The May 6th event took place in the alley behind Les Cons Servent restaurant by a warm Sunday afternoon. We found out about the “secret” location only 24 hours before the event. Guests were smiling and happy to be there. Despite the food list that was a bit scary at first, I have to say that I LOVED EVERYTHING I TASTED, from start to end! The food was weird but delicious and the drinks were also really GOOD! The highlight of the day was definitely dessert time, a funky collective artwork under the theme “Underwater world”. It was fun to watch the T & C team assemble it in front of us, but even more delicious to eat it. In addition to food, Tripes & Caviar is also pairing all its food with cocktails. All the drinks I tried that day were made with Alsatian Wine which were provided by their sponsor Vins d’Alsace. I love cocktails, but I never thought of making them with white or red wine except for Sangria. From now on, I will definitely try to include some wine in my cocktails.

Here are two cocktail recipes tasted that afternoon that I will definitely make again at home this summer:

“JUMBALAYA” COCKTAIL

Jumbalaya Cocktail - Credit: Tripes & Caviar

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz Pinot noir Hugel d’Alsace 2007
1 oz Rhum Sailor Jerry
0.25 oz hot pepper syrup
0.25 oz honey

How to make it:

Put all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Double strain. Serve in a Gimlet glass and decorate with a marinated hot pepper.

” SISTER BANGERANG ” COCKTAIL

Sister Bangerang - Credit: Tripes & Caviar

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz Gewurztraminer Clos Ste-Odile
1 oz Gin
0.5 oz  Mint and Rose Syrup
1 oz pink grapefruit juice
0.5 oz Aloe juice

How to make it

Put all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Double strain. Serve in an Old Fashioned glass with a thinly slice of cucumber.

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Tripes & Caviar, May 6th, 2012 (VIDEO on Vimeo)

Thank you Vins d’Alsace for the invitation. I had a great time and I will definitely go to the next Tripes & Caviar.

To know when the next Tripes & Caviar Club will take place, follow their Facebook Page.

Well, I have to confess that the first time I tried their spinach risotto, I was not immediately converted. I was in a hurry and I had read on the front of the packaging that it was ready in just 2 minutes. So I put some in a bowl, placed it in in the microwave for 1.5 minutes, mixed it and sent it back for another 30 seconds. It was not like real risotto and I was kind of disappointed. It’s my fault, I should have read the packaging. The 2 minutes only apply for a certain quantity, if you reheat more, you have to adjust the time. I should have known better and read the instructions… So the second time, I got it perfect and i LOVED it!

I now keep both the mashed potatoes and the risotto in my freezer as staple food. That way, I can prepare a meal in a whim. For example, I created a recipe last week that will surely become a regular in my kitchen and it took me only 15 minutes to prepare and cook! Bonus: I even add leftovers for lunch the day after. Here is the recipe. If you don’t have smoked trout, try a can of salmon.

InCuisin Smoked Trout Cakes - Photo Credit: Indigonat

Healthy Smoked Trout Cakes

Ingredients:

• 16 cubes of InCuisin Garlic and Chives mashed potatoes
• 175 g of smoked trout in small pieces
• 50 g of Albert le Fermier cheese, grated (any tasty hard cheese will work, like a Tomme, a Comté or a Gruyère)
• “bread crumbs” made with InSnax Pita crisps multigrain and garden herbs, grinded in the blender or food processor (about 20 crisps)

Homemade Spicy Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoon 0%  Fat Greek Yogurt ( I used Oikos, but Liberté and Krema are good also)
• 2 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (more or less to taste)

1. Mix all the ingredients together, shape about 8 trout cakes, about the size of a burger pattie.
2. Put a little bit of oil or some Mycryo (cocoa butter) in the heated pan, and cook the Smoked Trout Cakes each side, until they are nice and golden.
3. Serve with a mesclun salad and add about a tablespoon of homemade spicy sauce on top of each Trout Cakes.

Sources:

• Mycryo is a healthier alternative to butter and oil and is made by Cacao Barry. You can find it in some specialty stores
• Smoked Trout – I bought mine at Le Boucanier in Eastman, Québec, but I am sure your fishmonger carry some or some smoked stealhead salmon
• In Foods: In Cuisin and In Snax products are found in Grocery stores across Canada. In Quebec, you can find them in most supermarkets. Click here for a list of Canadian retailers

It actually included 4 of my favourite spots to drink hot chocolate in Montreal, along with a fantastic option to make it at home from Christophe Morel.

Here is my Top 5:

Credit: Juliette et Chocolat

• Cacao 70, 2087 Ste-Catherine Ouest, Montréal, H3H 1M6 tel : 514.933.1688
• Juliette et Chocolat, 3 locations
• Suite 88 Chocolatier, 2 locations
• Fuchsia, Épicerie Fleur ; 4050 avenue Coloniale (angle Duluth) ; 514-842-1232
• Christophe Morel - Hot Chocolate to make at home, available in Gourmet food stores, $11 for 225 g.

