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De Vienne for sure at JTM. Also les plaisirs d'andrea has them on St-Laurent close to BU. They are much easier to find than 10 years ago for sure.

Lesley, I do not understand what the challenge is. The potimaron growing in my garden is 100% french, from France and packaged in France, certified French... I would be very suprise if the genetic variation of a heirloom seed that is as popular as the ones listed on there would make a huge difference, those are very stable, open air or controlled pollinated. I think they just might have screwed up with seed origin, and that, is not a question of hybrid or not. I do not breed tomatoes, I would hope that these guys do not but very often do because it is part of cost. I do however, carefully select my seeds from serious catalogues with excellent reputations. I'm not a big fan of growers who work in tents anyways... There's sometime wrong with a heirloom organic plant setting fruit in early May in Quebec. Good or bad seeds... In some instances, there are unique hybrids and very often a heirloom came from an original cross of something. For instance, the Kamouraska Espelette hybrid is an excellent product. Much smaller than the basque stuff, but the basque seeds would suffer here since it is so humid. It was open air polinated, is it a heirloom, a hybrid, a varaint, who knows, agronomists don't even agree.

I am suprised of that. First of all, heirloom, new heirloom, heirloom cross or even hybrid which is in itself a huge debate in the case of the listed seeds offered by Plante as I read the website. The difference between a heirloom and a hybrid is rather here or there as there are many hybrids that retain high unique taste but are simply not grown in Montreal, even by the most commercial of growers. Do they grow them to a fine art is another ball of wax. If a hybrid was created, it should be advertised as such, purple calabash, cherokee, black Krim, Amish are not hybrid tomatoes. I will say that some heirloom tomatoes are not true heirloom in pure sense but cannot simply be dicounted as hybrid and therefore tasteless. A tasteless tomato is one that is grown in the same low grade medium, at the same conditions (a montreal late and a yellow pear simply do not grow optimaly in the same conditions). A tasteless tomatoe is one that is doused with acqueduc chlorinated water at a set time, planted in the same location in the same bed, year over year... yes you will get bland fruits water washed fruits... This is similar to cheap basil grown in hydroponic conditions or hydrophinc salads, bland bland, super nice elongated bland leaves... taste like crap. If Mr. Plante can easily change the taste of his tomatoes, than it has nothing to do with a hybrid plant but everything to do with how it is grown and what medium is used. Based on the picures I see on the web, I am not suprised that he must drain a lot of water through these plants. Reguarding Green Zebra (that is indeed a hybrid from about four 1920 circa heirloom until stabilised in the 80's, which in my book stands as almost heirloom)tasting muddy, some variants of green zebra can be considered tarty. The problem with green zebra is that many growers do not know when to pick them, often they are picked too late, green zebra overripped often retains it's physical characteristic for a long time but tastes "muddy" but I assure that a proper green zebra tastes tagny not very acidic, with some sweetness. Personnally, I find the yellow, white heirlooms to be very tasteless, the fuzzy peach one I am not a fan of. These taste like that whatever the condition of the fruit. In most heirloom tomatoes, especially the black one (I consider Black Krim to be my favorite). It is much wiser to pick a tomatoe not completely ripe and let ripen 2-5 more days in a brown paper bag that will contain it's own ethylene to rippen the fruit. It is much better this way, over rippened black tomatoes tend to have a grainy texture. Poutine, I do not grow sweet corn (corn is like a pest in a garden) and no I do not sell my veggies, I give them away. The corn this year, is friggin amazing. Campo, I am not certain if they are still around anymore but the tomatoes in North Hatley are divine. The North Hatley Sutton region is often annual rent lots to organic farmers, who supply other growers for equiterre baskets. Sometimes they are hit and miss. The North Hatley one is apparently very good. There is also a grower in Sutton who sales by the main bakery there later in the year. Depends on the week. I have seen others, last year, who were selling cracked tomatoes, irregular use of water and bad irrigation, basic, she explained that the cracks were due to the heirloom "character" of the fruit, sorry, no dice, she was talking to the wrong guy.

Also, amazing wild mushroom patches have been found this year...

I've never understood why it wasn't easier to get heirloom tomatoes at JTM. This clearly shows that most of the stalls are just buyers and every single one of them offer one tomatoe, the good old Savoura, everyone, same price, same story, same taste... Kind of a shame. I strongly recommend people to try the green zebra and the cherokee purple and black Krim. I have been growing those for years, the real taste of tomatoes ! The greek or oriental cucumbers are also great, people who have gardens should try them out as plants outperform fruit setting like no other. I have had 2 batches of sweet corn already and it is probably the best year ever. The heat, the water, any field that survived early floods have amazing production. We actually will freeze some this year. The wild blueberries are also making their way and it also expected to be a record year, lower prices are expected. Looks like it has been a great year for some crops and others have really suffered.

