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Chef
Francois Pellerin, Executive Chef
Le Fourquet Fourchette
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Located
on the shores of the Richelieu River, within view of the old stones
of Fort Chambly, visitors to Le Fourquet Fourchette enjoy both exquisite
beer and artisanal cheeses, specialty foods, and fresh Quebec cuisine
a la biere. 
For
beer is the unifying theme for the French-Canadian cuisine that chef
Francois Pellerin serves at Fourquet Fouchette. His goal is to create
flavorful foods to match the character of Unibroue's award-winning
ales.
Unibroue's
head brewer, Paul Arnott, came to Canada from Belgium, where he worked
for 10 years at Chimay. With his appreciation for the marriage of
beer and food so legendary in Belgium, Arnott has created more interesting
(and very food friendly) beers in recent years.
The Ephemere line of bieres sur lees (unfiltered and unpasteurized
ales) made with pulverized musts of fresh fruits in season (peach,
cranberry and apple) is available on draft at Fourquet Fourchette
- wonderful ales to pair with farmstead cheeses.
Just
a mile from the Unibroue brewery, Fourquet Fourchette occupies three
levels of a completely renovated turn-of-the-century building. The
main floor welcomes guests into the "Brou-tique" that sells specialty
foods such as Moutard du Fin du Monde, or a vinegar made with Maudite.
Three
dining halls on all three level -- the 'Spices Hall', the 'Abbey Hall'
and the 'Jean Talon Hall' - are decked out for events, weddings, and
weekend performing arts. The Abbey Hall displays beer-themed woodwork.
Inspired
by both Quebecois and Indian cuisines, chef Francois Pellerin creates
dishes such as pemmican a la Fringante and caribou pot pie with Maudite.
I
was lucky to taste the home-smoked salmon marinated in Fin du Monde,
ale-cured meats, a rich pate, salad greens dressed with Blanche du
Chambly, and exquisite aged goat's milk cheeses. In summer, grilled
items dominate the menu. 
These
include dishes such as venison sausages with dried blueberries, grilled
kebabs of venison marinated in La Terrible (Unibroue's black Belgian
ale "biere noir extra forte" soon to be released in the US), and steaks
with a peppercorn sauce a la Trois Pistoles.
The large
kitchen, newly renovated in 2002, puts forth superior quality foods,
many hand-made or smoked in their tiny smokehouse on the property.
Chef Pellerin employs more than 30 people in the kitchen during the
height of the season, when kayakers and bicyclists enjoy the waterfront
of the Richelieu. Tourists visit the historic Fort Chambly, and the
park is home to a large food and beer festival over the first weekend
in September.
Pellerin
has worked at large hotels and resorts in Canada, Belgium and North
Africa, and also taught in cooking schools, so he is comfortable guiding
operations for three dining rooms and the take-out counter. Pastries,
such as a maple syrup tart with Raftman, make popular to-go items.
"I like
to add complementary spices to sauces made with beer," says chef Pellerin.
"And the flavors of the yeast and brewing ingredients will inspire
the choice of other ingredients." Favorite spices for cooking with
Unibroue beers include star anise or juniper berries for the strong
game meats marinated in the rich dark ales, and grated orange zest
and crushed coriander seeds for sauces with the unfiltered wheat ales.
Pellerin
is hard at work on creating a beer-cheese pairing menu. Cheeses sold
through the "Broutique" represent the highest quality of cheesemaking:
Blue Benedictin, a pasteurized cow's milk cheese from Abbaye Saint-Benoit,
Austin and Chevre Noir, goats' milk cheese from Fromagerie Tournevent,
Chesterville.
"Beer
is perfect for pairing with cheeses," Pellerin says, "because the
carbonation creates an explosion on the palate, and the beer is less
acidic than wine. The malt flavor accents the cheese flavor in the
same way that a good hearth bread does." And Pellerin is an outstanding
baker as well. The nine-grain biscuits served with the pemmican are
worth ordering extra to take home. The restaurant also offers guided
tours of the Unibroue brewery and is available to be rented out for
business meetings, receptions and private parties.
Le Fourquet
Fourchette
Bieres
et cuisines de la Neuve France
1887, avenue Bourgogne
Chambly Quebec
tel. 450-447-6370
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