In addition to these suggestions, I discovered this fall, an interesting hot chocolate alternative from ChocoSol Traders a Toronto-based company: the Aztec Blood drinking chocolate which is a little spicy and one of the best hot chocolate I’ve had in my entire life. It contains Achiote which gives it its red hue. A fun fact is that they grind the roasted cocoa beans using the power of a bicycle. How more ecological can you be? Here is how they prepare their drinking chocolate with the special secret for making it perfect also shared in the movie Like water for chocolate with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

ChocoSol Pedal-powered stoned ground chocolate - Credit: Indigonat

To order ChocoSol Traders drinking chocolate, you can contact them directly or order it through the Grass Roots online store (3 chocolate pucks for $12).

My posts are in French, but if you can read the language, I encourage you to take a look as I give great suggestions and recipes on what to do with cheese.

My posts so far:

• Interview with François Chartier regarding Tastebuds and Molecules and how you can pair Cheese with food and drinks – Papilles et fromage

• 3 gifts ideas for cheese lovers – 3 idées de cadeaux à offrir aux amateurs de fromage

• Weathermaker cheese – Les Météorologues (Cheese that have names that evoke the Weather)

• The secrets of the perfect Beer and Cheese – Le secret d’une dégustation bières et fromages réussie

• Picnic in an Apple orchard – On tombe dans les pommes: pique-nique au verger

• New ideas for adding cheese in your lunchbox – Du nouveau dans la boîte à lunch

• Fruits and cheese, the perfect match – Les fruits et fromage pour un duo formidable

• Grilled cheese party, a simple way to host a party – Un party grilled-cheese, pour le plaisir de recevoir simplement!

• Reinventing the cheese curd – On réhabilite le fromage en grains

Specialized in Tacos, this food truck is often seen at special events in the city. Their tacos are to die for!

They also often host special events at their headquarters on Courcelles Street in St-Henri. Soon, we will be able to enjoy their fantastic food at Faubourg Montreal where they will have a food stand, so we can enjoy it all the time! That’s great news for foodies. Can’t wait until they open.

Grumman 78 Truck at Fêtes Gourmandes in Old Port Montreal - Photo Credit: Indigonat

Grumman 78 Truck at their headquarters in St-Henri - Photo Credit: Indigonat

Grumman 78 Truck at their headquarters in St-Henri - Photo Credit: Indigonat

Grumman 78 Truck at their headquarters in St-Henri - Photo Credit: Indigonat

To know where Grumman 78 Taco Truck will be next, please go to their Website or their Facebook page.

Their Headquarters is located at 630 de Courcelle, Montreal, QC H4C 3C5.

It looks like a vintage general store with its wood countertops, vintage furniture and decor. A great place to have coffee with a pastry. All products have flowers in them, so  you can sip a rose infused hot chocolate while eating a lavender brownie. During the week, stop by to savour a vegetarian lunch and on the week-ends to have tea or brunch. The place is really small and cosy, but if you are lucky enough to get a seat on the couch, it’s a great place to relax with your girlfriends, if not the window stools are perfect to watch people go by on Duluth.

If you are looking for a neat gift to offer a foodie friend, they sell Cookie Jar kits, conveniently prepared in Mason jars. All you have to do is add 2 or 3 ingredients and mix it with the jar’s content and in less then 15 minutes, you get some really yummy cookies fresh from the oven. The ones I tried were: Quinoa, orange flower water and almonds, but they also have a really decadent chocolate version. They are delicious! Perfect to greet last minute guests.

We love the fact that they are eco-conscious and that they encourage their customers to bring their own Tupperware containers or mugs to avoid using styrofoam or plastic.

An overall a great place for an afternoon tea or just to time-travel in a different era.

Fuschia Chocolate Lavendar Cookies @Fuschia Épicerie Fleur

Rose and Bay leaves Hot Chocolate - Photo: Fuschia Épicerie-Fleur

Fuschia - Cookie jar photo: Fuschia Épicerie-Fleur

Fuschia, Épicerie-Fleur, 4050 Coloniale, Montreal, 514.842.1232

• Wednesday – 11 am to 5 pm
• Thursday and Friday – 11 am to 9 pm
• Saturday 11 am to 5 pm
• Sunday 11 am to 3 pm

François Chartier did a raving review for this rosé, which he said was one of the best he’s had in the last 5 years. As I new that it was being delivered at some SAQ Selection mid-May, I went to the store the day it came out. As there was only a limited quantity available in Quebec, I made sure to buy the 6 bottles I found. I already drank 2…and a glass.

So, my verdict? I was NOT disappointed. I love this slightly pink almost peachy colour rosé, not too sweet which has everything we can dream of in a summer wine. Refreshing with fruity notes on the dry side. The Whispering Angel from Château d’Esclans is a Côtes de Provence that seems to please a lot of wine connoisseurs in North America. It sells for $22.15 at SAQ.com which is a little more expensive than the majority of rosés available. However, it is worth every penny.

Interesting facts:

• The Château d’Esclans also sells the most expensive rosé on the market, the Garrus, which goes for about $100 but is not available in Quebec.
• The owner of the Château Sacha Lichine, loves his 3 variety of rosés so much that he decided to try to convince the Asians to drink rosé, as it is not part of the culture. He must have succeeded which would explain why there are only a small quantity being sold in Quebec…

If you can find a bottle of Whispering Angel at your SAQ.com grab it, as it won’t last long. There are only a couple of bottles left across Quebec and if you are lucky you might be able to taste it at a restaurant, so cross your fingers that you come across a bottle or a glass of that great rosé.

