July Newsletter
With many suggestions and a great summer recipe
I’ve decided to begin every month here with a newsletter featuring some favourites of the season and things to look forward to in the weeks ahead. Though food is the focus of my Substack page, I’ll make some suggestions here from outside my usual posts. I also want to thank all of you who upgraded to paid subscribers this month. It makes me all the more motivated to turn out the best newsletter I can. Thank you!
We are at peak summer here in Montreal, though between the stormy weather and the eerie wildfire smog, we haven’t had the sunniest of seasons. This is the first summer in a while that I haven’t spent much time in the markets or in my kitchen. I’m hoping for a few more sunny days on the horizon, otherwise the summer of 2023 will be remembered for soft meringues, waterlogged strawberries, and nights spent watching a new series on Netflix instead of lingering over a glass of rosé on the terrasse. I hope your summer weather has been better than ours. As futile as it seems to complain about the weather, keep in mind that here in Canada our summers are SHORT so every day counts. June was a write-off so fingers crossed for July and August.
Still, I have a few recommendations to make the most of the season so here goes:
What I’ve been baking:
Aimée’s blueberry muffins: The Aimée behind these muffins is Aimée Wimbush-Bourque of the wonderful food blog, Simple Bites. I’ve known Aimée for about five years now when we met over coffee right before she moved from Montreal to Halifax. Since then I’ve become a fan of her blog and cookbooks, but especially her all-round enthusiasm for so many food loves we share. We have travelled to Greece together twice and trust me, this lady is as curious as they come. Aimée worked as a professional chef (several years at Toqué! included) but then turned to the food media world once she had children and has been a success ever since. This muffin recipe says so much about our shared love of simple dishes that taste as delicious as possible. I made these muffins several times and watched the fam scarf them back within an hour of their emergence from the oven.
What I’ve been reading:
Down and Out in Paradise by Charles Leerhsen: Last June 25th was Bourdain Day, a day Instagram was lit up with enough Bourdain images to bring on a major case of the sads to us fans. I met and interviewed Anthony Bourdain several times when he was just starting to make it big, and always found him sweet, funny, sharp, and gawky in the most charming of ways. I never questioned why everyone adored the guy. Chief among his fans were my parents who never missed an episode of Bourdain’s many shows. This book, however, paints a very different picture of the Bourdain we thought we all knew. From his teenage years to his final days, Leerhsen describes the food media icon very differently. I wasn’t a fan of the documentary, Road Runner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, which I found delved too deeply into his personal life. This book is definitely less cringe-worthy, but don’t expect a rosy portrait of a man with more than his fair share of insecurities and troubles.
Kitchen Bliss by Laura Calder: In sharp contrast to the depressing Bourdain bio comes this uplifting new book by former Food Network Canada host (and good friend), Laura Calder. This book is centred more on kitchen thoughts and memories than her previous books, though each chapter concludes with several enticing recipes. Those of us who spend an inordinate amount of time behind the stove will relate to Calder’s no-nonsense approach to cooking, and those who enjoy entertaining will appreciate Calder’s flair for les arts de la table. My favourite chapters focus on her recollections from her family kitchen in rural New Brunswick, and yet how interesting to see how her humble beginnings evolved into the sophisticated francophile and gourmet Calder has become. A page turner filled with laughs and pleasure, Kitchen Bliss also scores with some 75 recipes that tempt with words rather than photography. Note also, Laura has a Substack account!
What I’ve been watching:
Yes, I’m aware The Bear is the series to watch this month, but I’m still in the middle of season 1, and the new season only begins in Canada on July 19th. Anyway I’ve been watching The Americans for months now and after 6, action-packed seasons culminating in a humdinger of a finale, I’m now in withdrawal, missing the goings on of the Jennings family, FBI agent Stan, Pastor Tim, and the amazing Margo Martindale as Claudia. It’s the best series since Breaking Bad, and yes I know it’s a decade old, but better lat than never! — this coming from someone who only got around to watching The Sopranos last year. For those who have yet to see it, in Canada it can be viewed on Disney +
I’m also embarrassed to say I’ve been watching And Just Like That, which is seriously terrible but like that other Darren Star series Emily in Paris, I watch it as a sort of escape. I’m convinced no true fan of Sex and the City can enjoy this cringe-fest that actually make the equally bad SATC movies look good.
Social media account I’ve been enjoying:
I’ve been greatly inspired of late by the Instagram page of Great British Bake Off finalist Ruby Bhogal, who has been been making the top rated cakes in the world in a series called, Around the World in 80 Cakes. It’s a bit hot to be baking, but I love watching her whip up this international array of fine cakes and then give her impressions. Have a look!
