Eat: Top 10 Desserts

Growing up, I had a major sweet tooth. Every weeknight and weekend dinner was followed by some form of dessert, whether it be ice cream, cookies, a Swiss roll or a Mae West (hey, either you get it or you don't!). It was a very tough habit to break. Over the last few years however, I've slowed down on the sugar intake, often indulging in a second helping of dinner rather than a sweet dessert. Also, my taste has evolved from simply wanting "anything chocolate" to wanting something slightly more savoury or complex. 

The desserts that make up this list are not goodies that I have often (except for the cupcake habit that I had to wean myself off of) so I still get really excited when I do get to enjoy them. Here is a top 5 list that doesn't respect the rules. I could narrow it down to 5 but with so many ethnic food options in Montreal it's much too difficult to choose less than 10. No homemade options on this list; just goodies from my favourite sweet shops around town and a few restaurant desserts that make me giddy. 

• Carrot Cupcake @ Cho'Cola

There are cupcakes and then there are Cho'Cola Carrot Cupcakes. It's all about the cream cheese icing here, and they pile it on high. Cho'Cola makes a wonderful carrot cake as well, but the cake batter mix is subtly different and the cupcake version is my preferred choice for its moistness and spice. No nuts in this version (Cho'Cola is a nut free establishment) which is fine by me. This dessert makes me want to sing 'you are my sunshine' when I eat it, it really does elevate my mood.

• Macarons @ Point G & La Maison de Macarons

Last year's trip to Paris introduced me to macarons and now life will never be the same. Wonderful little mouthfuls of pure flavour and texture, they are bliss in two amazing bites. How they get such pronounced flavour I will never know, nor do I care. I was so excited to discover the existence of our own Macaron shops in Montreal, and they do a fabulous job. I must point out that it's worth the trip to these shops rather than getting a macaron from a random pastry shop that doesn't specialize in these babies. My preference is Point G for their vivid colours and vibrant flavours, and also because their packaging makes for perfectly protected macarons. La maison de macarons uses muted colors but I would never turn down one of their fleur de sel caramel or gigi & co chocolate macaron versions. Oui, Oui Oui, Point G! ;-)

• Zeppola Con Ricotta & Miele @ Artigiani

I know there are a million zeppole versions out there, especially with Easter on its way, but the one that beats out all the others for me is from Artigiani on St. Denis. Warm, fried dough coated with a sweetened ricotta (like cannoli) filling and a warm honey drizzle, I absolutely want the whole plate to myself. Traditionalists be damned, I care very little for the whipped cream or custard fillings that often fill zeppoli's around town. I only have eyes for Artigiani's decadent version. I'm due for some of this gooey goodness, it is almost Easter after all!

• Natas @ Romados & Coco Rico

I wouldn't be exaggerating if I told you that I had between 1-3 Natas a day during my 10 day visit to Portugal. The meals were hearty but I owe most my weight gain to this perfect little tart. The custard is sweet but still pleasantly bland, and the crust is the perfect balance between flakey and chewy. My natas MUST have 'caramelization' all over the surface of the custard because that's where the flavour lives!! I am sure with all the great Portuguese restos/bakeries in town that there are dozens of good versions (I've had some bad ones too) but Romados and Coco Rico are my old standbys, and I rarely leave without buying at least 6 of these beauties (not to mention a chicken sandwich and roasted potatoes, but that's another story).

• Künefe @ Su

I have only had this once, but the experience stayed with me. It' was a dessert of the day, that has since been added as a recipe in the owner/author's cookbook (Su). Basically its a middle eastern phylo dough called kadaïf that is shredded (looks a lot like rice noodles) and fried with cheese and topped with syrup and pistachios and pomegranate. It's warm oozy gooey goodness, savoury and sweet. The pomegranate accents may seem non-essential but they really elevate the taste and should not be excluded. If I can't get Künefe again at the restaurant I might be forced to make it myself, and I fear I might mar my perfect memory of this delightful dish.

• Warm Apple Pie with cheddar @ Amelio's

Just to be clear, I don't like apple pie. There are so many bad apple pies out there; it's never my first choice when I have options for dessert unless I get a good look at it first and can verify if it meets my "picky girl" taste. I would never have ordered this without having tasted someone else's first. At the time I couldn't fathom pairing cheddar and apple pie, but I now know they were meant to be combined. Served warm, the saltiness from the cheddar coats the buttery flaky crust and blends with the cinnamon/nutmeg spice on the apples with every bite. Pure happiness.

