A Tale of Two Montreal Bagel Bakeries

Salmon spread, BLT and traditional bagels at St-Viateur

Following our consumption of smoked meat, next on our list was Montreal-style bagels, which were brought to the city by Jewish immigrants from Poland and other Eastern European countries. 

Montreal-style bagels differ from New York ones, which are considered better for sandwiches because they have smaller holes and are chewier and saltier. On the other hand, Montreal bagels are crunchier, not as dense and thick.

The traditional bagel was a winner at St-Viateur

St. Viateur and Fairmount are the two oldest bagel establishments in Montreal, and we decided to try both of them for our breakfast. 

Since the TV series Heated Rivalry came out in December and mostly set in Montreal, writer and director Jacob Tierney features many of his favourite places, and bagel shop St-Viateur is one of them. The character Rose Landry played by actress Sophie Nelisse wears the shop's T-shirt in the show, and actor Francois Arnaud who is Scott Hunter in the show likes the bagels at both St-Viateur and Fairmount.

In interviews he has said New York bagels aren't bagels, just bagel-shaped bread. Ha!

We first went to St-Viateur and it was not quite busy yet, which gave us time to carefully peruse the menu and make our choices. We settled on traditional on a sesame bagel, which has smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, onion, capers and a lemon wedge.

The shop also has bagel-themed merchandise

Another was the BLT, or bacon, lettuce and tomato on a wholewheat bagel with a pesto or mayonnaise spread. We asked which one was better and the staff suggested both which is what we did! The last one we sampled was an all dressed bagel with salmon spread. 

The traditional hit all the right notes, the sesame bagel had a slightly crunchy exterior, soft inside, accompanied with thick slices of smoked salmon that were complemented with cream cheese, and the richness cut by the onion and capers.

Meanwhile I didn't try the BLT but heard it was very good too, but the salmon spread was the weakest of the three. It didn't look very appetising with this bright orange gloopy sauce, when I had been expecting a thicker consistency. On top of it, the spread had a fishy taste.

Then we digested our food by walking to the Fairmount shop, which was opened by Russian immigrant Isadore Shlafman in 1919. His shop was first called Montreal Bagel Bakery, and in 1949 moved it to Fairmount Street, and later adopted the Fairmount name.

Fairmount is one of the oldest bagel shops

Shlafman's grandchildren continue to run the business, the bagels still rolled by hand and baked in wood-burning ovens.

We really liked the smoked meat in between the onion bagel, making smoked meat such a versatile protein! It's good with any kind of carbs! 

When comparing the smoked salmon bagel, St-Viateur tasted better than the one at Fairmount, though we still liked the all-dressed bagel at Fairmount. We also liked the blueberry bagel with a simple (or lavish) spread of butter that melted on the toasted slices.

During our visit at Fairmount, I saw some people come in just to get a bagel sandwich for work, and it was packaged in a simple square box that was easy to carry around. 

Smoked meat in an onion bagel at Fairmount

It made me wish I could have bagel sandwiches more often!

A Quick Visit to Quebec City

Chateau Frontenac has over 600 rooms

We woke up early for a 6am start to drive from Montreal to Quebec City. It was pretty smooth getting there in just under three hours and we arrived at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, the iconic hotel in old Quebec.

Looking for the washroom in the basement, we looked at some great exhibits showing the history of the place.

Remnants of the original fort

The hotel is located on a hill, and in 1620 is was the former site of Fort Saint-Louis, and over the decades expanded as the number of people settling there increased.

And yes the hotel is named after Louis de Buade de Frontenac, who was a governor of Quebec from 1689 to 1698.

In the 19th century, as people began traveling, tourism to eastern Canada ramped up, as tourists could reach Quebec City by transatlantic ships and then train. As a result, in 1882, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company established Chateau Frontenac, a luxury hotel.

By 1919 the hotel was so successful that the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. doubled Chateau Frontenac's capacity so that it had over 600 rooms. 

The hotel still retains its old school charm

There are also other interesting bits of information, like how in the early 17th century, porcelain china from China was highly prized by royalty and the aristocracy for its translucency, but it was very expensive.

As a result, many aristocrats, including Governor de Frontenac, turned to ceramics from Delft the Netherlands, which was cheaper to purchase, though not as refined as Chinese porcelain. 

