Boris Bistro in Montreal

The setting for Boris Bistro in Old Montreal at 465 Rue McGill is a bit unconventional in that their terrace is between two office buildings, with the façade of the building still in place for a store front look. Behind the façade the terrace is open to the sky! A large awning and a number of umbrellas provide protection to the tables and planters arranged across the paving stones.

On Tuesday evening it was stinking hot. Although we had a 3 day old reservation, we still didn't get placed on the terrace. Our table was however just inside the restaurant looking out over the open space as they use only a collapsible wall to divide inside from out. I have seen one review refer to Boris Bistro as spare, chic and trendy. I am not too sure I would have found better words myself. So as the night humidity permeated us as we sat on the outer edge of inside, we still felt like we were part of a scene.

The menu provided appetizers and mains. Two of us did a tapas approach and took two appetizers and then dessert as our dinner plan. I didn't manage to catch pictures of all the dishes but I will try to talk to them anyway. The cozy mood lighting did nothing for my picture taking.


Endives, beets, walnuts and blue cheese salad $8.00. This was one of my dishes. It was bursting with the strong flavours of the beets, blue cheese and walnuts (really, really fresh walnuts). They didn't say what the dressing was but it had zing. Raspberry? Something citrus?


Chilled yellow and red beet soup $6.75. I didn't sneak a taste but I did marvel at the steady hand that delivered this dish with the yellow beet soup still in a nice circle.

Two other appetizers ordered were: Tapenade trio (olives, red peppers, artichokes) $9 and Mushroom cappuccino topped with rosemary cream $6.75. I did have a good taste of the tapenade trio as there were ample portions of the 3. When the toasts ran out, people used the excellent french baguettes as tapenade 'vessels'. The artichoke was a particular standout. And who doesn't love the saltiness of olives.


Caponata on mild goat cheese with tomato coulis and virgin oil $11. I decided to try a dish I had never had before. And I was feeling on the vegetarian side this night. For those of you who have never had caponata before, here are few things you might like to know about this Sicilian inspired aubergine dish. It is a cooked vegetable salad with eggplant, celery, pine nuts, tomatoes and onions seasoned with a sweetened vinegar. The pickled taste was pretty puckery! I felt so righteous eating this dish but who really knows what calories may have been lurking in each bite.


Creamy sage ravioli with pine nut emulsion $8.50. I did manage to do a 'neighbour tax' when this dish landed on the spot beside me. This is the appetizer portion and is a pretty rich but 'oh so good' dish. I couldn't imagine eating it as a main, considering that creamy richness.

Everyone else had mains: Duck risotto with oyster mushrooms, sage and orange cream sauce $20 or the Grilled salmon and caramelized walnuts on baby spinach salad $17.75. The diner having the risotto felt that the rice was undercooked. I like to think I know my risotto so I went in for a dive. I do like an 'al dente' but I would say I would agree that there were too many pockets of 'crunchy' in this particular preparation. The waiter said that this was how they made it. The diner ate her way around the rice (if there is such a technique!) and went after just the duck and mushroom morsels.


French fries (in duck fat) with Boris’ mayonnaise $4.50. I ordered a serving of the famous fries for the table to taste. Kudos all around. It was a big serving so I am glad it was a team effort.


Chocolate marquise, salted butter, caramel $3 for taster; $8 for regular. I went for the taster. The chocolate marquise was wanting for nothing. I had plenty of caramel to enjoy drowning my chocolate nugget in each bite.


Maple crème brûlée $8. More 'neighbour taxing' took place here. In fact the whole table got into the spirit. Although I like to see a more evenly broiled top, it was tasty and cracked as it should. The custard had a velvety cream to it.

Our server treated us well. And whenever I am in a group of more than 4, I know patience needs to rank high. We seemed a bit flitty but he took it all in stride. And we went a bit crazy on the bread. He would have done us a favour if he had said 'stop'. I know, I for one, had too much of a good thing.