• Dulce de leche Churros @ El Rey del Taco

Warm Dulce de leche fills the churrochurros with its sugar crust and then getting the dulce de leech flavour. I never want another empty churro, it must be filled with dulce de leche!! They were made for each other! This restaurant is awesome for so many reasons; this dessert is just one of many menu items that make me giddy to go back.

• Gulab Jamun @ Star of India

I guess you could go to 90% of the indian restaurants in Montreal and get a decent gulab jamun (with as many ways of spelling Gulab Jamun). My preference (nay, NEED) is for it to be served warm - I am so disappointed when I get a styrofoam cup of 2-3 milk balls as part of my delivery order and it has been chilled. Boooo! That cardamom and rose water syrup has made me an addict, and I didn't even know I liked those flavours.

• Cannoli @ Cavallero's

Some people prefer their cannoli stuffed with whipped cream, others enjoy custard, while other still prefer a ricotta/icing sugar mix. I desire only the ricotta filling; I can take or leave the chocolate chips that sometimes end up mixed into it. Cavallero's is one of my favourite summer time Saturday afternoon nosh locations. Their Italian meats, cheeses and bread make for delicious sandwiches and their potato chicken empanadas make me grin from ear to ear. Combined with a not too sweet, ricotta filled cannoli and a Limonata and I am one (stuffed) happy camper.

• Warm Tapioca Pudding @ ChuChai

I won't eat just any tapioca pudding. My 'picky girl' rules dictate that only ChuChai tapioca pudding will do. ChuChai serves their version warm, with a thick layer of coconut solid on top. The salty flavour of the coconut is already wonderful but combining it with simple syrup for sweetness is heaven. A small serving but big on flavour.

Shop: GAP Broken-in straight khakis

I don't frequent GAP much these days since I tend to prefer the styles and materials that Banana Republic has to offer (GAP's higher end sister store). Having said that, I was window shopping between the 3 stores (BR, GAP and Old Navy) which share a common checkout when I happened upon GAP Broken-in straight khakis.

The reviews were plentiful and a majority of them were positive. The sizing advice seemed consistent (size down, they are made big) and the price was right at 59.95$ Cdn. Add a 30% off sale and I decided to order 2 pairs, one in Hot Coral and the other in Dried Fig. They arrived last week and I'm very pleased. I really wanted something other than jeans to wear around this summer, and I really like the look of a rolled up chino with a nice heel or wedge sandal. Very casual, clean....maybe even deserving of a straw fedora if the mood should strike me.

 

Image courtesy of GAP






















 

Image courtesy of GAP




I also bought Boyfriend roll-up shorts in deep guava but regretted not sizing down as well. I know they are supposed to be boyfriend cut, but the ill fit combined with the bright colour was doing nothing for me. I ended up returning them this weekend in-store for a smaller size and a different colour (boardwalk). I'm thinking it was a smart trade.



Image courtesy of GAP



Image courtesy of GAP



Eat: Top 5 Restaurants that....I'm Dying to Try

It's probably not good to admit but one of my favourite hobbies is dining out. I make an effort to try new (and new to me) places but there are definitely some old favourites that would probably not make the cut if I was reintroduced to them today (but I digress...)

This will be the first in a series of posts I will write about my "Top 5 Restaurants...". I will start with the easiest list, my top 5 restaurants in Montreal that I want to try next. It's a lot of fun to think back on all the meals & restaurants that will form my list and I'm putting some serious thought into my Top 5 BYOW and Cheap Eats lists.

Top 5 Restaurants that I'm Dying to Try:

• Nora Gray

Ever since I saw some twitterpics of the food being prepared here, I've been itching to go. My interest has been piqued by the threads on Chowhound and the twitter updates from the local food scene; the only reason I'm hesitant to go is the repeated feedback that the restaurant can be overbearingly loud & cramped in terms of seating. But damn, does the menu look and sound good! I'm a sucker for Italian food, even more so for rustic country/family style Italian food. I am completely looking for an excuse to book a reservation here. Anyone want a dinner date?

