food & freedom holiday in montreal

i have been home for a few days and that is how long it has taken me to calm down after my withdrawal from montreal, i had that good of a time.

( i hardly picked up my camera but i got a few shots)

it started when Tzurit picked me up on the hill, i love how much she loved the animals, it was the first time we met in person and i was nervous a little but as soon as she said can i pet the dogs i knew we would be alright. as we set off for montreal she put two maybe three huge brown paper handle bags from her amazing bakery in my lap, i was clearly going to start my food and freedom trip before we even left the driveway.

we drove through the  vermont country side as we chatted about our lives each asking one another questions, laughing, pondering and more laughing. we arrived in montreal and went up to our hotel room, then quickly set out for dinner the first night was one food disaster after the next but we still smiled, after all we where in montreal! the next morning we headed to Le Cartet for breakfast, i having my first baguette or bread of any kind since march and i enjoyed it fully! then on our way out Tzurit picked up chocolate since Le Carter has walls & walls of chocolate. she bought enough to to feed an entire nation but in her words, in case we are ever stranded on a highway  do you see why i love her so!  from there we went to Olivier Potier i spoke about this bakery before, we ordered our coffees, picked out many things from the bakery shelves and sat outside. the staff that took care of us was the sweetest guy he treated us like royalty and we kinda felt like we were for a moment. we sat outside tasting everything from financiers, almond croissants, apple tartatin and more, when i went inside to ask for a bag for what we did not eat, our kind waiter  shared such kind words with me to the point i hardly made it back to the table before big tears fell as i recounted to tzurit what he had shared with me. from there we decided to walk stopping in and out of stores before sore feet has us looking for a metro and when we did it turned out to be a maze, the longest subway station walk, we laughed so hard, took pictures. we stopped in more bakeries and stores before heading to the hotel room for a quick rest before going to Tzurit birthday dinner at Laloux, which was beautifully and simply decorated.

The next morning we started out at Olive Gourmand, one of my favorite places, can i just say how delicious everything is, Tzurit, loved it as well proof is we ate there two more times.  one afternoon, Aran who had just flown in for a workshop joined us along with mayssam the workshop organizer.  Tzurit and i headed to Mile End to look around and shop, we stopped into montreal famous bagel shop
St- Viateur and had bagels right from the wood fire, then coffee at Sparrow, okay there was a cast iron apple crumble too and a stop at my favorite vintage store Citizen vintage ( posted here before) where Tzurit scored a great jacket! then we discovered a little drogheria fine, a woman with an italian old world sexiness to her, a small kitchen with large pots creating her own sauces, olive oils and such, so perfect a place both in conception and details. That evening we had dinner with aran, mayssam at 400 coups it was delicious, i had a fresh cucumber soup i will never forget and the very talented pastry chef  Patrice Demers and owner spoiled us the restaurant it self is gorgeous! it was so great seeing aran in my hometown i think we both felt a freedom we are not used too because  usually we have a schedule & work to keep.

the next morning i picked up my mum and brought her back where she got to meet aran & tzurit what a treat this was. we had breakfast at  Le Carter, my last toasted baguette and more chocolate purchases by aran, my mum and tzurit.

I had one of the nicest times, felt very honored to have been invited by Tzurit, to be able to get to know her while having  big belly laughs, genuine moments of conversation.  instantly before we had even met in person felt like we where good friends and now i know for sure. Oh and incase you are looking for the bakery of your dreams Tzurit  has created it, twice-Tatte & Tatte Two

found

have you ever driven by an abandoned home over and over curious about it. well i have and too many times i do not stop. yesterday k. and i decided to grab my camera and go. when i see an abandoned home or cabin i can not help to think what happened here? that this house stopped being cared for. this one in particular was so well built, i just do not understand the space in time were people are having dinner within it's walls, sitting by the fire -too racoons and squirrels finding shelter in it. i have been in love with chipped paint forever now,  for i find it tells such stories, windows have stories too, i love looking out from them to see what the people who lived here must have seen.  K. and i often day dream of one day fixing one up (okay i daydream), one that has completely been abandoned, one that most people would demolish in a heart beat. i think how great it would be to know you had a lifetime to  bring a place back to life.

