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This aired 5 months before Anthony Bourdain's show. Andrew visits the multi-cultural city of Montreal and eats duck livers and horse-heart tartar. Andrew digs into the culture and traditional dishes that represent the city's heritage and modern chefs with food-forward ideas. http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/bizarre-foods/episodes/montreal [video=youtube;PmYcZ0-LWeE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmYcZ0-LWeE

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/smartertravel/10-most-fattening-foods-i_b_5107205.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063<header style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> You might think that the United States, with its super-sized portions, absurdly high obesity rate, and uniquely American innovations like the Doritos Locos Taco, is home to the world's most fattening foods. But you'd be wrong! Our national dishes have nothing on these artery-clogging bad boys from around the world. Here are 10 of the most decadent foods you'll find in other countries. </header>Acaraje, Brazil You know what's really not great for you? Palm oil. A mere tablespoon of the stuff contains a whopping 7 grams of saturated fat—which is too bad, because saturated fat makes food taste really great. Case in point, Brazil's acaraje: black-eyed peas formed into a ball, deep-fried in palm oil, and then stuffed with vatapa and caruru (spicy pastes made from dried shrimp, ground cashews … and more palm oil). Churros, Spain Forget your boring breakfast of Special K and skim milk. In Spain, a popular way for locals to start the day is with a meal of churros. These fried-dough pastries are dipped in sugar and cinnamon and then—here's the fat kicker—dipped in a thick hot-chocolate drink. Talk about a morning sugar rush! Poutine, Canada On its own, the humble potato is a relatively healthy starch. But in the hands of Canadians, it becomes poutine—French fries smothered in gravy and cheddar-cheese curds. This cheesy dish is so popular that it's even sold at Burger King in Canada, where (according to the chain's nutritional information) the dish contains 740 calories and 41 grams of fat. And that's just the traditional version. There are entire restaurants that solely serve varieties of poutine. Smoke's Poutinerie dishes up Triple Pork Poutine (with chipotle pulled pork, double-smoked bacon, and Italian sausage), Nacho Grande Poutine (with homemade chili, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapeno peppers), and Bacon Cheeseburger Poutine (with prime ground beef, double-smoked bacon, and cheese sauce). Khachapuri, Georgia Eating off a plate is so boring. What if your food were served up inside a bread boat instead—and what if the bread boat were filled with melted cheese? Georgians have the right idea with their khachapuri. It's a bread bowl that is stuffed with melted cheese and topped with an egg and a large pad of butter! Nutella Crepes, France Just one serving (2 tablespoons) of sweet, chocolaty Nutella spread has 200 calories (110 of which are from fat). And when using a spoon (or a finger) to eat the hazelnut spread straight out of the jar just isn't enough, you'll want to head to France for a Nutella crepe. There, many street carts and restaurants fry up batter in butter and make thin pancake-like pockets in which to deliver your Nutella. Even better, the crepes are usually topped with powdered sugar and sometimes even whipped cream. Aligot, France You know the stereotype that French women don't get fat? We have to wonder how that's possible when a dish like aligot is served up in the country's L'Aubrac region.Aligot is made with mashed potatoes, butter, cream, garlic, and melted cheese, all whipped together into a thick, rich dish. According to calorie-counting websiteFatSecret, 1 tablespoon of aligot contains 6 percent of the recommended daily amount of saturated fat. Deep-Fried Mars Bars, Scotland After you've tried the deep-fried fish and deep-fried potatoes in Scotland, what should you have for dessert? A Mars bar—deep-fried, of course. Who wouldn't love a chocolate bar gone all melty and encased in a satisfyingly crunchy shell of fried dough? Answer: The Mars candy company, which reportedly feels that the deep-fried dessert is not in line with the company's goal of promoting a "healthy, active" lifestyle. Because, you know, nothing says healthy like chocolate candy! Jalebi, India Sure, plain ol' fried dough is unhealthy on its own. But India really steps up the game with jalebi, deep-fried dough that is soaked in a sugary syrup. Funnel cake, you're on notice—a sprinkling of powdered sugar just doesn't cut it anymore. Calzone, Italy Did you know that a traditional calzone uses the same amount of dough as an entire pizza—and that it's meant to serve four people? Or did you, um, think that the whole delicious calzone was all for you? We have the Campania region of Italy to thank for birthing this version of pizza that is even unhealthier than the original. In a calzone, tomatoes, mozzarella, and other traditional pizza toppings are stuffed into an easy-to-eat dough pocket and then served. Ramen, Japan Ramen has exploded in popularity over the last few years—and we don't mean the sad, dehydrated Cup Noodles kind of ramen, either. We're talking about the traditional Japanese soup dish, consisting of noodles in broth, topped with a variety of meats and vegetables. Soup is basically a health food, right? Unfortunately, the broth (often made with beef, lard, and oil) really packs a fat punch, even if the noodles aren't fried. —By Caroline Morse Read the original story: 10 Most Fattening Foods in the World by Caroline Morse, who is a regular contributor to SmarterTravel.

