Mother's Day tea party fit for a Queen

What better way to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives than a fabulous Mother's day tea party. My cousins & I started a beautiful tradition that will surely go on for years. Together we created an afternoon of delicious treats, bubbly and gift bags.

Best of all, there was laughter & love.

Take a look at our spread:

The spread

Lovely fruits

Sesame Crab & Mango tea sandwiches

Smoked Salmon & Goat cheese on pumpernickle

Browned butter & vanilla bean pound cake à la Tina

Deviled Eggs

Gift box for the moms: Godiva, assorted soaps, macarons & ginger chews

Vegas Uncork'd

Don’t miss Vegas Uncork’d, May 10-13, 2012! The most anticipated foodie event of the year is bigger than ever with dozens of one of-a-kind events that could only happen in Las Vegas. To mark its sixth anniversary, the famed resorts of Las Vegas have assembled an unparalleled collection of celebrity chefs, master sommeliers and cutting-edge mixologists in the nation. Vegas Uncork’d—an homage to their skill, their cuisine and their fans—is an exclusive opportunity to not just taste their food, but to rub elbows with them throughout four days of unique events.

Uncork'd will include culinary lengends like Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Jose Andres, Nobu Matsuhisa, Todd English and more. Imagine, all your favorite Food Network chefs, restauranteurs and personalities up close and personal.The hotels involved in this foodfest are The Bellagio, Caeser's Palace, The Cosmopolitan and Mandalay Bay. You can find some tents poolside, grub in the gardens, reception halls and even a clambake by the man-made beach in the Mandalay.

Now, I believe in coincidences...my birthday lands on May 11th which is right smack in the middle of all this excitement. I cannot even begin to describe how much I want to attend this food fair. Unfortunately (not really unfortunate) the next week I leave for Europe and cannot squeeze in a weekend in Sin City. Too many calories, too long a flight and way too indulgent after budgeting for a European adventure in Spain, Italy and south of France. Luckily in March, I attended a travel show for work and got to stay at The Cosmopolitan...wow such beauty. It had the hottest nightclub, the best selection of restaurants, stunning decor and the famous larger than life Christian Louboutin shoes on display. In other words, I got my Vegas fix!

If you are a food fanatic and get an opportunity to attend: DO IT, I shall live vicariously through you ;)

These are just some of the amazing activities I will be missing:

• Wine tastings with 5* sommeliers
• Garden of the Gods poolside at Caeser's Palace
• Clambakes by the Mandalay Bay beach
• Spago's 20th anniversary lunch
• "My favorite things"
• Cocktail contest with some of the best mixologists in Vegas
• Celebrity chef poker competition
• The 20 best wines under $20 paired with small plates served by chef Michael Mina
• Food trucks at the Bellagio's Hidden Drive

Participating Food Truck’s Include:
Haulin Balls
Sin City Wings
Engine 1 Pizza
Sausage Fest
Lola D’s Kitchen
Redneck Kitchen
Quality Food Service
Fatt Daddy’s Ice Cream
Snowono Shaved Ice
Grouchy Johns Coffee
Bens BBQ
Nom Nom
Rusty Pickle
Simi Winery

Kitchen Obsessed...Anthropologie

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Portus Calle: a taste of Portugal on the Main

Set in the heart of the Portuguese neighbourhood of Montréal, Portus Calle serves up some delicious tapas and marisquiera (seafood). The ambiance is warm and inviting and the scent coming from the open style kitchen is so phenomenal, it will leave you pointing at everything on the menu. The fish and seafood is fresh and everything is very authentic. They have a killer wine selection too!

It must be said, I absolutely LOVE it when restaurants go the extra mile to make you happy. The service at this restaurant is always exceptional. They bring you warm bread with some of the highest quality olive oil along with some olives and an amuse-bouche to open your palate. Why don't more restaurants treats their patrons this way? People want to feel special and if you are paying for a nice meal and a bottle of wine, they should do their best to make you return! The costs are minimal and chances are you will really stand out against Montreal's crowded restaurant scene.

My boyfriend is Portuguese so I have been lucky enough to have had some of the best Portuguese food made by his family. I am obssesed with his aunt's homemade tarts and everytime there is an occasion, she makes extra for me! Next summer I will be going to Portugal so I am planning on taking some language courses and attending a wine course on Portuguese wines & portos. I find the easiest way to start getting to know a language is reading a menu. In most cases, you can see the meaning in english underneath and you will begin to pick up words.

My favorite soup is caldo verde which in Portuguese means "green broth". It is made with potatoes, onions, kale and often has chorizo in it. You should definitely try this... You cannot go wrong with the croquettes and any of the seafood. Next time, I will have the cod and see how it compares to other restaurants like Bitoque, Casa Minhota etc.

Take a look at our meal, if you ever get a craving for seafood head over to the main at 4281 St Laurent boulevard.

Bom apetite xo 

              

A nice way to start a meal

Caldo Verde (made with potatoes, onions and kale often chorizo)

cod croquettes

Goat cheese, cherry tomatoes & basil

Seared scallops

Arroz de marisqueira

Pullman's bar à vin

One of my favorite spots in the city for a good bottle of wine and delicious sharing plates. This wine bar is situated at 3424 avenue du Parc and a few minutes from the bustling Plateau Mont Royal area. It's perfect for a big group, an intimate get together or a date night. One year I celebrated my birthday there and a year later toasted to a big raise with my boyfriend. The place is versatile and can fit any vibe.

The decor is so unique that it can only be described through photos. We can maybe try: hipster + sophisticated = Hipstercated. I am not one to make up words but there is definitely a fusion of styles goin' on. The place is on 3 levels so there is a mix of bar style stools (covered in horse hair and fur...no lie), larger retro style tables upstairs and banquettes by the front entrance. You will find a wine glass chandelier, worn walls and a more contemporary look in some areas.

Their wine list is obviously very extensive and the staff are all extremely knowledgeable. They offer wine tastings and food pairings which is a great idea for a company dinner, birthday or simply to enhance your wine profile. Our waiter was amazing and when we described our taste in red wine, he immediately suggested a moderately priced 2009 Italian called San Polino Sant' Antimo. It was incredible and unfortunately it is a private import so I cannot find it at an SAQ.

Take a look at what yummy plates we tried:

mini bison burgers with matchstick fries $7

Aged cheddar grilled cheese with porto $7 for 4pcs

Cheese platter 100g $15

Cod balls with spicy mayo $9

Ricotta gnocchi with fresh basil and broiled cherry tomatoes $10

Charcutterie platter $15