I went for lunch there, it was quite nice. The smoked salmon looked homemade. The rolls where excellent. They offer a nice little lunch menu. They will bake a red snapper for a good price. Service and vibe needs some work IMO. Definitely a take out spot more than a personnal labor of love.

I hear that she dumps hot sauce on everything... true ? Hopefully, she also got her hands on a real coffee instead of having her staff run all over the place for starbucks...

I was walking about with the kids on Laurier around Fabre corner and noticed that Tri is now handling a take out sushi spot in that area. I did not have time to check out anything but it looked pretty swell (for a take out spot). Is the St-Laurent venu still there ? Has anyone enjoyed his plates recently. I'm probably gonna check him out this week.

I bring three kids there sometimes, it's not an issue at all. See how they can fit early, it could be later. Best for you is offer them (as it seems to work for me) a time to when you will step out.

I think trashy and amercanised where used in two different context by two different people and you put them together. You are completely right about American Apparel, Canadian product per say, manufactured in the US. I love their V necks and I like the fact that AA has brought the length of the Ts under the navel so we don't have to see so much bursting flabbing blubber still so often present south of Pine. So it is needed. I could do without so much old Vice photog style of razor burned underage crotches, but I guess Charney likes that. The good stuff has migrated north long time ago. But we digress.

The trash chic is gone now it is only trash.

Simon, zero problem for lunch at Olive. It is a rush zone though and the space is limited, leave the Pliko at home. Feed the tube before going in or your buddy should get a feeding bra and blanket and voila. I would try to go later if possible. New borns are much easier than 1 year old IMO. I take three kids there no problem, now I will take four there. Tip well, have plenty of booze and buy lots of bread as you pay. It's loud in there, a crying newborn shouldn't be too loud against that noise, hopefully he has learned not too sleep in complete silence. I never dinned out more than when we had our first kid cause he was a sleeper. I'm a bit more militant about kids in restos, I am going to have four and I'll be damned if I can't take them out. I ask that they not make noise, I do not ask for miracles and don't get offended. My kids also like to go to Lemeac, that would also be a good place to have lunch. If you do not take the kids out, they will not learn to go out.

I've answered in the Globe thread. Shut down for 21 days. The liquor board thinks they are sleazy and careless.

Forgot to mention that saddly, one of the coolest terrasse Quebec offered has closed after 20 more years. Bastille chez Bahaud closed it's door recently. That is a fine spot. I hope someone has the courage and ability to turn this place into something greater (and not one of those anonymous franchise bistro disaster).

Thank you Maltoni, great info ! I am there next week, do you know in what area on St-Jean. Definitely some room for a boulangerie downtown, although I do not go on St-Jean too much during high season. Reguarding food, good bets in Quebec city are not easy. In the evening, prices are fairly high. The challenge is to actually find a spot that will serve you decent food for the price. Stay away from anything in the old town, anything that has a front door pushers... Best deals are offered at lunch time, the price difference is incredible. It is financed in part by...dinners. For example, Utopie is a killer value for lunch. By far the best deal in town for lunch and brunch is at Cafe du Clocher Penché, just beside Utopie. Good street joint that just opened a few weeks ago, take out but they sit about 15 people (like a counter, but a sexy one), is Daruma 805 Cartier Street. It's a good Thai. For drinking, I like to hang out at the terrasse of Inox, as mentionned above and also the bar Sacrilege for the musique. The food and coffee and cafe Kriegof is decent, they also rent rooms there. If you hang out in areas such as St-Roch or the Cartier Street area, you will likely get better than in the old town. For a bit pricier, I suggest going to Echaudé in the petit Champlain, just across Inox bar. Pool tables, local beer and couscous with good music and potentially tango lessons are available at Les Salons d'Edgar on St-Vallier street. Go check out the market on week ends by the Port Marina, the market is small but has more growers and less distributors than in Montreal. Strawberry time. Finally, hang over day is not secured before a trip at Pat Retro Hot Dog joint, the very original, in Sillery on Maguire street, just abover the terrible "cote de l'eglise". Be aware that next Saturday, le Tour de Beauce cycling cup will take over town with a criterium going around the city and the infamous hills between up town and down town. Best viewing spot should be above Gilmor Hill, just when the guys cough out their lungs.

Buena Note just went down, no booze for the next 21 days. South of Pine has been reduced to greasy rent-a-car hang outs, Cafe Melies and a few others being an exception.

