Year: 2010

Food Notes for June 7, 2010

If you haven’t yet seen Mack’s Pecha Kucha presentation, what are you waiting for? He did an awesome job Thursday night at the seventh incarnation of an event that aims to inspire the “next generation” of Edmontonians. If you haven’t yet been, mark your calendar for September 28, 2010, when PKN8 will take place at the University of Alberta campus (check the Next Gen website for more details). On to this week’s food notes:

  • The second annual Al Fresco 104th Street Block Party is this Saturday, June 12! Look forward to patios, a fashion show, wine tasting, and of course, an outdoor movie screening. See you there!
  • I’m getting excited for Indulgence, taking place on June 14. They’ve started to reveal menu items on their blog, and will continue to do so throughout the week. Culina’s dish of “bison brisket, slow-cooked in a balsamic barbecue sauce served with biscuits and horseradish-spiced marinated onions” sounds fantastic.
  • Learn more about Eva Sweet, Edmonton’s first and only waffle truck, from Brittney Le Blanc. You can find it at 107 Street and 99 Avenue (in front of the WCB building) from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. most days, and at the Alberta Avenue Farmers’ Market Thursdays and at the Beverly Farmers’ Market on Tuesday evenings. They’re also on Twitter!
  • There’s a new tea shop in town – Cha Island Tea Co. (10332 81 Avenue) in Old Strathcona. It strives to give Edmonton a tropical-themed tea and coffee lounge.
  • Mack spotted a new Chop is in the works at Ellerslie Road and 100 Avenue.
  • Marianne provided a quick run-down of what eats to expect at the Folk Festival this year.
  • The Journal ran their next profile of a local foodie last week – Ruth Kelly of Venture Publishing.
  • Gail Hall will be starting her popular Market Fresh Cooking classes again this July. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning – shopping for fresh ingredients, getting to know local farmers, and cooking up a storm!
  • If there’s anyone that can infect anyone with an appreciation for food, it’s Valerie, so I think it’s great that she will be teaching a cooking class to 10 – 14 year olds interested in learning how to cook at the City Arts Centre this summer.
  • Also from Valerie – if you haven’t already, read about her tour through Chinatown with LeQuan (who also posted her thoughts). Food is always more fun with others!
  • June 1 was National Hunger Awareness Day – the Edmonton Food Bank announced the winners of their Expressions of Hunger contest last week, cumulating in an exhibition at City Hall. The exhibition has since moved to the Carrot Community Coffee House, where it will remain until June 23.
  • Related –  Calgary-based Julie Van Rosendaal took part in A Week in Their Kitchen, which challenged a a few bloggers to cook meals using only what can be found in a food hamper. What resulted was a series of thought-provoking posts.
  • It’s too bad Calgary’s City Council voted against allowing for backyard chicken coops last week. Still, I have a feeling it’s not the last time we will hear about the issue, as the article alludes.
  • U of A grads can participate in an upcoming 11 day tour of Tuscany through the Alumni Association. I’m sure it would be alot better than the Contiki tour we did a few years ago!
  • I saw an ad for a new type of Kraft Dinner made with cauliflower and wheat. Funny how this campaign is alongside the nostalgia ads.
  • Food hacker Kenji has the best job – he just learned how to duplicate McDonald’s fries in the comfort of his own home.
  • It’s handy to have Cellar Door along my homeward bound bus route – I picked up a lemon meringue pie ($3.25) to share with Mack last week after dinner. I loved the buttery crust.

 

Lemon meringue pie from Cellar Door 

  • Another plus of walking to and from the City Market are the stops that can be made easily along the way. I wandered into The Butler Did It for the first time. Though they don’t normally serve breakfast, they were offering it that day. It’s a charming space, where lunches can be had during the week, and can also be booked for functions. I picked up a few kitchen utensils, priced at 30% off – score!

