GastronautQuebec Report

[VivreManger]

This was the first day devoted to gastrotourism. I had three goals. Two out of three was more than the other three could take. As a result it was also the day in which the wife threatened a divorce -- almost -- and the kids planned their escape from the monastery to the orphanage.

It began easily enough as cousin Monique watered the garden with help from her guests and we all together decided whether the dock at the shack on Lake Massawippi would go up today or tomorrow. Dock delayed, the way was clear for my plan.

The first goal was the abbey of St. Benoît du Lac, Austin Village, about an easy country driving hour away, on the other side of Lake Memphremagog. My appetite had been whetted by Leslie Chesterman's article on the Quebec cheese trail, http://www.globeandmail.com/special/food/wtrav3.html

The Abbey tries to walk a fine line between the commerce that supports it and the spirit that justifies it. The web-site, www.st-benoit-du-lac.com, is devoted to the spiritual vocation, though phone numbers and email addresses are provided to contact its cheese and cider operations as well as its store. As a result the site -- at least as of now -- contains no detailed information about what the Abbey produces and sells. Entering the compound, I saw no sign of its subterranean commercial enterprise. Spotting the families crossing the parking lot, toting bags of cheese and cider, gave the clue to what to find and where to look.

The main building at the parking lot's edge buries the store, while housing in its cool corridors a visual history of the Abbey and Order and the chapel of the community. A sign requesting modest dress made us wonder if tank tops would be banned, but no one seemed to be troubled. Significantly that sign was more prominent than any indication that lucre was lurking below. The store lives in the basement, occupying much of this level, a large open space, enough to display several dozen products -- food, books, and souvenirs -- from the abbey itself, from other Quebec monasteries, as well as other sources. The store closes during morning mass so it is wise to call beforehand.

Although not available on the web-site there are brochures describing their main products: cheese and cider. They make 14 different cheeses. Unfortunately the most interesting were not in stock. They also produce at least five different ciders, other apple products, and maple candies, sugar and syrup as well. Cheeses are cow, sheep, and goat. None are described as raw-milk. Also disappointing was the absence of a tasting room. So we had to buy blind.

Two cheeses missing from their stocks were the Chanoine Bleu de Brebis, a three-month aged blue cheese, and Chèvre Noit, a 9 to 10 month aged Goat Blue. We did buy and try the Mont St. Benôit, a very mild, young Swiss-like cheese, l'Archange, quite mild for a firm goat cheese, the Bleu Bénédictin, a three-month aged blue, pleasant tasting, but nothing distinguished, the Ricotta de Chévre, which we bought out of curiosity, and the Bleu Ermite, the first produced by the abbey when they opened their cheese dairy in 1943. Each of these five cheeses were good enough, but not terribly exciting, certainly nowhere near as good as the raw milk cheeses we discovered later in our travels.

However we did buy pound cryovac packages of each of the available blues -- Bénédictin and Ermite -- and will give them another taste to see if the initial judgment stands.

Saint-Benoît started its business and established its reputation decades ago when Kraft cheeses dominated the Canadian market. By that standard, they were superb. Over the past five to ten years, new cheesemakers have arisen, combining raw milk, long-standing artisanal traditions and commercial savvy. In this new climate, Saint- Benoît cannot maintain a cutting gastronomic edge, if that has ever been its goal.

We also tried some of their ciders, the dry and semi sweet. By comparison to what we drank later, the drinks were not that interesting. In terms of what is widely available, I prefer Cidre du Minot, which is to be sure, a tad sweeter than even the Saint-Benoît semi-sweet.

The apple juice and maple candy were good -- we should have gotten more. However, the apple sauce has too much sugar. One other treat we have yet to try, a carmel chocolate sauce from a Cistercian monastery in Oka, Quebec. It boasts 35% cream, along with sugar, corn syrup, and glucose. The chocolate is only fifth in the list of ingredients so I expect a sugar high way before the cocoa chemicals kick in.

There is an uneasy contradiction at Saint-Benoît between commercial necessities and Benedictine seclusion, discipline, and rigor. It seems that both could still be maintained. Much of the abbey's operations are secluded from public access, fair enough. But a more customer friendly approach would offer tastings. However I suspect that the Monastery has built up such a reputation over the years that it has very little need to sell itself. In the short run, this probably makes good business sense, but given the explosion of Quebec artisanal gastronomy, it is not clear that Saint-Benoît can maintain such indifference indefinitely.

At this point in our journey the adolescent bellies were bustling with hunger enzymes. Tried to calm them with maple candy, chevre, and apple juice, but that was not enough. That salle de degustation I proposed would have helped, but instead all I heard from the oldest was: "Its the first day of our vacation and you made us go to a monastery -- oh my God!"

Now the search for immediately edible food began in earnest. We had passed a number of acceptable spots on the road from Magog, but we were now pointed west to ice cider country and I was not turning back. Fortunately after another twenty minutes, we discovered Gigi and Mimi in Bolton Center.

This resto/snack-bar is located at the intersection of 245 and Chemin Nicolas Austin (the road to Austin) which at this point changes its name to Baker Pond Mountain as it heads to Bolton Glen and Knowlton. Coming on the Austin Road it is on the left, south-east corner of the intersection.

The women who run it have owned for about four or five years and are not sure they want to continue the hard work of keeping the place in business. We had one chef's salad which was excellent, fresh (non-iceberg) lettuces, red and yellow bell peppers. The other orders were a chicken sandwich, made with real shredded chicken that they said they had cooked themselves and a grilled cheese sandwich. The only disappointment was the caesar salad. It was covered with shredded mozarella. I saw the locals ordering the special of the day, roastbeef and various sides -- it looked edible. They try to make as much as possible from scratch.

