Taking a photograph of your meal can encourage weight loss, say researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their study found that dieters ate healthier foods if they took a photograph of what they were eating. The pictures appeared to concentrate the mind before the dieter ate, and were more effective than food diaries at causing people to watch what they eat. The researchers asked 43 people to record what they ate for one week in pictures and words. When they were questioned later, the photos appeared more effective at encouraging healthier eating and acted as a reminder of snacking binges. Lydia Zepeda and David Deal, who carried out the study reported in New Scientist, found that diaries were often filled in hours after the meal and were not as powerful in creating an impression of how much food had been consumed. The Daily Telegraph
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Petit Bill’s Bistro
Last night was my first time at Petit Bill's since I started my blog and unfortunately my food experience was not great. I ordered a dish I had had before, Pan Seared Sea Scallops with maple butter and salad; however, when I had it before, I believe it was Pan Seared Sea Scallops with pancetta squash risotto and bourbon maple glaze. My first experience with the dish was amazing and I never forgot it. This experience was ok, not great. It lacked the “wow” factor once it hit your taste buds. The salad was pretty generic too, nothing compared to a squash risotto. I then had the Cod with lemon and butter and frites. It was labeled as a “signature dish” and our server said that people would go there specifically for that dish. I find that hard to believe. There was nothing special about the dish. The fish was more fried than I expected too. They used to have a small plates menu, which I loved. But unfortunately they had to discontinue it as the kitchen was not large enough to support it. I spoke to one of the brothers who own the restaurant after dinner. He asked me how I'd enjoyed my meal. I was honest, which led to my finding out that the current chef is only there one more week and had only been there 6 weeks total. They have a chef from Newfoundland and who has been working in Toronto starting soon, at which point they will be updating their menu. I'm glad I spoke to him and found this out as I don't think I would have gone back. The service was wonderful and his eagerness to know exactly what I liked and didn't like during my experiences there leave me quite hopeful for the new chef. I'll definitely be checking it out once he's settled in. They're also having a tough time at the moment because of all the construction out front. They're sales have decreased by 75%. That's got to be tough on a place that hasn't been around for that long. The link to their web site is below, but don't get too excited, the menu on here is their old one and it's not the same anymore.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
BBQ Cornish Hen and Corn on the Cob
My husband makes the best Cornish Hen. He splits the hen, then shoves a butter, garlic, thyme and sage mixture under the skin and throws it on the barbecue. He served this with local, fresh corn on the cob and green beans.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Pork Medallion with Mashed Peas
My husband made a delicious marinated pork medallion, farm fresh mashed peas with marjoram, chives and olive oil and a salad with balsamic vinaigrette for me for dinner tonight. And as usual, it was awesome!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Rossmount Inn – St. Andrews
My husband treated me to a golf package at the Fairmont Algonquin for my birthday this year. My father-in-law also happened to be in St. Andrews at the same time bringing a travel writer for a tour of the area, so he and his wife decided to take us all out for dinner at this fabulous restaurant, which comes in as my second 5 star rated spot. This inn was formerly a family home that burnt down and was rebuilt as a 3-storey manor house hotel, using moldings and other key pieces from the St. John Hotel that was being torn down at the time. The hotel wasn't very nice and didn't do very well until the new owners Chris and Graziella Aerni took over and changed it to an inn and restaurant. Their focus was the restaurant and they did so well that they were able to use the profits to improve the rooms. It's now a wonderful place to eat and stay. As usual, I had a terrible time deciding what to order. Everything looked absolutely amazing. My father-in-law fixed that for me by requesting a chefs tasting. I LOVE doing that! I was so excited I could barely sit still. We started off with a bottle of white wine and an amuse-bouche of lobster ceviche, then they brought us a salad of candied baby beets and shaved fennel figs with toasted pecans and warm chèvre fritter. Our next plate was the Wolfhead (local smokers) smoked salmon with chive-potato pillows, horseradish-caper mousse and pickled shallot. Then came the sweet potato crab cakes with beet-shallot salad and celery root-apple remoulade. Then we had a mouth watering pork belly dish with summer squash purée and basil-arugula drizzle, followed by the seared tuna loin and “corriander crunch” roasted corn-zucchini fritter and watercress-pickled red onion salad. Our final dish for dessert was a bee balm-vanilla poached peach and homemade blueberry ice cream. I also had a glass of port. A lot of their ingredients are local and seasonal so the menu changes regularly. Now if the descriptions above aren't enough to have you running to St. Andrews to eat there then you are just weird. The prices are insanely reasonable, starters range from $3 to $15 and mains from $17 to $28, the ambiance is relaxing and the service is great. We even got to meet Chris, the chef/owner after our meal was done because my father-in-law knows him well and brings many people through there on his tours. I'm not sure when i'll be in St. Andrews again, but i'll probably build another trip around it just so I can eat at this restaurant again.
