Martha Steward Lemon Soufflé

When school gives us a break, we generally take advantage of it. My friend and I decided to go for lemon soufflé today. It was a recipe that I have hunted down during my exam period and now I finally had time to tackle it. This was the first time that we tried this recipe and it turned out great. Fluffy, airy, light, everything you would look for in a soufflé, absolutely delicious. Pretty sure it made my day, my friend's day and my roommate's day. Would be doubtful if it didn't!

Just a tip to keep in mind is that you will have to have your spoon ready. As soon as the Soufflé is out of the oven, the time is ticking and there is a deadline to the soufflé before it looses its height.

Below is the link for the amazing soufflé using simple and fresh ingredients:

http://www.marthastewart.com/335397/lemon-souffles

When life gives you lemons, turn it into soufflés ;)

O'Thym Montréal

My parents came by for the weekend and we went out for French food. My aunt recommended O'Thym situated in the Gay Village area of Montréal. My mom adores French food and appreciates fine dining. Perhaps she emjoys the refinement and attention to detail. They were fully booked for dinner and so we went there for lunch. Their menu was displayed on a large black board and for the lunch menus, soup or salad and a dessert was included. My dad insisted on filet mignon, my mom wanted fish and I simply asked the waiter what he personally recommended which was a rabbit dish.

Entrée

Light salad with orzo, pear, cherry tomatoes and herbs

Scallop ceviche with grapefruit and ginger crutons

I personally liked the lightness of the salad. The flavours were balanced. Although it was a pasta salad, the pear brought a scent of sweetness towards the dish, which made this the perfect dish to celebrate the coming of Spring. I had great hopes for the ceviche since I love scallops. I flower presentation of the ceviche was beautiful. I almost didn't want to dig in just so I could survey it for longer. However the grapefruit and ginger was quite overwhelming, camouflaging the natural sweetness that scallops brought to the table. 

Le plat principal

Cod fish cake topped with shrimp skewer

Rabbit protein with seasonal vegetables

The shrimp was cooked perfectly. The combination of the cod fish cake and the roasted almonds gave variability to the texture. Overall my mom really enjoyed that dish. The rabbit protein was wrapped with prosciutto which gave the exterio of the rabbit a bit of smoky flavour. The rabbit had the texture of chicken, the meat itself was soft and juicy. The creamy mustard sauce that accompanied dish elevated the flavour of the dish. Overall it was very enjoyable.

Le dessert

Apple pie with apple ice-cream

I am a sucker for any apple desserts. This had the potential of being my favourite however the apple chunks were too large and it was difficult to eat. Those apple chunks reminded me of poached apples that weren't cooked long enough. The waiter only gave us a fork and it was rather impossible to cut into it with just the side of the fork. The flavour of the ice-cream was quite delicate but it was more like a sorbet than an ice-cream.

We left the restaurant satisfied. The quantity they served was able to keep me full for quite some time.  Some dishes were quite creative, such as the fish main course. For lunch, the meals were around $20-25 which was reasonable for French dining. 

Quiche at Ô Plaisirs Gourmands

Who says that brunch has to be on the weekends. Wednesday works just as fine! We went to Ô Plaisirs Gourmands where they serve this amazing deep dish quiches. There are usually two options, one is simply with jambon (ham) and the other is with smoked salmon. I've tried both variations

and my heart goes to the salmon one of course. The egg is cooked just right so that the center melts in your mouth. The rustique chucks of salmon makes you yearn for more. This dish is rather filling and can keep me full for quite some time. So if you are coming here, just be prepared for it! You get a quater of a quiche if you order a slice. If you have a brunch gathering, I'd recommend you to order one whole quiche and share it in between 4-5 people.

On the side I have an arugula salad simply dressed with dried fruits and balsamic vinegar. It paired with the quiche well cause it brought some freshness to it. My friend had a couscous salad and that didn't fail her either. 

Not only do they have good quiche and salads, they also have freshly baked goods daily. From the typical baguettes, croissants and multigrains to beautiful French pastries that are intricately decorated. They have muffins that are stuffed with goodies, absolutely delicious. You don't just get a typical chocolate croissant here, there's a little surprise in there and it's custard! I have still yet to try out their sandwiches and coffee. Overall, I would like to conclude that the ambiance is nice and the waitress and waiters are very friendly. Through all the stress of this week, a little indulgence on a Wednesday morning won't hurt...

Arepa at Arepera du Plateau ~ Little Venezuela

Have you ever tried Venezuelan food? I walked up the plateau with some friends yesterday looking for this cute little eatery. Spring was finally here and it was a beautiful day out. By the time we arrived, we were ready to eat. A perfect way to kick start our metabolism and make space for something delicious. This was my first time to try something Venezuelan and I was pretty excited. The ambiance was lovely, the perfect place to visit to kick off Spring. The decorations were coluorful with little Venezuelan house models up on the wall. A large painting covered one wall that made every colour pop. I would say it was a painting that evoked happiness and celebration. The music was lively and up-beat, I felt like breaking into a dance any moment. I probably would have if my friends were there. They would have been embarassed if I actually did. Haha

What they mainly served was Arepa which was a type of corn bread that is stuffed with various goodies. As usual, I was having difficulty deciding so I asked the waitress to help me decide between number 1 and number 5. She recommended number 1, so that was what I had, Pabellon. It was an Arepa with black beans, "carne mechada" (something similar to pulled pork), planatins and cheese. On the side, there is a creamy avocado sauce and spicy sauce. Both were delicious. You can dress up your arepa whichever way you like, creamy or spicy. There is also a small herby salad topped with cassava chips on the top. Everything came up to less than $10 and it was satisfying. I was glad to have found this secret gem on the plateau. A great way to sum up my weekend before Monday!