SPRING INDOORS

My front yard maple tree lost a branch in a winter storm, and the spring was long in coming, so when I noticed that the branch was budding, I guess fed by the melting snow, we brought a branch indoors. It was thrilling to have it successfully bud while the bitter spring stayed on. And, eventually, spring would arrive, but we had seen its loveliness a little before others. 

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

Our tradition continues of green eggs and other green things!

MOTIVATIONAL TOOLS

Adapted from Heidelberg University's Max Weber Typology of Social Action

ENGAGE IN A NOBLE SHARED PURPOSE - appeal to the satisfaction of pursuing a common organizational goal- focus on the positive, not the negative

SATISFY SELF-INTEREST - provide rewards (financial, job security) for achieving targets, but be careful that collecting data is not used as punishment, and be aware that linking rewards to individual behaviour requires an emphasis in teamwork in addition

EARN RESPECT - leverage peer pressure to encourage desired performance- outliers will likely alter behaviour if they see their peer's performance

EMBRACE TRADITION - create standards to align behaviours, and require community members to adhere to these- inspire pride, security, communication, etiquette

SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY by Albert Bandura

AKA power of self-efficacy

We assess whether or not we can do something by these four ideas:

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - I have done this before, so I can do it again.

VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE - If that person can do, surely I can do it too!

SOCIAL PERSUASION - These people think I can do it, so maybe I should try.
John Rohn says " You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with."

PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS - Can my body handle this?

EUROPEA

By special invitation, my friend was invited to a Taste of France evening. I have been walking by Europea for years, exiting the Lucien-Lallier commuter train station on Montagne, and drooling. She had a crazy dinner with her husband on their anniversary this year and sent me pictures. So when she forwarded the very reasonably priced menu, I said yes and booked immediately! It was a feast! And so beautiful! Here are the courses we were served.

Mini clothes line with a teriyaki sweet venison jerky, perfect warm cheese gougeres, mini cheese quiches and a delicate buttery cold cut.

Amuse bouche #1 - Black squid ink with a ball of creamy goat cheese inverted savoury pop set on a dry leaf boat

Bread #1 Olive bread, one of three choices (parmesan and simple the other options) with creamy butter 3 ways

Smoke box

Delightful Amuse Bouche #2 pastry cup with raw tuna, a drop of lemon curd, topped with ... in a well of  ...

Perfectly poached eggs in a wine reduction sauce topped with a dried red onion. Reason for bread number 2!

Showstopper dish - fleur de sel to the left, caramelized apple with spears of caramel on a bed of sweet crumble, drops of caramel, and the highlight  - perfect foie gras topped with an aspic of Sauternes (a sweet French dessert wine

A perfect bite of above on more bread (simple the best!)

Quenelle of the lake! Pike and crayfish topped with pea shoots and encircled by  pepper

A beef bourgogne with better wine than I've ever used! Burgundy no doubt. A little tending to barbecue sauce with crunchy carrots and pearl onions that explode on impact. Meat was chewier than I expected but, to testify to the greatness of the dish, this was when the fire alarm went off, and none of us were budging until we felt the heat, the need to finish the delicious dish being to great! Served with below

A perfect Gratin Dauphinoise

Cheese plate with a superb camembert, cheese cracker and ?apricot fruit jelly. I could get used to pre-dessert!

Elaborate dessert number 2! We managed only the cotton candy, arranged as a Dr Seuss forest of pink trees! I was expecting a more special flavour, but it was the usual pink cotton candy. Strawberry? Hanging in cellophane bags were fruit bellies, chocolate balls, hand dipped marshmallows and meringues. The base had macarons, marshmallows and jam filled cookies. We were groaning, ours eyes being too big for our stomachs! I'm glad I brought my loose pants!

Madeleines to take home with our poor family who were not there to enjoy!

Instructions where to break through the amazing caramel cookie covering the offset bowl.

Rich chocolate mousse with red fruit ice cream ?strawberry again with a tiny crunchy cookie bar in side

Meringue to go. Thanks Jerome, for a terrific experience!