The Bell Inn – Dorchester
While on vacation in New Brunswick, my husband and I did an 85 km bike ride through Memramcook, Sackville, Shepody Bay and Dorchester. As I always do, I ended the ride with a food reward which was the Bell Inn Restaurant, a spot my husband often went with his grandmother as a child. This house was built in 1811 and is the oldest stone structure in New Brunswick. It used to be a stagecoach stop in the 1800's and is now a highly rated restaurant. They serve traditional home-cooked comforting foods, which was exactly what we needed. We were lucky to get a table when we arrived. As we walked through the rooms of the house almost all the tables were reserved, and the ones that weren't kept getting the signs put on them every time the phone rang. I started off with a glass of lemonade, so refreshing and was my second choice to the beer I didn't get because they aren't licensed. Then they bring you the best homemade biscuits you've ever had. That is by far their specialty. I ordered the daily special, meatloaf with boiled potatoes, gravy, vegetables and coleslaw and it was delicious. I mashed my potatoes up with the gravy and mixed my veggies in with it, I've always done this with turkey dinner, it's how I love to eat them. My husband had the biggest lobster roll i've ever seen (I think it was a whole lobster in a bun), which came with potato salad and coleslaw and a side garnish of dulse - also delicious. And I know this because my husband can't order anything without me getting him to give me taste or splitting his plate with me (we often do half and half with our plates). The service was professional and prompt and the prices were very reasonable. I'll definitely be back when i'm in New Brunswick, but i'll make sure to make a reservation. I think we got lucky.
Murray Street
My husband and I have a tradition that the day we get home from a holiday, we go out for dinner to decompress. Last night we did so at Murray Street restaurant. We sat on their back patio which was beautiful. It was nestled in a pergola with grape vines and after the sun set the dim lights were very relaxing. I immediately started to get excited as I read the menu. They have three sections to their menu, small plates, large plates, and the section that makes them so unique, the charcuterie menu. They use regional and seasonal ingredients in their dishes which is even more exciting, and also have a selection of regional micro-breweries and Canadian wines; however, upon their recommendation we went with a Californian wine, the Waterstone Pinot Noir - dry and light. We started off with 3 meats and 2 cheeses from their charcuterie bar menu. We had the Smoked Ostrich from the slicer, Venison-hazelnut from the terrines and the Elk Liver-brandy from the pate. For cheese we had St. Benoit Benedictin from the blue section and Indiscretion from the semi soft. Our blue cheese selection was not too strong for a blue cheese and the semi soft one was very flavourful. For the meats, you have to get the Smoked Ostrich, that was my favorite, but the terrine and pate were equally delicious. As I was eating all of this I was thinking they would definitely get a 4 star rating for sure, these meats and cheeses were so delicious I didn't want my meal to end. Unfortunately tho, the small plates we ordered, although very good, didn't meet the standard that the charcuterie items did. They were slightly bland in comparison. We shared 2 small plates, the BLT, which is an in-house smoked St. Canut porcelait belly with North Gore tomatoes and basil on toast and the Wild Sockeye, in-house smoked salmon, cucumber salad and pickled mushrooms with goat cheese. The service was good, had our server not been so busy it may have been great, but I think she got a lot of tables in at once. The prices are reasonable for what you're getting too. The charcuterie plate was $25, the two small plates came to about that amount as well. Our wine at $65 brought the total up and we finished off with a vintage port and long espresso. I'll definitely be back again, even if only for the charcuterie menu.
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