Sweet Temptations in Paris

Paris. Just the name of the city itself evokes images of a fog-enveloped walk along the Seine or of lovers embracing near the Eiffel Tower. In most every traveler’s mind, “The City of Lights” is synonymous with architecture, haute couture and haute cuisine. And while you can easily spend your retirement savings on a seared-in-the-brain gustatory experience in the city that celebrates food like few others, there are a few more reachable culinary heights that mere mortals lacking the foie-gras-rich expense account can attain. Warning: some of them can even come with a side of near-religious inducing euphoria- especially if you’ve got a sweet tooth like me!
One of my personal favourites is a leisurely afternoon tea, replete with a rainbow palette of macarons at the institution of macarons, Ladurée Tea Salon. Far from the chewy, coconut clusters we call “macaroons” here in North America, French macarons are delicate meringue and almond flour “cookies” filled with a decadent ganache in the chewy centre. There’s a macaron to please most any palate ranging from pistachio, blackcurrant-violet, coffee, raspberry, rose petal, hazelnut praline, bitter chocolate and red fruits. I was smitten by the coffee and the bitter chocolate, but one bite of the salted butter caramel and I was in awe.
While macarons are heady stuff, the big shot pastry of Paris in my estimation is the Religieuse (aka, nun in French- named after a nun’s habit). For this, I’d follow my nose to any good pastry shop and source two cupola-like puff pastry domes filled with a flavoured crème patissière that can vary in flavour from orange blossom, caramel or rose to tomato- it is after all a fruit. The top dome (or head) is affixed with a good buttercream or Chantilly cream. Perfectly light pastry that’s delicately iced and studded with fresh strawberries (in my dessert’s case) in the middle- it was the most seductive of desserts.
My pet theory, as proven by this experience and my Caelum rendezvous as noted in my Barcelona post is the following: nuns make sweet, decadent, and even downright sexy temptations much like a painter who has never been caressed might produce the most erotic nude. I don’t mean any disrespect, but if you’ve ever sampled the nuns of Italy’s Medici Rose Elixir then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m not sure if the Religieueses I’ve sampled were developed by nuns- but their namesake affiliation alone makes me raise an eyebrow and smile parce que c’est merveilleuse any way you slice it.

Swiss Bliss

Some people would have you believe that I only like expensive wines and I’m out of touch with reality. They only say that because they know me. However, today I want to talk about drinking ordinary wine in an extraordinary place.

My girlfriend (now wife) and I were living in the UK when we met, so our first visit to any of her relatives was not here in Canada, but in Valais in Switzerland where her cousins had a little chalet. I brought along some really good red burgundy to impress them.

To be honest, I had no interest in visiting Switzerland and only went to make her happy. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The town of Vercorin in Valais is nestled in the Alps within easy reach of the Matterhorn and the Italian border. The Rhone River runs beneath its feet on the way to France and vinous fame. It is simply one of the most beautiful places on earth.

If you have an able body and a little energy, then do as I did and go walking here in the late Spring or early Summer. The mountain streams still hug onto the last remnants of snow and the crisp mountain air refreshes as it cools.

The local Herens cattle are famous for fighting each other in the spring to establish herd dominance. When I was there, the crowd was disappointed to find them in mainly good spirits rather than butting heads. I was happy for them.

Valais also has the largest wine industry in Switzerland. These are some of the highest vineyards in Europe at about 1,000 metres and offer some very cool views. You can discover two distinct and unique wines. The first is Fendant, which is a gentle and crisp white made from the Chasselas grape. (No, you are not meant to have heard of it.) The second is Dole, a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir that makes a soft and juicy red, perfect for the local cuisine.
The cuisine of choice is Raclette, which we enjoyed on a summers evening in the garden overlooking the neighbouring mountains. Raclette is a cheese wheel you melt over a grill and shave onto plates to serve with potatoes and pickles and dried meats. It is every bit as good and fattening as it sounds. Local cheese and local wine is a fantastic combination. It nearly made up for them taking the much more expensive burgundy to their cellar never to be seen again. Ah, family!

