Montreal rocks

I love Montreal.
OK - so it's my home town - but that's irrelevant.
Condé Nast Traveler also seems to love Montreal. The latest issue of the magazine has great articles on the major cities in Canada.
But the one on Montreal just bursts with enthusiasm.
"The city is nirvana for the orally obsessed, with an embarrassment of riches—from pungent raw-milk cheeses and gravy-soaked poutine to dainty artisanal chocolates and rare whiskeys. Here, three days and three approaches—hip, decadent, and classic—to this epicurean city," reads the intro to the piece.
It's amazing how Montrealers take good food for granted. Unlike most North American cities, it's so easy to stay away from processed fast food.

Two out of three ain't bad

The new 2007 Michelin French guide has been released and two Parisian restos have lost one of their three stars.

Both Le Cinq and Taillevent, the Paris restaurant that held three Michelin stars for 34 years, have been demoted.

Although there have been grumblings of rebellion in the food industry against the ratings system which began in the '30s, for the most part gaining the elusive stars is an obsession with chefs and owners.

So losing one is a big deal.

But according to this article in the International Herald Tribune, Jean-Claude Vrinat, the owner and chief executive of Taillevent, said: "What surprises me is that in the past year we've received 614 unsolicited letters of congratulations from customers and only four complaints. I'm not discouraged. Sometimes a kick in the behind is a good motivator."

That's the spirit!

Flavours of the Yucatecan

If you're planning a trip to the Riviera Maya, Mexico there's a neat one-day course that is now being offered by the 29-room luxury Esencia Resort.

Adults and children can now take cooking lessons from celebrated Chef Alejandro Rojas of Four Seasons and James Beard House fame.

As Executive Chef of Sal y Fuego, the resort's signature restaurant highlighting Meso-American cuisine, Chef Rojas promises to teach you the finer points of botanas, Yucatecan appetizers, and the secrets of tasty salsas.

Foodies can take the $100 one-day executive chef course.

"Adults assume the task of preparing a six-course traditional Mexican meal. Chef Alejandro shares his tips on how to properly treat ingredients with love and respect. First, chefs prepare botanas like empanadas or ceviche. Next, soups, salsas and moles (Mexican sauces) are prepared. Entrees often include Chile Relleno (stuffed chiles), and Tikin Xic Fish (Yucatecan baked fish). Each lesson ends with dessert. To accompany the meal, chefs will learn how to make Esencia's signature cocktail, Caribeña, inspired by the tropical flavors of the Caribbean," reads the press release.

The Esencia Resort is Llocated in Playa Xpu-Ha, Mexico on a two-mile stretch of fine white sand beach, 46 miles south of Cancun.