Another fascinating story is that in 1939, on the eve of World War II, King George VII and Queen Elizabeth had a royal tour of Canada and hosted a banquet at Chateau Frontenac. For the occasion, the hotel ordered a special porcelain design that was produced in Limoges, France.

The interior of the hotel, like the cascading symmetrical staircase continues to command grandeur, and one can only imagine what it was like back in the 19th century!

Our breakfast which took an infuriating long time

Outside the hotel is a panoramic view overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

Afterwards we looked for a place to have a late breakfast and settled on a cafe that operated at a snail's pace -- it took us 40 minutes from the time we sat down to when we finally got our three breakfast orders on the table -- after we complained.

The best the staff could do was offer us more coffee... we couldn't accept because it was pathetic compensation and also our parking meter was almost up (which was why we were in such a rush). We paid our bill as soon as the food finally came.

After driving the car around and around for another spot, we finally parked it at the bottom of the hill in a parkade and wandered around some more. We stumbled on a massive mural in trompe-l'oeil style that shows the history of Quebec.

A fun mural depicting the history of Quebec

There are some historical figures commemorated in the mural, like Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain, Governor de Frontenac, and they are intermingled with kids playing street hockey with large jerseys, and a woman pushing a stroller with a child holding a teddy bear.

We also saw some public art, some cartoonish statues that had names and back stories in French. One seemed to be giving me the side eye.

However, not long after, it started to rain and not carrying umbrellas or rain gear, we decided to head back to the car park. It's a good thing we did because by the time we got to the car, it was pouring rain and hailing!

This guy gave me the side eye!

We decided to cut short our visit to Quebec City and drive back to Montreal! The first hour or so it continued to rain really hard, but then the precipitation stopped and we drove into sunshine as we approached Montreal and snarling traffic...

What an adventure!

A Montreal Cathedral with Echoes of St. Peters

The nave has a Bernini-like altar like in St Peters

In Montreal we went to one of the city's most famous landmarks, Notre-Dame Basilica, but we were dismayed to see the left tower covered in scaffolding, the telltale sign of renovation work.

We were also surprised to see a C$16 admission fee. My relatives, who are Catholics, said we should skip visiting the cathedral, so we carried on our walk and not too long later we stumbled upon Marie-Reine-du-Monde Basilica, a massive cathedral, aptly situated on Cathedral Street, near the Bonaventure metro station.

Marie-Reine-du-Monde Basilica in Montreal

Curious, we approached the entrance, where a security guard told us there was a service in session and we could sit in, but to be quiet; after it was over we would be free to wander the cathedral.

So we sat down and soon realised the service on June 2 was a memorial for two martyrs, Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter.

The service was delivered in French, but towards the end, my relatives could sort of follow along with the prayers, and even received Communion.

What was most striking about this cathedral was the altar with its twisting columns that reminded me of the one in St Peter's Basilica in Rome that was designed by Bernini. 

And it turns out Marie-Reine-du-Monde Basilica was inspired by St Peter's. The Montreal cathedral was built slowly, from 1870 to 1878, and then 1885 to 1894. When it was consecrated in 1894, it was the largest church in Quebec. Today it is the third-largest in the French-speaking province.

An impressive space full of wonder

After the service was over, we wandered around the cathedral, first lighting a candle for $2 and then walking to the nave, where the elaborate altar is. We also saw a crypt, where bishops and auxilary bishops were laid to rest. 

Outside on the top of the cathedral is a statue of Mary, Queen of the World, who is flanked by the patron saints of 13 parishes of Montreal.

We enjoyed our contemplative visit, and even more so because it was free!

Celebrating Bars with Alcohol-Free Drinks

Mixing alcohol-free drinks using Noa

At the North America's 50 Best Bar awards I didn't sip cocktails, but mocktails.

I tried drinks mixed with Noa, a Canadian alcohol-free gin using botanicals. The sophisticated flavours reminded me of Seedlip, the first non-alcoholic gin I tried when it was launched in Hong Kong in 2018. 

The founder, Ben Branson explained how he took fresh herbs and vegetables and distilled them in an old fashioned distillery using old recipes he found in a leather-bound book and made them into alcohol-free gin.

It's the perfect solution for me when I find myself in a bar and want something other than sparkling water.

Seedlip is meant to be mixed with soda water and other ingredients to create a mocktail, and in some cases with Noa, depending on the "spirit".