Hi Toto2, Do you mean that you covered it outside for winter ? How did you go about that, did you trim it before and completely burried ? or did you basically fill it with 2 feet of leaves or just layed it sideway covered like roses ? I knew they could survive but I didn't want to risk it since I have plenty of room for about 8 trees (in-laws leave their house empty over winetr...). Campo, the tall trees are about 80$, the small one (3 feet) are about 40$

They should still have a few. Other than that, just keep your eyes open, I find the strangest things in the strangest places. My Bay leave tree was in a corner of a Botanix in the burbs not getting any mention from sales staff, fresh bay leaves is superb. I would suggest trying some garden-flower shops in the italian district or even up around the marche central-arabic area... Lots of italian have huge fig trees in plastic pots in the backyards around the JTM. I'm gonna make clones for next year. Thank good my inlaws leave during the winter, I can store trees in their house...

Absolutely, in fact they produce all year around, fig tree do not really have a season. The are very resistant but must be stored indoors for the winter, they can go out as son as late April, very easy care but pretty expensive. The italian cat at Jean Talon Market (north East side across from Samy) might still have a few. They are expensive, he had 2 or 3 left, small ones. He is a bit of a shister ie: he sells heirloom tomatoes that are not and Espelete peppers that are not. He does also have olive and bay leave trees that are obscenely expensive (my bay leave tree is 6 foot tall and originally purchased 25$, he sells 6 inch tall clones for 30$... same for his olive trees). I guess it's the typical horror of Jean Talon racket. The fig trees are really nice though and well worth. After research, it appears I have a blanche d'argenteuil variety, originally French. I know there is a Quebecois all year around producer, he might have a few trees also, he has a small orchad that is covered in the winter. http://www.radio-canada.ca/actualite/semai...22/figues.shtml

Again, having a weirdo chasing down a bunch of prized birds who are respectfully raised is not something a grower would get into. Grain gouging is done in a very relaxed and tamed environment, it is already a challenge for foie gras growers to do it properly without criticism, I don't think they will let someone chaise a their birds down. Maybe he should simply go Angus riding without his pants on and then have a big steak... I guess anything to entertain the city slickers. I can see how there could be something like hot dogs or beans or corn festival out there but that probably isn't good enough for the mass.

Can't help you for the milk but I did get a Tuscany Fig tree yesterday, it is quite nice and resistant, produces all year round. The grower had 3 greek, 2 Italian and one Egyptian Variety.

a bushel in 3 minutes ? Must be one of them slick city bushel... Is this for puree ? Buy a machine, it's worth it, I go through a lot of bushels of San Marz in late summer, wouldn't have it any other way. Reguarding the extreme food contest, I'm sure there is something out there, although I don't think we have that relationship with food. I would say that the goat milk is a poor example and one that may explain sf&m's reaction. Goat milk is considered gold, ask any goat cheese maker, especially ask an organic goat milk producer. Goats milk are extremely variable in their production, from 0 to 300%. Seeing a foodnetwork guy at it would be boring becuase he would get no milk... It's also quite telling of the difference between someone who watches or produces a foodshow and someone who makes food. Reminds me of the carnivore who forgot that their steril piece of meat block came from an animal once (that had to be killed and gutted)... respect the food.

I agree, having a 150 capacity restaurant is one thing, closing it for a one time event of 150 at 50$ a head and serving everyone at once is another. If it's on a week day, give those restaurant a try but Thursday to Sunday in August... not so certain. Do you have a prefered hotel for the meeting ? Cheque with the Concierge and force him to ask for someplace outside of the hotel. I would try to do a Traiteur-room booking. Corneillier might have an option witha room in the Montreal Contemporain buidling, you could also try renting the Stone Mason Temple for an evening using the traiteur in the buidling, Julien Leblanc. The rooms are pretty neat. Hotels is another suggestion. Big places might back you up, Mythos is a great suggestion, Holder possible.

Philippe de Vienne will also have some nice stuff for asian food such as kefir leaves and so on. He keeps a couple of goodies. I also suggest a trip to Marche Hawai, it's a ways out for you but nothing comes close. Marché Hawaï 1999, boul. Marcel-Laurin (in Les Galeries Saint-Laurent) Open seven days a week (Sat-Wed 9am-7pm, Thurs-Fri 9am-9pm) The meat place you are taking about is St Vincent, they are also present at Jean Talon now. I just get my pork there and sometimes a lamb leg but these folks deal with organic and there is a stretch between offering organic and high quality meats. For example, I have a local butcher in the burbs that offers a 3a bavette and then aged by him, it's pure heaven and I would never exchange that piece of meat with an organic piece... Technically speaking right now, all birds are not organic as they are not allowed to run out anymore at anytime since H5N1 virus call a couple months ago by Provincial body. This is why I just get my pork at St-Vincent and get A grade stuff at places like Slovenia. Finally, I believe the cream you are talking about is La Creme d'Antan and all Antan products. Although the cream is heaven, I do think that it is pasteurized but i am certain, it certainly does not have 1 million emulsifiers-stabilisers , that is certain. These products are in most market cheese shops in the fridge.

That would be fleur de lys clusters my friend, we've seen enough maple leaf crap in these neck of the woods. Go Habs Go