Travels with Lonely Planet: Canada By Sarah Richards Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated:03/29/2008 12:36:47 PM MDT My favorite time of the year in Montreal is spring. As the powerful hands of winter release their tight grip on the city, its bright, cheery spirit emerges from the cold, bleak gray of winter. After months of being cooped up indoors, Montrealers wake from their slumber and roam the streets like hungry bears. The warm sunshine and sweet smells of croissants and roasting coffee bring them to Montreal's infamous sidewalk cafes. The Quebecois have a refined nose for high-grade espresso, one that has been honed with a passion for fine wines. It is a city to be honored for keeping out the coffee-chain blight that has scarred the landscape of most of the world's major cities. Of course, you'll find a fair share of Tim Hortons and Starbucks dotting the city's central commercial drags such as Rue St. Catherine and Rue St. Laurent, but independent cafes and groovy baristas emanating from the heart of alternative Montreal - the Plateau Mont-Royal - have kept the chain spread at bay. Life is slow in Montreal. Surrender to the laissez-faire lifestyle and you're halfway to becoming a local. It was within this relaxed state that I found myself quite happily drifting from cafe to cafe, searching for the ideal cup of coffee. Was I looking for a straight-up shot of jolting Italian espresso, or was my goal a perfectly frothy cafe au lait? Or were my West Coast roots secretly searching for the ideal brewed American coffee, preferably Fair Trade? For full-strength espresso, an Italian hit is Caffe Italia (6840 Boul. Saint-Laurent; espresso $1.50; 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.), which hides phenomenal beans under the guise of a humdrum décor. And since it's in the heart of Little Italy, your coffee beverage of choice comes with a view into the lives of the locals who frequent this coffee bar in droves. Shots of espresso go down as smooth as butter in Cafe Olimpico (124 Rue Saint-Viateur; espresso $1.50; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), which is popular with Mile End locals. No more than a hole in the wall, this hangout is low on chic but huge on quality and charisma. Although less traditional (think less soccer paraphernalia and more slick upholstery and trendy artwork), Caffe ArtJava (837 Ave. Mont-Royal Est; espresso $1.95; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) is rumored to have the best cappuccino in the whole city. Behind the beautiful foam play the notes of an espresso symphony, resonating with rich hues, creamy texture and bold flavor, while the surface is etched with an intricate leaf pattern. For the ideal steaming bowl of cafe au lait, you need a completely different sort of place - checkered tablecloths flapping in the wind, with a table overlooking charming and winding staircases. La Croissanterie Figaro (5200 Rue Hutchison; cafe au lait $3; 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.) fit the bill, both with its inviting décor inside, reminiscent of a Parisian bistro, and the ivy-covered outdoor patio, providing ample ambience to accompany the heavenly combination of chocolatine (chocolate croissant) and cafe au lait. On those days when your sweet tooth needs more attention, indulge in the sheer decadence that is Juliette et Chocolat (1615 Rue Saint-Denis; espresso $2.25). Try a selection of exotic truffles (the ones with red wine and lavender are particularly enticing) or a pot au chocolat, washed down with a shot of rich espresso for an unforgettable caffeine kick. And as for a fairly traded, brewed cup of joe? Cafe Santropol (3990 Rue Saint-Urbain; coffee $2.50; 11:30 a.m. to midnight), a friendly cooperative cafe, does it with a twist - the rim of the mug is colorfully decorated with slices of strawberries and honeydew melon. Come here for dreamy soy lattes, herbal teas and a tranquil back garden. Where to stay * Slick, post-modern Opus Hotel (10 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest; 514-843-6000; 866-744-6346; http://www.opushotel.com) is smack dab in the center of the downtown action. * To get a little more north, into the hipster hood, rent an apartment-style room at Anne ma soeur Anne (4119 Rue Sanit-Denis; 514-281-3187; 877-281-3187; http://www.annemasoeuranne.com), and overlook the picturesque storefronts and sidewalk cafes of Saint-Denis. Rooms here start at $70. Where to eat * To explore another one of life's greatest vices, try wine bar BU (5245 Boul. Saint-Laurent; 514-276-0249; http://www.bu-mtl.com), whose extraordinary wine list accompanies a relatively traditional menu of Italian slow cooking. * Assumed by many to be the finest dining experience in Montreal, Toque! (900 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle; 514-499-2084; http://www.restaurant-toque.com) blends innovative gastronomic experimentation with tried-and-tested traditional French culinary art, erupting in a fusion Quebec cuisine.

