The Apartment Show

I read about “The Apartment Show” in ed Magazine last week, and thought it was a fascinating concept. Artists were invited to a dilapidated apartment complex to transform the soon-to-be-renovated rooms into installation art, harvesting the energy of the space and at times whatever materials were left behind as inspiration. As Blair Brennan, one of the artists who participated in the show, explains in the ed piece, “‘I like the analogy of a crime scene when it comes to interpreting installation art. The evidence is laid there, but it’s up to the viewer to interpret it, to create some kind of fictional narrative, a story that will make sense of what they see.'”

Mack and I headed over to the non-descript building on Sunday afternoon. I somehow didn’t expect anyone else to be there, but was pleasantly surprised to find a small group of patrons wandering the floors when we got there. After depositing a donation to the iHuman Youth Society, we were invited to explore the parts of the building not occupied. We wandered from room to room, scanning over brief descriptions of each of the individual exhibits. From a very intense condom-decorated bathroom (no pictures, sorry), to a brightly-painted mock children’s room with aptly placed societal influences of guns and Playboy magazines, the displays ran the gamut from arcane to somewhat intelligible for us.

My favorite had to be the “caretakers room,” with a plethora of hand-written notes plastered from floor to ceiling on the walls – from phone messages to directions to incomprehensible shorthand lists – it was overwhelming to be confronted with so many “moments” that had meaning for somebody, somewhere, at some time.

As with the Free for All exhibit, we probably didn’t spend as much time as we could have, but I appreciated the opportunity to be exposed to alternative perspectives.

Mack next to axe

Sign as you enter the room with the axe

Mack with giant Coke can ball (looks unsurprisingly happier than he did with the axe)

A child’s bedroom

Interior of “caretakers room”

On one side of the wall

Close-up of one section of the notes

Orange I Wasn’t Glad: 9th Street Bistro

May, Annie and I met for brunch at 9th Street Bistro (9910-109 Street) this afternoon, meaning that I have now tried all types of meals at this restaurant (I was there for dinner not too long ago). I am also sad to say that each subsequent experience has been less impressive than the last.

I had read a review of their “Champagne Brunch” in See Magazine quite a while ago, and was left with a desire to try it out at some point. With a wide bank of windows, creaky floors, and aged furniture, the dining area is bright and infused with character. Though none of us actually chose to partake in alcohol this early in the day, it was a nice option. May ordered a kiwi and cream cheese omelet (an interesting, if not previously unheard of flavor combination), while Annie and I stuck with the more traditional French Toast, albeit with a citrus twist.

I think my ultimate dissatisfaction with my dish was due to my own shoddy reading of the menu description. But between the orange zest on the toast itself, to the Grand Marnier-reduced syrup, I felt I was served a cure for scurvy.

Combined with tolerable service, I think I’ve sampled enough of 9th Street Bistro fare for the time being. Time to move on!

Restaurant interior

Kiwi and cream cheese omelet

Grand Marnier French Toast

The Cooking Chronicles: Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Given all my harping about cupcakes, it’s a surprise that I haven’t yet tackled the challenge of making them myself. So tonight, I attempted Ina Garten’s recipe of Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing.

It was certainly the most prep-intensive recipe to date. Between ensuring that the eggs, butter, and sour cream were at room temperature, remembering to brew the coffee, and letting the buttermilk mixture stand, I definitely exceeded the time guidelines listed on the recipe. Moreover, though I dislike using an electric mixer (I’m strangely traditional that way), I thought I’d experiment with my Mum’s KitchenAid mixer this time. It wasn’t as complicated as I had expected, but I did cop out near the end and chose to hand-incorporate the buttermilk and flour mixtures.

I also used Ina’s method of ice-cream scooping the cupcake batter into the baking cups, but boy, do I need a better scoop in the future; I think gravity was a more effective helper than the lift button itself.

As for the icing – it is without a doubt the star of the show. I’m known for eating spoonfuls of peanut butter out of the jar, but with the fluffy sweetness of the peanut butter icing, I’m liable to take the bowl and run. I highly recommend this recipe for anyone with frosting-related needs.

The ‘cakes themselves rose nicely, and frosted with icing and topped with chopped peanuts, look absolutely delectable. I’m not sure if I’d go through with making the cake batter from scratch again, as it was time consuming without much difference in taste when compared with the Betty Crocker/Duncan Hines variety, but the icing gets two big thumbs up from me.

Think anyone will buy my creations for $2.50 a pop?