CALICO BUTTERSCOTCH SWIRL TROUBLE WITH A CAPITAL T

READING TO PAWS PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY

IN AND AROUND HOME BY SUSANNE STRATER

One of my favourite artists is a multi-media, pastel powerhouse that I met  several years ago through my in-laws, after falling in love with a painting she had done for a local charity show, only to learn that someone else had purchased it while I was dithering. It was like missing "Girl With a Pearl Earring", by Van Dyke. It was upsetting. However, it gave me a taste of what is require to support the arts, so when this pastel came up, I bought it, before it even showed. That is how, for the first, and maybe last time, in my life, my name was beside this painting in a local gallery show as: Courtesy of owner with my name beside it. It was thrilling! Check out her Facebook page!

117 Gables Court in all its summer splendour

https://www.facebook.com/SusanneStrater

BACKYARD PATIO FURNITURE IN SUMMERTIME

PIERREFONDS SIDE YARD ORCHARD

Apples, Pears and Plums

BALLOON DOG ON LA RIVIERE SEINE

LEFTOVER TACO BEANS IN A SALAD

MOURELATOS INSPIRATION

Roasted fennel and red pepper - 350 degrees for as long as it takes to caramelize (don't take it out too early)

Roasted Broccoli and Porteenies - How does it transform good into great?!

A package of corn tortillas, chicken, salad, salsa, refritos, avocado, and green onion. Perfect Tacos!

SONATA AT LA COUPOLE

I had a book to read and some time to kill downtown. I was overwhelmed with the smell of caffeine in Starbucks, and couldn't find a quiet seat, so I retraced my steps to the bar at La Coupole and took a chance on a cocktail I had never tried before: the Sonata. 2 oz iced cider 1/2 oz Aperol and cinnamon syrup finished with a cinnamon stick. It was delightful, and taken slowly over 2 hours with 3 glasses of cold ice water generously poured by an attentive server (to pace myself!), it was a perfect place for   making headway on the second book club book. 

GARDE MANGER, OLD PORT MONTREAL

A while ago, I joined the Monster Gym for a 3 month stint. My favourite part was the treadmill which had tv screens, and I always tuned into the Food channels! Walking away calories and dreaming of food! 

One of my favourite shows was Chuck's day off, and my hipster brother knew of his restaurant in the Old Port. 

This Saturday, I went with 3 girlfriends (after waiting a month for a reservation) for dinner for the first time, and saw the kitchen bar he cooks on. We had a great evening in a cosy thoughtfully decorated room. The menu was in english and french on separate boards, and we did our best to try as many dishes as possible. 

The Lobster Poutine and Ice Cream Sandwiches had preceded our visit in reviews, so we were glad to have a share in them. We split the large poutine, which had a claw and a tail on top and we estimated a half a lobster in meat in a medium sized poutine. 

I think I was the happiest of all the mains, but there was no complaining with the dessert. I think the ice cream bar was really a cheesecake, and dipped in caramel, it was exquisite!

Poutine and paparazzi!

My wine companion for the evening

Crown Salts seems to be the chef's company

Carmelised scallops served with cauliflower, carrot vanilla puree (none of us guessed the flavour at first), bacon jam (I tasted the smokiness first), and my first truffles. I am in a new mushroom bracket!

Pork Belly, Coco beans and choi (an app that stands well as a main)

Braised beef on a bed of barley with collard greens in a beer and molasses sauce. As the first taste of beef in 8 years,  it was amazing! My recommendation for my husband.

Arctic char, salsify with pancetta, fish veloute and seaweed salad

Fleur de sel sandwiches and perfect caramel sauce

DRIED FRUIT ELEVATED TO NEW HEIGHTS

I was leaving our local Provigo (recently converted from a Loblaws) and found a little shop called Al Rifai selling dried fruits and nuts. I was impressed by their recyclable container that they were able to subtotal and fill with a variety of fruits. I picked three, and we discovered that pomelo was amazing! This is what it a pomelo looks like. It comes in the most elaborate carrying case. It is the safest fruit ever transported. The pith is really generous, so it didn't seem to need all the external protections.
My daughter and I enjoyed some dried banana slices I made from leftovers from breakfast. 200 degrees for an hour and a half. Yum!

Pomelo, a mild Asian citrus fruit

Inside a Pomelo

Dried Mandarin, Dried Papaya, Dried Pomelo