Other than the disappointment with the risotto, the evening flowed seamlessly. I know there is nothing they could do about the 99% humidity. Our skin never looked so supple. I would consider going back to Boris Bistro on a future trip to Montreal. I would love to enjoy the terrace on a sunny day in the mid-afternoon. Being in Old Montreal is a plus and I appreciated that it didn't feel touristy. The problem with Montreal though is that there is just too many good food establishments to try. But I will figure all that out next time.



Boris Bistro
465 Rue McGill
Montréal, QC
514.848.9575

Summer hours:
Mon to Fri: 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sat to Sun: Noon - 11 pm

Autumn/Winter hours:
Mon: 11:30 am - 2 pm
Tues to Fri: 11:30 am - 2 pm; 5 - 9 pm
Sat: 6 pm - 9 pm

Pâtisserie de Gascogne in Montreal

Two times in the past few years our book club group has ventured to Montreal for a day of culture, shopping and eating. Tuesday was such an outing day and for me, I didn't know I was actually going until 10 hours before departure. So I had no expectations and no requirements of what I needed to 'accomplish'. I showed up at the pick-up point in Alta Vista at 8:00 am with camera, umbrella and appetite in hand.

There was a stop at the Centre Rockland first for a Montreal mall shopping experience. I sat with the purses and offered lots of fashion advice. Then onto the popular shopping strip on Avenue Laurier Ouest between Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine and Rue Saint Urbain. Tucked away on Laurier at Rue Jeanne Mance is Pâtisserie de Gascogne. One of their 5 locations.

Here is a little excerpt on the history of the pâtisserie found on their website.

Founded in 1957 by Francis and Lucie Cabanes, Pâtisserie de Gascogne has widely contributed to the evolution of culinary habits established in Quebec. Its know-how paved the way for the development of gourmet cuisine in Montreal.

We owe to Pâtisserie de Gascogne the introduction of certain fine delicacies in North America, such as the Canelé, a specialty from the southwestern region of France.

Jean-Michel and Anne-Marie Cabanes then took over and developed the Pâtisserie de Gascogne we know today. In 2007, it was up to Martin Cabanes, the grandson of Francis, to carry the torch and consolidate the company by sharing his vision of the Savoir Plaire, while preserving its original vocation and values. Of course, the Cabanes family is still very much involved in mind and spirit to make sure Pâtisserie de Gascogne continues to offer the best.

This is the second time we have made this our lunch destination. The reason, it is good and it is quick. You line up to place your order and then take it to your table, either inside or out on the patio. Walking by the many linear feet of display coolers with their many finely prepared cakes, pastries, salads and eats guarantees them that you will have a hearty lunch of some sort.

They also sell specialty foods. Something that I didn't get to check out in detail. Temptations abound.



For their luncheon they offer a handsome special for $12.95. That day, you could have a choice of: tourtière, tarte provençale, sandwich jambon fromage, or bagel saumon fumé. I chose the tarte provençale. You could match that with potage du jour or salade du jour. I chose the potage du jour which was a cream of tomato soup. The soup came with baguette française. And you then round your meal out with a cup of coffee or cold beverage and a dessert du jour. I chose to go chic with my perrier which came at a 50 cent premium. And my sweet treat was a hazelnut torte.

FYI, a tarte provençale is typically made with cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, onion and garlic and then seasoned with herbes de Provence.

It is going to be hard to break this habit of Pâtisserie de Gascogne for lunch whenever in Montreal. Everything was just so tasty. No complaints here!

Pâtisserie de Gascogne - Laurier location
237 av. Laurier O.
Montréal, Qc
514.490.0235

Mon to Thurs: 8 am - 7 pm
Sat: 8 am - 6 pm
Sun: 8 am - 5:30 pm

Roots and Shoots Farm - 3rd week of CSA Food

Tonight was our pickup night again for the Roots and Shoots Farm's CSA food. This was their week #3. We participate with a half share every other week so this was just our second food offering. The colours alone get me. We have an exciting week ahead of trying new things. I welcome any and all suggestions on what to do with the bounty.

