Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station

Home to one of Canada’s most celebrated restaurants, award-winning Restaurant Pearl Morissette offers an ambitious fine dining experience featuring an ever changing prix-fixe menu composed of the highest quality ingredients of the Niagara region, founded by chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson who opened the restaurant in 2017. Inspired by their time spent working in Paris and rural Belgium, they realized that to cook the best, they’d need to grow the best, underscored by a mastery of classic culinary techniques. Seasonal ingredients, many of them sourced by in-house gardener Shane Harper on their regenerative farm, are prepared with a modern European sensibility. "Our restaurant is founded on a holistic approach of regenerative practices and processes. Working with our regional purveyors, our food and wine are a reflection of our local ecosystem and the land we inhabit." An ode to Canadian seafood, Restaurant Pearl Morissette is fully committed to using and showcasing the produce and crops from Ontario, be it fresh water fish from the Great Lakes, pasture reared Muskovy duck, Niagara peaches or free range pork. 

Arriving for a wonderful Sunday lunch with my husband, brother and sister-in-law, Restaurant Pearl Morissette sits on the top floor of a big modern black barn rising regally above a quiet field in the heart of Jordan Station, with glorious scenery through floor-to-ceiling windows of the surrounding farmland. Beginning with a bottle of Pearl Morissette Rosé, we were treated to a sensational 10-course menu featuring fresh scallops from Mahone Bay, West Coast Dungeness crab, grilled East Coast lobster, butter poached Upstate Abundance potatoes with Wild Acadian sturgeon caviar, slow grilled West Coast Halibut and much more, all seasoned and garnished with garden grown fresh herbs and vegetables. Service was sensational, finding the delicious balance between country casual and fine-dining polish. Award-winning Restaurant Pearl Morissette deserves every one of its well-earned accolades, and we each look forward to our next culinary journey to this little corner of paradise. 

Entrance to the sleek Black Barn of Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Niagara's Jordan Station

Follow the red cardinal with a fork and spoon in "hand"

The second floor of the barn is home to Restaurant Pearl Morissette

The open kitchen of Restaurant Pearl Morissette

Acclaimed Ontario-reared chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson

Black-Eyed Susans picked fresh from the garden decorate each table

We selected a 2022 Pearl Morissette Roselana 'Rosé' which our server said 

was more like a Tavel in terms of its flavour profile and rich deep colour

Canadian winemaker François Morissette ‘Roselana’ is a blend of pinot noir, gamay, merlot, 

and lemberger, for a unique rosé that is rich, dry and delicious

Fresh scallops from Mahone Bay N.S. served with Sungold tomatoes, red currants, 

tomato water pearls, lemon thyme on panna cotta and garnished with herbs from the garden

'Carrot Crisp' from Cookstown Greens filled with scallop and lobster roe paté and dried chilies

presented on a bed of dried chilis for dramatic effect

West Coast Dungeness crab served in a roasted Alisa Craig onion with allspice, butter, peaches, brunoise onion and peach vinaigrette served on a bed of salt garnished with fresh bay leaves

Presentation of the Duck from Back-to-Nature Organics, for course #8

Whipped St. Brigid's Butter

Sourdough Bread made with Einkorn and hard Red Spring Wheat 

was warm and deliciously squishy

Grilled East Coast Lobster glazed in Badger Flame Beet reduction,

served with a Badger Flame Beet crumble, nectarine pineapple sage and orange thyme

Butter Poached Upstate Abundance Potatoes with Wild Acadian sturgeon caviar, 

glazed peas, smoked egg, mussels and tarragon emulsion

Slow Grilled West Coast Halibut with bay leaf buerre monté, pickled kohlrabi, 

white currants and onion purée

Roasted Duck from Back-to-Nature Organics with caraflax cabbage, marinated yellow plums, 

plum vinaigrette and harukei turnip purée

Roasted Pork from Linton Pasture, chanterelle mushrooms, cold pressed sunflower oil, 

prickly ash, roasted zucchini and spinach purée and garnished with nasturtium leaves

Alfred le Fermier cheese from Fromagerie La Station in Compton, Québec

served with honeycomb from Miels d'Anicat

Marinated Cherries from Bizjak Farm served with Sake Lees Mousse,

shiso and rice from Fraser Valley cooked in sweetgrass 

Strawberries from Bizjak Farm served with a strawberry reduction, 

meadowsweet iced cream, meadowsweet chantilly, sweet cicely pods and sorrel

Black Koji Iced Cream Sandwich made with a black koji cookie,

toasted walnut iced team and candied hazelnuts

Good to the last bite...

