Month: September 2009

The Cooking Chronicles: Spicy Tofu and Pork

Instead of The Cooking Chronicles I feel like I should create a sub-category containing all of my tofu-related experiments titled “The Tofu Trials”. At any rate, a Company’s Coming Cooking at Home spicy pork and tofu recipe was my third attempt to gradually introduce tofu into our diet, a slow road to my eventual hope of edging Mack’s tolerance for tofu into a fondness.

Armed with Ying Fat tofu and Four Whistle Farms ground pork, I set to make the quick stir-fry dish. I thought the half pound of pork would be overwhelmed by all of the tofu, but the proportion was just right, really highlighting how economical the dish is to make, so long as the cook’s pantry is stocked.

The result? A textured dish full of subtle heat with just the right amount of sweetness for balance.  I would double the sauce mixture next time, however, as there was only enough to coat the ingredients in the pan, and not enough to drizzle on our accompanying rice. And while Mack would have preferred more meat, this was his favourite of the three tofu dishes we’ve tried thus far.

Spicy Tofu and Pork

It’s All About the Whimsy: Delux Burger Bar

Delux Burger Bar is a prime example of the type of restaurant doing gangbusters right now – a perfectly executed “upscale casual” eatery that pairs a chic interior with a laid-back atmosphere. Why Delux wins my vote as one of the best in that ubiquitous class, however, has to do with their whimsical extras that go beyond smartly-attired wait staff, unidentifiable pulsating music and accessible dishes. Is Delux manufactured exactly to push the buttons of diners who have a secret penchant for kitsch? Of course, but the bottom line is, it works, or at least it does for me.

Mack and I had dinner there recently before a function at Jeffrey’s Cafe & Wine Bar (a nice place off the beaten path with an interesting selection of wine). We opted for an air-conditioned seat inside, sharing the space with those unwinding with a drink after work, a few families, and several groups of friends gathered for supper.

The menu, the requisite mix of share plates, burgers and other proteins encased in buns, offers nothing extraordinary, but enough variety to please all eaters. I went with the day’s special, called Out of the Wild, a bison burger topped with bacon, mushroom, lettuce and tomato basil havarti ($12). Mack decided to satisfy his hot dog craving with the Delux Dog ($8) with caramelized onions, double-smoked bacon and cheddar. We topped off our order with a Delux Duo of French and sweet potato fries ($6).

Our food arrived surprisingly quickly, though for a place that serves a fairly straightforward menu that was expected. What I didn’t expect was a truly messy burger to eat – it probably should have come with a bib of some sort. The Portobello mushrooms caused most of the grievance, unleashing their moisture content with no mercy. And while they lent some interesting texture to an otherwise standard burger, I found them a bit too meaty as a topping. Thankfully the rest of the burger – including a notably moist patty and a fresh bun – made the mess worthwhile. 

Out of the Wild Burger

Mack enjoyed his hot dog (perhaps more so, because it was the more dainty of the two entrees), though he did relay that the idea of a bacon-topped hot dog wasn’t quite as well realized as he had hoped for. 

Delux Dog

The fries were really what we had been looking forward to, served a la “carts”. I had seen the mini shopping carts in a gift store in Germany years ago, and have been kicking myself for not picking up a few then – the serving vehicle gets me every time. As for the fries themselves, I loved the sweet potato crisps, especially paired with the tangy dipping mayo.

Delux Duo (a la cart!)

The complimentary meal-ending cotton candy is another fanciful touch that scores points with me, even if we never manage to finish the dome. A sticky throwback to childhood beats peppermint sweets every time.

Cotton Candy finish

Century Hospitality’s Chris Lachance indicated in May that a second Delux is in the works for November. I haven’t heard anything about it since then, but don’t be surprised if another Burger Bar pops up in the city. With their formulaic flair for whimsy, I have no doubt a second Delux would be also be a smashing success.

Delux Burger Bar
9682 142 Street
(780) 420-0101

September in Edmonton has Something for Everyone!

