Year: 2011

Winter Wonderland in Downtown Edmonton

It was another unseasonably warm winter day on Friday, perfect to explore the freshly decorated Legislature grounds. It’s one of the most magical places in Edmonton in the holiday season, and taking a stroll through the tree-lined paths have become an annual tradition for us.

We first stopped at Second Cup for some hot drinks (I’m really enjoying their salted caramel hot chocolate), and en route to the Legislature, passed by the Christmas lights display at the Edmonton General.

Second Cup

A part of their Lights of Hope campaign, the continuing care facility is giving the Bright Nights displays (last seen in Hawrelak Park in 2008) new life. The 400 lights are intended to boost staff and patient morale and draw attention to the frail senior population.

Lights of Hope

Santa and his reindeer

The lights aren’t only on the front of the building, however – they line the entire perimeter of the facility, as well as the parkade behind it. We recognized some of our favourites from Bright Nights, including the hockey player who shoots and scores, and the duck-duck-goose parade.

Lights of Hope

Mack couldn’t help but pose with Santa

It was then onward to the Legislature, which had just been lit for the season on December 1. It was great to see many other couples and families enjoying the park as well that night.

Alberta Legislature

The lights are great, but I think what really makes the display special is the music that is piped in – Edmonton’s very own winter wonderland.

Alberta Legislature

A visit to Candy Cane Lane might be in your family’s holiday repertoire, but think about incorporating a stroll downtown this year as well – you won’t regret it!

Alberta Legislature

Shop Local 2011: Favourite Gifts to Give or Get

Although the official City-proclaimed “Shop Local Month” ended yesterday, I think today marks the unofficial kick off to the real holiday scramble – all leading up to, of course, December 23, the busiest shopping day of the year.

So as I have for the previous two years, I thought I would ask some local personalities what they will be presenting loved ones with this Christmas – shopping locally definitely shouldn’t be confined to a single month! I asked them:

What is your favourite locally-purveyed gift to give or get?

Paul Shufelt, Century Hospitality Group VP Culinary/Managing Partner

When it comes to giving, I treat each of my chefs to a selection of great cook books each year. I like heading down to Audreys Books and rifling through this year’s list of chefs that have released their cookbook. As most chefs are, I am very visual, it’s more about the images, and the creativity, rather than the recipe itself. One timeless book that I highly recommend for the want to be chef is Culinary Artistry. This book is a little different, in that it doesn’t share recipes, as much as it offers classic, and not so classic, flavour pairings, allowing my mind to race with ideas when it comes to creating a great meal. Not everyone in my life loves food the same way I do, so I have to get a little creative. I find that starting at Identity Clothing or Lord’s Shoes is always a good place to start when it comes to picking out something special for my wife. And if that doesn’t work, a little spa treatment at Perugia Salon Spa will always do the trick.

When it comes to receiving, I love the thought that can be put into preparing a gift basket for someone special, and for me, that would include a selection of some of my favourite treats around town. I would probably start at the Italian Centre, grabbing some great oils, pestos, sun dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, maybe some Proscuitto di Parma, bundnerfleisch, or soppressata, shaved thin. Then I would head to Queen of Tarts and pick up some fresh rustic breads and brioche buns. After that I would head to Paddy’s Cheese to track down some fantastic local cheeses, like the Sylvan Star Old Grizzly gouda, and maybe throw in a box of Rosemary Raisin Raincoast Crisps. I would round out the gift basket with a trip to Baseline Wine & Spirit Co. where Che and his team would gladly help me to pick up the perfect bottle of red to compliment all of these tasty treats. Now that’s a Christmas gift like no other.

Neil Herbst, Alley Kat Brewing Company

I would have to say some Kerstin’s Chocolates washed down with some fine espresso from Transcend.

Dez Melenka, Co-Host, CTV Morning Live

Melissa Dominelli [CTV Morning Live Traffic Specialist] and I love shopping local…I think for me it’s about locally run fashion.  I love Bella Maas…it’s run by two friends and they are both feisty fashionistas!!    If it’s about eating out…and who doesn’t like that…a really great local bistro that is always a treat is La Persaud…a gift certificate from there would be fun!

