carswell

They're similar though the far is eggier (it's often referred to as a flan) and usually has a higher ratio of batter to fruit. I love them both but then I've never met a cake I really liked and I turn my nose up at all but the simplest fruit pies and tarts.

For a quick-and-dirity transcript of the report (among other things, quotes are not shown as such), visit the World Report archive for April 13, 2005. It's the third item, titled SAWA 2.

Close but no cigar. That's the Paris bistro of the same name. There's also an APDC in Ottawa. But this thread is about the Montreal eatery and its website is still AWOL.

The story goes that when the Académie française defined clafoutis as a flan the inhabitants of the Limousin region, the home of clafoutis, protested so fiercely that the Académie ended up revising itself and defining the dish as a kind of cake. I think of it as somewhere in-between: an eggy pancake batter liberally studded with fruits. Most traditional recipes I've seen call for two eggs and milk, not cream. It puffs a little though nothing like a soufflé. If the top hasn't browned when the batter is cooked through, simply run it under the broiler for a minute or two. I don't recall ever having an excellent traditional clafoutis in a restaurant; it's too homey for many places and doesn't lend itself to elegant individual portions.

This Yahoo!/AP article on the same study includes some additional information. For example: Twelve animals (n=12) doesn't strike me as a particularly large sample size. Not a proponent of bio-engineering in general, I have to say that genetic engineering spooks me more than cloning. Still, I'd avoid "cloned" milk, though less out of health fears than to support traditional agricultural practices.

The staffer is talking about his/her outlet. Most if not all the bottles mentioned can still be found around town. Your best bet is the Sélection stores, like Laurier West, Beaubien, Rockland, Atwater, the Forum, Fairview and de Maisonneuve. Alternatively, you can order at least some of the wines online and have them delivered to your door. To check availability, go to the SAQ's website www.saq.com (once there, click the L at the top of the page to switch to English) and in the Search box type all or part of the wine's, producer's or appellation's name. Then find the wine you want from the search results and click the corresponding Outlets link (if the wine is available online, there will be an "Add to cart" link too). Select the geographic area you're interested in (e.g. Greater Montreal) and you'll obtain a listing of all the outlets that carry the wine and the number of bottles they have in stock. Click on the outlet name for its business hours, address and phone numbers.

Conventional wisdom is that eating a big meal an hour or two before going to bed is a Bad Thing. Here, for example, is a recent post from the Food Lovers' Discussion Group: The other day, an acquaintance who's something of a fitness nut was shocked when I told him I'd worked late, had dinner and gone staight to bed. "That's unhealthy," he stated matter-of-factly. When I asked why, his reply was a weak "Well, everybody knows it is." Yet, if going to bed on a full stomach is unhealthy, why does one often feel sleepy after ingesting copious amounts of food, especially rich food? Isn't a post-Sunday dinner nap nearly as venerable a tradition as Sunday dinner itself? Don't wild animals often retire after eating their fill? Is eating big just before bed time really so bad for you? And if so, why? Edited to add a link to the quoted FLDG post, part of an interesting "how many meals a day?" discussion.

I think you're right in saying that the only farmed salmon is Atlantic salmon. JayT's right, too: salmon isn't the only farmed fish. One farmed species not on his list is striped bass, not to mention shrimp, mussels and oysters. You can buy Pacific salmon in Montreal, by the way. Nouveau Falero (west side of Park Ave. a few doors south of Bernard) regularly has it, as do the fish mongers at the Atwater and Jean-Talon markets, just to name the places where I've seen it recently. Note that it's usually referred to by the species name (coho, chinook, king, etc.) or place of origin (e.g. Copper River). As for whether the wild Atlantic salmon sold in the city is the genuine article, I guess you have to take your fishmonger's word for it or judge by taste and texture, at least until one of the local fishwrappers decides to do an investigative article à la the New York Times. For my part, maybe I'm gullable but I trust the guys at Nouveau Falero. edit: Other farmed fish not mentioned so far: catfish, tilapia and large-mouth bass. Arctic char is being looked at, too. And the Norweigans are reportedly trying to farm cod.

Drizzle on: - steamed white asparagus - spaetzle browned in butter and garnished with grated parmesan - grilled endives - roasted squash - squash soup - squash-stuffed ravioli - grilled, roasted or broiled white fish and "white" meats - grilled sweetbreads. Classic Austrian: peeled cucumber rounds, thinly sliced salad onion, pumpkinseed oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. It also makes a great vinaigrette, especially in combination with sherry vinegar. Try said vinaigrette on an endive salad topped with a round of fresh chevre coated in breadcrumbs and heated in the oven: orgasmically good. Bear in mind that a little goes a long way. In vinaigrettes, I often cut it with extra virgin olive oil.

