From Boreal berries to bush tucker spices: cultivating a forest-inspired kitchen garden. My little Boreal forest "props" in pots • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio I have always been enchanted by forests, even when they frightened me. As a child and teenager, the woods were a playground. Later, as a young adult, my friends and I were “outdoor freaks,” camping and hiking in the mountains almost every weekend. From Québec to the western provinces, those adventures remain u

If you sometimes enjoy making homemade poutine but also want to indulge in guilt-free healthy greens, you'll love this recipe! Green poutine au gratin to share • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2022 What do Québécois expats do when they crave a poutine and can’t get the squeaky cheese to make one at home? They will sometimes go for the poutine au gratin  (grated cheese) option. Many will top their poutine with pulled pork, bacon or other meat, but nah, to me poutine

From molasses to golden syrup, here is my Aussie version of Canadian Bear Paws soft cookies! I wanted to make some “Pattes d’Ours” (bear...

Discover Québec sugaring season and all the sweet facts behind pure maple syrup! Rustic maple shack in Varennes • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2023 Produced throughout the eastern woodlands of North America, maple syrup is one of Canada’s most iconic native foods, exported worldwide. Indigenous peoples were the first to harvest the sweet sap of maple trees and later taught the process to early settlers. The region where I grew up, the Appalachian Mountains of Québec

This blueberry version of Pouding Chômeur is sure to brighten up a gloomy day! A pudding cake is a simple recipe and only requires staple...

Whether harvested from the wild, cultivated in a garden, or purchased at the market, these four woodland native berries are sure to bring...

A simple and classic holiday treat from Québec that never fails to bring joy and laughter! Pets de soeurs • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2021 Okay... let's just start with the words "pets de soeurs". It means nuns' farts. Don't worry; they smell and taste pretty good! This is another funny French Canadian dish named with a vague origin. Most sources say that Québec and Acadian nuns used to prepare them with leftover pie dough. When the classic " tourtières " (meat p

Enjoy the rich pork belly taste with a perfect blend of festive and seasonal flavours. Pork belly is a very popular cut of fatty pork in...

Poached in boiled water and honey, sprinkled with sesame and poppy seeds, here's the story about a Montreal-style bagel recipe adapted...

The story of a Québécoise bringing the “épluchette” tradition to her backyard in Oz. Homegrown bicolour sweet corn • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2022 In my previous article "Corn Épluchette" , I shared about the Québec traditional corn on the cob gatherings and the delicious bicolour variety we bought from farm road stalls at the end of the season . Cornfields are everywhere in Québec, especially where I lived as a teenager on the flat lands of Montréal’s South Sho

A variation of the humble Québec-style shepherd’s pie with freshly harvested vegetables. A shepherd's pie is an old and typical dish to...

A twisted version of a Bloody Mary cocktail with gin, bush spices and festive garden garnishes. A Bloody Mary cocktail is generally made...

A recipe with miniature eggs and buns, inspired by the Québec traditional "guédilles". A Québec-style guédille is a roll with a grilled...

Here’s what is special about Montreal bagels, their distinct taste, cooking process, and history. Having lived 15 years of my adult life...

Bringing the Canadian sugar shack tradition to Australia: a Snowy Foodie winter mission! Maple taffy on snow in Australia • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2020 Yes, it is snowing in some regions of Australia in winter! In June, July and August, white flake days always bring great excitement to people here. I find it funny as I grew up in a Québec region “where snow was invented” (folks say). Sometimes we could not see anything from the window as the snow was piled up s

A taste of Canada and Australia in one little stewpot! What makes this braised meat stew unique to us is the fusion of flavours of both...

Québec’s unique traditional meat spread, an essential element for a Sugar Shack-style brunch! Pork cretons homemade in Australia with...

A Québec traditional pudding cake made with love and maple syrup. Pouding Chômeur dessert • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2020 Pouding Chômeur (unemployed pudding cake) was created during the Great Depression in Québec. This recipe has different variations, and the original and most affordable ones are made with flour, butter, egg, milk and brown sugar. It is sooo delicious, and the best ones are definitely made with pure maple syrup , and always served in sugar shack

Discover the Québec tourtières , an ancestral meat pie dish always found on our holiday tables . A classic festive "tourtières" with tomato ketchup • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2024 To smell and taste the distinct flavour of traditional Québec tourtières is something that brings Québécois expatriates all over the world straight back home, filled with memories. What always comes to my mind is a white Christmas, my family, and our holiday buffets where meat pies wer

A wholesome, quick, and meat-free version of the old Canadian lumberjack favourite . Homemade pea soup • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2021 Here is a soup recipe inspired by a traditional, nourishing dish that sustained the first French Canadian settlers during the early years of colonisation. Today, this soup is most often served at sugar (maple) shack brunches, though many still enjoy preparing these old, comforting recipes at home. Made with yellow split peas, its