March 2010 Hello, everyone.   We have some great news to report from our pastry kitchen. We are pleased to announce that Cuisine & Passion will feature a visiting pastry chef for a week in early March. And this is no ordinary pastry chef! If you have been to the Montreal Casino lately, you may have already witnessed some of pastry chef Denis Trehudic's award-winning creations.   Denis, too, was an alumnus of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts--that's where we met, oh, so many years ago. Denis will bring a few of his tricks of the trade to share with our own pastry chef, Chantal, and her assistant, Sam.   Those of you who've been around awhile may recall the  long, sumptuous pastry buffet the Westin Hotel used to offer. That was Denis Trehudic's creation. And he's done some pretty marvelous things since.   We'll let you know the minute we confirm the dates. We're not sure what the week will hold but if nothing else, stop in while Denis is here to see what's cooking, er, baking.   Now, here's your newsletter for the merry month of March! Chefs Chantal Gagné and Marc Miron Future plans: Oils and vinegars Well, oil be! As you know, we use only the freshest and finest ingredients we can find to prepare our dishes. Things aren't any different when it comes to the ingredients we offer for sale. We are now considering carrying a line of top-quality olive oils from a company in France called A l'Olivier. They have oils--including specialty and flavoured oils--from Italy, Greece, Spain and other regions of Europe. They also offer vinegars and other specialty items that have piqued our interest. More news as it develops... Speaking of vinegars and such... If you like Balsamic Glaze... ...you're going to love this.   Our best-selling product, our signature Balsamic Glaze, may be in for some stiff competition this coming season. As soon as we receive our shipment of this spring's maple syrup, we'll be bottling some Balsamic Maple Glaze. The hint of maple adds a nice twist to salads, fruits and many meat dishes. Stay tuned... Tip of the month: Stock tips (No, not that kind!) Taking stock Here are four tips that will help you make fantastic stocks. 1. Rinse and wash your bones well. This will give you clearer stock. 2. Always start your stock using cold water. The gradual increase in the temperature as you bring it to a simmer will help capture all the beautiful nectar of your bones and vegetables. 3. When you add spices, push them gently down into the water. If you stir briskly, you will end up with cloudy stock. 4. Do not boil your stock. Let it simmer gently. Why? You guessed it, boiling will give you cloudy stock. See our latest column in Now EMC for a great chicken stock recipe! Enhance the flavour of your presentations and seminars Seminars never tasted so good Want to offer your audience something better than sandwiches and pasta from a bucket?     Hold your next event for 10 to 16 people at Cuisine & Passion and you will leave your participants smarter and full of great food! We have a number of options if you'd like to include a meal with your next seminar: For just $20 per person, each participant will enjoy a choice of appetizer and main dish or main dish and dessert. For $30 per person, Chef Marc will include a demonstration of how to cook the meal. Want to do a little hands-on team building? For $45 per person, Chef Marc will show you how and then you and your participants will get to cook your own dishes before you sit down to eat. In all cases, the use of the room is FREE. Contact us today by calling 613-845-1090 or by emailing chefmarc@cuisinepassion.ca to find out more! Do you know the Mushroom Man? Mushroom Mania 2010 Down Under Chef Marc, as you know, has always been a great supporter of producers, the farmers and workers who bring us the beautiful food we enjoy every day. At his last posting in Sydney, Australia, as the head chef of Kable's Restaurant at the Four Seasons, he would often wander into the countryside to meet the producers and help them promote their products. It seems those producers haven't forgotten how passionate Marc can be about these things, He was recently invited by the Australian Mushroom Growers to help them promote Mushroom Mania 2010. And he won't even have to leave Orléans! Marc's comments and photo (above) will be used during the event and on the soon-to-be published website to entice people to learn more about how to use mushrooms