I was speaking with a friend about writing cookbooks a few weeks ago. Because of my healthy eating mentality, I read a lot of vegetarian restaurant cookbooks looking for a balance between gourmet and budget-friendly recipes that taste good and don't take a year to make (unlike … [Read more...] about DIY-Buddha Bowl and Thoughts on Vegetarian Cookbooks
Tomato, Orange Pepper, Mango and Avocado Salad with Smoked Chipotle Aioli
And the aioli is back, doing double-duty as a salad dressing, as I suggested in my last sustainable Nordic shrimp post. Okay, after my rant about local and sustainable fish here I go being a hypocrite and writing a recipe with avocado and mango. Last I checked there weren't too … [Read more...] about Tomato, Orange Pepper, Mango and Avocado Salad with Smoked Chipotle Aioli
Sustainable Nordic Shrimp with Mandarin Powder and Smoked Chili Aioli
You shouldn't be intimidated by things with names like "mandarin powder" and "aioli." The former is nothing but orange zest and sugar and the latter basically a mayonnaise that's traditionally made with garlic and without eggs, but now is commonly used to refer to any flavoured … [Read more...] about Sustainable Nordic Shrimp with Mandarin Powder and Smoked Chili Aioli
The Satay Siblings and the Power of Alliteration
This will be more than a language lesson, don't worry. The day I enter a classroom in pinstripes and a pencil skirt and start talking about literary devices will be a cold day in Hell. But... ...I am going to ask upfront why two Singaporean/Montrealais brothers wouldn't use a … [Read more...] about The Satay Siblings and the Power of Alliteration
The Best Tex-Mex in Montreal at Cafe Cantina Tacqueria
There's something about scorching temperatures that makes people crave Mexican food. Maybe because the hotter it gets, the more you need to sweat to cool down. And that means chili peppers, since any form of cardio is probably counter-productive. I mean, you don't see a lot of … [Read more...] about The Best Tex-Mex in Montreal at Cafe Cantina Tacqueria
Chickpea Tarts with Sous Vide Caramelized Onions and Fresh Peppers
I'm more than a little addicted to caramelized onions - the way long strips relax into sweet softness, with just a little bit of butteriness and none of the butter. Optional balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, or maple syrup. Basically I could a pound of onions this way. Probably not … [Read more...] about Chickpea Tarts with Sous Vide Caramelized Onions and Fresh Peppers
Toqué: The best in local, seasonal cuisine and fine dining
In a story idea I emailed recently to an editor I said Toqué is the best restaurant in Montreal. My proof-reading friend gave me a bit of a quizzical look and said, "Really? You think Toqué is the best?" To the readers of that particular publication it really would be. Those … [Read more...] about Toqué: The best in local, seasonal cuisine and fine dining
Yellow Pea Sauté with Zucchini, Thyme and Lemon
If you somehow got through all your whole yellow peas in your Lufa Farms Fresh Basket, then you'll need to buy some chickpeas. They work the same way. This is a quick, simple meal that's perfect for a summer evening when you don't feel like spending an hour above the stove. You … [Read more...] about Yellow Pea Sauté with Zucchini, Thyme and Lemon
Strawberry Fields Forever…
They got it right, those musicians. Sure, they may have been tripping on acid at the time, but that's no reason not to get out of the city and take advantage of Quebec's Pick-Your-Own fruit farms. So that's what I did last Saturday, minus the acid, plus a few friends and their … [Read more...] about Strawberry Fields Forever…
Strawberry-Vanilla Jam
I was gifted some organic vanilla beans from the Kingdom of Tonga. Don't know where the Kingdom of Tonga is? Neither did I. Don't feel bad. Didn't know the Kingdom of Tonga produced vanilla beans? Again, join the club. My, hasn't this been an educational day for us all … [Read more...] about Strawberry-Vanilla Jam