Food Notes for September 15, 2014

It’s hard to believe how fast September has flown by – Mack and I are now counting down to our wedding (and honeymoon!). On to this week’s food notes:

• We’re about halfway through Sorrentino’s 20th annual Mushroom Harvest Festival, which features cooking classes, and a mushroom walk, cook & eat.
• You have one more chance to tour the Northlands Urban Farm on September 18, 2014, and learn about their farm and beekeeping operation.
• Slow Food Edmonton is hosting an apple tasting on September 21, 2014 at the French Quarter Market. I couldn’t help but think of Valerie’s post when she conducted a similar tasting with her food students a few years ago.
• The City Market is collaborating with local chefs to help the Bissell Centre raise funds at their Fall Harvest Dinner on October 5, 2014.
• LitFest is back this year with Food Matters on October 18, 2014, featuring a panel that includes Chef Shane Chartrand of Sage Restaurant.
• Karlynn sampled the new “build your own” menu at Hotel Macdonald, offering 3 courses for $59.
• Mel Priestley is the new Dish Editor at Vue Weekly – congrats!
• Congratulations to Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton for planting their first tree at their new micro-orchard last week! The orchard is located at McCauley School.
• Peters’ Drive-In is expanding to Red Deer’s Gasoline Alley. It may be only a matter of time before they move north into Edmonton!
• Mack, Felicia and I checked out Hawkers Market on Saturday at their new location. Latitude 53 provided the added bonus of an outdoor patio space, but was unfortunately plagued by some of the same power issues seen at Vacancy Hall. Still, we enjoyed the food we were able to sample – in particular, the cashew cheese by Truffula was a tasty surprise, while it’s hard to pass up Paper Bag Donuts.

Out on the patio

Cashew cheese with onion bread by Truffula (the cheese is available at Earth’s General Store)

Paper Bag Donuts

• The first annual Mid-Autumn Festival event that took place in Churchill Square was a rousing success. The weather cooperated, and they had a great turnout for the performances and other planned activities. The grand finale of a lantern parade followed by a boat launch onto the City Hall pool was executed exactly as the organizers envisioned, and hopefully, will be something replicated again next year.

Mid Autumn Festival at Churchill Square

Attila the HUNgry’s duck tots

Wishing boats at City Hall