Summer 2023 trip :
Montréal and Québec and Itinerary from Parc du Bic to Parc Jacques Cartier
New-York
1) Introduction to the trip: the triggering event
Let me introduce myself, my name is Pascal, and I have one of my sons who is studying Robotics. As part of his studies, he has the opportunity to do an internship from June to September 2023 in Montreal.
I thought it would be a great opportunity for my wife, daughter, and I to visit him there.
2) Choosing the dates : August and September 2023
After finding my son in Montreal, I decided to stay a bit longer on this continent to visit an essential city in the United States: New York.
The visit to New York will be done alone, as my wife and daughter have commitments (work and studies) that I do not have.
In order to visit these cities, it is necessary to think about accommodation, and for that, I have come up with a solution to be hosted by arranging an original exchange;
This is a culinary/accommodation exchange, where I would like to propose the following arrangement to American families:
- One-night homestay in exchange for a dessert prepared in a family's home:
I can make this dessert on my own or with those who will host me and wish to learn how to make it.
I will prepare this recipe in the evening, and it will be possible to enjoy it after dinner. As a bonus, I will offer a kitchen apron. - Second-night homestay in the same family. In this case, I will prepare a specialty from Bordeaux, the Canelés.
In addition to all of this, I will also offer you two copper molds specially used for canelés.
Before delving deeper into the organization of this trip, let's take a moment to discuss the recipes that I could offer you.
3.1) 1-night homestay: a dessert and a first apron offered
Here are the desserts from which the host family can make a selection.
Alsatian Pear Tart : The history of Alsatian Pear Tart is closely linked to the fruit-growing culture of the region. Alsace is renowned for its abundant orchards, especially its pear trees. Over the years, Alsatian farmers have cultivated various pear varieties, providing an abundance of fruits for use in local pastries.
Floating islands : a classic French dessert made with custard, whipped egg whites, and caramel.
Tarte Tatin : an iconic French dessert originating from the Val de Loire region
Made with apples cooked in butter and sugar, covered with puff pastry and baked in the oven.
Parisian Flan : Traditional French pastry originating from the Paris region.
It is a dessert made of a shortcrust pastry filled with a custard made of milk, eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. The custard has a firm and smooth texture, while the shortcrust pastry is crispy. The main ingredients of the recipe are the shortcrust pastry, milk, eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla.
Norman apple tart : Culinary specialty originating from Normandy in France.
It is a tart composed of a shortcrust pastry filled with sliced apples and a mixture of crème fraîche, sugar, eggs, and calvados (an apple brandy typical of the Normandy region). The texture of the tart is soft and slightly melting, with a pronounced apple flavor and a note of alcohol from the calvados.
The main ingredients of the recipe are shortcrust pastry, apples, crème fraîche, sugar, eggs, and calvados.
Plum tart: The plum tart, also known as "Zwetschgenkuchen" in Alsace, is particularly associated with the town of Saverne, located in the Bas-Rhin department of Alsace, France.
The original history of the plum tart dates back several centuries. Plums were abundant in the Alsace region, and the locals quickly found ways to incorporate them into their recipes. The plum tart became a traditional and iconic dessert of Alsatian cuisine.
Fig tart:
The fig tart, originating from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France, is particularly associated with the city of Aix-en-Provence.
The original history of the fig tart dates back to the Roman era when fig cultivation was widespread in the Mediterranean region.
Aix-en-Provence, with its sunny climate conducive to fig tree cultivation, became an important production hub for figs.
Far Breton: The Far Breton, originating from Brittany in France, is particularly associated with the city of Rennes.
The original history of Far Breton dates back to the 18th century in Brittany. At that time, the far was a simple and economical dish prepared with buckwheat flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and prunes. The prunes were often soaked in rum to give them a unique flavor.
The city of Rennes, as the capital of the Brittany region, played an important role in popularizing Far Breton. The people of Rennes and the surrounding areas incorporated this delicious dessert into their daily cuisine, and it quickly became a symbol of Breton gastronomy.
3.2) 2nd night homestay: Canelés and 1 copper mold offered.
The canelés of Bordeaux are emblematic pastries from the city of Bordeaux, France. Their history dates back to the 18th century.
Originally, canelés were prepared by the nuns of the Annonciades convent, located in the Sainte-Croix neighborhood of Bordeaux.
To avoid wasting the egg yolks, they began mixing them with flour, sugar, milk, and vanilla, and baking the mixture in greased copper molds using beeswax.
That's how the first canelés came to be.
If you agree to accommodate me for two consecutive nights, I will make canelés for you on the second evening, with a limit of 2 per person present.
