As soon as I rounded the corner onto Wellington St, off of Church, I was hit with the beauty of the St. Lawrence neighborhood. I used to work in the area, but when I left over five years ago, I found myself there less and less. This is a pity considering I’m now of an age where I appreciate unwinding after work with a glass of wine and the company of good people.
That’s exactly what I did one recent evening with a few new and old friends. Bonne Maman, a brand of gourmet jams and jellies imported from France, gave us the perfect excuse: a decadent menu created by East Thirty Six chef Brent Maxwell that incorporated some of its most beloved preserves.
He dreamed up four incredible recipes with the intention of finding a good balance between sweet and savory. The evening started with red currant jam Cumberland sauce-topped duck confit croquettes, then moved on to burrata with kabocha squash, brown butter, dulce de leche, sherry vinaigrette, heart nuts and a baguette. A roasted bone marrow dish complemented with chicken liver and chestnut parfait followed while the night ended on a sweet note thanks to chocolate delice with cherry custard marcona almond crumble.
Brent shares , “The dolce de leche was an easy one to go with the kabocha squash. I’ve used maple syrup in the past and this was a great substitute. The red currant was perfect for making a traditional cumberland sauce; the right balance of acidity and sweetness. The chestnut was a bit tricky, I went with earthy flavours to balance it. The roasted bone marrow with the chicken liver pate balanced quite well. The white truffles didn’t hurt either! Then we came to dessert. Chocolate and cherry. That was too easy!”
We were joined by celebrity chef Christine Tizzard, who is a longtime fan of Bonne Maman. She says, “The brand itself speaks to me, as a mother, since it is as close to homemade as you can get. They use the traditional method of jam making, using the finest ingredients, at the peak of their season. It’s non GMO and no nonsense. There’s always a jar of jam in my fridge, if it’s not homemade it is Bonne Maman.”
I’m pretty sure I’ll now always have a jar of Bonne Maman jam in my fridge. For those looking to experience the preserves in a different way, similar Bonne Maman after work menus will be available at East Thirty Six for a short time. Warm and welcoming, it’s a space that envelops guests in a classy yet comforting way, which is perfect for any occasion.
