Miso Shiru (1):Yellow Zucchini, Tofu and Mushroom

I already confessed the love for Japanese food; however, I rarely made any Japanese dishes due to the fact that it is quite convenient to grab take-out sushi, handmade ramen ( my favourite place is Kintaro on Denman), and even great side dishes at izakaya's in Vancouver. That has changed since my trip to Konbiniya, a Japanese grocery store located on Robson St. at the heart of downtown Vancouver.

Since they were having a huge anniversary sale, I took the opportunity to stock up on Japanese ingredients, including bottles of mirin, rice vinegar, dashi powder, concentrated soup stock, nori sheets, organic white and blended miso, some seasoning, konnyaku/shirataki noodles, and last but no least, a few containers of natto (left). Of course the aisles filled with Japanese junk food, ranging from cantaloupe-flavoured Kitkats, Pocky Sticks of assorted flavours, Meiji chocolate bars, to Matcha cookies and hard candies, only accentuated my craving ( but I resisted the temptation).

Ever since then I have been trying a few Japanese recipes, starting from the basics: miso shiru. Miso is probably one of the most popular and well-loved ingredients when it comes to Japanese cuisine. A bowl of miso shiru, with its rich flavour and brothy texture, is without a doubt one of the best complements to a meal. Generally the miso shiru served at most Japanese restaurants consist of the "standard" ingredients: tofu, wakame seaweed sprinkled with green onions. But really there is a lot more room for creativity, which is why I decided to make yellow zucchini and mushroom miso shiru.

The soup base is simply dashi stock made from konbu and bonito flakes. After the base is brought to a boil, I added sliced yellow zucchini and simmered for approximately 5 minutes before putting in chopped mushrooms and tofu. At the same time, I scooped out some white miso and mixed it with the hot soup base (in a separate bowl) until the miso dissolved and became a thick mixture. The tip here is that when cooking miso shiru, the miso is always added last (right before serving) since miso is quite heat-sensitive, and boiling it will make the flavour quite starchy (therefore not as good). Ta-da!

For the main dish I decided to try the recipe from Blue Lotus. I made some modifications, which are written in red.

Tori no Isobe-ni (Chicken Rolls) Serves 2 to 4
1/4 of a small carrot (about 20 grams or 3/4 oz)
2 fresh shiitake mushrooms
200g (7 1/2 oz) ground chicken (ground beef, lean)
1 egg
1 Tbsp sake
2 Tbsp katakuriko (1.5 tbsp cornstarch)
2 sheets nori seaweed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (omitted)
100 ml (3 1/2 oz) sake
2 Tbsp soy sauce (1.5 tbsp)
2 Tbsp mirin (1tbsp)
1 package of kaiware-na (daikon sprouts) or shredded cabbage, optional

Peel carrot and chop finely. Remove stems from shiitake and finely chop the caps. Add carrot and shiitake to a large bowl with the chicken, egg, 1 Tbsp sake and cornstarch, and mix until smooth and spreadable. If mixture is too thin, add a little more katakuriko until it is spreadable.
Lay the nori on a cutting board and spread each sheet with an even layer of the chicken mixture, leaving about 1 cm of nori uncovered on three sides and spreading up to the edge on one side. Starting with the edge spread with the chicken mixture, roll the nori up gently.
Heat the oil in a pan over hight heat and gently add the chicken rolls, with the edge side down to seal. Saute for a few minutes, turning to cook all sides. Add sake, mirin and soy sauce, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, turning over the rolls occasionally, until liquid is reduced.
Remove rolls to cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle. Wash the kaiware-na and cut off roots, then arrange on serving plates. When chicken rolls have cooled slightly, slice into bite-sized rounds. Arrange chicken rolls on the kaiware-na and drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over top.

I thoroughly enjoyed the beef rolls; the combination of ground beef and nori were amazing! The somewhat sweet sauce and the softness of the beef are in conrast with the texture of the nori sheets. The shredded greens provide another layer of textures to the dish. I served it with multigrain rice as well as the miso group, making a healthy and filling dinner, which was very satisfying at the end of a busy day.

