I Got No Beef With Joe Beef!

I know very few bad asses in my life.  The ones I do know are pretty bad, and are the standard by which all bad asses are measured, by me.  I know of no bad ass cooks or chefs despite the current trend of macho bad ass wannabes in the culinary world.  If yelling at staff, throwing tantrums and eating stuff that makes others queasy makes you bad, well then, ok, you're bad in a kind of pathetic sort of way.

So when I first became aware of David McMillan and Frédéric Morin I saw what, at first blush, appeared to be a couple of guys trying to cash in on this tough cook trend.  The stories of throwing bus boys into dumpsters and dropping the odd "f bomb" in interviews did not impress me much and I wondered what it could be about this duo's restaurant and cooking that receives so many accolades.  I ordered the book, fully intending to find evidence of hypocrisy and double standards.  Yes, I would research and study them and I would find reason to dislike them. Yes, yes I would.

And sure enough, in the opening forward, the first of said evidence of a large blow-hard of a man attempting to intimidate a restauranteur who just wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  Wow, cussing. How tough.  And there was further evidence like, they're from Montreal.  Need I say more?  They have a contempt for the refined, haute cuisine of modern fine dining establishments.  They revel in the culture of the the old time taverns and casse-croute of Old Montreal and are driven by the muse of an old tavern owner in a seedier part of town: one known as Joe Beef.  They wear blue jeans and wool Mack Jackets and skater shoes.  They dress the part of the antithesis of haute cuisine.  They close for 2 weeks every July and 10 days at Christmas.  They write their menu on a blackboard and won't take your order if you can't read it.  They admire the customer who orders a plate of oysters and Molson Ex.  You know... they actually sound like my kind of people.

David McMillan is a history buff: score one point.  Frédéric Morin is a railroad enthusiast: score another point.  Both feel uncomfortable in the presence of the rich and famous and prefer the company of working classes: another point.  They turned down a request to cater a Tourisme Montreal event for high end clients because they "hate doing it" and because "we would only disappoint you with our bad attitudes and lethargic ways." OK! Cut it out! I'm supposed to be disliking you bastards!

I am not sure, exactly, at which page I first became aware that I was falling in love with Joe Beef.  Maybe it was the books lay out, the impeccable writing, the brilliant photography.  No. It was the people.  Despite the gruff appearance these are people I could like.  Loyal to their staff and the investors who supported them.  Proudly Montrealers, Quebecers and Canadians (in that order).  Supportive of their local suppliers.  Committed to their philosophy.  And, humble enough to admit when they made mistakes.  They believe in themselves and the people that supply the products they sell and it shows in the book, the recipes and the enormous following their businesses have enjoyed.  Chefs love these guys.  Farmers, fishers and butchers love these guys.  And, I love these guys.

Oh, sure, there is still some image and brand management behind what they do and how they act, and it is always a fine balancing act to embrace the food of the masses and charge the prices they do, but that balance is summarized nicely by McMillan when he talks about Champagne:

Champagne is not a festive beverage.  Champagne is a wine that should be drunk every day for no apparent reason.  Life is short, hard, and can often suck.

The prices they charge are an attempt to keep the food as accessible as possible while maintaining a high quality of locally sourced produce.  This is a tough thing to do without going broke and they have managed it nicely.  Their experience is shared with their readers in a section near the back of the book titled "The Joe Beef Address Book" where everything from B&B's to shops and restaurants are listed; and throughout the book they list the names and locations of their suppliers.  The book is a resource for restauranteurs and chefs as much as home cooks and foodies.

The book is also a reference for a way of living and a philosophy on life.  Every chapter, in fact every recipe, begins with a story of how they came to a particular philosophy or approach to food and dining (and travel for that matter).   In the chapter "Tall Tales, Taste, And A Few Theories" Morin discusses the few theories that guide the approach of his kitchen and restaurant.  None sum up what these guys are about better than Theory #8:

Perks: It's always seemed funny to us that a restaurant will go out of its way to offer special treatment to people with millions in the bank, yet the couple who saved for months to eat at the same place on a special occasion is somehow lucky to be there.  If we notice a passionate student-type or a couple on a first date eating in one of our restaurants, we will give them the world.  They will have the entire menu for thirty bucks.  Its our pleasure to give them a complimentary bottle of good wine.  Of course, this is not a habit, but we do it once in awhile.

