A Montreal classic with a new twist
A weekly series dedicated to any- thing that fits on a piece of bread. We deconstruct a different sandwich each week – from Mexican tortas to Lebanese pita kebabs to lobster guédilles – and tell you where to find it and what goes into making it
Bagel and smoked salmon, $6.98 at Saum-mom in the Plateau
Saum-mom does one thing and one thing only: salmon. It’s smoked or cured, for starters, but also takes the form of rillettes, mousse and even jerky. Owner Daniel Ouimet started his business in Laval 25 years ago, and has moved on several occasions, at one time counting branches in both the Plateau and Westmount. In 2010, he settled in a small storefront on Papineau Ave., where you’ll find more than a dozen salmon-inflected preparations, three tables, and exactly one sandwich. It is served with a side of wakame (Japanese-style seaweed salad) and a cup of coffee.
The bread: One sesame seed bagel (A) from St. Viateur Bagel, coupé et grillé.
The spread: Fresh, not frozen, salmon (B) from New Brunswick’s Northern Harvest Sea Farms is brought in twice a week. Ouimet says he likes the company because of its environmental and socially responsible practices, which are recognized by the Global Aquaculture Alliance, an international certification program for standards in the fish-farming industry. The filet is cured in salt, sugar and spices for at least 15 hours, and then cold-smoked for up to 24 hours over maple-wood shavings (like other Saum-mon products, it contains no preservatives). The hand-cut slices have a gentle flavouring, salty with a faint trace of woodsmoke, and a moist, close-to-raw texture. Instead of cream cheese, the spread is labneh (C), soft Middle Eastern strained yogurt that clocks in at 10 per cent milk fat. The frothy texture is punctuated by crushed capers and slivered Spanish onions (D). Overall, it’s a subtle version of a Montreal (and New York) morning favourite.
The secret: Although the brunch standard is often referred to as “bagel and lox,” it’s more com- monly made with smoked salmon than lox these days. (They are not the same thing, lox being cured, but not smoked.) Although Saum-mon’s default sandwich uses smoked salmon, they’ll prepare it with whichever version of the fish strikes your fancy.