Cheers! I’ll go pour myself a glass, as this post made me thirsty.

Sources and Credits:

• Image: Château d’Esclans.
• SAQ.COM: Whispering Angel,  Code SAQ : 11416984, CUP : 03760167 974190
• François Chartier is an internationally acclaimed sommelier, best-selling author, flavour detective, and instigator of the new aromatic discipline “molecular food harmonies and sommellerie”. He is the author of the award winning book: Taste Buds and Molecules. He has worked as a consultant to famous Chefs, like El Bulli.

The plus:

• It can make 9 popsicles in as little as 7 minutes before needing to be refrozen.
• We can make more natural pops, with additives. Using natural juices, fruits, yogurt and even some real chocolate for our  homemade fudges.
• Faster than going to the Ice cream Parlor or the “Depanneur”
• The cost, sweet price that will be paid within just couple of weeks, if you consider how much quality popsicles cost at the store

The minus:

• Could lead to too many calories ingested if we get carried away…

Here is a sample recipe found on the Zoku Website:

Pineapple Coconut Pops

The heat is on! Make these delicious Pineapple-Coconut Pops and cool yourself off. The combination of these two flavors will be sure to bring to mind the tropics. So transport yourself and enjoy these Quick Pops!

Makes 6 Pops

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BASE
8 ounces fresh pineapple
½ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut

MAKE THE PINEAPPLE-COCONUT BASE

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

ASSEMBLE THE POPS

1. Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from the freezer. Insert sticks and pour the Pineapple-Coconut base into each cavity until you reach the fill line. Let freeze completely and remove the pops with the Super Tool. Repeat with remaining pops.

What are your favourite popsicle recipes?

Sources and Credits:

• Images: Zoki Website, also the Pineapple Coconut Pops was also taken from the site.
• Zoku can be purchased online for $49,95 US and also on the William Sonoma Website for $36,95.

SMOOTHIES APP

Lots of great recipes and also ideas that I have been using for years, which is to replace dairy or juice in smoothies with herbal tea. A great idea that cuts down on the calories, lightens them and that add extra benefits to the smoothie. For example if you use camomile’s Tea you get the soothing effect. I love that she puts them in categories like: dairy, alternative milk, fruit + fruit juices, tofu, dairy. That way even people with dairy allergies can enjoy some delicious smoothies. Here are some that inspire me:

• Avocado + Pear
• Chamomile + Banana
• Almond + Date
• Mango + Red Bean
• Sweet Potato _ Apple
• Coconut + Cherry

Here is a video of what you will find: Martha Stewart Smoothies App

COCKTAILS APP

As for the Cocktails app, especially with summer at our doors, we are always looking for new beverage ideas. In the basic application, we find the classics like Campari and orange, but also new takes on classics like the pineapple-Gin “Kir”, the Grapefruit-Mint Mojito ad the Calvados Sidecar. We can also pay an extra $0,99 to get some specific collections which includes 20 drinks recipes with 5 snacks recipes:

• Summer Coolers collection perfect drinks for the warm days of summer
• Regional Favorites, which includes some classic drinks found in some American cities, like the Manhattan our the Chicago Fizz.
• Mocktails for those who prefer not to consume any alcoholic beverages.
• Cutting Edge which features unusual combinations like Pear-Rosemary Cocktail, Lemon-Verbena Infused Vodka, Shiso Martini or Purple Basil Mojito

Lots of interesting ways to quench our thirst this summer. What are YOUR favorites drinks for the summer?

This “cabane” is so popular that reservations take place 3 to 4 months prior to the opening in the spring. Within a couple of hours, all tables are filled. I was lucky enough to secure a reservation for 6 people, so I called some friends  who were more than happy to join me and have a chance to experience Martin Picard’s cooking.

As images speak louder than words, here are some memories of our afternoon at the sugar shack. Most have been taken by the talented Corinne Paquette, a member of our group. ENJOY! It’s a feast for the eyes, minus the calories

Photos: Corinne Paquette

The appetizer was fresh New Brunswick oysters with maple jelly.

Photos: Corinne Paquette

The first course included: A salad with deep fried smoked pork (oreilles de Christ) and buckweat blinis with smoked sturgeon preceded by a foie gras pea soup.

Photos: Corinne Paquette

2nd course : Lobster omelet, roasted chicken with beer gnocchi, baked beans with cottage cheese, and roasted pickled pork with veggies

Photos: Corinne Paquette

Dessert: Best tarte tatin ever tasted with maple ice cream, nougat glacé with maple candy-floss and chocolate sauce, pancakes cooked in duck fat served with maple syrup and some “Tire d’érable” (maple taffy).

Photos: Corinne Paquette & Indigonat

@photos: Corinne Paquette

Sources: Cabane à sucre Au Pied de cochon (Au Pied de cochon Sugar Shack)

Photography: Corinne Paquette and Indigonat