The Mane Event: A Bucket-List Dinner

 I don't think it's really any secret that I'm a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, his show Parts Unknown, and really, really excellent food. So, when we decided we were heading to Montréal, we decided to re-watch his episode on Quebec and were reminded of a place we absolutely had to try--Joe Beef. This Little Burgundy masterpiece was opened in 2005 by three of Canada's finest (and coolest) chefs and culinary geniuses, Allison Cunningham, Frédéric Morin and David McMillan. 

Joe Beef takes its name from the proprietor of a tavern which once stood on the site. The neighborhood is still a little rough-looking, which lets the restaurant stand out as even more of an unusual gem. 

When you enter, you're greeted by really friendly servers dressed in flannel shirts, in keeping with the warm, rustic, and classy nature of the establishment. We had a 9:15 reservation (you'll definitely want to make one--the place is usually PACKED!), but by some stroke of luck, there was a table ready for us more than a half hour early. 

 Our table was basically a dream--cosy and gorgeously stocked, warmly lit, and attired with vintage plates and napkins that I hope I'll be able to find for my kitchen. 

A facet of JB that I really love is its menu--all in French, all written daily on chalkboards that line the walls. Our amazing waitress helped us a lot in deciding what to order (although I was already partial to a particular dish you'll see later), and gave us some wonderful recommendations for drinks and appetizers. 

In light of what I had in mind for dinner, I started off with some absolutely delicious Canadian sparkling wine, and D started off with an Oatmeal Stout from Le Castor. The wine was wonderful, but the Stout was definitely something to write home about. It was rich, malty, smoky, earthy, and musky, with a caramel smell that turned into a cocoa aftertaste without any loss of its maltiness. 

To start, we ordered some of JB's famous croquettes, which, for the evening, drew inspiration from Chicken Pot Pie. They were absolutely wonderful, if not quite as earth-shattering as what we ordered next.

D ordered the Monsieur Diane, a 16-ounce steak topped with mushrooms, gravy, and spinach, and accompanied by an onion chutney.

I decided to try Cheval á la Stroganoff, a deliciously tangy, rich, and tender filet served with wonderfully meaty mushrooms, marvellous pearl onions, and buttered Papardelle. This might just have been my favorite meat ever... And despite the fact that I love horses and have been riding since I was very little, I would love to have this again.

Everything was incredibly fresh and local, and our food was an absolute culinary masterpiece. Joe Beef is a place for the gourmand and man's man alike, a place where you'll want to savor absolutely everything you order and you'll be unable to stop raving about the food as you eat because it's just that good. 

If there's one place to visit in Montréal when you're hungry and really want to dig into some delicious, unpretentious, and generously-sized food, this is it. It is a little pricey to visit frequently, but given the chance, do--this may be the best meal you'll ever have. 

(P.S. If you can't visit Joe Beef in Montréal, get their cookbook. It's wonderfully clever and well-written, very eclectic in its style, and has absolutely amazing recipes. Definitely a great one to have in your collection or to give as a gift to your favorite foodie.)

Mahrajan and Moving

          I admittedly haven't done too much besides work this summer, but now that I've given my notice and headed back up to Boston, I feel as though my summer vacation, however short it may be, is finally beginning. 

    On Friday morning, I boarded a train bound for Boston armed with two massively overpacked (and yet underpacked) suitcases, a duffle bag for the weekend, and my handbag. A few hours and a taxi ride later, I found myself in the heart of the Fenway area in front of my new apartment. I unfortunately didn't have too much time to hang out with my roommate, as I had to leave almost as soon as I'd come in order to board another train to see my gent and his family for his birthday weekend...

    So yes, things started out quite hectic, but I'm finally settling into what looks like it'll be an amazing week. 

    D's birthday was yesterday, and we all headed up to Mahrajan, a Lebanese Festival held by Our Lady of the Cedars Church in Manchester, NH. I've had some exposure to the Lebanese culture so far, but yesterday was the first time I felt truly immersed... and it was absolutely wonderful. 

   When we finally arrived, I was a little floored by the fact that there was a camel present... I'd never actually seen one in the flesh, so I may or may not have been like a kid on Christmas morning when I actually touched it. 

(Credit for this lovely shot goes to D's mom, who was probably highly amused by my slight freakout. :P)

    At what I will call the actual entrance to the festival, we saw a handful of bancarelle (IT: stands) where merchants sold religious icons, books, and jewellery, woven goods, and all forms of Arabic food and sundries. But before we got too distracted, we made a beeline for the big tent, where we met up with D's extended family and listened to some live music.

     

Arabic Instruments from L to R: Arabic-voiced Keyboard, Oud, Qanun, and Tablah.

