = The Sweet Life: Newcomer Kevin Cacho of Coldroom Takes on Made With Love
Is he going to have a splash pool in the Société des Arts Technologiques? I half wondered, as I read Kevin Cacho's email about what he's planning cocktail-wise for Montreal's Made With Love Regional Finals on Dec. 10. Cacho's only been working in the bar/restaurant industry … [Read more...] about Bourbon Whiskey + Mangoes, Peaches and Lime = The Sweet Life: Newcomer Kevin Cacho of Coldroom Takes on Made With Love
Made With Love, the Montreal Regional Finals, and Emerson Pereira of Big in Japan Bar
This is no small competition. For the past 10 years, the province's best local bartenders have been duking it out with wildest, most delicious cocktail creations. Their goal: to win the hearts of a panel of judges and an adoring public that pays for the all-inclusive privilege of … [Read more...] about Made With Love, the Montreal Regional Finals, and Emerson Pereira of Big in Japan Bar