I will offer you one copper mold for a better baking of these canelés. You are free to acquire other molds if you find that the baking is different
Initially, canelés were called "canelats" due to their characteristic cylindrical shape. The name "canelé" appeared later, probably due to the caramelization of sugar that forms on the surface of the pastry during baking, giving it a brown color and caramelized flavor.
Today, canelés are enjoyed worldwide. They have a crispy exterior, a moist interior, a vanilla flavor, and a hint of rum. Traditionally, they are baked in copper molds, but silicone molds are also available for more convenient home baking.
3.3) The culinary expenses for the desserts (1 night or 2 nights)
I will take care of purchasing the ingredients necessary for a dessert, up to 8 people.
This applies to both one-night and two-night accommodations.
If a dessert includes alcohol, it will be the responsibility of the host family to provide it.
The host family agrees not to have more than 8 guests for the desserts I will prepare.
To know the required ingredient quantities, simply click on the dessert image.
4) Exchange: cooking/homestay
This choice was motivated by multiple reasons:
- The first reason is human; when visiting a country, it's also the people who live there that one wants to discover. At least, that's the case for me, and I hope to be able to share this experience with you during our exchange.
- If I offer to cook a dessert, it's because French cuisine is preceded by a good reputation. We won't discuss all our other qualities or flaws and we'll focus on one of the most beautiful things that I will try to introduce you to. It's important to know that I'm not a chef, but I have the advantage of regularly cooking the desserts I will propose to you, and I want to share them to the best of my abilities.
- If I have chosen these dates, it's not necessarily by preference, but rather because my wife, who works as an operating room nurse, is obliged to take her leave in the summer.
- I won't be able to bring food products with me, which is why you will need to have chosen the recipes for which I am providing the ingredients (and later the quantities once you have informed me of the number of people who will be present for the meals). I am, of course, willing to contribute within reason if you provide me with receipts for your purchases.
I have offered up to two days in each family, and I am aware that it's quite a lot; for the families that will host me for more than two nights, you should know that I will go beyond those two recipes by providing you with a second apron as a keepsake from a young Frenchman passing through your city.
It is obviously not mandatory for all members of a family to be interested in this exchange, and I will not take offense. I have also considered that some people may be allergic to certain products. So, if you click on each of the images, a window should appear and give you the list of ingredients needed to make it. So, please take this important criterion into account in the choice you will make.
Important: We don't have a monopoly on cakes, and if you have a specialty, whether it's from New York or another state, from your mother or your grandmother, feel free to share that recipe in case I stay for more than one day. For just one day, it might be challenging to do so.
5) How did I contact you and how can you contact us?
I have looked for associations of retirees who engage in various activities. Why retirees? Simply because it will be easier for you to meet up, go shopping with me (no obligations), and also to prepare this or these desserts.
I approached two different associations, hoping to increase the chances of them agreeing to share this exchange with their members. This means that you may be in competition with members from your own association as well as members from the other association.
To contact me, I have created an email specifically for this exchange: f(rench) c(ulinary) a(mbassador) : fca-pascal@bories.eu
6) How to book one, two, or three days?
First and foremost, it's important to note that I've only included this option in the English language, even though I'm aware of the strong French community in New York, and we know why! Once you've registered, you'll need to switch to the English version by selecting the city of New York, and then the schedule. Below, I provide a detailed breakdown of the steps you need to follow to offer me accommodation:
- First, you need to be registered on this website and have validated your registration with an email that you will receive after signing up.
- I regularly check this website, and for each new subscriber, I grant access rights that will allow you to view my schedule in order to reserve one or two days.
- Please note, there won't be an email sent when the rights are granted. It's up to you to visit the link of this New York website and click on the Schedule New York's agenda. After that, you just need to click on one of the available buttons Provide Homestay between August 31st and September 8th.
Important: If you don't see an agenda, it means you haven't registered or logged in. - Then, simply go to the New York schedule and click on one of the available buttons between August 31th and September 9th.
Attention: If you do not see a schedule, it means you have not registered or logged in. - It is possible to select a day even if someone else has already done so. In case of cancellation for accommodation, your application will become active. In that case, I will contact you via email to inform you that you will have the pleasure of hosting me.
7) Taking COVID very seriously
It should be noted that I have taken this virus very seriously and have taken vaccines to fight against it (5 doses in my case). I propose that during our meetings, we do not fall into paranoia by wearing masks, for example. However, we will maintain our distance and will not hug each other at the end of our meetings, even if I hope we will have formed good friendships.
8) Your turn to take action
I have been very talkative, and I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with all these explanations. Families who are interested in this exchange can write to me, and as soon as I have specific dates based on the airplane or train tickets (Montreal - Washington) and finally the airplane ticket (Washington - Bordeaux), I will keep you informed.
Signed, Pascal BORIES