What I’ve been buying:
Because summer cooking is less about butter and more about olive oil, I’ve been picking up a few bottles of the Bioitalia brand (often on sale for about $20) and using this organic extra-virgin oil for everything from cooking to salads to drizzling over pasta as a condiment. It doesn’t have that grassy or artichoke taste of the best Tuscan oils that grab you in the throat, instead it has a clean olive flavour that works as well in a vinaigrette as a banana bread.
What I’ve been drinking:
Two rosées and a white. Here are my three favourites so far this summer.
Dr. Burklin-Wolf Pinot Noir Pfalz 2022, $22.25: I posted this rosé on my Instagram page a few weeks ago and since then quantities at the SAQ have diminished. That said, if you can get your hands on a bottle of this, my stand-out rosé of the summer so far, you will relish its taste of rhubarb and berries. It’s German, bio-dynamic, only 11% alcohol, and 100% pinot noir. A easy-drinking treat.
Château Vignelaure Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2022, $25.05: My go-to summer wine when dinner calls for an elegant accompaniment, Vignelaure is a floral, high-intensity rosé, with a dense fruitiness. I was lucky enough to enjoyed it at the château on a hot provençal day with a tomato and red pepper tart followed by a duck breast with cherries, and it has been a favourite ever since.
Grüner Veltliner Domäne Wachau, Smaragd Terrassen 2021, $28.55
I picked up a bottle of this wine in the Munich duty free after enjoying it years ago in Vienna and to my delight, it’s also available here in Montreal. We drank it the other night at the end of the meal with the cheese course and I was struck by its freshness and minerality, with bright notes of citrus and green apple. It’s precise, delicate, light but substantial. Just gorgeous with food or on its own.
Restaurants I’ve been enjoying:
Bar St-Denis: I dined at this restaurant/wine bar in late winter and can’t wait to return because everything we tasted was superb. Owners Émilie Homsy and David Gauthier are well respected on the restaurant scene and the night I dined there I ran into not one, but three Montreal chefs. What are they here for? A relaxed ambiance, knowledgeable staff, natural wines, and small plates made up of beautiful, local ingredients treated in the most creative of ways with Middle Eastern, French and Italian influences. Prices are a bit steep, but rest assured quality is high too. Note: Open on weeknights only.
Merci la Vie: Up for a road trip outside of Montreal? My first recommendation would be breakfast, brunch or lunch at the bakery/restaurant, Merci La Vie where owners Albert Elbilia and Johanne Martineau always impress with their fabulous bread, food, and baked goods. A recent lunch included chicken, Greek-Style with homemade flatbreads seasoned with Za’atar, gorgeous pizza covered with mortadella and jalapeño pesto, maple danish, perfect croissants… you get the picture. Oh did I mention the best coffee I’ve ever tasted? Yeah, that too. And the best part about a meal at Merci la Vie… it always gets better.
What else I’ve been up to:
I was a guest in late June on Alain Gravel’s ICI Première show on Radio Canada, Les faits d’abord:
On the occasion of Saint-Jean Day, four Quebecers (including yours truly) and one Acadian discussed the state of the French language, culture and identity in Quebec and Franco-Canadian society in 2023. We discussed our different backgrounds, defining what unites — but also separates — us. I’ve received quite a bit of positive feedback from this show. Have a listen.
Also on the subject of Quebec language and culture is the latest episode of The Corner Booth podcast with Quebec language commissioner Benoît Dubreuil. I’ve been part of this podcast alongside the Gazette’s Bill Brownstein and CJAD’s Aaron Rand for a few years now, and though I have received some flack for being “that woman who interrupts all the time” in the comments section, I’ve enjoyed the guests we’ve had on this spring. Dubreuil had a lot to say about immigration in Quebec, bilingualism, language spoken at home, the threat of American culture on the French language, and much more.
To those who think I interject too often in the conversation… noted! That said, I’m often convinced those comments come from those who prefer not to see women taking part in the conversation at all.Hmm….
What’s ahead:
This Saturday at 10:45 a.m. I’ll be back on Radio-Canada beside the wonderful host Catherine Perrin, on Dessine-moi un matin, where I will be showing up on a few occasions this summer to talk about food, or more particularly this week, Feta cheese.
Thrill of the month:
In early June, I was pleased as punch to see both of my new books nominated for the Taste Canada Awards in the Best General Cookbook category. Two years ago I won the gold in the French general cookbooks category and I’m thrilled to see both the English version of that book and my new French book nominated.
As a bilingual Montreal, I can’t deny the excitement of seeing both my French and English books nominated. I wonder if that’s a first? Hope so… but certainly not the last.
If you are interested in purchasing my books, please click on the photos of the book covers to take you to the publisher’s pages.
And finally, what have I been cooking?
My absolute favourite dish I’ve made of late is ratatouille, the perfect recipe for this time of year:
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