Cuisine Canada Scene

Quebec in Winter

Apparently we have good reason to be suffering a severe case of the winter blues, with the RECESSION and all.  On top of low Vitamin D blahs and too much shovelling, for those of us in the restaurant business, the dire economic forecasts mean an even more uncertain future with our perishables and slim margins, our product that is often perceived as a luxury, so easily axed in conservative times, no bail out packages.. How are we supposed to get up in the morning?   It’s all so depressing, right?

But really, no, I don’t buy it.  Not yet.  Despite being inundated with bleak media reports on the state of the economy, hearing some industry clamour, and feeling a touch of a slowdown myself, I would still rather remain optimistic for now.  Because the truth is that when I look long and hard around the food world here in Québec, I still see grounds for optimism. I can’t help but take a certain amount of the whining with a grain of salt.

First of all, the restaurant business is ALWAYS slow in winter, and as soon as food industry people recover from the holidays, they typically start to complain about it.  It occupies a large portion of our version of water cooler talk which revolves around chatting with the fish guy and purveyors over the course of the day, at the market, and with fellow cooks over beers at night.  And except for on Valentine’s day, this usually continues until spring. Then, there’s the weather to wail about too all winter long.  But we all know that griping about the cold, snow removal and the icy roads, is a national pastime.  The economy has only given us another excuse to feel sorry for ourselves and worry.

There’s no doubt that restaurateurs are being cautious, perhaps cutting back some, holding off on any hiring in fear of what’s around the corner.  We may have seen somewhat of a downswing, corporate expense accounts and tourism are down, and surely some poor souls are truly hurting.  The sad reality is that a number of restaurants bite the dust every winter.

On the flipside, many Montreal restaurants on the top end are doing surprisingly steady business (Toqué, Graziella, Pied de Cochon..), the favourite bistro around the block is still packing them in (Monkland Tavern, Salle à Manger, L’Express..); and the budget spots seem to be having a field day. Most restaurants are surviving okay, and new ones are relentlessly opening (Mas Cuisine, Le Greasy Spoon, Provisions, Monsieur B., Macaroni Bar and La Montée, as well as some swanky arrivals in the Old Port).  Such signs allow me to hold onto the feeling that perhaps as it stands, this hovering cloud could be more of a case of the winter blues than a full on crisis.

It’s also that beyond the regular seasonal whining, every food industry person I spoke to felt quite secure or had some project or another underway.   Other straws of hope lie in the fact that people need to eat, fewer people these days know how to cook, and that there will always be birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions to celebrate.  Last, but not least, is that restaurant people are naturally a cocky, proud and crafty bunch.  In any case, I’m hearing more business-as-usual type comments or pure optimism than the negativity characteristic of recession times. And there’s definitely buzz.

No wonder, with the oodles of options on the town or in the country to tickle the palate and lift the spirits.  The Montreal High Lights Festival* has injected some life into the city’s scene as foodies bubble with anticipation over the Paris chefs and various events.  The Quebec Carnival attracts a crowd, offering an excuse to visit some exciting restaurants (Toast, Utopie, Panache…), and a certain set of Quebecois religiously flock to Ste-Anne de la Pérade to partake in the fishing frenzy of’poisson des cheneaux’(tomcod), to the Laurentians to dine and ski, or to do duck in St-Roch de L’Achigan!

You see, our way celebrating winter (and keeping busy) when the wild greens are sleeping, is the annual duck festival we stage, a seven-course menu featuring duck, several breeds, in all their possible guises from amuse bouche to dessert, accompanied by wild plants and mushrooms of course –  Jardins Sauvages.

Most restaurants have something like it to stimulate business; if they aren’t hosting visiting chefs, they might seize the opportunity for travel, classes and conferences, PR or just plain regrouping, taking advantage for some essential down time to relax a little (as in work 40 hr weeks instead of 60) and spend make-up time at the table with their family.

Hunkering down at home for some comfort food is KEY for all of us in the dead of winter.  Including acquaintances that I’ve never known as cooks, everyone seems to be cooking up a storm these days, from pot au feu and confit to lentil soup and ‘white chili’, birthday cakes from scratch, chocolates, you name it. Out of necessity or not, they’re seeking solace in home and hearth with good food.

All said,  food-centric Quebeckers are dealing quite well.

*Montreal en Lumière (The Montreal High Lights Festival):

• The guests : Alain Passard is sold out, but there are more than two dozen other French chefs on the menu.
• The events : Music, dance, food tours and fireworks are just some of the wonders.
• Cheap treats: You don’t have to spend a fortune. Items ranging from $2.50 hot chocolate to a full tasting menu for $55 keep things affordable.

Nancy Hinton is the chef at La Table des Jardins Sauvages, a woodland table specializing in wild plants and mushrooms, outside of Montreal.  You can read about her food adventures on her blog Soup Nancy.

Photo © loloieg. Published under a Creative Commons License.