• Olive & Gourmando

My interest here lies entirely with their version of a Cubano sandwich. When I was in NYC last fall, my boyfriend and I ended up dining at Guantanamera where I ordered my first ever Cubano sandwich...and it changed my life. The flavours and textures are paired so beautifully. Sliced ham, warm slow cooked pork roast, cheese, pickles and mustard...pure heaven. When I got home I immediately went to chowhound to ask Montrealers where I could get something similar. A few suggestions were made but the most common one by far was Olive & Gourmando. I want to go but it's in Old Montreal, an area I don't normally go to during the week, and they are closed on Sundays. I've heard there can be quite a line up to get in on Saturday as a result; there is no way in hell I'm going to wait in line outside a restaurant in the middle of winter. No can do, not even for a Cubano. Just waiting till the thaw...

• Campanelli

I know very little other than the fact that, in the last 3 weeks, Montreal foodies have been posting the most SICK photos of sandwiches from this place. The bread looks fantastic, the toppings delectable. Meatballs in marinara with cheese, layers of gorgeous capicolo. Daaamn..... Check out the website pictures, seriously. I need to stop having such massive breakfasts on the weekend so I can make room in my belly for some lunch at this place!

• Osteri Venti

I'm already been here twice, so technically it shouldn't be included here. But it's my favourite restaurant right now, hands down, and they had unveiled a brand new menu. I would try anything they prepare, and I'm drooling with anticipation over their meatballs and homemade cured meats. If it wasn't for my recent attempts to lose a few pounds and gain a few dollars, I'd be back there tonight. Must go back soon.

• L'Artisan

Another restaurant I know very little about, but it showcases one of my all time favourites foods ...sandwiches! Well, piadina to be exact, a specialty of Emilia-Romagna. I have yet to try it, but the Montreal Gazette review posted pictures of the homemade flat bread, fresh arugula, prosciutto and stracchino cheese (awesome, who uses stracchino!!) used in their specialty and I was convinced that I had to try one for myself. ASAP.

• Honorable Mentions:

Pied De Cochon Cabane A Sucre and Garde Manager. Two places that are incredibly popular and garnering a lot of buzz.

With Pied De Cochon Cabane A Sucre, I was lucky enough to hitch my wagon to a group dinner reservation requested in December, which was finally confirmed almost a full month later in January (not atypical, apparently). I am excited and it's still 2 months away but I have to admit that as a picky eater (don't dig foie gras, offal, etc. ) I'm likely going to pass on a number of their menu items. Which is probably better for me in the long run considering how ill people have claimed they feel after leaving the cabane a sucre. But I'm along for the experience, which should be memorable.

For Garde Manger, there is a strong local pride right now for both our food scene and our Chuck Hughes. I have heard enough to make me want to go, but I anticipate I will be back in the 'picky boat' considering some of his usual ingredients. No plans to go yet, my boyfriend has already been there and sometimes it's hard to justify a return trip to a restaurant when you consider cost, difficulty with reservation, noise level/comfort, etc. Truth be told, even though it's one of the most buzzed about restaurants in the city, I would be fine if I never went back to the Pied De Cochon restaurant, based on cost and the god-awful food hangover I had for 48 hours afterwards.

Drink: Chablis Champs Royaume William Fevre 2009 (11.99) Wine Review

Name: Chablis Champs Royaume William Fevre 2009

Price: 11.99

Quick Sum Up: Would definitely buy this again. Great price, balanced taste. Yum.

Full Review: The SAQ in Westmount is where I picked up William Fevre 2009. A recent trip to Paris has inspired me to try more French wines; I have been intimidated by their complex label/control system in the past. Since I don't know French wine very well, I feel comfortable going a bit cheaper and experimenting with different varietals and/or blends. The price was right at 11.99$.I can't tell you what I paired it with, I have long since forgotten those details, however I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good this wine was for the price. It was acidic (which I like) but also fruity enough not to let the acid be too overbearing. A regular refrigerator is good enough for me in terms of temperature management. Chilled in the fridge for a couple hours and a quick rest at room temperature and this wine is ready to go. For me, a chilled white wine is essential; a piss-warm white wine is almost not worth having. Another positive for me was that there was no syrupy mouth feel on the finish which I tend to dislike, I've noticed that quality with a few Chardonnays that I have tried.

*** *** ***

Additional Information from SAQ

Tasting Notes from SAQ: Greenish yellow in colour, this white boasts a medium nose exuding floral, fruity and mineral aromas. Discover this medium-bodied wine expressing lively acidity and offering a broad texture. It also unveils a medium mouthfeel that leads into a medium finish.


