sf&m

Chantal, Canale Evasion is on channel 51 on my cable. It's like a miniature Un-obnoxious "Food Network". Mixture of foodie, travel and touristy programming.... there are some low spots with what appears to be annoying british or american productions with french voice overs but what I like are the Quebec related and Quebec produced programming which I find not over produced, and often charming and informative. Programming is in French and although I am not french speaking I know enough to enjoy it. The style is much more cultured and relaxed than american style TV production "values". Some favourites: The Venzina cooking show I mentioned Passeport pour la gourmandise avec Daniel Vézina (lundi à 20h30) Showcasing QC food & vine producers and restos La route gourmande avec Frédéric Blaise A VERY enthuisiastic Vine show Vins du monde avec Jacques Orhon Showcasing QC spas La détente est dans le spa avec Tania Kontoyanni Showcasing QC public gardens Jardins secrets Several other shows featuring QC restos etc... Canale Evasion Website

Please check out the foodie bookstore at Jean Talon Market "Libraire Gourmand" (in the new extension, right by the stairs to the garage). Nice selection of Quebecois and french cookbooks - well worth supporting rather then the mega book stores. All of the books mentioned above are available. + Some expensive SERIOUS french books. There is a $82 Michel Bras book, with high lust factor - for instance. There is an interesting historical book about food in Nouvelle France of pioneer times. etc etc. Lots of books on QC/French specialties such as foie gras. Have you seen the show on Canal Evasion with Venzina and a cute young lady? It's funny and not so foodie serious in a very Quebec kind of way.

JTM Today July 17: - Philibon Melons "Melon du Quercy" at Chez Louis. At $6.99 a pop. - Intermiel This honey vendor is now in place (June 24th - Oct 30). Kiosque 167. Un-pasteurized Golden Rod Honey (Verge d'Or) Blueberries & Raspberries with some Greek Yoghurt drizzled with the wild tasting golden rod honey.... or just berries and honey droplets for that matter..... Oh yeah, Summer time at JTM! - Reliable sources of New Potatoes in 1/2 " to 2 " sizes - Roses (the wines) from Domain du Ridge, L'Orpailleur, Vignoble des pins etc well stocked at Marche des Saveurs for those who are brave enough to try a Quebec Rose alternative. - And did someone notice the Blueberries-rhubarb or was it Cassis- Rubarb (the mind spins) a couple of weeks ago at Havre Aux Glace? Whatever - it was good! - Plug for Libraire des Gourmets bookstore, They seem to be thriving! Drop in and purchase something so we can keep them there.

Carswell, I did a Beaujolais trio at Bu last night: ean-paul brun, l’ancien, terres dorées, beaujolais 2003 château cambon, beaujolais-villages 2004 g. descombes, brouilly 2003 I don't know if I'd be as harsh on #1 but... I really liked the #2 in sort of a replacement for a great Rose way - I thought. Have you tried #2 and #3?

Yes, but on the other hand the prepartion cost for a trio of 3 x 3 oz glasses of wine at about $15-$20 is much less than for a $15 pizza. And takes much less space and equipment. Bu is a favourite..... I only wish they rotated their food menu a bit more. IFJ - I would go for an enoteca in Little Italy!! /gth

Well, maybe that Yes! was a bit rash and selfserving! Got soaked at BU, lol. I like being able to taste a few wines wihtout paying for a whole bottle since I frequently dine on my own. For "regular" parties of 2 or more that is less an issue. The 2 oz trios at BU works great for me but I am not sure how big a draw they are in general. One friend was a bit put off by the small amount - that of course being the point of a trio - but he was used to getting a bigger serving and stuck on that. Also if "bar patrons" were really interested in wine, bars would be serving better wine selections. For sure - for wine a bar to keep it's niche it also have to serve a great selection of small plates and at least one daily mains.....which sort of makes makes it into resto territory. So I guess wine bars have some ingraned behavioural and competitive hurdles to pass. But all you need to stay in business is a great looking space, cool customers, good wine and superb food.... welcome to reality.... Maybe the ideal Wine Bar is a great resto with an adjoining large bar area with a serious tasting selection. The Slanted Door in SF has perfected that with a huge bar cranking out wine and coctails (and food) for dining patrons.