Melissa knows how popular athletic wear is and tells me it’s a great gift to give friends and family…she recommends Key Lime,  a Canadian company that really makes affordable and stylish work out wear. Above all…we both love the markets…local artisan shows that allow you to find the truly unique gift!!  My favourite is the Handmade Mafia…it’s a fabulous place to find something different and completely local!!

Chris Buyze, President of the Downtown Edmonton Community League

Since a grow a lot of my own food during the summer, and do a lot of canning and preserving with friends, I like to give small tokens of the garden – salsa, jam, canned peaches, zucchini chutney or tomato jam. I make these items in small jars and build small pine boxes out of locally-produced lumber to package them in, along with Coal Lake Honey from the City Market Downtown.

I am also a big fan of giving locally-produced arts and crafts as gifts, especially pottery from the Alberta Craft Gallery or Gabe Wong‘s ‘Endangered Alberta Animal 2012 Calendar’ from the Royal Bison Art & Craft Show. We have so many talented local artists and artisans that produce high-quality products worth supporting!

For my nieces (and kids in general), there is a great selection of sustainably crafted toys at Carbon. And you can’t go wrong giving books from Audreys Bookstore, whether a nice cookbook or local interest book.

Erica Viegas, Singer/Songwriter

Being a lover of music, and especially local music  something from a local record store like Permanent Records or Blackbryd Myoozik would definitely be part of my give or get gift list. I also think there is nothing cozier in the dead of Edmonton’s winter than comfy Cloud Nine pajamas and a cup of something warm.  I’m a big fan of Credo Coffee and Duchess Bakery for a yummy treats, and Red Ribbon or Bella Maas for local clothes certificates.

However, more than physical gifts, I would often rather spend time with someone one over a nice meal, and I think Corso 32 is one of Edmonton’s best (to treat or be treated to)!

 Kara and Nevin Fenske, Drift Food Truck

Two presents we like to give and would love to get would be:

1-any sort of mix of items from the deli counter at the Italian Centre. You really can’t go wrong with meat, cheese and olives. Throwing in a bottle of wine from DeVine wines is always a good idea!   Pairing that with chocolate is a nice touch as well,  which brings us to #2

2-Kerstin’s Chocolates. From their spiced drinking chocolate to salted caramels. ANYTHING from their shop is delightful.

Sarah Jackson, Graphic Designer and Author of A Jam Story

My favourite local item to get: I would love to get a leather purse or wallet from Keri V, a local girl who vends at the Royal Bison and other Edmonton craft shows (she’s also on etsy). I already have this beautiful blue leather purse from her and a custom-made laptop bag, and now I’m addicted to her handmade-leather goods. She has an attention to detail that is rare in today’s world and an aesthetic that I love, lining her purses and bags with vintage patterned fabrics. Each piece is crafted with such care.

My favourite local item to give: The one I give the most often is probably Duchess treats – if I’m on my way to a dinner party or a birthday I’ll stop by and get one of their rich dark chocolate Duke cakes, one of their lemon merengue pies (delish!) or a box of macarons. I also like to stop by The Artworks downtown – they make the most beautiful bouquets of flowers tied with colourful ribbons and I always feel that people know you love them best when you give them an Artworks bouquet.

John Caputo, Edmonton Sun Publisher

Anything from the Italian Centre Shop, and I mean anything. I get so excited when a basket of any kind  shows up from them. And what about the bakery…

 

 

Jessica Halabi, Fashion Designer

I’ve given it quite a bit of thought and it was super hard for me to choose just one local gift I’d like. I have fallen in love with many pieces from my designer friends, being such a tight knit community – I always browse their beautiful work. So, I have come up with the perfect compilation of gifts. Nearly everything Gabriela Cruz of CRUZ designs, I adore. She gifted me a top in the summer that I really couldn’t stop wearing. I’ve been drooling over Fridget Apparel’s super cute cardigans for quite some time now. I think every girl should own a corset from Sweet Carousel Corsetry, nothing could make a woman feel & look as beautiful as Elise Troung’s ultra fem corsets. Corinna Chow of Parasol makes the cutest shrugs. To top all those off, a necklace from Rachel Bingham of BangBang Bijoux. Made from vintage finds, or jewels from her grandmothers chandelier, every piece tells a story.

