Christmas Pine Tree Ice Cream…….
And other French Canadian Culinary delights……
Last night, I had the best meal of my trip to “Nouvelle France” (aka, Montreal and Quebec City). I almost never get dessert when I am eating out. Especially, if I am alone. I can’t eat that much, and I am not really a sweet eater. But, my meal last night was so good, that when the waiter asked me if I would like to have dessert, I said,
“What are you recommending?
And
“Is this something that you like to eat?”
He recommended that I try the “poor man’s pudding”. It came with a dollop of home-made Christmas Tree ice cream.
I thought he was kidding.
“No”, he said. “I’m not kidding. The chef makes it with the pine needles that come from the Christmas Pine tree that grows in his back yard.”
I have been on a mission this year to learn perfect my skills in making home-made ice cream. I’ve done pretty well, as some of my “taster” friends will tell you. The secret is perfecting the base and getting it cold enough to freeze in the churn. In my testing, I have found that a cooked custard base is best. It makes a super rich and creamy ice cream. You can put any flavor you want with it and you will not be disappointed. The restaurant I chose for last night, “Rioux and Pettigrew”…..
…..follows the same path. And, as I learned last night, even the taste of pine works if you have a very good custard base.
I have to say that I was questioning my judgment about eating the essence of pine needles. Somehow, I had the idea that pine needles are poisonous. And, I thought about that a bit as I was eating this. But, it was just so darn good that I kept on eating. Being poisoned by pine sap might not be the best way to go. But, it wouldn’t be the worst way to go either…..especially with this intriguing and delicious flavor as my last memory.
Yum!
Anyway, the pudding was more like a brown sugar cake, if you can imagine it. It was topped with a stinky, runny cheese whose name I can’t tell you. But, it was like brie. On the side of this whole thing that had been warmed, was a dollop of Christmas Pine Tree ice cream. It was fantastic! And, it reminded me of Christmas…well, maybe I built that part up in my mind because of the name. But, it was good.
My meal was also fantastic! I had a pot-au-feu, a kind of beef stew.
This one was made with melt in your mouth beef cheeks and sweet roasted root vegetables all plated on the top of a mound of home-made mashed potatoes covered in a rich “au jus” that gave it a richness, depth and warmth that was perfect for a cold evening. I paired it with a St. Emillon blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and maybe something else, which I didn’t want to pay for. But, I wanted it. So, I got it. And, it was a great choice for pairing with this meal.
I was so taken by this meal, that I went back to the open-air kitchen to congratulate the chef. He was gone, but I found these two “sous chefs”…..
…..who probably did most of the cooking anyway, and praised them highly for their success in the kitchen. They asked me to put a review up on Trip Advisor, which I will do. The whole experience….the food, the wine, the wait staff and the “sous chefs” were absolutely outstanding.
My best food has been here in Quebec City. I found the food in Montreal to be average and expensive, although I did have some good meals. But, here, I have had some very creative and interesting food in small cafes right around the corner from my hotel.
Cafe St. Malo was another winner.
This small, French Bistro offered French country food at it’s best. It is a small restaurant with tables that are tightly fitted together like the pieces of a puzzle.
I had the traditional “Cassoulet” there, a stew of cannellini beans, “boudin” sausage and a duck leg, all of which had been simmered together in a chicken stock and tomato based broth…..It was fabulous and another kind of “comfort food” for a cold, wintery day.
Again, here, not only was the food good, but the atmosphere was spectacular. Because the tables were so close together, it made it easy for me to talk to my neighbors. We spent the evening chatting on about random things. It reminded me of a trip to Italy and another in Arles, France, years ago where I had a similar meal in a restaurant of about 6 tables. The sharing of stories, food and wine created experiences to remember. I will never forget them. And, I will never forget my experience at the Malo Café.
Another highlight of my food extravaganzas here in Quebec was at a small bistro that had been recommended by two New Jersey boys that I met on my first day here. When I asked the server whether I should have the onion soup of the pea soup, which I also like and was the soup of the day, she, without hesitation, said,
“I would have the onion soup. Onion soup is a classic for a reason.”
So, I had onion soup.
But, it wasn’t just any onion soup. It was in a deconstructed style, with gruyere cheese topped toasted baguette pieces resting on long strips of carmelized onions that were also sprinkled with tiny cubes of gruyere. It was so pretty, that I hated to eat it. But, I ate it anyway. It was the richest, heartiest and most flavorful onion soup I have ever had.
And, of course, what’s not to like about the bouillabaisse I had one night, as well.
Quebec City, in every way, makes me feel like I am in France. The buildings, the people, the fashion, the language…and, now the food have all given me the “French fix” that I was looking for on this trip.
But….the food……ahhhhh……..
…….the food is the star. My tummy is full…..and happy..
I am writing this post, so I am happy to report that I did not succumb to the poison of the Christmas Pine Tree Ice Cream. I’m still here…..thinking about tonight’s food adventure, my last here in Canada. It will be hard to top what I have already done. But, I’m going to try.
Mmmmmmm……….
Travel With Betsy 
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