Yes!

Three resources (besides Egullet opinions) well worth getting: Quartiers Gourmands 2005 This book is a listing of gourmet food stores and fine food take out places thoughout Montreal. It's only $8.50 because it's advertizer supported, but unobtrousively so. Also has a good map with all stores marked. Very good resource. Flavourville By Lesley Chesterman 400 + pages of pro restaurant reviews. Almost all top restos in Montreal are covered. Adresses, phone numbers, open hours etc. In one very handy book. Resto A go-go By Sarah Musgrave Reviews of 180 cheap an fun places to eat and drink in. Good complement to Flavourville. With the two last resources you're covered for a 24/7 Montreal drinking, dining and diveing experience. (They are 2004 and 2003 editions so the very latest resto additions are not in there but who cares.... there is always egullet for that.) New editions coming soon I hope!! Egullet opinions are great but there is something about a book with a consistent and well thought out professional reviews. And you can take them with you when exploring. You should find these at Libraire Gourmandise at Jean Talon market where you can also browse a good selection of Quebec related foodie literatur as well as French language cook books.

Went back to Juni a week ago Saturday..... at 10:45 pm no less - they close the kitchen at 11:00.! I know - how inconsiderate can you be?! But when the Sushi Jones hits - it hits - and waking up at 10:15 from a nap after an exhausting day - I had them. Rush off and a perfect parking spot across the street made my entrance "in time". Juni and his second Mr Micho Kino fed me well. - The 5 sashimi again. No Tasmanian Trout left :(. But what to expect at 11, when they are closing for the week? - Tried a hot dish. Monkfish with japanese Eggplant. Superb. A small piece of tempura monkfish mounted on a 1" x 3/4" inch rondell of eggplant which was unctiously braised(?). And ah, discovered the secret tweak, small mushrooms logged between the fish and the eggplant. Served with a sweet/salt/fruity sauce. Rich but clear in melanged flavours. 3 pieces per dish. Much recommended. - Also had the seeweed "salad" - 5(?) different seeweds served on the same wooden linear tray as the Sashimi. Colors from purple to several shades of green from light to almost black. Great as sashimi interludes. Would be enough for two. - In spite of time Juni gratiously put together another special sashmi order, superbly balanced and cut, especially considering the limited inventory left. A true professional. BTW : Juni is reviewed in Saturday's La Presse. From what my limited language skills could gather it was favourable. I think he did make a mark for the "musac" - I did notice too it was a bit intrusive. But not by any means anything that should keep you away. Maybe it's the younger crowd he feels he needs to appease with noise. Juni's is certaily stylish enough and the food speaks for itself without any extra entertainment.

Bu's Gazpatcho is nice. /gth

gus_tatory, I already went to Juni and was very impressed - see my post here: Juni Is Good Now I have to make it to Oishii! /gth

At what point is a "modified" Martini not a Martini anymore? Not exactly "Shaken not Stirred" times.... I had the misfortune to be introduced to a "Dirty Martini" a while ago. A Martini with Olive pickle juice splashed in it.... **shudder**. But what the heck - after the third you're numb anyway. I am keen on doing/hearing about a on comparison between Oishii with Juni...

Toto, how do I get plugged in to Slow Food events in Montreal? I am a member of Slow Food San Francisco, but a lot of the time I seem to be here when they have an interesting event there. I don't know if membership there counts here also - I should find that out!

Oops, needed to edit that post but now it won't let me... another fascist board "rule" or me being ignorant? In any case, managed a double negative. First line should be... "First an abject apology to the lovely lady - Montreal. How could I have ever have doubted that you had an expert knife man in your guard?" Sorry about all the typos.... usually manage to edit those out but, alas no edit button...