According to its website, Noa started in 2014 in Quebec with founder Patrice Plante making non-alcoholic drinks, but it was really around 2019 that he came up with alcohol-free gin, and a line of other "spirits".

We sampled the Italian Aperitif, and Sweet Vermouth. The Italian Aperitif was mixed with some juice and lots of ice cubes, making it refreshing and extremely easy to drink thanks to the aperitif's mandarin juice, rhubarb and caramelised barley sugar flavour.

On the other hand the Sweet Vermouth was served on the rocks (a lot of rocks), with an orange peel rubbed on the rim of the glass before being placed inside the drink. There are notes of caramel, grapes, black currant, and cinnamon with a touch of bitterness.

While Seedlip leaves it up to the mixologist on how they want to use the product, Noa has a line of different "spirits", such as amaretto, dry gin, Italian bitter and Jamaican spiced rum.

Cheers!

Indigenous Art Statement

2000, a totem pole made of golf bags

Yesterday we visited the Vancouver Art Gallery, and one of the exhibitions on now is called Postcards from the Heart: Selections from the Brigitte and Henning Freybe Collection. The Freybes are art collectors who began this expensive hobby in the 1970s, and continue to today.

It's an eclectic mix of artists, the ones shown were mostly Canadian.

Skeleton of a whale made from plastic chairs

One piece was by Brian Jungen called 2000 that he completed in 2007.

At first glance it looks like a totem pole, but upon inspecting it closer, the work is made of golf bags.

Several years ago his work was exhibited at the VAG, where he took everyday objects and turned them into art, from plastic lawn chairs into what looked like the bones of a whale, and taking Nike shoes and making them into striking Indigenous masks.

BC artist Jungen is known for transforming mass-produced commercial goods into sculptures and installations. 

Indigenous mask made from Nike shoes

In 2007 when this piece 2000 was made, Jungen was interested in land-use in Vancouver, particularly where some local Indigenous nations leased their land to golf courses. 

For him, this recalled the Oka Crisis of 1990, where there was a land dispute prompted by the expansion of a golf course on Mohawk territory in Quebec. 

His works are bold, making a strong political statement and at the same time executed flawlessly. Jungen has thought out what he wants to say in his work and makes them into exciting and fantastic art pieces which in a way is ironic in itself.

Los Angeles Wildfires Continue to Rage

Numerous homes have been engulfed by flames in Los Angeles

The shocking images of the fires ravaging Los Angeles are horrifying and tragic. At least five people have died, numerous homes completely destroyed, and over 100,000 people displaced. The biggest fire in Palisades has not been contained, thanks to bone-dry conditions and fast-moving winds.

The growing inferno has spared no one, with the rich and famous helpless as they watch fires engulf their mansions in the prestigious Hollywood area. Actors like James Woods and Mark Hamill were directly impacted, while Steve Gutenberg tried to help direct traffic. 

Video footage from someone inside their home shows raging fires surrounding them, and they don't know what to do; on social media it was reported they managed to escape, but there is no update.

Water bombers from Canada are fighting the fires

While fires are common in Los Angeles, it is not common to see the flames reaching Hollywood Boulevard, where stars plant their hands in slabs of cement on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Chinese Theater. It's crazy to have these fires so close to the city.

Meanwhile, the Getty Museum reported that although some trees and vegetation on the property were burned down, the museum itself was not affected, which is a relief to hear. It houses Getty's collection of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities in a beautiful setting overlooking the city.

If people have not already evacuated, they have been instructed to be ready to leave their homes at a moment's notice. What do you choose to bring with you if you have only minutes to think about it? It's a gut-wrenching situation to be in. Many may have lost their pets that may have run away in fear.

All this is happening while President-elect Donald Trump blames President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom for the wildfires... how is this helpful?

It is not helpful when the water is running out from the fire hydrants, though water bombers and helicopters -- from Quebec and British Columbia -- are trying their best to clamp down on the infernos from above.

So yes -- good neighbours help each other... not threaten to take them over...

Review: Ru with Kim Thuy

Kim Thuy's novel Ru was adapted for the screen in 2023

As part of the Vancouver Writers Fest, this evening had the chance to see Kim Thuy again -- in person and on the big screen! In 2009, her book Ru was published, described as a novel about her impressions of her family fleeing Vietnam as refugees and then making it to Quebec, Canada.

She explained after the film screening of Ru that she wrote about her own memories and did not consult her parents about what happened -- it was how she remembered it. 

