A Life, Lived

A Tale of Two Birthday Dinners (Part 2)

I should go off on a rant about Donald Trump disrespecting Khizr Khan and his wife but I am going to have to show some restraint. I think if I react to every stupid thing Trump says or does that is all I shall be doing for the next 100 days. I'll have to save them up and do a round up of stupid Trumpisms from time to time.

Instead I am going to finish up that post about our Birthday dinners. Part 1 - Paul's Birthday dinner in New York at Babbo is here. While Paul knew right away what he wanted to do for his birthday dinner I was less sure. I was very busy at work so I didn't have much time for research. I also hadn't been to Montreal for decades so I had no idea what the top spots were. In the end we just figured we would show up and just 'wing it'.

Not the best plan for a special dinner in a top tourist destination.

The day we arrived I had an email from a colleague about some places she thought I should go. She mentioned a place some foodie friends took she and her husband but she couldn't remember the name - did I want her to find out?

SURE!!!

The restaurant was called L'épicier and it was located about 15 minutes from our hotel by foot.

I called to see if we could get reservations for my birthday and we were in luck - they had had a cancellation so they put us in.

The restaurant was in a beautiful heritage building and the inside had many of the original walls/floors remaining. The result was a gorgeous setting.

We ordered a cocktail and spent time perusing the menu.

The server brought along an amuse bouche - a black olive macaroon with goat cheese filling.

After struggling with the menu - we wanted it ALL. We decided to order the tasting menu - 7 courses with 5 wine pairings. This was to start an eating adventure or amazing, well-presented food. The portions were small, so you never felt as if you were ready to explode, just enough to give a true sense as to the expertise of the kitchen as they played with fresh, local ingredients.

chilled fennel soup

Marinated zucchini salad, house made feta, basil puree. Served with a Ligurian Vermetino.

Pan seared salmon, white wine sauce, Jerusalem artichoke puree, beans, tarragon. Served with a Burgundy Pinot Noir.

 

 

Pan seared foie gras (don't hate) caramelized apple, cherry chutney, brioche. Served with a late harvest white from Cotes du Rhone.

 

 

Seared duck breast with elderberry puree and beet splash. Heirloom beets. Elderberries. Served with a Malbec from Cahors.

 

 

Pre-dessert - rhubarb tart, homemade Lemon ricotta, roasted peaches.

 

 

Olive oil cake. Compressed strawberries. Meringue. Gin and Basil ice. Ice wine.

 

 

The unplanned 8th course - lemongrass truffle, maple financier, vanilla marshmallow.

 

This really was a meal for the ages - in fact, it was definitely on our list of the best meals we have ever had. Given how creative everything was it got us thinking that we should order chef tasting menus more often.

 

If you are in Montreal, are adventuresome,  and looking for an awesome meal we certainly would recommend L'Epicier.

Photo Hunt - Path

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'path'.

This is mom and Paul on the pathway through the dunes to the beach on Cape Cod.

A Beautiful Moment

A picture posted online by the Mayor of Rochester

Hopefully with the DNC convention over we can move on to regular blogging tomorrow. :-)

Questions from a Curious Canuck

I'm having a tough time with the US election cycle.

I've been out living and have lots of blog posts ready to go. Last week I had a beautiful interaction with a reader from Chicago that I want to write about. I haven't finished my birthday dinner post. There has been some amazing cooking. We have seen some fabulous art. Lots of living to explore.

Yet here I am pulled into US politics again.

Here is today's ponderings . . .

Dear Americans . . . some questions from a curious Canuck.

There is growing evidence among your national security officials that a hostile foreign nation was behind the espionage at the DNC. I seem to recall a similar bit of trickery on the 70s. At the time the earth shook and the reverberations toppled the President from office. Remember Watergate? It seems to be pretty quiet down there right now - does this mean it's OK for Russia to spy on US political organizations and try to influence the fall election if it discredits Hillary?

That is sort of how it is looking to us up here in the north.

Today the Republican candidate called on Russia to actively engage in further espionage against Clinton. Can someone explain why this is not treason? Why is he not charged and locked up?

What am I missing in all of this?

I can only imagine the utter outrage if this happened here in Canada!

Is the message to foreign nations that it is perfectly fine to spy on the US? Or is only OK to spy if it discredits Clinton? Are there now 'degrees' of acceptable spying? When does spying on the US become wrong?

Curious and more curious . . .

Hitting it Out of the Park

I hadn't planned on watching the second party's national convention this week. Last night though, I just happened to tune in and see Michelle Obama. Yup, I am hooked. Michelle gave what is likely the most masterful political speech I have ever seen. In case you missed it, here it is:

 

Travel Tuesdays - New York

A few more pics from our recent trip to NY . . .

(recognize this one from TV?)

 

Women in Politics

I was reminded of the sexism women in politics face the other day when a facebook friend commented on an outfit Hillary Clinton wore when she visited Orlando and paid tribute to the victims of the shooting there. This is what she wrote:

Please, someone tell Hillary that cocktail olive green is not her color. Anyone seeing this? Oh god, it's a full suit. Mercy.

For the record . . . this was the offending outfit:

I didn't think a whole about it until another friend responded with:

Okay, so when was the last time anyone criticized what a male politician wore?

SNAP

It made me think a bit. Sure, people are incredibly about what female politicians wear, how they cut their hair, their make up . . . and when do males have to deal with that same level of scrutiny?

Then one of the people I follow on Twitter posted this pic from the Sunday times:

Thank goodness the Sunday Times is breathing the 21st century air #everydaysexism

I hereby promise to never again comment on the attire, hair, make up etc of any female politician . . . ever.

Doonesbury on the RNC in Cleveland

Photo Hunt - Hard

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'hard'.

It is hard for me to not feel relaxed when I look at this picture.

It was also very hard for me to ignore these chairs with a view of the ocean.

After sitting in them for awhile it was even harder to leave!!!

Meanwhile in Canada

It is nice, in times like these, to remember that here in Canada we are working to reestablish ourselves as a beacon of hope. Stories like this, reported on social media last week (and confirmed by the CBC), are a positive antidote to the steady barrage of negative news.

So after a hectic week at the hospital I arrived at union station to head home. A family from Syria was also caught in the hustle of union rush hour and only the oldest child (11) of the 5 in the group spoke English. They were trying to get to London to be with family.

They came to Canada 4 months ago.

A young woman in her early 20's was helping them and she bought their train tickets to be kind.

They had 2 baby strollers and 3 other kids and heavy bags so I helped them get to the train but other random strangers picked up strollers and bags to help them up the stairs as well.

Once on the train I realized they had gotten some incorrect advice as they were on the Lake Shore West train and were headed the wrong way. I spoke to the helpful man working on the GO train to find out where they had to go to get a bus to London. It was Aldershot but there was only a via train which cost a lot and they had budgeted for much less.

The error was not their fault.

So I missed my stop and went with them, planning to buy 7 train tickets because that's what we do in Canada. We help. Every one on the GO train was also helping, calling friends who spoke Arabic and giving me money to help cover their ticket costs.

We got to the train station and right before I could pay the fares a lady came running out of the GO kisok yelling 'stop'!

Somehow the main GO company had heard what was happening and was sending a bus to take the family to London.

It was almost overwhelming, the way people wanted to help. It has been one of the most moving experiences. The number of people who on a random hot July Wednesday during rush hour who tried to help a family of strangers who are our newest Canadians. Lots of bad things happening in the world right now and not enough compassion.

Compassion is better.

A huge thank you to GO Transit and all the random kind people I encountered today. You are why this is an amazing country.