Sure you can use it to salt cooking water, but you'll be throwing away your money since the pasta won't taste any different than if you'd used a less expensive salt like kosher. What you're paying for with sea salt is texture and flavour, both of which are lost when it dissolves. So use your salt as a garnish. Robuchon is an advocate of what he calls deep salting; for example, he salts his french fries lightly with fine sea salt as they come out of the fryer and with coarse sea salt just before serving. The larger grain gives a burst of salty flavour and a satisfying crunch. Try the technique on your next grilled steak. Coarse sea salt is also great spangled on foccacia just before baking.

La Chapelle de Bébian is the second wine of Prieuré de Saint-Jean de Bébian, one of the first Languedoc wines to make waves back in the '80s. The estate's website says the Chapelle is a blend of 35% cinsault and carignan and 65% young grenache and syrah, though the exact proportion would vary from vintage to vintage. The pungency you refer to is just the smell of the grapes involved, pretty typical of a well-made Languedoc involving those varieties. If it's kind of earthy and dried herby (the famous garrigue), it's probably the cinsault, carignan and grenache talking. If you're getting game, smoke or bacon, it's the syrah. If it's just fruit, it's all of them together.

Coteaux du Languedoc is a big appellation and the AOC rules allow a number of grape varieties to be used in its wines (mouvèdre, grenache, syrah, carignan are cinsault are common red varieties; white varieities include roussane, grenache blanc, viognier, marsanne, carignan blanc, clairette and macabeu). So, without knowing which estate produced your wine and which of the estate's wines it is, we'll be hard pressed to guess what your "pungency" is. Tell us what you're drinking and maybe a little more about the smell (smoky? sour? animal?) and we'll be happy to make a WAG or two.

Actually, having opened bottles of both in the last month, I'd say the 2003 Domaine des Perdrix Bourgogne blows the Coldstream Hills out of the water. A highly arbitrary list of wines tasted in the last six months or so and that are still available. I set my upper limit at $30. I'm writing this from memory, too, so prices and spellings are approximate. Rustic Italian - San Lorenzo 2001, Rosso Conero, Umani Ronchi, $18. Suave montepulciano-based red from the Marches. - Medoro 2002, Marche, Umani Ronchi, $12. Sangiovese from the Marches. - Ulysse 2000, Etna, Duca di Castelmonte, $18. Sicilian red made from two indigenous neros, neither of them d'avola. Dark and juicy but not heavy. A favourite with grilled meats. - Chianti classico 2002, Isole et Olena, $27. Not the greatest vintage but, as always, a lovely wine. - Chianti classico 2001, Berardenga, Felsina, $26. - Chianti classico 2002, Fonterutoli, $28. - Vitiano 2003, Umbria, Falesco, $16. A savvy blend of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Somewhat international in style but still a great buy. Give it an hour to breathe before serving. Simply prepared seafood - Soave 2002, Calvarino, Pieropan, $28. And the $40 La Rocca is simply stunning. - Anselmi's VDTs (used to be Soave, now declassified): San Vincenzo, Capitel Foscarino, Capitel Croce, $17-$28 - Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio 2003, Mastroberardino, $21. The other Mastroberardino whites (e.g. Greco di Tufa) are good too. - Viognier 2002, St. David's Bench, Niagara, Château des Charmes, $17. Absolutely nothing like a Condrieu (the top appellation for viognier) but a really pleasant, zesty dry white. All of CdC's whites are worthwhile, especially their late-harvest (sweet) riesling. - Château de Fuissé 2001, St-Véran, $24. One of the best inexpensive white Burgs. The LCBO occasionally stocks the vieilles vignes, which is an order of magnitude better. - Côtes-du-Rhône 2002, Guigal, $20. Very good white despite the tricky vintage. Better than many Châteauneuf-du-Papes. - Château St-Martin de la Garrigue 2002, Coteaux du Languedoc, $19. Dry, complex, lively with an intriguing bitterness of the finish. - Château Roquebrun 2002, Coteaux du Languedoc, $18. Denser, heavier than the preceding, so better suited to richer fish. - In Alsatian whites, the current line-ups from Trimbach, Hugel and Beyer are all excellent. Prices range from $15 to $50 and beyond, depending on the grape and the cuvée. At the low-end, Hugel's Gentil is hard to beat. Grilled meats - Big House Red 2002, Ca' del Solo (Bonny Doon), $20. Crazy red blend. - Koonunga Hill 2002, Shiraz-Cabernet, Penfolds, $17.50. - Peyrouzelles 2002, Gaillac, Domaine de la Causse Marine $17.50. Fruity, easy going, great with grilled meats like pork and rabbit and with duck confit. - Château Mourgues du Grès 2003, Galets Rouges, Costières-de-Nîmes, $17. Très syrah with grenache in a supporting role. - Zinfandel 2002, Cline, $20. - Château Monauriol 2000, Côtes-du-Frontonnais, $18. Made from the negrette grape. Unique. - Mas Cal Demoura 2000, L'Infidèle, Coteaux du Languedoc, $27. Classic Languedoc. - Côtes-du-Rhône 2001, Guigal, $20. Several excellent CdRs from small producers (e.g. L'Oratoire St-Martin, Cuvée Antique, Domaine Richaud) have sold out. While the Guigal may not have quite the personality, it remains good juice. - Tercius 2000, Ribatejano, Falua-Sociendade de Vinhos, $19. Portuguese red blend perfect with grilled meats. Not a lot left in the network. Spicy food is always a challenge. For discussions, search the Wine forum for Indian or search the India forum for wine. Ultimately, beer rules.

