Food Notes for September 17, 2012

Mack and I are finally packing up for a long-awaited vacation! We’re not going far, or for very long, but because of our very busy summer, it couldn’t come at a better time. Portland, Oregon, here we come! As usual, I’ll be taking a break from blogging, but make sure to check out those in the blog roll for local reads! On to this week’s food notes:

• Next week, make sure to check out the kick-off to the Alberta Arts Days festivities on September 28, 2012! One of the al fresco events will see live music and food trucks commandeer 104 Street from Jasper to 102 Avenue.
• Cookie Love (12525A 102 Ave) is now open. We had the chance to try their cookies on the Red Shoe Crawl on Sunday – two thumbs up!
• On the heels of a successful tour to Portland, the Journal is leading another excursion in November, this time to the food mecca of Manhattan.
• Although I enjoyed learning about Cafe Select’s menu transformation, this piece read too much like an advertorial to me.
• Were you ever curious about what former Journal food writer Judy Schultz’s kitchen looks like? Wonder no more.
• Mack sent me a link to a relatively new feature on The Gateway’s website – video food reviews called Campus Bites.
• I missed this last week – Valerie posted a great review of Manor Cafe’s Passion for Pork dinner.
• Great to see Sundog Organic Farm featured in Vue’s cover story this week.
• Jennifer Cockrall-King sent me a link to a story about tiffin boxes: a project in Vancouver is looking at eliminating wasteful take-out containers by encouraging the use of re-usable tiffin boxes. Even better, a portion of each tiffin box sale goes towards a fund to help restaurateurs purchase local produce. Any takers for something like this in Edmonton?
• Coming soon to Whyte: a Lebanese eatery in the space formerly occupied by Crepeworks.

La Shish

• Mack moderated a panel last Thursday at the AGA titled “Closing the Food Gap”, a part of The Way We Green speakers series. The panel featured Kevin Kossowan, Jennifer Cockrall-King, Kathryn Lennon and Mark Winne. It’s always great to hear different perspectives on local food issues!

Closing the Food Gap panel

• On the weekend, Amanda and I checked out Pinkberry at West Edmonton Mall. We didn’t mind the non-self-serve orientation, and although I initially balked at the $5.70 price tag for a small, given the amount of toppings “comfortably” crammed into the cup, it probably ended up being relatively cheaper than Tutti Frutti, my usual frozen yogurt haunt. The pomegranate yogurt I tried was tart and refreshing. I’d be back, but probably only if I was at the mall to begin with.

Pinkberry

• For dinner that night, we met up with Felicia at Three Boars. It was another consistently good meal, with the standout dish for us being the perfectly crusted Alberta lamb sirloin served alongside a shiitake mushroom baklava.

Bacon and apple poutine (I could see the appeal, but it wasn’t for me)

Beef cheek and creamy rutabaga pie

Jerk pork loin banh mi (loved that they cut it in three for us!)

Alberta lamb sirloin, shiitake mushroom baklava, glazed lentils and wheat berries, mustard greens, carrot puree

• Amanda and I continued our gluttonous day at Da Capo on Whyte for gelato. Yum!

All mine

• I also tried Thai Orchid (4005 Gateway Boulevard) for the first time on Saturday for dinner. It was a big group, and a few orders got lost in the shuffle, but I did enjoy my pad thai. Worth returning to for a more complete meal.

Pad Thai

• My parents hosted a “Thanksgiving dinner” on Sunday night, given Amanda likely won’t be back to Edmonton for quite some time. For dessert, my Mum made waffles, served with whipped cream and Steve & Dan’s berries.

Dessert!

Enjoy your week!