Yes, very similar to southeast Asian fish sauce. While I don't use those in desserts, I do add a wee bit to savoury dishes - umami.

Other than tacos, chicken and other chopped protein foods can go into empanadas (in many places it is easy to find frozen empanada shells). Once you get the hang of "braiding" the shells, it is easy to make the empanadas. These can be pre-frozen or baked, and one can freeze those not used.

Where I live (Montréal), I often see slow cookers in good condition at thrift shops and charity bazaars for a few dollars. Don't get one larger than you need.

Far too much sugar. No, you can't always eat what you want, and it is possible to retrain your palate. And clafoutis has no crust.

Well, she is Egyptian; no wonder Mizrahi cuisines are her special love.

Lian Tai doesn't seem to have their St-Léonard location any more. That is far easier for me to access. Would anyone know if it is still an Asian supermarket? On Pie IX, north of Jarry.

I only wish I could. I am definitely supporting Marché oriental and other Asian markets in my hood (Little Italy); because I've shopped there for decades and because I'm horrified at the very serious vandalism inflicted on Buddhist temples very close to my place. But they don't seem to deliver. I'll ask around.

That sounds wonderful! and close by, especially when it is cycling season even for us old farts.

They also keep well and were a great comfort for troops from Australia and New Zealand.

Not all baking is sweet. In general (with some exceptions) I avoid sweets, but make pizza, focaccie, empanadas and many other baked goodies.

In general, I don't do semi-sweet baking such as croissants, brioche or challah as the artesans to it so much better. And there is no shortage of them here in Montréal.

Wonderful, dear buttertart. All I baked today was cubed potatoes with onion, garlic,a bit of spice and olive oil.

Thanks! I'm familiar with T&T, which is also in Ottawa; none in Québec yet though we do have other large Asian supermarkets. Some T&T products are also sold at Loblaws/Provigo.

And I LOVE fermented tastes. Good for yer gut. I don't think baking must always be in an oven, there are breads in many parts of the world baked on griddles or fires.

Little dark plums would be wonderful for those. Hope Toots didn't leave any cat hair on your cake! Purrs and chin rubs for him or her...

Then it is for poor people in the Mediterranean who lacked much but may have had their own olive trees. In the same vein, in Québec there was pouding chômeur (unemployment pudding) lacking many things, but in some places poor farmers had their own sugar maples.

I had very "adult" tastes as a kid. I was a strange kid.

Lovely again! The thick version of focaccia; there are also thinner ones. And fougasse from nearby places in France. I've made the thin focaccia and lacy fougasse, which is fun to pull apart.

That is beautiful. Does he actually hunt wild boar?

Superbe! I want that!

Empanadas and tourtière, including vegetarian versions.

Not baking much bread because friends have started up an organic co-op boulangerie (bread bakery). I'd love to hear what you've been making in more detail. Including butter tarts!

Where is C&C?

No, Suzanne was Suzanne Verdal, the wife (or companion) of his friend the sculptor Armand Vaillancourt. But there were so many Suzannes at the time that Café Prag also had at least one waitress by that name.

I wouldn't pay $2 for Red Lobster "food". $30 for that is not excessive.

I'm more familiar with the beef variety, served rolled up with other ingredients interspersed with the meat. Boucherie St-Viateur on Beaubien would also be familiar with the cut; they have a clientele including many customers from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay... the Southern Cone of South America. Porc Meilleur is very good.

Thanks.

It is all sorts of things. I'm too old (boomer) to want to party until dawn, but there are also chefs and restaurants who present interesting restaurants at a fixed price. Do look at the site (in French and English) though as I said some of the most interesting offers might be sold out. There are some very good bargains. Don't hesitate to ask us questions.

There is also Montréal en lumière (Mtl High Lights Festival) in late February and early March, though it might prove difficult to find restaurant and culinary event tickets this late:

https://www.montrealenlumiere.com/

Vin Mon Lapin is a wine bar close to Chez Tousignant, though I've never been there. It does have good ratings.