A Foodie's Journey Through Tradition, Modernity, and Local Delights

Allison Van Rassel, a passionate food enthusiast, has dedicated years to exploring Canadian cuisine. She has traveled extensively, engaging with chefs, farmers, and artisans to understand the unique qualities of Canadian food. Her belief is that understanding the origins of food is the most effective way to tell its story.

As a journalist for Radio-Canada/CBC, Van Rassel has also produced three television series focused on food and drink. Recently, she has been focusing on her home base of Quebec City, creating videos on TikTok that showcase classic Québécois recipes with modern twists. She experiments with ingredients like sweet clover, a local plant, to add unique flavors to traditional dishes.

Van Rassel aims to help Quebecers connect with their culinary heritage by celebrating time-honored recipes in a contemporary way. She emphasizes the importance of moving away from industrialized food and embracing dishes made with locally sourced ingredients that reflect the region's history.

With the upcoming arrival of the Michelin Guide in Quebec, Van Rassel sees a pivotal moment for Québécois cuisine. She believes that while Quebec is defined by its language, its food identity is still developing. She advocates for understanding the past to shape the future of Quebec's food scene, highlighting that the region offers much more than just poutine.

Van Rassel shares her strategies for managing grocery expenses. She emphasizes the benefits of cooking at home, meal prepping, and utilizing techniques like sous vide, fermentation, and freezing. She also participates in a community garden and grows herbs on her balcony to save money.

When it comes to splurging, Van Rassel enjoys Canadian cow cheese from the Magdalen Islands and is a devoted fan of honey. She also discusses the challenges of buying local and from artisans, which often requires planning and advance ordering.

Her recent lifestyle change, moving downtown, has improved her access to high-quality, traceable food. She now walks to her favorite stores, orders online from local farmers, and visits them directly, which has positively impacted her eating habits and overall well-being.

Van Rassel lists five essential items she always buys. These include local butter with a high-fat content, Jersey cow milk, 2-per-cent cottage cheese, Herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve, and both French's and Mine de Ketchup.