Food Pairing from SAQ: Fish and seafood (scallop tartare, salmon, tuna), Sauces (lemon, lime), Cheese (goat-type)


Additional Info from SAQ:

• Wine family: Dry, medium-bodied and fruity
• Country: France
• Region: Bourgogne
• Appellation: Chablis
• Producer: William Fèvre
• Alcoholic strength: 12.5 %
• Acidity: Lively
• Intensity: Medium
• Persistance: Medium
• Body: Medium-bodied
• Tannins: N/A
• Texture: Broad
• Sugar: Dry
• Taste family(ies) : Floral , Fruity , Mineral

Drink: Precursor to a Wine Review

I love wine. Love, Love, Love with a capital "L", LOVE. I don't know much about wine, except a few details that I've managed to retain from the vast plethora of oenophilia out there. I'm not as articulate as I'd like to be when I need to describe a wine. I know what I'm looking for but feel incapable of describing what I'm after. Which is why the SAQ website is so cool. They are continually improving the site by adding more and more information. Which is great for the wine plebes among us. So forgive me because I will lean heavily on the SAQ or other resources out there to help explain the qualities of a particular wine that I have sampled. I'll couple it with my layman description and hope the proper terminology will stick.
Over the years, I've been a bit lazy in my wine selection. I generally stick to Italian, Californian, Australian and a handful of wines from British Columbia. Historically, I am also partial to red wine. I would say my consumption of red to white was 90/10 for nearly the last ten years. But with the discovery of a few delightful whites from Portugal and New Zealand, I have become much more open to the idea of white wine. I buy wine in bulk (that sounds awful). What I mean is a case of 12 rather than wasting time picking a couple of bottles at a time. I like to take advantage of the sales at the outlets and the hefty discount at the SAQ depot for bulk purchases. In the beginning, I would buy 11 red and one white, then eventually 2 whites, etc. I'm at a 60/40 split at this point. I also force myself to try wines from all over the world, and apart from Greek wine (sorry) I haven't met many I didn't enjoy. In terms of price, I like to get a range from 10.00$ to 24.00$ for my case, I generally average out at about 210$ for 12 bottles. I occasionally splurge on a more fancy bottle, but I rarely go over 30-65 dollars.
So this is where I'm coming from when I talk about wine. I am a true fan, but not very good with all the details. Here on my blog I will be adding my review & description of the wines I try. The primary reason is for record keeping; I have a tendency to re-discover the same wines for the first time, all over again, because I don't remember the labels (particularly for French wine). This way I can refer back and make a more educated choice in the future. Wines also change a lot from one year to the next, so it would be a boon to have notes that reminded me that I loved Badiola 2009 but hated 2010 (which is not possible, its such an awesome wine).

Shop: The Mad Men Collection by Banana Republic

Today's the day that the Spring 2012 Mad Men Collection by Banana Republic becomes available. I got up early to log in and see what beauties would be available for purchase. My reason being that when the Fall 2011 Mad Men Collection became available, I waited too long, hemming and hawing about the price and then lost the opportunity to buy the most gorgeous blouse ever. I scan for it weekly on eBay to no avail. My girlfriend has it in the very colour (dried berry) I fantasize about; I hated her a tiny bit when I saw her in it (my face dropped in an expression I can only compare to a childhood Christmas morning when my brother got an AT-AT and I didn't). ....I'm over it, I swear!

Image courtesy of Banana Republic

To my surprise only one dress stood out from the Spring collection, and I am leaning towards not purchasing it. I have a lot of dress already (this normally doesn't stop me) but I'm not convinced of it's awesomeness quite yet. Perhaps I will regret my procrastination, but at 185$ +tx, I'm willing to take the chance. I just hope I don't end up seeing it as this years 'one that got away'.

Image courtesy of Banana Republic

On an interesting side note but still related to the Mad Men collection, about 2 weeks ago, Banana Republic Canada had a mystery sale, with a 30-50% off surprise at checkout. Ends up that I got the 50% off (SCORE!!) so I kind of went a little crazy. For some reason, 3-4 Spring 2012 Mad Men items were available to select from. I thought it was odd, since the advertisments clearly stated March 1st as the unveiling. I took the opportunity (at 50% off, no less) and bought an ivory bow blouse which is similar to the dream blouse but not quite as nice. I also had the chance to buy the Joan dress at 50% off but decided against it. Which probably means I shouldn't do something stupid like buy it now at full price (but to be honest, I'm a smart girl but downright stupid when it comes to shopping). In any case, all the Mad Men items were pulled from the website that very same night so I wondered if it was a mistake. Irregardless, I did get my 50% off Bow blouse in the mail recently so I am quite please with how it all turned out.