Steamed Ground Beef Balls 蒸牛肉丸子

不知道是不是因為天氣漸漸轉涼的關係 現在吃生菜沙拉的次數越來越少了

後來發現並不然 .....最近一直很想念台灣小吃 從剉冰 牛肉麵 牛肉餅 烤玉米 香腸 滷味到臭豆腐 林林總總的一大堆 暑假回去的時候最喜歡去小阿姨家 跟表姊表弟妹們在人聲鼎沸的夜市穿梭 一攤一攤品嚐那難以忘懷的溫暖

其實煮一人份的食物還蠻具有挑戰性的 尤其是像我這種喜歡吃少量多樣的人

前些天晚上蒸了一盤牛肉丸子 如果在外圍裹上一層糯米就成了珍珠丸

配上滑溜溜的蕃茄炒蛋和水煮青江菜 雖然似乎缺少了媽媽的味道但吃到中式料理突然覺得自己好幸福~~~ (慶幸不再繼續吃宿舍的伙食了!)

Veggie Delight: Sandwiches and VeggiMuffins

在每天早晨匆匆忙忙的同時 我們很容易忽略了早餐 其實一大早 除了周末以外也沒有什麼多餘的時間準備豐盛的早餐 簡單快速便成了我最大的需求 所以我想了很久 "有哪一樣食物是既簡單又健康呢?" 答案就是三明治
以前總覺得三明治裡一定要夾肉或魚 後來發現單單蔬菜就可以很美味了 既簡單又方便 所以每天早上我都固定 通常用一些胡蘿蔔片 萵苣 紅椒 目蓿芽 和洋蔥 稍為調味一下(可以用義大利橄欖油醋 或日式味噌醬 芝麻醬 等等) 全部扔進烤箱
在我盥洗的同時順便準備早餐 帶著在車上吃也可以:D

彩色甜椒 洋蔥焗烤panini

日式芝麻菠菜胡蘿蔔open-faced sandwich

味噌烤黃椒茄子 萵苣English Muffin

Sweet tooth: Unbelievable Fat-free Balsamic Fudge Cookies

I was watching the episode of Sex and the City in which the girls had an elaborate discussion about their "SSB"- secret single behaviour. Then I thought to myself, "what is my SSB?" For instance, I love walking around downtown aimlessly, looking at display windows, spending hours in ZARA and certain other clothing stores, making sweet treats and standing by the countertop, reading VOGUE/TEEN VOGUE while divulging them, and looking for recipes on-line......

As soon as I saw this recipe on Fatfree Vegan Kitchen I instantly knew I had to try it-- mainly out of curiosity and disbelief of the existence of such things as "fat-free" cookies simply because cookies are traditionally considered as one of the most dangerously addictive yet extremely unhealthy food that is loaded with butter, fat and, well MORE FAT! Although I have an idea that low-fat recipes, no matter how amazing they are, will never quite taste the same as the original version, I am intrigued by the use of several ingredients in this recipe, particularly the addition of balsamic vinegar. I was not surprised, however, since I have seen balsamic vinegar-infused brownies served at Juliette et Chocolat ( one of our favourite little dessert heavens in Montreal).

Thankfully, these fudge chocolate drops, with balsamic vinegar as the "secret" ingredient, are already lower in fat than most cookies because the balsamic vinegar retains the chocolate flavour and enhances its richness while the fruit (i used apples) gives the moisture to the cookies. The result was the decadent treat that is absolutely free of guilt! I modified the original recipe because I didn't have any prunes around the house; however, the use of apples turned out amazing! Since apple purees already have sweetness on its own, I was able to cut down on the sugar and completely eliminate the use of margarine and butter. Instead I incorporated some honey into the recipe; not only did honey add aroma, but it also played the role of margarine in "sticking" the batter together.