This attitude is re-enforced in Chapter 7 A Word On Wine when McMillan discusses the importance of wine with dinner:

If you bring your partner into the restaurant and spend all of your time talking to your waiter about wine (which I see all the time) instead of focusing on the conversation, you're a jerk.  A restaurant meal is a precursor for the acts of business, friendship, and lovemaking.  Leave your wine OCD at home.  Once you choose the wine and taste it ( this should only take three minutes, not twenty), there is no more talking about wine.  Then it's time to talk about how pretty your date's dress is or how nice your date smells, how well you're doing this quarter, or how many widgets you've sold. 

These are words to live by.  And live they do.  The intent of Joe Beef was to have a restaurant that they could run the way they wanted and to open and close according to their schedule.  They take time away from the business and travel by rail every chance they get.  This has given them a perspective on the country that most of us miss out on, and makes a mockery of the rest of the country's impression of Montrealers.  These guys love Canada and are not shy about saying so.  There is no hint of flattery when they say Winnipeg, PEI and even (gasp!) Toronto are among their favourite places to visit.   They have taken the time to experience their suppliers' lives and work to better understand their own food.  What a great thought:  a better understanding of me by understanding the community of people that have shaped me.

Forget for a minute all the philosophy.  If you pick this book up for nothing but the recipes it would still be an amazing addition to any collection.  The recipes are presented in descriptive, easy to follow steps that describe the techniques and methods utilized so that nothing is left out of the preparation.  Great detail appears to have been taken to get the recipes right and they are easy to follow.  I have personally made some of the easier sides and condiments and they are excellent.

I have spent nearly a month with this book and it has felt like a great friend.  The attitudes and philosophies espoused by Morin and McMillan mesh with my own and I think would mesh with every Canadian.  If you have a stake in the Canadian food industry (and who doesn't) this is a must read and Joe Beef is a must visit.  I myself would love to eat there but I hate travelling and I can't afford it, but I feel confident that I can replicate many of the dishes, if not by the letter than certainly by the spirit of the recipes.  What can't be replicated is the atmosphere.  Or maybe that isn't right, since I did get a genuine feel for the atmosphere without ever having set foot in Joe Beef.  It is, after all, just an attitude.

F@*& the Food Network

Image via WikipediaIf you want an education in food, I mean a real education not just food porn, I always recommend any show on PBS Saturday mornings.  The only frustrating part is the constant interruption to the schedule for fund raising but, become a member and maybe they wouldn't have to interrupt programming.  PBS is the best place to find the best cooking shows featuring the best chefs.  You know all those celebrity chefs on Food Network?  Well, they wait in line to get into the restaurants of the chefs on PBS.  Even the shows that do not feature great chefs, provide technique and ingredient information that is as good as any cooking school.  In fact, one show that was featured on PBS was actually shot at the Culinary Institute of America.

But, "hey," you say, "Food Network has a web site to enhance my viewing pleasure." And to that I say, it's nice you have a place to learn how to heat peas.  And, I also say, PBS has an even better site to enhance your viewing pleasure and help you get through those weeks when programming is interrupted to bring us some new age guru and his sappy credulity, like this week.  The site has tips, recipes, videos, and well written blogs as well as books and DVD's that will help you put an exciting meal on the table the next time it's your turn to host a dinner.  Or, even just something to keep the kids from tossing food at each other during family meals.  So, go and see what food can really be.  Go on.

C'est La Vie

In 1739 just over 24 000 residents of Quebec imported more than 3/4 of a million bottles of wine from France.  No one in Canada enjoys wine like the Quebecois.  Yet, the domestic wine industry in Quebec is a fledgling industry at best.  When wine experts talk about Canadian wines they talk about Ontario and British Columbia, despite the fact that wine, of some type, is grown in almost every province in the country.  Even the locally obsessed owners of Joe Beef in Montreal carry no locally made wines, though they have tried their hands at making their own with self proclaimed less than stellar results.

