:: The Zen Gourmand ::

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

The Zen Gourmand has been messing around in the Kitchen developing some of the popular items usually exclusively produced for Spa clients of Julie Moore Spa and is now making them available to the general public under the Zen Gourmand label.

I’m offering you a preview of two of the products and I am taking orders for these at this time. Just call or email me for the time being. The on-line store will go live in approximately 2 weeks.

These items make excellent gifts both personal and corporate. For corporate gifting, lables and tags can be customized with your business logo and special message!

This is a truly Super Premium Gourmet Food item. Top quality Sun Dried Tomatoes and a secret blend of fresh herbs are simmered in Red Wine and subsequently aged for a minimum of 2 weeks with additional herbs, spices and garlick in Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

These marinated sun dried tomatoes are exquisite on their own, as a finishing touch on a variety of pastas or salads, on tapas and appetizers or in marinades to suggest just a few uses.

250 ml jar as shown, $15

These incredibly delicious biscotti will leave you craving for more and belive me if I say “One is never enough”! Availble in a wide variety, options and packaging choices.

• Cherry – Hazelnut
• Vanilla Tradizione
• Chocolate – Espresso
• Chocolate – Almond
• Rosemary – Pecan
• Romano – Sesame – Pine Nuts

Where appropriate, specify white or dark chocolate dipped as an option.

Six Biscotti, elegantly Cello wrapped, from $12

Biscotti Tin, 240g approx., from $20

Individually wrapped Biscotti, from $2, exclusively available at Julie Moore Spa

On May 10th, the Zen Gourmand’s Wine Club held it’s premiere winetasting event.

We had a terrific turnout and all the people who attended had a terrific evening of winetasting, learning and networking. All the wines tasted (see the club link for details) were fabulous although there was a clear favorite among the reds (Farnese, 2005 Edizione Cinque Autoctoni) while the group was split on the whites (Pinot Grigio vs. Sauv. Blanc). Below are some preliminary photos of the event.

Thanks again to our sponsors, The Profile Wine Group for supplying the wines, Julie Moore Spa for the rentals of glass ware etc. and a big resounding ‘Thank You” to Angelina and Ken for letting us host the event in their fabulous home.

Pick your shopping destination :)