The cookies came out much softer and lighter than regular cookies, almost like thin brownies actually. (which is what I like: SOFT cookies) So here it is:

零脂肪巧克力餅乾! Fat-free Balsamic Fudge Chocolate Cookies

1 cup unbleached white flour (or use gluten-free baking flour)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch cinnamon (optional)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

11/2 to 2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 apple (I used Red Delicious, and puree it using a food processor and some water)

1/3 cup soy yogurt or soy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Mix the flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt together and set aside.In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the apple puree with the sugar, honey(softened) and cocoa and combine. Add the soy yogurt, vanilla extract, and balsamic and stir until mixed. Finally, add the flour mixture and stir just until it's combined—don't over-mix.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets about 1 1/2-inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, flatten each cookie slightly and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Place them in the oven. Bake for about 9 to 10 minutes—be careful not to burn the bottoms!

Remove from the oven and lift the parchment paper or silicone mats onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely. These taste best cold and somehow even better the next day. Makes about 30 cookies.

Per cookie: 50Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 1 g Protein; 14 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 52 mg Sodium; 1 g Fiber

Montréal, je t'adore [2.1]: 美食篇(2) 世界第一的貝果Bagel

Visite du quartier Mile End

全世界最好吃的貝果bagel在哪裡? 相信大部分的蒙特婁人會驕傲回答"在這裡!" 印象中世界上bagel這場"王位" 爭霸戰從古道今一直是New York式和Montreal式無止盡的較量 不分軒輊 今年2月去NYC玩時也特地品嚐了當地著名的bagel 如今Montreal-style bagels (在眾人擔保"一定比NYC的好吃")之下 慕名造訪了Montreal Mile-end 相隔差不多只有一條街的2大 個別擁有眾多死忠擁戴者的老字號 Fairmont Bagels 跟 St-Viateur Bagels

首先造訪的Fairmont Bagels有著一句廣告詞 "come taste a piece of history." 從1919年就開始營業的老店 在歷史的波折與歲月的歷鍊下依然屹立不搖 現由開店始祖的孫子們 以呵護家族精神的態度經營著 至今依然堅持傳統手工製作的品質

還沒有走進店裡就聞到一陣陣撲鼻而來的香味 加雜著芝麻味在空中飄蕩

幸好我們一群人可以分享不同口味 否則面對眼前成山成海的bagel真會不知從何下手 最"原始original"的招牌口味是白芝麻sesame以及(黑色)罌粟籽pavot/poppy seed

店家笑笑地跟我們說 很難下決定的話拿sesame 或poppy seed 保證是"安全"的選擇 此外還有洋蔥onion, 蒜頭garlic, caraway seed, flax seed, all dressed(綜合= garlic+onion+seeds+coarse salt), mueslix(甜的 裡面有加多種穀類 蜂蜜跟葡萄乾), 全麥, 五穀雜糧, 藍莓, 巧克力, 葡萄乾肉桂, 乾蕃茄(sun-dried tomato), pesto and black olive(青醬橄欖)，迷你size 等等 看的我們是眼花撩亂

走過了一條街來到了St-Viateur bagel 這家店雖然沒有如同Fairmont那樣悠久的歷史(其實也有50年了) 但是人氣很旺 聽animateur說St-Viateur可能比較會做廣告行銷 拉抬聲勢吧 如今有較為領先的氣勢 St-Viateur的招牌娃娃是一個笑臉Bagel 店內還有賣周邊商品 例如明信片 T-shirt 布製購物袋等等 而且還可以網路訂購可幫你送達北美洲任何地方（簡直是太棒了）　此外店家堅持只做基本口味的bagel (sesame, poppy seed, whole wheat, cinnamon raisin, plain大概就這幾種) 選擇以低調樸實的口味打動人心

我覺得啊這兩家店除了Fairmont bagel口味選擇比St-viateur多之外 大同小異極為相似 例如

1. 兩家店烘焙製做的過程都是手工現製 而且透明化 讓我們大開眼界
   
2. 兩家店都是24-7 全年無休(真是太幸福了　隨時想吃都可以)

那口感呢?大家想知道的就是"哪家比較好吃?"

