Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Boston Chops, the new steakhouse in the South End, is debuting a new Brunch menu, held every  Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-3pm, including some elements of their Rarely Celebrated beef cuts. Their food menu is divided into the following sections: Raw, their full raw menu is available for brunch; Tossed, with three salads not available on the dinner menu, including Lobster Cobb Salad (grilled avocado along with the lettuces, ½ a lobster, sharp cheddar, egg and grilled bacon, $24). The Unnamed section of the menu features items such as Huevos Rancheros, with machaca beef cheeks, black beans, grilled avocado, and a tortilla ($14); Brisket Shank & Grilled Tongue "Hash" with a 2hr egg, frites, cheese curds and gravy ($14); Giannone Fried Chicken with biscuits, sawmill gravy, sausage, and pepper jelly ($19), Brunch Frites, bottomless frites with a selection of either grilled steaks (a choice of three 8oz cuts) or sandwiches (corned brisket & tongue reuben $14, burger with house bacon, BC sauce & cheddar, $15, croque monsieur $15) served with the choice of select sauces from the dinner menu. For Sides, try the House Made Pecan Sticky Buns ($7) or House Made Donuts with Chocolate Sauce ($7).

On the beverage menu, you will find Prime Bloodies, culinary infused Bloody Marys, a collaboration between the kitchen and the bar. All bloodies can be “cooked” to order: Rare – bold house made Bloody Mary mix, Medium– add spice to your life, Well Done– when you want to play with fire. Selections include: Pickled Mary with asparagus, green beans, frog balls, and cornichons – all pickled in house ($10); Smoked Kebab with speared bell peppers, pearl onions, and smoked beef tongue ($10); Charred Shishito with pepper jack cheese, grilled shishito pepper, and lemon ($10); Steak & Cheese with veal stock and blue cheese stuffed olives ($10).

2) The Beehive Restaurant's latest celebration will be “La Fête nationale du Québec” or “Quebec National Day” featuring an evening of food and live performance from award-winning singer-songwriters Isabelle Cyr and Yves Marchand on Monday, June 24, from 5pm-1am. In partnership with the Quebec Delegation of Boston and Svedka Vodka, The Beehive will be decked out representing our friends to the north in proper fashion as Cyr and Marchand perform original, well-known and traditional pieces from their Quebec and Acadian repertoire from 8pm-12am.

Highlighting the true friendliness of Quebec and its people, dinner will kick off at 5pm with a La Fête nationale du Québec specials menu in addition to The Beehive’s regular fare. The evening’s food will feature traditional Quebec fare such as: Smoked Trout Cakes with Horseradish & Cucumber Salad ($12), Foie Gras & Maple Crème Brulée ($14), Brome Lake Duck Breast Au Poivre with Sweet Potato Fries ($27), Québec style Lobster Spaghetti ($32), and Bleu berries pie with Maple syrup ice cream ($8).

In the mood for some Quebec cocktails why not try some of The Beehive’s fun featured cocktails for the evening such as the "Caribou de Ville” ($11.50) blending together red wine, American Honey Wild Turkey splashes of maple syrup, served on the rocks with a cinnamon stick, or the "Quebec Urbain" ($11.50) made with Svedka Clementie, blood orange juice and muddled fresh mint served on the rocks.

There is no cover charge for this event, but dinner reservations are highly recommended, so please call 617-423-0069.

3) The Grafton Inn introduces the first annual Grafton Food Festival, a celebration of local food and farms in Vermont, to be held June 22 and 23, from 10am-4pm, in Grafton Village. The event is presented by Northeast Flavor, a food and wine magazine focused on New England culinary pursuits. Celebrate Vermont’s “taste of place” and sample local food from more than 20 local food providers including Grafton Village Cheese, Side Hill Farm, Vermont Creamery, Blake Hill Preserves, Wright Orchard Sugarworks, Vermont Smoke and Cure and more. Additional food vendors, a bar and local farms will be set-up for purchased items, as well.

Guests will have the chance to enjoy cooking demonstrations each day featuring nationally recognized chefs including Susan Tuveson and Jean Kerr of Northeast Flavor, Jason Tostrup of the Inn at Weathersfield, Martin Schuelke of the Grafton Inn and more. One lucky attendee at each of the five cooking demonstrations will win the prepared food and sit at a special Chef’s Table at the event to enjoy it.

Cost is $10 per person; children under 12 are free. The Grafton Inn will offer specially priced farm-to-table dinner menus at the Old Tavern Restaurant on Friday and Saturday evening. Friday night is a Vegetarian themed tasting dinner (with a meat option) and Saturday night is a local Pasture to Plate tasting dinner. Reservations are necessary for each dinner. Additional activities in Grafton this weekend include guided wine and cheese hikes at Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center on Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ($25 per person) and live music at Phelps Barn Pub on Friday and Saturday night at 8 pm (no cover). The Grafton Inn is offering a special Grafton Food Festival lodging package that includes two night’s lodging at the historic inn, breakfast each morning, entry to the Food Festival and a special Food Festival welcome bag for just $375.

For the complete event agenda and to book lodging or dinner reservations, visit GraftonFoodFestival.com or call 800-843-1801.

4) Beginning Sunday, June 9, TICO hosts a monthly Summer Patio Party with food, drinks, music, games, giveaways and fun. On Sunday, July 14, from 2pm-8pm, there will be an All-American BBQ. Technically it’s Bastille Day, but don’t tell that to TICO – they’re still celebrating the Fourth well into July with classic BBQ fare like burgers, dogs, ribs, cornbread; beer samples, giveaways from Patron Tequila, and music from DJ Jaz. On Sunday, August 11, from 2pm-8pm, there will be a Patio Pig Roast. Closing out the summer with another of TICO’s winning pig roasts, the patio will be rocking once more with all-you-can-eat porchetta from the rig roast, sides, beer samples, giveaways from Patron Tequila, and music from DJ Jaz.