to bring new flavours and textures to their dishes. Upcoming cooking classes French, Southern and Latin cuisine on the menu Here's the lineup for the next two weeks. Call us at 613-845-1090 or email us to book now! À la français Wednesday, March 3 Warm Lentil and Duck Salad Gratin Dauphinois Steak au Poivre CrèmeBrûlée   A night in the French Quarter Friday, March 5 Scallop Ceviche with Tomato-Corn Salsa Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya Pecan Pie   A trip to Tuscany Wednesday, March 10   Panzanella Salad Homemade Spinach Ravioli Veal Involtini and Tomato Sauce Tiramisu   Nuevo Latino Friday, March 12 Lobster Croquettes Corn and Pepper Salsa Latino chicken Fricassée Chocolate-rum Flan Download the schedule for a complete list of upcoming classes. This just in... New products on the shelf We've just received a series of two French cookbooks that come with the dishes you need to prepare them.   Mini cakes : appéritifs et gourmandises Cook'in box (39 recettes + 6 moules en silicone) par Ilona Chovancova Mini cakes, qu'ils soient salés ou sucrés, pour l'apéro ou pour goûter, vous les adorerez ! À tartiner, à décorer, à dévorer...    Mes petites verrines Cook'in box (45 recettes + 4 verres à tapas) par José Maréchal Oublies les apéritifs ennuyeux et les desserts vus mille fois! Ce livre vous propose près de cinquante recettes, sucrées ou salées, et autant d'alliances de couleurs et de textures, le tout dans un simple verre... pour charmer vos pupilles avant de ravir vos papilles. Alors à vos cuillères... prêt... partez    From the frozen depths of a Canadian winter In the Niagara region,a favourable growing climate followed by early winter frosts and snowfalls create an environment in which grapes will naturally ripen, dehydrate, freeze, thaw, and ultimately, freeze solid while hanging naturally on the vine. These grapes are then harvested and pressed while still frozen, yielding the intense flavour profile of Ice Syrup. Unlike ice wine--which is made from these very same grapes--our Ice Syrup is alcohol-free.   Try drizzling it over salmon, pork tenderloin, ham or chicken-even vegetables such as cooked carrots. You can also add a tablespoon of Ice Syrup to a glass of sparkling wine for a beautifully smooth and refreshing drink.   Here is a quick salad dressing: mix together two teaspoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and one teaspoon of Vidal Ice Syrup. Pour over tomato and avocado salad.   How about a quick dessert? Soak fresh raspberries in Cabernet Franc Ice Syrup, then pour over dark chocolate mousse, cake or ice cream.   How does Lamb loin with Cabernet Franc Ice Syrup sound? Check out our featured recipe below.   We have limited quantities available of both Cabernet Franc Ice Syrup and Vidal Ice Syrup right now. Drop in soon before it's gone! Drop in today to have a look! Featured recipe: Lamb loin and cranberries by Chef Marc Miron         The sweet taste of success in the kitchen This is a beautiful lamb dish featuring cranberries and our new Cabernet Franc Ice Syrup. If you can't find or choose not to use lamb loin, this dish works equally well with either duck or chicken breast.   Ingredients   1/2 cup Cabernet Franc Ice Syrup 1/4 cup dried cranberries 3 boneless lamb loins fresh rosemary olive oil   Method   1. In a saucepan, warm the Ice Syrup. Stir in cranberries. Remove from heat and let stand until berries have absorbed the syrup.   2. Trim the loins. Mix half of the cranberries with rosemary, salt and pepper and stuff into the middle of each loin. Rub the outside of each loin with olive oil.   3. Sear the lamb on both sides on a grill and cook to desired doneness (6 to 8 minutes).   4. Let meat stand a few minutes before slicing. Pour remaining sauce over the top.   5. Enjoy! Here comes Peter Cottontail          Easter is just around the corner Just a reminder that once again, we will be serving up a special menu for Easter. We will be announcing it a little later in March.   Why spend most of your Easter Sunday cooking? Let us take care of it for you! Give the gift of fine cuisine Available in any amount, a gift certificate from Cuisine & Passion is a great way to celebrate a birthday, a graduation, an anniversary--just about anything. Call us at 613-845-1090 or email us today for more information. Visit us today at 2297 St. Joseph Blvd. in Orléans (beside Jumbo Video) and we will help you make that certain someone feel extra special!