這個問題見仁見智 若是比較基本口味 芝麻跟罌粟籽 我個人認為St-Viateur比較香酥 Fairmont則是咀嚼後帶有較甜的麵粉香 難分軒輊

不過我比較喜歡St-Viateur肉桂葡萄乾的口味 它的甜味比較淡 不會重所以能讓肉桂的味道變的較為明顯 Fairmont的也很好吃不過層次較不分明

這兩家店有不同口味對我們消費者而言是一大福音 Fairmont的洋蔥根大蒜口味 細細嚼 好吃到我朋友一口氣吃了3個 還傻笑地說意猶未盡

那跟紐約相比呢?

我馬上跟你說MONTREAL!!　不是蒙特婁人自誇 Montreal的bagel的確比較紮實有較嚼勁 麵糰散發著淡淡自然香氣 灑上sesame 和poppy seed 在嘴裡真的好香 媽媽說有點像在吃我們中式燒餅的感覺(喔 如果你在猜想我媽為什麼會吃的到bagel 因為我再要回程的當天一早和Allison殺去買了半打當"伴手禮"扛回家 說穿了我家冰庫裡還剩最後一個捨不得吃)

要吃熱騰騰的新鮮bagel 親自走一趟 絕對不虛此行 (我們2個月就不知道去了幾次)

我們最喜歡的另一個地方就是.....裝bagel的紙袋和店面的氣氛 很懷舊: 師傅捏好bagel之後將它們一個個穩穩地放置在木板上 再入柴燒窯烤好之後倒在旁邊的大木櫃裡 我們要買的時候 店家就直接把剛出爐的bagel夾出 放入一只類似牛皮紙的紙袋中 交到我們手裡 回到家時紙袋都因為水蒸氣而溼溼的 那種樸實的感覺遠遠勝過於糕餅店買的精緻麵包

我們人手一點bagel 心滿意足的前進下一站 期待著另一個故事 另一個驚喜 另一種感動 J'ai mangé les meilleurs bagels que j’ai jamais eus !

Japanese-inspired: Daikon Konbu soup

I have an all-time undying love for Japanese food: from sashimi to sushi, from gomae to bento boxes and donburi, or even from miso soup to okinomiyaki, my face would light up at the sight of my so-called comfort food: Japanese cuisine. There is something about it that captures me-- maybe it is the simplicity and subtlety of the cuisine that accentuates the natural flavours of the ingredients, or maybe it is the elaborate preparation and meticulous presentation that hides behind each dish. Either way Japanese cuisine is something I turn to constantly for comfort and warmth. (yummy!)

I am utterly fortunate to be living in a multicultural city like Vancouver; with its huge Asian population I can easily get an abundance of Asian products and food: from inexpensive sushi to sauces, noodles, and all the other goodies that can be found in Asian specialty supermarkets.

I was craving for a bowl of broth-based soup that night as it had been a rather depressing, rainy day. So what could make me feel happier than a bowl of steaming daikon kombu soup? I adore the natural sweetness that kombu and daikon add to the soup, and topped with some wakame it is the perfect and versatile brothy soup that can be turned into the soup base for shabushabu (Japanese hotpot), oden noodles, miso soup, steamed vegetables, even Chinese stir fry.

First, the ingredients:

Dashi* for Soup Base
This is basically the Japanese version of chicken bouillon. I made it from konbu and bonito flakes. Simply boil a pot of water, turn of the heat, and put a slice of 4 inch konbu and a handful of bonito flakes into the boiling water. Cover the pot and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then remove the flakes and kombu. Voila, the soup base is done!

If you do not have the above ingredients, don't worry! You can:

1) Use instant Dashi powder sold at Asian specialty stores

2)Dilute the chicken stock- about 70% water, 30% stock to make sure that the soup doesn't end up tasking like chicken soup.