 

Inside The Butler Did It

  • I also stopped at Kerstin’s Chocolates, wanting to try out their new Roses are Red Chocophilia, with saffron, rose and raspberry (I like it a lot better than Lemon Dream). The clerk told me that Kerstin is currently working on her bacon-chocolate concoctions for Father’s Day. Expect several special sweets, which may or may not include peanut butter in the mix.

 

Roses are Red Chocophilia

  • Lots of new restaurant action on Whyte – it seems Pour House (replacing Flavours) is now open, as are both Press Cafe (10846 82 Avenue) and Cafe Beirut (10812 82 Avenue). Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop in for fear of missing my bus. Has anyone checked out either yet?

 

Press Cafe & Bistro

 

Cafe Beirut

The Cooking Chronicles: Poached Eggs on Asparagus and Bacon with Yogurt Hollandaise

While both Mack and I love the idea of having breakfast for dinner, it usually manifests itself as frittatas, quiches, and the like. But because of our love of brunch, I thought Mack’s pre-trip dinner on Saturday (he’s in New Orleans for a conference this week) should be a more blatantly breakfast-type meal. A recipe for poached eggs on asparagus with yogurt hollandaise, in Rose Murray’s A Taste of Canada, sounded perfect.

Though this recipe wasn’t difficult, it involved nearly every pot and pan we had in the house, making cleanup a not-so-envious task. Still, the results were fantastic, so we couldn’t complain.

This was my first time poaching eggs (I am partial to the ease of frying eggs). As I slipped the eggs into the water, peering into the bubbling water, I felt a little like Julie Powell, willing the whites to stay together (not to mention that they were quality eggs from Sunshine Organic; I hate wasting food, let alone good food). While some of the whites did inevitably drift apart, I was happy with the results.

While I watched over the eggs (and waited for the Edgar Farms asparagus to finish roasting and the ciabatta buns to toast), Mack fried up some back bacon from Irvings Farm, and took care of whisking together the yogurt-based hollandaise on a double boiler. Nothing says teamwork like cooking together!

We served the finished product with some mixed heritage greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham, tossed with some lemon vinaigrette.

Poached eggs on asparagus with yogurt hollandaise

Ciabatta buns were the wrong choice as the bread base (they was a little too hard to cut through), but everything else worked well. The addition of bacon made it that much tastier, and though Mack found the mustard-flavoured hollandaise a bit disconcerting to start with, he did enjoy it in the end.

Dining al fresco!

For dessert, we topped some creamy Breyers double churn (we love how easy it is to scoop the ice cream straight out of the freezer) with crumbled cookies from Confetti Sweets (a new vendor this year at the City Market).

Dessert

We may end up having this meal again for breakfast one day. Yum.

City Market Report: Week 4

It was a glorious day for the City Market – and besides not needing rain boots, an umbrella, or gloves this morning, I was able to walk to 104 Street, along lush, grass-lined paths and under the generous shade of trees just bursting with green.

En route

The crowds were back, mirroring the opening weekend in their numbers and frenzy for fresh produce.

And, they’re back!

Patrons and vendors alike seemed to be in a lighter mood with the fair weather, though I have to say I did have an unfortunate run-in with a steely-eyed gentleman who thought I was encroaching on his morel territory at the Mo-Na Foods booth (some people take their mushrooms seriously, I guess).

Morels and chanterelles

I was happy to run into a few familiar faces, including BruleeBlog, who shared the same instincts to make a run to the Edgar Farms booth first. We both checked out a new vendor, called A Taste of Brazil, with curiosity. Just in time for the start of the World Cup, they offer several Brazilian sweets, and while I was busy taking a photo, BruleeBlog overheard the staff say they will be opening up a Brazilian restaurant located somewhere downtown in September.

A Taste of Brazil

I’m really looking forward to the next month – with all of the rain (and with luck, sunshine), new produce items should be showing up every week.

Beautiful onion bunches from Kuhlmann’s

 

Lovage (used mostly as an herb) from Sundog Organics

In addition to the asparagus, I also picked up some heirloom tomato plants for my Mum from Inspired Market Gardens (they carry over a dozen varieties!), duck eggs and mixed heritage greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham, rhubarb from Sundog Organics, and cookies from Confetti Sweets.