Most of all, at the top of my Christmas list is a gift certificate from Sig Plach Couturier Fabric Store. Rooms full of fine fabrics fill this downtown house. Such beautiful, hand crafted pieces of fabric that come from all over the world. Sadly, Sig Plach is scheduled to close this summer. Unfortunately, too many customers are turning to mass produced fabrics and buying online. Which really hits home for me as a local business owner.

Ruth Kelly, President and Publisher of Venture Publishing

Books are a go-to gift for me and my favourite place to find titles which surprise and delight is Audreys Books. This year, I’ll be gifting copies of Lynn Coady’s fine Giller-shortlisted novel, The Antagonist. I’m also giving subscriptions to 18 Bridges, the magazine edited by Lynn and fellow Edmontonian Curtis Gillespie.

Call the Kettle Black always has some must-have new kitchen item that I slather over. And for host gifts to take along to the many parties of the season, you can pick up one of their cunning little tools, like the wooden juicer, and pair it with a basket of citrus fruits.  You can get a double-hit of local if you go to Awear, the women’s clothing store on Calgary Trail. Owner Leila Gumpinger stocks local designer Kelly Madden’s fashions and Kelly’s pieces are both very unique and remarkably affordable.  One of the best received gift packages I gave last year was a package of hot chocolate from Sweet Lollapalooza matched with my home-made biscotti. The hot chocolate is indescribably good; tears came to my eyes the first time I sampled it.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this list! I hope their suggestions help you this season. Make sure you also check out City and Dale’s shop local holiday gift guides for more ideas.

Mercury Opera’s 104 Underground (an operascape)

Last Friday, Mercury Opera brought opera to the people – is there any place more democratic than a public transportation platform?

Although the show itself was free (transit operators weren’t checking for fare payments), a $25 ticket gave opera revellers access to some pre-show food and drink at four street-level businesses. I really loved the design of the entire event – from its transformation of an everyday space to a glorious stage, and its recognition and utilization of existing shops.

Given the event started at 6pm on a Friday night, we thought patrons would trickle in, and adoption of an early bird mentality wouldn’t be necessary. We were wrong; by the time we stopped into some of the participating retailers at 7pm, the trays were empty and the pitchers dry.

Mercury Opera's 104 Underground

The crowd at Coup

In hindsight, the expectation of any event starting at 6pm with the promise of alcohol would be accompanying food of some substance (especially with the $25 admission price). Instead, there were platters of cheese and pretzels at deVine’s, and olives and pickles at Coup. We heard 29 Armstrong had been serving croquettes (long gone by the time we arrived), and the Eyecare Group had offered up desserts (also since devoured), but in the end just wondered whether the organizers simply didn’t anticipate the crowds that turned up.

Mercury Opera's 104 Underground

Food at deVine’s

Thankfully for Mack and I, we had both eaten, but happily had some wine at deVine’s, and champagne at the Eyecare Group. People were clearly enjoying themselves, and we almost regretted not arriving at the party earlier.

Mercury Opera's 104 Underground

Ed serving wine at deVine’s

At 8pm, the group was encouraged to head down to the LRT platform to ready for the show. Chairs for the Vif Quartet had been set up at the centre of the platform, and while the crowd eagerly waited for the arrival of the performers (by train, of course), volunteers and peace officers held caution tape in place to make sure all observers remained safe.

Mercury Opera's 104 Underground

A packed platform

The show, in a word, was spectacular. The singers used the circular benches as their stage, and in their gorgeous Natasha Lazarovic gowns (it was as much a fashion show as an opera performance), colours reflecting on the mirrored panels surrounding them, it was a sight to see.

