This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
A magnificent place with multiple vocations, the Maison de Soma is above all the great dream of Édith Foliot and Didier Lortie. The couple left everything behind to invest body and soul in this social project to protect, document and sublimate the richness of the Laurentian forest.
As we walk along the stone path to Soma House, we can hear insects buzzing on the thousand and one plants growing abundantly in the fields. An imposing garden and two greenhouses in the distance are used to grow the vegetables with which the couple amuse themselves in the kitchen and in the fermentation laboratory, a key part of the business.
As we sit in the dining room in front of the huge windows overlooking the fields that we don’t want to take our eyes off, we are brought delicious mocktails made with homemade kombucha with apples from the orchard and agastache syrup. In addition to being made with local ingredients, these drinks are perfectly in keeping with the establishment’s image.
“Soma refers to the Vedic god and the fermented drink symbolizing the moon, nature, health and immortality,” says Didier Lortie. “It goes back to the very essence of the farm, fundamentally linked to nature and the life cycle of plants. By adopting this name, we are committed to exploring the origins of food, to rethinking agricultural practices to make it a place of regeneration and deep connection with the earth.”
This makes perfect sense given the constant efforts that the team at the house puts into carrying out their majestic project. Amazed by the place as a whole, we could believe that they are encouraged and supported from all sides to take such good care of the Laurentian wild treasures. In truth, their journey is rather strewn with many pitfalls to overcome in order to operate a diversified farm and a country table in Quebec.
Doing things right to showcase local talent is no easy feat in la belle province. However, places like Maison de Soma are extraordinary showcases for promoting Quebec’s culinary culture, which is both unique and rich.
Highlighting biodiversity
Like many country tables in Quebec, Maison de Soma offers dishes in the form of a refreshment bar, served in the fields. We sometimes don’t know it during such outdoor meals, but these tables often have to circumvent municipal rules to allow us to experience these magical moments.
Despite everything, Maison de Soma is not giving up. Since last fall, the establishment has been offering a gourmet menu to its loyal guests from Thursday to Saturday evening. The owners would like to offer their own cider to guests. But that’s another headache.
Meanwhile, they ferment something else. “My father always loved Chinese and Japanese cuisine. And so, these are my taste references for the most part,” explains Didier Lortie. Then, I started to get interested in fermentations, like doubanjianga spicy condiment of Chinese origin.
While this product is usually made with soybeans, the couple had fun making it from garden beans, barley, garlic and American ash. This plant is also known as prickly ash and its berries have a taste reminiscent of citrus and pepper. Beyond allowing the preservation of food, fermentation also provides a lot of flavors to the preparations. By tasting the different doubanjiang tests, we discover between them palettes of flavors that are clear and we can really feel the depth of the desired aromas.
This is probably what best sums up a visit to the Maison de Soma: depth. Tasting Quebec in its essence, in all its diversity and singularity at the same time makes us all very proud and deliciously illustrates who we are.
This content was produced by the Special Publications Team of Dutyrelevant to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part in it.