Auberge Saint Antoine in old Quebec for New Year

Once again we were drawn to travel to the chilly north for New Year. Just an eight hour drive between Toronto blighted by a green Christmas and Quebec dusted with snowflakes for a  joyeus noel and bonne annee!

Leaving Toronto in the late afternoon we stopped overnight in Montreal, always gorgeously done up for the holidays with funky lights,  this year huge lit angels adorned the facade of Notre Dame in the Vieux Port.

Sadly the hotel was full up with bus loads of eighteen year olds making the New Years trip to legally drink in Quebec where the legal age is nineteen. Pip was up most of the night while our neighbour argey bargeyd with a security guard until the disturber was thrown out about three hours too late for my boy to have a nights sleep.  Mcgregor and I slept on uncaring of his discomfit!

Arriving at the Auberge Saint-Antoine is a lovely thing. Handsome young men with sexy french accents usher one in through the huge doors,  up into the lobby with its crackling fire and witty iron chandeliers. I can never resist stopping to view the three dioarama, set in a wall, depicting the changes to the hotel site from the 17th century and cleverly showing the placement of the current building. Reclaimation over the last 400 years has seen the shore line expand outwards. The Auberge, a Relais and Chateaux establishment owned by the Price family of Quebec, stands on the site of several old warehouses, artefacts from three centuries of merchant business's are artfully encased a la museum style along the walls in all the main public areas of the hotel, giving it a unique museo-art vibe.  The glass boxes are funky and intriguing, lit in a very modern way to show off the gorgous green, pink and red glass along with shards of fine china and metal domestic items.

Dining that night in Panache, the fine dining restaurant housed in an original warehouse attached to the hotel, with Madame Price, Muffy to her friends, was a rare treat.  We met in the bar and drank delicious cocktails made from blackberries, kirsch, vodka and simple syrup. Lucious briny poached oysters and tender scallops in their shells accompanied drinks but our stand out fave was the spicy popcorn. We guessed it was tossed with pork fat, paprika and cayenne.. whatever the recipe it was addicting!

Moving to the ancient timber beamed restaurant, designed in 2003 by Muffy to honor the integrity of its original use mixed up with contemporary french chic to create another unique space. Placed in front of the fire we dined first on fois gras, Atlantic scallop, then the most divinely crispy sweetbread with rosemary sauce that was one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth! Chef Francoios Blais does a wonderful job melding old quebec recipes and comfort foods fusing them with contemporary twists and an elegance suited to this lovely room. Each yummy course was pared with a spirit or wine, very cool for us as these were all new wines whose provenance ranged from Canada, Italy, France, South Africa and Venezuela!

Rich caribou filet with a porcini mushroom mustard sauce was matched with a big red from Ernie Els vineyard in South Africa. Being golfers we enjoyed that connection. After a delicious local organic blue cheese, raisin toast and candied fruits we finished with a shot of Venezuelan Rum and a luscious chocolate confection.

Midnight burst forth with Laurent Perrier and cannons of streamers in the bar. The pastry chef had created a tower of chocolate and dessert delights that guests just couldn't resist. I found a little pile of chocolate brittle on my bedside table in the morning, I must have pocketed them on my way to bed!

Skiing at Mont Sainte Anne 45mins from downtown Quebec the next day with distant cousin Evan and his two teens was fun though we did more socialising than skiing in the end. Pip went off on his own and skied three times the runs I did until we met up again and skied back to the car in the gently falling snow.

Invited back to dinner with Evan's family we found our summer tyres were very dodgy on the snow covered road up to the ski house. In the end we had to back the chevvy down the snowy hill and park on the flat, Evan chauffering us back to the house!

Another sensational meal, this time the big filet mignon was cooked to perfection by Eric, Evan's brother-in-law, in the fireplace over a bed of glowing coals. Marie and Dominique created magic in the kitchen, producing a scrummy potato gratin and a tarte aux citron amongst other things. Eric and Marie visited New Zealand, along with beautiful daughters Sophie and Lilly, last Christmas and have happy memories of their holiday to share. (Phew....the rain must have stayed on that 'plain in spain' while they were in town!!

