Breakfast As Therapy

I look over my blog entries and notice that the amount of entries posted is directly related to circumstances of day to day life. For example, the last week or so has been a series of frustrations regarding broken furnaces, bursting pipes and the insuing frustrations of tenants. Put simply, it's been a rough and very expensive week. But once the heat was back on and the water was flowing through the pipes, I started cooking again.

For some, cooking is frustrating. The coordination of various processes which need to be timed so that everything comes out at the same time can be demanding. But for me it's like meditating. It demands my attention and creativity and plunges me into a set of steps which allow the outside world to melt away for 30 minutes. It's methodical. It's skill. It's an escape. And the best time for this is early in the morning before another day of work starts.

When craving something sweet in the morning, there's absolutely nothing that can beat crepes. Their chewy yet smooth, buttery texture is simple bliss. I bought some molasses last time I went to the grocery store. The rich, almost burnt taste of the molasses poured lightly on top of the crepes is pure indulgence. With regards to the recent events, I'd even say that it's a deserved indulgence.

Also in the line of indulgences comes the farmer's market. What you see above are poached eggs, apple sausage that tastes slightly of cinnamon and a slew of other spices, madawaska cheese, and heavy German multigrain rye bread. Along with a strong cup of coffee and a sweet glass of orange juice, the day is off to a great start. And the fact that I don't have to melt snow in order to clean the dishes is an even greater start to the day. It's really incredible how dependant we are on luxuries such as running water and electricity.

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast

As always, we picked up a few things at the Farmer's Market. This time the menu was all-French. And I mean European French, French.

There's this French vendor, Ferme du diamant, who sells all sorts of specialty meat products. He's got veal, veal cutlets, smoked duck, foie gras, a whole selection of terrines, and the most delicious sausages I've ever had. Now I'm not usually a huge fan of sausages. It's all the stuff they put inside it which is mostly preservatives, fat and salt. But mention any hot dog or mainstream sausage and you've just started this vendor off on a rant about how gross food can be made. His animals are properly raised and his products are full of nothing but real, untampered food. In the above photo you can see the veal sausage with cheese and parsley that I bought from him for this particular breakfast alongside a healthy little dollop of grainy mustard. A few weeks ago I also bought a wild boar terrine and another Landais county pate with cognac which were both magnificent. Though both of these contain liver, I don't find it gross because I know the liver was put in there on purpose and is not just some remains that were floating around the blood covered floor of a slaughterhouse. If ever you're in Dieppe, New Brunswick, you must visite the Ferme du diamant's booth. If you already live in the Dieppe and Moncton area then I suggest you pull yourself away from your computer and sample the delicious local product that is NOT featured at your local supermarket. Farmer's market. Not super-market.

Right beside the abovementioned booth, there is a small Belgian lady who sells these beautiful goat's cheeses. We sampled a few which were all very delicious but finally opted for what I think is the Madawaska cheese. It's a very creamy, almost liquid cheese, wrapped in a beautiful crust and perfect for this little breakfast dégustation on a bit of Montreal style bagel. We went back today and bought an even bigger wheel. Good food is hard to find so when you find it you make sure to support it. And everyone at a Farmer's market is worth supporting. They're locals with a passion for their products. There is pride there that can't be matched by the highly advertised and unethically produced food you find at the grocery stores. The present is the best time to emerge from your suburban bubble.