Ru became a bestseller, originally in French and then translated into English which got even more people reading the novel.

Thuy was 10 years old when she came to Canada

Before Thuy became a writer she was a restaurateur and one of her regular customers was a man she thought had no friends, and read books, but in fact he was reading scripts. He helped her get her story published and then he bought the rights to turn the book into a film.

The film opens showing 10-year-old Thuy, her first name Tinh, in a wealthy home in Saigon, with her grandmother, parents, two younger brothers and an uncle. Her father was a deputy minister in the government. But Communist soldiers charge into the house, ransacking it, and the family has to leave. 

They flee onto a ship, then a small boat and make it to a refugee camp (in Malaysia, but it's not explained in the film), and from there the family is chosen by the Canadian government to go to Quebec because Thuy's parents can speak French fluently.

But when they arrive, it's in the depths of winter and they've never seen snow before. Thuy later said when they arrived she was overwhelmed by the snow, but also they were very unhealthy, having lived in a refugee camp for months, sleeping next to the open latrines so they had a lot of infections, lice in their hair, diarrhea. 

However, the small town they went to welcomed them with open arms, giving them a reception and paired up families with a sponsor family who helped them get set up rent-free for the first three months, helped them with furniture and integrating into Canadian life.

The family landed in Quebec in 1979

And this, Thuy says, is what makes her so grateful for this sponsor family and everyone, including her first teacher in Quebec, to help her to learn how to be Canadian.

Her parents had a rough time starting over, as her dad began working as a food delivery person for a Chinese restaurant, her mother a seamstress in a clothing factory. 

In one poignant scene, an elderly Vietnamese man who shovels snow tells Tinh that he used to be a judge and nearly had his brains blown out. But when the soldier ran out of bullets, the former judge looked up at the sky and for him it was his ticket to freedom. Which is why he kept asking her about the colour of the sky. 

When the filming began, it was all shot in Montreal and they could not go to Vietnam nor Thailand because of Covid-19. Thuy was named associate producer in the film, but she says she was only given this role so that she could be on set because of pandemic restrictions.

Thuy recalls when she stepped onto the set of the home, she began crying because it brought her back to when she was 10 years old, and made us the audience realise that she still hadn't fully processed her trauma. She said the most emotional scene for her was the car driving along a stretch of road in the snow, which to Thuy says demonstrates how far her family had come, and she found it unbelievable that they had come from Vietnam and were now in Canada.

Thuy (right) is grateful about being in Canada

She also says it was at the age of 50 that she first expressed anger, being in touch with emotions she had repressed for decades because her family had to live with Communist soldiers in the house, so they didn't dare say anything that would incriminate themselves; she was forced at school to denounce her parents and grandparents for playing music, or reading books and such. So it was best to keep quiet about everything.

These days she's very open, emotional, lively and grateful for everything that has happened to her in her life. At the end of the family the post script says her parents retired, and her brothers became an actuary (for Sun Life) and a dentist.

Someone asked what Ru means, and she said in French it's a small stream at the top of a mountain, which eventually becomes a river, while in Vietnamese it means a lullaby, lulling a child to sleep. So to her both words were beautiful images she wanted to convey.

Ru

Directed by Charles-Olivier Michaud

116 minutes

Based on Ru by Kim Thuy

Canada's North is Burning

Wildfires may reach Yellowknife by this weekend

At dinnertime this evening, we watched the TV as government officials in the Northwest Territories tell residents of the capital city Yellowknife that the wildfires that have been burning are fast approaching and that they need to leave the city by Friday.

"The fire now represents a real threat to the city," said Environment Minister Shane Thompson, adding the wildfire could reach the outskirts of the city by the weekend. He said it was currently 17km away.

Mayor Alty telling people to leave by car or plane

The unprecedented evacuation affects 22,000 residents, while Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty, said there would be planes arranged to take people out while the only road out was open -- but warned people needed to have a full tank of gas to drive out. Most people are driving to Edmonton.

"The window of opportunity right now is going to allow us to evacuate everybody safely," Thompson said, adding, "we need you to do it now," because the fire threatens both air and road access.

Residents were also told not to leave by boat or shelter in a cabin or island on Great Slave Lake, as officials explained the air quality would not be good. In other words, everyone had to leave.

NWT Premier Caroline Cochrane called the situation unprecedented. "There's no other way to describe it," she said.