Mercury Opera's 104 Underground

Arriving by train

Mercury Opera

Stunning

The acoustics were better than expected, and the live musicians that accompanied them elevated the show even more. When trains full of passengers drove past, their aghast and puzzled expressions were priceless – these kinds of things don’t happen in Edmonton, do they?

Mercury Opera's 104 Underground

Encore

When the operascape was over, the performers left as they came – on the train. The void they left was palpable – we didn’t know what to do with ourselves! There should have been an after party to capture the buzz and energy in the air.

Congratulations to Mercury Opera for a fabulous event. I look forward to seeing what they come up with next!

You can read Mack’s post on the event here (including videos of the performance), and take a look at his photo set here.

Food Notes for November 28, 2011

  • The downtown location of Oodle Noodle is turning one! Help them celebrate this weekend, December 2-4, 2011. This coupon will get you an entree and a drink for just $7, while there will be cupcakes and a magician on hand at noon on December 2.
  • To help you be a more thorough shopper, Vinomania is offering free wine tastings from their Enosystem over the next three Saturdays from 11am-5pm (December 3, 10 and 17, 2011). You might just pick up a bottle for yourself, too!
  • Sutton Place Hotel’s annual Taste of Christmas kicks off December 6 and ends on December 16. Make sure to call ahead for a reservation!
  • Are you ready for a party? The Downtown Edmonton Community League is having a Christmas mixer at the office (10113 104 Street) on December 8 from 7-9pm. If you don’t have a membership yet, they will be selling them at the door for just $5. And with food being catered by Drift, you know it will be a good time.
  • Twyla reviewed Hakuna Matata, a fairly new Somali restaurant on Alberta Avenue. I’d be interested to try it myself to see how it compares to African Somali, my go-to Somali restaurant.
  • Marianne offers up a review of Noorish. Seems like most people are at first sceptical, but are quickly converted.
  • The Journal had a great piece about the trend (and Edmontonians’ hesitation) towards fully embracing the communal table. I remember first encountering one a few years ago in DC – we were apprehensive at first, but found that it was a great way to break bread with strangers.
  • Sarah Chan, of Girls + Bicycles fame, published a cookbook with her friend Leanne Brown. You can buy a hard copy, but you can also download it for free as well. I love how it is sectioned off into shops/farmers’ markets.
  • I’ve had Thanksgiving in a bowl, but never in croissant form. It looks delicious.
  • It’s a little disheartening to read about the food truck crackdowns in Midtown Manhattan. I really hope they find some way to work towards a more conducive solution for everyone.
  • Did you see the headlines last week about how the US Congress now considers pizza a vegetable? I did too, but it turns out that wasn’t exactly true.
  • A coworker had her farewell lunch at Khazana last week. I balked when I heard their lunch buffet was priced at nearly $18/person, but clearly this isn’t a problem for most – it was packed! Decent variety and good food, but I’m not sure I would pay that much for a lunch buffet on a regular basis.

Khazana

The saag paneer was my favourite

  • I love putting together baskets of food products and trinkets to give as gifts. The Italian Bakery in Chintaown (10646 97 Street) is a great place to go, where last week I spotted a marzipan pig.

Italian Bakery

Some pig

  • I can’t wait until the Legislature grounds are all lit up for Christmas (taking place on December 1, which also kicks off the choir and hot cocoa season), but in the mean time, City Hall is looking lovely as well.

City Hall

Have a good week!

Pyrohy Gluttony: St. John’s Cultural Centre

I’d heard tell that churches across town regularly served up perogies to the carb-starved masses, but I’d never attended one of these pyrohy suppers myself. Until tonight.

After work, a few of my coworkers headed to St. John’s Cultural Centre, within walking distance of the office, to stuff ourselves silly. St. John’s, like many others around Edmonton (including St. Andrew’s and St. Basil’s), offers these suppers on a monthly basis as a regular fundraising opportunity.

I’m not sure why I thought these suppers were a well-kept secret, but given how full the room was that night, it was clear this was a monthly tradition for many. Several tables were reserved, and others were filled with large parties who looked like regulars. And with wine at just $20 a bottle, it was easily one of the cheapest happy hour options in the city.

