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Thirty-five years ago, we were at the helm of our catering business, working seven days a week, after which we would shutter up and travel extensively for six to eight weeks every summer. We visited many countries and were especially drawn to regions of the world where we would learn about and procure what we call “terroir-specific” spices.

Georgians have been masters of the art of the banquet for centuries, and even though their cuisine remains slightly unfamiliar to us, we can affirm that it marries a remarkable variety of ingredients that testify to their expertise. There is an abundance of nuts, herbs and delicate spices, which bestow on Georgian dishes their characteristic freshness and celebrated generosity. This menu showcases some recipes from this cuisine that have impacted us enormously. Additionally, all the recipes are gluten free; for a more traditional Georgian meal, serve a lovely rustic loaf or flat breads…and of course, great wine!

As you probably already know, we’re fervent fans of whole spices. Once you become used to cooking with whole spices, it’s hard to get going without a good mortar. On the other hand, should you wish to offer good quality spices to someone who – God forbid! – is still mortar deprived, we have products that are ready-to-use and don’t need to be ground. Between zaatar, the different rubs and flaked chilies, you’re certain to find something pleasing and delicious to offer your foodie friends.

Tomatoes are used for much more than traditional pasta sauces. In order to explore this fruit’s mindboggling versatility, we’ve curated some diverse recipes to help you discover its wide-ranging potential. ​

Once Québec strawberries begin to grace market stalls, it’s impossible to resist the urge to cook with them every day! Imagine, fruit salads, bowls of yogurt and smoothies all garnished with fresh strawberries during this all-too-brief season. Naturally, we should all remember to take the time to freeze them so that these delicious recipes can be reproduced throughout the year.

This potato preparation is almost exclusively reserved for a Mumbai street food known as Vada Pav – or Bombay burger! It can be served as-is, or as an accompaniment to a curry or dhal.

Rhubarb is a frontrunner in Quebec gardens when it comes to “fresh firsts” of spring! Its arrival on produce shelves is usually closely followed by notoriously flavourful Québec strawberries. Here are a few recipes that allow us to fully indulge ourselves in the unique fragrance and tartness of rhubarb stalks.

This express dish was named in honour of one of our clients during our catering days. The Spanish-inspired shrimps combine the flavours of lemongrass with the fragrance of smoked paprika. To illustrate the blink-and-you-might-miss-it speed of this recipe, we’ve made a video that you can time with a stop watch!

On our first visit to Ethiopia in 2016, Philippe and I spent an entire week in Bonga, a small town in the south-western province of Keffa, birthplace of over 5,000 varieties of world-famous Arabica coffee. We were sourcing amazing Korarima and Timiz grown in the buffer zone between town and the legendary cloud forest.

Mediterranean flavours are the honoured guests at this vegetarian food fest! We allowed ourselves to be seduced by the freshness of the ingredients and the delightfully colourful cuisines of Spain, Greece and Italy (among others) to realize this meat-less feast. With citrus notes and garlic flavours alongside fresh vegetables and herbs, your guests will be beyond impressed. Of course, for dessert, nothing is more deservingly decadent than a chocolate Yule log!