Strawberries and raspberries to extend summer in Quebec
Strawberries and raspberries to extend summer in Quebec
Quebec's strawberry and raspberry producers are launching a new event, La Prolongation, to extend the summer. The objective is to celebrate the fall harvest of local berries, which has doubled in the last decade.
For the occasion, 60 renowned chefs from througout Quebec will highlight berries on their menus until Oct. 5 and share their recipes on laprolongation.com.
"What's better than our autumn berries, vibrant colours and fresh taste to transcend life's sweetness,” DJ Abeille Gélinas, a spokesperson for the event, said in a press release. “I often see amazing chefs using these delicious berries in their cuisine. Being myself an adept of local flavours, I am thrilled by La Prolongation, an event that will dazzle your eyes and taste buds.
Laurent Godbout, Guillaume Cantin, Patrice Demers, Derek Dammann, Jérome Ferrer, Anne Desjardins, Martin Juneau, Marc-André Royal and Kimberly Lallouz are just some of the many chefs share their favourite recipes. Beyond traditional desserts, some chefs compete with audacity, such as Jean-François Méthot of the bistro Le Coureur des Bois in Beloeil with his fall strawberry soup with white Farnham and white chocolate quenelle. Sébastien Houle of sEb l'Artisan Culinaire in Tremblant will feature his Îles de la Madeleine scallops carpaccio and Quebec strawberries salsa with yuzu and Espelette pepper.
"Today, thanks to the innovations of Quebec producers, 190 of them grow different varieties of tasty strawberries, such as the Seascape, Albion, Monterrey, San Andreas and the Pathfinder raspberry,” David Lemire, producer of Mauricie strawberries and president of the Association of Quebec Producers of Strawberries and Raspberries, said in the press release. “The quality of these fruits is exceptional and the prices are also very attractive for consumers.
Through the hashtag #laprolongation, foodies and chefs are invited to share their meal photos. Also, to incite more consumers to reproduce the chefs' recipes, grocery stores IGA, Metro and Provigo/Loblaw will offer specials on the strawberries, which will be available until the first frosts in all of their grocery stores.
Additionally, Les Produits d'érable du Québec, in collaboration with the APFFQ, will offer contests throughout the month.