First an abject apology to the lovely lady - Montreal. How could I have ever doubted that you did not have an expert knife man in your guard? Last night I had the pleasure of sitting down at Juni's sushi bar and spend some time with Mr Ikematsu himself. Softspoken and humble, as befits an organized and skilled man, Junichuni is of top international caliber. His new restaurant has clean and calm design elements and is nicely apointed using blond wood and light sienna tableware. At first look I blanched as the chef and his sous-chef were busy preparing "Dynamite Rolls" with a final blistering with the blowtorch. Oh, no... not another roll whatever place, went through my head. The attractive young couple (well at lest the coifed, bronzaged and buffed Montreal female unit) at the bar inhaled them happily - when they were not busy inhaling each others lips. The young male clone pronunced the item "classic" and ask Mr Ikematsu where the name came from. A whistful smile past his face as he calmly wiped his blade an told them he did not know who came up with "Dyamamite roll". I decided to follow the trail laid by Mr Tastet, and it was indeed a very good choice. The Miso Soup uses a mild white rich miso, and comes in a nice ceramic bowl. I started a with the 5 item sashimi augumented with a few Nigiri. Sadly Saba was not on the menu. The 5 sampler Sashimi combines top product selection, cutting and presentatio and excels in all. And, as was reviewd 3x5 suberb shashimi is $15! The selection were: Bio salmon from Vancouver, Arctic Char, Tasmanian Trout, Sea Bass and Octopus. Next to each item was spoon presentatin of 5 differenet sauces, Plum, Fresh wasabi, Ginger honey(?), Wasabi salt and I forget the 5th. All excellent. Take note: The tasmanian trout is outstanding. I have never had this before. Had to indulge in a second 2 pieces. The chef marinates whole fish pieces, skin on, in "salt". You do not taste that, just a very rich sashmi. In spite of all the noise about farmed salmon the Vancouver Bio salmon was extremely tender and cut in a handsome thick unctous slices. The Chefs knife skills are the best I have tasted in Montreal. The Hamachi Nigiri was ok and to get with the modern program asked I the chef to make a SMALL roll of his choice. He offered a very nice "Spicy Scallops" rice out roll of managable diameter. It was Montreal palate spicy - i.e. not. Slicing of dicon, carrots etc are well executed. They have cute cuttings of regular red radishes, which strips come out translucent/white with with red tips. The menu has several non sashimi/Sushi items. Duck seems prevalent but I did not pursue that part of the menu. So - it's settled: Quality comfortably over any other an other Monreal sushi bar I've been to. Sashimi seems to be a strenght, traditional Nigiri maybe less so. (I guess it's no longer ordered by the younger crowd so skills & inventory suffers. Fancy rolls for same crowd. Non-sushi dishes to be explored. Lastly: NO MONTREAL GAMBLING FORM for ordering sushi!!! Yeah! What is up with that anyway?? Bravo!

