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With the Taste Canada Awards Gala right around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to get to know our hosts a little better! So we sat down and asked our dynamic duo, Mairlyn Smith and Hubert Cormier a few questions about cookbooks, Canadian cuisine and their dream dinner guests.
Taste Canada: How many cookbooks do you own?
Hubert Cormier: At least 300.
Mairlyn Smith: Over 800!
Taste Canada: What is your favourite Canadian ingredient or dish?
Hubert Cormier: My favourite ingredient is yogurt. I love it so much that I’ve written a book about it , and done part of my PhD thesis on it. It’s really versatile and you can use it in a lot of recipes. I love skyr and Greek yogurt, as they’re rich in protein.
Mairlyn Smith: B.C. salmon and local asparagus.
Taste Canada: Where is your favourite place to visit in Canada?
Hubert Cormier: It may sound cliché, but I love Quebec City for its food culture, the emblematic sceneries and the amazing food blogger/writer community. I also love Montreal and Toronto because they offer world class gastronomy and so many dishes from all around the world.
Mairlyn Smith: Aside from my hometown of Vancouver, B.C. I love Newfoundland.
Taste Canada: What do you think people may not know about Canadian cuisine?
Hubert Cormier: Canadian cuisine is not driven by its southern neighbor. It’s particular, different and much more sophisticated than anywhere else in the world. Canadian cuisine is inclusive and creative.
Mairlyn Smith: That Canadian cuisine is sexy and inclusive and that it embraces our diversity.
Taste Canada: What do you think makes Canada’s food scene so unique?
Hubert Cormier: I believe that Canada is unique because of its openness. We are not scared to try different things and to embrace both our culture and others’ culture. It creates a magical combination on our plates.
Mairlyn Smith: Our cuisine is unique because of our diversity and the way we have fused together our mixed heritages with our locally grown and raised ingredients to create unique food experiences.
Taste Canada: If you could invite anyone to dinner, living or dead, who would it be?
Hubert Cormier: I would be lying if I told you that I wouldn’t invite Celine Dion to dinner. She’s such an inspiration to me. She’s strong, she perseveres, she’s a workaholic and I’m pretty sure she has a lot to talk about. Basically, she’s my role model.
Mairlyn Smith: Julia Child! She was funny and smart and down to earth, and she would be hilarious and knowledgeable. I’d love to sit in my backyard eating an el fresco dinner with her. I’d be equally terrified and over-the-moon excited.
Taste Canada: What would you make for him/her?
Hubert Cormier: I don’t know yet, because I’d like it to be special. But since I love chocolate, I’m pretty sure there would be chocolate at least in the dessert!
Mairlyn Smith: It would be simple and fresh. We would have planked B.C. sockeye salmon, steamed local new baby red skinned potatoes with butter, grilled asparagus with a drizzle of lemon, sliced field tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and a few leaves of my homegrown basil and I would serve a lovely, dry VQA white wine. For dessert, I’d make her my chocolate mousse made with excellent quality chocolate and silken tofu!
Taste Canada: What are you looking forward to most about being a host at the Taste Canada Awards Gala this year?
Hubert Cormier: You know what? I’ve been there for the past few years as a contestant, and I’ve always admired the judges and the hosts of this exceptional contest. Because I had no book in competition this year, I thought that it was the perfect timing to host with Mairlyn. I’m looking forward to meeting cookbook authors from all over Canada and to celebrate their amazing work, as I personally know every step and all the details that writing a book demands.
Mairlyn Smith: I want to help make the Taste Canada Awards Gala a hot ticket. I want to add glamour and fun and laughter. This is the moment for people to shine and I want to help shine a light on them and their win.
More from Hubert Cormier:
Website: www.hubertcormier.com
Facebook: Hubert Cormier Nutritionniste
Instagram: @Hub_Nutrition
Twitter: @Hub_Nutrition https://twitter.com/hub_nutrition
Pinterest : Hubert Cormier Nutritionniste
More from Mairlyn Smith:
Website: www.mairlynsmith.com
Facebook: @mairlyn.smith
Instagram: @MairlynSmith
Twitter: @MairlynSmith