COST: $20/person at the door includes all-you-can-eat food, beer & spirit tastings, giveaways and live music from DJ Jaz of the Boston Celtics

5) Bistro 5, a phenomenal Italian restaurant in Medford, is celebrating strawberries and local agriculture from June 13-June 29, with a special 5 Course Tasting Menu with Wine Pairings. 50% of their dessert sales will benefit the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Market.

The Menu is:
Strawberry Thyme Chilled Soup (Port Wine Syrup, Mascarpone and Prosciutto)
2011 Aragosta, Vermentino, Sardegna
Scungilli (Thinly Sliced Conch, Green Strawberries and Spring Onion Vinaigrette)
2011 Loosen Bros "Dr .L" Riesling, Germany
Goat Cheese Ravioli (Strawberry Confetti and Shishito Peppers)
2009 Montaribaldi, Dolcetto d'Alba
Duck Milanese (Strawberry and Window Box Shiso, Rhubarb and Cherry Compote)
2009 Zenato, Valpolicella, Ripasso
Strawberry Shortcake (White Chocolate Mousse and Lemon Cloud)
2011 Elio Perrone 'Bigarò', Brachetto d'Aqui

Cost: Tasting Menu--Five Course: $68 per person or Three Course: $49 per person
Wine Pairing--Five Course: $25 per person or Three Course: $20 per person

For reservations, please call (781) 395-7464

6) Chef-owner Chris Douglass of Ashmont Grill is hosting four special dining events this summer. Prices and menus vary.

Monday, June 24 @ 6 PM 
Joel Gott Wine Dinner: Cost $65 inclusive for 5 courses of seasonal cuisine, served communally on the patio and paired with 5 wines from this white-hot winery. Gott’'s local representative will speak. Seating for this event limited to the first 25 people who call to reserve a space.
Sunday, July 14 @ 6 PM 
Pig Roast: This exciting outdoor pork-a-thon features a traditional pig roast with all the fixin’s plus selected beers and wines. Cost is $60 inclusive.
Sunday, August 11 @ 6 PM 
Lobstah Bake: New Englanders know that this feast always includes our favorite crustacean, plus local corn, potatoes, clams, hot dogs, watermelon and more. Act fast as seating is limited @ $60 inclusive.
Sunday, September 8 @ 6 PM 
Dueling Chefs of Dorchester: This exciting competition pits the kitchen teams of Ashmont Grill and Tavolo (our sister restaurant) against each other in an end-of-the-season patio party chock full of local farm fare, meats, fish, psta, homey desserts, wine and beer. $75 inclusive.

Rain dates for all four events will be posted online.

7) Joseph Cassinelli, Chef & Owner of the Alpine Restaurant Group, announced three new hires to his restaurant team. The Alpine Restaurant Group currently owns and operates Posto, Posto Mobile and The Painted Burro in Davis Square. These are some of my favorite restaurants. Alpine Restaurant Group has named two inaugural positions including: Alec Riveros as Director of Operations and Chef Robert Jean as the Culinary Director of the group. Additionally, Chef Wyatt Maguire joins as Executive Chef of Posto.

“In 2010, Posto was one of the first restaurants to debut in the resurgence of the Davis Square restaurant scene,” says Joseph Cassinelli. “It is New England’s first Verace Pizza Napoletana certified pizzeria, but over time it has evolved to be much more. Under the direction of our new team, guests can now enjoy a dining experience that highlights the simplicity of Italian cuisine augmented with the New England bounty. An extensive antipasti program of small plates, handmade pasta dishes, and local grilled meats and fish are labors of love that we are all excited to share.”

The new menu at Posto showcases the simplicity of Italian cooking with a focus on artisan ingredients. The menu includes a new section of Stouzi (white bean puree with cauliflower giardinerre), Ensalate (string bean salad with fava, pea, sunchoke, Gaeta olive and pistachio pesto) and Primi (ciabatta with rosemary roasted peach, foie gras & lavender sea salt). The Pasta section features an expanded selection of hand made dishes such as a rabbit tagliatelle with peas, carrots, toasted garlic, farm egg & tarragon. The Pizza selections offer both rosso and bianco selections and continue to be made in the true Neapolitan spirit with “00” flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and house made fior di latte mozzarella. A new section of Carne e Pesce showcases wood roasted meat as well as an extended selection of seafood dishes such as whole roasted sea bass “cartocchio” with spicy pomodoro, fennel & saffron sea salt and brook trout with kale, chiogga beet, sweet onion & bone marrow “almondine.”

The beverage program at Posto has also been revamped. The cocktail list now includes a selection of Aperitivo such as Aperol Spritz which is available by the pitcher, Cocktails made with house infused spirits, house made limoncello and simple syrups, in addition to selections of local and international draft and bottled beer. The wine list features sparkling, rose, white and red wine selections available both by the bottle and by the glass. Posto’s beverage program also features an imported Italian wine preservation system called Enzo. Enzo’s extensive wine by the glass program allows guests to enjoy rare selections of reserve wines by the glass. I look forward to checking out all the changes.