If Switzerland is in your plans this year Globus Tours has a tantalizing tour What’s Cooking in Switzerland led by Burt Wolf, the host of the public television series Travels & Traditions.

Let's talk chocolate

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, there’s only one language my husband needs to speak to get my attention. No I’m not referring to the language of love, but rather, the language of chocolate.

Second only to my husband, chocolate is the great love of my life, so much so that last year, after buying me chocolate from a chain store, my husband decided that it was not a good enough Valentine’s Day gift and trekked half way across the city to get me some other chocolate from a boutique chocolatier. I ate both happily, I’m not that much of a snob.

If there’s one place in this world where my chocolate consumption would be regarded as normal, it’s Switzerland. The country boasts the highest rate of consumption per capita (more than 11 kilograms a year per person) for this decadent treat. And who can blame them? Swiss chocolate is recognized as some of the world’s best. No the Swiss didn’t discover chocolate, and they weren’t the first to mass produce it even. But they did give it that smooth, melt in your mouth texture that makes this confection into something almost sinful. A chocolatier by the name of Lindt (sound familiar?) invented the technique to refine chocolate and elevate it even further.

But if you want to get the root of chocolate history in Switzerland, it’s the Cailler-Nestlé factory you want to visit. First you hop aboard the Chocolate train (yes, there is a chocolate train!) to get there. OK, so it’s not made of chocolate, but you get to ride in a Pullman Belle Epoque train, circa 1915 as you head off towards your ultimate chocolate destination. It’s like a Swiss version of Charlie and Chocolate Factory fantasy. Well, things won’t get that crazy, but you get to sample the goods while you’re in the factory. That’s right, once you get to the sample station, there are chocolates a plenty to try, so make sure to indulge in as many varieties as you care too. And you leave with an armful of chocolate when you visit the Cailler store on your way out.

In fact this year, in April a whole new visitors’ centre will open that will explore everything from the Aztecs chocolate secrets to the link between Cailler and the French Royal Court. And you’ll also find out about how the Swiss made the first milk chocolate by adding Gruyère milk to the confection and transforming it forever.

Of course, if you’re more of a traditionalist and want to try chocolate, a little closer to how the Aztecs had intended it, check out this recipe. Note, I said “a little closer”. I’m sure the Aztecs didn’t add Cognac to theirs.

1 litre 35 per cent cream
250g of dark chocolate (65 to 70 per cent dark)
Whole spices are better here, because you can strain them out.
1 small piece of fresh ginger,
1 dried red chili,
2 cloves,
about 10 black peppercorns,
1 bay leaf and
1 piece of star anise.
Cognac

Put the spices in a saucepan with the cream. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour to infuse.

Strain out spices and reheat cream. In a large bowl, break up the chocolate, adding a bit of the cream, when warm to start melting. Add more cream, a little at a time to temper chocolate. Once all cream is incorporated, return to saucepan to keep warm. Before serving add cognac to taste.

Buffalo, NY- Beyond the Chicken Wing

I know what you’re going to say; that Buffalo is a chicken-wing, sports-lovin’ town with great shopping and not much else, right? But if that’s all you know about “The City of Good Neighbors” as it’s called (with the appropriate American spelling), then you’d be missing more than half of the delectable picture.

On a recent reconnaissance trip to Buffalo, I had the good fortune of meeting passionate food folks who want to change Buffalo’s culinary image from its oft-touted fast-food-for-sports-fans town to something a little more decidedly delicious. And you know what? They’re doing it – in spades!
Dinner with Buffalo food doyenne Christa Glennie-Seychew at Sample Restaurant was a night to remember. Plate after small plate of what Chef Adam Goetz calls “a cocktail party at your table” arrived, featuring playful takes on Buffalo standards like the beef on weck for instance. There’s tons of attention to detail here from the former Waldorf Astoria chef, who takes a bar chef approach to cocktails and insists on just about everything being made from scratch.

