We are so fortunate to get to deal with the most prominent chefs and restaurants in our beautiful city of Montreal!
Here is a creation made by the terrific team at Restaurant Cavalli.
Fregola Sarda Seafood Risotto
FREGOLA SARDA SEAFOOD RISOTTO
- Fregola sarda, tomato, onions, garlic, chili, Dry white vermouth, clam juice, terragon, saffron
- Cuttle fish, clams, rock shrimp, lobster
- Seared tuna, lobster bisque sauce, saffron
- Roasted banana pepper, sicilian green olive, brown butter
A Blend of Colors and Flavors
This is art and it can be admired but in difference to a picture you can actually taste it and receive double the pleasure!
I love my job =).
Here we are, Wednesday morning, and today is “the Macchi family recipe day“.
Being the procrastinator that I am I decided yesterday was the day that I will make my famous Swedish “Saffrans Bullar” (Saffron buns) to share with all of you. I went through millions (close to) of recipes and finally found one that I was really happy with. In the unbearable humidity we had here in Montreal yesterday, I turned my oven on and added another 15C in my kitchen, but I was just as excited, cause I was going to have “Saffrans Bullar” in August, rather than, as by tradition, in November!
I made a doe, one that I have never managed to make as good before, and it had the perfect texture. It made it so easy to work with! None the less, between dealing with the window cleaner that we had contracted for yesterday, the guy that was treating our wood doors and my four year-old making sure I was catering to his EVERY need, my “bullar” turned into charcoal =/!
I can’t even believe my fire alarm didn’t go off, my gas alarm goes of every time I use hairspray! I was so upset that I quickly sent them into the garbage, thinking back now I wish i had taken a picture of them. So, having that said, there is no recipe from MrsMacchi this week but thank good for Paolo (MrMacchi), he knew about my unsuccessful baking attempt and came home and cooked one of my all time favorite dishes of his and that is what I will be sharing with you today!
LINGUINI WITH SHRIMP IN A SAFFRON & CREAM SAUCE (more…)
Macchi Inc.’s Saffron – by Montreal Photographer Vadim Daniel
The quality of any spice is usually something that is very difficult for the end consumer to determine. I will do my best to try to give you some valuable tips and tricks to keep in mind when you are purchasing your saffron
So let’s start with this….
How to know a better quality saffron and why should you pay more, when you can pay less.
As I mentioned yesterday; Saffron is slightly bitter in it’s flavor, but if you add the right amount during preparation that flavor does not over power the other ingredients it is actually so subtle that something as mild as cream is enough to “hide” the bitterness of saffron. It is the aroma and the extremely overpowering and magical color that we want to experience.
Saffron is sold in two different “shapes”, you can get it in, tiny “threads” or powdered. I have over the years heard that some people prefer to get the filaments ( threads) because they can ensure the quality and authenticity of the saffron, i would have to disagree. Which ever one you choose to use make sure it is in a a sealed container or a pouch that has the name of a company and a product description in the back and don’t forget to check the best-before-date!
The intensity of the color is usually the first and most accurate “give-away” to know a good quality saffron. Buy buying a lesser quality you will have to use twice the amount and that can sometimes increase the risks of your dish tasting bitter. (more…)
After having spent a great weekend with my family, I am so excited that it’s finally Monday and I can share this week’s product with you!
Saffron
Say hello to the royalty of spices: SAFFRON or as many others say “The Gold” of spices.
Since Saffron is an ancient, respectable and world spread spice, I felt a lot of pressure in finding the “right” information and have therefore literarily spent a whole week making my research and done a lot of cross referencing before I reached MY conclusion of what I would like to share with you on this exquisite product.
Saffron has apparently been around since the 7th Century BC, in Mesopotamia (Iraq), but then it was mostly used as a colorant/dye and also for medicinal use. With time it was spread around Asia, the Mediterranean basin and Europe and started also being used for aesthetic and cosmetic use as in perfumes, mascaras and potpourris. It is also said that Cleopatra used saffron in her baths so that lovemaking would be more pleasurable!
What’s important to know though is that specific breed, the Saffron Crocus, was a “wilder” version of the one that we are using today and what I, to my surprise, found out is that this specific domesticated breed of the saffron Crocus, was first detected on the island of Crete! (more…)
Restaurant Bice's Chef John Zoumis Truffled Dwarf Peaches Recipe
CARPACCIO MANZO
Thank you Bice Restaurant and Chef John Zoumis for this beautiful light meal: the Carpaccio Manzo garnished with Truffled Dwarf Peaches.
Ingredients:
- Pepper crusted tenderloin
- Truffled lemon emulsion
- Baby arugula
- Shaved radishes
- Shaved truffled peaches
- Parmesan shavings
- French shallot rings
What could be better than a fresh carpaccio for this hot season, I might go try it there this week!