Quebec awash in 'real style' Karen Mazurkewich, Financial Post Published: Monday, January 14, 2008 Allen McInnis For National PostQUEBEC FIRMS CHIP AT EUROPEAN MARKET: Wetstyle's Helene Bourgault says Quebec's dominance in the bathroom niche market can be attributed to entrepreneurship and copy-cat reflex. MONTREAL -- Quebec has become the bathroom capital of Canada. More potties, tubs, sinks and facets are produced in La Belle Province than anywhere else in the country. Move over Philippe Starck, Duravit and Villeroy & Boch and Boffi. With its hot design and low price point, the province's bathroom manufacturers are taking a bigger bite out of the hip European marketshare. Companies such as Wetstyle, MAXX, Neptune, and BainUltra have squeezed into the marketplace. So how did Quebec become the new home spa design mecca? According to Helene Bourgault, cofounder of Montreal-based Wetstyle, the company behind the uber-hip OVE tub, the Quebec niche can be attributed to entrepreneurship as well as a healthy copycat reflex. Designers have co-opted materials originally developed by the aerospace and power sports industries. But the cluster of manufacturers in the bathroom fixture sector is also because the newest entrants are spin-offs from its pioneers. Wetstyle is case in point. In 1979, Ms. Bourgault and her husband were both in the real estate business. One day, she got a call from a mechanic who wanted to sell his small business making marble countertops. "It was literally a shed in a field," she says. Her husband, Jacques Parise, was so intrigued with the vanity moulds he bought them. During the next year, he purchased more moulds from several bankrupt firms. The renovation industry was picking up, the options were few, Ms. Bourgault says. So the duo gave up real estate and started Maronyx, developing coloured bathroom vanities to appeal to a more sophisticated buyer. Their sinks were made from a thick polymer composite that was later patented as Nacryl. In 1996, the company merged with a furniture manufacturer, Creations Decor-Bois du Quebec, so the couple could explore more options. But four years later, Ms. Bourgault and Mr. Parise broke away. "We were not looking in the same direction," she says. In 2002, they started over, this time making more modern styles of bath products using a more refined composite resin dubbed "Wet-mar." Gone was the Quebec farmhouse look. The real estate agents-turned-designers looked to the Orient for inspiration. Their stylish Cube collection, which ranges from $500 for a sink to $6,000 for a tub, was a hit and they've adapted a European style of overflow system that gives their latest line a sleek look. The prototype for their next line is a translucent tub with embedded cables that can alter the colour of the tub. "There's always something in the pot cooking," says Ms. Bourgault. Meanwhile, the original company Maronyx still churns out the traditional look. Wetstyle has evolved into a niche company for the luxury market, with more than 100 distributors in the United States and 11 in Canada, bringing in modest annual sales of $4-million. But their marketing position may have protected them from a global downturn in bathroom sales. Although more Americans were remodeling their bathrooms in 2007, the construction of new bathrooms fell 21% last year from 2006 levels. The high Canadian dollar and weak housing market in the United States has affected MAAX Holdings Inc., a pioneering firm that developed an expertise in acrylic corner baths and drop-in models. The company's net sales for its second quarter ended August, 2007, decreased 14.9% to $109.9-million from net sales of $129-million. In December, it announced that it was unable to make its interest payment on senior subordinated notes. "People are always asking why Quebec is a leader in the bathroom business," says Mr. Bourgault. "I believe that to be good you have to be surrounded by people who are also good and push you to be better." The success of the pioneers inspired others to follow suit, hence the cluster manufacturing phenomenon.Valerie Parent, director of marketing for Saint-Nicolas-based BainUltra, agrees. Thirty years ago, the company invented the air-jet bath to compete against the traditional whirlpool models. Throughout the years, the company expanded its product line and now makes dozens of models and shower stalls priced as high as $10,000. "I know at BainUltra, we have inspired others," she says. One of its ex-employees started their own air-jet bath company, which was later sold to Acryline USA, she says. There are no hard feelings. "For Quebec, it's a point of pride to develop something that changed the face of the North American industry," she adds. Even Neptune was created by a former employee of Alcove Canada Bath Tubs & Whirlpools. Whatever the reason, consumers are benefitting. Jackie Allen, who is renovating a new home in the posh Rosedale district of Toronto, is putting a Wetstyle OVE tub in the center of her new ensuite bathroom. The deep, softly rounded tub will be set against a marble wall. "My architect says it will be the centrepiece of the room," she says. Her Toronto-based architect, Stuart Watson, was first turned on to the Wetstyle line of bathrooms after seeing displays at a local design show. "It was something fresh and different," he says. In the past, Mr. Watson recommended European designers, but more recently he's been promoting Wetstyle baths because they have a transitional look. They can go into both a modern or traditional home, he says. Then there is the question of price. A Starck bathtub would cost two to three times more, he adds. "This is real style for a reasonable price." DOING UP THE WC IN STYLE: Here are some of Quebec's high-end dealers in bathroom furnishings and fixtures - Bain Ultra Specializes in air jet baths and home spa units. 956, chemin Olivier, Saint-Nicolas www.bainultra.com - Wetstyle High concept, Japanese-style baths and vanities that work in both contemporary and traditional homes. All product made by a unique polymer. 276 Saint-Jacques, Suite G-02, Montreal www.wetstyle.ca - Neptune Mid-range line of bathroom tubs, showers toilets and faucets. A popular product is its folding shower door. 6835, rue Picard, Saint-Hyacinthec - MAAX Looking for a corner tub or drop-in tub, MAAX has a huge product range. 600 Cameron Road, Ste-Marie Source: Financial Post http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=237326