Month: January 2010
From pomelo to grapefruit
Originally published in Journal de Montréal on January 30, 2010. Did you know that the grapefruit you eat for breakfast is commonly known as pamplemousse in French, although it should in fact be called pomelo; the French term pamplemousse actually refers to the English pomelo, Chinese grapefruit or Shaddock.
Poor man’s parmesan
Originally published in Journal de Montréal on July 28, 2007. Long ago, in certain poorer regions of Italy, parmesan was considered to be a rich man’s luxury.
Mandarins, tangerines, clementines
Originally published in Journal de Montréal on January 23, 2010. First came the mandarin orange (more commonly known to us as the tangerine); its tree was cultivated for many centuries in China. No doubt, its French name derives from mandarins, who were powerful Chinese bureaucrats.
Pepper, the King of Spices
Pepper (piper nigrum), which is the fruit of the pepper plant (a creeper native to India), has been consumed since time immemorial. This spice not only enhanced the flavor of food, it also masked the lack of freshness in meats which had hung for too long, a very common situation before the invention of modern […]
«Pasta e fagioli»: THE stew!
Originally published in Journal de Montréal on November 10, 2007. This classic Italian recipe is more than just a dish of pasta and fagioli (Italian for beans). It’s the sublime union of two noble ingredients, whose catalyst is olive oil.
Citrus fruits – sublime and lemony!
One of the pleasures of the winter season is the abundance of citrus fruits on display in the marketplace.
Bring on the “Jardin Mobile” menu!
It’s finally here: On January 12, we posted the first “Jardin Mobile” menu online. In partnership with the chain of 20 super-fruit and vegetable stores of the same name, Jardin Mobile serves the metropolitan region of Quebec.
Seaweed: Vegetable of the sea
Seaweed is very popular in Asian cuisine, but here in North America, it is rarely consumed except in sushi. This is a pity, since it is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals.
Marsala, the Wine of Victory
Marsala wine has been produced for over hundreds of years in the region surrounding the port of Marsala in Sicily. The name is derived from the Arab « Marsh Allah », meaning « port of God ».
Honey, a healthy nectar
Originally published in Journal de Montréal on January 9, 2010. Long before the first artificial beehives were ever built, humans were already collecting honey from either hollow trunks or in small pits dug into the ground.
A healthy pea
Originally published in Journal de Montréal on January 12, 2008. An edible pulse that originated in the Middle East, the chickpea has been a staple diet for over 7000 years in many countries in North Africa, the Mediterranean basin and in India.
Start the New Year Off on the Right Foot
After tucking in to grandma’s meat pies, your aunt’s stew, a piece of Christmas log cake as well as some other holiday feasts – it will probably not come as a surprise when you step on the scale and the needle has jumped slightly.