Then there’s the former local rocker turned butcher and his lovely wife Beth at Spar European Sausage and Meats, where even the souvenir T-Shirts can be “smoked” and vacuum packed for that extra pork-scented effect. All fun aside, Spar’s landjaeger was a hit, and as a nod to the large Polish community in the city, there’s plenty of double smoked Polish sausage with or without marjoram, as well as Ukrainian Kabanossy to choose from. The gang at Spar takes their meats seriously – and that kind of quality in a town that loves sausages, hand cut chops and steaks is a good thing!

One blustery morning at the Bidwell Farmer’s Market, located in the picturesque Elmwood Neighbourhood, netted an invaluable find: White Cow Dairy’s yoghurt and fermented dairy drinks. My favourite? Maple yoghurt that tastes subtly of pure, reduced tree-tapped sap, without unpronounceable words on the ingredients list and that isn’t overly sweet…now THAT’s sweet!

If you’re an architecture buff, don’t miss the many fine remaining examples of self-professed “greatest architect that ever lived,” Frank Lloyd Wright. At the turn of the century, Buffalo was flush with industry and commerce. While many of the moneyed class were building Victorian mansions, others like Darwin D. Martin commissioned the timeless Prairie style homes by Wright that were considered beyond contemporary back then. The Darwin Martin home is a must-visit, and if you can get the longer tour that takes you upstairs, do.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest a leisurely stop to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery – considered a “can’t miss” by the NY Times. Gaugin, Picasso, Warhol, Pollock and Jasper Johns pieces hang in a beautiful space that encourages meandering. Drop by MUSE Café for lunch as you look out to the statue garden in the patio and take in the Greek Revival building’s magnificence. I hate to be an “I-told-you-so”, but nary a chicken wing in sight – and the weekend was finger licking good!

Photos by Mary Luz Mejia, from top to bottom: Beef on Weck at Sample Restaurant; The sign that greets you upon arriving at Spar's; Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

If it's good enough for Louis Vuitton, it's worth a try.

You would think it’s impossible for a foodie to not know about what is quite possibly the world capital of gastronomy. Unfortunately for me, I only learned about Lyon, with its internationally-renowned chefs like Paul Bocuse and its more than 40 outdoor food markets, after I came back from trip to France.

I had meticulously planned our trip, hitting Paris of course not for the food so much as the experience of being in the city of lights. Then it was off to Bordeaux. Had I known about Lyon, I might have skipped Bordeaux, since they are on opposite sides of France. However, I’m so glad I didn’t. The laid back atmosphere of the city, the quaint outskirts filled with farmers and the astonishing vineyards of the region were the highlight of my trip, even after seeing the Eiffel tower twinkling at night, which I have to admit is quite magical.

Bordeaux has been maligned, in my view, in many ways. Most people don’t realize that the area has numerous appellations of wine, 57 to be exact. Appellations such as ‘Pauillac,’ ‘Medoc,’ ‘Graves,’ ‘St. Emillion’ and ‘Sauternes’ are all from the Bordeaux area. The wines labelled “Bordeaux” are really just what is left from the crops after the winemakers have made their limit for the appellation on their property. The amount each “Chateau” can produce is strictly controlled, so any excess grapes cannot be sold under the appellation of that specific area. Instead, they are labelled Bordeaux. Since they don’t have the distinction of an appellation, they are sold a little cheaper, but don’t overlook this region as a wine destination, because it is worthy of a stop.

While in Ontario everyone is raving over ice wine right now, Sauternes, which I like to to think of the great-grandfather of icewine comes from the Bordeaux region. If you’ve ever tried a Sauternes you know it’s a dessert wine. But do you know how it’s made?
Primarily made of Semillion grapes, it is a blended wine that includes Sauvignon Blanc grapes and sometimes is blessed with a little Muscadel.

