Serious Cheese

I was out running errands yesterday and down on Bank Street South I noticed this shop called Serious Cheese. I had already had it in my mind that I was going to pick up a few things to nibble on before dinner, so this was perfect.

I had never been in this place before. At first glance I thought it was a restaurant, I could see tables inside and some people eating. But the name had me figuring there was more to it than that. And just as I approached the window I noticed that it was in fact, a giant cheese heaven.

Things got even better once I got inside. A fridge over to the right filled with meaty delights from Maison du Gibier – I grabbed a caribou, port and fig terrine and some smoked, dried ostrich. Yum! I continued along that side of the wall to some prepackaged cheeses. An Italian Pecorino Pepato cheese was calling my name. This salty sheep's milk cheese studded with peppercorns did not disappoint. I then tried a sliver of Fifth Town's Cape Vessey – absolutely to die for. So this one made it's way home with me too. And finally, Le Cendrillon, one of my favourite goat cheeses.

Once I got to the cash, I fell in love with some locally made jams. The strawberry and balsamic one especially. That, in combination with the Cendrillon and some walnut and rye baguette (from True Loaf but bought at the cheese store), was the tastiest thing I ate this weekend.

I'm so happy I found this place. I have a feeling I'm going to be visiting them a lot. I just checked out their web site and have my next cheese purchase already planned – Blue Haze, a Quebec smoked blue cheese, sounds amazing. And on the lunch menu, bacon and truffle mac and cheese!

www.seriouscheese.com

Moose Skewers and Rich Pasta Salad

We had dinner at our very good friend Dino’s house last night. As usual, we over-indulged in mouthwatering food and delicious wine.


It was such a beautiful evening we had dinner al fresco. I could smell the meat sizzling on the barbecue while we ate our fresh side salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, red onion and capers. Mmmm, capers in salad, I need to do that more often.


A rare treat of lean and tender moose meat was served, along with the most decadent pasta I’ve ever had. Cute little seashell pasta with peas and pancetta cubes, and all brought together with a sinful mixture of butter and cream.

What a fantastic evening. Thanks so much Dino. As usual, you totally outdid yourself!

Grilled Salmon with Sandfire Greens

We recently spent some time in New Brunswick. As sad as I was to leave the ocean air and copious amounts of lobster, we were able to bring some of that salty sea taste home to enjoy for a few more days. Ah yes, probably one of my favourite things, Sandfire Greens. In French we call them Tétines de Souris (mouse nipples, because of the balls that form on the stems).

These succulent plants have a salty-seaweed taste to them and are delicious steamed and slathered in butter. I originally thought they were called Samphire Greens, as I think many people do, but I recently read that that the Samphire plant is a different one that grows on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Europe. Sandfire stems from the fact that the plant turns red as it ages and grows in the sand.

To eat them, simply pick it up and pull the green off with your teeth, kind of like you're stripping the last bit of ice cream off a popsicle stick.

And of course, we had to serve fish with them. A beautifully pink, meaty salmon on a bed of fresh rainbow chard and decorated with sprigs of dill flowers, both from our garden. We enjoyed every morsel, right into the sunset (or dark! do I really eat that slowly!?).

My husband chose the Eden Valley Chardonnay from my little wine cellar in the basement to go with this dish as it described itself as being the perfect wine for salmon with dill.

The Techno-Emotional Tomato Tour at The Urban Element

Last night my husband and I spent the evening at The Urban Element. After our amazing experience at Atelier, we thought it would be fun to see some of the magical creations in action and possibly even learn how to replicate some of this unique artistry on our plates at home. Oops, I mean, have my husband replicate some of these techniques. To actually put myself up there in that category of cooking-genius is well, wishful thinking to say the least. My husband on the other hand, no problem!

And the Urban Element is always there to make it all possible.

Chef Sarah Allen, who has worked alongside Chef Marc Lepine for years, was there to demonstrate. The interactive cooking demo, named The Techno-Emotional Tomato Tour, showcased the many different ways tomatoes can be prepared and enjoyed. All the while teaching completely new ways of preparing our food. Who knew tomato soup cakes could make a decadent dessert!?


This was Sarah’s first time doing a demonstration like this and it showed. But her nervous energy began to lift after pointing it out and having a good laugh with the rest of the group. I figure it’s this same self-consciousness that stumped her on some of the questions that were asked. Although I would have loved to get right down to the nitty-gritty details of all the things she was working on, I can also appreciate that not all chefs (probably most) have the ability to create amazing meals while simultaneously educating a group. It really was nice just to see her in action. And the food she prepared, did not disappoint.

