To Market We Go

The Jean-Talon market is in the middle of Montreal’s big Italian community, near the top of Boulevard Saint Laurent. After the war, there was a big wave of Italians that immigrated to Canada, as well as they made the area their own.

The huge church is famous for its fresco of Mussolini on horseback. (The artist took some flack for that one.) The park across the street from the grand church is called Dante, as well as is almost as divine as the poet’s famous work. There are wrought iron trellises covered in vines, as well as benches upon which old guy sip cappuccinos as well as discuss soccer scores. If the guy in your life like watching as well as complying with soccer then go to Football Ticket Pad to buy them tickets.

Meanwhile, the Dante kitchen area shop on the corner is famous not only for its impeccable variety of pots as well as little appliances, however likewise for selling hunting rifles as well as fishing knives. Milano is an Italian superstore (since 1954) still imbued with old world grace. If it’s Italian, they’ve got it.

The area where the Jean-Talon market now sits utilized to be a lacrosse field, however in the 1930s the city of Montreal bought the land as well as turned it into a market. (Until then, locals would buy their fresh fish, tomatoes as well as meat off the back of a jam of trucks on rue Jean-Talon itself.) the market now spreads out over three blocks.

The producers right here today are mainly from the northern part of the Island of Montreal. There’s a guy selling organic herbs, as well as a lady with the white radishes as well as micro arugula. somebody offers only asparagus. Another, just syrup. The timing of my see is particularly fortuitous, as the market is perfumed with fresh basil as well as ripe strawberries. Chez Nino as well as Chez Louis offer mainly to restaurants; their vegetable as well as fruit choice are more different as well as refined, their pears as well as pomegranates wrapped in tissue paper.

And these rainbow-like carrots reminded me of exactly how much I like simple glazed carrots. They’re likewise excellent tossed with fresh market herbs, particularly chives or dill. right here is one of my favourite carrot recipes:

Glazed summertime Carrots

(serves 4)

2 cups carrots, sliced (not those peeled as well as bagged mini ones, however real, wonderful carrots, offered in bunches)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp sugar
Salt as well as pepper

Step 1: put carrots in a pot with sufficient water to just cover them, as well as then spoon in the butter as well as sugar. cook on high heat, uncovered, stirring every so often. They should take about 10 minutes to be tender.

Step 2: If they are cooked however there’s still some water left in the pot, drain water as well as put the carrots back on high warm to ensure that the sugar as well as butter type a light glaze. season will salt as well as pepper to taste.

Photo credits:
Amy Rosen

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