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Random Food Notes

I’d never really been bitten by the Iron Chef bug, but as with most other Food Network shows, I can watch it if it’s on. I was excited, however, to tune in to a battle featuring Canadian chef Lynn Crawford, of Restaurant Makeover and Four Seasons fame (in that order, I suppose), up against the caustically-arrogant Bobby Flay. I thought the secret ingredient of peanuts would be an easy challenge for Flay, with his expertise in Southwestern cuisine, and in the end, he did “reign supreme.” And though my dislike of his television personality isn’t secret, even I had to hold myself back when he pulled out his peanut butter French toast served with a port wine reduction and concord grapes (an upscale PB & J).

Rachel Ray (or her marketing puppeteers) is selling a line of t-shirts screened with her most annoying -isms, including “Yum-O” and “Got EVOO.” Gag me.

On my next visit to Vancouver, I will have to make a stop at Vij’s. Rarely does a week go by when I don’t come across some mention of this famous Indian restaurant in my readings. Perhaps I’ll have to placate myself in the meantime with his widely-available cookbook, Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine. It’s a testament to how food can foster and develop relationships. As Vikram Vij said in an interview, “I don’t know what other newlyweds talk about, argue about or discuss for hours on end, but [my wife] Meeru and I built our relationship through our recipes. Our first argument, hurt feelings and personal accomplishments all occurred at Vij’s while we were coming up with these recipes.”

Over the last few weeks, there has been quite the fervor over a “leaked” memo written by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. A lot of the discussion centres around the contradiction behind wanting to recapture the ‘authentic’ Starbucks experience with a continued push for brand and location expansion. What do you think? Read it here.

Speaking of Starbucks, I was happy to get my free cup of brewed coffee on Thursday morning on my way back to work. And I figured now is a good time to showcase my equivalent of a Starbucks shrine on my corkboard at work – a collection of various promotional materials:

Clockwise from top – Christmas 2006 postcard, reminder about Starbucks Coffee Break promotion, and two Akeelah and the Bee flashcards

Culinary Q & A with Megan

What did you eat today?

A granola bar, followed by a not-so-ripe nectarine, a juice box, some coffee and a piece or three of gum. Lunch is a sandwich. Dinner is whatever slop I decide to pull from the fridge

What do you never eat?

I try really hard not to eat mushrooms or raw onions. I also don’t eat Brussels sprouts or beans (unless they’re baked beans or in chili)

What is your personal specialty?

I don’t really cook. But I make a wicked Raspberry Semifreddo for dessert

What is your favorite kitchen item?

The magic bullet. It really DOES make chicken salad in 10 seconds. And makes alsome frozen beverages.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Steak. (Taber) corn on the cob. Garlic Potatoes. Beer. And an orange ice cream float for dessert. Followed by stove top popcorn.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Um. Swiss Chalet with the parents. And Moxie’s or Brewster’s with friends.

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I like OPM for the sweet and sour chicken. But I’m also partial to Opa! And Punjab Sweets and Restaurant (it’s by my house)

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’d eat real Indian food in Mumbai. And maybe an orange off the tree in Florida. And fresh just-picked mangoes.

The Cooking Chronicles: Mini Linzer Cookies

My original plan was to replicate Ina Garten’s recipe for Mini Linzer Cookies in time for Valentine’s Day so I could bring the treats to work to share with my colleagues. Due to my difficulty in locating the specialty cookie cutters however, I had to delay my excitement (Call the Kettle Black didn’t have them…tsk, tsk). Luckily, my Mum found a set at Winners, so my cooking project was back in the works.

I only had enough room temperature butter for half of the recipe, which was a shame in the end, as the preparation was fairly time consuming with only a moderate amount of product to show for it. Though the directions were simple enough, between the half hour to chill the dough, the fifteen minutes to chill the cut-out cookies, and the ten minutes to allow the cookies to cool before decorating, the “idle” time dragged the process out quite a bit.

Despite slightly-burnt cookies and a dash too much confectioners sugar, I was ultimately happy with the experiment. They’d make a lovely tea time accompaniment or a gift-worthy treat. I hope my workmates enjoyed them!

Mini Linzer Cookies (with organic strawberry jam)

Culinary Q & A with Anna

Occupation: Attidude Adjudicator

What did you eat today?

Since it is only 10 am (on the new “Spring” time, which would have been even earlier back in “Winter”) – NOTHING. I would have consumed something had I been writing this in the “pm” part of the day. “The breakfast should be the most imporant meal of the day” is a an extinct piece of wisdom, an atrophied truth from the peasant/farming culture. What is the need for a substantial meal in the morning if you are going to spend the next four hours at a desk, as opposed to tilling land or doing other farm chores? 🙂

What do you never eat?

