Le Digestif #11: October 29, 2021
Tucci Tales, Smoky Sandos, ChocoOrange Tiramisu
Welcome to edition 11 of Le Digestif, the blog for Food Supply! Every Friday, we will be presenting interviews, listicles, recommendations, and long form content from members of our growing community and things in the food world that you should know about.
Happy Halloween to those who celebrate. This year, I will be participating by indulging in candy corn and watching Hocus Pocus in the scariest costume I own: my sweatpants from high school.
Excited to have 0 new members join our growing dinner table of 552 guests. SO excited to have you!
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SPARKS JOY: Caviar Chips & Mussels
I'm all about sophisticated flavour pairings and this week, I have unlocked a new character. The Torres Selecta chips have no business being the best chips on the block. I'm loyal to the Iberian ham and black truffle flavourings but stumbled upon the caviar flavour during a recent trip to my local fish shop. It's giving real balling on a budget energy.
These chips are the loyal sidekick that we all need. Great with chocolate for a movie night or adding a crunch to make the most of a lunchtime sandwich, my house is not a home unless these are present.
To one up them, I paired these caviar chips with these incredible brined Spanish mussels for my new favourite combo. Truly a surprising party in your mouth when that salty savoury combo comes through.
You can find Torres Selecta Caviar chips and the specific mussels I’m digging at many speciality stores and always online.
FIVE FAVES: MTL GRUBS
Welcome to a new installment to the 'sletter: FIVE FAVES! This is the part of the movie where I share five things that I enjoyed as they pertain to a particular theme, season, city or whatever. This past weekend, I moseyed on up to Montreal and ate my way through the city with another foodie friend. The food scene in this city is so dreamy. It’s this beautiful juxtaposition of rugged souls taking delicate care with Canadian produce to produce wonderful dishes.
Schwartz's:If the walls at Schwartz's could talk, I'm sure they would have stories. Holding the title as Canada's oldest deli, this Montreal mainstay has been slinging sandos for the last 90 years. The holy trifecta of yellow mustard, fatty meat that needs to meet the 10-day curing period, and classic rye bread are what dreams are made of. All you need in this life of sin is the sandwich (medium fat is the move), a juicy pickle, and wash it all down with a black cherry soda.
Joe Beef- I don’t think I’ve enjoyed myself in a restaurant so much as I did at Joe Beef. This seems like the restaurant that chefs would frequent on their day off. Heck, Anthony Bourdain was known to be a regular when he made it up north. Simple comfort meals are made with the most exquisite of ingredients, fresh briny oysters make for an incredible start, and the cocktails are just the perfect balance of not too pretentious but someone really cares about the process. The menu changes daily so expect surprises but if you come across the brussels cooked in Savoyard, please get them on my behalf.
Andrew's Nosh Bar- Shana tova to this incredible joint. Located in the quaint Saint-Henri, Andrew’s is definitely worth the arduous wait. I’m not one to wait in line for brunch but boy every bite of the delicious shakshuka and the latkes topped with smoked salmon is forcing me to break this rule. If you want more grub, snag the fluffy pancakes too.
La Banquise- No trip to Canada is complete without poutine and La Banquise is offering all the options that your heart desires. Open 24 hours a day, the poutine served is great for a big lunch, late night nosh, or if you're so inclined breakfast. Yes the classic is amazing but the Southwest topped with guacamole and onion rings is a wonderful choice.
Atwater Cocktail Club- No better place to end the night than at this fabulous speakeasy in the Plateau. Dubbed the third best bar in Canada, the cocktails are amazing and the vibe is immaculate. While they have some incredible drinks on the menu like The Mexican Jungle (pictured below), the bartenders will be sure to whip you up something spectacular based on your preferences.
TO BAKE: Chocolate Orange Tiramisu
The best part of being able to host again is making desserts for a happy crowd that I couldn't possibly finish on my own. My favourite hosting dessert is tiramisu because it's easy to execute but its flavours are incredibly sophisticated. Wanting to switch things up, I added some citrus to this traditional recipe and wow I think it's going to be a mainstay.
If you're so inclined to try, add 2 tablespoons of Grand Mariner and the zest of 1 orange to the whipped mixture, the juice of 1 orange to the coffee and rum mixture that you dip your lady fingers in, and topped with some orange zest and dark chocolate. Badabing badaboom, you have a grown up version of a Terry's chocolate orange.
TO READ: Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
Food memoirs are my favourite book genre because they combine my two loves: getting to understand the intricacies of someone's life and yeah,well, food. This month, internet hearthrob and controversial negroni maker, Stanley Tucci, graced us with his memoir, Taste.
Tucci walks us through his life as a young boy growing up on the Hudson, becoming an actor and his rise to fame, and his current life as a London resident as a defacto chef for eight. Food was constant at all points allowing him to embrace his Italian American heritage, bond with incredible restaurateurs (yes he is besties with Massimo Bottura), and deal with the potential loss of taste after his gruelling battle with throat cancer.
If you're looking for a beverage pairing with your book, highly recommend a Birra Moretti to stay on brand. #forzaitalia
Snag a copy of Taste here!
TO WATCH: Big Night
Still riding on the Tucci train, I decided to watch his foodie flick that he described in great detail throughout the book. Starring daddy Tucci alongside mensch Tony Shalhoub and Marc Anthony, Big Night is the story of two immigrant brothers and the journey of impressing a famous American star to save their failing Italian restaurant.
It's got fantastic gastronomic scenes that will leave your mouth watering, snobby chefs who will not crumble to the wants of their basic customers, witty one liners that you will want to turn into life mantras, and of course watching 90s Stanley cooking up a storm with a decent Italian accent. Highly recommend giving it a go after a hearty Italian feast.
Thanks for reading along! If you have any food recs that would spark joy or tickle our fancy, send them over to ledigestif@foodsupply.xyz. We always respond! If you wanna spread the good word, share below!
Cheers,
Abena