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Taste Camp: Apple, Strawberry & Honey Wines In Quebec

Wine doesn't have to be made from grapes to be delicious or interesting. During TasteCamp, our three-day exploration of the wines, beer and food of Quebec, this was made evident by numerous compelling wines made from apples, strawberries and honey. Some of these fruit wines were even better than some of grape wines we tasted. Quebec would be well served by continuing to showcase these delicious and intriguing fruit wines.

You may be familiar with Ice Wine, from Germany, Canada or elsewhere, but Quebec is the birthplace of Cidre de Glace, apple ice cider which is sometimes known as apple ice wine. Ice cider can be produced into two different ways, cryoextraction and cryoconcentration. In short, cryoextraction means that the apples are allowed to freeze on the tree before they are harvested, pressed and fermented. With cryoconcentration, the apples are harvested and pressed, and then the juice is allowed to freeze. What difference does this make for the resulting ice cider? In general, cryoextraction will produce more fresh fruit flavors, increased acidity and less oxidation. It is more expensive to produce though so many ice cider producers primarily use cryoconcentration.

Ice cider is growing in popularity in Quebec, and elsewhere, and Farm Credit Canada states that it accounts for 70% of sales in the Société Des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) local product section. About 1 million bottles are produced in Quebec each year, worth an estimated $20 million in retail. About 1/3 of the production is exported to Europe and Asia. Some ice cider is imported into the U.S. and you might know Neige, an ice cider produced by La Face Cachée de la Pomme, which I have I previously reviewed.

During our explorations, we visited with Christian Barthomeuf (pictured above), the owner of Clos Saragnat, as well as the creator of ice cider. He was also one of the first men in Quebec to plant grape vines, back in 1979. Around 1989, he decided to produce something different, and created ice cider, though in the 1980s, no one wanted to hear about cider. The wine regulating bodies refused to recognize the designation of "ice cider" until ten years later. It was difficult during those ten years to market and sell ice cider, which had to be known by other common terms, which were not actually accurate terms.

Christian has consulted with other wineries and cideries, including what would eventually become La Face Cachée de la Pomme. In 2002, Christian and Louise Dupuis founded Clos Saragnat, which occupies about 35 hectares. Their apples are organically grown and they grow some other fruits as well. They produce their ice cider through cryoextraction, though it would cost them one-third less to use just frozen juice. An assemblage of apple types are used, and Christian wants to work with the fruit and nothing else, including wood. The cidery produces less than 10,000 bottles a year, largely dependent on the results of each vintage. It is a small, artisan operation and Christian's passion for ice cider was more than evident.

Currently, Christian is advocating for new regulations on ice cider, to make producers have to place on the label the method of production. He believes people should know whether the ice cider they are drinking derives from frozen apples or frozen juice. As there are clear differences in the resulting product from each different method, as well as differences in price, I agree with Christian that it would benefit consumers for this information to be required to be on the label.

We tasted two of their ice ciders, the 2009 Avalanche and the 2009 L'original, both sold in 200ml bottles. Both were excellent, complex, liquid ambrosia that seduced the palate. The Avalanche was less sweet, though still with honey notes, and possessed some tartness, good acidity and delicate floral notes. The L'original was sweeter, with a thicker and richer mouth feel, but still good acidity. It also had more dried fruit flavors and far fewer floral notes. Which is better? It all depends on your mood at the moment.

Christian's influence can be felt at La Face Cachée de la Pomme, which means the "hidden side of the apple." They have been producing ice cider since 1994 but only commercially since 1998. They prefer to refer to their produce as "apple ice wine" so they can avoid any confusion with other ciders. Their orchards extend over 50 hectares and they grow about 30 different types of apples, though the majority as McIntosh and Spartan. The McIntosh is the essence of their Neige Premiere and Bubbly.

They currently have two types of apple tree plantings, the classic and contemporary. The classic method generates less apples per acre and it takes much longer, 10-15 years, for the tree to mature properly. The contemporary method, which was inspired by the Netherlands, takes only about 5 years to mature properly, and an acre can produce significantly more apples. As all of their harvesting is done by hand, this method is also easier to harvest. The cidery is moving toward all contemporary plantings.

Unlike Christian, La Face Cachée primarily produces apple ice wine through cryoconcentration, about 90% of their production. They use cryoextraction for their Neige Winter Harvest. They export their apple ice wines to 20-25 countries, and California is their largest U.S. market, though they are also available in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, only two of their products, the Neige Premiere and Bubbly, are currently available in the U.S. It is interesting that because of U.S. law, the cidery is not permitted to place the vintage on their labels.

I was enamored with the 2011 Bulle Rose Sparkling Cider ($18), a blend of the Geneva and Honeygold apples. It acquires its pink color from the red/pink flesh of the Geneva apple, rather than from the skin. It only has a 6% alcohol content and is made in limited quantities once a year. The delicious sparkling cider was mostly dry, fresh, crisp and bursting with apple and and red berry flavors. An excellent summer drink, and very food friendly as well.    

The Neige Bubble ($15) is made from 100% McIntosh apples and I previously tasted and enjoyed at the Boston Wine Expo. Another fun sparkling cider, perfect for summer entertaining, or just relaxing. I am also a fan of the Neige Premiere, their basic apple ice wine.

The 2009 Neige Sur Lie ($26) is intriguing, having been left on the lees for about a year, and bottled unfiltered and without any sulfur. It has a darker amber color, with apple notes but deeper flavors of caramel, nuts and almost butterscotch. It is sweet, though with balanced acidity, and possesses a lengthy and complex finish. The Neige Winter Harvest is very thick, rich and sweet with a melange of complex tastes, including caramel, apricot, lychee and dried fruits. An amazing, well balanced elixir that delights the palate and mind.