If you want to understand more about CSA's, the Ottawa Citizen did an article in today's paper.


Bin #1 and #2: beans, zucchini, pepper, basil and mustard greens (mizuna)


Basil


Beans, zucchini, pattypan squash and pepper. (We actually received more beans but this is what I pulled out for dinner.)


Mustard greens (mizuna)


Bin #3 and #4: Easter egg radishes and head of lettuce


Easter egg radishes


Head of lettuce


Bin #5 and #6: onions and carrots


Onions


Carrots


Bin #7 and #8: Red Russian kale and bok choy


Red Russian kale


Bok choy


Bin #9: Endive


Endive

If you want to learn more about the farm, the contact information for Roots and Shoots is:
ROBIN TURNER
robin@rootsandshootsfarm.com
www.rootsandshootsfarm.com
613.897.8975

Bastille Day Breakfast - Savoury Crêpes

Have you ever had savoury crêpes for breakfast? We have a house guest for a few days and when she came downstairs this morning, she responded to our 'So what would you like for breakfast?', with 'something kind of proteiny and not sugarish'. I offered up savoury crêpes and we agreed we had a deal. I was secretly very thrilled since I had some things I wanted to 'move along'. And as long as the ingredients are still fresh, the dish is prepared with love and presented nicely, we all come out smelling like roses!

My 'move it along' list included: goat cheese, red pepper, red onion, cilantro, avocado. I sautéed the red pepper and red onion together.

TIP ABOUT BACON: We decided to have bacon on the side since I had some on hand in anticipation of company. I love to cook up my bacon right away and store it in the freezer. That way the thought of mess doesn't interfere with the pleasure of making a dish that calls for bacon. Especially if the required bacon is just a small amount. And I usually under cook it a bit so that it presents well after reheating. We did have leftover bacon this morning and it is now freezer bound.

I was given this recipe by a crêpe aficionado, who experiences these thin pancakes as a staple in her home on many weekend mornings. Although it is unconventional in its pre-pan preparation, the idea of using the Vita-Mix to pull it all together means that it is all so effortless and maybe even less messy. For those that are crêpe construction die-hards doing it the 'right way', the proper technique is that the eggs are whisked into the flour first to ensure no lumps, and then the milk is whisked in to the appropriate consistency that any authentic French crêpe maker seems to know by look and feel. I continue to stick to my short cut approach.



I have a 10" Starfrit crêpe pan acquired from Costco many years ago for dirt. I have seen them lately at the Great Canadian Superstore in their kitchen section for $19.99. In fact, my husband doesn't know it, but I have one stashed away for gifting that could easily get gifted to me if I feel so inclined to need two on the go at once. Getting the pan to the right temperature is key to a successful crêpe and that just takes experience to get the feel for your pan.

I have a handy 1/4 cup ladle that works well for moving the crêpe batter to the pan very quickly.

Once all the crêpes were cooked, we began assembly. It works well to lay down a 1 1/2" track of the goat cheese across the middle of the crêpe first. I then layered on the thin avocado slices, the onions and red pepper and finally a good shingling of cilantro leaves. Roots and Shoots Farm's cilantro, I might add! How many crêpes you choose to have depends totally on your morning appetite.

Along with a tall latte, it was a pretty good way to start Bastille Day. Did you celebrate the day? What would you have for breakfast if you wanted 'something kind of proteiny and not sugarish'?

THE VERSATILE CRÊPE
Source: The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook

Thin French pancakes, the well-known crêpes, are custom-made to fill with savouries or sweets. Keep a batch handy in the freezer so you can spread them thinly with raspberry jam, fold them over a scoop of ice cream, drizzle them with chocolate sauce - and call them dessert.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted

In bowl, whisk flour with salt. In small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and 2 tablespoon of the melted butter; whisk into flour mixture until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Strain into another bowl.

Heat crêpe pan over medium heat. Brush lightly with some of the remaining butter. Pour 1/4 cup batter into centre of pan, swirling pan to coat; cook for about 1 minute or until bottom is golden. Turn and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining batter and butter.

