Follow David & Lesley on Instagram.

Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

Follow David & Lesley on Instagram.

Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

There's nothing bland about the vanilla industry, argues a Montrealer who has been one of the most important industrial importers of the orchid since the early 1990s.

David van der Walde, Director of Aust & Hachmann Canada, joins Lesley & David for a deep dive on one of the planet's most ubiquitous ingredients, a product as essential for industrial flavour companies as the world's top pâtissiers; how vanilla is farmed, challenges in its distribution, and why its cost has been so historically volatile. He also explains how companies like Häagen-Dazs are able to elevate their products through specialized vanilla sourcing, and if he feels Madagascar's farmers are getting a raw deal.

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Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

Lesley and David agree that Marc-André Royal is one of Canada's most underrated chef-owners, a talented market cook and impressive entrepreneur.

The Montréal chef-owner of Le St-Urbain recently earned a recommendation in the first edition of Québec's Michelin Guide, and his three (soon to be four) Bête à Pain bakeries are wildly popular with some locals even suggesting he makes the city's best croissant.

Lesley's glowing 2009 review of Le St-Urbain set the tone among critics who have had little to offer as criticism since: "Royal has, with his food, rejuvenated a sleepy part of the city," and his success story offers inspiration to would-be chef-owners on surviving the restaurant startup phase, maximizing one's space, and creating different revenue streams.

"Marc-André Royal made waves by opening a pretty bare-bones restaurant on a limited budget," Lesley wrote in a Montréal Gazette piece listing him among the most influential restaurateurs of his generation, "and making back his money in six short months."

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Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

David shares some A-lister anecdotes and his mixed feelings about the testosterone-charged bash that kicks off Montréal’s festival season, just as news breaks of a decade-long contract renewal between the city and Formula 1.

But first, Lesley and David get into the quintessential summer drink: lemonade. They share tips on how to make it on the cheap for a crowd, how to dress it up with homemade syrups, and how to turn leftover rinds into lemon sugar.

Then, much of the discussion focuses on the Canadian Grand Prix, which has taken place in Montréal since the '70s, and the impact this prestigious event has had on the city's fine dining scene; about a month of sales over one weekend, David estimates, for some well-placed restaurants.

Names dropped include: Danny Devito, Jacques Villeneuve, Sylvester Stallone, Gene Hackman (RIP), Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Willis and George Harrison—that was just one table David's team served at Globe one Saturday night in the early aughts.

Also, in the kitchen, some underrated sources of protein like squid, pinto or cowboy beans, and hanger steak, with David revealing the recipe to his pungent go-to condiment for beef; watch our Instagram account for that and Lesley's recipe for the original chocolate lava cake by the late Nicolas Jongleux.

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Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

It's grilling season for Canadians and David has some tips on how to plan and execute an epic locally-sourced BBQ extravaganza: what fresh meats to look for, making your own sausage, grilling techniques, marinades and sauces, unconventional meat choices like rabbit and duck... He also gets into the benefits of the traditional 'black egg' barbeques and new internet-enabled high-tech smokers.

Many culinary detours on this episode of Salt Lick: Lesley has read all the BBQ cookbooks and offers recommendations. As she is experimenting with nut butters, David is spending a lot of time on the tractor and talks more about springtime vineyard management and dealing with wildlife challenges like deer overpopulation, ending with a discussion about how to treat lobster with respect; grilling lobsters, by the way, is tricky and David suggests you boil them, and don't dress them up.

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Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.

The international standard in restaurant reviewing, the Michelin Guide, has finally arrived and Québec restaurants will never be the same... or does the hype even matter?

David and Lesley unpack some of the Michelin results, why they are important to some restaurateurs but not others, and what it takes to become a Michelin-calibre establishment.

Lesley also discusses receiving the highest honour bestowed on citizens in her hometown, the Order of Montréal, for her nearly four decades of writing about food and culture. On the farm, David shares a sad update about his favourite hen Brownie while a rescued rabbit named Romulus joins the McMillan household; both have been pets and won't end up on the dinner table but, while we're on the subject, David shares a dependable recipe for lapin confit.

Follow David & Lesley on Instagram.

Salt Lick is a TNKR Media Original Production.