Alexandra Stréliski, guest director | The gourmet desires of a globetrotter

The culture and history of a country are largely revealed through its daily life, according to Alexandra Stréliski. And what could be more universal and fundamental than the need (and pleasure) to eat? It is therefore by combining business with pleasure that she approaches her wanderings around the world: through her stomach! Here are some of his gourmet addresses.

“I could have given you a long list of places that I love, but I have targeted five cities visited recently and for which I have a particular affection,” indicates the pianist and composer, who we are lucky to catch on his return from Brazil, before his series of concerts at Place des Arts this weekend.

Over the past year, with his tour Neo-RomanceAlexandra Stréliski visited more than fifty cities in ten countries. Enough to feel a certain dizziness. “There, I want to settle down,” she said, “but it generally takes a lot for me to get tired of it. I grew up between France and Canada. We traveled a lot when I was young and we moved around a lot. Movement is a part of my life and it’s something I love. »

The artist is served on tour, where everything happens in accelerated fashion. However, the pace has slowed down since she divides her time between Mile End, where she has lived for 20 years, and a pied-à-terre in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. This in-between space saves him flight hours during his trips to Europe. In several large cities around the world, Alexandra Stréliski has culinary crushes imbued with memories of tours or vacations.

Eat to understand better

When traveling abroad, part of his days are organized around small gourmet pleasures. “I can make my schedule around that!” In France, I like a ham and butter sandwich or a Lyonnaise salad. In Brazil or Argentina, it is an alfajor [pâtisserie à base de noix et de miel]…” These simple and modest culinary specialties say a lot about the customs of a country, she believes.

“I appreciate museums, monuments and history, but above all I like witnessing everyday life. I’m not very attracted to fancy restaurants and Michelin stars. I often prefer places frequented by local people, those that reflect the popular culture and heritage of the place. »

It is also out of a desire to blend in with the crowd and understand it better that she frequents local grocery stores and markets. “I like everyday food. When I have more time in one place, I read recipe books and try to cook the local specialties. »

Another point of interest: the forms that the aperitif takes around the world. “All cultures come together around a drink, whether it’s a port and tonic at a street kiosk in Lisbon, a glass of wine in a bistro in Paris or a beer sipped in a biergarten in Berlin,” she notes. . I love this everydayness and this social aspect of food. »

When traveling or at home

Back in your own daily life, the flavors brought back from your travels are never far from your taste buds. They are so many markers of memories. “I like cooking for my girlfriend, entertaining my friends and family. I’m the leader of the group! “, she says.

His exploration in the kitchen goes in phases. In Rotterdam, for example, she lives next to a Turkish grocery store. This proximity sparked an interest in Middle Eastern flavors. “I watch videos of Turkish ladies on YouTube and learn how to make certain dishes. Since my girlfriend is Brazilian, I also learned to cook feijoada [un ragoût de haricots et de porc] and grills. I draw from my daily life to integrate other cultures into mine. »

In the kitchen, she finds her driving force in creativity, but also in the unifying and comforting aspect of food. “When you put a good dish on a table, conversation emerges. There is a harmony that is created and I am looking for harmony in my life. And it’s a way of showing people that I love them. For me, cooking is a language of love. »