Mixed reviews. Click here.

Am seeking a translation of the French term vin de repas, literally "meal wine." As I understand it, the term is used to describe still dry and off-dry wines of any colour that one typically consumes with food, as opposed to fortified wines, bubblies, dessert wines, wine coolers, etc. The English term "table wine" includes this meaning, at least according Merriam Webster's ("an unfortified wine containing not more than 14 percent alcohol by volume and usually suitable for serving with food"); however, as the Oxford Companion to Wine points out, "The term 'table wine' has a specific meaning within the European Union ... and is applied to all wine produced within it that does not qualify as superior quality wine." So, if one were to use "table wine" only as a translation of vin de table, vino de mesa, Tafelwein, etc., how should one translate vin de repas?

I should have thrown in a smiley or two or gone with my original "a jaw-dropping $3,495." Don't know who buys these bottles but it sure as hell ain't me. Anyway, as I say, Signature has a number of wines well within the reach of mere mortals. And it turns out the 10% sale is system-wide. The funny thing is that almost every sensible critic prefers the other Pomerol made by one of Le Pin's owners, Vieux Château Certan, which you could buy a case of for the price of a single bottle of Le Pin. Afraid that even with the discount the LLC is far beyond my means. Unfortunately, because the estate is one of my favourites. Haven't bought any second growths since 1994, the last year they were sorta, kinda affordable. The 2000 must be fabulous. Bully to you for getting some.

Looks like the 10% discount applies to all products in all outlets. Here are a few reccos recently tasted. Prices do not include the discount. - The 2001 Scotchman's Hill Shiraz comes from a cool-climate region and shows a finesse I often find missing in Oz wines. A few bottles remain in the system, most accessibly at saq.com. Around $38. - 2003 Burgundy from Domaine des Perdrix. Perfumed, dense and rich at the start, it only gets better as it breathes. Not your typical Burg, however; 2003 was a very hot year. Around $30. - 2001 Cupa Numismae from Château La Roque in the Pic Saint Loup region of the Languedoc ($29). Classy blend of syrah and mouvèdre that sees 15 months in French oak. Quite concentrated with the syrah dominating at this point. Too animal, too savoury-sour to be mistaken for a New World wine. I like. - 2003 Nero d'Avola from Rapitala. Made from the indigenous Sicilian grape but in a sweet shirazy style, it's a steal at $14. - Boony Doon's 2001 Charbono. Dense, dark and juicy. Not what you'd call a multi-faceted wine but saved from hohumness by a complex bouquet, pure fruit, rustic but soft tannins and that faintly bitter aftertaste typical of so many Italian wines if rare in their New World doppelgangers. Turns out charbonno may be the same grape as dolcetto, and you can see the resemblence, though there's no mistaking the BD for an Old World product. While it's no bargain at $30, I'll probably pick up another bottle, especially as it clocks in at a reasonable 12.5% alc./vol. - 2001 Château des Jacques, Moulin-à-Vent, Louis Jadot. Delicious now but with the requisite stuffing to age another five or ten years. Pricey at $27.80 but worth it. Puts many similarly priced Burgundies to shame. (This coming from someone whose slogan has long been "Life is too short to spend it drinking gamay.") The perfect accompaniment to a lapin à la cauchoise (I have a new jar of Grey Poupon and a tub of Liberty crème fraîche in my fridge and a rabbit on order for the weekend). - The 2002 dry reds and whites from the Loire look to be outstanding: Muscadet, Chinon, Bourgeuil, Vouvray, Sancerre, etc. This region remains one of the best sources of affordable, food-friendly wines, provided you aren't looking for gobs o' fruit and oak.

