Savouring Quebec

One of my Facebook friends posted a link to an article on the Louis d'Or today, a Quebec cheese from the Fromagerie du Presbytère which won first prize in the prestigious Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. As I was reading the article, from the Montreal Gazette, I came across another interesting bit of info which I thought might interest some of my readers:

"If you plan a holiday in Quebec this year, the latest edition of the annual guide to B and B's, inns, and farms to visit which offers a savoury collection of addresses throughout the province has just been published. Called Terroir et saveurs du Québec (Guides de voyage Ulysse, $24.95), it lists 330 places to stay or dine, 250 farms and producers of foods, wines and ciders, 105 restaurants serving local products, plus careful directions, maps and copious photographs. It's a mouthwatering read...."

Read more on the Online version of the Montreal Gazette: Quebec Cheese Wins Award.

From: http://www.bonjourquebec.com/  Travel Media Centre

You'll find lots more information on Quebec's official tourism website, Bonjour Quebec. Here's a link to the site. It provides information on some key events taking place in the Province, as well as other usful info (to change the language, check the top right hand of the screen where you can select French, English or Spanish):

Bonjour Quebec Travel Media Centre.

Morrocan Chicken with Chickpeas, Almonds, & Currants

Morrocan Chicken with Chickpeas, Almonds, & Currants, a photo by ©EpicureanPiranha on Flickr.

This is a lovely Morrocan dish, but unlike the original, it is much lower in fat because the chicken is skinned. The recipe is from a Time Life series of French cookbooks I bought years ago on healthier eating, and sadly lacked flavour. So I adjusted the spices and seasonings, and the resulting flavour was perfect! Subtle, delicious ...perfect with a chilled, dry rosé or white wine, or a cold Boréale Blanche white beer "on lie" from one of Quebec's excellent micro breweries!

My Quest for the Best Challah!

My Quest for the Best Challah!, a photo by ©EpicureanPiranha on Flickr.

Challah is one of my favourite egg breads ~ the aroma of the loaves baking is sublime, and the rich dough is incredibly tender whith just a hint of sweetness! With cold butter, and perhaps some wild berry preserves, I could easily eat a whole loaf when it’s still warm from the oven (I actually did this a few years ago!). But I’d never tried baking one until last year. After researching recipes for this delicious Jewish specialty in my cookbooks and on the web, I had chosen the recipe I’d found in the Fleischmann’s Yeast cookbook. The proportion of butter and eggs seemed the most promising for what I wanted to achieve.

I have to admit that I was very pleased with the results. The baked loaves looked gorgeous, and had a wonderful flavour and texture. But the bread just wasn’t as rich tasting ~ and the dough not as golden ~ as I’d hoped! So I went back to my research, but still could not find a recipe that seemed better. Since I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided I’d have to create my own recipe!

I've just published it on my webzine My Quest for the Best Challah!