Two others were also in the kitchen preparing our meal, Marysol from the Urban Element, who wondrously ran the kitchen in the background and then occasionally poked her head in to ask Sarah some interesting questions when we had run out. And Luis, a student from the Cordon Bleu Cooking School here in Ottawa and currently doing his stage at Atelier, who was very enthusiastic and a pleasure to have around. He really knew his stuff, and his confidence in the kitchen was apparent.


Our first dish was a fantastic start, Panko-Fried Green Tomatoes with Tzatziki and Dehydrated Red Onion. I wished there were more than just two on the plate because these lightly battered morsels were delicious. The garlicky Tzatziki was to-die-for and it took all of me not to lick the little bit that was left on my plate. I did manage to clean most of it off with my fork though! And a pretty dill flower, straight from the Atelier garden, added an extra punch of flavour. This tasty starter was served with Balbach Estate Riesling Kabinett 2008 from Germany. Chosen by their in-house sommelier, this perfectly matched wine featured aromas of ripe peach, citrus, mineral and a touch of petrol.


Next we had the Tuna Ceviche with Avocado, Yellow Tomato, Lime and Wasabi Mayo. Because of my stupid avocado intolerance, I had to eat it without, but my husband assured me that it was so perfect and so much better with it. Yeah, thanks. Well, I didn’t miss it at all, the Wasabi mayo had me in such aw that that’s all I could focus on. I couldn’t believe that such a strong spice, diluted so perfectly in the mayo mixture, could do so much for the meaty tuna. There was no overpowering, just pure perfection in this combination of ingredients. And the wine that came along with it made it that much better. Stadt Krems Lössterrassen Grüner Veltliner 2009 from Austria. A ripe apple nose, with further fresh aromas of pastry, citrus and coconut. Flavours of cinnamon spice and green apple intermingle with notes of pear and grapefruit on the palate. Crisp and mouth-watering acidity. Delicious.


The next course, one that proved to be somewhat challenging, had started off by mixing Agar Agar powder into a tomato purée to create a gel-like texture. The desired consistency took some time to achieve, but once it was done, it allowed for the tomato water to then be separated, using a cheesecloth. It was weird to see the colourful red portion of the tomatoes being discarded and the clear water being kept for the recipe. Oyster (Fat Bastard from the Whalesbone), Tomato Water, Cucumber Foam, Horseradish and Mint (actually substituted with arugula to get the brighter green colour since the mint wasn’t as fresh) – a very fresh combination of ingredients. The flavours were really light, not as exciting as some of the other dishes, but very summery. The clear tomato water tasted very much like tomatoes though, which was kind of fun, considering I automatically picture this flavour coming from something bright red. Shaved fennel was also added to the water, making for a nice crisp texture to liven things up. Once again, a marvelous pairing, Domaine de la Poultière Sec Tuffo Vouvray 2008 from France. A dry, fresh and clean wine with good weight and a long, crisp and flavourful finish.


The making of the next course, the Tomato Sorbet, was the most exciting to watch. They took some tomato juice, and then, by the addition of liquid nitrogen, the liquid magically turned into a frozen sorbet. This sorbet, I must say, was like going through a surprise exercise with your taste buds.


Looking at it, your mind goes mmm, sweet sorbet. But when you take a spoonful it’s an explosion of tomatoes in your mouth followed by a kick of cayenne and pepperiness. So savory and refreshing. The perfect combo for a hot summer day if you don’t have a sweet tooth. I would love to have this again.


This dish was probably my favourite one of all. Sous Vide Duck Confit with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Rainbow Chard, Beet Paint and Goat’s Cheese. The meat was super tender and moist, the chard adding a lovely earthiness to the entire dish, and the most fun part, the droplets of beet paint along the side of the plate. The beet paint can be created by mixing Ultratex Starch to beet juice, thickening it and then straining it a bit. Simply pour the mixture into a bottle with a small hole and use as a paint to decorate the plate. Each droplet is bursting with beet-goodness. Another French wine was paired with this dish, this time a red – Château Pineraie Cahors 2006, a medium-bodied Malbec blended with a smaller amount of Merlot.


Luis kept us totally engaged with his creation of our final dish, the Tomato Soup Cake with Maple Sugar Frosting, Basil Cream and Nitro Dumpling. We all sort of paused in disbelief as he presented us with the Campbell’s Tomato Soup Can. The final result had me floored. The addition of cinnamon and cloves to the batter mixture made the tomato almost taste like carrot cake. A heavenly maple sugar frosting made me melt in my chair and the frozen basil cream, made again from liquid nitrogen, was yet another burst of flavour that left you in sheer amazement that something so small could pack so much zest. And the final glass of wine, Puklus Tokaji Aszu 3 Puttonyos 2003, a Hungarian dessert wine, made for the perfect end to a fabulous meal.