Make-ahead: Stack crêpes between waxed paper, wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight container for up to 1 month. Makes 8 crêpes.

Pickled Beets (Syltede Rødbeder)

As soon as I picked up my Roots and Shoots Farm CSA produce last Wednesday, I had my mind set on pickled beets. I have never made them before, but we are big fans and my mother used to make them effortlessly through the years. I paid absolutely no attention to that particular job as she performed it time and time again. So I had to hit the books to find a recipe that best emulated the old family favourite. For me I wanted to start with what I knew and then experiment from there. So this effort was all about basic pickled beets.

Pickled beets and marinated cucumbers are so popular on the dining tables in Scandinavia that I knew this is where I needed to head to find the perfect recipe. You may find syltede rødbeder served with Denmark's native meatball called frikadeller, on an open faced sandwich they call smørrebrød, or just out on the buffet table like we would serve gherkins. They are a refreshing snack and we often just go to them for a quick nibble.

PICKLED BEETS (SYLTEDE RØDBEDER)
Source: Best of Danish Heritage Cookbook and more

15 beets approximately, medium size
1 litre vinegar
750 gr sugar
fresh horseradish (optional)

Scrub beets well but do not cut ends off, as the beets will "bleed" and lose colour. Cook in salted water until tender, 15 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Drain and cover with cold water. Peel, slice and place in jars. Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil and pour over beets. If a slice of fresh horseradish is placed in each jar, the contents will last longer. Cover and seal. Store in a cold place.

'Soup Kitchen' Party with some help from Mark Bittman

Tonight we ran our own street version of a soup kitchen. It ended up that we had prepared a huge quantity of food, so off we went in search of those looking for a meal 'rescue'. On our street, with all the renovations underway, that is like shooting fish in a barrel.

One neighbour said a very quick 'yes' in the midst of all their chaos. They have a kitchen renovation underway, as well as other big tuneups being incorporated into their large renovation plan. At the same time, their backyard is being re-landscaped. To top it off, the mom was in Toronto for just the day and was flying in at 7 pm. Tired and hungry. Our 3 plus their 3 made 6. Another teenage neighbour was on her own since Mom and Dad were off to Bluesfest. Cook for herself or get 'adopted' for a few hours. Easy choice. Now we were up to 7. Another family in Kanata had no plans yet in this sweltering heat and saw our 'soup kitchen' as an effortless drive compared to solving the hunger of their 4. Now we were up to 11. Our customer list seemed complete.

This all started because the mister had seen Mark Bittman's 4th of July blog post for his No-Work Smoked Pork Shoulder dinner. A trip Produce Depot earlier in the day yielded him two Picnic Shoulder Bone-In Roasts totaling 3.3 kg at 3.46/kg. For $11.30 he was going to make a yummy little dinner. Except 3 people don't typically do in 3.3 kg of pork shoulder.



The teenager and the mister got right to the science of how best to use the hickory and the cherry wood chips to make these roasts sing smoke. And sing smoke they did. Two methods were applied. The one described in Mark Bittman's blog and then the second which was a holey foil pouch of soaked wood chips placed below the grill and directly on the heat. All in all, it worked well enough. No Big Green Egg or Traeger smoker required, though I am sure their results would be awfully sweet!



The pressure was on for me to fill in the side dishes. I guess with smoked pork shoulder it just seems obvious that one of those sides has to be coleslaw. I went with our latest favourite creamy coleslaw by Bobby Flay. It was a chance to use some of my CSA produce from Roots and Shoots Farm. I am now finished with my carrots and I substituted the Spanish onion with many finely diced green onions. I really like how the dressing has a heat from the dry mustard.

The family traditional potato salad came into play on request. I incorporated more of the green onions and also a few of the Easter egg radishes. In addition to the diced boiled red potatoes and Miracle Whip, I also add finely chopped hard boiled eggs.

And then a green salad to round things out. It was made with the usual suspects - mixed greens, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, avocado, the rest of our CSA green onions and then our remaining feta cheese just to kick things up. My dressing was EVOO, balsamic vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a wee bit of minced garlic, a pinch of sugar and then ground black pepper.