The grand harvest table in the centre of Pearl Morissette

Enormous housemade Sourdough Bread with Miels honeycomb on the right and 

Alfred le Fermier cows milk cheese under glass on the harvest table

View of Restaurant Pearl Morissette 

View of Restaurant Pearl Morissette Barn from the wild flower garden,

where we were to meet Shane for a garden tour after our 10-course lunch

 

restaurantpearlmorissette.com

Pasture-Raised Roast Chicken

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of chef Daniel Hadida, Restaurant Pearl Morissette

3 1/2- to 4-lb pasture-raised chicken 

Sea salt

Juice of half a small lemon

Coarse sea salt for serving

Remove the wishbone from the chicken by pushing the tip of a knife through the neck cavity and running it up each side of the bone, then hook your finger behind the bone and twist it out. This will help with easier carving after roasting. Dry the chicken in the fridge on a roasting rack set over a plate for 24 hours. This will concentrate the flavour and encourage better skin crisping. 

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring the air-dried chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Truss the legs with kitchen string and pull them back from the body. Make sure any torn skin is covering the meat. Season liberally inside and out with salt. Set on a roasting rack in a shallow pan so air can circulate around the chicken. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the inner thigh near the breast without touching the bone reaches 165°F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, then rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

Place the chicken on cutting board and remove the rack from pan. Carve chicken and put the pieces back into the pan, skin-side up. Turn on broiler and broil for 1 minute, just to get the skin crispy again after resting. For a sauce, simply squeeze the lemon juice into the pan drippings, then drizzle over the meat. Sprinkle with a touch of coarse sea salt and serve.

Fresh Goat Milk Custard with Farm Fruit

Serves 12

Recipe courtesy of chefs Eric Robertson & Daniel Hadida, Restaurant Pearl Morissette

Fresh Goat Curd:

2 litres raw goat’s milk

1/8 oz salt

2 tbsp buttermilk

Custards: 

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided

5 tbsp beaten whole eggs — about 1 1/2 eggs, beaten

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 sheets silver strength leaf gelatine, bloomed in cold water

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp sour cream

5 1/4 oz fresh goat milk curd

2 tbsp cider vinegar

3 1/2 oz damson plums, plus 1 to serve raw per serving

One fat fig per serving

A few leaves of verbena

Start by preparing the goat curd. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk to 90°F. Remove from heat, add salt and buttermilk and stir. Pour into glass, heat-proof container, ideally half-filled. Cover and lay on side in warm room (73°F minimum) for 12 to 30 hours until milk has clabbered (clumps into a jelly-like substance). A sealed Mason jar works well here. Milk should have a nutty aroma. Drain milk through fine cheesecloth and hang in fridge for 2 to 3 days with a bowl underneath to catch liquid. Discard whey.

To make the custards, combine cream, 1/4 cup sugar, eggs and egg yolk and cook to 175°F over a double boiler. Bloom gelatin in a bowl of cold water and incorporate into warm egg mixture (anglaise). Pass liquid through fine sieve twice to ensure no lumps. Blend in sour cream and fresh goat curd. Allow to cool to room temperature and season with cider vinegar. Pour into moulds and freeze until firm. 

Cook the remaining sugar until a deep brown caramel, do not allow scorch, or it will become bitter. Cook the plums down separately until their juices have thickened. Purée until very smooth. Blend half of the jam into the cooled caramel.

To plate, remove the goat custard from freezer 20 minutes prior to serving. Thinly slice the fig and reserved plum. Pour one teaspoon of plum caramel onto the plate, place the tempered goat custard on top. Top the custard with a dollop of plum jam, arrange the plum and fig slices in an eye-catching fashion over the jam-topped custard, season with a few grains of sea salt, and top with small leaves of lemon verbena.

