Following on the release of their cookbook Remember Skin Contact? on March 30, the Montreal restaurant Elena has released a second cookbook that features 27 recipes from some of the best restaurants in Montreal. It's called Elena and Friends: A Tight-Knit (But Socially Distanced) Community Cookbook.
For $18, gastronomes and curious home cooks are encouraged to buy a copy of the digital cookbook that features the likes of Fred Morin (Joe Beef & McKiernan Luncheonette), Emma Cardarelli (Nora Gray), Charles-Antoine Crête (Montréal Plaza), Derek Dammann (Maison Publique), Marc-Olivier Frappier (Mon Lapin) and Dyan Solomon (Olive et Gourmando). All proceeds from the sales of the cookbook go to the Montreal Restaurant Workers Relief Fund—a donation-based emergency fun that's the first and current focus on Time In Montreal's Love Local campaign.
The book covers days and days' worth of feasts, starting with recipes like a sourdough starter from Elena and shakshouka from Arthurs Nosh Bar for breakfast; a classic cheese curd grilled sandwich from McKiernan Luncheonette, latkes from Hof Kelsten or a coconut curry shrimp roll from La Réservoir for lunch; cocktails from Marconi, Elena and Bar Henrietta for a midday apéro; dinner's covered by recipes for things like Beba's beef empanadas, fried Brussels sprouts from Montréal Plaza, honey and fennel sausage from Maison Publique or how-to's on preserves from John Winter Russell at Candide; sweetly rounded out with ice cream sammies from Dalla Rose, a grapefruit and bitters cake from Pâtisserie Rhubarbe and pantry cake from Elena.
“We asked our restaurant friends to share simple, fun and comforting recipes that would mimic what it felt like to dine out in the city back in the olden days (circa February 2020),” writes the book's author Stephanie Mercier Voyer.
It's an amazing collection of the city's best chefs, bartenders and proprietors that can tide us over until we can comfortably (and safely) sit down in our favourite bars and restaurants in Montreal. It's all the more welcome at a time when our virus-soaked newsfeeds are seriously lacking in concerted, collected efforts to help Montrealers pass the time and learn a thing or two while they're at it.
For now, the book is only available in English, but plans to release a French version is already in the works with words by Éléonore Schreiber; "everyone who purchased the English version will be emailed a link to download the French version free of charge," reads the books' release.
Buy a copy of the cookbook here!
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Donate to the Montreal Restaurant Workers Relief Fund here!
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