Oftentimes, it's very difficult to write about something personal to us on a public blog. Nonetheless, I'm so eager to record the feelings that I have at the present moment before my memories fade. Yesterday, for the first time, I was the bridesmaid at the wedding of one of my best and longtime friends. I can't say enough to honour this mesmerizing and magical event. It was also the first time I felt the true meaning of weddings. I guess that feeling only reveals when it comes to the people who mean a lot to you. It was a rainy day and people say it's lucky to get married on a rainy day. My day started with busy prep and packing. Naturally organized, I made a pre-wedding checklist and checked off every item before I left the house. More than half way to Château Vaudreuil, I realized in a complete panic that I forgot the most important item: the bridesmaid dress! The terror was real and palpable. After calling the bride to explain my anticipated late arrival, we were on the road back to the house. Luckily, the girls have already started their makeup when I got there with my huge backpack, trench coat, umbrella and an unmade face. The photographer snapped a picture of me and this has to be the portrait of the most frightful bridesmaid of all times. The bride and her twin sister had spent the night in this gorgeous and luxurious hotel suite. The suite has a bedroom with a sink, a full washroom, and a huge living room with a salon and a dining area. It provides a large and comfortable space for the bride, three bridesmaids, and the bride's mother to get ready in. I put on the floral pajama reserved for everyone and started to observe the makeup process. The makeup artist is a laid-back Chinese woman with short hair and a cool fashion style. She was wearing a pair of aviator glasses and a large white button-down shirt that hides very well her pregnant belly. I've always been skeptical about the prep time it takes for the female bridal party to get ready before a wedding. However, only after experiencing it personally, I can confidently say that it does take an eternity to prepare and you don't even feel the time go by. It takes in average 45 min for makeup and 30 min for hair per person. Depending on the number of bridesmaids and the schedule of the makeup artist, it might easily take a few hours! We were able to finish everything just a little before when it was time to head to the ceremony! Along with a large crowd of the bride's family members and friends, I headed down to the backyard of the hotel. Under a white tent, I experienced the most moving wedding ceremony of my life. I was the first to walk out with the cutest flower girl in the sound of Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars. Only after the event did I remember that we completely forgot to spread the petals on the aisle! All the bridesmaids started to cry before the bride came out and I really wished I had a pocket of paper tissue handy! The vows were heartwarming and such a charm from both sides. After the ceremony, we headed to the cocktail lounge and this is where the mega feast starts! On top of the usual hors-d'oeuvres, there were two buffet stations; one Asian, one Italian. The Asian buffet consisted of sushi, fresh seafood, smoked salmon, and salads while the Italian stand had freshly sliced prosciutto, cheeses, olives, fruits and salads. That was a real treat! (Sorry, too busy to eat and drink that I forgot to take pictures!) It was so great to catch up with some old college friends and celebrate this festive event together! The reception hall has a long table of honour in the back, facing the guests' tables. Beautiful white chiffons were hung on the ceiling, and each table was romantically arranged with pink and white roses in the centre and blush table napkins. It was impressive to see how much effort has been put into decorating the venue. The menu consisted of 3 appetizers, a palate cleanser, a main dish, a dessert and a dessert station. It was the ultimate Italian banquet that I've ever had! We started with a vol-au-vent with seafood ragout. The dish was indulgent and creamy but being ''gluten-free'', obviously, I didn't finish the pastry shell. The second appetizer was Cappellacci alla ricotta with a ragout of rabbit and Swiss chard. The dish was hearty and homey and the rabbit added a little bit of gaminess to the dumplings. Unfamiliar with Italian cuisine, I would imagine this is what Italian families eat at their family gatherings. Next, we had a baby spinach salad with apples and caramelized pecans. It was light and sweet - a good little dish to incite the appetite. Soon after, it was time for me to interpret the bride's mom's speech! Without a draft and only a little idea of what the speech was going to be, I was in for a live translation challenge! I think I covered the essential of what she said but there were definitely parts that I missed out. The most memorable thing she said was that the groom's parents got married the same day, same month and same year as when she got married to her husband. Fate brought these two families together and now it's time for their kids to cherish and prosper it! After the interpretation, I gave a speech of my own. It wasn't cheesy but very sincere. It was everything that I wanted to say to my dear friend on her wedding day and how much she means to me. After getting back to my seat, the Limoncello sherbet appeared on my table. It was an icy lemon sorbet with a little bit of alcohol for the purpose of moving the food down and clean the palate in preparation for the main course. The main dish must make hardcore carnivores very happy - it was a grilled beef fillet with five peppercorns and Cognac sauce with a side of portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach, glazed carrots, and Dauphinoise potatoes. The size of the beef fillet was definitely not for the faint of heart! Needless to say, I didn't even finish half of it. As for dessert, we had a Zuppa Inglese, not an English soup, but a trifle-like chilled cream with a chocolate and strawberry sponge cake inside and a strawberry coulis. The highlight of sweet foods was actually a desert station served after the main dessert. It was a long table of pastries, fresh fruits, and a self-serve chocolate fountain! The hardened and thick layer of dark chocolate coating the strawberry was truly decadent! My friend nailed her first dance and did so many moves that I've never seen before. I had no idea she could dance so well! Rumour said she danced until 3 am! This was an event to remember and an indication that all of us are entering a different phase of our lives. I wish all the happiness in the world to the newly wed couple!