St. John's Cultural Centre

Not a well-kept secret

For $12 ($10 for seniors and $6 for children aged 6-12), we dined, all-you-can-eat-style, on two kinds of perogies, sauerkraut, roasted pork and Caesar salad. A separate table contained all of the usual perogy fixings – sour cream, bacon bits and (wait for it) sautéed onions in melted butter. I was in love.

St. John's Cultural Centre

Leigh, Sam and Elise load up

The perogies were just what I was looking for – the homemade dough makes all the difference. When we have perogies (from frozen, of course) at home, we typically pan-fry them in butter, but in this case, it would have masked the wonderful texture of the skin. The cottage cheese filling was good, but the potato and onion was definitely my favourite. . The roasted pork on my first go-around was moist and shredded ever so easily, but was a bit dry on my second run.

St. John's Cultural Centre

Plate #1

Dessert and coffee was also available for those who still had room. None of us indulged, partly because of the unidentified nature of the cake, but mostly because that second plate of perogies was probably a mistake.

St. John's Cultural Centre

Dessert

The next few pyrohy suppers at St. John’s are scheduled for December 16, January 27 and February 24. Start thinking about those stretchy pants now!

St. John’s Cultural Centre
10611 110 Avenue
(780) 425-9692

A Christmas Fête at the Queen of Tarts

We’re nearly a month away from Christmas, and with American Thanksgiving now out of the way, I think it’s now appropriate to pull out the decorations to start making merry at home. It was also perfect timing for a Christmas fête at the Queen of Tarts.

Queen of Tarts

Sparking wine and sparkling lights

There’s a lot to celebrate at the Queen of Tarts – this will be their first Christmas at the storefront, and the space will allow the Queen of Tarts to have a greater selection of pantry gifts (including a special Greek olive oil called Parthena – pure and cold-pressed, a sample yielded a light, fruity quality, and a flavour that made it good enough to drink). They will even be putting together baskets to make it easy for the harried shopper!

Queen of Tarts

Gifts for the pantry

Queen of Tarts

Parthena Greek olive oil

The cafe is also kicking off regular dinner service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting on December 1st. And of course, special seasonal items will now start to appear in the bakery cases!

Queen of Tarts

All decked out for the holidays

This evening’s open house was intended as a showcase for these delights, an opportunity to sample both sweet and savoury treats that will be offered over the next few weeks.

Queen of Tarts

The Queen herself, Linda Kearney

Alongside a glass of sparkling wine, we were invited to try nearly ten different delectable desserts and appetizers that any hostess would be proud to serve. Among the more traditional sweets were mincemeat tarts, fruitcake and stollen (the latter was already packaged and ready for patrons to pick up).

Queen of Tarts

Fruitcake and mincemeat tarts

Queen of Tarts

Stollen

The palmiers, a delicate savoury cookie made from buttery puff pastry, simply melted in my mouth. The olive tapenade was a sophisticated addition. As well, mini brioche buns stuffed with mushroom duxelle were also a new item, a wonderful two-bite hors d’oeuvre with the earthiness of the mushrooms (I loved that the shallots retained their crunch) and a touch of sweetness.

Queen of Tarts

Palmiers

Queen of Tarts

Mini brioche buns and Mack’s favourite gougères

One cannot pass up the dessert tray at the Queen of Tarts, and tonight was no exception. The sinfully rich brownies are always a crowd favourite, but the seasonal gingerbread Bundt cakes held their own. I’m not much of a ginger fan, but I enjoyed them, won over by their moist and fragrant interior.

Queen of Tarts

Thunder brownies

Queen of Tarts

Gingerbread Bundt cakes

A big change is coming though – as you may have heard, the Queen of Tarts had organized a contest earlier this fall to help them pick a new name. Linda has finally settled on “Dauphine”, which is the French term for the Queen in waiting. Look for a launch of their new identity soon.

Thanks again to Linda and her staff for hosting the festive open house – it definitely helped get me in the mood for Christmas!