The weather is the biggest obstacle to making wine in Quebec.  The winters are just too cold, even the St. Lawrence is unable to temper the extreme cold to allow vineyards to survive.  There have been some developments in techniques including artificially heating the ground to support the vines.  Producers have turned to the many varieties of grape that thrive in cold weather and a mix of hardier old world and even hardier new world varieties are showing some promise.

Another obstacle to overcome in Quebec is, despite their love of and pride in local produce, Quebecois do not consume products that are, in their opinion, of a lesser quality or value.  David McMillan, in his book, The Art of Living According to Joe Beef, discusses his and his province's love of old world French wines:

The air in Quebec is sweet and old, however, and we've been drinking French wine with French food here for more than three hundred years... Classically, Montreal has always preferred French wine.  There is a core Quebec crowd that has, for many historical reasons, cemented this province with a vin francais toujours policy.  I have many customers who won't even acknowledge any wine other than French wine.  Italian wine is exotic, and Spanish wine, well, they just shrug and look bewildered.

So wine production in Quebec will have a long hard battle against climate, history and Quebec tastes.  But, there is an aspect of Quebec wine production that is producing superior quality products. Fruit wines.  Yes, I said fruit wines.  The fermentation of grapes is not the only way to produce an enjoyable alcoholic beverage with complexity and depth of flavour.  Don't believe me?  Try a bottle of  Domaine Pinnacle 2008 Sparkling Ice Cider.  This wonderful product takes advantage of its environment and embraces the harsh Quebec weather to culminate in, what some call, apple pie in a bottle.  It pairs extremely well with foie gras and hard cheeses and makes an excellent end to a dinner party.  Try it instead of an Ontario ice wine.

 

Screw It!

An interesting article about paper bottles for wine at Wired.com.  This is an interesting concept and one that would be better for the environment, however, two things come to mind.  First, consumers are already hesitant to move to screw caps which are better for keeping and storing wine, and are even hesitant to move to plastic corks which also have an advantage over natural cork.  Secondly, during a recent tasting some spoilage was noted in tetrapak style boxes which is similar to how the paper bottle is made.  

 

If consumers could get past their prejudices when it comes to buying wine, and if the packaging side of the industry could find a sustainable method of packaging that preserved both wine and environment I could get excited about the possibility of guilt free imbibing.  Till then, I will stick with trusty glass, and screw tops where available. 

It's Not Delivery, It's Dennisio

I am enjoying home made, from scrath pizza. It's amazing. Simple engredients, patience and plenty of kneading.

I Prefer the Term Frugal Wines Pt.II

In the interest of fairness, here is an article responding to the Slate piece that I blogged about concerning cheap wine.  I think the article is lacking in any logic.  The writer starts by summarizing the arguments of the original article and then goes about ignoring those arguments all together.  It is filled with straw men and logical fallacies including an appeal to popularity, appeal to authority and the ever popular appeal to tradition.  But, it completely side steps the facts: 1) that experts, let alone non-experts, can't tell expensive from cheap wine 2) that most people drink wine without lingering over its complexity 3) that if you find a wine you didn't like then you are not out much money and 4) if you like cheaper wine what business is it of anyone else.

The writer suggests that there is a human cost to cheap wine by linking to a story about a worker who died in the vineyards of a notoriously cheap vintner.  Well, if you can use Google you could probably find an example of a high end winery that has experienced a death or even a a mid level winery, for that matter..  What does that prove? Nothing.  As for the argument that Wonder Bread and Kraft slices aren't as good as artisanal breads and cheese that is just silly; give kids a choice and they will probably pick Wonder and Kraft every time and, to use their own logic, Wonder and Kraft sell more so doesn't that make it better?  And if you want to make a good grilled cheese you are better off with the cheap stuff (but that's a post for another day).

There is a somewhat better post here although note that this writer makes the same silly argument of the difference between a Big Mac and a Lobel's Steak.  Well, I will go on record as saying most people can't tell the difference between a Big Mac patty and a Lobel's patty of similar size, shape and preparation.  And, it holds true that most people can't tell the difference between a cheap bottle of French Pinot Noir and a more expensive French Pinot Noir. One should stick to comparing apples to apples.  Price has no bearing on the taste of the wine any more than price has any bearing on the taste of beer, whiskey, chocolate, peanut butter, onions, tomatoes, etc.  Also, price has less and less to do with quality in all those examples (but again, there is another post for another day in that statement).  As for the idea of wine as culture, while this is true there is no law that culture need be expensive - the foods of the peasants are inexpensive, until enjoyed by the snobs, and they are culture.