The following day we had brunch at Panache which was a treat. Lazing around the hotel, enjoying the snow falling softly outside and the glowing fires in the public spaces we chatted with other guests, read newspapers and crosswords then headed back to Mont Sainte Anne to Zonespa. Evan had suggested we try this Nordic experience. One glimpse of the snow surrounded hot pools and my heart was won over.A dream come true. Snow. Hot Water. Fresh crisp air. My loved one beside me! Gingerly I managed to  roll half naked in the snow too, Pip led the way into the froxen lake by dipping head and all under. I thought he'd have a heart attack from the shock of it but he survived, revived by a stinging dip back in the hot pool. I didn't quite manage to get my heart under the freezing water but was pleased to do that much. Later we tripped through the snow clad in wet togs and white fluffy robes to a Yurt retreat where a fire warmed the air and comfy recliners ringed the ciruclar canvas walls. We spent some time just snoozing in the silent warmth. Really delish. More hot and cold dips then into the steam room and finishing under the indoor cold waterfall. We felt relaxed and pampered and completely content.

Dinner that night at Cafe Artefact started with dirty martini's beside the fire in one of the reading nooks at the Auberge.  We met an interesting couple from Montreal, ate a really good soup and fab croque monseiur. Later we had a few drinks with author Douglas Kennedy a fascinating guy we liked alot. He'd driven over from Maine and was a regular guest at the Auberge.

Checking out the following day we joined friend Jill and her sons, David and Ian for a really festive sunday lunch. Turkey with all the trimmings. I chipped in an made my mother's bread sauce.

Moira's Bread Sauce

• 2 Bay leaves
• ground pepper (white is prettier)
• salt
• half a stick of butter (more if you like to be daring)
• half and half ( cream or full cream milk)
• 1/2 white, vadahlia or yellow onion, diced finely
• 4 " slab of stale white bread, crust cut off. or 4 -6 slices torn or roughly cut up
• (Crushed cardomom pods can be added to milk infusion if using with goose or duck)

Using a wooden spoon to stir, place butter in a saucepot and  melt, add onion and melt gently until translucent but not coloured. Add 2 cups of milk, bay leaf, good pinch of pepper and salt and infuse gently over low heat for 5 minutes.
Add torn bread to milk mix and continue to heat gently over medium heat until mix thickens and bread loses shape. I stir with wooden spoon from time to time. Continue to add milk or bread if needed until good thick consistency. Keep warm over a low heat or in warm spot on stove. Can be made a day or so in advance, flavour develops even more. Remove bay leaf before serving in a warm bowl with all roast fowl. Perfect with sage and onion stuffed roast chicken, creamed sweet corn side, roasted or steamed vegies and rich gravy made from thickened pan drippings, good stock or veggie water and a dash of soy sauce to brighten flavours and some wine.

After lunch Jill and I took the boys to the Musee de la Civilisation for the annual fete of the Three Kings, a French religious custom after New Year. We sampled the galette and then viewed three exhibitions. Human copyright was a fascinating look at the difference between the human brain and animals, evolution and the mechanical brains of robots and computers. 7 sins explored these deadly obsessions showcasing items from the museums inventory and lastely we visited the model of the Battle in 1756 on the Plains of Abraham where both General Wolfe (British) and Montcalm (French) lost their lives. The Battle famous as the turning point in the British fortunes in New France. I was interested as it was very much an exhibition from the French point of view... I forget that this was their town.... as I am always looking at it historically through the eyes of an English descendant of the battleof the Plains of Abraham.

Pip and Mcgregor met us at the Dufferin Terrace in front of the Chateau Frontenac. We bought tickets for the toboggan slide and hike up the hill towing the 6 ft long, one hundred year old toboggans as the sinking sun turned the river and hills behind lilac and silver. Not known for my love of roller coasters and the like I was determined to do this little ride. Jill and I hopped on, much to Mcgregors horror, then sped hooting and hollering like kids down the shute. Pip and the little boys went so fast they overshot the landing area by about 20 feet. Pip ended up with his legs in the air on his back laughing his head off.

The next morning we packed the car, found Evan's son's missing track pants, duely delivered them to the Auberge for pick up and rolled out of town along the Chemin Cartier which runs along the mighty fleuvre. I haven't talked about the Saint Lawrence river, but its the heartbeat of the old town. In the winter its choked with ice moving with the strong tide. Its quite disconcerting seeing it flowing back up the river  as the tide rushes in. Evan and friends defy this current by racing ice canoes through and up over the ice in a death defying display of daring, strength and stamina. We're going to make the trip back early February to see the big ice canoe race at the Winter Carnivale.