:: The Zen Gourmand ::

Anyone who knows me also knows I love cheese. Soft ones, hard ones, mouldy ones, stinky ones, blue veined ones… I love them all.
We don’t have any really great cheese shops where I live so it usually means a treck to Downtown Toronto where we have several excellent shops.
The one I frequent most, simply as a matter of convenience, not as an endorsement, is located in the St. Lawrence Market.
Extensive selection, reasonable prices and good service.
Now, I’m not a guru on cheese and will admit I often have to look up a cheese I’m not familiar with. This means I have to reach for the "World Encyclopedia of Cheese", prominently featured on of my bookshelfs.
This is a fantastic book and has a ton of information on pretty much any cheese ever made anywhere in the world. It’s beatifully illustrated and even has some decent recipes along with some essential chapters on general cheese making, cheese types and how they are made, wine and cheese pairing considerations and how to assemble the perfect cheeseboard.
This is definitely a "Zen Gourmand Approved" book any cheeselover should have on the bookshelf.

	The World Encyclopedia of Cheese An indispensible, fully ilustrated reference to cheeses of the world, combined with a fabulous collection of over 100 recipes.

Going through one of my bookshelf the other day I came across a book I meant to mention here for some time.

The book is calle “Have Some Dim Sum” and was written by a good friend of mine, Evelyn Chau.

If you enjoy Dim Sum and always wanted to know more about it or even how to prepare some of these dishes yourself, this book is for you.

Or perhaps you are always a bit intimidated at a Dim Sum restaurant wondering what it is you are looking at?

After alll, there could be as many as 60 or 70 different items to choose from!

In Have Some Dim Sum, Evelyn Chau takes the mystery out of dim sum dining.

Not only does Chau explore the evolution of Dim Sum but also has some 20 clearly written recipes and the book is generously illustrated with gorgeous photographs by well known Toronto food photographer Vince Noguchi.

After reading the book you’ll know that when you are ordering Ha Guen you are getting those delicious shrimp balls you love so much  and that Chinese Tapioca Pudding is made with tapioca pearls and lotus paste.

Yum!

Check it out: Have Some Dim Sum

This was one tasting I did not want to miss. It’s a fabulous opportunity to taste a vast array (some 42 producers) of Burgundy all under one roof. The event was held on St. Patrick’s Day at the St. Andrew’s Club.

With limited time at my disposal, I still ended up tastin a good 25 wines, mostly reds but about 8 whites as well. I’ll be posting tasting notes as time permits on BrunoCantieni.com as that is my wine specific blog.

Montboissié, Cow’s milk, semi-hard cheese (24%)

It is to Bernard’s credit (Nice Bistro, Whitby, ON) and his passionate persuit of fine cheeses for his restaurant that I discovered this marvel of gastronomic delight.

Produced by the Societe Fromagère du Livradois in the heart of the Auvergne region, Montboissié is a pasteurized version of Morbier. Originally named after a little farm town in France.

Montboissié Cheese

Montboissié is a semi-hard cheese with a layer of vegetable ash midway between top and bottom. Today, the ash is purely decorative, a nod to the method by which this cheese was once produced in Franche-Comté. Originally, the evening’s fresh curds were sprinkled with ash to prevent the formation of a rind overnight. The next morning, new curds were laid upon the thin layer of ash to finish off the wheel.
The wheel is then washed and rubbed by hand, forming a rind to protect the rich, creamy interior and create a delectably pungent aroma. Contrary to its smell it has a mild taste with a wonderful nutty aftertaste.
Perfect with tangy whites and light fruity reds.

I loved this cheese and look forward to getting my hands on some more.
If you’d like some, send me an email with your request and I’ll get you some!

Definitely “Zen Gourmand Approved”

Well, every Saturday night for the month of February, yours truly will be performing as resident Sommelier at the Nice Bistro in Whitby. That should be fun!

If you live in the area, be sure to make reservations at the Bistro ASAP and tell Manon I sent you!

Get more details on this “can’t miss event” at BrunoCantieni.com.

See you there!

After a lengthy hiatus in maintaining this blog due to lack of time resulting from other commitments, I’m happy to announce that I’m back and you will begin to see the entertainment gradually continue, so bear with me.

On June 20th, 21st and 22nd as well as June 27th, 28th and 29th Julie Moore of Julie Moore Spa and renowned Zen Massage Therapist will be at HighFields Country Inn and Spa, In Zephyr just outside of Uxbridge, Ontario. This beautiful 175 acre private country landscape is yours to enjoy and is ripe with activities including; Golf, Tennis, Hiking, Outdoor pool, Spa suites and so much more. There are also Spa therapies and a restaurant all on the same property.

On these special dates Julie Moore will be at HighFields Country Inn and Spa teaching classes. She will be teaching Qi Gong, Zen meditation and Meridian stretching. Qi gong is a form of Tai chi, a martial art, and focuses on breathing and muscle relaxation and the centring of your energy (or Qi). It is meant to balance the yin and yang of your Qi to allow you to feel refreshed and most importantly relaxed. Zen meditation is primarily a breathing exercise to allow you get in touch with your inner thoughts and become one with yourself. Meridian stretching focuses on the lines of energy situated in your body.

For the full story please visit http://www.juliemoorespa.com/ 

The June issue of SNAP Whitby is now out and the premiere wine tasting event of The Zen Gourmand’s Wine Club is prominently featured on page 5!

SNAP is a free publication covering local events, life and entertainment.
You can pick it up at various locations around Whitby such as retailers, banks, newsstands, GO train, Library etc.

To help us promote the wine club, go pick up a bunch of them and distribute them to your friends. Then send them to the ZenGourmand.com website to sign up for the club!

:)

Enjoy an evening of Spanish food paired with the Wines of Spain and guided by Bruno Cantieni in the capacity of acting Sommelier and Zen Gourmand! This event takes place at the fabulous La Vie Restaurant located in the rolling hills just north of Uxbridge at the Highfields Country Inn and Spa. Chefs Christine and Jeremy will prepare an exquisite 5 course extravaganza starting with Tapas and Cava for Hors d’hoeuvres followed by four courses of Spanish delicacies and a 5th course consisting of a selection of fine cheeses to complete the dinner.

For full details and reservations call La Vie at 905.473.6621 or visit their website at http://www.restaurantlavie.com/ to book your reservation online!

There are only a few seats left for this event, so please act quickly to secure your reservation.

Reception from 6 – 7 PM
Dinner starting at 7 PM

See you there!

On Thursday, May 22nd, the Zen Gourmand made his first televison appearance on “Daytime Durham”. This show is produced by Rogers TV and hosted by Kasia Bodurka and Jim Bamboulis.

The invitation to make an appearance came as a result of contacting Rogers TV regarding the Zen Gourmand’s Wine Club and the club’s premiere wine tasting event held May 10th.

On the show I talked about the Zen Gourmand and the various services provided, the upcomiing product launch and, of course, about the wine club. While chating with the hosts, I prepared one of the Zen Gourmand signature desserts, the “Vanilla Sunshine”. Clients of the Julie Moore Spa for whch it was originally developed should be well familiar with it.

	If you missed the show on May 22nd, do not despair! You can check it out by clicking here.
The Zen Gourmand on Daytime Durham with Kasia Bodurka and Jim Bamboulis