Farsighted Fly Girl

I love discovering exotic fruits on my travels. It brings a whole other aspect of exploration to the experience. I didn't expect to find any unusual fruits in Monteregie but once I stepped into the bucolic beauty of Au Domaine des Petis Fruits,  I realized that this small region holds many surprises. The first was the heart shaped pond that decorates the estate, shown above. Flower beds landscaped into hearts was another unexpected treat. Fields of blueberries and cherries for picking were lush and fragrant but I was puzzled when our host asked if we liked ground cherries. Ground cherries? Um, cherries that grow underground? Never heard of them. I learned that the golden cherries have to be picked underground and are covered with a thin, paper-like skin. They tasted sweet with a slight tart undercurrent. Visitors come from all over Quebec to pick the delicate fruits. They have to be instructed on how to pick them without disturbing the plant.  ...

I spent a lot of times in vineyards this summer. I never planned it, that's just where my travels led me.  In Monteregie, I strolled  through about six different vineyards, each with a different atmosphere. I realized that just like my favorite beaches, vineyards offer tranquil meditation. They are very peaceful, with just a few birds to join you.  Have you discovered an unexpected relaxation spot during your travels?

The province of Monteregie is nicknamed the "Garden of Quebec" for a very obvious reason.  The area is filled with lovely pastoral landscapes of vineyards, orchards and artisan farms. But an unexpected bit of bucolic wonder was the butterfly aviary tucked inside of Ferme Guyon farm and horticulture center. A hundred species of butterflies float around in the specially created ecosystem and I tried to spot as many as I could. It was tricky, they fly away quickly and their wings blend in with plant leaves. After a few tries, I discovered that it's best to sit still and let them fly near you. Before I knew it, a toffee-colored butterfly was relaxing on my purse. And then another came to rest on my bright blue pants leg. As visitors bustled around  furiously snapping pix, I grabbed the best images of all just by being still. I think there's a lesson in that somewhere...

Canada is famous for its sweet and smooth ice wine but in Monteregie, I discovered that there is also ice cider. And not the kind that is basically apple juice. Rolling up into La Face Cachee de la Pomme (The hidden side of the apple) cidrerie, I was greeted by apple orchards covered with rosy apples. Some varieties, like Fuji and Gala, stay on the trees until January, so that the cold and wind whip the insides into a concentrated taste. The frozen apples are picked when it's about 15 degrees below zero and the insides have been dehydrated and all that's left is nectar. Aged ice cider is stored in these barrels, La Face Cachee is a pioneer in ice cider and produces 10 different varieties. The founding president of La Face Cachee, Francois Pouliot, ditched his film video career where he worked with musicians like Celine Dion, to develop ground-breaking ice ciders. The ciders or apple ice wines as they are sometimes called, range from 8% -18% alcohol...

Noted for its free-spirited blend of cultures, Canada is a country that I always enjoy visiting for that very reason. But I have to admit my surprise when I rolled into the village of Hemingford in the rural region of Monteregie, Quebec, to discover that a British pub was the most popular dining spot. Quebec is so very French that I didn't expect such an Anglophile outpost. Equipped with stocks of ale (listed in French of course) and legendary fish and chips, I thought Witsend  Resto Pub was a quaint anomaly in a haven of French culture. Then I spotted this sign, above. I'm a big fan of sangria but never in all of my travels, have I ever heard of green sangria. The waitress shot me an incredulous look. Apparently, green sangria is the thing in Quebec and I was missing out. What makes the sangria so quintessentially Quebecois is the little fact that it's made from apple ice wince harvested at an orchard just a few miles away. The ...

Next week, I'm off to the orchards and vineyards of the "Garden of Quebec," as Monteregie is called. Located just southeast of Montreal and filled with natural and gourmet delights, Montergerie is noted for wine, ice cider and tantalizing regional restaurants. My media tour includes visits to five vineyards, three cidreries, one chocolatier and one cheese maker so expect lots of dish sampling, cider sipping and wine tasting posts.  I'm also excited about biking along the St. Lawrence River, visiting a butterfly orchard and learning about the region's 18th century history. So stayed tuned for my exploration of Quebecois culinary culture.