2013 February | Sybaritica

Drying various foodstuffs very much tends to concentrate their flavors and this is just as true with scallops as it is with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, or anything else you can care to name. Dried scallops, even more so than the fresh, are quite extensively used in Chinese cookery, particularly in Hong Kong and the southern coastal provinces, but I don’t see them much used in other cuisines, which is a bit of a shame, really, as they are a very useful ingredient. Certainly, anyone with an interest in cooking Chinese dishes will want to have a stock of these on hand but they are also well worth experimenting with in other culinary preparations as they pack a unique flavor punch that is truly exquisite… Read more

Date of Visit: January 10, 2013

A year ago, I visited ‘La Queue de Cheval’ in downtown Montreal and gave it a rave review. It appears that the establishment, although the ownership remains the same, now operates under a new name and, on my most recent visit to the city, I decided to visit and see if the quality remains the same. I am very pleased to note that the traditions of top-notch service and excellent service are very much alive… Read more

While perusing the contents of my freezer today, I came across some of the same ‘flanken-cut’ beef short ribs that I used to make Pepper Steamed Beef Rib a few weeks ago. This time, though, I wanted something grilled and I decided to prepare them Korean-fashion along the lines of the popular restaurant offering known as ‘Galbi’ or ‘Kalbi’.

Many recipes you come across for this preparation, especially the more westernized versions, use a marinade very similar to the typical Japanese Teriyaki blend of soy, sugar and garlic and ginger, but, in Korea, it is quite common to add the juice or puree of Asian pears as this not only helps tenderize the meat but also adds a lovely flavor. I can actually find the right variety of pear in our local stores fairly often but, for this experiment, I decided to try substituting a simple apple sauce instead… Read more

Date of Visit: January 10, 2013

While traveling for work purposes recently, I had a full day layover in Montreal and took the opportunity to check out a couple of restaurants in the downtown ‘Golden Square Mile.’ I would have liked to have visited Chinatown for a Dim Sum brunch on this trip but it didn’t quite fit with my plans and so I scanned the web for a Chinese establishment closer to my hotel and discovered Le Piment Rouge to be the only one that remotely interested me. Of all those I found, it looked like the only establishment (with one possible exception) that didn’t wasn’t a highly highly westernized, ‘sweet and sour/chop suey’ type of place, and the online menu actually looked quite interesting. As it happened, however, although the establishment has earned something of a stellar reputation (and, indeed, prominently displays several prestigious awards), I left the place feeling somewhat less than favorably impressed… Read more