3) Use vegetable broth.

Wakame (Dried seaweed)

1 tablespoon is enough for a pot of soup that serves 4. Soak it in water prior to cooking and let it expand.

Or I use seaweed (fresh) and add as much as I like

Daikon and Carrots

Preparation

Put the daikon and carrot into a pressure cooker. Add enough soup base so that it covers the daikon and carrots (cut into big chunks)

I just use the pressure cooker to make the soup. If you don't have a pressure cooker, add the dashi soup base, daikon and carrots, and turn down heat. Stir frequently.

After the soup is done ( when the daikon and carrots have become soft and tender), add the drained seaweed (and tofu if you like). Let cook for a minute on low/medium heat. Turn off heat. It is ready!

Other extra something-something to add to the soup: sliced shiitake mushrooms, seafood, fish cake, shirataki noodles, konnyaku, and just about anything you like really.

I served it with Shirataki Noodles and miso dressing

1 cup shirataki noodles (or noodles of your choice)

Wash the shirataki noodles to get rid of the smell. Cook for 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Remove from pot, and immediately put into a bowl of ice-cold water ( so the noodles retain the chewy-ness and texture)

Miso Dressing

This is a great recipe that I got from a really cute old Japanese couple when I visited their shop located on Alma St. When they heard that I was really into Japanese food they gave me a couple of recipes that I am eager to try out. This is truly authentic, and so easy to make. The best thing is that it tastes exactly like the dressing at any great Japanese restaurant. You can use it in green salads, cold noodles, even marinade for seafood, poultry, and so on!.

2 tablespoons dark organic miso
3 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
a few drops of sesame oil ( just for the aroma)
brown sugar or honey ( this is optional: if you prefer it sweeter)
roasted sesame seeds ( white or black)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
black pepper to taste
a drop of mirin

Mix all ingredients except mirin and sesame oil in a food processor until smooth. Then add the mirin and sesame oil. Keep in fridge.

OOOOOOOOYISHI! Enjoy!!

Can you save these croquettes?

Since I now cook for myself, I have been diligently looking for sources of great recipes I could try at home. Thankfully a couple of weeks ago, I came across this fabulous and very healthy food blog the Fatfree Vegan Kitchen. I have been a regular visitor ever since.

Although I'm not vegan I love reading and trying out Susan's recipes that always look deliciiiiiiious!

When I read about her contest to "save" the Thai Pumpkin Croquettes I instantly wanted to give it a try. (that was when I realized that I haven't had croquettes in a really long time). Because of schoolwork I did not plan on going grocery shopping this week, so instead I started rummaging through the fridge and the cabinets in an attempt of finding ingredients which, I think, could be incorporated into the original recipe. However, that turned out to be quite a challenge since I realized that I don't even have half of the things listed on the recipe. But this little discouragement was NOT going to stop me from making my own version of croquettes (which I have never made) Luckily I managed to buy some organic potatoes at the UBC fall farm market on campus.

So here they are: SOS! Croquettes

Makes about 13

1 medium size organic Russet Potato

1 small (I used a really tiny one) purple potato

1/4 cup purple yam (optional; it adds to the sweetness)

1/3 cup cooked pre-cooked green beans ( because that was all I had left)

1/2 medium size white onion, chopped into small pieces

1/4 cup carrots, shredded/grated

1/2 red delicious (or any kind other than Granny Smith) apple, grated

1 teaspoon grated lime zest, and a little bit of lime juice

a pinch of cilantro and basil

1/4 package of 300g low fat silken tofu

black pepper, white pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/4 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4cup nonfat soy milk

11/4 tablespoon soy sauce

a little bit of light E.V.O.O.( or regular olive oil)

*Optional

Breadcrumbs ( I just made my own by toasting 1-2 slices of wholewheat toast and crumble them)

1. Peel the potatoes, and put them into a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. Cut into chunks and steam them until soft (when I poked them with chopsticks they broke apart) Or you can prepare them as you would with mashed potatoes.