(My dinner picture is a bit lame since it is before the second roast was carved. The plate here has only the crumbs from the first roast.)

The verdict on the smoked pork shoulder was that it was 'succulent, smokey and tender'. Some diners loaded it up on a bun and smothered it with BBQ sauce. No time for homemade so we used our President's Choice Smokin' Tequila Habanero Spicy Barbecue Sauce.



To keep it simple, our dessert was fresh strawberries and fresh pineapple, along with a latte from our trusty gal, the Rancilio Silvia.

There certainly was a lot of pressure when we knew we had food for a dozen people and no guests. But it always seems to work out eventually that after the word is out, to someone you are a godsend.

Allegro Ristorante on Preston Street

On Saturday afternoon we took the MIL to see another farcical play put on by the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg called The Amorous Ambassador by Michael Parker. My son, husband and I do bring down the average age of the audience significantly. There seems to be high appeal for UCP productions with the older crowd. We try to get out to the 4 summer plays because it is usually a good laugh and we like to support local summer theatre. More importantly, MIL just loves to go and her social outings are limited because of her reduced mobility.

On our drive home MIL announced that we needed to pick a place to go for dinner. It sounded like she was treating! (There went the plans for my Thai chicken that was marinating at home. What's another 24 hours.) We also had another guest along with an unknown palette. It was time to play it safe and also consider the budget. I seized up a bit. I do much better picking restaurants when I have my food blogs, Urbanspoon and Ottawa Foodies close to my finger tips. I did want to throw caution to the wind and go to a place that I had never been to before. I suggested that we just cruise Preston Street as it is a bit of a foodie gateway into Ottawa and parking would likely be manageable, since it was only 5:30 pm. This way we were likely to get a table too since I hear 'real' Italians don't even consider dawning the door of a restaurant until at least 8:00 pm. I have yet to properly validate this folklore.

I hastily picked Allegro Ristorante at 422 Preston Street at the corner of Beech Street, near Stoneface Dolly's. When I popped in to see if they could take us before unloading our crew, it was clear there was plenty of room since no one was there! I just hate that feeling. I want to go to a place that is packed and just happens to have a table for us in the corner. I starting to get very faint memories of going to Allegro's in the past. What I couldn't remember was if I even liked it. I hate that feeling too. But I just wanted to make a decision, so went for it.

With so much discussion in town about the Human Rights complaint against an Old Ottawa South restaurant this past week, I had a moment to reflect when we suffered the challenge of entering the restaurant up a number of stairs at the front door. This was an issue for MIL with her walker but also me with a new 'bum' knee, using a cane that day just to be safe. When inside, I saw that the access to the washrooms meant a steep ascent to the second floor. I felt in no way moved to file a complaint though. And if needed, I guess we could have made another choice. We all pitched in to help everyone make it inside okay and no one needed the washroom any time soon. It is a much older building, likely a house, that had been converted into a restaurant years ago. It is the legacy of that time. More than anything, we just wanted to enjoy a great meal together.

Our amuse-bouche was a complimentary bruschetta that seemed to arrive instantly. We also were served a substantial bun that was drizzled in an herbed infused olive oil for further dipping. Where were we going to find room for our dinner? For sure there would be a pass on doing appetizers.

Our very attentive waiter, with poetic discourse, shared with us the multitude of specials. I am sure there were at least seven. When I hear there are that many specials, I process very quickly "stay away from the menu - all the love and freshness has been directed at the specials".

I went for the 'osso bucco' lamb shanks. It came with two shanks, smothered in a braising sauce full of carrots, celery and tomato. It was fall off the bone goodness. The vegetables included steamed cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper and roast potatoes.

MIL went for the veal chop, medium well. It was gigantic. It was served with the same side of vegetables but also some Portobello mushrooms. The reason she made the pick in the first place. Her chop was grilled to perfection. And, with her wee appetite, she had plenty to take home for the next day.