* i included a picture of buddy in the soft snow yesterday morning

sanctuary

today the sun brought us a spring like day, the snow melting away creating streams on pavement.

the chickens & ducks taking leisure strolls into the pasture. windows opened and new breath is pumped in to home. rough days smoothed by buds discovered on trees, i suspect life will be opening up soon. i am

learning, taking it in. today is a whole day, thinking of tomorrow or yesterday takes that away. 

the sweet smell of dew

this morning i got into the car after the chores were done, headed to connecticut to meet my friend at logees greenhouse. arriving before my friend Catherine, as i opened the door i felt as i had felt for so many mornings of my younger days working in a greenhouse.  as i stood there i could feel the dew gently touch my face and the sweet smells from flowering trees, citrus and roses fill my lungs.

as i walked through with camera in hand, i knew that i would have to do this more often, something that could fill so many senses at once must be done more. as i studied the name of plants and answered a few questions from Catherine about certain species, i realized that i too wanted/needed to know more. You see for a long while i was an landscape designer, both interior and exteriors. I had won several accolades, taking the highest honours three years in a row an the New England Flowers show,  a few articles and high profile clients although wonderful, took me further away of what i enjoyed most, getting my hands dirty, learning the species and nursing the impossible species to something so beautiful.

so today as i went down the narrow aisles, imagining what my skin would look like if i still worked in such a place, thinking of all the things left to learn. discovering a new species of begonia and purchasing my favourite oxalis, i realized that although in so many times in life you must move forward and not look back, yet there is certain things you can take up just where you left off. i know i will probably be learning it for the rest of my life, and that suits me fine.

A Harvest Brunch

our harvest brunch took place. I would like to start by thanking my mum for all her help.

there was a lot to do to make the house and the farm ready, not to mention taking care of

about sixty animals of all kinds. K was away and so are our neighbours. we cleaned prepped and 

baked.

The weather was beautiful, hope you guys have had the loveliest of weekend sun. I would like to thank all my friends for coming. my friend sheila who i love so much was sick but she sent her husband roger and their beautiful five month old baby Rowen( i have kept him all to myself dear readers, will share soon) along with tiny muffins. my friend catherine came looking beautiful, what a surprise to see her escape the farm stand the place where i got most of prevision and gourds do to her amazing generosity! There was the handsome Bills, they just get better looking every time i see them, one brought pumpkin cheese cake the other blueberry pie! (by the way prince william of kingston I am so proud of you) Jessica and her husband chris were both delightful and happy newlyweds who showed up with the most gorgeous homegrown bouquet and delicious strata! Laura & leo who are kindred spirits when it comes to architecture and animals brought a box full of gourmet treats for the dogs not to mention a cheddar and ale soup, i loved it so much that it was all i ate!

the menu

was a cheese and bread table

olives, hummus, a variety of cheeses and speciality salami

savoury strata

sweet strata

apple smoked, jalepeno, sundried tomatoes sausages

roasted potatoes & butternut squash

arugula, cranberry walnut salad

cheddar ale soup

apple tarts

meringues

caramel apples

brownies

blueberry pie

mini cup cakes

pumpkin cheese cake

I took the guest for a tour of the farm, introduced them to cows, goats, pigs, ducks, chickens and horses, ponies donkey and ponkey. we chatted, walked then ate, so delicious. Then little nicholas came, he was eager to show the guest the hen house so we gave them all tiny baskets for them to gather some eggs to take home. then we went to visit the cabin and took the opportunity to go for a stroll in the woods which was a highlight for me. nicholas who is only seven is the most delightful and charming mini gentlemen, he won over the hearts of our guest. we came back and it was dessert time. nicholas wanted to show his driving skills and took some of the guest on a ride down the road on the gator. We chatted some more prepared some take out pastry boxes for everyone to take home. i had put apples in basket wrapped them and labled sweet or tart for our guest to take home from the orchard. thank you all for coming as you found out this city girl is now a country girl with hay in her hair and designer purses in a box somewhere!

we missed you k.

happy canadian thanksgiving, i have a lot to be grateful for.


*pictures are a  bit blurry do to mosaic. if your in need of sharper images please let me know.(guest)

i wish i knew, a walk in the forest

a few weeks ago i posted on craiglist farm & garden( my obsession) the following; would like to go mushrooming, looking for an experience forager. I received many responses, but most if not all where offering to "do mushrooms"! as you know i live on about fifty acres but surrounded by ten thousand acres of state forest. On my long walks, wi th the dogs, horses or on my own i started to notice how many different mushrooms they where on the floor of the forest.

Today knowing that the exploration of all the mushrooms might pass me by, i gathered a few things, a basket, gloves, small garden fork and my camera and headed out for my adventure. I call it adventure because as i started to gather mushrooms i was filled both with a little fear, not like i was going to eat them right there & then but knowing that they might be poisonous had me a bit nervous and then a bit of regret - a guilt came over me as i plucked them from a mulch of pine needles and leaves i wondered did i have the right to take them if i would not eat them or if they were not edible just for a photograph?

.. as my basket started filling with such different textures and colours i knew that i had gotten over it so much so that i got lost a little of a trail unto another one without even knowing. after re-tracing my steps i started to look up, how i love the sun piercing through the foliage , i noticed tiny spider webs and dried up leaves that reminded me of bats i also found moss cushions and put those in my basket as well, now if i only knew if i had something edible!

let sun shine ( on indecision)

oh, the sun has been shining here. my head spinning, i find myself having to make important desicions oh but i am not prepared i just want to play with my camera, and wait for my lilacs to open. a new garden has many surprises in the spring every morning is a gift!