Val Caudalies Vignoble produce ciders and wines, and their orchard are planted with about a dozen different varieties, with five usually primarily in their ciders. Their 2010 Cider Liquoreaux, made from Cortland, MacIntosh, Empire, Liberty and Spartan apples, is smooth, tart and tasty while the 2011 Apple Ice Cider Reserve, made from the same apples, is sweeter with a silky mouth feel and plenty of complexity. Both were fine examples of what Quebec is doing well.

Though Union Libre Cidre & Vin produces ice ciders and wines, they are also known for another unique product, Le Cidre de Feu, fire cider. Their Ice Cider ($24), made from an assemblage of Cortland, Empire, Spartan, & McIntosh apples, is made from cryoconcentration. It has a mild sweetness and a delicious crisp apple taste with elements of honey. A fine product.

Their Fire Cider ($26) is produced by fermenting a must, which has been heated and reduced by evaporation. This process takes several months of fermentation and then it is aged in oak barrels. It has an alcohol content of 16% and is sweeter, with more caramel, maple, and nutty elements complementing the apple foundation. Their 2004 Reserve Fire Cider ($28) is aged in Jack Daniel's whiskey barrels. It is similar to the basic Fire Cider, but with deeper flavors and the added element of a whiskey aroma and taste.

Strawberries! Ferme Guy Rivest produces two tasty wines made with strawberries including La Donzelle and Mistelle de Fraises. La Donzelle is a fortified wine made with strawberries and raspberries, and it is not too sweet, with nice acidity, and a smooth, pleasant flavor. It would made for a nice dessert wine. The Mistelle de fraises is a port style wine, also made with strawberries, and it is sweeter, with tasty notes of vanilla, spice and strawberry. Another good choice for a dessert wine.

As an interesting aside, they also produce Strawberry Pearls, which uses molecular gastronomy techniques to create little red pearls, resembling fish roe, but which burst in your mouth with a strong strawberry flavor.

Finally, at one of the large tastings, one of the most interesting wines was the Les Ruchers du Troubador Sparkling Honey Wine ($25), a vin de miel mousseux. It is organic, unfiltered and aged for three years prior to release. It is semi-sweet, with honey and floral notes, and an appealing earthiness elevating its complexity.

People sometimes get overly pretentious, feeling that only wine made from vitis vinifera grapes is worthy of attention. They show disdain for hybrid grapes, and out right hate for wines made from other fruits. They are wrong in their attitude and approach. Good wine can come from many different avenues and my experiences in Quebec have shown me high quality and delicious wines made from apples, strawberries and honey. I know others who visited Quebec who felt the same. That should be your main takeaway from this post, that you should be willing to explore wines beyond vitis vinifera. You never know what treasures you might discover.

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Dining Outside of Taste Camp: Montreal's Culinary Delights

A beautiful view of Kaniatarowanenneh, the "big waterway" which is more commonly known as the St. Lawrence River. This is one of the sights I viewed during TasteCamp, a three day visit to Quebec, tasting wines, ciders, beers and local foods. However, this view was not on our itinerary and was discovered during a detour to eat some poutine. Outside of the official Taste Camp events, I used my free time to explore some of the other culinary offerings of Quebec and Montreal.

I found much that was worthy of mention, from excellent restaurants to a killer food market. However, I didn't take many photos of these extracurricular activities as I chose more to relax and savor the food. I still want to rave about them though, to provide some recommendations for anyone traveling to Quebec and Montreal.

I arrived in Montreal on Thursday night, a day early for Taste Camp, so I had some extra time to explore the city. For dinner, I went to Kaizen, a Japanese sushi bar and restaurant located on St. Catherine's Street. This is a sleek and rather large restaurant, divided into several different rooms. The main dining area has a high ceiling, and possess a nice elegance though without being stuffy. However, the background music was a bit disconcerting, making it seem more like a lounge than a restaurant.

The menu was extensive, including lots of intriguing selections, and includes much sushi, which you can get with brown rice instead of white if you so desire. We ordered some sushi, all which was fresh, large and delicious. The tamago, the omelet, was especially tasty, one of the best I have had. The organic salmon sashimi was also very good. For hot dishes, the fried calamari was some of the best I have tasted, small and tender rectangular pieces with a delightfully crisp batter. The sweet potato fries came with a curry-like dipping sauce topped by thin slices of foie gras. The crisp, plump fries went well with the dipping sauce and the foie was heavenly. A large bowl of mussels were prepared in a savory Sake broth, and they were addictive. Everything we ate was fantastic.

I was disappointed with the tiny number of Sakes on their wine list, and the only one that appealed to me cost over $600, which is not within reach of my wallet. The list though had a superb collection of wines, albeit pricey which is a common issue with most restaurants in Montreal. The wines came from all over the world, and included plenty of quirky and interesting wines. Wine lovers will certainly love perusing this list and will be sure to find something of interest. We ordered a Priorat white wine and an Austrian Blaufrankisch, both which I enjoyed.

Service was impressive, including the sommelier. We had to send back the first wine we ordered as it was flawed, and the sommelier took it right back without question. The food was reasonably priced and we left the restaurant very satisfied. Kaizen receives a strong recommendation.

On Friday morning, Taste Camp began with a late morning winery visit. I and my traveling companions, including Adam of Wine Zag, were a bit early so we drove around exploring the area. We stumbled upon the above roadside restaurant, drawn by the fact that they served poutine. I later learned that this restaurant has been around for many years and is a bit of a landmark. Poutine was likely invented in the 1950s in Quebec and essentially consists of french fries topped by brown gravy and cheese curds. There are plenty of variations, but the basic form is quite satisfying.