Our other guest chose the rigatoni with grilled chicken and asparagus, served in a light white wine and tomato sauce. She too said it was just so delicious.

The mister was the only one to veer away from the the list of specials and he went for the Saltinbocco - a veal scallopini with prosciutto and white wine sauce. Again the same side of vegetables. He too said it was delicious.

I had every intention of passing on dessert. The mister said the same. MIL frowned in that matriarchal 'but we must have dessert' kind of way. We picked up the hint and asked to at least see the dessert menu. She quickly honed in on the Bailey's espresso cheesecake, as did our other guest. The mister faithfully went for the Tiramisu. I strategically clutched onto my small fork!

The cheesecakes were a handsome size so I didn't feel the least bit imposing for helping out. Quite tasty. As was the tiramisu.

The interior of the restaurant is in no way posh. But they like to keep it neat and presentable. I didn't feel any particular ambiance to the setting. But that was okay because the food met its expectation. Tasty, traditional, well prepared Italian food. When we left, the first floor was almost fully seated.

Allegro Ristorante
422 Preston Street
Ottawa
613.235.7454

Thai Marinated Roast Chicken and Stir-fried Bok Choi

Tonight we worked through some of our CSA produce from Roots and Shoots by trying some new found recipes in our Fine Cooking magazines. Our CSA food inventory was reduced by the bok choi, tat soi, cilantro, and scallions.

The main dish of chicken called Thai Marinated Roast Chicken with Lemongrass-Peanut Pan Sauce. The recipe can be found in issue #62 of Fine Cooking magazine, which came out in December of 2003.

Here is the list of ingredients to taunt you. The directions are not complicated, but very long so I won't be re-keying. If you can't find the recipe, feel free to email me and I will help you out.

FOR THE CHICKEN:
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
kosher salt
5 large cloves garlic, peeled

FOR THE LEMONGRASS-PEANUT MARINADE:
1/4 cup sliced and finely chopped fresh lemongrass (1 to 2 stalks, tough outer leaves removed)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (1 large lime)
1/2 cup coconut milk, well stirred
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
8 to 12 cloves garlic, peeled, or 4 to 5 shallots, peeled and cut in half (or a mix)

OPTIONAL GARNISH:
2 tablespoons finely chopped peanuts
fresh cilantro, sprigs or chopped leaves

We served it with Stir-Fried Bok Choi with Garlic, Ginger and Scallions. This recipe can be found in issue #105 of Fine Cooking magazine, and it came out in May of 2010. Fine Cooking offers the recipe on-line. We added our tat soi to this dish to bulk up our recipe.

We made jasmine rice as our second side and this was great for sopping up the sauce from the chicken.

In hindsight, I would not put the chicken and boy choi dishes together as they are both saucy. Perhaps just some of our new carrots and snow peas steamed would have been a better match. And as for the chicken recipe, it called for breasts and thighs and everyone agreed that the thighs out shone the breasts. Another change for next time.

Turnips, radishes and beets are now on our minds for the meals in the coming week.

We seem to have just about every issue of Fine Cooking magazine. They now offer the series on DVD but we have yet to consider the investment. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has taken that plunge.

How are you doing with you fresh produce bounty?

Baker Street Café - Breakfast in Westboro

A picture-less post. It is just killing me but I didn't have my camera with me for our Saturday breakfast at Baker Street Café, located in the old Annie's Irish pub at 385 Richmond Road, across from Mountain Equipment Co-op. They have been part of the Westboro scene now for about 3 years and the steady stream of customers would suggest they have found their sweet spot.

Friends, coming to Westboro to shop, invited us out for a quick breakfast together before they hit the stores. We arrived at 10:00 am on the July long weekend and were seated promptly. Although still a good crowd, I am guessing that everyone was at the cottage because usually this place is flowing over at this time on a Saturday.

We received our large carafe of coffee to the table and sipped away at our own pace. What a nice touch. A great concept for keeping the flow of coffee as close as possible to an intravenous drip.