    Before long, it was time for lunch, so we headed over to the food tent for some great Arabic food. 

The Kibbeh Platter
Kibbeh (ground beef, bulghur wheat, minced onions, pine nuts), Loubieh, and Rice.  

and a Spinach Fatayar and Majaddara


We didn't end up getting this, but I's food looked too good not to share...

He and A got Spinach and Meat Fatayar and Lamb Shawarma. 

   Alas, the Hommus and Tabbouleh we had escaped the camera, but everything was better than I can even begin to describe. 

   After lunch, L convinced me, A, M, and S to get henna tattoos with her. 

   And then, it was time for dancing.

We were total dorks on the dance floor, but we had so much fun belly dancing and doing the Dabke.

   When we were finally tuckered out, we decided to head into the hosting church for a look. 

Our Lady of the Cedars is a Melkite Church. It's a little bit Catholic, a little bit Orthodox, very cool, and absolutely beautiful. 

                There's iconography absolutely everywhere. 

It's all beautifully painted and is an amazing testament to the growth of the church.

 I'm not the most religious person out there, but there's just something awe-inspiring about being in a church like this. It was absolutely amazing listening to Fr. Thomas talk about about Our Lady of the Cedars, the Melkite Church in general, and the town, and I will contend that the entire building is a work of art.

(Also, I may or may not have fallen in love with these lanterns.)

    After we'd seen what we wanted to see and we'd thanked Fr. Thomas, we went back out to the big tent for farewells and headed back home for cake, The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and movie night. 

   **For fashion lovers, I'm wearing an H&M dress (sold out, but similar here), Birkenstock Gizeh Sandals (don't knock 'em until you try 'em--they're really comfy), Alex and Ani Bracelets, and a golden honeybee necklace from Etsy (c/o Luxe Lovely Gifts).**

Easy Summer Meals: Loubieh Wa Hommus Bi-Ziet with Quinoa

Sorry about the long hiatus! The last bit of this year and this summer have been positively crazy, but I'm back to blogging since I'll have more time now.

I'm preparing to move, full-time, to my apartment in Boston, so I'm taking the time to enjoy a few last outings with my friends and a few last adventures in my kitchen. 

Lately, I've been on a Lebanese food kick, which has led me to make Sfeeha (Meat Pies, which G and my family so kindly tried and approved of), Hommus and Fatoush (which you'll see above in Tupperware containers, as I knew I'd be eating them for a week)...and today, Loubieh! 

For those of you who aren't familiar with Loubieh, it's a stew made with green beans, olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. To tonight's pot, I added Ceci for a little extra protein. 

I've adapted the recipe from ones I found on Saveur, Rose Water & Orange Blossoms, The Moveable Feasts, The Old Ways, and a handful of other sites. 

For the Loubieh, you'll need: 

1/4 C Olive Oil (I used Organic EVOO from Costco)

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp minced garlic 

1 medium yellow onion, sliced very thinly

Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Approx. 2 Tbs. Tomato Paste (I added it to taste)

Smoked Paprika to taste (Simply because I have an insane amount of it in the house)

Lebanese 7 Spice Mix to taste...

         Or you can do what I did and mix together 1 tsp. each 

            -Ground Allspice

            -Black Pepper

            -Cinnamon

            -Nutmeg

            -Ground Ginger

            -Sumac

         And, again, add to taste.

2 lb Green Beans, Trimmed and Cleaned

1 Jar Marinara Sauce (I used Trader Joe's Traditional Marinara, simply because it's very, very plain and natural.)

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 15 Oz. Can Ceci (Garbanzo Beans)

1.5 Cups Water, or as much as you need. 

Here's what you do...

Get out an 8-Qt. Saucepan, and put your oil and cumin in. 

Turn on the stove and bring the mixture to medium-high heat, stirring for a minute until you can really smell the cumin. 

Add in your garlic, onion, salt and pepper, and cook until the garlic and onion are lightly browned. This should take 12 minutes or so. 

Add in your tomato paste, paprika, 7 spice mix (or my in-a-pinch modification), and stir the mixture until the tomato paste becomes slightly caramelized. 

Add in the green beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, ceci, and as much water as you'll need to bring the mixture to a boil. 

Reduce your heat (to medium-low) and cook until very tender (up to 1 hour). Cover the pot partially and stir every so often.

Then, let the mixture sit for a bit (15 or so minutes) so the flavors will meld together. 

Serve it over rice, quinoa (as I did), or your favorite grain, and enjoy!

This is a pretty simple recipe, and as I've been finding with the Lebanese food I've been making, is amazing even when reheated. 

Have fun!

Xx Caroline