Saint Joseph's Oratory on Mount Royal in Montreal

 

Perched on top of Mount Royal and overlooking Montreal, Saint Joseph's Oratory is the tallest church in Canada and one of the largest domed structures in the world. Founded in 1904 by Brother André Bessette, a significant figure of the Catholic Church and among French-Canadians, he is credited with thousands of reported healings associated with his pious devotion to Saint Joseph. With its monumental scale, Italian-Renaissance style facade and contrasting Art Deco interior, the Oratory is recognizable not just in Montreal but around the world, attracting more than 2 million visitors and pilgrims to its steps each year.

When the dome of the Oratory was being designed, a variety of models were considered, including the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, but the dome that was finally built more closely resembles that of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, with its double-shelled structure, composed of an inner dome and an outer dome with a space between the two. The product of numerous architects and thousands of workers in a process spanning six decades, Saint Joseph's includes a small original chapel where Brother André used to live, an impressive light-lit votive chapel, Crypt Church, and Basilica that can accommodate up to 2,000 worshippers. Its magnificent organs and its carillon composed of 56 bells, bears the signature of German organ maker Rudolf von Beckerath and gives audible testament to the world's great composers. 

The Oratory Museum is dedicated mainly to sacred art. Renowned for its exceptional collection of crèches of the world, the museum displays works of religious, historical, and artistic heritage from Québec and abroad. The outdoor Garden of the Way of the Cross is one of Saint Joseph's Oratory's best kept secrets. Located on the east side of the Basilica, the garden shelters the Way of the Cross made over a dozen towering sculptures, which are scattered throughout an artfully landscaped terrain. Led on a private guided tour with Nora, we were introduced to more than one hundred years of history, culture and development of St Joseph's Oratory, a landmark of Montreal and jewel of the Québec and Canadian Heritage. Merveilleux.

Monumental bronze sculpture 'Angels Unaware' depicts depicts children, women and men 

of different origins and times, piled up on a boat and refers to the duty of hospitality 

and solidarity of every human being 

Stained glass windows 'Flight into Egypt' by Auguste Laboure depicts the story of 

Joseph, Mary and Jesus who in times of trouble found refuge in Egypt

The wooden chapel of brother Andrée was built in 1904, where he lived on the 2nd floor

Alfred Bessette, known as Brother André since his canonization as Saint André of Montreal, was 

credited with thousands of reported healings associated with his pious devotion to Saint Joseph

The main Altar under the dome of Saint Joseph's Oratory

Detail of mosaics surrounding the altar

Art Deco stylized bronze bronze grillwork was designed by Robert Prévost 

and details the entrance to each of the side chapels

 One of the bas-relief Stations of the Cross by French sculptor Roger de Villiers 

Reflection of stained glass windows

The Votive Chapel with its wide ascending bands of red and green votives 

lead to a statue of Saint Joseph beneath an art deco blue domed ceiling

Votive candles are lit by those praying for or in memory of loved ones

Nora guided the fours of us around for over an hour, 

explaining the unique history and features of the Oratory and grounds

Statue of The Virgin Mary was installed in the stone wall of Mount Royal at St. Joseph's Oratory

The statue of Saint Joseph is located in the centre of the sanctuary of the Crypt Church 

and was carved from Carrara marble by Giacomini in 1917

The outdoor garden of the Way of the Cross is one of the Oratory's best kept secrets

www.saint-joseph.org/en

Atwater Market: A Culinary & Nautical Adventure

 

Gilles Jourdenais, owner of La Fromagerie Atwater since 1983

Photo by Dominique Viau

Summer is in full swing in Montreal with endless days spent outside along the Lachine Canal popular with cycling enthusiasts, joggers, people enjoying a day out and the many boats navigating their way through the locks between the Old Port and Lac Saint-Louis. Inaugurated in 1977, the bike path along the Canal has become a must for tourists and locals alike, owing its success to the magnificent parks and natural green spaces along the way, however the culinary heart of the area is Atwater Market with its Art Deco-style architecture among the most beautiful buildings in the city. Open year-round, it's celebrated for its many butchers and cheesemongers, and market gardeners who set up their stands around the building as soon as summer begins. Whether a locavore or on the hunt for gastronomic treasure, you'll find high quality, seasonal and fresh produce each and every day. 