Here's an excerpt from todays CUESA newsletter - CUESA being "The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture" - the organization that runs the Ferry Plaza Farmers market in San Francisco. It discusses California conditions for wild Salmon but some of this article is applicable for Canadian West Coast wild Salmon and Salmon Farming. It certainly gives insight into how far out on the razors edge we have come. So - FYI: This Week’s Feature: Salmon Season Stinted This spring, demand for wild salmon is higher than ever, and in the waters off the coast of Northern California swim record numbers of the fish. But a painful irony means that the sale of local wild salmon could be a rarity this season. The Pacific Fishery Management Council, a federal agency that regulates all fisheries from three to 200 miles off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and California, has officially adopted severely restricted 2005 management measures for salmon. Though the PFMC manages only federal waters, the California Department of Fish and Game, which plays a major role in helping to determine federal restrictions off the coast, adopted identical measures (along with a few additional restrictions) for state waters from zero to three miles offshore. The reason for this year’s limitations is critically low numbers of Chinook (aka 'King') salmon in the Klamath River Basin. Although offshore numbers of Chinook are higher than ever, the number that hatched in and will return to reproduce and finish their lives in the Klamath River System is perilously low. A minimum of 35,000 Chinook need to return to their natural spawning grounds in the Klamath to keep the population from eventual extinction. Because anglers have no way of deciphering whether they are catching Sacramento or Klamath (the two river systems from which the salmon originate) Chinook, the entire catch must be restricted to ensure that the "spawner floor" is reached. The reason for such slim Klamath Chinook runs is a major fish kill that happened in 2002, caused by a disease epidemic. Crowded conditions and high water temperatures resulting from low water flows led to the death of many juvenile Chinook. There is evidence that a decision made by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation to increase water flows to farmers, thereby restricting flows for fish, is to blame for the crisis. Between both geographical and durational limitations, this year’s opportunities for catch will be about half of last year’s. In 2004, waters between Point Arena and Pigeon Point opened May 1st - this year’s catch is restricted to below Pigeon Point for the month of May, and below Point Sur for the month of June. Says fisherman Larry Miyamura of Shogun Salmon, “Looks like it's going to be real hit and miss as far as having salmon at the market in May. We haven't caught many fish below Pigeon Point since 2000. It's been longer than that for the area below Point Sur so June looks even more bleak.” In July, waters from Point Arena to the US Mexico border will be open. For the many organizations that have worked tirelessly to dissuade shoppers from buying farmed salmon, the challenge now is to convince consumers that despite the shortage of wild salmon, farmed is not an alternative. Farmed salmon are raised in oceans waters within crowded net cages where diseases are widespread. Antibiotics are added to the feed to prevent sickness, but this does not stop diseases and parasites from spreading to wild salmon that swim free in the same waters. Additionally, the waste products created in these feedlots are let loose right into the marine environment, disrupting the ecological balance where salmon and other species live. The feed fed to salmon is often contaminated, and research suggests that farmed salmon contains high levels of PCBs and dioxins. Moreover, much farmed salmon is dyed pink using chemicals, so if we eat farmed salmon, we eat the antibiotics, PCBs, dioxins, and dye along with the meat. What you can do on behalf of wild salmon, and to ensure a less restricted harvest in the future: • Buy line-caught salmon from small-scale fisher men and women (supply this year is limited, but there will be some!) • Eat only wild salmon until salmon farming becomes sustainable • Help preserve salmon habitat by supporting small scale organic farmers • Protect creeks where salmon habitat is being restored • Urge your elected officials to enact laws protecting salmon populations and their habitats • Support water policies that protect salmon’s ability to swim between ocean and creek

As I mentioned above, when it happend in San Francisco it wasn't a problem - even in bars. But we do have a benign climate. It probably would have been good if the change happend here in Montreal in the summer so smokers had time to adjust come winter. It's a big difference being chased out on the street if it's -30 deg! It's important that resto owners and everyone makes this as easy as possible, special ventilated rooms, maybe som shelterd nook on the sidewalk. Let's try to make it as easy as possible on those that smoke, rather than ban and damn. We all benefit from that.

It's funny how in all these cities/states etc. that goes non-smoking it's preceeded but this uproar, sturm-und-drang that all restos will have to close and all bars will go out of business. It happened in California, first with restaurants then with bars - not being a smoker I forget how far we've gotten but I don't think you can smoke there indoors in any public space anymore. Did the restos and bars suffer - no way. My old hardcore Italian bar "Gino and Carlos" in North Beach still have the still clientel, still sucking down the same drinks. A few characters hang out by the entrance smoking and once in while by 2 am a smoke or two is probaly had by the bar.... but life goes on. And I bet even smokers like it better.... for sure the bartenders can go home healthier. Last time back in Sweden they had the same stupid discussions, restos closing, bars out of business, politicians and union officals beating their chests, same lame arguments. Then it happens and .....nothing happens... So... it will happen in Montreal and (almost) everybody will like it.... I think it will INCREASE US customer based business for Montreal Restos. People with $$'s to spend and time to spend in Montreal are likely health aware and turned off by tobacco smoke. Caveat.... sending folks outside to a St Laurent sidewalk in January at 35 below IS cruel, even if they are smokers... so we'll have to erect smokers tents I guess. It's amazing how fast an ingrained gross behavior can change once it's not cool anymore... Like 70's men clothing and Spittons in bars, just to mention two other centuries. Then there is always Swedish Snuff for the hardcore nicotine freak. Oh, yeah!