2. Heat a skillet. Add a few small drops of E.V.O.O. and add the minced garlic. Saute until golden brown, then add the onions and cooked green beans. Add a bit of black pepper and white pepper as well as the soy sauce; cook until onions become soft and tender. Remove from heat

3. Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large mixing bowl, mash both potatoes. Add the silken tofu and mash well. Add the onions and green beans from step 2, and combine well.

4. Add the grated carrots and apple. Mix well, and finally add the cornstarch and soy milk. Mix well.

5. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil. Using your hands, form the mixture into little two-inch discs. ( I made about 13 discs)

6. Bake for 20 minutes, and then turn over and bake until browned, about 15minutes.

*Before forming them into croquettes, you can coat the individual mixture with breadcrumbs if you like. I tried both, and I preferred the ones without breadcrumbs while my friend liked the ones with ( since she said it was a bit more crunchy and imitated the fried croquettes that she loves)

Unfortunately I have no red curry paste, but I do have brown curry. I made the Thai dipping sauce using Susan's recipe, but since I have a block of brown curry and some leftover onion chunks I decided to make another sauce with it.

Brown Curry Dipping Sauce

2 teaspoon E.V.O.O.
onion ( some leftover from the croquettes)
1 small block of brown curry+ 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

some red hot pepper flakes
a bit of rice vinegar
pepper to taste

1. heat E.V.O.O in a small saucepan. Saute the onion until soft. Add the hot pepper flakes

2. Add brown curry and water

3. cover the pan and bring it to a boil.

4. add a drop of rice vinegar and some black pepper to taste

Voila! It is ready! I served them with some sliced cabbage on the side, and really liked them. The addition of apples was a delightful and pleasant surprise; not only did they add texture to the croquettes, but they also brought out the spiciness and accentuated sweetness of the onions and gave the croquettes a nice aroma different from those I've had in the past. I wanted to use eggplants somewhere and maybe took out one of the other ingredients, but unfortunately ran out about 2 days ago :(

Thank you Susan for such a great blog! I had fun making the croquettes, and I think I'll try out others' recipes as well!

afterthought: Maybe I'll use pumpkin (since I LOVE them so much) next time and modify OTHER ingredients in the recipe

Montréal, je t'adore [1.9]: Vieux Montréal 舊城 Part II

Le Vieux Montréal 舊城 Part II


之前提過的舊城 是我們在Montreal這段時光中去了不少次的地方之ㄧ 舊城給我觀感除了 迷人 優雅 休閒 自在之外更有深深的感動與想像空間 也可以說歷史在舊城身上留下的痕跡超越時空 傳遞給現代人 讓我們跨越隔閡 重新用心去尋覓 探索 挖掘它的點點滴滴 我跟Montreal一樣都喜歡故事 在這裡似乎每一個地方 每一條街道 大小事物背後都有著不為人知的故事 就從Boulevard Saint-Laurent聖羅倫大道說起吧 這條貫穿整個Montreal的大街 昔日將Montreal分為東西 分隔英法 至今仍也扮演著孕育Montreal文化 血脈的重要角色




另外觀光客到蒙特婁舊城一定要逛的街區就是Place Jacques Cartier .街道兩旁的建築散發出古典歐洲的情調 充滿個性的畫廊 咖啡館 藝品店 餐廳也以精緻的招牌和裝潢吸引著當地人和遊客 同時這裡也是許多街頭藝人使出渾身解數 和藝術家揮灑畫筆的地方

我最喜歡舊城之處 莫過於在法式浪漫主義色彩的建築中穿梭的小街道 窄窄長長的石版路轉角處處充滿驚奇... 一路漫步在街上 依悉聽到遠處傳來陣陣馬蹄聲

不過我們也發現在舊城流連忘返的同時 常會不知不覺地"迷路"了 所以幾次下來後當我們看到喜歡的東西千萬不能錯過

舊城的景點實在多的數不清 最好的方式就是依著導覽圖書慢慢欣賞體驗 第二次之後可以漫無目地的消磨時間 一定會遇到意想不到的收穫!

