Québec is the bomb. I was born there, raised there, and I get to go back every year, always leaving with wide eyes and a heavy heart. This year I had a mission: try as many provincially-registered cheeses and craft beers. Tough job, I know, but somebody has to do it. How could I find the coveted treats? Easy. Just hit the grocery store. My mom shops at IGA, so I tagged along to help and to sniff around the cheese counter. The selection was impressive, although I did not find anything new. It is when we went to a specialty grocery store that I caught myself rubbing my hands in delight. I picked cheeses that I had been eyeing for a while and brought them to my dad's as a dessert. Mmm,
#1 and favorite:
" Le Bleu d'Élizabeth. Organic raw milk blue cheese from La Fromagerie du Presbytère. So creamy and buttery, with just the right saltiness. It reminded me of the amazing Cowichan Blue from Hilary's. We paired this one with a Vanilla and Cocoa Stout (see below).
#2 Pied-de-Vent: A deliciously stinky raw milk washed-rind cheese from les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Earthy and creamy with a bitter rind. My sister thought it smelled like the neighbour's chicken farm, and she was kind of right, but to me its a good thing. Let's say she was generous and gave me her share.
#3 Le Gré des Champs: An organic, raw milk aged cheese with a beautiful washed rind and a firm, straw-coloured pate. Incredibly floral, fruity and hazelnutty; pronounced taste, yet not agressive. We cheated and had this one before dinner with a glass of dry, floral Riesling.
#4 Cheddar de l'Île-aux-Grues 6 months: Everything a Cheddar should be -- raw milk, fruity, slightly sharp yet buttery. And inexpensive.
After the cheese I moved on to the beer. Québec has government-run liquor stores, just like here in BC, but these stores rarely sell beer. To find it one must go to the grocery store, the convenience store or beer specialty stores. There is a new one of the latter in my hometown called "
La Barik". I was like a kid in a candy store. My mom and sister sat in the car while I stared at the amazing selection. I ended up taking a wheat beer from the Brasserie d'Orléans (see their beautifully crafted beers
here), a Weizen Impériale from Les Trois Mousquetaires (website under construction), an incredibly strong (14%alc.!!!) and flavourful beer from the Compagnie de Bières de Dégustation du Québec called 'Loup Garou' and the 'Aphrodisiaque', a smooth dark stout from
Brasserie Dieu du Ciel (available at Brewery Creek on Main Street!) spiked with vanilla and cocoa. They were all amazing, but I have a thing for stouts so the trophy goes to Dieu du Ciel. Their beers come in small bottles, but it packs a punch, so its a good one to split for dessert. Try it with blue cheese or a dark chocolate cake.