Queen of Tarts Bakery & Bistro
10129 104 Street
(780) 421-4410
Tuesday -Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 8am-6pm

Not on Meatless Mondays: Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse

Over dinner at the Harvest Room in October, Mack and I had the opportunity to get to know Mandy and her boyfriend Ajit a little more – turns out, they love food as much as we do! We already knew Mandy’s brother Miles from working with him on What the Truck?! over the summer (they run The Lingnan together, with the rest of their family). So when Mandy suggested the lot of us should get together for dinner, we thought it was a great idea.

We proposed Pampa as a venue – it was new to nearly everyone, while my only experience was at lunch. At the time, I had thought the restaurant would be more conducive for the dinner hour, when patrons have the ability to linger and take in the food at their own pace. That night, with a cocktail in hand and good company at the table, Pampa did seem to have more opportunity shine after dark.

Pampa

Interior

On a cool Tuesday night, our table was the first party to be seated that evening. This proved to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the upside: we were the first to access the salad bar that night, which meant we had our choice of the extensive selection of green, vegetable, pasta and grain salads and cold platters (some of the bowls were empty on my last visit). Notable for me this time was the balsamic honey reduction dressing.

Pampa

Salad bar

Pampa

Mack’s never happy about having to eat vegetables

PampaCompli

mentary appetizers (the cassava fries were particularly delectable)

On the downside: the kitchen was clearly prepared to handle a much larger initial rush than they received that night. As a result, the severs descended, fast and furiously, on on our table with cuts approaching at such a rapid pace that all we could do was buckle down and eat. This explains the lack of meat photos to follow.

Pampa

“Keep it coming” and “stop the pain”

On the other hand, with such quick succession of the eight or so options we had at our disposal that night, we were easily able to pick out which were our favourites. The house made pork sausage elicited rounds of approval (and calls for seconds), as did the bacon-wrapped chicken thigh. Both were so tender and cooked perfectly. I very much enjoyed the bottom round and its charcoal-tinged crust (it made me wish they had the salt-crusted picanha I liked so much on my last visit on rotation).

Pampa

Bacon-wrapped chicken thigh

The group appreciated the parmesan pork, at its centre a moist medium rare, and the lamb, so juicy it literally left its mark on the table as it was being carved. The only type that didn’t go over well was the garlic steak – tough and hard to eat, it seemed as if the garlic was used to mask the poor quality of the cut. But for the most part, Pampa did honour meat in many incarnations with its preparation, technique, and flair.

We opted to try a few of the desserts – the manjar de coco didn’t quite meet Miles’ expectation of a crème caramel, while the passionfruit mousse wasn’t actually the star on its plate – the melt-in-your-mouth meringue took that prize.

Pampa

Manjar de coco

Pampa

Passionfruit mousse

Given the price of our dinner was upwards of $75 a person ($44.95 without drinks or dessert), we were a little disappointed with the service that night. Our server wasn’t subtle about pushing the liquor (reminding us numerous times about being able to cork and carry out bottles), at the expense of refilling water glasses. She also disappeared at various points that evening, including one long absence in between our plates having been cleared and wanting to order dessert. On the bright side, she did manage to scrounge up the lone plate of pineapple that was left in the restaurant. Mandy had heard from a friend that the pineapple at Pampa was great, but was told early on that evening that pineapple wasn’t available that day. Needless to say, Mandy left a happier customer (and, as she said, better able to digest dinner).

Pampa

The elusive pineapple!

Before we left, we were very fortunate to receive a tour of the kitchen from owner Oscar Lopez (Mack and I were lucky to slip in alongside Miles). It was great to talk to him and get some background on Pampa. It was clear he is passionate about the rodizio concept, and pioneering such a restaurant in Edmonton.

Most fascinating to me were the grills – even standing five feet away, the heat was unbearable; I couldn’t imagine having to tend to the charcoal and wood, which reaches temperatures of 500 – 750F, over the busy dinner hour.