I don’t think there are any foods that I detest – I must have outgrown any anti-preferences that I could have had as a child. Boiled onions still hints at a sensation of disgust, however (I have never tried them, but the idea itself makes my stomach turn! :). There are some tastes/ flavours that have failed to become appealing – licorice, mint (unless it is toothpaste :), bacon, smell of “French” fries.

What is your personal specialty?

Real cottage/farm cheese (I have not been able so far to find anything in Canada comparable to the one common in Eastern Europe) with creamed buckweat honey and roasted walnuts…Unbelievably delicious!!!

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Double sink – allows for a greater dish pile-up, before the lack of space makes washing them necessary. 🙂 Also oven, as I believe in baking/roasting as the most harmless way of food thermo-preparation.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Probably, the above “personal favourite.” Also, since there is no tomorrow (hypothetically), however, and hence no need to sustain well-being, indulgence into not-so-healthy (or not at all healthy) foods and their quantities appear to be biologically and morally permissible – a platter with a generous assortment of cheese (including the “Rockford” type – the one with mold), a tray of honey-roasted nuts (cashews, pine-, pea-, wall-, brazil-, hazel-, macadamia, almonds, pistacchios) and…coffee-cheesecake ice-cream!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

“Most frequently” for me means “once a month” (or not even that). As a friend of mine has pointed out quite astutely, “What’s the point of eating unhealthy food and having to pay for it?” (yes, the underlying assumption is that commercially-prepared food IS unhealthy). Unhealthy eating, however, can indeed be very enjoyable and appealing, so my spot of choice would be the Parkallen restaurant (Lebanese) or Langano Skies (Ethiopian).

What’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

The Symposium Greek restaurant on Whyte and 104 St. A temporal correction – “was” the best place, as the resaurant does no longer exist, although the sign is still hagning on the building, looking grim and abandoned.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

Any fresh produce in Ukraine (veggies and fruits, especially strawberries, apricots, and sour-cherries) – they REALLY have a taste and a flavour – unlike their rubber-resembling North American counterparts (I am too cheap to go “organic” here), a breath-taking variety of delicious dairy products (some of them have no linguistic equivalency in English), the above cheese. There is also a special type of chocolate/candy, “Hematogen”, made with butter-scotch, “regular” chocolate ingredients, and…bull’s blood (or the blood from some other domestic animals). It is usually given to anemic children in small dosages, but I can eat it by dozens of bars!

Art Gallery of Alberta: Free for All

Following brunch, Mack and I made our way to the Art Gallery of Alberta to visit the “Free for All” exhibit. According to the website, over 1300 artists, from amateur to professional, brought in a total of 2863 pieces of art to be displayed in the gallery free of charge.

Walking in, I was overwhelmed by the spectacle of creativity; it was literally a visual assault of color and images. Due to the sheer number of submissions, I had to wonder how difficult it must have been to curate. There was some coherence in places (e.g. tigers, the outdoors), but the majority of walls were adorned with a seemingly random assemblage of pictures.

The variety of representations was amazing – from collages to comic sketches, shadow boxes to 3-D models – it would be easy to spend a week just taking the time to look at each of the pieces individually. I was pleasantly surprised that there weren’t a noticeable number of landscape portraits or religious depictions among the bunch.

My favorite pieces included:

Calendar (which to me speaks of how our experiences are quite literally worn on our sleeves)

Peace Map (with its interesting detail)

Title unknown, but darn clever

Honorable mentions go to Shrine, a smile-inducing ode to Bill Gates

And Hugh Laurie as House

I loved how alive the gallery was – kids and families wandering the halls together. The odd time I have been there, the patrons were few and far between, so it was a nice change to see the energy and excitement pulsing through the space. I remarked at one point how easy it would be for so-called “real,” marketable art to be placed among “amateur” submissions unbeknownst to the casual viewer. So, on that note, what to make of this giant Q-tip?

The free exhibit runs until March 24.

A Tad Too Welcoming: Barb & Ernie’s Old Country Inn

Some of you may remember an obscure cooking program on Shaw Cable Channel 10 in the 90s featuring a German couple named Barb and Ernie. Well, I remember watching it, and though I can’t tell you anything specific about the show, I do recall much butter being used in the dishes produced. Anyway, I’ve passed by the Bavarian facade of Barb & Ernie’s Old Country Inn (9906-72 Avenue) too many times to count driving southbound on 99 Street, and I thought it was about time I went in and actually tried the food. Mack joined me Sunday afternoon in my quest to satisfy my morbid curiosity.

