February's Contest: My Favourite Winter Comfort Foods
Note: Although recently posted, this article was originally posted in February 2025, and is now being translated verbatim, as part of the this site's bilingual overhaul.
Apart from shoveling snow, power outages, and slippery roads, three or four months of the year, we live in a picturesque snow-covered paradise. It's incredibly relaxing to enjoy a comforting seasonal meal, sometimes by the fire, while watching the snow fall outside the window.
François and I love cooking together. Others watch us and marvel at how we move around each other, discussing ingredients, tasting, and preapring. He is vegan, and although I haven't cooked meat at home for a few months, we used to prepare everything together, except for the protein, and add it at the end. Today, we usually prepare the same thing from start to finish.
One of our favorite winter dishes is Jamaican stew, usually made with pumpkin and/or squash, served with a spicy Caribbean coleslaw with mango and fresh chili peppers. Sometimes we add rice and beans. Soups are a must for us and the kids, and among our favorites are ramen and ramyun, Thai soups, Finnish salmon soup, pho, and Polish pickle soup. I have a few favorite bread recipes, and this time of year is my favorite for baking treats for my loved ones, whether they are inside or outside my home.
Speaking of outside our home, here are our favorite restaurants and meals in the area to enjoy seasonal comfort or to escape winter altogether. (You may have read the article I wrote about this a little over a year ago for Brome County News, but I assure you it's worth repeating).
Bromont:
Babar is the place to go if you want to completely forget that winter exists outside. Its lush, impeccably designed, and warmly lit interior is home to a menu of delicious Lebanese dishes. We love the charcoal-grilled halloumi with fennel, celery, dates, honey, yogurt, and Aleppo peppers; the Brussels sprouts with maple syrup, raisins, walnuts, and mint yogurt; the cauliflower, mujaddara, and jumbo shrimp. I'm also a fan of the Sumac Collins mocktail.
Bedford:
The ambiance La Cantina Tacos & Tattoos is amazing ! When it comes to Mexican flavors and textures, their cuisine is unmatched in the region. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and we've always had fantastic experiences, whether eating in or ordering takeout.
Dunham:
I am in recovery, and as you get to know me and read my posts, you will notice that I will never deliberately promote alcoholic products in the region. I am sure that the industry will not suffer in the slightest from my failure to mention it in my humble blog because, apart from skiing, it tends to be the main tourist attraction in the region. That said, the following place was my favorite brewery when I was drinking alcohol, and I worked there for over two years, even though I no longer consumed their beer at the time.
La Brasserie Dunham undoubtedly offers the best cheeseburger in the area and probably the best fries too. (Feel free to let me know if you've found something better, and I'll rush over to try it out based on your recommendation). If pot-au-feu is on the menu when you visit, it's also an option not to be missed! Aside from the food, I love the warm, secluded atmosphere of this pub during the winter months. The two dining rooms overlook the snow-covered terrace outside, with its hanging lights and old wooden panels.
The exposed brick, garage door-style windows, artwork by Simon Bossé and other local artists, ceramic mosaic fragments by Élisabeth Gauthier, and tables made from recycled barrel wood create the perfect rustic ambiance. Keep an eye out for karaoke nights, art openings, and other events.
Magog:
L'Alessa Trattoria is one of our favorite places to spend a romantic evening, no matter what time of year it is. The contrast between the snow-covered village outside and the urban, sophisticated decor inside makes it a unique experience in winter. François loves their wood-fired pizza (without cheese for him!) and my favorite dish is orecchiette with spicy Italian sausage and rapini.
Cowansville:
Our favourite restaurant in the region (and I may have actually served you there!) is Sauce Prune. No one in the region combines flavors like owner and chef Félix Parenteau, who prioritizes organic ingredients and the highest quality components available in the region, cooking with pasture-raised meat, wild mushrooms, and flavorful Asian greens. The menu changes weekly, as do the prepared dishes sold in the refrigerator, perfect for reheating at home on cold winter evenings. Want to make dumplings or wontons at home? Sauce Prune prepares and freezes them for you, with a wide assortment of fillings. Feel like cooking from scratch? You can also do your Asian grocery shopping here, with a selection of sauces, noodles, vinegars, mochi, tapioca pearls, rice, pasta, and much more. If you can make it there from Thursday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., take a seat at the counter and get ready for a treat unlike any other in the region and perhaps even beyond.
Sauce Prune and its beloved creator will soon have their own blog post, but today, I want to give you a chance to try it for the first time or come back for more, and I'm picking up the tab. For this month's contest, I'm giving away a $50 gift certificate that can be spent on lunch, dumplings, prepared meals, groceries, or any combination thereof.
How to enter :
What is your favorite comfort food in winter, whether you cook it at home or buy it at a local restaurant? Send me a photo on Les Cantons before midnight on March 1, and on March 3, I will announce the finalists so that the winner can be chosen on March 6.