Our friends were treating and insisted that we have one on of their gigantic cinnamon buns as an appetizer split 4 ways. Just the right size taste for me as it is pure decadence and my doctor would surely frown upon having the whole enchilada.

I had the 2 poached eggs with a HUGE fruit plate, a side of vanilla yogurt and 2 slices of rye toast. The fruit plate was the stand out and was chocker block full of bananas, strawberries, pineapple, melon, cantaloupe, and on and on. I am sure I am missing something. So fresh and well presented. I struggled to get to the south side of my bowl but it was worth it.

The other three went for the breakfast special of 2 eggs , choice of protein, a good portion of fruit as well as homemade home fries and they also picked rye toast. Everything was prepared to their liking and agreed was very filling.

The decor has changed a bit since we were last there. It seems brighter, so I am guessing a change of paint as it is lighter with white and a soft lemon lime green. Also the old dark green tiled tables are now covered in a black and white gingham table cloth and the accent wood is painted out in a charcoal colour. And although I do still sense the old building texture, I like this more sunny, airy feeling.

For us, the service was timely, attentive and very friendly.

Baker Street Café has always felt reliable and substantial, so if you need that kind of breakfast that is a step up from the all night diner outing, I think you will enjoy stopping in to this 'oh so homemade goodness'. We were in and out in an hour.

Baker Street Café
385 Richmond Road
613.729.8807

Roots and Shoots Farm - Our First CSA Pickup!

I am living the experience of participating in my first relationship with a CSA farm. This farm, Roots and Shoots, started sharing its bounty yesterday afternoon. Perhaps I was bit too keen, as we were first to the pickup location and were witness to Danny unloading the fresh produce from the back of the truck. Our takeaway included one item from each of the bins.

If you want to learn more about the farm, the contact information for Roots and Shoots Farm is:
ROBIN TURNER
robin@rootsandshootsfarm.com
www.rootsandshootsfarm.com
613.897.8975


Beautiful beets and succulent carrots.


A bunch of onions and then fresh cilantro and a small bag of peas.


Hakurei turnips and Easter egg radishes.


Bok choi bundled with tats soi and a head of red leaf lettuce.

Tonight we made a salad for part of dinner using the red leaf lettuce and an Easter egg radish, as well as a few sprigs of the cilantro. To that we added tomatoes, red pepper and red onion. The champagne vinaigrette was the perfect match.

We served the salad with grilled sausages from The Piggy Market at 400 Winston Avenue in Westboro. Tonight we tried two pork sausages - Beaus'Wurst and Maple Chipotle. They were delicious but pricey at $32/kg. A treat for sure at about $4.50 a sausage and only you can decide if your food budget can include them as regulars on your menu at home. We each had 1 1/2 sausages with our salad.

Tomorrow we have mapped out stir-fried bok choi with garlic, ginger and scallions to go with our Thai marinated roast chicken with lemongrass-peanut pan sauce. And I am hoping we can somehow incorporate the carrots too.

We still have lots of eats ahead of us with our quality fresh, naturally-grown, seasonal produce. Any ideas on what we can do with it all?

CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE
Author: Patrick and Gina Neely from Down Home with the Neelys
Source: Epicurious - May 2009

1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 to 3 dashes hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, you can combine all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and purée until smooth.

Yield: 3/4 cup

Her Majesty, Oscar Peterson and Oliver Jones Sent Us To The NAC's Le Café for Lunch

I am a big Oscar Peterson fan. I am also a big Oliver Jones fan. And when I heard that the public unveiling of the life-sized bronze statue of jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, would include a tribute piece by renowned jazz pianist, Oliver Jones, I knew I needed to be at this event. He played Peterson's "Hymn to Freedom”, of course! Enough to make you weep.

For the monarchy fans out there, be it our lucky day to have Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh come by just in time to pull the gold cord on the red velvet curtain for the big reveal. The weather was great, the mood was high and everything appeared to go without a hitch, despite Liz's tardy arrival. We filled our time listening to the very gifted Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir under the direction of Prof. Trevor W. Payne.