Image courtesy of Banana Republic

Eat: Roasted Lamb Chops with Charmoula, Lemony Salt-Roasted Aspargus & Potato, for two.

For years I avoided preparing lamb. I'm not sure why I found it so intimidating, it's as if it I believed it was somehow more exotic than beef. A few years ago however, I became more 'adventurous' with my recipes and finally added lamb chops to my repertoire. Easy peasy, as Jamie Oliver says. Up until I dabbled with vegetarianism, Grilled Charmoula Lamb Chops from Epicurious was my go-to recipe of choice, unmodified. A word of caution; the onion and garlic taste (and smell) has the tendency to linger long after to lamb pop is gone.

But now that I'm a failed vegetarian, I have recently started to eat and prepare meat again. It's daunting - I'm a bit rusty when it comes to done-ness of meat (I err on the side of well done when I actually prefer the taste of medium). For my first lamb dinner AV (after vegetarianism), I thought I'd try a new variation.

Original recipe: Roasted Lamb Chops with Charmoula and Skillet Asparagus

Modifications:

• I chose not to make the asparagus from this recipe, and instead added it to the Lemony Potatoes.
• As I did not have time to marinate overnight, I marinated the meat for about an hour in the fridge, and I truly think that it was very flavourful anyway.
• I found that there was not a lot of charmoula after mixing, so I used only 5 chops instead of the recommended 8, next time I would consider adding more of the charmoula ingredients to get more sauce.
• Finally, the food processor may not have been the best tool for the job, once i pulsed it briefly the mix sat below the mixer blade and wasn't well processed. I will use a blender next time.
• I had the potatoes & asparagus in the oven first at 425 but then increased the heat to 500 for the lamb. As both were in the oven at the same time, I'm pretty sure the heat was a bit lower to start when I put the lamb chops in. The chops were perfectly cooked, medium-rare however the next time i made chops at 500C for 13 min they were over done. Perhaps shaving 2-3 minutes off might be in order if you aren't sharing the oven with another item.

Modified Version: Roasted Lamb Chops with Charmoula

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 5 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) lamb loin chops

Heat small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast until aromatic and slightly darker, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Transfer to processor. Add parsley leaves and next 6 ingredients to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add 4 tablespoons oil. Transfer 2 tablespoons charmoula to small bowl; whisk in lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cover and chill to serve with lamb.
Transfer remaining charmoula to large resealable plastic bag. Add lamb chops; seal bag and turn to coat well. Chill as long as you can, up to 24 hours. If stored in fridge over night, let lamb and charmoula sauce in bowl stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 500°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place rack on prepared baking sheet. Place lamb on rack and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast about 13 minutes for medium rare. Transfer lamb to platter. Tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes.

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For a side, I chose to combine the following recipe with asparagus that I had on-hand, since the herbs and lemon work well for both. Next time I will try to be more vigilant and follow the recipe, since I obviously read it wrong.


Original Recipe: Lemony Salt-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes from Food & Wine

Modifications:

• The processor was dirty and I was feeling lazy so I used a knife to coarse chop the rosemary, thyme, lemon zest together
• I couldn't find sage at the store, so I left them out. Too bad, I love sage.
• I added asparagus to the mix for extra veggie goodness
• Seems I completely misread this recipe, because once the potatoes were on the rack, I sprinkled them with the herb mix and Fleur de sel rather than waiting till after they were cooked. whoops. they were still pretty good though.

Modified Version: Lemony Salt-Roasted Potatoes & Asparagus

• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Fingerling potatoes, or other small yellow fleshed potato (6-8 potatoes each serving)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 bundle of asparagus
• Fleur de Sel (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 425°. Zest the lemon. Remove thyme and rosemary leaves from rough stems. Combine herbs with lemon zest and chop by hand until finely chopped. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the oil and butter and season with pepper. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and sprinkle with the herb mix, and fleur de sel. Leave some room on the tray to add the asparagus later. Roast for 25 minutes total. After about 10 minutes of cooking, coat the asparagus in the butter/oil mixture, and add the asparagus to the baking sheet, sprinkling with the mixture and fleur de sel, allowing the asparagus to roast with the potatoes for the remaining 15 min. Adjust timing based on your ovens idiosyncrasies.