Pampa

The grill (notice the intense sprinklers above)

We learned that the three tiers on the grill were used for different purposes – the skewers on the top level would be kept warm, the middle was used for slow-cooking the meats, and the lowest setting would cook things quickly. We asked Oscar about the segment on The Opener that showed the restaurant offering a seafood option – he said this was set up by the show for filming, and was never something he intended to continue with. Part of it had to do with expense, but given the heat emanating from the charcoal, seafood would cook much too quickly.

Pampa

How do the skewers turn, you ask? Magic gears!

Oscar also showed us the heavy-duty air filter at the back of the house, which filters 6000 cubic feet per minute, necessary because of the continuous charcoal and wood burned in the kitchen. On a few occasions early in the restaurant’s history, a clogged filter meant the smoke drifted rather uncomfortably into the dining area.

Pampa

What’s standing between charcoal and the dining room

While Pampa is usually busy over dinner, Oscar said that lunches have been slow. I had to wonder if a part of it had to do with the “buffet mentality” – that diners must feel like they ate their fill in order to deem that they received value for their dollar. Or, for some business persons, the idea of being interrupted every few minutes with a meat offering, stifling the flow of conversation, is a turn-off.

It’s hard to think that Pampa could be unsuccessful in beef-crazed Alberta. But from our own experience, it is a restaurant that for its price and promotion of gluttony, is very much relegated to special occasions and infrequent returns. Still, there is a place for it, and one that I hope more Edmontonians will discover. Thanks again to Miles for dinner – we hope to do it again some time!

Pampa

A satisfied party

Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse
9929 – 109 Street
(780) 756-7030
Lunch: Mon – Fri 11:30am – 1:30pm; Dinner: Monday-Friday 5-10pm; Saturday 3-10pm; closed Sundays

Food Notes for November 21, 2011

If the crowds at Make It were any indication, I think people are seriously getting ready for Christmas! Thankfully, that wasn’t the only opportunity to get locally-produced and handmade crafts. The Royal Bison takes place this coming weekend, November 26-27, 2011, with catering provided by Culina. On to this week’s food notes:

Chop

Chop

  • While at the University of Alberta last week, Mack and I were finally able to check out some of the kiosks run by some of the city’s food truck vendors, located in the basement of the Central Academic Building. Among them were Eva Sweet, Filistix, and Fat Franks. I’m a bit jealous that current students have such great options to choose from – I would have killed to have the option of starting my day with a savoury breakfast waffle topped with eggs and bacon, a lunch of pulled pork with apple chipotle bbq sauce, or an international dog of the week (like a Peking Dog with hoisin sauce). The kiosks are open 10am-4pm – check ‘em out if you’re down on campus!

Filistix and Eva Sweet

Filistix and Eva Sweet share a kiosk

Eva Sweet

Who can say no to breakfast waffles?

Fat Franks

Fat Franks

  • We had a chance to stop by the McCafe in Commerce Place last week (incentive being, of course, the 2-for-1 coupons we received in the mail). Mack ordered a latte with a sugar-free vanilla shot, while I opted for a mocha (menu here). They are push-button drinks, made from machines similar to the ones seen in some self-serve cafe areas of hotels now. We liked the real milk (which gives McDonald’s a real advantage over Tim Horton’s), but even with the slight discount over Starbucks, we likely wouldn’t choose McCafe if there was a Starbucks nearby.

McCafe

McCafe

McCafe

Pastry case

McCafe

Our drinks

Сайт знакомств

2011 Holiday Light Up on Churchill Square

The annual Holiday Light Up on Churchill Square is something I don’t like to miss, even if the weather is less than conducive for an outdoor event! Mack and I braved the cold to partake in this annual tradition.

Cold!

Cold!

Earlier in the afternoon though, I trekked down to the Square to pick up some groceries from the City Market. As with the previous two Saturdays, to help tie the Market into the day’s festivities, a third of the vendors were set-up in a tent on Churchill Square.