 Heirloom tomato plants from Inspired Market Gardens

Mixed heritage greens from Greens, Eggs and Ham

Next week, the second cultural festival of the season will take place, with Portuguese dances and other performances to look forward to. See you there!

Food/Service Dissonance: New York Bagel Cafe

May and I met up on Victoria Day to catch up over brunch. While holidays are a lovely opportunity to linger with a friend over coffee, it was easier said than done. Most of the independent restaurants I could think of were either closed for the holiday, or closed on Mondays, so we resorted to options across the river. We ultimately ended up at New York Bagel Café (8430 Gateway Boulevard), the charming and cozy eatery a stone’s throw away from the bustle of Whyte Avenue.

My only previous visit was an exercise in patience, in both the wait for a table and the delay in getting our food at the table, and this experience was no different. We were second in line, but it took staff more than ten minutes to even acknowledge our existence, and no one so much as stopped to provide a ballpark estimate of the wait time. Granted, I did not envy the job of the two servers on the floor, run ragged and only halfway through the afternoon, but for such a well-established restaurant, it surprised me that they presented such a poor first impression.

After we were seated (about forty minutes later) away from the entrance and with a view of the still-shuttered patio, we were finally able to relax. Our server was friendly and she was thankfully calm at the table where she was frantic in the lobby.

While I still have qualms about their lack of drip coffee on the menu, I was satisfied with my espresso-based house coffee ($3.25) this time, served piping hot and made creamy with the addition of a side of steamed milk.

House coffee

The food was quite good as well, living up to their reputation of having great bagels and benedicts. My cheddar bagel was cheesy and toasted perfectly, and I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my classic breakfast ($13), including my perfectly cooked scrambled eggs and well-seasoned potatoes (where a morsel of coarse salt would occasionally burst forth). The fruit accompaniment, while not necessarily rivalling Cora’s in quantity, definitely strikes a prettier note.

Classic breakfast

May equally delighted in her eggs benedict with duck ham ($19), a rich and savoury way to start the morning (my taste of the duck ham led me to believe it would make a steadfast rival to traditional bacon). Though she found the sweet apple an unusual inclusion, she still declared it among the best benedicts in the city.

Smoked duck breast and grilled apple benedict

The only other blemish during our stay came when we asked for our bill. It took the server more than fifteen minutes to bring it by. Though we didn’t mind drinking in the sunshine and ambiance, we assumed her lengthy time away meant the demand for tables had died down. However, when we later approached the door, bill in hand to pay at the register, we were surprised to see that the line was even longer than before. For New York Bagel Café’s sake, I’m hoping that day was a blip in their service delivery, because their food deserves better.

New York Bagel Café
8430 Gateway Boulevard
(780) 432-2003

The Cooking Chronicles: Wilted Pea Tendril Salad

Unlike a conventional CSA with a produce farmer, where I think the sheer quantity and new-to-me vegetables would be overwhelming for a novice cook like me, I much prefer the route of trying and experimenting with different varieties at my own pace. If you can believe it, I tried parsnips and kale for the first time in the past year.

Having challenged myself to visit the City Market every week this year, I’m finding it even easier to do this, as I am now even more aware of the burgeoning seasonal inventory that changes every week. And though I may not pick up that produce item the first time around, being able to identify it, and realizing that we can grow it in Alberta is the first step for me.

Last Saturday, I couldn’t resist buying a beautiful bouquet of pea tendrils from Sundog Organics (their lovely displays of rustic baskets alone could get me to relinquish my wallet, I think). Though I had originally intended to throw them into an odds and ends stir-fry (made up of whatever was nearing the end of its life in the crisper), I thought better of it, and began searching for a recipe that would more appropriately showcase the tendrils.

A simple, warm pea tendril salad with mushrooms and shallots ended up fitting the bill, mostly because I had all of the ingredients required, and because I wouldn’t have the opportunity to accidentally overcook the delicate greens.