Adam had never had poutine before so this was his opportunity to taste this decadent and fattening dish. A Poutine Virgin. We all, including Adam, enjoyed the poutine, while sitting looking out over the St. Lawrence River and you can see our view at the top of this post. A perfect way to start the morning.

Our hotel was on the border of Chinatown and I spent some time exploring the streets of this small neighborhood. There were dozens of restaurants, bakeries, tea shops, souvenir stores, and more, ranging from Chinese to Vietnamese, Japanese to Thai. One of my first stops was to My Cup Of Tea, a bit of a high end tea shop, selling tea, cups, kettles and other tea-related items. It has a great collection of different teas, mostly loose leaf teas, and the quality seems high. I bought some Silver Needle White tea.

There was a tiny stall selling Dragon Beard Candy, a candy supposedly once reserved for only the Emperor. It is essentially strands of sugar surrounding a mixture of nuts, sesame seeds, coconut, chocolate, and sugar. The candy is made by hand, where a disk of corn starch and sugar is pulled continually until you get many thin strands. When completed, the candy resembles an insect cocoon and has some of the stickiness and texture of cotton candy. The inner mixture is very pleasant, a melange of sweet flavors and textures. A must stop in Chinatown for this unique treat.

One evening, we sought out a place for a late dinner and we were nearly overwhelmed by the myriad choices. We sought a place that wasn't a tourist trap, a place where locals dined. After some consideration, we selected Keung Kee Restaurant, which was hidden away on a second floor and it turned out to be a winner.

It is a medium-sized spot, with plenty of large round tables, with lazy susans, for big parties. It isn't fancy or elegant, more just a serviceable restaurant. The menu, which is in both Chinese and English, is lengthy and the dishes are reasonably priced, nearly everything under $15. The choices include Thai, Chinese and Americanized-Chinese dishes, a variety from Chow Mein to Jellyfish, from Thai Style Fried Shrimp to Pork Chop with Peking Sauce.

The Deep Fried Wontons ($4.25) were crunchy, filled with shrimp and quite tasty with a sweet sauce for dipping. A nice way to start our meal. The Fried Rice Noodles with Beef ($8.95) consisted of a large dish of flat noodles, with lots of tender beef and veggies, topped by a delicious brown gravy. The Half Crispy Chicken ($10.95) was exactly that, with moist meat covered by crisp and tasty skin. That skin was addictive! The BBQ Pork ($9.95) was a large dish of thin sliced BBQ pork, tender and tasty. The dishes seemed fresher than you get at some places, and the flavors were balanced. Definitely a place food lovers should check out.

Another evening, we went to Chinatown just for soup dumplings! While driving through Chinatown, I saw a large sign for the soup dumplings and knew I had to check it out. We went to Qing Hua Dumpling and were almost disappointed. They were preparing to close for the evening, but we convinced them to stay open for just a bit longer so we could have some soup dumplings. We didn't even really get to peruse the menu. We ordered a couple of basic pork soup dumplings, and our server recommended we also order lamb and coriander soup dumplings.

It seems their menu doesn't offer much beyond dumplings, though they have several varieties, including chicken, lamb, and uni. The dumplings were excellent, with a savory broth and plenty of nicely spiced meat. The lamb dumplings were a different style than the pork, but it seemed more a cosmetic issue than anything else. They filled my need and I would return again another time to try more of their soup dumplings. An uni soup dumpling sounds intriguing.

One of the afternoons, we decided to stop at the Jean-Talon Market, one of the largest and most popular food markets in Montreal. Within the main building, you will find a huge amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of plants. You will also find on the outskirts, and on the streets surrounding the market, a diverse amount of food & drink stalls and shops. Meat, seafood, cheese, mushrooms, wine, olive oils, spices, bread, bakeries, crepes, chocolate, ice cream and more. What a superb collection of shops that will appeal to any food lover.

I had a great time in the La Fromagerie Hamel, a cheese and gourmet food shop, and I purchased numerous local Quebec cheeses. In other shops, I bought wine to take home and a crusty baguette to eat while walking around. I probably could have spent much more money here and filled my trunk with plenty of foods to take home. A must visit for any food and wine lover.

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Taste Camp Quebec: How I Survived A Beer Tasting

The Fifth Annual TasteCamp is now over, a three day visit to Quebec, tasting wines, ciders, beers and local foods. Approximately twenty five of us, bloggers and their significant others, journeyed to Montreal, our base for the trip. During the next couple weeks, I will be providing my thoughts about what I tasted in Quebec, both as part of TasteCamp and also what I did on my own. I have been to Montreal before, and think it is a great destination for those who love good food and drink, but I haven't previously explored much of the rest of Quebec.

For the first time, TasteCamp conducted a beer tasting, a walk around event where eight Quebec microbreweries presented a selection of their beers. For two hours, we got to sample what were probably at least 40 beers, and then there was an eight course meal afterward, each course paired with a different beer. Not my usual idea of fun as I have disliked about 99% of the beers I have previously tasted. I dislike the bitterness I find in beer, which seems due to the use of hops.

However, I bravely took my empty glass and went to the various tables, seeking a beer that I might like. Surprisingly, the results were much better than my usual average. I found two beers which were ok, which I might drink a glass or so under the right circumstances, such as with the proper meal. Then, I found two beers which I would drink on their own, including one which might be my most favorite beer ever. What a monumental discovery!

