My year in food

Hi guys!

I'm aware that a few posts from the China trip are still missing, but I just could not let the opportunity of making a year-in-review entry go by. I promise that I'll finish blogging about all the yummy dishes that I had in China in the next couple of weeks, but for now, time to come back to the Montreal food scene. (Well, mostly Montreal.)

2010 food-wise meant...

- Trying out a bunch of new restos! Some I had always wanted to try (Europea, Ferreira, Beaver Hall, L'Express), some I were not so familiar with and turned out to be very nice (Bistro Continental, Chez l'Epicier, Stromboli Pizza, Kazu, Cafe Vasco de Gama). Trying out newly opened ones was fun too (Bar F, Brasserie T).

- Rediscovering and realizing how much I like some of my old favorites (Une crêpe?, Pizzaiolle, Bistro La Marinara).

- Becoming obsessed by salmon tartare and having it at practically every place where I ate. My favorites so far, and winning by a mile, are Ferreira's and Bistro Continenal's.

- Finally trying out Schwarzt's smoked meat. (Yes I know!)

- Stuffing oneself at Au Pied de Cochon's sugarshack (I still get hearburn from just looking at those pictures).

- Empañadas in Toronto and brunches in Brooklyn and NYC.

- Having a food-tastic trip in China this summer. Xiaolongbao, dim sum, Beijing duck...*drools*

- Spending way too much money on the best chocolate in the world, aka Côte d'Or's Praliné Blanc.

- Discovering that I have a huge spot for caramel in coffee drinks. Damn you, Starbucks.

- Loving Mighty Tea's Orange Dulce infusion. Hmmm.

- Learning how to make the perfect scrambled eggs from watching this video. And yes, that's about the extent of my cooking prowess!

- Watching traveling cooking shows online. My favorite is Jamie Oliver's "Jamie Does..." series, though Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" is pretty entertaining.

- ...not updating this blog enough. Sigh.


What I'm expecting 2011 to bring

- Frequent (or at least, more frequent) updates of this blog.

- More time spent at my favorite hanging-out spots (Cafe Vasco de Gama, Bistro La Marinara, Pizzaoille, Cafe M...and Starbucks, undoubtedly).

- Trying out even more restos. On the list so far: DNA, La Montée de lait, The Sparrow, Au Pied de Cochon's main resto in Montreal, Le Boucan, Raza, Pintxo...

- And last but certainly not least: HAVING AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME STUFFING MYSELF IN PARIS AND THE REST OF EUROPE!!! I'm studying in Paris from February until July, and you can bet that I will be traveling around taking in the sights and foods! Baguettes, cheese, wine, pastries, macarons...I loved it the first time around, so I can't wait to live and eat there! And let's not forget the food from neighboring countries that I have every intention of visiting: moules et frites in Belgium, pasta in Italy, tapas in Spain, fondue in Switzerland, sauerkraut in Germany...gaah, I can't wait!

Here's to an absolutely delicious and gluttony-filled 2011, everybody!

Mea Culpa

I said that I'd be back and posting regularly for good, but judging from my, erm, almost four-month absence, it's pretty clear that I've failed miserably.

...

So let's try again, shall we?

I shall aim for a constant stream of new posts. I shall be diligent and actually type out all these food-related thoughts swirling around my head. I shall not limit myself to resto reviews. I will write about whatever food-related topic pleases me. And I shall find a way to get around my current lack of a photo camera.


It's good to be back.

Back from a year-long hiatus

Hi! Long time no see! Sorry for the year-long hiatus, my creative gluttony juices just wouldn't flow properly for the longest time. Well that, and I got lazy and side-tracked...*ahem*

But I'm back now. And hopefully for good this time!

I've already got a few posts planned, including reviews and comments about:

- Le Camélia des tropiques, a Vietnamese BYOW eatery on Côte-des-Neiges

- Le Duc de Lorraine, which is right next door to Camélia

- Au Pied de Cochon's cabane à sucre

- Mesa 14, the Mexican place downtown

- Pacini, more specifically the Côte-des-Neiges branch of this Italian chain

*sharpens knives and writing tools*

Final exams permitting, I should be able to churn out a few posts in the next couple of days.

See you soon!

Intro post

Name: Betsy
Age: 19
Location: Montreal suburbs, Canada

Why the gluttony?
Because I am unable to resist temptation in the form of food and drinks. I plan my schedule around food-related outings and think of money in terms of how many meals I can have at "X" eatery.

Aficionado, oh really?
I consider myself passionate and semi-knowledgeable. Thankyou, Ms. Musgrave and Chestermann from the Montreal Gazette!

Foodie...or just yuppie?
Foodie-in-training, absolutely. Though the "training" has been limited to working in a French bakery and restaurant-hopping across town.

So can you cook?
Sadly, no. I hang my head in shame here---but I am learning! I can bake decent desserts (from scratch, always) and prepare salads and cook noodles. The proper usages of a stove and pan are sadly still beyond me. FOR NOW.

Ah, okay. So you just like to eat? Do you get very fat?
Not if I eat healthy, varied and well-prepared food that actually contains and tastes like the ingredients. I also like to follow my meals with long walks throughout Montreal. Helps me digest and explore the city!

Last and possibly most important one: Favorite cuisines?
For the time being, it's Italian, Japanese and Chinese. French and Greek are close to giving them a run for their money though.

Hee, I'm a food blogger now!