Hmm, Is Oishii Sushi about one block down from Park on Bernhard, left side going east, sliding windows that open up to the street?? I went to that place last fall and it was totally untogether, bad service, un-memorable sushi... Or is Oishii a "2005-new" place??

Carswell, Premier Moisson have Confit in jars at the JTM store. On the wall opposite the counters next to jars of Lentils actually. Haven't tried them, so only FYI. Also, while I am at it I saw duck confit legs at the upstairs store of Nouveau Falero a while ago. The regular scrawny looking Cryovaced kind. Also Bucherie de Marche (excuse spelling) at JTM has confit legs. Haven't tasted either so only for your foraging convenience.

Re: pepper on smoked mackerel..... just trying to be tounge in cheek there, since I have not tried it :). I will. But traditionally, you would not find that in Swedish Smoked mackerel that uses large fat fish caught on a line and then smoked in Juniper and Alder smoke, to a golden brown. The fish are smoked whole. Belly cleaned but with head on. And yes a buttery mouthfeel - oh, my! When I go back there I can eat a whole mackerel in day. So O'Thym's should be worth a try. Also, just fried myself a passel of the ol' guys eggs and checked the color. Yolks are bright neon yellow and have a rich smooth taste. Recommended. And another new taste at Havre aux glace - cassis - intense! That blood orange does raise the bar, for sure. We're going to have to start a Havre aux Glace reporting thread not to miss anything they put out.

I have seen the smoked mackerel at the Gaspesie store at JTM. Have NOT tasted them though. They were fillets and encrusted with pepper(?!), so questionable from a Swedish standpoint. I have purchased whole smoked mackerel at Loblaws of all places - ok, but not anything to write home about. It would be interesting to taste the O'Thyme verision to see if its anywere near Scandinavian quality. Frankly, over many years I have yet to find a North American source that rivals Scandinavian Smoked fish. It's either influenced by British or Continental Jewish tastes, both of course inferior. I would also like to know where I can get the very best quality eggs. I got a flat last Sunday from the old guy at JTM that also sells honey and wraps the flats in newspaper. They were good.

Carswell, that's because the 199O Alsace Vintage is considered an exceptional year in general. Don't know anything about Trimbach.... but that 1990 could be a great deal. Same price as any Ontario Icewine. Thanks for the tip.

I went to the Sources location first on a couple of occasions, and haveing been dissapointed by what I had found on Cote des Neiges and Mountain, enjoyed it. Maiko's on Sources is run by Maiko's sister. Then they started being flaky but the last time they seemed to have stabilized again - that's about a year ago. The decor and layout of the Sources resto is very nice, especially being next door to a Chinese all-you-can-eat place in the West Island wasteland. Great place for lunch if you're out there anyway. Then I went to the Bernard location and as wattacettti says - it's more together. Sit at the sushi bar and watch Maiko in action. Inventive rolls galore. The best dish I found both at sources and Bernard was the Scallops Maiko. Scallops in a cream souce, lightly broiled with some Ikura in the sauce. I'd recommend Maiko over a lot of Montreal Sushi places... probably best to stay away from traditional Nigiri and try salads and appetizers.

Yes, they have been selling live crab the last two weekends. And in a stand outside the Gaspesie Store they were cooking them. Being a Dungeness man myself I don't know what kind they were. Long legs, small body for the size - is that snow crab? Since we're just coming off our crab season here in CA, thats handy. Hope they last until I am back. First time I've seen live crab at JTM.