But, read the articles and make up your own mind.  As always, it is your palate, your stomach, eat and drink what you like and can afford.

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day

Image by Sergey Melkonov via FlickrIt is the third Thursday in November which can only mean one thing: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!



This tradition is either highly anticipated or roundly condemned with supporters praising it as a window into the years potential and critics deriding it as a marketing ploy to rid themselves of cheap wine.  Well, I don't know anyone cheaper than me so let the fun begin.

Image via Wikipedia

The Nouveaus offer plenty to be excited about, fruity, young, easy-drinking wine at affordable prices.  What more do you want in a wine?  Some critics have suggested that Beaujolais Nouveau is like eating cookie dough.  Well, to them I say: I like cookie dough, and deep fried Mars bars and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hot dogs.  What of it?  Not everything enjoyable in life has to come with a hefty price tag and a gilded box.  I think the tradition is fun and the wines are decent so why not?

As for this year's wines, they have received a lot of attention and many high praises.  I have picked up 3 bottles from  varying price ranges and will report in a future post about the taste.  But let's look a little at the tradition.



The Beaujolais region has always had an end of harvest vin de l'année that was only for local consumption.  After 1937 the newly established AOC pegged the release date at December 15th, the wine was still mainly a locally consumed product.  All this changed after 1951 when some of the local wine distributors came up with the idea of a race to get their bottles to Paris on the 15th of November and the race was expanded and the eventual date of the third Thursday of November settle upon in 1985.  Wine enthusiasts the world over have looked forward to the annual event ever since.

Beaujolais Nouveau are made from Gamay grapes which must be picked by hand and come from the Beaujolais AOC excluding the Cru appellations.  The wine is usually ready within 6-8 weeks of the harvest.  These light, fruity wines would be a good match with most foods including roast chicken, pork and, for those of you in the USA, thanksgiving turkey. The wine would also be a decent match with strong cheese.

The Secret To My Longevity is Longevity

A woman in Newfoundland has defied the experts and lived to the ripe old age of 106 years while maintaining an "unhealthy" lifestyle.  Her love of sweets, salt beef, pizza and fries should have killed her off years ago according to the likes of Dr Oz.  Yet, here she is living la vida loca on the Rock.  The god stuff doesn't impress me but, I think she is spot on when suggesting that having fun will keep you around a little longer.  That is the mantra of this blog, anyway.  So, live it up folks and hope you have the right combination of genes to keep at it for awhile yet.  Just, maybe tone it down a little once in awhile. 

I Prefer the Term Frugal Wines

Brian Palmer, in this Slate article, makes some good arguments for buying ultra cheap wines.  He, correctly, points out that American wines (and I will add Canadian wines) do not suffer from the same challenges that cheaper European wines suffer: namely outdated equipment and poor sanitation.  North American wines simply can't put out bad wines at any price level because they are already fighting the quality stigma.

One note for the Canadian market: our prices are substantially higher for comparative bottles not because the retailer is trying to gouge, but because the tax levels are so high federally and provincially.  A $4 bottle in the U.S. would cost about $10 here.  Of course, the government is the retailer so when you think about it perhaps we are being gouged.  I have often wondered what readers outside of Canada thought about the prices of wines I have used in the tastings.  We do pay quite a bit more for wine - and all alcohol, actually - than people south of the border or in most of Europe.

There are two points I will argue with, the first is whether or not, as he calls us, "lay people" can distinguish between cheap or expensive wine.  I did a tasting a short time ago where I pulled a joke on the tasters by including a bottle of home brewed wine.  The wine was not unpalatable by any means but, the tasters were pretty quick to identify that they did not think it was particularly good.  Cheap wine that is not good wine is easy for most people to pick out and the more you experience wine the more you will look for wines that offer more complexity IF you are thinking about the wine as you drink it.  If you are simply going to wash down food with it or drink it for the buzz, then you should only be looking for a wine that doesn't make you gag.  There are plenty out there.  And as Palmer points out, if you don't like it you are only out a few bucks.  But, for me, when it comes to a special evening out, I will still spend a couple of extra dollars to find a wine that I think will enhance the moment.  That still doesn't mean I will be taking a loan to purchase  it; there are plenty of good wines in the $10-$20 range in the LCBO.

