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Category: Our Columns
Taming horsemeat
Horses were already being appreciated for their meat during prehistoric times. People then started domesticating them about 5,500 years ago, exploiting the animal’s strength to help them in hard physical labour and it’s docility to act as a mode of transport. So the consumption of horsemeat declined and was limited to periods of famine.
Pear, the perfect entrée for dessert and more
Pears are almost as widely used as apples, because they blend in so wonderfully with salted as well as sweet dishes. This fruit can be eaten raw, cooked, dried and in candied form. It is used for making compotes, jams, jellies, sauces, juices, vinegar and even brandy. The pear lends consistency and a slightly sweet […]
A Chow Mein to … clear out your fridge
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on February 19, 2011. Omnipresent in Chinese and Asian restaurants, ‘chow mein’ originated from a peasant dish that the first Chinese immigrants brought with them to North America in the 19th century.
“Pancetta”, the Italian bacon
The word “pancetta” gets its name from the paunch of the pig (“pancia” in Italian), which is salted, spiced and dried for approximately three months, before being presented in a rolled form like a large sausage. Unlike bacon, it is almost never smoked.
Preparing your own “hummus”
It’s very easy to prepare your own “hummus”. All you have to do is to blend some chickpeas and “tahini” (sesame seed paste) with some lemon juice, garlic and olive oil in a food processor.
Happy Year of the Rabbit
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on February 5, 2011. The Chinese New Year that started on Thursday 3rd February falls under the sign of the symbolic animal Rabbit or Hare, and the cosmological element White Metal.
Gratin dauphinois
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on November 8, 2008. Gratin dauphinois (or scalloped potatoes) is a dish that gets its name from the Dauphiné region in the southeast of France. It consists primarily of potatoes that are slowly cooked in the oven, with milk or cream. As with all traditional dishes, there is […]
Chickpea, a Canadian legume
The chickpea is one of the most cultivated legumes in the world. It is part of the daily diet in the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and India. It was first cultivated in 7000 BC in Turkey and has since been traditionally grown in rotation with durum wheat in semi-arid soils.
Where exactly does ‘Chili con Carne’ come from?
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on June 24, 2006. Contrary to popular opinion, this is not a Mexican dish, but rather the national dish of Texas, also known by the people over there as ‘the red bowl’.
Duck meat, for good taste and health
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on January 27, 2007. Duck lovers enjoy its delicious meat, which is so easy to prepare, and which helps maintain the cardiovascular system in good shape, thanks to its low levels of cholesterol and high levels of monounsaturated fats.
Bananas may soon disappear
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on January 22, 2011. Although the banana tree is one of the oldest known plants, its fruit was apparently not eaten by our hunter-gatherer ancestors because it was not very fleshy and was full of many non-edible seeds. Evidence of the first banana cultivations for human consumption (dating […]
Lentils: The Truth About Puy
People say that lentils represent life in India. In Italy, because their shape resembles coins, they are eaten on the first day of the New Year, in order to ensure prosperity all year long.
