Back to Bourdain

As parasocial relationships are all the rage these days, let me take you back to my buddy Bourdain (!) for the low-down on one of his favourite foods, and mine, pho.

Before we start talking pho though, let's talk about how to properly pronounce it.

Fuh.

That's right. You heard me. Or maybe you didn't.

Now that we're on the same page, linguistically speaking at the very least, let's get our pho on and find out what it is that makes Tony and I cuckoo for cocoa puffs.  

 "Early warning sings of great things to come: I got my lime... chunks, got my chili paste, tissue box, very important... this is where the food porn really is, okay?"  

Well okay then Anthony... glad to hear you're "quivering with desire."

Ahem. 

"A textural Disneyland" indeed!

While I may not be able to go on a tour of Vietnam to find the best pho I can do the next best thing and go on a tour of Gatineau and Ottawa to try and find the same.

Or not.

While I had some decent pho in Ottawa at Cafe Indochine, in the Byward Market, and some very quite good pho at Pho Bo Ga 777 in Gatineau, the best pho I've had in the Outaouais was actually at yours truly's. 

This time I know you heard me!

While my version of pho is far from traditional (for starters, I use linguini instead of rice vermicelli) it is very close to deee-luscious.

I start by warming a little chopped onion and garlic on canola oil before adding equal quantities of organic chicken and beef broth. Next, I add a couple of star anise as well as the 4 C's (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and coriander) and some fennel, sugar, salt and pepper. 

Once the broth has come to a boil and simmered for as long as you can handle it (the smell is beguiling!) prepare a big bowl with cooked noodles (linguini in my case) and raw, thinly sliced beef. 

Add piping hot broth and stir.

On a side plate, prepare some chunks of lime, Thai basil (the smell is also beguiling) and bean sprouts. Dress your bowl with a little of each and add as much chili paste (Sriracha in my case) as you can handle.

Now you understand why the tissue box is so important.

While I absolutely love traditional pho, and would kill for jump for the opportunity to try it in its native homeland, I can't actually recreate it at home. 

So instead of recreating it, I've reinvented it.

Let me know what you think Anthony! 

PS. For Bourdain's take on Quebec cuisine, scroll down here and check out what he has to say about being food%#&@ed (ahem) by chefs Martin Picard, David McMillan and Frederic Morin... food porn indeed!

Friday five

I had the great pleasure of visiting a mecca of Asian food yesterday: T & T. For those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure of shopping at T & T, the country's largest Asian supermarket, let me explain: aisles and aisles of rice, noodles and hot sauces, the freshest produce around and of course, assorted guts!

Today's Friday five is all about my favourite Asian foods (and assorted guts, by the way, is most definitely not one of them). 

In fifth place is bibimbap, the Korean dish made with rice, vegetables, meat and an egg. I first tried bibimbap when I lived in Toronto and worked for a delightful Korean couple. They would always make sure to feed me after a particularly hard day of work and I shared many a delicious Asian meal with them. 

Thai food or anything cooked with coconut milk comes in fourth. I first tried Thai food in Thailand (lucky me) and absolutely love the combination of basil, hot sauce and coconut milk.

In third place is dim sum, the Cantonese specialty consisting of small, individually prepared dishes, including lots of steamed dumplings. Literally meaning "to touch your heart" dim sum is a great way to start a Sunday (as well as a great post night out cure). 

Pho soup is literally like chicken (or beef) soup for the soul. Delightfully flavoured with cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and star anise and full of rice noodles, bean sprouts and basil, its is the best thing to eat when you're feeling under the weather (or the weather just isn't cooperating). 

First place comes as no surprise to anyone (who knows me) and is, of course, SUSHI. Actually it's sashimi and salmon sashimi specifically. While eating raw slices of salmon doesn't float everyone's boat it is literally my absolute favourite thing in the world.  

Next to hot dogs.