有人長尾巴:Fat-free Chocolate Cake

我們家今天有個小朋友長大一歲了!

送你一個禮物吧
先關燈

祝你生日快樂

祝你生日快樂

祝你生日快樂 ㄜ

祝你生日快樂!'

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you--uuu

Happy Birthday to you!

快許願

許好了沒?

吹蠟燭

請開燈

ㄊ子迷你版巧克力蔓越莓蛋糕

~~~~~~~~~~~~生日快樂~~~~~~~~~~~~~

就這樣而已囉
寧 寧啊 和你聊到一半不見就是因為...:D

Montréal, je t'adore [1.8]: 血拼篇 Centre-ville

La St. Catherine Célèbre: le vente trottoir

蒙特婁的的確確是一個流行感十足的都會 市中心高聳入雲的摩天大樓底下 就是個購物天堂!! 底下不單單只是地面上的商店 在這裡可以體驗新奇的地下街購物經驗 跟台灣地下街有點類似 唯一不同的地方是:每到冬天 蒙特婁就會轉變成為十足的地下城市 如果你仔細看地圖的話就會發現這地下街四通八達 穿越整個市中心 你可以徒步到百貨公司 餐廳 電影院 火車站任何生活所需都可以在地底下完成 (為什麼呢? 因為陸上實在是 太冷了! 說是冰之世界完全不為過)

跟我一樣喜歡逛街購物的人 來蒙特婁挖寶絕對沒錯! 從穿流不息鬧區的高檔名牌店 Rue St. Catherine上的大眾品牌 到老街浪漫自在的手工藝品店 藏寶處處的St. Laurent, St. Denis, Mont Royal (Plateau)地區 或是Outremont, Mile-end獨樹一閣的小店 琳琅滿目 光是這點就足以吸引我搬去那住 哈哈

讓我先說一說蒙特婁的市中心好了La rue Ste. Catherine 是赫赫有名的商店街 著名的Eaton和一間間你想的到的店都有 除此之外市中心離著名的McGill大學近在咫尺 所以離所謂的McGill Ghetto和學生常常出沒的地帶也很近 McGill Ghetto裡有些二手書店是我蠻喜歡挖寶的地方之ㄧ

先不說這些 來到蒙特婁第一個週末的另一件盛事就是: 為期2天一年一度的SIDEWALK SALE! (像週年慶) 這兩天Ste. Catherine主要商店的一段封街 讓不管是想血拼 想撿便宜 或是只想開開眼界的人們度過 歡暢 愉悅 和有成就感的一個周末 我也買了一些東西 不過逛了一整天 整條街只能用水洩不通來形容 這時才慶幸自己是台灣土生土長的小孩 對於這種"盛況"身經百戰 經驗豐富 同行的友人有的真的無法招架 不知如何是好

逛累了就找到ㄧ家朋友推薦的咖啡廳小歇 這家店有個很可愛的名字叫Cafe L'etranger 走下彎彎曲曲了木製階梯 遠離熙攘吵雜的人群 一進門就聞到研磨咖啡豆的香味 點了一壺大吉嶺 和一客croustades aux pommes chaudes 香脆熱蘋果

我跟Allison兩人都鍾情於這道點心的層次感 酥酥的 越嚼越香的穀片底下是有淡淡肉桂味的熱蘋果 酸酸甜甜的又是另一個層次 已經烤的相當軟的蘋果入口即化 細緻滑順 搭配一旁新鮮綠蘋果的脆度和酸度 很完美

最後一層是香草冰淇淋 一開始是濃濃的奶香在舌尖化開上 冰涼的滋味和溫熱蘋果間有衝突的和諧 香草豆的芬芳在嘴裡恣意散播 難怪是Allison最愛的點心