My mission that day was to get to the Domaine Pinnacle in Frelighsburg, not a great distance for crows, but on back bumpy country roads more than the troops could stomach. The drive was pleasant. The views beautiful, gentle slopping hills and vales, farms, well-tended gardens and cute vacation homes -- in season this is ski country -- plenty of live-stock to keep the 12-year old mooing. However when we finally got to the Domaine, a mini-rebellion was at hand. A bit of sweet cider might have calmed everyone, but all they were offering was the real stuff: Ice Cider and Apertif Cider.

Pinnacle Ice Cider is supposed to be among the best. Judging by the two other brands subsequently sampled, I would agree -- but more yet remains to try. Served chilled, it has the full body of a sweet sauterne or Beaumes de Venise muscat, coupled with an intense apple flavor. This cider requires the hard winter of Quebec -- or for that matter northern New England -- to freeze the apples on the tree and press them so that their sugary juice is concentrated. Ciders of all sorts have been made for centuries, but it is only within the last decade or so that a systematic attempt has been made in Quebec to develop this and other specialized products. Pinnacle Estates, a small family owned and run operation, only established in 2000, has aspirations to establish an international market for its product. During my visit, Charles Crawford, who owns the Estates with his wife, was in France attending a wine show. Jennifer Smith, who manages the store, described his efforts to export to the States, a tiresome task because of the US constitution and the legacy of the Volstead Act.

In addition to the 2001 Ice Cider, the only other product on offer, was the 2000 Apertif Cider, 15% alcohol rather than 10%, a fortified wine with a much stronger calvados-like after taste. We got a baker's dozen combining the two, for less than the normal retail price. Unfortunately some of the even more refined ciders described on their website were not available for sale -- http://www.domainepinnacle.com/icecider/e/home.html, but more products are being introduced so keep watching that site. They also sell preserves and coulis -- we got wild grape and highbush cranberry, as well as some honeys -- buckwheat, blueberry, and cream -- from local purveyors.

I had hoped to get to Girondine, a producer and purveyor of duck, duck foie gras, quail, geese, guinea hen, rabbit, eggs, and various related charcuterie nearby whom Crawford had recommended to me earlier, but they were closed. And even if they were not, I could not afford to lose my family.

From their website the foods had been very tempting: À La Girondine, website, www.netc.net/lagironde, 104, route 237 Sud, Frelighsburg (Québec) J0J 1C0 Téléphone: (450) 298-5206 Télécopieur: (450) 298-5216, cell 514-501-4974 email, lagirondine@netc.net

Both shops are within a few minutes of the Vermont border, and within an hour's drive of Burlington, so any who are heading there for skiing would be wise to arrange a visit.

The Pinnacle Estates comprise rolling apple orchards surrounding a gracious headquarters office-store that, according to local tradition housed escaping slaves moving north on the underground railroad in the nineteenth century and booze moving south for bootlegging in the twentieth. On a clear day the view extends as far south as Smuggler's Notch and across to Lake Champlain.

With local foie gras off the agenda, we headed back home to Hatley as quickly as possible. The drives around the three lakes, Brome, Memphremagog, and Massawippi, did sooth the spirits and infuse the air with fresh blue waters.

However just before getting back we did manage a pit stop at the local gourmet shop in Ayer's Cliff, G. O. Houde, at the junction of 143 & 208, just across from the band-stand. I somehow spotted a delicious game, pistachio, and green apple terrine, some duck rillettes, and foie gras to accompany our Ice Cider which we chilled as soon as we got home. Though not as close to the terroir of Freligsburgh as Girondine, this Charlesbourg charcuterie did well in a pinch.

[VivreManger]

Further details on Pinnacle Ice cider:

Their other website is simply:

www.icecider.com

In Quebec their products are to be found at

Marche des saveurs du Quebec at the Jean-Talon Market in Montreal

Terroir d'Emile, Longeuil

Marche Affieur Corbeau, Dollard des Ormeaux

Les Comptoirs du Terroir, Marche du Vieux Port, Quebec

IGA Daignault, Cowansville

I did encourage a visit, but at the height of the winter they close their shop. It is normally open from May to December.

For special orders, contact Frederic Boucher, 514-594-9928, fred@icecider.com

[merlin]

Vivremanger:

Am thoroughly enjoying your "travelogue" and to be frank, am becoming more than a tad jealous

My family have a couple of cabins on Brome Lake on the road between Foster and Knowlton. The rest of my family are in fact there now whereas being in Alberta does not lend itself to easy access.

Ste. Benoit-du-Lac is a lovely place when it is less hectic than you described. I love it and the area in general in the fall when the sugar maples have turned various colours. I have not been back in several years. Your comments may inspire me to take some time and check out the cheese, duck, cidre and even the wine in those parts.

Hope you continue to enjoy your trip as I, vicariously at least, "tag along".

Merlin

Edm, AB

[maggiethecat]

Vivremanger:

Thanks so much for the gastronomic travelogue through the Townships. I went to summer camp on Lake Massawippi lo, these many years ago...long before I knew about the culinary attractions nearby! This is great stuff for an expat Quebecoise.

I spat coffee at:"Its the first day of our vacation and you made us go to a monastery -- oh my God!" Ah, travelling with teenagers!

Looking forward to the next installment.

[VivreManger]

By the way, Maggie, we stopped just outside of Three Rivers in recognition of your ancestral home -- not quite, but a nice gesture.

[maggiethecat]

By the way, Maggie, we stopped just outside of Three Rivers in recognition of your ancestral home -- not quite, but a nice gesture.

VM...the ancestral home is honored! How sweet. Really.