News from Cuisine & Passion

June 2009

Open for business!

With a little luck and lots of coordination by Mike (at left) and his crew, by the time you read this, the new addition to the store should be ready for occupancy. Over the next few weeks, the shelves will continue to fill with new products and we anticipate being busier than ever.

Here's a sample of what else you'll find:

a brand new eight-foot showcase for weekly fresh-food offerings
more reach-in displays for fresh and frozen sauces, condiments, appetizers, soups and more
a new pastry kitchen where the pastry team, under the direction of Chef Chantal, can continue to work its magic
a new demonstration kitchen with seating for up to 24 people, the perfect setting for a gourmet catered seminar for local businesses

The official opening--and you will be invited!--is on the horizon. Stay tuned...

Tip of the month: Safety in the kitchen

Tired of chasing your cutting board around the counter?

An unstable cutting board is an accident waiting to happen. If you find your cutting board slipping too much--especially on smooth surfaces such as granite--simply buy a piece of non-slip material and put a square of it under your board. Then, keep it with the board or in a kitchen drawer so it's always handy.

Cuisine & Passion hosts Australian Wine Society

Chefs Marc and Chantal were pleased to welcome the Australian Wine Society of Ottawa to Cuisine & Passion's newly renovated facilities last night. Many local members were in attendance to enjoy a menu that included

Mini panini with maple ham, havarti cheese and chili mayonnaise
Tomato, goat cheese and roasted onion tartlettes
Smoked salmon on pumpernickel bread, dill cream
Grilled duck breast on crouton, maple balsamic glaze
Cherry tomato filled with lime crab salad
Seared Australian lamb carpaccio, eggplant relish
Braised beef ribs with pomegranate on mash potatoes
Bruschetta and dips
Fried calamari chips, remoulade sauce
Marinated pepper filled with herb goat cheese
Turmeric marinated chicken satay
Vietnamese shrimp roll
Parmesan cheese straws

All paired with the appropriate Australian wines, of course!

If you or your organization would like to host a similar event, please contact us today by email or by calling 613-845-1090.

Best wishes from noted restaurateur, Stephen Beckta

Congratulations on your first anniversary, Chef Marc!

As I'm sure you are already finding, the culinary scene has developed significantly here in the Ottawa area since you left the area a few years back. We've been fortunate with Beckta's--and now our new concept restaurant, Play--to have been part of it. Our experience has been that people in this area appreciate fine cuisine so it doesn't surprise me that with your world-class credentials, you've already met with tremendous success.

On behalf of Chef Michael Moffatt and all the staff and clients of Beckta's and Play, please accept our best wishes for a long and successful run in Orléans and beyond!

Stephen Beckta
Beckta Dining and Wine and
Play Food and Wine
Ottawa, ON

Featured product: Spiced butter

Spice up your world

A recent addition to our line-up is an array of spiced butters, a great way to add flavour quickly and easily to many dishes.

Chili Butter -- Try this over chicken, pork, fish, seafood or even grilled vegetables.
Spiced Butter -- Melt a small piece of this over your barbequed steak for a flavour you won't soon forget.
Garlic and Herb Butter -- A perfect complement to fish, grilled vegetables or even as a spread on bread.

And the winners are...

Thanks for your patience!

It's been a hectic couple of weeks for everyone who has come in--trying to avoid the construction has been a job in itself.

To say thanks, we asked clients to fill out ballots for a chance to win either a free cooking class or a Cuisine & Passion gift basket.

The draw was officially held earlier today by Chefs Marc Miron and Chantal Gagne and supervised by Gary G. Timmons, Chartered Accountant--he's the one with the tie. And the winners are...

Katherine Oliver, winner of a Cuisine & Passion gift basket valued at $80; and
Patricia Di Graspari, winner of a free cooking class, valued at $90.

Now that the construction is behind us, drop in to see our new expanded facilities at 2297 St. Joseph Blvd. In Orléans. We hope to see you soon!

Featured recipe: The perfect BBQ Steak

by Chef
Marc Miron

From rib eye to T-bone, the secret is to keep it simple
BBQ steak

Before you lay the meat on the grill, there are a few things to get in order. First, start with a good, clean grill. And do not use it until it is HOT and has been rubbed with canola or vegetable oil. (Do not use olive oil as it has a lower smoking point and once overheated, is not all that good for you.)

One side of the grill should be set to high while the other is set to medium-high. This allows you to sear the meat on one side and finish it on the other.

At this point, you are ready to grill. but first, either season with your favourite rub or, at the very least, with salt and pepper.

Before we move on, a word about marinades. If your marinade contains salt, put the meat in the mixture no more than two minutes before grilling. If the marinade does not contain salt, you can marinate the meat for a minimum of two hours before grilling. Also, be sure to shake the meat a little to remove excess marinade before cooking.

Now place your meat on the HOT grill. After a minute or so, turn the meat clockwise about 45 degrees. This will give it nice grill marks. A minute later, flip the steak, give it a minute and again, turn it clockwise 45 degrees. Then, move it to the medium-high side of the grill and cook to desired doneness.

Make it extra special

At Cuisine & Passion, we offer two different BBQ sauces you'll want to try: Marc's BBQ Sauce and Apple Cider BBQ Sauce. Want to try something a little different? Serve up your steak with a slab of spiced butter, also available in the store.

Is my steak done yet?

A quick and easy way to check steaks for doneness

You could use a thermometer to see if its done but poking holes in the meat will cause you to lose that tasty juice. A simpler approach is to poke it with your finger--the harder it is, the more it is done.

The finger test

Poke your palm just below your thumb with your fingers loosely open. As you touch each finger (index, middle, ring and pinky) to your thumb, this part of your palm will get proportionately harder, just like when you are cooking a steak. See the illustration below.

Gourmet for lunch? You bet!

Be the envy of your colleagues at work!

Tired of take-out sandwiches? Fed up with struggling to figure out what to bring for lunch? Why not bring something from our showcase?

Here are the facts. You can have a 12-inch chicken-and-bacon sandwich for $8.99 plus tax at Subway. Go to McDonald's and you'll pay over $7.00 for a Big Mac and large fries.

Or you could have a beautiful, dinner-sized filet of baked Atlantic salmon that has been glazed in Quebec maple syrup PLUS a side serving of apple and celery salad with blue cheese dressing (the good stuff). Total cost: Just $7.45.

Stop in tonight to get lunch for tomorrow. Gourmet doesn't have to be expensive!

Give the gift of fine cuisine	Available in any amount, a gift certificate from Cuisine & Passion is a great way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or any special event. Call us at 613-845-1090 today for more information.
Visit us today at 2297 St. Joseph Blvd. in Orléans and we will help you make that certain someone feel extra special!