Renowned artist, Ruth Abernethy, has created a piece of art that speaks to her great sculpting talent as she has immortalized a notable Canadian in such a timeless and accessible way. I for one look forward to that moment this summer when I can return to the statue and slide in beside Oscar at his life-sized bronze grand piano, just taking in the quiet and humming a few tunes.

Yesterday, I did stop and smell the roses. I took the time to check out a small Canadian moment. I was there. It wasn't life altering but it was very Canadian and it did feel like something to savour. I am a big fan of doing things I have never done before and this was one of those times. Also, something not to be repeated. I knew I would never have Liz, Phil, Oscar, Oliver, me and my son in the same place ever again. And so it was with food that I thought we should celebrate. As the crowd dispersed some 45 minutes past 1 pm, my son eyed the sausage cart on Elgin across from the War Memorial. I eyed the sign for the NAC's Le Café!

We have yet to eat at Le Café since being taken over by award-winning Executive Chef, Michael Blackie. We quite enjoyed what he did at Perspectives at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata, but running the kitchen for the NAC is a totally different challenge. And it seems the reviews have been mixed. The 'Oscar Peterson reception' was being held on the terrace and would have the full attention of the staff. Our hope was that we would receive equally high quality service in the dining room.



We started with a bowl of rolls, accompanied by a trio of roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato and garlic spread, salted butter and then pumpkin seed pesto. I had heard that the buns were not the same dense, multi-grain gems so famous in the Kurt Waldele days. I had to agree with the critics. The bun change up is not for the better. Like the comments I had heard, the buns are not the gold standard you would expect to lead a first-class meal at THE restaurant meant to showcase the nation's capital. A bit dry and too airy. I add my name to the list of those petitioning to have Kurt's buns back. Michael, I am sorry to say, I don't like your buns. The trio of bread spreads, however, were quite lovely!

From here things picked up. We decided to go for the lunch table d'hôte. Two lunch items for $18.



My starter salad was fantastic. The greens appeared to be primarily arugula and by now you know just how important it is to me to have fresh, fresh, fresh greens. They were perfect. The dressing was a light accompaniment to the garnishes of goat cheese, radishes, pear and lightly candied pecans.



I didn't think my son really liked black bean soup so imagine my surprise when that was his pick. His words "A+". I snuck a taste with a distracting "Hey, look over there!" I had to agree with him that it was tasty, though I would have been happy with a touch of fresh cilantro. But then I think cilantro should be a food group. I would also mention that the portion size was handsome. The salad and soup each rang in at $6.50.



I followed with the rainbow trout with jasmine rice. The trout was seared to perfection and the sauce was rich and creamy. I probably don't want to know just how rich and creamy. The rice was pretty plain but served well to help soak up every last drop of the 'not to be wasted' sauce. I liked my new spring carrots and sautéed rapini.



My son, the big eater, chose the beef shins. An osso bucco style dish with a crazy amount of meat served on yukon mashed potatoes - his favourite form of potatoes - well, next to poutine. It was the plate that just kept on giving. Lucky me to help with the finishing. The meat was flavourful and fall of the bone tender. A beef jus finished the dish and gave it a glisten. He too enjoyed carrots and rapini. The two mains rang in at $11.50 each.

The winner of the lunch was the salad, then closely followed by the soup, then trout. My son's comments were succinct. "It was a really lovely lunch but it didn't totally knock my sox off." My son is a Blackie fan too and I think he has set the bar high when it comes to his expectation of 'Blackie perfection'. I would take that as a compliment.

We had a special day together and it was nice to round it out with a pretty special lunch. I have my eye on returning to Le Café to try the Taste 5 menu.

There is complementary parking at Le Café at Sunday brunches as well as Monday through Friday for lunch. Just bring your parking voucher with you to the restaurant to get it validated.

The summer hours are varied, depending on if you are there for lunch, munch, brunch or dinner and also if there is a show on in Southam Hall. The website can help you best to sort out the comings and goings.

Le Café
National Art Centre
613.594.5127