My discovery is illustrative of a greater principle, one which I have advocated for before, that you should continually taste wines, beers and spirits, even in categories which you might think you dislike. You should not write off an entire category, such as Chardonnay or Tequila, because you have disliked most of the items you have tasted. There is so much diversity in the alcohol world, that even if you dislike many items in a category, that doesn't mean you will dislike all of them. I have disliked a huge number of beers that I have previously tasted, but I keep trying them, and have found a few that I like. TasteCamp's beer tasting led me to find a couple more beers I liked. One should never give up on an alcohol category.

Le Castor is a microbrewery that produces organic beers. Their Grande Reserve Wee Heavy Bourbon is a Scottish ale, with an 11% ABV, that was aged in bourbon barrels. It had a prominent bourbon flavor as well as elements of malt, caramel and spice. On the finish, there was a touch of the beer bitterness I generally dislike, but it was mild enough that I could enjoy a glass with dinner. I know numerous other attendees who really enjoyed this brew.

The Brasseur de Montreal is a brewery and restaurant that produces about seven beers plus several seasonal ones. Their Chi is an unfiltered pale beer, with a 4.5% ABV, that is made from barley, wheat and rice malt and is also flavored with ginger, citronella and citrus. There was plenty of ginger flavor up front and then more citrus notes on the finish. It was light and crisp, though you better enjoy the taste of ginger. I would probably enjoy a glass of this with Asian food, maybe some spicy Thai.

One of the most popular tables at the tasting, as well as the one with the most beers, belonged to Trou du Diable, roughly translated as "The Devil's Hole." I loved the look of their labels, which showed very cool artwork. They also seem to have a diverse portfolio, with beers that will appeal to almost any palate. The Dulcis Succubus is a Saison, with a 7% ABV, that was aged for six months in botrytis dessert wine oak barrels. It is an intriguing and complex beer with floral, citrus, vanilla and spice notes. Like the legendary succubus, it is an alluring brew, one sure to captivate you with its sensual pleasures. This is a beer I could drink on a nice, summer day..

The overall best beer of my night was their La Grivoise de Noel, which roughly translates as "Ribald Christmas." This is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, with a 7.5% ABV, and it is a seasonal beer, made for the Christmas season. However, it may actually taste better with some aging. This beer is a melange of alluring spices, from cinnamon to cardamom, with notes of caramel, dried fruit and nuts. There is a slight sweetness to this silky smooth brew, and none of the bitterness I dislike. In some ways, it reminded me of an aged Sherry. I drank a few glasses of this beer, and enjoyed each and every sip. This jumps to the top of my favorite beer list, which is rather small. For beer lovers, I think you would greatly enjoy the products of Trou du Diable. Their beers received many raves from the other attendees as well.

If you are not a big fan of beer, what beers have you enjoyed?

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International Boston Seafood Show: Food of Interest

"Scallops are expensive, so they should be treated with some class. But then, I suppose that every creature that gives his life for our table should be treated with class."
--Jeff Smith

One of my anticipated pleasures of attending the International Boston Seafood Show is the opportunity to gorge myself on a smorgasbord of seafood, to partake of new products and old, of shellfish to sushi, fried  shrimp to smoked salmon. Exhibitors desire to entice potential purchasers to their booth so many offer samples of their foods. In addition, these exhibitors hope to ignite some positive press for their products. Most of them have been very open to me, sharing information, and I enjoy highlighting those foods which most enticed my palate.

I taste many different items at the show, enjoying the majority of them, but I only choose to mention a small number, those which especially appealed to me. I want to share with my readers the best of the best, some of the most compelling products at the show. With over 1800 exhibitors, I know I did not sample seafood from each and every booth, so I may have missed some exceptional foods. If you attended the Seafood Show, and have your own favorite samples, feel free to tell me about them in the comments.

There is a ton of salmon available for sampling at the show. Some of my favorites came from Spence & Co., Ltd., which primarily is a purveyor of smoked salmon though they currently sell over 80 products. The company was founded by a Alan Spence, a master smoker from Scotland. They produce smoked salmon in a traditional Scottish method, which gives it a more restrained smoky taste. Some of their more unique items, which I did not taste, include smoked salmon from New Zealand, which uses Manuka wood, and salmon from recipes by famed chef Charlie Trotter, such as the Darjeeling Tea & Ginger Cured Salmon.

Last month, the Japanese government placed unagi, the Japanese eel, on the Environment Ministry's Red List, listing it as Endangered. Catches have been at record lows, declining to about 5% of what were caught in the 1960s. Japan is the primary consumer of these eels, eating about 70% of the production.  percent of all eel produced worldwide. The Red List is more an advisory and does not create any legal regulation, so hopefully the government will take notice and actually do something to protect the unagi. To protect the unagi, it would be beneficial to find other sustainable fish which might closely replicate the taste of unagi.

Triad Fisheries, in Alaska, has created one such option, and I was impressed with the result. Their Alaska Sablefish Unagi Style recently won two Symphony of Seafood awards, including #1 2013 Foodservice & People's Choice Seattle. This product is wild Alaskan sablefish, with an unagi marinade, which is precooked and ready to heat and serve. First, I found this fish to be absolutely delicious. It seemed to share some of the texture of the unagi, which is important, and a bit of the taste. It may not be a perfect replication of unagi, but because it is so tasty, and has a similar texture, I think this would be a very good replacement.

Another Alaskan treat was the Aqua Cuisine Seafood Lit'l Sammies Smoked Salmon Cocktail Franks, which also won a Symphony of Seafood award for #1 2013 Smoked. These are made from 100% wild Alaskan Salmon and are all natural, with no artificial ingredients. They are low in fat, high in protein, and free of nitrite and nitrates. They had a nice texture, just a bit looser than a regular hot dog, and you definitely tasted the salmon and mild smokiness. They would make a great alternative for a cocktail party or tail gate party.

