Gastronomeal goes to Europe!

It is the time of the year where school exams are finally over and done with (just for myself) and I can't wait for the holiday season to get pumping! Firstly, I will like to thank all my readers for your support and love so far. It is comforting and encouraging at the same time, knowing that there are so many people out there who shares the same passion for food. On a side note, please do comment on the posts and share your views and opinions, or even ideas of where I can go next!

Gastronomeal will not be on hiatus this holiday season though, cause I will be heading to Netherlands and France for the next two weeks! Can't wait to sink my teeth into one of those decadent desserts in Paris, and also to share with you guys my upcoming Foodscapades from Rotterdam, Nice, Lyon, Paris and Amsterdam!

So stay tuned guys, cause Gastronomeal's definitely ain't not going on a diet this holidays.

L'Express

3927 Rue St-Denis

Montréal, QC H2W 2M4

My visit to L'Express was totally unplanned, as J and I were deciding where to head for dinner as we were walking down St-Denis. Then it struck me, I remembered walking pass this bistro/restaurant with black and white tiles distinctly decked out along the street, and its interior looks really nice and cosy - so we decided to L'Express for dinner.

As the name of the place suggest, service was really quick, like really. Our orders came within 5 minutes, especially with the dessert, and I was really surprised because I had ordered a meringue.

My main course for the night was the Pot Au Feu, which I thought was supposed to be a stew, but turned out otherwise. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this dish thoroughly, even though it came with a marrow, which I have never tried and had no prior intention on trying. Surprisingly, it was a pleasant experience and I was really happy with the main course.

The dessert, however, was less than satisfying. Ile flottante au caramel, or simply known as 'a floating caramel island,' was really sweet, and the caramel was really hard. The roasted almond flakes gave the dessert a nice texture though, but together as a dish I think that perhaps some elements can be done differently. I would have loved to have some sea salt with the caramel - its hard to go wrong with that I suppose?

Verdict

8/10

I had an awesome time at L'Express. Service staff were swift and friendly, and were patient in explaining the different dishes and their portion sizes to J, who was opting for a smaller meal. The interior of the restaurant has an 'old-school' bistro flare to it, and I am definitely looking forward to my next trip back, be it for breakfast or dinner.

Exploring Candied Fruits

Holiday Dessert Workshop with Michelle Marek

Dépanneur Le Pick Up

7032 Rue Waverly, Montréal

http://depanneurlepickup.com/

I first stumbled into LPU's website/blog while I was exploring Tourism Montreal's website, and when I saw that they were organising a holiday dessert workshop with candied fruits, it didn't take me long before I decided to sign up for it. For CAD$30, I was able to make wonderful tasting pastries using candied fruits alongside Michelle Marek, head pastry chef of Laloux in Montréal, and writer of food blog An Endless Banquet. At the end of the workshop, I was also able to bring home some goodies for myself - how awesome does that sound?!

Frankly speaking, I'm wasn't exactly a big fan of candied fruits. especially in pastries. Even though I often find myself munching on some of these (candied lotus roots, water-chestnut, winter melon and persimmon) during Chinese New Year, it is just hard to imagine how candied ginger, pineapple and citrus peel can be part of a tasty pastry.

So that's what made me decide to attend the workshop, I was both curious and excited to explore the possibilities of using candied fruits in desserts. Well, I went home with a smile on my face - Michelle definitely changed my opinion about using candied fruits in pastries, and how these amazing flavours and textures from the candied fruits can be incorporated into desserts.

During the workshop, participants were first introduced to candied fruits, what kind of fruits are suitable to be candied, and were also able to sample some candied fruits prepared for the workshop. At the end of the introduction, everyone was ready to get some baking started!

Natasha of LPU welcoming participants to the workshop. Thanks for organising N!

Stollen with marzipan and candied fruits

Ginger cookies.

Panforte with spices, chocolate and candied fruits.

The chef herself, Michelle Marek and I.

Some goodies that we got to bring home.

My personal favourite would have to be the Panforte - I LOVE its texture, and how the spices balanced so well with the chocolate. I just couldn't get enough of it! It definitely also reminded me of the nougat in terms of the texture, which resembles that of a candy than a pastry. The workshop really did inspire me in various different ways. Michelle's passion for food, and of course pastry, is something that I have always loved, and would love to do. It was definitely an honour to be able to learn from her in person, and to talk to her about food! I look forward to attending upcoming workshops like this at LPU, and hopefully take this opportunity to explore the "food scene" in Montréal.

Do check out my online album for more pictures of the workshop.