One of the things I noticed most about this meal was that, although it had an amazing amount of flavour (seriously, how many times have I used that word in this post!?), there was very little olfactory sensation. You know when you walk into a room with a ton of things being cooked? Well, only a few things actually required cooking. And I think that having that sensation removed in some cases, really makes you concentrate even more on what’s going on in your mouth. A very interesting feeling. I felt it even more so at the actual restaurant, where nothing was cooked at all. However, they did bring in smells through other channels, like burning rosemary for example. The entire experience hits on all your senses in so many different ways, not your traditional see it, smell it, taste it. Each one is separate but works beautifully together. If you’ve never tried molecular gastronomy or techno-emotional cooking in it’s true form, it really is something quite unique that should be experienced. And Marc and Sarah are the experts that can bring you that.

So once again, I leave the Urban Element with a new appreciation, a happy tummy, and great shots to reminisce on the experience.

www.theurbanelement.ca

Lobster Party!

94lbs of lobster, an ocean view and 60 super fun people make for one big happy family and one lively party!

I attended the Mesheau-Phinney lobster party this past Saturday. I had been to a lobster party thrown by my in-laws before, but this one was, well, a lot bigger! It kind of reminded me of the get-togethers my family used to throw, only this time I was old enough to eat more than just the lobster legs – very exciting.


There were 12 tables line up under a massive tent, each one covered in plastic. Over in the shed, 3 giant boxes of lobster. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many in one space. I believe there were 86 total. Not everyone ate lobster. The barbecue over on the back side of the house was busy cooking a blanket of hot dogs and hamburgers, and another table quickly filled with the most decadent selection of salads to please every taste. Desserts were also in abundance, my favourite being the homemade blueberry pie. Nothing quite screams summer like blueberry pie.

I was in heaven. I could only focus on every salty morsel of the lobster in front of me, at least until the moments where I lifted my head to take a breath and notice the wind, blowing off the gorgeous Northumberland Strait only a few feet away. Lobster season in South-Eastern New Brunswick only officially starts today. Susan managed to have these creatures brought in from up North, just in time for the party.

A huge thank you to Susan for all the organizing that went into this fabulous event. And to all the Mesheaus and Phinneys – you truly are an amazing family that I am so proud to be part of.

The Cutest Breakfast Egg Muffin

I just returned from spending a couple of days in Moncton, NB. The trip was very fast. But I must say, very satisfying food-wise.

One of my favourite eats was coming out of the oven just as I was waking up. The aroma of fried bacon had already filled the air (it's what originally woke me up). But then to add it to this little concoction was, well, brilliant. The base of this muffin is made with stuffing. Yes, stuffing. I adore Christmas time, because of stuffing. Although it tends to be more of a comfort food during those cold fall and winter days, I do miss having it year round, and this is the best outlet. My mother filled the base of muffin tins with stuffing and then topped each one with bacon, cheese and one full egg and baked them to perfection.

Super filling, super satisfying and super fun!

Fuschian and Pad Thai

Last night I had the pleasure of dining with two of my favourite people at one of my favourite restaurants.


Before I get into the restaurant details though, I’d like to make a side note about the wine Marysol, Teresa and I shared before heading over. I picked up Highfield Estate Paua Sauvignon Blanc from the last Vintages release at the LCBO. Filled with mineral, grass, floral and citrusy notes, this crisp wine was the perfect start to the evening.

Fuschian is my staple (see a previous review here) and I make it there almost weekly. A have a real soft spot for rice paper shrimp rolls and peanut sauce, and always start the meal off with them. My main is usually between two dishes, the vermicelli with shrimp and spring rolls or the Pad Thai. 90% of the time going with the vermicelli. The staff are so friendly, I feel as though I’m dining at a friend’s house every time I go.


When I first tried the Pad Thai (quite a while ago), it took a bit of warming up to. Not that it wasn’t good, just that it doesn’t taste quite like your traditional Pad Thai. The ingredients are all there, but the sauce is less sweet than most. I didn’t think of that when I recommended it to Marysol, who I think was surprised by my recommendation. To be honest, I’ve really come to love their Pad Thai.

Which made me wonder what everyone else expects in a Pad Thai. Do you like it sweet, spicy, oily, extra peanuts, lots of egg? I’d love to know which restaurant in Ottawa you feel has the best Pad Thai. Brittany has recommended Siam Bistro in a previous post. I’d love to hear yours!