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Modern French Restaurant in MontrealFrench restaurants in Plateau-Mont-Royal
On Saturday evening, we met with some friends at this adorable little restaurant that I've only heard good things about. The weather was perfect to sit on the terrace facing St-Denis street. Going in without studying the menu in advance, I was prepared for a surprise.
The restaurant makes its own (in-house!) juice and syrup and all the cocktails come with a virgin version which I gladly opted for. I started the evening with a refreshing strawberry, basil, and lime cocktail.
Chambre à part features French gastronomy but with a modern flair. Everything from the artful presentation of the dishes to the delightful wallpaper reflected the charming character of the restaurant. That being said, the menu had a degree of complexity which left us perplexed at first. After googling almost every uncharted culinary vocabulary on display, we finally made up our minds. I decided to start with a gravlax d'omble chevalier, followed by a Bobines trout. The dishes were definitely on the smaller side but didn't leave us unsatisfied thanks to the pairing of interesting, rich ingredients. The gravlax came with a mix of smallish zucchini cubes and sheep yogurt, sandwiched in between slices of thinly cut watermelon. All that sitting on a bright green sorrel mousse topped with crispy rice chips and slices of radish. It was a super delicate, airy and delectable appetizer! My boyfriend had a fresh lentil curry dressed with little cubes of panisse (a type of fries made with chickpea flour and originated from Marseilles) and mint leaves.
My main dish was Bobines trout with escargot (I barely noticed it while eating), lemon confit, oyster mushrooms, navy beans and the signature sorrel foam. Everything made sense on the plate and went incredibly well together.
Like every good French meal, the highlight rests on the desert and it's exactly the case this time. I ended the meal with an iced soufflé mixed in with berries, meringue, and almond cookie bites. To my amazement, the soufflé actually came in the shape of pink half round cubes instead of an eggy, spongy cake we'd usually expect. The meringue had the shape of little Hershey's chocolates. The almond cake, berries, and mint leaves all served to supplement the flavours and the texture of the dish. I couldn't think of a better way to end this wonderful culinary experience!
Food is one of those things people love to discuss, and arguably one of the most memorable elements of a wedding. We had the chance to attend a beautiful and well-catered nuptial event in Vancouver this past July. The wedding ceremony took place at the Sheraton hotel in downtown Vancouver, in front of a magnificent water fountain accompanied by the sweet notes of Canon in D ( I don't know why but it makes me cry every time I hear it). After sitting under the sun for almost an hour (and watching my face turn brown despite the attempted protection from the decorative Asian fan left on each guest's seat!), we finally were invited inside for the pre-dinner cocktail. The reception hall had an industrial high ceiling, embellished with gorgeous droplight balls. Each guest's chair was delightfully dressed with a light blue cloth in the shape of a bow which matched the centre pieces of each table: the recurring blue Asian paper fan and large vases full of ocean blue candies reminiscent of sea shells, stones and coral. The first appetizer was a well-composed and delicious dish: quail on top of a bed of very flavourful risotto decadently topped with two pieces of truffle. I knew right away that the food was not going to disappoint at this wedding! The wedding planner Térence is a talented graphic designer who designed the most original wedding invitation on a rustic coaster! Naturally we were thrilled to be able to make use of that invitation! Another good quality of the wedding planner is that he kept the wedding right on schedule, which, from past experiences, rarely happens. A well-scheduled wedding means guests get to eat on time! Not long after the delectable first appetizer, we were served with an even more exquisite second appetizer: a soft crab cake topped with a giant prawn and a vibrant green citrus sauce. This dish was true eye candy that pleased both my eyes and my stomach. For the main dish, we were offered either Cornish hen, Atlantic salmon or a vegetarian mushroom feuilleté. I had the salmon that came with a yellow pepper bowl with barley and rice and a side of fresh garden vegetables: baby summer squash, zucchini, beet and green beans. The vegetarian dish took a creative turn with the texture of the feuilleté, the earthiness of the mushrooms, the same garden vegetables and the fun twist on the potato chips. In my opinion, there was a discrepancy between the appetizers and the main dishes. The appetizers tasted bold and luxurious while the main dishes had a garden-to-table feel using high quality and fresh ingredients. The desert was a Canadian-influenced cinnamon pecan cake topped with a scoop of maple ice cream with a side of solidified maple sugar, blueberries and physalis. It was a great ending to a wonderful meal in one of the most amazing cities in Canada! Here is a peak of the wedding cake even if we didn't have the chance to taste it! P.S. Thank you Julie and Arthur for the food, the fun and the memories!
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About The AuthorNot a foodie but a food enthusiast, I like farm-to-table concoctions that are genuine, hearty, unpretentious, and wallet-friendly. Follow my food journey - you're in for a treat! ArchivesCategories |