I say that the Sauternes is a distant relative of ice wine because the grapes, which must be hand-picked off the vines, just like our ice wine grapes, are also shriveled and dehydrated.
But it’s not the cold that shrivels grapes that end up your Sauternes wine. It’s a fungus that is indigenous the specific microclimate of the Sauternes region. Known as botrytis cinerea or noble rot, this is different from other conditions that would ruin the grapes. The thin skins of the Semillion grapes make them ideal as the fungus eats the skin which lends to the dehydration of the grapes.

This sweet, rich wine that often has a deep golden colour is a great pairing for foie gras, or other rich foods like terrines. Or enjoy it with dessert or as a digestif after dinner. Even Louis Vuitton has a majority stakehold in a Sauternes Chateau. The Chateaux Yquem, which is classified a “Premier Grand Cru,” one of the best of its kind, is owned by the designer label. Now, if it’s good enough for Louis Vuitton, isn’t it worth a try?

Bologna à la Biba

I remember watching Biba Caggiano on TV in rapt fascination. There she was, whipping up regional, Italian dishes like gnocchi before anyone could even say the word, or biscotti when the twice-baked cookies were then unheard of here in Canada. I loved her lilting voice, her ease in the kitchen and how drool-inducing her dishes always looked. As a teen watching this from a living room in Hamilton, Ontario, I never in a thousand years imagined I’d one day be able to call the much-lauded chef up and say, “So, when I’m in Bologna, where should I go eat?”

One of the Grande Dames of Italian cookery residing in the United States today (she still helms the iconic Biba Restaurant in Sacramento, CA), Biba Caggiano is one of the best Italian exports North America ever received. She appeared as one of our profile subjects on the bio doc series, “At the Table With…” which is why I was lucky enough to get to know the woman behind the culinary prowess.

We started emailing a month or so before my Italian vacation began. Instead of emailing a few tips and favourite haunts, Biba, in her imitable, generous style, sent me a copy of her book instead. “Biba’s Italy- Favourite Recipes from Splendid Cities” is a treasure-trove of tried and true recipes and hidden gems; a must-have for anyone travelling to the big boot.

She not only sent the book, she hand wrote notes in the page margins and used her “x” rating system to denote good (x), very good (xx) and must go! (xxx). Bologna, in Emilia Romagna was where Biba was born and raised. She visits frequently with her husband Vincent, and her palate is in my estimation, not to be questioned. When Biba says a restaurant is xxx, I don’t argue.

My husband and I wandered the city streets until we came upon a xxx! location called “Papa Rè” that specializes in the region’s hearty dishes. Situated in a residential neighbourhood, Dante Casari and his daughter Barbara navigate the front of house effortlessly, serving some of the city’s more discerning diners. The sign out front says it’s a Trattoria- but that’s like calling The Ritz a motel. We introduce ourselves, as per Biba’s suggestion, as her friends, and we launch into one of the most memorable meals we had in Italy.

We thought we’d had good Bolognese – but nothing has ever approached the egg-enriched tagliatelle and reduced sauce that was served to us that night. Elegant and refined, this was more like a demi-glace- rich, layered but not too much of a good thing as it barely coated the pasta. We savoured our meal and finished off with some exceptional house made desserts and a thoughtful surprise from the owners- a glass of U’Pasa - a local dessert wine that had us both swooning in minutes. Just before leaving, Dante and Barbara present us with a foil-wrapped bottle to take with us back to Canada. A generous gesture that overwhelms us both.

So Biba- even though I lacked in manners by not sending you a hand-written Thank You card, I’m hoping you’ll accept this humble entry as my way of saying “Grazie Mile” for your thoughtfulness and generosity! May it be returned to you threefold, especially upon your next visit to that fabled “City of Towers” in which you were born.