IMG_4200

City Market outdoors

Though I thought this location was a boon to the vendors last year, it was a much different picture then, as it was easily about twenty degrees warmer than it was today. One of the two heaters stopped working an hour in this morning, something that didn’t bode well for those positioned in that half of the tent. Over in City Hall, however, it was very pleasant, with musicians livening up the atmosphere. Many shoppers were asking about which vendors were in the Square, but didn’t seem willing to step outside to explore them firsthand. I wonder if some clear signage with a map of vendors would have been an incentive to do so? Or, because of the weather, simply have allowed all of the vendors to remain inside the Hall?

Later that evening, Mack met up with me and we sipped hot coffee in anticipation of the light-up and fireworks. Closer to 5pm, the crowd swelled to a few hundred – it’s always heartening to see Edmontonians embracing outdoor activities.

Stiltwalker

Stilt walkers wandered into the crowd

After a few Christmas songs to warm up the crowd, Eskimo cheerleaders and Councillor Jane Batty welcomed Santa Claus himself up on stage (it was pretty amusing when Councillor Batty expressed to Santa that “one or two Councillors” will be receiving coal this Christmas).

Santa

On a break from the North Pole

I was a bit disappointed that the organizers opted not to use the giant light switch that they have in the past, but counting down to the light-up itself was still a great time. The 71 foot white spruce, weighing 8000 pounds, had been donated by Millar Western. Decorations included 14,000 LED lights, sparklers and snowglobes, about 4,000 more than last year.

Christmas Tree

Tree

I look forward to the fireworks spectacle every year, primarily because it is the only show in our city that is timed to music. I wonder if it was the cold that impacted the execution of the fireworks this year, because something delayed them this time around, which meant that they didn’t end up accompanying the music. We still enjoyed them though – fireworks are always a great way to kick off the holiday season!

Fireworks

Fireworks

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The tree will be around to view until early January. Make sure to check it out when you have a chance!

The Cooking Chronicles: Blog Inspiration

Cookbooks and magazines still remain a core of my recipe repertoire, but blogs are a significant source of inspiration for me. In some ways, it is less of a chore to bookmark a recipe on a blog for a rainy day than to deliberately seek one out in print. The two following dishes I made recently were gleaned from the online world of cooking – but there are many more to come!

Spiced Paneer with Spinach, Tomatoes and Potatoes

Although mutter paneer is one of my favourite dishes at Indian restaurants, I’ve never tried cooking with paneer at home. When I saw Michelle’s easy recipe for spiced paneer with spinach, tomatoes and potatoes, there seemed like no better way to start.

I had thought paneer would be available at Superstore, but that wasn’t the case (we ended up picking up a package at Spice Centre, our go-to Indian grocer). The package and white block reminded me very much of tofu, but of course, it is much more dense and firm in texture.

As promised, the recipe was very fast to pull together (we used Doef’s tomatoes and Greens, Eggs and Ham potatoes). I loved the wilted spinach, and the spice combination – great flavour, with just the right amount of heat for us. Next time, I’d likely include onions, and because I love tomatoes, I would double what the recipe calls for. Overall though, it’s a keeper!

Spiced Paneer with Spinach and Potatoes

Spiced paneer with spinach, tomatoes and potatoes (photo much less alluring than Michelle’s)

Thai Red Curry with Halibut

Trish Magwood’s Thai chicken curry is a rotating staple in our kitchen, but for whatever reason, we haven’t really used any other protein with that sauce and vegetable combination. Cream and Sugar’s recipe for Thai red curry with halibut was a good reminder that we should change it up.

We had some wild Alberta shallots from the Italian Centre, a bell pepper from Doef’s, and halibut from Ocean Odyssey, though we also threw in some green beans we had in the freezer. Similar to the dish above, this cooked up quickly, and had the by-product of scenting the condo with fragrant coconut milk.

We didn’t have fresh basil and cilantro on hand, unfortunate because I know it would have brightened up the dish considerably. Still, the curry was tasty – the halibut held up very well, and the vegetables cooked down to tender perfection.

Thai Red Curry with Halibut

Thai red curry with halibut (another photo that doesn’t even remotely compare to the original blog shot)

Which cooking blogs inspire you?