SAQ Signature has just announced a sale from Thursday, April 7, through Sunday, April 10. Ten percent off all purchases of $100 or more. In other words, you'll save $350 on that 2000 Le Pin. (They also have a nice selection of $25-50 bottles, by the way. Won't know until tomorrow whether the sale is limited to the two Signature stores or applies to all outlets.)

Kevin72's right. You want to make this with the meat from duck legs, thighs, wings and backs. The breasts are best fried, grilled or roasted rare or used in preparations like duck prosciutto or smoked duck breast. If duck and other dark-fleshed birds like quail are hard to come by, you could substitute hare or rabbit.

Thanks for the heads-up, wattacetti. A graphics person of my acquaintance is always pushing me to go to Wakamono and I've always suspected the place's appeal for her was as much the slick décor as the food. Guess you've just confirmed that.

True. But there really aren't many (any?) Plateau places that pull a world-class espresso. There are, however, a lot of people in the area who are able to appreciate one. If vin builds it, they will come. I agree with Larry. The food at most coffee bars is weak and the exceptions, like Olive & Gourmando, are few and far between. So, yeah, I'd like a place that got that right: really good pastries, excellent sandwiches and some innovations. Like seasonal products that feature local produce. Quality aside, one of the depressing things about Montreal's coffee bars is the rut they're stuck in. The menu never changes and is basically the same wherever you go. And as Larry mentions and others have bemoaned elsewhere on this forum, there are very few places to go for a decent dessert.

Just received the latest circular from the Signature store. At $500 a 750-ml bottle, Louis Latour's 2002 Montrachet Grand Cru may strike you as a bit spendy. On the other hand, it seems downright affordable next the the 2000 Le Pin, a small production Pomerol much lauded by Parker and retailing for a cool $3,495.

Have never seen a zucca melon or a pastèque à confire, for that matter. And a little poking around the Web now has me wondering whether they are the same thing. (My original information comes from a Government of Canada database, though I have also seen the two equated on other websites.) A French friend who knows about these things assures me that pastèque à confire is indeed a melon, a yellow-fleshed one at that, and not zucchini-like except in shape. It's also called citre and, less commonly, gigerine in French. The Latin name is Citrullus lanatus (zucchini is Cucurbita pepo). Will research this some more when I can find a few minutes.

Several people, myself included, have referred to lapin à la moutarde, so here's an unusual twist on the theme. I've adapted the recipe from one in the long out-of-print Cuisine de nos provinces. The twist is in the method, with the cream added in stages and the mustard saved until the end. The name refers to the Pays de Caux, a region of Normandy, whence the butter and cream. Don''t be put off by the quantity of butter, by the way; it's discarded after the rabbit is browned. The classic accompaniment is sautéed or french fried potatoes. Buttered fresh noodles showered with chopped fresh thyme and chives also work. The wine of choice would be a supple red such as a Beaujolais, a gamay or fruity cabernet franc from the Loire or an easy-going pinot noir. Lapin à la cauchoise 1 rabbit, cut into 7 or 8 pieces. 4 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3/4 cup (200 ml) dry white wine 2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped Salt and pepper 1. In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the rabbit pieces and brown on all sides. As the pieces finish browning, transfer them to a plate. 2. When all the rabbit pieces are browned, discard all the cooking fat. Return the pan to the burner, turn the heat to low and add 3 tablespoons cream, scraping the bottom of the pan to free the tasty brown bits. Return the rabbit pieces to the pan, turning them 2 or 3 times to coat them with the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 3. When the 10 minutes are up, add 1 tablespoon cream to the pan and turn the rabbit. Cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Add another tablespoon of cream, turn the rabbit and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the last tablespoon of cream and simmer for 5 minutes more. 4. Using a whisk, mix together the mustard, wine and shallots and pour the mixture into the pan. Turn the rabbit pieces again, cover and simmer gently for 15 or 20 minutes. Correct the seasoning. Serve immediately. Four servings

Green garlic soup! Sweat some chopped onion in butter until translucent. Add chopped green garlic and potato. After 5-10 minutes add chicken stock. Simmer until the potato is tender. Purée. Enrich with cream, if desired. Sweat chopped green garlic in butter until tender, purée, and use it as the flavouring for a soufflé. Stuff a stalk or two in the cavity of a large white-fleshed fish (e.g. striped sea bass) with a couple of bay leaves and sprigs of fresh thyme. Roast the fish. Serve drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice. Swoon. You can do something similar with poultry, too, sans the drizzle.