Photos by Mary Luz Mejia. From top to bottom: As seen in our walk through Bologna; Exterior of Papa Re- notice the "trattoria" sign; Mario and I at Papa Re about to enjoy our first course. He has the elusive and delectable Bolognese pasta dish; Our glasses of U'Pasa wine and bottle.

Vino! Vino! Wherefore art thou Vino?

Today I have been diverted by a comment I heard from a friend who didn’t like Verona. She hated all the clichés that I revelled in. I figure a cliché is only cliché because it is true.

Of course, there is no truth to the legend of Romeo and Juliet. These were the mental wanderings of an English playwright. God bless the Bard. Nonetheless, multitudes take a pilgrimage to Verona each year to view the famous balcony and cover the archway with banal graffiti.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit. I might not believe that Jesus can be seen in a tortilla chip, but I still want to see the chip!

The great Roman amphitheatre still hosts opera and the medieval buildings and the winding streets of this ancient town all have their attractions, if that is what steals your heart.

My heart is given to Bottega del Vino.

Established in 1890 in the heart of Verona, it is a little small and a little cramped. The waiters, dressed in old-fashioned black and white, dance a ballet between the close knit tables and the expensive and precariously stacked stemware. The antique, hand-blown glass lights, hang low and add to the sense of wonder and fragility.

Start with the Sfilacci di Cavallo (Horse Meat with Oil and Lemon Dressing). For mains look at the Baccalà alla Vicentina (Codfish Stewed with Milk and Anchovies) or the Brasato all’Amarone. Actually, have whatever you want. I don’t care and that is not why you are there.

You are there for the 80,000 plus bottle cellar of Italian classics going back to before you were born. You are there for what is probably the best wine list in all of Italy. I know big wine lists are another kind of cliché, but it is the kind to which I can succumb.

Recently, I opted for the a Speri Amarone from the classic 1983 vintage and a stunning Sangiovese-based Marzieno from Fattoria Zerbina in Emilia-Romagna (I think it was 1988). The rest of the world is represented too, but when in Verona drink as the Veronese do and try an Amarone to finish up.

So I have to ask my friend as Dire Straits did:
Could it be be, babe, it was just that the wine was wrong? Juliet? Salute!

Photos from top to bottom: "the" famous balcony; one of the hand-blown glass chandeliers at Bottega del Vino.

Nerja and Frigliana

A visit to my friend Sherri who lives between Nerja and Frigliana in Spain seemed like the perfect time to hang out and catch up with what she’s up to and maybe learn a little more about Spanish cuisine. I’m not all that familiar with Spanish food and she promised to show me some of her favourite dishes.

Before we head the supermercado to shop, we go to the beach for a paella lunch with friends. Given the year round fabulous weather in Nerja, it’s no surprise that everything is outside – the kitchen as well as the tables. The paella pans are a metre wide and there are three or four of them cooking away. The restaurant probably holds 200 people and we have to wait for seats. Nerja is filled with British ex-pats who obviously love the paella. I’m not so convinced.

I’m much happier in the supermercado where I can wander from aisle to aisle discovering all kinds of new foods. In the fish section I find vacuum sealed packages of smoked and dried tuna along with boquerones, anchovies, sardines, dried cod, calamari and frozen octopus. The cheese section holds an equally awesome selection as do areas filled with olive oils and wines!!

We make our way home, laden with bags of ingredients and make incredible (and incredibly easy) tapas with the dried tuna, the octopus, the calamari and the sardines. We make an equally easy Torta de San Juan – a cake with lots of olive oil and almonds. It’s all accompanied by a passable bottle of wine that I’ve selected. Turns out I know even less about Spanish wine then I do about the food. You know it’s bad when your non-drinking friends are telling you how to choose wine!

Anyway, we enjoyed the tapas and the torta all of which I’ve since made at home. But that was about all I learned about Spanish food because the rest of our time was spent cooking from Sherri’s newly acquired Bonnie Stern’s Friday Night Dinners. I guess you can take the woman out of Canada but you can’t take Canada out of the woman – or something like that.