People driving out of Yellowknife to Alberta

Never in my lifetime did I ever think Canada's north would be on fire and tens of thousands of people would have to evacuate.

But after seeing the devastation in Lahaina in Maui, and the wildfires in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia, it seems we were warned about climate change but nothing substantial was done to mitigate it.

Will the planet spare us or will we see more death and destruction soon? 

Asian Supermarket Chain Goes South

T&T is opening its first store near Seattle next summer

People in Bellevue, Washington State who like to eat Asian food are excited to hear that T&T Supermarket will be opening its first American outlet next summer. 

The Vancouver-based supermarket was started by Taiwanese businesswoman Cindy Lee in 1993 -- 30 years ago -- and it's the largest Asian supermarket chain in Canada with locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario.

Now it's opening its first store near Seattle.

Lots of fresh produce at good prices at T&T

"It feels like a big step because it's a new country," said Lee's daughter Tina, who is the CEO. She added they have noticed a significant number of shoppers from the US at their Richmond stores, particularly during American long weekends.

What's not to like about T&T? It stocks fresh vegetables and fruits at lower prices compared to other supermarkets, and has every kind of Asian chips, candies, drinks and other snacks you can think of, as well as fresh meats and seafood, cooked food, household items and even skincare products.

Experts say bringing T&T across the border near Seattle is a good strategic move to see if it can expand even further.

"They are moving into a new market. However, Seattle is fairly low risk for them, the cultures are fairly similar to Vancouver and the demographic makeup is fairly similar," said Jarrett Vaughan, adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business.

CEO Lee, daughter of the founder

"What they've done really well is they've understood their customers extremely well," he said. "They know who their target customer is and they've been able to cater to them really well."

The company is also setting up a regional office in the greater Los Angeles area, home to the biggest port in the United States, as CEO Lee says there are plans to open more stores south of the border.

Ever wondered what T&T stands for? Tina and Tiffany, Cindy Lee's two daughters, and the initials of two early investors.

Picture of the Day: Eerie Yellow Skies

New York City blanketed with smog from wildfires in Canada

The wildfires that suddenly ravaged Nova Scotia last week are coming under control thanks to lots of rain over the weekend. However there are some 150 wildfires in Quebec, and the the result has led to smoke drifting south to the eastern United States.

The skies in New York for example were particularly hazy and smoky, which has resulted in the city's air quality index to be 218, or "very unhealthy" at one point, according to the IQ World Air Quality Index.

Beijing dust storm in 2010

It is currently at 173, which is still "unhealthy", though it is on par with Kuwait at 165 and Baghdad at 155.

The pictures of the yellow skies in the Big Apple remind me of the time I woke up one weekend in Beijing to see the sky was yellow.

Everything outside looked yellow. I wondered if there was something wrong with my eyes, or aliens had landed.

Then after a while, the wind blew the dust away and gradually the skies became blue again.

It was the most bizarre experience. 

Chinese Police Stations Shut Down in Canada

One of the alleged police stations in Markham, Ontario

Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief now that the RCMP has shut down the Chinese police stations that were in British Colombia, Quebec and Ontario -- but did not make any arrests.

This latest news follows the expulsion of Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei for allegedly targeting at least two federal politicians for intimidation because of their pro-democracy stance on China.

Mendicino said the RCMP shut down the stations

In April, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told a parliamentary committee the federal police force had taken decisive action to close down the alleged stations.

According to Spain-based human rights watchdog group Safeguard Defenders, these police stations monitor Chinese nationals and persuade those who have been suspected of committing crimes to return to China to face charges.

However, the Chinese embassy denies this claim, saying the stations provide Chinese nationals with assistance to things like renewing driver's licenses. 

Last fall the RCMP began probing the alleged police stations in the Greater Toronto Area, and then by mid-March it announced it was also looking into reports of stations in Vancouver and Montreal.

The RCMP later told a Canadian news outlet that some of the activity it's investigating "is occurring at locations where other legitimate services to the Chinese Canadian Community are being offered."

An alleged station in Montreal, no arrests made

In other words, the stations were irrelevant.

The RCMP says it continues to investigate "transnational repression activity, and those responsible for transnational repression, to ensure Chinese and other Canadians are safe from foreign influence."

Now if only the Canadian government finally get its act together and hold some kind of inquiry into foreign interference to really clear the air...