Supporting Black-Owned Food Businesses
In an effort to support the current Black Lives Matters protests, several local food bloggers have used their platforms to showcase local Black-owned food businesses.
Some of the lists have referenced information gathered from Afro Biz and Black Owned YEG. Find links on Linda Hoang, YEG Cravings, and Eat with Sharon’s sites for a window into the variety of cuisines and products available throughout Edmonton. In New York, similar lists have been circulating for the last week, and some businesses have seen an uptick in sales during that period.
On a related note, Calgary-based writer and cookbook author Julie van Rosendaal has offered to consult with aspiring BIPOC writers for free, to help ensure more diverse voices reach the mainstream.
In COVID-19-related News:
- Food businesses continue to announce re-opening for take-out or delivery, as is the case with Lockstock and Hathaway’s Diner.
- Others have chosen to open for limited dine-in services, including Sabor, Partake, RGE RD, Louisiana Purchase, King Noodle House, Cask & Barrel, Kazoku, Guru, and DOSC.
- I continue to be amazed at some of the ingenuity behind the make-at-home options available through restaurants – including Partake’s assembly-ready beef tartare.
- Food trucks are also offering meal kits – Sizzling Stick, for example, is selling heat-and-serve satay packages.
- Canadian Western Bank worked with Blaze Pizza and Five Guys to surprise some essential grocery workers with meals.
Openings
- Culina On the Lake, their Hawrelak Park outpost, officially opened in February, but closed shortly after due to the COVID-19 restrictions. It has since re-opened, and now has a patio to boot!
- It looks like the Downtown location of Wayback Burgers at 10412 Jasper Avenue is still coming soon.
Upcoming Events
- AMA is hosting an Ask Me Anything with Taste Alberta on June 11, 2020 that will focus on how to shop local for barbecue season.
- The Friends of the Royal Alberta Museum Society have partnered with Get Cooking for their next event on June 11, 2020. Kathryn Joel will be leading a virtual cooking class featuring Alberta’s official 7 ingredients.
- The folks behind the 124 Grand Market are organizing a Food Truck Fest on June 12, 2020 from 4-8pm in the parking lot of Kingsway Mall.
Local News
- Has the buffet come to a permanent end? Both Pampa and Nariyanni’s have had to change their dining models to fit the current restrictions.
- Rogue Wave Coffee’s Ply Pasarj merges his science background with the art of brewing coffee.
- Celtic Kitchen offers different sweet and savoury pies for pick-up, including gluten-free varieties.
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- The City of Edmonton’s pop-up gardening initiative is moving forward with 350 containers to 29 sites.
What I Ate
- Edgar Farms asparagus is in season! The asparagus arrived late this year, so the season will unfortunately be even shorter than usual. Find them at Old Strathcona, Downtown Edmonton, Bountiful, St. Albert, and Callingwood Farmers’ Markets.
Asparagus pizza
- Coffee Bureau now offers chocolate soft-serve! They were handing out free cones on Friday on a trial basis, and Emily was more than happy to partake.
Emily loves ice cream!
Only Here for the Food 