Quebec raspberries! Perfectly imperfect. The first of the year according to the guy at the market. (I’m pretty sure all the other guys were taking american raspberries and throwing them in Produit du Quebec baskets, they look fresh from the grocery store)

It’s St-Jean Baptiste Day here in Quebec, also known as Fete Nationale (National Hoilday). Last night most of the province was out partying. Today people generally have a BBQ and share a few beers. It’s pretty wet out there though, so I decided to just stay home and clean. When my mom called to ask if I wanted to go to Marché 440 with her and my dad I was 99% sure it would be closed, but I said yes just to get out of the house.

Turns out I was wrong.

My trip to the market was unexpected, so I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. I decided to only buy products from Quebec, and ended up with a pretty random collection.

Quebec Radishes.

Pretty little multi-coloured carrots.

Quebec Asparagus.

Now, what do I do with all this stuff?

To celebrate Independence Day, Casey at Eating, Gardening & Living in Bulgaria has challenged us to make something that we think is American cuisine. If anyone wants to participate just let her know by June 27th , all posts must be submitted by July 3rd.

I signed up as soon as I saw the event, and ever since then I’ve been thinking about what american cuisine is.

It’s a tough question. My first thoughts went to burgers and fries, but that seems to simplistic. Many different cultures have come together to make up american cuisine, but does that mean I can just make an italian dish and call it american? Of course not, something about it has to make it american.

Then there is the question of regional dishes. Does New England Clam Chowder count as american? How about some gumbo? A nice bowl of chilli?

So I’m putting the question out there to you. What is american cuisine?

I’ve been complaining about being single for quite a while now, but really haven’t done anything to try to fix the situation. Online dating, speed dating, blind dates, I haven’t done any of that. So to try to be more proactive about my love life, I tried something new this week; Cook and Date.

The idea behind Cook and Date is that a group of singles meet while learning to cook from a local chef. Once the lesson is done we get to enjoy the fruits of our labour. And hopefully along the way meet someone who seems kinda nice.

That is not so much what happened.

The evening starts with cocktails and mingling. Because one girl was an hour late we didn’t get any appetizers till around 8:30. Cocktails and no food on a weeknight = drunk people.

Also because that one girl was late, the chef did a lot of the work without us ever knowing what he was doing. Only 3 people actually got involved in the cooking, and I use the term cooking loosely, as 2 of them were assembling a tiramisu (everything was prepared) and 1 grilled some sausages. The same guy who grilled the sausages decided to play TV chef, so the actual chef wasn’t even able to tell us what was in the food.

It felt like the majority of the people there knew each other and weren’t there to learn anything or to meet someone new. By the end of the night the drunk guys were asking people uncomfortable questions and not leaving them alone until the answered. It was really quite unpleasant.

I went into this thinking that at least I would get a cooking lesson, but I walked out with nothing. We were supposed to get the recipes by email, but I’m still waiting.  I still think the idea is a good one, but sadly the people at the event made it a terrible evening.

I guess I’ll just keep waiting for the cute guy in the elevator to talk to me!

“You can’t make dessert without butter, and if you try you’re not going to be happy.”

My first issue of Food and Wine has finally arrived! (Well, first after ones that were stolen by either neighbours or perhaps the mailman, but we won’t get into that now).

I was going to go for a jog, but it looks like it might rain, and Food and Wine is here, so I’m just going to curl up with it and enjoy.

What to make first?

Update! There is a whole section on food travel in Canada, and there are several Montreal mentions! I love this magazine.

Today I said that I thought Jamie Oliver might be getting a little preachy with his food revolution. I came home and read this. I take it back. Someone needs to take food producers and shake them. You don’t need to make string cheese more appealing to kids! IT’S STRING CHEESE! It’s food you’re supposed to play with!

Bubble gum flavoured cheese… Sheesh.

Julie just told me that Whole Foods has coconut sugar. Coconut sugar! I’m so excited, I’ve been waiting weeks for this! I need to get to Whole Foods right now. Unfortunately the closest one is 5 hours away.. that’s a long way to go for sugar. But somehow this doesn’t seem unreasonable. Road trip anyone?

PS: Whole Foods, if you are reading this, please come to Montreal. Thanks.

This just isn’t working for me anymore.

At first things were great between us, we always had good times. You were very, very satisfying. But then things changed. Things were great when we were together, but as soon as you were gone I would feel terrible. I’ve tried to walk away before, but my cravings always brought me back. Not this time though, after this afternoon, I know things truly have to end. I just can’t handle this feeling in my stomach anymore. So, Place Tevere Pizza, I’m saying goodbye. I’ll always remember you.

Apparently people liked my cake. Carmelo even said he would pay me the birthday cake cash collected by the department to make his one. Hmm.. 26$ a cake, the ingredients cost about 15$ .. if I bake 24 hours a day for the next 10 years, I’ll be a millionaire!

Maybe I should get a second oven so I can get some sleep..