Almost hidden in the rear of the show, amidst a number of Korean booths, I stumbled upon HaeMatt Co., Ltd. which produces Korean Myeong-Ran, a roasted laver. You probably are more familiar with laver by its Japanese name, nori, which is often used to wrap sushi. In Korea, roasted lavery is associated with fertility and is often served at weddings. It may also be eaten as an appetizer or snack. This seasoned laver is made from laver, brown rice, pollock roe seasoning, perilla oil and sesame oil. Some chili pepper powder may have been added as well. I enjoyed the seasoned laver, which I found crunchy with a nice depth of seasoning though I did not find it spicy. I could see though how it might be an addictive snack. And you could always add your own hot spices.

Black Diamond Caviar, produced by Warbucks International Seafood, is produced in Louisiana and they make three different types. In general, the caviar costs about $50 for a 3.75 ounce jar. I believe that the caviar I tasted was from the bowfin, known locally as the choupique. It is a freshwater fish, more ancient than sturgeons, from Louisiana and their roe is naturally black. I liked the taste of this caviar, which had a mild brininess, no fishy aftertaste and has a silky smooth texture. A good, sustainable choice.

I love a good mussel, and the type of broth they are prepared in matters a lot. Canadian Cove produces Prince Edward Island Mussels, which are rope grown and sustainable. The mussels are good for your health too as they are low calorie, a good source of lean protein, and have plenty of Omega-3s, iron and Vitamin B12. The mussels were large and plump, cooked in a Sweet Thai broth, and really satisfied me. Fortunately, they also had slices of bread for dunking into the flavorful broth.

The British Columbia Pavilion offered samples of a number of different types of sustainable seafood. In British Colombia, they produce over 100 species of seafood, exporting about 80% and the U.S. receives about 57% of those exports. Salmon accounts for about 40% of all B.C. production. British Colombia is big on food safety, traceability and sustainability.

At the show, their chef was Nathan Fong, a food stylist, journalist, and TV personality, who was born in Vancouver. Next to Nathan, you may recognize Jacqueline Church, the Leather District Gourmet, who assisted Nathan at the show. Nathan spent lots of time preparing various dishes, showcasing the delicious seafood of British Columbia. I stopped by their booth several times to see what the next recipe might be. A luscious sablefish, caviar & scrambled eggs, uni, fried rockfish, and more. Overall, this ended up as the tastiest booth at the entire show, with an excellent variety of delicious seafood, prepared very well.

Salmon on a stick!

One of the treasures from the British Columbia booth was the Northern Divine Caviar. This is the first certified organic caviar in North America, from thirteen year old White Sturgeons. The company began producing caviar in 2011 but became a commercial entity in 2012. The sturgeon was raised in tanks on land and they produce only a few hundred kilos each year. They have been certified by Canadian Organic Aquaculture as well as Global Trust. Currently, they are sold mostly in Canada, though you can find it in the U.S. and they are seeking more distributors. It is pricey, at about $88 for 30 grams, but then caviar has never been an inexpensive luxury. The taste is exquisite, smooth, briny and buttery without any fishy aftertaste. One of the better caviars I have tasted in the last few years. And paired with even scrambled eggs, they make a great dish. Splurge and check out this caviar.

“The sea hath fish for every man.”
--William Camden

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Chives In Halifax: Compelling Local Flavors

I love how Twitter can connect people from all over the world. Recently on Twitter, I was contacted by George Davis, the General Manager of Chives Canadian Bistro in Halifax, Nova Scotia. George was making plans to visiting Boston in September and wanted some recommendations. This was days before I was to leave for a visit to Nova Scotia. I checked out the website for his restaurant and was intrigued by its philosophy and menu. I had been seeking a place to dine in Halifax and had not previously checked out this place. In the end, I made reservations to dine there during my trip.

Chef Craig Flinn opened Chives in December 2001 and since then it has gained quite an excellent reputation. For example, the Coast City Guide: Best of Halifax 2012, an annual guide, awarded Chives a Gold as Best Fine Dining, a Gold to Chef Flinn as Best Chef, and a Gold to Chives for Best Use of Local Ingredients. The Chives website states: "The restaurant menus are based on seasonal produce from local farmers, artisan cheese and meat producers, and sustainable seafood with the core menu changing every 6 to 8 weeks. The bistro’s clientele enjoy contemporary Canadian bistro dishes rooted in European culinary history."

The medium-sized restaurant is casual but with an intimate feel, and the decor evokes a sense of nature, from its colors to the unique tree sculpture near one wall. There is a bar in the main dining area but it is not a place to sit, but rather a place for their bartender to work and servers to pick up drinks. On some of the walls were a series of rather unique paintings, old buildings that lacked any windows. The tables are spaced far enough apart so you don't feel crowded and have an element of privacy. You will feel very comfortable here, a place for an intimate dinner or a get together with some friends.

Chives emphasizes local ingredients and has not failed to follow through with this philosophy on their wine list. Though their wine list contains wines from all over the world, they also sell seven Nova Scotia wines by the glass and fifteen by the bottle. Plus, they sell about 9 other wines from other parts of Canada. Glasses are available in either 5 ounce ($7.25-$10.75) or 9 ounce ($13.25-$19.50) pours, and the list has a fair-sized selection of wines priced $36-$60 a bottle. Markups seem fairly reasonable, with a number of bottles priced under 2X the usual retail price. For example, the 2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, often found at retail for about $75, only costs $110. Wine lovers will fine plenty of wines to interest them on this list.