I had tried to make a reservation for brunch earlier in the week, but the gentleman on the phone told me they didn’t accept reservations for the morning. He advised that I try to come either before 10am or after 1pm to avoid the rush. As neither Mack or I are early birds, we decided on the latter suggestion, arriving just before one o’clock. We were pretty lucky, as we were seated almost immediately and with Ernie’s special brand of hospitality: he pointed to the table at which we would dine. After we were settled, he approached us to play out a cheesy but well-worn and likely popular bit, handing me the menu with a “For you, Beautiful,” while to Mack, he said, “…And you.”

It’s difficult to judge Ernie, as his intentions are pure, and there’s no doubt his restaurant is popular in part because he is so ingrained in the Old Country Inn experience, but as someone who appreciates a low key brunch of quiet conversation, this wasn’t the place to be.

The restaurant did have extensive breakfast offerings, however, including a page of “healthy choices.” I decided on a Barb & Ernie special of one hotcake, eggs, and sausage, while Mack chose the bacon and mushroom omelet. I actually should have asked for the menu back in retrospect, as I hadn’t finished reading the chronology of their business and family life in Edmonton detailed on the front page.

The food arrived after a limited delay, and suffice to say, the portions were huge! The meal itself wasn’t spectacular (even being less greasy than I expected), but as the prices are comparable to Denny’s, this is a better bet if you have the stomach for it (tried as I might, I could only finish half of the hotcake). On the downside though, this isn’t a place to linger for coffee refills, as Ernie was eyeing our table soon after our plates had been cleared.

Barb & Ernie’s isn’t for everyone, and actually, come to think of it, besides those who personally know the family, I wonder how most people aren’t intimidated by his over-the-top gregarious nature. While I realize a restaurant is more than one person, he’s undoubtedly the face. And because of this, it’s hard not to think of the Old Country Inn as just that – a stopover, a tourist attraction, and a living museum for Ernie’s hospitality.

Tabletop kitsch

Bacon and mushroom omelet with potatoes

Hotcake with scrambled eggs and sausage

Exceptional Service: Pradera Cafe and Lounge

As I had mentioned last week, Friday marked the start of Edmonton’s Downtown Dining Week. After mulling over the options, May and I decided on Pradera Cafe and Lounge, situated in the Westin Hotel (10135-100 Street). Although I’ve been to other hotel restaurants in the area, the Westin’s attention to detail and personable service blew me away.

Upon entering the hotel, I noticed the partitioned off groupings of tables and chairs to the left, and figured this was the restaurant. But after approaching the host, he brought me to a secluded dining room in the back. With neutral-toned walls and classic furniture, it wasn’t remarkable by any means, though the fireplace was a nice touch. Whomever designed the layout of the room really should have rethought the placement of columns however, as though their intention may have been to create private spaces, really ended up disrupting the flow and prevented an initial feeling of welcome.

Aesthetics aside, starting from remembering my dining companion’s name (May was taken aback that they called her by name when she asked about our reservation), to having our coats checked, chairs pulled out and napkins laid on our laps, it was a level of service that was nice albeit a bit disconcerting (“We can do it ourselves!”).

As per the Dining Week menu, we were each able to select three courses. We both chose the more uncommon cream of roasted pumpkin soup with a cinnamon cream swirl to start (as opposed to salad). For the main course, I opted for the pan-fried chicken breast accompanied with portobello mushroom herb cream sauce served with chefs’ seasonal vegetables and potatoes, while May went with the poached filet of atlantic salmon with a lemon scented hollandaise sauce accompanied with chefs’ vegetable medley and potatoes.

The pumpkin soup was delicious – smooth, with a nutty, squash-like flavor, it made a great fall/winter appetizer. Before moving on to the entree, we were given a small scoop of blood orange sorbet. I must say I’m not used to the idea of a palette cleanser, but this was definitely better than the tart coconut concoction I had at the Harvest Room a few years ago.

The main course was fabulous – the pan-fried chicken was the best I have had since an apple wood smoked chicken breast at Flavours on Whyte. The portobello mushroom sauce was delightfully creamy, and if they bottled it I’m sure could be marketed as the new HP sauce – good with everything.

On to the dessert – and because I couldn’t pass up the Belgian chocolate mousse in a raspberry shell accompanied with a raspberry sauce, May was left with the banana fritters complimented with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. The mousse was light and airy, but a tad too rich for my taste, particularly with the overdose in solid chocolate already. I much preferred May’s dish of cinnamon and sugar-coated fried banana pieces, something I should learn to duplicate.

At the end of the night, we were both well-fed and tickled with the service. The host, waiter, and busboy all made us feel special. And though it isn’t something I want to get used to, on occasion, it’s nice to be pampered.

Restaurant interior