La Fromagerie Atwater is our favourite destination when we visit Montreal each summer. A unique gastronomic experience, Gilles Jourdenais' family run cheese shop is known for their impressive selection of Québéc and European cheeses, including the delicious runny cream coloured Charlevoix, considered the Quebec cousin of the French Reblochon, and Le 1608, a unique deeply flavoured semi firm cheese made exclusively from the milk of a Canadian cow from a single herd located in Charlevoix. Gilles has a passion for cheese and loves to share his knowledge with customers, as he did the last time we visited, introducing us to one of his favourite cheeses — Alfred le Fermier. Named after the great grandfather of its producers, Alfred Le Fermier is an organic, sunset yellow raw-milk cheese with a lovely supple texture and gorgeous woody aroma. Terrines and Pâtés is another delightful shop we simply can't resist, with their impressive selection of homemade terrines, patés, rillettes and foie gras. 

During the summer season, Pôle des Saveurs at the Atwater Market is a focal point for innovative and tasty fast food, offering a culinary world tour in just a few steps, from Vietnamese banh mi, South Asian satays, Middle Eastern falafel, to Japanese sushi and more, enjoyed relaxing at one of the many picnic tables or large patio facing the Lachine Canal. Arriving at the market after a leisurely morning boating along the canal, we stopped for lunch at Le Petit Sao for Vietnamese Banh Mi, then began our culinary tour around the market to pick up our favourite cheeses and terrines. Life is good.

H2O Lachine Canal Nautical Centre Boat Hires

We took an electric boat out on the Lachine Canal for an hour

Paddle boarder on the Canal

The iconic 'Pink House' sits atop the old abandoned Canada Malting silos in Saint-Henri

Paddle-Swans are an joyful sight on the canal

The Canal Lounge is a floating bar-lounge docked at the base of the Atwater Market 

with an extensive menu cocktails and delicious appetizers

Atwater Market from the Lachine Canal

Vendor selling local fruit and berries at Atwater Market

Local raspberries

Mounds of gorgeous radishes

Zucchini, beans, carrots, radishes and basil

Farm-fresh lettuce at Atwater Market

Barrels and baskets of fruit

Glorious variety of zucchini 

Sweet cherry tomatoes

The extraordinarily delicious Charlevoix cheese from Baie-Saint-Paul

 La Fromagerie Atwater is our absolute favourite cheese shop

in Montreal

Gilles recommended Alfred Le Fermier as one of his favourite cheese,

and he was right — it's tremendous

Numerous food vendors attract hungry visitors while visiting Atwater Market, 

such as Le Petit Sao popular for their Vietnamese dishes

The friendly staff at Le Petit Sao 

Pad Pho Noodle Salad with Chicken 

Petit Sao’s Banh Mi with Grilled Tofu 

www.marchespublics-mtl.com/marches/atwater

Fondue Pain Surprise au Reblochon ou au Kénogami

Serves 4-5

Recipe courtesy of Fromagerie Atwater

1 country loaf or artisanal bread, about 9-10-inches in diameter

1 Reblochon farmhouse cheese or a Kénogami

2 tbsp white wine 

A little chopped chives

1 sprig of thyme

2 peeled garlic cloves

1lb Russet potatoes

Charcuterie Accompaniment:

10 thin slices of coppa or bresaola

10 slices of prosciutto

10 slices of white ham with rind

 

Buy the bread 1 or 2 days in advance to leave it to stale. Cut off the top of the bread ball. Hollow out the inside and remove the bread crumbs. Select a cheese to measure the circumference. Cut the removed bread crumbs and the top of the bread into small cubic pieces.

Cut the garlic cloves in half and rub the inside of the bread and place the thyme inside. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and immerse the potatoes, with or without peel, in a saucepan of cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and check the cooking by inserting a blade into the potato. Remove or scrape the rind on the upper part of the Reblochon or Kénogami to a thickness of 1 mm. Place the cheese inside the bread and drizzle with white wine.

Bake. As soon as the cheese is melted, serve and sprinkle the bread with chopped chives. Serve with potatoes and cold meats. Use a fondue fork to select a piece of bread, dip it in the fondue and enjoy.

Note: You can brown the pieces of bread in a little olive oil to obtain golden croutons. It’s divine!