Eaten raw, the pea tendrils were crisp and sweet, and would make a lovely garnish or an addition to a mixed green salad. In this warm salad, they retained their fresh bite, contrasting nicely with the softened, buttery mushrooms. It would make a great starter dish for a dinner party, or a light accompaniment with fish.

Wilted pea tendril salad with mushrooms

Have you tried any new items from the City Market lately?

Wild Fungi 101: Learning All About Edible Mushrooms with the Alberta Mycological Society

Three weeks ago, Slow Food Edmonton members and their guests packed Culina Highlands one evening, all eager to learn more about mushrooms.

No, not those kind of mushrooms – but the edible, wild varieties that are treasured by chefs and foodies alike. In fact, it is estimated that twelve to twenty-five thousand different fungi grow in Alberta, with new species found and recorded every year. That was only one of the many, many things we learned that night from Martin Osis, amateur mycologist and President of the Alberta Mycological Society (AMS). His passion for mushrooms was evident, and though we probably reached our personal mushroom knowledge threshold by the end of the two hour lecture, it was a pleasant ride because of his enthusiasm for fungi.

Prior to the session, my orientation to wild mushrooms was one of extreme caution – growing up, who didn’t have a parent who instilled an acute fear of deadly fairy rings? Unfortunately, after the session, I feel much the same. Though Martin showed us photos of a vast array of edible mushrooms – from the beautiful comb tooth to the western giant puffball (it apparently tastes like tofu) – fungi appear to be like the English language: ripe with exceptions to the rule! It seemed every generality Martin provided (such as, all Portobello mushrooms are edible…), he later countered with an exception (…except those with a yellow stalk and a bad smell).

Still, there is hope for fungi neophytes like myself! Martin recommends going with an experienced picker (the AMS organizes forays, for example) and enrolling in a mushroom course (offered locally by the Devonian Garden). Of course, joining the Mycological Society would be a great start as well, in order to connect with other interested individuals.

Martin and Thea pose with dried morels

What fascinated me the most was how a mushroom foray seemed comparable to a treasure hunt. Martin listed several visual markers that signal the beginning of morel season (which was right around the time of the lecture, actually) – blue violets start to bloom, dandelions appear, fiddleheads multiply – and I could see how exciting and caught up one could get looking for the clues. In June, oyster and red tops (soon to be Alberta’s provincial mushroom) can be found.

As Thea noted at the end of the evening, Slow Food and the Mycological Society share similar values and goals, and of course, a love of learning more about what we eat, which makes such partnered events such a natural fit. Thanks to Darren for putting the session together, and to Culina for hosting!

Food Notes for May 31, 2010

I think I need a few days to recover from the weekend – everything seems infinitely more exhausting when the weather is uncooperative, or is it just me? June is shaping up to be a busy month, so I hope the sun starts to shine (and stay!) soon. On to this week’s food notes:

  • I can barely contain my excitement – not only does Edmonton have a brand new food truck, but it serves WAFFLES! I am hoping Eva Sweet makes some downtown stops soon.
  • Looks like Nate Box has pushed back his Elm Cafe opening date to June 14. Speaking of Nate, he stopped by the Unknown Studio to talk food – take a listen here.
  • Help bid the original Padmanadi location adieu at their farewell buffet on June 2, from noon-1opm ($20/person). They hope to host the grand opening of the new digs at 101 Street and 107 Avenue on June 19, 2010.
  • There’s another food blog in town, called May Contain Nuts. Welcome to the scene, King Crabby and Jean Poutine!
  • On the topic of food blogs, the St. Albert Gazette published a feature article this weekend about the regional food blogging scene, including interviews with Nikki Stoyko of The Read Onion, Rhianna Morris of Cream and Sugar and me.
  • The Municipal Development Plan, which will help protect some local food sources, was passed last week! Thanks to the Greater Edmonton Alliance and the passionate Edmontonians who helped make this happen.
  • There are lots of other great things happening in local food – Shaw Conference Centre announced that they have planted a garden for the second year in a row, which will supply the kitchen with vegetables and herbs. Check out the photo gallery here.
  • Liane also did a great round-up of some local food initiatives on Saturday, including The Good Food Box, Locavoria and the Greens, Eggs and Ham Futures Program. Duffy even made an appearance on the photo spread!
  • On Wednesday, Calgary’s City Council votes on whether or not to allow a pilot of urban chicken coops to go forward. The name of the group pushing for this? The Canadian Urban Liberated Chicken Klub, or, CLUCK.
  • Though municipal beekeeping hasn’t been in the news as much as chickens, the discussion will begin soon enough. In Toronto, two hives have been installed on the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, home of the Canadian Opera Company.
  • I remember when I was a kid, with no library in my neighbourhood, a book truck would stop at the strip mall across the street every weekend. So I think this is brilliant – a mobile farmers’ market truck in NY that can offer fresh vegetables in underserved neighbourhoods – at least until something more permanent can be set up.
  • Interesting article (and fun with data) about how much money people spend for lunch in New York, based on zip code locations.
  • Though the official KFC Double Down isn’t available in Edmonton, Chris did his best to make his own version here. Not for the faint of heart!
  • So true – “Children’s menus are the death of civilization”, says a NYC restaurant owner. And I say that as someone who grew up as a picky eater.
  • More NY – though I know we’re at least five years away from “gimmicky” restaurants in Edmonton, we could probably learn something from New York’s experience.
  • We had originally picked up a fresh-to-go meal from d’Lish to serve as an emergency dinner for my sisters, they ended up not needing it. So we had it tonight, a great convenience as both Mack and I arrived home late. We were also pleased that the portion size for this dish, a chicken parmigiana with garlic and tomato pasta, was larger than our previous to-go meal. Though it was a bit pricey ($21.50), I think it’s a win-cubed instance – not only does it support local producers, but also a vibrant, independent business. And of course, fills your belly with tasty food!

 

Chicken Parmigiana from d’Lish

  • To help kill time while waiting for the next bus to arrive (and to warm our chilled selves), we stopped inside Axis Cafe on Saturday. I’ve been meaning to check out this coffee shop for some time, and was happy I finally did. It’s gorgeous inside, with two levels of comfortable furniture, funky art, and a beautiful boardroom to boot. My white hot chocolate was good, though a little lukewarm, but I’m willing to give them another shot.

 

Axis Cafe

2010 Highlands Street Festival

I think street festivals – an event to highlight area businesses, to create a gathering space for neighbours and others, and to, in other words, celebrate a neighbourhood – are fantastic. Alberta Avenue’s Kaleido Festival (commemorating their fifth anniversary in 2010) and the East Meets West Festival (put on by Little Italy and Chinatown) are great examples of neighbourhood festivals.

When I stumbled upon details about the Highlands Street Festival (organized by the Highlands Community League) in a recent E-SAGE newsletter, I was surprised to read that this would be the fifth incarnation of the event. Centering at 112 Avenue and 65 Street, business, musicians and artists would be highlighted. Mack and I made plans to check it out after our weekly trip to the City Market on Saturday.

Between the abysmal weather, and an ETS bus completely passing us by at our stop, getting to Highlands was a bit harrowing. We eventually made it though, and found that thankfully, the festivities had continued in spite of the downpour.

Welcome to Highlands!

Festival central

Poor puppies

Most of the activities were relegated indoors. We started at Mandolin Books and Coffee Company, where a musician was entertaining a small crowd. We also happened to run into one of our old high school principals, who not only grew up in Highlands, but resides there still now. She’s been attending the festival since it began five years ago.

Inside Mandolin

We stopped in Sabrina Butterfly Designs and Chickies, a charming little antiques store. While we didn’t buy anything, it was the first time either of us had been inside these shops. The storekeepers were friendly, and very open to people just passing through to take a look.

Inside Sabrina Butterfly Designs and Chickies

Lovely connecting yard

I was most looking forward to visiting the retail location of Catfish Coffee, which just opened at the beginning of April (you can also buy their coffee every Saturday at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, and at Mandolin down the street). The shop is clean and spacious, with a full view of the roasting machine, and set up on that day with carafes of all of their coffee varieties available for patrons to sample (with collected donations going towards the 2011 Highlands Beautification Project).

