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Category: Our Columns
Running on Omega-3
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on February 24, 2007. The health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are now widely acknowledged.
Pasta, origin unknown…
The origin of pasta is a matter of speculation, with many countries, including China and Italy staking their claim. According to a pretty well-known and controversial legend, pasta was introduced in Italy at the end of the 13th century by Marco Polo, upon his return from China. However, noodles made from buckwheat, rice and soya […]
Oven “fried” Fish and Chips!
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on March 24, 2007. «Fish and chips» is a very popular meal in all English speaking countries, and most particularly in the United Kingdom. Whether in the form of a ‘take-away’ or eaten there and then, the British are so crazy about it that each year, they consume […]
Lemon and Lime for Juice, Zest and More
Originating in Asia, most likely in the East Himalayan region, the lemon and its cousin the lime were probably introduced in America by Christopher Columbus. We believe that it was in 1493, during his second voyage, when he set up his first permanent establishment on the Island of Hispaniola (now called Haiti and Dominican Republic). […]
Halal food
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on April 26, 2008. The word halal, meaning “permissible”, is used to describe foods that Muslims are allowed to consume, as per Islamic law. For meat to qualify as halal, it must respect the animal breeding and processing conditions prescribed by Islam.
A stew named Ratatouille
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on April 10, 2010. Ratatouille is a combination of zucchini, sweet peppers, aubergines (eggplants), tomatoes and onions all finely diced and simmered in olive oil. According to the dictionary, the word ‘ratatouille’ was first coined in 1778 from the French verb touiller, which mean to stir or to […]
Get ahold of some guinea hen
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on March 1, 2008. It was the Portuguese who brought back the guinea hen back from Africa. It is known as “pintada” in Portuguese, meaning “painted”. As a matter of fact, the bird has white spots that look as if they have been painted onto its dark grey […]
Adding dried fruits to your menu
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on April 4, 2009. Dehydration is one of the oldest food preservation techniques. Once our ancestors observed that fruits left hanging on the branches remained edible, they started to deliberately dry fruits in the sun. This was done in order to preserve them for the winter.
Milk and its various avatars
Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on April 3, 2010. For over 7,000 years now, humans have been consuming the milk of certain mammals – cows, sheep, goats, camels, etc. But since milk turns sour when it is left standing, it was only consumed in a processed form, like butter, cheese and yogurt.
Looking for ideas for Easter lunch?
This column aims at suggesting tasty, simple and quick dishes for the whole week, and these dishes are based the seasonal availability of fresh ingredients and the specials advertised in the flyers of the main food retailers.
Clam Chowder… with mussels!
Clam chowder is a hearty soup that is very popular in North America’s east coast, stretching from the Maritime Provinces till Manhattan and passing through Newfoundland and New England. The traditional recipe includes clams, potatoes, milk, cream and various herbs and spices. The word “chowder” actually derives from the French word chaudière (cooking pot) in […]
Popeye and his spinach
Who doesn’t remember Popeye, the famous cartoon sailor from our childhood, who used to get superhuman strength by gulping down a can of spinach? This legend probably had something to do with the content of iron in spinach, as iron is a mineral that protects against anemia and the feeling of weakness that results from […]