The second point is whether or not "a little consolidation might be a good thing".  I think Canadians have had their fill of consolidation in many industries and the lack of competition in telecommunications is proof enough of that; we pay the highest cell phone and internet rates in the world.  I like many of our smaller wineries and think they force the larger companies to maintain a higher standard of quality.  Competition is seldom a bad thing from a consumer's standpoint.

But, my minor arguments aside, I think Palmer is right to suggest you can walk into any liquor store and pick out a cheap bottle of wine and usually not be disappointed.  So, here's a challenge to you: go to the liquor store this weekend and pick up a <$10 bottle of Ontario wine and decide for yourself.  My recommendations are any of the 2 Origins Collection which is available at the Wine Rack at Longo's 2 for $10, or any of the Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay or Cabernet for $6.30 (LCBO code 38810, 38828).

Edit: the price for the 2 Origins Collection wines were 2 for $20. My apologies.

Hey Kid: STFU!

I wanted to share this story of a restauranteur who has banned children under 6 from his restaurant.  I am pretty patient when it comes to children but, even I would seek out a restaurant that did this and give them my business.  It is not about being anti-child or anti-family, it is about being anti-poor-parenting.  If you have small children there will always be a time when they will misbehave regardless of their typical behaviour.  This may be ok with you, but as the owner stated: "you probably see your kids as the centre of your universe but, that doesn't mean they are the centre of the universe".  There are plenty of establishments catering to families with small children that serve really good meals, seek them out.  After all, most parents I know would like a nice quiet child-free night out once in awhile, shouldn't there be places where they can go and not have to put up with other people's children?

Now, if I could just find a spot free from seniors, conservatives, theists, Americans, Europeans, Australians, the Irish, English, Scottish, overly happy, astrologers, bi-pedal, soccer fans, Nickleback, Sweet Home Alabama....

More On Climate Change and Wine

An interesting article on the effects of climate change on the wine industry. Climate Change Has California Vintners Rethinking Grapes : NPR

I Let My Liver Do the Detoxing

I had considered writing a post about "Detoxing" but, I realized that Ben Goldacre did a far better job of explaining it than I could.  Before you watch the video, Ben talks quite fast so, listen quickly!  Also, the Barbie doll in the video is undergoing this treatment here.



The only thing I will add is what I have said before: living is a compromise between having fun and staying healthy.  The only person who can decide on how much fun versus how much health is YOU.  So enjoy yourself, or don't.

Bank On It!

Yesterday, the National and Provincial Hunger Counts were released for the year 2011 and the numbers show food banks are not going to disappear any time soon.  More than 2 out of every 100 people in Canada turned to food banks for some form of assistance during the year.  While this number has been steady for some time, what has changed is the number of persons seeking meals at drop in programs.  Most people who use a food bank have a home to cook food in but the majority of people using soup kitchens are homeless or do not have sufficient housing that allows them to make use of food banks.  So, in reality, Canada, and especially Ontario, has seen more people without the means to properly feed themselves.

The following chart demonstrates that there is a strong correlation between unemployment and food bank usage.  The numbers within the report also show increasing economic pressure on typical working class Canadians with more lower paying jobs, more part time jobs, fewer benefits and fewer people prepared for retirement.  What is just as distressing is the decline in donations to food banks and those food banks' ability to meet the demands.  This suggests that those of us not in need of food banks are also feeling the pinch.

With the unprecedented wealth of resources in Canada there is no excuse for continued need for food banks and food programs.  While I realize there will always be persons who will choose to live on the street and at the goodwill of others, most of the persons using food banks would gladly turn to feeding themselves if given the opportunity.  The next two months are crucial to the food banks in terms of donations; if you can afford to, please think about donating to your local food bank.  Or even drop by and give them a hand filling hampers, they are always grateful for the help.