If the things that looked like corne kernels were larger, and whiter, than normal corn kernels, it was probably hominy. That said, hominy would be really, really odd in a French amuse-bouche (which is just a generic term for a palate pleaser to start off the meal, not at all a clue as to what you might have eaten). I'm stumped, but am guessing it was some sort of hominy-based soufflé or custard that the restaurant considered trendy.

Interesting thought - - aioli, or some variation thereof...

Did you eat or play with the "kernels"? What colour were they, and were they really kernels?

"Almost as heavy as spread margarine" sounds like mayonnaise rather than the fatty bit from a terrine. The easiest way of making mayonnaise yellow is to add saffron. Saffron-flavoured mayo (possibly with some garlic added) would most often be there with some kind of seafood.

Is it possible you leapt to the kernel conclusion without squeezing it? And would you recognise saffron?

We were served an amuse bouche at Brunoise in Montreal that sounds very similar to what you had. We were told it was some sort of corn custard, it did taste like butter (which I hate - so I did not like it) and since I don't eat butter, dunno if the taste was like bad or good butter - but hubby loved it (he ate my share as well).

They were definitely kernels of some sort - you'd be surprised to find that there are very few pictures of corn kernels on the internet (or at least, that I could find). They had the same kernel-esque base as popcorn kernels, but were about 3-4 times the size of a popcorn kernel, squarish (like a molar tooth) and a light brown color. I did not eat them, not did I touch them with my fingers, so my exploration of the kernel was purely visual.

As for the mayonnaise suggestion - there was nothing else on the plate - the shot glass full of yellow custard, topped with 2 kernels and a small sprig of parsley, and a little spoon. So the concoction was meant to be eaten on its own (as others did). It also wasn't the consistency of mayo... Not to be silly, but if I upended a shot glass of mayo, it would gloop out - albeit not instantly - but within a few seconds. If I upended this dish, I think the custard would not fall out for several seconds - if at all. (Much like spread margarine would not gloop out, either.) I wouldn't recognize a saffron taste, though, if I weren't eating rice.

I think indie may have had the same dish. Because, like her husband, other patrons obviously enjoyed theirs.

Speaking of amuse gueule, have you ever had one served to you just before dessert ?

Happened to me just last week. On a business trip to Montreal we ended the evening with a wonderful dinner at "Verses" restaurant in Old Montreal. It was 6 courses long with a different wine for each course - sort of an elongated tasting menu, but with larger servings. Known for it's game meat, I ordered the red deer as a main and it was very good. However, just before dessert (a tartelette of frangipane aux prunes with armanac ice cream), we were each presented with a shot glass containing creamy creme anglaise at the bottom, a thicker rich chocolate cream next, a thin strip of clear Grand Marnier and all this topped with a piped whirl of meringue which had been burnt under a flame. The chef appeared to tell us that it was his version of a baked Alaska in a glass.
Yum !

Hmmm... I don't think that most types of mayonnaise - - aioli included - - would "glop out" from a shot glass.

It's called Amuse Bouche because the restaurant staff was highly amused when you put that mystery food in your bouche!

Mathieu: thanks for the tip on Verses -- I've heard of it but never been there. Am I right in conjecturing -- from the restaurant's name -- that it must be in the Hotel Nelligan?

But I query whether what you had would be called an amuse-bouche -- normally served "pour vous patienter" at the outset of a meal.

"Entremet" perhaps?

I THINK I have heard the term "pre-dessert" in France but maybe that is just my made-up term for it....

When we were dining out in Spain this summer we sat next to this cute elderly couple from the midwest in the states. They recieved their amuse and it was a little custard in a cute little ramekin. they thought it was butter and spread it on their bread. The look on the waiters face was priceless. But he never said a word! Very polite :)

I would guess that as others said you had a custard or a flan of corn. When was this? French are very seasonal in their cooking, that could hint to the ingrediants.

Now about the person who said they don't like butter. WHAT??? I'm sure I can't understand that!! ;)

Mathieu - well, I've had the classic "Trou Normand" in many restaurants in Normandy, usually a green apple sorbet or something similar to cleanse the palate before the next course.
kgh8m: This thing is sounding weirder and weirder all the time. I am coming to believe that you were simply the victim of a deranged chef's attempt to make a hominy crème brulée, with or without aïoli.

Sorry for all the hair-splitting, St Cirq, but isn't the "Trou Normand" a glass of fiery Calvados, taken neat between courses?

I also understood a trou normand to be a glass of calvados taken between courses. (tedgale, was there once a restaurant in Montreal called Le Trou Normand? I seem to recollect dining there in the '70s.) I found a web reference that explains it at gastronome.free.fr/histoire/trou_normand.htm. There is also an explanation in <i>Larousse Gastronomique</i> under Trou du milieu, &quot;a glass of eau-de-vie or other liqueur which used to be drunk in the middle of a large and elaborate meal.&quot; It goes on to say that a trou normand is a variant that uses eau-de-vie from distilled apples.

However, I also found another French web site that says the traditional mid-meal drink of calvados has been replaced by an apple sorbet with calvados, which sounds like what StCirq is describing: tourterelles.free.fr/coup.de.coeur/reste/ballades/normandi/gastronomie.htm

Both sound delicious.

Anselm

tegdale:

I know you speak French, so you know what &quot;trou Normand&quot; means and that it is a generic term. It may traditionally be Calvados, but it can also be interpreted however a chef likes. I've had a great variety of trous Normands over the years, ranging from Calvados to sorbets to mousses to cider.

Sorry, that should have been tedgale, not tegdale.

Hi kg,

Could your concoction have been a very creamy cheese, such as a St. Andre'?

ira- I could be way off base but I think the French usually frown on serving cheese before dinner?? That has always been my experience anyway... Also I don't think they would put it in a shot glass??

Hi stormy,

I agree, but in today's world where you get frozen squid ink foam served with asparagus sorbet over red pepper coulis, the closest thing I could think of that conforms to what kgh has described would have a soft, aged cheese in it.

Hi tedgale,

Yes, I didn't think that the correct term for the shot glass surprise was an amuse gueule since I agree with your definition of what an ag is (one of the tastiest I've ever been served was a hair thin slab of duck pate on toasted brioche) but I'd never been served something like that just before dessert so I thought I'd mention it.
The wines accompanying each course were excellent too and I came away with a couple of recommendations from the sommelier.

You are right, the restaurant is part of the hotel Nelligan at the intersection of St. Paul and St. Sulpice streets and I stayed the night there too. My one regret was that I couldn't have spent more time there to enjoy all that the hotel has to offer though I did tuck into the box of swiss chocolates. It is a fine boutique hotel filled with luxurious, personal trappings. If I have the chance I may post a quick review on the Canada board if theres any interest.

ira: I really doubt it was a cheese. While it tasted like bad butter, it didn't have any cheesy characteristics.

Oh, how I wish I'd snuck a photo of it!

The only things I can add to help the investigation: it looked as if it had been piped into the perfectly cylindrical shot glass with a pastry bag with a fairly large tip.

I fear that I will have to email the chef and say &quot;what was that delightful amuse bouche you served us on Nov. 22?&quot;