  • The third season of Hey Ladies! kicks off at the Roxy Theatre on September 4. I attended their last show in June and had a blast. If only all variety shows could be so informative and entertaining at the same time.
  • Potentially the last warm weather Movies on the Square take place on September 4 and 5, with Kung Fu Panda and UP being screened. How cool is it that UP is being screened before the movie goes to DVD?!
  • The ever-popular Symphony Under the Sky returns to the Hawrelak Park Amphitheatre September 4-7. Mack and I will be heading to one of the concerts for the first time this year.
  • The 20th annual Labour Day BBQ for unemployed and underemployed Edmontonians is taking place at Giovanni Caboto Park (108 Avenue & 95 Street) on September 7 from 10:30am-3:30pm. Look forward to free food and entertainment.
  • Enterprise Square will be hosting a series of free string quartet concerts over the next few months. The first two are scheduled for September 8 & 22.
  • If you’re around the Legislature on September 10, you might want to stop by for a free hot dog from 11:30am-1:30pm for Grandparents BBQ Day.
  • ‘Tis the season for charities, but I hope you’ll consider coming out to support the Youth Emergency Shelter Society on September 10 at Edmonton’s second annual Twestival. You can read more about it here.
  • Soapathon, the annual improv marathon at the Varscona Theatre is back September 11-13. We’ve missed it in spite of our intentions to make it the past few years, but we are going to try harder this year.
  • The Downtown Edmonton Community League is hosting their annual Corn Fest on September 12 this year at Beaver Hills Park. Mack and I checked it out last year, mostly for the free corn.
  • A neat fundraiser for the Valley Zoo called Art in the Wild will take place on September 12. The evening will include entertainment, a gallery, and talks from interpretive staff.
  • Latitude 53 presents the 10th edition of their performance art festival Visualeyez, curated this year with a theme of water. It runs September 16-21.
  • Edmonton Fashion Week revs up its fall catwalk September 16-27, with runway shows, showcases, and sample sales. My sisters and I checked out one of the shows last spring.
  • Can’t get enough of outdoor film screenings? The Edmonton International Film Festival is hosting two additional Movies on the Square showings on September 17 & 18.
  • September 18-20 will see province-wide celebrations of Alberta Arts Days. Check the listing for local events, but included are special activities at the Royal Alberta Museum, where admission is free for those three days.
  • First there was Opera 101 as a means of making the Edmonton Opera more accessible to the average person, and now, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra will be offering a similar educational session called Symphony 101 on September 19. I think it’s a great idea – I do hope it helps to introduce more people to the symphony.
  • Love it or hate it, I think it’s encouraging that the new Art Gallery of Alberta is spawning discussion. Join Randall Stout on September 19 at the Winspear Centre for his first public appearance since being named the lead architect on the project. Tickets are $10.
  • Looking to volunteer? Look no further than Everyone for Edmonton, an event in its second year. Numerous non-profit organizations will be providing information about their work at the Shaw Conference Centre on September 20.
  • Alberta’s largest accordion festival, the Accordion Extravaganza, runs September 24-25 at the Central Lions Recreation Centre.
  • One of my favourite fall festivals, the Edmonton International Film Festival, is back September 25-October 3.
  • I can’t believe the Arts on the Ave Kaleido Family Arts Festival is already in its fourth year. It sounds like the organizers will be “taking it to the streets” this year, literally. Check it out September 25-27.
  • I’m so looking forward to this: the Greater Edmonton Alliance has teamed up with the Edmonton Potato Growers to offer The Great Potato Giveaway. From 9am-4pm on September 26, everyone is invited to harvest 50lbs. of potatoes each at Norbest Farms. The day will also include a briefing on the municipal development plan and instruction on how to grow potatoes. Can’t wait!
  • Edmonton Chante, the city’s French song festival, runs September 26-October 3.
  • Need a reason to check out a City attraction? How about free admission? All City of Edmonton attractions and selected recreation centres will be open free of charge on September 27.

Edmonton Corn Maze 2009

To make the most of what could have been the last warm weekend of the year (how’s that for pessimism), Mack and I drove out to the Edmonton Corn Maze. I wanted to make a point of seeing the corn stalks in their full glory – our last few visits have been at the tail end of the season, when the stalks we reaching the sad end of their life span.

 

Inside the corn maze

9pm marks the latest hour visitors are allowed into the corn maze, so our 8:30pm arrival cut it pretty close. We toured some of the other amusements quickly, including pedal carts and a small petting zoo (the sheep and goats were all just begging to be fed). With a picnic area (and a bonfire after dark), families could easily make a trip to the corn maze a full-day event.

Petting Zoo

We couldn’t resist!

The corn maze is designed with a theme in mind every year. This year, in honour of the Edmonton stage for the upcoming Canadian Curling Trials, the maze features a Roar of the Rings theme. Of course, on the ground in the maze, it’s hard to know what the overall scheme looks like, but the aerial shots they take every year are pretty cool.

At the entrance of the maze, visitors have the option of picking up a 10-question guide to help navigate critical crossroads inside the maze. We chose the quiz focused on we deemed to be most fitting – curling.

Ready, set, go!

Mack took pictures of all of the signposts throughout (they look to have been purchased through a company that manufactures them specifically for corn mazes…I had no idea the “industry” was big enough to support such businesses). I have to say, although the warm night air was perfect for a stroll, we had to race against time. Being without a flashlight meant the setting sun would leave us in the dark, and navigating was difficult enough even when we could see.

Netty came with us for the maze…he had a bit of a mishap involving dirt though

Sample Cornundrum sign

It was a welcome challenge though, and I appreciated the height of the stalks, the majority of which were over six feet tall – perfect for concealing other wanderers, even if their traveling voices made them seem close.

Dusk

We ended up making it out of the maze in about an hour. It was a brisk walk, and seemed more difficult than in previous years, but we enjoyed ourselves all the same. While perhaps not a tradition yet for us, it’s a fun activity that we will continue to try and incorporate into the harvest season. Keep it in mind if you find yourself with a free evening or weekend, or even better, take advantage in their Get Lost for Hunger promotion this long weekend – $1 from each admission will go towards the Edmonton Food Bank, and get $1 off admission with a food donation.

Visit Edmonton Corn Maze for directions and hours (and a printable coupon!).