Catfish Coffee

Roasting machine

Though the owners aren’t able to run a full-scale cafe in the space, it was set up that way on Saturday, complete with music provided by Kristilyn Robertson.

Enjoying the ambiance

It was great to chat with the staff (they’re hoping to extend their retail hours over the summer). Of course, we couldn’t leave without picking up a bag of coffee too – the Guatemalan Highlands variety seemed fitting.

Though I’ve been to Culina Highlands a few times, this was my first trek through its neighbouring businesses. I was glad to have the excuse of the Highlands Street Festival to do so! I’ll be sure to look for it next year.

City Market Report: Week 3

Boy, it was the weather miserable today. The rain was non-stop only until it became snow (that may have been a blessing in disguise, as the reservoirs of water that gathered in the tent crevices had me pegged today). I really hope next weekend brings sunshine – after the beautiful opening weekend I think we all deserve a day at the market without the need for gloves or a hat.

Empty street

As expected, the crowds seemed even thinner than last week, but it was good to see those who made it out regardless of the temperature. The vendors we talked to, always good humoured, stayed upbeat in spite of the cold. Patty Milligan of Lola Canola (in her first market day of the season!) said she was dressed in about eight layers. We picked up a jar of her summer honey that we’ll be using to make granola.

Patty Milligan, always smiling

Though the wet conditions this year have delayed the seeding plans for some farmers, visiting the market in the spring still means that patrons may happen upon a new seasonal produce item every week. Today, Riverbend Gardens had a different, spicier variety of radish, and Sundog Organics had lettuce and spinach available.

Radishes from Riverbend Gardens

Beautiful pea tendrils from Sundog Organics (I picked up a bunch, as well as some green onions)

These flowers looked so cheerful among all the grey

In addition to bell peppers from Doef’s, carrots from Kuhlmann’s, asparagus from Edgar Farms, sausages and ground pork from Irvings Farm Fresh, we also restocked our supply of GMO-free canola seed oil from Mighty Trio Organics. After buying my first bottle a few months ago from Planet Organic, I can’t imagine using anything other than their rich, amber-coloured oil for cooking.

Products from Mighty Trio Organics

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for warmer weather next week!

The Cooking Chronicles: It’s Asparagus Season!

I love reading the weekly updates from Edgar Farms, and in particular, seeing the first snapshots of the season capturing those darling, plucky stalks of asparagus bursting upwards from the soil. Sure, there are many ways to tell that spring is upon us, but I think it’s great that we are lucky enough to have a timely, seasonal vegetable that can act as our harbinger of spring.

Asparagus from Edgar Farms

At $6 a bunch, they’re not an inexpensive purchase at the City Market, but for the product’s freshness and ability to easily last a week in the fridge, they’re worth the cost.

Roasted Asparagus

What’s better than a side of simple, roasted asparagus? Tossed with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and placed in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes or so, the crisp-tender stalks are bright and tasty.

Roasted asparagus

Asparagus Pesto

I’ve written in the past about my love of the versatile dip/spread as my office potluck staple dish – it allows me to escape the pre-lunch crush at the stove/microwave as my fellow colleagues rush to heat up their contribution. And, really, it’s allowed me to try out new recipes without having to commit to eating an entire sampling myself.

This time, an asparagus pesto recipe in the NYT caught my eye, and its radiant green hue seemed perfect for a spring potluck. I threw the blanched asparagus pieces with some of the cooking liquid, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan, black pepper and a dash of lemon juice into the food processor and blended everything until the mixture was creamy.

The result was a smooth, hearty dip with a deep, earthy flavour, and one that I am happy to say solicited many requests for the recipe.

Asparagus pesto

It’s a versatile pesto, and one that I look forward to trying with pasta as well, as suggested in the recipe.

What’s your favourite way to enjoy asparagus?