We decided to stick to Nova Scotia wines, to get a small sense of the current state of their wine industry. I have had Nova Scotia wines before, and even visited a few of their wineries, but it has been a number of years since my last experience. Since then, new wineries have opened and I figured that the overall quality of their wines had likely improved as well. Based on the five wines we tasted, I was impressed and think a deeper exploration of their wines is warranted.

My favorite of the wines was the 2011 Blomidon Estate Rose, of which I have previously raved. It was an excellent food wine and something I could easily enjoy on its own as well. The Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 was a pleasant apertif, a sparkling wine made from New York Muscat and Pearl of Csaba grapes. It has intense aromatics, reminiscent of Muscat, with delightful green apple, orange and melon flavors. Crisp acidity, hints of sweetness and a light effervescence make this a fun and delicious wine.

The Avondale Sky The Landing is made from the Leon Millot grape and is an opaque red, almost purple, in color. It is easy drinking with intense cherry flavors and hints of spice, especially on the finish. Not too complex, but a very pleasant wine. The Jost Vineyard Cote St. George is made from the Marechal Foch grape and was light and smoky with subtle red fruit flavors. This would be delicious with some BBQ or a hearty pasta dish.

And if you don't like wine, they have a fully stocked bar with a list of special cocktails ($8.25) and martinis ($10).

The food menu is small, based on seasonal and local ingredients, but with plenty of interesting choices. They usually have 7 Appetizers ($8.99-$12.99), 7 Entrees ($23.99-$28.99) and 4 Desserts ($4.99-$9.99). The size of the menu is not a negative in the least. I also like the fact that they provide 2 wine recommendations for each dish on the menu, making it much easier for customers to decide on a pairing. Besides the regular menu, there will usually be at least a few specials of the evening too. The menu includes vegetarian options, gluten free choices, as well as noting which menu items can be modified to gluten free. In addition, I suspect that if you have food allergies, they will cater very well to you.

Entrees come with a buttermilk biscuit, served in a paper bag, with soft butter and molasses. A great start, both flaky and soft, and shows that Southerners are not the only ones to make good biscuits. My only minor quibble is that you must pay for extra biscuits ($0.75), though many other restaurants provide additional bread or biscuits for free. And that is my only complaint about the entire meal.

For appetizers, we chose two different ones. The Farmer's Market Salad ($9.99) varies dependent on what is available at the local market. Our salad came with greens, peaches, Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese (from Nova Scotia), almonds, and topped by a balsamic dressing. The ingredients were quite fresh and meshed well together. The blue cheese was on the mild side yet flavorful and the peaches were lush and juicy. A refreshing and tasty beginning.

The General Tao's "Bacon" ($10.99) is a generous piece of braised Nova Scotia pork belly topped with a ginger sesame glaze and placed atop a crunchy cashew coleslaw. The pork belly was tender, with a compelling Asian glaze, making for a decadent dish. The cole slaw was also intriguing, with the addition of a crunchy texture and nutty flavor from the cashews.

The restaurant provided us a complimentary middle course, their version of a New Orleans Po' Boy Sandwich. They topped a soft brioche bun with flash fried local oysters and a chipotle corn relish. My picture above is missing the top part of the bun, just so you could get a better view of the inside of this scrumptious sandwich. This was a perfect sandwich with clean, crisp oysters and a compelling relish that had a delightful spice and slight crunch. The soft, buttery bun complemented the sandwich and didn't overpower the oysters with too much bread. I could have easily eaten two or three of these sandwiches.

For entrees, one of our choices was the CCB Surf N' Turf ($39.99/market price), which includes a Prince Edward Island beef tenderloin, grilled sea scallops, spinach and old growler gouda risotto, candied field tomato, and buttermilk onion rings. The tenderloin, which is organic and grass fed, was ordered rare and it was cooked perfectly, absolutely tender and the sauce added plenty of savory flavor to the umami-rich and gamey beef. The scallops had a nice char and the tomato was juicy and tasty. A big surprise was the risotto which I didn't think I would like because of the spinach. Yet it was fantastic, bursting with flavor, a great texture and a pleasant creaminess. You would never have guessed it had spinach. An excellent dish and highly recommended.

Our other entree was one of the nightly specials, a Lobster Tagliatelle ($26.99) with homemade pasta and plenty of lobster. The thin tagliatelle was cooked nicely, a good al dente, and the sauce was creamy without being cloying, complemented by the sweet lobster. This was a large portion, though I did pretty well in completing most of it. A good choice, I would also highly recommend this as well.

We were fairly full by the end of dinner so decided to split a simple dessert, some Peach Sorbet, accompanied by whipped cream and a fruit sauce. The sorbet is made on premises and was refreshing, with a rich and fresh peach flavor. The restaurant also provided us complimentary glasses of a Jost Vidal Ice Wine, which had plenty of good acidity that balanced the mild sweetness, and flavors of apricot, dried fruit and honey.

Our server was George, and the service was excellent. The restaurant was fairly busy for a Monday night and everyone else seemed to be quite satisfied with their service and food. The quality and quantity of the food is well worth their reasonable prices, and the wine list is interesting and affordable. It was an impressive dinner and I give Chives my highest recommendation. They have a great culinary philosophy, serving local, seasonable ingredients, and the cuisine, though often familiar in many respects, has plenty of excellent creative touches as well. I will return here again the next time I visit Nova Scotia.

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